Urban Reviews - Your Source for the Best in AA Fiction!

  5 out of 5 books This is my first read by Author Zelda Lockhart, however I plan to follow her writing journey. The story was full of drama. It was truly a page turner that showed curses on the family bloodline where the curse marred three generations. This storyline was a brutal reminder of the injustices of how black and brown people were treated. Even after serving their country, they were still belittled and treated subpar. The unrest of the family members spirits who had been killed remained in the house taunting and attempting to get the next living family member. Beginning with Bennie and Lenard, due to the murder of their mother at the hands of their abusive father, the souls weren’t at rest and remained in the family home. During that time, there wasn’t much talk of therapy for the mentally ill or disturbed. There was no healing in the past and though the two brothers tried to outlive the shortcomings of their father, Bennie fell prey to the demons within. Reviewed by Lac...

  5 out of 5 books This is my first read by Author Ben Burgess Jr. I was deeply invested in this storyline. Juanita had a happy family until her husband was gunned down coming out of a store. Their lives changed drastically. They went from having enough, to just making ends meet. As a newly single mother trying to navigate raising two sons, one of whom blames you for the death of their father and is determined to punish you. Just when she thought that things couldn’t get any worse, Jerami her youngest son was diagnosed with cancer. The time she needed to care for him only proved to drive a deeper wedge of separation between her and Jalen. It was his license to entertain the street life with his neighbor and friend Akeem. Juanita has vowed to make her boys number one in every area of her life. Tracy and Debbie became best friends with Juanita and they created a village. They would need one another more than ever as the streets and the police threaten to destroy their sons. Each of t...

About the Book Welcome to the enthralling world of "Eve's Deception," a gripping Christian romance suspense crafted by the award-winning author, Sylvia Hubbard. Immerse yourself in a tale of faith, temptation, and redemption as you follow the journey of Evie and Adam through a turbulent web of emotions and unforeseen circumstances.   In "Eve's Deception," the lines between faith, desire, and revenge blur in a captivating narrative that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Meet Evie, a woman who has lost her faith due to the betrayal of the very church that was supposed to provide solace. She's been wronged, and now she's prepared to take matters into her own hands. When an opportunity arises for Evie to extract her revenge, she seizes it without hesitation. Tasked with seducing the charming and devout Assistant Pastor Adam Matthew, Evie sees this as her chance to bring down the congregation that once turned its back on her. As the flames of lust ...

  4 out of 5 books Alicia Gray has everything a stay-at-home mom can dream of, but her real desire is to complete her degree and have a career of her own. Her husband, Elliott, is a very successful partner at his law firm who prefers Alicia not to work outside the home, but to stay home and care for their two daughters.  Elliott dismisses her desire to return to school, stating that any woman will love to be in her position. Alicia soon discovers cracks in her perfect marriage.  Elliott  starts to work late, have secret conversations and Alicia is receiving ominous messages in the mail.  Alicia does a bit of snooping and what she finds totally shatters her heart. After discovering his secret, Alicia opens up to her friend Kataline who convinces her that the messages mean nothing and reassures her that Elliott loves only her. Alicia has secrets of her own and the more secrets that are uncovered, even more secrets are revealed. When tragedy strikes, it sends shock...

  3 out of 5 books Desiree and Cameron Woodson are looking for a home for their family. During their search, they came upon the perfect house to rent. Although the monthly rent is more than they had budgeted, Desiree wants the home so badly that Cameron, under pressure from the property manager, makes it happen. Unbeknownst to the couple, the rental agreement has so many stipulations and strict clauses the family must adhere to. They literally have signed their lives over to the landlord who controls every aspect.   Let me state, I am a Brandon Massey fan! His latest offering THE LANDLORD did not deliver that bite that I am used to when reading his mystery or horror stories. There are several scenarios in the book that could have potentially delivered the thrills and chills, but they fell short. I was taken aback at the resentment Desiree felt towards Cameron when she was the one who wanted the house. I was expecting a more suspenseful build up and villainous character develop...

  4.5 out 5 books THE VIOLIN CONSPIRACY was a surprise for me. I didn't know it was a mystery until I started reading it. It's about Ray, who loves classical music and the violin. He wants to be a professional musician, but he doesn't have a violin of his own. His grandma gives him her grandpa's old violin, which turns out to be a rare and expensive Stradivarius. Ray faces a lot of challenges because of his violin. His relatives fight over who should have it. Some people from the past claim it belongs to their family. Someone steals it right before his big competition, the International Tchaikovsky Competition. Ray must deal with all this while trying to practice and perform. He also faces racism and prejudice in the music world. He is determined to follow his passion and his gift. I liked this book a lot. It was well written and showed how people can be greedy, how families can be complicated, and how racism can affect someone's life. The book was sometimes slow, b...

