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Kin
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.
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
First published February 24, 2026
About the author
Tayari Jones
26 books30.5k 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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April 18, 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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March 5, 2026
Tayari Jones is masterful. I felt like I was in the deep south of Louisiana, sweating in the dreaded heat, hanging out with some Black folk.
Annie and Vernice have been cradle friends since birth. Both motherless and yearning for that connection. Upon high school graduation, they both go in separate directions. Annie, in a quest to find her mother; Vernice, to college.
Jones’ writing is powerful; wrought iron. This goes deep, into the south and into race discrimination. It’s about identity - who and what defines you.;relationships; family. But it’s mostly about women. Women supporting women- the bonds forged. The Mentoring they are given as they navigate through the corridors of life. The family that is created by women who suffer; who grieve; who love.
5⭐️
Another worthy read is An American Marriage
Annie and Vernice have been cradle friends since birth. Both motherless and yearning for that connection. Upon high school graduation, they both go in separate directions. Annie, in a quest to find her mother; Vernice, to college.
Jones’ writing is powerful; wrought iron. This goes deep, into the south and into race discrimination. It’s about identity - who and what defines you.;relationships; family. But it’s mostly about women. Women supporting women- the bonds forged. The Mentoring they are given as they navigate through the corridors of life. The family that is created by women who suffer; who grieve; who love.
5⭐️
Another worthy read is An American Marriage
February 25, 2026
the 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)
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.
March 11, 2026
3.75 ⭐
⋆·˚ ༘ * Wow, this was a VERY interesting story! 🤩 Granted, it took me FOREVER to read this, but I’ve been struggling with reading consistently for the past week or two, so it’s not the book’s fault. Maybe I need a little break. 😅
I felt so bad for Vernice and Annie. I don’t know what it’s like to be raised motherless, but I could feel their pain and anger about their situation through Jones’s writing, and I wanted to give them both a hug. 🫂 And their lives when they left Honeysuckle kept me on the edge of my seat. I was just hoping nothing bad would happen to them, and when conflict inevitably arose, I wanted them to come out of it unharmed. And the ending? Wow, I didn’t see it coming, and it made me so, so sad. 😭
I don’t even know what to say anymore about it. It was written beautifully, the story was very moving, and the journey the characters went on will stay with me forever. I really liked how we got both Annie’s and Vernice’s pov and I especially liked the letters they sent to each other. It made the reading experience immersive and realistic, something that I definitely need to keep me engaged in a story because my attention span is so bad. 😂
All in all, this was a great book, and I recommend it if you are looking for a novel about mothers and daughters, sisterhood and friendship, and the complex life of being a woman in the South. Gosh, the injustice made me mad.
彡 Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. This book is now available! 彡
❗Content Warnings❗
Death, nudity, pregnancy, abortion, blood, racism and racial slurs, & mentions murder and prostitution.
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Not descriptive or explicit. (🌶🌶/5)
⋆·˚ ༘ * Wow, this was a VERY interesting story! 🤩 Granted, it took me FOREVER to read this, but I’ve been struggling with reading consistently for the past week or two, so it’s not the book’s fault. Maybe I need a little break. 😅
I felt so bad for Vernice and Annie. I don’t know what it’s like to be raised motherless, but I could feel their pain and anger about their situation through Jones’s writing, and I wanted to give them both a hug. 🫂 And their lives when they left Honeysuckle kept me on the edge of my seat. I was just hoping nothing bad would happen to them, and when conflict inevitably arose, I wanted them to come out of it unharmed. And the ending? Wow, I didn’t see it coming, and it made me so, so sad. 😭
I don’t even know what to say anymore about it. It was written beautifully, the story was very moving, and the journey the characters went on will stay with me forever. I really liked how we got both Annie’s and Vernice’s pov and I especially liked the letters they sent to each other. It made the reading experience immersive and realistic, something that I definitely need to keep me engaged in a story because my attention span is so bad. 😂
All in all, this was a great book, and I recommend it if you are looking for a novel about mothers and daughters, sisterhood and friendship, and the complex life of being a woman in the South. Gosh, the injustice made me mad.
彡 Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. This book is now available! 彡
❗Content Warnings❗
Death, nudity, pregnancy, abortion, blood, racism and racial slurs, & mentions murder and prostitution.
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Not descriptive or explicit. (🌶🌶/5)
Read
February 25, 2026In one of his loveliest and most idealistic sonnets, Shakespeare writes,
Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds
Or bends with the remover to remove.
Tayari Jones knows that’s poppycock.
In novel after novel, she explores the dynamic quality of love without questioning its persistence. How we relate to one another — even those most dear to us — is not “an ever-fixèd mark.” Given the vicissitudes of time, she asks, how could it be? Our affections are altered by distance, thinned in some places, amplified in others, the way sound changes as it travels.
Separation is often physical in Jones’s fiction, as in her most famous novel, An American Marriage, about a husband incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. While his prison sentence drags on, the intensity of their relationship swells and warps in heartbreaking ways.
Jones’s latest novel, Kin, returns again to that interplay of alternating perspectives, a structure that places us in the position of judge, arbiter and intimate confidant. In alternating chapters, two girls — Vernice and Annie, best friends forever — tell their stories, which begin entangled but eventually veer apart. Both young women strike out into the world to reclaim a satisfying foundation that was crushed in infancy. But only one of them will ever find it....
