Urban-Reviews.com - African-American Fiction

Karen E. Quinones Miller
Satin Nights

4 out of 5 books

Regina Harris has been to hell and back. She was orphaned at age thirteen and had to use her street smarts to survive. Now many years later, Regina is now living in Harlem with her four-year-old daughter living a drama free life. Or so she thought. Regina’s drug dealer ex-boyfriend Little Joe just got out of the pen, and she rekindles a hot affair with him. Meanwhile, Regina’s ex-husband and congressman Charles now wants her back. What will she do? Regina’s best friends have their own problems. Yvonne keeps turning a blind eye to her lawyer boyfriend whose turned into a violent junkie. Tamika’s world is turned upside down when her family is suddenly targeted by drug dealers. Puddin’ is crazy as usual and still uses men to get what she wants.

Satin Nights is a wonderful novel and sequel from Karen E. Quinones Miller. Miller does such an excellent job of giving the reader a background of the characters that you don’t have to read Satin Doll in order to read this novel but you may want to. I loved how these characters were brought back to deal with old and new issues. Regina trying to decide between two men, Tamika’s dangerous family situation, Yvonne being in denial about her boyfriend, and Puddin’s craziness all add just the right drama to this story. There are also some humorous scenes in this novel that will have you laughing out loud. Satin Nights is a silky smooth tale filled with drama, humor, and sensuality. Karen E. Quinones Miller gave us a sequel that was well worth the wait.

Check out our exclusive AUDIO interview with Karen E. Quinones Miller in our On The Line section.

4 out of 5 books

Candice Dow
Ain't No Sunshine

Seventeen-year old Laila was abandoned at birth and forced to live in a Miami, Florida group home. She earns money while stripping at a local nightclub. When Laila meet handsome and successful David, she thinks her life is about to change for the better. Laila turns eighteen and soon moves in and begins her life with David. But her life is about to turn for the worse. Four years later, Laila runs away from the physical and emotional abuse of David to another city. With a new lease on life, Laila finally is able to live free and to focus on her first love: poetry.

Ain’t No Sunshine is a refreshing novel by Candice Dow. Dow created an engaging tale about how a young woman pulled herself up and beat the odds. I saw the growth in Laila from an unsure teen to becoming a self-assured young woman. I also liked how the spoken word and poetry scene was incorporated into this novel. Ain’t No Sunshine is delightful and inspiring. Candice Dow’s writing is like a breath of fresh air.

Check out our exclusive interview with Candice Dow in our Inside Out section.

Black Artemis
Burn

4.5 out of 5 books

Bond agent Jasmine Reyes is willing to give anybody a second chance. Her latest client is graffiti artist Macho Booker, who reminds Jasmine of her own deceased twin brother Jason. But when a $10,000 bail is posted, and Macho vanishes without a trace, Jasmine will stop at nothing to find him. But she may have bit off more than she can chew when Jasmine finds out a devastating secret about Macho’s employer Dr. Adriano Suarez. Suarez is a modern day Robin Hood providing affordable healthcare to New York’s poorest residents. But he doesn’t want his questionable practices exposed or for Jasmine to find out how much he’s connected to Macho’s disappearance. Jasmine also has her own personal issues when her past demons slap her in the face.

Burn is an ambitious and innovative novel by Black Artemis. Artemis tackles many issues in the novel such as affordable health care, HIV/AIDS, and the justice system. I really like the excellent character development in this novel. I thought that Jasmine Reyes’ profession as a bond agent was a refreshing and unique change from other women protagonists. Incorporating the whole graffiti culture into the story was not only entertaining but enlightening as well. This novel also shows how one’s past mistakes can catch up to them when you least expect it. Burn is full of breathtaking, real life drama that pulls no punches. Black Artemis knows how to tell a story and helps us to open our eyes to a culture we might not have known to exist.

Check out our exclusive interview with Black Artemis in our Inside Out section.

5 out of 5 books

Michelle Buckley
Trippin'

Dr. Madetra Price and her stripper/web-porn performer twin sister Kaylantra Ellis decide to form DAT Club travel club for some fun and relaxation. But Madetra, Kaylantra, Darryn, E'an, Finesse, Gerald, and Destanie get a lot more than they bargained for when these trips turn very ugly. Lies, sex, drugs, and murder soon plaque the club members. Everything comes to a head following their trip to Las Vegas where they wish everything that happened in Vegas actually stayed in Vegas. There is a blackmailer and killer among the DAT Club members, and they better find out who it is before it’s too late.

