Black CakeCharmaine Wilkerson
- Genre: Fiction & Literature
- Publish Date: February 1, 2022
- Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
- Buy on Apple Books | $13.99Buy on Amazon
The top 100 best selling African American Ebooks at Apple's iBookstore. The chart list of the top African American ebook fiction best seller downloads is updated daily.
Chart of the most popular African American fiction ebooks was last updated:
1
Black CakeCharmaine Wilkerson
NOW A HULU STREAMING SERIES • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY • Two estranged siblings delve into their mother’s hidden past—and how it all connects to her traditional Caribbean black cake—in this immersive family saga, “a character-driven, multigenerational story that’s meant to be savored” ( Time ). “Wilkerson transports you across the decades and around the globe accompanied by complex, wonderfully drawn characters.”—Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones & The Six, and Malibu Rising ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Oprah Daily, NPR, BuzzFeed, Glamour, PopSugar, Book Riot, She Reads We can’t choose what we inherit. But can we choose who we become? In present-day California, Eleanor Bennett’s death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: a black cake, made from a family recipe with a long history, and a voice recording. In her message, Eleanor shares a tumultuous story about a headstrong young swimmer who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. The heartbreaking tale Eleanor unfolds, the secrets she still holds back, and the mystery of a long-lost child challenge everything the siblings thought they knew about their lineage and themselves. Can Byron and Benny reclaim their once-close relationship, piece together Eleanor’s true history, and fulfill her final request to “share the black cake when the time is right”? Will their mother’s revelations bring them back together or leave them feeling more lost than ever? Charmaine Wilkerson’s debut novel is a story of how the inheritance of betrayals, secrets, memories, and even names can shape relationships and history. Deeply evocative and beautifully written, Black Cake is an extraordinary journey through the life of a family changed forever by the choices of its matriarch.
2
Addicted to A Dirty South ThugMyss Shan
After being so In love with a thug named Rue, Cuba Lance ends up doing 3 years in prison after he places blame on her for one tragic night that took place. Now that she's home, she's ready to move on with her life. Her cousin Tangie has a job waiting for her and gives her a place to stay. Everything is more than what she could've asked for. But when loneliness sets in, she feels like she's missing something. She vowed after her last relationship that she was done with thugs and all things hood, but when she runs into the sexy, Khi with the cocky and dirty south swag, she realizes that it's something about a bad boy that she can't get enough of. She's convinced herself that there is no need to stop what seems meant to be. But will it be another mistake and this time will she get away with her life? Khian "Khi" Prince is just one of the Prince brothers that has the ladies going crazy. He's a certified boss with what seems to be the weight of the world on his shoulders. His job is to ensure that he and his brothers maintain their status in the streets along with caring for his 2 baby mamas and the kids he shares with them. After failing at love twice, Khi's not ready to give up on finding his queen just yet and when running into Cuba, he's for certain he has finally gotten it right. But when Cuba mends his heart to only be the cause of shattering it all over again, will Khi give up on love once and for all, or will he fight to keep the woman that he feels is everything he's been looking for? Daelan "Dae" Prince is the ultimate bad boy with pretty boy looks and a no nonsense type of attitude. He's feared by many men and lusted after by plenty of women, which he can't get enough of. With the love of his life Amber by his side and their 5-year old son, Daelan seems to have his happily ever after but things are never what they seem. Daelan can't seem to stop messing up. After one bad decision after the other, his loved ones are always there to pick up the shattered pieces he constantly leaves behind. But what happens when Daelan makes a decision that puts he and the lives of everyone around him in danger, will his brothers be there to save him once again? Amber has been with Daelan for five long years. Her high school sweetheart was once sweet and charming, but the streets had a way of changing and hardening a person and that's exactly what happened to Daelan at least that's what Amber believes. With all the lies, cheating, and beatings amongst other things, Amber has always stuck by Daelan's side. She was addicted to him and always forgave him no matter how hurt it left her in the end. But when Daelan does the unthinkable, will Amber be able to walk away from the only love she's ever known or will she once again forgive him? Kaedee Prince, not only is he known in the streets along with his brothers, but also in the courtroom as one not to be messed with. With his wife Deonna by his side, they run the most sought out law firm in the city. Kaedee knew that getting his degree in law would somehow come in handy for he and his brothers, but never once did he think his wife Deonna would ever need his services. Hit with money laundering charges from business she did with her ex, Tyrin Walker, a drug kingpin out of Florida, Deonna learns that your past doesn't always stay behind you. When Tyrin shows up in her husband's office, Deonna finds herself in love with two men at the same time. Straddling both sides of the fence has never been good for anyone and Deonna finds that out the hard way. She's forced to pick the one to have her heart, but when that decision lands someone in a grave, are the Prince brothers ready for a war? Welcome to the life of the Prince Brothers and feel what it's like to be Addicted to A Dirty South Thug.
3
The First LadiesMarie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray
The Instant New York Times Bestseller! A novel about the extraordinary partnership between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune—an unlikely friendship that changed the world, from the New York Times bestselling authors of the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian . The daughter of formerly enslaved parents, Mary McLeod Bethune refuses to back down as white supremacists attempt to thwart her work. She marches on as an activist and an educator, and as her reputation grows she becomes a celebrity, revered by titans of business and recognized by U.S. Presidents. Eleanor Roosevelt herself is awestruck and eager to make her acquaintance. Initially drawn together because of their shared belief in women’s rights and the power of education, Mary and Eleanor become fast friends confiding their secrets, hopes and dreams—and holding each other’s hands through tragedy and triumph. When Franklin Delano Roosevelt is elected president, the two women begin to collaborate more closely, particularly as Eleanor moves toward her own agenda separate from FDR, a consequence of the devastating discovery of her husband’s secret love affair. Eleanor becomes a controversial First Lady for her outspokenness, particularly on civil rights. And when she receives threats because of her strong ties to Mary, it only fuels the women’s desire to fight together for justice and equality. This is the story of two different, yet equally formidable, passionate, and committed women, and the way in which their singular friendship helped form the foundation for the modern civil rights movement.
4
The Personal LibrarianMarie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray
The Instant New York Times Bestseller! A Good Morning America * Book Club Pick! Named a Best Book of the Year by NPR! Named a Notable Book of the Year by the Washington Post ! “Historical fiction at its best!” * A remarkable novel about J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white in order to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation, from New York Times bestselling authors Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. Belle becomes a fixture in New York City society and one of the most powerful people in the art and book world, known for her impeccable taste and shrewd negotiating for critical works as she helps create a world-class collection. But Belle has a secret, one she must protect at all costs. She was born not Belle da Costa Greene but Belle Marion Greener. She is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and a well-known advocate for equality. Belle’s complexion isn’t dark because of her alleged Portuguese heritage that lets her pass as white—her complexion is dark because she is African American. The Personal Librarian tells the story of an extraordinary woman, famous for her intellect, style, and wit, and shares the lengths she must go to—for the protection of her family and her legacy—to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives.
5
The Coldest Winter EverSister Souljah
A New York Times and USA TODAY Bestseller “50 Most Impactful Black Books of the Last 50 Years.” — Essence Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read The instant classic from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Life After Death brings the streets of New York to life in a powerful and utterly unforgettable novel. I came busting into the world during one of New York’s worst snowstorms, so my mother named me Winter. Ghetto-born, Winter is the young, wealthy daughter of a prominent Brooklyn drug-dealing family. Quick-witted, sexy, and business-minded, she knows and loves the streets like the curves of her own body. But when a cold Winter wind blows her life in a direction she doesn’t want to go, her street smarts and seductive skills are put to the test of a lifetime. Unwilling to lose, this ghetto girl will do anything to stay on top. Twenty-five years and over one million copies later, The Coldest Winter Ever is a bestseller and a national treasure, a classic handed down from one reading generation to the next. Whether you are reading it for the first time or have cherished it for years , you will never forget this Winter’s tale.
6
The Violin ConspiracyBrendan Slocumb
GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK! • Ray McMillian is a Black classical musician on the rise—undeterred by the pressure and prejudice of the classical music world — when a shocking theft sends him on a desperate quest to recover his great-great-grandfather’s heirloom violin on the eve of the most prestigious musical competition in the world. “I loved The Violin Conspiracy for exactly the same reasons I loved The Queen’s Gambit : a surprising, beautifully rendered underdog hero I cared about deeply and a fascinating, cutthroat world I knew nothing about—in this case, classical music.” —Chris Bohjalian, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Flight Attendant and Hour of the Witch Growing up Black in rural North Carolina, Ray McMillian’s life is already mapped out. But Ray has a gift and a dream—he’s determined to become a world-class professional violinist, and nothing will stand in his way. Not his mother, who wants him to stop making such a racket; not the fact that he can’t afford a violin suitable to his talents; not even the racism inherent in the world of classical music. When he discovers that his beat-up, family fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, all his dreams suddenly seem within reach, and together, Ray and his violin take the world by storm. But on the eve of the renowned and cutthroat Tchaikovsky Competition—the Olympics of classical music—the violin is stolen, a ransom note for five million dollars left in its place. Without it, Ray feels like he's lost a piece of himself. As the competition approaches, Ray must not only reclaim his precious violin, but prove to himself—and the world—that no matter the outcome, there has always been a truly great musician within him.
7
Parable of the SowerOctavia E. Butler
This acclaimed post-apocalyptic novel of hope and terror from an award-winning author "pairs well with 1984 or The Handmaid's Tale " and includes a foreword by N. K. Jemisin (John Green, New York Times ). When global climate change and economic crises lead to social chaos in the early 2020s, California becomes full of dangers, from pervasive water shortage to masses of vagabonds who will do anything to live to see another day. Fifteen-year-old Lauren Olamina lives inside a gated community with her preacher father, family, and neighbors, sheltered from the surrounding anarchy. In a society where any vulnerability is a risk, she suffers from hyperempathy, a debilitating sensitivity to others' emotions. Precocious and clear-eyed, Lauren must make her voice heard in order to protect her loved ones from the imminent disasters her small community stubbornly ignores. But what begins as a fight for survival soon leads to something much more: the birth of a new faith . . . and a startling vision of human destiny.
8
So Deep in My Feelings 2: A Hood Love TaleMyss Shan
With the loss of her brother and then Self being killed right in front of her, Cioni is starting to feel like she might be the one under attack. With a new baby on the way, she is ready to spark things back up with Ledge, but the only problem is, things have changed drastically for him. He is deep in the game, and no one around him wants to see him make it to the top. But as long as the two of them have love, nothing or no one will stop them right? Madden has moved on with her new boo and ready to start her new life. Things are perfect, but her old meddling ways eventually comes back to haunt her. She is no longer letting things slide and is out to get those whom she felt has gotten her. Soon, she realizes that she might be in over her head..
9
Black Girls Must Die ExhaustedJayne Allen
“It’s a good thing that this is only the first book of a trilogy, because after getting to know Tabitha, you won’t want to leave her at the end. . . . Written intimately as if you’re peering into the mind of a close friend, this book is a true testament to the stresses on women today and how great girlfriends (and grandmothers) are often the key to our sanity.” — Good Morning America The first novel in a captivating three-book series about modern womanhood, in which a young Black woman must rely on courage, laughter, and love—and the support of her two longtime friends—to overcome an unexpected setback that threatens the most precious thing she’s ever wanted. Tabitha Walker is a black woman with a plan to “have it all.” At 33 years old, the checklist for the life of her dreams is well underway. Education? Check. Good job? Check. Down payment for a nice house? Check. Dating marriage material? Check, check, and check. With a coveted position as a local news reporter, a "paper-perfect" boyfriend, and even a standing Saturday morning appointment with a reliable hairstylist, everything seems to be falling into place. Then Tabby receives an unexpected diagnosis that brings her picture-perfect life crashing down, jeopardizing the keystone she took for granted: having children. With her dreams at risk of falling through the cracks of her checklist, suddenly she is faced with an impossible choice between her career, her dream home, and a family of her own. With the help of her best friends, the irreverent and headstrong Laila and Alexis, the mom jeans-wearing former "Sexy Lexi," and the generational wisdom of her grandmother and the nonagenarian firebrand Ms. Gretchen, Tabby explores the reaches of modern medicine and tests the limits of her relationships, hoping to salvage the future she always dreamed of. But the fight is all consuming, demanding a steep price that forces an honest reckoning for nearly everyone in her life. As Tabby soon learns, her grandmother's age-old adage just might still be true: Black girls must die exhausted.
10
Moth to a FlameAshley Antoinette
In the little city of Flint, MI, the good die young and the people left standing are the grimiest of characters. With reign over the city's drug trade, Benjamin Atkins made sure that his precious daughter, Raven, was secluded from the grit that the city had to offer. But when Raven's young heart gets claimed by Mizan, a stick-up kid in search of a come-up, there's nothing Benjamin can do about losing her to the streets. She chooses love over loyalty and runs off with Mizan, but her new role as wifey soon proves to be more than she can handle. Puppy love always feels right, but things turn stale, and she soon finds that everyone she loves has disappeared. All she has is Mizan, but when hugs and kisses turn to bloody lips and black eyes, she realizes that Mizan is not who she thought he was. Raven becomes desperate for a way out, but this time, Daddy can't save her. Every time she finds the courage to leave, fear convinces her to stay. Like a moth to a flame, Raven is drawn to Mizan, even though she knows he'll be the death of her. When the hood life she chose becomes unbearable and the only way out is in a coffin, what will she do?
