Black Friday Weekend Sale!

 All book cover ads $20 until 11/29 11:59pm! Contact blackfridaysale@urban-reviews.com!

On the Line with Radiah Hubbert : K’wan

  

K’WAN is the best-selling, award-winning author of more thirty novels, including the wildly popular Animal series, Black Lotus, Gangsta, Road Dawgz, Street Dreams, Hoodlum, and Section 8. He has been featured in Vibe, King, Entertainment Weekly, and Time magazine. K’wan was the recipient of the 2012 and 2013 Street Lit Book Award Medals (SLBAM) in adult fiction for Eviction Notice and Animal. His credits also include featured commentary in the documentary Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp (produced by Ice-T) as well as a recurring role as an analyst on TV One’s Celebrity Crime Files. K’wan resides in New Jersey, where he spends his time writing, cooking, and binge-watching reruns of The Vampire Diaries with his teenage daughters. Black Lotus 2: The Vow is his latest novel.

 Radiah:  Tell us about Black Lotus 2 : The Vow.

K’wan:  Black Lotus 2 picks up a few months after the events in Black Lotus, and right before Kahllah’s character is introduced into the Animal timeline (Animal 2). Our war hardened heroine has decided she’s had enough of living life on the edge and wants to retire and sample the fruits of normalcy. She’s been serving the Brotherhood of Blood since she was a child, and it’s starting to wear on her. She just wants to focus on her magazine “Real Talk” and maybe find a nice guy to settle down with. For a while, it seems like she may have finally gotten out of the game… that’s when a cop turns up dead and her signature calling card is found at the scene; a Black Lotus flower. 

She hasn’t committed this particular murder, but it’s going to be near impossible to prove it to the police; especially her one time rival now turned friend, Detective James Wolf. She becomes a hunted woman and the only way to clear her name is by finding the real killer, which proves to be easier said than done. The person behind the murders isn’t your run of the mill hit man. All signs to point to this being the work of a fellow Brotherhood member, but which one is the question

Radiah: Why did you decide to do a sequel to Black Lotus after so many years?

 K’wan : I’d  always planned on writing more Black Lotus stories. She and the Brotherhood are some of my favorite characters to write about. The reason the follow up took so long was because I had so much other stuff that I needed to get out. I think I released maybe seven or eight other stories between the first and second Black Lotus titles. 

Radiah: Will there be a third installment of  Black Lotus? 

K’wan: Yes...kind of. There are so many rich characters in that world. Some of the characters the readers have met and others they haven’t.

 Radiah: Do you prefer to write stand alone novels or novels that are a part of a series and why?

K’wan: That all depends. At the beginning of my career I refused to write sequels. All of my early works were standalone until the Hood Rat series. Even with those, it wasn’t actually a series but several stand alone novels with overlapping characters. I think standalone vs series all depends on where my head is at the time. In other cases I’ve found that sometimes there’s too much for me to say in a single story. 

Radiah: Can you give us a sneak peek at what you’re working on now?

K’wan:  I’m finishing up “The Reluctant King,” “Broken Promise,” and of course gearing up to release Animal 5. In addition I’ve gotten back working on my paranormal stuff.I am doing ALOT right now.  

Radiah: If a reader just discovered your books, which book would you recommend that they start with and why?

K’wan:  I always tell readers to start at the beginning with “Gangsta.” Of course, everybody loves Animal, but it was Lou-Loc who started it all.

Radiah : Where can readers find out more about you and your novels?

K’wan: I’m working on revamping my website Kwanwrites.com, which seems like its taking forever. Readers can also find me on my social media : Instagram: Kwan_Iamlegend, Twitter: KwanTheWriter and facebook. My personal page is Kwan Writes and my author page is Kwan The Writer. If all else fails, google me and my wiki page will probably pop up. 

New Review : Black Lotus 2 : The Vow : K'wan

 

 

                                    5 out of 5 books

Kahllah has retired from the Brotherhood of Blood and is trying to live a normal life. Her focus is on her magazine “Real Talk” and a possible love interest. But the simple life that Kahllah craved for is interrupted when a cop ends up dead. The killer left her signature  Black Lotus flower at the scene of the crime. Now, Kahllah must find out who is killing in her name before it’s too late.

