Black Chick Lit

There's been a lot of discourse surrounding our latest pick. Everything's Fine by Cecelia Rabess has been fodder for a think piece by The New York Times, an interview in The CUT and hundreds of hot takes on Twitter. Was the book worth all that chatter? Not really. Listen in as we discuss the "controversy" surrounding the book's marketing, what we think the author was trying to achieve and the authenticity of fake hair. We also love it when you rate, review and subscribe to us on iTunes, Google Play, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Special thanks to Suite45 for our theme song, Jones’n. And thanks to YOU for listening!

Hi, readers! We've got another fun interview for you this month. We chatted with author and self-proclaimed L.A. stan Rachel Howzell Hall about her new book, What Never Happened, and what it's like to be a Black woman in the thriller space — whether that be as an author or a main character. Learn more about the plotting process and character development of thriller characters, Rachel's philosophy on plot twists and which of her books she thinks she'd survive. (Interview begins at 12:48) Rachel Howzell Hall is the New York Times bestselling author of We Lie Here; These Toxic Things; And Now She's Gone; They All Fall Down; and, with James Patterson, The Good Sister, which was included in Patterson's collection The Family Lawyer. A Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist as well as an Anthony, International Thriller Writers, and Lefty Award nominee, Rachel is also the author of Land of Shadows, Skies of Ash, Trail of Echoes, and City of Saviors in the Detective Elouise Norton series. She lives in Los Angele

Hi, readers! It's June and Black Chick Lit is celebrating Pride month! Given all the mess happening in the news, the government and even at Target, we wanted to do a special episode to talk about what's going on and how it impacts Black women. We spoke with author and speaker Kianna Alexander on what Pride means to her, her journey to finding her identity and how all of that impacts her writing and reading. Kianna is the author of more than 40 books and her latest, Can't Let Her Go, will be released on June 20. This follow-up to her previous book, Can't Resist Her, follows Peaches and Jamie, two professional Black women, as they “push past the boundaries of friendship into something deeper.” Find her at Twitter at @KiannaWrites and Instagram at kiannaalexanderwrites. As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons: Bryonna, Claire, Erica, Frank, I Found This Great Podcast, Jennifer, Kat, Martel, Montara and Noelia. If you like what you hear, be sure to rate, review and subscribe to us on iTunes, Google Pla

Happy new year, readers! We're kicking off 2023 as we do every year with mess and hijinks. It's Urban Fic Month, and this year, we read Everybody Ain't Your Friend, by Tanisha Stewart. This isn't a lesson we needed to learn, but our main character, Mia, was in desperate need of some education. How did she have so many unstable people in her life and not notice it? Why didn't she block anyone on Facebook? Why did she spell Tyreke with an "I"? So much to learn. As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons! If you want to be among our favorite people in the world, support us over on Pateron. We also love it when you rate, review and subscribe to us on iTunes, Google Play, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Special thanks to Suite45 for our theme song, Jones’n. And thanks to YOU for listening!

Hey readers! We're still getting hyped for FX's new series, Kindred. Last time, we gave you a refresher (or possibly an introduction) to Octavia Butler and her work. In this episode, we invited an awesome panel of sci-fi fans and creators to chat about Butler, her legacy and what we hope to see in future adaptations of her work. Our awesome panelists are: Isis Asare is the founder and CEO of Sistah Scifi, the first Black owned bookstore focused on science fiction and fantasy in the United States. Damian Duffy is a cartoonist, scholar, writer, curator, lecturer, teacher and award-winning bestselling graphic novelist. John Jennings is a professor, author, graphic novelist, curator, Harvard Fellow and all-around champion of Black culture. Nova Sparks is a writer who grew up watching and reading science fiction, horror, and fantasy and quickly became a fanatic. They share how they discovered her work, what science fiction and fantasy mean to Black readers and their hopes for future works. Duffy and Jennings prev

Hey, readers, We're doing something special this episode! In preparation of FX's new series Kindred, which will stream on Hulu beginning Dec. 13, we've decided to study up and learn more about the book and its genius author, Octavia Butler. Join us as we share some cool info about Ms. Butler, including what she had to say about her ability to write the future with eerie accurateness. Fun fact: The people at NASA are some real sci-fi nerds. Our girl Octavia has not one but two(!) astronomical features named after her. Then, we dig into Kindred, Butler's most iconic title. We've discussed a Kindred adaptation before, but this time we really get into Dana's struggle. Not only does she have to deal with one ancestor who's a racist slaveowner and another who hates her, she also has to put up with her husband's shit! Listen in and get ready for the first-ever TV adaptation of Kindred! Be sure to rate, review and subscribe to us on iTunes, Google Play, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Thanks to our sponsor FX for suppo

