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Black Femme/Female Sci-fi and Fantasy

I've been spending a lot of my time culling a list of books with Black girl/women protagonists*, and I've decided to share what I have so far. This has taken over the time that I would usually spend reading and reviewing, but now that I have this list, I definitely have my future work cut out for me because I haven't read them all...yet.  When I first started this list, I was only looking for books written by Black women authors of speculative fiction, but I have broadened the scope to include any speculative fiction book with a Black female protagonist because I think it's important to show how many are out there. Although I have added what I could find, I'm also open to including more, especially those by indie and self-published authors and those including nonbinary individuals. 

One of the main reasons I started this list was because I don't remember having a list like this when I was younger. In fact, I don't remember seeing speculative stories with protagonists who looked like me. But, I also made this list because I was getting tired of people asking me if the books exist and were Black women even writing speculative fiction. If so, where were they? If not, why weren't they? Although I hated those questions, they had a point. I didn't have a list, so it was hard to back up what I was saying. I could have been just speculating about speculative fiction with Black women and girls leading the action. 

Before I give the list, I should probably define what speculative fiction is. According to the Oxford Research Encyclopedia for Literature, #SpecFic is defined as the following:
  • The term “speculative fiction” has three historically located meanings: a subgenre of science fiction that deals with human rather than technological problems, a genre distinct from and opposite to science fiction in its exclusive focus on possible futures, and a super category for all genres that deliberately depart from imitating “consensus reality” of everyday experience. In this latter sense, speculative fiction includes fantasy, science fiction, and horror, but also their derivatives, hybrids, and cognate genres like the gothic, dystopia, weird fiction, post-apocalyptic fiction, ghost stories, superhero tales, alternate history, steampunk, slipstream, magic realism, fractured fairy tales, and more.
I like the "super category" definition best because it includes so many different genres that belong under the large umbrella that is speculative fiction. I would also add that genres, like Afrofuturism, Visionary Fiction, and Steamfunk have to be included (but I don't expect the encyclopedia writers to put it in there).

So, this is a list for those who love speculative fiction stories. This is a list for those who never knew these books existed. This is a list for those who wanted to see Black women and girls wielding magic, slaying dragons, being vampires, attending interplanetary universities, and creating new scientific innovations. This is a list where Black women and girls are shown in realms beyond reality. Seriously, how cool is that??? 

A few things:
  1. The list is in alphabetical order by author's last name. The books under the author's names are grouped by series or just randomly put in there for now. Black women/femme authors are in purple and Black men/masculine authors are in blue (if I know for sure).
  2. The single books are ones where I could only find one book written by the author with a Black woman/girl protagonist. I may find others, and if/when I do, they will be added to the larger list. They are in alphabetical order by title. 
  3. If I could tell the difference, books written for young people have no special font, books categorized as adult (including new adult) are italicized, books written by smaller publishers or self-published are underlined. Of course, people like reading all kinds of books, but I figured it would be good to have if people were looking for specific things.
  4. To make it look better and to highlight some awesome films/tv shows, I've included speculative fiction films/tv shows/music/books featuring Black female/femme characters on the right.
  5. Book reviews are now housed on my Goodreads account because it's much easier to update. Access the reviews and add me as a friend!
Enjoy!
S.R. Toliver