You can read the rest of this review — and see a short video from Tayari Jones — on Substack:
https://substack.com/home/post/p-1889...
Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds
Or bends with the remover to remove.
Tayari Jones knows that’s poppycock.
In novel after novel, she explores the dynamic quality of love without questioning its persistence. How we relate to one another — even those most dear to us — is not “an ever-fixèd mark.” Given the vicissitudes of time, she asks, how could it be? Our affections are altered by distance, thinned in some places, amplified in others, the way sound changes as it travels.
Separation is often physical in Jones’s fiction, as in her most famous novel, An American Marriage, about a husband incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. While his prison sentence drags on, the intensity of their relationship swells and warps in heartbreaking ways.
Jones’s latest novel, Kin, returns again to that interplay of alternating perspectives, a structure that places us in the position of judge, arbiter and intimate confidant. In alternating chapters, two girls — Vernice and Annie, best friends forever — tell their stories, which begin entangled but eventually veer apart. Both young women strike out into the world to reclaim a satisfying foundation that was crushed in infancy. But only one of them will ever find it....
You can read the rest of this review — and see a short video from Tayari Jones — on Substack:
https://substack.com/home/post/p-1889...
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
March 4, 2026
Two black girls, Vernice and Annie, best friends and poor. 1950s, Deep South. They are the same age, both motherless. “Cradle friends,” they are called. They leave town and take completely different paths. I loved their riveting, immersive stories, which are told in alternating chapters, with several heartfelt letters thrown in. And I loved their deep friendship, which endured despite their totally opposite life trajectories in different states. Both girls are very sympathetic and likable, so that made it all the more satisfying a read.
Three things stand out—how vivid and believable the characters are (it’s a great character study), how beautiful the language is, and how much I felt the place and time.
Oh, man, the language! I liked the sentence structure, very rich. And it was chock full of beauteous, edgy, and tight little metaphors. I was eating them up! And there are little tidbits of wisdom, which I also gulped down in glee!
“Granny’s speech was different when she had her teeth in. It was like listening to someone trying to talk left-handed.”
“Grateful tears and painful tears both wet the same way. At the end of the day, Hattie Lee pulled the skin off of me every single time.”
“‘Oooh,’” Mrs. McHenry said like she has just stepped in dog shit in the yard. “Ooh,” she said again, like she was wearing her best shoes when it happened.”
“…he took up space with confidence, not like Bobo, who pedaled his maturity with training wheels.”
“Every time he told his story, he added more details, like a strip tease going in the opposite direction.”
“Chasing people who don’t want to stay is a waste of time on par with trying to put rain back in the sky.”
“People who are loved well always think there is more out there for them to enjoy.”
“Getting married on top of secrets is like spraying perfume without washing first.”
“Help isn’t just what you do, it’s what you feel like when you’re doing it.”
It was so racist back then in the U.S. South, it was heartbreaking. I really got the feel of their tough lives. One locale on Annie’s journey was especially fascinating—not one you’d find every day. Extra points for that uniqueness.
Two nits—the biggest being that the ending seemed so abrupt, I wondered if I was missing content.
I can’t talk about the other problem I had, which has to do with a plot point. Something seemed unrealistic. I’ll hide it with a spoiler alert.
I just loved An American Marriage, also by Jones. It was very different from this one, as it was about a contemporary couple. The books are both wonderful but so different I would not have known they were written by the same author. Kin seemed more soulful, intense, and it had such gorgeous language. I highlighted a lot.
While I was reading, Oprah announced that this book is her pick of the month. This means lots of recognition, which is well earned. It would be a good book for discussion.
Also, while I was writing this, Jones appeared on a late night talk show. She was just wonderful—super smart and super nice. Originally she was going to write a contemporary book but instead this book is what came out of her mouth! In the interview, she told a very funny, true story of being “kidnapped” by an iffy fan on Martha’s Vineyard. Loved her sense of humor. You can find the interview (and her hilarious story) by going to Google and typing “Tayari Jones on Seth Meyer.”
Thumbs up! Check this book out!
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.
April 2, 2026
We all know Tayari Jones is an incredible writer. Her 2018 release, An American Marriage was such a hit (and my top read of that year). Just like An American Marriage, Kin is another beautifully written work by Tayari with an unforgettable story. Kin is truly a must read and THE book I'll be recommending to all!
At its core, Kin is momentous historical fiction work centered on the power of sisterhood. Kin is a deeply moving, compelling chronicle that takes us from Niecy and Annie‘s days growing up in the Jim Crow south in Honeysuckle Louisiana to their adult years in Atlanta and Memphis. Kin also does a deep dive into to social commentary on how far we’ve come but also how far we have to go. So richly written with a tremendous amount of emotional depth that I couldn’t help but feel deeply connected to Niecy and Annie.
I know it’s super early into the year but im going to call it. Kin is going to be THE book of the year. I would truly be surprised to see any work top this masterpiece.
After I finished reading the book, I listened to the audiobook which is read by Angel Pean and Ashley J. Hobbs who both did an incredible job bringing this story to life.