11
The Attic ChildLola Jaye
A hauntingly powerful and emotionally charged novel about family secrets, love and loss, identity and belonging. Two children trapped in the same attic, almost a century apart, bound by a shared secret. Early 1900s London: Taken from his homeland, twelve-year-old Celestine spends most of the time locked away in the attic of a large house by the sea. The only time Celestine isn’t bound by confines of the small space is when he is acting as an unpaid servant to English explorer Sir Richard Babbington, As the years pass, he desperately clings on to memories of his family in Africa, even as he struggles to remember his mother’s face, and sometimes his real name . . . 1974: Lowra, a young orphan girl born into wealth and privilege whose fortunes have now changed, finds herself trapped in the same attic. Searching for a ray of light in the darkness of the attic, Lowra finds under the floorboards an old-fashioned pen, a porcelain doll, a beaded necklace, and a message carved on the wall, written in an unidentifiable language. Providing comfort for her when all hope is lost, these clues will lead her to uncover the secrets of the attic.
12
Deacon King Kong (Oprah's Book Club)James McBride
Winner of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction Winner of the Gotham Book Prize One of Barack Obama's "Favorite Books of the Year" Oprah's Book Club Pick Named one of the Top Ten Books of the Year by the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly and TIME Magazine A Washington Post Notable Novel From the author of The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store , the National Book Award–winning The Good Lord Bird, and the bestselling modern classic The Color of Water , comes one of the most celebrated novels of the year. In September 1969, a fumbling, cranky old church deacon known as Sportcoat shuffles into the courtyard of the Cause Houses housing project in south Brooklyn, pulls a .38 from his pocket, and, in front of everybody, shoots the project’s drug dealer at point-blank range. The reasons for this desperate burst of violence and the consequences that spring from it lie at the heart of Deacon King Kong , James McBride’s funny, moving novel and his first since his National Book Award–winning The Good Lord Bird . In Deacon King Kong , McBride brings to vivid life the people affected by the shooting: the victim, the African-American and Latinx residents who witnessed it, the white neighbors, the local cops assigned to investigate, the members of the Five Ends Baptist Church where Sportcoat was deacon, the neighborhood’s Italian mobsters, and Sportcoat himself. As the story deepens, it becomes clear that the lives of the characters—caught in the tumultuous swirl of 1960s New York—overlap in unexpected ways. When the truth does emerge, McBride shows us that not all secrets are meant to be hidden, that the best way to grow is to face change without fear, and that the seeds of love lie in hope and compassion. Bringing to these pages both his masterly storytelling skills and his abiding faith in humanity, James McBride has written a novel every bit as involving as The Good Lord Bird and as emotionally honest as The Color of Water . Told with insight and wit, Deacon King Kong demonstrates that love and faith live in all of us.
13
This Other Eden: A NovelPaul Harding
Shortlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize Finalist for the 2023 National Book Award for Fiction One of Barack Obama's 15 favorite books of 2023 • A New Yorker Best Books of 2023 • An NPR 2023 "Book We Love" Pick and Top 10 Book of 2023 • One of Time's 100 Must-Read Books of 2023 • One of the New York Times's 100 Notable Books of 2023 and Best Historical Fiction of 2023 • A Chicago Public Library Favorite Book of 2023 • A Fresh Air Top 10 Best Book of 2023 • A Publishers Weekly Best Fiction of 2023 "A testament of love." —Danez Smith, New York Times Book Review From the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Tinkers, a novel inspired by the true story of Malaga Island, an isolated island off the coast of Maine that became one of the first racially integrated towns in the Northeast. In 1792, formerly enslaved Benjamin Honey and his Irish wife, Patience, discover an island where they can make a life together. Over a century later, the Honeys’ descendants and a diverse group of neighbors are desperately poor, isolated, and often hungry, but nevertheless protected from the hostility awaiting them on the mainland. During the tumultuous summer of 1912, Matthew Diamond, a retired, idealistic but prejudiced schoolteacher-turned-missionary, disrupts the community’s fragile balance through his efforts to educate its children. His presence attracts the attention of authorities on the mainland who, under the influence of the eugenics-thinking popular among progressives of the day, decide to forcibly evacuate the island, institutionalize its residents, and develop the island as a vacation destination. Beginning with a hurricane flood reminiscent of the story of Noah’s Ark, the novel ends with yet another Ark. In prose of breathtaking beauty and power, Paul Harding brings to life an unforgettable cast of characters: Iris and Violet McDermott, sisters raising three orphaned Penobscot children; Theophilus and Candace Larks and their brood of vagabond children; the prophetic Zachary Hand to God Proverbs, a Civil War veteran who lives in a hollow tree; and more. A spellbinding story of resistance and survival, This Other Eden is an enduring testament to the struggle to preserve human dignity in the face of intolerance and injustice.
14
ButterflyAshley Antoinette
Butterfly is the first novel in an all new series by New York Times bestselling author Ashley Antoinette and an instant USA Today bestseller! “Run away from the boy that gives you butterflies, he's going to break your heart.” Morgan Atkins had been told that phrase ever since she was a little girl and still she allowed herself to fall for the boy that made her heart flutter. After losing her first love, Morgan is terrified to love again. She's settled for a comfortable life with a respectable man. She has everything. She's living in the lap of luxury and although she's comfortable, she's bored out of her mind. When a ghost from her past blows into town, she finds herself entangled in an illicit affair. It's wrong, but she can't fight the butterflies he gives her and honestly, she doesn't want to. She can't hide the natural attraction she feels and soon, she's so deep involved that she can no longer tell where the boundary between right and wrong lies. Her heart is telling her one thing, but her head is saying another. Morgan Atkins has always been a spoiled girl and she tries to have it all, but when she's forced to choose between a good man and a bad boy, someone will end up hurt. Someone just may end up dead. Morgan Atkins has been through more tragedy than one girl can bear. Will she weather this storm? Or will the ultimate heartbreak ruin her for good?
15
Life After DeathSister Souljah
INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER The long-anticipated sequel to Sister Souljah’s million copy New York Times bestseller The Coldest Winter Ever . Winter Santiaga hit time served. Still stunning, still pretty, still bold, still loves her father more than any man in the world, still got her hustle and high fashion flow. She’s eager to pay back her enemies, rebuild her father’s empire, reset his crown, and ultimately to snatch Midnight back into her life no matter which bitch had him while she was locked up. But Winter is not the only one with revenge on her mind. Simone, Winter’s young business partner and friend, is locked and loaded and Winter is her target. Will she blow Winter’s head off? Can Winter dodge the bullets? Or will at least one bullet blast Winter into another world? Either way Winter is fearless. Hell is the same as any hood and certainly the Brooklyn hood she grew up in. That’s what Winter thinks. A heartwarming, heart-burning, passionate, sexual, comical, and completely original adventure is about to happen in real time—raw, shocking, soulful, and shameless. True fans won’t let Winter travel alone on this amazing journey.
16
Trust No Man 2Ca$h
The streets of ATL are about to get hotter than lava after Youngblood is snatched up and beaten down by unknown thugs. Vowing fatal revenge on his attackers, Youngblood is released from the hospital only to return home and discover that Cheryl has run off with his stash and his two daughters. Heartbroken over the loss of his daughters and money, he is ready to pick up that steel again, put on a ski mask and go back to jackin d-boys for their cake. His homie, Murder Mike gives him an ultimatum that tests his principles. While struggling with a do-or-die dilemma, Youngblood must also decide between Inez and Juanita. Inez accepts him as he is. Juanita on the other hand wants to help him leave the life of the streets behind. When a hustla has two thorough chicks, which one does he choose? The streets will decide that! Youngblood must deal with enemies who are closer to him then he realizes. The way he deals with these problems will determine his fate. Trust No Man 2 is an explosive and emotionally charged end to this true-to-life hood classic!
17
Pym: A NovelMat Johnson
“THE SHARPEST AND MOST UNUSUAL STORY I READ LAST YEAR . . . [Mat] Johnson’s satirical vision roves as freely as Kurt Vonnegut’s and is colored with the same sort of passionate humanitarianism.”—Maud Newton, New York Times Magazine NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • Vanity Fair • Houston Chronicle • The Seattle Times • Salon • National Post • The A.V. Club Recently canned professor of American literature Chris Jaynes has just made a startling discovery: the manuscript of a crude slave narrative that confirms the reality of Edgar Allan Poe’s strange and only novel, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket . Determined to seek out Tsalal, the remote island of pure and utter blackness that Poe describes, Jaynes convenes an all-black crew of six to follow Pym’s trail to the South Pole, armed with little but the firsthand account from which Poe derived his seafaring tale, a bag of bones, and a stash of Little Debbie snack cakes. Thus begins an epic journey by an unlikely band of adventurers under the permafrost of Antarctica, beneath the surface of American history, and behind one of literature’s great mysteries. “Outrageously entertaining, [ Pym ] brilliantly re-imagines and extends Edgar Allan Poe’s enigmatic and unsettling Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket . . . . Part social satire, part meditation on race in America, part metafiction and, just as important, a rollicking fantasy adventure . . . reminiscent of Philip Roth in its seemingly effortless blend of the serious, comic and fantastic.”—Michael Dirda, The Washington Post “Blisteringly funny.”—Laura Miller, Salon “Relentlessly entertaining.” —The New York Times Book Review “Imagine Kurt Vonnegut having a beer with Ralph Ellison and Jules Verne.”— Vanity Fair “Screamingly funny . . . Reading Pym is like opening a big can of whoop-ass and then marveling—gleefully—at all the mayhem that ensues.”— Houston Chronicle
18
The Kindest LieNancy Johnson
Recommended by O Magazine * GMA * Elle * Marie Claire * Good Housekeeping * NBC News * Shondaland * Chicago Tribune * Woman's Day * Refinery 29 * Bustle * The Millions * New York Post * Parade * Hello! Magazine * PopSugar * and more! “The Kindest Lie is a deep dive into how we define family, what it means to be a mother, and what it means to grow up Black...beautifully crafted.” —JODI PICOULT "A fantastic story...well-written, timely, and oh-so-memorable."—Good Morning America “The Kindest Lie is a layered, complex exploration of race and class." —The Washington Post Every family has its secrets... It’s 2008, and the inauguration of President Barack Obama ushers in a new kind of hope. In Chicago, Ruth Tuttle, an Ivy-League educated Black engineer, is married to a kind and successful man. He’s eager to start a family, but Ruth is uncertain. She has never gotten over the baby she gave birth to—and was forced to leave behind—when she was a teenager. She had promised her family she’d never look back, but Ruth knows that to move forward, she must make peace with the past. Returning home, Ruth discovers the Indiana factory town of her youth is plagued by unemployment, racism, and despair. As she begins digging into the past, she unexpectedly befriends Midnight, a young white boy who is also adrift and looking for connection. Just as Ruth is about to uncover a burning secret her family desperately wants to keep hidden, a heart-stopping incident strains the town’s already searing racial tensions, sending Ruth and Midnight on a collision course that could upend both their lives. Powerful and unforgettable, The Kindest Lie is the story of an American family and reveals the secrets we keep and the promises we make to protect one another.
19
Rebecca, Not BeckyChristine Platt & Catherine Wigginton Greene
In the vein of Such a Fun Age, a whip-smart, compulsively readable novel about two upper-class stay-at-home mothers—one white, one Black—living in a "perfect" suburb that explores motherhood, friendship, and the true meaning of sisterhood amidst the backdrop of America’s all-too-familiar racial reckoning. De’Andrea Whitman, her husband Malik, and their five-year-old daughter, Nina, are new to the upper-crust white suburb of Rolling Hills, Virginia—a move motivated by circumstance rather than choice. De’Andrea is heartbroken to leave her comfortable life in the Black oasis of Atlanta, and between her mother-in-law’s Alzheimer's diagnosis, her daughter starting kindergarten, and the overwhelming whiteness of Rolling Hills, she finds herself struggling to adjust to her new community. To ease the transition, her therapist proposes a challenge: make a white girlfriend. When Rebecca Myland learns about her new neighbors, the Whitmans, she's thrilled. As chair of the Parent Diversity Committee at her daughters’ school, she’s championed racial diversity in the community—and what could be better than a brand-new Black family? It’s serendipitous when her daughter, Isabella, and Nina become best friends on the first day of kindergarten. Now, Rebecca can put everything she’s learned about antiracism into practice—especially those oh-so-informative social media posts. And finally, the Parent Diversity Committee will have some… well, diversity. Following her therapist’s suggestion, De’Andrea reluctantly joins Rebecca’s committee. The painfully earnest white woman is so overly eager it makes De’Andrea wonder if Rebecca’s therapist told her to make a Black friend! But when Rolling Hill’s rising racial sentiments bring the two women together in common cause, they find it isn’t the only thing they have in common. . . .
20
Full Figured 18Monica Walters & Treasure Hernandez
In the latest installment of the Full Figured series, Monica Walters and Treasure Hernandez introduce readers to two full-figured beauties who are as different as night and day. One is a good girl who’s swept off her feet with an unexpected romance. The other is a vivacious diva looking for a sexy adventure. Love Won’t Let Me Wait by Monica Walters: Giánni’s past is riddled with failed relationships and broken hearts, so she has chosen to focus on her self-worth instead. However, when she finds herself just going through the motions in her job, she feels the need for some entertainment. A new customer’s flirtatious advances might just offer her a new way to occupy her downtime. When Ford decided to skip out on a four-year degree to become a truck driver, his parents were sorely disappointed, but Ford believes there is potential in trucking, so he isn’t giving up on his dream. When he heads to a local bank for financial assistance, he isn’t prepared for the curveball life throws at him. This ball of curves is professional, fiery, and gorgeous, and Ford is determined to make her his no matter the cost. Giánni isn’t prepared for what having Ford in her life can lead to, and she’s taken aback by how fast it progresses. Will Ford be able to convince her that he can meet her exactly where she is, or will his aggressive attempts at loving her prove to be too much for her to handle? Plus One by Treasure Hernandez: In Bae’s world, there’s only room for one voluptuous, sexy diva. Well, at least in her circle of friends, anyway. Then her friend Giselle brings a “plus one” to Bae’s book release party and invites her on their all-girl getaway to Saint Martin. Bae might think there’s no room for another thick and curvy member in her clique, but does the same go for her bed? Five vivacious women go on an all-expenses-paid luxury vacation in the Caribbean. It’s a trip full of sisterhood, shenanigans, and plenty of full-figured sexiness. Open your mind and throw caution to the wind as you experience one of the most memorable Full-Figured tales yet.
