30 Science Fiction & Fantasy Books By Black & Minority Authors 2021 (#7)
30 spellbinding SFF books by black and minority authors released between August and October 2021.
Courtesy of Gagan / @afantasysky. Enter the Shimmering Worlds Reading Challenge here and discover exciting science fiction and fantasy books by BIPOC authors.
1. Monkey Around by Jadie Jang
"The debut novel from Jadie Jang is an action-packed urban fantasy delivering a bold new take on the Monkey King in San Francisco - complete with murder and mayhem!"
2. The Wild Ones by Nafiza Azad
"From William C. Morris Finalist Nafiza Azad comes a thrilling, feminist fantasy about a group of teenage girls endowed with special powers who must band together to save the life of the boy whose magic saved them all."
3. Me (Moth) by Amber McBride
"A debut YA novel-in-verse that is both a coming-of-age and a ghost story. Here is an exquisite and uplifting novel about identity, first love, and the ways that our memories and our roots steer us through the universe."
4. Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko
"In this hotly anticipated conclusion to the Raybearer duology, Tarisai must learn whether to die for justice or to live for it. With the lives of her loved ones on the line, assassination attempts from unknown quarters, and a handsome new stranger she can't quite trust, Tarisai fears the pressure may consume her. "
5. Cazadora by Romina Garber
"Werewolves. Witches. Romance. Resistance. In Cazadora, Romina Garber weaves together Argentine folklore and what it means to be illegal in a timely, intimate, and emotionally powerful narrative."
6. The Upper World by Femi Fadugba
"Prepare to stop time with this extraordinary debut about two teenagers bound by fate and time, with the scope of a Christopher Nolan epic."
7. Bad Witch Burning by Jessica Lewis
"For fans of Us and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comes a witchy story full of black girl magic as one girl’s dark ability to summon the dead offers her a chance at a new life, while revealing to her an even darker future."
8. In The Watchful City by S. Qiouyi Lu
"In the Watchful City explores borders, power, diaspora, and transformation in an Asian-inspired queer fantasy novella that pushes the boundaries of its genre."
9. Sisters of Reckoning by Charlotte Nicole Davis
"The Sisters of Reckoning is the blockbuster sequel to Charlotte Nicole Davis's alternate Old West-set fantasy adventure. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows and Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale."
10. The All-Consuming World by Cassandra Khaw
"A diverse team of broken, diminished former criminals get back together to solve the mystery of their last, disastrous mission and to rescue a missing and much-changed comrade. Cassandra Khaw’s debut novel is a page-turning exploration of humans and machines that is perfect for readers of Ann Leckie, Ursula Le Guin, and Kameron Hurley.""
11. No Gods No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull
"One October morning, Laina gets the news that her brother was shot and killed by Boston cops. But what looks like a case of police brutality soon reveals something much stranger. Monsters are real. And they want everyone to know it."
12. A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C. B. Lee
"Two intrepid girls hunt for a legendary treasure on the deadly high seas in this YA remix of the classic adventure novel Treasure Island.
13. The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova
"The Montoyas are used to a life without explanations. They know better than to ask why the pantry never seems to run low or empty, or why their matriarch won’t ever leave their home in Four Rivers. Alternating between Orquídea’s past and her descendants’ present, The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina is an enchanting novel about what we knowingly and unknowingly inherit from our ancestors, the ties that bind, and reclaiming your power. Best Fantasy nominee in Goodreads Choice Awards."
14. The Bones of Ruin by Sarah Roughly
"As an African tightrope dancer in Victorian London, Iris is used to being strange. She is certainly a strange sight for leering British audiences always eager for the spectacle of colonial curiosity. But Iris also has a secret that even “strange” doesn’t capture… She cannot die."
15. Among Thieves by M. J. Kuhn
"Ryia Cautella has already earned herself a reputation as the quickest, deadliest blade in the dockside city of Carrowwick—not to mention the sharpest tongue. But Ryia Cautella is not her real name. A high-stakes heist novel set in a gritty world of magic and malice, and perfect for fans of Six of Crows."
