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Kin
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Expected 24 Feb 26Win a free print copy of this book!
5 days and 18:58:55
100 copies available
U.S. only
A magnificent new novel from the bestselling, award-winning author of An American Marriage—Tayari Jones has written an unforgettable novel that sparkles with wit and intelligence and deep feeling about two lifelong friends whose worlds converge after many years apart in the face of a devastating tragedy
Vernice and Annie, two motherless daughters raised in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, have been best friends and neighbors since earliest childhood, but are fated to live starkly different lives. Raised by a fierce aunt determined to give her a stable home in the wake of her mother’s death, Vernice leaves Atlanta at eighteen for Spelman College, where she joins a sisterhood of powerfully connected Black women and marries into an affluent family. Annie, abandoned by her dissolute mother as a child, and fixated on the idea of finding her and filling the bottomless hole left by her absence, sets off on a journey that will take her into a world of peril and adversity, as well as love and adventure, and culminate in a battle for her life.
A novel about mothers and daughters, about friendship and sisterhood, and the complexities of being a woman in the American South, Kin is an exuberant, emotionally rich, unforgettable work from one of the brightest and most irresistible voices in contemporary fiction.
Vernice and Annie, two motherless daughters raised in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, have been best friends and neighbors since earliest childhood, but are fated to live starkly different lives. Raised by a fierce aunt determined to give her a stable home in the wake of her mother’s death, Vernice leaves Atlanta at eighteen for Spelman College, where she joins a sisterhood of powerfully connected Black women and marries into an affluent family. Annie, abandoned by her dissolute mother as a child, and fixated on the idea of finding her and filling the bottomless hole left by her absence, sets off on a journey that will take her into a world of peril and adversity, as well as love and adventure, and culminate in a battle for her life.
A novel about mothers and daughters, about friendship and sisterhood, and the complexities of being a woman in the American South, Kin is an exuberant, emotionally rich, unforgettable work from one of the brightest and most irresistible voices in contemporary fiction.
368 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication February 24, 2026
231 people are currently reading
54067 people want to read
About the author
Tayari Jones
22 books29.8k followersTayari Jones is the author of the novels Leaving Atlanta, The Untelling, Silver Sparrow, and An American Marriage (Algonquin Books, February 2018). Her writing has appeared in Tin House, The Believer, The New York Times, and Callaloo. A member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers, she has also been a recipient of the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, Lifetime Achievement Award in Fine Arts from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, United States Artist Fellowship, NEA Fellowship and Radcliffe Institute Bunting Fellowship. Silver Sparrow was named a #1 Indie Next Pick by booksellers in 2011, and the NEA added it to its Big Read Library of classics in 2016. Jones is a graduate of Spelman College, University of Iowa, and Arizona State University. She is currently an Associate Professor in the MFA program at Rutgers-Newark University.
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February 5, 2026
This book is the literary hit of 2026—full stop. It’s gut-wrenching, thought-provoking, empowering, heartbreakingly realistic, deeply embracing, and profoundly resonant. It takes the word kin and restores its true meaning: kin isn’t defined by blood, but by the people who truly see you, who hear the words you can’t say, who touch your soul, who hold space for your flaws, your mistakes, your missteps, and still call you theirs. Your real kin is your person—and this novel captures that truth with unforgettable clarity.
Vernice (Niecy) and Annie’s story begins in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, where both girls are raised not by their mothers, but by the imperfect, complicated, loving “kin” who stepped in when their mothers stepped out.
Niecy’s mother was murdered by her own father, who then took his own life—an unthinkable tragedy that left Niecy in the care of her eccentric, once-wayward aunt. This aunt, who fled Honeysuckle years before, returns with every intention of not just raising Niecy, but mothering her, filling the fractured spaces left behind.
Annie, on the other hand, was abandoned at birth by her mother and never knew her father. Her grandmother raised her with a stern kind of love, but Annie always carried the raw, aching absence of the woman who left her. That absence becomes her compass—her obsession—shaping every choice she makes.
From their earliest years, the girls form a bond so private it almost feels sacred. Annie is bold, restless, animated—a girl determined to fill the void her mother left by searching for her someday. Niecy is the opposite: obedient, careful, loyal, observant, the one who follows rules while Annie breaks them. Their bond is exquisite in its contradictions.
But when Annie decides to escape Honeysuckle at eighteen—right before prom—Niecy’s heart shatters. Abandonment comes back for her a second time, this time wearing the face of the person she loved most. Their lives split apart, and for years, their only bridge is the letters they exchange.
Niecy goes to Spelman College, where the world opens to her in ways both beautiful and brutal. She discovers the power and elegance of Black womanhood, the complexities of class and wealth, the breathtaking force of civil rights activism—and the sting of inequality that catches her off guard like a slap. She befriends Mrs. McHenry, a refined woman of influence who climbed her way up from poverty, becoming an unexpected mentor and mother figure.
Annie’s path is wilder, more precarious. She runs away with a group of friends, and when their car breaks down in the least likely place, she ends up living in a world she never expected—one filled with danger, oddity, and surprising tenderness. There, she forms a deep bond with Lulabella, reading her Bible passages, combing her hair, offering comfort in small, intimate ways that shape them both.
Both young women find unusual, eccentric mother figures who guide them, teach them hard-earned lessons, and nudge them toward identities they never imagined for themselves. And both make choices—some brave, some reckless—that carry weighty, life-altering consequences. When tragedy finally strikes, it pulls them back toward each other, stitching their lives together once more in the most devastating and beautiful way.
This book is a punch to the gut—in the best possible way. It’s emotional, haunting, and powerful. It is an extraordinary character study not just of Annie and Niecy, but of the women who raise them, the community that shapes them, and the people who walk beside them.
Along with the unforgettable leads, the supporting cast shines. Miss Jamison, Mrs. Ola Mae, and even Babydoll become characters you genuinely grow to love. And the men—Bobo, Franklin, and Mr. Daniel, the bar owner—bring depth, dimension, and emotional richness that elevate the story even further.
At its core, this book is a luminous exploration of sisterhood, found family, sacrifice, self-discovery, dignity, the brutal reality of inequality and racism, the fire of social justice awakening—and above all, a story about love: pure, unguarded, raw, and real.