21
OreoFran Ross
A pioneering, dazzling satire about a biracial black girl from Philadelphia searching for her Jewish father in New York City Oreo is raised by her maternal grandparents in Philadelphia. Her black mother tours with a theatrical troupe, and her Jewish deadbeat dad disappeared when she was an infant, leaving behind a mysterious note that triggers her quest to find him. What ensues is a playful, modernized parody of the classical odyssey of Theseus with a feminist twist, immersed in seventies pop culture, and mixing standard English, black vernacular, and Yiddish with wisecracking aplomb. Oreo, our young hero, navigates the labyrinth of sound studios and brothels and subway tunnels in Manhattan, seeking to claim her birthright while unwittingly experiencing and triggering a mythic journey of self-discovery like no other.
22
By Her Own DesignPiper Huguley
The incredible untold story of how Ann Lowe, a Black woman and granddaughter of slaves, rose above personal struggles and racial prejudice to design and create one of America's most famous wedding dresses of all time for Jackie Kennedy. 1953, New York City Less than a week before the society wedding of the year where Jacqueline Bouvier will marry John F. Kennedy, a pipe bursts at Ann Lowe’s dress shop and ruins eleven dresses, including the expensive wedding dress, a dress that will be judged by thousands. A Black designer who has fought every step of the way, Ann knows this is only one struggle after a lifetime of them. She and her seamstresses will find the way to re-create the dresses. It may take all day and all night for the next week to accomplish the task, but they will do it. 1918, Tampa Raised in Jim Crow Alabama, Ann learned the art of sewing from her mother and her grandmother, a former slave, who are the most talented seamstresses in the state. After Ann elopes at twelve with an older man who soon proves himself to be an abusive alcoholic, her dreams of becoming a celebrated designer seem to be put on hold. But then a wealthy Tampa socialite sees Ann’s talent and offers her an amazing opportunity—the chance to sew and design clothing for Florida’s society elite. Taking her young son in the middle of the night, Ann escapes her husband and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. Based on the true story of one of the most famous designers of the twenties through the sixties who has since been unjustly forgotten, By Her Own Design is an unforgettable novel of determination despite countless obstacles and a triumph celebrated by the world.
23
Love On The Low 5Mia Black
This should be the happiest time of their lives, but Mika and Royce’s life is full of turmoil behind the scenes. While Mika blissfully plans their wedding, Royce keeps an eye on what’s happening in the streets. With the new arrival of Trill, a new enemy working so hard to make a name for himself in the drug game, a turf war has made it almost impossible for Royce to continue with his plans to step away. And Mika has no idea how bad things have gotten. As Trill ramps up his efforts, Royce knows it’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt. He just hopes that no one he cares about will get caught in the crossfire.
24
The Sweetness of Water (Oprah's Book Club)Nathan Harris
An Instant New York Times bestseller / An Oprah’s Book Club Pick In the spirit of The Known World and The Underground Railroad , an award-winning “miraculous debut” ( Washington Post ) about the unlikely bond between two freedmen who are brothers and the Georgia farmer whose alliance will alter their lives, and his, forever In the waning days of the Civil War, brothers Prentiss and Landry—freed by the Emancipation Proclamation—seek refuge on the homestead of George Walker and his wife, Isabelle. The Walkers, wracked by the loss of their only son to the war, hire the brothers to work their farm, hoping through an unexpected friendship to stanch their grief. Prentiss and Landry, meanwhile, plan to save money for the journey north and a chance to reunite with their mother, who was sold away when they were boys. Parallel to their story runs a forbidden romance between two Confederate soldiers. The young men, recently returned from the war to the town of Old Ox, hold their trysts in the woods. But when their secret is discovered, the resulting chaos, including a murder, unleashes convulsive repercussions on the entire community. In the aftermath of so much turmoil, it is Isabelle who emerges as an unlikely leader, proffering a healing vision for the land and for the newly free citizens of Old Ox. With candor and sympathy, debut novelist Nathan Harris creates an unforgettable cast of characters, depicting Georgia in the violent crucible of Reconstruction. Equal parts beauty and terror, as gripping as it is moving, The Sweetness of Water is an epic whose grandeur locates humanity and love amid the most harrowing circumstances. One of President Obama's Favorite Books of 2021 Winner of the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence Winner of the Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction Winner of the Writers’ League of Texas Book Award for Fiction Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize Shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize Shortlisted for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award Longlisted for the 2022 Carnegie Medal for Excellence Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize Longlisted for the Crook’s Corner Book Prize A Best Book of the Year: Oprah Daily, NPR, Washington Post, Time, Boston Globe , Smithsonian, Chicago Public Library, BookBrowse, and the Oregonian A N ew York Times Book Review Editors' Choice A July 2021 Indie Next Pick
25
Black HamptonsCarl Weber & La Jill Hunt
Now a NAACP-nominated Limited Series on BET! Hidden away near the end of Long Island, New York, is a community where affluent African Americans, their friends, and the wannabes have secretly vacationed for more than 75 years. Unlike the bluffs of Martha’s Vineyard, black folks here own five miles of prime beachfront. With a mix of legacy families, new money, hangers-on, and thirsty developers, drama can never be far behind in a place called . . . the BLACK HAMPTONS . The Brittonsare the owners of Amistad Bank, the nation’s largest minority-owned bank. They consider themselves the “First Family” of the Black Hamptons and have owned their estate home for three generations. Their matriarch, Carolyn Britton, and her two sons, Malcolm and Martin, are not to be played with. They truly embody the Black Hamptons’ old guard and will do whatever they feel is necessary to maintain their place at the top. The Johnsons are relatively new to the Black Hamptons, having summered there only five years. Sometimes they still feel like outsiders, but that might be because Anthony Johnson is viewed as competition by the Brittons. He’s the handsome CEO of Sydney Tech, a company he built from the ground up. Many people consider him the most powerful man in the Black Hamptons, but don’t say that around the Britton boys. When a piece of land comes up for sale in this exclusive community, it sparks a war between the Brittons and the Johnsons. It’s old money versus new money, and neither family seems willing to compromise. Will the tension between them shatter any hopes of a peaceful summer?
26
MaameJessica George
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! • A Today Show #ReadWithJenna Book Club Pick • A February 2023 Indie Next Pick " Sparkling." — The New York Times "An utterly charming and deeply moving portrait of the joys — and the guilt — of trying to find your own way in life." — Celeste Ng, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Our Missing Hearts "Lively, funny, poignant . . . Prepare to fall in love with Maddie. I did!" — Bonnie Garmus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman. It’s fair to say that Maddie’s life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson’s. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting. So when her mum returns from her latest trip, Maddie seizes the chance to move out of the family home and finally start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she’s ready to experience some important “firsts”: She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But when tragedy strikes, Maddie is forced to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils—and rewards—of putting her heart on the line. Smart, funny, and affecting, Jessica George's Maame deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love, and the life-saving power of friendship. Most important, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures―and it celebrates finally being able to find where you belong. "Meeting Maame feels like falling in love for the first time: warm, awkward, joyous, a little bit heartbreaking and, most of all, unforgettable." — Xochitl Gonzalez, New York Times bestselling author of Olga Dies Dreaming
27
The Real Dopeboyz of Atlanta 2Myss Shan
Poetic knew that when her family found out what she's been up to, things would not be easy, but what she never expected was for her twin sister Lyric to completely turn everyone against her. Now being completely exiled, Poetic is pushed further into the arms of Ahmeen. The love between them only intensifies when Poe has no one else to turn to but Ahmeen. He treats her like non-other than the Queen she is. The bond she is has with him is more than she could've imagined, especially when The Shakur family takes in her with open arms. Things are blissful but when Poe finds out that her big brother Maino is in trouble, she's unable to turn her back on him like he did her, ultimately putting her relationship and life at risk. Ahmeen took four bullets all from his flesh and blood Moni. Moni never expected for Ahmeen to walk away but to his dismay, not only did he, but he's came out stronger and with a heart of vengeance. There isn't anywhere safe that Moni can go with Ahmeen on his trail...but witness protection. Ahmeen tries his hardest to move on with his life and continue ringing bells in the streets. Now more richer, more respected, and more known than ever, Ahmeen is dealing with knowing that his product is becoming internationally known. With the love of his life by his side, and a me baby on the way, Ahmeen is living every man's dream. The only problem is, he still hasn't told Poe about Kiani. Scared that he will lose Poe, Ahmeen continues to keep his son secret, only digging himself deeper into the grave. Not only that, he still has Maino gunning for him and when the Mexican cartel approaches him will he accept the offer to rid of Maino for them? Maino must now deal with decisions he's made when the head of Mexican Cartel come for answers about his daughter Eve.
28
The Thread CollectorsShaunna J. Edwards & Alyson Richman
“An unforgettable story of female strength, hope and friendship. This collaborative work is magnificent—a true revelation!” —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman with the Blue Star “A brilliant story brimming with unexpected friendships and family ties. Historically sound and beautifully stitched, The Thread Collectors will stay with you long after the last page is turned.” —Sadeqa Johnson, international bestselling author of Yellow Wife 1863: In a small Creole cottage in New Orleans, an ingenious young Black woman named Stella embroiders intricate maps on repurposed cloth to help enslaved men flee and join the Union Army. Bound to a man who would kill her if he knew of her clandestine activities, Stella has to hide not only her efforts but her love for William, a Black soldier and a brilliant musician. Meanwhile, in New York City, a Jewish woman stitches a quilt for her husband, who is stationed in Louisiana with the Union Army. Between abolitionist meetings, Lily rolls bandages and crafts quilts with her sewing circle for other soldiers, too, hoping for their safe return home. But when months go by without word from her husband, Lily resolves to make the perilous journey South to search for him. As these two women risk everything for love and freedom during the brutal Civil War, their paths converge in New Orleans, where an unexpected encounter leads them to discover that even the most delicate threads have the capacity to save us. Loosely inspired by the authors' family histories, this stunning novel will stay with readers for a long time.
29
Kingpin Wifeys Part 4: Jada's StoryK. Elliott
King Pin Wifeys, Part 4 is three times as long. At the end of Part 3 Jada made a major mistake. Will her lies finally catch up with her? Sharmari is dealing with major financial issues that will force him to do some things he wouldn't ordinary do to keep up his lifestyle. Will Jada stick by her man. Also the feud between Chris and Black is getting nastier. Will Lani pick a side? Who will she be loyal to? Starr and Trey went to jail in part 3. But who set them up? Will they face charges? In Part 4 K.Elliott takes you on a rollercoaster ride with the usual twist and turns that promises 'drama on every single page'. KingPin Wifeys 4 the best yet!
30
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?Crystal Smith Paul
REESE'S BOOK CLUB MAY 2023 PICK BOOK OF THE MONTH MAY 2023 PICK A multigenerational saga that traverses the glamour of old Hollywood and the seductive draw of modern-day showbiz When Kitty Karr Tate, a White icon of the silver screen, dies and bequeaths her multimillion-dollar estate to the St. John sisters, three young, wealthy Black women, it prompts questions. Lots of questions. A celebrity in her own right, Elise St. John would rather focus on sorting out Kitty’s affairs than deal with the press. But what she discovers in one of Kitty’s journals rocks her world harder than any other brewing scandal could—and between a cheating fiancé and the fallout from a controversial social media post, there are plenty. The truth behind Kitty's ascent to stardom from her beginnings in the segregated South threatens to expose a web of unexpected family ties, debts owed, and debatable crimes that could, with one pull, unravel the all-American fabric of the St. John sisters and those closest to them. As Elise digs deeper into Kitty's past, she must also turn the lens upon herself, confronting the gifts and burdens of her own choices and the power that the secrets of the dead hold over the living. Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? is a sprawling page-turner set against the backdrop of the Hollywood machine, an insightful and nuanced look at the inheritances of family, race, and gender—and the choices some women make to break free of them.
31
The Cartel Deluxe EditionAshley & JaQuavis
The port of Miami brings in millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine every year, and the Cartel controls eighty percent of it. The Diamond family is a force to be reckoned with, but all hell breaks loose when they lose their leader. The most ruthless gangster Miami has ever seen, Carter Diamond, leaves behind a wife, twin sons, a daughter, and a secret. The secret is his illegitimate son, Carter Jones. When young Carter learns of his father’s death, he comes to town and is introduced to the legacy of the Cartel Miamor is a woman who uses her beauty to enhance her skill as a contract killer. She is the leader of The Murder Mamas. When her crew is hired to take down the Cartel, they get caught slipping, and Miamor loses her sister in the process. She is determined to get revenge. Unknowingly, she meets the son of Carter Diamond, and he immediately catches her heart. She is sleeping with the enemy, and when she finds out, she is torn between love and revenge. Thus begins the saga of the Cartel, the New York Times bestselling series by street lit superstars Ashley & Jaquavis . Every book in the series is full of their trademark fast-paced drama, deceit, and plot twists that will leave you shocked. Now fans can relive the story of the Diamond family in this deluxe edition, with books one through three all under one cover.
