Books like 'Ruby'
Readers who enjoyed Ruby by Rosa Guy also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical young adult african-american f-f black-mc queer
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Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 57 ratingsInternational phenomenon Angie Thomas revisits Garden Heights seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give in this searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood.If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords...Categorized as:
black-mc young adult contemporary african-american historical racism high-school 20th century -
![Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg]()
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg
It's first the story of two women in the 1980s, of gray-headed Mrs. Threadgoode telling her life story to Evelyn, who is in the sad slump of middle age... -
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![We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds]()
We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsWhat’s more important? Knowing the truth or keeping the peace?Seventeen-year-old Avery Anderson is convinced her senior year is ruined when she's uprooted from her life in DC and forced into the hostile home of her terminally ill grandmother, Mama Letty. The tension between Avery’s mom and Mama Letty makes for a frosty arrival and unearths past drama they refuse to talk about... -
![Say Goodbye for Now by Catherine Ryan Hyde]()
Say Goodbye for Now by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsOn an isolated Texas ranch, Dr. Lucy cares for abandoned animals. The solitude allows her to avoid the people and places that remind her of the past. Not that any of the townsfolk care. In 1959, no one is interested in a woman doctor. Nor are they welcoming Calvin and Justin Bell, a newly arrived African American father and son...Categorized as:
black-mc historical anthologies multicultural christian young adult abuse contemporary -
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![Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn, Shonda Rhimes]()
Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn, Shonda Rhimes
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn and television pioneer Shonda Rhimes comes a powerful and romantic novel of Bridgerton's Queen Charlotte and King George III's great love story and how it sparked a societal shift, inspired by the original series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, created by Shondaland for Netflix.“We are one crown...Categorized as:
black-mc humor historical regency georgian new adult marriage of convenience arranged marriage -
![Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl by Joya Goffney]()
Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl by Joya Goffney
The second novel about a preacher's daughter in small-town Texas and her journey toward loving herself and her body.Monique is a preacher's daughter who detests the impossible rules of her religion. Everyone expects her to wait until marriage, so she has no one to turn to when she discovers that she physically can't have sex.After two years of trying and failing, her boyfriend breaks up with her...Categorized as:
black-mc young adult contemporary african-american historical usa north-america texas -
![Angel of Greenwood by Randi Pink]()
Angel of Greenwood by Randi Pink
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsA historical YA novel that takes place during the Greenwood Massacre of 1921, in an area of Tulsa, OK, known as the Black Wall Street.Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Wilson is, on the surface, a town troublemaker, but is hiding that he is an avid reader and secret poet, never leaving home without his journal. A passionate follower of WEB...Categorized as:
black-mc young adult historical african-american racism multicultural 20th century dual-pov -
![Belle by Beverly Jenkins]()
Belle by Beverly Jenkins
Belle Palmer is finally free! Separated from her father on the harrowing escape, Belle is lost and alone until she finds shelter with the Bests, the first free family she’s ever known. For the first time in her sixteen years, Belle can speak her mind—except for her feelings for a certain dark-eyed young man—The Beau... -
![Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson, Malik "Malik-16" Sharif]()
Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson, Malik "Malik-16" Sharif
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsIn this striking new novel by the critically acclaimed author of Allegedly and Monday’s Not Coming, Tiffany D. Jackson tells the story of three Brooklyn teens who plot to turn their murdered friend into a major rap star by pretending he's still alive. Brooklyn, 1998. Biggie Smalls was right: Things done changed...Categorized as:
black-mc young adult contemporary mystery historical african-american death length-long -
![Nothing Burns as Bright as You by Ashley Woodfolk]()
Nothing Burns as Bright as You by Ashley Woodfolk
