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African-American Fiction - New Reviews
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Carl Weber/Mary Morrison |
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Jay Crawford is the ultimate player. After a rocky marriage and divorce, Jay is ready to get back out to test the waters. Jay meets the beautiful Ashlee Anderson at a club and thinks he’s hit the jackpot. Little does Jay know that he’s just hit the crackpot instead. Ashlee is just getting over a bad breakup and is looking for a man to love her forever. Jay and Ashlee soon turn a one-night stand into months of lusty, addictive sex. When Jay discovers Ashlee’s psycho behavior, he’s in over his head and tries to get away fast. But Ashlee will not let Jay get away and will do whatever it takes to keep him forever. She Ain’t The One
is an entertaining novel by Carl Weber and Mary Morrison. These authors
did a wonderful job of taking two of the most memorable characters from
each of their previous novels to create an engaging storyline. I loved the
overall delivery of this novel. There was the perfect mix of eroticism and
drama that fans of Morrison and Weber come to know and love. Of course
there is a twist in this story that’s so shocking that readers won’t know
what hit them! She Ain’t The One is a wonderful collaboration by
Carl Weber and Mary Morrison. Hopefully, we will see more novels like this
from this dynamic duo in the future. |
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Travis Hunter |
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Nasir Lassiter was a college basketball star on the way to the NBA until being at the wrong place at the wrong time lands him a life prison sentence on a bogus murder change. Five years later, Nasir’s conviction is overturned and he finds out that things back home aren’t the same. His girlfriend Ayana gave birth to their daughter Brandy and now lives with a wealthy and possessive man name Alonzo. Ayana still has a deep love for Nasir but she must try to get away from Alonzo. Nasir is also saddened by the fact that his mother is hooked on drugs and reveals a terrible family secret. Nasir is trying to make up for lost time with all of the women in his life but when his daughter is kidnapped he may have to sacrifice his freedom to save her. Something To Die For
is a heart-wrenching novel by Travis Hunter. Hunter brought us an
emotional tale about a young man trying to make things right again. I
really liked Nasir as a character. The fact that he didn’t come home from
prison solely thinking about revenge but to get his life back in order for
himself and his family was refreshing. Readers will be moved by the way
Nasir instantly steps up to the plate to be a good father to Brandy. This
author did a wonderful job of illustrating how issues such as drug
addiction, unfairness in the legal system, and estranged family members
can create a ripple effect in the African-American community. Something
To Die For is awe-inspiring and enthralling. Travis Hunter is a master
storyteller. |
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K'wan |
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Yoshi, Billy, Reese, and Rhonda are four scandalous friends. Yoshi doesn’t have time for love from a man because she’s too busy digging and emptying their pockets. But Yoshi will soon learn that everything that looks good isn’t good for you. Billy is a former high school basketball star who has sworn off men. She has a little attraction to women until she meets a man that may make her want to give the opposite sex one more chance. Reese is a follower who is trying to find the love that she’s been missing all of her life by hopping into bed with different men. But Reese gets a wake-up call when she ends up pregnant from a shameful one night stand. Rhonda is twenty-something with three kids by three different men including a teen daughter. She rides off of the system and different men for her own financial stability instead of working. But Rhonda’s gravy train comes to a halt when one of her men turns the tables on her. Hood Rat is an entertaining and thought-provoking novel by K’wan. K’wan expertly gets into the female psyche of these questionable women. If there was ever an example of how women should not act, then this novel is it. From Yoshi being a stripper/prostitute to Rhonda making her baby daddy’s life a living hell for no reason, these women had no shame. My personal favorite character was Billy because it seems like she was a hood rat more by association than anything. She wasn’t totally innocent but she had the most sense out of the group. This novel is definitely a wake-up to all women about the importance of self-love and how it influences their relationships with men and their children. Hood Rat is an excellent novel about lessons learned and the importance of making the right life decisions. |
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Cydney Rax |
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Anya and Neil Meadows are stuck in a very unfortunate situation: a sexless marriage. Anya has a hormonal disorder that leaves her with no sexual desire at all and Neil is sexually frustrated. After many failed attempts to have a normal sex life, Anya and Neil decide to make a deal to help their situation. The deal is this: Neil can have a mistress but only oral sex is allowed and he can not fall in love. Naturally, this deal takes an immediate nose-dive when Neil’s mistress Danielle becomes pregnant with their son. Instead of heading to divorce court, Neil and Anya decide to include Danielle and her son into their family. But things become difficult when tempers flare and patience wears thin when the trio tries to raise the baby and Neil and Anya’s daughter. Who will win in the end? My Husband’s Girlfriend
is an absorbing novel by Cydney Rax. Rax does a masterful job at tackling
a very touchy subject: Men having babies outside of their marriage. I
liked how each of the characters were allowed to tell their own side of
the story. I think this novel is the perfect book club choice because
there are a lot of issues in this story that will make for a lively and
interesting discussion. You absolutely must read this book with an open
mind and ask yourself what you would do in this situation. I also enjoyed
the real, raw emotion in this story. I felt sympathy for all of the
characters, even Danielle. On a side note to readers: This is not a
sequel to this author’s previous title My Daughter’s Boyfriend. My
Husband’s Girlfriend is thought-provoking and emotionally charged.