32
Everything's FineCecilia Rabess
An “extraordinarily brave…funny as hell” (Zakiya Dalila Harris, author of The Other Black Girl ) debut and a “subtle, ironic, wise, state-of-the-nation novel” (Nick Hornby) that doesn’t just ask will they, but…should they? On Jess’s first day at Goldman Sachs, she’s less than thrilled to learn she’ll be on the same team as Josh, her white, conservative sparring partner from college. Josh loves playing the devil’s advocate and is just…the worst. But when Jess finds herself the sole Black woman on the floor, overlooked and underestimated, it’s Josh who shows up for her in surprising—if imperfect—ways. Before long, an unlikely friendship—one tinged with undeniable chemistry—forms between the two. A friendship that gradually, and then suddenly, turns into an electrifying romance that shocks them both. Despite their differences, the force of their attraction propels the relationship forward, and Jess begins to question whether it’s more important to be happy than right. But then, it’s 2016, and the cultural and political landscape shifts underneath them. And Jess, who is just beginning to discover who she is and who she has the right to be, is forced to ask herself what she’s willing to compromise for love and whether, in fact, everything’s fine. A stunning debut about “a love affair that turns inferno” ( People ), Everything’s Fine is a poignant and sharp novel that you won’t soon forget.
33
Their Eyes Were Watching GodZora Neale Hurston
A PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick “A deeply soulful novel that comprehends love and cruelty, and separates the big people from the small of heart, without ever losing sympathy for those unfortunates who don’t know how to live properly.” —Zadie Smith One of the most important and enduring books of the twentieth century, Their Eyes Were Watching God brings to life a Southern love story with the wit and pathos found only in the writing of Zora Neale Hurston. Out of print for almost thirty years—due largely to initial audiences’ rejection of its strong black female protagonist—Hurston’s classic has since its 1978 reissue become perhaps the most widely read and highly acclaimed novel in the canon of African-American literature.
34
White Lines III: All Falls DownTracy Brown
The ultimate love story began in White Lines, and now, in this stunning conclusion, Jada and Born come full circle, but not without paying a hefty price in White Lines III: All Falls Down by Tracy Brown. On the surface, Jada's life is back on track. She's battled her demons, her son is a permanent part of her life-and yet, it still feels like she's on shaky ground. What she really needs to settle her soul is to have Born back in her life-and in her arms-again. But reuniting with the man she loves is proving to be the hardest thing she's ever fought for. And when a brutal and shocking event tests the foundation of Jada and Born's resolve, it will take every drop of willpower they possess to stay on top.
35
Only For A Boss 3Mia Black
Trouble arises for Nia when her cousin Tamika goes missing. With their lives spiraling out of control, she’ll have to trust that Jason knows how to find her. Jason knows exactly what happened to Tamika and understands how much danger she’s in, but can he save her without revealing the truth about his past and destroying what he and Nia have built together?
36
Love On The Low 9Mia Black
Mika’s troubles should be over now that Trill is gone, but unfortunately for her, his death has created more problems for her. The police want answers and are willing to go to extremes to get them, even if that means trying to intimidate Mika to get them. As Royce fights for his freedom, Mika fights to hold him down on the outside and lean on trusted friends to get them through the latest challenge. With so much strain on the psyches and strain on their relationship, can they hold things together and find their way out of this nightmare?
37
Love on the Low 3Mia Black
Mika knew things would get complicated when she decided to sleep with Royce, but she never realized how difficult things would become for them. Royce is used to bad situations, but he didn’t think sneaking around with Mika behind Lacresha’s back cause as much trouble as it has. Now, they have a big decision to make. Their secret relationship isn’t the only problem they’ll face if they reveal their relationship. Lacresha has a secret of her own.
38
HomegoingYaa Gyasi
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE'S JOHN LEONARD PRIZE • WINNER OF THE PEN / HEMINGWAY AWARD FOR DEBUT FICTION • Ghana, eighteenth century: two half sisters are born into different villages, each unaware of the other. One will marry an Englishman and lead a life of comfort in the palatial rooms of the Cape Coast Castle. The other will be captured in a raid on her village, imprisoned in the very same castle, and sold into slavery. One of Oprah’s Best Books of the Year, Homegoing follows the parallel paths of these sisters and their descendants through eight generations: from the Gold Coast to the plantations of Mississippi, from the American Civil War to Jazz Age Harlem. Yaa Gyasi’s extraordinary novel illuminates slavery’s troubled legacy both for those who were taken and those who stayed—and shows how the memory of captivity has been inscribed on the soul of our nation.
39
PimpIceberg Slim
“[In Pimp ], Iceberg Slim breaks down some of the coldest, capitalist concepts I’ve ever heard in my life.” —Dave Chappelle, from his Nextflix special The Bird Revelation Pimp sent shockwaves throughout the literary world when it published in 1969. Iceberg Slim’s autobiographical novel offered readers a never-before-seen account of the sex trade, and an unforgettable look at the mores of Chicago’s street life during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. In the preface, Slim says it best, “In this book, I will take you, the reader, with me into the secret inner world of the pimp.” An immersive experience unlike anything before it, Pimp would go on to sell millions of copies, with translations throughout the world. And it would have a profound impact upon generations of writers, entertainers, and filmmakers, making it the classic hustler’s tale that never seems to go out of style.
40
I Almost Forgot About YouTerry McMillan
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The bestselling author of How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Waiting To Exhale is back with the inspiring story of a woman who shakes things up in her life to find greater meaning NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY LIBRARY JOURNAL In I Almost Forgot About You , Dr. Georgia Young's wonderful life—great friends, family, and successful career—aren't enough to keep her from feeling stuck and restless. When she decides to make some major changes in her life, including quitting her job as an optometrist and moving house, she finds herself on a wild journey that may or may not include a second chance at love. Georgia’s bravery reminds us that it’s never too late to become the person you want to be, and that taking chances, with your life and your heart, are always worthwhile. Big-hearted, genuine, and universal, I Almost Forgot About You shows what can happen when you face your fears, take a chance, and open yourself up to life, love, and the possibility of a new direction. It’s everything you’ve always loved about Terry McMillan. Praise for I Almost Forgot About You “McMillan paints relationships in joyous primary colors; her novel brims with sexy repartee, caustic humor, and a fluent, assured prose that shines a bright light on her memorable characters. Her very best since Waiting to Exhale .” — O: The Oprah Magazine “The novel is immensely companionable, and Georgia is as alive, complex, inquiring, motivated and sexy as any twenty-five-year-old. Maybe more so.” — The New York Times Book Review “Self-discovery, second chances and the importance of family are thematic hallmarks of McMillan’s novels. . . . I Almost Forgot About You checks all the boxes.” — Washington Post “McMillan is funny and frank about men, women and sex. Her summaries of Georgia’s marriages and major love connections . . . are powerful and poetic.” — USA Today “Reading a Terry McMillan book feels like catching up with an old friend. . . . I Almost Forgot About You is a book that is important for readers of every age.” — Ebony
41
I Won't CryShaquanda Dalton
From Best Selling Author of "When Love Hurts" comes part 2 of the dramatic love story. Jessica has survived her abusive relationship with Chris, but now she's pregnant with his child. After being thrown out of his apartment and being left homeless, Jessica is determined to keep her independence from him. Even if it means being temporarily dependent on her two best friends Jaylen and his brother Malcolm. But Jessica has another problem. When Jessica's baby is born Chris refuses to claim he's the father and Jessica now has to prove that he is. But what happens when the paternity test come back and it's not what anyone expected? Is it possible that she could be wrong about true father of her child? Turn the pages and join Jessica as she tries to keep her life from falling into shambles all over again.
42
The Water DancerTa-Nehisi Coates
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • From the National Book Award–winning author of Between the World and Me, a boldly conjured debut novel about a magical gift, a devastating loss, and an underground war for freedom. “This potent book about America’s most disgraceful sin establishes [Ta-Nehisi Coates] as a first-rate novelist.”— San Francisco Chronicle IN DEVELOPMENT AS A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE • Adapted by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Kamilah Forbes, directed by Nia DaCosta, and produced by MGM, Plan B, and Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films NOMINATED FOR THE NAACP IMAGE AWARD • NAMED ONE OF PASTE ’S BEST NOVELS OF THE DECADE • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Time • NPR • The Washington Post • Chicago Tribune • Vanity Fair • Esquire • Good Housekeeping • Paste • Town & Country • The New York Public Library • Kirkus Reviews • Library Journal Young Hiram Walker was born into bondage. When his mother was sold away, Hiram was robbed of all memory of her—but was gifted with a mysterious power. Years later, when Hiram almost drowns in a river, that same power saves his life. This brush with death births an urgency in Hiram and a daring scheme: to escape from the only home he’s ever known. So begins an unexpected journey that takes Hiram from the corrupt grandeur of Virginia’s proud plantations to desperate guerrilla cells in the wilderness, from the coffin of the Deep South to dangerously idealistic movements in the North. Even as he’s enlisted in the underground war between slavers and the enslaved, Hiram’s resolve to rescue the family he left behind endures. This is the dramatic story of an atrocity inflicted on generations of women, men, and children—the violent and capricious separation of families—and the war they waged to simply make lives with the people they loved. Written by one of today’s most exciting thinkers and writers, The Water Dancer is a propulsive, transcendent work that restores the humanity of those from whom everything was stolen. Praise for The Water Dancer “Ta-Nehisi Coates is the most important essayist in a generation and a writer who changed the national political conversation about race with his 2015 memoir, Between the World and Me . So naturally his debut novel comes with slightly unrealistic expectations—and then proceeds to exceed them. The Water Dancer . . . is a work of both staggering imagination and rich historical significance. . . . What’s most powerful is the way Coates enlists his notions of the fantastic, as well as his fluid prose, to probe a wound that never seems to heal. . . . Timeless and instantly canon-worthy.” — Rolling Stone
43
Summer on the BluffsSunny Hostin
New York Times Bestseller! The View cohost and New York Times bestselling author Sunny Hostin dazzles with this brilliant novel about a life-changing summer along the beaches of Martha's Vineyard. Welcome to Oak Bluffs, the most exclusive Black beach community in the country. Known for its gingerbread Victorian-style houses and modern architectural marvels, this picturesque town hugging the sea is a mecca for the crème de la crème of Black society—where Michelle and Barack Obama vacation and Meghan Markle has shopped for a house for her mom. Black people have lived in this pretty slip of the Vineyard since the 1600s and began buying property in the 1800s, making this posh town the embodiment of “old money.” Thirty years ago, Amelia Vaux Tanner and her husband built a house high on the bluffs, a cottage they named Chateau Laveau. For decades, “Ama” played host to American presidents, Wall Street titans, and cultural icons. But her favorite guests have always been her three “goddaughters:” Esperanza “Perry” Soto, a beautiful, talented Afro-Latina lawyer with Ama’s strong, yet guarded personality; Olivia Jones, a gifted Wall Street analyst with Ama’s brilliant, logical mind; and Billie Hayden, a gifted marine biologist and rule-breaker with Ama’s courageous free spirit. Growing up, these three goddaughters from different backgrounds came together each summer at Chateau Laveau. As adults, the cottage is a place this trio of successful yet very different women go to escape, to slow down from their hectic lives, share private time with Ama, and enjoy the gorgeous weather, cool water, and stunning views Oak Bluffs offers. This summer on the Bluffs, however, will be different. An era is ending: Ama, now nearing seventy-one, is moving to the south of France to reunite with her college sweetheart. She has invited Perry, Olivia, and Billie to spend one last golden summer together with her the way they did when they were kids. And when fall comes, she is going to give the house to one of them. Each of the women wants the house desperately. Each is grappling with a secret she fears will hurt her and her chances. By the end of summer, old ties will fray, new bonds will be created, and these three found sisters will discover they aren’t the only ones with something to hide. Ama has a few secrets of her own. What she has to give them is far more than property. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, she will tell these surrogate daughters she fiercely loves and protects everything they never knew they needed to know.
44
Miracle at St. AnnaJames McBride
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Good Lord Bird , winner of the 2013 National Book Award for Fiction, and Deacon King Kong James McBride’s powerful memoir, The Color of Water , was a groundbreaking literary phenomenon that transcended racial and religious boundaries, garnering unprecedented acclaim and topping bestseller lists for more than two years. Now McBride turns his extraordinary gift for storytelling to fiction—in a universal tale of courage and redemption inspired by a little-known historic event. In Miracle at St. Anna , toward the end of World War II, four Buffalo Soldiers from the Army’s Negro 92nd Division find themselves separated from their unit and behind enemy lines. Risking their lives for a country in which they are treated with less respect than the enemy they are fighting, they discover humanity in the small Tuscan village of St. Anna di Stazzema—in the peasants who shelter them, in the unspoken affection of an orphaned child, in a newfound faith in fellow man. And even in the face of unspeakable tragedy, they—and we—learn to see the small miracles of life. This acclaimed novel is now a major motion picture directed by Spike Lee.
