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African-American Fiction - New Reviews
5 Books = Classic | 4 Books =
Impressive | 3 Books = Noteworthy
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J. D. Mason |
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Faylene Watkins is the first lady at Hope Filled Christian Center Church. When Faye starts counseling three women in her husband’s congregation, she gets a lot more than she bargains for. Elise is a choir girl who thinks she’s found her true love with a truck driver name Jay. Elise is ready for a happily ever after ending but Jay can’t just walk just walk away from his wife and kids. Will Elise be able to let him go? Renee is an interior designer and leader of the singles ministry. Renee’s world is about to be turned upside down when there’s a steamy mutual attraction between herself and her client’s husband. Will Renee cross the line? Tess’s twenty-five year marriage has revolved around her unfaithful husband, who sits on the deacon board, and their two sons. Now that her sons are grown and out of the house, Tess is ready to break free with a new job and social life. Things get complicated when Tess meets a forbidden man that satisfies all of her needs. This Fire Down In My Soul is an
engaging novel by J.D. Mason. Mason does a wonderful job of
creating multi-dimensional characters. You will sympathize with
these women as they go through their various trials and
tribulations. Readers will also see just how difficult it is for
Faylene to counsel these women without injecting her own personal
beliefs. There’s plenty of raw emotion in this story that will
keep readers glued to the pages. This Fire Down In My Soul
is fascinating, and emotionally charged. This novel is definitely
worth the wait and will keep J.D. Mason’s fans begging for more. |
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Kayla Perrin |
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Phoebe Matthews is on top of the world. She’s engaged to her high-school sweetheart Henry and is a member of the exclusive Alpha Sigma Pi sorority. Everything seems to be going fine until a man-stealing pledge name Shandra James decides to throw herself at Henry. Shandra always gets the man she wants and she’ll stop at nothing to break Phoebe and Henry up. Blinded by jealousy, Phoebe and her sorority sisters Miranda and Camille decide to teach Shandra a lesson in humiliation one night. But when this initiation turns unexpectedly deadly, Phoebe and her friends make a pact to never tell anyone about that night and to protect each other at all costs. Keeping this secret becomes difficult when Shandra’s body is discovered and Phoebe is the prime suspect. There’s also someone running around campus attacking the sorority members. Phoebe must get to the bottom of this mystery before the cops come knocking on her door. We’ll Never Tell is a thrilling
page-turner by Kayla Perrin. Perrin expertly created a fast-paced
storyline with intriguing characters. This novel will hook readers
from the very first page and won’t let go until you get to the
very end. Readers will need to pay close attention to the
characters in this story because nothing is the way it seems.
There is a shocking conclusion that will leave your mouth hanging
open. This author does an excellent job of mixing the dynamics of
campus sorority life with a murder mystery. We’ll Never Tell
is suspenseful and electrifying. With this novel, Kayla Perrin
will continue to delight her fans and will gain new ones. |
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Erick S. Gray |
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River and Starr are sisters in their early teens that run away from an abusive home and their drug-addicted mother. River joins a lucrative stick-up crew but her crew has a secret that she’s not privy too. Things get out of control when River falls in love with one of their victims, Eric. Now River wants out of the game but will she be able to escape? At age sixteen, Starr is working for a ruthless pimp. When one of her dates assaults her in a motel room, Starr meets a woman in the hospital that encourages her to change her life for the better. But it’s not easy for Starr to get out of the streets. Eric is a small time hustler that’s doing pretty good for himself and has distanced himself from the drama of the streets. All of this changes when Eric’s cousin Yung Slim comes home after a seven year stint in prison. Yung Slim is ready to reclaim the streets and to settle old grudges. He wants his cousin Eric to be his right hand man but Eric isn’t sure if he wants to get involved. It’s Like Candy is an explosive novel
by Erick S. Gray. Gray brings a gripping street tale that’s full
