This novel is the perfect blend of satire, psychological horror and cultural commentary. Think Get Out for the literati set.

"A top-notch page-turner!"

Check out my Elevator Ride Q&A with Zakiya! Get all the behind-the-scenes exclusives about #TOBG and behind this new talent. #GMA Book Pick for June!

A winner out-of-the-gate, Zakiya Dalila Harris’ debut, THE OTHER BLACK GIRL is timely, full of humor, horror, and social commentary. The author tackles highly charged topics such as complex female relationships, #racism #microaggressions #tokenism #codeswitching #racepolitics #diversity and #officepolitcs, especially in the publishing world.

Nella Rogers, the protagonist in TOBG is driven and ambitious. She is working as an editorial assistant at Wagner Books, a Manhattan publishing house. Nella is a young black woman and aspires to become an editor. You will root for her to the end.

She is the only black girl at Wagner. It is hard enough dealing with the white colleagues and bosses, but now a newcomer. Another black girl joins the firm.

At first, Nella is overjoyed at the thought of another black girl joining the company. Someone she can count on, confide in, and understand what she goes through every day. She would understand race and culture and things such as hair, clothes, etc. She would understand the sensitivities of critiquing black authors and how to maneuver the predominately white workforce.

However, things do not go as planned— quite the opposite.

Hazel-May McCall is enigmatic, and soon Nella suspects something off about her. Can she trust her? She seems to be (too) friendly with everyone. Is she looking to get her fired? Why can’t they be friends? What is her agenda?

Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW.

Is it the Publisher or someone who wants her out, or is it Hazel May? What is the purpose of the notes, and who wants her out and why? At first, she ignores it, but it happens again. She and her best friend do a little sleuthing.

If the book were not intriguing enough, other unexpected twists add— humor, supernatural, fantasy, magical realism, and horror with a sinister vibe.

Popular movies and TV series will come to mind: the new Amazon Series THEM, The Devil Wears Prada, The Stepford Wives, Get Out, Parasite, Bad Hair, Nappily Ever After, and even This is Us—in some ways.

The author keeps you guessing with suspense and the hair products, hair, accessories, parties, and interactions with this mysterious new black girl. Kind of voodoo/eerie-like. In addition, we meet her white boyfriend, her best friend, and two women from the past also blended into the storyline.

With a keen eye for details, Harris deftly unspools a rich narrative with compelling characters and keeps the mystery and suspense alive with Nella and Hazel May.

This twisty satire tackles ongoing issues of race, class, social injustice, and microaggressions mixed with wit from stonewalling, gaslighting, and all sorts of tactics. To move up the ladder and get along in the workplace, what do these women of color have to give up along the way?. It is like brainwashing which reminds me of THEM.

WOW, It is hard enough for white women in the workplace, and being a black female adds another layer of complexity. I still think we need a black female President. If you want a smart woman, hire a black woman. In my opinion, they are the best.

Many of my best girlfriends are black and hear what they must overcome to get where they are and the struggles daily to achieve and remain in their standing. No one is smarter than a black woman who has overcome many obstacles to gain the power they deserve.

I am thrilled this story has received much buzz as well deserved, and the author brings a ton of experience to the story.

Many of my best friends are strong savvy black women, and I highly respect them as some of the most intelligent women I know personally and professionally. I loved Nella and Malaika's friendship in the book. The book resonated with me, spending a 20-year career in the publishing/media industry as Associate Publisher and Publisher.

Well done! Highly recommend. I think we have another Terry McMillan with a twist! I cannot wait to see what is next! We need more of these stories to bring things to light.

TV Adaption: I am thrilled about the exciting Hulu adaption and looking forward to seeing this play out on the big screen! Congrats to the author.

If you are as big a fan of Younger TV, as I am, you will enjoy TOBG. (one of my favorites and enjoying this last season). Be sure and check out the Dead Writer Drama Podcast,

A special thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.