I loved this book even more than An American Marriage, and I’m absolutely convinced it will become one of the biggest breakout novels of 2026. Its storytelling is unique, intimate, and fiercely moving in every chapter.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for sharing one of the most anticipated books of 2026 with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Vernice (Niecy) and Annie’s story begins in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, where both girls are raised not by their mothers, but by the imperfect, complicated, loving “kin” who stepped in when their mothers stepped out.
Niecy’s mother was murdered by her own father, who then took his own life—an unthinkable tragedy that left Niecy in the care of her eccentric, once-wayward aunt. This aunt, who fled Honeysuckle years before, returns with every intention of not just raising Niecy, but mothering her, filling the fractured spaces left behind.
Annie, on the other hand, was abandoned at birth by her mother and never knew her father. Her grandmother raised her with a stern kind of love, but Annie always carried the raw, aching absence of the woman who left her. That absence becomes her compass—her obsession—shaping every choice she makes.
From their earliest years, the girls form a bond so private it almost feels sacred. Annie is bold, restless, animated—a girl determined to fill the void her mother left by searching for her someday. Niecy is the opposite: obedient, careful, loyal, observant, the one who follows rules while Annie breaks them. Their bond is exquisite in its contradictions.
But when Annie decides to escape Honeysuckle at eighteen—right before prom—Niecy’s heart shatters. Abandonment comes back for her a second time, this time wearing the face of the person she loved most. Their lives split apart, and for years, their only bridge is the letters they exchange.
Niecy goes to Spelman College, where the world opens to her in ways both beautiful and brutal. She discovers the power and elegance of Black womanhood, the complexities of class and wealth, the breathtaking force of civil rights activism—and the sting of inequality that catches her off guard like a slap. She befriends Mrs. McHenry, a refined woman of influence who climbed her way up from poverty, becoming an unexpected mentor and mother figure.
Annie’s path is wilder, more precarious. She runs away with a group of friends, and when their car breaks down in the least likely place, she ends up living in a world she never expected—one filled with danger, oddity, and surprising tenderness. There, she forms a deep bond with Lulabella, reading her Bible passages, combing her hair, offering comfort in small, intimate ways that shape them both.
Both young women find unusual, eccentric mother figures who guide them, teach them hard-earned lessons, and nudge them toward identities they never imagined for themselves. And both make choices—some brave, some reckless—that carry weighty, life-altering consequences. When tragedy finally strikes, it pulls them back toward each other, stitching their lives together once more in the most devastating and beautiful way.
This book is a punch to the gut—in the best possible way. It’s emotional, haunting, and powerful. It is an extraordinary character study not just of Annie and Niecy, but of the women who raise them, the community that shapes them, and the people who walk beside them.
Along with the unforgettable leads, the supporting cast shines. Miss Jamison, Mrs. Ola Mae, and even Babydoll become characters you genuinely grow to love. And the men—Bobo, Franklin, and Mr. Daniel, the bar owner—bring depth, dimension, and emotional richness that elevate the story even further.
At its core, this book is a luminous exploration of sisterhood, found family, sacrifice, self-discovery, dignity, the brutal reality of inequality and racism, the fire of social justice awakening—and above all, a story about love: pure, unguarded, raw, and real.
I loved this book even more than An American Marriage, and I’m absolutely convinced it will become one of the biggest breakout novels of 2026. Its storytelling is unique, intimate, and fiercely moving in every chapter.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for sharing one of the most anticipated books of 2026 with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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December 9, 2025
Separate life journeys of two young black girls growing up together in Honeysuckle, Louisiana as best friends unfold in this moving and so well written novel. Both are orphans , one by death of her parents, the other by abandonment. One raised by an aunt reluctant to be a parent . The other by her grandmother. Both wanting to leave, but with different hopes and dreams.
Alternating chapters take us on the roads they travel with their intimate points of view . One off to college to Atlanta. The other to Memphis to find the mother who left her as an infant . A beautiful story of two unforgettable characters facing the impact of the racism of Jim Crow in the 1950’s. Their journeys are separate , but connections are impossible to break when the bonds are deep. A different story from An American Marriage, but equally as thought provoking and moving. I loved the inclusion of letters in both novels. Tayari Jones is a wonderful storyteller reminding us what family means.
I received a copy of this from Knopf through NetGalley.
Alternating chapters take us on the roads they travel with their intimate points of view . One off to college to Atlanta. The other to Memphis to find the mother who left her as an infant . A beautiful story of two unforgettable characters facing the impact of the racism of Jim Crow in the 1950’s. Their journeys are separate , but connections are impossible to break when the bonds are deep. A different story from An American Marriage, but equally as thought provoking and moving. I loved the inclusion of letters in both novels. Tayari Jones is a wonderful storyteller reminding us what family means.
I received a copy of this from Knopf through NetGalley.
Currently reading
February 7, 2026the only thing better than family sagas is found family sagas
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
October 27, 2025
4.5
Vernice and Annie, two black babies born in Honeysuckle, Louisiana who shared a cradle after birth.
Both baby girls were left motherless as infants..Vernice’s mother shot dead by her husband before he killed himself, her Aunt (her mother’s sister) raising her up …and Annie’s mother just taking off and leaving Annie with her grandmother to raise.
Both girls bonded by the cradle and the loss of their mothers.
The time frame for their coming up years was the 1950’s and 60’s, the time of segregation in the South.
So the story follows this close relationship until the time in their teens when Annie up and leaves taking up with a boyfriend to get out of town, following her leaving.. Vernice is off to Spelman College as her Aunt saved and saved and the church plate was often passed around to help with expenses.
Both their lives change immensely..
Vernice gets through college Annie’s life is complicated by the search for her mother and it takes her to Tennessee and then Georgia.
The girl’s relationship.. mostly by letters stays close throughout their different situations and romances and difficulties
This is a story of friendships and sisterhood and the power of love.
Loved it… but the ending is not concrete…we are not given the final outcome straight out..but still a very enjoyable read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the free ebook in exchange for my honest review!
Release date February 24
Vernice and Annie, two black babies born in Honeysuckle, Louisiana who shared a cradle after birth.
Both baby girls were left motherless as infants..Vernice’s mother shot dead by her husband before he killed himself, her Aunt (her mother’s sister) raising her up …and Annie’s mother just taking off and leaving Annie with her grandmother to raise.
Both girls bonded by the cradle and the loss of their mothers.
The time frame for their coming up years was the 1950’s and 60’s, the time of segregation in the South.
