Strings of Color by Marian L. Thomas

2011′s Bestselling African American Books

Here’s a list of 2011′s bestselling African American books from Amazon.com.

1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
   (Berkley, 2011-04-05, Kindle Edition)
   

   The wildly popular New York Times bestseller and reading group favorite. Aibileen is a black maid in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, who’s always taken orders quietly, but lately she’s unable to hold her bitterness back. Her friend Minny has never held her tongue but now must somehow keep secrets about her employer that leave her speechless. White socialite Skeeter just graduated college. She’s full of ambition, but without a husband, she’s considered a failure. Together, these seemingly different women join together to write a tell-all book about work as a black maid in the South, that could forever alter their destinies and the life of a small town…

    

2. Kill Alex Cross by James Patterson
   (Little, Brown and Company, 2011-11-14, Kindle Edition)
   

   The President’s son and daughter are abducted, and Detective Alex Cross is one of the first on the scene. But someone very high-up is using the FBI, Secret Service, and CIA to keep him off the case and in the dark.A deadly contagion in the water supply cripples half of the capital, and Alex discovers that someone may be about to unleash the most devastating attack the United States has ever experienced. As his window for solving both crimes narrows, Alex makes a desperate decision that goes against everything he believes–one that may alter the fate of the entire country. KILL ALEX CROSS is faster, more exciting, and more tightly wound than any Alex Cross thriller James Patterson has ever written!

    

3. Summer Heat by Sable Jordan
   (Fresh Whet INK, 2011-06-14, Kindle Edition)
   

   Sizzling hot erotic reads from some of the freshest voices in the genre. Summer just got hotter! Featuring the deliciously naughty writings of Ms. Downlow, The Kween, Perri Forrest, and Sable Jordan.In “Downsized”, a successful young architect is attracted to her hot new neighbor, but what seems like a night destined for sexual ecstasy turns frosty fast when assumptions are made.”Ninety Days” is the story of a wife who’s done everything for her man; the marriage, the baby-carriage…and the threesome–all of which he wanted. But when the other woman likes her more than her hubby, she’s forced to choose between family and her newfound sexual desires. Next up is the stirring tale of a woman coming to terms with love, sex, and self. A break-up brings her some needed peace, but a chance meeting sets the “Butterflies in Motion”. The final entry, “Shaken and Stirred”, tells the adventure of a secret agent with a simple objective: Steal a formula while attending the festivities on the villain’s luxury yacht. There’s just one problem–she has no idea it’s a BDSM party.

    

4. The Leak by K’wan
   (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2011-09-27, Kindle Edition)
   

   The Leak is a complimentary short prequel story that leads into K’wan’s hit novel, Welfare Wifeys.

    

5. Fated: Torn Apart by History, Bound for Eternity by Carolyn McCray
   (Off Our Meds Multi Media, 2011-05-13, Kindle Edition)
   

   From Carolyn McCray comes a historical romance that will leave you hoping that for once, fate will be kind. You will be gripped from the first page to the last, caught in a love that spans eons and an ancient political intrigue whose consequence still reverberates today. This is truly a masterpiece that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

    

6. Secrets Buried in the Soul (Why Settle For Less?) by Déborah Kabwang
   (2011-04-19, Kindle Edition)
   

   Laurymimi Neeyah Kléber is a recent college graduate, living in Dallas, TX. She is young, beautiful, and very single. She is excitingly moving out of her parents’ house and moving to Atlanta with her best friend, Renee. Upon her move to her new city, things get a little bit complicated. Like every other girl, she wants to feel loved! She hopes to find the “Man of God” that her heart longs for and is longing for the man who will complete her. As she struggles to maintain a Christian lifestyle and to focus on grad school all at once, trouble comes knocking at her door. She suddenly faces one of the most difficult decisions of her life. Will she choose Tony Rose, the “Charming Beau,” who she left behind in Dallas? Or, will it be, Cameron Levi, who just seems too good to be true? Will she compromise and forget everything she stands for just to be with “The One?” Once her decision is made without consulting God, it almost kills her and dramatically flips her life upside down. Love, Lies and Secrets…

    

7. An Invisible Thread by Alex Tresniowski
   (Howard Books, 2011-11-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   “Excuse me lady, do you have any spare change? I am hungry.”When I heard him, I didn’t really hear him. His words were part of the clatter, like a car horn or someone yelling for a cab. They were, you could say, just noise—the kind of nuisance New Yorkers learn to tune out. So I walked right by him, as if he wasn’t there. But then, just a few yards past him, I stopped. And then—and I’m still not sure why I did this—I came back. When Laura Schroff first met Maurice on a New York City street corner, she had no idea that she was standing on the brink of an incredible and unlikely friendship that would inevitably change both their lives. As one lunch at McDonald’s with Maurice turns into two, then into a weekly occurrence that is fast growing into an inexplicable connection, Laura learns heart-wrenching details about Maurice’s horrific childhood.

    

8. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
   (Broadway, 2011-03-08, Paperback)
   

   Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they’d weigh more than 50 million metric tons—as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions. Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave. Now Rebecca Skloot takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the “colored” ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to stark white laboratories with freezers full of HeLa cells; from Henrietta’s small, dying hometown of Clover, Virginia—a land of wooden slave quarters, faith healings, and voodoo—to East Baltimore today, where her children and grandchildren live and struggle with the legacy of her cells. Henrietta’s family did not learn of her “immortality” until more than twenty years after her death, when scientists investigating HeLa began using her husband and children in research without informed consent. And though the cells had launched a multimillion-dollar industry that sells human biological materials, her family never saw any of the profits. As Rebecca Skloot so brilliantly shows, the story of the Lacks family—past and present—is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of.

    

9. Deadly Desires by Ann Christopher
   (Kensington Books, 2011-10-04, Kindle Edition)
   

   How can you plan a future. . .After a desperate struggle to sever ties with her husband, Kira Gregory is suddenly a free woman. She can start a new life without guns, drugs, dirty money, or fear. But Kira’s newfound independence seems too good to be true. And it is. . .When you can’t outrun your past? DEA Special Agent Dexter Brady spent months trying to get Kira’s husband, Kareem Gregory, off the streets, but he has never come to terms with his growing feelings for Kira. He knows that any sort of a relationship with her is a recipe for disaster, but when danger finds Kira again, Dexter will bend every rule, face any enemy, and make any sacrifice to keep the woman he loves safe from harm. . .Praise for the novels of Ann Christopher”…(an) exciting romantic thriller.” –Publishers Weekly on Deadly PursuitP>”Trouble is a sultry romance…” –The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers”A brilliant and tasteful novel about love, tragedy, heartbreak and forgiveness.” –Romantic Times on Risk

    

10. Salvage the Bones: A Novel by Jesmyn Ward
    (Bloomsbury USA, 2011-08-30, Kindle Edition)
    

    Winner of the 2011 National Book Award for Fiction.A hurricane is building over the Gulf of Mexico, threatening the coastal town of Bois Sauvage, Mississippi, and Esch’s father is growing concerned. A hard drinker, largely absent, he doesn’t show concern for much else. Esch and her three brothers are stocking food, but there isn’t much to save. Lately, Esch can’t keep down what food she gets; she’s fourteen and pregnant. Her brother Skeetah is sneaking scraps for his prized pitbull’s new litter, dying one by one in the dirt. While brothers Randall and Junior try to stake their claim in a family long on child’s play and short on parenting. As the twelve days that comprise the novel’s framework yield to the final day and Hurricane Katrina, the unforgettable family at the novel’s heart–motherless children sacrificing for each other as they can, protecting and nurturing where love is scarce–pulls itself up to struggle for another day. A wrenching look at the lonesome, brutal, and restrictive realities of rural poverty, Salvage the Bone is muscled with poetry, revelatory, and real.

     

11. Me And My Bitch by David Weaver
    (SBR Publications, 2011-09-12, Kindle Edition)
    

    What happens when a double crossed female goes to the greatest of all possible extremes to get her revenge? Absolute mayhem! This is a mind twisting, unpredictable, romantic nail biter from the same veins that brought you “A Love Story,” and “Bankroll Squad!”The twists in this book are guaranteed to blow you away all the way to the last paragraph. This is that “I didn’t see that coming” at it’s very BEST!Brisk paced and will not bore you even for a minute. A winding roller coaster of events that will leave you speechless. You will not forget this story!!

     

12. Nasty Secrets by La’Tonya West
    (La’Tonya West, 2011-05-06, Kindle Edition)
    

    Jasmine has a good thing going with her boyfriend, Nathan. He is a hardworking man and gives her anything she wants. Well almost anything…there’s one thing that she wants that he or any other man can’t give her. That’s where his sister Erika comes in. Erika has been having a hard time back in New York, so Nathan asked her to come and live with him and Jasmine for a while until she got on her feet. Big mistake! Erika is openly gay and doesn’t try in any way to hide her love and appreciation of women. From the first time that Jasmine and Erika lay eyes on each other they both realize that there is something between the two of them. When Nathan takes a business trip out of town the two of them explore what has been brewing between them all along but after one steamy and satisfying night together the two of them are hooked. They began a hot lust-filled romance that becomes harder and harder to hide with each encounter. Jasmine soon falls in love with Erika and makes up her mind to break things off with Nathan. She doesn’t want to hurt him but she can’t change the way she feels about his sister. Nathan has been so wrapped up in his work that he hasn’t even noticed what has been going on right up under his nose. Or has he? Is there also a secret that he is hiding? Could it be that work isn’t all that has him distracted?

     

13. Deja (Deja series) by Tajana Sutton
    (2011-05-18, Kindle Edition)
    

    After witnessing the murder suicide of her parents at age 10, being mistreated by her grandmother and betrayed in past relationships, Deja finally found peace in her life. Her best friend Jade introduced her to Xavier Jones. He was the partner/cousin of Jade s boyfriend Jay. She got everything a woman could ever want; the man, the ring, and the baby, but Jay s ex Mona felt that was her position and she wouldn’t stop until she reclaimed the spot. Xavier and Jay had recently retired from the drug game as millionaires but that came with a price and much drama. Xavier s baby mama Latasha wasn t too happy about him either and about him settling down with Deja. She felt she had the baby, so she should have the man as well and she tried everything in her power to break them up until she realized the joke was on her, but it was too late…

     

14. Envy by Lexy Harper
    (Ebonique Publishing, 2011-08-07, Kindle Edition)
    

    Dee and Nina have been best friends since they were little girls and have what everyone thinks is the perfect friendship. In reality Nina is insanely jealous of Dee’s blissful nine-year marriage to childhood sweetheart, Oliver – a man Nina has wanted since she was thirteen. How far will Nina go to steal her best friend’s husband? Would she: a) Tell him that Dee’s been unfaithful to him. b) Give him a blow job that blows his mind. c) Murder Dee. d) All of the above. How well does Dee know her best friend? Will Nina resort to murder to get what she wants? Surely not!

     

15. LAW AND DISORDER: PARTNERS UNDERCOVER by Toye Lawson Brown
    (Books By Toye, 2011-11-10, Kindle Edition)
    

    Morgan Dane lived life on the edge as a member of the Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force; hunting criminals was in her blood. Not one to live the fast life or fall in love easily, she prided herself on being focused and not letting outside influences interfere with hunting Cleveland’s most notorious drug dealer, Anton Jackson. Once her beloved partner retires, she fails to make a connection with a number of partners before settling in with Agent Adam Cabrera; the handsome Latino transfer from Miami, Florida. It wasn’t love at first sight or a perfect paring but Agent Paul Hamilton’s mission was to change Morgan Dane’s cold resistance towards love. How will these three work together? Will they find the professionalism to handle the high profile case that they will become deeply entangled in or will they find friendship once common ground has been established? Step in Carmen Maria, the one person to make sure Morgan Dane makes this partnership work with Adam Cabrera on and off the field.Follow the intrigue, suspense and light comedy of this novel of love and hate to find out the twists, turns and events leading up to the perfect match for these displaced team members.

     

16. Deja 2: Unfinished Business (Deja series) by Tajana Sutton
    (2011-02-27, Kindle Edition)
    

    Despite all the drama Deja and Jade had to endure just to be with millionaires, Xavier and Jay, they were finally happy and drama free. Mona and Latasha were finally out of their lives, or are they? After years of hurtful childhood memories, Deja was now content with the life she was dealt and Jade had finally gotten what she longed for. They lived very happy and wealthy lives until they got the shock of a lifetime. The one person they thought was long gone is back for revenge. He wants what he feels belong to him. His plan is to take down any and everybody that gets in his way. But, will Xavier and Jay let that go down? Retired drug dealers turned business men, Xavier and Jay will be forced to re-enter a life they once left behind. You are about to enter a world of love, deceit, and murder. Deja will be left to make a decision between life and death…But who’s?

     

17. Bankroll Squad 2: Kyla’s Revenge by David Weaver
    (SBR Publication, 2011-06-26, Kindle Edition)
    

    ~An instant classic! One of the best urban novels of this year! ~Author of Deadly Sound ~No one twists plots with as much unpredictablility as David Weaver. ~Author of Mother Heart. The highly anticipated sequel to the best-selling urban novel, “Bankroll Squad.” The men ruled the streets in the first book, but now the women take center stage in this action packed dramatical love story. David Weaver’s clever plot twists will continue to shock and amaze you all the way to the very last page. Picture “Set it Off” meets “New Jack City” meets “Bonnie and Clyde.” ~Writer David Weaver is poised to be the next big thing. His level of creativity and timing are natural talents that can not be taught. ~Sentinel Press

     

18. This Can’t be Life by Shakara Cannon
    (Infinite Source Publishing, 2011-04-30, Kindle Edition)
    

    Simone, Stacey, and Talise are your typical best friends navigating life. They brush shoulders with entertainment s elite and experience great successes. Simone is living an extravagant lifestyle, which some may say has come to her easily. She doesn’t trust men and is willing to remain guarded to protect herself. Even though star NBA player, Deon Bradford a good guy, looking for a woman to love him for him has her in his sights, and is making every effort to bring down her guard, Simone remains distrustful. She feels that she can do without a man’s love, until an unsuspecting man comes into her life and shows her what true love is really like, but is he who he portrays himself to be or will Deon win her heart? Talise is the romantic, who dreams of a marriage just like her parents. When she meets a man that she knows is her soul-mate, but later finds out that they stand on opposite sides of religion, will this be a deal breaker? Stacey is the brother, the shoulder, and the comic relief, but when Stacey falls in love, he falls hard. Will his need to give into his heart cost him the ultimate price? Once the secrets start tumbling out of the closets and no door is able to contain them, who do you turn to when your reality feels like a dream and you are sure that this can t be life?

     

January’s Upcoming African American Bestsellers

1. Pleasure After Hours (Kimani Romance) by Altonya Washington
   (Kimani Romance, 2012-01-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   Working for powerhouse shipping owner Mataeo North is a dream job for Temple Grahame. The jet-setting bachelor depends on her for everything. But there’s just one thing: he has no idea that Temple’s been in love with him since college. Or so she thinks…until the night her studly boss takes her in his arms and uncovers her passionate secret. Mataeo doesn’t make a move without consulting the savvy South Carolina beauty. Now, on the verge of closing a major deal, he needs Temple more than ever. And not just as his right-hand woman and best friend. What will it take to convince this sensual, independent woman that once they’ve crossed the line from friends to lovers, there’s no turning back?

    

2. Five Star Attraction (Kimani Romance) by Jacquelin Thomas
   (Kimani Romance, 2012-01-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   Ari Alexander just got the shock of his life. He’s heir apparent to a glittering hotel empire. But the legacy comes with rumors of an explosive family scandal. The last thing the grieving widower needs is Natasha LeBlanc—a stunning consultant with attitude. So why is he so determined to uncover the sensual woman beneath Natasha’s all-business facade?Natasha was hired to protect the interests of the luxury resort chain. But Ari doesn’t seem to realize she’s on his side. Worse, the far-too-sexy brother is arousing desire she’s never felt before, making it impossible to keep her professional distance. From Aspen to celebrity-studded Beverly Hills, Natasha and Ari are caught up in a breaking scandal that could end their five-star love affair before it begins…

    

3. All I Did Was Shoot My Man (Leonid Mcgill) by Walter Mosley
   (Riverhead Hardcover, 2012-01-24, Hardcover)
   

   In the latest and most surprising novel in the bestselling Leonid McGill series, Leonid finds himself caught between his sins of the past and an all-too-vivid present. Seven years ago, Zella Grisham came home to find her man, Harry Tangelo, in bed with her friend. The weekend before, $6.8 million had been stolen from Rutgers Assurance Corp., whose offices are across the street from where Zella worked. Zella didn’t remember shooting Harry, but she didn’t deny it either. The district attorney was inclined to call it temporary insanity-until the police found $80,000 from the Rutgers heist hidden in her storage space. For reasons of his own, Leonid McGill is convinced of Zella’s innocence. But as he begins his investigation, his life begins to unravel. His wife is drinking more than she should. His oldest son has dropped out of college and moved in with an ex-prostitute. His youngest son is working for him and trying to stay within the law. And his father, whom he thought was long dead, has turned up under an alias. A gripping story of murder, greed, and retribution, All I Did Was Shoot My Man is also the poignant tale of one man’s attempt to stay connected to his family.

    

4. Tempted by a Carrington (Kimani Romance) by Linda Hudson-Smith
   (Kimani Romance, 2012-01-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   Dallas Carrington has been in love with Lanier Watson ever since they shared a romantic cruise. But she flat out refuses to marry him. What the statuesque beauty doesn’t realize is that the pro baseball star and second-born Carrington son doesn’t give up so easily. Dallas will do whatever it takes…even if it means seducing her all over again.There’s only one man for Lanier. But before she takes her place among the Carrington women, she wants to make sure she truly belongs in Dallas’s glittering world. She isn’t prepared for his sensual onslaught…and the explosion of passion that brands her Dallas’s woman now and always.

    

5. The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
   (New Press, The, 2012-01-16, Paperback)
   

   The New Jim Crow was initially published with a modest first printing and reasonable expectations for a hard-hitting book on a tough topic. Now, ten-plus printings later, the long-awaited paperback version of the book Lani Guinier calls “brave and bold,” and Pulitzer Prize winner David Levering Lewis calls “stunning,” will at last be available.In the era of colorblindness, it is no longer socially permissible to use race, explicitly, as a justification for discrimination, exclusion, and social contempt. Yet, as legal star Michelle Alexander reveals, today it is perfectly legal to discriminate against convicted criminals in nearly all the ways that it was once legal to discriminate against African Americans. Once you’re labeled a felon, the old forms of discrimination—employment discrimination, housing discrimination, denial of the right to vote, denial of educational opportunity, denial of food stamps and other public benefits, and exclusion from jury service—are suddenly legal.Featured on The Tavis Smiley Show, Bill Moyers Journal, Democracy Now, and C-Span’s Washington Journal, The New Jim Crow has become an overnight phenomenon, sparking a much-needed conversation—including a recent mention by Cornel West on Real Time with Bill Maher&mdas;about ways in which our system of mass incarceration has come to resemble systems of racial control from a different era.

