Best of
African-American

2009

The Prada Plan


Ashley Antoinette - 2009
    When Disaya meets Indie and falls hopelessly in love, she is determined to keep her lifestyle a secretbut everything done in the dark eventually comes to light. When she loses control of her own hustle, things go horribly wrong, and she learns the hard way that, in the game she's playing, there are no winners.

The Cartel


Ashley Antoinette - 2009
    The Diamond family is a force to be reckoned with, but all hell breaks loose when they lose their leader. The most ruthless gangster Miami has ever seen, Carter Diamond leaves behind a wife, twin sons, a daughter, and a secret. The secret is his illegitimate son, Carter Jones. When Young Carter learns of his father's death, he comes to town and is introduced to the legacy of The Cartel. Miamor is a woman who uses her beauty to enhance her skill as a contract killer. She is the leader of The Murder Mamas. When her crew is hired to take down The Cartel, they get caught slipping, and Miamor loses her sister in the process. She is determined to get revenge from The Cartel. Unknowingly, she meets the son of Carter Diamond, and he immediately catches her heart. She is sleeping with the enemy, and when she finds out, she is torn between love and revenge. Young Carter and Miamor lead two different lifestyles. They are on opposing teams, and when their worlds collide, the truth will be unveiled in an unpredictable ending.

The Dopeman's Wife


JaQuavis Coleman - 2009
    The allure of the fast like pulled her into a world of scandal, schemes, and hustling. After Nautica comes up on a big scam and her biggest payday ever, she decided to move to the East Coast in search of a new beginning. What she thinks will be a new start turns out to be a nightmare. She meets Manny, a well known millionaire druglord who is planning his exit from the streets. Manny is ready to settle down and marry the woman of his dreams. He sweeps Nautica off her feet and introduces her to the good life, promoting her from an ex-hood chick to the queen of the streets. But when the past comes back to surface, it causes their whole world to fall to pieces. Nautica and Manny have skeletons in their closest that intertwine and cause a dilemma that turns them against each other.This story takes you through the life of a dopeman's wife and her fall from grace. Look through her eyes and prepare for a sexy, page turning classic that has an ending so unpredictable, not even Nautica can see it coming.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang


Ashley Antoinette - 2009
    Free hasn't been faithful and Six has taken out her hurt by physically hurting the other women. Free ends up in jail for three years, and when he's sprung, he's not happy to learn that Six has been living the high-life on his dime and blown through $100,000! Then Six gets entangled in one of Free's schemes and finds herself in a role almost too good to be true-posing as the woman of another man who actually treats her with respect. Though you can bet there won't be a "happily ever after" for anyone involved....

Allure of the Game


Danielle Santiago - 2009
     Twenty-year-old Arnessa didn’t grow up on the streets. But when her mentally ill mother abandons her and her older brother is murdered, Arnessa has no choice but to hustle just to keep herself and her little sister alive. Kisa “Kane” Montega, on the other hand, has a wonderful marriage, two beautiful children, and lives in a stunning home on the outskirts of Charlotte. Her cousin, Kennedy, has spent two years away from the volatile music industry, focusing on her children and building a solid foundation with her rap star fiancÉ, Chaz. But in spite of their success, both Kane and Kennedy are gravitating back to their old ways and the game they thought they’d left behind. After a chance meeting, Arnessa goes from being a low-level dealer to partner in their cartel. But the bigger their empire gets, the more haters they have to contend with—and the more each one of them stands to lose. Sexy, suspenseful, and unflinching, Danielle Santiago’s Allure of the Game gives fans exactly what they’ve been hoping for—a deeply satisfying conclusion to an unforgettable trilogy, packed with insight into the mean streets she knows so well.

16 on the Block


Babygirl Daniels - 2009
    Sixteen-year-old Summer Flynt is forced to grow up quickly when she learns she is responsible for her older sister's debt to a thug.

Snapped


Tracy Brown - 2009
    After all Frankie and their life together are her whole world. So Camille tries not to be bothered by his closeness with his coworker and dear friend Gillian. But it soon becomes clear that Camille's suspicions are correct. When his indiscretions become a public matter for the world Camille is pushed to a dangerous breaking point that spells disaster for them all.Camille's sister Misa is newly divorced and clueless about men. She smothers men with phone calls, emails and pops up unannounced at their homes. She hacks into their voicemail and email and causes drama. So when she sets her sights on Baron, he has no idea what hit him. Will her quest to win his heart cost her everything?Dominique Storms appears to have it all - a great career, a beautiful NYC condo and a gifted teenaged daughter. Her only problem is that the man she loves is incarcerated. While trying to juggle the demands of motherhood, work, and friendships, she manages to make her man Jamel a priority in her life. But is he doing the same? And is she too distracted to notice what is going on with her daughter?Latoya Blake seems to be the one who has life all figured out, that is, until some skeletons are discovered in her closet. When her well-put-together façade crumbles, will she crumble as well?