Trippin’ is the perfect title for this electrifying novel by Michelle Buckley. Buckley expertly weaves a tale full of drama, suspense, and murder. I loved how this author took seven unique characters and intertwined their stories so effortlessly that the reader will not be confused. From the very first page I knew that this book was going to be more than just a group of people going on vacation. There are so many wonderful twists and turns in this story that you better pay attention or you’ll miss something. Trippin’ is an entertaining, suspenseful, pageturner that is definitely worth a trip to your local bookstore.

Read our exclusive interview with Michelle Buckley in our Inside Out section.

Miasha
Secret Society

55 out of 5 books

Celess and Tina have very successful careers at running game on men. They both have beautiful bodies and don’t have to pay for a thing. Celess doesn’t need a 9 to 5 due to her many boyfriends paying for designer clothes, cars, and a condo. Tina wants to eventually get out of the game for good but Celess is having too much fun to give it up. Celess and Tina’s lives of fast cars and men are about to catch up with them. They both have a shocking secret that if revealed could turn deadly. Will they survive?

Secret Society is a dynamic debut novel by Miasha. Miasha keeps this story moving with non-stop drama and combustible situations. I was drawn in from the very first page of this story. You won’t be able to flip the pages fast enough to keep up with this novel. The plot is so shocking that it will leave the reader literally with their mouths open. Secret Society is full of the scandal and drama that readers crave. Miasha has made her mark as one of the hottest debut authors on the scene today.

Check out our interview with Miasha in our Inside Out section.

4.5 out of 5 books

Miasha
Diary of a Mistress

Monica is a woman that is truly blessed. Her husband Carlos is devoted to her and their children. When Carlos surprises Monica with a much needed romantic getaway, she realizes that their love is stronger than ever. But Monica’s world comes crashing down when she receives an unwelcome package in the mail. This package contains a diary that questions everything Monica thought she knew about her husband and marriage. Angela has wanted nothing but sex and good times from the married men she’s slept with for the last 5 years. Her attitude changed when she met Carlos. Angela thinks he is the perfect man for her and will stop at nothing to get him. Carlos is focused on his marriage to Monica but Angela doesn’t care. She will get Carlos even if it destroys everyone around her, including herself.

Diary of a Mistress is a captivating novel by Miasha. I liked the overall theme of this novel, namely how much should a wife trust her husband. Should she believe the words of her husband or a diary from a faceless woman who is his mistress? Miasha masterfully captured the wide range of emotions for both Monica and Angela in this novel. I felt the sadness, anger and confusion of Monica as she tried to sort this mess out for the sake of herself and her children. I also felt the resentment of Angela. Like her previous novel, Miasha continues to bring the non-stop drama in this story as well. Readers will be on the edge of their seats as this story unfolds. Diary of a Mistress is raw, entertaining, and does not disappoint. Miasha is well on her way to a successful career.

Check out our interview with Miasha in our Inside Out section.

Kisha Green
And Even If I Did

4 out of 5 books

Simone, Taylor, and Jordan are three single friends that try to deal with whatever life throws at them. But their friendship will get tested when they each deal with their own complex issues. Simone is looking for love in all the wrong places to fill this emptiness in her heart. She also has abandonment issues with her mother that she has yet to resolve. Simone will get her chance when she comes face to face with her ill mother. Will she be able to let go of the past? Taylor has finally met the man of her dreams. But things fall apart when her ex-boyfriend shows up with a secret that may spell disaster for Taylor and her current boyfriend. Jordan ran away to another city and another life from an abusive boyfriend. When Jordan’s revenge-seeking ex is released from prison, she is forced to confront the past so that she may have a future.

And Even If I Did is a marvelous debut novel by Kisha Green. Green created wonderfully real and gritty characters that readers will be able to identify with. I loved how each of these women had their own diverse real-life issues. Simone’s drama with her mother, Taylor’s ex coming back into the picture, and Jordan running away from her past made this a widely entertaining novel. I also liked how this author intermingled the Five Percenters into the story without disrupting the flow of the novel. And Even If I Did is an enthralling tale that will hopefully be a wonderful start to Kisha Green’s career.

Read our exclusive interview with Kisha Green in our Inside Out section.