Hey, readers! We're continue our celebration of Black Chick Lit with the second part of our discussion of the Black girl classic, The Color Purple by Alice Walker. We read the book and watched Steven Spielburg's 1986 film, made famous by Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover and, the Queen of the Nineties herself, Oprah! Be cure to check out the first part of our conversation if you missed it. We finish up by discussing the tragic story of Sophia, that time Celie got a bit murder-y and the redemption of ol' down dirty Mr. _____. Don't forget: In celebration of our pod-iversary, we're giving away four $30 gift cards to Amazon! Treat yourself to some books or a few months of Kindle Unlimited! All you need to do is follow us on Twitter at @blackchicklit and quote tweet us sharing your favorite moment from The Color Purple. If you want to be among our favorite people in the world, support us over on Pateron.  As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons: Ali, Andrea, Bryonna, Catherine, Claire, Ellen, Erica, Frank,

Hey, readers! We're celebrating six years of Black Chick Lit with a discussion of the Black girl classic, The Color Purple by Alice Walker. We read the book and watched Steven Spielburg's 1986 film, made famous by Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover and, the Queen of the Nineties herself, Oprah! You know what this book is about. So, join us as we talk about Ms. Celie, THE Shug Avery, and that low-down dirty dog Mr. ______. We'll finish up the conversation in two weeks, so be sure to join us then, too! Don't forget: In celebration of our pod-iversary, we're giving away four $30 gift cards to Amazon! Treat yourself to some books or a few months of Kindle Unlimited! Listen in for more details. If you want to be among our favorite people in the world, support us over on Pateron. Rewards include a shout-out on every episode of the podcast and exclusive audio/chats. As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons: Ali, Andrea, Bryonna, Catherine, Claire, Ellen, Erica, Frank, Heather, I Found This Great Book, Jennifer,

This winter, we got cozy with the podcast's first cozy mystery. We read A Glimmer of Death by Valerie Wilson Wesley, the first in the Odessa Jones series. We loved the characters in this book — and there are a bunch of them. There's Charlie, Dessa's asshole boss/murder victim; Harley, her co-worker, whose innocence Dessa is tasked with proving; and Lennox, a former cop turned BBQ pit master who thinks Dessa is in way over her head. We gossip about all of them and their mess. We also chat about new trucks, black women and fiber arts, and planes versus trains. If you want to be among our favorite people in the world, support us over on Pateron. Rewards include a shout-out on every episode of the podcast and exclusive audio/chats. As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons: Ali, Andrea, Bryonna, Catherine, Claire, Ellen, Erica, Frank, Heather, I Found This Great Book, Jennifer, Kat, Martel, Montara, Noella, Ruth, Therese and Whitney. We also love it when you rate, review and subscribe to us on iTune

We wanted to learn more about the female half of Ashley and JaQuavis, so for this year's Urban Fic Month, we read Butterfly by Ashley Antoinette. Did we know what was going on? Barely. This series is a spin-off of a spin-off that started with her title Moth to a Flame. Did that stop us from judging the hell out of it? Absolutely not. Is Morgan a Bad Bitch or a spoiled one? Why the hell does everyone in this book hate rich, popular, caring family-man Bash? Why are women in these books constantly putting fruit up their vaginas?? We don't find the answers to any of these questions, but we had fun asking them. If you want to be among our favorite people in the world, support us over on Pateron. Rewards include a shout-out on every episode of the podcast and exclusive audio/chats. As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons: Ali, Andrea, Bryonna, Catherine, Claire, Ellen, Erica, Frank, Heather, I Found This Great Book, Jennifer, Kat, Martel, Montara, Noella, Ruth, Therese and Whitney. We also love it whe

In this episode, we're joined by a special guest, Frank, to discuss another of our favorite genres: horror! Why does it share in common with romance? What defines a work of horror? And why are people trying so hard to "elevate" the genre? We also brainstorm the perfect romance for Frank to try and list off a dozen of different horror recs. If you wanna be part of the cool kids club, head over to Pateron and sign up. You’ll also get access to bonus materials including video and podcast outtakes. As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons: Ali, Andrea, Brittney, Bryonna, Catherine, Claire, Ellen, Emily, Erica, Frank, Heather, I Found This Great Book, Jennifer, Kat, Katie, Lauren, Martel, Melissa, Sylvia, Therese, Whitney and YM. We also love it when you rate, review and subscribe to us on iTunes, Google Play, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Special thanks to Suite45 for our theme song, Jones’n. And thanks to YOU for listening!