Kin by Tayari Jones was published on February 24 so it's available now. Many thanks to Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted audiobook and AA Knopf for the gifted copy.
At its core, Kin is momentous historical fiction work centered on the power of sisterhood. Kin is a deeply moving, compelling chronicle that takes us from Niecy and Annie‘s days growing up in the Jim Crow south in Honeysuckle Louisiana to their adult years in Atlanta and Memphis. Kin also does a deep dive into to social commentary on how far we’ve come but also how far we have to go. So richly written with a tremendous amount of emotional depth that I couldn’t help but feel deeply connected to Niecy and Annie.
I know it’s super early into the year but im going to call it. Kin is going to be THE book of the year. I would truly be surprised to see any work top this masterpiece.
After I finished reading the book, I listened to the audiobook which is read by Angel Pean and Ashley J. Hobbs who both did an incredible job bringing this story to life.
Kin by Tayari Jones was published on February 24 so it's available now. Many thanks to Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted audiobook and AA Knopf for the gifted copy.
April 18, 2026
“It is sad to be incomplete. But sadness is one thing. Grief is another.”
This is a story about what it truly means to be kin—and how that bond isn’t always defined by birth, but the ties we choose and nurture.
The characters are deftly drawn, pulling readers in through lives shaped by longing, resilience, and choice. Told in alternating voices, the novel follows Annie and Vernice (Niecy), motherless since infancy and raised as “cradle friends” in 1950s Honeysuckle, Louisiana. Though they grow up as close as sisters, their paths gradually diverge – only to be drawn back together.
Niecy, raised by her steady Aunt Irene, dreams of college and a conventional life. Annie, driven by a quiet ache, longs to find her birth mother. Their journeys unfold in different directions, yet remain tethered by a bond that endures distance, time, and hardship.
Even as men move in and out of the narrative, this is unmistakably a story centered on women—their choices, sacrifices, and connections. Jones vividly captures the Civil Rights era and the harsh realities of the Jim Crow South, grounding the story in a social landscape that is as unsettling as it is authentic.
Through shifting environments, the novel explores class, culture, and the weight of expectations around race, gender, and sexuality—many of which still echo today. The inclusion of letters between Annie and Niecy adds an intimate, epistolary layer, deepening the emotional resonance of their separation and connection.
Amid heartache and the brutality of racism and inequality, there is also self-discovery. Jones crafts a narrative rich in love, marriage, motherhood, and, most powerfully, sisterhood. We feel the characters’ hopes, fears, and dreams which allows readers to root for them at every turn.
This is an absorbing, captivating, well-paced, and beautifully written novel. Not always an easy read due to its unflinching realism, it stands as a moving testament to friendship, chosen family, and the enduring strength of women’s bonds.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars
This is a story about what it truly means to be kin—and how that bond isn’t always defined by birth, but the ties we choose and nurture.
The characters are deftly drawn, pulling readers in through lives shaped by longing, resilience, and choice. Told in alternating voices, the novel follows Annie and Vernice (Niecy), motherless since infancy and raised as “cradle friends” in 1950s Honeysuckle, Louisiana. Though they grow up as close as sisters, their paths gradually diverge – only to be drawn back together.
Niecy, raised by her steady Aunt Irene, dreams of college and a conventional life. Annie, driven by a quiet ache, longs to find her birth mother. Their journeys unfold in different directions, yet remain tethered by a bond that endures distance, time, and hardship.
Even as men move in and out of the narrative, this is unmistakably a story centered on women—their choices, sacrifices, and connections. Jones vividly captures the Civil Rights era and the harsh realities of the Jim Crow South, grounding the story in a social landscape that is as unsettling as it is authentic.
Through shifting environments, the novel explores class, culture, and the weight of expectations around race, gender, and sexuality—many of which still echo today. The inclusion of letters between Annie and Niecy adds an intimate, epistolary layer, deepening the emotional resonance of their separation and connection.
Amid heartache and the brutality of racism and inequality, there is also self-discovery. Jones crafts a narrative rich in love, marriage, motherhood, and, most powerfully, sisterhood. We feel the characters’ hopes, fears, and dreams which allows readers to root for them at every turn.
This is an absorbing, captivating, well-paced, and beautifully written novel. Not always an easy read due to its unflinching realism, it stands as a moving testament to friendship, chosen family, and the enduring strength of women’s bonds.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars
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
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Update 4/3/26
4⭐️
I’m still thinking about Annie and Vernice for some reason🤷🏽♀️
I think this means my rating should be bumped up.
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.
4⭐️
I’m still thinking about Annie and Vernice for some reason🤷🏽♀️
I think this means my rating should be bumped up.
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.
March 1, 2026
As Canadian Jen said to me ….”your kin was delivering kin.” Timing is everything.
I did have a new granddaughter 🎀 this week so I initially didn’t have the time to sink my literacy teeth into this. Then one night I read two hours straight and I was hooked. Writing - next level! I have quite a few pages annotated.
This takes place in Honeysuckle, Louisiana. If you don’t know what honeysuckle looks like just look at the beautiful cover. We meet Vernice and Annie, two motherless daughters being raised by other family members. Their lives diverge into very different path yet they remain crib mates…. Soul sisters.