of drama and suspense. This novel focuses on a variety of topics
such as childhood abuse, estranged family members, self-worth, and
police corruption. You’ll feel the uncertainty of Eric as he tries
to choose the right path for his life. Readers will also see the
growth in River and Starr as they try to escape their past. There
are a lot of surprising twists and turns in this novel that will
keep readers on their toes. The lesson in this novel is that
your past does not have to dictate your future. It’s
Like Candy is an engrossing page-turner that shows why Erick
S. Gray is one of the rising starts of urban fiction. |
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William Fredrick Cooper |
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William McCall has been through emotional hell. He loses the love of his life, his job, and his apartment all within a year’s time. William is struggling just to survive. Just when he thinks he’s at the lowest point of his life, he meets beautiful Linda Woodson. Will William be able to let go of the past and let Linda into his heart? Linda is going through her own issues when she meets William but she senses that he’s been through a lot of pain. Will she be able to get close enough to him to love all the hurt away? Their situation gets even more complicated when Linda discovers an ongoing medical crisis that could threaten their future together. There’s Always A Reason is a powerful
novel by William Fredrick Cooper. Cooper eloquently created a
touching story about a man’s triumph over heartbreak.. This author
does an excellent job of displaying the emotional roller coaster
that a man can go through after a break-up, something that is rare
in today’s African-American Fiction. Readers will root for William
and Linda as they try to move forward in their relationship. There
are scenes in this novel that are so moving that they will bring
tears of joy to your eyes. Although this novel is the sequel to
Six Days In January, this story reads like a stand alone novel
so you won’t feel like you’ve missed something if you didn’t read
the first book. There’s Always A Reason is awe-inspiring,
and impressive. William Fredrick Cooper has brought a story that
will surely capture the heart of every reader. |
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Kimona Jaye |
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Shaundra found a stripper’s business card in her boyfriend’s back pocket, and she is not happy. She wonders what he could possibly find in a stripper that he couldn’t get at home with her. Shaundra decides its time to learn some new sexy tricks of her own. She and her girlfriends Shay, Brenda, and Karina decide to go in together to by a stripper’s pole and to learn from the pros. But becoming their man’s sexual fantasies proves to be the very least of their problems. Shay has been a preacher’s wife for 10 years and is bored out of her mind. Shaundra is dealing with the difficulties of being a single parent. Karina has had a lifetime of weight issues and is Weight Watcher’s number one client. Brenda is a peace officer and is ready to let loose for the first time in her life. What will become of these women? Good Girls Pole Riders Club is an
ambitious novel by Kimona Jaye. Jaye does a wonderful job of
presenting everyday women with not so everyday problems.
Although the main topic of this story is ordinary women pole
dancing, there are a lot of other issues in this story that
makes this story interesting. From the pressures of being a
preacher’s wife to being a predictable peace officer, these
characters come from a variety backgrounds that makes this a fun
story. Hopefully, we’ll learn more about Karina’s character in
the sequel to this novel. Good Girls Pole Riders Club is
a wonderful start Kimona Jaye’s writing career. |
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Marsha D. Jenkins-Sanders |
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Meet the Kincaids.
Justin is an R&B sensation thanks to his wife, Katlyn, who has
been his biggest supporter. With Justin’s god
given talent and Katlyn’s strength, the couple quickly prospers.
With a number one
song in the charts, Justin is able to win over plenty of women.
Although he professes his gratitude towards Katlyn, the truth of
the matter is, he just doesn’t love her anymore.
Unconcerned about the effects another woman will have on
his marriage and newfound stardom, Justin chases that feeling
for as long as he possibly can.
Everything that
Katlyn ever dreamed of is coming to fruition. She has a
fairytale marriage, wealth, and her own business.
Although she notices that Justin has somewhat changed,
she isn’t willing to forgo the fantasy. Naively, Katlyn
ignores the tell-tale signs preferring instead to coast through
denial.
