Books of Soul

New African American Books: Adult Fiction

March 2012′s Bestselling African American Paperback Books

March 5, 2012

Here are the upcoming bestsellers for African American paperback books.

  1. Coca Kola – The Baddest Chick by Nisa Santiago
    (Melodrama Publishing, 2012-03-13, Paperback)
    Steady Schemin’ Harlem honeys Apple and Kola are back and cutthroat as ever, and serving The City That Never Sleeps with a wakeup call. Now permanently disfigured, the once beautiful Apple’s future isn’t looking bright as the empire she worked so hard to build begins to crumble, brick by brick. The tables are turned, and Apple finds out that the ultimate betrayal cuts that much deeper when it’s perpetrated by blood. Meanwhile, Kola is lying in wait for Queen Apple to be dethroned. She stacks her paper and assembles her plan to take her twin out once and for all. But Apple isn’t bowing out gracefully.

     

  2. Boss Bitch (Bitch Series) by Deja King
    (A King Production, 2012-03-29, Paperback)
    Precious Cummings and her daughter Aaliyah Mills Carter must protect the family empire as an unknown enemy tries to step in and take the throne. Can mother and daughter get past their differences and unite as one or will they stay at odds and risk having their loved ones torn apart? The saga continues to unfold in Boss Bitch.

     

  3. Baltimore Chronicles Volume 4 by Treasure Hernandez
    (Urban Books, 2012-03-01, Paperback)
    Scar Johnson is the biggest drug dealer in Baltimore, and with the help of his girlfriend, who happens to be a District Attorney, he has become the most untouchable. But is he really safe? The mysterious observer has come out of the shadows and infiltrated the Dirty Money Crew. Together with his accomplice, he plans to exact revenge on Scar. Meanwhile, Tiphani is plotting her return from Florida to claim her children and also get back at Scar and the mayor who left her for dead. After recovering from his injuries, Derek Fuller is out of prison, looking for redemption. Can Scar fend off all of these enemies and still control the Baltimore drug trade?

     

  4. I Must Resist: Bayard Rustin’s Life in Letters by Bayard Rustin
    (City Lights Publishers, 2012-03-20, Paperback)
    Published on the centennial of his birth, and in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, here is Bayard Rustin’s life story told in his own words. Bayard Rustin has been called the “lost prophet” of the civil rights movement. A master strategist and tireless activist, he is best remembered as the organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, one of the largest nonviolent protests ever held in the U.S. He brought Gandhi’s protest techniques to the American civil rights movement and played a deeply influential role in the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., helping to mold him into an international symbol of nonviolence. Despite these achievements, Rustin often remained in the background. He was silenced, threatened, arrested, beaten, imprisoned and fired from important leadership positions, largely because he was an openly gay man in a fiercely homophobic era. Here we have Rustin in his own words in a collection of over 150 of his letters; his correspondents include the major progressives of his day — for example, Eleanor Holmes Norton, A. Philip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, Ella Baker, and of course, Martin Luther King, Jr.Bayard Rustin’s eloquent, impassioned voice, his ability to chart the path “from protest to politics,” is both timely and deeply informative. As the Occupy movement ushers America into a pivotal election year, and as politicians and citizens re-assess their goals and strategies, these letters provide direct access to the strategic thinking and tactical planning that led to the successes of one of America’s most transformative and historic social movements.

     

  5. Recipe for Desire by Cherise Hodges
    (Dafina, 2012-03-01, Mass Market Paperback)
    A Party Girl’s Work Is Never Done. . .At twenty-seven, Marie Charles is still Charlotte’s number one party girl. But when she adds a DWI arrest and a totaled Jaguar to her list of tabloid news-making escapades, her daddy is done bailing her out. Sentenced to five hundred hours of community service at My Sister’s Keeper, a homeless shelter for women, Marie won’t have much time left for partying. . .Renowned chef and TV star Devon Harris volunteers at My Sister’s Keeper. And he’s not happy Marie is joining him. He may be single–and she may be gorgeous–but the last thing he’s interested in is a superficial southern belle. But as Marie outgrows the selfish girl she was, Devon is turned on by the woman she’s becoming. . .

     

  6. And You Call Yourself a Christ (Still Divas) by E.N. Joy
    (Urban Christian, 2012-03-01, Paperback)
    Out of all the divas at New Day Temple of Faith, Unique has to be the most colorful one–she and her mother Lorain, that is. Never one to hold her tongue in the name of keepin’ it real, it’s no surprise that Unique has not been saved all her life. It’s safe to say that Lorain wasn’t born on the church pew either. Let the church folk tell it, the apple hasn’t fallen too far from the tree when it comes to Unique. Lorain–once known as the tight skirt, V-neck blouse, too much makeup-wearing leader of the New Day Singles Ministry–claims she’s there to look out for her daughter and try to keep her in check. But how in the world does Lorain think she can even begin to keep her daughter on the straight and narrow with her own crooked life?Some might say Lorain has failed miserably as a mother when Unique ends up in jail for three counts of murder. One who would agree is the woman who raised Unique while Lorain was out living her life freely. As an all-out war takes place between Unique’s birth mother and the woman who raised her, will Unique have any support while she fights for her life behind bars? Will all forsake her while they are too busy with their own agendas? Only God holds the answer to this one.

     

  7. Bi-Curious Volume 2: by Natalie Weber
    (Urban Books, 2012-03-01, Paperback)
    Weber delivers the powerful and provocative tale of a woman whose bi-curious nature gets her into more trouble than she can escape.