Ron's Big Mission


Rose Blue - 2009
    Today, Ron is ready to take out books by "himself." But in the segregated world of South Carolina in the 1950s, Ron's obtaining his own library card is not just a small rite of passage - it is a young man's first courageous mission. Here is an inspiring story, based on Ron McNair's life, of how a little boy, future scientist, and Challenger astronaut desegregated his library through peaceful resistance.

A Child of a Crackhead


Shameek Speight - 2009
    Shameek A Speight takes writing to a new level ! • A must read! This is an amazing work of literature! He watched as she screamed and yelled with every strike that the man, made to her face. From her mouth, she spit blood that was rolling down her face. He continued to watch the 6'2" dark skin man repeatedly hit and kick the woman in the stomach, again and again. Noooo stop! please stop!" as she yelled his closed fist went upside her head. Michael knew he had to do something to stop the man from beating the beautiful brown skin woman, with tears running down his own face he yelled, Daddy stop! Daddy stop!, as he ran his 6 year old frame between his father and mother. "Daddy stop hitting mommy!", All he felt was his father's big black hands grasp him around his neck and squeeze until he couldnt breathe and threw him across the room. Micheal sat on the floor crying. Partly because of the pain he felt, but mostly because of the beating his mother was getting. How does Micheal, child of a crack head, fight to stay a live ? what will he face and those he truly love ? and do they survive the terror of the man they call Black ice. This story tells the countless beating's, killing's, lies, infidelity and betrayels of a crack head and how a mother and child survive the street life.

Gunz and Roses


Keisha Ervin - 2009
    The last thing St. Louis kingpin Gunz Marciano wants is to become attached to one woman until he spots Gray.After one night of erotic passion, Gunz and Gray embark on a tumultuous journey. When their obsessive love becomes too much and Gunz wants out, Gray is ready to let him go. Then she learns the identity of his new woman, and things get complicated.Gunz and Roses is a sensational, passionate drama filled with an intense mix of suspense, lies, and murder.

January's Sparrow


Patricia Polacco - 2009
    In the middle of the night, The Crosswhites--including young Sadie--must flee the Kentucky plantation they work on. Dear January has been beaten and killed by the plantation master, and they fear who may be next. But Sadie must leave behind her most valuable possession, the wooden sparrow carved for her by January. Through the Underground Railroad, the Crosswhites make the slow and arduous journey to Marshall, Michigan, where they finally live in freedom. And there they stay, happily, until the day a mysterious package shows up on their doorsteps. It is January's sparrow, with a note that reads, "I found you."How the Crosswhites, and the whole town of Marshall, face this threat will leave readers empowered and enthralled. This is a Polacco adventure that will live in the minds of children for years.

Forbidden Fruit


Nika Michelle - 2009
    Her mom’s strung out on drugs and her dad is in prison for life without the chance of parole. At a young age she does what she has to do to take care of herself and her little sister Amaya. When her illegal actions get her arrested, the system steps in and puts her and her sister in foster care. She and her sister are reunited when a family member takes them in. At the age of fourteen she meets Diablo, the king of Atlanta’s drug trade. He is also the infamous leader of the Cue Boys, one of Atlanta’s toughest and deadliest street gangs. His powerful persona attracts the young Ayanna, who is seduced by the lure of the streets. As time goes on she develops a roller coaster relationship with Diablo. Women throw themselves at him, and he doesn’t do much to resist their advances. Ayanna gets fed up with his philandering ways and plots the ultimate revenge. Will her actions cause her world to spin out of control?Amaya has always wanted to be like her big sister Ayanna. After her first love Ju cheats on her she falls in love with Mel, who is a Cue Boy. After a brief love triangle with Ju and Mel she decides to call it quits with Ju. Then she finds out that she is pregnant. When she thinks she has her perfect family her past catches up with her. Will the bones in her closet become unburied? Princess, Ayanna’s cousin, is the epitome of voluptuous and seductive. She does not believe in committed relationships and is only involved with a man to get what she wants. She is a gold digger in every sense of the word and sees nothing wrong with it. Money is not her only agenda, but pleasure is also her gain. In Princess’s world no man is off limits.Will playing with fire cause her to get burned?Follow Ayanna, Amaya and Princess in this face paced street tale of love, lies, sex, crime and passion

Hittin' the Bricks: An Urban Erotic Tale


Noire - 2009
    With an abusive mother and a heroin monkey on her back, Eva experiences a series of traumatizing events, forcing her to flee her Brooklyn tenement and seek refuge with her beloved cousin Fiyah in Harlem.But fate is not done wreaking havoc in Eva’s life yet. Poised on the brink of progress, Eva meets King Brody, a vicious Harlem drug lord who runs Bricks, the hottest rap club in town. Unbeknownst to Eva, her cousin Fiyah’s thirst for glory leads him to cut a killer deal with Brody. A trade-off is arranged: Fiyah gets a recording contract–and Brody gets Eva. The problem is, Eva already has a man: Ice Mello Williams, a hot Harlem rapper who has a bitter feud going with Fiyah and is determined to seize his recording contract. Torn between the man she loves and a violent kingpin, Eva becomes an unwilling pawn in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Can Fiyah and Mello help her elude the sadistic jaws of Brody, or will she end up losing her life in his brutal trap?

