“Solana pressed her hand to her stomach and the fluttering increased. The baby’s response to the mother’s touch. “I'll never let you down,” she said. But she wasn’t sure if she could keep that promise. She felt so heartbroken for Mylez, so heartbroken for his innocent son, Jabari, who would have to grow up without a mother. Motherlessness—Solana knew what it felt like firsthand because her mother abandoned her. And it still hurt, although she was a grown adult who could hold her own when it happened.” FamilyYoung Adult FictionBlack WomenContemporary Fiction Book:Solana Source: Solana
“I love you,” he said to her. “And I want you to know that you have a special place in my heart. You’re the first and only woman I've ever loved like this.” Young Adult FictionContemporary FictionBlack LoveBlack Romance Book:Solana Source: Solana
“For a few minutes, Solana basked in his embrace. He was the perfect husband. The man who understood her more than anyone else. The love of her life, the father of her baby, and the first and only man she’d ever put her trust in.” Young Adult FictionContemporary FictionBlack LoveBlack Romance Book:Solana Source: Solana
“Why wasn't society sympathetic towards black people? Their land had been stolen. Their neighborhoods were burned down. Many of them faced mass eviction. Slavery. Segregation. Being barred from achieving an education and getting a high-end job.” Social JusticeActivismYoung Adult FictionBlack WomenWomen Fiction Book:Solana Source: Solana
“Pregnancy is not something to take lightly,” he continued. “My mother suffered through two pregnancies, and nobody took care of her. Not even the doctors she went to. They told her that it was normal, that gestational hypertension and diabetes are something that many pregnant women experience, and that she was just being dramatic.” ActivismPregnancyYoung Adult FictionBlack Women Book:Solana Source: Solana
“Dramatic. Was it normal for doctors to think black women were professional actresses, using their pregnancies to try to garner sympathy and attention from others?” ActivismYoung Adult FictionBlack WomenSocial Issues Book:Solana Source: Solana
“Charlize stood up from where she sat and walked next to Marisol, who comfortingly placed an arm around Charlize’s shoulders. She attempted not to cry or choke on tears she'd been holding back for days. Getting fired for standing up for herself and other black women hurt more than she expected it to, but here she was—ready to make a difference and fight the biased system.” ActivismSocial Issues Book:Solana Source: Solana