The voice of Bad Feminist meets the lessons of The Sum of Us in this timely and biting deep dive from the former Senior Campaign Director at Color of Change about the growing undercurrent of disillusionment in Black voters, culture, and even herself.

Brandi Collins-Dexter had spent her career fighting for racial justice, progressive politics, and the Democratic party. And so in the aftermath of the 2016 election, questions swirled in Brandi’s mind. How had it come to this? And, most pressing, Who had voted for him?

Many white voters, as we now know. But talking with loved ones, Brandi began to notice something baffling: dozens of them, all Black, had also voted for Trump. Brandi was shocked. She had always assumed that Black Americans would vote Democrat--an alliance she had long taken for granted.

Thus began the origins of BLACK SKINHEAD, as Brandi realized she needed to reconsider every assumption she had about Black political identity. In this eye-opening book, Brandi dives headfirst into the growing phenomenon of Black voters moving away from the Democratic party, embarking on a strange and unexpected journey to understand them. It’s a journey that takes her through niche subcultures, dark corners of the internet, and even Kanye West, and leads Brandi to uncover what she deems the Black Skinhead: disillusioned, Black outsiders in politics and culture who have turned from the political party they feel has failed them. It’s a journey that flips all of Brandi’s assumptions and eventually leads her to reconsider her own politics, history, and relationship to Blackness.

In BLACK SKINHEAD, through essays that span the political, cultural, and deeply personal, Brandi seeks to understand the fraying bonds between Black voters and the Democratic party, ultimately painting a portrait of decades of Black disillusionment that can be mapped as much through hip hop lyrics as it can through voting statistics.

IN AMERICA, DEMONS WEAR WHITE HOODS.

In 1915, The Birth of a Nation cast a spell across America, swelling the Klan's ranks and drinking deep from the darkest thoughts of white folk. All across the nation they ride, spreading fear and violence among the vulnerable. They plan to bring Hell to Earth. But even Ku Kluxes can die.

Standing in their way is Maryse Boudreaux and her fellow resistance fighters, a foul-mouthed sharpshooter and a Harlem Hellfighter. Armed with blade, bullet, and bomb, they hunt their hunters and send the Klan's demons straight to Hell. But something awful's brewing in Macon, and the war on Hell is about to heat up.

Can Maryse stop the Klan before it ends the world?

From the bestselling author of Everything Inside comes a vivid, timely story, moving from Haiti to Brooklyn to Miami, of a woman whose sense of self and family are called into question when she gets caught in a random act of violence one sunny Florida day.

“Is home the place where we are born? Or is it the place where we die?” These questions haunt Magnolia, a successful Haitian American real estate agent in Miami, after she hears the terrifying sounds of gunfire while shopping for her daughter’s first-ever cell phone; she takes shelter in a restaurant called Oasis, cowering with fellow shoppers and diners, each praying to their respective gods.

Once she’s safely home, Magnolia hides the fact that she was at the mall shooting from everyone close to her. But given her life back, she begins to see it all clearly, and as if for the first time—what the extraordinary bond she has with her daughter, Zoë, really means to her, and what Zoë may feel in return; what the nearly broken relationship she has with her partner, Harrison, has cost her, despite his love for her and their daughter; why her mentally troubled mother—whose unraveling patterns Magnolia worries she’s spiraling toward herself—might be so ghost-haunted; what the source of her father’s pain, and his reason for seeking solace in the arms of a mistress, really is. As Magnolia struggles through the labyrinth of her past, she must also come to terms with the losses sustained that traumatic day, losses that we all bear witness to all too often in our troubling times.

Can love, can family, protect us from harm? Does optimism or fear win out in one’s heart, one’s soul? Which side will win out for Magnolia—and where does she really belong? Pulled between these questions, and her beloved, high-stakes choices and worlds—Miami or Haiti, single or married, mortal or ghost, before or after—Magnolia is one of the most compelling characters that Danticat has ever created—a narrator who is "yon pati koukouy, part firefly": shimmering, flitting between choices, drawn to the light yet emitting her own.

Taking its title from the Creole word for mourning, Dèy is a profoundly warm and moving novel about the importance of sharing grief and leave-taking, but also of the ties of family—takeout dinners around a table, fresh dirt on a plant’s roots in the garden, swimming together in the azure seas. As Magnolia questions whether all has not yet been lost, Dèy celebrates the complexity of life in a brave and striking novel that is one of Danticat’s most powerful and deeply affecting works yet, told with a signature “unfaltering voice and evocative beauty” (The Boston Globe).