Murder, chaos, and disorder is what you’ll find in Black Lotus 2 : The Vow by K’wan. Just when you think you have the story all figured out, K’wan throws in one of his infamous curveballs that will shock you. K’wan does a good job of giving readers more of a peak into Kahllah’s background with the Brotherhood of Blood and how they operate. You could read this book as a stand-alone but you would be cheating yourself if you skipped Black Lotus which is the first installment of this series. Black Lotus 2 : The Vow is full of the cinematic action and drama that K’wan is known for. Readers will be anxiously waiting for the next installment.

Get your copy of Black Lotus 2 : The Vow today!

The 12th Annual Great Midwest Book Fest presents : November to Remember Book Bash - Call for Authors!

 

The 12th Annual Great Midwest Book Fest presents November to Remember Book Bash on Saturday, November 7, 2020 from 1pm-5pm on Zoom. It is a free to the public virtual event for the attendees on Zoom. Each attendee that registers and attends the book bash will get one free book. The featured authors for this event are New York Times Bestselling author Brenda Jackson, National Bestselling author Naleighna Kai, National Bestselling author LaJill Hunt, and National Bestselling author J.D. Mason. This event's lineup also includes: 

Pat Simmons

Sierra Kay

Michelle Mitchell

Stacey-Covington Lee

Obelia Akanke 

Vivian King

Bonnie J. Edwards

Each  author will have 10 minutes to tell everyone about themselves or their books and they will include a link for attendees to purchase their books online.

There is still room for more authors! The participation fee for this virtual event is $20. Your space for the event will only be reserved once payment is received. If you are interested, please send an email to radiah@urban-reviews.com and I will send you a Paypal invoice. Thank you!

The Forthcoming: The Real Housewives of the Bible : Theresa V. Wilson

 

Ever wonder what really happened behind the proverbial scenes with those infamous women who became wives of some the most noteworthy men in the bible?

The Real Housewives of the Bible is the first book of a fictional series about women who found themselves assigned to situations that have an impact as a driving force behind some of the most important events of ancient times. The focus is projecting what might have been the behind the scenes events that may have contributed to their journey.

"I'm impressed with how Theresa V. Wilson kept The Real Housewives of the Bible, Biblical yet made it contemporary. She took the words from scripture and made it today. She didn't stray from the bible, she just put some 'spiritual meat' on the bones. That's a gift!"--Pat G'Orge-Walker, National Bestselling Author of Fire in the Water and Don’t Blame the Devil".

Release Date : 9/15/20

Pre-order your copy of The Real Housewives of the Bible today!

The Forthcoming : And Now She's Gone: A Novel : Rachel Howzell Hall

Isabel Lincoln is gone.

But is she missing?

It’s up to Grayson Sykes to find her. Although she is reluctant to track down a woman who may not want to be found, Gray’s search for Isabel Lincoln becomes more complicated and dangerous with every new revelation about the woman’s secrets and the truth she’s hidden from her friends and family.

Featuring two complicated women in a dangerous cat and mouse game, Rachel Howzell Hall's And Now She’s Gone explores the nature of secrets — and how violence and fear can lead you to abandon everything in order to survive.

Release date: 9/22/20

Pre-order link : https://amzn.to/342Rrx9

The Forthcoming : Show Me (Irresistible Husband Book Three) : Sharon C Cooper

Just when he thought finding a wife was out of his reach…

Colton “Cole” Eubanks is laser focused on building wealth and settling down with a special woman before he turns forty. Accomplishing one out of two isn’t bad. Unfortunately, there’s no ‘love of his life’ on the horizon, unless he counts the one woman who’s been starring in his nightly dreams—Malaya Radcliff.

After being dependent on one person after another for years, Malaya has finally learned to stand on her own. There’s only one thing she hasn’t been able to accomplish—gain full custody of her daughter. Her ex-husband never fights fair. His wealth always wins. This time Malaya’s determined to come out on top. So when Cole, the man she’s been secretly in lust with for over a year, makes her an offer she’d be crazy to refuse, Malaya wants to say yes. But that means sacrificing her newfound independence. Yet, his enticing proposal has her thinking—why not?

Release date : 9/10/20

Pre-order link : https://amzn.to/2Cv2CmO

The Forthcoming : Estranged: Nakia R. Laushaul

Previously published as Locked in Purgatory

In his prime, LUTHER BENNETT had it all … everything but loyalty to his family. And for that, when LUTHER needed his children the most, they abandoned him, forcing him to suffer in silence. SAMUEL BENNETT, the unfortunate heir to his father’s misdeeds, has grown weary of following in LUTHER’S footsteps. SAMUEL desires a life to call his own. Trapped in a marriage that doesn’t exist and a mounting mistrust of all men, LYNNE BENNETT has always felt like the black sheep of the family. After ten years of refusing to see or even speak to LUTHER, LYNNE finally decides to confront her father.

