What to Read for Black-Oween-Athon

Do you love a spooky October read, and also want to read more Black authors? Then you definitely need to participate in Black-Oween-Athon!

Created by Black BookTuber Bre, also known as the Loc’d Booktician and my guest for this week’s podcast episode (coming Thursday), this reading challenge is about reading books in “spooky” or fantastical genres written by Black authors and celebrating a diversity of Black voices in literature.

We only have about two weeks left in October, but there is still plenty of time to participate and read a book or two!

Here is the full list of prompts:

• A fantasy novel by a Black author
• A book by a Black trans, queer, or nonbinary author
• A book that features Black mermaids/sirens
• A mystery book by a Black author
• A book that discusses intersectionality by a Black author
• A book that includes a Black witch
• Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
• A book by an underrrated Black author

Bre notes that these prompts can be combined, and that “this is a celebration of Blackness, Blackity, Blackity goodness! We don’t often Spotlight Black authors who have contributed to other ‘spooky’ genres!”

Find out more in Bre’s video about the Read-Athon:

Here are a few more books that would all fulfill at least one prompt:

• Fledgling by Octavia Butler
• Zone One by Colson Whitehead
• A Blade So Black by L. L. McKinney
• A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow
• Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
• Siren’s Call by Jessica Cage
• An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
• The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin
• Down the River Unto the Sea by Walter Mosely

What books on your TBR would fit the challenge?

Tune in to the podcast this Thursday, October 22, to hear my conversation with Bre about Black-Oween-Athon, Bre’s favorite books, and so much more! Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find bookish podcasts!