List of Authors and Books

Media List

A.C. (Artist) Arthur
  • Manifest
  • Mystify
Tomi Adeyemi
  • Children of Blood and Bone 
  • Children of Virtue and Vengeance 
anonymae
  • Pandemic Poker
  • White Out
  • Berserker
LA Banks
  • Minion
  • The Awakening
  • The Hunted
  • The Bitten
  • The Forbidden
  • The Damned
  • The Forsaken
  • The Wicked
  • The Cursed
  • The Darkness
  • The Shadows
  • The Thirteenth
  • Shadow Walker
  • Bad Blood
  • Bite the Bullet
  • Undead on Arrival
  • Cursed to Death
  • Never Cry Werewolf
  • Left for Undead
Tracey Baptiste
  • The Jumbies
  • Minecraft: The Crash: An Official Minecraft Novel
  • Rise of the Jumbies
Rena Barron
  • Maya and the Rising Dark 
  • Kingdom of Souls 
  • Reaper of Souls
Malorie Blackman
  • Noughts and Crosses
  • An Eye for and Eye
  • Knife Edge
  • Checkmate
  • Double Cross
  • Trust Me (based on book cover)
  • Dead Gorgeous (based on book cover)
  • Peace Maker (based on book cover)
  • Robot Girl (based on book cover)
Roseanne Brown
  • A Song of Wraiths and Ruin
  • A Psalm of Storms and Silence
  • Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting
  • Untitled Shuri Novel (will update)
Sharolyn Brown
  • The Heaviness of Knowing
  • The Peril of Knowing
Stephanie Burgis
  • Spellswept 
  • The Girl with the Dragon Heart 
Octavia Butler
  • Parable of the Sower
  • Parable of Talents
  • Kindred
  • Fledgling
  • Dawn (Xenogenesis 1)
  • Adult Rites (Xenogenesis 2)
  • Imago (Xenogenesis 3)
  • Wild Seed
  • Mind of my Mind
​​Constance Burris
  • Black Beauty
  • Chalcedony
  • When Seeds Take Root
Jessica Cage
  • ​The Sphinx 
  • Nitara
  • Rosie
  • Ardyn and Zaria
  • Anew
  • Alexa's Adytum
  • Revitalized
  • Imara
  • Reign of the White Phoenix
Alison Clarke
  • The Sisterhood
  • Circle
Dhonielle Clayton
  • The Belles
  • The Everlasting Rose
Olivia Cole
  • Panther in the Hive
  • The Rooster’s Garden
  • A Conspiracy of Stars
  • An Anatomy of Beasts
Shyla Colt
  • Witch for Hire
  • Hail to the Queen
  • Grave Intentions
Milton Davis
  • Amber and the Hidden City
  • Amber and the Enchanted Sword
  • ​The Bene's Daughter
  • Woman of the Woods
  • Griots: Sisters of the Spear
  • Fallen
Somaiya Daud
  • Mirage 
  • Court of Lions
Nicky Drayden
  • The Prey of Gods 
  • Escaping Exodus
Tananarive Due
  • My Soul to Keep
  • The Living Blood
  • Blood Colony
  • My Soul to Take
  • Devil’s Wake
  • Domino Falls
  • Joplin’s Ghost
  • The Good House
Marti Dumas​
  • Jupiter Storm
  • The Little Human
  • The Wildseed Witch
Kipjo Ewers
  • The First
  • Evo Uprising
  • Genesis
Dane Figueroa Edidi
  • Yemaya’s Daughters
  • Brew
  • Keeper
  • Incarnate
  • Wither
  • Bone
  • Solace
  • Psalm of Tears
Terah Edun
  • Blades of Magic
  • Blades of Illusion
  • Blades of Sorcery
  • Blades of Destiny
Ono Ekeh
  • The Clay Queen
  • Clay to Ashes
  • Icon of Clay
  • The Shadow of Clay
  • She Died in My Arms
  • She Dreams of Me
Zetta Elliott
  • A Wish After Midnight​
  • The Door at the Crossroads (2nd book in series after Wish After Midnight)
  • Ship of Souls (3 perspectives, 2 Black boys and 1 Black girl)
  • The Deep
  • Mother of the Sea
  • The Return
  • ​The Magic Mirror
​​Lynn Emery
  • Smooth Operator
  • Hunting Spirits
  • Dead Wrong
  • A Darker Shade of Midnight
  • Between Dusk and Dawn
