My 2024 Reading Wrap-Up: The Best Books I Read This Year!

[@MemphisJones]

New here 👋🏾 let's get you to 10k sir!

[@BlackLitGeek]

Oh my dear you totally made my night with that sentiment. I was LITERALLY sitting here thinking about my next video🤔 thank you 🙏

[@MemphisJones]

@BlackLitGeek well gone and get after it, you're manifesting! 💪🏾

[@BlackLitGeek]

@MemphisJones peace ☮️ 🙏

[@taedparks8580]

Finally a channel that reads more than fantasy novels. I ❤ literature too

[@BlackLitGeek]

Seriously! I have a post it note on my computer that reads GO DEEPER! It’s a reminder that good literature can be found in most genres, but GREAT literature requires you to expand and explore. Thank you for commenting. 🙏

[@DarnayaDarice]

Love that as well!

[@highwaytoten802]

you’re aura is amazing! thank you for all the recommendations. you deserve those 10k 🍀

[@BlackLitGeek]

Thank you very much friend. I appreciate you 🙏

[@flowatress]

New sub, excited to be part of your first 10k! You’re a whole vibe…as my daughters would say😂 you’re definitely going to expand my reading palette 👍🏽

[@BlackLitGeek]

I really appreciate your support! Let’s hope this palette expansion leads to some GREAT FICTION READS🙏

[@flowatress]

@ I’m sure it will! Your channel is definitely MY lane lol

[@SandyKeeks]

The Blacker the Berry and Their Eyes are Watching God are on my list as well. James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, and Octavia E. Butler have some of my favorite banned books. I loved Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. It was my final book of 2024. I'm going to check out Albert French

[@BlackLitGeek]

Ahhh, looks like we have similar reading appetites! You'll LOVE BILLY!

[@donicabien-aime1272]

Absolutely loved this video! The detailed explanation of each book was so engaging, and the background music added such a calming touch to the overall experience. I’m already looking forward to your future videos-keep up the amazing work!

[@BlackLitGeek]

Thank you very much. I appreciate your kindness. 🙏

[@eduardoloyolamuhl4967]

1:40 Hope you get to the 10k, and dont focus on the 11 who leave. Keep going strong, mate. Your video got me here on Brazil.

[@BlackLitGeek]

Thank you very much. I appreciate it mate. 🙏

[@professordavid2008]

7:56 That’s cool man. I like that you’re fascinated by literature like that. I myself am into it like that too. Bought me several of them.

[@BlackLitGeek]

That’s awesome. I have always had this love for writing and reading literature, especially works that expand the imagination and forces you to oblige, thank you for commenting 🙏

[@lakj333]

I really struggled with and eventually gave up on We Need to Talk About Kevin, mostly because of the tone and main character (the mom). I enjoyed the film (if one can say that about a film about such a topic) and thought Tilda Swinton’s interpretation of the mom worked really well and was more satisfying for me.

[@BlackLitGeek]

Good Morning. Ahhhh...I have yet to read this. I am really looking forward to finally putting my curiosity regarding this novel to bed. Thank you for the heads up.

[@craftyhippiechick3839]

New subbie. Your space is a vibe, very soothing. Happy to have found your channel. I never heard of the novel Billy however, your reaction to it made me add it to my list. Here's to reaching 10,000 subscribers!

[@BlackLitGeek]

Thank you very much. I really appreciate it. Billy is definitely a moment in time for Albert French. I think he spent his writing years afterwards trying to recapture the beauty in that raw, tender plot. His first was definitely his BEST 🙏

[@HiveEvolution]

New Sub! ❤ you got me when you said “maybe I need to sage it.” But you persisted and pushed through and finished the book. Loved your perspective and your choices. Looking forward to more! Happy New Year!

[@BlackLitGeek]

HILARIOUS! lol I appreciate you. Sometimes you just have to get it read! Happy New Year and thank you for the sub.

[@bkhollyr]

I’m here for the lit fic!!! New subbie.

[@BlackLitGeek]

Absolutely!!!! I appreciate you. 🙏

[@thebookgeek87]

I fell down a rabbit hole looking for other black booktubers and found you. Subbed ❤

[@BlackLitGeek]

I am very happy that you did Keava. I checked out your channel and its a vibe. I checked out your latest video also. Very informative. Keep up the good work and positive vibes. 🙏

[@thebookgeek87]

@@BlackLitGeek oh thank you. Appreciate you 😀

[@Kingston1962]

New subscriber from London, England📚

[@BlackLitGeek]

I appreciate you! Cheers!

[@moniqueirizarry7547]

I love conversations about books and this is what it felt like. Minus us talking back 😊 New subscriber looking forward to more of your recommendations. Happy New Year!

[@BlackLitGeek]

Thank you very much. I’m weeding through this thick dialogue in Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward hoping to squeeze in one or two more reviews to end 2924. I appreciate your support. Happy New Year 🎆 🙏

[@CharReadsThings]

New subscriber here! I feel you on trying to grow your channel while talking about books lol You just convinced me to read James. Added to my 2025 must reads list

[@BlackLitGeek]

That’s SO DOPE!!! Thank you very much for subscribing and please lmk how you like James. 🙏 ❤️

[@Thepeejay]

Jesmyn ward is such an amazing writer. Ernest has been on my list forever i need to check him out. Great video!