Along their journeys we see the complexity of segregation in the Deep South. We begin to understand how it takes all kin, a whole village to raise our children. I loved the friendship of these two. I, too, have a lifelong best friend so it was very accurate in how deep a friendship can be.
Full of emotion and that ending. 🤯 ♥️ this will be in my top 10 this year.
I did have a new granddaughter 🎀 this week so I initially didn’t have the time to sink my literacy teeth into this. Then one night I read two hours straight and I was hooked. Writing - next level! I have quite a few pages annotated.
This takes place in Honeysuckle, Louisiana. If you don’t know what honeysuckle looks like just look at the beautiful cover. We meet Vernice and Annie, two motherless daughters being raised by other family members. Their lives diverge into very different path yet they remain crib mates…. Soul sisters.
Along their journeys we see the complexity of segregation in the Deep South. We begin to understand how it takes all kin, a whole village to raise our children. I loved the friendship of these two. I, too, have a lifelong best friend so it was very accurate in how deep a friendship can be.
Full of emotion and that ending. 🤯 ♥️ this will be in my top 10 this year.
March 8, 2026
Kin by Tayari Jones is a captivating and beautifully written novel that takes us into the lives of two young Black girls, Vernice (Niecy) and Annie, in the mid-twentieth century Deep South. Their lives are intertwined by their shared experience of being motherless, and they navigate different paths when they come of age.
Niecy is raised by her Aunt Irene after a tragic event that changed their lives, while Annie is raised by her grandmother after her mother disappears when she is just a baby. As cradle friends, they grow up side by side under the oppressive shadow of Jim Crow, witnessing segregation not as a distant historical event but as a daily reality.
As young adults, Niecy pursues education and opportunity in Atlanta, mingling with strong Black women involved with the Civil Rights Movement, and entering a world of affluence and manners. Annie, on the other hand, impulsively chases the ghost of her mother all the way to Memphis, leading her to work hard to survive in less respectable places. She encounters Lulabelle in a brothel and, surprisingly, sees her as a mother figure. Despite rarely seeing each other as adults, Neicy and Annie maintain a strong bond through letters.
The novel really digs into the deep desire for mothers, safety, respectability, and dignity, as well as the wish for a future beyond what’s been handed to them.
Jones crafts the narrative gradually, building up to powerful moments. You can see how strong these girls are even when they’re young, as they deal with the lives they have and the ones they wish for. They are caught between love and survival, hope and grief, and their choices shape who they become..
The alternating perspectives make you feel connected to both the place and emotions, letting you fully dive into their stories. The South is vividly portrayed—beautiful, brutal, and inescapable. Kin raises profound questions about the true meaning of family: is it determined by blood, choice, or the people who stay?
Niecy is raised by her Aunt Irene after a tragic event that changed their lives, while Annie is raised by her grandmother after her mother disappears when she is just a baby. As cradle friends, they grow up side by side under the oppressive shadow of Jim Crow, witnessing segregation not as a distant historical event but as a daily reality.
As young adults, Niecy pursues education and opportunity in Atlanta, mingling with strong Black women involved with the Civil Rights Movement, and entering a world of affluence and manners. Annie, on the other hand, impulsively chases the ghost of her mother all the way to Memphis, leading her to work hard to survive in less respectable places. She encounters Lulabelle in a brothel and, surprisingly, sees her as a mother figure. Despite rarely seeing each other as adults, Neicy and Annie maintain a strong bond through letters.
The novel really digs into the deep desire for mothers, safety, respectability, and dignity, as well as the wish for a future beyond what’s been handed to them.
Jones crafts the narrative gradually, building up to powerful moments. You can see how strong these girls are even when they’re young, as they deal with the lives they have and the ones they wish for. They are caught between love and survival, hope and grief, and their choices shape who they become..
The alternating perspectives make you feel connected to both the place and emotions, letting you fully dive into their stories. The South is vividly portrayed—beautiful, brutal, and inescapable. Kin raises profound questions about the true meaning of family: is it determined by blood, choice, or the people who stay?
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.
March 31, 2026
oh my god. singular, a force of nature, breathtaking, devastating. full thoughts soon but- a masterpiece.
ETA end of Q1 review:
What does it mean to be haunted by your mother?
Kin explores haunting via Mother Wound, friendship as family, choice as destiny, and sadness as fate.
A historical story of two Black women in the fifties, Vernice and Annie take vastly different paths to reconcile the pain of growing up motherless: Vernice goes to Spelman and is inducted into the world of the Black bourgeoisie, finding sisterhood, love, and rules in Atlanta. Annie seeks her missing mother in bars, landing in sticky situation after sticky situation, propelled by yearning for the woman who abandoned her.
The book is written beautifully, sinking the reader into the various worlds the women traverse, and my favorite part was the foiling: everywhere both women go, they meet Mother and Sister characters who reflect, refract, and reframe their journeys.
Ultimately, this book is singular, a force of nature, breathtaking, devastating. Believe the hype.
ETA end of Q1 review:
What does it mean to be haunted by your mother?
Kin explores haunting via Mother Wound, friendship as family, choice as destiny, and sadness as fate.
A historical story of two Black women in the fifties, Vernice and Annie take vastly different paths to reconcile the pain of growing up motherless: Vernice goes to Spelman and is inducted into the world of the Black bourgeoisie, finding sisterhood, love, and rules in Atlanta. Annie seeks her missing mother in bars, landing in sticky situation after sticky situation, propelled by yearning for the woman who abandoned her.
