Best Books for Self-Care & 90s Nostalgia

Delaina Dixon
2026-01-31 00:00:00

It’s been one of the coldest Januaries on record, but we’ve found the silver lining to sub-degree temperatures. And that’s to stay inside with a good book on hand. A new year means a new focus on self-care for a clearer sense of identity, and 2026 is giving us plenty of titles to choose from.

Beatrice Dixon, founder and CEO of Honey Pot, is no gatekeeper. She’s providing us all with the tools she used to trust herself and create a multimillion-dollar brand. Dr. LaNail R. Plummer, a U.S. veteran and leading professional in the mental health field, understands that Black women seek guidance to navigate our success and tackle the challenges. She’s put together a comprehensive guide for fellow clinicians to best serve those who seek their help.

For those dealing with what your great-grandmother called “the change of life,” TikTok sensation Melani Sanders, the definitive voice of midlife women, has dropped a guide outlining where and what we’ll actually give our energy to, and what we’re more than happy to toss aside.

If you’ve totally leaned into the nostalgia of a year ending in the number 6, Austin McCoy has got your number. The author and historian grew up with De La Soul, whose fourth studio album, Stakes Is High, was released on July 2, 1996. In this retrospective, McCoy explores how their music and the world they created influenced culture.

For fiction vibes, former EBONY editor-in-chief Amy trips down memory lane with a juicy novel inspired by her editorial adventures in the nineties. Back in 2026, Steven Underwood is schooling all on new culture curators, exploring Black digital art from TikTok dances to viral memes in a brand new essay book.

Grab your warm blanket, a cup of cocoa and cozy up to these great reads from Black authors this January.