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

  RH:Tell us about us about Splitting Souls. Kaylynn Hunt: Splitting   Souls is a look through the eyes of a Black Detective in a town in Oklahoma as he navigates his way through a case that keeps growing. As he unravels the clues, so do you. And you’ll never see what’s coming next. RH:Why did you pick Oklahoma as the backdrop for this story? KH: I actually have family in Oklahoma. It seemed like the perfect place to have this story unravel. Lending to the character’s angst in the town. RH:Do you know when will we see these characters again? KH: All I’ll say is that you may see SOME of the characters within the next year. RH:What are some of your upcoming projects? KH: As far as books: 2026 Almanac Anthology: Just Read Crew   (A 12 story anthology)   Releases Dec 31, 2025 https://amzn.to/4rcDg0D I’m also planning to bring page to screen Summer 2026 with a movie adaptation of HWY 725 Called The Killing Path RH: Where can readers find you? KH: Connect via my linktree h...

  5 out of 5 books Gideon is an African American detective in Lawton, Oklahoma. He is involved in the most disturbing case of his career.With a potential serial killer on the loose, Gideon is in a race against time before another body drops. When FBI Profiler Shania Brindle arrives, she begins to discover some missing pieces in the case. But is this case more than Gideon and Shania bargained for? Murder and mayhem is what you’re going to find in Splitting Souls by Kaylynn Hunt. Hunt wastes no time in getting to the action from the very first page. This story is very fast-paced and makes you want to finish it in one sitting. From every dark detail of these cases to heart-stopping action, Hunt does an excellent job of keeping the reader engaged until the end. Splitting Souls is a perfect crime thriller by Kaylynn Hunt. Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert   Click here for the Q&A with Kaylynn Hunt Pre-order your copy of Splitting Souls today!

  5 out of 5 books Miss Loretta is a jazzy widow who is out here enjoying her life. The last thing she’s thinking about is jumping back into the dating scene. Loretta’s daughter Liza sees things differently. Her mother always has this fabulous New Year’s Eve party but Liza wants her mother to have a date for her party. Liza secretly signs Loretta up for a dating app to get things moving. Now, Loretta is finding   herself on dates and looking through app messages. But is Loretta ready for the dating life? Surprise…Swipe Right: A Big Easy Holiday Comedy is a feel-good read by Rhonda M. Lawson. Lawson does an excellent job of bringing us a heart warming and hilarious comedy about modern senior dating adventures. What’s funny about this story is that everyone can experience the murky waters of the dating scene no matter what age you are.  Surprise…Swipe Right: A Big Easy Holiday Comedy is a perfect holiday story by Rhonda M. Lawson. Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert Get your copy o...

5 out of 5 books The Black Family Who Built America is an inspiring piece of history about the rise of McKissack & McKissack. McKissack & McKissack is the oldest minority and woman-owned professional design and construction company in the nation. Cheryl McKissack Daniel  brings us the miraculous story of how her company was started and how it is thriving even today.   She is the fifth generation of the McKissack family that runs this 200-year-old business.   This book also gives readers the McKissack family history from slavery to the present and how the construction business was born. The McKissack family is responsible for many buildings on Fisk University campus as well churches, and other projects in New York.  The Black Family Who Built America shows that the McKissack family should be included in the same breath as the Ford’s, Rockefeller’s, and others of being one of the pioneers that built America. Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert   Get your copy of ...

  4 out of 5 books Asia Grant is enjoying her life as a stylist in Accra, Ghana. She’s a consultant on a video shoot and is fully in her element. But someone’s surprise appearance may knock her off her square. Malik Hughes decides to surprise his best friend/crush Asia in Accra. But are Asia and Malik just friends or is it something more? Brothers of Kemet : Between Pleasure & Friends is a steamy, quick read from Kai Leakes. Leakes gives you a sneak peak into the world of the Brothers of Kemet and Asia and Malik’s relationship. This story is a standalone novellette but it does make you want to go back and read the Brothers of Kemet books. Brothers of Kemet : Between Pleasure & Friends is sexy, read that will heat up those fall and winter nights. Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert Pre-order your copy of  Between Pleasure & Friends : A Steamy BOK Slice-of-Life Novelette (The Brothers of Kemet)

  1926:  Harriet Stone, a liberated, educated Black woman, and Lovey, the orphaned, biracial 12-year-old she is bound to protect, are Harlem-bound, embarking on a new, hopefully less traumatic chapter in their lives. They have been invited to move from Connecticut by Harriet’s cousin, Junetta Plum, who runs a boardinghouse for independent-minded single women. It’s a bold move, since Harriet has never met Junetta, but the fatalities of the Spanish flu and other tragedies have already forced her and Lovey to face their worst fears. Alone but for each other, they have little left to lose—or so it seems as they arrive at sophisticated Junetta’s impressive brownstone. Her cousin has a sharp edge, which makes Harriet slightly uncomfortable. Still, after retiring to her room for the night, she finally falls asleep—only to awaken to Junetta arguing with someone downstairs. In the morning, she makes a shocking discovery at the foot of the stairs. What ensues will lead Harriet to questi...

