The Best ManMalcolm D. Lee & Jayne Allen
- Genre: Fiction & Literature
- Publish Date: July 1, 2025
- Publisher: Storehouse Voices
- Apple Books | $1.99Amazon Kindle
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.
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The Best ManMalcolm D. Lee & Jayne Allen
The beloved characters from The Best Man movies and hit television series reunite for a sexy and soulful, heartbreaking and hilarious reckoning of love. Recently divorced and fresh off a Pulitzer Prize win, Harper Stewart is in a new era. He’s working on a movie and living the ultimate bachelor life in his Brooklyn penthouse. But still, something is missing. What else explains the stubborn creative block? The carousel of women? And seventh-wheel status with his friends? Jordan Armstrong had to flee New York. First, to give herself distance from Harper and, second, to escape the corporate grind. In her beachfront Malibu property, the façade of a “healed” Jordan flourishes. Yet she finds herself unmoored. Despite the physical distance, she still feels Harper’s magnetic pull. Meanwhile, in Ghana, Robyn has gone full bohemian restaurateur. She has finally found peace and won’t let another man ruin it—that is, until a handsome local entrepreneur commands her attention. But it’s all too much change for her daughter, Mia, and when she secretly calls Harper with an emergency Robyn would rather hide, their world is shaken and relationships are tested once more. Book one of The Best Man trilogy follows Harper, Jordan, and Robyn as they try to establish lives away from the hurts of the past and come to realize that some love is impossible to break. With support from their close-knit crew of chosen family—Quentin, Shelby, Lance, Murch, and Candace—they fight for a future that proves one’s second act can be the extended chapter worth it all.
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The Personal Librarian: A GMA Book Club PickMarie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray
Over one million copies sold! 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.
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Take My HandDolen Perkins-Valdez
Winner of the 2023 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work - Fiction “Deeply empathetic yet unflinching in its gaze…an unforgettable exploration of responsibility and redemption.”—Celeste Ng Inspired by true events that rocked the nation, a searing and compassionate new novel about a Black nurse in post-segregation Alabama who blows the whistle on a terrible injustice done to her patients, from the New York Times bestselling author of Wench Montgomery, Alabama, 1973. Fresh out of nursing school, Civil Townsend intends to make a difference, especially in her African American community. At the Montgomery Family Planning Clinic, she hopes to help women shape their destinies, to make their own choices for their lives and bodies. But when her first week on the job takes her along a dusty country road to a worn-down one-room cabin, Civil is shocked to learn that her new patients, Erica and India, are children—just eleven and thirteen years old. Neither of the Williams sisters has even kissed a boy, but they are poor and Black, and for those handling the family’s welfare benefits, that’s reason enough to have the girls on birth control. As Civil grapples with her role, she takes India, Erica, and their family into her heart. Until one day she arrives at their door to learn the unthinkable has happened, and nothing will ever be the same for any of them. Decades later, with her daughter grown and a long career in her wake, Dr. Civil Townsend is ready to retire, to find her peace, and to leave the past behind. But there are people and stories that refuse to be forgotten. That must not be forgotten. Because history repeats what we don’t remember. Inspired by true events and brimming with hope, Take My Hand is a stirring exploration of accountability and redemption. “Highlights the horrific discrepancies in our healthcare system and illustrates their heartbreaking consequences.”—Essence
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Parable of the SowerOctavia E. Butler
From a celebrated, award-winning author, a modern classic about a young girl fighting for survival in a post-apocalyptic world, perfect for fans of N.K. Jemisin and Margaret Atwood. Fifteen-year-old Lauren Olamina lives inside a gated community with her preacher father, family, and neighbors, sheltered from the surrounding social chaos and anarchy caused by climate change and economic crisis. 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. Includes a foreword by LeVar Burton and an afterword by N. K. Jemisin Lauren's story continues in The Parable of the Talents. "In the ongoing contest over which dystopian classic is most applicable to our time, Octavia Butler's 'Parable' books may be unmatched."— The New Yorker
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Love on the Low 2Mia Black
Mika knows making her feelings for Royce known will change everything. All she has to do is focus on her new job and creating a new life for herself, but that’s easier said than done when the man she loves is right in front of her face…with another woman. There’s no denying that Royce wants Mika, but his life is complicated, and now that he’s added Lacresha to it, it’s even more complicated than he could have imagined. If he gives into his desires, he fears what will happen. If he ignores his feelings, he fears what he’ll do without Mika. Find out what happens in part two of Love On The Low!
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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.
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Addicted to a Dirty South Thug 2Myss Shan
The drama continues in Addicted to A dirty South Thug 2 picking right up where you left off... Cuba was determined more than ever to stay away from the bad guys, but after being bit by the Prince bug, she realizes that she's sick and in love. "No fear and no more running," she tells herself, but with Khi's overwhelming baby mama drama and heat from the Prince brothers, she finds every excuse she can to run from her one true love. Khi is trying everything to get a hold on his life. After getting Dae out the way, the problems seem to continue to fall into his lap. With trying to figure out if Selena is really playing for the other team and keeping an eye on Briana, his love and attention for Cuba seems to fall in last place. With the threat of losing Cuba on his shoulders, will Khi make the right the decision and choose the woman that he's been waiting his whole life for? And what happens when decisions made causes brother to be against brother? They are in the middle of a war, how will they come out on top if they're beefing with each other? KaeDee is no longer able to keep the cool demeanor that he is known for having once he realizes that it's more to Deonna's suicide. Once a pretty Detective walks into his life and turns things upside down for him, KaeDee finds out the woman he married is only one of many. It all seems to break him down and forces him to be angry at the world, even his brothers. Mistakes are made and KaeDee is unable to keep it together and is quickly falling apart, but what happens when the one person he's never noticed is the one to piece him back together? In the midst of all the madness, will KaeDee see that his true soulmate had been hiding in the shadows all along. Dae's finally forced to face his problems now that he has nowhere to turn. Realizing that the only person that he could count on is the one to put him in his predicament, will Dae finally get his life together or will it be too late for him? The newest addition to the Prince brothers saga is home. The wild hair, funny looking eyes Cassidy has touched down and back to claim the only woman he's ever loved but things won't be so easy for him. His past issues was never resolved and the secret he's been holding onto has no choice but to be revealed. He works hard to fix all the issues he's caused. Once the smoke finally clears, will Cassidy have his woman, or will end up paying for more of his mistakes in the end? Things are just heating up in this installment of Addicted To a Dirty South Thug.
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MidnightSister Souljah
New York Times bestselling author Life After Death , the hip-hop generation's beloved and most compelling storyteller, delivers a powerful story about love and loyalty, strength and family. In her bestselling novel, The Coldest Winter Ever , Sister Souljah introduced the world to Midnight, a brave but humble lieutenant to a prominent underworld businessman. Now, in a highly anticipated follow-up to her million-selling masterpiece, she brings readers into the life and dangerously close to the heart of this silent, fearless young man. Raised in a wealthy, influential, Islamic African family, Midnight enjoys a life of comfort, confidence, and protection. Midnight's father provides him with a veil of privilege and deep, devoted love, but he never hides the truth about the fierce challenges of the world outside of his estate. So when Midnight's father's empire is attacked, he sends Midnight with his mother to the United States. In the streets of Brooklyn, a young Midnight uses his Islamic mind-set and African intelligence to protect the ones he loves, build a business, reclaim his wealth and status, and remain true to his beliefs. Midnight, a handsome and passionate young man, attracts many women. How he interacts and deals with them is a unique adventure. This is a highly sensual and tremendous love story about what a man is willing to risk and give to the women he loves most. Midnight will remain in your mind and beat in your heart for a lifetime. Her "raw and true voice" ( Publishers Weekly ) will both soothe and arouse you. In a beautifully written and masterfully woven story, Sister Souljah has given us Midnight , and solidified her presence as the mother of all contemporary urban literature.
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When You Can't Let Go 4Mia Black
The harder Hov tries to get his family back, the more difficult it is for Jericka to move forward with Marco. Complicating matters, she and Hov have a child together. It becomes increasingly impossible to shut one man out completely and embrace a new love entirely when there’s so much at stake and so much history to contend with. Hov’s showing no sign of slowing down. Now, Jericka has to wonder how much more will Marco put up with before he decides she’s not worth the struggle. Find out what happens in part four of When You Can't Let Go!
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Second House from the CornerSadeqa Johnson
"A captivating tale to savor about a woman whose buried past threatens her picture perfect family life. Felicia is a wonderfully flawed, compelling main character, one who has stayed with me long after I finished the book. A winning novel from a writer to watch." -Benilde Little, bestselling author Felicia Lyons, a stressed out stay-at-home mom, struggles to sprint ahead of the demands of motherhood while her husband spends long days at the office. Felicia taps, utters mantra, and breathes her way through most situations, but on some days, like when the children won’t stop screaming her name or arguing over toy trucks and pretzel sticks, she wonders what it would be like to get in her car and drive away. Then one evening the telephone rings, and in a split second the harried mother’s innocent fantasy becomes a hellish reality. The call pulls her back into a life she’d rather forget. Felicia hasn’t been completely honest about her upbringing, and her deception forces her return to the Philadelphia of her childhood, where she must confront the family demons and long buried secrets she thought she had left behind. From a phenomenal fresh voice in fiction, comes the compelling story of what happens when the dream falls apart. Sadeqa Johnson's Second House from the Corner is an unforgettable tale of love, loss, rediscovery, and the growing pains of marriage.
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The Destroyer of WorldsMatt Ruff
“Another virtuoso blend of horror, action, and humor. . . . Fans will find this a worthy sequel.”—Publishers Weekly In this thrilling adventure, a blend of enthralling historical fiction and fantastical horror, Matt Ruff returns to the world of Lovecraft Country and explores the meaning of death, the hold of the past on the present, and the power of hope in the face of uncertainty. Summer, 1957. Atticus Turner and his father, Montrose, travel to North Carolina to mark the centennial of their ancestor’s escape from slavery, but an encounter with an old nemesis leads to a life-and-death pursuit. Back in Chicago, George Berry is diagnosed with cancer and strikes a devil’s bargain with the ghost of Hiram Winthrop, who promises a miracle cure—but only if George brings Winthrop back from the dead. Fifteen-year-old Horace Berry, reeling from the killing of a close friend, joins his mother, Hippolyta, and her friend Letitia Dandridge on a trip to Nevada for The Safe Negro Travel Guide. But Hippolyta has a secret—and far more dangerous—agenda that will take her and Horace to the far end of the universe and bring a new threat home to Letitia’s doorstep. Hippolyta isn’t the only one keeping secrets. Letitia’s sister, Ruby, has been leading a double life as her white alter ego, Hillary Hyde. Now, the supply of magic potion she needs to transform herself is nearly gone, and a surprise visitor throws her already tenuous situation into complete chaos. Yet these troubles are soon eclipsed by the return of Caleb Braithwhite. Stripped of his magic and banished from Chicago at the end of Lovecraft Country, he’s found a way back into power and is ready to pick up where he left off. But first he has a score to settle . . .