Ripe with secrets, denial, and a festering anger that sears the heart, ESTRANGED unravels the family lies that bind.

Release date : 9/15/20

Pre-order link : https://amzn.to/2Y5nubO

The Forthcoming : Love Ain't Always a Fairytale : LaChelle Weaver

 

All fairytales don't have happy endings...

Building her baby registry should top defense attorney, Martika Jordan-Wallace’s to-do list, but when her husband gets slammed with a lawsuit courtesy of his former fiancée, planning for her child’s arrival gets traded for building a scandalous case against his ex. The dirt Martika digs up on her just might do the trick. Will the spouses be able to successfully defend themselves against a woman scorned or will the cradle fall along with their marriage?

When Shayla Yarborough’s husband’s life ends tragically after he discovers she’s been keeping a secret, survivor’s guilt and remorse leads Shayla to grieve on the most unlikely shoulder. Burdened with the shame of self-inflicted misery, will Shayla finally break free from depression, or will she dive heart-first into destruction?

Dr. Rita Franklin was set to be the most stunning bride the city had seen. Too bad her fiancé ghosted her hours before their elaborate wedding. Jilted and humiliated, Rita spent the last year restoring her broken heart…but old grudges die hard; her ex and his wife are about to find out just how bitter revenge tastes on the receiving end. Will a violent incident refocus Rita’s attention on pulling her life together or will she be determined to extract vengeance once and for all?

Release date : 9/28/20

Pre-order link : https://amzn.to/3aqF9Qn

The Forthcoming : Jada's Diary: From Growing Pains to Found Promise : Jo Cabey

 

Ever since she was a child, Jada White was told that education is the key to success. To freedom. To happiness. So, she found purpose and a life direction at college, studying the very subject that connected with her the most; and as she acquired multiple degrees, life started to open up for her.

Now navigating her twenties as best she can, Jada has a thriving career as an educator amongst the hustle and bustle of New York City. But despite throwing herself enthusiastically into jobs, relationships and travel, Jada finds herself continually betrayed, alone, and far from the happiness she always dreamed success would bring.

Dragged along by her work ethic and fueled by her yearnings, Jada fails to acknowledge the traumas of her past – traumas that are rearing their ugly heads as cycles of abandonment and abuse.

As Jada is hurled from one heart-wrenching situation to the next, the peace and happiness she so desperately wants always seems just out of reach.

Can Jada face her shadows and realize that emotional freedom is hers for the taking? Or have her scars altered the course of her life forever?

Release date: 9/12/20 

Pre-order link : https://amzn.to/31QcyA0

The Forthcoming : When No One Is Watching: A Thriller : Alyssa Cole

Rear Window meets Get Out in this gripping thriller from a critically acclaimed and New York Times Notable author, in which the gentrification of a Brooklyn neighborhood takes on a sinister new meaning…

Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block—her neighbor Theo.

But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the push to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised.

When does coincidence become conspiracy? Where do people go when gentrification pushes them out? Can Sydney and Theo trust each other—or themselves—long enough to find out before they too disappear?

Release date: 9/1/20

Pre-order link: https://amzn.to/31YssIq

The Forthcoming : The Letter : LaChelle Weaver

Miranda Hopson believed she was the perfect wife...until her husband's alleged mistress employs the postal service to deliver the news that Miranda is the woman on the side.
Coming off the high of celebrating her eighteenth wedding anniversary, Miranda receives a shocking revelation when a mystery woman contacts her claiming a nine-year affair with her husband, Quincy. Typically reserved Miranda feels the fury of scorn, while the taste of vengeance consumes her mind. But thoughts are simply thoughts--until one of the guilty ends up dead. Is Miranda the culprit or has karma tipped in her favor?

Release date: 8/28/20: 

Pre-order link: https://amzn.to/3g4L1jk

Book Trailer of the Month : King of Durabia : Naleighna Kai

Excerpt of the Month : Love, Lust & Beautiful Liars : Shakir Rashaan

“Good morning, sexy.”

“Mmm, good morning to you, too.” Samara stretched as she struggled to cover her nude form. “What time is it?”

Peeking under the covers to enjoy her nakedness, a slick grin spread across his face. “I’d say it’s time for round three, but I don’t want to wear you out before you have to go back to your shoot.”