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsFive starred reviews! From New York Times bestselling author Ashley Woodfolk, Nothing Burns as Bright as You is an impassioned stand-alone tale of queer love, grief, and the complexity of female friendship. Two girls. One wild and reckless day. Years of tumultuous history unspooling like a thin, fraying string in the hours after they set a fire. They were best friends. Until they became more...Categorized as:
f-f black-mc queer young adult contemporary african-american friends to lovers high-school -
![Let the Circle Be Unbroken by Mildred D. Taylor]()
Let the Circle Be Unbroken by Mildred D. Taylor
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsA sequel to the universally acclaimed Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, continuing in the story of the Logan family in Mississippi during the Depression. The children, especially Cassie, are happy in their warm, stable family but outside is a climate of fear and tension. Their friend T.J. goes on trial for murder and stands before an all-white jury... -
![When Stars Rain Down by Angela Jackson-Brown]()
When Stars Rain Down by Angela Jackson-Brown
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsThis summer has the potential to change everything.The summer of 1936 in Parsons, Georgia, is unseasonably hot, and Opal Pruitt can sense a nameless storm coming. She hopes this foreboding feeling won’t overshadow her upcoming eighteenth birthday or the annual Founder’s Day celebration in just a few weeks...Categorized as:
black-mc historical african-american christian racism young adult contemporary length-medium -
![A Taste of Reality by Kimberla Lawson Roby]()
A Taste of Reality by Kimberla Lawson Roby
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsKimberla Lawson Roby returns with another moving and triumphant novel about a woman who, against all odds, battles the most blatant kind of workplace discrimination while dealing with a crumbling marriage and a trusted friend's betrayal...Categorized as:
black-mc african-american contemporary christian humor historical young adult length-medium -
![Josephine and the Soldier by Beverly Jenkins]()
Josephine and the Soldier by Beverly Jenkins
Josephine Josephine Best has it all figured out. Just seventeen, she's been to college, she has her own hairdressing shop, and she refuses to be distracted by any of that courting nonsense. At least until nice George Brooks begins to pursue her. Jojo isn't looking for romance, but she permits George to call on her...Categorized as:
black-mc young adult historical african-american open-door usa north-america length-medium -
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![Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley]()
Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley
Rated: 3.96 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsIn 1959 Virginia, the lives of two girls on opposite sides of the battle for civil rights will be changed forever. Sarah Dunbar is one of the first black students to attend the previously all-white Jefferson High School. An honors student at her old school, she is put into remedial classes, spit on and tormented daily... -
![The Quest of the Silver Fleece by W.E.B. Du Bois]()
The Quest of the Silver Fleece by W.E.B. Du Bois
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratings"Set in Alabama and Washington, D.C., in the early part of the twentieth century, W.E.B. Du Bois's first novel weaves the themes of racial equality and understanding through the stark reality of prejudice and bias... -
![Bingo Love by Tee Franklin, Jenn St. Onge]()
Bingo Love by Tee Franklin, Jenn St. Onge
Bingo Love is a LGBTQ romance story that spans over 60 years. A chance meeting at church bingo in 1963 brings Hazel Johnson and Mari McCray together. Through their formative years, these two women develop feelings for each other and finally profess their love for one another. Forced apart by their families and society, Hazel and Mari both married young men and had families...Categorized as:
f-f black-mc queer young adult contemporary historical african-american north-america -
![So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow]()
So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsFour young Black sisters come of age during the American Civil War in So Many Beginnings, a warm and powerful YA remix of the classic novel Little Women by national bestselling author Bethany C. Morrow. North Carolina, 1863. As the American Civil War rages on, the Freedmen's Colony of Roanoke Island is blossoming, a haven for the recently emancipated... -
![Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe]()
Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsHenri “Halti” Haltiwanger can charm just about anyone. He is a star debater and popular student at the prestigious FATE academy, the dutiful first-generation Haitian son, and the trusted dog walker for his wealthy New York City neighbors. But his easy smiles mask a burning ambition to attend his dream college, Columbia University... -
![Pride by Ibi Zoboi]()
Pride by Ibi Zoboi
Pride and Prejudice gets remixed in this smart, funny, gorgeous retelling of the classic, starring all characters of color, from Ibi Zoboi, National Book Award finalist and author of American Street.Zuri Benitez has pride. Brooklyn pride, family pride, and pride in her Afro-Latino roots. But pride might not be enough to save her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood from becoming unrecognizable... -