The People Vs. Cashmere


Karen P. Williams - 2009
    Carmen's jealousy rages out of control when she sees their pimp falling for her sister and sets off a chain of events that land Cashmere in jail.

My People


Langston Hughes - 2009
    Now, acclaimed photographer Charles R. Smith Jr. interprets this beloved poem in vivid sepia photographs that capture the glory, the beauty, and the soul of being a black American today.

The Devil is a Lie


ReShonda Tate Billingsley - 2009
     Most people think that money is the key to happiness, but when an ecstatic Nina Lawson wins millions in the Powerball lottery, her world is turned upside down. At first, she and her fiancé, Rick, are delighted with the unexpected windfall and immediately begin planning their future. Soon, family members and friends begin coming out of the woodwork to claim a piece of Nina’s winnings. But the most unexpected request comes from Todd, Nina’s ex-husband. He and his fiancée, Pam (with whom he had the affair that ended their marriage) reveal that the paperwork making Todd and Nina’s divorce official was never filed...and she may be compelled to share half the money with her husband. As the situation begins to spiral out of control, Nina risks losing her heart and her newfound winnings to find out what really matters. With just the right blend of joy, drama, and humor, Billingsley entertains and inspires readers with every turn of the page—it’s no surprise that her readership grows with each new book.

Forsaken


Vanessa Miller - 2009
    Since the age of twenty-two, when he prayed for God to keep him out of prison, JT knew he would preach the gospel. Bishop Turner makes it possible; but there are strings attached, and now JT isn't sure he can stay tied down. Cutting loose causes more problems than JT anticipated. When an old friend from his days on the streets resurfaces and his "extracurricular activity" comes knocking on his front door, JT's life and the lives of those close to him spiral out of control. Now he will need divine intervention to make things right. But how much help can a man hope to receive when he feels he's been forsaken by God?

Head Bangers: An APF Sexcapade


Zane - 2009
    In fact, their physical bond is so strong, that one can often feel a pounding while the other is engaged in sexual activity. But everything is not perfect when it comes to being a twin. Sometimes animosity and jealousy can creep in; especially when Hope and Faith find themselves both attracted to the same man on campus. Is blood really thicker than water? Or, in this case, thicker than basic carnal desires? In this long-anticipated second volume in the APF series, a follow-up to The Sisters of APF: The Indoctrination of Soror Ride Dick, New York Times bestselling author Zane once again proves why she is the Queen of Erotic Fiction. Over the years many have tried to emulate her but Zane's imagination is not to be replicated any time in the near future. The freak nights of APF are some of the most artistic, exhilarating, erotic experiences that have ever graced the pages of a book; evidenced by the thousands of emails Zane has received over the years from women yearning to join the sorority. The sexual revolution continues within the pages of Head Bangers: An APF Sexcapade.

Single Husbands


HoneyB - 2009
    The one thing these men do share, is the fact that neither of them will give up the sexual freedom they enjoyed as single men.

Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change


Michelle CookE.B. Lewis - 2009
    It symbolically takes the reader through the cumulative story of the US Civil Rights Movement, showing how select pioneers' achievements led up to this landmark moment, when we have elected our first black President.Each historical figure is rendered by a different award-winning African-American children's book illustrator, representing the singular and vibrant contribution that each figure made.Lending historical substance, the back matter includes brief biographies of: George Washington Carver, Jesse Owens, Hattie McDaniel, Ella Fitzgerald, Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks, Ruby Bridges, Thurgood Marshall, Martin Luther King Jr., Barack Obama.

The Negro Speaks of Rivers


Langston Hughes - 2009
    Although he was only seventeen when he composed it, Hughes already had the insight to capture in words the strength and courage of black people in America.Artist E.B. Lewis acts as interpreter and visionary, using watercolor to pay tribute to Hughes's timeless poem, a poem that every child deserves to know.

Maneater


Mary B. Morrison - 2009
    A too-hot-to-handle pair of novellas that prove there's nothing more powerful than a woman bent on seduction and revenge.

Michael Jackson


Rolling Stone Magazine - 2009
    The vast majority of the material here is new, thanks to remembrances from Will.i.am, Smokey Robinson, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, Slash, Usher, LA Reid, Brooke Shields, Kenny Gamble, Wyclef Jean, Ne-Yo, Martin Scorsese, Glen Ballard, John Landis, plus the Rolling Stone staff. Also included are reprints of two classic Rolling Stone cover stories, one from 1973 by Ben Fong-Torres, and a 1983 piece by Gerri Hershey.

California Connection 2


Chunichi Knott - 2009
    But now she realizes that it was her connections and street smarts that helped her man, Calico, rise to the top, and Jewel wants to be the one in control. She's tired of taking orders from men. She's willing to do anything to be queen of the streets, but when a deal she makes with the enemy comes back to haunt her, her dream is turned into a nightmare. Hopeless and struggling to keep her head above water, Jewel meets Misty, who seems to be her savior. They quickly form a bond, but when that bond is broken and the mist turns to rain, Jewel finds herself in the middle of a storm that she might not make it out of.