45
The Office of Historical CorrectionsDanielle Evans
WINNER OF THE 2021 JOYCE CAROL OATES PRIZE NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2020 BY O MAGAZINE, THE NEW YORKER, THE WASHINGTON POST , REAL SIMPLE, THE GUARDIAN, AND MORE FINALIST FOR: THE STORY PRIZE, THE L.A. TIMES BOOK PRIZE, THE ASPEN WORDS LITERARY PRIZE, THE CHAUTAUQUA PRIZE “Sublime short stories of race, grief, and belonging . . . an extraordinary new collection . . .” — The New Yorker “Evans’s new stories present rich plots reflecting on race relations, grief, and love . . .” — The New York Times Book Review , Editor’s Choice “Danielle Evans demonstrates, once again, that she is the finest short story writer working today.” —Roxane Gay, The New York Times –bestselling author of Difficult Women and Bad Feminist The award-winning author of Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self brings her signature voice and insight to the subjects of race, grief, apology, and American history. Danielle Evans is widely acclaimed for her blisteringly smart voice and X-ray insights into complex human relationships. With The Office of Historical Corrections , Evans zooms in on particular moments and relationships in her characters’ lives in a way that allows them to speak to larger issues of race, culture, and history. She introduces us to Black and multiracial characters who are experiencing the universal confusions of lust and love, and getting walloped by grief—all while exploring how history haunts us, personally and collectively. Ultimately, she provokes us to think about the truths of American history—about who gets to tell them, and the cost of setting the record straight. In “Boys Go to Jupiter,” a white college student tries to reinvent herself after a photo of her in a Confederate-flag bikini goes viral. In “Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain,” a photojournalist is forced to confront her own losses while attending an old friend’s unexpectedly dramatic wedding. And in the eye-opening title novella, a black scholar from Washington, DC, is drawn into a complex historical mystery that spans generations and puts her job, her love life, and her oldest friendship at risk.
46
Mules and MenZora Neale Hurston
Zora Neale Hurston brings us Black America’s folklore as only she can, putting the oral history on the written page with grace and understanding. This new edition of Mules and Men features a new cover and a P.S. section which includes insights, interviews, and more. For the student of cultural history, Mules and Men is a treasury of Black America’s folklore as collected by Zora Neale Hurston, the storyteller and anthropologist who grew up hearing the songs and sermons, sayings and tall tales that have formed and oral history of the South since the time of slavery. Set intimately within the social context of Black life, the stories, “big old lies,” songs, voodoo customs, and superstitions recorded in these pages capture the imagination and bring back to life the humor and wisdom that is the unique heritage of Black Americans.
47
The Plug Next Door 3Sol
In The Plug Next Door 3 all the secrets are revealed. Last time God spoke to Reese, he ended up fainting at Sloan's house. It sounded like his girlfriend was going to tell him that his daughter had died, but there's no telling. One things for sure, if God loses his child, there will be hell to pay. That said, will he and Reese be able to weather the storm of his darkest hour? Alexa's stripping ways have finally caught up to her. Now that Young knows the truth, what's going to happen between them? Are the two going to be able to get past this or have too many lines been crossed? Nas and Vasii seem to be the only two who can get it right. They're a picture perfect couple until a mysterious voicemail pops up, threatening to shatter their happiness. What happens when you find out that the person you love isn't who you thought they were? Find out the answers to all of your questions in The Plug Next Door 3.
48
Cane RiverLalita Tademy
A New York Times bestseller and Oprah's Book Club Pick-the unique and deeply moving saga of four generations of African-American women whose journey from slavery to freedom begins on a Creole plantation in Louisiana. Beginning with her great-great-great-great grandmother, a slave owned by a Creole family, Lalita Tademy chronicles four generations of strong, determined black women as they battle injustice to unite their family and forge success on their own terms. They are women whose lives begin in slavery, who weather the Civil War, and who grapple with contradictions of emancipation, Jim Crow, and the pre-Civil Rights South. As she peels back layers of racial and cultural attitudes, Tademy paints a remarkable picture of rural Louisiana and the resilient spirit of one unforgettable family. There is Elisabeth, who bears both a proud legacy and the yoke of bondage... her youngest daughter, Suzette, who is the first to discover the promise-and heartbreak-of freedom... Suzette's strong-willed daughter Philomene, who uses a determination born of tragedy to reunite her family and gain unheard-of economic independence... and Emily, Philomene's spirited daughter, who fights to secure her children's just due and preserve their dignity and future. Meticulously researched and beautifully written, Cane River presents a slice of American history never before seen in such piercing and personal detail.
49
A Lady & Her SireCharmanie Saquea
After moving to Virginia to start her life over, the last thing Lady was looking for was love. Things changed when she was introduced to the rude, slick talking, smart mouthed, Sire. Feelings that she never thought she would experience again came rushing back and she knew she would never be able to shake him. Sire is known as one of Richmond's richest right along with his best friend, Toine. He was every hood girls' dream man and with a failing relationship on the line, it seemed as if Lady walked into his life right on time. Or did she? When skeletons from Lady's past come back to haunt her in the worst way possible, will Sire be her knight in hood armor? Or will the deceit be too much for him to handle?
50
Loving The Wrong Man 4Mia Black
After all they been through, Jazmine and Evan are now faced with a life altering event, that could end their budding romance forever. Find out what happens in the final installment of Loving The Wrong Man!
51
In Love with Danger 2Toya Banks
Shayla doesn’t know what to believe after receiving a mysterious warning. Can she trust the person who sent the email and be on high alert? Or should she ignore the warnings and focus on her budding relationship with Aaron? He’s been nothing but good to her and it wouldn’t be the first time someone tried to stop her happiness, but the person who sent her the warning might know her as well as she knows herself. Find out what happens in part two of In Love With Danger!
52
The Cartel 3Ashley & JaQuavis
The Cartel has come full circle with this fast-paced, groundbreaking novel, the finale to the hit series by New York Times bestsellers Ashley & JaQuavis. Miamor is fighting for her life in the belly of the beast. She's been kidnapped, and she's staring death in the eye. Is the reign over for the head of the Murda Mamas? Carter is in federal custody and leaves the Diamond Empire to Zyir and Mecca. When the past comes back to haunt Mecca and the truth finally comes to light, will The Cartel rise or fall? Breeze is in the clutches of the crazed Ma'tee, and she desperately searches for a way out. Will she escape, or die his love slave? The answers to these questions lie inside the pages of Cartel 3: The Final Chapter. Open it to discover the shocking truth, and prepare yourself for the unpredictable conclusion of one of the best street series of all time.
53
The Plug Next Door 5Sol
Life has never been better for God and Reese. Between introducing their son to the world, gaining a new daughter in Summer, and preparing to wed, everything seems perfect. That is, until Reese finds out that her future husband is keeping a huge secret. Will God's deception bring them closer together or break them apart for good? Done with pole dancing, Alexa joins the Army to find herself as well as secure a career that she can be proud of. She leaves New York and everything connected to it behind as she starts her new journey in the military. The only problem with her moving on is that someone in her past isn't ready to let go. Young is finding it hard to pick up the pieces of his life. With his twin brother, Nas, in jail and his one true love gone to serve the country, he's lonelier than ever. He seeks comfort in the arms of several women, but one girl in particular, Erin, is quickly stealing his heart. Will he finally be able to get over Alexa, or is his latest relationship only a temporary fix for the real thing? Loso and Summer are trying to make their relationship work while at the same time, keeping it a secret from God. Summer is afraid of what might happen if she tells her dad that she's been sleeping with his worker, but as the old saying goes... what's done in the dark always comes to the light. If there's one thing that all of these couples have in common, it's enemies. There's always someone lurking around the corner trying to take the next person’s place. With snakes gunning for everyone's head, who makes it out alive and who bites the dust? And more importantly, will love be enough to keep them all together once all secrets and enemies are revealed?
54
Rozalyn 6Myss Shan
Rozalyn and Tamar are back for this final installment in the Rozalyn series. Rozalyn is now facing the hardest time of her life after taking the life of her once best friend Latoya. If that isn't enough, Tamar still isn't ready to be the man that Rozalyn needs him to be and after all they've been through, she's ready to give up. Tamar has been hit with some of the greatest news of his life. He's finally at a point where nothing or no one can stop him from staying on the top where he belongs. But what happens when Rozalyn, and the new woman in his life that he's grown to care deeply about, pulls him in two different directions. With the demands they are giving him, Tamar knows that he has to make a choice. But will it be the right choice or will it be too late? With everyone close to Tamar gone, he's forced to build a new team; Kevin, Black, and Neek are ready to put in work and get money with Tamar. But with Kayla on Kevin's back about a new drama-filled situation that arises, Kevin is finding it hard to keep focused on everything that's in front of him and is contemplating walking away for good. Neek, Starr's husband is doing everything possible to keep his wife happy. After catching Starr in a compromising position and breaking things off with her, they are now ready to patch things up and make their relationship work for the sake of their daughter. With this new opportunity in front of them, there is no way things couldn't go right. But will all Neek's efforts be too little too late? The couple you love are have brought back some familiar faces you've seen before and the drama has never been this intense. Will Tamar and Rozalyn get their happily ever after and if so, will it be with each other? Will Kayla ever get the chance to walk down the aisle? And will Starr and Neek's marriage be able to withstand everything that's thrown at them?
55
The Cigar FactoryMichele Moore
Two women kept apart by segregation at a Southern cigar factory forge a powerful alliance in the labor rights movement in this historical novel. With evocative dialect and remarkable prose, The Cigar Factory tells the story of two entwined families—the white McGonegals and the African American Ravenels—in the storied port city of Charleston, South Carolina, during the World Wars. Moore’s novel follows the parallel lives of family matriarchs working on segregated floors of the massive Charleston cigar factory, where white and black workers remain divided and misinformed about the duties and treatment received by each other. Cassie McGonegal and her niece Brigid work upstairs in the factory rolling cigars by hand. Meliah Amey Ravenel works in the basement, where she stems the tobacco. While both suffer in the harsh working conditions of the factory and endure the sexual harassment of the foremen, segregation keeps them from recognizing their common plight until the Tobacco Workers Strike of 1945. Through the experience of a brutal picket line, the two women discover how much they stand to gain by joining forces, creating a powerful moment in labor history that gives rise to the Civil Rights anthem, “We Shall Overcome.” Moore’s historical research includes interviews with family members who worked at the cigar factory, adding nuance and authenticity to her empowering story of struggle, loss, and redemption. Foreword by New York Times best-selling author Pat Conroy Winner of the 2016 David J. Langum, Sr. Prize
56
Falling For His Savage LoveK.A. Williams
All mistakes aren’t final... Over four years ago Goddess found herself in an affair that spiraled out of control, which left her to provide for herself and the growing fetus inside of her. Her pride and joy Journey is now four years old and with him becoming older and bills growing larger, Goddess makes the decision to join her friend Rida as an exotic dancer in Atlanta, GA—a gig so big, Goddess starts making more money than she ever imagined. But Goddess has always been a reckless person and makes unwise decisions—she manages to stumble in the arms of a heartless outlaw by the name of Pete. Pete comes with his own set of problems. When he’s involved with a woman, his controlling side always comes out—and sometimes the only way he allows them to leave him is through death. On the other side of town, her boss Omarion Solis runs the show in the ATL and owns the biggest strip club in the state. But before his rise to wealth Omarion did time behind bars and when he rejoined the general population, he had to own up and play daddy to his nephew, Josh. After years of dealing with his nephew’s stupid decisions, Omarion decides to wash his hands, but when Josh starts a mess on the streets, Omarion cleans it up again, but this time a peace offering isn’t an option. Under the surface of tragedies and unwise behavior, Omarion finds himself catching feelings for Goddess and he may be the only man able to save her.
57
Secrets Of A Sugar Baby 8Mia Black
Sierra is out for blood. Specifically, she’s out for Darryl’s blood. If she can’t have him, she refuses to let him have anything he wants, including the good guy reputation he’s worked hard to earn. Darryl hoped he’d be rid of Sierra and her manipulative ways, but deep down, he knows she won’t let go until she feels vindicated. For her, vindication means public ruin and broken hearts. Can he prove Sierra is nothing but a manipulative liar, who thrives off of pain and sorrow, before her malicious threats become reality? Find out what happens in part eight of Secrets Of A Sugar Baby!
58
Every Man a KingWalter Mosley
In this highly anticipated sequel from Edgar Award-winning "master of craft and narrative," Walter Mosley, Joe King Oliver is entangled in a dangerous case when he's asked to investigate whether a white nationalist is being unjustly set up (National Book Foundation). When friend of the family and multi-billionaire Roger Ferris comes to Joe with an assignment, he’s got no choice but to accept, even if the case is a tough one to stomach. White nationalist Alfred Xavier Quiller has been accused of murder and the sale of sensitive information to the Russians. Ferris has reason to believe Quiller’s been set up and he needs King to see if the charges hold. This linear assignment becomes a winding quest to uncover the extent of Quiller’s dealings, to understand Ferris’ skin in the game, and to get to the bottom of who is working for whom. Even with the help of bodyguard and mercenary Oliya Ruez—no regular girl Friday—the machine King’s up against proves relentless and unsparing. As King gets closer to exposing the truth, he and his loved ones barrel towards grave danger. Mosley once again proves himself a "master of craft and narrative" (National Book Foundation) in this carefully plotted mystery that is at once a classic caper, a family saga and an examination of fealty, pride and how deep debt can go. A NYTBR Editors' Choice Selection
59
PropertyValerie Martin
WINNER OF THE ORANGE PRIZE • Set in 1828 on a Louisiana sugar plantation, this novel from the bestselling author of Mary Reilly presents a “fresh, unsentimental look at what slave-owning does to (and for) one's interior life.... The writing—so prised and clean limbed—is a marvel" (Toni Morrison, Nobel Prize-winning author of Beloved ). Manon Gaudet, pretty, bitterly intelligent, and monstrously self-absorbed, seethes under the dominion of her boorish husband. In particular his relationship with her slave Sarah, who is both his victim and his mistress. Exploring the permutations of Manon’s own obsession with Sarah against the backdrop of an impending slave rebellion, Property unfolds with the speed and menace of heat lightning, casting a startling light from the past upon the assumptions we still make about the powerful and powerful.
