To Ride a Rising Storm by Moniquill Blackgoose

I waited two years for the second book in the Nampeshiweisit series and To Ride a Rising Storm did not disappoint!

Anequs, Theod, and their dragons are reconnecting with their communities on Masquapaug during their summer break after a taxing first year at Kuiper’s Academy. Their hopes for some relaxing time with family & space to define their relationship are dashed when the Anglish begin encroaching more and more on the island.

I love that we got a chance to get to know Anequs, her family, and her culture more in this book. Through Theod, we get to unpack European conditioning and think about what love and family could look like outside of those standards. Although I continued to enjoy the ways that Anequs pushes back against the status quo, I like that Liberty keep her grounded by explaining the ways that bucking the system in such a way can cause harm, too.

We also get a bit more of a peak into Liberty’s world, which I’d hoped would be fleshed out more. Although we learn more about her concerns and community, I would like to see a lot more of them integrated into the storyline of the third book. The Black community in New England (IRL) were no strangers to the struggles of the Indigenous tribes around them, so it would be cool to read that in the Nampeshiweisit series, too. Do they have dragon-culture? Are there other creatures they are bonded with? I hope we find out!

Pacing-wise, I think this book picks up a bit sooner than the first one with Anglish political conflict pushing the plot forward. It was really thrilling to see the way it all comes to a point and the plot definitely left me excited to get into book 3.

I think this series is on par with my love of N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth Trilogy and The Greenbone Saga by Fonda Lee.

Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow

Read the full review here: https://bookish-afrolatina.binderybooks.com/item/4uuLHyJmLqIWL060tu5F/

The People's Library by Veronica G. Henry

This book had me on a rollercoaster of emotions! Veronica G. Henry blends speculative fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, and mystery in The People’s Library. 

Our main character is a Black woman librarian named Echo London. At the start, she’s the head of a public library in near-future Cleveland until her boss informs her that it will no longer receive funding from the cit but she’s a top contender for the position of curator at the brand-new People’s Library. A place where patrons can check out a virtual historical figure/thinker and learn directly from them. To many, this seems like a pretty cool place to learn, but Echo is skeptical. With no other viable options, that she could see, Echo takes the job and begins to see its appeal. That is, until mysterious woman attacks her on behalf of the anti-tech rebellion. This rouses her suspicions and sends the librarian on a journey of dark discoveries.

As a Black librarian, I vacillated between despair, suspicion, annoyance, and sadness as I read The People’s Library. In Echo’s world, AI is embedded in just about everything, which is a big fear of mine as I know how detrimental that will likely be. While I related a lot with her natural curiosity, I kept thinking that my girl was not being skeptical enough!! I was writing comments to her in my book like she could read it somehow. Despite my feelings, I found that this book was clever and engrossing. I felt like I could not put it down because I needed to know what would happen next! 

If you’re interested in discussions of the future of AI, utopias, privacy, surveillance, knowledge preservation, and what it means to be alive, this is a fantastic book to read.

*Note: I chatted with the author about her book on IG Live thanks to Sistah SciFi, so if you want to hear more of our thoughts on it, you can head over to their social media or watch our panel discussion on Saturday, April 25th, 2026.

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar

The audiobook of The River Has Roots is incredible!  The story is entrancing but the music elevates the experience and gave me the feeling of being transported into it. 

It’s about two sisters with an unbreakable bond and powerful magic they were gifted by the ancient trees that they care for. This includes a queer main character and a suitor who refuses to take, “no” for an answer.

I love that their magic system is literary and musical. It’s beautifully unique! I hope y’all listen to it when you get the chance.

I Accidentally Hired a Shadow Walker (Accidents Happen #3) by Jessica Cage

I love that each of the books in the Accidents Happen series has a Black woman main character who is a badass at her job and is guaranteed to be pampered by her loved ones. 

Jericha Brown owns her own security firm and is dedicated to all of its inner workings. When a lead agent leaves the firm, taking some of her other employees with him just as she's landed her dream contract, she's put in a precarious situation. All Jericha can think of to save her ass is reaching out to the backstabbing ex-bestie who stole her ideas in college for a temporary partnership. Turns out, Miss Klepto up and sold her company to an annoyingly gorgeous man named Raymond Statton. What Jericha doesn't know is that this man is a Shadow Walker.

This is a super entertaining enemies-to-lovers romance with plenty of spice, hilarious banter, and found family. The book is a bit too long for my liking but it's worth it.

If you haven't already, get your hands on the Accidents Happen series so you can kick your feet and cackle to your heart's content!