16. The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi
"Returning to the dark and glamorous 19th century world of her New York Times instant bestseller, The Gilded Wolves, Roshani Chokshi dazzles us with the final riveting full of danger and mystery."
17. Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
"Iron Widow is a YA Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale retelling of the rise of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history. Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best YA Fantasy & Science Fiction."
18. Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray
"Magic doesn't exist in the broken city of Lkossa anymore, especially for girls like sixteen-year-old Koffi. Indentured to the notorious Night Zoo, she cares for its fearsome and magical creatures to pay off her family's debts and secure their eventual freedom. In this much-anticipated series opener, fate binds two Black teenagers together as they strike a dangerous alliance to hunt down the ancient creature menacing their home—and discover much more than they bargained for."
19. Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
"Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. Good Omens meets The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet in this defiantly joyful adventure set in California's San Gabriel Valley, with cursed violins, Faustian bargains, and queer alien courtship over fresh-made donuts."
20. When Night Breaks by Janella Angeles
"In Janella Angeles's When Night Breaks, the dramatic last act of the Kingdom of Cards duology, the stage is set, the spectacle awaits… and the show must finally come to an end."
21. Descendants of The First by Reni K. Amayo
"Deep cracks are forming throughout the kingdom of Nri with whispers of deadly successors lurking beneath the shadows. Despite having the same face, it seems the deepest crack is forming between Naala and Sinai, the reunited twin goddesses, who must put their differences aside as they travel through a broken Nri. Descendants of the First is the thundering sequel to Reni K. Amayo’s epic feminist young adult fantasy, Daughters of Nri."
22. Once More Upon A Time by Roshani Choksi
"Embark on a perilous journey with Imelda and Ambrose as they brave magical landscapes and enchanted creatures on their quest to reclaim their heart's desire... But first they must remember what that is..."
23. Jade Fire Gold by June CL Tan
"Told in a dual POV, Jade Fire Gold is a YA fantasy is inspired by East Asian mythology and folk tales. Ferocious action, shadowy intrigue, and a captivating romance collide in June C. L. Tan’s debut, a stunning homage to the Xianxia novel with a tender, beating heart, perfect for fans of The Bone Witch and We Hunt the Flame."
24. The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker
"Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers who despise her, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can. A haunting and compulsively readable dark fantasy set in 1890s Japan."
25. Destroyer of Light by Jennifer Marie Brisset
"Having destroyed Earth, the alien conquerors resettle the remains of humanity on the planet of Eleusis. The Matrix meets an Afro-futuristic retelling of Persephone set in a science fiction underworld of aliens, refugees, and genetic engineering in Jennifer Marie Brissett's Destroyer of Light."
26. Flowers For The Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn
"Zin E. Rocklyn’s extraordinary debut is a lush, gothic fantasy about the prices we pay and the vengeance we seek."
27. 
by Tade Thompson
"Arthur C. Clarke Award winner Tade Thompson makes a triumphant return to science fiction with this unforgettable vision of humanity's future in the chilling emptiness of space."
28. We Light Up The Sky by Lilliam Rivera
"In a haunting, genre-bending YA, award-winning author Lilliam Rivera explores the social and racial ramifications of an alien invasion from the perspective of three Latinx teens.
29. Hollywood Heroine by Sarah Kuhn
"The fifth book in the smart, snarky, and action-packed Heroine series continues the adventures of Asian-American superheroines Evie Tanaka, Aveda Jupiter, and Bea Tanaka in a demon-infested San Francisco."
30. The Grimrose Girls by Laura Pohl
"This contemporary take on classic fairytales reimagines heroines as friends attending the same school. After the mysterious death of their best friend, Ella, Yuki, and Rory are the talk of Grimrose Académie. The police ruled it a suicide, but the trio are determined to find out what really happened. While investigating the murder of their best friend, they uncover connections to their ancient fairytale curses and attempt to forge their own fate before it's too late."
Discover more diverse reads:
SFF books by black and minority authors #6 (June 2021)
SFF books by black and minority authors #5 (May 2021)
SFF books by black and minority authors #4 (April 2021)
SFF books by black and minority authors #3 (March 2021)
SFF books by black and minority authors #2 (February 2021)
SFF books by black and minority authors #1 (January 2021)