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African-American
Fiction - New Reviews
5.0 Books = Classic | 4.0 - 4.5
Books = Impressive | 3.0 - 3.5 Books =
Noteworthy
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5 out of 5 books |
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Reshonda Tate
Billingsley
The Pastor's Wife
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Normally, you
would think that having one mother would be enough, but for
Terrance Ellis, he had three...his aunts. His grandmother's
sisters included Dorothy Mae, Eva, and Mamie. They stepped
in to take care of Terrance when a tragic accident took the
life of his grandmother. Terrance caused a lot of trouble in
his youth and he was determined to change his life after his
grandmother died.
With his determination and the grace of God, he did just
that. He became a rising pastor of Houston's Lily Grove
Church. Since he's an adult and a man of God, his aunts did
find something to argue about: it was time for Terrance to
find a wife. For them, the woman could not just be any wife,
but rather someone who would make an excellent First Lady of
the church.
Young and handsome, Terrance Ellis never thought about
finding a wife. He was just focused on his preaching and
saving souls for the Lord. Little did he know that there
were some ladies trying to be at his side, no matter what
they had to do. One woman was determined to become his wife
at any cost. Ms. Savannah McKinney was beautiful, smart, and
a little sassy. She was trying her hardest to seduce the
single preacher at every turn. When Eve, Dorothy Mae, and
Mamie got wind of this, let's just say...all Hell broke
loose! Will Terrance see the light or will Savannah become
The Pastor's Wife?
ReShonda Tate Billingsley has done it again. The Pastor's
Wife is a true page turner. With each page, it made you
want to get to the next. I enjoyed the way the book flowed
and it never got off course. You could imagine their facial
expressions and the sound of their voices by the way the
author detailed each character. If you loved Let the
Church Say Amen, then you'll love The Pastor's Wife.
Reviewed by Jackie for
Urban-Reviews.com
Check out our
Exclusive Audio Interview with Reshonda Tate Billingsley
in the On The Line section.
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4 out of 5 books |
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Easy Rawlins is back again with
more trouble than he bargained for. His friend Christmas
Black has left his daughter at Easy’s house without an
explanation. The drama doesn’t stop there when Easy
learns that his close friend Mouse has disappeared and
is wanted for murder. In the midst of all of this,
Easy’s longtime lover Bonnie decides to leave him to
marry another man. Easy is running away from his own
pain while trying find and save his friends. He’s on a
race against time as corrupt officials and other
unsavory characters are standing in his way. But a woman
named Faith may have the answers that will help Easy
save his friends and himself.
Blonde Faith is an enthralling novel by Walter
Mosley. Mosley once again pulls readers into the complex
world of Easy Rawlins. This story is full of drama and
raw emotion. Readers will feel the pain of Easy as he
tries to get over the fact of Bonnie leaving him. You
will also feel the sense of urgency of Easy as he tries
to find and save his friends before the police get
involved. This story is full of drama, intrigue, and
interesting characters that will keep you flipping the
pages. By the way this story is told, Mosley definitely
let you know that this is the last Easy Rawlins novel.
Blonde Faith is a fast-paced and exciting novel
that doesn’t disappoint.
Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert for
Urban-Reviews.com
Read our exclusive interview with Walter Mosley
in the Inside Out section.
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Walter Mosley
Blonde Faith
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4 out of 5 books |
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K'wan
Still Hood
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K'wan is back
with his infamous lyrical voice resounding loudly on the
urban lit path.
Jah and Yoshi are riding the love train straight through
the hood, full force ahead, although burdened down with
the elements of their sordid paths they are trying to
shed and begin anew.
Up-and-coming rap artist True has finally found the pot
of gold at the end of rainbow and his career has taken a
breathtaking jumpstart at an amazing speed. He's
enjoying the fruits of his labor, until someone with a
personal vendetta against him intrudes on his happily
ever after.
Newcomer Dena is her family's last hope for success, and
she's young, ambitious, and in love with her childhood
sweetheart. Unfortunately, her boyfriend and his
treacherous ways cause a heartbroken Dena to lose focus
and stumble on a path to destruction spearheaded by a
slickster called Black Ice.