    

6. A Seductive Kiss (Grayson Friends) by Francis Ray
   (St. Martin’s Paperbacks, 2012-01-31, Kindle Edition)
   

   Bestselling author Francis Ray celebrates the lifelong bonds between the Grayson family and their friends—with a heartwarming love story years in the making…Dianna Harrington is known throughout the world as “The Face”—the stunningly beautiful spokesmodel for her family’s fashion empire. She could probably have her pick of any man she wants. But Dianna would rather kick back and relax with a good friend— namely Alex Stewart, who she’s known, and harbored a crush on, her whole life…Ever since they were kids, Alex has been Dianna’s protector and pal, a shoulder to cry on. But as the brother of her best friend, Alex always seemed untouchable. Now a handsome, successful New York lawyer, Alex never realized how lonely Dianna’s life has been—or how innocent she is in the ways of love. Alex wants more than anything to reach out to her, to heal her heart. But is his desire worth the risk? After a lifetime of longing building up between them, something’s gotta give. Maybe all it takes is just one kiss…

    

7. Quita’s DayScare Center (The Cartel Publications Presents) by Gina West
   (The Cartel Publications, 2012-01-16, Paperback)
   

   Some daycare centers have your child s interest at heart…Quita’s Daycare center is not one of them! Quita never pretended to run a professional center. So when her license gets revoked, after a spiteful parent complains to the Office of Child Care services, because her bad son Lil Goose was kicked out of the center, Quita feels relieved. Now she can offer cheap prices and beat the legal competition in her neighborhood. Out from up under the rules that O.C.C enforces, she crams twenty kids in a center built for eight. Her motto is, Pay the vig or watch your own kid. Although the center’s conditions are unsavory, she brags about fat pockets and fly gear. But what happens when Cordon, the son of Flex, a well-known drug dealer, goes missing? She has to answer to him and her life, as well as the lives of her staff members, is threatened. Quita’s DayScare Center introduces you to the worst parents in the world and their offspring. You’ve never read a book like this before we guarantee it! You’ll think twice before you drop your kids off again. At least we hope so!

    

8. Reckless Seduction (Kimani Romance) by Gwynne Forster
   (Kimani Romance, 2012-01-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   Haley Feldon’s work with the United Nations means everything to her. She cares more about social progress than filling her social calendar. But that doesn’t stop media mogul Jon Ecklund from pursuing the elegant beauty.Jon’s used to getting what—and who—he wants. And he’s not going to let anything get in his way of knowing Haley. But pain from her past—and a surprise from her future—threaten to destroy everything they’ve started to build. Now Jon’s on a mission to open Haley’s heart…if only she’ll let him.

    

9. Fraternity: In 1968, a visionary priest recruited 20 black men to the College of the Holy Cross and changed their lives and the course of history. by Diane Brady
   (Spiegel & Grau, 2012-01-03, Hardcover)
   

   The inspiring true story of a group of young men whose lives were changed by a visionary mentor   On April 4, 1968, the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., shocked the nation. Later that month, the Reverend John Brooks, a professor of theology at the College of the Holy Cross who shared Dr. King’s dream of an integrated society, drove up and down the East Coast searching for African American high school students to recruit to the school, young men he felt had the potential to succeed if given an opportunity. Among the twenty students he had a hand in recruiting that year were Clarence Thomas, the future Supreme Court justice; Edward P. Jones, who would go on to win a Pulitzer Prize for literature; and Theodore Wells, who would become one of the nation’s most successful defense attorneys. Many of the others went on to become stars in their fields as well.   In Fraternity, Diane Brady follows five of the men through their college years. Not only did the future president of Holy Cross convince the young men to attend the school, he also obtained full scholarships to support them, and then mentored, defended, coached, and befriended them through an often challenging four years of college, pushing them to reach for goals that would sustain them as adults.   Would these young men have become the leaders they are today without Father Brooks’s involvement? Fraternity is a triumphant testament to the power of education and mentorship, and a compelling argument for the difference one person can make in the lives of others.

    

10. Sanctuary Cove (A Cavanaugh Island Novel) by Rochelle Alers
    (Forever, 2012-01-01, Kindle Edition)
    

    Sometimes love is the simplest choice of all.Still reeling from her husband’s untimely death, Deborah Robinson needs a fresh start. So she decides to pack up her family, box up her bookstore, and return to her grandmother’s ancestral home on Cavanaugh Island. The charming town of Sanctuary Cove holds happy memories for Deborah. And, after she spies a gorgeous stranger in the local bakery, it promises the possibility for a bright, new future.Dr. Asa Monroe is at a crossroads. Ever since the loss of his family, he has been on a quest for faith and meaning, traveling from one town to another. When he meets Deborah, the beautiful bookstore owner with the warm eyes and sunny smile, Asa believes he has finally found a reason to stay in one place.As friendship blossoms into romance, Deborah and Asa discover they may have a second chance at love. But small towns have big secrets. Before they can begin their new life together, the couple must confront a challenge they never expected . . .

     

11. Sinners & Saints by Victoria Christopher Murray
    (Touchstone, 2012-01-10, Paperback)
    

    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.

     

12. Open City: A Novel by Teju Cole
    (Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2012-01-17, Paperback)
    

    A haunting novel about national identity, race, liberty, loss, dislocation, and surrender, Teju Cole’s Open City seethes with intelligence. It is a profound work by an important new author who has much to say about our country and our world.Along the streets of Manhattan, a young Nigerian doctor doing his residency wanders aimlessly, reflecting on his relationships, his recent breakup with his girlfriend, his present, his past. Though he is navigating the busy parts of town, the impression of countless faces does nothing to assuage his feelings of isolation. But it is not only a physical landscape he covers; Julius crisscrosses social territory as well, encountering people from different cultures and classes who will provide insight on his journey—which takes him to Brussels, to the Nigeria of his youth, and into the most unrecognizable facets of his own soul.

     

13. Private Arrangements (Kimani Romance) by Brenda Jackson
    (Kimani, 2012-01-24, Mass Market Paperback)
    

    No man has ever tempted her like this…Nikki Cartwright can’t believe Jonas Steele—the Jonas Steele—has chosen her for a high-profile marketing venture. It could make her career. But when she remembers the kiss they once shared, a kiss so intimate it sent their desire skyrocketing from simmering to blazing, Nikki knows she must guard her heart against the seductive Phoenix playboy as if her life depends on it.Jonas has no problem making their professional relationship personal. With the beautiful and talented photographer within his reach, he can erase her from his system once and for all. From a whirlwind Las Vegas affair to jet-setting across four continents, this Steele discovers getting Nikki out of his system is easier said than done, and now he wants her to belong to him heart and soul—as the woman of his most passionate fantasies.…

     

14. The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis
    (Wendy Lamb Books, 2012-01-10, Hardcover)
    

    We are a family on a journey to a place called wonderful is the motto of Deza Malone’s family. Deza is the smartest girl in her class in Gary, Indiana, singled out by teachers for a special path in life. But the Great Depression hit Gary hard, and there are no jobs for black men. When her beloved father leaves to find work, Deza, Mother, and her older brother Jimmie go in search of him, and end up in a Hooverville outside Flint, Michigan. Jimmie’s beautiful voice inspires him to leave the camp to be a performer, while Deza and Mother find a new home, and cling to the hope that they will find Father. The twists and turns of their story reveal the devastation of the Depression and prove that Deza truly is the Mighty Miss Malone.

     

15. When the Thrill Is Gone: A Leonid McGill Mystery by Walter Mosley
    (NAL Trade, 2012-01-03, Paperback)
    

    Leonid McGill can’t say no to the beautiful woman who walks into his office with a stack of cash and a story. She’s married to a rich art collector. Now she fears for her life. Leonid knows better than to believe her, but he can’t afford to turn her away, even if he knows this woman’s tale will bring him straight to death’s door.

     

16. 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. . . “There are enough tears, hugs, and lessons learned before summer’s over to appease readers, young and adult, who like a good dose of faith with their fiction.” –Publishers Weekly on Ray of Hope “Griggs address[es] the challenges of living by Biblical rules with homespun humor. Fans will be pleased.” –Publishers Weekly on The Truth Is the Light”A smart novel that addresses an issue that many in the church shy away from–divorce–with frank realism.”–Library Journal on Practicing What You Preach”Vanessa’s rich stories of faith in action always hit the writing trifecta–they make you laugh, cry, and yearn for more.” –Angela Benson, National bestselling author”I absolutely love Vanessa’s unique writing style. She is one of a kind.” –Mary Monroe, New York Times bestselling author

     

17. Ruthless 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?

     

18. Diary of a Stalker by Electa Rome Parks
    (Urban Renaissance, 2012-01-01, Kindle Edition)
    

    Electa Rome Parks paints a powerful portrait of a crazed fan who can’t seem to close the book on the affair after a one-night-stand with a famous author—and who will stop at nothing to make him hers. Even if that means killing him…Bestselling author Xavier Preston is used to women throwing themselves at him. On top of being a successful writer, he’s also tall, dark and sexy as sin. He’s always relished the attention, in fact, and is ever-willing to entertain the erotic urges of women wanting to get between more than the covers of his novels. Except once he meets Kendall, he decides it’s time to put his womanizing ways behind him and devote himself to her entirely. Well, almost…Gorgeous Pilar is the last decadent treat Xavier decides he’ll help himself to—thinking they are both on the same “no strings” page. Except behind Pilar’s fine façade beats the heart of a raving maniac—a fatally attracted fan addicted to the kind of hot loving only Xavier can give her. And she’s not about to let him get away from her so easily. So what starts out as a discreet dalliance soon spirals into a deadly game of obsession and pain—which can only have one winner…

     

19. Promises of Seduction: The Durango Affair\Ian’s Ultimate Gamble (Arabesque) by Brenda Jackson
    (Kimani Arabesque, 2012-01-01, Kindle Edition)
    

    Two classic Westmoreland novels from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Brenda JacksonThe Durango Affair”I’m having your baby.”Savannah Claiborne’s simple statement sets off an avalanche in Montana ranger Durango Westmoreland’s carefully ordered life. Suddenly an unforgettable night of passion with the hazel-eyed beauty has turned into a lifetime obligation for the confirmed bachelor.But Westmoreland men always honor their responsibilities, and leaving Savannah to raise his baby on her own is not an option.So he proposes and she accepts…with one condition—theirs will be a marriage in name only.Ian’s Ultimate GambleWinner takes all…Casino owner Ian Westmoreland thinks he’s seen the last of Brooke Chamberlain—that is until she checks in to his resort claiming to need a little R & R. Brooke betrayed him years before, and Ian is willing to bet there’s more to her visit than she’s admitting.No woman even came close to igniting the heat and passion inside him as Brooke once did. And if Ian is going to discover what she’s hiding, what better way than by seducing her? But in this game of bedroom cat and mouse, the stakes are very high. Raising the question, will Ian’s wager pay off?

     

2011′s Vampire Bestsellers

The bestselling books featuring African American vampires in 2011.

1. Dead Locke by Asil
   (Asil, 2011-07-27, Kindle Edition)
   

   Gabriel Locke is shot by his wife and best friend and left for dead. He plots revenge when he returns to the world of the living as a vampire.

    

2. Thick Blood by Cotton Carpenter
   (2011-10-21, Kindle Edition)
   

   Just when Kingston was about to give up on the slim pickings at the club that night, Lavish walked by and intoxicated him with the scent of fresh blood. Mother Nature made a surprise visit and ruined her evening, but was it really ruined? Kingston wasn’t just a vampire, he was a world class freak. He saw the thick diva that Lavish was and knew she’d be a feast. He just didn’t expect her to have an effect on him that filled him with as much ecstasy as he could give to her. This is an erotic e-single by Cotton Carpenter that will quench your blood lust.

    

3. Endless Love (Fantasty Knights) by Marilyn Lee
   (Marilyn Lee Unleashed, 2011-06-12, Kindle Edition)
   

   Erin has spent most of her life feeling as if she’s waiting for a nameless lover from a previous life. When she meets the tall, gorgeous Aleksander Storm, he shows her extraordinary sensual delight. So much so that he might almost be her lost love–except she’s certain the lover is question was black and Aleksander is a gray-eyed blond. Unable to resist her instant attraction for him, Erin soon finds herself torn between a flesh and blood man and a fantasy lover. Aleksander Storm has waited several life times for an opportunity to win Erin’s heart. Just as they become lovers and he thinks she’s finally ready to be his, she remembers her previous love. Aleksander will do everything he can to convince Erin to reject her old lover and give him a chance to fulfill his promise of an endless love.

    

4. Best Black Vampire Story by Donna Monday
   (2011-03-23, Kindle Edition)
   

   Rochelle Prescott is adrift. After experiencing the tragic loss of her fiancé, Everett, she decides to take a trip through upstate New York—hoping to find a little solace for her bruised soul. Tired and hungry, she pulls into the town of Venice Springs. A local directs her to what seems like a charming, old-fashioned bed and breakfast inn. However, as Rochelle is about to find out, the Sleepy Trail Inn offers more than cozy comfort for weary travelers.Every guest is a potential meal for the black vampires who own this quaint old place. In spite of her best efforts, the unsuspecting Rochelle finds herself falling under the spell of the handsome Darius Champion. Will her love for the master vampire lure her into the world of the immortals forever?Darius Champion has lived his life to the fullest. During his 200 plus years of walking the earth, he has satisfied his every whim and lust. Having grown weary of the fast life, he settles down in upstate New York. Yet, there’s a place deep down in his heart that yearns for true love and companionship. While he is master of his home and the town of Venice Springs, there is one thing he’s not in control of—his heart. Will his blind love for one woman cause him to lose everything he cherishes—including his life?BEST BLACK VAMPIRE STORY is much more than a vampire romance, you’ll be drawn into a world of love, lust and terrifying power, where vampires have taken over an entire town against its will. All of the intriguing action leads up to a final clash between vamps and townies where one group must win over the other or perish.NOTE: This book was originally published under the title of THE BEST BLACK VAMPIRE STORY YOU’VE EVER READ (paperback).Want more great stories? Click on the author name above to see more titles.

    

5. Ultimate Breed (The Ultimate Chronicles) by Erosa Knowles
   (Sitting Bull Publishing, 2011-03-19, Kindle Edition)
   

   Time is running out for the Vampire Breeder Skye, in more ways than one. Her car is attacked while enroute to give birth, a huge bounty is placed on her head and a Vampire Hunter attacks her. And that happens in one day. Her Were-Hyena security team calls in Adrian Vail, a mercenary who gets results. He’ll get her to safety, keeping a step ahead of the Bounty Hunters and the master-minds behind the threats. One thing for sure, he’s never met anyone like her and fights the attraction with each breath. After the lost of his daughter, women with children were off limits. Her strength intrigues him. Her beauty captivates him. Can he maintain a professional distance while saving her life?

    

6. Sasha, Queen of Darkness by Maxx
   (LMInc, 2011-01-25, Kindle Edition)
   

   Sasha, beautiful, sexy, sensual and Mother of all Vampyre, roams the streets of Los Angeles stalking and devouring her prey.

    

7. Hurricane: A Novel by Jewell Parker Rhodes
   (Washington Square Press, 2011-04-12, Paperback)
   

   In the stunning conclusion to award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes’s mystery trilogy begun in Voodoo Dreams and Moon, Dr. Marie Lavant, descendent of Voodoo queen Marie Laveau, must confront a murderous evil in New Orleans.Dr. Marie Levant aka Leveau, great-great granddaughter of Marie Laveau, has achieved fame and notoriety for saving New Orleans from the wrath of a vampire. Now she’s taking a break from the city, heading up the highway to DeLaire. She doesn’t know this backwater town, but an elderly woman called Nana has been expecting Marie to arrive and save her and others in this God-forsaken place from sickness and death.Yet all of Marie’s powers can’t bring life back to the corpses she finds in a house by the road. Nor can she force those who know how they died to say so or to confess. Were the crimes committed by shape-shifters, vampires, and ghosts—or by living men and women? And even as Marie searches for answers, a hurricane threatens to break the levees of Louisiana and cause unimaginable destruction.Jewell Parker Rhodes blends magic and man-made evil and weaves New Orleans’s past and present into a spine-tingling mystery that is masterfully crafted and deeply haunting.

    

8. Brookwater’s Curse Volume I by Steven Van Patten
   (Authorhouse, 2011-01-17, Kindle Edition)
   

   Christian Brookwater is a former Georgia plantation slave who became a vampire during the 1860s. His long, tumultuous life takes a complicated turn when he is forced to travel to modern-day Senegal to rescue a child from a vengeful werewolf prince. It is here that Christian uncovers a plot that would throw the entire vampire nation into a civil war. To stop this, Christian must betray his best friend and mentor, an influential Italian vampire who nurtured him during his vampiric infancy. Christian is a member of a nocturnal law enforcement community that safeguards the secrets of the creatures of the night. This involves the killing of werewolves and other deranged monsters; something Christian excels at. But his fraternization with humans and his incessant need to kill racists vexes his superiors, who threaten to execute him if he doesn’t curtail his ‘racial impulses’. Christian also suffers from a rare condition that makes intercourse with human females especially dangerous. Christian’s other mentor is a four hundred year old vampire samurai lord who teaches him the arts of war and sacrifice, and has a knack for appearing whenever things become desperate.Of course, the warrior’s code can’t replace the desire for love, as Christian discovers when he becomes enamored with a human female in the 1940s. Despite Christian’s affliction, the two lovers raise a child together and for a while, our vampire gets a taste of true happiness.Some years later, his family life ends tragically as Christian loses his great love and becomes estranged from his teenaged son. Heartbroken, Christian embarks on a series of illuminating, yet sinful adventures as he migrates to a new home: Harlem, New York.

    

9. Voodoo Dawgz by Jess Mowry
   (Anubis, 2011-05-08, Kindle Edition)
   

   Evil always lingers in a land where men have enslaved other men. Such evil is discovered by Kodi Carver, a fourteen-year-old African-American boy from Cleveland, Ohio who spends his summers in the Old French Quarter of New Orleans. There, with the help of Raney Douglas, his alligator-wrestling, bayou cousin, he assists his magical Aunt Simone with Voodoo ceremonies for tourists in the courtyard of his aunt’s haunted house. By day, Kodi and Raney roam the steamy streets of the Quarter, where other kids sell Voodoo charms and vampire teeth, or dance and sweat for money. By night, Kodi and Raney become Voodoo-boys in loincloths and bones.The audience thinks it’s all showtime, though much of the magic is on the real. Kodi himself is his aunt’s apprentice, though he often doesn’t do his homework or carefully study his Voodoo lessons, which sometimes gets him in trouble. On the earthly level, Kodi’s father believes that his son is safer in New Orleans than the violent neighborhoods of Cleveland. Ironically, Kodi is almost gunned-down on his aunt’s doorstep by an eight-year-old wannbe thug named Newton, who was sent out to kill to prove himself worthy of membership in a gang called The Skeleton Crew. Kodi and Raney capture Newton and eventually discover that the real power behind the Skeleton Crew is the evil ghost of a slave-trader whose bones lie in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. In order to save the gang members from self-destruction, death — or worse — and free them from their long-dead master, Kodi and his own gang of Voodoo Dawgz, including a young street dancer, a girl who sells ice-cream, and a pale, mysterious Vampire-boy, must fight the ghost on his own turf… the storm-lashed midnight graveyard.