The book is written beautifully, sinking the reader into the various worlds the women traverse, and my favorite part was the foiling: everywhere both women go, they meet Mother and Sister characters who reflect, refract, and reframe their journeys.
Ultimately, this book is singular, a force of nature, breathtaking, devastating. Believe the hype.
March 1, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy of Kin.
Tayari Jones has a brilliant way with words. Kin speaks to the human desire for love, understanding, and acceptance. This coming of age story follows Niecy and Annie, two motherless girls, that form an impenetrable bond from childhood — a kinship. One loses their mother to death (murder/suicide) and the other from abandonment. Both grapple with their paths and realities in different ways as a result of this maternal absence. The girls become women but not without consequence.
I thoroughly enjoyed the supporting characters in this novel — especially Aunt Irene, Lulabelle, and Babydoll.
I struggled with the pacing of this story quite a bit. The beginning and end were great, but the middle was a slog to get through.
Tayari Jones has a brilliant way with words. Kin speaks to the human desire for love, understanding, and acceptance. This coming of age story follows Niecy and Annie, two motherless girls, that form an impenetrable bond from childhood — a kinship. One loses their mother to death (murder/suicide) and the other from abandonment. Both grapple with their paths and realities in different ways as a result of this maternal absence. The girls become women but not without consequence.
I thoroughly enjoyed the supporting characters in this novel — especially Aunt Irene, Lulabelle, and Babydoll.
I struggled with the pacing of this story quite a bit. The beginning and end were great, but the middle was a slog to get through.
March 17, 2026
2.5 stars
Fine writing but a storyline that seemed to drag on until I found it dull.
Granted the hardships of living in the South for these black girls who lost their mothers was so difficult, but I often felt we were going around in circles.
A tad disappointed in this story sadly.
Fine writing but a storyline that seemed to drag on until I found it dull.
Granted the hardships of living in the South for these black girls who lost their mothers was so difficult, but I often felt we were going around in circles.
A tad disappointed in this story sadly.
April 3, 2026
Such a tender and personal exploration of love, friendship, class, identity, and motherhood. Kin was deeply emotional story accompanying two friends who begin life together and diverge into different life paths, those of which do not fall short from maintaining and growing their bond and love for each other. Jones was able to create incredibly vivid scenes through multilayered characters which linger with you every time you close the book. Nothing could have prepared me for the tumultuous last few chapters; those which tug at you viciously, an alarm for the inevitability of the pain that comes with loving someone. I was indeed crying so horrendously, you could find me crouched on the bathroom floor trying to catch my breath.
March 1, 2026
Tayari Jones’s latest novel is a beautifully rendered story of two motherless daughters – self-named “cradle friends” -- raised together in the small town of Honeysuckle, Louisiana who, despite growing apart and living entirely contrasting lives as adults, manage to maintain their lifelong friendship and sisterhood truly through thick and thin.
After her mother’s death at the hands of her father, Vernice (Niecy) was taken in by her Aunt Irene (her mother’s sister) and raised to be a refined young lady who not only ends up attending Spelman College (one of the most elite schools for Black women), but also marries into a powerful and rich family where she finally gets to experience the “motherly love” that she had been yearning for since childhood. Annie, on the other hand, experiences a completely different fate as she longs to find the mother who abandoned her as a baby, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother. When she inadvertently stumbles across a potential address for her mother, Annie sets off on a perilous journey that takes her on what is essentially a wild goose chase across the American South, searching for her mother while also experiencing love and friendship in the process.
The story is told through the alternating first-person perspectives of Niecy and Annie, and I have to say that this structure worked really well because as a reader, I felt as though I was experiencing everything alongside both women. Jones has a wonderful way of writing unforgettable characters whom we can’t help but root for and love, despite their obvious shortcomings, and this was definitely the case with Niecy and Annie. I love the strong bond between these two characters and the “kinship” they shared despite not being related by blood (there’s a scene late in the book where Niecy refers to Annie as “family” – reading that honestly made me cry). Jones is a masterful writer who has the unique ability of taking a complex theme and weaving an emotionally rich, nuanced story that balances both humor and heartbreak in a powerful and moving way. With the exception of the ending, which gutted me (it was hard not to cry given how invested I was in these characters), the rest of the story was well-balanced on the emotional front (in terms of being both heartwarming and heartbreaking), while also giving us a realistic view of what it means to be a Black woman living in the South during the 1950s and 60s.
This book is getting a lot of buzz (it was recently chosen for Oprah’s Book Club) and deservedly so, in my opinion. Definitely prioritize this one if you get a chance to pick it up – it is truly a wonderful read!
Received ARC from Knopf via NetGalley.
After her mother’s death at the hands of her father, Vernice (Niecy) was taken in by her Aunt Irene (her mother’s sister) and raised to be a refined young lady who not only ends up attending Spelman College (one of the most elite schools for Black women), but also marries into a powerful and rich family where she finally gets to experience the “motherly love” that she had been yearning for since childhood. Annie, on the other hand, experiences a completely different fate as she longs to find the mother who abandoned her as a baby, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother. When she inadvertently stumbles across a potential address for her mother, Annie sets off on a perilous journey that takes her on what is essentially a wild goose chase across the American South, searching for her mother while also experiencing love and friendship in the process.