     

  8. Deception by Naomi Chase
    (Dafina, 2012-03-01, Paperback)
    Sisters can share too much. . .Acquitted of murder, Tamia Luke is on a mission to reclaim all she’s lost, including her ex, Brandon, who saved her life. Brandon’s about to get married, but Tamia’s determined, even if it means resorting to deception–a family habit. Her sister, Fiona, betrayed Tamia to save her own skin. Now the two share a scandalous secret that may destroy both their plans to start over. . . Fiona’s hoping her glitzy new job will help her score a rich husband. It’s looking good, until the night she’s seduced by the one man who is truly unattainable–unless she can keep her past hidden. And both sisters will have to steer clear of someone who knows too much, and wants them to pay–with their lives. . .

     

  9. On the Flip Side (Fab Life) by Nikki Carter
    (KTEEN / Dafina, 2012-03-01, Paperback)
    Living your dreams is the hard part . . .Sunday Tolliver has a mega-smash album up for major awards–and her first few months as a college freshman are everything she hoped for. But juggling all this and her long-distance romance with boyfriend Sam is taking drama to mad-crazy levels. Hot up-and-coming video star DeShawn isn’t letting Sunday’s relationship keep him from getting close. And relentless online gossip is seriously shaking Sunday’s trust in Sam. On top of that, her jealous diva cousin, Dreya, just won’t stay out of Sunday’s face–especially now that she’s in the running for the same music awards. The only way Sunday can stop the madness and get back on track is to trust her instincts–and get a little help from her friends. . .

     

  10. Man Swappers: A Novel by Cairo
    (Strebor Books, 2012-03-06, Paperback)
    Disturbingly sexy and devilishly delicious, Man Swappers explores the taboo topic of women openly sharing other women’s men. Man Swappers is about carefree and adventurous women who embrace their sexualities without embarrassment, guilt, ridicule, or shame. By day, bombshell sisters Porsha, Persia, and Paris do everything together. They work hard, travel far, and are always on the prowl for their next relationship. And getting the attention from the opposite sex has never been a problem for these vixens. In fact, they’ve had more than their share of men vying for their attention. But there’s a catch: You date one sister, you date them all. But what happens when two of them break the rules of engagement and want one of the men all to themselves? And what happens when they find out it’s the same man? A titillating story of sibling rivalry gone haywire, Man Swappers will thrill readers to a whole new level of satisfaction.

     

  11. Thug Matrimony by Wahida Clark
    (Dafina, 2012-03-01, Mass Market Paperback)

     

  12. The Grey Album: On the Blackness of Blackness by Kevin Young
    (Graywolf Press, 2012-03-13, Paperback)
    The first work of prose by the brilliant poet Kevin Young, winner of the Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize Taking its title from Danger Mouse’s pioneering mashup of Jay-Z’s The Black Album and the Beatles’ The White Album, Kevin Young’s encyclopedic book combines essay, cultural criticism, and lyrical choruses to illustrate the African American tradition of lying—storytelling, telling tales, fibbing, improvising, “jazzing.” What emerges is a persuasive argument for the many ways that African American culture is American culture, and for the centrality of art—and artfulness—to our daily life. Moving from gospel to soul, funk to freestyle, Young sifts through the shadows, the bootleg, the remix, the grey areas of our history, literature, and music. 

     

  13. We Have Been Believers: An African American Systematic Theology by James H. Evans Jr.
    (Fortress Press, 2012-03-01, Paperback)
    Seeking to overcome the chasm between church practice and theological reflection, James H. Evans Jr., a major and distinctive voice in American religion, situates theology squarely in the nexus of faith with freedom. There, with a sure touch, he uplifts revelatory aspects of black religious experience that reanimate classical areas of theology, and he creates a theology with a heart, soul, and voice that speak directly to our condition. Edited and introduced by Stephen G. Ray Jr., the second edition, published on the twentieth anniversary of the first, includes three new essays that identify the value of the book for womanist, evangelical, and black church audiences. The new edition concludes with an Afterword by the author himself.

     

  14. On the Flip Side (Fab Life) by Nikki Carter
    (KTEEN / Dafina, 2012-03-01, Paperback)
    Living your dreams is the hard part . . .Sunday Tolliver has a mega-smash album up for major awards–and her first few months as a college freshman are everything she hoped for. But juggling all this and her long-distance romance with boyfriend Sam is taking drama to mad-crazy levels. Hot up-and-coming video star DeShawn isn’t letting Sunday’s relationship keep him from getting close. And relentless online gossip is seriously shaking Sunday’s trust in Sam. On top of that, her jealous diva cousin, Dreya, just won’t stay out of Sunday’s face–especially now that she’s in the running for the same music awards. The only way Sunday can stop the madness and get back on track is to trust her instincts–and get a little help from her friends. . .

     

  15. The Erotic Life of Racism by Sharon Patricia Holland
    (Duke University Press Books, 2012-03-05, Paperback)
    A major intervention in the fields of critical race theory, black feminism, and queer theory, The Erotic Life of Racism contends that theoretical and political analyses of race have largely failed to understand and describe the profound ordinariness of racism and how it operates as a quotidian practice. If racism has an everyday life, how does it remain so powerful and yet mask its very presence? To answer this question, Sharon P. Holland moves into the territory of the erotic, understanding racism’s practice as constitutive to the practice of racial being and erotic choice.Reemphasizing the black/white binary, Holland reinvigorates critical engagement with race and racism. She argues that only by bringing together critical race theory, queer theory, and black feminist thought into conversation with each other can we fully envision the relationship between racism and the personal and political dimensions of our desire. The Erotic Life of Racism provocatively redirects our attention to a desire no longer independent of racism but rather embedded within it.