“I don’t want to go back to work, and I don’t want you to, either. I was hoping that we could … well, you know.”

Dorian stroked his chin, wondering how far he wanted to take the teasing between them. “Persuade me.”

“And how can I do that?”

“Use your imagination.”

She leaned in, daring him to press his lips against hers. “Will you to stop me once I try to convince you?”

“Allow me to, in my own way, but you can’t stop me once I start.”

“I have a feeling I won’t like where this is going.”

“Yes, you will. I promise you will.”

Samara straddled his lap before he could protest further, staring into his eyes with an intensity he didn’t anticipate. She traced a finger across his chin, lightly kissing his lips a few times, moving to his neck, then closing his eyes, fluttering her eyelids against his like a butterfly breezing in the wind. He tried to resist her advances, but she playfully forced him to clasp both sides of her waist. She cupped his face in her hands as she pressed her lips against his once more, parting them with her tongue, to get inside and kiss him with everything she had to offer.

“Mara—”

“No, baby, you can’t stop me, remember?”

She continued tempting him, and as much as he wanted to reciprocate, he couldn’t. No matter how badly he wanted to let himself go, he couldn’t. He struggled to regain some semblance of control over the situation by slipping her off his lap at the very least, but Samara was unwilling to yield it to him.

“Kiss me, DK. Kiss me the way you kissed me when we were kids back in Rio,” she implored. “Kiss me like you want to make me yours. I’m all yours. I’ve always been yours.”

He hesitated as the memories of the first night they made love—the night he fell in love with her—flooded his psyche. He was weak for her, desperate to allow his emotions to rise to the surface, but he wasn’t ready to let that happen. He needed to turn over the operations to one of his lieutenants before he could step away permanently and give himself completely to her.

His other dilemma: could he kill “The Wraith”—a persona he’d embodied for nearly his entire adult life? It was the one thing Samara didn’t know about him, the one secret he’d kept from everyone he held dear, except his father. His mother was convinced he worked for the State Department all these years, and he refused to allow her to believe anything different.

“Dorian … kiss me. It’s only a kiss, baby. I know you want to; I can see it in your eyes. Don’t hold back, darling. Kiss me.”

Autographed Copy: https://bit.ly/ShakirAutographCopy

Amazon Kindle Copy: https://bit.ly/Beautiful-Liars

Sponsorship Opportunities : 12th Annual Great Midwest Book Fest: NEW DATE: 6/12/21

Below are different sponsorship opportunities that are available for this year’s book fest. Please contact me at radiah@urban-reviews.com if you are interested.  The size of the program book is  8.5 x 11 letter size and is in full color. All sponsors will be listed in the Great Midwest Book Fest program. Thank you.

Platinum Sponsor : One page ad : $100 : Includes a one page ad in the Great Midwest Book Fest program book and three weeks of free  Author of the Week advertising that will be featured on urbanreviewsonline.com website as well as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. ($75 value)

Silver Sponsor : Half page ad : $75 : Includes a half page ad in the Great Midwest Book Fest program book and 2 weeks of free  Author of the Week advertising that will be featured on urbanreviewsonline.com website as well as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. ($50 value)

Gold Sponsor : Donate 10 books or more for the SWAG bags . Includes 1 week of free Author of the Week advertising that will be featured on urbanreviewsonline.com website as well as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. ($25 value)

Bronze Sponsor : Donate one signed copy of your book to be featured in the Great Midwest Book Fest giveaway basket. You will  be listed in the Great Midwest Book Fest program book as a sponsor.

The Forthcoming : Eating the Forbidden Fruit : Roland Sato Page : Release Date : March 30, 2020

Eating the Forbidden Fruit was long overdue since it was actually written during author Roland Page’s federal trial and detainment. The delay was because legal counsel advised him to wait for his statue limitation to be up. Eating the Forbidden Fruit is a gritty fiction novel loosely based on true events in author Roland Sato Page’s life. The newcomer author delivers a personal journey into his rise and demise as a St. Louis City Police Officer.

He takes the readers on a roller coaster ride of good ole family memories to the nightmarish reality of being a police officer indicted on federal drug charges. During his trial, he wrote memoirs as a testimonial of redemption. Roland’s case stems from the conflict of his childhood affiliation and his oath to uphold the law. What is certain is one can't run from sin for karma is much faster.

Pre Order your copy of Eating the Forbidden Fruit today!