  • Only by Moonlight
  • Into the Mist
  • Third Sight into Darkness
Akwaeke Emezi
  • Pet
  • Freshwater
Andrea Hairston
  • Mindscape
  • Will Do Magic for Small Change
  • Redwood and Wildfire  
Virginia Hamilton
  • Herstories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales
  • Justice and Her Brothers
  • Dustland
  • The Gathering
  • Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush
  • Willie Bea and the Time the Martians Landed
  • The Magical Adventures of Pretty Pearl
A.E Harris
  • The Blood Warrior
  • The Children of the Prince
  • Ancient Promises
Lori Hendrix
  • Half Breed Queen
  • Amethyst Rising
  • Skatia Reborn
MCA Hogarth
  • Earthrise
  • Rose Point
  • Laisrathera
Nalo Hopkinson
  • The Chaos
  • Sister Mine
  • Brown Girl in the Ring
  • Midnight Robber
  • The Salt Roads
  • Sister Mine
  • The New Moon’s Arms
  • Under Glass
  • Skin Folk
Justina Ireland
  • Dread Nation
  • Promise of Shadows
  • Ophie's Ghost
Valjeanne Jeffers
  • Immortal
  • Immortal II: The Time of Legend
  • Immortal III: Stealer of Souls
  • Immortal IV: Collision of Worlds
  • The Switch II: Clockwork
  • Mona Livelong, Paranormal Detective: The Case of the Angry Ghost
  • Mona Livelong: The Case of the Powerless Witch Colony
  • Colony Ascension: An Erotic Space Opera 
N.K. Jemisin
  • The Fifth Season
  • The Obelisk Gate
  • The Stone Sky
  • The Broken Kingdoms
  • The Kingdom of Gods
  • The Awakened Kingdom
  • The Killing Moon
  • The Shadowed Sun
  • How Long Until Black Future Month?
  • Far Sector (1-3)
Alaya Dawn Johnson
  • Trouble the Saints
  • Love is the Drug
  • The Summer Prince
  • Racing the Dark
  • Wicked City
  • Moonshine
Ines Johnson
  • Pumpkin: A Cindermama Story
  • Rumpeled: A Cindermama Story​
N.D. Jones
  • Bound Souls
  • Heat, Hunt, Hope
  • Of Fear and Faith (Book 1)
  • Of Beasts and Bonds (Book 2)
  • Of Deception and Divinity (Book 3)
Amanda Joy
  • A River of Royal Blood
  • A Queen of Gilded Horns
A.D. Koboah
  • Dark Genesis
  • Rising Dark
  • Dark Requiem
Sang Kromah
  • Djinn
  • Concealed​
Nicole Givens Kurtz
  • Silenced (Cybil Lewis Series)
  • Cozened (Cybil Lewis Series)
  • Replicated (Cybil Lewis Series)
  • Reunited (Cybil Lewis Series)
  • The Soul Cages (Minister Knight Series)
  • Devourer (Minister Knight Series)
N.R. Larry
  • Atlantis Uprising
  • Darwin's Children
  • The Day the World Went Orange
  • The Night
  • Vampz Macabre
  • Underground Resistance (w/ Margo Bond Collins)
  • Underground Magic
Kai Leakes
  • Sin Eaters
  • Sin Eaters: Retribution
Kyoko M.
  • The Black Parade
  • She Who Fights Monsters
  • The Holy Dark
  • Back to Black
  • Of Cinder and Bone
  • Of Blood and Ashes
Kekla Magoon
  • Shadows of Sherwood
  • Rebellion of Thieves
L.L. McKinney
  • A Blade So Black
  • A Dream So Dark 
Mia Mitns
  • Tea Leaf
  • The Homework Mystery
  • Fallen
  • Naya's Invasion
Wendy Raven McNair
  • Asleep
  • Awake
  • Ascend
Amy McNulty
  • Nobody’s Goddess
  • Nobody’s Lady
  • Nobody’s Pawn
​​Jacquitta McManus
  • Anyia: Dream of a Warrior
  • Talee and the Fallen Object
Violette Meier
  • Angel Crush
  • Out of Night
  • Archfiend
  • Ruah the Immortal
Bethany Morrow
  • Mem
  • A Song Below Water
Cerece Renie Murphy
  • The Wolf King: The Hope of Aferi
  • The Wold King: The Promise of Aferi