  3 out of 5 books WHAT NEVER HAPPENED by Rachel Howzell Hall starts out with a bang. Coco wanders home in the middle of the night after slipping out to drink with local kids. Coco, a recent import from Long Beach, wants to fit in but finds Catalina Island a challenge, particularly as her family comprises a fair percentage of the island’s miniscule Black population. Coco walks in on a horrific scene at home: her father dead in a pool of blood in the kitchen. Coco discovers that her mother and brother have also been murdered, before narrowly escaping the killer by hiding in a closet. Nineteen years later, Coco has come back to Catalina to claim the house her family was supposed to move into all those years before. Coco is leaving her husband Micah who has dreams of becoming an actor on her dime. She worked as an obituary writer for the LA Times but was downsized. A job offer from her friend Maddy solidifies her decision to move back to Catalina Island. Shortly after she arrives on C...

  3 out of 5 books Nigerwife - the foreign wife of a Nigerian husband who takes up residence in Nigeria.   Nicole Oruwari is of Jamaican descent and lived in London until she made the decision to move to Nigeria with her handsome husband,  Tonye and her two sons. Tonye’s family, which includes his parents, live in an opulent mansion in Lagos. She is leaving her troubled family home where she has always felt like an outsider although she was among family.  The anticipation of a more luxurious and grand life excited her but what she found was more loneliness, isolation and depression. Even being a part of the exclusive “Nigerwives' ' did not provide the fulfillment she thought she would have received being married to Tonye in such a beautiful and lavish city.   Nicole’s life looks so perfect, but a very different picture soon begins to emerge. Nicole disappears after a boat outing in Ikoyi harbor with little details of what happened, or if she’s alive or not. Her ...

  3 out of 5 books As YOU NEVER KNOW opens, Briscoe foretells the home invasion and brutal attack of Alexis Roberts.  The focus of the novel is then set on the events that led up to the account. Alexis was born hearing impaired, a hereditary condition that she inherited from her mother.  Because there is a chance that she could give birth to a child and pass on the same condition along with the shame and burden that comes along with it, she is on the fence about accepting Paul’s proposal. Paul wants children and Alexis does not, so she ends her relationship with him. At a fundraising event for children with special needs, Alexis meets Marcus, a successful attorney, who was familiar with her condition as his mom was also deaf.   Marcus is very patient and affectionate towards Alexis. He spoils her with lavish gifts and expensive romantic getaways. Alexis has found love and they are quickly married. Shortly after saying “I do”, Marcus tightens up the spending and his b...

  4 out of 5 books Dice is a contract killer and a former CIA operative. Dice has used her special set of skills to eliminate targets all over the world. Dice gets more that she bargains for when finds herself in the middle of a government conspiracy. To complicate things further, Dice meets Noah Avery after completing a job. Noah is everything Dice ever wanted in a man. But will he accept her for who she is? Murder, espionage, and government conspiracies is what you’ll find in A Dangerous Woman by Marlon McCaulsky. McCaulsky does a good job of bringing readers a satisfying and unexpected storyline. The action scenes are so good that it will feel like you’re watching your favorite action movie.   Marlon McCaulsky brought a true page turner with A Dangerous Woman . Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert Get your copy of A Dangerous Woman today!

  When Avery Thomas inherits D Allen Designs she must piece together the tattered shreds of her life after the death of her best friend. Now she’s mending broken family relationships, cutting through financial difficulties, and fabricating a new romantic relationship. As the attorney for D Allen Designs, Tyler Anderson is fully aware of the challenges Avery faces and he’s in awe of her resilience. For Avery, he’s bent the law and compromised his prayers for a wife. After wanting her for so long, she’s finally his. But he can’t continue living on this side of the seam. Can they weave the remnants of life and love together? Or will their chance at love end up on the cutting room floor? Click here to read an excerpt of Love's Remnant 

  Gracetown, Florida June 1950 Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr., is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, a reformatory, for kicking the son of the largest landowner in town in defense of his older sister, Gloria. So begins Robbie’s journey further into the terrors of the Jim Crow South and the very real horror of the school they call The Reformatory. Robbie has a talent for seeing ghosts, or haints. But what was once a comfort to him after the loss of his mother has become a window to the truth of what happens at the reformatory. Boys forced to work to remediate their so-called crimes have gone missing, but the haints Robbie sees hint at worse things. Through his friends Redbone and Blue, Robbie is learning not just the rules but how to survive. Meanwhile, Gloria is rallying every family member and connection in Florida to find a way to get Robbie out before it’s too late. The Reformatory  is a haunting work of historical fiction written as only Americ...