From the moment she first sang at church in McComb, Mississippi, Brandy knew her voice was special. At fourteen she landed her first record deal. At fifteen her album went platinum. At sixteen she was starring in the hit sitcom Moesha and became the first Black actress to play Cinderella on screen alongside fairy godmother, Whitney Houston.

Yet as the accolades piled up, so too did the pressure the maintain a flawless image. To onlookers, she had crafted the blueprint for the teenage “it” girl. But behind closed doors “The Vocal Bible” as she was known, was struggling.

Now, for the first time, Brandy reveals the real story behind her life in the spotlight, the stratospheric highs and the unimaginable lows, the groundbreaking moments and the relatable journey she had to take to discover her authentic self—as a woman, a mother, an artist—as Brandy.

Brandy's debut memoir is a fearless and remarkable story of hope, resilience and the strength it takes to make peace with the past.

Naomi
I can't understand why – out of the four hockey players I'm sharing a house with this semester – Finn Howard's the one who catches my eye.

The guy never smiles. He doesn't say much and disapproves plenty.

But, something about him feels familiar. Something about him feels safe.

I'm not falling for Finn, I'm just curious. Could I make him smile? It wouldn't hurt to try. I love a good challenge. And who knows, maybe it'll distract me from pining over a guy I meet online.

Finn
I don't get nervous unless I'm on the ice. So why does my chest feel tight whenever Naomi Lewis looks in my direction?

She's witty, kind, and happy. How is someone that happy all the time?

If her sunny disposition isn't enough to distract me, the fact that her voice sounds exactly like the streamer I anonymously moderate for will.

If Naomi is her, she's in for a huge disappointment. I'm not the guy she thinks I am...not anymore, at least. And for that reason alone, I should stay away from her. I should stop trying to get closer. I should stop wanting her because she fell for someone else. Someone I will never be again.

__

Sunny Disposition is a slow burn, hidden identity romance featuring a grumpy, amnesic hockey player and sunshine cozy game streamer.

Denishia Boswell is a successful florist and owner of Happily Ever After Floral Shop. Although she creates beautiful bouquets and floral designs to enhance any romantic or intimate setting, she’s having problems enhancing her own love life. She’s in a lackluster relationship that she is ready to give the ax to, but the fear of being alone has kept her from doing so. However, a celebrity client comes her way, and he is after more than just flowers. She finds it extremely hard to ignore his romantic advances, despite her current relationship status.

Ezekiel Wheeler is focused on advancing his acting career. He’s determined to be a sought-after actor that can name his price. None of that means anything if he has no one to celebrate his accolades with. He doesn’t want the celebrity girlfriend or the women approaching him. He wants to be the aggressor. While planning a surprise party for his mother, he contacts a florist to provide the perfect setup for the festivities. The moment he hears her voice, he’s all in.

Denishia and Ezekiel have an undeniable attraction to one another, although her current situation forces her to somewhat deny it in the beginning. When things change and heartache suddenly finds her address, Ezekiel is there to help her pick up the pieces. However, will the ensuing drama force them apart, or will they tread through the moments of uncertainty together?

A spellbinding story of two young people whose fates intersect and diverge across continents and years—an epic of love and family, India and America, tradition and modernity, by the Booker Prize-winning author of The Inheritance of Loss

“A novel so wonderful, when I got to the last page, I turned to the first and began again.”—Sandra Cisneros
"A grand and stirring love story, written in exquisite prose . . . [a] sheer delight!"—Namwali Serpell

When Sonia and Sunny first glimpse each other on an overnight train, they are immediately captivated, yet also embarrassed by the fact that their grandparents had once tried to matchmake them, a clumsy meddling that only served to drive Sonia and Sunny apart.

Sonia, an aspiring novelist who recently completed her studies in the snowy mountains of Vermont, has returned to her family in India, fearing she is haunted by a dark spell cast by an artist to whom she had once turned for intimacy and inspiration. Sunny, a struggling journalist resettled in New York City, is attempting to flee his imperious mother and the violence of his warring clan. Uncertain of their future, Sonia and Sunny embark on a search for happiness together as they confront the many alienations of our modern world.

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is the sweeping tale of two young people navigating the many forces that shape their lives: country, class, race, history, and the complicated bonds that link one generation to the next. A love story, a family saga, and a rich novel of ideas, it is the most ambitious and accomplished work yet by one of our greatest novelists.

A Most Anticipated Book of 2026 by PEN America, Lit Hub, BookPage, and Ms. Magazine

The wife of a popular and powerful megachurch pastor upends her charmed “rags-to-Rolex” life when her secret past comes roaring into the spotlight—in this "funny and juicy and sexy and delicious peek behind the pulpit" (Samantha Irby) from the acclaimed and beloved author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies.