Make You Mine


Niobia Bryant - 2009
    She's smart, beautiful, and one paycheck away from broke. He's smart, handsome, and very successful. But that's just the beginning of their differences. . ..She's messy--and that's putting it nicely. He's a neat freak--and that's an understatement.She's happy in sweatpants. He's an urban sophisticate who wears the hippest designer labels.They're total opposites in every way but one: they share a sizzling attraction that makes them want to beg for more and more. But can their passion lead to a love that lasts for the long haul? Raves for Niobia Bryant"Hot men, spicy women and a sexually captivating story." --Romantic Times on Hot like Fire

Body By Night


Zuri Day - 2009
    She's tired of being overweight, she's had it with her overbearing family, and she's fed up with settling for any guy who'll have her--especially since she caught her boyfriend cheating with her best friend.  But working out and avoiding delicious food is easy compared to resisting the charms of Los Angeles' hottest personal trainer, JaJuan "Night" Simmons. Six feet of chiseled muscle and fine chocolate, he's challenging her body in all the right ways--and proving there's a sensitive, caring guy under the good looks. Their shared career goals of promoting health and fitness bring them even closer together. But D'Andra feels it may be too much of a good thing. After succeeding in taking command of her life, can she risk losing control of her heart?

Amaryllis


Nikita Lynnette Nichols - 2009
    After witnessing Randall Loomis drive off into the sunset with his new wife and family, Amaryllis starts a new chapter. She moves to Las Vegas to live with her sister, Attorney at Law Michelle Denise Price. Michelle is engaged to Minister James Bradley, and it doesn't take long for Amaryllis to set a new goal. Envying the attention and affection James showers on her sister, Amaryllis puts a plan in motion to destroy Michelle's fairy tale relationship and claim James as her own.What Amaryllis doesn't know is that someone else has a plan."Vengeance is mine," says the Lord.Stirring her pot of evil, Amaryllis cooks up a recipe fordestruction;but this devilish divais about toget adose of her own medicine."

The Bishop's Daughter


Tiffany L. Warren - 2009
    She keeps the business affairs of her father’s successful Atlanta church in order—but can’t get her personal business moving in the right direction. She’s the oldest and most reliable of Bishop Kumal Prentiss’s children—but is wonder if she’s tried too hard not to be a “wild preacher’s kid.” So Emoni is definitely intrigued when sparks fly between her and Freedom of Life’s newest member, Darrin Bainbridge. He’s handsome, works hard on growing in faith and his writing career, and sees the passionate, strong woman Emoni really is. But Darrin isn’t telling his whole story…and has secrets as deep as his charm. Now Emoni’s family is in turmoil, her father’s reputation is on the line, and Emoni doesn’t know which way is up. She’s going to have to face some truths, learn forgiveness, and break some rules…if she’s ever to find heaven-sent happiness.

Diary of a Stalker (Pilar and Xavier #1)


Electa Rome Parks - 2009
    . .Xavier Preston is tall, dark, and handsome, and the problem is that he knows it. He's a bestselling author who is accustomed to adoring female fans, both young and old, flirting with him, throwing themselves shamelessly at him, and trying to get between more than the covers of his novels. He has always been more than willing to accommodate their needs and desires; however, his womanizing days have finally ended. He's engaged to a beautiful woman, Kendall, and he's decided to walk the straight and narrow. Or has he?From outside appearances, the very stunning Pilar has it all: a great career, a beautiful home, and a trust fund that keeps her financially secure; however, looks can be deceiving. All that glitters isn't necessarily gold. Pilar is searching for her perfect soulmate, and she thinks she has found him in Xavier. She believes in going after what she wants with a vengeance . . . and she wants Xavier. That is not negotiable. She will have him, even if it kills him.When Xavier meets his fanatical fan, Pilar, he gets much more than he bargained for. What starts out as an erotic one-night stand quickly spirals out of control into a dangerous game of obsession and pain with both parties playing to win.Think you know what goes on behind the literary scene? Think again.

Marching for Freedom: Walk Together Children and Don't You Grow Weary


Elizabeth Partridge - 2009
    Martin Luther King Jr. was leading a fight to win blacks the right to vote. Ground zero for the movement became Selma, Alabama.Award-winning author Elizabeth Partridge leads you straight into the chaotic, passionate, and deadly three months of protests that culminated in the landmark march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. Focusing on the courageous children who faced terrifying violence in order to march alongside King, this is an inspiring look at their fight for the vote. Stunningly emotional black-and-white photos accompany the text.