So the story follows this close relationship until the time in their teens when Annie up and leaves taking up with a boyfriend to get out of town, following her leaving.. Vernice is off to Spelman College as her Aunt saved and saved and the church plate was often passed around to help with expenses.
Both their lives change immensely..
Vernice gets through college Annie’s life is complicated by the search for her mother and it takes her to Tennessee and then Georgia.
The girl’s relationship.. mostly by letters stays close throughout their different situations and romances and difficulties
This is a story of friendships and sisterhood and the power of love.
Loved it… but the ending is not concrete…we are not given the final outcome straight out..but still a very enjoyable read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the free ebook in exchange for my honest review!
Release date February 24
January 16, 2026
“Before I opened the door, I said, “I love you,” tossing the word over my shoulder like a handful of wildflower seeds.”
Once in a blue moon, a novel arrives that doesn’t just tell a story but claims a piece of your heart. Kin is that rare kind of book. Tayari Jones, already known for her rich explorations of family and belonging, delivers a sweeping, emotionally charged masterpiece.
Set across several decades of the Jim Crow South and beyond, Kin begins with two baby girls Vernice, known as Niecy, and Annie born into nearly parallel lives yet fated for different paths. Both are motherless from infancy. Niecy’s mother is murdered by her abusive father, leaving behind a grief that never entirely fades. Annie’s mother abandons her early on, a loss that drives her lifelong search for connection and meaning.
Jones traces their journeys with breathtaking intimacy. Niecy’s path leads to Spelman College in Atlanta, a place of both discovery and danger. Annie’s takes her through the working class bars and backroads of the South, where she learns to survive on grit and grace. Across the years and miles, the two women exchange letters intricate, tender, and fierce that serve as the heartbeat of the novel. Through them, we witness the evolution of friendship, womanhood, and the enduring power of hope.
“You could only fight scripture with scripture,” Jones writes, a line that captures both the moral weight and the poetic rhythm of the book.
Kin is more than a story of two women; it’s a meditation on the meaning of family, the scars of history, and the resilience required to live and love in a world determined to deny one’s humanity. Jones’s prose is lush yet deliberate, her storytelling both intimate and epic in scope.
“It’s a future butterfly,” one character reflects. “If we were together, I’d have treated creatures gently too. But we were not together, and I didn’t care that one day this worm would fly.”
There is a scene that takes place in a bus station, where we watch a little girl who anxiously needs to use the restroom. Tayari Jones manages to make us on edge, like a thriller, to see if she will use it responsibly. I anticipated a racist attack against her if she were to go on the bus station floor, and I was anxious to see what would happen next. This tone is meticulously done.
“Finally, the colored folks trickled in, drained from the trip but glad to be where it was that they were going. The lady’s husband was dressed smart in jeans, starch-stiff. He dipped his wife and kissed her like that one soldier did in Life Magazine. Then he picked up his daughter who looped her arms around him like a life preserver. Despite everything that led up to it, it was nice to watch.”
That image fragile, defiant, and beautiful captures the essence of Kin. It is a novel about transformation, about becoming, and about the quiet acts of survival that make us who we are.
Do not miss this extraordinary book when it’s released on 2.24.26
Once in a blue moon, a novel arrives that doesn’t just tell a story but claims a piece of your heart. Kin is that rare kind of book. Tayari Jones, already known for her rich explorations of family and belonging, delivers a sweeping, emotionally charged masterpiece.
Set across several decades of the Jim Crow South and beyond, Kin begins with two baby girls Vernice, known as Niecy, and Annie born into nearly parallel lives yet fated for different paths. Both are motherless from infancy. Niecy’s mother is murdered by her abusive father, leaving behind a grief that never entirely fades. Annie’s mother abandons her early on, a loss that drives her lifelong search for connection and meaning.
Jones traces their journeys with breathtaking intimacy. Niecy’s path leads to Spelman College in Atlanta, a place of both discovery and danger. Annie’s takes her through the working class bars and backroads of the South, where she learns to survive on grit and grace. Across the years and miles, the two women exchange letters intricate, tender, and fierce that serve as the heartbeat of the novel. Through them, we witness the evolution of friendship, womanhood, and the enduring power of hope.
“You could only fight scripture with scripture,” Jones writes, a line that captures both the moral weight and the poetic rhythm of the book.
Kin is more than a story of two women; it’s a meditation on the meaning of family, the scars of history, and the resilience required to live and love in a world determined to deny one’s humanity. Jones’s prose is lush yet deliberate, her storytelling both intimate and epic in scope.
“It’s a future butterfly,” one character reflects. “If we were together, I’d have treated creatures gently too. But we were not together, and I didn’t care that one day this worm would fly.”
There is a scene that takes place in a bus station, where we watch a little girl who anxiously needs to use the restroom. Tayari Jones manages to make us on edge, like a thriller, to see if she will use it responsibly. I anticipated a racist attack against her if she were to go on the bus station floor, and I was anxious to see what would happen next. This tone is meticulously done.
“Finally, the colored folks trickled in, drained from the trip but glad to be where it was that they were going. The lady’s husband was dressed smart in jeans, starch-stiff. He dipped his wife and kissed her like that one soldier did in Life Magazine. Then he picked up his daughter who looped her arms around him like a life preserver. Despite everything that led up to it, it was nice to watch.”
That image fragile, defiant, and beautiful captures the essence of Kin. It is a novel about transformation, about becoming, and about the quiet acts of survival that make us who we are.
Do not miss this extraordinary book when it’s released on 2.24.26
February 1, 2026
Kin by Tayari Jones
This book was a slow start for me. In the beginning, the pacing felt deliberate to the point of being difficult, and I struggled to understand where the story was taking me or how I was meant to connect with the writing. But as the book unfolded, it became something deeply heartfelt and emotionally powerful.
My experience shifted as I began to truly know the characters. Although their lives were very different from mine, set during segregation and shaped by experiences far removed from my own, their humanity bridged that gap. Their emotions, relationships, longings, and heartbreak made them feel real and relatable in ways that transcended time and circumstance.
The turning point for me came when Annie began writing letters after arriving in Memphis. Those letters unlocked the emotional core of the story. It was in those moments that the characters’ humanness came fully into focus, and I found myself deeply connected to them. From there on, I was completely invested.