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The World Wasn't Ready for YouJustin C. Key
“The most profound terror is rooted in love—the terror of losing love, of love betrayed, of love in peril. Justin C. Key’s work is a cold knife through a hot heart, a surgical blade unleashing gouts of searing fear.”—Cory Doctorow, author of Red Team Blues, Little Brother, and Radicalized “An electrifying collection of stories that would make Octavia E. Butler smile.”—Ebony Black Mirror meets Get Out in this gripping story collection reminiscent of the work of Octavia E. Butler, which deftly blends science fiction, horror, and fantasy to examine issues of race, class, and prejudice—an electrifying, oftentimes heartbreaking debut from an extraordinary new voice. Justin C. Key has long been obsessed with monsters. Reading R. L. Stine’s Goosebumps as a kid, he imagined himself battling monsters and mayhem to a triumphant end. But when watching Scream 2, in which the movie’s only Black couple is promptly killed off, he realized that the Black and Brown characters in his favorite genre were almost always the victim or villain—if they were portrayed at all. In The World Wasn’t Ready for You, Key expands and subverts the horror genre to expertly explore issues of race, class, prejudice, love, exclusion, loneliness, and what it means to be a person in the world, while revealing the horrifying nature inherent in all of us. In the opening story, “The Perfection of Theresa Watkins,” a sci-fi love story turned nightmare, a husband uses new technology to download the consciousness of his recently deceased Black wife into the body of a white woman. In “Spider King,” an inmate agrees to participate in an experimental medical study offered to Black prisoners in exchange for early release, only to find his body reacting with disturbing symptoms. And in the title story, a father tries to protect his son, teaching him how to navigate a prejudiced world that does not understand him and sees him as a threat. The World Wasn’t Ready for You is a gripping, provocative, and distinctly original collection that demonstrates Key’s remarkable literary gifts—a skill at crafting science fiction stories equaled by an ability to sculpt characters and narrative—as well as his utterly fresh take on how genre can be used to delight, awe, frighten, and ultimately challenge our perceptions. Wildly imaginative and powerfully resonant, it introduces an unforgettable new voice in fiction.
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Everybody That Grin Ain't Ya FriendRachael Reed
Ain't nobody safe when obsession turns deadly. Brittany thought she had it all—a tight crew, a solid man, and her life on lock. But when Gloria, the quiet new girl in town, shows up actin' all sweet and innocent, everything Brittany knows starts to crumble. At first, it's little stuff Gloria mimickin' her style, poppin' up uninvited, and slidin' into her circle. But that admiration turns straight-up dangerous when Gloria's true motives come to light. She don't just want Brittany's life; she wanna be Brittany. As Gloria's lies twist and tangle, Brittany's world gets ripped apart her friends turn on her, her career gets sabotaged, and her man starts questionin' everything. But when Gloria crosses the line, takin' her obsession to a deadly level, Brittany gotta fight back before she loses it all. With secrets, betrayal, and violence lurkin' in every corner, Brittany learns the hard way: everybody that grin ain't ya friend. Will she survive Gloria's madness, or will the streets claim another victim? This raw, drama-packed urban thriller will have you clutchin' your pearls and flippin' pages, leavin' you on the edge till the very last word.
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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.
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A Lesson Before DyingErnest J. Gaines
NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER • A deep and compassionate novel about a young man who returns to 1940s Cajun country to visit a Black youth on death row for a crime he didn't commit. Together they come to understand the heroism of resisting. "An instant classic." — Chicago Tribune A “majestic, moving novel...an instant classic, a book that will be read, discussed and taught beyond the rest of our lives" ( Chicago Tribune), from the critically acclaimed author of A Gathering of Old Men and The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. " A Lesson Before Dying reconfirms Ernest J. Gaines's position as an important American writer. " —Boston Globe " Enormously moving.... Gaines unerringly evokes the place and time about which he writes ." —Los Angeles Times “A quietly moving novel [that] takes us back to a place we've been before to impart a lesson for living.” — San Francisco Chronicle
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Midnight and the Meaning of LoveSister Souljah
The New York Times bestselling author of Life After Death , delivers her most compelling and enlightening story yet about young, deep love, the ways in which people across the world express their love, and the lengths that they will go to have it. Powerful and sensual, Midnight is an intelligent, fierce fighter and Ninjutsu-trained ninja warrior. He attracts attention wherever he goes but remains unmoved by it and focuses on protecting his mother and sister and regaining his family’s fortunes. When Midnight, a devout Muslim, takes sixteen-year-old Akemi from Japan as his wife, they look forward to building a life together, but their tumultuous teenage marriage is interrupted when Akemi is kidnapped and taken back to Japan by her own father, even though the marriage was consummated and well underway. “There’s not one drop of inferiority in my blood,” Midnight says as he first secures his mother, Umma, and sister, Naja, before setting off on a global journey to reclaim his wife. Midnight must travel across three countries and numerous cultures in his attempt to defeat his opponent. Along this magnificent journey he meets people who change him forever, even as he changes them. He encounters temptations he never would have imagined and takes risks that many a lesser man would say no to, all for the women he loves and is sworn to protect.
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Good DirtCharmaine Wilkerson
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The daughter of an affluent Black family pieces together the connection between a childhood tragedy and a beloved heirloom in this moving novel from the bestselling author of Black Cake, a Read with Jenna Book Club Pick “Engrossing . . . Wilkerson masterfully weaves these threads of love, loss and legacy [into] a thoroughly researched and beautifully imagined family saga.”— The New York Times LONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: TIME, NPR, MARIE CLAIRE , CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY When ten-year-old Ebby Freeman heard the gunshot, time stopped. And when she saw her brother, Baz, lying on the floor surrounded by the shattered pieces of a centuries-old jar, life as Ebby knew it shattered as well. The crime was never solved—and because the Freemans were one of the only Black families in a particularly well-to-do enclave of New England—the case has had an enduring, voyeuristic pull for the public. The last thing the Freemans want is another media frenzy splashing their family across the papers, but when Ebby's high profile romance falls apart without any explanation, that's exactly what they get. So Ebby flees to France, only for her past to follow her there. And as she tries to process what's happened, she begins to think about the other loss her family suffered on that day eighteen years ago—the stoneware jar that had been in their family for generations, brought North by an enslaved ancestor. But little does she know that the handcrafted piece of pottery held more than just her family's history—it might also hold the key to unlocking her own future. In this sweeping, evocative novel, Charmaine Wilkerson brings to life a multi-generational epic that examines how the past informs our present.
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Black Cake: A Read with Jenna PickCharmaine 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.
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Everything's FineCecilia Rabess
“Does love conquer all? Does it now? Did it ever? These are questions Cecilia Rabess asks in her nimble, discerning debut…The ending of Everything’s Fine is one of the best I’ve read in years.” — The New York Times A painfully funny, painfully real love story for our time that doesn’t just ask will they, but…should they? Jess is a senior in college, ambitious but aimless, when she meets Josh. He’s a privileged preppy in chinos, ready to inherit the world. She’s not expecting to inherit anything. A year later, they’re both working at the same investment bank. And when Jess finds herself the sole Black woman on the floor, overlooked and underestimated, Josh shows up for her in surprising—if imperfect—ways. Before long, an unlikely friendship forms, tinged with undeniable chemistry. It 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. But as the cultural and political landscape shifts underneath them, Jess is forced to consider if their disagreements run deeper than she can bear, 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 ), that is “extraordinarily brave…funny as hell,” (Zakiya Dalilah Harris) Cecilia Rabess’s Everything’s Fine is an incisive and moving portrait of a young woman who is just beginning to discover who she is and who she has the right to be. It is also a “subtle, ironic, wise, state-of-the-nation novel” (Nick Hornby) that asks big questions about the way we live now and “whether our choices stop and end with us” ( The New York Times ).
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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.
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Sister, SisterEric Jerome Dickey
Here is New York Times bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey's debut novel, a celebration of Black sisterhood hailed by Essence as one of the “50 Most Impactful Black Books Of The Last 50 Years”. Valerie, Inda, and Chiquita are three women looking for love in Los Angeles. Valerie became the perfect wife to please her husband, Walter, whose football career has gone nowhere—along with their marriage. Then she meets Daniel. Valerie's divorced sister, Inda, has Raymond, who has a hot body, smooth moves—and another girlfriend on the side. Now Inda's scheming to get even. After telling her last boyfriend to hit the road, Chiquita takes up with Thaddeus, Inda and Valerie's irresistible brother. Has Chiquita finally found a good man? Sexy and in-your-face, Sister, Sister depicts a modern world where women may have to alter their dreams, yet never stop embracing tomorrow. “Brims with humor, outrageousness, and affection.”— Publishers Weekly
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Petty To The BoneMidnite Love
Do you know someone who is petty to the bone? Someone who has to have the last say in every situation? The most trivial offense warrants them to unleash their petty wrath? Are you that person? Meet Halo Daniels, a twenty-eight-year-old Uber Driver and aspiring actress. Halo dreams of seeing herself on the big screen but first she must get next to one of the top movie producers in Hollywood. To do so she must succumb to some rather shady tactics as she works her way through the industry. She's finally able to reel him in with her feminine wiles and charismatic personality, however, that's only the beginning. Halo soon finds herself submerged in a web of lies and deceit, willing to do anything to make it to the top. Meanwhile her personal life is as chaotic as some of the roles she auditions for. Her biggest challenge will be overcoming her petty ways before she completely alienates those closest to her. How far will she be willing to go to become successful? Will the sacrifices she makes be worth the price of fame?
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Sky Full of ElephantsCebo Campbell
In this “bold and imaginative” (Tananarive Due) “truly powerful and riveting story” ( Booklist ) set in a world where white people no longer exist, college professor Charlie Brunton receives a call from his estranged daughter Sidney, setting off a chain of events as they journey across a truly “post-racial” America in search of answers. In a world without white people, what does it mean to be Black? One day, a cataclysmic event occurs: all of the white people in America walk into the nearest body of water. A year later, Charlie Brunton is a Black man living in an entirely new world. Having served his time in prison for a wrongful conviction, he’s now a professor of electric and solar power systems at Howard University when he receives a call from someone he wasn’t even sure existed: his daughter Sidney, a nineteen-year-old left behind by her white mother and step-family. Traumatized by the event, and terrified of the outside world, Sidney has spent a year in isolation in Wisconsin. Desperate for help, she turns to the father she never met, a man she has always resented. Sidney and Charlie meet for the first time as they embark on a journey across a truly “post-racial” America in search for answers. But neither of them are prepared for this new world and how they see themselves in it. Heading south toward what is now called the Kingdom of Alabama, everything Charlie and Sidney thought they knew about themselves, and the world, will be turned upside down. Brimming with heart and humor, “this stunning allegory will spark much discussion” ( Publishers Weekly , starred review) about the power of community and connection, about healing and self-actualization, and a reckoning with what it means to be Black in America, in both their world and ours.
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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?