New Review : All the Things I Should Have Known: Tiffany L. Warren

     5 out of 5 books

Three 40-something friends are very successful in their careers and are enjoying what life has to offer them. The only thing that they're missing is a love of their own. Hahna owns her own data consulting firm that she’s built from the ground up. When she meets an aspiring author name Sam, she wonder if he is the man that she’s looking for. Kimberly is an attorney who has developed her own line of hair care products. Kimberly is caught off guard when she catches the eye of a young man name Shawn. Will she take the plunge? Twila is a successful cosmetic dentist. She becomes intrigued when this hot Instagram model Marcus walks into her office. Will she see what he has to offer?

All the Things I Should Have Known by Tiffany L. Warren is a fun book about the dating adventures of professional women in their 40s. Readers will find that these characters are very relatable. You might find some characteristics of these women in people that you know. The story is full of humor and shocking moments that you won’t see coming. This is a perfect book club pick because it will spark a lively discussion. All the Things That I Should Have Known is a clear winner for Tiffany L. Warren.

Get Your Copy of All The Things I Should Have Known Today!

Author of the Week : Roland Sato Page

 Eating the Forbidden Fruit is a gritty fiction novel loosely based on true events in author Roland Sato Page’s life. The newcomer author delivers a personal journey into his rise and demise as a St. Louis City Police Officer. He takes the readers on a roller coaster ride of good ole family memories to the nightmarish reality of being a police officer indicted on federal drug charges. During his trial, he wrote memoirs as a testimonial of redemption. Roland’s case stems from the conflict of his childhood affiliation and his oath to uphold the law. What is certain is one can't run from sin for karma is much faster.

Get Your Copy of Eating the Forbidden Fruit Today!

Author Roland Sato Page was born in Brooklyn New York in a military household with a mother from Osaka, Japan and a combat trainer father with three war tours under his belt. He grew up in a well disciplined home with five other siblings. As he got older his family relocated to St. Louis where the author planted his roots and also pursued a military life in the Army Reserves. 

Roland married his high school sweetheart and started a family of four. Roland joined the St. Louis police department were his career was cut short when he was convicted of federal crimes due to his childhood affiliation. 

After enduring this tragedy, he rebounded becoming a famed a tattoo artist opening Pearl Gallery Tattoos in downtown St. Louis MO. The company grew into a family business yet another unfortunate incident tested his fate. He was diagnosed with Lupus which halted his body art career. However, with tragedy comes blessings. Roland’s sons took over the business and propelled the shop to a higher level. Roland consumed with depression began writing to occupy the time. With a newfound passion, he traded visual art for literary art.  

Website: http://www.authorrolandpage.com

 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqyiWVvhSlE

****There is one table left!****The Open Call for Authors for the 12th Annual Great Midwest Book Fest !

****There is one table left! You have until February 29th!***

UrbanReviewsOnline.com presents the 12th Annual Great Midwest Book Fest. The Great Midwest Book Fest  will be held on Saturday, June 27, 2020, from 1pm to 4pm at Nicolet High School, 6701 N. Jean Nicolet Road, Glendale, WI. The Great Midwest Book Fest is a three hour book fair that is open to the public with a $5 admission. This year's headline author will be Essence bestselling author LaJill Hunt. There will be 10 to 12 authors selling their own books. The first hour will be dedicated to author introductions.

Each author will get five minutes to either read an excerpt of their book or to tell attendees more about themselves or their books. This will be followed by a 10 minute Q&A session with the attendees.

The attendees that come to this book fest usually buy more than one book. Please be advised that this is a local book event and not a conference, so please think about overall costs when deciding to participate in this event (i.e., airfare, hotel, food, etc).

The participation fee for an author table is $125 (non-refundable). You will have your own table to decorate any way that you would like. You will be included in all of our online marketing materials, postcards, and posters that we will have throughout our city. If you are interested, please respond back to Radiah Hubbert at  radiah@urban-reviews.com ASAP and I will send you an Paypal invoice. Once all spots are filled, invoices will be cancelled. Thank you!

The 12 Days of Christmas

So...it's been a few years and I want to do this again. UrbanReviewsOnline.com presents The 12 Twelve Days of Christmas contest. Starting on Thursday, December 12th, an author gives away one copy of their book in the Urban Reviews Facebook Group. You must be a member of the group in order to win.There will be a contest posted by 7am each day. If you are an author that would like to participate in this, email me at radiah@urban-reviews.com with The 12 Days of Christmas in the subject by THIS WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 11th. You are responsible for sending out the book to the winner. It could be an ebook or physical book.