At its heart, this is a story about relationships and family. It explores the deep human need for love, the ache that forms when that love is absent, and the ways people seek belonging and identity through one another. The friendships in this book are especially moving. By the end, their bond felt less like friendship and more like sisterhood, forged through shared history, pain, loyalty, and love.
The ending devastated me. It was sad in a way that felt honest rather than manipulative, and I found myself sobbing as I finished the final chapters. The emotional payoff was profound.
This is not a fast-paced novel, and it won’t be for readers looking for constant momentum. But for those who are ready for a deep, emotional story that explores love, grief, identity, and belonging, this book delivers something lasting. It broke me in the best way, because by the end, I truly felt the weight and beauty of the connections these characters shared.
Content Note:
This book includes a same-sex relationship and themes of questioning sexual identity. It did not stop me from appreciating the depth and emotional impact of the story, and it was not descriptive or graphic.
PUBLISH DATE: Feb 24 2026
BOOK TITLE: Kin
AUTHOR: Tayari Jones
PUBLISHER: Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf
FORMAT: ebook
PAGES: 368
I received a complimentary digital ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book via NetGalley. Thank you to the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. As always, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This book was a slow start for me. In the beginning, the pacing felt deliberate to the point of being difficult, and I struggled to understand where the story was taking me or how I was meant to connect with the writing. But as the book unfolded, it became something deeply heartfelt and emotionally powerful.
My experience shifted as I began to truly know the characters. Although their lives were very different from mine, set during segregation and shaped by experiences far removed from my own, their humanity bridged that gap. Their emotions, relationships, longings, and heartbreak made them feel real and relatable in ways that transcended time and circumstance.
The turning point for me came when Annie began writing letters after arriving in Memphis. Those letters unlocked the emotional core of the story. It was in those moments that the characters’ humanness came fully into focus, and I found myself deeply connected to them. From there on, I was completely invested.
At its heart, this is a story about relationships and family. It explores the deep human need for love, the ache that forms when that love is absent, and the ways people seek belonging and identity through one another. The friendships in this book are especially moving. By the end, their bond felt less like friendship and more like sisterhood, forged through shared history, pain, loyalty, and love.
The ending devastated me. It was sad in a way that felt honest rather than manipulative, and I found myself sobbing as I finished the final chapters. The emotional payoff was profound.
This is not a fast-paced novel, and it won’t be for readers looking for constant momentum. But for those who are ready for a deep, emotional story that explores love, grief, identity, and belonging, this book delivers something lasting. It broke me in the best way, because by the end, I truly felt the weight and beauty of the connections these characters shared.
Content Note:
This book includes a same-sex relationship and themes of questioning sexual identity. It did not stop me from appreciating the depth and emotional impact of the story, and it was not descriptive or graphic.
PUBLISH DATE: Feb 24 2026
BOOK TITLE: Kin
AUTHOR: Tayari Jones
PUBLISHER: Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf
FORMAT: ebook
PAGES: 368
I received a complimentary digital ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book via NetGalley. Thank you to the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. As always, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A magnificent and unforgettable novel about family and resilience set in the American South on the cusp of the Civil Rights movement. It follows two motherless best friends Vernice and Annie from late teens to early twenties and how not having a mother impacts both of them for years. Upon high school graduation, the girls take different paths in life. They stay in touch through letters until circumstances bring them together again.
This is simply a masterpiece. Tayari Jones writes with both precision and nuance utilizing lush and vibrant prose that completely immerses the reader in this dual POV story. The epistolary aspect of the novel is brilliant and adds another layer of richness to it. The characters are fully fleshed and memorable, including the supporting characters. The use of setting, time and place give the reader insight into segregation, race, class, women's issues and civil rights. I loved reading this book which will continue to stay with me for a long time. The exploration of mothers and daughters, grief and loss, friendship and family is masterful. I highly recommend this novel. Tayari Jones you have a new fan and I plan to read your backlist as well.
Many thanks to NetGalley; Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage & Anchor; and Tayari Jones for an advance reader's copy. All opinions are my own.
This is simply a masterpiece. Tayari Jones writes with both precision and nuance utilizing lush and vibrant prose that completely immerses the reader in this dual POV story. The epistolary aspect of the novel is brilliant and adds another layer of richness to it. The characters are fully fleshed and memorable, including the supporting characters. The use of setting, time and place give the reader insight into segregation, race, class, women's issues and civil rights. I loved reading this book which will continue to stay with me for a long time. The exploration of mothers and daughters, grief and loss, friendship and family is masterful. I highly recommend this novel. Tayari Jones you have a new fan and I plan to read your backlist as well.
Many thanks to NetGalley; Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage & Anchor; and Tayari Jones for an advance reader's copy. All opinions are my own.
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February 18, 2026I had high expectations for this because I read and loved An American Marriage when it first came out nearly a decade ago now. That novel also employed multiple perspectives, though I felt that their unique voices grew stronger as the story went on. Similarly, this new one out on February 24th follows two women–Vernice (“Niecy”) and Annie–childhood best friends from Jim Crow era Louisiana who grow up without mothers, a wound that deeply impacts them in different ways throughout the course of their lives.
Tayari Jones does a great job painting the plights of these two women in a time and place where their identities didn’t allow them as much agency in the wider world. They do what they have to to survive and get their needs met, whether that’s physical, financial, or emotional. They are complex individuals with secrets, shames, passions, and desires and I think over the course of the novel you really grow to love them as people.
For me, the story or ‘plot’ was a bit too loose and meandering at times. I think I expected, from the description, for this book to have a bit more narrative thrust beyond watching two women grow up and into their own people, each dealing with their motherlessness in unique ways. It’s much more slice of life as we witness how they seek out things to fill the holes in themselves, and how that affects their various relationships: to family, to each other, and to themselves. Readers who enjoy strong historical settings, compelling fiction about female friendship, and rich character work will definitely find a lot to love in this one!
Tayari Jones does a great job painting the plights of these two women in a time and place where their identities didn’t allow them as much agency in the wider world. They do what they have to to survive and get their needs met, whether that’s physical, financial, or emotional. They are complex individuals with secrets, shames, passions, and desires and I think over the course of the novel you really grow to love them as people.