25
PushSapphire
A new 25th anniversary edition of the instant classic that inspired the major motion picture and Sundance Film Festival winner Precious: Based on the Novel by Sapphire, whose power and ferocity influenced a generation of writers. Precious Jones, an illiterate sixteen-year-old, has up until now been invisible to the father who rapes her and the mother who batters her and to the authorities who dismiss her as just one more of Harlem's casualties. But when Precious, pregnant with a second child by her father, meets a determined and radical teacher, we follow her on a journey of education and enlightenment as she learns not only how to write about her life, but how to make it truly her own for the first time.
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The Prada Plan 3:Ashley Antoinette
Leah has been trying for years to get rid of her competition, and all her crazy scheming has finally paid off—or so she thinks. Now that YaYa is out of the picture, she's ready to step into her shoes and have the life she always dreamed of. The scars that she earned in the fire almost seem worth it if they mean she'll finally be able to have all the money, the family, and most importantly, to have Indie's love to herself. There's only one problem. Disaya Morgan isn't dead. She survived the fire too, and she's healing under the watchful eye of one very powerful woman who's ready to help put YaYa on top. With her newfound connections, YaYa could have Leah taken out with the snap of her fingers—but that's not good enough for her. The only way YaYa can battle the demons that are still haunting her is to finish Leah off herself. YaYa is out for blood. There can only be one winner, and these two are on a collision course that could send one of them straight to hell. Ashley Antoinette is back and better than ever with the third installment of The Prada Plan series. A case of mistaken identity left readers reeling at the end of part 2, but part 3 is a heart-pounding saga that will leave you breathless.
27
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
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Love on the Low 4Mia Black
Now that Lacresha has thrown a wrench in his plan, Royce has to own up to his responsibilities, even if that means he has lose the woman he really loves. Mika can’t believe this is happening, but isn’t the type of woman to put her life on hold for a man. Royce made his choice and now he has to live with it. Lacresha got exactly what she wanted, but for how long? Find out what happens in part four of Love On The Low!
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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?
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The Perfect FindTia Williams
A forty-year-old woman risks her new career for a secret romance with the one person who could destroy her comeback in this "deliciously good time" of a novel (Nicola Kraus, author of The Nanny Diaries ). Now a Netflix film starring Gabrielle Union. Jenna Jones, former It-girl fashion editor, is forty, broke and desperate for a second chance. When she’s dumped by her longtime fiancé and fired from Darling magazine, she begs for a job from her arch nemesis, the beyond-bitchy Darcy Vale, who agrees to hire her–but Jenna soon realizes she’s in over her head. What’s worse is that the twenty-two-year-old videographer assigned to shoot her web series is driving her crazy. Eric Combs is way off-limits–but almost too delicious to resist. Does Jenna have room for a new career, a new life, and a new man? Or will her not-so-secret infatuation bring everything crashing down around her?
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PassingNella Larsen
One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years Irene Redfield is a Black woman living an affluent, comfortable life with her husband and children in the thriving neighborhood of Harlem in the 1920s. When she reconnects with her childhood friend Clare Kendry, who is similarly light-skinned, Irene discovers that Clare has been passing for a white woman after severing ties to her past—even hiding the truth from her racist husband.
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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.
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It's Not All Downhill From HereTerry McMillan
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • After a sudden change of plans, a remarkable woman and her loyal group of friends try to figure out what she’s going to do with the rest of her life—from Terry McMillan, the bestselling author of How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Waiting to Exhale NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY MARIE CLAIRE AND GOOD HOUSEKEEPING • “Poignant, funny and full of life, this is a balm for troubled times.”— People Loretha Curry’s life is full. A little crowded sometimes, but full indeed. On the eve of her sixty-eighth birthday, she has a booming beauty-supply empire, a gaggle of lifelong friends, and a husband whose moves still surprise. True, she’s carrying a few more pounds than she should be, but Loretha is not one of those women who think her best days are behind her—and she’s determined to prove wrong her mother, her twin sister, and everyone else with that outdated view of aging wrong. It’s not all downhill from here. But when an unexpected loss turns her world upside down, Loretha will have to summon all her strength, resourcefulness, and determination to keep on thriving, pursue joy, heal old wounds, and chart new paths. With a little help from her friends, of course.
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Junie: A GMA Book Club PickErin Crosby Eckstine
GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • As the Civil War looms, a young girl must face a life-altering decision after awakening her sister’s ghost in this “poignant story of love, family and friendship [that] celebrates the power of liberation” ( People ). “An enrapturing tale of survival . . . Eckstine has poured a ton of heart into her characters.”— The Atlanta Journal-Constitution “The richly textured prose quickly pulled me into [Junie’s] treacherous yet magical world.”—Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake Sixteen years old and enslaved since she was born, Junie has spent her life on Bellereine Plantation in Alabama, cooking and cleaning alongside her family, and tending to the white master’s daughter, Violet. Her daydreams are filled with poetry and faraway worlds, while she spends her nights secretly roaming through the forest, consumed with grief over the sudden death of her older sister, Minnie. When wealthy guests arrive from New Orleans, hinting at marriage for Violet and upending Junie’s life, she commits a desperate act—one that rouses Minnie’s spirit from the grave, tethered to this world unless Junie can free her. She enlists the aid of Caleb, the guests’ coachman, and their friendship soon becomes something more. Yet as long-held truths begin to crumble, she realizes Bellereine is harboring dark and horrifying secrets that can no longer be ignored. With time ticking down, Junie begins to push against the harsh current that has controlled her entire life. As she grapples with an increasingly unfamiliar world in which she has little control, she is forced to ask herself: When we choose love and liberation, what must we leave behind?
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Loved OneAisha Muharrar
Most Anticipated Book of the Summer: New York Times Book Review, W Magazine, Oprah Daily, Conde Nast Traveler, Hollywood Reporter, the Boston Globe, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and The Millions Best Book of 2025 So Far: Real Simple , Debutiful , Literary Hub “[ Loved One ] is special . . . full of wildly astute, delectably thorny questions about love and loss and possession.” —Maggie Shipstead, New York Times bestselling author of Great Circle From an Emmy Award–winning writer comes a funny, wise, heartbreaking story about a woman journeying into the unknown in the wake of sudden loss When her first-love-turned-close-friend, Gabe, dies unexpectedly at twenty-nine, thirty-year-old Julia is launched into an intercontinental quest to recover his lost possessions. Her journey takes her from Los Angeles to London and into the murky realm of the past. It also sets Julia on a collision course with the last woman he loved, a guarded, self-possessed florist and restaurateur named Elizabeth, who insists on withholding Gabe’s beloved guitar—one of the departed indie rock musician’s dearest belongings—for reasons Julia can’t understand. Both women, it turns out, have something to hide, and soon find themselves engaged in a complex dance of withholding and revelation. An emotional mystery spanning years, continents, and relationship statuses, Loved One introduces Aisha Muharrar as a novelist intimately attuned to the intricacies of love, memory, and ambiguous loss. What happens when we admit that the deepest feelings never die? How do we reconcile various—and sometimes contradictory—truths about those closest to us? An engrossing and profoundly moving coming-of-age story with a powerful love at its heart, Loved One is poised to become an instant classic.
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His Dirty Secret 2Mia Black
When Jayla finds out the truth behind Darius, she finds herself between a rock and a hard place. Leaving a man is one thing, but it's easier said than done... especially when you are in love with him and everything he has to offer. Find out what happens in part two of His Dirty Secret!
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Rozalyn 8Myss Shan
Rozalyn and Tamar are back.. Tamar is faced with issues continuing to surround his home. With his boys growing up, they're more than desperate to prove to their father that they are ready to enter the family business. However crucial mistakes put them in harm's way and has Tamar scouring to find out who is responsible. Rozalyn is finding that her new budding career as a lawyer is everything that it should be and more. Things are looking up for as a lawyer and in her home until blast from the past threatens to yet again ruin the union she has with Tamar. Cuba is still back and forth between whether she wants to stay with Khi after the infidelity he displayed. Falling in love with Rozalyn's security had never been in the plans. She finds herself stuck between doing what's right and doing what feels right when her secrets are forcefully brought to the light.
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Love On The Low 6Mia Black
Trill has ramped up his efforts to be the new go-to dealer in town. But as he grows his empire, he begins targeting his enemies. It just so happens, Royce and anyone he cares for will fall into that category. With a wedding in their near future, Mika worries that they’ll never get married, especially not with all that’s going on around them. The pressure is on for everyone. Royce and Mika have choices to make. In the meantime, Trill is ready to make a bold move – one that could be deadly.
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RecitatifToni Morrison & Zadie Smith
NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • A beautiful, arresting story about race and the relationships that shape us through life by the legendary Nobel Prize winner. With an introduction by Zadie Smith “A puzzle of a story, then—a game.... When [Morrison] called Recitatif an ‘experiment’ she meant it. The subject of the experiment is the reader.” —Zadie Smith, award-winning, best-selling author of White Teeth In this 1983 short story—the only short story Morrison ever wrote—we meet Twyla and Roberta, who have known each other since they were eight years old and spent four months together as roommates in St. Bonaventure shelter. Inseparable then, they lose touch as they grow older, only later to find each other again at a diner, a grocery store, and again at a protest. Seemingly at opposite ends of every problem, and at each other's throats each time they meet, the two women still cannot deny the deep bond their shared experience has forged between them. Another work of genius by this masterly writer, Recitatif keeps Twyla's and Roberta's races ambiguous throughout the story. Morrison herself described Recitatif , a story which will keep readers thinking and discussing for years to come, as "an experiment in the removal of all racial codes from a narrative about two characters of different races for whom racial identity is crucial." We know that one is white and one is Black, but which is which? And who is right about the race of the woman the girls tormented at the orphanage? A remarkable look into what keeps us together and what keeps us apart, and how perceptions are made tangible by reality, Recitatif is a gift to readers in these changing times.
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His Dirty Secret 5: Kim's StoryMia Black
After dealing with the drama, Kim tries to move on…but moving on is harder than she thought. Especially since Lloyd is making it his business to win her back. But just when she is about to give in and try it again with Lloyd, she meets a new man who appears to be everything she wants and more. Find out what happens in part five of His Dirty Secret: Kim’s Story!
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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
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His Dirty Secret 4: Kim's StoryMia Black
Kim and Lloyd have finally reconnected and things keep getting better and better between them. Yet when Lloyds baby mama, Ariyah, decides that she is not going to let him go without a fight, everything is bound to change. Ariyah's sudden arrival presents a major problem for Lloyd and a more than uncomfortable moment for Kim. But what Ariyah has in her possession... could turn this encounter into a fatal one for all parties involved! Find out what happens in part four of His Dirty Secret: Kim’s Story!
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His Dirty Secret 6: Kim's StoryMia Black
Kim has done the unthinkable! Just when she took one step forward, she finds herself taking two steps backward. One wild night drastically changes her life, and brings her a whole new level of drama. Find out what happens in part six of His Dirty Secret: Kim’s Story!