4 out of 5 books When a reality TV star Desiree Pierce is found dead on a New York City playground the day after her twenty-fifth birthday, the authorities are treating it like a regular tragedy. But her half-sister Lena Scott feels something is not quite right. Although the sisters have been estranged for two years, Lena won’t stop until she finds out who murdered Desiree. But this investigation may be more than Lena bargained for. Some of the best mysteries are when the main characters that are investigating are not a part of law enforcement. Kellye Garrett did just that with having Lena dig into her sister’s murder in Like A Sister .You feel Lena’s frustration as she tries to track down Desiree’s friends and trying to get clues from her social media pages. Garrett did a good job of leading readers down one path and then switches it up. When the killer is revealed, readers will not guess who it is. Family secrets, betrayal and shady characters are what you’ll find in Like A Sister b...

    5 out of 5 books Yasir Salah is the new kid at his high school. He’s trying his best to fit in without drawing too much attention to himself. There is a storm brewing inside Yasir that he doesn’t understand. Why does his eyes change colors and where is this extreme heat coming from on his skin? His family always warned him to be careful. But no one ever told him about his past and exactly what he is. Shakir Rashaan brings us into an entertaining paranormal world with Neverwraith . Rashaan does a good job with bringing Yasir’s story to life. It was refreshing to see an African American male teen as the lead character in this kind of story. While reading this book, you want to know more about Yasir’s background as he is going though his own self discovery. Rashaan does an excellent job of giving the reader just enough information without giving too much away. From the camaraderie among Yasir’s friends to him dealing with everyday high school issues, Neverwraith is defi...

  Reverend Emerson James is a pillar of his community. The pastor of the High River North Carolina 7th Day Nondenominational Church, the biggest church outside of nearby Charlotte, has been a dream for him for the past twenty years. Emerson is loved and respected by pretty much everyone. So why is someone trying to blackmail him? And for five million dollars? And how far will he go to keep his scandalous secrets from coming to light? Because Emerson James is no saint. His platform and his power have gone to his head. And when one of his parishioners ends up murdered, it's the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back. Because the church is about to be thrown into a whole lot of chaos--and it just might not survive. Get your copy of The Reverend today!

  Alone, Pregnant... And About to Be Murdered Struggling and pregnant Gabrielle Payne is on the brink of despair when she discovers the father of her unborn child, the man from a fleeting one-night stand, was none other than the mysteriously wealthy Oliver Farnsworth—now dead and without an heir. Desperate and alone, she reveals her secret, hoping for some assistance from the Farnsworth family. Taken in by Oliver’s seemingly benevolent stepmother, Neema McGee, Gabrielle is introduced to a world of opulence and grandeur, far exceeding anything she has ever known. But behind the luxurious façade of the Farnsworth mansion, lies a web of intrigue, betrayal, and deadly secrets. As Gabrielle delves deeper into the life of the enigmatic Oliver, she unravels startling truths: his untimely death by untraced poison, a disgruntled twin brother living in estrangement, and above all, Neema's insidious plan to eliminate Gabrielle and claim the Farnsworth fortune. Every shadow in the Farnsworth m...

  Fresh out of federal prison for serving 18 months for fraud and identity theft, 25-year-old Farrah Sparks finds herself back in Atlanta, broke and lost. Despite it all, she can’t fight her inner dream of becoming a star. Down on her luck, she enters the world of well-paid acquaintances/sugar daddies and finds a billionaire, Saleh, who will finance of dream of superstardom. Through him, she meets legendary music producer Nero Noir. Farrah finds herself falling for the two men, her lover hired to help her music career and the man who paid for it all. Things get more complicated when she finds herself spiritually drawn to a neo-soul artist name Swann, the man who connects her to the true artist she yearns to be. Farrah gets caught up in the glitz and glamour of fame until the dark side darkens her platinum life. She finally has what she always dreamed but will greed, lust, and murder end it all. Get your copy of Everything Platinum today!

  Alone, Pregnant... And About to Be Murdered Struggling and pregnant Gabrielle Payne is on the brink of despair when she discovers the father of her unborn child, the man from a fleeting one-night stand, was none other than the mysteriously wealthy Oliver Farnsworth—now dead and without an heir. Desperate and alone, she reveals her secret, hoping for some assistance from the Farnsworth family. Taken in by Oliver’s seemingly benevolent stepmother, Neema McGee, Gabrielle is introduced to a world of opulence and grandeur, far exceeding anything she has ever known. But behind the luxurious façade of the Farnsworth mansion, lies a web of intrigue, betrayal, and deadly secrets. As Gabrielle delves deeper into the life of the enigmatic Oliver, she unravels startling truths: his untimely death by untraced poison, a disgruntled twin brother living in estrangement, and above all, Neema's insidious plan to eliminate Gabrielle and claim the Farnsworth fortune. Every shadow in the Farnsworth m...