Episode Details

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What happens when a beloved actress becomes a storyteller of forgotten Black history? Karyn Parsons — yes, the Hilary Banks from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — joins us to talk about her powerful historical fiction for young readers, her nonprofit Sweet Blackberry, and why books like hers matter more in 2026 than ever.

In this episode, we dig into Blue Beach, a YA murder mystery set on a segregated Black beach in 1929 that is equal parts page-turning thriller and gut-punch history lesson. We also talk about Clouds Over California, Karyn's middle grade novel set in the 1970s that reframes the story of the Black Panthers. Whether you're a longtime reader of YA or someone who thinks "that's not for me" — this conversation will change your mind. Adults: these books are absolutely for you.

Plus: Karyn shares what she's been reading lately, including a deeply unsettling thriller about smell, murder, and obsession, a darkly funny book that involves... cannibalism (?!), and why Kindred by Octavia Butler is a required read for every human.

📚 Books Mentioned

Blue Beach by Karyn Parsons — Buy on Amazon | YA Historical Fiction / Mystery | Set in 1929 on a segregated Black beach; a murder mystery with powerful themes of race, community, and colorism

Clouds Over California by Karyn Parsons — Buy on Amazon | Middle Grade Historical Fiction | 1970s California; reframes the Black Panthers through the eyes of a young Black girl

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind — Buy on Amazon | Literary Thriller | A man with a preternatural sense of smell pursues an obsession with devastating consequences — dark, rich, and unforgettable

Kindred by Octavia Butler — Buy on Amazon | Speculative/Historical Fiction | A modern Black woman is pulled back in time to the antebellum South — a masterclass in writing and a required read

A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers — Buy on Amazon | Dark Satire / Literary Fiction | A witty, darkly funny novel about a food critic with a very particular appetite — not for the faint of heart (cannibalism warning, delivered with humor)

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas — Buy on Amazon | Fantasy / Romantasy | Book 1 of the ACOTAR series

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas — Buy on Amazon | Fantasy / Romantasy | Book 2 — where the series truly takes off

Pet Sematary by Stephen King — Buy on Amazon | Horror | A meditation on mortality and grief as much as a horror novel — deeply unsettling

Femme Feral by Sam Beckbessinger — Buy on Amazon | Horror / Dark Fiction | Female rage, perimenopause, and werewolves — Laura's current read