    

10. Red Door (The Colored Door Series) by A.E.H. Veenman
    (Exobia, 2011-04-27, Kindle Edition)
    

    Some demons you simply can’t get rid of. Whether past sins haunt you in the afterlife, or a sadistic, oversexed homosexual vampire hosts your stay in Purgatory—one way or another, you got to get in to get out. No truer words were spoken, as far as Benjamin Shine is concerned.The story, Red Door, introduces Shiny B to the rules and regulations of his current existence. Punishment for his first offense in Purgatory starts his transformation, both as a re-animated human and the eventual vampire into which he’ll turn. His retribution is toward his criminal activity with partner, Jo-Jo, one instance where a burglary went sour and turned into the kidnapping of a small girl.As Detective Shine, he must assist the Tangelo family in recovering their daughter, taken during preparations for her fifth birthday party.Meanwhile, Shine must find the elusive Natasha, a woman he believes is his girlfirend. He meets her at 238 Merchant Drive—her work place at Cohen & Cohen Insurance Underwriters—and due to their apparent domestic conflict, he stays at 54 Hillside Avenue, room 171. His prisoner number 23854171.He lies in the shoddy hotel room and wonders how to repair the broken relationship. Also, on his mind is the fact that Warner bit him—and he’s changing.How many doors can Benjamin Shine pass through to reach salvation?

     

11. The Vampire and The Vegan, Book I: Food by Merlene Alicia Vassall
    (Technical Assistance & Support Consultants, 2011-03-05, Kindle Edition)
    

    Pearl, a temptress vampire living in Washington, DC, discovers that the blood of her next would-be victim, Salaam, lacks that certain something she craves – necromantic energy that comes from eating meat. Yet he may offer her something that she needs even more… Through fast-paced prose peppered with surprises, The Vampire and The Vegan explores the complex relationship between a carnivore and her food.

     

12. Vampire Whore by Adenike B. Lucas
    (lulu.com, 2011-03-02, Paperback)
    

    Desperate and alone in a new city, Bianca pledges her allegiance to Daddy, a notorious pimp in the capital city. Daddy preys on Bianca’s beauty and promises her a life that she never dreamed of, but it comes to a screeching halt when Daddy suspects Bianca is having an affair with one of his high rolling business partners. Leon, the mysterious stranger that catches Daddy’s attention with his abundance of money meets the beautiful Bianca knowing that the search for his eternal love is over. The feelings between the two of them are mutual, and Leon vows to make Bianca his no matter what the cost. Follow Bianca as she experiences betrayal through life and love, and the choices she makes to be happy could end up changing her in death.

     

13. Fledgling: A Novel by Octavia E. Butler
    (Seven Stories Press, 2011-01-04, Kindle Edition)
    

    Fledgling, Octavia Butler’s first new novel in seven years, is the story of an apparently young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly un-human needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion: she is in fact a genetically modified, 53-year-old vampire. Forced to discover what she can about her stolen former life, she must at the same time learn who wanted—and still wants—to destroy her and those she cares for, and how she can save herself. Fledgling is a captivating novel that tests the limits of “otherness” and questions what it means to be truly human.

     

14. Brookwater’s Curse Volume II by Steven Van Patten
    (, 2011-01-17, Kindle Edition)
    

    In the vampire nation, the civil war Christian Brookwater sought to prevent has become a harsh reality.On one side stands the High Counselors. Once considered great and benevolent rulers, their web of deception has unraveled, revealing them to be nothing more than self-serving power mongers. To preserve their reign, the High Counselors have begun a bloody campaign that threatens to wipe out all of the monster races, starting with their own. These Founding Fathers of Vampirism are all gifted with extraordinary powers that surpass anything ever seen in the history of living monsters. There are four of these god-like creatures, but none as destructive and devious as High Counselor Emmanuel, a demon that can destroy another’s life essence with the mere brush of his ominous left hand. All over the world, thousands of vampires stand ready to do Emmanuel’s bidding, including a group that has embraced a doctrine that is frighteningly similar to the religious right-wingers found in the human world.Lord Ebichara Tanata leads the opposing army that seeks to overthrow the High Counselors. With Japan’s deadliest samurai vampires willing to march into certain death at his word, Lord Tanata has fortified his numbers by joining forces with the rachasas, a race of shape-shifting cat people who have their own axe to grind with Emmanuel.As Christian helps Lord Tanata take on the High Counselors, he uncovers many horrible secrets. It’s not long before Christian becomes a bigger target than his samurai mentor. What he finally discovers will not only change the course of the war, but will have a startling impact on everyone he cares about, including his unborn child.

     

15. It’s Time by Kat Davis
    (Club Lighthouse Publishing, 2011-04-05, Kindle Edition)
    

    Richard, a fairly young vampire by vampire standard has decided to buck the status quo and fight the establishment. Surrounding himself with others who felt the same way he did and had an axe to grind with the Brotherhood, an elitist group of vampires, he started a war. The war would shake the foundation of the Supernatural world.Amazed and annoyed by Richard‘s actions, the Brotherhood’s governing body, the Elders call out their top enforcer, Patrick. He sought to quash the uprising. He tried force and when that didn’t work, he tried negotiation.To aid Patrick in his endeavour, the Elders released a weapon of mass destruction in an attempt to annihilated Richard and his followers. The weapon had side effects that rebounded and killed Brotherhood members.Disheartened by losses on both sides, Richard and Patrick agree to meet to find a viable solution to end the war. The enemies soon realized they had been childhood best friends. They are upset to be on opposite sides of the struggle but neither is willing to surrender.As their present commitments try to separate them, their past friendship refuses to be forgotten. They struggle to find a way for all sides to be happy. Will they succeed?

     

16. Cesar by Julian M. Coleman
    (CreateSpace, 2011-05-13, Paperback)
    

    “Julian M. Coleman’s César is a supernatural tale in the same vein as Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles and Lives of the Mayfair Witches series. Both authors make forays into the vampire and witch (voodoo priestess) mythology and locate their stories in the Louisiana bayous. No doubt Coleman was greatly inspired by Rice, but he explores territory unique to the vampire genre and delves into the historical, albeit fictitious, paranormal world of African Americans in Louisiana. Like Rice’s books, Coleman’s novel is charged with eroticism. Where Rice’s work sometimes contains homo-eroticism, César is strictly heterosexual. The sexual scenes are frequent and hardcore but not gratuitous. Coleman’s writing is melodious, rhythmic, and lyrical. César could join the ranks of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot, Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, and John Ajvide Lindqvist’s Let the Right One In.” – LEE GOODEN, FOREWORD CLARION REVIEWS

     

17. Fierce (Volume 1) by Sharon Young-Bishop
    (CreateSpace, 2011-08-12, Paperback)
    

    “Fierce” is the first book in a series of African American Vampire Books called The Ebony Immortals. FIERCE is a love story, filled with adventure and intrigue. What if you found out that everything you ever knew to be truth in your life was wrong? That is the dilemma facing Elizabeth Devonhouser, a charismatic dress designer, dealing with the loss of her parents, while raising two younger, extraordinary siblings. Her entire world turns upside down with passion and desire, when she meets a mysteriously interesting man. And finds herself drawn into his world of magical diversions and immortality. Come share the fascinating journey into their world.

     

Bestselling African American Books released in October

The top-selling black books by or about African Americans published in October 2011 (Amazon.com).

1. Kill Alex Cross – Free Preview: The First 27 Chapters by James Patterson
   (Little, Brown and Company, 2011-10-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   Detective Alex Cross is one of the first on the scene of the biggest case he’s ever been part of. The President’s son and daughter have been abducted from their school – an impossible crime, but somehow the kidnapper has done it. Alex does everything he can but is shunted to the fringes of the investigation. Someone powerful doesn’t want Cross too close.A deadly contagion in the DC water supply threatens to cripple the capital, and Alex sees the looming shape of the most devastating attack the United States has ever experienced. He is already working flat-out on the abduction, and this massive assault pushes Cross completely over the edge.With each hour that passes, the chance of finding the children alive diminishes. In an emotional private meeting, the First Lady asks Alex to please save her kids. Even the highest security clearance doesn’t get him any closer to the kidnapper – and Alex makes a desperate decision that goes against everything he believes.

    

2. A Steele for Christmas (Kimani Romance) by Brenda Jackson
   (Kimani Romance, 2011-10-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   After being dumped by her fiancé, Stacy Carlson has no illusions about love. That doesn’t stop the Phoenix gift shop owner from harboring hot fantasies about her sexier-than-sin landlord. Major player Eli Steele is a heartbreaker in tailor-made designer duds. But who can resist the sensual seducer who’s decking the halls—and her heart—with a passion she’s never known?This Steele brother is no pushover. But it’s time to transform his playboy image. And once Eli turns up the heat, Stacy starts getting into the holiday spirit. Only now it’s Eli’s heart that’s on the line. Can he turn their strictly business arrangement into a Christmas filled with pleasure…and lasting love?

    

3. The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration (Vintage) by Isabel Wilkerson
   (Vintage, 2011-10-04, Paperback)
   

   One of The New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of the YearIn this epic, beautifully written masterwork, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Isabel Wilkerson chronicles one of the great untold stories of American history: the decades-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities, in search of a better life. From 1915 to 1970, this exodus of almost six million people changed the face of America. Wilkerson compares this epic migration to the migrations of other peoples in history. She interviewed more than a thousand people, and gained access to new data and official records, to write this definitive and vividly dramatic account of how these American journeys unfolded, altering our cities, our country, and ourselves. With stunning historical detail, Wilkerson tells this story through the lives of three unique individuals: Ida Mae Gladney, who in 1937 left sharecropping and prejudice in Mississippi for Chicago, where she achieved quiet blue-collar success and, in old age, voted for Barack Obama when he ran for an Illinois Senate seat; sharp and quick-tempered George Starling, who in 1945 fled Florida for Harlem, where he endangered his job fighting for civil rights, saw his family fall, and finally found peace in God; and Robert Foster, who left Louisiana in 1953 to pursue a medical career, the personal physician to Ray Charles as part of a glitteringly successful medical career, which allowed him to purchase a grand home where he often threw exuberant parties.Wilkerson brilliantly captures their first treacherous and exhausting cross-country trips by car and train and their new lives in colonies that grew into ghettos, as well as how they changed these cities with southern food, faith, and culture and improved them with discipline, drive, and hard work. Both a riveting microcosm and a major assessment, The Warmth of Other Suns is a bold, remarkable, and riveting work, a superb account of an “unrecognized immigration” within our own land. Through the breadth of its narrative, the beauty of the writing, the depth of its research, and the fullness of the people and lives portrayed herein, this book is destined to become a classic.

    

4. The Help Deluxe Edition by Kathryn Stockett
   (Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam, 2011-10-27, Hardcover)
   

   With more than 3 million copies sold, the #1 New York Times bestseller is now available in a special gift edition. A modern classic, The Help has been a cultural touchstone for the millions of readers who have cheered on Skeeter, laughed with Minny, and hissed at Hilly. The noble and strong Aibileen has become a heroine for countless fans whose letters have poured in from all over the world. Now the bestselling and beloved book is available in a deluxe gift edition. The Help has been on bestseller lists for longer than any other hardcover fiction title since The Da Vinci Code. It was USA Today’s 2009 Book of the Year and has been published in thirty-seven countries around the world. The movie The Help, produced by DreamWorks and 1492 Pictures, is scheduled for a major motion-picture release in August 2011. This beautiful edition, destined to be passed down from generation to generation, is filled with special features, including: -satin ribbon marker -printed endpapers -cloth bound -two-color interior printing This deluxe gift edition is the perfect gift for someone you love-or as a special treat for yourself.

    

5. Night Hawk by Beverly Jenkins
   (Avon, 2011-10-25, Kindle Edition)
   

   Outlaw.Preacher. Night Hawk.He’s had many names,but he can’t escape the past.Since Ian Vance’s beloved wife was murderedyears ago, the hardened bounty hunter knowshe’ll never feel love or tenderness again, so he’smade it his mission to ensure others get theirjustice. But when he’s charged with delivering asharp-eyed beauty to the law, Ian can’t helpbut feel he may still have something left to lose.Orphaned at twelve, Maggie Freeman hasalways found her way out of trouble. But nowthere’s a vigilante mob at her back who wouldlike nothing more than to see her hang for acrime she didn’t commit. Maggie may have toaccept help for the first time in her life . . .even if it’s from the one man standing betweenher and freedom. As the past closes in, the sassy prisonerand toughened lawman may just find a passionbetween them that could bring blindinghappiness . . . if they’ll let it.

    

6. Cross Fire (Alex Cross) by James Patterson
   (Vision, 2011-10-01, Mass Market Paperback)
   

   Wedding bells ringDetective Alex Cross and Bree’s wedding plans are put on hold when Alex is called to the scene of the perfectly executed assassination of two of Washington D.C.’s most corrupt: a dirty congressmen and an underhanded lobbyist. Next, the elusive gunman begins picking off other crooked politicians, sparking a blaze of theories–is the marksman a hero or a vigilante?A murderer returnsThe case explodes, and the FBI assigns agent Max Siegel to the investigation. As Alex and Siegel battle over jurisdiction, the murders continue. It becomes clear that they are the work of a professional who has detailed knowledge of his victims’ movements–information that only a Washington insider could possess.Caught in a lethal cross fire As Alex contends with the sniper, Siegel, and the wedding, he receives a call from his deadliest adversary, Kyle Craig. The Mastermind is in D.C. and will not relent until he has eliminated Cross and his family for good. With a supercharged blend of action, deception, and suspense, Cross Fire is James Patterson’s most visceral and exciting Alex Cross novel ever.

    

7. Romancing the M.D. (Kimani Romance) by Maureen Smith
   (Kimani Romance, 2011-10-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   Landing an internship at prestigious Hopewell General is a dream come true for Tamara St. John. She struggled hard to get where she is—and isn’t about to risk it all because of arrogant Victor Aguilar. Tamara and Victor constantly lock horns, but the sinfully seductive doctor is driving her crazy…with desire. Tamara knows that dating a colleague is a prescription for disaster. Until one stormy, passion-filled night…Victor can have his pick of any woman. But he only has eyes for sweet, sultry Tamara. But when tragedy and trauma in the E.R. hit close to home, one false move could put everything they’ve ever worked for in jeopardy. It’s time to stake his claim on Tamara’s heart—with a passionate dose of forever.

    

8. The Politician’s Wife (The Blessed and Highly Favored Series-Book 4) by Vanessa Miller
   (BFP Publishing, 2011-10-18, Kindle Edition)
   

   Can a man still love a woman even when she has destroyed his career and turned him away from the principles he lives by?Eric Morrison’s wife, Linda, hits a football superstar while driving drunk, and Eric tries to cover it up. But Linda is now ready to atone for her sins. With help from unexpected places, she finds the strength to stop drinking and gives her life to Christ. Eric is thrilled when his wife stops drinking. However, when she tells him that she wants to start an organization that helps recovering alcoholics put their lives back together and that she intends to use some of his father’s foundation money to do it, Eric rejects the idea, convinced that it will put his bid for governor at risk.Then a blackmailer threatens to reveal pictures of his wife’s drunk-driving accident unless he receives ten million dollars. Eric must decide whether he will stand up for the truth that his father taught him and that his wife also believes in or sell his soul for public office.This story has so many twists and turns, you won’t be able to put it down!

    

9. Midnight and the Meaning of Love by Sister Souljah
   (Washington Square Press, 2011-10-11, Kindle Edition)
   

   Sister Souljah, the New York Times bestselling author of The Coldest Winter Ever and Midnight, delivers her most compelling and enlightening story yet. With Midnight and The Meaning of Love, Souljah brings to her millions of fans an adventure about young, deep love, the ways in which people across the world express their love, and the lengths that they will go to have it. Powerful and sensual, Midnight is an intelligent, fierce fighter and Ninjutsu-trained ninja warrior. He attracts attention wherever he goes but remains unmoved by it and focuses on protecting his mother and sister and regaining his family’s fortunes. When Midnight, a devout Muslim, takes sixteen-year-old Akemi from Japan as his wife, they look forward to building a life together, but their tumultuous teenage marriage is interrupted when Akemi is kidnapped and taken back to Japan by her own father, even though the marriage was consummated and well underway. “There’s not one drop of inferiority in my blood,” Midnight says as he first secures his mother, Umma, and sister, Naja, before setting off on a global journey to reclaim his wife. Midnight must travel across three countries and numerous cultures in his attempt to defeat his opponent. Along this magnificent journey he meets people who change him forever, even as he changes them. He encounters temptations he never would have imagined and takes risks that many a lesser man would say no to, all for the women he loves and is sworn to protect.

    

10. Murder Mamas by Ashley and JaQuavis
    (Urban Books, 2011-10-01, Paperback)
    

    Robyn and Aries are “The Murder Mamas,” contract killers taking no prisoners in Los Angeles. It doesn’t take them long to link up with Hollywood’s biggest drug kingpin, who hires them to take out a snitch and a judge. But the plans backfire and they only complete half the job. Robyn gets caught and put on Death Row, and Aries goes on the run. She winds up in the Islands, where she takes up a new life as a mother and wife, and tries to forget who she once was. But unfinished business has a way of coming back to haunt you; and when it’s the killing kind, there’s a huge price to pay. Now Aries has to put it all on the line as she sets out to finish what the Murder Mamas started, leaving her family and her sanity and her soul behind….

     

11. My Long Trip Home by Mark Whitaker
    (Simon & Schuster, 2011-10-18, Kindle Edition)
    

    In a dramatic, moving work of historical reporting and personal discovery, Mark Whitaker, award-winning journalist, sets out to trace the story of what happened to his parents, a fascinating but star-crossed interracial couple, and arrives at a new understanding of the family dramas that shaped their lives—and his own. His father, “Syl” Whitaker, was the charismatic grandson of slaves who grew up the child of black undertakers from Pittsburgh and went on to become a groundbreaking scholar of Africa. His mother, Jeanne Theis, was a shy World War II refugee from France whose father, a Huguenot pastor, helped hide thousands of Jews from the Nazis and Vichy police. They met in the mid-1950s, when he was a college student and she was his professor, and they carried on a secret romance for more than a year before marrying and having two boys. Eventually they split in a bitter divorce that was followed by decades of unhappiness as his mother coped with self-recrimination and depression while trying to raise her sons by herself, and his father spiraled into an alcoholic descent that destroyed his once meteoric career. Based on extensive interviews and documentary research as well as his own personal recollections and insights, My Long Trip Home is a reporter’s search for the factual and emotional truth about a complicated and compelling family, a successful adult’s exploration of how he rose from a turbulent childhood to a groundbreaking career, and, ultimately, a son’s haunting meditation on the nature of love, loss, identity, and forgiveness.

     

12. Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family by Condoleezza Rice
    (Three Rivers Press, 2011-10-11, Paperback)
    

    Condoleezza Rice has excelled as a diplomat, political scientist, and concert pianist.  Her achievements run the gamut from helping to oversee the collapse of communism in Europe and the decline of the Soviet Union, to working to protect the country in the aftermath of 9-11, to becoming only the second woman – and the first black woman ever — to serve as Secretary of State.  But until she was 25 she never learned to swim. Not because she wouldn’t have loved to, but because when she was a little girl in Birmingham, Alabama, Commissioner of Public Safety Bull Connor decided he’d rather shut down the city’s pools than give black citizens access. Throughout the 1950′s, Birmingham’s black middle class largely succeeded in insulating their children from the most corrosive effects of racism, providing multiple support systems to ensure the next generation would live better than the last.  But by 1963, when Rice was applying herself to her fourth grader’s lessons, the situation had grown intolerable.  Birmingham was an environment where blacks were expected to keep their head down and do what they were told — or face violent consequences. That spring two bombs exploded in Rice’s neighborhood amid a series of chilling Klu Klux Klan attacks.  Months later, four young girls lost their lives in a particularly vicious bombing. So how was Rice able to achieve what she ultimately did? Her father, John, a minister and educator, instilled a love of sports and politics.  Her mother, a teacher, developed Condoleezza’s passion for piano and exposed her to the fine arts.  From both, Rice learned the value of faith in the face of hardship and the importance of giving back to the community.  Her parents’ fierce unwillingness to set limits propelled her to the venerable halls of Stanford University, where she quickly rose through the ranks to become the university’s second-in-command.  An expert in Soviet and Eastern European Affairs, she played a leading role in U.S. policy as the Iron Curtain fell and the Soviet Union disintegrated.  Less than a decade later, at the apex of the hotly contested 2000 presidential election, she received the exciting news – just shortly before her father’s death – that she would go on to the White House as the first female National Security Advisor.   As comfortable describing lighthearted family moments as she is recalling the poignancy of her mother’s cancer battle and the heady challenge of going toe-to-toe with Soviet leaders, Rice holds nothing back in this remarkably candid telling. This is the story of Condoleezza Rice that has never been told, not that of an ultra-accomplished world leader, but of a little girl – and a young woman — trying to find her place in a sometimes hostile world and of two exceptional parents, and an extended family and community, that made all the difference.From the Hardcover edition.

