10 Black Bookstagrammers You Should Follow
Bookstagram is serious business. From accounts which highlight their favorite works in translation to those which only deal with fantasy and sci-fi, there’s certainly a bookstagram out there that will appeal to your reading interests—no matter how niche they may seem. But where to begin in a sea of bookstagram reels and recommendations? Start here, with our picks for 10 Black bookstagrammers you should be following right now.
Nokukhanya
@pretty_x_bookish
South Africa-based Nokukhanya started her bookstagram as a place to be her nerdy book-loving self. “Reading has always been my escape and my refuge and the community I have built is such an important part of my life. I love being able to freak out about plot twists in fantasy, steamy scenes in romance, and the artistry of writing in literary fiction. Add to that my love with all things aesthetically pleasing and you have the recipe for perfect little book account.” We couldn’t agree more.
The Black author that always transports her to another world? “Toni Morrison. There's a reason she is the greatest writer of all time.”
Nokukhanya’s Book Recommendations
Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Love In Color by Bolu Babalola
Sasha W
@bahareads
Sasha is a Bahamian bookstagrammer that started book blogging on Tumblr. It wasn’t until May 2020 that she launched her bookstagram @bahareads and accompanying YouTube channel. “Talking about books is a passion of mine, and bookstagram provides a community of like-minded people for me.” When it comes to great reads, Sasha’s feed is an eclectic riot of color: “I love historical fiction and nonfiction [but] I also enjoy YA, fantasy, and romance.”
The Black author that always transports her to another world? Edwidge Danticat. “She creates magical, heart-breaking stories [and] has a way of making readers believe they left their current location.”
Sasha’s Book Recommendations
A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid is “a short but impactful essay.”
Off Track by Tamika Gibson, “a coming-of-age novel set in Trinidad.”
Bougainvillea Ringplay by Marion Bethel, “poetry that has a distinct Caribbean flavor.”
Learning to Breathe by Janice Lynn Mather, “a YA novel set in The Bahamas.”
Enobong Tommelleo
@enobooks
Former professional dancer and forever bookworm, Enobong is the brains behind @enobooks, a bookstagram filled with a wide-ranging and eclectic selection of books. “I hated the pressure of documenting my life on social media but I love sharing what I'm reading with others and getting book recommendations.” Drawn to a good author and an enticing blurb above all else, Enobong loves catching up on Black classics that weren’t presented as an option in school, as well as fiction of all kinds.
The Black authors that always transport her to another world? “Octavia E Butler and N K Jemisin. Their sci-fi is the best I've ever read.”
Enobong’s Writer Recommendations
Toni Morrison, author of books such as The Bluest Eye and Beloved
Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, the Ugandan novelist who wrote Kintu
Octavia E Butler, known for her speculative fiction and sci-fi, including Fledgling
Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian writer best-known for Things Fall Apart
Andrea Levy, British-Jamaican writer of Small Island and The Long Song
Amirah N.
@turnpageswithmimi
Amirah has been in love with reading since before she could actually read. “When I was 3, I had memorized my favorite book, What Will the Weather Be Like Today?, and would “read” it to anyone who would let me.” This love of reading has certainly endured, as Amirah now runs the bookstagram @turnpageswithmimi. “I made this page to highlight dope books that I enjoy and meet other folx who find joy between the covers of a good book. I’m a serious mood reader, so I read all kinds of books by Black authors and other authors of color.”
The Black author that always transports her to another world? “I just reread Jaqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming and it always blows me away. I also love her children’s books.”
Amirah’s Book Recommendations
Anything by James Baldwin
Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour
Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
Joel Rochester
@fictionalfates
British bookstagrammer and English Literature student Joel Rochester is your go-to guy for all things fantasy, although bookstagram has helped him diversify his tastes and he also dabbles in other genres. “I created my bookstagram with the intention of sharing my love of reading with my friends. After I created my booktube channel, my bookstagram became more popular and grew exponentially.”
The Black author that always transports him to another world? “Nnedi Okorafor's writing always transports me somewhere. I find that her novellas are always so wonderfully crafted and the worlds that she builds are so stellar.”
Joel’s Book Recommendations
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart
Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles
Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman
The Black Veins by Ashia Monet
Other Black bookstagrammers we love
Sajda (@sajdareads)
“All things Austen” is the vibe of Sajda’s bookstagram, where you’ll find beautiful book-filled photoshoots for titles ranging from Juneteenth by Ralph Ellison to These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. And the “Sufy Reads” posts are a must for parents wondering what books to pick out for their kids.
Monique Jackson (@novelallure)
Soothing neutral tones dominate Monique’s bookstagram feed, which is full of roundups and recommendations for reading around the world. From vampy classics like Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire to “7 Books Recommended by my Father” (feat. Monster and The Partner), her posts are worth checking out.
Taryn (@mentallybooked)
With a feed full of colorful, contemporary fiction, Taryn’s bookstagram is for anyone who feels overwhelmed by the sheer volume of new releases with buzzy blurbs and must-read status. Among her top reads for 2021 are Milk Fed by Melissa Febos, Detransition Baby by Torrey Peters, and Bestiary by K Ming Chang.
Caro (@_afrovegana)
Boricua book blogger Caro shares her current reads set against the backdrop of Puerto Rican buildings and bookshelves. From the romances of Jasmine Guillory to the mysteries of Mia Manansala, Caro’s feed is full of cool titles.
Alexa (@a_lit_library)
Blend #nospoiler book reviews, add in a dash of cocktail making, and serve over ice—congratulations, you’ve got the recipe for Alexa’s bookstagram, @a_lit_library. Recent reviews include How to Kidnap the Rich by Rahul Raina and peach mocktail recipes designed to accompany summer beach reads.
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