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BrooklynTracy Brown
Tracy Brown crafts a tale about a master manipulator and serial survivor, who will scorch earth to get what she wants. The question isn’t who murdered her; the question is who wouldn’t? Brooklyn Melody James has finally gotten the punishment she deserves after leaving a web of lies, heartache, and betrayal behind her. As her life slips away, Brooklyn remembers the events that shaped her into the cold, calculating creature she became. Brooklyn learned the art of hustling from her parents who used the church to get money. Idolizing her father and despising her mother, Brooklyn’s determined to be the type of woman who makes her own rules. When her back’s up against the wall, she sacrifices her family, takes the burnt offering that remains, and runs away. In NYC, young Brooklyn charms her way into the inner circle of hustlers and stick-up kids, learning tricks along the way. She catches the eye of a major player in the drug game, Hassan, and they have a breathless love affair. Brooklyn becomes integrated into his operation, earning the trust of Hassan and his associates. But when she gets the keys to the kingdom, driven by unfettered ambition and a ruthless desire to survive, Brooklyn snatches the pot of gold, leaving bitter retribution promises behind her. From DC to Maryland, Brooklyn burns bridges and breaks hearts. What she doesn't realize is that someone is prepared to end her reign of terror. As she faces her killer and her fate, Brooklyn’s stunned that justice comes from the least likely place.
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When Love HurtsShaquanda Dalton
I've lost my grandmother to a heart attack, the house to foreclosure, and now I'm living in Chicago with a man I swear is cheating on me. I thought he was my soul mate but I was wrong, and now I feel…I just feel…. "I love this book…I couldn't put this book down!" -honesty (reader/reviewer) "This book was a good read that I did not want to end! This book had my heart racing!" -Cecilia (reader/reviewer) When that man put his hands on me I can't take living with him anymore. I deice to move in with my best friend Jaylen for a while. He's a business owner with bills and problems of his own I need him. I just can't go back to my apartment with that man who i thought loved me. One look at my bruises tells me that love was wrong. "Omg this book was a pleasant surprise." -reader/reviewer
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This Here Is LovePrincess Joy L. Perry
Longlisted for the 2026 Aspen Words Literary Prize “A luscious storyteller, Princess Joy L. Perry brings to light the profound moral and emotional dilemmas her characters face, making the reader feel the weight of their impossible choices and everyday courage. A fierce and luminous debut.” —Sheri Reynolds, author of The Rapture of Canaan and The Tender Grave Three people—two enslaved, one indentured—living beside each other, struggling against their circumstances, trying to bend destiny. As the seventeenth century burns to a close in Tidewater, Virginia, America’s character is wrought in the fires of wealth, race, and freedom. Young Bless, the only child left to her enslaved mother, stubbornly crafts the terms of her vital existence. She stands as the lone bulwark between her mother and irreparable despair, her mother’s only possibility of hope, as Bless reshapes the boundaries of love. David is a helping child and a solace to his parents, and he gave a purpose to their trials. His survival hinges on his mother’s shrewd intellect and ferocious fight, but his sustenance is his freed Black father’s dream of emancipation for the entire family. Jack Dane, a Scots-Irish boy, sails to Britain’s colonies when his father sells him into indentured servitude as an escape from poverty. There Jack learns from the rich the value of each person’s life. A breathtaking, haunting, and epic saga, This Here Is Love intimately intertwines us with these beautifully drawn, unforgettable American characters. Bless, taken to serve the slaveowner’s daughter, must decide where she belongs: with the enslaved or above them. David, sold away from his people, retreats into himself even as he yearns to unite with others. Jack, acting impetuously, changes his fortune, but will doing so sacrifice his humanity? All three come together on Jack’s land. As they face and challenge each other, they will relinquish and remake beliefs about family and freedom, even as they confront the limits of love.
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The Cartel 6: The DemiseAshley & JaQuavis
The Cartel series is back...and more deadly than ever. Las Vegas. A city built on obscene wealth and corrupt deals, cunning entrepreneurs, and the ruthless mob. The Cartel's plan to open a casino will rake in cash, but comes with great sacrifice. The stakes have never been this high, and rules of the game have never been this hard to manipulate. And when one dead girl, one scorned wife, and one hole in the desert launch a chain of catastrophic events, The Cartel is sent on a downward spiral as they battle the Arabian mob and fight traitors within their circle. Will the Cartel prevail...or fall victim to the city's black cloud? And if there's one rule in the town of Vegas, it's that when the dust settles, there can only be one winner, in The Cartel 6: The Demise, by New York Times bestselling authors Ashley & JaQuavis.
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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.
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Rozalyn 7Myss Shan
For the last 5 years, Tamar has been running the United Nations Cartel with an iron fist. Nothing moved in the dope-game unless he said so. With the connections, power, and notoriety he had, Tamar quickly becomes the richest, most feared, and most wanted man the world has ever seen. He controlled his operation with so much organization while forcing the biggest bosses around the world to get in line and join forces with him. Things were going so well that the government was unable to figure out a way to disassemble the United Nations Cartel and bring down the head of it all…that was until things on the home-front started to spiral out of control…. Rozalyn and Tamar forever, and ever was what it seemed like it would always be. No matter what the two had been through, they always seemed to find their way back to each other. Rozalyn has always been a boss chick and independent no matter how much Tamar refuted it. This time was no different. Taking the route to become a lawyer like she's always wanted, not only put a strain on her relationship with Tamar but with their kids, as well. Tamarion is all grown up and is determined to garner the attention of his father. A young savage like his father once was, Marion is determined to mark his stamp in the dope game. His selfish antics blows up in his face when he finds out his first love played him. Khian Khi Prince is fresh out the Feds and his main goal was to run it up, and kill the person that set him up. In true thug matrimony, his wife Cuba did him a solid and held him down his entire bid while caring for their kids. To Khi, he owed Cuba everything, but unable to resist the evil temptations of the world, he finds himself in a situation that destroys everything he built. Dox and Lani are enjoying their new life in Miami. With a newborn baby, new house, in a new location, things couldn't go wrong, but they did. Finding themselves in almost the same exact situation as they did before leaving Dallas, both Dox and Lani question if the game is really for them. Rozalyn 7 is fast paced, and the introduction into the UNC that will have you on the edge of your seat with every turn of the page.
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True to the Game Part IITeri Woods
True to the Game II will begin where True to the Game left off, with one difference, Gena is now seeing a new guy named Jay. However, little does Gena know, but the man she has fallen in love with, so soon after Quadir’s death, is his archrival, Jerrell Jackson. Unfortunately, Jerrell is determined to get his revenge against Quadir’s crew and he’ll start with Gena. However, he isn’t the only enemy lurking. Gena has more than she bargained for in this epic sequel to an American street classic and only true love can save her or possibly destroy her. Find out if she will survive and get away with the fortune she found or if the millions she accidentally uncovered will destroy her life.
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The Cartel 5Ashley & JaQuavis
When a Boeing 747 drops out of the sky with the men of the Cartel aboard, the women of the family have to step into their own. With the federal government on their heels and the family on the brink of destruction, a female dynasty is born. After the government's case is thwarted, the ladies plan to take the family legit. They head west to establish a new endeavor, but with new territory comes new problems. The Carter family name doesn't ring as loud as it did in Miami. It's a new set of gangsters, a new set of rules, as the Cartel finds problems with an Arabic millionaire. Even as the new Cartel struggles to go legit, trouble always finds a way into the family's circle. Larceny, deceit, and murder are all in the cards. The Cartel 5 is a page-turning thriller that promises to deliver. This mafia family tries to go corporate, but the streets won't let them. This is the rise of the female Cartel . . . La Bella Mafia.
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Hood RatK'wan
In the heart of Harlem, four women fight to survive the gritty streets and find love in a world that threatens to tear them apart. Yoshi is young, fine, and larcenous. She lives her life playing on men's hearts as well as their pockets, but learns the hard way that all that glitters isn't gold. Billy, a former high school basketball star, has been looking for love. Then she meets someone new and her whole world is turned upside down, leaving her forever changed. Reese is an around-the-way chick, trying to keep up with the Joneses. Her promiscuity leads to an unexpected pregnancy from a one-night stand, forcing her to break an age-old family cycle and stand on her own. Rhonda is twenty-something with three kids by three different men, riding the system all the way to the bank. Her games soon turn ugly when one of her "sponsors" decides to seek revenge. In this gritty urban fiction novel, national bestselling author K'wan weaves a dramatic tale of four friends as they navigate the perils of street life, love, and betrayal in Hood Rat , a scandalous story that will leave Harlem forever changed.
53
FixitJoe Ide
In the latest installment in Joe Ide's "superb" series ( Washington Post ), the relentless, hard-bitten PI, Isaiah Quintabe, is faced with a nightmarish scenario when the love of his life is kidnapped by a maniacal hitman who bears a grudge against him. Named one of the Best Mystery Books of the Year by The Wall Street Journal • An International Thriller Award Nominee Danger has always followed IQ, a reality he’s keenly aware of as he’s laid up in a hospital bed, recovering from injuries sustained in his last case. Isaiah cannot help himself from being the hero, and any misery he’s suffered as a result—wounds from a knife fight, gnawing paranoia—he’s suffered alone. Yet as IQ recovers, five hundred miles from East Long Beach, he’s unaware that Grace has been abducted by his sworn enemy, the professional hitman Skip Hanson. Skip is savage and psychotic, determined to punish Isaiah for sending him to prison and destroying his life. Now, Isaiah and his sometimes partner, ex-hustler Juanell Dodson, must track scant clues through L.A.’s perilous landscape as Grace’s predicament grows more uncertain. A complication arises in the form of Winnie Hando, a homicide detective with something to prove. Stubborn and effective, Winnie sees Isaiah’s efforts as an obstruction to the investigation and a possible embarrassment: an unlicensed PI can’t be seen doing the department’s job better than the department. Winnie tries to stop Isaiah while pursuing the case herself, their struggles clashing and slowing their progress. As the desperate hunt winds on, Isaiah fears that even if he can bring Grace home alive, things between them will never be the same. This latest series installment is an explosive collision of drug dealers, thieves, maniacs, shotguns, vicious dogs, stampeding horses, and Ide’s signature energy, grit, and profundity
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HoodNoire
From a rough childhood to the number one spot in one of Brooklyn’s most lucrative drug empires, Lamont Mason has learned one lesson: “ Ain't no need in looking over your shoulder in this game. Because your real enemies ain't aiming at your back. They lunging straight for your heart.” Lamont "Hood" Mason is a fearless nineteen-year-old gangsta who was born and raised in the projects of Brooklyn, New York. He was an abandoned child who roamed the cold city streets and fought hard for survival. The only thing constant in his young life was the safety of a Brownsville barbershop owned by a father figure called Fat Daddy. The barbershop is where Hood comes of age, but cutting hair isn't the only thing Fat Daddy has going on. His daughter, Egypt, is the love of Hood's young life, and the one person whose dreams of a stable future can lead him off the grimy urban corners and out of the hustling life. But when Fat Daddy gets caught slippin’ and crosses paths with Xanbar, a notoriously brutal drug kingpin, his vices threaten to bring death down on the family Hood loves. In an effort to protect his own, Hood and his best friend and hustling partner, Dreko, take to the streets on a bloody mission that doesn't go exactly as planned. Hood returns to find his world turned upside down by a wave of sex, violence, and betrayal. No longer the starving kid on the street, he's now a man seeking vengeance and retribution, and he might be forced to choose between bending or breaking as he picks up the shattered pieces of his life, one by one.
