Discover Your Next Diverse Read

Diverse Spines® is a book community dedicated to expanding awareness through diverse literature.

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Expanding awareness through diverse literature

Our mission is to help you Discover Your Next Diverse Read! Diverse Spines® highlights books by Black Women and Women of Color. We are dedicated to amplifying marginalized stories that will help readers diversify their reading lists and discover new voices. We are a champion for expanding awareness and uplifting human experiences that are often underrepresented in the literary world!

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Spine of the Month

SEPTEMBER 2026 - Take What You Can by Naima Coster

From the New York Times bestselling author of What’s Mine and Yours, a rich, panoramic exploration of friendship, class, new motherhood, and independence

Val and Milly fell in love with France at the same time they fell in love with each other and became immediate best friends. Then, they bonded as the only Black students on a study-abroad trip. Now they are in their thirties, each married and with a baby girl on the way. When Milly suggests Val move to New York so they can raise their daughters together after a decade apart, it’s a resounding yes.

Despite their excitement, the pair secretly wonders if their friendship has always worked best as a trio. On that first trip to France, these two motherless daughters were taken under the wing of an older woman named Helene. She showered them with money, love, and attention and showed them the possibilities of an independent and abundant future. But now, without Helene and her guidance, who are Milly and Val?

Milly, a successful influencer married to restaurant royalty, is occupied with her desire for freedom. Val, a brilliant journalist, is unsure whether she fits into Milly’s new world. The realities of class and social capital, of strained marriages and the demands of motherhood, serve as constant reminders of how far apart they’ve grown. And no matter how much they try to avoid it, everything comes back to the rift that began all those years ago in France. What they’ve long tried to bury may finally destroy their sisterhood.

Weaving between Brooklyn brownstones and the glittering beaches of southern France, Take What You Can is a dazzling novel exploring what it means to be a mother when you have none, a sister without blood ties, and a woman in pursuit of the life she wants. With her signature sharply observed prose, Naima Coster illustrates how to be—and to stay—someone’s person through all phases of life.

INSTAGRAM LIVE BOOK CHAT with the author on Saturday, October 3, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET

2026 Book Club Selections

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Diverse spines® presents

the chat

Meet The Author

Watch the replay of our monthly conversations. Each chat explores the featured book and offers insight into the author’s writing process, with reflections for readers and aspiring writers. Hosted by Jamise Harper, founder of Diverse Spines®.

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It’s time to diversify your reading list

Bibliophile: Diverse Spines

by Jamise Harper & Jane Mount

This richly illustrated and vastly inclusive collection uplifts the works of authors who are often underrepresented in the literary world. Using their keen knowledge and deep love for all things literary, coauthors Jamise Harper (founder of the Diverse Spines book community) and Jane Mount (author of Bibliophile) collaborated to create an essential volume filled with treasures for every reader:

Dozens of themed illustrated book stacks—like Classics, Contemporary Fiction, Mysteries, Cookbooks, and more—all with an emphasis on authors from diverse cultural backgrounds.
A look inside beloved bookstores owned by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
Reading recommendations from leading BIPOC literary influencers

1.

EASY TO GIFT

This portable guide is packed with more than 150 colorful illustrations and is a perfect gift for any booklover. The textured paper cover, gold foil, and ribbon marker make this book a special gift or self-purchase.

2.

DISCOVER UNSUNG LITERARY HEROES

The authors dive deep into a wide variety of genres, such as Contemporary Fiction, Classics, Young Adult, Sci-Fi, and more to bring the works of authors of color to the fore.

3.

ENDLESS READING INSPIRATION

Themed book stacks and reading suggestions from luminaries of the literary world provide curated book recommendations. Your to-read list will thank you.

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ANTICIPATED READS

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The year ahead is packed with exciting new releases. Here’s what to look forward to in 2026.

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