The story is told through the alternating first-person perspectives of Niecy and Annie, and I have to say that this structure worked really well because as a reader, I felt as though I was experiencing everything alongside both women. Jones has a wonderful way of writing unforgettable characters whom we can’t help but root for and love, despite their obvious shortcomings, and this was definitely the case with Niecy and Annie. I love the strong bond between these two characters and the “kinship” they shared despite not being related by blood (there’s a scene late in the book where Niecy refers to Annie as “family” – reading that honestly made me cry). Jones is a masterful writer who has the unique ability of taking a complex theme and weaving an emotionally rich, nuanced story that balances both humor and heartbreak in a powerful and moving way. With the exception of the ending, which gutted me (it was hard not to cry given how invested I was in these characters), the rest of the story was well-balanced on the emotional front (in terms of being both heartwarming and heartbreaking), while also giving us a realistic view of what it means to be a Black woman living in the South during the 1950s and 60s.
This book is getting a lot of buzz (it was recently chosen for Oprah’s Book Club) and deservedly so, in my opinion. Definitely prioritize this one if you get a chance to pick it up – it is truly a wonderful read!
Received ARC from Knopf via NetGalley.
March 24, 2026
I love the term “cradle friends” to describe best friends since infancy. However, only a small fraction of Kin shows the friendship between Neicy and Annie in action. Their life paths diverge so early in the novel that we don’t get to see much of their childhood friendship. They weather plenty of trials and tribulations, but they don’t really do so together.
Whenever the strength of their cradle friendship came up, I often felt like, “Okay, I guess I’ll take your word on that.”
With all the high reviews, I’m clearly an outlier in failing to connect with the story and the characters. I was drawn to read this novel after seeing Tayari Jones’ interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. I’d love to see more authors featured on late-night TV.
Whenever the strength of their cradle friendship came up, I often felt like, “Okay, I guess I’ll take your word on that.”
With all the high reviews, I’m clearly an outlier in failing to connect with the story and the characters. I was drawn to read this novel after seeing Tayari Jones’ interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. I’d love to see more authors featured on late-night TV.
March 10, 2026
Vernice and Annie are two motherless daughters raised in Honeysuckle, Louisiana. They have been best friends since childhood. Vernice never knew her deceased mother and was taken in by her aunt. Annie was reared by her grandmother but has always been obsessed with finding her mother, who abandoned her as a child. Vernice leaves Honeysuckle for Spelman College in Atlanta after Annie sneaks away with a man, intending to find her mother.
It is told in alternating first-person perspectives of Vernice and Annie. It contains an epistolary element, with the friends staying in touch through letters until circumstances allow them to reconnect. This is a novel of the Black experience in the American South in the 1950s, including rich and poor, queer and straight, and relationships that succeed and those that fail. Jones handles the alternating voices and letters with such skill that you stop noticing the machinery and just live inside the story.
I became completely immersed. The characters feel so real, and I could empathize with each of them in different ways. It is a novel about social injustice as seen through the eyes of close interpersonal relationships. If you are looking for an intimate experience of female friendships, class dynamics, and Southern Black communities, this one is outstanding. It’s early yet, but this book is likely to appear on my short list of favorites for the year.
It is told in alternating first-person perspectives of Vernice and Annie. It contains an epistolary element, with the friends staying in touch through letters until circumstances allow them to reconnect. This is a novel of the Black experience in the American South in the 1950s, including rich and poor, queer and straight, and relationships that succeed and those that fail. Jones handles the alternating voices and letters with such skill that you stop noticing the machinery and just live inside the story.
I became completely immersed. The characters feel so real, and I could empathize with each of them in different ways. It is a novel about social injustice as seen through the eyes of close interpersonal relationships. If you are looking for an intimate experience of female friendships, class dynamics, and Southern Black communities, this one is outstanding. It’s early yet, but this book is likely to appear on my short list of favorites for the year.
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.
Read
March 20, 20263.75 stars
There is a lot in here to love: fantastic characters who feel fully realized, including the side characters, some beautiful discussions on love and family and some truly heartbreaking scenes. But I couldn't quite love it as much as I wanted to, especially since I adored Jones' other books so much, because it feels like there is potentially too much that Jones is exploring. Still a worthwhile read, IMO, if you're interested in historical fiction and books that explore friendship and coming of age stories.
Watch my review here: https://youtu.be/cefFd2y9zAQ
There is a lot in here to love: fantastic characters who feel fully realized, including the side characters, some beautiful discussions on love and family and some truly heartbreaking scenes. But I couldn't quite love it as much as I wanted to, especially since I adored Jones' other books so much, because it feels like there is potentially too much that Jones is exploring. Still a worthwhile read, IMO, if you're interested in historical fiction and books that explore friendship and coming of age stories.
Watch my review here: https://youtu.be/cefFd2y9zAQ
March 30, 2026
Book 4 read for Women's History Month, 2026, and an honorable mention for Black History Month 2026.
4 out of 5 stars. An excellent read.