Once again Kwan has delivered with an intriguing, page
turning novel mirroring the grit and grime of realistic
life in the ghetto a.k.a. the hood. The suspense
build-up is so stimulating that your curiosity will have
you turning pages excitedly. Still Hood could
have definitely been a five star read except for one
small infraction: There were entirely too many minor
characters averting the reader's attention from the
genuine focus. This also kept you from
appreciating the original flavor of the story by trying
to decipher the numerous plots and twists, as well as
memorize which bad guy belongs with whom. In all
honesty, this was a sequel that the reader would have to
re-read the original novel to re-familiarize themselves
with all the characters and their history to understand
the motives for all of the personal retaliations. All in
all however, Still Hood is an incredible hood
tale.
Reviewed by Tazzyt2bossye for
Urban-Reviews.com
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3 out of 5 books |
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Mina & Shanna are both from
Bartram Projects in Southwest Philly and desire to have
a better life as adults then they did while growing up.
Karen has never wanted for anything, and on the real she
can’t really relate to Shanna and Mina’s struggle.
They all have the same thing in mind...to use what you
got to get what you want. So if having sex is what will
get them the cash they want, then having sex it is. Not
one of them will stop at any cost. They get fresh to
death (so they think), hit the club up, and scope out a
dude they think has the most money. And if he has a
friend, he can bring him too. It ain't no fun if the
homies can’t have none, correct?
Mina & Shanna have no idea what Karen is really into.
Hittin' up one of the hottest parties of the summer,
Mina meets some ballers whom she guesses are not from
the area so why not see if they can pay like they weigh.
Dragging Karen into the sex session and not paying her
correctly stirs up a whole other problem for the girls.
Little do Mina and Shanna know, Karen is in on it all.
The only one getting played is Mina.
I have to be honest here by saying that this book is a
mess. The girls made absolutely no sense whatsoever with
the way they talked, how fly they thought they were, and
just the whole plot of the story killed me to read it.
During the entire time, the girls and guys constantly
reiterated their positions in the game in every
conversation. It was as if they wasn’t sure how fly they
really were. Overall, Get Money Chicks was not an
enjoyable read.
Reviewed by Angie for Urban-Reviews.com
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Anna J
Get Money Chicks
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3.5 out of 5 books |
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Gracie C. McKeever
Beneath The Surface: The Matchmaker
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Beneath the Surface: The
Matchmaker by Gracie C. McKeecer is Book 1 in the
Matchmaker series. This book is about Angela Calminetti,
a married mother of five, the eldest sibling in the Vega
clan of 6 kids, and a gifted psychic and telepath. Nothing
is more important to Angela than her family and their
happiness. Angela is known as the family matchmaker, and
she'll do all that she can to make sure her younger
sisters and brothers are happy in life and love; even if
they don't want her meddling in their affairs.
The book mainly focuses on Angela's younger brother, Eric
James (EJ) Vega, a former Madison Avenue ad executive who
quit his corporate job to pursue his writing career. EJ
gave up all of the expensive trappings that came along
with his corporate job, including his expensive wardrobe.
It is for this reason that his sister Evelyn convinces him
that he needs a fashion makeover before he goes on his
first national book tour. Evelyn recommends her personal
shopper, Tabitha Lyons, to help EJ with his wardrobe. He
is unaware that his older sisters Evelyn and Angela are
playing matchmaker.
Tabitha Lyons is the owner of her own business, Lyons
Style, Inc. If it's one thing that Tabitha knows, it's
fashion. She senses success in her new client, Eric James
Vega, and is determined to make his wardrobe a success.
However, she is unprepared for EJ and his charmful ways
and starts to fall for him, which is a problem for Tabitha
because she's not used to having feelings so strong for
any man.
Beneath the Surface: The Matchmaker is a good love
story. However, the execution of the story is lacking in
many areas throughout the book. There are many times when
the story seems to miss certain details and doesn't fully
elaborate on a lot of points. This often causes the reader
to go back and reread passages because they think that
maybe they missed reading something. The story didn't seem
like a paranormal read because the gifts of Angela and EJ
weren't fully developed in the story, even though they
should've been. However, if you like a story with many
love scenes, then this is the story for you. Overall,
Beneath the Surface: The Matchmaker was a good read
and I look forward to reading the other stories in this
series.