     

  16. She Ain’t the One by Carl Weber and Mary B. Morrison
    (Dafina, 2012-03-01, Mass Market Paperback)
    From New York Times bestselling authors Carl Weber and Mary B. Morrison comes this powerful, unforgettable novel about the ultimate player who has finally run into the wrong woman… After a rocky marriage, irresistibly seductive Jay Crawford is ready for a new woman–and a new challenge. It doesn’t take him long to discover both in one fine package: Ashlee Anderson. With a face and body that scream sex, she’s just what he’s looking for–hard-to-get, feisty, and freaky. But he’d never suspect just how freaky… Ashlee turns out to be every bit as sexy as Jay suspected. What should’ve been a one-night stand extends into months of lovemaking that’s too hot to give up and designed to burn him like never before. For Ashlee has no intention of letting their relationship ever end. Now Jay is in over his head with a woman who will go to any lengths to possess him. Trouble is, Ashlee’s psycho behavior turns him on like nothing else. Maybe they’re both crazy. But when Ashlee makes a shocking confession, Jay knows she definitely ain’t the one and he’s got to get away from her before she completely destroys his life…

     

  17. Temptation Rising by A.C. Arthur
    (St. Martin’s Paperbacks, 2012-03-27, Mass Market Paperback)
    Washington D.C. police officer Kalina Harper still dreams about that night, two years ago, when a huge cat-like creature saved her from a crazed attacker. Although she kept the truth to herself, Kalina can never forget the ferocious strength of the beast’s fangs and claws—or the raw animal hunger in its eyes. Until she meets Roman Reynolds…Muscular, magnetic, and all man, Roman is a high-powered attorney with a predatory smile and seductive charm. He is also a criminal suspect with suspicious connections to the Amazon jungle. But when Kalina discovers that Roman is linked to a secret race of shapeshifting jaguars—who hunt down maneaters—she is forced to put her trust in a man who unleashes her wildest fantasies and fears. A fierce creature of the night whose nature is to protect his female at any cost…

     

Black Friday: Exposed by Ashley & JaQuavis

March 4, 2012
Paperback:


Kindle:
All it takes is one murder to change a million lives, and that’s exactly what happens to Kasheef Williams on a cold, black Friday.

After a reunion with an old friend goes wrong in a Long Island night club, Kasheef is forced to protect himself by any means necessary. The only problem is that prying eyes see everything. Those eyes belong to Alija Bell. After walking in on a situation she was never meant to see, she runs; but Kasheef sees her face, and he tells her that it’s best for her to get temporary amnesia. Afraid for her life and the safety of her daughter, she keeps her mouth shut, but when a tape of the murder surfaces, the only face that’s visible is Alija’s. Now the police are looking for their eyewitness, and Kasheef has to get to Alija before her day comes to testify against him in court.

In this dramatic, hood savvy tale, things aren’t always as they seem. Somebody holds the ticket to the jury’s verdict. Lies and truth collide. Everyone has a different angle, but the only question is, who has the most influence over Kasheef’s fate?

Twisted Seduction: A Novel by N’Tyse

March 4, 2012
An erotic, drama-laced journey into the lives of two best friends who will stop at nothing to have the man of their dreams — even when the cost of betrayal has a price tag neither of them are quite ready to pay.

Thirty-two-year-old Denise Jackson has everything a woman could ask for: a lovely home in the posh Dallas suburbs, a fancy car, a loving husband, and a beautiful nine-year-old daughter, Deandra. While seemingly having it all, Denise still feels incomplete. Her nine years of marriage to Jeff have been nothing more for her than a marriage of convenience to raise Deandra in a stable two-parent home. She pretends to be happily married, but allows her husband and best friend to carry on an affair, giving Denise time to get better acquainted with her multimillionaire client, Greg Adams. But when Denise’s husband discovers he isn’t Deandra’s father after all, her carefully built lies come tumbling down.

Twisted Seduction lures readers into an orchestrated web of raw emotion, deceit, infidelity, and sex that makes for an exhilarating read.

The Reverend’s Wife (A Reverend Curtis Black Novel) by Kimberla Lawson Roby

March 2, 2012



From New York Times bestselling author Kimberla Lawson Roby comes the ninth installment in her award-winning Reverend Curtis Black series.
It’s been months since Reverend Curtis learned that his wife Charlotte had affairs with two different men, and for now, he continues to be cordial and respectful to her. But he’s also made it clear that once their son Matthew graduates high school, he will be filing for divorce.

Charlotte, on the other hand, continues to do everything possible to make amends in hopes of saving their marriage. Unfortunately, Curtis is ready to move on and is being propositioned by a woman who desperately wants to become the next Mrs. Curtis Black. When the situation heads down a path that is frighteningly shocking, could it be the final blow to this once blessed union?

Blood & Tacos #1

March 1, 2012
There was a time when paperback racks were full of men’s adventure series. Next to the Louis L’Amours, one could find the adventures of The Executioner, the Destroyer, the Death Merchant, and many more action heroes that were hell-bent on bringing America back from the brink. That time was the 1970s & ’80s. A bygone era filled with wide-eyed innocence and mustaches.

