romance with a side of revolution.

Welcome to the Unapologetic Black Girls Book Club, by Fictive Kin Equity Lab.

The Unapologetic Black Girls Book Club is a heart-centred learning experience.

It’s for those of us who’ve ever been shamed for being “too much”.

We’ll dive into an enticing, diverse world of romance and revolution; one where passion mixes with politics, and love is entwined with liberation.

In the process, we’ll discover that our "too-muchness" is actually our greatest source of strength for making the most powerful kinds of change.

Read on below to learn more.

Fall Book List & Schedule

  • The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, by Sangu Mandanna

    Because Halloween, obvs!

    —

    But also because, if you like stories with “grumpy x sunshine” pairings, found families, and a heroine who discovers the glorious things that can happen when you stop being afraid to show your power, then this book is for you!

  • Slave to Sensation, by Nalini Singh

    In world where power is the name of the game - who has it, who doesn’t, who wants it, who’ll do anything to hold & hoard it - discovering that your own internal power threatens the entire house of cards upon which your world is built, well…

    You’re gonna need someone - a very strong someone with the heart of a leopard - to hold you up when it all comes crashing down.

    —

    This is the first in a 23-book (so far!) urban "romantasy" series. #SorryNotSorry if it gets you hooked.

  • Three Holidays and a Wedding, by Uzma Jalaluddin & Megan Stapley

    'Tis the season for bringing as much light and love to each other as we can.

    —

    And when you and your entire family get stuck in an impossibly delightful multicultural - and multi-everything - small town on the way to your sister’s wedding, you find that you’re allowed to receive just as much love and light as you’ve been giving out to everyone else. Or maybe even more.

Note: We recommend getting your book(s) for the club well in advance, because there may be a long wait for some of them to become available. We will always suggest you check your public library first. If that’s not an option, then Thrift Books (no aff.) and Abe Books (no aff.) are excellent sources of new and previously enjoyed books at very reasonable prices.

FAQ

  • Why not?

    Stories that centre the lives and loves of Black women are just as compelling as any other.

    More than that, we all know that “Black” and “woman” are just two of many intersecting identities.

    So it’s no surprise that our stories serve as a gateway to all kinds of wonderful, beautiful, glorious romance.

  • Again… why not?

    Romance is a genre that focuses almost exclusively on white, cisgender, and straight women.

    For Black girls and anyone else who doesn’t share those identities, reading romance can be challenging, because it doesn’t reflect our lived realities.

    In The Unapologetic Black Girls Book Club we read romance that’s sexy and fun, sweet and smart… and that reminds us that the search for love is as much a political activity as it is a personal one.

    Because, in a world where our very right to exist is so often called into question, finding real, true love that celebrates our humanity is nothing short of revolutionary. 

  • Of course! You don’t have to be Black and / or female to join.

    Although many of the novels selected for the club will be about Black women, they won’t all be. Our host reads widely, so club members will, too!

  • We mean being unashamed about any of the things society says you’re “supposed” to be ashamed of: being Black; being queer; being poor; being foreign; being female; and, of course, reading romance.

    We mean rejecting the shame and guilt that dominating, oppressive, imperialist, and unjust societies thrive on.

    We mean saying loudly and clearly, “No. I am not here to live down to your expectations of me.”, and not being sorry about any of it.

  • Not at all!

    Members are only expected to have an open mind, an open heart, a strong belief that equity and social justice are good things for everyone, and a willingness to engage with stories that may challenge their own lived experiences.

  • There are two membership plans: month-by-month and annual.

    Your membership renews automatically, regardless of which plan you choose, and you may cancel at any time.

    Membership gives you access to a private space within the Fictive Kin Equity Lab online community.

    In this space, you can:

    • meet other members;

    • share your reactions and insights about the books in real time; and

    • RSVP to our monthly live meetings.

    In the future, we hope to have guest hosts, author events, maybe a podcast, a conference, watch parties for any movies or series based on our favourite books, and other cool things we haven’t even dreamed up yet. 

  • Great! Click the JOIN NOW button at the bottom of this page.

    It will take you to the home page of the Fictive Kin Equity Lab online community, where the book club “lives”.

    Just choose your your membership plan and you’ll be all set!