Whether it’s your first time in the reading space or just looking for a fun, new book to crack open in your free time, this list is sure to have something for you. This listicle is full of reads released over the past year by us and about us. Memoirs, romances, thrillers, literary fiction are just a few of the genres these titles fall into and hopefully you walk away from this list with a taste for literature.
“The Summer I Ate the Rich” by Maika and Maritza Moulite, April 2025 (Thriller/Horror)
Maika and Maritza Moulite have crafted a rich and wholly original novel about a Haitian American girl who decides to use her zombie powers to eat the rich and take money from wealthy aristocrats through her culinary creations. The book made the American Booksellers Association’s Instant Young Adult Indie Bestsellers List last year. “The Summer I Ate the Rich”, centers on Brielle Petitfour who loves to cook but is doing everything she can to take care of her ailing mother– starting a catering business (with an ulterior motive) gives her a chance to gain extra money.
“Can’t Get Enough” by Kennedy Ryan, May 2025 (Romance/Contemporary)
“Can’t Get Enough” is the third book in Kennedy Ryan’s “Skyland” series, with the other books in the trilogy being “Before I Let Go” and “This Could Be Us”. This story follows Hendrix Barry, who seems to have everything but the perfect man…until she meets Maverick Bell. Maverick truly makes her feel seen in the midst of the family turmoil she is dealing with on a daily basis. The book touches on topics of familial caretakers, love, and sisterhood through an emotionally mature lens.
The “Can’t Get Enough” received the “She Reads Best of Award for Romance” earlier this year and fans are excited to see what her next story will hold. Ryan graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and in 2019 became the first Black winner of a RITA award for romantic fiction. The New York Times Bestselling author has also written the “Hoops”, “Hollywood Renaissance”, “All the King’s Men”, “Soul” and “Grip” series over the years.
“Plus Size Player” by Danielle Allen, June 2025 (Workplace Romance/Fiction)
Looking for a new steamy contemporary romance? Then “Plus Size Player”, just might be the read for you. This is the second book in Danielle Allen’s “Curve” series and features a full figure main character, Nina Ford, who goes through men faster than her friends can count; until she meets Russell Long, who seems like the full package. You’ll have to read this novel to discover if Russell could be Nina’s perfect match. out.
“Girls Who Play Dead” by Joelle Wellington, November 2025 (YA Mystery/Queer)
“Girls Who Play Dead” chronicles the experiences of a pair of siblings who set out to get to the bottom of their friend’s mysterious death. After Erin dies, Mikky decides to come home to help his sister grieve, but becomes sucked into the wave of unanswered questions surrounding Erin, small town gossip and secrecy surrounding social media influencers. Check out “Their Vicious Games” or “The Blonde Dies First” if you’re interested in the author’s other works.
“The Bottom of the Pyramid” by Nia Sioux, November 2025 (Memoir/Pop Culture)
If you were an avid watcher of the hit reality dance competition show, “Dance Moms”, then you won’t want to miss this memoir. Nia Sioux was a member of the original cast and in her explosive new book, she gives readers a closer look at her experiences with dance coach Abby Lee Miller and the moments that shaped her into the woman she is today.
“Matriarch: A Memoir” by Tina Knowles, April 2025 (Autobiography/Music)
Tina Knowles may be best known for giving the world the gift of her incredibly talented daughters, Beyonce Knowles-Carter and Solange Knowles, but she has her own story to tell and “Matriarch: A Memoir” does just that. Knowles’ book quickly became a New York Times Bestseller and was selected as an Oprah’s Book Club pick soon after publication. She pays homage to her Louisiana Creole heritage while regaling the reader with stories of her childhood in Galveston, Texas with her big family and gives insight into what it was like to manage Destiny’s Child.
“Out of Step, Into You” by Ciera Burch, May 2025 (Sports Romance/Sapphic)
“Out of Step, Into You” is the author’s fourth novel and follows childhood friends who grow up to be cross-country team rivals. Our heroines, Marianna and Taylor, have to find a way to untangle their feelings for each other without letting their stubborn hearts interfere with their athletic performance throughout the school year. Ciera Burch’s work has appeared in Underground, Five Points and The American Literary Magazine.
“The Devil Three Times” by Rickey Fayne, May 2025 (Magical Realism/Literary Fiction)
This is Rickey Fayne’s first novel, but readers are hopeful that it won’t be his last. “The Devil Three Times” is a captivating story that follows eight generations of a Black family in West Tennessee that cannot escape its ties to the Devil. Yetunde, the originator of the family line, has been stolen from her homeland in Africa and is desperate for a way out. The only way to find out how this doomed family’s story ends is to read Fayne’s book for yourself.
“Our Vicious Descent” by Hayley Dennings, August 2025 (Vampires/Paranormal)
Hayley Dennings is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University and is passionate about writing stories that focus on queer female characters. “Our Vicious Descent” is the second book in the Ravenous Fate duology series (the first book in the series is “This Ravenous Fate” and was published in 2024). If you enjoyed the “Interview with the Vampire” reboot, this just might be the book for you. In this YA fantasy romance, the plot follows Layla Quinn and Elise Saint in New York City during the 1920s. The characters have to battle complicated family relationships, city politics and paranormal chaos.