60
Parable of the TalentsOctavia E. Butler
Originally published in 1998, this shockingly prescient novel's timely message of hope and resistance in the face of fanaticism is more relevant than ever. In 2032, Lauren Olamina has survived the destruction of her home and family, and realized her vision of a peaceful community in northern California based on her newly founded faith, Earthseed. The fledgling community provides refuge for outcasts facing persecution after the election of an ultra-conservative president who vows to "make America great again." In an increasingly divided and dangerous nation, Lauren's subversive colony--a minority religious faction led by a young black woman--becomes a target for President Jarret's reign of terror and oppression. Years later, Asha Vere reads the journals of a mother she never knew, Lauren Olamina. As she searches for answers about her own past, she also struggles to reconcile with the legacy of a mother caught between her duty to her chosen family and her calling to lead humankind into a better future.
61
Men of Valor, Books 1: 3 BoxsetKiru Taye
HIS TREASURE IN A TIME when men ruled their households with firm hands, can a quiet man tame his rebellious wife with persevering love? Love Romances Café Best Book of 2011 Kiru smolders with the sensitivity of the loved in describing this man... An exceptional book, well worth the time, money and frustration.....Sigh! ~ Imagervet (Amazon reviewer) I didn't want the story to end, it was that good. ~ The Wordsmythe (Amazon reviewer) *** HIS STRENGTH WHEN A WARRIOR seeks to claim a free-spirited woman, he soon discovers a tigress unwilling to be caged. Is the hunter about to be hunted? The story is well told, the characters are tight and multi dimensional. ~ PamelaStitch.com I enjoyed the FIERY passion between Ikem and Nneka...their chemistry is totally OFF-THE-CHARTS...and only IGNITED more by their INTENSE and sometimes humorous verbal sparring. ~ Malaika Tamu (Amazon reviewer) *** HIS PRINCESS WITH THE WEIGHT of a kingdom on his shoulders and his honour at stake, can a Prince truly love a slave? I loved the hero, who in a land and time of male dominance, chose to be a man without reproach - a man worth losing one's heart to. ~ Empi Baryeh, author This book was fantastic. Throughout it I kept wondering how the hero and heroine would end up together. When the major revelation came I said, "Hot holy crap" out loud because I didn't see it coming. ~ Nana Prah, author
62
A House DividedDonna Hill
Families always have secrets. And secrets have the power to heal—or hurt. Now beloved author Donna Hill's enthralling novel explores the wrongs we do for the right reasons, and the ways we struggle to reconcile the truth. Journalist Zoie Crawford had to leave New Orleans to finally make her own life. Her grandmother, Claudia, inspired her to follow her dreams—just as her mother, Rose, held on too tight. But with Claudia's passing, Zoie reluctantly returns home, where the past is written in the lonely corners of the bayou and the New South's supercharged corridors of power. And there she discovers a stunning, painstakingly kept secret—one that could skyrocket her career, but destroy another woman’s—and change both their vastly different lives, for better or for much worse. Zoie has always put the truth first. Now, as the line between the personal and professional blurs, and she tries to understand her relatives’ deception, she must face some tough questions. Is there a way to expose the truth and save those you love? And at what cost? Heartfelt, emotional, and revelatory, A House Divided is an unforgettable tale about making the hardest of choices, coming to terms with all you could lose—and finding what forgiveness and family truly mean.
63
Secrets Of A Sugar Baby 5Mia Black
Jae’s opportunity for a happily ever after has finally arrived, but not everyone is as excited as she is. Darryl can’t wait for the day he will make Jae his wife, but he worries that his secrets will be exposed before that happens. Blake wants to do the right thing and let Jae go, but his heart and his wounded ego won’t let him. No matter how hard he tries to stay out of her happy life with Darryl, he can’t, and neither can Darryl’s ex. With so many complicated entanglements and far too many secrets, will Jae and Darryl’s relationship survive? Find out what happens in part five of Secrets Of A Sugar Baby!
64
Candy LickerNoire
She wanted to be a hip-hop star but the streets got in the way. Have you ever laid down with a man and wasn’t sure if you’d ever get back up? Tossed the sheets with a bone-knocking fear that only a hard-core hustler could produce? Sexed him like your life depended on it, because in reality it did? You still with me? Then let’s roll over to my house. Harlem. 145th Street. Grab a seat and brace yourself as I show you the kind of pain that street life and so-called success can bring. . . . Nineteen-year-old Candy Raye Montana, an ex—drug runner for the Gabriano crime family and a former foster child, dreams of becoming a hip-hop superstar, if only someone will discover her talents. Someone does. Mega music producer and king thug of Harlem, Junius “Hurricane” Jackson, CEO of the House of Homicide recording studio, cuts a deal and puts Candy on the stage. Suddenly she is a hot new artist on the notorious Homicide Hitz record label. Her career takes off and she blazes the charts, but it’s not long before Candy realizes that the man she thought was her knight is nothing more than a cold-blooded nightmare. Caught between the music and the madness, between the dollars and the deals, Candy belongs to Hurricane—body and soul—and must endure his sadistic bedroom desires while keeping his sexual secrets hidden from the world. But Candy has some strong desires of her own that simply cannot be denied, especially when she finds herself turned on by a brilliant investment baller who just happens to be Hurricane’s right-hand man. Candy longs for her freedom, but if Hurricane gets wind of her betrayal the blowback will be lethal—and not only will she risk losing her recording contract, she just might lose her life.
65
Wired TargetToby Neal
If Lisbeth Salander and Jack Reacher had a Black/Thai love child, she'd be Sophie… What would you do if the crime you were hired to solve tugged at your heartstrings? Private investigator Sophie's latest case weighs heavy: someone has desecrated the nesting grounds of the majestic Laysan Albatross on Oahu, annihilating a generation of endangered birds—and the outrageous crime appears to be spreading to other islands. Sophie teams up with Sergeant Lei Texeira on Maui to search for killer whose brutal activities outrage the public. Meanwhile, killer grandma Pim Wat continues to threaten the fragile peace Sophie is building with her family. Will Sophie be able to find the answers she seeks in time? "Action. Adventure. Intrigue. Suspense. Sophie's story jumps off the pages and pulls the reader into a world that's hard to leave at the end of each book!"~Deb L., FB
66
Secrets Of A Sugar Baby 6Mia Black
Jae is loving life these days. Her relationship with Darryl is about as perfect as it can be, but life is about to throw new obstacles in their way. One drunken night threatens to rip his relationship apart if Jae ever finds out what happened. Before he can come up with a plan, he must find out the truth, because he has no memory of the night in question. Blake knows what he’s doing is wrong, but he doesn’t care. Jae is now and will always be his as far as he is concerned. With their life-long friendship, their relationship, and possibly Jae’s life on the line, will their relationship remain intact or is it time to say goodbye for good?
67
Secrets Of A Sugar Baby 7Mia Black
It’s time for Darryl to come clean and hope he doesn’t lose the woman he loves or risk her finding out the truth on her own and living with the consequences. Neither option is good, but he can’t live with the guilt and promised he’d never hurt Jae. Sierra knows who she is and what’s she’s capable of and she’s okay with that. If it helps her and Blake meet their objectives and hurts people in the process, so be it. With such a promising future ahead of him, Darryl can give Jae the kind of life she deserves, but now he could lose everything. Find out what happens in part seven of Secret Of A Sugar Baby!
68
Time's UndoingCheryl A Head
A searing and tender novel about a young Black journalist’s search for answers in the unsolved murder of her great-grandfather in segregated Birmingham, Alabama, decades ago—inspired by the author’s own family history Birmingham, 1929: Robert Lee Harrington, a master carpenter, has just moved to Alabama to pursue a job opportunity, bringing along his pregnant wife and young daughter. Birmingham is in its heyday, known as the “Magic City” for its booming steel industry, and while Robert and his family find much to enjoy in the city’s busy markets and vibrant nightlife, it’s also a stronghold for the Klan. And with his beautiful, light-skinned wife and snazzy car, Robert begins to worry that he might be drawing the wrong kind of attention. 2019: Meghan McKenzie, the youngest reporter at the Detroit Free Press , has grown up hearing family lore about her great-grandfather’s murder—but no one knows the full story of what really happened back then, and his body was never found. Determined to find answers to her family’s long-buried tragedy and spurred by the urgency of the Black Lives Matter movement, Meghan travels to Birmingham. But as her investigation begins to uncover dark secrets that spider across both the city and time, her life may be in danger. Inspired by true events, Time’s Undoing is both a passionate tale of one woman’s quest for the truth behind the racially motivated trauma that has haunted her family for generations and, as newfound friends and supporters in Birmingham rally around Meghan’s search, the uplifting story of a community coming together to fight for change.
69
NookieAnieshea Dansby
Eighteen-year-old Joy was a naive girl who found something else to fill the void in her life left by a broken heart and her parents death. Going purely off of instinct, she survives using what she discovers is the key to getting what she wants: the power of Nookie. She becomes far removed from the downside of her life that left her stranded when things start to look up. Suddenly, she's able to live her life like a queen, with no worries. But will life in the fast lane leave her set for life, or will it all end before her nineteenth birthday?
70
Money Devils 1Ashley & JaQuavis
From the New York Times bestselling authors of The Cartel series comes a new chapter in a world that only Ashley and JaQuavis know how to bring to life. The LaCroixs are four beautiful Haitian American women bound by money and blood. On the surface, the LaCroix Group is a venture capitalist company, but underneath, it’s so much more. The four sisters run long cons, targeting wealthy, prominent business figures. They have a system: Find the perfect mark, create the problem, then present the solution. For a cost… Sutton “Sutty” LaCroix, the eldest sister and an accomplished business maven, sits on the family throne as the CEO of the LaCroix Group and is the face of their operation. No one is as good as Sutton when it comes to finding new prey. However, when Sutton meets West, a young, black oil tycoon—a man who represents a life she and her sisters vowed never to live—she breaks all the rules. The LaCroix sisters have a pact: to never settle down and leave roots in one place. But Sutton falls in love with West's good looks, charm, and old money. This means that West is a problem. When he inducts her into a high society of opulence, power, and generational wealth, Sutton finds herself torn between the love of her life and the love of her family.
71
SnappedTracy Brown
As the pampered wife of Frankie Bingham, Camille wants for nothing. After all Frankie and their life together are her whole world. So Camille tries not to be bothered by his closeness with his coworker and dear friend Gillian. But it soon becomes clear that Camille's suspicions are correct. When his indiscretions become a public matter for the world Camille is pushed to a dangerous breaking point that spells disaster for them all. Camille's sister Misa is newly divorced and clueless about men. She smothers men with phone calls, emails and pops up unannounced at their homes. She hacks into their voicemail and email and causes drama. So when she sets her sights on Baron, he has no idea what hit him. Will her quest to win his heart cost her everything? Dominique Storms appears to have it all - a great career, a beautiful NYC condo and a gifted teenaged daughter. Her only problem is that the man she loves is incarcerated. While trying to juggle the demands of motherhood, work, and friendships, she manages to make her man Jamel a priority in her life. But is he doing the same? And is she too distracted to notice what is going on with her daughter? Latoya Blake seems to be the one who has life all figured out, that is, until some skeletons are discovered in her closet. When her well-put-together façade crumbles, will she crumble as well?
72
Kiss in the WindDanielle Stewart
Looking back can seem daunting. Moving forward can feel impossible. With an old friend back in her life, will Betty hold on to yesterday even if it tears her apart? Betty's life takes an unexpected turn when a friend, long thought lost in the passages of time, re-enters her world. This reunion stirs up a whirlwind of memories, some heartwarming and others painful. As Betty reconnects with this important figure from her past, she is forced to confront questions she has long avoided. Can she embrace the future without letting go of everything that has shaped her? The past can’t be rewritten, but the world can be changed—especially if Betty and her family in Edenville have anything to do with it. Everyone she loves is now by her side. But will it be enough to confront the darkness that's threatening to take over.
73
Here Comes the Sun: A NovelNicole Dennis-Benn
A New York Times Notable Book of the Year Winner of the LAMBDA Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction Named a Best Book of 2016 by NPR, Entertainment Weekly, Buzzfeed, Bustle, San Francisco Chronicle, The Root, BookRiot, Kirkus Reviews, NYLON, Amazon, WBUR's "On Point", the Barnes & Noble Review, and Amazon (Fiction & Literature) Finalist for the NYPL Young Lions Fiction Award and the Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize Selected for the Grand Prix Litteraire of the Association of Caribbean Writers Longlisted for the ALA Over the Rainbow Award Longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award In this radiant, highly anticipated debut, a cast of unforgettable women battle for independence while a maelstrom of change threatens their Jamaican village. Capturing the distinct rhythms of Jamaican life and dialect, Nicole Dennis- Benn pens a tender hymn to a world hidden among pristine beaches and the wide expanse of turquoise seas. At an opulent resort in Montego Bay, Margot hustles to send her younger sister, Thandi, to school. Taught as a girl to trade her sexuality for survival, Margot is ruthlessly determined to shield Thandi from the same fate. When plans for a new hotel threaten their village, Margot sees not only an opportunity for her own financial independence but also perhaps a chance to admit a shocking secret: her forbidden love for another woman. As they face the impending destruction of their community, each woman—fighting to balance the burdens she shoulders with the freedom she craves—must confront long-hidden scars. From a much-heralded new writer, Here Comes the Sun offers a dramatic glimpse into a vibrant, passionate world most outsiders see simply as paradise.