     

13. Power & Beauty by David Ritz
    (William Morrow, 2011-10-18, Kindle Edition)
    

    Hip-hop artist Tip “T.I.” Harris has received every acclaim the music world has to offer. Now, working with bestselling celebrity collaborator David Ritz, T.I. applies all his talent and experience to the world of fiction by creating the epic love story of Power and Beauty. After the death of his mother, Charlotte, Paul “Power” Clay allows himself to be guided by Slim, a local businessman. Slim always has the best of everything, and Power is sure that if he learns Slim’s ways, he’ll make something of himself–and perhaps be worthy of Tanya “Beauty” Long. From Chicago to Miami to New York, through drugs, women, and violence, Power makes the difficult transition from boy to man and, in doing so, begins to question if those who have taught him–including Slim–truly have his best interests at heart. Beauty has always known that the only person she can rely on is herself. After her mother died when she was eleven years old, she was adopted by close family friend Charlotte Clay. But with Charlotte’s death, Beauty knows she’s no longer safe and protected–especially as Power gets sucked into a new kind of life. As soon as she can, she turns her back on Atlanta–and the growing love she feels for Power–for a chance to make it in the Big Apple. With a successful fashion career on the horizon, Beauty takes New York by storm with her wit, business savvy, and breathtaking good looks. But she’s never forgotten those she left behind. And when it becomes clear that Power needs her, Beauty will risk everything to save the man she loves.

     

14. Legacy of Love (Arabesque) by Donna Hill
    (Kimani Arabesque, 2011-10-01, Kindle Edition)
    

    Superstition and crazy stories…that’s how Zoe Beaumont views the unlucky-in-love history of her family. On their thirtieth birthday, the Beaumont women are said to come into a mysterious “sixth sense.” And if they choose to give themselves fully to the wrong man, they lose not just their powers, but the family’s good fortune.Despite her doubts, Zoe has started having strange, intensely passionate dreams. Her fantasies feature a man who seems too perfect, too sexy, too mesmerizing to be real. Until, one rainy Atlanta evening, Zoe runs into Jackson Tremé. Their attraction is as overwhelming in person as it is in her dreams. Though all of her ancestors have tried and failed, can she overturn a legacy of heartache?

     

15. Street Divas by De’nesha Diamond
    (Kensington Books, 2011-10-25, Kindle Edition)
    

    Set on the enchanting island of Cedar Key, Terri DuLong’s new novel weaves a warm, welcoming tale of second—and even third—chances, of long-held secrets, and newfound loves…For the second time in ten years, Grace Stone is starting over on Cedar Key. Grace first moved to the serene island to escape a disastrous relationship. Now a visit with her Aunt Maude is interrupted by unwelcome news: Grace’s apartment and coffee shop have been destroyed by fire. Grace is devastated, yet ever-practical Maude has a plan. While she helps Grace resettle, Maude even has a business venture in mind—weekend knitting retreats where women can craft, chat, and support one another. But other surprises await, including the return of Grace’s estranged sister, and a tentative romance with the local bookstore owner. Knitting together her past and future will mean untangling the painful threads Grace left behind. But the result could be a vibrant new life—and the courage to live it fully. . .Praise for Casting About”A delightful addition to that genre of needlecraft-inspired books.” –Library Journal “A southern Debbie Macomber, but with a flair all her own.” –Karin Gillespie”DuLong delivers another powerfully moving look at mothers and daughters, sisters and friends… highly recommended!” –Barbara Bretton, USA Today bestselling author “You’ll fall instantly in love with Cedar Key and this homespun knitting community, crafted with expert hands.” –New York Times bestselling author, Lori Wilde

     

16. News for All the People: The Epic Story of Race and the American Media by Juan González
    (Verso, 2011-10-31, Hardcover)
    

    A landmark narrative history of American media that puts race at the center of the story.Here is a new, sweeping narrative history of American news media that puts race at the center of the story. From the earliest colonial newspapers to the Internet age, America’s racial divisions have played a central role in the creation of the country’s media system, just as the media has contributed to—and every so often, combated—racial oppression. News for All the People reveals how racial segregation distorted the information Americans received from the mainstream media. It unearths numerous examples of how publishers and broadcasters actually fomented racial violence and discrimination through their coverage. And it chronicles the influence federal media policies exerted in such conflicts. It depicts the struggle of Black, Latino, Asian, and Native American journalists who fought to create a vibrant yet little-known alternative, democratic press, and then, beginning in the 1970s, forced open the doors of the major media companies.The writing is fast-paced, story-driven, and replete with memorable portraits of individual journalists and media executives, both famous and obscure, heroes and villains. It weaves back and forth between the corporate and government leaders who built our segregated media system—such as Herbert Hoover, whose Federal Radio Commission eagerly awarded a license to a notorious Ku Klux Klan organization in the nation’s capital—and those who rebelled against that system, like Pittsburgh Courier publisher Robert L. Vann, who led a remarkable national campaign to get the black-face comedy Amos ’n’ Andy off the air.Based on years of original archival research and up-to-the-minute reporting and written by two veteran journalists and leading advocates for a more inclusive and democratic media system, News for All the People should become the standard history of American media. Eight pages of black-and-white photographs

     

17. The John Carlos Story: The Sports Moment That Changed the World by Dave Zirin
    (Haymarket Books, 2011-10-04, Hardcover)
    

    Seen around the world, John Carlos and Tommie Smith’s Black Power salute on the 1968 Olympicpodium sparked controversy and career fallout. Yet their show of defiance remains one of the most iconicimages of Olympic history and the Black Power movement. Here is the remarkable story of one of the menbehind the salute, lifelong activist John Carlos.John Carlos is an African American former track and field athlete, professional football player, and a founding member of the Olympic Project for Human Rights. He won the bronze medal in the 200 meters race at the 1968 Olympics, where his Black Power salute on the podium with Tommie Smith caused much political controversy. The John Carlos Story is his first book.Dave Zirin is the author of four books, including Bad Sports, A People’s History of Sports in the United States, and What’s My Name, Fool? He writes the popular weekly online sports column “The Edge of Sports” and is a regular contributor to SportsIllustrated.com, SLAM, Los Angeles Times, and The Nation, where he is the publication’s first sports editor.

     

18. Deadly Desires by Ann Christopher
    (Kensington Books, 2011-10-04, Kindle Edition)
    

    How can you plan a future. . .After a desperate struggle to sever ties with her husband, Kira Gregory is suddenly a free woman. She can start a new life without guns, drugs, dirty money, or fear. But Kira’s newfound independence seems too good to be true. And it is. . .When you can’t outrun your past? DEA Special Agent Dexter Brady spent months trying to get Kira’s husband, Kareem Gregory, off the streets, but he has never come to terms with his growing feelings for Kira. He knows that any sort of a relationship with her is a recipe for disaster, but when danger finds Kira again, Dexter will bend every rule, face any enemy, and make any sacrifice to keep the woman he loves safe from harm. . .Praise for the novels of Ann Christopher”…(an) exciting romantic thriller.” –Publishers Weekly on Deadly PursuitP>”Trouble is a sultry romance…” –The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers”A brilliant and tasteful novel about love, tragedy, heartbreak and forgiveness.” –Romantic Times on Risk

     

19. All I Want Is You by Kayla Perrin
    (Kensington Books, 2011-10-04, Kindle Edition)
    

    Romance was the last thing on their minds–until the holidays brought these two women face to face with the men of their dreams. . .Holiday Seduction Kayla PerrinMikki Harper isn’t looking forward to going home for her sister’s wedding–especially since she’s just been dumped. Then she runs into “Boring Barry” from high school and soon the two are catching up on old times–and Mikki discovers Barry is anything but boring. Mikki doesn’t expect to see him again, especially not at a dinner hosted by the groom’s family. It turns out Barry wants to relive their fling. But will Mikki run into his arms–or back to her ex, who’s suddenly had a change of heart? Her Holiday Gifts Deborah Fletcher MelloCommissioned to bake a towering cake for the Whitman Corporation’s CEO at their New Year’s extravaganza–Malisa Ivey is mortified when she gets trapped inside. Even worse, the cake is then transported–with Malisa inside–to Gabriel Whitman’s office. The sexy business tycoon is shocked when a beautiful woman pops out of his dessert–and can’t help but wonder what it would be like to have such sweetness in his life all year. . .

     

20. Reimagining Equality: Stories of Gender, Race, and Finding Home by Anita Hill
    (Beacon Press, 2011-10-04, Hardcover)
    

    From the heroic lawyer who spoke out against Clarence Thomas in the historic confirmation hearings twenty years ago, Anita Hill’s first book since the best-selling Speaking Truth to Power.In 1991, Anita Hill’s courageous testimony during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings sparked a national conversation on sexual harassment and women’s equality in politics and the workplace. Today, she turns her attention to another potent and enduring symbol of economic success and equality—the home. Hill details how the current housing crisis, resulting in the devastation of so many families, so many communities, and even whole cities, imperils every American’s ability to achieve the American Dream. Hill takes us on a journey that begins with her own family story and ends with the subprime mortgage meltdown. Along the way, she invites us into homes across America, rural and urban, and introduces us to some extraordinary African American women. As slavery ended, Mollie Elliott, Hill’s ancestor, found herself with an infant son and no husband. Yet, she bravely set course to define for generations to come what it meant to be a free person of color. On the eve of the civil rights and women’s rights movements, Lorraine Hansberry’s childhood experience of her family’s fight against racial restrictions in a Chicago neighborhood ended tragically for the Hansberry family. Yet, that episode shaped Lorraine’s hopeful account of early suburban integration in her iconic American drama A Raisin in the Sun.  Two decades later, Marla, a divorced mother, endeavors to keep her children safe from a growing gang presence in 1980s Los Angeles. Her story sheds light on the fears and anxiety countless parents faced during an era of growing neighborhood isolation, and that continue today. In the midst of the 2008 recession, hairdresser Anjanette Booker’s dogged determination to keep her Baltimore home and her salon reflects a commitment to her own independence and to her community’s economic and social viability. Finally, Hill shares her own journey to a place and a state of being at home that brought her from her roots in rural Oklahoma to suburban Boston, Massachusetts, and connects her own search for home with that of women and men set adrift during the foreclosure crisis.  The ability to secure a place that provides access to every opportunity our country has to offer is central to the American Dream. To achieve that ideal, Hill argues, we and our leaders must engage in a new conversation about what it takes to be at home in America. Pointing out that the inclusive democracy our Constitution promises is bigger than the current debate about legal rights, she presents concrete proposals that encourage us to reimagine equality. Hill offers a twenty-first-century vision of America—not a vision of migration, but one of roots; not one simply of tolerance, but one of belonging; not just of rights, but also of community—a community of equals.

     

Bestselling African American Books to be Released in November 2011

The bestselling upcoming black books to be released in November 2011 (from Amazon.com):

1. Kill Alex Cross by James Patterson
   (Little, Brown and Company, 2011-11-14, Kindle Edition)
   

   The President’s son and daughter are abducted, and Detective Alex Cross is one of the first on the scene. But someone very high-up is using the FBI, Secret Service, and CIA to keep him off the case and in the dark.A deadly contagion in the water supply cripples half of the capital, and Alex discovers that someone may be about to unleash the most devastating attack the United States has ever experienced. As his window for solving both crimes narrows, Alex makes a desperate decision that goes against everything he believes–one that may alter the fate of the entire country.

    

2. An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff, Alex Tresniowski, Valerie Salembier (Foreword)
   (Howard Books, 2011-11-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   When Laura Schroff first met Maurice on a New York City street corner, she had no idea that she was standing on the brink of an incredible and unlikely friendship that would inevitably change both their lives. As one lunch at McDonald’s with Maurice turns into two, then into a weekly occurrence that is fast growing into an inexplicable connection, Laura learns heart-wrenching details about Maurice’s horrific childhood. Sprinkled throughout the book is also Laura’s own story of her turbulent childhood. Every now and then, something about Maurice’s struggles reminds her of her past, how her father’s alcohol-induced rages shaped the person she became and, in a way, led her to Maurice. As their friendship grows, Laura offers Maurice simple experiences he comes to treasure: learning how to set a table, trimming a Christmas tree, visiting her nieces and nephew on Long Island, and even having homemade lunches to bring to school. It is the heartwarming story of a friendship that has spanned thirty years, that brought life to an over-scheduled professional who had lost s…

    

3. A Christmas Affair (Kimani Romance) by Adrianne Byrd
   (Kimani Romance, 2011-11-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   As president of the talent agency she built from scratch, Chloe Banks is a New York success story. But beneath the fast-track facade is a small-town girl who’s never forgotten her humble beginnings—and whose past is a closely guarded secret. Until Chloe’s family comes to visit and brings a special holiday gift. Sensual Southern charmer Lyfe Alton was her childhood sweetheart…and is the man who still owns her heart.Lyfe was devastated when Chloe left their Georgia hometown for the bright lights of the big city. Now he has just four weeks to seduce her back into his bed…or lose her forever. With Chloe nestled in his arms where she belongs, can Lyfe turn their sizzling Christmas affair into a season for second chances?

    

4. Baby, Let It Snow: I’ll Be Home for Christmas\Second Chance Christmas (Kimani Romance) by Beverly Jenkins
   (Kimani Romance, 2011-11-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   Four wish lists. Two holiday stories. The most wonderful time of the year.I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Beverly Jenkins Three years ago, Broadway star Dina Caldwell and celebrity chef Morgan Caldwell were passionately in love. Now America’s onetime favorite couple are about to be reunited in Morgan’s Detroit hometown for the holidays. Is this the season for forgiving and forgetting? With sizzling kisses under the mistletoe, Morgan vows to make this a Christmas Dina will never forget!Second Chance Christmas by Elaine Overton Diana Rogers is ready for some holiday R & R. Until Robert Fenton comes home for Christmas. The handsome, powerful hotelier has plans to take over her beloved family winery. But this is the season for miracles. And Diana’s seductive ex-lover has his own secret wish list—one that includes a second chance with the woman he’s never stopped loving.

    

5. Case of Desire (Kimani Romance) by Jacquelin Thomas
   (Kimani Romance, 2011-11-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   Rich, super-successful New York attorney Maxwell Wade has never lost a case. Hired by Hopewell General to settle a potentially explosive lawsuit, the freewheeling bachelor plans to continue his winning streak by getting Camille Hunter into bed. The spunky PR manager is arousing a healthy dose of desire…but seems to be the only woman immune to his sensual charms.Camille wasn’t expecting Prince Charming when she meets the suavely handsome hotshot lawyer. Forced to work together to protect the Virginia hospital from erupting scandal, she knows she won’t be able to resist Max for long. But she doesn’t plan to be just another notch in the seductive playboy’s belt. Until Max stuns her with a passionate declaration and makes his case…for love!

    

6. Holiday Fantasy: Finding the Right Key\’Round Midnight\Blind Faith (Arabesque) by Adrianne Byrd, Donna Hill and Kayla Perrin
   (Kimani Arabesque, 2011-11-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   Finding the Right Key by Adrianne Byrd Professional party planner Kimora Evans has dreamed up her quirkiest party theme yet—a holiday key party—where singles hook up based on a car-key lottery. With best friends, boyfriends and bosses in the mix, there’s more than enough sexy fun to go around. But what Kimora doesn’t count on is what happens when she plays romance Russian roulette. ‘Round Midnight by Donna Hill Relationship expert Summer Lane is so busy helping lovelorn callers on her late-night radio talk show that she finds herself in her own romance slump. As New Year’s Eve approaches, she decides to follow her own advice—and speak straight from the heart—to keep the handsome program director from slipping away when the clock strikes twelve. Blind Faith by Kayla Perrin Trapped for days in her car when it careens off an isolated stretch of road outside of Buffalo, New York, Andrea Dawson has already said her prayers and given up hope of ever being rescued. But then she suddenly sees a blinding light—not from the great beyond, but rather a flashlight held by her sexy savior, Mark Potter. With both of them looking for something to believe in, has fate brought them together for a reason?

    

7. Ready for Love (Kimani Romance) by Gwyneth Bolton
   (Kimani Romance, 2011-11-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   Maritza Morales and Terrill Carter may be partners in a mega-successful L.A. music company, but Maritza has no intention of making their personal relationship permanent. Even if the gorgeous, supremely arrogant record label exec is the most passionate lover she’s ever known—and her best-kept secret…. The flamboyant ex-video girl isn’t the type of woman who kisses and tells, but Terrill wants to shout his happiness to the world. Doesn’t Maritza know he doesn’t care about her past? Mixing business with pleasure may be a risky proposition unless he can prove he’s the only one for her. A wedding with all the trimmings is what Terrill has in mind. Because he’s in love…and ready for anything!

    

8. Love’s Paradise (Arabesque) by Celeste O. Norfleet
   (Kimani Arabesque, 2011-11-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   In a dazzling new novel in the Mamma Lou series, matchmaker Louise Gates helps two adversaries turn their simmering anger into fiery passion.For historian Sheri Summers, Crescent Island is an unspoiled treasure, and she hopes to keep it that way. If that means shutting down a new beachfront project that could destroy the historic site, so be it. Sheri can deal with developer Jordan Hamilton’s anger. But what she doesn’t count on is their combustible chemistry.…Jordan has powerful allies, and asks Mamma Lou to help arrange a truce. Sheri is as sexy as she is stubborn, but every kiss and heated caress is just one more complication in their ongoing dispute. With no compromise in sight, it’s not just a battle of wills that’s at risk, but something far more precious.…

    

9. Playground by 50 Cent
   (Razorbill, 2011-11-01, Hardcover)
   

   Thirteen-year-old Butterball doesn’t have much going for him. He’s teased mercilessly about his weight. He hates the Long Island suburb his mom moved them to and wishes he still lived with his dad in the city. And now he’s stuck talking to a totally out-of-touch therapist named Liz. Liz tries to uncover what happened that day on the playground – a day that landed one kid in the hospital and Butterball in detention. Butterball refuses to let her in on the truth, and while he evades her questions, he takes readers on a journey through the moments that made him into the playground bully he is today. This devastating yet ultimately redemptive story is told in voice-driven prose and accented with drawings and photographs, making it a natural successor to The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Loosely inspired by 50 Cent’s own adolescence, and written with his fourteen-year-old son in mind, Playground is sure to captivate wide attention – and spark intense discussion.