Those stories are back! The new quarterly magazine Blood & Tacos is bringing back the action, the fun, and the adventure. Also, the mustaches.

In each issue of Blood & Tacos, some of today’s hottest crime writers will choose an era and create a new pulp hero and deliver a brand-new adventure. Each issue will include 5-6 stories featuring action-packed mayhem written in the style of that bygone era. The stories might not always be politically correct, but whether satire or homage, they will deliver on every page. Fast and fun, action and adventure, Blood & Tacos.

Featuring stories by Gary Phillips (“The Silencer Strikes”, with a nod to Holloway House), Matthew C. Funk, Johnny Shaw, Cameron Ashley and other talented writers.

If the stories weren’t enough, Blood & Tacos will also feature fine pulpy art, reviews of some of the fine (and not so fine) novels from the same period, and maybe even a recipe or two.

So enjoy this serving of Blood & Tacos. And remember, if it’s too cheesy, it’s a quesadilla.

***

Blood & Tacos is the brainchild of Johnny Shaw, screenwriter and author of the novel Dove Season: A Jimmy Veeder Fiasco. When he’s not writing or teaching, he is usually in an undisclosed warzone working as the demolitions expert in the mercenary group, The Bushmasters. He also enjoys badminton. His website can be found at Johnnyshaw.net. Or follow him on Twitter at @BloodandTacos.

Blood & Tacos is published by Creative Guy Publishing, the company that brought you such fine books as Amityville House of Pancakes (Vols 1-3), Stays Crunchy in Milk, Installing Linux on a Dead Badger, Brine, and many others with odd titles but excellent stories.

He’s My Favorite Mistake by Tamika Newhouse and Ni’cola Mitchell

March 1, 2012
Seductress, Joyclyn Jones has always had her eye on a new target, didn’t matter who he belonged to, as long as he soon belonged to her. To her surprise, she gets a taste of her own evil ways when, eye-stealing Simone oversteps her bounds with the one she wants, JL. A smooth talking entertainer, JL has always had many women, Joyclyn is no different. But as soon as things start to heat up in the bedroom things take an unsuspecting twist. JL is left trying to place back the pieces and keep his secrets a secret before it ruins not only his career but the innocent ones involved. Tasha has always loved Malik, problem is he was never available to begin with. Vowing to finally leave him alone forever, he resurfaces announcing his love and that he would finally leave his wife. But when Trey comes along and gives her the desires of her heart… she had no idea she would be committing the same mistake twice.

A story of betrayal, scandalous sex, revenge, lies, and more grace the pages of this tale. One thing these women can t seem to make happen is letting their mistakes go. Or can they?

Kitty-Kitty, Bang-Bang: A Novel (Zane Presents) by Cairo

February 29, 2012
With murder, mayhem and hot sex, Kitty-Kitty, Bang-Bang is a wickedly delicious sequel to The Kat Trap.

It was her cutthroat ambition and ruthlessness that got Katrina — or Kat for short, out of the hood and on top of her game. Once a murderer on a seductive prowl with two missions in mind — satisfying her insatiable libido and killing unsuspecting marks — Katrina has lain down her guns. Having once used her alluring charm and exotic beauty to lure men to their deaths, Katrina has had a change of heart.

She’s settled for a simpler life and traveling, partying, and shopping have become her only guilty pleasures. In addition, she’s avoiding relationships and men like the plague. For her, life couldn’t be any sweeter — at least that’s what she wants to believe.

But, when drama rears its ugly head, Katrina returns with a vengeance. There’s the issue of confronting her ex-friend who she learned had slept with an old boyfriend. Then there are her three aunts — who are angry with how she treated her mother. And now she has to face her family, her demons, and the woman behind them — reopening old wounds, trying to mend new ones. Ultimately Kat has a new mission: to find the man behind her mother’s death and serve him up a dish of her own justice the only way she knows how — with a bullet to his head.

Kitty-Kitty, Bang-Bang: A Novel (Zane Presents) by Cairo
Strebor Books
November 1, 2011 Paperback

In this sexy, raw debut novel, a vivacious young murderess seduces her unsuspecting victims to their own deaths. . . .

Katrina is a self-proclaimed hood goddess. With her razor-sharp attitude, alluring charm, and exotic beauty, she is willing to do whatever it takes to climb — or kill — her way out of the hood. With two bodies already on her hands by the age of twenty, she gets the opportunity of a lifetime when a mysterious man invites her to be the first female killer on his multimillion-dollar team of professional assassins.

Kat tempts her victims with her irresistible charm, but she cannot resist the rush that satisfies her hungry libido with each murder and makes her crave more and more power. Disturbingly witty and devilishly enticing, The Kat Trap lures readers into a deliciously cutthroat criminal world of money, glamour, and ultimate self-destruction.

The Kat Trap: A Novel (Zane Presents) by Cairo
Strebor Books
July 26, 2011
Mass Market Paperback

The Gift of Fire / On the Head of a Pin by Walter Mosley

February 28, 2012
New York Times bestselling author Walter Mosley delivers two speculative tales, in one volume, of everyday people exposed to life-altering truths.

The Gift of Fire
In ancient mythology, the Titan Prometheus was punished by the gods for bringing man the gift of fire — an event that set humankind on its course of knowledge. As punishment for making man as powerful as gods, Prometheus was bound to a rock; every day his immortal body was devoured by a giant eagle. But in The Gift of Fire, those chains cease to be, and the great champion of man walks from that immortal prison into present-day South Central Los Angeles.