  • To Find You
Kelbian Noel
  • Roots 
  • Sprung
Balogun Ojetade
  • Moses: The Chronicles of Harriet Tubman 
  • Once Upon A Time in Afrika 
  • The Keys 
  • A Single Link
  • Wrath of the Siafu
  • A Haunting in the SWATS: The Savannah Swan Files
  • Initiate 16
Nnedi Okorafor
  • Binti
  • Binti: Home
  • Binti: The Night Masquerade
  • Lagoon
  • Zahrah the Windseeker
  • The Shadow Speaker
  • What Sunny Saw in the Flames
  • Sunny and the Mysteries of Osisi
  • Akata Witch
  • Akata Warrior
  • The Girl with the Magic Hands
  • Who Fears Death
  • The Book of Phoenix
Daniel Jose Older
  • Shadowshaper
  • Shadowhouse Fall
  • Shadowshaper Legacy
Tochi Onyebuchi
  • War Girls 
  • Riot Baby
Pepper Pace
  • The Turning
  • Creature of the Night
  • Adaptation (w/ J.J. Murray)​
L. Penelope
  • Song of Blood and Stone
  • Breath of Dust and Dawn
  • Whispers of Shadow and Flame
Kayti Nika Raet
  • Slither
  • Niko
  • Harm
  • Outsider
  • Monster
  • Rise
Burgandi Rakoska
  • The Antagonists: Book One
  • The Antagonists: Book Two
  • The Antagonists: Book Three
  • The Antagonists: Book Four
  • The Antagonists: Book Five
Jaime Reed
  • Living Violet
  • Burning Emerald
  • Fading Emerald
Adam Rex
  • The True Meaning of Smekday
  • Smek for President
Jewell Parker Rhodes
  • Ninth Ward
  • Sugar
  • Bayou Magic
Jade Royal
  • Saved by a Beast
  • Craved by a Beast
  • Confessions of a Beast
Karen Sandler
  • Tankborn
  • Awakening
  • Rebellion   ​
Rivers Solomon
  • The Deep
  • An Unkindness of Ghosts
Sumiko Saulson
  • The Moon Cried Blood
  • Warmth
Sheree R. Thomas
  • Sleeping Under the Tree of Life
  • Shotgun Lullabies: Stories and Poems
Lori Titus
  • Hunting in Closed Spaces
  • The Bell House
  • Marradith, Darkly
  • Soul Bonded
  • The Guardians of Man
  • Chrysalis Lights
  • The Art of Shadows
  • Dominion
Andrea Rose Washington
  • Adalithiel
  • ​Elendil
Ibi Zoboi
  • American Street
  • My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich
​Single Books
  • Abengoni, First Calling – Charles R. Saunders, Julie Dillon, Milton Davis
  • Afar – Leila del Duca, Kit Seaton
  • Alexis Moonlight - Yvonne Nicolas
  • All Dragon's Eve - Casse Narome
  • Ancient Ancient - Kiini Ibura Salaam
  • Ascension – Jaccqueline Koyanagi
  • Awakener - Alisha Howard
  • Awakened - K.L. Hall
  • Awoke - K.T. Conte
  • Bad Witch Burning - Jessica Lewis
  • Beasts of Pray - Ayana Gray
  • Beloved – Toni Morrison
  • Black Borne – L.L. Farmer
  • Black Girl Unlimited - Echo Brown
  • The Black God's Drums - P. Djèlí Clark (Alex Award)
  • Bleeding Violet – Dia Reeves
  • Blood Debts - Terry J Benton
  • Blood like Magic - Liselle Ambury
  • Blood Scion - Deborah Falaye
  • Breaking Free – Alicia McCalla
  • Brown Sugar Fairies: Saroja's Quest - Aiysha Sinclair
  • Charis: Journey to Pandora’s Jar – Nicole Walters
  • Children of the Light – Aiyana Bey
  • Cinderella is Dead - Kalynn Bayron
  • Cinder Ella – ST Lynn
  • The Conductors - Nicole Glover
  • Daughters of Jubilation - Kara Lee Corthron 
  • The Clone Codes – Patricia McKissak, Fredrick McKissak, John McKissak, and Tara Sands
  • The Conductors - Nicole Glover
  • Conjure Women - Afia Atakora
  • Cursed - Trakena Prevost
  • Daughter of Gods and Shadows – Jayde Brooks
  • Daughters of Nri - Reni Amayo