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To Catch a RavenBeverly Jenkins
“A living legend." -- Julia Quinn The newest novel in USA Today bestselling author Beverly Jenkins’s compelling Women Who Dare series features a fearless grifter who goes undercover to reclaim the stolen Declaration of Independence. Lying and cheating may be sins to some people, but for Raven Moreaux, it is a way of life. She comes from a long line of grifters and couldn’t be prouder…Until she’s forced to help the government. A former Confederate official is suspected of stealing the Declaration of Independence, and Raven, posing as his housekeeper, is tasked with getting it back. Her partner is the too handsome Braxton Steel. Masquerading as a valet/driver, Brax is also supposed to be her “husband.” He has his own reasons for doing this job, but when their pretend marriage ignites into fiery passion, they’ll have to put everything—including their hearts—on the line.
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Trust No ManCa$h
TRUST NO MAN is an urban street tale told in such vivid detail and with such gritty and compelling style it s like watching a movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Terrence aka Youngblood is a young and jiggy stick-up kid in ATL with strict street principles respect for the code of his game, loyalty to those who are loyal to him, and much baby mama drama. Shan, Youngblood s cocaine sniffin baby mama, violates him when she hooks up with one of his partnaz while Youngblood is serving a bid. When Youngblood touches down, it s on and poppin . Rich kid, a flamboyant drug kingpin wants to put Youngblood on his team, but Youngblood prefers to get his the fast way the ski mask way. When Youngblood hits a big lick, he finds out that more money means more problems. Who can he trust? The answer will leave you speechless. TRUST NO MAN is a story of murder, sex, money, bling, love, and betrayal. Get ready to have your every emotion touched. TRUST NO MAN will do that!
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Secrets Of A Sugar Baby 11Mia Black
Jae thought the problems were behind them, but after a terrifying experience, she fears it’s only just begun. Wherever Gunna goes, trouble follows. And this time, it’s wreaking havoc on everyone else’s life. Everyone is on edge, but will their collective anger lead to disaster or will they find a way to make amends and move forward? Find out what happens next in Secrets of A Sugar Baby part 11!
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Side Chick Problems 3Solaé Dehvine
All things must come to an end...even being a side chick. The secrets are too many to name and the lies are too numerous to count. Donesha, Lanesha, and their whole family is hanging on by a thread. As they pick up the pieces and try to keep the last little bit of their secrets hidden, life will have a way of sending everything out in the open. Read the conclusion in Side Chick Problems 3
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Casting the First StoneKimberla Lawson Roby
Readers and critics alike can’t resist New York Times bestselling author Kimberla Lawson Roby’s beloved Reverend Curtis Black series. Now the classic novel that introduced the trials and triumphs of a church family and their congregation is available in a beautiful new edition—and includes a letter from the author. What happens when the pastor of a prominent Baptist church becomes consumed with money, power, and women? And how does his wife maintain her sanity during the process? Tanya Black has everything a woman could want: a fulfilling career, a beautiful daughter, an elegant home, and a handsome, charismatic husband who is pastor of a prominent Baptist church. And yet, none of it can hide the growing turbulence in her marriage. Her husband, Reverend Curtis Black, once a loving, devoted, and passionate partner, has grown remote, and Tanya is thrown into doubt about what she once cherished. When she uncovers disturbing truths, confirming scandalous rumors about Curtis, she questions all that she’s ever believed in. But it is when Tanya is dealt the worst kind of betrayal a woman can face that her life is changed forever. Plunged into a bittersweet journey of discovery, she finds herself learning painful new lessons about love, loyalty—and sensual temptation—and is forced to make some very hard decisions for her daughter, herself, and her future.
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Block Party 2Al-Saadiq Banks
Teenagers, Ahmir and Ahmad Pierson are the offspring of Newark's infamous ghetto legend Donald "Cashmere" Pierson. Ghetto fame and admiration have been a part of their lives for as far back as they both can remember, thanks to Cashmere. Cashmere's addiction to the fast life and the love for his two sons have always conflicted but the love his sons have for him has always been unconditional. Nothing in the world means more to them than their father whom they've always held on a pedestal. Ahmir and Ahmad's lives change drastically after they both witness a horrifying act that they'll never forget. The old cliche' is true "for every action there is an opposite, but equal reaction." What becomes of two traumatized teens whose hearts are filled with vengeance? What does their future hold for them? Or do they even have a future?
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What's Done In The Dark: Part 2Solaé Dehvine
Terry and his family continue to desperately keep secrets from each other. Old habits die hard as the family struggles to stay together as everything around them begins to unravel. They have all yet to learn that What's Done in The Dark will come to light, one way or another. Read Part 2 of 5 in the Best Selling Series What's Done in the Dark.
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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!
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A Southern Street King Earned Her Love 2Porscha Sterling
Bleu knew that her life would never be the same from the moment she met Gucci, but she had no idea just how much things would change. Meeting Gucci seemed like a dream come true but when real life, real feelings and real drama begins to become a real problem between them, Bleu realizes that in trying to escape one situation, she's only made a bigger problem for herself. Determined not to be anybody's victim anymore, Bleu decides that it's time for her to live on her own and push Gucci out of her life. However, what she doesn't know is that Gucci has no intentions of ever leaving. When Bleu decides to do what no woman has ever done before and remove Gucci from her life, his ego takes an unexpected hit that he doesn't quite know how to deal with. As a man who has rarely heard 'no' from any woman, it becomes a major problem for him when he's rejected by the one woman he doesn't want to admit that he can't live without. With Bleu moving on, intent on living her life without him in it, he knows that he has to make some tough first-time decisions if he doesn't want to lose her. But, after fully accepting himself as a certified gangsta without the ability to love, is it possible for him to be the man she needs for him to be?
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The Plug Next Door 2Sol
Part II of The Plug Next Door reveals all the secrets that you've all been waiting for. God has a lot to lose after keeping his wife a secret from Reese all this time. He's in love with the beautiful, charismatic, highly educated doctor but once his skeletons jump out of the closet, he might just lose her forever. However, he's not willing to let her go so easily. But with someone out to destroy him and his empire, he might have no other choice but to surrender his love. Unbeknownst to Nas, he's in the middle of it all. The key to figuring out who's on a mission to take out the Taliban Gang is with him. From the moment he stepped foot onto New York soil, a domino effect of murders, lies, and deceit began. He finds out who his brothers are, but things only get worse from there. He also manages to get Vasii, the girl of his dreams, but what happens when he finds out she's the sister of an old fling? Will he be able to keep her? In the middle of the hailstorm, Young is determined to steal Alexa's heart. He's successful in making her fall in love, but there's just one issue... he isn't like most men. When he loves, he loves hard. Young honestly can't help his possessive ways, given the circumstances, but Alexa may not be ready for it. Then again, she's just as crazy about him as he is her. They're both keeping secrets in the meantime... secrets that could get somebody hurt. Who are the DeLeneau Brothers, really? And are the women they're in love with who they claim to be? Everyone will be shocked to realize they've been dating so close to home. But more importantly, love can blind you from snakes. Who's going to mow the grass and reveal all? Find out in The Plug Next Door II...
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SorrowlandRivers Solomon
A TIME 100 Must-Read Book of 2021 A New York Times Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Book of 2021 The Stonewall Book Award winner of 2022 Named a Best Book of 2021 by NPR , The New York Public Library, Publishers Weekly and more! A triumphant, genre-bending breakout novel from one of the boldest new voices in contemporary fiction. Vern—seven months pregnant and desperate to escape the strict religious compound where she was raised—flees for the shelter of the woods. There, she gives birth to twins, and plans to raise them far from the influence of the outside world. But even in the forest, Vern is a hunted woman. Forced to fight back against the community that refuses to let her go, she unleashes incredible brutality far beyond what a person should be capable of, her body wracked by inexplicable and uncanny changes. To understand her metamorphosis and to protect her small family, Vern has to face the past, and more troublingly, the future—outside the woods. Finding the truth will mean uncovering the secrets of the compound she fled but also the violent history in America that produced it. Rivers Solomon’s Sorrowland is a genre-bending work of Gothic fiction. Here, monsters aren’t just individuals, but entire nations. It is a searing, seminal book that marks the arrival of a bold, unignorable voice in American fiction.
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A Southern Street King Earned Her LovePorscha Sterling
Some stories have villains. Some stories have heroes. But in this love story—the one I lived—Gucci is both. Expensive car. Designer shoes. Neck decorated with heavy gold chains. And rocking Gucci from head-to-toe. He came into my life like the storm I'd never expected, forcing his way into my life with all the cocky arrogance that a man who built his way up from the bottom could possibly have. Like a god in human form, he seduced me with ease, and though I tried to play hard to get, he knew from the beginning that he would be getting me. There are a million and one reasons why I shouldn't love him. A million and one reasons why I shouldn't want him. And tons more for why I should've ran in the other direction the moment I saw him walking my way. Gucci is intoxicatingly toxic; a devil in designer shoes. He's the last man on Earth that I should ever want. But I want him anyway.
67
A Girl From FlintTreasure Hernandez
Hustling men for their money has always come easy for Tasha. Hailing from New York and raised by a junkie mother, she had to learn early how to use her beauty to her advantage. Tasha thinks she's seen it all on the streets of New York, but when she follows a childhood friend to the little city of Flint, Michigan, she realizes that sometimes the smallest cities breed the grimiest of individuals. When Tasha and her friends link up with Manolo, one of Flint's known stick-up kids, they take the hustlers of Flint for all they're worth. Any man who falls for a pretty face is a target, and under the guidance of Manolo, the girls quickly learn the game of manipulation and deceit. They become known as The Manolo Mamis, and their skills gain them thousands of dollars in no time. Tasha is living the life of the young and fly, but when tragedy strikes and the stakes are raised, she has to choose between loyalty and self-sacrifice. When the only man she's ever loved becomes her target, will she decide to save him, or will she remain loyal to The Manolo Mamis?