On the Head of a Pin
Joshua Winterland and Ana Fried are working at Jennings-Tremont Enterprises when they make the most important discovery in the history of this world — or possibly the next. JTE is developing advanced animatronics editing techniques to create high-end movies indistinguishable from live-action. Long dead stars can now share the screen with today’s A-list. But one night Joshua and Ana discover something lingering in the rendered footage — an entity that will lead them into a new age beyond the reality they have come to know.

The Gift of Fire / On the Head of a Pin: Two Short Novels from Crosstown to Oblivion by Walter Mosley
Tor Books
May 8, 2012
Kindle Edition

2012′s Bestselling African American Christian Fiction Books

February 26, 2012
  1. Sinners & Saints by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
    (Touchstone, 2012-01-10, Kindle Edition)
    TEAM JASMINE or TEAM RACHEL? Bestselling and award-winning novelists Victoria Christopher Murray and ReShonda Tate Billingsley bring their favorite heroines together in a novel that will delight their legions of fans. Jasmine Larson Bush and Rachel Jackson Adams are not your typical first ladies. But they’ve overcome their scandalous and drama-filled pasts to stand firmly by their husbands’ sides. When a coveted position opens up—president of the American Baptist Coalition— both women think their husbands are perfect for the job. And winning the position may require both women to get down and dirty and revert to their old tricks. Just when Jasmine and Rachel think they’re going to have to fight to the finish, the current first lady of the coalition steps in . . . a woman bigger, badder, and more devious than either of them. Double the fun with a message of faith, Sinners & Saints will delight readers with two of their favorite characters from two of their favorite authors.

     

  2. While The Church Says Amen (A Family Affair) by Keyon Polite
    (KingDominion Publishers, LLC, 2012-01-22, Kindle Edition)
    Tessa Taylor and the dysfunctional yet loveable Taylor Family returns….but this time with a major scandal unfolding. Tessa finally thinks her drama filled days are over, now she is focused on her new born baby girl and her husband, Trent. But when New Valley votes to elect Trent the new senior pastor after her father, Bishop Benson Taylor, unknown resignation; Tessa has a few words for the deacon’s board that does not include ‘children of God.’ Now the new First Lady, things seem to be floating comfortably…that is until Jazmine returns with a scandal that will all but destroy her family and the good Reverend Trent Harris. While she is going head-to-head with Jazmine; her best friend turned sister-in-law is debating on whether or not she’ll leave her marriage after her husband’s, Assistant Pastor Benson Taylor II, ex girlfriend returns with her over the top baby mama drama. Two marriages are at stake…are these faithful women strong enough to survive a scandal this hot? Or will the Devil have the last say on this one?

     

  3. What Kind of Fool by Rhonda McKnight
    (Urban Christian, 2012-02-01, Kindle Edition)
    Angelina Preston tunes out the voice of God when she decides to divorce her husband, Greg. She’s forgiven him for his affair, but she won’t forget, even though her heart is telling her to. Shortly after she files divorce papers, she finds out her non-profit organization is being investigated by the IRS for money laundering. In the midst of the very public scandal, Angelina becomes ill. Through financial and physical trials, she learns that faith and forgiveness may really be the cure for all that ails her, but can she forgive the people who hurt her most?Sexy, successful Dr. Gregory Preston didn’t appreciate his wife when he had her. His affair with a devious man-stealer has him put out of his home and put off with women who continue to throw themselves at him. Greg wants his wife back, but he’ll have to do some fancy operating to get her. When the secrets and lies from his past continue to mess up his future, Greg finds himself looking to the God he abandoned long ago for a miracle only faith can provide.Samaria Jacobs finally has the one thing she’s always wanted: a man with money. The fact that she’s in love with him is a bonus, but even so, life is anything but blissful. She’s paying for her past sins in ways she never imagined and living in fear that the secret she’s keeping will separate them forever.

     

  4. When Solomon Sings by Kendra Norman-Bellamy
    (Urban Christian, 2012-02-01, Kindle Edition)
    Could Shaylynn Ford be the perfect woman for Neil Taylor? Neil certainly thinks so. The problem is, he’s pretty sure he’s not her perfect man—that was her husband, Emmett, a wealthy politician who was assassinated eight years ago. Neil, the director of a Christian school, is gifted with a singing voice that can heal the sick and bring souls to Christ, but his own soul is burdened by his insecurities and past indiscretions. He feels like he’s in competition with the memory of Emmett—and Neil’s desperation to win Shaylynn’s heart may lead him to do something he may regret. Meanwhile, Shay herself is head over heels for Neil, and she just wishes he would open up to her. It may take a miracle to make Neil’s heart sing again.

     

  5. An Inconvenient Friend by Rhonda McKnight
    (Urban Christian, 2012-01-01, Kindle Edition)
    Samaria Jacobs is a deceitful, yet captivating diva who will do anything to win the heart of her married lover. Will she get her man or destroy herself and everyone else in the process?Samaria has her sights set on Gregory Preston. A successful surgeon, he has just the bankroll she needs to keep her in the lifestyle that her credit card debt has helped her grow accustomed to. He’s married, but Samaria would never let a little thing like that get in her way.Samaria joins New Mercies Christian Church to get close to Gregory’s wife. If she gets to know Angelina Preston, she can become like her in more than just looks, and really work her way into Greg’s heart.Angelina’s life is filled with a successful career and busy ministry work, but something’s just not right with her marriage. Late nights, early meetings, lipstick- and perfume-stained shirts have her suspicious that Greg is doing a little more operating than she’d like. But does she have the strength to confront the only man she’s ever loved and risk losing him to the other woman?Just when Samaria thinks she’s got it all figured out, she finds herself drawn to Angelina’s kindness. Will she be able to carry out her plan after she finds herself yearning for the one thing she’s never had. . .the friendship of a woman?