Reviewed by LaShonda Bates
for Urban-Reviews.com
Read our exclusive interview with
Gracie C. McKeever
in the Inside Out section.
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4.5 out of 5 books |
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Mason Anthony is
a former escort that now manages The Black Door Two, a
downtown sex club that caters to a younger clientele.
Mason makes sure that all of his clients' needs are taken
care of while satisfying his own sexual needs as well.
Mason now wants to find Ms. Right, which is proving to be
more challenging than he ever expected. He has his eyes set
on the young and wealthy Terra Benson, but will she be the
woman of his dreams or just another conquest? Mason’s world
turns upside down when someone from his dark past threatens
his bright future. Terra was born into a wealthy family, but
she wants to jump-start her acting career. She may have the
boost she needs when her childhood friend Sage starts his
own production company. Unbeknownst to Terra, Sage wants to
be more than friends with her but can he do this without
exposing his own dirty little secrets?
Seduction
is another satisfying, seductive tale by Velvet. Velvet
takes readers into to the erotic world of the Black Door
Two. In this story, we are properly introduced to Mason and
his quest for finding Ms. Right. Although the main focus of
the book is Mason, Velvet did an excellent job of
incorporating other key characters into this story. The
addition of Terra and Sage gives readers a glimpse into the
glamorous life of the rich and famous. There are also a
number of graphic twists in this novel that may be
disturbing to some readers but will still keep the reader
glued to the pages. Readers should take note that this
is not a sequel to the first Black Door book, but it
is the second book in this series. Seduction can be
read as a stand alone novel but you are encouraged to read
the first book to get a good background on Mason and one of
the other secondary characters named Trey. Seduction
is full of steamy sex and intrigue that will surely delight
Velvet’s growing legion of fans.
Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert for
Urban-Reviews.com
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Velvet
Seduction: A Black
Door Novel
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3.5 out of 5 books |
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50 Cent & Meta Smith
Heaven's Fury
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Heaven Diaz was
raised as a good Catholic girl who would grow up to be a
dutiful wife. When Heaven married the man of her dreams
Ricardo, she thought that all of her prayers had been
answered. Heaven has all of the best material things that
money can buy, but all she wants is more of her husband’s
time. Her world comes crashing down around her when she
finds out the truth about where the money for her and her
husband’s lavish lifestyle is really coming from. To further
confuse things, Heaven meets this mysterious new friend that
leads her into a violent drug war overnight. Will Heaven
make it out alive?
Heaven’s Fury
is an entertaining novel by Meta Smith. Smith crafted a
classic tale of what happens when a woman marries the wrong
man. This story gave readers an interesting glimpse
into the Latino culture and how different attitudes toward
men and relationships can affect every day life. Although
this novel was chock full of non-stop drama, Heaven’s
actions in this story were so shocking that it came off as
being rather unbelievable. All in all, Heaven’s Fury
is still a decent novel that is for anyone that is looking
for a quick page-turner.
Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert
for Urban-Reviews.com
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5 out of 5 books |
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Welcome to the wonderful world of
Amina (Mina) Mooney. All that Miss JV Cheerleader can think
about is that she's 63 hours, 10 minutes and 40 seconds away
from entering the glamorous world of high school. While her
clique (Lizzie the actress, Michael the artist and JZ the
athlete) can all go without the constant updates given by
Mina about the amazing world that they'll be inducted in
once they mix with the uppers, it's cool because the clique
already knows that Mi is doing what she does best. GO HIGH
SCHOOL GO!
Mina thinks she's made major strides since she's the only
one out of the crew to land a LL (life lesson) course. But
when she finds herself stuck in a group with Jessica (a glam
who's had it bad for Miss Mina), Jacinta (a newcomer who is
too hood), and little Miss innocent Kelly, Mina wonders how
her status will fair with so much competition. While Mina
strives to conquer a project, she learns that although she's
adapted her project into her life, just maybe she needs to
make a few minor adjustments. Will Mina break the ranks of
her rigid friendship, or can Miss Mi add the right elements
to balance the drama that has arisen?