For me, the story or ‘plot’ was a bit too loose and meandering at times. I think I expected, from the description, for this book to have a bit more narrative thrust beyond watching two women grow up and into their own people, each dealing with their motherlessness in unique ways. It’s much more slice of life as we witness how they seek out things to fill the holes in themselves, and how that affects their various relationships: to family, to each other, and to themselves. Readers who enjoy strong historical settings, compelling fiction about female friendship, and rich character work will definitely find a lot to love in this one!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5⭐️
Whew! This was a ride. At first I didn’t know what kind of ride I was on-I was just on it.
As the story progressed, I was able to understand the underlying meaning of it all.
Life is all about the choices we make with the hands we’re dealt.
Told in alternating POVs from Annie and Vernice, this story is about two motherless girls from the Deep South that were both dealt an unfair deal at life. Their original circumstances were similar, but the paths they chose were totally different.
This story was beautifully written, but I will say that the pacing felt off at times. The middle portion was toughest part of the book to get through as it read extremely slow and had a tad bit of repetitiveness that seemed used simply as a filler. Nevertheless, this story has a deeper tone and I could have missed some impactful messages had I rushed through.
Being considered “the next of kin” doesn’t always mean the closest family member. It can be that one unrelated person in your life that knows the the WHOLE you-inside and out 💔👩🏾🤝👩🏽
**Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Whew! This was a ride. At first I didn’t know what kind of ride I was on-I was just on it.
As the story progressed, I was able to understand the underlying meaning of it all.
Life is all about the choices we make with the hands we’re dealt.
Told in alternating POVs from Annie and Vernice, this story is about two motherless girls from the Deep South that were both dealt an unfair deal at life. Their original circumstances were similar, but the paths they chose were totally different.
This story was beautifully written, but I will say that the pacing felt off at times. The middle portion was toughest part of the book to get through as it read extremely slow and had a tad bit of repetitiveness that seemed used simply as a filler. Nevertheless, this story has a deeper tone and I could have missed some impactful messages had I rushed through.
Being considered “the next of kin” doesn’t always mean the closest family member. It can be that one unrelated person in your life that knows the the WHOLE you-inside and out 💔👩🏾🤝👩🏽
**Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 15, 2025
This is a beautiful and amazing novel from an author I am a huge fan of. I was captivated by the relationship between Vernice and Annie and their plight is relatable in so many ways. An amazing look at what it is to be a black woman in the world while navigating grief, trauma, friendships, family, hardship, The characters are so complex yet so well explained to the reader. The writing is beautiful as always and this is certainly a book with a plot that will stick with me for a long time. Realistic and raw - this book is meant to be devoured. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 21, 2025
The symmetry in this book is stunning - 4.5 ⭐️
February 6, 2026
KIN
by Tayari Jones
An unforgettable story of resilience and found family that lingers long after the final page.
A powerful work of historical fiction set in the 1950s and ’60s South, Kin unfolds against the backdrop of the social change leading up to the Civil Rights Movement. We meet Vernice and Annie, whose special bond begins in the cradle and carries through their lives. Both women long for the kind of motherly love they have never truly known.
As they grow into young women and head in different directions, living vastly different lives, I became fully invested in their story. Their paths diverge, their lifestyles contrast sharply, yet they never lose sight of the deep love they share for one another. A devastating situation ultimately brings them back together in a way that is both beautiful and shocking.
The dual POV structure works exceptionally well here, allowing the reader to fully understand each woman’s inner world. The epistolary elements—letters sprinkled throughout the novel—create an even deeper sense of intimacy and connection with the characters. I was especially drawn to Annie’s journey, which pulls her into a world filled with danger and adversity, brimming with life and adventure, and ultimately becomes a fight for survival.
Jones’s writing is haunting and intimate—clear, reflective, and marked by emotional restraint and intellectual clarity. The feeling of being unlovable lingers throughout the novel and is carried by many of its characters, making their struggles feel deeply human and achingly real.
If you enjoy books about found family, complex relationships, messy family dynamics, tragedy, and resilience, this is a must-read. Tayari Jones has crafted a brilliant, soul-stirring story that will stay with you long after the final page. This was my first time reading her work, and it certainly won’t be my last.
What does it mean to be family? How does abandonment shape who we become? Can love—especially maternal love—be replaced, reimagined, or reclaimed?
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf for the eARC.
by Tayari Jones
An unforgettable story of resilience and found family that lingers long after the final page.
A powerful work of historical fiction set in the 1950s and ’60s South, Kin unfolds against the backdrop of the social change leading up to the Civil Rights Movement. We meet Vernice and Annie, whose special bond begins in the cradle and carries through their lives. Both women long for the kind of motherly love they have never truly known.
As they grow into young women and head in different directions, living vastly different lives, I became fully invested in their story. Their paths diverge, their lifestyles contrast sharply, yet they never lose sight of the deep love they share for one another. A devastating situation ultimately brings them back together in a way that is both beautiful and shocking.
The dual POV structure works exceptionally well here, allowing the reader to fully understand each woman’s inner world. The epistolary elements—letters sprinkled throughout the novel—create an even deeper sense of intimacy and connection with the characters. I was especially drawn to Annie’s journey, which pulls her into a world filled with danger and adversity, brimming with life and adventure, and ultimately becomes a fight for survival.
Jones’s writing is haunting and intimate—clear, reflective, and marked by emotional restraint and intellectual clarity. The feeling of being unlovable lingers throughout the novel and is carried by many of its characters, making their struggles feel deeply human and achingly real.
If you enjoy books about found family, complex relationships, messy family dynamics, tragedy, and resilience, this is a must-read. Tayari Jones has crafted a brilliant, soul-stirring story that will stay with you long after the final page. This was my first time reading her work, and it certainly won’t be my last.
What does it mean to be family? How does abandonment shape who we become? Can love—especially maternal love—be replaced, reimagined, or reclaimed?
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf for the eARC.
January 21, 2026
Klay Thompson playing in Game 6’s, Beyoncé dropping surprise albums, Tayari Jones writing characters. Those moments when you witness the best cook, that’s this.
I haven’t loved a book this much in a while. The type of book I wanted to immediately run back at page 1. And shit, I might even do it.
Here’s why:
-The narrator’s voice is astounding. She captures Niecy and Annie over shifting seasons as kids, teens, and adults perfectly.
-It’s efficient in its profundity. Every sentence felt carefully placed, yet never overdone. And every 150th sentence there’d be some deep, Southern generational passing down on a front porch type wisdom that stopped me in my tracks.
-It’s sharp. Not exactly funny, but filled with character types that we all know and can’t help but make you smile in their accuracy.