    

10. Power & Beauty: A Love Story of Life on the Streets by Tip “T.I.” Harris
    (William Morrow, 2011-11-20, Hardcover)
    

    Hip-hop artist Tip “T.I.” Harris has received every acclaim the music world has to offer. Now, working with bestselling celebrity collaborator David Ritz, T.I. applies all his talent and experience to the world of fiction by creating the epic love story of Power and Beauty. After the death of his mother, Charlotte, Paul “Power” Clay allows himself to be guided by Slim, a local businessman. Slim always has the best of everything, and Power is sure that if he learns Slim’s ways, he’ll make something of himself–and perhaps be worthy of Tanya “Beauty” Long. From Chicago to Miami to New York, through drugs, women, and violence, Power makes the difficult transition from boy to man and, in doing so, begins to question if those who have taught him–including Slim–truly have his best interests at heart. Beauty has always known that the only person she can rely on is herself. After her mother died when she was eleven years old, she was adopted by close family friend Charlotte Clay. But with Charlotte’s death, Beauty knows she’s no longer safe and protected–especially as Power gets sucked into a new kind of life. As soon as she can, she turns her back on Atlanta–and the growing love she feels for Power–for a chance to make it in the Big Apple. With a successful fashion career on the horizon, Beauty takes New York by storm with her wit, business savvy, and breathtaking good looks. But she’s never forgotten those she left behind. And when it becomes clear that Power needs her, Beauty will risk everything to save the man she loves.

     

11. All Caught Up by Sophia Shaw
    (Kensington Books, 2011-11-01, Kindle Edition)
    

    A woman with connections. . .Thanks to her elite Miami matchmaking service, Jasmine Croft is financially secure—and much too busy finding love for others to settle into a relationship of her own. But when a successful—and skeptical—crime author becomes her client, Jasmine finds herself up against the greatest challenge of her career—and maybe her life. . . A man of mystery. . .Handsome widower Robert Rankin would rather be working—but he needs a woman to accompany him to his brother’s four day wedding celebration. His expectations are low—until his date arrives: Jasmine. A twist of fate brought her there, into the arms of a man far more intriguing and irresistible than she ever imagined. But as the days extend into a relationship, will meddling friends, scheming relatives, and Robert’s own ghosts ultimately tear them apart?… Praise for Sophia Shaw”. . .(an) entertaining story.” –Romantic Times on Tempted to Touch”The passion between the main characters heats up the pages, and a stellar supporting cast makes for a page-turning story.” –Romantic Times on What Lies Between Lovers

     

12. Mafia Princess by Deja King
    (A King Production, 2011-11-01, Paperback)
    

    The story of a Goon and his Daughter Semaj Richardson was raised by the streets, and her ambition was to own them. Changing foreign whips as she hustles one major drug dealer after another is just a day in the life with her treacherous father as her #1 partner in crime. The devious duo s schemes lead to murder plots and countless setups. Unbeknownst to Semaj the same street life she relentlessly chased can be what may become her downfall. When she meets drug kingpin Quasim, who virtually changes her sheisty mindset overnight, her dreams become a reality. But soon her dark past resurfaces, bringing all the havoc she caused to the forefront. Will Semaj ever be able to escape her previous life or will the revelation of her family history pull her into a world that can ultimately destroy her?

     

13. Bachelor Undone (Kimani Romance) by Brenda Jackson
    (Kimani, 2011-11-15, Mass Market Paperback)
    

    Every woman wants him. But he only wants her.When Darcy Owens leaves snowy New York for some Jamaican fun in the sun, the city planner isn’t expecting to meet the hero of her fantasies. But the sexy, sun-kissed man she sees her first day on the beach comes pretty close. Until he turns out to be York Ellis, the drop-dead-gorgeous but supremely arrogant ex-cop who thinks she needs his protection…and his passion.When York looks at Darcy, he knows she’s the woman he’d give his life for. So when Darcy finds herself in peril, the security expert vows to safeguard her. Now it’s not only his body at risk. It’s his heart he’s in danger of losing when she tempts him with the one thing the sworn bachelor never dreamed he’d find: passionate, glorious love.

     

14. Street Divas by De’nesha Diamond
    (Dafina, 2011-11-01, Paperback)
    

     

15. Kitty-Kitty, Bang-Bang (Zane Presents) by Cairo
    (Strebor Books, 2011-11-01, Kindle Edition)
    

    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.

     

16. Hell’s Diva II by Anna J.
    (Urban Books, 2011-11-01, Paperback)
    

    Anna J.’s riveting Hell’s Diva series continues as Mecca Skyes returns to take her ultimate revenge on the only person she ever thought she could trust…. Beautiful Mecca was only a kid when her parents were killed, and she was saved from the rough streets of Brooklyn when her aunt, Ruby, “the godmother of crime,” took her in. Ruby rubbed out the goons that murdered Mecca’s parents and everything seemed fine—until Ruby betrayed Mecca by sleeping with her man, setting in motion a series of events that nearly leaves Mecca dead from a gunshot wound! Now Mecca’s all healed, but her heart is cold, and she won’t rest until she brings Ruby down…. But in the end, everything may not turn out the way Mecca thinks it will….

     

17. Seducing Sarah V.1 (Erotica) (The Madame X School of Sex) by Jinx Jamison
    (CrushStar Romance, 2011-11-03, Kindle Edition)
    

    Ever since her fiance left her, Sarah Caldwell has led an unremarkable life. She goes to work, she pays her taxes and she always separates the whites from the colors. The most exciting thing in her life is fantasizing about her hunky boss Quinn Sanders, who has no idea how she feels.All she wants is the chance to do something exciting. Anything to prove she’s not as sexually inept as her former fiancé made her feel. When Quinn Sanders gets a call from an old friend, the last thing he expects to hear is that his paralegal Sarah has signed up for sex school. He left his life as Master Q behind for a reason and once vowed to never set foot in the Madame X School again. But he’s lusted after Sarah for years and if sex education is what she needs…Master Q is about to come out of retirement.

     

18. Clark: The Autobiography of Clark Terry (George Gund Foundation Imprint in African American Studies) by Clark Terry
    (University of California Press, 2011-11-08, Hardcover)
    

    Compelling from cover to cover, this is the story of one of the most recorded and beloved jazz trumpeters of all time. With unsparing honesty and a superb eye for detail, Clark Terry, born in 1920, takes us from his impoverished childhood in St. Louis, Missouri, where jazz could be heard everywhere, to the smoke-filled small clubs and carnivals across the Jim Crow South where he got his start, and on to worldwide acclaim. Terry takes us behind the scenes of jazz history as he introduces scores of legendary greats–Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Dinah Washington, Doc Severinsen, Ray Charles, Thelonious Monk, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Coleman Hawkins, Zoot Sims, and Dianne Reeves, among many others. Terry also reveals much about his own personal life, his experiences with racism, how he helped break the color barrier in 1960 when he joined the Tonight Show band on NBC, and why–at ninety years old–his students from around the world still call and visit him for lessons.

     

19. King’s Pleasure (Arabesque) by Adrianne Byrd
    (Kimani Press, 2011-11-15, Mass Market Paperback)
    

    The sexy King brothers own a successful bachelor-party-planning business and a string of upscale clubs across the country. What could be better than living the single life in some of the world’s most glamorous cities?Finding a woman worth giving it up for…Jeremy King’s brothers may have turned in their player cards, but that just leaves more action for him. Like the gorgeous, bikini-clad party crasher who saunters into the Malibu bachelor bash he’s hosting. Leigh Matthews wants Jeremy, but just for one last fling. And what Leigh wants, she gets.Unable to forget their amazing connection, Jeremy is stunned when weeks later Leigh hires his company—to plan her bachelorette party. Leigh has her reasons for getting married. But after their night of unbridled pleasure, Jeremy doesn’t believe she’s truly in love. Now he’s got six weeks to convince her that their incredible Malibu night was only the beginning.…

     

2011′s Bestselling Horror Stories

THe bestselling African American stories in the horror genre, just in time for Halloween!

1. 30 Minute Plan by Gerald Rice
   (2011-02-22, Kindle Edition)
   

   It’s the dusk of the zombie apocalypse. What’s left of mankind is huddled in the husks of the cities of the world. There are fewer of the walking dead, but they are just as dangerous as ever. After scientists come up with the brilliant idea of scent-marking them something goes wrong and a soldier is taken. When a fellow ‘dog’ decides to take matters into his own hands to rescue his comrade he finds the living dead have changed for the worse. Includes an excerpt of the upcoming novella Fleshbags.

    

2. Darker Than Night: A Collection of Horror and Suspense Short Stories by Brandon Massey
   (Dark Corner Publishing, 2011-03-24, Kindle Edition)
   

   A collection of twelve previously published suspense and horror short stories by award-winning thriller writer, Brandon Massey. The stories contained in DARKER THAN NIGHT include:Granddad’s Garage: Was their beloved grandfather just a pack rat? Or a guardian of forgotten treasures?Daddy’s Little Girl: Her father was so overbearing that he’ll go to any lengths–even murder–to keep his daughter safe . . . The Sting: One man’s deepest fears come to terrifying life when he crosses the wrong person.After the Party: Getting pulled over by a cop in the middle of the night is only the beginning of your troubles.Hitcher: Never pick up strangers . . . no matter how beautiful . . .A Walk Through Darkness: Is it really possible to commit the perfect murder?The Monster: Is there something deadly under the bed–or is it only a figment of a child’s imagination?Death Notice: She considered it her duty to report on the recently deceased . . . until they decided to reach out to her on their own . . .The Woman Next Door: Taking a bite of the forbidden fruit just might be your undoing . . .Presumed Dead: Sometimes, even though you really can go back home, perhaps you never should . . . because death might be waiting for your return.The Last Train Home: A hard-working young mother is plunged into the ultimate nightmare.Ghostwriter: A writer discovers an unexpected cure for writer’s block–in the cemetery next door . . . This collection also features two bonuses: an excerpt from LIVE AGAIN, a supernatural thriller by L.R. Giles, and an excerpt from Massey’s newest suspense thriller, COVENANT.

    

3. The Darkness to Come: A Thriller by Brandon Massey
   (Dark Corner Publishing, 2011-04-30, Kindle Edition)
   

   Dark Corner Publishing is pleased to present THE DARKNESS TO COME–the author’s original version of his novel published in July 2008 as DON’T EVER TELL–available now exactly as the author intended.What if everything you knew about the love of your life was a lie?Atlanta graphic designer Joshua Moore was one of those nice guys who always seemed to finish last, especially when it came to love. But all that changed when he met sweet, smart, almost magically perceptive Rachel. In less than a year they marry, and soon she announces that she is pregnant with their first child. The future is full of promise–but Joshua cannot escape his growing suspicion that Rachel is hiding something from him, something about a terrifying man from her past . . .Formerly a successful attorney in Chicago, Dexter Bates spent four long years in prison thinking about the woman who betrayed him. He emerges free with one chilling purpose: to hunt her down. Brilliant and cunning, with a capacity for ruthless violence, he’s also acquired a frightening talent that aids his mission of vengeance–and makes him virtually unstoppable . . . When Rachel vanishes suddenly, leaving behind only a cryptic letter, Joshua realizes that everything he believed about her was a lie–everything except her love for him. He vows to find out the truth about her past, to protect her, their unborn child, and their future. His search brings him face-to-face with the cold-blooded, inhumanly powerful Dexter . . . and the darkness that may consume all that he cherishes . . . A gripping exploration of commitment, love, and hope in the face of insurmountable odds, this is award-winning author Brandon Massey at his thrilling best.

    

4. Otilia Umaga, the Mulatto girl from Martinique by Lidia Barugel
   (Lidia Barugel, 2011-05-08, Kindle Edition)
   

   René Rodriguez Soriano: An all-sweeping book, magical, transparent and evocative, sown with reflections and signals, so much as lightning, so much as light that, after reading it, no reader goes back to be the same.Horacio Semeraro: Syncretism effect for a great narrative.Thousands of stories and novels deal with mirrors. To write about them is a challenge to originality. Otilia Umaga the mulatto girl from Martinique -short novel, winner of the Juan Rulfo Prize 2008- totally deserves that distinction for its subtle sensuousness and the atmosphere achieved, A Brazilian woman and a Dutchman, who owns an inn at Senegal, play the leading roles in a particular encounter. Over this background they will tell their story. But it will be a revealing mirror that through its transhumant becoming shows us another leading couple of the novel in a far away time:A Belgian slave dealer –married to a Spanish woman from Seville- and a mixed race –mulatto- girl from Martinique, who enters the scene late, but with decisive participation. With a narrative as exotic as it is attractive, the author leads us to a mixture of Eden and Purgatory. The treatment of the passions and human behaviour in a torrid and sensuous climate coexists with the freshness and originality of her prose. Towards the end the features of magical realism –so dear to Juan Rulfo- get stronger, in an unexpected and fascinating spectacular encounter. The breaking-up of the temporal fields, the natural narration of unconventional or fantastic deeds, as also the meticulous description of characters in the real plane; coexist eclectically with Afro-American mythical elements, ghosts and catholic nuns. But it is Barugel’s prose, precise and erotic, that sinks the reader in that scenery with Senegalese drums rhythm and strong temperaments, achieving a syncretist effect in this surprising novel.Lidia Barugel was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.She published Amores de vidrio (2007) and Contrapalabra (ilustrated poem, 2010)Otilia Umaga, la mulata de Martinica, obtained the Juan Rulfo Prize,sponsored by:Radio France InternationaleInstituto CervantesInstituto de México en ParísCasa de América Latina Colegio de EspañaThe newspaper Le Monde DiplomatiqueEmail: lidiabaru@fibertel.com.arCover Ilustratión: “Woman”, Digital drawing by Lidia Barugel

    

5. My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due
   (Harper Voyager, 2011-11-15, Kindle Edition)
   

   When Jessica marries David, he is everything she wants in a family man: brilliant, attentive, ever youthful. Yet she still feels something about him is just out of reach. Soon, as people close to Jessica begin to meet violent, mysterious deaths, David makes an unimaginable confession: More than 400 years ago, he and other members of an Ethiopian sect traded their humanity so they would never die, a secret he must protect at any cost. Now, his immortal brethren have decided David must return and leave his family in Miami. Instead, David vows to invoke a forbidden ritual to keep Jessica and his daughter with him forever. Harrowing, engrossing and skillfully rendered, My Soul to Keep traps Jessica between the desperation of immortals who want to rob her of her life and a husband who wants to rob her of her soul. With deft plotting and an unforgettable climax, this tour de force reminiscent of early Anne Rice will win Due a new legion of fans.

    

6. Never Dead by Jumata Emill Jones
   (STJ Publishing, 2011-03-28, Kindle Edition)
   

   THE PERFECT COUPLE?Emerson McGee has spent most of his life living with a secret, and the first-year law student’s menacing struggle with his sexuality is only the half of it. His wife, Danielle, has her own scars of adolescent heartache—which she thinly veils behind her façade as an upper-middle class princess. The newlywed’s cookie-cutter marriage is abruptly interrupted when they make a reluctant move into the quaint house Emerson inherited from his deceased grandmother. Unbeknownst to them, there’s already something else living there: A malevolent entity hell-bent on exposing its connection to Emerson and the tragic secret they share.A GHOST’S STORYWhile a mysterious narrator recounts the details of his abject life, the McGee’s vengeful poltergeist pulls Danielle deeper into a mystery that has haunted an impoverished ghetto in South Baton Rouge—aptly called “‘Da Bottom”—for nearly a decade, and spills into the provocative world of New Orleans hoodoo. Before its final scare, Never Dead concludes with a bloody twist the McGees never saw coming.

    

7. Serving Monster by Jervey Tervalon
   (Jervey Tervalon Books, 2011-04-02, Kindle Edition)
   

   Serving Monster is the story of Gibson, the personal chef of an immensely talented, but deeply strange icon of popular culture, Monster Stiles. While working for Monster, Gibson realizes that not all is what it seems at the Lair, Monster’s isolated and beautiful retreat. At great cost to himself, what Gibson discovers at the heart of the Lair, will reveal more about the startling truth of Monster than anyone could ever imagine.

    

8. Deadlier by the Dozen, an Urban Fantasy (Dark Encounters) by Marcia Colette
   (Dusk Till Dawn Books, 2011-09-09, Kindle Edition)
   

   Dark Encounters, Book #2The more the scarier.Put up for adoption at seven-years old, history teacher Mackenzie Lawson has spent the last twenty years dreaming of meeting her family again. However, her hopes to rekindle old memories and find closure have hit one hell of a snag. A hundred-year-old curse placed upon her relatives has begun, unleashing a dozen of her doppelgangers who want her dead. Their purpose is to infiltrate her family and kill everyone in sight. To exact revenge for a wrong that happened more than a century ago. Mackenzie must find a way to get rid of her psychotic doubles or risk having them go after her loved ones. However, each doppelganger kill causes her blood pressure to skyrocket to dangerous levels. This and more attract the attention of a mysterious mutant with patchwork skin who volunteers his services, but leaves out the part about it being his job to destroy the source of the doppelgangers starting with her. Mackenzie needs to figure out where his loyalties lie before DEADLIER BY THE DOZEN becomes deadlier by thirteen.

    

9. The Exorsistah: X Restored by Claudia Mair Burney
   (Pocket Star, 2011-05-31, Mass Market Paperback)
   

   God finally gave X what she asked for. If only he would teach her how to use it. After three years and more creepy demons than she’d care to recall, Emme Vaughn has finally found her mama. Only the reunion doesn’t go as X expected. It’s not easy adapting to a new life in New Orleans, with a mother who was possessed by the devil until recently and a stepfather she didn’t know existed. Especially when a mysterious stranger, her stepfather’s charming and handsome protégé Jean-Paul, drives a wedge between Emme and Francis. Is the enigmatic outsider trying to replace her man? Or does he have a more sinister plan— one she couldn’t have imagined? Haunted by a mysterious ghost and threatened by a demon in her mama’s house, X gets ready to rumble. She dons God’s armor to face the evil force that has hunted her all her life, but first she must cast aside the little girl act and draw strength from all the celestial and worldly friends who have guided her this far. Once and for all, the devil has it coming . . . Exorsistah style.

    

10. The Vampire and The Vegan, Book I: Food by Merlene Alicia Vassall
    (Technical Assistance & Support Consultants, 2011-01-01, Paperback)
    

    Pearl, a temptress vampire living in Washington, DC, discovers that the blood of her next would-be victim, Salaam, lacks that certain something she craves – necromantic energy that comes from eating meat. Yet he may offer her something that she needs even more… Through fast-paced prose peppered with surprises, The Vampire and The Vegan explores the complex relationship between a carnivore and her food.

     

11. The Spider Inside Her, an Urban Fantasy (Dark Encounters) by Marcia Colette
    (Dusk Till Dawn Books, 2011-06-26, Kindle Edition)
    

    It’s in her nature.As the manager of a domestic abuse shelter, Loréal Ingram is making half the salary she’s used to, behind on her mortgage, and has lost faith in being an advocate for victims after three die on her watch. When a job offer lands in her lap, she wants to take it…until a curse changes her into a humanoid spider. But that’s not the worst of it. She’s forced to share her mind and body with an insect spirit who thrives on death.The arachnid, her Mr. Hyde-like personality, is fueled by vengeance, and the handler who should be managing her kills sucks at his job. One abuser after another dies and the trail leads to Loréal. She learns that the handler has botched the curse and unleashed The Spider Inside Her upon wrongdoers. If she doesn’t find a way to lift the curse soon, the arachnid will take complete control of her body and kill anyone who crosses her path, including her boyfriend.