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Can't Resist a BossAlesha Riley
Candace Lyons is a business woman. She was raised in Raleigh, NC but, moved to Atlanta, GA to continue her chain of hair salons. As a child, she despised men after her dad cheated on her mom and her ex cheated on her. But, at her grand opening she meets the Porter brothers who are billionaires and known as playboys. Javion Porter was the one who caught her eye and she knew she had to have him. But when DeMeechie, an old flame comes back into her life, she willingly gives him a chance instead. Sadly, she finds out the hard way about her old flames evilness and deceitful ways. Mikayla a.k.a Kay or Kayla is Candace's best friend and DeMeechie’s little sister. She doesn’t give a care in the world but, she loves her best friend and is obsessed with Zanier Porter. She never thought she would be able to call him her man but, that all changed at her best friend’s grand opening. She also didn’t know that he had a few secrets he kept from her and from his own brother. Javion Porter and his brother started off in the streets and realized that they didn’t want their lives to end in their. They decided to invest their money the legal way and started a management company called JZ Porters. His girlfriend Nayomi, introduced him to Candace Lyons for a purpose but he doesn’t know that and Nayomi wasn’t expecting them to like each other. Javion doesn’t love his girlfriend but, he feels obligated to do whatever she says, because she helped him and his brother fund the management company. She got him an interview with Mr. Z the loan shark, and he doesn’t know what she did to make that happen. But, he will surely find out that the person he calls his woman is the devil herself. Zanier Porter is definitely a ladies' man. He has a 4-year-old daughter, named Za’Nya, and a baby mama, named Allison, who he thinks is cool with him dating other women. He soon finds out that she’s not. He is a hit it and quit it kind of guy, until he meets Mikayla. When he met her, he was not expecting to feel the way he did and he wasn’t expecting his secrets to hurt the ones he loved. DeMeechie, also known as Meech, was raised in the streets all his life. His parents left him to raise his sister Mikayla and he didn’t know how to survive until he met the infamous drug lord, named Deadly, who changed his life. Deadly wants Javion and Zanier dead and DeMeechie will do everything in his power to make that happen, even if he has to pretend to love his old flame, Candace Lyons.
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DominionAddie E. Citchens
A Must-Read: People , NPR, Vulture , Literary Hub , The Millions , Garden & Gun , Goodreads Long-listed for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize Winner of the O. Henry Prize for “That Girl” An Indies Introduce and Indie Next Pick A Publishers Weekly Writer to Watch In this taut Southern family drama, the sins of a favorite son rock a small Mississippi town. Reverend Sabre Winfrey, Jr., shepherd of the Seven Seals Missionary Baptist Church, believes in God, his own privilege, and enterprise. He owns the barbershop and the radio station, and generally keeps an iron hand on every aspect of society in Dominion, Mississippi. He and his wife, Priscilla, have five boys; the youngest, Emanuel, is called Wonderboy—no one sings prettier, runs as fast, or turns as many heads. But Wonderboy, his father, and all the structures in place that keep them on top are not as righteous as they seem to be. And when Wonderboy is caught off guard by an encounter with a stranger, he finds himself confronted by questions he’d never imagined. His response sends shock waves through the entire community. Priscilla and Diamond, two women who love these men, bear witness to their charms and bear the brunt of their choices. Through their eyes and their stories, Dominion offers an intricate, intimate view of how secrets control us, how shame stifles us, how silence implicates us, and how even love plays a role in the everyday violence and casual sins of the powerful. A brilliantly crafted Black Southern family drama told with the captivating force, humor, and tenderness carried in the hearts of these women, Addie E. Citchens’s Dominion wrestles with the many brutal, sinister ways in which we are shaped by fear and patriarchy, and studies how we might yet choose to break free.
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Fallin' for a Fighter 2Toya Banks
Chantel knew the moment she met Keyair that her life would never be the same again, but for her, none of that mattered. Her friends and family, on the other hand, had very big reasons to worry, but are they enough reason to walk away from the man she wants and lose what they’re working hard to maintain? Keyair can’t erase what’s been done, but he’s willing to do whatever it takes to keep Chantel in his life. With everyone fighting to tear him and Chantel apart, does he stand a chance? Is their budding relationship worth fighting for or should they cut their losses and walk away before it’s too late? Find out what happens in part two of Fallin’ For A Fighter!
71
The Book of NegroesLawrence Hill
Lawrence Hill's award-winning novel is a major television miniseries airing on BET Networks. The Book of Negroes (based on the novel Someone Knows My Name ) will be BET's first miniseries. The star-studded production includes lead actress Aunjanue Ellis ( Ray, The Help ), Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. ( Jerry Maguire, A Few Good Men ), Oscar and Emmy winner Louis Gossett Jr. ( A Raisin in the Sun, Boardwalk Empire ), and features Lyriq Bent ( Rookie Blue ), Jane Alexander ( The Cider House Rules ), and Ben Chaplin ( The Thin Red Line ). Director and co-writer Clement Virgo is a feature film and television director ( The Wire ) who also serves as producer with executive producer Damon D'Oliveira ( What We Have ). In this "transporting" ( Entertainment Weekly ) and "heart-stopping" ( Washington Post ) work, Aminata Diallo, one of the strongest women characters in contemporary fiction, is kidnapped from Africa as a child and sold as a slave in South Carolina. Fleeing to Canada after the Revolutionary War, she escapes to attempt a new life in freedom.
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NotoriousKiki Swinson
"Kiki captures the heat of the streets." --Wahida Clark, New York Times bestselling author After the drama in Playing Dirty , Yoshi Lomax is on the run, but trouble follows her wherever she goes. . . When things get too hot in Miami, criminal lawyer Yoshi figures she'll be safe if she goes home to Norfolk, Virginia, for a little while. But the streets there are just as mean, and a sistah needs to keep her head to avoid getting popped by a drive-by. And when Yoshi witnesses the brutal murder of a snitch by a ruthless drug dealer, she knows she'll be the next one in the gangsta's sights. Out of time and abandoned by everyone but her cousin Carmen, Yoshi's goin' to have to learn to fight back if she wants to live another day. . .
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A Savage With a Heart of Gold 2Chante’ Miller
A Savage is no match for a beast; those are words that Andre is about to prove true to Paradise. Paradise and Angel’s illicit affair comes to an end sooner than they wish when Andre is back in town. Paradise isn’t ready to give up on what she has shared between Angel for the last couple months. But she has no choice when Andre lets her know she and Angel will be killed if he ever finds out she has cheated on him. Carlon is stressed beyond words, being the expectant father of two babies by two different women, both of whom know nothing about each other. Carlon’s world comes crashing down when it’s finally revealed that he has two women in his life—one he actually wants, and one he wants to get rid of. However, shocking family secrets continue to unravel in this finale, proving that every family has some sort of dysfunctionality. See if the Fuentes family tree will be still standing in the finale of this drama filled story!
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The BlockTreasure Hernandez
On the outside, Tone seems to have it all. He has a father he looks up to and an older brother who keeps him under his wing—until the day his father crosses a line that changes everything. Tone is forced to enter a world he knew nothing about. Detective Abraham is obsessed with power and money, so he has figured out a way to play on both sides of the tracks when it comes to organized crime. The only thing stopping him from making it to the top spot is Santiago, one of the most feared suppliers in the country. Santiago's only weakness is his daughter, Serena. Detective Abraham develops a plan that involves his son, Tone, getting close to Serena. Against his better judgment, Tone goes along with his father's plan and sets out to win Serena over with his charm. What he hasn't planned on is Serena turning the tables and stealing his heart. Now Tone is faced with choices that leave him questioning his loyalty to his family.
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Claimed by the Alpha Billionaire Boss 2 & 3Hattie Black
Book 2 Description Mr Pierce was kissing me, he was actually kissing me and it felt good. Then he started caressing my cheek slowly, then my neck. I was not even sure how to react. This cold boss of mine was kissing me, touching my face and neck. Then he was caressing my side. He caress was magical. It sent shivers down my spine and ripples of pleasure around my body. He pulled me closer to me and deepened the kiss. My hands hung at my side awkwardly. I was not sure if I was supposed to touch him. When he broke off the kiss, I stood there just staring him, panting. His green gaze was resting on my face. He looked hungry, hungry for me. It made me nervous and confused. I had no idea what had just happened. I had my hands in mid air with my palms up. I put them the back down. I scratched the back of my head. “Mr...” I drifted off. I could not even say anything. I sighed with pleasure, I turned on my heel and left the room. Book 3 Description Kelly arrived just in time to help with the moving. The moving van was already there. Ruby sat on the side walk with her doll as I was packing. As soon as Kelly greeted me, she knew that there was something wrong with me. She held me by my shoulders and searched my eyes. “What is wrong?” She asked me. “Jermaine” I replied. Just the sound of the name turned her face dark. She dropped her hands from my shoulders. “What did that bastard do? I picked up a box. “Showed up at my work” I put the box in the van. I walked back to the other boxes. I could hear Kelly muttering curse words. “Yes and he said he missed me” I said as I put another box in the van. “Okay Em, just come here for a second and let the men load up the van” Kelly grabbed me and pulled me towards her. “Tell me everything that happened” “That was it. I slapped him after he said that and left” “He's lucky it was you not me” That was very much true. Kelly would have punched him the first moment she saw him. She had a shorter temper than me. Her motto was to strike first, ask questions later. She hated him as much as I did if not more. Over time, I had been able to let go off him. Being with Jason strangely made me forget. Yes he was a complicated man who probably did not like me the way I would want him to but he was a better man than Jermaine. He was who he was. He was cold but honest. Honesty was the best gift to a person. Jermaine was not honest. He pretended to love and showered me with compliments. He was the exact opposite of Jason.
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Infidelity: The Roots of a Broken ManDewayne Williams
"INFIDELITY: THE ROOTS OF A BROKEN MAN" will shed light on truths not often revealed in the same context when speaking of a 'man'. Credited with being the 'strong one', the words 'broken man' are not readily-viewed as acceptable in the eyes of the world. Within the pages of this piece of literary art, you will meet Joseph; a man confronting truths that steered his life onto pothole-ridden paths with reckless abandon. You will come to know a man who has searched for something that exists, yet is just out of reach due to tragic experiences and haphazard decisions made all throughout his life. The very thing he despised was the very thing that fueled his desires...and his rage. His search for the truth leads him to a place he's been time and again - but had previously overlooked. He knew fear. He has looked insecurity square in the eye. Embarrassment has had its place riding shotgun for far too long. The time had arrived for Joseph to be freed from the vicious cycle of torment. From childhood to adulthood, the place he believes he will find refuge is the breeding ground for the final stage of the life he was used to living. The culmination of it all sparks his desire to STOP searching and finally START living!
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Can't Leave You AloneBrittany R. Harris
Eighteen-year-old Egypt Montes never let herself get mixed up in the streets unlike her mom, sister, and brother. Graduation is approaching and soon Egypt will be off to college. Never will she have to look back at her block. But will her plans change when RoShawn Coldfield enters her life? RoShawn Coldfield is a high school dropout who is also deep into the streets. Egypt tries to stay far away from him, but can't seem to pull away especially when he brings life threatening drama and danger into her once peaceful life. she figures out she's been living in a world she knew nothing about. Twenty-year-old Roshawn, better known on the block as Rosh, was on top of his game until a bad turn of events landed him in the last place he wanted to be. School. Yet he will let nothing stop his success as he sets up a plan of events in the midst of someone unknown having a hit out for him. Rosh fights to protect Egypt and his rep, but will it all be worth it or will he fall and drag innocent Egypt down with him?