The Other Side of Through by
author Marsha Jenkins-Sanders details the journey of love,
appreciation and substance. Readers experience the
characters learning to step out of security and into
significance. Appealing characters, good
storyline, but at the end of the story I couldn’t help feeling
cheated. What happened to Felicia, Terrel and Tracee’s
stories?
Reviewed by Nardsbaby for
Urban-Reviews.com |
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David L. |
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Preston Price is a successful happily married music executive. Preston tries to do whatever he can to be a loving husband and father to his two children. Everything seems to be going fine until his wife Janelle accuses him of adultery after coming from his female co-worker’s apartment. But Preston has been faithful to his wife and can’t understand what is going on. Due to outside influences, Preston and Janelle’s marriage continues to decline. Preston is determined to vindicate his image while his wife uses their children as pawns in a very dangerous game. He will stop at nothing to get his children back. Preston will go through anyone who stands in his way, even his wife. Preston is in a race against time if he wants to come out the winner in the end. Over Your Dead Body is a riveting
novel by David L. This author effectively shows just how a
person’s life can go from normal to complete and utter chaos in a
very short period of time. This novel grabs and hooks in the
reader from the first page. You will see how Preston’s life is
thrown into a tailspin due to lies and half truths. Readers really
need to pay close attention to this story because the events that
take place in this novel get really crazy, really fast. Some of
the actions of Preston are so shocking that they are almost
unbelievable. This novel shows that everyone has a breaking point.
Over Your Dead Body is enthralling with edge-of-your seat
action. |
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Kevin M. Weeks |
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Dope, weed and money lead people on the
right side of the law to wonder if the risks of jail or an early
grave are even worth it. In The Street Life Series (Is It
Suicide or Murder?), we meet Teco Johnson, a known car
thief, who is very confident and comfortable with his level of
criminal activity. At 21, Teco is basically on the streets with
an array of women who he can lay up with when his time permits.
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Jacqui Smith |
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Claudia Martinez and Angel Hart ran away from an abusive foster home only to end up selling their bodies out on the street. Their lives change for the better when Ruben Palacios takes them under his wing and his roof. Ruben becomes smitten with Angel and they start a steamy relationship. Everything is fine until Raymond “Black” Smith decides that his turf is too small for him and Ruben. Black will stop at nothing to get what he thinks is his, even if it includes getting Angel and destroying countless lives in the process. Claudia becomes enraged when she finds out that Black is the cause of a childhood tragedy. Will Black pay for his past crimes? Tennis Shoe Pimp is a stellar debut
novel by Jacqui Smith. Smith bringing an interesting coming of
age story of two young women who are trying to find a better
path for their lives. This novel dives right into the high drama
of the story from the first page. The great mix of characters
and the shocking twists is what really makes this novel soar.
Once you read the very last page, you will be highly
anticipating a sequel. Tennis Shoe Pimp has a good
combination of street drama and suspense. This novel is an
impressive start to Jacqui Smith’s career. |
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Marlene Ricketts |
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Shay Johnson had the perfect life. She was in college, partied
with her friends, and she didn’t have to answer to no one. She had
it goin’ on……until she met Chico. Chico was the man of her dreams;
so she thought. Things started to change when there were some
“additions” that came into the family, and Chico’s attitude
started changing for the worst. Once Chico took himself out of the
equation, she met her knight in shining armor in Huey. He was
there for her when she really needed someone to lean on. In
Making It On My Own, Shay Johnson has to find out the hard way
that life is not one big party. |
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Sylvia Lett |
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Can friends really become lovers? This is one of the many
questions that are answered in the book Perfect for You.
Dr. Alex Carlisle and Samantha Taylor lose their spouses in a
fatal car accident and their lives are changed forever. Dealing
with this tragedy, Alex and Samantha never thought that they would
fall in love with each other. But there is a devastating secret
that threaten their future together. Does love always prevail?.
Sometimes it will and sometimes it won’t. |
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