Millionaire Wives Club


Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker - 2009
    Whitaker’s steamiest novel yet, we meet the four deliciously dramatic, designer-clad divas from prime time’s new hit reality show, The Millionaire Wives Club.Evan: Married to a pro-football star who isn’t in love with her anymore, Evan is digging her freshly manicured nails in ever deeper as she fights to keep the husband who loves someone else.Milan: Half Dominican, half black, and beautifully exotic-looking, Milan is watching her has-been husband’s fortune fade fast–while her romantic attachment to Evan’s husband is heating up.Jaise: Divorced from a former boxing star who’s now married to a white woman, Jaise is trying to raise her sixteen-year-old son on her own. Will her huge alimony checks keep her from falling in love?Chaunci: Editor of the hottest black women’s magazine, Chaunci is now engaged to the high-powered man who helped finance her magazine when she was just a struggling single mom. But when a onetime passionate flame reignites, Chaunci may not be able to resist its charms.When these starlets’ private lives run as wild as their emotions, their relationships with one another inevitably turn into high-profile catfights. Through it all, the cameras never stop rolling on TV’s guiltiest pleasure, where power–and diamonds–are always a girl’s best friend.

Who Is He To You


Monique D. Mensah - 2009
    Jessica lives the upscale lifestyle of a refined society matron. She strives to be the perfect wife, but without her husband, Ross, she would be nothing more than the abused stripper he rescued 16 years ago. Ryan, a fiery thirty-something, is quickly slipping into depression and prescription drug-addiction as her boyfriend, Anthony, artfully dangles the empty promise of marriage. As the shattered lives of three very different women collide, they find that they have one thing in common: they are all in a desperate fight to hang on to love. But when love involves incest, self-mutilation, drug-addiction and murder, will they continue to fight or will they find the strength to escape before it's too late? Experience their emotional journey through to the shocking end where these women will experience injury, imprisonment and even death while crafting new lives from the ashes of their ruination.

Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson


Sharon Robinson - 2009
    The neighborhood children join the Robinson kids for swimming and boating. But oddly, Jackie never goes near the water. In a dramatic episode that first winter, the children beg to go ice skating on the lake. Jackie says they can go--but only after he tests the ice to make sure it's safe. The children prod and push to get Jackie outside, until hesitantly, he finally goes. Like a blind man with a stick, (contd.)

Queen of His Heart


Adrianne Byrd - 2009
    But while Jalila is describing the hilarious details of her latest encounter over brunch with her girlfriend, another diner overhears her story and makes her an offer she can't refuse. Television producer Keenan Armstrong believes Jalila's search for love would make a hit reality show. Suddenly Jalila's the star of Queen of Hearts, with a string of fine bachelors vying to win her attention--though it's Keenan who's really turning up the heat. But before the big finale, Jalila will have to figure out what's real, what's fantasy and what's truly worth fighting for....

Missionary No More: Purple Panties 2


Zane - 2009
    Including such stories as "The Namma's Nectar," "Coast to Coast," and "She Loved a Girl," Missionary No More gives an insight into a world where love and lust have no boundaries. Come take a journey through the eyes of several women who have one thing in common: an appreciation for female sensuality.

Step To This


Nikki Carter - 2009
    She gets on the Hi-Steppers dance squad, makes new friends, and scores a date, but soon things go horribly wrong.

A Deep Dark Secret


Kimberla Lawson Roby - 2009
    Leaving behind the world of philandering preacher Curtis Black and his family—featured in her acclaimed novels Too Much of a Good Thing, Love and Lies, Sin No More, and The Best of Everything—Roby enters the life of a little girl hiding A Deep Dark Secret and gets to the troubling root of an all too prevalent societal and family issue. Both groundbreaking and ultimately hopeful, this coming-of-age story is powerful, brave, and unforgettable.

Yesterday's Promise


Vanessa Miller - 2009
    So, when her father, Bishop Langston Johnson, decides to step down after thirty years of leadership at Omega Christian Center, it seems only natural for her to take his place. But Bishop Johnson feels led by a God who has other things in mind, and to succeed him, he appoints Steven Marks-a man who is opposed to female pastors, not to mention the fact that he is Melinda's ex-fiance. Feeling defeated, Melinda nevertheless maintains her position as the church's Missions and Community Outreach Director. Frequent interaction with the new bishop incites bitter sparring-and rekindles long-suppressed attraction, which grows only stronger when Melinda develops a relationship with Steven's precious daughter, Brianna, who's still struggling with the death of her mother. Can Steven and Melinda set aside past pains, forgive each other, and learn to love again?"

Next Semester


Cecil R. Cross II - 2009
    JD needs to shake academic probation, but he and his crew still act as if college is one big frat party. After all the drama of first semester, you'd think JD would learn from his mistakes. But once again he finds himself in trouble—both in and outside the classroom. What's worse, JD's future hangs on his class assignment: helping Kat get elected student-body president. To do that, he'll have to learn who to trust and who's trying to play him, or his next ticket home to the hood will be one-way.

Before I Forget


Leonard Pitts Jr. - 2009
    As 50-year-old Mo tries to reach out to his increasingly tuned-out son Trey (who himself has become an unwed teenaged father), he realizes that the burden of grief and anger he carries over his own estranged father has everything to do with the struggles he encounters with his son. Part road novel, part character study, and part social critique, and written in compulsively readable prose, Before I Forget is the work of a major new voice in American fiction. Pitts knows inside and out the difficulties facing black men as they grapple with the complexities of their roles as fathers.