Read this when it comes out February 24th—unless you hate incredible books, then do whatever you want.
Thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for the ARC.
I haven’t loved a book this much in a while. The type of book I wanted to immediately run back at page 1. And shit, I might even do it.
Here’s why:
-The narrator’s voice is astounding. She captures Niecy and Annie over shifting seasons as kids, teens, and adults perfectly.
-It’s efficient in its profundity. Every sentence felt carefully placed, yet never overdone. And every 150th sentence there’d be some deep, Southern generational passing down on a front porch type wisdom that stopped me in my tracks.
-It’s sharp. Not exactly funny, but filled with character types that we all know and can’t help but make you smile in their accuracy.
Read this when it comes out February 24th—unless you hate incredible books, then do whatever you want.
Thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for the ARC.
February 14, 2026
As a daughter of a southern Black family, this book’s words felt like a warm hug from the women who came before me. As modern as I am, there’s something so comforting about those old down south adages that almost make sense but kind of don’t that just make me think of my own mama and her mama, too.
Needless to say. I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. I was completely rapt by these two divergent paths Annie and Niecey took. The books told from their separate POVs and the voices are so distinct, even without looking at the chapter titles, you know exactly who is talking. The prose was so beautiful, I was brought to tears several times, happy and sad alike. Even though fiction, it’s based so much in the actual happenings of the time; it just as easily could be a true story. The south felt like a character of its own: I could feel the mugginess of Mississippi, the bustle of Black Atlanta.
I felt so much for each of them and it really goes to show just how easy life can be different from one person to the next who come from very similiar upbringings. Annie spent her whole life chasing a mother that she didn’t even get to live while Niecey sought to prove that she was more than a motherless child people looked at her as. While both girls ended up in different places, they were forever bonded by that intrinsic need for love & they found it with one another; sadly, this wasn’t enough for them entirely. The ending felt resolute while also leaving a lot to be imagined. I found myself closing the book and wishing nothing but the best for these two girls who don’t actually exist but could’ve just as easily been my own kin.
Needless to say. I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. I was completely rapt by these two divergent paths Annie and Niecey took. The books told from their separate POVs and the voices are so distinct, even without looking at the chapter titles, you know exactly who is talking. The prose was so beautiful, I was brought to tears several times, happy and sad alike. Even though fiction, it’s based so much in the actual happenings of the time; it just as easily could be a true story. The south felt like a character of its own: I could feel the mugginess of Mississippi, the bustle of Black Atlanta.
I felt so much for each of them and it really goes to show just how easy life can be different from one person to the next who come from very similiar upbringings. Annie spent her whole life chasing a mother that she didn’t even get to live while Niecey sought to prove that she was more than a motherless child people looked at her as. While both girls ended up in different places, they were forever bonded by that intrinsic need for love & they found it with one another; sadly, this wasn’t enough for them entirely. The ending felt resolute while also leaving a lot to be imagined. I found myself closing the book and wishing nothing but the best for these two girls who don’t actually exist but could’ve just as easily been my own kin.
January 20, 2026
Two motherless daughters, two different life paths. I loved this book. The way Vernice and Annie stayed each other’s best friend and sister throughout their lives was so inspiring. If you love exploring sisterhood, friendship, found family, and love in all forms then this is the book for you.
December 22, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 (rounded up)
A special thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC.
Kin is an emotional, character-driven novel that has stayed with me after I finished. The story explores sisterhood, found family, self-discovery, racism, and segregation, set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow South.
The novel follows Vernice and Annie, who have known each other since they were babies and grow up without mothers. Though raised side by side, their lives take very different paths as they leave home in search of independence, belonging, and identity. The book alternates between their perspectives, giving readers a picture of how their experiences, choices, and circumstances shape their lives.
Tayari Jones does an excellent job with storytelling, creating rich, emotionally grounded characters. While I found the novel moving, I did wish there had been a bit more at the ending. Even so, this was a powerful and thoughtful read that I would happily recommend.
A special thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC.
Kin is an emotional, character-driven novel that has stayed with me after I finished. The story explores sisterhood, found family, self-discovery, racism, and segregation, set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow South.
The novel follows Vernice and Annie, who have known each other since they were babies and grow up without mothers. Though raised side by side, their lives take very different paths as they leave home in search of independence, belonging, and identity. The book alternates between their perspectives, giving readers a picture of how their experiences, choices, and circumstances shape their lives.
Tayari Jones does an excellent job with storytelling, creating rich, emotionally grounded characters. While I found the novel moving, I did wish there had been a bit more at the ending. Even so, this was a powerful and thoughtful read that I would happily recommend.
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February 21, 2026This is a novel about mothers and daughters, mothering the motherless and finding love in sisterhood and friendship. It starts with an orphaned black baby girl and an abandoned black baby girl in the American South and we follow these two cradle friends into adulthood in alternating chapters. It’s all classic Tayari Jones territory. I always want to spend time with characters created and conjured by Tayari Jones. I want to learn their speech mannerisms and turns of phrase, and follow them where they go. She draws such rich characters and the stakes are always so high. This is a fitting follow up to An American Marriage.
January 18, 2026
This was incredible
January 26, 2026
This is my favorite book of the year so far. I know we just started 2026 but I am 25 books in and I already know this one will be in my top 10 rankings.
The is a story about friendship and found family “Kin”. Annie and Neicy are motherless cradle sisters. They are raised by their kin but both of them long for the love and affection they never receive from their kin.
Annie’s mother runs off when she is one month old. She is raised by her granny. Annie runs off to Tennessee right before graduation without telling Neicy, breaking Neicy’s heart. Annie spends her time in search of her trifling mother. She looks for her in every women she sees. It’s starting affecting her relationship with BoBo.
Neicy’s mother is murdered by her father when she is a baby. Neicy is raised by her aunt. Her aunt left Honeysuckle as soon as she could. There is no one
else to raise Neicy so she stays. She provides everything thing she needs except love. Neicy leaves for Spelman college. Her aunt returns to Ohio before Neicy is even in the bus. Neicy is forever in search for
a family to belong to.
I loved this book. I loved it even more than an
even more than An American Marriage. Tayari Jones out does herself. It so intriguing. It pulls you in and keeps you there. I love the all of the letters. I lived learning about what was going on each of their lives. It was so emotional. I felt for Annie and her never ending quest to find her trifling mother. I loved watching Neicy’s continued search to find a family to belong to.