October is here, and we're ready to get creepy. This episode, we read These Toxic Things by Rachel Howzell Hall. It was full of creepy stalkers, ruthless serial killers, explosive family secrets and ... one big dummy of a main character. (Mickie, girl, here's some advice: don't sleep with dudes you suspect may have killed their own mother.) We also chat about getting into the holiday spirit, that L.A. life and Rachel's expanded KU universe. If you wanna be part of the cool kids club, head over to Pateron and sign up. You’ll also get access to bonus materials including video and podcast outtakes. As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons: Ali, Andrea, Brittney, Bryonna, Catherine, Claire, Ellen, Emily, Erica, Frank, Heather, I Found This Great Book, Jennifer, Kat, Katie, Lauren, Martel, Melissa, Sylvia, Therese, Whitney and YM. We also love it when you rate, review and subscribe to us on iTunes, Google Play, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Special thanks to Suite45 for our theme song, Jones’n. And th

This episode, we're joined by Derrik of the Ratchet Book Club to discuss Loving My Wife and Her Sister, Too by Lady Lissa and Shelli Marie. We meet Analise (the wife), Zakiya (the sister) and Gavin (the fuckboy) and dig into the messiness (or lack thereof) of their lives. Is Gavin a predator who groomed his wife (and her sister, too)? Would Analise ever cheat on Gavin? Who the fuck even is Micaela?? We also talk about the unexplored rachetness of Kindle Unlimited, new merch slogans and other things you should and could do besides read this book. If you wanna be part of the cool kids club, head over to Pateron and sign up. You’ll also get access to bonus materials including video and podcast outtakes. As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons: Ali, Andrea, Brittney, Bryonna, Catherine, Ellen, Emily, Erica, Frank, Heather, I Found This Great Book, Jennifer, Kat, Katie, Lauren, Martel, Melissa, Sylvia, Therese, Whitney and YM. We also love it when you rate, review and subscribe to us on iTunes, Goog

We’re getting spooky already at Black Chick Lit. This month, we read The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris and we had … thoughts. Listen in as we discuss what makes good Black horror, hair products you need to stay away from and iffy Instagram hashtags. If you wanna be part of the cool kids club, head over to Pateron and sign up. You’ll also get access to bonus materials including video and podcast outtakes. As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons: Ali, Andrea, Brittney, Bryonna, Catherine, Ellen, Emily, Erica, Frank, Heather, I Found This Great Book, Jennifer, Kat, Katie, Martel, Melissa, Sylvia, Therese, Whitney and YM. We also love it when you rate, review and subscribe to us on iTunes, Google Play, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Special thanks to Suite45 for our theme song, Jones’n. And thanks to YOU for listening!

There were so many Arrested Development jokes we could have made. We're back for take two of our discussion of Stacey Abrams' novel While Justice Sleeps. It's not Ms. Abrams' writing debut, it is the first fiction book she's written under her name since becoming a national political force. And, to be honest, this book may be too smart for us. Along with complicated word puzzles, sophisticated chess analogies and bioengineering (wasn't expecting that!), this legal thriller dives into some pretty niche elements of constitutional law. Listen in as we struggle to figure out just what the hell is going on. Does Justice Howard Wynn have a right to be paranoid? How did he trick a law clerk into signing a serious legal document without looking at it? Is he Black?!  If you wanna be part of the cool kids club, head over to Pateron and sign up. You’ll also get access to bonus materials including video and podcast outtakes. As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons: Ali, Andrea, Brittney, Bryonna, Catherine

