I have loved reading for as long as I can remember. Most likely since I learned to read. I always loved that I never needed anyone else to enjoy a book. I could escape to a different world (or multiple at once) whenever life was too much to handle. As I got older and Black authors were introduced to me more and more, I was enthralled by the stories of people who looked like me. I was interested in experiencing the stories of my people through different lenses. Specifically through the eyes of Black women. We have always told the stories of America and the world in the most unique way. 

I chose these books because, so far in my life, they have had the most profound influence on me and what I chose to read moving forward. Each of those books had my jaw on the floor. They are so well written and each character has a beautiful development as the story unfolds. It is also not a mistake that each of these books are written by Black women with the exception of one.