I will be recommending this to everyone I know who reads. My only wish is that it was longer. I want to know how Franklin reacted to the information. I’m
Nosey. lol
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The is a story about friendship and found family “Kin”. Annie and Neicy are motherless cradle sisters. They are raised by their kin but both of them long for the love and affection they never receive from their kin.
Annie’s mother runs off when she is one month old. She is raised by her granny. Annie runs off to Tennessee right before graduation without telling Neicy, breaking Neicy’s heart. Annie spends her time in search of her trifling mother. She looks for her in every women she sees. It’s starting affecting her relationship with BoBo.
Neicy’s mother is murdered by her father when she is a baby. Neicy is raised by her aunt. Her aunt left Honeysuckle as soon as she could. There is no one
else to raise Neicy so she stays. She provides everything thing she needs except love. Neicy leaves for Spelman college. Her aunt returns to Ohio before Neicy is even in the bus. Neicy is forever in search for
a family to belong to.
I loved this book. I loved it even more than an
even more than An American Marriage. Tayari Jones out does herself. It so intriguing. It pulls you in and keeps you there. I love the all of the letters. I lived learning about what was going on each of their lives. It was so emotional. I felt for Annie and her never ending quest to find her trifling mother. I loved watching Neicy’s continued search to find a family to belong to.
I will be recommending this to everyone I know who reads. My only wish is that it was longer. I want to know how Franklin reacted to the information. I’m
Nosey. lol
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 9, 2026
this is one of my favorites of the year - and definitely moving into one of my all-time favorites! what a beautiful, glorious book! tayari jones has such a way with language - these characters leapt off the page and i loved them all so deeply! the friendship between niecy and annie was written with such care and tenderness and humor and wisdom. i haven’t read a book this good about friendship in a very long time and i feel so grateful to have found it.
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January 7, 2026
Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:
From the bestselling, award-winning author of An American Marriage comes a tale of sisterhood, mothers, and daughters in the American South. Vernice and Anne are two motherless girls who grow up as best friends in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, but whose lives are set on very different trajectories. Vernice eventually goes to Spelman, where she enters into a world of affluent and connected Black women. And then there's Anne. The hole left by her mother's absence sends her on an all-consuming journey, which takes her down a road of love and hardship. Throughout it all, we see the various permutations and complexities of women and girls in community. —Erica Ezeifedi
From the bestselling, award-winning author of An American Marriage comes a tale of sisterhood, mothers, and daughters in the American South. Vernice and Anne are two motherless girls who grow up as best friends in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, but whose lives are set on very different trajectories. Vernice eventually goes to Spelman, where she enters into a world of affluent and connected Black women. And then there's Anne. The hole left by her mother's absence sends her on an all-consuming journey, which takes her down a road of love and hardship. Throughout it all, we see the various permutations and complexities of women and girls in community. —Erica Ezeifedi
January 20, 2026
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The setting: two lifelong friends--"cradle friends"--Niecy and Annie, both motherless daughters raised in Honeysuckle, Louisiana. Niecy (Vernice) is raised by her aunt [her father shot her mother] and ithrough community efforts, is able to go to Spelman College in Atlanta. Annie, raised by her grandmother, is fixated on finding Hattie Lee, the mother who abandoned her, She sets off with friends Babydoll, Clyde and Bobo to Memphis in search of Hattie.
Niecy and Annie are bound together but are polar opposities, Annie the less controlled, Niecy, the careful one. Both have hopes and dreams--though they differ as do their paths.
Of mothers and daughters, friendship and sisterhood, opportunity or lack thereof, rich vs poor [Black society], and being a woman in the segregated American South in the 1950s/60s [?].
Annie and company run out of money--which they especially need when their car breaks down. In search of lodging, etc., they meet Lurelia who sends them to her twin sister Lulabelle--who runs a whorehouse. Annie, Babydoll, Clyde, and Bobo end up working for Lulabella--but behind the scenes to pay off their debts, get room and board, and enough money to repair their car and continue their journey to Memphis.
Other characters who enter the narrative along the way--a teacher, bar owners, Niecy's roommate Joette and her cousin Marylinda [very interesting backstory], and more. Enter the McHenrys--who Niecy meets--first Mrs. McHenry--who aims to set up her up with her son Franklin, who has a withered leg and limps due to polio.
I was captured from the start although I thought the book sometimes uneven. Niecy's story--from Spelman on, was particularly interesting and illuminating re Black society. Letters back and forth from Niecy and Annie move the story forward when they leave Honeysuckle and end up in Atlanta and Memphis.
I didn't love the ending, but was satisfied.
My review will not do this book justice--it is so much more than what I have written.
Recommend!
The setting: two lifelong friends--"cradle friends"--Niecy and Annie, both motherless daughters raised in Honeysuckle, Louisiana. Niecy (Vernice) is raised by her aunt [her father shot her mother] and ithrough community efforts, is able to go to Spelman College in Atlanta. Annie, raised by her grandmother, is fixated on finding Hattie Lee, the mother who abandoned her, She sets off with friends Babydoll, Clyde and Bobo to Memphis in search of Hattie.
Niecy and Annie are bound together but are polar opposities, Annie the less controlled, Niecy, the careful one. Both have hopes and dreams--though they differ as do their paths.
Of mothers and daughters, friendship and sisterhood, opportunity or lack thereof, rich vs poor [Black society], and being a woman in the segregated American South in the 1950s/60s [?].
Annie and company run out of money--which they especially need when their car breaks down. In search of lodging, etc., they meet Lurelia who sends them to her twin sister Lulabelle--who runs a whorehouse. Annie, Babydoll, Clyde, and Bobo end up working for Lulabella--but behind the scenes to pay off their debts, get room and board, and enough money to repair their car and continue their journey to Memphis.
Other characters who enter the narrative along the way--a teacher, bar owners, Niecy's roommate Joette and her cousin Marylinda [very interesting backstory], and more. Enter the McHenrys--who Niecy meets--first Mrs. McHenry--who aims to set up her up with her son Franklin, who has a withered leg and limps due to polio.
I was captured from the start although I thought the book sometimes uneven. Niecy's story--from Spelman on, was particularly interesting and illuminating re Black society. Letters back and forth from Niecy and Annie move the story forward when they leave Honeysuckle and end up in Atlanta and Memphis.