#JDCMustReadBooks

The Other Black Girl is a truly suspenseful and satirical story. It takes you on a twisty journey and lets you know what’s going on before you even start. Nella starts receiving anonymous notes from Hazel which tell her to leave Wagner. She also finds herself suspicious of Hazel due to how Hazel is around her. The back story is also crucial to the overall plot. It provides insight into the characters and their backgrounds, and it establishes the sinister undercurrent at play.

A lot of the time it’s a bit foreboding, but as the story goes on it gets more exciting. This book talks about how racism still exists in the publishing industry and how it can affect the success of Black people. Thank you, Bloomsbury, for the gifted copy via net galley.

This story takes an incisive look at workplace racism and tensions, particularly within the publishing industry (though it is relevant across workplaces and industries). As pieces come together in this story it becomes ever more strange and intriguing, and it's a race to the finish to find out exactly what is happening and how the pieces connect. Worthy of the praise it's been receiving!

Reviewing as a white woman, I can say this book opened my eyes, reminded me that ease is one of my many privileges, and was so compulsory readable, 2021 will be hard pressed to deliver anything better. The plot was hought-provoking, intense, and unexpected.

Two Black girls amid a sea of white faces are editorial assistants at Wagner books. The slow buildup of the story might make a reader give up, but don’t because it is a look at institutionalized racism that keep non-white employees from advancing. Could I identify with Nella and Hazel, of course not. I’m white and used to success but everyone should read this debut novel to see another perspective of the career world.

Nella is an editorial assistant working at an exclusive publishing house, hoping one day to become only the second Black editor in Wagner's history, following in the footsteps of her idol Kendra Ray Philips, editor of her favorite book Burning Heart. She knows this will be no easy feat, it never is when you are the only Black person, who does not work in the mail room, in a predominantly white space. Still Nella believes publishing is the route she needs to take in order to change attitudes and to make a more accepting society for her people. Nevertheless, Nella often dreams of a partner in crime another Black girl who she can relate to and navigate these mean white publishing streets. Be careful what you ask for Nella because you just may not be prepared for what "The Other Black Girl" has to offer.

I really enjoyed this New Weird Thiller/Black Horror mashup. I love a story which makes me think, where I glean information about the characters through their every day lives. The Other Black Girl explores so many of trials and tribulations of being Black in a predominantly white environment, in this case an office space. But the aspect of the book that intrigued me the most was battle for office domination between Nella and the other Black girl, Hazel. Even though Nella dreamed of the day where she would have Black side kick at the office who thought like her and cared about issues she deemed important, she was thoroughly unprepared for a Black girl who was better version of her and/or thought differently than her. In my opinion, The Other Black Girl is peak Black horror, so much of the intensity or suspenseful aspects of the book lay in understanding the intimacy Black women seek when having relations and the fear that comes with having that intimate trust is betrayed, for example when Nella lets her archnemisis, Hazel grease her scalp at a hair party, I almost screamed no while reading the book. The Other Black Girl may not resonate with everyone, it is not an edge of your seat thriller, but it is an introspective piece of speculative fiction filled with laughs and irony. I thought it was a really solid debut, which I truly enjoyed.

To sum up in a few words: clever; slow build.

It took a while for the story to build. It was interesting, but initially seemed to be going nowhere. When I got to 50% of the book completed, I thought, “really, I am only HALF done?” There are some back stories in separate chapters with various characters that may have some wondering what is going on and what is the connection. Although the author tried to pull it all together, I think many will still have confusion or questions.

I am that reader who steers away from anything that says “fantasy” or “supernatural” and comparison to the film Get Out was my warning. However, viewed as a satire, I found the theme to be relevant and innovative and that is what earned the book four stars instead of three for me.

While featuring micro aggressions in the publishing business, I think the theme and actions probably could apply to almost any environment in the US.

A little too unsatisfying, a little too confusing. I knew to expect a big twist and then when it happened it felt anti-climactic. It was a pretty fun read, though.