     

  6. Someday, Too (I’m A Good Woman) by Jae Henderson
    (RiverHouse Publishing, LLC., 2012-02-15, Kindle Edition)
    Tee realizes dreams do come true when she becomes the wife of retired NFL great Michael Stokes. But fairytales are fleeting and they return from the honeymoon to find the devil is still busy. Tee learns the hard way not everyone is happy she found Mr. Righteous. Michael’s reputation is rocked by a scandal that could end his new career as a motivational speaker. As if that weren’t enough, crazy Rebecca DeFoy is back—or is she? Can a love so fragile and new withstand these tumultuous times?There’s more! Meet the girls….Sandy is expecting a new bundle of joy but the baby blues take over when her adulterous past comes back to haunt her. Lenice finally seeks help for her man-hating ways, but learning to love again is hard to do even if there is a good man willing to help. Her twin, Lenora, has a love affair with food that is threatening her health and her marriage. Also, Tiffany finds herself living single after giving her married lover the boot, but she isn’t fond of living without his loot. Can she find the strength to take care of herself and her son on her own, or will her love of money keep her tied to a sinful relationship? “Someday, Too” delves into the complexities of love, friendship and faith. It reminds us that God can provide all your needs but first, you have to be willing to trust Him.

     

  7. Been So Long by Adrienne Thompson
    (Pink Cashmere Publishing Co., 2012-01-25, Kindle Edition)
    A woman, her married lover, an ex-boyfriend, and the ties that bind them together….Whatever Mona wants, Mona gets…including another woman’s husband. But when a face from the past re-enters her life bringing with him long repressed memories of a painful past, she begins to question the decisions she’s made. Will she make a change or stay the course with her lover? *this is not your ordinary inspirational novel*Excerpt:I could see the coach leaning over, placing red, white, and blue basketballs on a rack. He was tall, maybe 6’2”, and very muscular. He exhibited pure power. He must’ve logged in several hours a week at the gym. He wore black track pants and a tight black t-shirt. His arms were so huge, it looked like they were going to burst out of their sleeves. From that angle, I had a perfect view of his perfect butt. Now, I loved me some Wasif, but this man was fine!We were only a few feet away from him when Morgan said, “Coach, this is our mom.”The coach turned around and faced me with a bright smile. A handsome face to match that body. Mm mm mm.He extended his hand. “Mrs. Dandridge?” he said, but as soon as the words left his mouth, his smile disappeared. His eyes changed. Do I know this man?

     

  8. Ruthless (Urban Christian) by Shelia M. Goss
    (Urban Christian, 2012-01-01, Kindle Edition)
    Shelia M. Goss brings readers a modern day retelling of David and Bathsheba. Bathsheba Richards has just discovered that she has a half-sister who needs her help. Sheba’s long lost sister isn’t too happy about their reunion, though, since she has a lot of problems of her own. Sheba’s dealing with her husband’s boss, who wants her all to himself. After succumbing to his advances, Sheba gets pregnant, and there’s no question about who the daddy is, since her husband has been overseas for the past three months. David King is the CEO of one of the largest media conglomerates in the country. Few people know that David has a calling on his life, but he’s been running from it. He thought having fame and fortune would fulfill the need. Only after Sheba gets pregnant does he realize the error of his ways. Praying for God’s mercy, David tries to right a wrong. Whether he will succeed or fail remains to be seen. With a long lost half-sister and a husband who will surely feel betrayed, Sheba’s life is filled with turmoil. Will David be her knight in shining armor as he professes to be, or is her nightmare just beginning?

     

  9. Kayla’s Redemption by Wanda B. Campbell
    (Pulse, 2012-01-29, Kindle Edition)
    Since childhood, Kayla Perez has despised the person responsible for every traumatic experience in her life, from her father’s death to the loss of her innocence. With a heart filled with anger and bitterness, Kayla strives to live far away from her oppressor – until she meets Samuel Jerrod, who serves the person she hates most: God.Pastor Samuel Jerrod’s caring and patience softens Kayla’s heart – but just as she embraces the idea of a loving God, tragedy strikes again. Will Kayla lean on her budding new faith, or will she spiral out of control and lose both salvation and Samuel…?

     

  10. The Choir Director (Church) by Carl Weber
    (Dafina, 2012-01-01, Paperback)
    New York Times bestselling author Carl Weber takes readers back to church, where preaching isn’t always enough, nothing goes better with the Word than a song–and it’s time for some hard-earned lessons in love, brotherhood, and betrayal. Bishop T.K. Wilson has done all he can to make First Jamaica Ministries a success. But with his last choir director getting caught in a scandal, attendance and cash flow are down. To fill the pews and collection plates, the Bishop is counting on a new choir director, the charismatic Anthony Mackie, to revive the church. Anthony Mackie has been waiting his entire life for the opportunity to prove he has what it takes to be a big-time choir director like Kirk Franklin. But while Anthony is more than up to the challenge, his ways around women, both past and present, could cost him more than his job. Savannah Dickens is just one of the women who’s caught Anthony’s attention. The choir needs a soloist, and Savannah, a beautiful singer who once topped the charts, also needs the church. She has a voice that could break any man’s heart, but now she just wants to be left alone to reclaim her faith. First Lady Monique Wilson is far from being the typical first lady. She does and says what she wants, and doesn’t subscribe to church politics. Despite her shortcomings and a past rumored to include a long list of men, she’s willing to do just about anything to protect the Bishop. The members of First Jamaica Ministries are also keeping the Bishop busy with choir in-fighting, romantic jealousies, and personal vendettas. You’d think the Bishop was being tested enough, but a final piece of the puzzle has yet to be revealed: Someone has been robbing the church blind. Someone whose connection to the Bishop is far too close for comfort. . . .