So Not The Drama was a shock as I didn't expect the
read to be as massive as it was. I'd convinced myself that I
wouldn't like the book because it dealt with cliques. But
I'm happy to say that Paula Chase whipped that craziness
right out! As each teen deals with their own drama and
friendships, readers see how each teen's strife compares to
the other. I couldn't wait to call my sisters and aunts to
tell them that this is definitely a WIN! So Not The Drama
is a clean teen book that they can all feel good about
allowing their teens to read. I'm so looking forward to
reading Don't Get It Twisted. Paula, keep it up girl!
Reviewed by Nardsbaby. for
Urban-Reviews.com
Read our exclusive interview with Paula Chase
in the Inside Out section.
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Paula Chase
So Not The Drama
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5 out of 5 books |
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Paula Chase
Don't Get It Twisted
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Amina Mooney is
back with her friends, Lizzie, JZ and Michael; however,
she's bringing along Jacinta and Kelly from the soc project
to add to the best friend ring. Don't Get It Twisted
picks up right where its predecessor So Not The Drama
left off. It's still freshman year after Thanksgiving break
and while Mouthy Mina still has high hopes of being accepted
in the ranks with uppers, she's obsessed with spending time
with the girls, the clique and Craig, her crush/possible
boyfriend. While Mina is so busy with Craig, Brian (the
newest member of their clique) is tossing out some serious
flirtatious vibes. Can Mina juggle them both?
Kelly may be one of the newest members of the clique, but
it's drama, drama, drama as she learns that her mom and her
abuela (grandmother) have kept a major secret from her.
While Kelly can forgive them she realizes that she and her
mom have a lot in common. Will Kelly be able to ward off the
secrets of her mother, or is this going to be a recurring
cycle?
Jacinta (a.k.a. Cinny) is also new to the folds of the
clique. She and Raheem (a.k.a. Heem) have been seriously
dating for two years. Now that she's living in the burbs,
Cinny is changing and seeing things differently. Heem is
pressing Cinny to remain true to the hood, but while she
loves her past, she's enjoying the burbs a lot. Has Jacinta
outgrown her past?
Now the clique wouldn't be a clique if some drama didn't
ensue around JZ. While he's a super athlete, he's also an
awesome student. However, the pressure to maintain a B
average and protect his spot on the varsity basketball team
causes JZ to put not only himself, but Lizzie in an awkward
position. Can JZ right this wrong without jeopardizing his
friendships or his starting spot?
Don't Get It Twisted is another winner!!! Teamed with
good values, tears, and reminders of genuine friends, this
clique grows right before the readers' very eyes. I believe
that I enjoy this series because the characters are so real,
they have actual problems and fears, and each member of the
clique has to deal with the consequences of their actions. I
cant wait to read That's What's Up! Paula Chase has
written a teen tale that parents can enjoy and feel
comfortable with their teens reading.
Who you with???? Rolling with the clique!!!
Reviewed by Nardsbaby. for Urban-Reviews.com
Read our exclusive interview with Paula Chase
in the Inside Out section.
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5 out of 5 books |
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Vernetta
Henderson’s legal career is on the upswing after winning a
multimillion-dollar verdict. Just weeks away from a
partnership vote at her law firm, Vernetta defends a major
corporation in what appears to be an easy sexual harassment
case. But she soon finds out that this case is anything but
ordinary. Vernetta decides to take this case to trial
instead of settling it out of court. But when troubling
revelations and conspiracies are revealed, this case may put
her career and life in jeopardy. Her husband Jefferson has
his own issues when he finds himself in a compromising
position that may destroy their marriage. Vernetta will soon
find out what really matters most in her life.
In Firm Pursuit is an outstanding novel by Pamela
Samuels-Young. This story will grab you from the first page
and won’t let go. Samuels-Young does an excellent job
introducing the reader to the interesting and sometimes
chaotic world of a high-powered attorney. One of the things
that makes this novel stand is the character development.
Vernetta is a character that all women that are trying to
move up the corporate ladder can relate to. Pamela
Samuels-Young expertly created a fast-paced legal thriller
with an African-American woman protagonist that is rarely
seen in African-American fiction. In Firm Pursuit is
a riveting novel that is full of intrigue and will have you
eagerly anticipating the next installment in this series.
Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert for Urban-Reviews.com
Read our exclusive interview with
Pamela Samuels-Young
in the Inside Out section.