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CaneJean Toomer & George B. Hutchinson
The Harlem Renaissance writer's innovative and groundbreaking novel depicting African American life in the South and North, with a foreword by National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree Zinzi Clemmons Jean Toomer's Cane is one of the most significant works to come out of the Harlem Renaissance, and is considered to be a masterpiece in American modernist literature because of its distinct structure and style. First published in 1923 and told through a series of vignettes, Cane uses poetry, prose, and play-like dialogue to create a window into the varied lives of African Americans living in the rural South and urban North during a time when Jim Crow laws pervaded and racism reigned. While critically acclaimed and known today as a pioneering text of the Harlem Renaissance, the book did not gain as much popularity as other works written during the period. Fellow Harlem Renaissance writer Langston Hughes believed Cane 's lack of a wider readership was because it didn't reinforce the stereotypes often associated with African Americans during the time, but portrayed them in an accurate and entirely human way, breaking the mold and laying the groundwork for how African Americans are depicted in literature. For the first time in Penguin Classics, this edition of Cane features a new introduction, suggestions for further reading, and notes by scholar George Hutchinson, and National Book Award Foundation 5 Under 35 novelist Zinzi Clemmons contributes a foreword.
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Caught Up with a Jezebel 7Kia Summers
First Lady, Vanessa Black, never imagined that receiving a phone call message with five little words “Don’t trust the Jezebel spirit” would have the power to drive her to seek revenge, fight for her man, her family and more important herself. Her life, which usually entails church duties and keeping a tight eye on her children, suddenly spins with mayhem when a jezebel took control of her family. And now when her deepest darkest secret starts coming up to the surface— someone in her past will pop back in her life, and cause havoc. She has been silent long enough, and now she is on a mission to find out just who this enemy is! Can Vanessa use her life’s experiences at this conference for good before past pain and another Jezebel get in her way? Find out what happens in Vanessa’s Story in Caught up with a Jezebel!
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From the Pole to the PalaceDiamond Johnson
Hoe. Slut. Skank. Those were all words that Ms. Dreka Hendrix has been called over the past few months ever since she landed her a job at Sin City. Sin City is a major strip club here in Miami Florida. While most people are there trying to showcase their talents, Dreka is there only because it is her last resort. She’s raising a six-year-old daughter by the name of Charisma, and doing whatever she has to do to provide for her and her child. In comes the new club manager, Seth Roberts. Seth immediately sees something in Dreka, but the only thing that keeps them apart is the fact that Seth is married. Will Seth give up on his marriage to pursue Dreka? Find out if Dreka has what it takes to go from the pole to the palace.
81
A Cheater's PromiseMaurice Derrick Geter
Take a look into the life of a cheater, as he makes promises that are tough to keep. The game of cheating has been around for a long time, and sometimes it's hard to figure out whom you love, and who you are in love with. Damien White thinks he has it all under control. He spent years running the streets breaking ladies hearts with lies, and promises of love. Damien knew as a playa, all he needed was a side chick, booty call, or a jump off around him, and his heart could not be broken. But, in cheating there are consequences for getting caught by stupid mistakes, and sexual desires.
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What He's Been Missing (e-mm)Grace Octavia
“Octavia pens a great tale."--The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers The road to romance can be filled with second thoughts and second guesses, and in Essence® bestselling author Grace Octavia's captivating novel, one woman can't quite make peace with her choices... Atlanta celebrity wedding planner Rachel Winslow has it all—except what she wants most: true love. Her friends are convinced that her college ex-turned-best friend, Ian, is her Mr. Right—even though he’s in a relationship. And when Ian confides to Rachel that he plans to propose, she suddenly wonders if she's letting her best chance at happiness slip through her fingers. In a panic, Rachel becomes determined to win Ian back. But her plan backfires in ways she couldn't have imagined… Heartbroken, Rachel finds herself making a series of disastrous decisions—including an affair that leaves everything she values most hanging in the balance. To get her life back on track, Rachel will have to let go of the illusions of the past—and her fears about the future. “Octavia doesn't pave an easy road to love, which makes the journey much more interesting and satisfying.” –USAToday.com “Octavia has a unique way of approaching love and heartache...This is definitely a fast-paced, unpredictable read.” –APOOO Book Club
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Half BlindOlivia Gaines
Helen McDaniel is back in Half Blind, the captivating third installment in the Technicians of the Great Lakes series. This time, Helen's journey takes her to Ohio, where she trains under the enigmatic chemical specialist, the Sour Lemon. As Helen delves into the intricate world of toxins and beneficial plant life, she forms an unexpected friendship with Lemon—who is dealing with her own complications, including a mysterious connection to a stranger named Jared. The intrigue deepens when another stranger arrives, stirring up secrets that bring Helen closer to uncovering the truth about The Conclave of Angels, the shadowy organization behind the Technician Crews. Meanwhile, Helen's relationship with Mustang grows stronger as he moves closer to home, establishing roots in Plainfield, Indiana. Blending suspense, personal growth, and deepening connections, Half Blind offers a vivid exploration of loyalty, resilience, and the ever-unfolding mysteries of the Forbidden Fruits Technician Crew. For fans of action-packed series featuring strong female leads, this is a journey you won't want to miss. Join Helen as she navigates new challenges, unearths hidden truths, and takes another step toward mastering her role in the Great Lakes Technician Crew!
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SweatZora Neale Hurston
Delia Jones endures the relentless cruelty of her husband, Sykes, in a small Florida town. As a hardworking washwoman, she finds solace in her routine and the church, despite Sykes's abusive behavior and infidelity. When Sykes brings a deadly rattlesnake into their home to terrorize her further, Delia's fear transforms into a cold, determined rage.
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Jamaica RoadLisa Smith
A transformative love story about two best friends who fall for each other, fall apart, and try to find their way back together in their tight-knit British-Jamaican community. South London, 1981: Daphne is the only Black girl in her class. All she wants is to keep her head down, preferably in a book. The easiest way to survive is to go unnoticed. Daphne’s attempts at invisibility are upended when a boy named Connie Small arrives from Jamaica. Connie is the opposite of small in every way: lanky, outgoing, and unapologetically himself. Daphne tries to keep her distance, but Connie is magnetic, and they form an intense bond. As they navigate growing up in a volatile, rapidly changing city, their families become close, and their friendship begins to shift into something more complicated. When Connie reveals that he and his mother “nuh land”—meaning they’re in England illegally—Daphne realizes that she is dangerously entangled in Connie’s fragile home life. Soon, long-buried secrets in both families threaten to tear them apart permanently. Spanning one tumultuous decade, from the industrial docklands of the Thames to the sandy beaches of Calabash Bay, Jamaica Road is a deftly plotted and emotionally expansive debut novel about race and class, the family you’re born with and the family you choose, and the limits of what true love can really conquer.
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Wired SentinelToby Neal
In paradise, some secrets refuse to stay buried… The Paradise Crime Thriller series continues with this explosive crime mystery set in the Hawaiian islands. Security expert Sophie Smithson protects Hawaii from cyber threats, but she can't stop thieves from infiltrating Honolulu's museums. They leave no digital trace, disable every alarm, and vanish like ghosts—leaving only white plumerias and cryptic messages that suggest this is personal. After losing her fiance in a volcanic accident, Sophie has worked hard to move on. She races to solve the heists while protecting her two young children. Sophie uncovers a conspiracy that reaches from Hawaii's cultural activists to international criminal networks. With enemies closing in, she must navigate a web of deception where nothing is what it seems. A pulse-pounding crime thriller about surveillance, deception, and the price of truth. "So excited that Sophie is back!" ~Advance Reader Perfect for fans of: Crime thrillers, international spy fiction, Hawaii mysteries, psychological thrillers, domestic thrillers, and high-tech suspense
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Blacker Than a Thousand MidnightsSusan Straight
“A writer of exceptional gifts and grace.” —Joyce Carol Oates A young fireman battles to provide for his family—and struggles to avoid the traps of crime and poverty that surround him. A resident of impoverished Rio Seco, California, Darnell Tucker works part–time as the lone black member of the fire department. Cutbacks to the state budget force him to search for new work, and the low–paying positions he finds rival firefighting in their peril. His path blocked by economics, institutionalized racism, and the dangers of the place he lives, Darnell must find a way to persevere. Blacker Than a Thousand Midnights is a stark and thoroughly convincing portrait of life on the margins.
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Bruzin's 2Romie The Writer
The war ain't over. It just went inside. Bruzin's 2 picks up where the streets left off—inside a prison yard where survival is a daily test and trust is just another setup. Amir is serving a hard stretch for a robbery he never got to finish. He thought the loss of his brother Bruzin was his biggest pain… until new enemies emerge behind the wall, and an old threat starts brewing from the outside. Inside, Amir is forced to fight for his life, while leaning on his tightest ally—Easy—to navigate deadly politics, spiritual awakening, and raw vengeance. Meanwhile, back home, Gator is caught between cleaning up the mess and feeding the flame. Jaleesa, Amir's mother, finally sees the cost of her sins—but redemption comes with a price. And B.L.A.C.K.? He ain't just lurking. He's orchestrating. The streets don't forget. The prison system don't forgive. And family ties? They twist tighter before they snap. If you thought Bruzin's was the end of the story, you weren't paying attention. This is the aftermath—and it's even more dangerous.
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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.
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Honey and SpiceBolu Babalola
INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK • A TIKTOK BOOK CLUB PICK "Sexy, messy and wry, Honey and Spice more than delivers." — New York Times Book Review "A vibrant debut novel . . . Babalola is incisively funny, capturing the kick and sweetness of her title with her words." — Entertainment Weekly Named a Best Book of the Year by Time • Esquire • Vanity Fair • Oprah Daily • Cosmopolitan • Elle • Harper's Bazaar • Southern Living • Buzzfeed • Women's Health Magazine • AudioFile • Popsugar • and more! Introducing internationally bestselling author Bolu Babalola’s dazzling debut novel, full of passion, humor, and heart, that centers on a young Black British woman who has no interest in love and unexpectedly finds herself caught up in a fake relationship with the man she warned her girls about Sweet like plantain, hot like pepper. They taste the best when together... Sharp-tongued (and secretly soft-hearted) Kiki Banjo has just made a huge mistake. As an expert in relationship-evasion and the host of the popular student radio show Brown Sugar, she’s made it her mission to make sure the women of the African-Caribbean Society at Whitewell University do not fall into the mess of “situationships”, players, and heartbreak. But when the Queen of the Unbothered kisses Malakai Korede, the guy she just publicly denounced as “The Wastemen of Whitewell,” in front of every Blackwellian on campus, she finds her show on the brink. They’re soon embroiled in a fake relationship to try and salvage their reputations and save their futures. Kiki has never surrendered her heart before, and a player like Malakai won’t be the one to change that, no matter how charming he is or how electric their connection feels. But surprisingly entertaining study sessions and intimate, late-night talks at old-fashioned diners force Kiki to look beyond her own presumptions. Is she ready to open herself up to something deeper? A gloriously funny and sparkling debut novel, Honey and Spice is full of delicious tension and romantic intrigue that will make you weak at the knees. "A smart, sexy summer read, which hits your brain and your romance buttons in one shot." — Los Angeles Times "The ultimate summer romance . . . It’s got all the juiciest, most satisfying romance tropes, but in Babalola’s capable hands, the story feels fresh and unique." — The Cut, New York magazine “Divine summer reading. Hilarious, hot, and heartfelt. ” — Meg Cabot, #1 New York Times bestselling author
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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.