Cydney Rax has another winner on her hands. |
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Yasmin Shiraz |
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Tisha Ariel Nikkole is a journalist that really doesn’t have much time to look for love. But that doesn’t stop Tisha from wanting the hottest rapper in the country named Shout. Tisha lands an exclusive interview with Shout and tries to use her brains and beauty to make him want her. But Tisha may have to compete with the groupies first. Shout’s life gets more complicated when his record label has a record exec named Jordan Ellis to watch his every move. But Jordan wants more pleasure than business from Shout, and she will hurt anybody that gets in her way. Tisha, Shout, and Jordan’s lives are forever changed by a near fatal accident. Who will come out unscathed? Exclusive
is an electrifying novel from Yasmin Shiraz. Shiraz gives
readers a unique insider’s look into the music business. From Tisha
constantly being on the grind to get that exclusive interview to Shout’s
groupie encounters, this author painted a colorful picture of the music
industry. I loved the fast-paced storyline and the raw, real characters. I
also like the unique cliff-hanger that is a wonderful lead into the sequel
Privacy. |
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Yasmin Shiraz |
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Tisha Ariel Nikkole is back with some major problems. Once a respected journalist, Tisha is now a criminal facing attempted murder charges. She’s also dealing with heartbreak after getting out of jail. Things start to look up for Tisha as she is offered a new job as a radio host. But will this be the end of her problems or have they just begun? Shout is dealing with the depression of losing the only woman he’s ever loved and superstar status. On top of all of this, he suffers a family tragedy and a pregnant groupie claims that she’s carrying his child. Is Shout strong enough to pull through this? Jordan Ellis is back with her own issues. She’s recovering from an accident and is the co-owner of a hot Nevada brothel. During her recovery period, Jordan leans on her friend and business partner Juicy. But when Juicy tries to lure Jordan into the bedroom will Jordan succumb to Juicy’s advances? Boom Tillman has a new publicity empire that puts him at the top of his game. The only thing that's missing from Boom’s life is a lady at his side. He meets the perfect exotic beauty name Chablis. But Chablis has a dirty little secret that Boom has yet to find out. Privacy
is a dynamic sequel to Yasmin Shiraz’s first novel Exclusive. This
novel answers all the questions that were left over from the prior book.
This story delves more into the complexity of the characters. I liked how
this storyline and characters were more developed than the previous book.
It’s rare that a sequel is even better than its predecessor but it is true
for this novel. This author still kept a fast-paced delivery, non-stop
drama and an exciting twist. Privacy is a page-turner that will
leave readers begging for more novels from this author. |
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A Spotlight On Writers Who Deserve Their Shine Too!
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Travis Fox (a.k.a. The Black Poe) |
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Ivy Davidson has had a tragic life. At the age of ten, she was forced to watch the brutal murder of her father. Five years later, Ivy is forced to make it on her own as a prostitute. She struggles through years of abuse and drug addiction. But Ivy just wants to be loved. She wants the kind of love that heals and protects her. She wants to have normal teen worries like what to wear to the prom instead of fighting off johns and drugs. Ivy has some tough life choices that she is too young to make on her own. Will she stand up and make better choices for her life or will she leave her life in the hands of someone else? Poison Ivy is an extraordinary novel by Travis Fox. At first glance, this novel looks like the typical gritty urban lit story but that is not the case. This author does an excellent job of blending supernatural elements with an emotionally charged storyline. I really felt the tragedy in Ivy’s life but I also saw the beauty that was trying to push from beneath the surface. Readers will need to pay close attention when reading this novel because everything is not what it appears to be. Poison Ivy is innovative and dynamic. Travis Fox has brought us a novel that is a breath of fresh air and a break from the ordinary. Read our exclusive interview with Travis Fox in our Inside Out section. |
A Spotlight On Writers Who Deserve Their Shine Too!
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Marlon L. Sanders |
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Freedom Dandridge is a systems analyst who should be enjoying the happiness of being a newly married woman but instead she feels regret. Her rebound relationship with successful advertising executive Vance Dandridge turned into a marriage with a man that she doesn’t love. Freedom tries to find a way to get out of this marriage when she finds evidence that Vance has had an affair. This gives Freedom the perfect reason to run back to her bad boy ex-boyfriend Boney McIntyre for some steamy nights. Freedom is now torn between Vance and Boney and she needs to make a choice before it’s too late. Freedom also is dealing with some childhood demons that she can no longer run away from. The Other Man
is a thrilling debut by Marlon LaSean Sanders. Sanders eloquently weaves
an engaging tale about betrayal, love, self-discovery, and painful family
secrets. I loved the characters in this story. I felt the different
emotional levels of each character especially Freedom. By the end of the
novel, readers will see the transformation of Freedom, Vance, and even
Boney. Their experiences changed each of them forever. This was not just a
story about an affair but about how people deal with the emotional baggage
of relationships and how some decisions may not be the best for all of
those involved. The Other Man is an excellent mix of drama, raw
emotion, and eroticism. The Other Man is an excellent start to this
author’s career. |
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4.5
out of 5 books