We felt like stirring up shit this episode, so we asked you to share your messiest, no-holds-barred book opinions. Okay ya'll - #BCLChat is BACK! Tell us your messiest, most hatin ass, I said what I said book opinion. We'll discuss answers in our next bonus ep! pic.twitter.com/2T96Kio5UH — Black Chick Lit (@blackchicklit) May 19, 2021 Needless to say, you all delivered. Listen in as we discuss your opinions, from your distrust of certain authors to roasting entire POVs. We also talk Black authors and interracial romance, leaving YA for the teens and our thoughts on taboo literature. If you wanna be part of the cool kids club, head over to Pateron and sign up. You’ll also get access to bonus materials including video and podcast outtakes. As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons: Ali, Andrea, Brittney, Bryonna, Catherine, Ellen, Emily, Erica, Frank, Heather, I Found This Great Book, Jennifer, Kat, Katie, Martel, Melissa, Sylvia, Therese, Whitney and YM. We also love it when you rate, review

We're digging into all the -isms in this episode, y'all. We read Such a Fun Age, by Kiley Reid, which takes a sharp look at racism, classism and all the ways they can fuck up our lives. We read as Emira struggles to manage two flavors of problematic white people: her overcompensating, liberal #girlboss boss and her wanna-be-down love interest. They're both a mess and we hate them both! Listen in for a discussion on the insidiousness of microagressions, the cult of motherhood and how #ZaraWasRight. If you wanna be part of the cool kids club, head over to Pateron and sign up. You’ll also get access to bonus materials including video and podcast outtakes. As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons: Ali, Andrea, Brittney, Bryonna, Catherine, Ellen, Emily, Erica, Frank, Heather, I Found This Great Book, Jennifer, Kat, Katie, Martel, Melissa, Sylvia, Therese, Whitney and YM. We also love it when you rate, review and subscribe to us on iTunes, Google Play, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Special thanks to S

Hey, readers. Life really came and kicked some of us in the teeth, but we're back, we got all our shots and we're talking books. Bad news is good news, it turns out. Join us as we catch up, talk Simon & Schuster's complete lack of fucks and accept the fact that we are, in fact, nerds on a power trip. We also try to figure out what Middle Grade is and whether it's just for middle-schoolers. (Turns out, no!) QUESTION: What are your favorite middle grade books for an 8 year old who is reading above her age? — Black Chick Lit (@blackchicklit) April 25, 2021 Be sure to join us later this month when we talk Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid. If you wanna be part of the cool kids club, head over to Pateron and sign up. You’ll also get access to bonus materials including video and podcast outtakes. As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons: Ali, Brittney, Bryonna, Catherine, Ellen, Emily, Erica, Frank, Heather, I Found This Great Book, Jennifer, Kat, Katie, Martel, Melissa, Sylvia, Therese, Whitney an

Happy 2021, lovely listeners! It's our favorite time of the year: Urban Fic Month. (Okay, so we were still a little hungover from 2020 and this episode is a tad late. Forgive us!) This year, we read a classic: The Cartel, by Ashley & JaQuavis. There's money, romance, murder and a lot of anti-Haitian sentiment. It's uncomfortable. There's also some "sexy" farting (or should we say queuing?), a graphic castration and a whole lot of colorism. Get the alcohol ready, because this one is wild. Trigger warning for a mention of rape and discussion of homophobia starting at 1:07:40. If you wanna be part of the cool kids club, head over to Pateron and sign up. You’ll also get access to bonus materials including video and podcast outtakes. As always, a very special thank you to our Patrons: Adoria, Ali, Brittney, Bryonna, Catherine, Ellen, Emily, Erica, Frank, Heather, I Found This Great Book, Jennifer, Kat, Katie, Maria, Martel, Melissa, Montara, Sylvia, Terri, Therese, Whitney and YM. We also love it when you

We’re wrapping up 2020 by talking about all the things we did (and didn’t do) to keep our heads above water. Sister Sistermarathon anyone? Topics include: Dr. Jill Biden Booktube shenanigans a campaign to get Dani to play Mass Effect Mollie saying Dallinar a lot and a reflection on our very social year Thanks as always to our generous patrons — we’ve got a ton of extras from this episode coming your way! Shout out to Martel, Jennifer, Ansela, Therese, Melissa, Catherine, Katie, Emily, LaToya, Ali, Kat, Montara, Maria, Adoria, Frank, Ellen, Sylvia, Bryonna and Curtis. And thanks to Suite45 for use of our theme, Jonse’n. We’ll see you all in 2021 for Urban Lit January!