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Johnny Panic and the Bible of DreamsSylvia Plath
"What I fear most, I think, is the death of the imagination. . . . If I sit still and don't do anything, the world goes on beating like a slack drum, without meaning. We must be moving, working, making dreams to run toward; The poverty of life without dreams is too horrible to imagine." — Sylvia Plath, "Cambridge Notes" (From Notebooks, February 1956) Renowned for her poetry, Sylvia Plath was also a brilliant writer of prose. This collection of short stories, essays, and diary excerpts highlights her fierce concentration on craft, the vitality of her intelligence, and the yearnings of her imagination. Featuring an introduction by Plath's husband, the late British poet Ted Hughes, these writings also reflect themes and images she would fully realize in her poetry. Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams truly showcases the talent and genius of Sylvia Plath.
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Sweet HeatBolu Babalola
BOLU BABALOLA IS… “A queen of romantic comedy.” – Oprah Daily • “Incisively funny.” – Entertainment Weekly • “A really great romance writer.” – Quinta Brunson, Harper's Bazaar • “Keeping the hope for true love alive and enjoyable.” –Shondaland • “A rom-com expert.” – New York Times A Rolling Stone Most Anticipated Book of Fall Two exes. One summer wedding. Zero chance of escaping the heat. Prepare to laugh, swoon, and fall head over heels with this irresistible standalone romance from Bolu Babalola, the bestselling author of Honey and Spice, a Reese’s Book Club pick. Twenty-eight-year-old Kiki Banjo hosts the popular podcast The HeartBeat, solving romantic conundrums and dishing out life advice. But behind the mic, career setbacks and a devastating breakup have left her hanging on by a thread. As she’s preparing to be the Maid of Honor in her best friend’s wedding, everything starts to unravel, and Kiki is left wondering if she ever had the answers. Then Kiki finds herself face-to-face with the Best Man, her ex-boyfriend, Malakai—the smooth-talking, absurdly handsome, annoyingly perceptive man who stole her heart and then shattered it. While Kiki’s approaching rock bottom, Malakai’s been on the rise as a filmmaker, and now they have no choice but to play nice until the wedding is over. Both are hell-bent on ignoring the smoldering chemistry between them, but as they navigate the chaos of wedding plans, career ambitions, and Kiki’s growing fears about the future, they can’t ignore the spark that’s only getting hotter. They just have to get through the summer. So why does it feel like playing with fire? “Babalola’s sharp sense of humor, slick pop culture references, and keen sense of the zeitgeist . . . offer a refreshing portrait of what modern love really looks and feels like." — Time “Babalola expertly blends sex with societal discourse in ways that echo Jane Austen and Nora Ephron.” — Vanity Fair "Babalola soars in her rich depictions of intimacy and relationships, in all their grandeur." — The New York Times Book Review
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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..
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Parable of the TalentsOctavia E. Butler
From a celebrated author, the thrilling sequel to The Parable of the Sower —a cautionary novel ahead of its time, perfect for fans of The Broken Earth trilogy. In 2032, Lauren Olamina has survived the destruction and ruin of everything she knew. Her peaceful community based on her newly founded faith, Earthseed, provides refuge for outcasts facing persecution after the election of an ultra-conservative president. Under his rule, Lauren's colony—a minority religious faction led by a young Black woman—becomes a target for the president’s reign of terror and oppression. Years later, Asha Vere reads the journals of a mother she never knew. As she searches for answers, she 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. "In the ongoing contest over which dystopian classic is most applicable to our time, Octavia Butler's 'Parable' books may be unmatched."— The New Yorker
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Calling All BlessingsBeverly Jenkins
NAACP nominee and USA Today bestselling author Beverly Jenkins celebrates her beloved Blessings series with a heartwarming novel set in Henry Adams, Kansas. “If you haven’t yet gotten your hands on [this] author’s work, you should do so immediately.”—Shondaland Tamar July, town matriarch of Henry Adams, KS, is being haunted by dreams of her humiliating wedding day, sixty years ago, when she discovered her intended, Joel Newton, was already married. The truth left her furious, heartbroken, and carrying a child, her son Malachi “Mal” July. Why are these dreams coming to her now? And is the great horned owl perched on her backyard shed somehow connected? When Joel’s legitimate son comes to Henry Adams wanting to meet his half-brother, Mal, Tamar must deal with her past, her anger, and explore what it means to truly forgive. Tamar isn’t the only one being tested. Teenager Devon July wants to be anyone but himself. When he first arrived in Henry Adams, as an eight-year-old foster child, he wanted to be a preacher. Then, to be like his adopted brother, Amari. Now, he’s decided to be a variant of James Brown—wig included—rather than who he really is, a boy who lost his beloved grandmother and is the son of a mentally challenged woman. Will Tamar be able to guide his spirit quest and place him on the road to finally being at peace within himself? As the big August 1st celebration nears, town owner Bernadine Brown has a lot on her plate, chief among them, what to do with former mayor Riley Curry’s monstrous tribute to his hog Cletus. There are no secrets in Henry Adams, but there’s never a dull moment either.
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Addicted to a Dirty South Thug 3Myss Shan
Cuba has been through it all, and even then, it seems like her love for Khi grows more and more with each day. After her fairytale proposal and saying yes to the man she loved, Cuba was hit with the bitter and jealous filled rage of Brianna. Cuba's first thought is to run, but Khi isn't going to let that happen. He does everything in his power to show Cuba that she is his queen and he her king and ensures nothing ever happens to her again. Showering Cuba with love, affection, and gifts send these two right down the aisle of matrimony, but what happens just as the two are united? Life and betrayal has sent Khi back to the man that he had so long tried to escape. After everything that happened to his Cuba, Khi becomes the ultimate gentleman at home, but more ruthless than ever in the streets. He and his brothers are determined to reign supreme in the streets and with the new deal that's been handed to them, they plan to take it all while suffering no losses. The money begins to roll in effortlessly and the Prince name is own its way to being a legacy, but while things seem to be going great for them, someone isn't with it, and they're coming for Khi with all they have. KaeDee and Detective Destiny Henson's love story was written before KaeDee had even known. After Deonna's past was revealed and finding out the sacrifices that Destiny has made for him, KaeDee has decided to take things easy and get away for a while. Knowing he's no good for his brothers right now, he and Destiny embark on a journey to see if there a such thing as true happiness. Cassidy tried his best to be a good man to Tangie but one simple mistake causes him to lose his relationship with her. Feeling resentful and as stubborn as ever, Cassidy refuses to beg for forgiveness again and puts his all into the Prince legacy. He no longer wants to love, but when Jourdin the mother of his child walks back into his life and shows him unconditional love and Tangie finally confesses that she no longer wants to live without him, Cassidy finds himself in love with two women unsure of which one deserves his heart the most. Dae awakes from his coma feeling colder than ever. A character you all know pushes Tamar to forgive Dae and his wrongdoings against Taylana for the sake of their child. And now that things seem to be back on the right path, Dae no longer wants what he is now able to have and seeks to win back the heart of the one woman that he cost the most pain to. He wants Amber back and to build the relationship that he coldly tore apart, but she won't make it easy for him and nor will Taylana. Now that Khian, Cassidy, and Daelan are all together, the Prince legacy is in the midst of being written. These brothers have a point to prove and will stop at nothing to do so. You've never seen them so ruthless before especially when the biggest blow to come their way yet involves the last piece to the Prince brother puzzle...Emon. The Prince brothers love hard this round, but gun harder showing you just why everyone is Addicted to A Dirty South Thug.
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The Gilded YearsKarin Tanabe
Passing meets The House of Mirth in this “utterly captivating” (Kathleen Grissom, New York Times bestselling author of The Kitchen House ) historical novel based on the true story of Anita Hemmings, the first black student to attend Vassar, who successfully passed as white—until she let herself grow too attached to the wrong person. Since childhood, Anita Hemmings has longed to attend the country’s most exclusive school for women, Vassar College. Now, a bright, beautiful senior in the class of 1897, she is hiding a secret that would have banned her from admission: Anita is the only African-American student ever to attend Vassar. With her olive complexion and dark hair, this daughter of a janitor and descendant of slaves has successfully passed as white, but now finds herself rooming with Louise “Lottie” Taylor, the scion of one of New York’s most prominent families. Though Anita has kept herself at a distance from her classmates, Lottie’s sphere of influence is inescapable, her energy irresistible, and the two become fast friends. Pulled into her elite world, Anita learns what it’s like to be treated as a wealthy, educated white woman—the person everyone believes her to be—and even finds herself in a heady romance with a moneyed Harvard student. It’s only when Lottie becomes infatuated with Anita’s brother, Frederick, whose skin is almost as light as his sister’s, that the situation becomes particularly perilous. And as Anita’s college graduation looms, those closest to her will be the ones to dangerously threaten her secret. Set against the vibrant backdrop of the Gilded Age, an era when old money traditions collided with modern ideas, Tanabe has written an unputdownable and emotionally compelling story of hope, sacrifice, and betrayal—and a gripping account of how one woman dared to risk everything for the chance at a better life.
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Uncle Tom's ChildrenRichard Wright
"A formidable and lasting contribution to American literature." —Chicago Tribune Originally published in 1938, Uncle Tom's Children, a collection of novellas, was the first book from Richard Wright, who would go on to win international renown for his powerful and visceral depiction of the Black experience. The author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction, most notably the acclaimed novel Native Son and his stunning autobiography, Black Boy, Wright stands today as one of the greatest American writers of the twentieth century. Set in the American Deep South, each of the powerful and devastating stories in Uncle Tom's Children concerns an aspect of the lives of Black people in the post-slavery era, exploring their resistance to white racism and oppression. The collection also includes a personal essay by Wright titled "The Ethics of Living Jim Crow."
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Don't Cry for MeDaniel Black
Don't miss Daniel Black's next novel Isaac's Song coming January 2025 *From the Georgia Author of the Year Award Winner* NAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK IN ESSENCE MAGAZINE, THE MILLIONS AND BOOKISH "Don't Cry for Me is a perfect song."—Jesmyn Ward A Black father makes amends with his gay son through letters written on his deathbed in this wise and penetrating novel of empathy and forgiveness, for fans of Ta-Nehisi Coates, Robert Jones Jr. and Alice Walker As Jacob lies dying, he begins to write a letter to his only son, Isaac. They have not met or spoken in many years, and there are things that Isaac must know. Stories about his ancestral legacy in rural Arkansas that extend back to slavery. Secrets from Jacob's tumultuous relationship with Isaac's mother and the shame he carries from the dissolution of their family. Tragedies that informed Jacob's role as a father and his reaction to Isaac's being gay. But most of all, Jacob must share with Isaac the unspoken truths that reside in his heart. He must give voice to the trauma that Isaac has inherited. And he must create a space for the two to find peace. With piercing insight and profound empathy, acclaimed author Daniel Black illuminates the lived experiences of Black fathers and queer sons, offering an authentic and ultimately hopeful portrait of reckoning and reconciliation. Spare as it is sweeping, poetic as it is compulsively readable, Don't Cry for Me is a monumental novel about one family grappling with love's hard edges and the unexpected places where hope and healing take flight.