  • Deadly Delicious – KL Quincy
  • Descendants -- Tracy Deonn Walker (Summer 2020)
  • The Diary of B.B. Bright, Possible Princess – Alice Randall and Caroline Randall Williams
  • Dia of the Dead - Brit Brinson
  • The Entropy of Bones - Ayize Jama-Everett
  • Everfair - Nisi Shawl
  • Everything I Learned about Zombies, I Learned in Kindergarten - Kevin Wayne Williams​
  • The Falling Star - Imani Josey
  • Fibbed - Elizabeth Agyemang
  • The Fire Test – E.R. Ross
  • Fire and Clay - Kaaronica Evans-Ware
  • Five Generations Hence - Lillian B. Horace (1916)
  • The Forgotten Girl - India Hill Brown 
  • The Gilda Stories – Jewelle Gomez
  • Girl of Flesh and Metal - Alicia Ellis
  • Given - Nandi Taylor
  • The Good Luck Girls - Charlotte Nicole Davis
  • The Hour of the Cobra - Maiya Williams
  • How to Succeed in Witchcraft -Aislinn Brophy ​
  • Hurricane Child - Kacen Callender
  • The Icarus Girl - Helen Oyeyemi
  • Juniper Leaves: The Otherworldly Tale of a Lonesome Magical Girl - Jaz Joyner
  • Just South of Home - Karen Strong
  • Lakewood - Megan Giddings
  • MagnifiqueNOIR - Briana Lawrence
  • Malice in Ovenland – Micheline Hess 
  • M.F.K- Nilah Macgruder
  • Moment Before Midnight - Aziza Sphinx
  • Liar – Justine Larbalestier
  • Legendborn - Tracy Deonn
  • Love In the Time of Unraveling - Franetta McMillan
  • Modelland – Tyra Banks
  • Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur – Amy Reeder, Brandon Montclare, Natacha Bustos (Book 1)
  • Nasomi's Quest: Legends of Ao - Enock I. Simbaya
  • Old Drift - Namwali Serpell
  • On the Edge of Gone – Corinne Duyvis
  • An Ordinary Wonder - Buki Papillon
  • Orleans – Sherri Smith
  • Pemba’s Song – Marilyn Nelson and Tonya Hegamin
  • Redemption in Indigo – Karen Lord
  • Remembrance - Rita Woods
  • A River of Royal Blood - Amanda Joy
  • The River Where Blood is Born - Sandra Jackson-Opoku
  • Root Magic - Eden Royce
  • Ruby vs. the Robo Bug - K. Tempest Bradford
  • A Ruin of Shadows - L.D. Lewis
  • Talon of God – Wesley Snipes and Ray Norman
  • She Who Hears All Whispers - Davaun Sanders
  • Simplex Z -- Sheena Williams
  • Skin of the Sea - Natasha Bowen
  • Skinless: A Novel in III Parts - L.M. Davis
  • ​Slay - Brittney Morris
  • Smoketown - Tenea D. Johnson
  • The Sound of Stars - Alechia Dow
  • The Summer We Got Free - Mia McKenzie
  • The Temple of My Familiar - Alice Walker
  • This Time - Azaaa Davis
  • Through the Fire - Valerie Puissant
  • Trazer: Kids of Stolen Tomorrow - Jospeh O. Adegboyega-Edun
  • The Unquiet - Mikaela Everett
  • Wake of Vultures – Lila Bowen
  • Willowborn - Shanna Miles
  • Wind Follower - Carole McDonnell
  • Wings of Ebony - J. Elle (Spring 2021)
  • Witches Steeped in Gold - Ciannon Smart (2021)
  • What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky - Lesley Nneka Arimah
  • Within the Walls – Dre Keeton
  • Wrath of the Winter Witch: The Unholy Witch Wars - D.L Howard
  • The Year of the Witching - Alexis Henderson
 

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    Did I miss something? Did you write something? Let me know!

    In your response, please answer the following for each recommended text:
    • Is the protagonist a Black girl?
    • Is the book classified as adult, young adult, or middle grades?​
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