At the start of the year I set the intention that all books I read for fun would be written by women of colour. I failed. But decolonising the mind means trying again and again to unlearn the habit of centring white perspectives, ideas, and stories. So I’m giving it another go.

I sat down and inhaled Intimations in a single sitting. Zadie Smith is a tremendous essayist, and this little book was a joy to read.

Just finished Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. One of the best novels I’ve ever read. Stunningly beautiful, compelling post-apocalyptic fiction with a Black feminist ethos. Going to pollinate my tomato plant’s new flowers before diving into the sequel.

Finished reading Parable of the Talents. With this book Octavia Butler ripped my heart in two then knitted it back together. She predicted so much: commercial surrogacy, MAGA, virtual reality, the relationship between late capitalism and global warming... An incredible writer.

Two works of lesfic YA written by women of colour that I have enjoyed immensely - first as novels, then as audiobooks:

- The Deathless Girls, by @Kiran_MH
- Juliet Takes a Breath, by @QuirkyRican