Total Eclipse of the Heart


Zane - 2009
    Damon Johnson loves his wife, Carleigh, but she only ever treats him like a trophy. A tragic event forces Brooke and Damon to become part of each other's lives.

When Love Comes Around


Victoria Wells - 2009
    An unexpected health crisis sends her into an emotional depression. Everything she's ever dreamed of is hanging on by a fragile cord that's ready to snap. Just when she thinks all hope is gone, her salvation is near. Kevin Dawson, a career womanizer, is the last man on earth Starr should be willing to put her hope and trust in. The sparks of attraction are magnetizing making his tempting proposal hard to resist, a proposal that would make all her dreams a reality. However, there are evil forces willing to do anything to keep Starr and Kevin apart. Will the lovers be able to overcome such threats? Will love be enough?

Posing Beauty: African American Images from the 1890s to the Present


Deborah Willis - 2009
    Determined to redress this imbalance, Willis examined everything from vintage ladies’ journals to black newspapers, and started what would become a lifelong quest. With more than two hundred arresting images, many previously unpublished, Posing Beauty recovers a world many never knew existed. Historical subjects such as Billie Holiday and Josephine Baker illuminate the past; Angela Davis and Muhammad Ali take us to the civil rights era; Denzel Washington, Lil’ Kim, and Michelle Obama celebrate the present. Featuring the works of more than one hundred photographers, including Carl van Vechten, Eve Arnold, Lee Friedlander, and Carrie Mae Weems, Willis’s book not only celebrates the lives of the famous but also captures the barber shop, the bodybuilding contest, and prom night. Posing Beauty challenges our most fundamental assumptions about what it means to be “beautiful.”

Illusions


Wanda B. Campbell - 2009
    A pastor's addiction to pornography jeopardizes both his marriage and his relationship with God, in this bold and compelling novel.

Sensuality: Caramel Flava II


Zane - 2009
    Like Chocolate Flava and Caramel Flava, Sensuality is a delicious assortment of fun, sensual stories by Zane and a select assortment of talented erotica authors. Sensuality includes sections written expressly for both men and women, making it a perfect book for lovers to share. Featuring Latino as well as African American characters and cultural references, Sensuality offers a unique blend of literary spice, hot and sweet enough to fit on a menu only Zane could cook up.

Caught In The Middle


Jennifer Luckett - 2009
    Michelle reunites with her ex-boyfriend, Antonio “Tony” Dixon, and realizes that Tony’s addictive lifestyle is no longer the life she wants to live and gets involved with Officer John Shelby. Will Michelle allow her demons to interfere with her newfound love and happiness? Lakeeysha meets and falls in love with Antwaine Greene, a notorious drug dealer whose mind is set on two things: money and women. Lakeeysha tries to find her place in Antwaine’s life, but her quest for his heart is cut short when he is mysteriously killed, leaving Keeysha in suspense and anxious to find his murderer. As she pieces together this deadly puzzle, she is confronted with a bare truth that explodes her world into a million tiny pieces. Keeysha’s search for truth endangers her life and those she cherishes the most. As the body count rises it is only a matter of time before death comes knocking at Keeysha’s front door. With Antwaine dead, who will rescue her from this deadly and cruel world?Enliven your senses and awaken a new thirst for adventure as Jennifer Luckett tells a no-hold bars tale of the gritty side of Jackson, Mississippi, and gives new meaning to the City with Soul.

Backstage


Nikki Turner - 2009
    Backstage is a VIP pass to the glamorous, gritty music industry, a world Nikki Turner knows intimately–as she introduces writers you’ll want to read again and again.

That Devil's No Friend Of Mine


J.D. Mason - 2009
    . .but he was also manipulative and controlling, especially to those he loved.  His death begins to unravel deep secrets and shocking desires among the people he cared about the most. . . His daughter, Kristine, feels that with her father’s death she is finally free.  His best friend and business partner, Lamar, feels that now can finally have what he has longed for all these years: Kristine.  His protégé, Cole, the boxing champion and rising star, married a woman Bishop never approved of and may have been right about.  Rayne, the blues singer and ex-junkie relied on Bishop to keep her clean and is now slipping down a dark path without him.  And Rhonda, Lamar’s wife, is determined to ignore what has been unfolding in front of her if it means that her predictable life will go unchanged.  And then a newcomer steps onto the scene and threatens to turn everything upside down. Five very different people whose lives are only connected by Bishop suddenly find themselves up close and personal as desires, dreams and passions collide.

The Ultimate Test


Shelia M. Goss - 2009
    Drama soon comes their way in the form of Tanisha, a jealous older student who thinks DJ's attention should be focused solely on her.Even Tanisha's threats can't intimidate these girls as they form a united front against her. They're tighter than ever--until a sticky situation complicates everything. Jasmine and Sierra both fall head over heels in love with DJ. Could this really mean the end of their friendship?

Secrets and Lies


Rhonda McKnight Nain - 2009
    In her debut novel, McKnight delivers unforgettable characters and page-turning drama, when a couple whose troubled marriage is pushed to its limits sets out for revenge amidst secrets, lies, and a common enemy.