![Whiteout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson]()
Whiteout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson
Rated: 3.69 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsAtlanta is blanketed with snow just before Christmas, but the warmth of young love just might melt the ice in this novel of interwoven narratives, Black joy, and cozy, sparkling romance—by the same unbeatable team of authors who wrote the New York Times bestseller Blackout!As the city grinds to a halt, twelve teens band together to help a friend pull off the most epic apology of her life...Categorized as:
black-mc young adult christmas contemporary african-american historical new adult length-medium -
![Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden]()
Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden
Rated: 3.37 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsIn a searing historical novel, Tonya Bolden illuminates post-Reconstruction America in an intimate portrait of a determined young woman who dares to seize the opportunity of a lifetime.As a young black woman in 1880s Savannah, Essie's dreams are very much at odds with her reality...Categorized as:
black-mc young adult historical african-american multicultural victorian racism length-medium -
![Calling My Name by Liara Tamani]()
Calling My Name by Liara Tamani
Rated: 3.49 of 5 stars · 21 ratings“ Calling My Name is a treasure.”—Nic Stone, New York Times –bestselling author of Dear Martin Calling My Name is a striking, luminous, and literary exploration of family, spirituality, and self—ideal for readers of Jacqueline Woodson, Jandy Nelson, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Sandra Cisneros... -
![The Davenports by Krystal Marquis]()
The Davenports by Krystal Marquis
The Davenports delivers a totally escapist, swoon-worthy romance while offering a glimpse into a period of African American history often overlooked...Categorized as:
black-mc young adult historical african-american contemporary multicultural 20th century racism -
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![The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope]()
The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsA woman able to communicate with spirits must assemble a ragtag crew to pull off a daring heist to save her community in this timely and dazzling historical fantasy that weaves together African American folk magic, history, and romance. Washington D. C., 1925 Clara Johnson talks to spirits, a gift that saved her during her darkest moments in a Washington D. C. jail... -
![Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez]()
Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 30 ratings“This is East Texas, and there’s lines. Lines you cross, lines you don’t cross. That clear?”New London, Texas. 1937. Naomi Vargas and Wash Fuller know about the lines in East Texas as well as anyone. They know the signs that mark them.“No Negroes, Mexicans, or dogs.”They know the people who enforce them.“They all decided they’d ride out in their sheets and pay Blue a visit... -
![Daughters of Jubilation by Kara Lee Corthron]()
Daughters of Jubilation by Kara Lee Corthron
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFollow a black teen as she finds her place among a family of women gifted with magical abilities.In the Jim Crow South, white supremacy reigns and tensions are high. But Evalene Deschamps has other things to worry about. She has two little sisters to look after, an overworked single mother, and a longtime crush who is finally making a move...Categorized as:
black-mc fantasy young adult historical magic paranormal african-american urban fantasy -
![One True Loves by Elise Bryant]()
One True Loves by Elise Bryant
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsLenore Bennett has always been a force. A star artist and style icon at her high school, she’s a master in the subtle art of not giving a . . . well, you know what. But now that graduation is here, she’s a little less sure.She’s heading to NYU in the fall with a scarlet U (for “undeclared”) written across her chest... -
![Everyone's Thinking It by Aleema Omotoni]()
Everyone's Thinking It by Aleema Omotoni
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMean Girls meets Dear White People in this big-hearted, sharp-witted UK boarding school story about family, friendship, and belonging—with a propulsive mystery at its heart.Within the walls of Wodebury Hall, an elite boarding school in the English countryside, reputation is everything. But aspiring photographer Iyanu is more comfortable observing things safely from behind her camera... -
![Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor]()
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
Rated: 3.98 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsAn award-winning literary author enters the world of magical realism with her World Fantasy Award-winning novel of a remarkable woman in post-apocalyptic Africa. In a post-apocalyptic Africa, the world has changed in many ways; yet in one region genocide between tribes still bloodies the land...
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