[@BlackLitGeek]

She really is! I just finished reading Let Us Descend and it is easily one of my best reads of 2024! I picked up Ernest Gaines dusty and used. He was an amazing writer for his time. IT is amazing that we are still seeking out his work. HE would be proud. Thank you for the kindness. 🙏

[@yvettem.holland5072]

New sub! I like your energy . Keep enjoying and recommending.

[@BlackLitGeek]

Thank you very much. I plan to keep the energy positive and bookish 😊 🙏

[@simplycleva]

I've been meaning to read something by Ernest Gaines. Definitely going to check out the book you mentioned by him.

[@Read2live]

A Lesson Before Dying by Gaines is a great book if you want to try that one also. Just keep tissues nearby...

[@BlackLitGeek]

Definitely should. A Lesson Before Dying won him the national book award and he was nominated for the Pulitzer. Thank you for commenting. I appreciate you.

[@BlackLitGeek]

Did you check out the movie? I went back to watch it again and found it on KZbin for free. It was interesting seeing Mekhi Phifer at that age.

[@Read2live]

@@BlackLitGeek I didn't know there was a movie. If it's on youtube or through Amazon Prime, I'll watch it. Thank you!

[@leafsonata]

I read quite a bit of classics and recently got into thrillers. You're right, Freida McFadden's books are pop fiction, but I really enjoy them and I think it's because I hardly ever watch tv. I enjoy the "mind numbing" writing as a palate cleanser. I would like to find more Black literature that doesn't have a lot of trauma. Do you have any recommendations?

[@BlackLitGeek]

Absolutely! Freida has a solid niche. I love mind numbing but after a while I felt like her novels were all offshoots of the previous novel. It left me feeling satisfied, but also soulless. Well the early pre 19th century work was mostly about the abolition of slavery. Then there is the early works between 1918-1937 which is the Harlem renaissance so the works from then u til 1979 was civil rights literature. I’d say 1970-1990 is a sweet spot for authors like Ontario butler, Alice walked Walter Mosley Bebe Moore Campbell Sadequa Johnson are great to start. Not as traumatic. I hope this helps stay tuned to the channel for more recommendations thank you very much. 🙏

[@SandyKeeks]

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison deals with tough themes, but I felt that it wasn't as trauma heavy as other black literature I've read

[@Sosogoode4men]

The algorithm be algorithming because I like to read too 😂😂😂

[@BlackLitGeek]

It is very cool when you become fully aligned with like minds. 😝 thank for for commenting 🙏

[@flowatress]

Ditto! New sub👍🏽

[@tamarhalc6433]

New sub! Sending you good vibes from Montreal.✨

[@BlackLitGeek]

Thank you sis I appreciate you 🙏

[@flowatress]

Same from Philadelphia👍🏽📚

[@BlackLitGeek]

I see you, thank you 🙏

[@walkinthewoods981]

Great video. I have to read Chester Hines and Barracoon.

[@BlackLitGeek]

Both are very good. Zora did an amazing job. What I found interesting is that Zora wrote Barracoon around 1930-31 but interviewed him in 1927. From the way Zora described Oluale Kossola (also known as Cudjoe Lewis) and from him telling his story, he was filled with gratitude and still had LOVE in his heart after surviving the Middle Passage. Chester Himes, on the other hand wrote "If He Hollars Let Him Go" in 1945. His depiction of Robert Jones was fueled by racial tension in Los Angeles during WWII so he was SUPER ANGRY despite being for lack of a better work "Free" but living in a hostile environment. Just some thoughts. Thank you. I appreciate your comment.

[@princessresonna4192]

Love your content.....New subscriber!

[@BlackLitGeek]

Thank you very much. I appreciate you. 🙏

[@gghostrrider]

I have a recommendation for you, maybe you have already read it, but I found it very interesting and I wanted someone else to read it. I found “ The Minister Primarily” by John Oliver Killens at the dollar tree. It was extremely interesting to me, without giving spoilers.

[@BlackLitGeek]

Happy New Year! What a brilliant recommendation! I have heard of John Killens, but I haven't read his hidden novel...yet. I did read Youngblood many moons ago. lol Thank you for the recommendation. I'm adding this to my shortlist cart. 🙏

[@DarnayaDarice]

💜

[@creetyuk]

Just subscribed.

[@BlackLitGeek]

Thank you for subscribing! I appreciate it. 🙏

[@WeMakeMoneyMoves]

Many of your novels mimic real events and you're laughing! I don't understand 😢

[@BlackLitGeek]

Can you expound further? Perhaps a specific thing that prompted this comment? It’s literary fiction.

[@DotOlive-o1m]

You will get to your 10K and more. Just subscribed. Adding several of your books to my 2025 list. Keep up the great work and all the best to you in the New Year @dotsandolives

[@BlackLitGeek]

That’s amazing! I really appreciate it. Let me know how some of those reads work for you. 🙏