     

  11. And You Call Yourself a Christ (Still Divas) by E.N. Joy
    (Urban Christian, 2012-03-01, Paperback)
    Out of all the divas at New Day Temple of Faith, Unique has to be the most colorful one–she and her mother Lorain, that is. Never one to hold her tongue in the name of keepin’ it real, it’s no surprise that Unique has not been saved all her life. It’s safe to say that Lorain wasn’t born on the church pew either. Let the church folk tell it, the apple hasn’t fallen too far from the tree when it comes to Unique. Lorain–once known as the tight skirt, V-neck blouse, too much makeup-wearing leader of the New Day Singles Ministry–claims she’s there to look out for her daughter and try to keep her in check. But how in the world does Lorain think she can even begin to keep her daughter on the straight and narrow with her own crooked life?Some might say Lorain has failed miserably as a mother when Unique ends up in jail for three counts of murder. One who would agree is the woman who raised Unique while Lorain was out living her life freely. As an all-out war takes place between Unique’s birth mother and the woman who raised her, will Unique have any support while she fights for her life behind bars? Will all forsake her while they are too busy with their own agendas? Only God holds the answer to this one.

     

  12. Be Still & Know, A Novel by Cassietta Jefferson
    (2012-01-24, Kindle Edition)
    Kai Bennett never believed that she was worthy of love. Years of being mistreated left her bitter and convinced that she would never know the type of love she’d seen other’s have. Throwing herself into her work, she developed a love of money unmatched by anything she had ever received from any other person in her life. Will Kai be able to bury years of bitterness to enjoy the love she’s always wanted?Alvin Reigns found out long ago that as far as his love life was concerned, there would be no happy endings. He had fallen in love once and vowed to never again allow any woman that much control over his heart. Kai Bennett was an unexpected surprise who showed him that happily ever after could be possible after all. After many years of self preservation, Alvin only hopes he’s able to trust Kai with his heart.

     

  13. The Disappearance of Cyrum T. Washington (Baby Boomer Mysteries) by Mick Zimmerle
    (2012-01-23, Kindle Edition)
    Twelve year old Tait, his younger sister Katie and his best friend Marcus go on a school field trip to see the Hope Diamond. It gets stolen while they are there.The kids figure out who stole the Diamond and get in over their heads. Cyrum T. Washington helps the children like a guardian angel. The children don’t often know he is near but his constant help saves the day.Cyrum is a former Tuskeegee airman and a righteous Christian man.The story takes place in 1957 and “Tin Can Man”, a black man named Dennis Tucker makes a living recycling junk and is courageous, kind, and God loving. He also protects the kids. Cyrum and Dennis are friends. Cyrum is educated, a war hero, and economically well off. Dennis is at the bottom of economic society. The story shows that it’s not economics that make the man but good character.

     

  14. Princess by Staci Stallings
    (Spirit Light Publishing, 2012-02-11, Kindle Edition)
    From the outside looking in, Anthony Russell has it all. As the star basketball player on a winning college team, everybody knows him and loves him. His face is plastered on publicity poster after publicity poster. He’s even gotten offers from the pros to forego his senior year for the glitz and glamour of the Big Show. But Anthony has a secret that’s threatening to swallow his life whole… Heather Nolan would be the perfect poster-girl for academic overachievers. She’s got straight A’s and every professor in her cheering corner. But the life Heather thought she was studying so hard for is in danger of coming to a neck-snapping halt if she can’t come up with a way to pay the bills. Bitter and angry that the basketball team seems to get the royal treatment while “real students” are forced to scrape by, Heather spitefully takes the only job available-tutoring. However, the lessons she teaches about English and what she learns about basketball soon pale in comparison with what she learns about herself.

     

  15. The Spirit of Dangley Manor by Erika Hamilton
    (2012-01-15, Kindle Edition)
    During a visit to a preserved plantation in Roswell, Georgia, 13-year old Sammie is confronted by a ghost and discovers a mysterious passage, which takes her back to pre-Civil War Georgia. She meets and befriends Phoenix, a slave about her age working on the old plantation. While planning to help Phoenix escape, Sammie and her older brother Charlie, learn about the resilience, faith and ingenuity, which helped slaves survive and overcome even the greatest difficulties.This fast-moving adventure leads from Roswell south to Savannah by way of Macon and exposes the reader to period history, as well as providing a glimpse into surrounding nature. The group finds shelter at the historical First African Baptist Church in Savannah, which still stands today.