From the moment Scharisse Freeman ditched her humble roots and married a megachurch pastor fifteen years her senior, she’s been labeled too brash and too “of the world” by church folks who grudgingly accepted her into their fold, and too holy by her estranged childhood bestie Petra. Schar doesn’t have many allies, but that hasn’t stopped her from building an enviable business empire spanning books to clothing to branded products, and living the comfortable life her husband's power affords her.

On the eve of her 40th birthday, Schar gets the final bit of validation she’s always dreamt of: a coveted invitation to participate in the First Lady USA pageant. This is her chance to be accepted by the other pastors’ wives—First Ladies—who are “like Jesus’ disciples if they had been a group of mean girls.” Finally, blissfully, the ice between Schar and the other First Ladies begins to thaw.

But as the pageant nears, a sensational scandal breaks with Schar at its center, and her carefully curated life implodes. Schar faces down shame and terrible secrets from her childhood and is reminded that in the eyes of the church, optics can matter more than the truth.

Unflinchingly funny, frank, and packed with surprising turns, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman exults in the luscious, messy pleasure of finally feeling free.

"Deesha Philyaw has already established herself as one of the greatest short story writers, but in The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman she cements herself as the most soulfully entertaining writer of her era." - Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy and Long Division

Sixteen-year-old Ebony Jones is devastated when her family moves from Houston to her grandmother’s house in the country. There’s absolutely nothing for Ebony in Alula Lake, Texas. So she thinks.

A devoted father is pushed to the limit in this gripping thriller by the bestselling author of The Quiet Ones.

No one is more shocked than Eric Newton when he discovers he has an adult daughter. Happily married, a successful business owner, and a dedicated father of two young children, Eric vows to make up for lost time with his newfound child, Destiny. He'll do whatever it takes to be the perfect dad and invites Destiny to move in with his family. But Destiny, twenty-years-old, has her own ideas about Eric's role in her life--and after a nasty argument one night, Eric wakes to find that she's vanished without a trace.

Convinced that Destiny's involvement with her shady boyfriend has landed her in trouble, Eric knows he's got to find her. He embarks upon a relentless hunt for clues. His search plunges him deep into a shadowy world he never knew existed, a treacherous web of con artists, psychopaths, and buried secrets.

But when tragedy strikes close to home, Eric realizes that the answers may lie in his own tangled past--and that to save his daughter, he must face his worst fears, no matter the cost.

A compelling, twisty read for fans of domestic suspense and psychological thrillers!

*Ships in 7-10 Business Days*

A flirty, feel-good novel that takes you on a journey of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery. Perfect for fans of Mary B. Morrison and Briana Cole.

"I gave you fifteen years, two kids, and my everything. You still chose to give a woman you barely knew the ring, the house, and my happily-ever-after."

Dallas once believed in forever love, but that was before her marriage had hit a dead end. When Trenton Smith walks into her life, he’s ready to love her the way she deserves to be loved—only Dallas’ walls are up. In time she will know if he is merely history on repeat, or the kindred connection she’s been praying for.

Sasha wanted nothing more than to have a baby with her fiancé, Hunt. After years of trying to conceive, she’s finally concluded that a baby may not be in the cards for her. Sasha begins to question her womanhood, and before long, it sends her into a fit of depression—until she finds comfort in the arms of another man.

After dating the momma’s boy, the thug, and her ultimate favorite—the tired brother with good sex but no money, Candace finally finds her knight in shining armor. Things are going well until she discovers the roommate he conveniently failed to mention. When Sasha’s brother, Diego, decides to help mend her heart, Candace soon realizes that her soul mate may have been right under her nose the entire time.

A high-stakes, propulsive young adult thriller with a body-swap twist thoughtfully explores themes of friendship and identity, perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson.

Seventeen-year-old Megan has been jumping from friend group to friend group in her Atlanta-area suburb, trying on identities like outfits. Nothing ever felt right. Until she meets LC, the adventurous, charismatic girl who appeared at Megan’s favorite coffee shop like magic. They’ve been inseparable ever since, and Megan feels like she’s coming into who she’s really meant to be: someone like LC.

But LC has secrets—dangerous ones. On the night of their friendiversary, LC offers Megan a drug that makes Megan pass out at a party. When she awakens, she realizes that she and LC have swapped bodies and even worse . . . LC is already at Megan’s house, pretending to be Megan.

Now Megan has to fight against the horror of being trapped in someone else’s body while trying to figure out how to get her life back. The only way to do that is to own what makes Megan Megan . . . or die trying.