     

12. Best Black Vampire Story by Donna Monday
    (2011-03-23, Kindle Edition)
    

    Rochelle Prescott is adrift. After experiencing the tragic loss of her fiancé, Everett, she decides to take a trip through upstate New York—hoping to find a little solace for her bruised soul. Tired and hungry, she pulls into the town of Venice Springs. A local directs her to what seems like a charming, old-fashioned bed and breakfast inn. However, as Rochelle is about to find out, the Sleepy Trail Inn offers more than cozy comfort for weary travelers.Every guest is a potential meal for the black vampires who own this quaint old place. In spite of her best efforts, the unsuspecting Rochelle finds herself falling under the spell of the handsome Darius Champion. Will her love for the master vampire lure her into the world of the immortals forever?Darius Champion has lived his life to the fullest. During his 200 plus years of walking the earth, he has satisfied his every whim and lust. Having grown weary of the fast life, he settles down in upstate New York. Yet, there’s a place deep down in his heart that yearns for true love and companionship. While he is master of his home and the town of Venice Springs, there is one thing he’s not in control of—his heart. Will his blind love for one woman cause him to lose everything he cherishes—including his life?BEST BLACK VAMPIRE STORY is much more than a vampire romance, you’ll be drawn into a world of love, lust and terrifying power, where vampires have taken over an entire town against its will. All of the intriguing action leads up to a final clash between vamps and townies where one group must win over the other or perish.NOTE: This book was originally published under the title of THE BEST BLACK VAMPIRE STORY YOU’VE EVER READ (paperback).Want more great stories? Click on the author name above to see more titles.

     

13. HOWL: A Short Story by Christian Slade
    (, 2011-05-31, Kindle Edition)
    

    Short Story; 10,000 Words.Zandeleigh’s father moves her to West Africa for a summer mining contract. She’s expected to grow and bring her experiences back home with her before her Senior year of high school.Her first night in the village she sees a young boy attacked by a great, black enraged beast; a Drill.Some mysterious disease drove the animal mad, and soon the locals are beginning to act strangely lethargic. Worse still, the symptoms are spreading quickly. It isn’t long until Zandeleigh witnesses horrors like she’d never imagined before.Includes a 2 chapter preview of upcoming novel EDEN, a bizarre and compelling tale of horror.

     

14. Hollowstone by Dennis Upkins
    (Parker Publishing Inc, 2011-06-06, Kindle Edition)
    

    Life for Noah Scott changes drastically when he is accepted to Hollowstone Academy, one of the most prestigious boarding schools in the country set in the mountains of Eastern Tennessee. Within the hallowed halls of the illustrious school, Noah soon discovers that the world of the privileged is rife with social hierarchies, politics, depravity and corruption. It is also there that Noah meets his roommate and best friend, the charming and enigmatic Caleb Warner. Tragedy soon strikes when Cal is brutally murdered in a hold-up. But when Noah is haunted by Cal’s ghost, he soon discovers that the random act of violence was in fact a premeditated one. Determined to uncover the truth and find Cal’s killer, Noah soon finds that the school and its patrons have more than their share of secrets. Secrets they are willing to preserve at any cost. Through a series of prophetic dreams and visions, Noah also quickly learns that greater supernatural forces are at play. In a race against time, Noah must solve Cal’s murder and uncover the truth before he’s the killer’s next victim.

     

2011′s Bestselling African American Christian Fiction

The top-selling Christian fiction featuring African Americans or by African American authors, from Amazon.com.

1. The Deal, the Dance, and the Devil: A Novel by Victoria Christopher Murray
   (Touchstone, 2011-06-07)
   

   What would you do for five million dollars? Adam and Evia Langston have lived in their own little garden of Eden since the two married at the age of seventeen. Working their way up from the humblest of beginnings, the Langstons have thrived beyond anything they could have ever imagined. Now they live in the finest home, drive the best cars, and indulge in all the trimmings that signify their massive success. But then the recession hits and rips apart the family’s financial stability. Unable to support their three children and other relatives, Adam and Evia find themselves drowning in financial trouble and teetering on the brink of complete disaster. With nowhere to turn, the Langstons have no idea what to do. Until Shay-Shaunté, Evia’s multimillionaire boss, comes to the Langstons with a five-million-dollar offer that seems so hard to refuse. Will the Langstons make this deal? Or will they recognize that the glitter of five million dollars may be far from gold?

    

2. Say Amen, Again by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
   (Gallery Books, 2011-07-05)
   

   The spirited Houston congregation featured in ReShonda Tate Billingsley’s Let the Church Say Amen and Everybody Say Amen has a major scandal unfolding—and, as always, the outspoken Rachel Jackson Adams is at the heart of the drama.As the First Lady of Zion Hill, Rachel is not only Pastor Lester Adams’ wife—she’s currently his eight-months-pregnant wife, who’s going toe-to-toe with Lester’s onetime mistress, congregant Mary Richardson, also pregnant. Her baby may or may not be Lester’s, but Mary’s doing all she can to win sympathy and turn her fellow churchgoers against Rachel—even threatening to blackmail Pastor Adams with a paternity agreement. After all, where can an unmarried mother-to-be go but to the Lord? Rachel has a few choice answers for exactly where Mary can go . . . but as these expectant moms do battle, hostilities erupt into a drama unlike anything Zion Hill has ever seen! Something has to give, and while Rachel contemplates everything from transferring her lifelong church membership to packing up and leaving Lester, she knows deep down God is calling her to forgiveness. Will the arrival of the new babies bring a new understanding? Or harden forever the anger that’s dividing them?

    

3. I Can Do Better All By Myself (New Day Divas) by E.N. Joy
   (Urban Books, 2011-11-01)
   

   The singles ministry at New Day Temple of Faith is beginning to unravel, and the pastor is considering dissolving the ministry. Some members believe the only way to hold it together is by getting their pastor to join. And why shouldn’t their leader show support by joining, considering the pastor’s own single status? Some church members support the idea, while others frown upon the fact that they are being led by a shepherd who is single in the first place. It becomes an all-out war, with one side wanting the pastor to embrace singlehood, while others secretly play matchmaker.Marriage has been the furthest thing from the pastor’s mind, not because there hasn’t been an opportunity, but because there really hasn’t been time. With a needy congregation facing trials and tribulations, Pastor has no time to play the dating game. Being a pastor on call twenty-four seven, who has time for a serious relationship period, other than the one with God? Eventually, decisions have to made around New Day. Will these decisions mend the ministry or destroy the church?

    

4. Broken by Patricia Haley
   (Gallery Books, 2011-08-23)
   

   #1 Essence bestselling author Patricia Haley takes sibling rivalry to a shocking new level as one man tries to heal his broken family in this compelling series based on popular biblical stories. Don Mitchell is certain the Lord has a plan for him to reconcile his family, when his younger half brother, Joel, suddenly resigns as CEO of their father’s company. The gesture comes after Joel has nearly sent the enterprise into bankruptcy. Don’s first order of business as newly appointed head of DMI is to bring his estranged older sister home. It isn’t easy. Tamara has been running from the past for years. But once she is home, she plans to claim her rightful place in the multimillion-dollar family ministry—no matter what it takes or who gets hurt. Joel, meanwhile, is regretting his decision to step down and is doing everything in his power to resume his path to greatness. As Don finds himself waist-deep in the corporate mess Joel left behind, his love life is also in flux. He must balance a complicated friendship with Abigail, his right-hand woman at DMI, with a budding romance involving his beautiful business partner in South Africa. Just as Don begins to realize that forgiving and forgetting may be his greatest weapon, a terrifying ordeal rocks the family to its core, and they must turn to God and to one another for the answers.

    

5. Quiet as It’s Kept by Monique Miller
   (Urban Books, 2011-07-01)
   

   Will Tracy is a good, God-fearing man who had a shaky childhood as he watched his father abuse his mother. But now he’s grown and feeling confident and secure that he has finally met the woman he’s been praying God would send him to be able feel the security he’s always craved. Morgan is beautiful and appears to be the perfect Christian woman. But once Will pledges his life to her, he nearly loses his…. After a series of strange, inexplicable “accidents” plague him, he starts to wonder if the woman he married is all that she outwardly appears to be—or if he’s indeed sleeping with the enemy. He continues to honor the vows he made to God and to Morgan. But is this wife of his really a gift from God? Or is she the devil in disguise?

    

6. Something Special (Morgan Love Series) by Stephanie Perry Moore
   (Lift Every Voice, 2011-05-01)
   

   Morgan, wanting to fit in with the crowd, teases a large girl and a special ed kid  at school.  When she is caught she has to go to the principal’s office.  When she finds out how much her teasing hurt her classmates she feels bad. Even though she feels bad, the principal disciplines her.At home things become weird when she tells her parents about what happened at school.  They get upset with Morgan and start arguing with each other about the best way to punish Morgan. Once again Morgan feels bad and sees that going along with the crowd is not always a smart thing to do.Later, while playing together, Morgan and her cousins all share a secret wish.  Morgan wanted to be prettier.  Drake wanted to be taller.  Sadie wanted longer hair.When Morgan goes to vacation bible school she learns that God made each person just the way they are for a good reason.  As she thinks about this, the wishes she and her cousins made and even those other kids she laughed at, Morgan realizes that they are okay just the way they are and that to God they are all something special.   The Morgan Love Series is a chapter book series written for girls, 7 – 9 years old.  The series provides moral lessons that will aid in character development.  It will also help young girls develop their vocabulary, english and math skills as they read through the stories and complete the entertaining and educational exercises provided at the end of each chapter and in the back of the book.

    

7. Who Said It Would Be Easy?: A Story of Faith (Zane Presents) by Cheryl Faye
   (Strebor Books, 2011-02-08)
   

   Who Said It Would Be Easy? is the story of a man and woman who rely on their faith in God to live and love, despite formidable trials and tragedy. Charisse Ellison is a beautiful twenty-nine-year-old single woman who is new to her faith, but convinced that her relationship with God is the only way to have the truly fulfilling life she desires—one that includes a husband and children. Stefàn Cooper is a thirty-three-year-old bachelor who has no desire to change his ways. Tall, muscular, and strikingly handsome, Stefàn is used to getting what he wants from the opposite sex but is intrigued by Charisse’s seeming indifference to his charms. The couple’s intense romance leads them on a journey that challenges the bravado Stefàn has held on to for most of his adult life and forces Charisse to see that God’s answered prayers don’t always come packaged the way we expect. Who Said It Would Be Easy? is a story that offers hope in situations that, at first seem hopeless, and shows that through faith in an all-powerful God, even the most painful experiences can culminate in true joy and peace.

    

8. Sex in the Sanctuary by Lutishia Lovely
   (Dafina, 2011-03-01)
   

   From exciting new author Lutishia Lovely comes a steamy debut in the manner of Victoria Christopher Murray and Kimberla Lawson Roby. Set in a church community on fire for the Lord–and for each other–Sex in the Sanctuary is filled with scintillating sisters, playing brothers, and church matrons trying to run everybody’s business… As first lady of Kingdom Citizen’s Christian Center, Vivian Montgomery has it all: a beautiful home, lovely children, and a pastor husband who makes her shout Hallelujah–and not just in church. There’s no doubt Pastor Montgomery has a healthy appreciation for the Lord and for the pleasures of the flesh, namely his wife’s flesh. If only Vivian’s best friend, Tai, was so blessed… A first lady herself, Tai’s husband, King, is pastor of Mount Zion Progressive Baptist Church. But with two affairs under his belt, Tai wonders just what “progressive” means. In fact, she strongly suspects her husband is at it again. Now she can follow her mother-in-law’s example and threaten to shoot any would-be-husband-stealing floozies, or she can take Vivian’s advice and listen for God’s instruction. But Tai’s husband isn’t the only one fighting temptation. Whether trying to wait until marriage or just waiting until the next mating opportunity, these congregations are filled with members whose eyes are on more than Jesus! The result is a page-turning read, not soon to be forgotten.

    

9. Cherished by Kim Cash Tate
   (Thomas Nelson, 2011-08-30)
   

   Before healing can begin for Kelli and Heather, they need to believe they are worth cherishing. Kelli London once dreamed of being a songwriter. As crazy as it seemed, she hoped that God would use the lyrics that came to her even while she slept. She dreamed about Brian too, that the love they shared as high-school students would grow into marriage. But choices that still haunt her destroyed those dreams. Until now-when a series of love letters reawakens her hope for the future. Heather Anderson’s life has spun out of control-first, an affair with a married man, then a one-night stand with the drummer of a popular Christian band has left her devastated. Broken and alone, she cried out to the only One able to save her. He met her there, but it was just the beginning. Because now she must take a different path. And the one God has planned for her looks nothing like the one she envisioned. As Kelli and Heather awaken to their true worth, they find the freedom to pursue their dreams-and relationships-based on the security of knowing God’s unconditional love.

    

10. Still Standing by Nicole S. Rouse
    (Urban Books, 2011-11-01)
    

     

11. In Laws And Play Cousins by Robyn Gant
    (lulu.com, 2011-06-18)
    

    Nubia is a successful black film maker with unknown enemies seeking revenge. Her closest circle of friends include Tracie, a computer expert whose personal vendetta backfires; their friend Eva, a jurist leading a double life; and Eva’s cousin Tina, who takes risks that jeopardize her professional career. They all have her back, but with fame and fortune comes jealousy and heartbreak. From the heart of Los Angeles to the South of France, In Laws and Play Cousins tells a story about love and romance, deceit and envy and the price it ultimately commands.

     

12. My Son’s Next Wife by Shelia E. Lipsey
    (Urban Books, 2011-06-01)
    

    First Lady Audrey Graham is gone and her husband suffers from loneliness and the after-effects of his second stroke. Their son, Stiles, now minister of his father’s church, is engaged to Detria and has found happiness at last—despite his heartbreaking divorce from Rena. Rena’s now living in another state and has found a new love herself, Robert, though she resists his marriage proposals because she doesn’t feel she could ever be completely forgiven for her past sins. Things take a turn for the worse when Stiles’ father suffers another stroke and Detria has a miscarriage, and his faith is tested like never before. But who knows in whose arms he will land up in the page-turning conclusion to My Son’s Wife series!

     

13. Redeeming Waters by Vanessa Davis Griggs
    (Kensington, 2011-08-01)
    

    Must a young woman choose between her commitment to her marriage…and to God?Brianna was ten years old when she first met twenty-five year old David R. Shepherd, a devout and gifted gospel recording artist who would ultimately become world renowned megastar, King d.Avid. He left an impression on Brianna she would never forget. And they were destined to meet again…Brianna’s best friend, Alana Norwood, hasn’t had the best encounters with men, but she’s always been a good friend to Brianna, no matter what situation the two may find themselves in. But despite their bond, the next time Brianna encounters King, she’s a lonely young wife seeking solace in religious studies. While Alana’s quest for fame has her living a life that seems to be going nowhere fast, King’s companionship offers Brianna the deep emotional connection she longs for. But when both a tragedy and a blessing enters Brianna’s life, she finds herself wrestling with questions of faith, fidelity, forgiveness, and the sovereignty of God…like never before. “Griggs address[es] the challenges of living by Biblical rules with homespun humor. Fans will be pleased.” -Publishers Weekly on The Truth Is the Light”A smart novel that addresses an issue that many in the church shy away from-divorce-with frank realism.”-Library Journal on Practicing What You Preach

     

14. Upon This Rock (Shelton Heights Series, Book 4) by Kendra Norman-Bellamy
    (Urban Books, 2011-03-01)
    

    The much-beloved and acclaimed Christian fiction author delivers a redemptive delight with the story of an ex-con who learns the hard way that it’s better to be with God than without Him. Deon “Rocky” Rockford is released after serving nearly twenty five years in jail. He may have been “saved” on the inside, but now that his term, originally a life sentence, has been overturned, and he’s free from the shackles of the prayers of the men’s ministry of the New Hope Church, he wants only to focus on himself. As fearless as he is strong, this big, brawny guy won many brawls behind bars, and feels ready to forge a new life in the infamous community of Shelton Heights. But he soon starts to see that the only “rock” he can count on is God.

     

15. Beneath The Surface by Roy Glenn
    (Escapism Entertainment, 2011-04-18)
    

    Now that he has taken care of all of the people responsible for the murder of his wife, Cassandra, Mike Black faces his toughest opponent, Carmen Taylor, an old girl friend who has recently returned to the city. Carmen is an entertainment reporter for a local television station, who wants to do bigger things. Her opportunity comes while she is covering the opening of an art exhibition. A woman is found murdered, and Carmen is the only reporter on the scene. The police say that the victim, a known call girl named Tangela House appears to have been strangled during sex. Anxious to prove she can do more than just fluff stories, Carmen begins her own investigation into the victim s past, and quickly finds that there is more to the case than just rough sex gone wrong. Now with the help of Mike Black, Carmen must stay alive long enough to uncover what secrets lay beneath the surface.

     

16. Abundant Rain (Urban Christian) by Vanessa Miller
    (Urban Books, 2011-08-01)
    

    Elizabeth Underwood. Bold. Vivacious. Confident. Her life was about to be turned upside down. As far as Elizabeth was concerned, the Underwoods were the poster family for GodÕs blessings. She had two beautiful children and an elegant home. Her husband was the CEO of his own technical consulting firm and he truly loved her. But when the storms of life interrupt ElizabethÕs world, will she become entangled in her struggles or will she rest in the promises of God?

     

17. My Son’s Wife by Shelia E. Lipsey
    (Urban Books, 2011-05-01)
    

    First Lady Audrey Graham believes she’s found the perfect woman to become her eldest son, Minister Stiles Graham’s wife. Sweet, sensitive, kind, and of course a fine Christian girl, Audrey couldn’t ask more of lovely Rena Jackson. But skeletons fall from the closet when Audrey and Stiles discover that Rena is in love and committed to the troubled, rebellious, ex-con, Frankie. My Son’s Wife is more than a love triangle, it’s a time bomb set to explode with twists, turns, entanglements and sinful revelations that only a loving God can make right

     

18. Promise Of Forever Love (2nd Chance V3) (Second Chance at Love) by Vanessa Miller
    (Whitaker House, 2011-04-05)
    

    Ever since the death of her husband almost two years ago, the church that Yvonne Milner pastored with him has been losing members and money–fast. When the board decides to find a new senior pastor, Yvonne determines to hang on to her position and do a better job of shepherding her flock. She’s neither ready nor willing to hang up her minister’s robe just yet. Just before a pivotal meeting of the church board, Thomas Reed steps back into her life. The handsome, world–renowned motivational speaker was her husband’s best friend, and, as a widower, he knows the pain she’s going through. With his help, Yvonne fights to stay in the ministry, trusting that God has great plans yet for the church. When a threat of a different kind targets the church, as well as her daughter, Yvonne is grateful to have Thomas standing by her side. But when long–buried emotions arise in their friendship for the first time, Yvonne hesitates, not wanting to betray her husband or break her promise to love him forever. Will her passion lie forever buried in the past, or can she let it live again?

     

19. Steppin’ Into the Good Life by Tia McCollors
    (Lift Every Voice, 2011-02-01)
    

    Shelia Rushmore thought she’d be the last woman standing when it was time to fight for her man. Instead Ace, her boyfriend of two years, chose to reunite with his ex-wife, leaving Shelia emotionally devastated. It’s a year later when Sheila is convinced that sneaking into their wedding ceremony will put closure on the gaping hole in her heart. But it’s on the back pew of the church where a new relationship begins for Shelia. She can’t explain the touch she received from God on that day, but she’s determined to be a better woman-a woman of faith. Since high school, Shelia has been chasing her definition of the good life – it’s left her with no home, no man, and no money. But now that’s she’s living life for God, things should get better, right? Shelia learns that living a faith-filled life isn’t always easy. With faith, tough love, and some tough decisions, Shelia realizes that the life she’d been praying for she could have for herself is actually attainable. Being wrapped in God’s arms, she decided, was by far the safest place she’d ever been.

