Never Tell a Black Girl How to Black Girl: Essays

I am seen. I am really her. I Black Girl. (Yes, Black Girl is a verb here.)

Amena Brown's new nonfiction book, Never Tell a Black Girl How to Black Girl, flawlessly blends true storytelling, humor and culture. She shares the wisdom gained from being raised by Southern Black women and supported by a community of Black women that hold her down to this day. There are stories about natural hair, attending an HBCU, meeting iconic celebrities, boob sweat, life lessons learned from RHOA and more. 

Trust when I say you will relate! Just look at the cover and you can tell from the recognizable box braids that this book is for you. I am an annotation girlie and my advance readers' copy is full of highlighted passages, funny quotes and scenarios that I added my own commentary to in the margins. For example, I noted that I make the mac and cheese in my family too. This is an honor, y'all! I still use Queen Helene facial scrubs and masks. No other product leaves my skin glowing and pores unblocked. I could practically smell the Pink Oil Moisturizer through the page as I read along.

Never Tell a Black Girl How to Black Girl: Essays are joyful, reaffirming and so Black-ass. *in my Jill Scott voice* Amena Brown did an excellent job writing about Black girls in a celebratory fashion. We are a whole world with unspoken understandings. 

Happy Pub Day to Amena Brown! Never Tell a Black Girl How to Black Girl: Essays is officially on shelves.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Never Tell a Black Girl How to Black Girl: Essays
Author: Amena Brown
Published: June 2026
Pages: 317
Edition: Galley
Genre: Cultural Essays
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

The Missed Connection

"In such bizarre, fractured times, the world needed a romance epidemic." ~ 99%

And did! Bestselling author Tia Williams does not miss when it comes to Black fiction romance and a book cover that draws attention. The Missed Connection is a new release just in time for the summer. This intensely romantic tale is about a woman searching for her handsome seatmate on a European flight.

Sasha Cruz is a booked-and-busy casting agent. She is always on the job by scoping out the perfect person to place in the perfect role. It doesn't matter where she is—happy hour, the grocery store or walking through the airport. She knows types and a good face. Sasha has the pleasure of sitting next to an attractive man that is just her type on a flight to Paris. Sparks fly, conversation flows, but they don't exchange contact information. Hence, the title: missed connection!

Sasha writes a pleading email to a colleague asking for help to find her soulmate, but accidentally sends it to the entire company. EEK! Now tons of people are invested in her love life and an international manhunt to find Seat F begins. Embarrassing but with so many people helping to make the connection, love just might take flight.

The romance in The Missed Connection has me looking up flight deals! Maybe I can luck up and make a connection on my next flight out of DTW. I enjoyed the entire exchange between Sasha and Mystery Man in Seat F. I crossed my fingers hoping someone would recognize his description and found the multitude of emails flooding Sasha's inbox to be too funny. I am typically not a romance girlie and find that most romance storylines drag. This was no different with the slow pace, but I still recommend it for light summer reading. Take it to the beach. Carry it on your next flight. Listen during your commute. Fly through this romcom! 

Happy Pub Day to Tia Williams! The Missed Connection is officially on shelves.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: The Missed Connection
Author: Tia Williams
Published: June 2026
Pages: 330
Edition: Galley
Genre: Romance
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 ♡