This is the third novel I've read by Professor Jones, and like "Leaving Atlanta" and "An American Marriage" which I thought were both spectacular narratives- "Kin" is just as compelling, and heart-tugging as those two books.
This is the story of two black girls growing up during the eve of the Civil Rights Movement in Louisiana. Annie and Vernice both become friends through trauma and abandonment. Annie's mother Hattie abandons her, and returns to her life when she's a teenager. However, she disappears again. Annie sets off to find her, in which this life choice predictably shows her life may be headed for disaster.
Vernice leaves after the murder of her mother and ends up attending Spelman College in Atlanta. (I wonder if this is Professor Jones' literary double?). She falls in love with Franklin McHenry, a man of monetary means and wealth. His mother Patty is a society matron, and welcomes Vernice into the fold. Vernice leaves behind an ex girlfriend named Joette, and thus rejects her life of having been a queer woman in conservative black Atlanta society.
Annie marries Bobo and he leaves her knowing that their marriage wasn't a right fit. Pregnant with his baby, she goes off to Atlanta with her friend Lulabelle and asks the now wealthy Vernice for help. As this happens, raids on abortion clinics and back alleys are happening. Vernice can only think of using money as a means to help her best friend- but it comes at a tragic cost.
Professor Jones has written a solid, affecting book riffing on the friendship of women. Like another book I recently read, Stephanie Wambugu's "Lonely Crowds"- both authors have referenced Toni Morrison's "Sula" directly or indirectly for inspiration. In "Kin" there is even a character named Shadrack, and in Wambugu's novel, a character is blatantly reading "Sula". For me it is powerful how "Sula" is such an inspirational text of women and friendship that authors are inspired by.
However, this book left me feeling a bit cold knowing there could've been pages that could have been trimmed. It's too long by about fifty pages, and getting to the heart of Annie and Vernice's sad story seemed to be a slog to get to at times.
Professor Jones then writes a powerful, heartbreaking end that just exemplifies grief- and the generational trauma and love that is carried from woman to woman. It's an excellent novel, worth it if you love Tayari Jones, and other black women authors who exude magic and love in their writing.
4 out of 5 stars. An excellent read.
This is the third novel I've read by Professor Jones, and like "Leaving Atlanta" and "An American Marriage" which I thought were both spectacular narratives- "Kin" is just as compelling, and heart-tugging as those two books.
This is the story of two black girls growing up during the eve of the Civil Rights Movement in Louisiana. Annie and Vernice both become friends through trauma and abandonment. Annie's mother Hattie abandons her, and returns to her life when she's a teenager. However, she disappears again. Annie sets off to find her, in which this life choice predictably shows her life may be headed for disaster.
Vernice leaves after the murder of her mother and ends up attending Spelman College in Atlanta. (I wonder if this is Professor Jones' literary double?). She falls in love with Franklin McHenry, a man of monetary means and wealth. His mother Patty is a society matron, and welcomes Vernice into the fold. Vernice leaves behind an ex girlfriend named Joette, and thus rejects her life of having been a queer woman in conservative black Atlanta society.
Annie marries Bobo and he leaves her knowing that their marriage wasn't a right fit. Pregnant with his baby, she goes off to Atlanta with her friend Lulabelle and asks the now wealthy Vernice for help. As this happens, raids on abortion clinics and back alleys are happening. Vernice can only think of using money as a means to help her best friend- but it comes at a tragic cost.
Professor Jones has written a solid, affecting book riffing on the friendship of women. Like another book I recently read, Stephanie Wambugu's "Lonely Crowds"- both authors have referenced Toni Morrison's "Sula" directly or indirectly for inspiration. In "Kin" there is even a character named Shadrack, and in Wambugu's novel, a character is blatantly reading "Sula". For me it is powerful how "Sula" is such an inspirational text of women and friendship that authors are inspired by.
However, this book left me feeling a bit cold knowing there could've been pages that could have been trimmed. It's too long by about fifty pages, and getting to the heart of Annie and Vernice's sad story seemed to be a slog to get to at times.
Professor Jones then writes a powerful, heartbreaking end that just exemplifies grief- and the generational trauma and love that is carried from woman to woman. It's an excellent novel, worth it if you love Tayari Jones, and other black women authors who exude magic and love in their writing.
Read
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!
March 23, 2026
5 stars
A wonder of a story with characters that leap off the page.
I’m kicking myself for not taking the opportunity to read an ARC of this book when I had the chance. In my defense, the premise didn’t particularly grab me. Even now, I don’t know if I could introduce the plot in a way that does this book justice, so I’ll stick to explaining what makes it worth reading.
Kin is bursting with wit, warmth, and wisdom. If I had to pick one word to describe this book, it’s vibrant. It is full of singular characters who are easy to love despite their flaws and complexities. Jones’s writing is filled with punchy, earned one-liners that speak to truth, often in a tragicomic way. As its title suggests, the book explores the theme of kinship in a way that is refreshing and nuanced.
But I’ll keep this review short. Why spend time reading my ramblings on this book when you could spend that time reading Kin?
March 5, 2026
5⭐️ I loved this book so much! I received an ARC from NetGalley and Knopf publishers and when I saw it as the Oprah book club pick this month I moved it right up my list!