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Pamela Samuels-Young
In Firm Pursuit
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3 out of 5 books |
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Cynthia White
Queen
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Cynthia White has
made a grand entrance with her debut novel Queen.
Queen has been donned 'The Princess of the Black Mafia' due
to her father's status as the head of the renowned criminal
realm. Queen adores her father and her every wish is his
command. Because of her mother's constant betrayal of her
father with her loose morals, Queen loathes her mother. She
loses her father to the system because of a vengeful,
callous mistake of hers.
Now orphaned in the world dependent on Mafia family members,
an uninhibited Queen wanders aimlessly without any true
purpose and despite her best intentions, she inadvertently
becomes the one person she despises with her shallow
promiscuity. Because of her foolish decisions and immature
actions, Queen could lose her one chance at true love.
I commend Cynthia White on the completion of her debut novel
for which she did a fairly decent job. Her style is
entertaining as well as mildly captivating. In reading
Queen, I failed to find a character that was memorable
outside of Isiah. Being that he wasn't the main character,
the storyline lacked sufficient interaction to allow the
reader to connect with him and allow him to become a
favorite. It was a quick, fairly enjoyable read, but lacked
depth. Nevertheless, I believe Cynthia White has great
potential in the urban literary field.
Reviewed by Tazzyt2bossye for
Urban-Reviews.com
Read our exclusive interview with Cynthia White
in the Inside Out section.
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4 out of 5 books |
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Izzy is a
38-year-old stick-up kid in New York that robs the
city’s worst drug dealers and leaves no witnesses. Izzy
has a good run doing this but now his conscience is
getting the best of him and he starts to question his
life choices. When a job goes wrong and Izzy’s partner
is responsible for another homicide, Izzy is supposed to
kill all of the witnesses before he gets killed himself.
But Izzy’s plans are derailed when a beautiful bystander
named Eva is the lone survivor of this latest job. Will
she be the exception to his rule? Time is running out
for Izzy as his ex-partner and others are seeking
revenge and won’t stop at nothing until Izzy is gone for
good.
Bang Bang is an explosive debut by Theo Gangi. Gangi
crafted an urban crime thriller that is anything but
ordinary. The characters are interesting and complex.
When reading this novel, you get the feeling that on one
hand Izzy likes his life of crime, but on the other hand
he wants some semblance of a normal life. Readers are
also introduced to the harsh life of Eva who has a
number of issues of her own. Gangi does a great job of
tying in Izzy with a host of other secondary characters
in this story. Readers need to pay close attention when
reading this story or you will miss how these characters
intertwine with one another. Bang Bang is gritty
and action packed, making for a marvelous start to Theo
Gangi’s writing career.
Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert for
Urban-Reviews.com
Read our exclusive interview with Theo Gangi
in the Inside Out section.
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Theo Gangi
Bang Bang
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3.5 out of 5 books |
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Rachee
The Last Affair
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On the outside looking in, everyone
would think Kevin and Lauren Richmond are living the
American Dream. Both are attorneys in their early thirties
living in a newly refurbished loft in downtown Atlanta. They
attend one of the biggest and most prominent churches in the
area. They drive the right cars and make the correct
statements in public. With all of that, you'd never guess
that their lives are actually a mess on the inside.
Kevin Richmond can’t seem to stop sleeping with other women.
Trying to get Lauren to do sexual things other then the
missionary position is like pulling teeth out with pliers.
To fulfill his desires, Kevin finds sex outside of the
marriage anywhere he can get it. His latest endeavor is the
good ole internet, utilizing as many sex websites as he can
find.
He thinks he's found the perfect woman to fulfill what
Lauren won’t, but little does Kevin know that he's made a
date with the devil. Eve/ Black Venus is single, sexy, and
crazy. Kevin is oblivious to the fact that he’s actually
already met her. He’s slept with so many woman that he has
no clue who she is even after she warns him.
Lauren has secrets of her own too. She gave her parents hell
during her teen years and in her early adult life. So when
she finally does find a husband, she vowed that she wouldn’t
do anything but perform her wifely duties and attend
church...nothing more, nothing less.
Put all of this together and you have a story filled with
infidelity, betrayal, and ultimately murder. The Last
Affair held my attention from begin to end and was
actually a quick read.
Reviewed by Angie for Urban-Reviews.com
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