Champagne, Jellybeans and Chocolate


R.L. Taylor - 2009
    THEY SAY JOY COMES AFTER PAIN….After years of hurt and failed relationships…What if the person that once made you the happiest reappeared in your life?ROYCE TYLER IS FINALLY PUTTING HIS LIFE BACK TOGETHER Over the past year a series of horrific tragedies sent him spiraling into an inconsolable state of depression and turmoilENTER PAULA DANIELS, HIS COLLEGE ROMANCE.Her life consists of pampered luxury and being spoiled by men of distinction.Royce would love to jump at a second chance with her.ONE PROBLEM….HE’S HOMELESS.For the past few month’s he’s been living in his car.Even if he could conceal the truth long enough to get back on his feet,he’d have to compete with powerful men for her affection.WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE, LUXURY OR LOVE?Some women desire elaborate gifts and expensive jewels, only to findtheir exists some men that will buy their way into a woman’s heart.Other men will fight relentlessly to get there…

Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride


Andrea Davis Pinkney - 2009
    But she knew she wouldn't really be free unless she was helping to end injustice. That's when she changed her name to Sojourner and began traveling across the country, demanding equal rights for black people and for women. Many people weren't ready for her message, but Sojourner was brave, and her truth was powerful. And slowly, but surely as Sojourner's step-stomp stride, America began to change.A celebrated author-illustrator team tells the story of one of the most unique and courageous women in American history, Sojourner Truth, who worked relentlessly to end slavery and ensure freedom for all. Full color.

Freedom's Teacher: The Life of Septima Clark


Katherine Mellen Charron - 2009
    In this vibrantly written biography, Katherine Charron demonstrates Clark's crucial role--and the role of many black women teachers--in making education a cornerstone of the twentieth-century freedom struggle. Using Clark's life as a lens, Charron sheds valuable new light on southern black women's activism in national, state, and judicial politics, from the Progressive Era to the civil rights movement and beyond.

Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves, North Carolina Narratives, Part 1


Work Projects Administration - 2009
    You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

The Beatitudes: From Slavery to Civil Rights


Carole Boston Weatherford - 2009
    Since the earliest days of slavery, African Americans have called on their religious faith in the struggle against oppression. In this book the Beatitudes -- from Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount -- form the backdrop for Carole Boston Weatherford's powerful free-verse poem that traces the African American journey from slavery to civil rights.Tim Ladwig's stirring illustrations showcase a panorama of heroes in this struggle, from the slaves shackled in the hold of a ship to the first African American president taking his oath of office on the steps of the United States Capitol.Readers of all ages will find this a book to return to again and again for encouragement and inspiration.

More Than He Can Handle


Cheris Hodges - 2009
    So when the ceremony is over and the reception starts heating up, Freddie blows off steam with a little champagne--and a lot of the best man, Cleveland Alexander. It was definitely going to be just a one-night fling, 'cause no woman in her right mind would fall for that man's arrogant, self-centered self, no matter how caramel-fine he is.  .  . She's The One Woman He Can't Live Without.  .  . As a hard-core bachelor, Cleveland Alexander was strictly all about beddin' and forgettin'. And the only reason he let Ms. Winfred Barker call his bluff was to put her stuck-up attitude in check. But once he sees how complicated and caring she really is, he'll do anything to help solve her problems--and convince her that the love between them is a lifetime of real.  .  .

Michael Jackson


Dafydd Rees - 2009
    While the success of Thriller, the best-selling album in history, would not have been possible without production maestro Quincy Jones, Jackson s combined abilities as a supreme vocalist, dance provocateur, music video pioneer, songwriter and live performer simply know no equal. As an entertainer he was, above all, a perfectionist. As a human being he was, above all, an imperfectionist - unable and unwilling to live a normal life. Perhaps more than any other icon, Jackson s music magically transcended race, geography, sex, genre, age and color - a remarkable achievement for a shy, troubled boy who never grew up. While his untimely death in June 2009 shook the world, it is Jackson s musical legacy which will rock the world for generations to come. In this book, the equal triumph and tragedy of his extraordinary journey is objectively revealed through a unique visual and narrative chronology.

Nine Months With Thomas


Shirley Hailstock - 2009
    But she's the one in need after being downsized out of her job. Now the only way Meghan can get her life back on track is to accept an out-of-this-world offer from wealthy, widowed businessman Thomas Worthington-Yates. They've decided: after Meghan fulfills her part of the agreement, she will go her own way. But workaholic Thomas is proving to be a caring, sensitive man underneath his hard-driving ways. And Meghan is finding it harder and harder to resist their growing attraction—or the sweet promise of a future, and a family, together….

The List


Sherri L. Lewis - 2009
    Three saved but sexy and successful black women go on a hilarious adventure to be found by their husbands, in this lively novel.