     

Bestselling African American paperback books released in September

The top-selling paperback books by or about African Americans published in September 2011 (Amazon.com).

1. The Leak by K’wan
   (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2011-09-27, Kindle Edition)
   

   The Leak is a complimentary short prequel story that leads into K’wan’s hit novel, Welfare Wifeys.

    

2. Nairobi Heat (Melville International Crime) by Mukoma Wa Ngugi
   (Melville House, 2011-09-13, Kindle Edition)
   

   A cop from Wisconsin pursues a killer through the terrifying slums of Nairobi and the memories of genocide In Madison, Wisconsin, it’s a big deal when African peace activist Joshua Hakizimana—who saved hundreds of people from the Rwandan genocide—accepts a position at the university to teach about “genocide and testimony.” Then a young woman is found murdered on his doorstep. Local police Detective Ishmael—an African-American in an “extremely white” town—suspects the crime is racially motivated; the Ku Klux Klan still holds rallies there, after all. But then he gets a mysterious phone call: “If you want the truth, you must go to its source. The truth is in the past. Come to Nairobi.” It’s the beginning of a journey that will take him to a place still vibrating from the genocide that happened around its borders, where violence is a part of everyday life, where big-oil money rules and where the local cops shoot first and ask questions later—a place, in short, where knowing the truth about history can get you killed.From the Trade Paperback edition.

    

3. Secret Obsession by Kimberla Lawson Roby
   (Grand Central Publishing, 2011-09-06, Kindle Edition)
   

   Paige Donahue has always lived in her sister Camille’s shadow. As children, Camille had the grades, the friends, and their parents’ love, while Paige was left with hand-me-downs and criticism. Now as adults, Camille lives an idyllic life with her husband, Pierce, and her two perfect children in a beautiful home, while Paige is stuck in a small condo with bills she can’t afford to pay. But no more. With seeds of doubt planted in both Camille’s and Pierce’s minds, Paige’s plan to steal her brother-in law starts to work. But when he reveals his decision to make his marriage work, a desperate Paige moves from envy to madness. What results from her dangerous scheme is something no one could have imagined.

    

4. The Taste of Salt by Martha Southgate
   (Algonquin Books, 2011-09-13, Kindle Edition)
   

   Award-winning novelist Martha Southgate (who, in the words of Julia Glass, “can write fat and hot, then lush and tender, then just plain truthful and burning with heart”) now tells the story of a family pushed to its limits by addiction over the course of two generations. Josie Henderson loves the water and is fulfilled by her position as the only senior-level black scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. In building this impressive life for herself, she has tried to shed the one thing she cannot: her family back in landlocked Cleveland. Her adored brother, Tick, was her childhood ally as they watched their drinking father push away all the love that his wife and children were trying to give him. Now Tick himself has been coming apart and demands to be heard. Weaving four voices into a beautiful tapestry, Southgate charts the lives of the Hendersons from the parents’ first charmed meeting to Josie’s realization that the ways of the human heart are more complex than anything seen under a microscope.

    

5. The Surgeon’s Secret Baby (Kimani Romance) by Ann Christopher
   (Kimani Romance, 2011-09-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   Sensuality heals. Love cures.Lia Taylor needs Thomas Bradshaw like she’s never needed anyone before. The hunky, super–ambitious Head of Surgery at Hopewell General is the only one who can save her young son. Falling for the seductive surgeon is a prescription for trouble. But there’s no cure for her smitten condition once Thomas brands her with his sensual touch.The scion of a powerful family, Thomas has vowed to devote his life to healing others. Having an affair with the alluring computer wiz and single mother could cost the workaholic doc his career at the prominent, scandal–plagued Virginia hospital. Especially if his explosive secret gets out. But Thomas can’t give Lia up. His diagnosis? A future together filled with all the love their hearts can hold…

    

6. Eviction Notice: A Hood Rat Novel by K’wan
   (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2011-09-27, Kindle Edition)
   

   When three young friends, Porsha, Frankie and Sahara, decide to sublease an apartment from a mutual acquaintance, life becomes one big party for the girls. But the party comes to an abrupt end when they find out they’ve been fleeced for their money and an eviction notice is taped to their door. They have seventy-two hours to come up with the money or be tossed into the streets by the city marshals. Armed with various schemes, they set out to try and stop the eviction and find themselves caught in the crossfire of a bloody war between the Notorious Clark family and a new player in the game.Meanwhile the police are still searching for the killer known only as The Animal, while his former lover Gucci tries to put the pieces of her life back together. When all is said and done, all parties involved will discover something about Animal and his abduction that no one was prepared for.  There goes the neighborhood, again!

    

7. Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness?: What It Means to Be Black Now by Touré
   (Free Press, 2011-09-13, Hardcover)
   

   In the age of Obama, racial attitudes have become more complicated and nuanced than ever before. Inspired by a president who is unlike any Black man ever seen on our national stage, we are searching for new ways of understanding Blackness. In this provocative new book, iconic commentator and journalist TourÉ tackles what it means to be Black in America today.TourÉ begins by examining the concept of “Post-Blackness,” a term that defines artists who are proud to be Black but don’t want to be limited by identity politics and boxed in by race. He soon discovers that the desire to be rooted in but not constrained by Blackness is everywhere. In Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness? he argues that Blackness is infinite, that any identity imaginable is Black, and that all expressions of Blackness are legitimate.Here, TourÉ divulges intimate, funny, and painful stories of how race and racial expectations have shaped his life and explores how the concept of Post-Blackness functions in politics, society, psychology, art, culture, and more. He knew he could not tackle this topic all on his own so he turned to 105 of the most important luminaries of our time for frank and thought-provoking opinions, including the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Cornel West, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Malcolm Gladwell, Michael Eric Dyson, Melissa Harris-Perry, Harold Ford Jr., Kara Walker, Kehinde Wiley, Glenn Ligon, Paul Mooney, New York Governor David Paterson, Greg Tate, Aaron McGruder, Soledad O’Brien, Kamala Harris, Chuck D, Mumia Abu-Jamal, and many others. By engaging this brilliant, eclectic group, and employing his signature insight, courage, and wit, TourÉ delivers a clarion call on race in America and how we can change our perceptions for a better future. Destroying the notion that there is a correct way of being Black, Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness? will change how we perceive race forever.

    

8. Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson
   (Balzer + Bray, 2011-09-27, Hardcover)
   

   The story of America and African Americans is a story of hope and inspiration and unwavering courage. But it is also the story of injustice; of a country divided by law, education, and wealth; of a people whose struggles and achievements helped define their country. This is the story of the men, women, and children who toiled in the hot sun picking cotton for their masters; it’s about the America ripped in two by Jim Crow laws; it’s about the brothers and sisters of all colors who rallied against those who would dare bar a child from an education. It’s a story of discrimination and broken promises, determination and triumphs. Kadir Nelson, one of this generation’s most accomplished, award-winning artists, has created an epic yet intimate introduction to the history of America and African Americans, from colonial days through the civil rights movement. Written in the voice of an “Everywoman,” an unnamed narrator whose forebears came to this country on slave ships and who lived to cast her vote for the first African American president, heart and soul touches on some of the great transformative events and small victories of that history. This inspiring book demonstrates that in gaining their freedom and equal rights, African Americans helped our country achieve its promise of liberty and justice—the true heart and soul of our nation.

    

9. Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America by Melissa V. Harris-Perry
   (Yale University Press, 2011-09-20, Hardcover)
   

   Jezebel’s sexual lasciviousness, Mammy’s devotion, and Sapphire’s outspoken anger—these are among the most persistent stereotypes that black women encounter in contemporary American life. Hurtful and dishonest, such representations force African American women to navigate a virtual crooked room that shames them and shapes their experiences as citizens. Many respond by assuming a mantle of strength that may convince others, and even themselves, that they do not need help. But as a result, the unique political issues of black women are often ignored and marginalized.In this groundbreaking book, Melissa V. Harris-Perry uses multiple methods of inquiry, including literary analysis, political theory, focus groups, surveys, and experimental research, to understand more deeply black women’s political and emotional responses to pervasive negative race and gender images. Not a traditional political science work concerned with office-seeking, voting, or ideology, Sister Citizen instead explores how African American women understand themselves as citizens and what they expect from political organizing. Harris-Perry shows that the shared struggle to preserve an authentic self and secure recognition as a citizen links together black women in America, from the anonymous survivors of Hurricane Katrina to the current First Lady of the United States. (20110314)

    

10. A Steele for Christmas (Kimani Romance) by Brenda Jackson
    (Kimani, 2011-09-20, Mass Market Paperback)
    

    After being dumped by her fiancé, Stacy Carlson has no illusions about love. That doesn’t stop the Phoenix gift shop owner from harboring hot fantasies about her sexier-than-sin landlord. Major player Eli Steele is a heartbreaker in tailor-made designer duds. But who can resist the sensual seducer who’s decking the halls—and her heart—with a passion she’s never known?This Steele brother is no pushover. But it’s time to transform his playboy image. And once Eli turns up the heat, Stacy starts getting into the holiday spirit. Only now it’s Eli’s heart that’s on the line. Can he turn their strictly business arrangement into a Christmas filled with pleasure…and lasting love?

     

11. Is Marriage for White People?: How the African American Marriage Decline Affects Everyone by Ralph Richard Banks
    (Dutton Adult, 2011-09-01, Hardcover)
    

    During the past half century, African Americans have become the most unmarried people in our nation. More than two out of every three black women are unmarried, and they are more than twice as likely as white women never to marry. The racial gap in marriage extends beyond the poor. Affluent and college educated African Americans are also less likely to marry or stay married than their white counterparts. That harms black children and adults, and imperils the growth and stability of the black middle class. One reason that marriage has declined is that as black women have advanced economically and educationally, black men have fallen behind. Nearly twice as many black women as black men graduate from college each year.Thus, not only are many college-educated black women unmarried, they are more likely than any other group of women to marry less educated and lower earning men. Half of college-educated black wives are more educated than their husbands.Yet black women rarely marry men of other races. They are less than half as likely as black men, and only a third as likely as Latinos or Asian Americans, to wed across group lines. Is Marriage for White People? traces the far-reaching consequences of the African American marriage decline. It also explains why black women marry down rather than out. Its provocative conclusion is that black women would benefit both themselves and the black race if they crossed class lines less and race lines more. As particular as this inquiry may seem, it is also universal. Americans of all races are more unmarried now than ever. And as women surpass men educationally, wives increasingly earn more than their husbands. In illuminating the lives of African Americans, Is Marriage for White People? thus probes cultural and economic trends that implicate everyone, highlighting the extent to which the experience of black women may become that of all women. This book both informs and entertains. The culmination of a decade of research by a distinguished Stanford law professor, it melds scholarly theory and data with the poignant stories shared by black women throughout the nation. This unforgettable book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the shifting terrain of intimacy in American society.

     

12. The Grace of Silence: A Family Memoir (Vintage) by Michele Norris
    (Vintage, 2011-09-06, Paperback)
    

    A profoundly moving and deeply personal memoir by the co-host of National Public Radio’s flagship program All Things Considered.  While exploring the hidden conversation on race unfolding throughout America in the wake of President Obama’s election, Michele Norris discovered that there were painful secrets within her own family that had been willfully withheld. These revelations—from her father’s shooting by a Birmingham police officer to her maternal grandmother’s job as an itinerant Aunt Jemima in the Midwest—inspired a bracing journey into her family’s past, from her childhood home in Minneapolis to her ancestral roots in the Deep South.  The result is a rich and extraordinary family memoir—filled with stories that elegantly explore the power of silence and secrets—that boldly examines racial legacy and what it means to be an American.

     

13. Too Hot for TV (Dafina Contemporary Romance) by Cherise Hodges
    (Kensington Books, 2011-09-06, Kindle Edition)
    

    Her Fantasy And His Reality. . .Classically trained actress Imani Gilliam is gifted, beautiful—and broke. Facing eviction, her only hope of staying afloat is to do the reality TV show, “Let’s Get Married.” The show pairs up single strangers, and viewers vote for who should be united in wedded bliss. Imani is only looking to be united with a paycheck—until she locks eyes with a fellow contestant. . .Are About To Create A Buzz. . .Dr. Raymond Thomas is determined to keep his struggling free clinic running—even if it means appearing on “Let’s Get Married.” He can’t imagine finding love on TV—but when he spots Imani, he definitely finds lust. And their attraction isn’t lost on the producers. But as the cameras start focusing on them, Raymond wonders if he’s just a tool in Imani’s career. Only time—and a life-changing choice—will tell. . .Praise for More Than He Can Handle”Hodges delivers a sizzling romance. . .” —Publishers Weekly “A wonderful read.” —UrbanReviews.com

     

14. Deception (Arabesque) by Donna Hill
    (Kimani Arabesque, 2011-09-01, Kindle Edition)
    

    Is love worth the risk…An unhappy marriage taught Terri Powers never to trust again. Instead, she put all her energy into developing her inner strength and independence—creating the successful New York advertising agency she’d always dreamed of. Then she meets handsome, strong–willed businessman Clinton Steele. Try as she might, Terri can’t fight the sensual attraction between them—or the desperate hunger that fires her deepest passions……when everything is at stake?Neither Terri nor Clinton can ever imagine just how much is at risk. But when a stranger appears from Terri’s forgotten past who calls himself a friend—his deception could destroy everything Terri has fought so hard to build. Now two wary hearts have to persevere, as long–buried secrets put Terri and Clinton’s love to the most perilous test of all…

     

15. Soft: Cocaine Love Stories by T Styles
    (Urban Books, 2011-09-01, Kindle Edition)
    

    New York Times bestselling authors Ashley and JaQuavis have put together a collection of street fiction’s finest. Caroline McGill, J.M. Benjamin, Boston George, and T. Styles present fresh new stories of money, murder, betrayal, and revenge. Their unique approach attempts to explain the allure of the dope game through the eyes of some unforgettable characters. Just when you think it’s over, a new story picks up and takes you on a whole new journey! This is a sure classic and the beginning of a great series. Take a ride with the kings and queens of the street.

     

16. Field of Pleasure (Kimani Romance) by Farrah Rochon
    (Kimani Romance, 2011-09-01, Kindle Edition)
    

    Is love about to even the score?Life is one endless touchdown for Jared Dawson. Until the former playboy and star cornerback for the New York Sabers discovers his girlfriend in bed with another man. Reeling from the betrayal, Jared returns to his flings-with-no-strings ways. But no man can walk away from Chyna McCrea. The ravishing choreographer is already tackling the pro-footballer’s heart.Playing defensively is supposed to safeguard against heartbreak. But how can Chyna protect herself from Jared’s sensual onslaught? It seems the hunky athlete—and sports world’s most eligible bachelor—has decided that playing the field is no longer an option. Together, can they score the greatest victory of all and be on the winning team of both their dreams?

     

17. Romancing the M.D. (Kimani Romance) by Maureen Smith
    (Kimani, 2011-09-20, Mass Market Paperback)
    

    Landing an internship at prestigious Hopewell General is a dream come true for Tamara St. John. She struggled hard to get where she is—and isn’t about to risk it all because of arrogant Victor Aguilar. Tamara and Victor constantly lock horns, but the sinfully seductive doctor is driving her crazy…with desire. Tamara knows that dating a colleague is a prescription for disaster. Until one stormy, passion-filled night…Victor can have his pick of any woman. But he only has eyes for sweet, sultry Tamara. But when tragedy and trauma in the E.R. hit close to home, one false move could put everything they’ve ever worked for in jeopardy. It’s time to stake his claim on Tamara’s heart—with a passionate dose of forever.

     

18. Private Melody (Kimani Romance) by Altonya Washington
    (Kimani Romance, 2011-09-01, Kindle Edition)
    

    Music was her whole life…until he came alongFormer child prodigy Kianti Lawrence has struggled hard to become a major force in the performing arts world. Music is her life…until the beloved, world–renowned pianist meets a man who shows her what she’s been missing. Something about handsome, powerful ex–Ambassador Therin Rucker strikes a harmonious— and seductive—chord.When Therin connected with Kianti, all the notes suddenly came together. He’s more in tune with her than with any other woman he’s ever known. But first he has to persuade Kianti not to be afraid of life…or love. Can he make her see that the passion they’re making is the truest music there is?

     

19. Taste of Desire (Kimani Romance) by Kayla Perrin
    (Kimani Romance, 2011-09-01, Kindle Edition)
    

    A Risk Worth TakingSalina Brown isn’t looking for a new relationship, and her goal of landing a position as a New York City chef is proving more difficult than she thought. Then a temporary position as a nanny comes her way, and the opportunity could help her achieve her culinary dream.Sexy lawyer Jake McKnight has a demanding career, yet the widowed father can’t help but relax his guard around his new nanny, Salina. Amazingly, she is able to make him want to enjoy romance again. Suddenly, Salina’s living the high life…with this sensual man who’s showing her a side of love she never knew. But can he persuade Salina to believe in him and in their special love?

     

20. Reye’s Gold (Indigo) by Ruthie Robinson
    (Indigo Love Spectrum, 2011-09-01, Kindle Edition)
    

    Reye and Stephen are in their last year of college when coincidence pushes them together. A magnetic attraction develops, drawing them into an impetuous love affair. They part with graduation, but realize too late that they were better together than they ever will be apart.

     

Bestselling Upcomng African American Books to be Released in October 2011

The bestselling upcoming black paperback books to be released in October 2011 (from Amazon.com):

1. Kill Alex Cross – Free Preview: The First 27 Chapters by James Patterson
   (Little, Brown and Company, 2011-10-01, Kindle Edition)
   

   Detective Alex Cross is one of the first on the scene of the biggest case he’s ever been part of. The President’s son and daughter have been abducted from their school – an impossible crime, but somehow the kidnapper has done it. Alex does everything he can but is shunted to the fringes of the investigation. Someone powerful doesn’t want Cross too close.A deadly contagion in the DC water supply threatens to cripple the capital, and Alex sees the looming shape of the most devastating attack the United States has ever experienced. He is already working flat-out on the abduction, and this massive assault pushes Cross completely over the edge.With each hour that passes, the chance of finding the children alive diminishes. In an emotional private meeting, the First Lady asks Alex to please save her kids. Even the highest security clearance doesn’t get him any closer to the kidnapper – and Alex makes a desperate decision that goes against everything he believes. A full-throttle thriller with unstoppable action, unrestrained emotion, and relentless suspense, Kill Alex Cross is the most gripping Alex Cross novel James Patterson has ever written.

