Hi, Ayana here! It's officially March and therefore my birthmonth! Besides celebrating another year on this planet, I love March because it signals spring, a time for renewal and fresh starts! And speaking of fresh starts, I'm so excited to share something new with you: a list of books across age categories and genres that I love for any number of reasons and am indulgently calling "Ayana Gray's Big 50." There are sweeping magical fantasy novels on this list that allowed me to immerse myself in other worlds when this one overwhelmed me; thought-provoking nonfiction that encouraged me to question and grapple with heavier things, like identity and purpose; most dear to me are the books on this list that allowed me to honor, acknowledge, and celebrate my Blackness and the narratives that come from my community. I hope that, within this list, perhaps you find a new story to fall in love with, if you do, please don't hesitate to reach out and share your thoughts! If there's one thing I can't ever do enough, it's talk about books! Happy March! 

In addition to all of her favorites on this list, TBRstack invites you to check out Ayana Gray's profile on Bookshop.org as well!