     

  16. Love at Work (Making Love Work Series) by Pat Simmons
    (Pat Simmons, 2012-02-07, Kindle Edition)
    Love at Work is Book I of the Love Series:How do two people go undercover to hide an office romance in a busy television newsroom? In plain sight, of course. Desiree King is an assignment editor at KDPX-TV in St. Louis, MO. She dispatches a team to wherever breaking news happens. Her focus is to stay ahead of the competition. Overall, she’s easy-going, respectable, and compassionate. But when it comes to dating a fellow coworker, she refuses to cross that professional line.Award-winning investigative reporter Bryan Mitchell makes life challenging for Desiree with his thoughtful gestures, sweet notes, and support. He tries to convince Desiree that as Christians, they could show coworkers how to blend their personal and private lives without compromising their morals. But Desiree has more on the line than protecting her job or reputation.She’s safeguarding her heart. However, Bryan will prove to her that love doesn’t just happen, it takes work!

     

  17. Forever Soul Ties by Vanessa Davis Griggs
    (Dafina, 2012-01-01, Paperback)
    When one woman is caught in the act of her greatest transgression, it’s the beginning of her greatest transformation. . . It started innocently: a coincidental meeting between old high school friends–first loves–at Butterfly’s business, The Painted Lady Flower Shop. Then came lunch, then confessions of unhappy marriages, loneliness. It went on that way for years between Butterfly and Ethan. That’s how they built the soul tie–the bond that, despite their devotion to God, has now led to adultery. And as with all things done in secret, they’ve been found out. Well, Butterfly has. As a leader in her church, Butterfly is suddenly cast into the spotlight. But she soon realizes she’s being used as a pawn to bring down a new pastor–a young man who is upsetting tradition by preaching about real-life issues real people deal with. People like Butterfly. And as she faces a challenging search for truth, forgiveness, and the real meaning of love, she may finally break out of her cocoon. . .

     

  18. The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part 2: The Testimony by Sharon E Foster
    (Howard Books, 2012-02-07, Kindle Edition)
    They were all heroes . . . Sparked by an indigo sun, Nat Turner stormed into history with a sword in one hand and a Bible in the other. Thirty years before the advent of the Civil War—in the predawn hours of August 22, 1831, commanding a small army of slaves, Nat Turner led a bloody fight for freedom that shined a national spotlight on slavery and left more than fifty whites dead. In The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part 2: The Testimony, as Harriet Beecher Stowe seeks to learn the truth of the man his people called Prophet, Nat Turner shares the faith, triumph, tragedy, and hope of his fight for liberty, brotherhood, and self-determination. For 180 years, the truth of Nat’s story has been tainted. Award-winning author Sharon Ewell Foster reinterprets history to offer a new American story of one man’s struggle for freedom and the redemption of his people. Based on actual trial records, interviews with descendants, official documents, and five years of research, The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part 2: The Testimony is a story of the quest for truth and the true meaning of liberty.

     

  19. Coming Home: A Novel (Winds of Change) by Stacy Hawkins Adams
    (Zondervan, 2012-03-06, Kindle Edition)
    If forgiving your ex-husband was easy, everybody would do it. Brent had cheated on Dayna and coldly said goodbye to her seven long years ago—dashing her hopes of having children or growing old with the love of her life. Working hard to make herself successful as a hospital executive, Dayna has moved on, finding comfort in a new dating relationship with a faith-filled colleague, Warren. But when Brent resurfaces on her doorstep at just the wrong time, Dayna’s heart threatens to come unglued. Why is Brent asking for forgiveness now? And why are he and his new wife, Tamara, interested in reconciliation with Dayna? The unbelievable answers begin to surface in the ebook download of Coming Home as Brent boldly asks Dayna to support him at the most crucial time of his life. While Tamara’s heart brims with guilt, both women will discover what it means to reach beyond pain and baggage to love unconditionally, leaving the consequences to God.

     

Alibi II: Nard’s Revenge by Teri Woods

February 26, 2012
Available April 24, 2012 in Paperback from Grand Central Publishing

ALIBI II picks up where ALIBI left off. The year is 2006 and Diane Praeliou is happily married and living on a horse ranch in Arizona when she receives a letter that threatens her entire world. Someone knows her true identity.

In 1986, Daisy was given a second chance at life when she received a new identity and a fresh start as a college student in Arizona courtesy of the witness protection program.

Nard wasn’t so lucky. He was sentenced to twenty years to life in a western Pennsylvania facility and has endured things that no man should ever have to endure. All Nard can think about is Daisy’s testimony and how much he wants revenge.

Diane goes on living life, finding love, and getting married until things slowly begin to spiral out of control. What makes matters worse is now Nard is out on parole and Diane is afraid for herself and her family. Feigning innocence, Diane can only turn to one person for help. But if she doesn’t come clean about her past secrets, her entire world can come crashing down and there will be no one to protect her.

Alibi by Teri Woods

Published by Grand Central Publishing in June 8, 2010 in Paperback.

Two men think they’ve found the perfect opportunity–a chance to rob the stash house of Simon Shuller, one of Philadelphia’s biggest drug lords. But their plans are spoiled when one of Shuller’s men catches them as they break into the stash house. Temperatures flare as the men capture Shuller’s worker, Poncho, and force him to show them the goods. What they didn’t expect was for Poncho’s partner to be armed and very dangerous. An altercation breaks out and when the smoke clears, Nard, Poncho’s accomplice, is the only one left standing.

Thinking quickly, Nard cleans shop and makes his escape, but not before being spotted by a few neighbors. Not wanting to kill anyone else, he makes a mad dash for the streets but wonders if the witnesses will give up his identity. What he needs now is a plausible alibi. If he doesn’t come up with one fast, it could mean life in prison, or death on the streets.