74
White Lines II: SunnyTracy Brown
In her most stunning, riveting, unstoppable novel yet, bestselling and critically acclaimed author, Tracy Brown delivers the not-to-be-missed sequel to WHITE LINES On the surface, it appears that Sunny has got it all–looks, money, a beautiful home, a healthy daughter, and friends who love her. But Sunny has a secret—something she hasn't even told her best friend. The truth is Sunny is unhappy. She still misses her beloved Dorian, and worries that no other man will ever captivate her the way he did. She dated some very powerful and successful men since Dorian's death. But will she ever find love again? It's not long before Sunny is chasing those white lines again. And, when the truth finally explodes, will Sunny abe able to put her life back together again? "Readers who like delving into complex relationships and characters creeping behind one another's back will be drawn in.'' - Library Journal
75
Luxury and Larceny: Part 1Ty Marshall
Ashley Antoinette Presents the stunning spin-off from LUXE, Luxury and Larceny by Ty Marshall , where love, lust, money, power is just the beginning... After robbing Cinco, one of Mexico’s most ruthless drug dealers, Bree and China should be living luxuriously. There is only one problem; they came up empty handed on their heist. Desperation and fear forces them to go on the run. There is only one person that China loves more than Bree, herself, and when she is forced to choose she leaves him high and dry. China takes the stash of money that Bree has saved up and puts as much distance between them as she can bare. What she doesn’t know is that Bree is right on her tail and that Cinco is on to them both. When the three collide there will be hell to pay and only one of them will come out on top.
76
Ex-PlayerShaquanda Dalton
For ex-player, Malcolm, trying to become a good, one-woman man for his beautiful girlfriend Kayla is turning out to be harder than he ever expected. The thing is, the hoes keep coming whether he's single or not. The past is not easily forgotten and old habits are hard to break. When old flings come knocking at his door and new women introduce themselves, will he have enough willpower to resist temptation or will his player instincts kick in and end up turning his life back to where he started, alone and single? One thing's for sure. It's easy to say you're good, but it's hard as hell to stay that way. Ex-Player is a stunning novella based off the Jaylen and Jessica series that will take you through every emotion and leave you feeling excited, warm, and thankful for the people in your life.
77
Luxury and Larceny: Part 2Dream Collins
Ashley Antoinette Presents the stunning spin-off from LUXE, Luxury and Larceny by Dream Collins , where love, lust, money, power is just the beginning... With the death of Bree, China is left to fend for herself, but running from a man as powerful as Cinco proves to be the ultimate challenge. After being captured she has little hope left. Trapped in Cinco's clutches she can't help but wonder why she is still alive. Beaten, tortured and scared out of her mind, she almost wishes that death would come quickly. Cinco has other plans. Her fate is not her own, at least not until she earns her freedom. The price to pay is expensive and she must commit the most unthinkable larcenous act in order for Cinco to let her go. Kill Lisbon Sandoza. Cinco's father and head of the Sandoza cartel. China knows that if she does this her life will be changed forever, but if she doesn't there will be hell to pay. What will she choose?
78
ParadiseToni Morrison
The acclaimed Nobel Prize winner challenges our most fiercely held beliefs as she weaves folklore and history, memory and myth into an unforgettable meditation on race, religion, gender, and a far-off past that is ever present— i n prose that soars with the rhythms, grandeur, and tragic arc of an epic poem. “ They shoot the white girl first. With the rest they can take their time.” So begins Toni Morrison’s Paradise , which opens with a horrifying scene of mass violence and chronicles its genesis in an all-black small town in rural Oklahoma. Founded by the descendants of freed slaves and survivors in exodus from a hostile world, the patriarchal community of Ruby is built on righteousness, rigidly enforced moral law, and fear. But seventeen miles away, another group of exiles has gathered in a promised land of their own. And it is upon these women in flight from death and despair that nine male citizens of Ruby will lay their pain, their terror, and their murderous rage. “A fascinating story, wonderfully detailed. . . . The town is the stage for a profound and provocative debate.” — Los Angeles Times
79
The Third Life of Grange CopelandAlice Walker
From the New York Times –bestselling author of The Color Purple : A “moving, tender” novel of a Deep South tenant farmer’s quest for a new life ( Publishers Weekly ). Grange Copeland, a deeply conflicted and struggling tenant farmer in the Deep South of the 1930s, leaves his family and everything he’s ever known to find happiness and respect in the cold cities of the North. This misadventure, his “second life,” proves a dismal failure that sends him back where he came from to confront his now-grown-up son’s disastrous relationships with his own family, including Grange’s granddaughter, Ruth Copeland, a child that Grange grows to love. Love becomes the substance of his third and final life. He spends it in devotion to Ruth, teaching and protecting her—though the cost of doing so is almost more than he can bear. From a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner, this is an “honest sensitive tale . . . leavened by those moments of humor and warmth that have enabled men and women to endure so much tragedy” ( Chicago Daily News ). This ebook features an illustrated biography of Alice Walker including rare photos from the author’s personal collection.
80
Leaving AtlantaTayari Jones
From the author of the Oprah's Book Club Selection An American Marriage , here is a beautifully evocative novel that proves why Tayari Jones is "one of the most important voices of her generation" ( Essence ). It was the end of summer, a summer during the two-year nightmare in which Atlanta's African-American children were vanishing and twenty-nine would be found murdered by 1982. Here fifth-grade classmates Tasha Baxter, Rodney Green, and Octavia Harrison will discover back-to-school means facing everyday challenges in a new world of safety lessons, terrified parents, and constant fear. The moving story of their struggle to grow up-and survive- shimmers with the piercing, ineffable quality of childhood, as it captures all the hurts and little wins, the all-too-sudden changes, and the merciless, outside forces that can sweep the young into adulthood and forever shape their lives. PRAISE FOR TAYARI JONES "Tayari Jones is blessed with vision to see through to the surprising and devastating truths at the heart of ordinary lives, strength to wrest those truths free, and a gift of language to lay it all out, compelling and clear." -- Michael Chabon "Tayari Jones has emerged as one of the most important voices of her generation ." -- Essence "One of America's finest writers. " -- Nylon.com "Tayari Jones is a wonderful storyteller ." -- Ploughshares span
81
Wired DarkToby Neal
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Second Book, WIRED ROGUE, is FREE! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If Lisbeth Salander and Jack Reacher had a Black/Thai love child…she would be SOPHIE. ✅ Brilliant hacker, MMA fighter, domestic abuse survivor, chronic depressive ✅ Likes kids and animals more than people ✅ Likes to go off the grid and hide under a fake identity ✅ Never, never gives up on a case. Never. Paradise can't contain a thirst for revenge. How would you handle a sadistic stalker? Security specialist Sophie Ang returns to Maui, working alongside dynamic partner Jake Dunn to solve a series of bizarre and escalating threats against a rocker with a beach mansion. But soon, catching a crazed stalker becomes the least of Sophie's problems: a deadly enemy is hell-bent on taking her down, along with anyone she cares about. Sophie's very identity is tested as she grapples with issues of conscience and survival in a struggle that takes her to the edge of heartbreak, and beyond. "One of the year's best books!" ~ KC, Goodreads
82
The Streets Have No KingJaQuavis Coleman
A street thriller of kidnapping, murder, trickery, and love that will have you at the edge of your seat. After 7 years of prison, multi-millionaire drug mogul Kane Garrett is back on the streets. But instead of diving back into the drug game, he’s teaching a college class, infusing business principles with his signature ruthless edge he developed in the streets. When a student—and heavy heroin dealer—named Basil catches Kane’s eye, Kane takes him on as a protégé and together, they build the biggest, smartest drug trafficking business the state has ever seen. But when Basil meets Moriah, Kane’s only daughter, lines get crossed and their dominant business union becomes a deadly rivalry. Welcome to a world where the kings meet their end and no one stays at the top for long. The crown always lies heavy on he who commands the streets—and Kane and Basil will fight to claim their rule, before power is toppled again, in The Streets Have No King by New York Times bestselling author JaQuavis Coleman.
83
The Choir DirectorCarl Weber
SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE New York Times bestselling author Carl Weber takes readers back to church—where preaching isn’t always enough . . . Bishop T.K. Wilson has done all he can to make First Jamaica Ministries a success. But with his last choir director getting caught in a scandal, attendance and cash flow are down. To fill the pews and collection plates, Bishop is counting on a new choir director, the charismatic Aaron Mackie, to revive the church. Aaron has been waiting his entire life to prove he has what it takes to be a big-time choir director. But his ways around women, past and present, could cost him more than his job. Soon, the Bishop is dealing with in-fighting, jealousies, and personal vendettas. But a final piece of the puzzle has yet to be revealed: Someone has been robbing the church blind. Someone whose connection to the Bishop is far too close for comfort . . . CATCH UP WITH BISHOP T.K. WILSON AND CHURCH MEMBERS IN THESE BOOKS So You Call Yourself a Man The First Lady Up to No Good The Choir Director
84
Never Again Once MoreMary B. Morrison
In Mary B. Morrison's eagerly awaited sequel to Soul Mates Dissipate, the love story of Jada Diamond Tanner and Wellington Jones continues, as they find themselves facing new conflicts that will challenge the decisions they made years ago. . . Do we choose love, or does love choose us? That's the question Jada can't seem to stop asking herself. She thought she'd chosen the right man in Lawrence Anderson, her rock-solid husband and stepfather to her son Darius. But did she really choose wisely when she turned her back on Wellington, her one true soul mate? For twenty years, Jada has kept her distance from Wellington, and he's paid her in respect. But now, the cracks in her carefully constructed life are beginning to show. Darius is a young man in trouble. When his destructive behavior threatens to destroy him, Jada reluctantly lets Wellington take more control and be the father Darius needs. With each day back in Wellington's company, Jada begins to question her past choices--choices made out of fear, pride, and denial. Slowly, she begins to realize that she has one important choice left. Armed with the courage she's been missing for years, Jada's out to seize the opportunity she thought she had lost--and this time, she'll say, "never again once more." "The hottest book I've read this year." --Carl Weber on He's Just A Friend
85
Gullah SecretsSusan Gabriel
A family legacy in danger. A stranger in their midst. Do they have the strength to survive the gathering storm of secrets? For the Temple women, the winds of change are blowing. And if they’re not careful, it could sweep them all away… After rising from Temple servant to tea shop owner, Violet finally feels in charge of her destiny. While learning Gullah folk magic from her aging grandmother, she worries much of her cultural heritage will be lost to the grave. Is there enough time for Old Sally to pass down all her special wisdom? Bride-to-be Queenie has never felt younger at heart. Engaged to the man of her dreams, the feisty sixty-year-old won’t let anything ruin her big day—not even ancestral ghosts or a mysterious wedding crasher. Rose’s southern roots run deep. Even after three decades away, she can still feel the shadow of her deceased high-society mother watching her every move. Can she shake her ghost and find a place among her family? With a storm of trouble brewing across the island, the Temple women will have to survive more than a force of nature to put their ghosts to rest… Gullah Secrets is the sequel to the bestselling novel Temple Secrets . If you like Southern gothic literature, characters you won’t want to close the cover on, and locations steeped in history, then you’ll love this hilarious and warmhearted saga.
86
Hustlin' DivasDe'nesha Diamond
In the first book of a fierce new series, meet Memphis's hardest ride-or-die chicks as they fight along with their infamous men to lock down the Dirty South. Memphis is the crime capital of America, and no one knows that better than the women born and raised on its mean streets. It's put sisters Ta'Shara and LeShelle on opposite sides of the street game, where blood means nothing and loyalty doesn't last long. It's also got Yolanda, an ambitious drug mule, and Melanie, a police detective, caught up with the same man--the notorious hustler Python. These four women think they've got the game figured out, but the one man they have in common will have them living double lives and wondering who will come out on top. Forget what you heard about East Coast/West Coast, 'cause real vendettas are born in the Dirty South. "Diamond's ear for street talk comes across loud and clear. . .a violent and profane tale, which launches a gritty new series. The divas here are realistic characters, and the pacing zooms. . .one of the best constructed street lit stories of 2010." -- Library Journal "A nonstop, hard-hitting page-turner." --Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker
87
CorregidoraGayl Jones
Here is Gayl Jones's classic novel, the tale of blues singer Ursa, consumed by her hatred of the nineteenth-century slave master who fathered both her grandmother and mother.
88
Romance in MarseilleClaude McKay, Gary Edward Holcomb & William J. Maxwell
The pioneering novel of physical disability, transatlantic travel, and black international politics. A vital document of black modernism and one of the earliest overtly queer fictions in the African American tradition. Published for the first time. A Penguin Classic A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice/Staff Pick Vulture 's Ten Best Books of 2020 pick Buried in the archive for almost ninety years, Claude McKay's Romance in Marseille traces the adventures of a rowdy troupe of dockworkers, prostitutes, and political organizers--collectively straight and queer, disabled and able-bodied, African, European, Caribbean, and American. Set largely in the culture-blending Vieux Port of Marseille at the height of the Jazz Age, the novel takes flight along with Lafala, an acutely disabled but abruptly wealthy West African sailor. While stowing away on a transatlantic freighter, Lafala is discovered and locked in a frigid closet. Badly frostbitten by the time the boat docks, the once-nimble dancer loses both of his lower legs, emerging from life-saving surgery as what he terms "an amputated man." Thanks to an improbably successful lawsuit against the shipping line, however, Lafala scores big in the litigious United States. Feeling flush after his legal payout, Lafala doubles back to Marseille and resumes his trans-African affair with Aslima, a Moroccan courtesan. With its scenes of black bodies fighting for pleasure and liberty even when stolen, shipped, and sold for parts, McKay's novel explores the heritage of slavery amid an unforgiving modern economy. This first-ever edition of Romance in Marseille includes an introduction by McKay scholars Gary Edward Holcomb and William J. Maxwell that places the novel within both the "stowaway era" of black cultural politics and McKay's challenging career as a star and skeptic of the Harlem Renaissance.