I didn't love the ending, but was satisfied.
My review will not do this book justice--it is so much more than what I have written.
Recommend!
February 7, 2026
A gorgeous story of two “cradle friends” whose lives move in different directions even as their love for one another endures. It is a joy to read a Southern Black woman tell about Black women’s friendship, and this is a testimony and love song about our interior lives, how we cultivate a garden of joy and found family no matter what era we’re living in or what we have to bear. I am not one to laugh aloud but I had at least one lovely moment of doing so reading Kin, the first time in a long time I have experienced that kind of delight.
February 11, 2026
“Nobody is saying that we are not girlfriends. I am just saying that we got different circumstances. Miss Irene been training you to be a young lady since the day they told her that she had to raise you. My granny just wants me to be able to put food on my plate without laying on my back for it.”
This is a story of best friends, similar but different, bonded in love and loss, growing up in the Jim Crow south. Both motherless, having finished school, they each set out to find their place in the world. The story is riveting, the characters rich and vivid, and the writing is spectacularly alive, bejeweled with wit and wisdom.
For example:
“What got your attention about him was his smile, and not really in a good way. It was like he opened up his mouth and God tossed in a handful of teeth, not caring what went where.”
“How do you plan to keep her away from the mens?” Granny’s speech was different when she had her teeth in. It was like listening to someone try to talk left-handed.
“They never walked barefoot or scarred their knuckles on a washboard with lye soap. It would be many years before I learned that soft feet were often mangled by pretty shoes,”
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a story of best friends, similar but different, bonded in love and loss, growing up in the Jim Crow south. Both motherless, having finished school, they each set out to find their place in the world. The story is riveting, the characters rich and vivid, and the writing is spectacularly alive, bejeweled with wit and wisdom.
For example:
“What got your attention about him was his smile, and not really in a good way. It was like he opened up his mouth and God tossed in a handful of teeth, not caring what went where.”
“How do you plan to keep her away from the mens?” Granny’s speech was different when she had her teeth in. It was like listening to someone try to talk left-handed.
“They never walked barefoot or scarred their knuckles on a washboard with lye soap. It would be many years before I learned that soft feet were often mangled by pretty shoes,”
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2025
3.75/5
February 2, 2026
This novel is set in the Jim Crow era south, following two friends, Niecy and Annie. They call themselves “cradle friends” as they know each other since they were babies without parents being raised by other relatives in their small town in Louisiana. The book follows them through their childhood into young adulthood, with most of the book centering on their mostly separate experiences from age 18-21 or so, as Niecy goes to Atlanta for college while Annie goes to Memphis to look for her the mother who abandoned her.
This was a bit of a slow starter for me, but once I got into it I was totally caught up in the characters and their stories, each of which felt unique and real, with both women really coming to life, as did all the characters around them. People rave about Tayari Jones’ book An American Marriage, but I actually thought this one was better! My only quibble is that the end left me wanting a little more. But still an excellent book.
4.25 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC (out 2/24/26); all opinions are my own.
This was a bit of a slow starter for me, but once I got into it I was totally caught up in the characters and their stories, each of which felt unique and real, with both women really coming to life, as did all the characters around them. People rave about Tayari Jones’ book An American Marriage, but I actually thought this one was better! My only quibble is that the end left me wanting a little more. But still an excellent book.
4.25 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC (out 2/24/26); all opinions are my own.
January 26, 2026
Tayari Jones has touched my heart in her newest book Kin. It is a book about sisterhood and the complexities of being a woman. It is about two life long friends Annie and Niecy who grew up motherless in Honeysuckle, Louisiana and then grew into motherless women. They called each other cradle friends. Even though they grew apart for part of their life they were always there for each other when they needed a friend and a shoulder to lean on. The sister-like bond they had is what every woman hopes to have with that special friend.
As I finished this book I received a phone call from my life long friend’s husband that my friend passed away. The timing was so surreal. Our friendship was very similar to Annie and Niecy’s. This book will stay with me forever because of this.
Tayari Jones did an incredible job bringing all of the charachters in this book to life. I felt like I knew every one of them intimately.
Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It touched my heart. It gave new meaning to the word kin. I will highly recommend Kin to my friends.
As I finished this book I received a phone call from my life long friend’s husband that my friend passed away. The timing was so surreal. Our friendship was very similar to Annie and Niecy’s. This book will stay with me forever because of this.
Tayari Jones did an incredible job bringing all of the charachters in this book to life. I felt like I knew every one of them intimately.
Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It touched my heart. It gave new meaning to the word kin. I will highly recommend Kin to my friends.
February 8, 2026
I absolutely loved Tayari Jones's AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE. The writing and story was both beautiful and heartbreaking.
When I saw that Jones was publishing another novel this year, I jumped at the chance to read it.
KIN is the story of two motherless friends who, after spending years apart, reunite amidst a tragedy.
Vernice and Annie's journeys could not have been more different, and yet, they both understand the devastation of growing up without a mother--a bond that turns them from friends into true sisters.
I was completely captivated by both Vernice's and Annie's stories. When a chapter ended, I wanted to quickly get back to that character's perspective, while also needing to devour the current chapter.
The title so beautifully ties into the story, especially with how the novel concludes. I wasn't ready for my time with these characters to end!
KIN is a story that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.
When I saw that Jones was publishing another novel this year, I jumped at the chance to read it.
KIN is the story of two motherless friends who, after spending years apart, reunite amidst a tragedy.
Vernice and Annie's journeys could not have been more different, and yet, they both understand the devastation of growing up without a mother--a bond that turns them from friends into true sisters.
I was completely captivated by both Vernice's and Annie's stories. When a chapter ended, I wanted to quickly get back to that character's perspective, while also needing to devour the current chapter.
The title so beautifully ties into the story, especially with how the novel concludes. I wasn't ready for my time with these characters to end!
KIN is a story that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.
February 16, 2026
This story follows two girls from the same background/town. Both motherless in search of family and maternal love. They end up on two different paths. This was a slow read for me but I did enjoy it. I really liked the symmetry in the chapters and storytelling and I loved the intimate parts we got to see through the letters between them. A sad but beautiful story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My first 5 star read of February, and it was phenomenal!
Annie and Niecy captured my heart, and I am devastated it's over.
More thorough review to come.
Annie and Niecy captured my heart, and I am devastated it's over.
More thorough review to come.
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