Nella is the only Black employee at the prestigious publishing company Walden books. For two years she's been working here as the assistant to one of the big name editors. It's rough navigating the all white company, but Nella is determined to stick it out so she can be an editor one day.
But once Hazel is hired, Nella is no longer alone. Hazel is cool and collected Black woman, who adjusts to the new work environment with impressive ease and is friends with everybody. Nella is relieved to have another Black woman to talk to, and she and Hazel start bonding immediately.
When the anonymous note appears on Nella's desk telling her to leave Wagner now, Nella's world is shaken. She thought she was on good terms with everyone at the company. Is a white coworker targeting her? Or is Hazel determined to be the only black employee at Wagner?

This was an amazing read. The author did an amazing job not only creating these characters, but building tension and a sense of paranoia as the story progressed. I thought I knew what I was getting into with a story like this, but even I wasn't prepared for some of the twists and turns this novel took. I absolutely recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

4+ stars

There a few things that I wish were fleshed out more but this was a book that I kept wanting to get back to reading to see what happens. This isn’t an easy book to label as it takes an very unexpected turn 2/3 of the way through (I can’t say anything without ruining it) but it is very much worth reading.

Nella Rogers is the only Black editorial employee at well respected Wagner Books. After being there for a few years, she’s not making the headway she would like in both encouraging diversity in the workplace and in getting a promotion. Nella is very likable and does a lot of self reflection. When Hazel, the other Black girl, starts working there, Nella is excited until she starts receiving threatening anonymous notes and is the recipient of some office political games by the OBG.

There were more significant characters than I expected from reading the blurb, which made it harder to figure out where the plot was heading. I liked the ending but I wish the “why and how” of the twist was expounded upon a bit more.

Nella is an editorial assistant and the only black employee at Wagner until Hazel shows up. Instead of having Nella's back when she starts fighting against the typical microaggressions of the publishing industry (and most industries), Hazel starts stepping on her toes and her actions become more and more suspicious.
I had conflicting emotions about this book. I wanted to like it... and I did enjoy reading it, but it felt disconnected IMO. This book definitely takes a while to get to the point. It's not necessarily a bad thing, and I enjoyed the office drama that took place during most of the story. The office storyline made sense and I enjoyed the tension between the characters, especially when Hazel starts to seemingly sabotage Nella's position.
However, when the thriller "Get Out" part of the book started to seep in, about 2/3 of the way through, it just confused me. It felt like a different book, and although I knew something was happening, I wasn't quite sure ~what~ was happening until the last 5% of the novel.
Overall, I did enjoy the book and I think it would be a good read for those who enjoy slow burners, but I wish the ending was a bit less confusing and sudden.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for gifting me the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 Stars

Nella Rogers is a young, Black, twenty-something woman working as an editorial assistant for a prestigious publishing company, Wagner Books. As the only person of color, Nella has had to deal with micro aggressions and ignorant remarks from her all-white co-workers. So, when Nella learns that another Black woman is being interviewed for an editorial assistant position, she’s hopeful that this new woman will be an ally and friend. The new woman, Hazel, is ultimately hired, but Nella quickly realizes that Hazel may not be what she seems. Especially when Nella starts receiving anonymous, hostile messages telling her to leave Wagner— immediately. Between the notes, and the fact that Nella starts to see her co-workers favoring Hazel over herself, Nella becomes suspicious of Hazel’s true intentions.

This book has a fascinating storyline. The plot is intricate, weaving in a handful of characters and topics in a way that overall comes together nicely at the end. If you liked the movie Get Out, you would like The Other Black Girl, as well. Similar to Get Out, racial identity is explored in detail, but in the context of the workplace. Also similar to get out, there is definitely a creepy- thriller aspect to this book that serves to emphasize it’s focus on racial identity.

But despite how much I loved the characters and storyline, there were two factors that lead me to rate this as a 3.5, rather than 4 or 4.5—the narration style and the treatment of supplemental characters at the end.

In addition to Nella and Hazel, there are a handful of supplemental characters. Some of these characters, specifically two called Diana and Shani, play more of a role than other supplemental characters based on the fact that the reader gets a glimpse into their points of view every other chapter. The overall effect of this is that the book is told a third-person narration for Nella and Diana’s perspective and a first-person narration for Shani’s perspective. The reason behind this switch between first- and third-person was lost on me, and took me out of the story a bit. Additionally, unlike some of the other supplemental characters whose role is clear within the story (i.e. Nella’s best friend or boyfriend), I was confused as to how Diana, Shani, and a few others fit into the overall story. Their roles became very clear, about 65% of the way through, but the fact that I found myself questioning their role for about half the book was a bit distracting for me.