89
The Chosen (Bluford Series #22)Karen Langhorne Folan
Darcy Wills feels the pressure. Her best friend, Tarah Carson has grown distant and hostile since the start of the school year. And a medical crisis in Darcy's family has stress boiling over at home. When surprising news forces Darcy to look at the future beyond Bluford High, she realizes huge decisions are looming. Unsure what to do but unable to avoid what's coming, Darcy has no easy options. Her choices will cut both ways. Some doors will open, but others may close forever.
90
The Plug Next Door 4Sol
In Part 3 of The Plug Next Door, you found out that God has another daughter named Summer. However, her life isn't what one would imagine for someone who has a rich plug for a father. The little Chicago girl is living in poverty, helping her adoptive mother clean homes in order to make ends meet. Still, at the tender age of 17, she's just like any other teenaged girl. She's never been in any real trouble, makes good grades in school, and has a best friend who rides for her. She's even headed off to college soon. Her world seems to be moving along on track until a blast from the past walks back into the picture. Loso, an effervescent hustler with a charming smile, lavish cars, and endless money, quickly wins the young girl's heart. He's the perfect guy, spoils her to no end, and upgrades her life. Everything about him drives Summer crazy, but she's not the only girl on his team. He's been known to get around, and there is one other woman that he can't seem to shake no matter how hard he tries. If Loso's promiscuous ways aren't enough to tear him and Summer apart, there are many other obstacles standing in the way. Their age difference, betrayal in the streets, and then there's Summer's father, God. What does the future hold for their fairytale relationship when Loso finds out that he's dating his plug’s daughter? ***Please note, if you do not read this installment, you will be confused in part 5. This story will fill particular holes from part 3 (i.e. How Sloan got pregnant, the circumstances behind Summer being given up for adoption, the start of Young and Erin's affair, as well as what God did on the streets when he was in Chicago).
91
Fly BettyTreasure Blue
Essence magazine bestselling author Treasure Blue, brings you Fly Betty , the third installment in the acclaimed Harlem Girl Lost series featuring a twentysomething woman who is determined to use what she’s got to get what she wants. In the multi-billion dollar a year entertainment industry there is a secret society of women that few are privy to. All of these women are vying for one thing—an opportunity to live a luxurious, lavish lifestyle by snagging a rich and famous singer, rapper, or athlete. But being drop-dead gorgeous and super fly are only pieces of what it takes to catch one of these wealthy and highly sought-after young millionaires. Where luck, timing, and persistence can be determining factors on the surface, deceit, lies, and manipulation are what it really takes to have a chance at catching their men. Betty Blaise, or Fly Betty to those who truly know her, was not in it to be a wife or even the baby momma of a wealthy public figure—she had her sights set higher, much higher. While most of these women use sex as their weapon of choice, Betty, a senior majoring in psychology, has developed a weapon that proves much more powerful. Up until now Betty has lived her life according to her own strict rules and standards, refusing to compromise for anyone, even if it potentially meant shielding herself from true love. But when she encounters a man that she would never have anticipated falling for in a million years, soon, the very rules Betty once lived and died by are going to be put to the test. The very tools she used so effectively against wealthy men begin to turn against her—and deadly consequences are sure to follow.
92
Hood Misfits Volume 1Brick & Storm
Sixteen-year-old Diamond "Ray-Ray" Jenkins has it made in the shade, until one wrong move by her parents turns their lives upside down. Their secret of taking from the wrong Street King in the Trap, Damien Orlando, has now put her in peril. Their deaths signal an end to Diamond's semi-perfect life, putting her in the hands of evil. Her only salvation is to learn the game, and to put her trust in a kid wearing a hoodie. Trigga has been a survivor and a killer in the streets of Atlanta since the murder of his parents. . With his heart set on vengeance, he finds his destiny as a misfit and works his way through the ranks of Damien Orlando's crime syndicate. Once he's forced to snatch up a girl as hard as diamonds, his world changes drastically. It's up to him to use the plan of payback in the form of a simple motto: E.N.G.A. (Every N***a Gotta Agenda). Trigga will have to use it to save them both. With his boy Big Jake, along with Gina and Ray-Ray forming their own family, Dame and every goon in his circle are targets. Chaos is coming, and Dame's most trusted are about to bring him pain and death.
93
PassingNella Larsen
Harlem Renaissance author Nella Larsen (1891 –1964) published just two novels and three short stories in her lifetime, but achieved lasting literary acclaim. Her novel Passing first appeared in 1929.
94
Family of LiesMary Monroe
“Readers who enjoy watching characters' fortunes rise and fall will relish this tumultuous family” portrayed by the New York Times bestselling author ( Booklist ). Mary Monroe weaves a stunning portrait of a family immersed in deceit—and the women whose happiness depends on the secrets they keep . . . After growing up poor in Texas, Vera Lomax used every gold-digging trick in the book to land a rich husband. Now living in luxury in San Francisco, her only job is to fawn over her much-older husband. So when her husband's mistress gets pregnant, Vera figures that a little hush money will ensure her husband's fortune is hers alone . . . Unfortunately for Vera, Sarah Cooper is the child Kenneth Lomax always wanted. When the father she never knew shows up at her mother's funeral to claim her, it's a fairy tale journey from the ghetto to a mansion on a hill. But Sarah knows that her stepmother is as two-faced as they come. And after losing all the family she's ever known, she wants a life that's richer than Vera has planned for her. As Vera and Sarah scheme to get what they want, everyone will be choosing sides, taking chances, and gambling it all to come out on top . . . “ Family of Lies is gritty and raw, trademarks of Monroe's novels. A riveting story . . . Monroe's latest is another page-turner.” — RT Book Reviews Praise for Mary Monroe “An exceptional writer and phenomenal storyteller!” —Kimberla Lawson Roby, New York Times bestselling author “A remarkable talent.” — Chicago Sun-Times “Monroe is a masterful storyteller.” — Philadelphia Inquirer
95
Somebody's Gotta Be On TopMary B. Morrison
In Mary B. Morrison's national bestsellers Never Again Once More and He's Just a Friend, readers met playboy heir Darius Jones and reckless-in-love Fancy Taylor. Now, in this achingly poignant, deliciously sensual erotic novel, she takes Darius's relationships further and explores the ways men and women surrender themselves in order to gain the love they're desperately seeking. . . "The only time a woman should be on top is during sex. . ." So says Darius Jones. At just twenty-two, the baby boy has grown--bigger, taller, sexier, hotter--but he hasn't necessarily grown up. Maybe he isn't messing with the women on his mama's staff anymore, but he's still messing with people's lives and messing up his own. For Darius, "If it doesn't make money, it doesn't make sense." And that goes for women, too. Women are there to give him what he wants, the way he wants it. Not that he doesn't know how to pleasure a sister; he just doesn't want them telling him the way it's going to be. On anything. Ever. Including his mother. If his mother was a liar, then every other woman was, too. That's why he relocates from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles, near his mama's business, where he sets up his own company, Somebody's Gotta Be on Top Enterprises. And it's no secret who that somebody's got to be. Now that Darius is all about the control--getting it, keeping it, and taking it away, if need be--he's sure he can apply that principle to finding "the one." But trying to be on top all the time only gets him into trouble with the women in his life, women like. . . Ciara Monroe, president of a rival company. She's earned power and respect the hard way, but Darius isn't about to be outsmarted by her. . .not in bed and not in business. He's going after Ciara on a personal level, digging up the dirt on her past. It's a move that will cost him, and Ciara's not leaving before she confronts him about his feelings for Ashlee. . . Ashlee Anderson is the stepsister who's more than just his friend. She's also the woman he loves and desires. When Darius convinces Ashlee to live with him and manage his finance department, he never expects her to fall for his half-brother, Kevin Williams. Darius will do anything to split them apart, even if it means risking his business. But there's one woman who's got Darius's number. . . Fancy Taylor. With skin like brown sugar, and the bearing of a fine queen, Fancy definitely intrigues Darius. If he didn't have his heart set on conquering Ashlee no matter what, he'd enjoy sampling what the lady has to offer, but that's all. Fancy's a woman with a past that precludes her from being serious relationship material. But fate has a way of stepping in and putting the wrong people on the right path, if they're not too foolish to see it. . . Still harboring the wounds of his mother's deception and a childhood without his biological father, caught between an all-consuming pride and the call of his own untrusting heart, Darius has a lot to learn: about life, women, and what it takes to find and nurture real love. And if he's not careful, he might just end up on the bottom of everything.
96
Belly of the BeastCaleb Alexander
Caleb Alexander has woven his most explosive and provocative tale to date. Belly of the Beast takes the readers on a violent, gut wrenching, deeply emotional journey through the American prison system. A place where friends become enemies, and enemies band together for survival in a system that is designed for their destruction, and in a society that has written them off. Belly of the Beast is a straight forward look at racism, the prison industrial complex, and the nature of our humanity. Throw in racist prison guards, a former Grand Wizard of the KKK, Billionaire tax evaders, violent prison gangs, The Mafia, and one man's struggle to make it back home to his woman and child, and you have a story that only Alexander can tell. Welcome to the Federal Prison System; welcome to the Belly of the Beast.
97
Gonna Lay Down My BurdensMary Monroe
Bestselling author Mary Monroe won rave reviews from critics and readers alike with her first two novels, God Don't Like Ugly and The Upper Room, both Main Selections of the Black Expressions Book Club. Now she returns with the masterful Gonna Lay Down My Burdens --that rare novel that inspires laughter, tears, and repeat readings. In the sweltering little town of Belle Helene, Alabama, Carmen Taylor keeps her weaknesses, her frustrations, and her tears to herself. She's too busy shouldering the burdens of her troubled friends, like Desiree Lucienne, the petite, pampered daughter of a doctor who tries to beat the wildness out of her. But it doesn't stop Desiree from trawling for men whenever she can, and trying to drag Carmen along with her. It's not that Carmen hasn't had her share of boozy pick-ups. She has, but they just can't compare to the one steamy night she spent with the man she's loved since they were both kids. Now a local cop, Chester Sheffield, with his Barry White voice and his all-too-fine body, keeps showing up in Carmen's life, wanting to do something about the feelings they obviously have for each other. But that would mean abandoning her "boyfriend" Burl Tupper and that's something Carmen just can't do. Ever since Burl ended up in a wheelchair because of a foolish teenage prank she played on him, Carmen's promised herself that she'd spend the rest of her life making it up to him. When Carmen doesn't take her chance with Chester, Desiree does, and when she learns that she's pregnant with Chester's child, it's almost more than Carmen can bear. Still, her loyalty to Desiree goes back a long way, and she's not about to let a man get in the way of their friendship--even when Desiree starts stepping out on Chester. Then, on a sultry, reckless moonlit night, Carmen commits a desperate crime of passion, and, with Desiree, hits the road running. But she can't run from the truth she's avoided for years--and in a seedy hotel in the middle of nowhere, she confronts her demons head-on. Now Carmen has two choices--a life on the lam, or a full circle return to Belle Helene, the place where it all began. . .and the only place in the world she can lay down her burdens and seize her one true chance at love and redemption.
98
Abusing Her Heart 3Vaneecia
When is enough, enough? After leaving Shawn behind her, Lynette is ready to move on with her life with King by her side. But it doesn’t seem like Shawn is willing to let her go, no matter how done with him she says she is. As things progress with King, it all seems to fall right into place. They fit together like two puzzle pieces and nothing can break them apart. Or so it seems, until some of King’s past creeps up to disturb the already fragile nature of the relationship between King and Lynette. Will everything work out for the lovers? Or will it all be too much for them to bear? Find out in this final installment of Abusing Her Heart.
99
Diary of the Plug's Daughter 2Sol
Summer is back, and this time she’s pregnant and doesn’t know who is the father of her baby. Despite the bad cards life has dealt her, she’s trying to move on and live her best life while tackling college at the same time. Problem is, one of her lovers isn’t ready to let go. The king of Harlem, Carlos Mills aka Loso, is still the street’s finest. Now that everything on the block is running smoothly, he's finally ready to focus on his personal life and commit to his girlfriend, Amaya. He’s got it all figured out. They’re gonna get married, buy a new house and start a family. Everything is perfect until people start to show their true colors. After Remy’s boyfriend found out the truth about her and DC’s affair, she starts to uncover Sur’s secret life too. She wasn’t the only one with skeletons in her closet. But, as the old saying goes… Some lies can get you hurt. DC has now found himself in a love triangle that hits a lot closer to home than he thinks. Promise, his baby mother, isn’t the only woman who has gained a place in his heart. And if that’s not enough, imagine finding out that both of your women know each other almost better than they know you. As these couples embark on a journey of love, heartbreak, betrayal, and pain, they’ll find out that people and things are not always what they appear to be. The minute you think life is what it should be, those slithery snakes come out of hiding. Get ready to unfold all the drama in Diary of The Plug’s Daughter II.
100
Craving A Young Hitta's LoveK.A. Williams
Can you really love on the same man in an unhappy marriage forever? Married at twenty-two years old due to a surprised pregnancy, Kansas put her dreams on hold to be a stay at home mom and good wife. Eight years after making a life-changing decision, she’s offered an opportunity to rekindle her dreams as an investigative reporter but stepping out in the workforce along with a revealed secret causes her already suffering marriage to be drug through the trenches. Following the death of a sixteen-year-old gang member, Kansas crosses paths with the man supposedly involved, Tribe “Stefan” Jennings, a member of the X Prophets. While taking a report on the case, Kansas takes on more than she hopes for and stumbles into Tribe’s arms. With the heated affair between two distinct people, their lives are changed for the better. But even the greatest love stands the test of time. Kansas risks losing the comfort of her sheltered world along with the marriage that was built on lies. Tribe, on the other hand, opens a door which contains a malice foe who can turn his entire world upside down. However, can love keep them grounded enough to conquer their enemies and triumph over any obstacle that dares to rip them apart?