    

2. Murder Mamas by Ashley and JaQuavis
   (Urban Books, 2011-10-01, Paperback)
   

    

3. The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration (Vintage) by Isabel Wilkerson
   (Vintage, 2011-10-04, Paperback)
   

   In this epic, beautifully written masterwork, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Isabel Wilkerson chronicles one of the great untold stories of American history: the decades-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities, in search of a better life. From 1915 to 1970, this exodus of almost six million people changed the face of America. Wilkerson compares this epic migration to the migrations of other peoples in history. She interviewed more than a thousand people, and gained access to new data and official records, to write this definitive and vividly dramatic account of how these American journeys unfolded, altering our cities, our country, and ourselves. With stunning historical detail, Wilkerson tells this story through the lives of three unique individuals: Ida Mae Gladney, who in 1937 left sharecropping and prejudice in Mississippi for Chicago, where she achieved quiet blue-collar success and, in old age, voted for Barack Obama when he ran for an Illinois Senate seat; sharp and quick-tempered George Starling, who in 1945 fled Florida for Harlem, where he endangered his job fighting for civil rights, saw his family fall, and finally found peace in God; and Robert Foster, who left Louisiana in 1953 to pursue a medical career, the personal physician to Ray Charles as part of a glitteringly successful medical career, which allowed him to purchase a grand home where he often threw exuberant parties.Wilkerson brilliantly captures their first treacherous and exhausting cross-country trips by car and train and their new lives in colonies that grew into ghettos, as well as how they changed these cities with southern food, faith, and culture and improved them with discipline, drive, and hard work. Both a riveting microcosm and a major assessment, The Warmth of Other Suns is a bold, remarkable, and riveting work, a superb account of an “unrecognized immigration” within our own land. Through the breadth of its narrative, the beauty of the writing, the depth of its research, and the fullness of the people and lives portrayed herein, this book is destined to become a classic.

    

4. Cross Fire by James Patterson
   (Vision, 2011-10-01, Mass Market Paperback)
   

   Detective Alex Cross and Bree’s wedding plans are put on hold when Alex is called to the scene of the perfectly executed assassination of two of Washington D.C.’s most corrupt: a dirty congressmen and an underhanded lobbyist. Next, the elusive gunman begins picking off other crooked politicians, sparking a blaze of theories–is the marksman a hero or a vigilante?A murderer returnsThe case explodes, and the FBI assigns agent Max Siegel to the investigation. As Alex and Siegel battle over jurisdiction, the murders continue. It becomes clear that they are the work of a professional who has detailed knowledge of his victims’ movements–information that only a Washington insider could possess.Caught in a lethal cross fire As Alex contends with the sniper, Siegel, and the wedding, he receives a call from his deadliest adversary, Kyle Craig. The Mastermind is in D.C. and will not relent until he has eliminated Cross and his family for good. With a supercharged blend of action, deception, and suspense, Cross Fire is James Patterson’s most visceral and exciting Alex Cross novel ever.

    

5. The Help Deluxe Edition by Kathryn Stockett
   (Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam, 2011-10-27, Hardcover)
   

   With more than 3 million copies sold, the #1 New York Times bestseller is now available in a special gift edition. A modern classic, The Help has been a cultural touchstone for the millions of readers who have cheered on Skeeter, laughed with Minny, and hissed at Hilly. The noble and strong Aibileen has become a heroine for countless fans whose letters have poured in from all over the world. Now the bestselling and beloved book is available in a deluxe gift edition. The Help has been on bestseller lists for longer than any other hardcover fiction title since The Da Vinci Code. It was USA Today’s 2009 Book of the Year and has been published in thirty-seven countries around the world. The movie The Help, produced by DreamWorks and 1492 Pictures, is scheduled for a major motion-picture release in August 2011. This beautiful edition, destined to be passed down from generation to generation, is filled with special features, including: -satin ribbon marker -printed endpapers -cloth case -two-color interior printing This deluxe gift edition is the perfect gift for someone you love-or as a special treat for yourself.

    

6. Night Hawk by Beverly Jenkins
   (Avon, 2011-10-25, Kindle Edition)
   

   Outlaw.Preacher. Night Hawk.He’s had many names,but he can’t escape the past.Since Ian Vance’s beloved wife was murderedyears ago, the hardened bounty hunter knowshe’ll never feel love or tenderness again, so he’smade it his mission to ensure others get theirjustice. But when he’s charged with delivering asharp-eyed beauty to the law, Ian can’t helpbut feel he may still have something left to lose.Orphaned at twelve, Maggie Freeman hasalways found her way out of trouble. But nowthere’s a vigilante mob at her back who wouldlike nothing more than to see her hang for acrime she didn’t commit. Maggie may have toaccept help for the first time in her life . . .even if it’s from the one man standing betweenher and freedom. As the past closes in, the sassy prisonerand toughened lawman may just find a passionbetween them that could bring blindinghappiness . . . if they’ll let it.

    

7. Deadly Desires by Ann Christopher
   (Kensington Books, 2011-10-04, Kindle Edition)
   

   How can you plan a future. . .After a desperate struggle to sever ties with her husband, Kira Gregory is suddenly a free woman. She can start a new life without guns, drugs, dirty money, or fear. But Kira’s newfound independence seems too good to be true. And it is. . .When you can’t outrun your past? DEA Special Agent Dexter Brady spent months trying to get Kira’s husband, Kareem Gregory, off the streets, but he has never come to terms with his growing feelings for Kira. He knows that any sort of a relationship with her is a recipe for disaster, but when danger finds Kira again, Dexter will bend every rule, face any enemy, and make any sacrifice to keep the woman he loves safe from harm. . .Praise for the novels of Ann Christopher”…(an) exciting romantic thriller.” –Publishers Weekly on Deadly PursuitP>”Trouble is a sultry romance…” –The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers”A brilliant and tasteful novel about love, tragedy, heartbreak and forgiveness.” –Romantic Times on Risk

    

8. Midnight and the Meaning of Love by Sister Souljah
   (Washington Square Press, 2011-10-11, Kindle Edition)
   

   Sister Souljah, the New York Times bestselling author of The Coldest Winter Ever and Midnight, delivers her most compelling and enlightening story yet. With Midnight and The Meaning of Love, Souljah brings to her millions of fans an adventure about young, deep love, the ways in which people across the world express their love, and the lengths that they will go to have it. Powerful and sensual, Midnight is an intelligent, fierce fighter and Ninjutsu-trained ninja warrior. He attracts attention wherever he goes but remains unmoved by it and focuses on protecting his mother and sister and regaining his family’s fortunes. When Midnight, a devout Muslim, takes sixteen-year-old Akemi from Japan as his wife, they look forward to building a life together, but their tumultuous teenage marriage is interrupted when Akemi is kidnapped and taken back to Japan by her own father, even though the marriage was consummated and well underway. “There’s not one drop of inferiority in my blood,” Midnight says as he first secures his mother, Umma, and sister, Naja, before setting off on a global journey to reclaim his wife. Midnight must travel across three countries and numerous cultures in his attempt to defeat his opponent. Along this magnificent journey he meets people who change him forever, even as he changes them. He encounters temptations he never would have imagined and takes risks that many a lesser man would say no to, all for the women he loves and is sworn to protect.

    

9. Bad Apple – The Baddest Chick by Nisa Santiago
   (Melodrama Publishing, 2011-10-11, Paperback)
   

   There Can Only Be One Queen Bee Young and beautiful, seventeen-year-old Apple believes there’s one thing she can do better than anyone — herself. Her selfish actions turn fatal in a New York minute when she gets tangled up with a ruthless hustler. He wants his payment in blood with interest. Apple goes undercover to try to clean up her mess, but the lines between vengeance and reality begin to blur. Meanwhile, Apple’s twin sister Kola is leading a fast life of her own with an escort ring. Though she’s making long money, she’s not satisfied with second best, and she sets out to knock Apple off. Her wicked scheming explodes into the ultimate betrayal. Nisa Santiago’s tale of beautiful sisters from Harlem proves that when sibling rivalry spins out of control, loyalty is just a word on the streets.

    

10. Seducing Sarah V.1 (Erotica) (The Madame X School of Sex) by Jinx Jamison
    (CrushStar Romance, 2011-10-01, Kindle Edition)
    

    Check out The Naughty Girls Next Door Blog to find out how to get Stolen, the prequel to this book for FREE!thenaughtygirlsnextdoor.com Dear Reader,You have been accepted into the freshman class of The Madame X School of Sex. To facilitate your smooth transition into the program, I’ve arranged for you to shadow one of our newest students, Sarah Caldwell.  Madame X has personally crafted a unique curriculum to address Sarah’s needs.  If Sarah can keep her hands off her instructor, Master Q, long enough to learn anything, that is.So pull up a chair and get comfortable.  You’re not the one in the hot seat.Yet. Sincerely,Jinx JamisonP.S.  Please be advised that you might be exposed to voyeurism, exhibitionism,oral sex used as punishment and bad girls being spanked by theprincipal.SUMMARYEver since her fiance left her, Sarah Caldwell has led an unremarkable life. She goes to work, she pays her taxes and she always separates the whites from the colors. The most exciting thing in her life is fantasizing about her hunky boss Quinn Sanders, who has no idea how she feels.All she wants is the chance to do something exciting. Anything to prove she’s not as sexually inept as her former fiancé made her feel.When Quinn Sanders gets a call from an old friend, the last thing he expects to hear is that his paralegal Sarah has signed up for sex school. He left his life as Master Q behind for a reason and once vowed to never set foot in the Madame X School again. But he’s lusted after Sarah for years and if sex education is what she needs…Master Q is about to come out of retirement.

     

11. The Shirt On His Back (Benjamin January Mysteries) by Barbara Hambly
    (Severn House Digital, 2011-10-01, Kindle Edition)
    

    The new ‘Benjamin January’ novel from the best-selling author – Abishag Shaw is seeking vengeance for his brother’s murder – and Benjamin January is seeking money after his bank crashes. Far beyond the frontier, in the depths of the Rocky Mountains, both are to be found at the great Rendezvous of the Mountain Men: a month-long orgy of cheap booze, shooting-matches, tall tales and cut-throat trading. But at the rendezvous, the discovery of a corpse opens the door to hints of a greater plot, of madness and wholesale murder . . .

     

12. The John Carlos Story: The Sports Moment That Changed the World by Dave Zirin
    (Haymarket Books, 2011-10-04, Hardcover)
    

    Seen around the world, John Carlos and Tommie Smith’s Black Power salute on the 1968 Olympicpodium sparked controversy and career fallout. Yet their show of defiance remains one of the most iconicimages of Olympic history and the Black Power movement. Here is the remarkable story of one of the menbehind the salute, lifelong activist John Carlos.John Carlos is an African American former track and field athlete, professional football player, and a founding member of the Olympic Project for Human Rights. He won the bronze medal in the 200 meters race at the 1968 Olympics, where his Black Power salute on the podium with Tommie Smith caused much political controversy. The John Carlos Story is his first book.Dave Zirin is the author of four books, including Bad Sports, A People’s History of Sports in the United States, and What’s My Name, Fool? He writes the popular weekly online sports column “The Edge of Sports” and is a regular contributor to SportsIllustrated.com, SLAM, Los Angeles Times, and The Nation, where he is the publication’s first sports editor.

     

13. Both Sides of the Fence 3 by M.T. Pope
    (Urban Books, 2011-10-01, Paperback)
    

     

14. Reimagining Equality: Stories of Gender, Race, and Finding Home by Anita Hill
    (Beacon Press, 2011-10-04, Hardcover)
    

    From the heroic lawyer who spoke out against Clarence Thomas in the historic confirmation hearings twenty years ago, Anita Hill’s first book since the best-selling Speaking Truth to Power.In 1991, Anita Hill’s courageous testimony during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings sparked a national conversation on sexual harassment and women’s equality in politics and the workplace. Today, she turns her attention to another potent and enduring symbol of economic success and equality—the home. Hill details how the current housing crisis, resulting in the devastation of so many families, so many communities, and even whole cities, imperils every American’s ability to achieve the American Dream. Hill takes us on a journey that begins with her own family story and ends with the subprime mortgage meltdown. Along the way, she invites us into homes across America, rural and urban, and introduces us to some extraordinary African American women. As slavery ended, Mollie Elliott, Hill’s ancestor, found herself with an infant son and no husband. Yet, she bravely set course to define for generations to come what it meant to be a free person of color. On the eve of the civil rights and women’s rights movements, Lorraine Hansberry’s childhood experience of her family’s fight against racial restrictions in a Chicago neighborhood ended tragically for the Hansberry family. Yet, that episode shaped Lorraine’s hopeful account of early suburban integration in her iconic American drama A Raisin in the Sun.  Two decades later, Marla, a divorced mother, endeavors to keep her children safe from a growing gang presence in 1980s Los Angeles. Her story sheds light on the fears and anxiety countless parents faced during an era of growing neighborhood isolation, and that continue today. In the midst of the 2008 recession, hairdresser Anjanette Booker’s dogged determination to keep her Baltimore home and her salon reflects a commitment to her own independence and to her community’s economic and social viability. Finally, Hill shares her own journey to a place and a state of being at home that brought her from her roots in rural Oklahoma to suburban Boston, Massachusetts, and connects her own search for home with that of women and men set adrift during the foreclosure crisis.  The ability to secure a place that provides access to every opportunity our country has to offer is central to the American Dream. To achieve that ideal, Hill argues, we and our leaders must engage in a new conversation about what it takes to be at home in America. Pointing out that the inclusive democracy our Constitution promises is bigger than the current debate about legal rights, she presents concrete proposals that encourage us to reimagine equality. Hill offers a twenty-first-century vision of America—not a vision of migration, but one of roots; not one simply of tolerance, but one of belonging; not just of rights, but also of community—a community of equals.

     

15. Love’s Exquisite Freedom by Maya Angelou
    (Welcome Books, 2011-10-04, Hardcover)
    

    The newest installment in Welcome Books’ Art & Poetry series, Love’s Exquisite Freedom pairs the lyrical grace of Maya Angelou with the exquisite art of Edward Burne-Jones. Angelou’s poem of love’s transcendent power finds a striking, sensual complement in Burne-Jones, a star of 19th century Britain’s Aesthetic movement.  Burne-Jones continually examined themes of love, while persuasively arguing for the value of art as an object of beauty.  Fittingly, many of his works incorporate depictions of angels in various guises: as manifestations of love, redemption, and guidance, even as the Roman god Cupid. In Love’s Exquisite Freedom, Burne-Jones’ contention that art reveals a “a light better than any light that ever shone” is tempered by Angelou’s naturalism and earnestness. The combination is an enchanting, powerful exploration of the redemptive quality of love and the unbidden pleasure of emotion. Works featured in the book are exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Harvard Art Museum, among others.

     

16. Truth or Dare by Dwayne S. Joseph
    (Urban Books, 2011-10-01, Paperback)
    

     

17. At the Dark End of the Street: Black Women, Rape, and Resistance–A New History of the Civil Rights Movement from Rosa Parks to the Rise of Black Power (Vintage) by Danielle L. McGuire
    (Vintage, 2011-10-04, Paperback)
    

    Rosa Parks was often described as a sweet and reticent elderly woman whose tired feet caused her to defy segregation on Montgomery’s city buses, and whose supposedly solitary, spontaneous act sparked the 1955 bus boycott that gave birth to the civil rights movement. The truth of who Rosa Parks was and what really lay beneath the 1955 boycott is far different from anything previously written. In this groundbreaking and important book, Danielle McGuire writes about the rape in 1944 of a twenty-four-year-old mother and sharecropper, Recy Taylor, who strolled toward home after an evening of singing and praying at the Rock Hill Holiness Church in Abbeville, Alabama. Seven white men, armed with knives and shotguns, ordered the young woman into their green Chevrolet, raped her, and left her for dead. The president of the local NAACP branch office sent his best investigator and organizer to Abbeville. Her name was Rosa Parks. In taking on this case, Parks launched a movement that ultimately changed the world.The author gives us the never-before-told history of how the civil rights movement began; how it was in part started in protest against the ritualistic rape of black women by white men who used economic intimidation, sexual violence, and terror to derail the freedom movement; and how those forces persisted unpunished throughout the Jim Crow era when white men assaulted black women to enforce rules of racial and economic hierarchy. Black women’s protests against sexual assault and interracial rape fueled civil rights campaigns throughout the South that began during World War II and went through to the Black Power movement. The Montgomery bus boycott was the baptism, not the birth, of that struggle. At the Dark End of the Street describes the decades of degradation black women on the Montgomery city buses endured on their way to cook and clean for their white bosses. It reveals how Rosa Parks, by 1955 one of the most radical activists in Alabama, had had enough. “There had to be a stopping place,” she said, “and this seemed to be the place for me to stop being pushed around.” Parks refused to move from her seat on the bus, was arrested, and, with fierce activist Jo Ann Robinson, organized a one-day bus boycott.The protest, intended to last twenty-four hours, became a yearlong struggle for dignity and justice. It broke the back of the Montgomery city bus lines and bankrupted the company.We see how and why Rosa Parks, instead of becoming a leader of the movement she helped to start, was turned into a symbol of virtuous black womanhood, sainted and celebrated for her quiet dignity, prim demeanor, and middle-class propriety—her radicalism all but erased. And we see as well how thousands of black women whose courage and fortitude helped to transform America were reduced to the footnotes of history.A controversial, moving, and courageous book; narrative history at its best.From the Hardcover edition.

     

18. Breaking the Ties That Bind by Gwynne Forster
    (Kensington, 2011-10-01, Paperback)
    

    One young woman is about to learn what tough love is all about. . .Thirty-three-year-old Kendra Richards just can’t escape her reckless mother’s endless requests for money that will never be repaid. Again and again, Kendra rescues Ginny despite the advice of her own father—a man who left Ginny and her cheating ways long ago. Kendra knows her mother is troubled—what she doesn’t understand is why she can’t tell her no—until she happens to meet psychologist Sam Hughes. . .Smart and sexy, Sam offers Kendra the answers—and the love and romance—she’s been looking for. She’s finally happy—until Ginny turns up for another handout. But this time the situation is desperate, and the stakes are higher than ever. Now, Kendra must finally decide if she’s willing to lose everything for a woman who has nothing to give. . .Praise for the Novels of Gwynne Forster”Wise and wonderful as it points out, once again, the importance of honesty and appreciating what you have while you have it.”—Publishers Weekly on A Different Kind of Blues”Touching, thought-provoking, and will make you think twice about ever keeping secrets from the one you love.” —Kimberla Lawson Roby, New York Times bestselling author on If You Walked in My Shoes

     

19. Consequences by Skyy
    (Urban Books, 2011-10-01, Paperback)
    

    School’s back in session and there’s a lot of unfinished business to handle. As Lena prepares for her wedding day, she can’t help but think about Denise, her sexy b-ball roommate who almost stole her away. A summer isn’t enough time to get over a true love. Denise just can’t shake the feelings she developed for soon-to-be-married Lena. Should she go for what she wants or leave well enough alone? Cooley let Misha walk away, but she can’t take no for an answer. Will her determination to win back her first love bring Misha back or push her further away? Carmen worked hard to get her life back on track…but will fears of the past wreck her future with new love Nic? This fast-paced sequel to Choices will leave you on an emotional roller coaster you won’t want to get off.

     

20. Scandalicious: A Novel (Zane Presents) by Allison Hobbs
    (Strebor Books, 2011-10-04, Paperback)
    

    From the bestselling author of Double Dippin’ and Big Juicy Lips—scandal abounds as a husband, his wife—and their lovers—become entangled in a dangerously delicious dance of revenge, lust, and deception. Solay is the proud owner of Scandalicious, a trendy cupcake boutique that’s raking in the dough. Practically married to her business, Solay does not have time for romance or its complications. What she needs is a friend with benefits. When she hires a gorgeous male escort, she believes that she’s found the perfect solution. Addicted to his incredible bedroom skills, Solay soon discovers that being “whipped” is as distracting as being in love. Lincoln has been a faithful husband for seven years. His world collapses when he discovers that his trophy wife has been cheating. Though she pleads for forgiveness, he simply can’t. Will his desire for vengeance overpower his ability to forgive? Melanee is a quiet assistant baker by day and part of a secret sex society at night. What happens when you combine sweet treats, explosive sex, and dirty little secrets is absolutely Scandalicious!