Additionally, and without giving anything away, the end left me wanting a little more. Specifically, I wanted more of a resolution for the supplemental characters that were introduced. Nella’s best friend and boyfriend are what I would consider supplemental characters but their relationship with Nella is definitely an important aspect throughout the book. Because they were featured consistently in Nella’s story, I would have liked to have more finality with respect to these characters.

I want to clarify that these aspects that didn’t work for me are just that—aspects that I found to personally not work for me during my read and interpretation of the book. I want to emphasize that the storyline is really compelling and will definitely throw some surprises at you. I also think the social commentary is masterfully woven into the story and is an aspect that makes this book one that everyone should read.

Overall, The Other Black girl is a very well thought-out book, wrapping important social issues in a though-provoking and compelling plot. Notwithstanding my experience with the narration, I would recommend this book, especially for those who saw and appreciated Get Out.

It's difficult to talk about many specifics about this novel without giving away the parts that make it unique and entertaining. The Get Out and Devil Wears Prada comparisons are fair, and anyone who is a fan of either of those will enjoy this book. While it is definitely a page turner, you might find yourself turning back some pages as the multiple storylines can be a bit confusing in parts. Ultimately the storylines add depth to the story, but it does require a bit of work on the reader's part to keep up with everything. All in all, this was a very entertaining read and it is deserving of the hype. Thank you to Net Galley and Atria books for the advance e-copy!

I flew through this book.I really had a hard time putting it down.It reads like the literary version of the movie Get Out.It is an important read and I hope not the author's last book.My only criticism is I would've liked to known the fate of another character at the end but still a good read.Thank you netgalley and Atria Books for the eArc.

The Other Black Girl explores a trope in which competition fueled by capitalism encourages Black women to go head to head as they face racism and gender-based violence in the workplace, especially as they are typically one of the few Black women in these organizations and corporations. There are themes that will be culturally significant to Black women in particular but may not resonate with non-Black audiences. However, that makes it necessary for non-Black audiences to read to learn more insight about the harm that occurs when representation is low.

In this thought-provoking debut novel, Zakiya Dalila Harris imagines a slice-of-life work situation involving the only two Black women employees at a publishing company as a jumping off place for considering the implications of the lack of diversity in publishing. Along the way she also smoothly delves into the complexities of friendship, ambition, and the emotional cost of not making waves. Race, gender and office politics feature front and center in this riveting page turner. Perfect for books clubs. Highly recommended.

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris 

The story starts thirty years earlier as a black woman boards an almost empty train. She's running from somebody or something and she is literally trying not to tear her scalp into a bloody mess. Who is she and what is she running from?

Present day greets us with 26 year old Nella Rogers, the only black employee at Wagner Books. Finally the day comes when another editorial assistant is hired and she's black! Nella is no longer alone and she is ecstatic. But her happiness is short-lived when Hazel, rather than being alienated by her mostly white co-workers, instead befriends and charms them all. Not only that, Hazel soon starts undermining Nella so completely that Nella knows her job is on the line. Nella's inner and outer turmoil increases when she starts getting notes that threaten her, telling her to "LEAVE WAGNER. NOW"!

The story is mostly told from Nella's point of view but we also get a few other points of view that seem to distract from the story rather than add to it. Something very strange is going on and at one point I kiddingly wondered if it was caused by something I won't mention and I laughed at that silly idea. But the joke was on me. The big twist has a Twilight Zone feel to it and left me with so many questions about so many things.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

This gem is everything!! I highly recommend this novel to ALL readers!! Its fast paced , keeps you intrigued, and is fully bodied in suspense. If you dont have this novel, get it ASAP!! Your future self will love you for it!!

It took a while to get into but once I was invested I was hooked. Didn't see some of the twists coming but in the end I enjoyed it and had to reread a couple of pages just to make sure I read them correctly. I laughed out loud in some places.