This is a beautiful story of friendship, hardship, love, loss, and grief. Set in Louisiana in the 1960’s, Vernice “Neicy”, and Annie are “cradle friends”. Both are motherless. Neicy’s mother murdered by her father and Annie abandoned as an infant. They both dream of getting out of Honeysuckle, LA. Annie sets off for Atlanta in search of Hattie Mae the mother that abandoned her and Niecy heads off to Spelman University.
Told in alternating POV’s, the girls lives take very different paths, but their love for each other never diminishes. Each of their lives are colored and haunted by the mothers they never knew.
Beautifully written, emotional, funny, and poignant, with a perfect ending! Highly recommend!
Thank you NetGalley, Knopf publishers and author Kayari Jones for the eARC of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review!
This is a beautiful story of friendship, hardship, love, loss, and grief. Set in Louisiana in the 1960’s, Vernice “Neicy”, and Annie are “cradle friends”. Both are motherless. Neicy’s mother murdered by her father and Annie abandoned as an infant. They both dream of getting out of Honeysuckle, LA. Annie sets off for Atlanta in search of Hattie Mae the mother that abandoned her and Niecy heads off to Spelman University.
Told in alternating POV’s, the girls lives take very different paths, but their love for each other never diminishes. Each of their lives are colored and haunted by the mothers they never knew.
Beautifully written, emotional, funny, and poignant, with a perfect ending! Highly recommend!
Thank you NetGalley, Knopf publishers and author Kayari Jones for the eARC of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review!
April 2, 2026
I practically wept for the last 10 pages of the book because the story is so heartbreakingly beautiful and because I would be finished reading the latest novel from the brilliant Tayari Jones. She is not a writer who produces a book every couple of years so I will have to wait to experience the rhythms, characters and view on the American experience that are so uniquely her.
Kin is a book about relationships - daughters, mothers, grandmothers, lovers and, most crucially, friends. The story of Annie and Niecy evokes a very specific time and place and viewpoint. They are young black women, girls really, coming of age in Mississippi and Georgia in the late 1950s/early 1960s where Jim Crow is the way of life. They are bonded by geographic circumstance and their shared status of “motherless.”
They claim each other as cradle friends with a tangible ferocity and Jones explores the depth of both blood bonds and claimed kinship through a plot that drives them apart and pulls them together. Both characters will live in my mind and heart for a long time to come.
In a few short paragraphs I won’t possibly capture the complexity of the story Jones weaves - so complex, so vulnerable, so wise and so emotional.
Beyond Annie and Niecy, she introduces a host of characters who add such depth and perspective. She takes readers to small-town Mississippi, brothels and bars in Memphis and the relatively rarified air of HBCU students and black middle class of Atlanta. It’s so smoothly accomplished that I felt inside the story instead of observing it.
I have been an enormous fan of this author since I first read Silver Sparrow (another exploitation of sisterhood and the black experience) and I applaud every accolade she earned for her last book, An American Marriage So, it is significant when I say, this is her best novel yet. She is an American treasure.
Everybody should consult with the Lord from time to time ... But when I wanted the Word, I looked to Granny's weathered pages that had been turned by generations of fingers. ... The paper, thin as butterfly wings, was heavy with wisdom. The salesman's Bible was like Seventeen magazine. Cute as can be, but empty as a hole in the ground.
Kin is a book about relationships - daughters, mothers, grandmothers, lovers and, most crucially, friends. The story of Annie and Niecy evokes a very specific time and place and viewpoint. They are young black women, girls really, coming of age in Mississippi and Georgia in the late 1950s/early 1960s where Jim Crow is the way of life. They are bonded by geographic circumstance and their shared status of “motherless.”
When your mama is in heaven there is nothing to stop her from loving you - not a man, not a job, not whatever she wanted to be doing but she had kids instead. When the sun shines, you can feel that pure love on you. It tastes like sugarcane.
They claim each other as cradle friends with a tangible ferocity and Jones explores the depth of both blood bonds and claimed kinship through a plot that drives them apart and pulls them together. Both characters will live in my mind and heart for a long time to come.
In a few short paragraphs I won’t possibly capture the complexity of the story Jones weaves - so complex, so vulnerable, so wise and so emotional.
The world wanted so much from me. Love required so much betrayal. Sometimes of myself. Oftentimes, everyone with a heart ended up devastated.
Beyond Annie and Niecy, she introduces a host of characters who add such depth and perspective. She takes readers to small-town Mississippi, brothels and bars in Memphis and the relatively rarified air of HBCU students and black middle class of Atlanta. It’s so smoothly accomplished that I felt inside the story instead of observing it.
I have been an enormous fan of this author since I first read Silver Sparrow (another exploitation of sisterhood and the black experience) and I applaud every accolade she earned for her last book, An American Marriage So, it is significant when I say, this is her best novel yet. She is an American treasure.
If you have ever experienced motherlove, you can never forget the fragrance of it.
April 15, 2026
I need to go stare at a wall for an hour.
This book was so heartbreaking. This is a story about love and relationships. It’s about friendship, family, romantic relationships and how they shape our lives. Just a beautifully told story that I will think about for a long time.
This book was so heartbreaking. This is a story about love and relationships. It’s about friendship, family, romantic relationships and how they shape our lives. Just a beautifully told story that I will think about for a long time.
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