Raised by Wolves : Inside the Life & Mind of a Guerrilla Hustler


Cavario H - 2009
    Cavario began his career in the fall of 1980 at the age of 13, selling powder cocaine in $25, $50 and $100 denominations, networking in the city's hottest discos. From Disco Fever in the South Bronx; world renown as the backdrop for the iconic Hip-Hop film, "Krush Groove," to the Red Parrot in Manhattan, and the historical, mega-club, BOND'S which once stood in the center of New York's Times Square. At 15 Cavario began running his family's heroin shooting gallery in his 115th Street neighborhood on Harlem's infamous West Side. By the early 80's the streets of America were beginning to change due to the rapid popularity of Freebase. In 1982 Cavario was introduced to the process of cooking cocaine by a heroin snorting, cocaine smoking, old hustler named T. who was managing the packages moving through the gallery. Cavario's best friend Trevor Clark, a working class WASP from Manhattan's Upper West-Side, was on the team as well and the combination of these clashing cultures made for interesting antics on more than a few occasions. Like the time a customer offered "King Trev" the remainder of his heroin shot as he withdrew the syringe from his testicles. Cavario has emerged alive, healthy and free after nearly eighteen years of hardcore hustling, in notorious US cities like Harlem, New York, the South Bronx, and the infamous South Jamaica section of Queens, as well as Baltimore MD, Washington D.C., Bridgeport CT, Richmond VA, Charlottesville VA, Winston-Salem NC, Highpoint NC, Greensboro NC, Durham NC, Raleigh NC, and Charlotte NC. Raised By Wolves is not just a story of violence and drugs but an honest and in-depth journey into the mind and motives of a genetically engineered gangster and his spiritual struggle to move beyond the only world he has ever known.

The Selma of the North: Civil Rights Insurgency in Milwaukee


Patrick D. Jones - 2009
    A series of local leaders inspired growing numbers of people to participate in campaigns against employment and housing discrimination, segregated public schools, the membership of public officials in discriminatory organizations, welfare cuts, and police brutality. The Milwaukee movement culminated in the dramatic—and sometimes violent—1967 open housing campaign. A white Catholic priest, James Groppi, led the NAACP Youth Council and Commandos in a militant struggle that lasted for 200 consecutive nights and provoked the ire of thousands of white residents. After working-class mobs attacked demonstrators, some called Milwaukee “the Selma of the North.” Others believed the housing campaign represented the last stand for a nonviolent, interracial, church-based movement. Patrick Jones tells a powerful and dramatic story that is important for its insights into civil rights history: the debate over nonviolence and armed self-defense, the meaning of Black Power, the relationship between local and national movements, and the dynamic between southern and northern activism. Jones offers a valuable contribution to movement history in the urban North that also adds a vital piece to the national story. (20090512)

Downbeat: The Great Jazz Interviews: A 75th Anniversary Anthology


Frank Alkyer - 2009
    Culled from the DownBeat archives includes in-depth interviews with literally every great jazz artist and personality that ever lived! Features classic photos and magazine covers from DownBeat 's vast archives. In honor of its 75th anniversary, DownBeat 's editors have brought together in this one volume the best interviews, insights, and photographs from the illustrious history of the world's top jazz magazine, DownBeat . This anthology includes the greatest of DownBeat 's Jazz Hall of Famers: from early legends like Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Benny Goodman; to bebop heroes like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Miles Davis; to truly unique voices like Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Thelonious Monk, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk; to the pioneers of the electric scene like Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, and Joe Zawinul. The Great Jazz Interviews delivers the legends of jazz, talking about America's music and America itself, in their own words.

Foundation: B-Boys, B-Girls, and Hip-Hop Culture in New York


Joseph G. Schloss - 2009
    Widely - though incorrectly - known as breakdancing, it is often dismissed as a form of urban acrobatics set to music. In reality, however, b-boying is a deeply traditional andprofoundly expressive art form that has been passed down from teacher to student for almost four decades. Foundation: B-boys, B-girls and Hip-Hop Culture in New York offers the first serious study of b-boying as both unique dance form and a manifestation of the most fundamental principles of hip-hopculture. Drawing on anthropological and historical research, interviews and personal experience as a student of the dance, Joseph Schloss presents a nuanced picture of b-boying and its social context. From the dance's distinctive musical repertoire and traditional educational approaches to itscomplex stylistic principles and secret battle strategies, Foundation illuminates a previously unexamined thread in the complex tapestry that is contemporary hip-hop.

Bedroom Bully


Trista Russell - 2009
    Shaken with fright when he nudges a gun to her body and demands protection, Audra has no clue how deeply the murderer's rough, tender touches will penetrate the hardened layers of her heart.Dean Casey can't believe he's on the run after shooting two cops. But he never dreamed that his young daughter would be molested, either, a crushing reality that pushed the hardworking father to the brink of insanity. With the entire city of Miami on the hunt for him, Dean must figure out a way to save his daughter before vanishing from her life forever. To complicate matters, his hostage is a sexy, thick beauty whose attraction to him is impossible to ignore.Overcome with the thrill of their forbidden lust and imprisoned in the walls of her home, Audra and Dean lose themselves in an addictive, erotic haze - until sudden tragedies and shocking twists force them to escape Miami. As the fugitives set sail on the tranquil Caribbean Sea, their treacherous journey will, once and for all, test the limitless bounds of their passion.