  Wesley Batchelor is desperate for an image reboot— stat . A mysterious social media influencer keeps revealing his many reckless romantic liaisons, putting everything Wesley has worked so hard for at stake. Worse, he’s in deep trouble with his grandmother and Batchelor Enterprises boss, Joyce, his one and only true cheerleader. So he’s stunned and relieved when his gorgeous ex, private detective Albany Keyes, is recruited to track down the leaker . . . All Wes has to do is keep a cool-headed professional distance. Easy, right? Until the incendiary passion between him and Albany suddenly reignites. And he realizes he wants more from her—just like always . . . For Joyce's sake, Albany reluctantly accepts the assignment to aid Wes. After all, she needs the money to regroup after a disastrous divorce. But this time, she's going to call the shots. She doesn’t need her heart re-broken by the only man she's ever loved. Yet she soon finds their differences are drawing them togeth...

  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. To further confuse things, Yasir notices a quiet beauty named Zahra that peaks his interest. What is a young man to do? Shakir Rashaan brings us into an entertaining paranormal world with Sageborn . 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. Rashaan did an excellent job with keeping the same elements of the prior release of this book while adding more exciting elements. You get more insight into Yasir’s surprising background as well as Zahra and other characters. Yes,...

  Falling in love is the easy part, maintaining your relationship is where it gets tricky. This group of tight-knit friends are all taken aback by the sudden revelation that Jason has not only become a father to a five year old overnight, but he's also found himself in an unexpected romantic entanglement with someone new. The marriage between Mike and Kima faces strain as he hires an attractive new employee. Meanwhile, Deja questions her suitability in her relationship with Kurt upon encountering an unforeseen houseguest that disrupts their harmony. As the drama continues to unfold, it remains to be seen if any of the relationships within the group will survive the challenges that lie ahead. Pre-order your copy of A Tricky Situation today!

  Because life’s too short, and mean girls ain’t sh… Jazmyn Payne fled her hometown―and the fatphobes who made her life hell– the minute she graduated high school. Growing up, her haven was her Aunt Addison, and when her health takes a drastic turn, she insists that Jazz should spice up her life. Emphasis on  spice . But dating is the last thing Jazz had on her mind. Until Lamar Anderson sits next to her at the local sports bar. He is sexy, fun, and refreshingly drama free. With him she's able to pretend that everything is alright. But as real life intrudes, Jazz has to decide if she can leave the past where it belongs… for a love that she deserves. Pre-order your copy of Big Girl Blitz today!

  I nspired by real-life legendary choreographer Katherine Dunham’s groundbreaking expedition into the heart of Caribbean dance culture, this uniquely captivating novel imagines the experiences of three very different women who accompany her, hoping to find their destinies—yet find themselves forced to survive a historic event . . . Chicago, 1935.  Othella is an orphaned con artist who needs to escape the city's brutal underworld... or else. Vivian Jean is a wealthy wife, student, and anthropologist eager to prove herself professionally and personally. Zinzi is a Jamaican labor union activist determined to bring change to her homeland's plantation system. Thanks to a series of fortunate mishaps and coincidences, all three join Dunham’s voyage to the Maroon village of Accompong in Jamaica’s Cockpit Country—and perhaps discover what they desperately want most . . . Through skill and curiosity, Othella becomes a valued member of the expedition, even as she struggles to conceal he...

  When a tainted drug starts claiming lives across the city, Detective Harriet Foster and her team race to track down the source…before it takes one of their own. Chicago’s finest are scouring the city for a tainted new opioid making the rounds, but they’re coming up empty. With five people already dead―a college kid, a new mother, and three poker players―all they really know is the drug’s name: Edge. Where it’s coming from is still anyone’s guess. Detective Harriet Foster doesn’t have time for guessing games. She needs answers. And when the next overdose hits Homicide where it hurts most, Harri is determined to get what she wants. But keeping her eyes squarely on the prize proves harder than expected. Still reeling from her last case (and the stain of suspicion it left on her career), Harriet finds herself at a tipping point. The drug isn’t the only  edge  she needs to worry about. If she can’t come back from her own, there’s no telling whether this investigation will le...

From  The   Queen of Sugar Hill  author ReShonda Tate—a new novel inspired by beloved Harlem jazz performer Hazel Scott and the equal parts exhilarating and tumultuous relationship that changed the course of her life. Harlem, 1943.  At just twenty-three, Hazel Scott is a woman on fire. A jazz prodigy, a glamorous film star, and a fierce advocate for civil rights, she’s breaking barriers and refusing to play by the rules. Then Adam Clayton Powell Jr. walks into her life. Harlem’s most electrifying preacher-turned-politician, Adam is as bold and unyielding as Hazel—charismatic, powerful…and married. This kicks off a decades-long relationship that propels them into the center of a political and cultural revolution. As Hazel’s star rises, Adam takes the national stage in Congress and the couple becomes the toast of the country. But when their affair turns into a marriage, behind the glamorous façade is a battlefield of ego, ambition, and sacrifice. Forced to choose betwe...

  5 out of 5 books Roman Carruthers is the eldest of the Carruthers children. Roman has to come home to Jefferson Run due to his father’s car accident that has left him in a coma. But Roman’s problems are just beginning when his brother Dante is in debt to dangerous criminals, and his sister Neveah is exhausted from trying to keep to family crematorium afloat by herself. Roman is trying to save his brother but his plan could go up in flames. King of Ashes is a true crime thriller by S.A. Cosby. This story is full complex characters, violence, and secrets that will keep you turning the pages. When reading this book, you truly will not know or guess how everything will turn out with the Carruthers. Each of them have their own demons that they are trying to deal with. There are jaw-dropping twists that will surprise readers. King of Ashes is a perfect book for those who love crime thrillers. Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert Get your copy of King of Ashes today!  

  4 out of 5 books Savvy Summers is a successful soul food chef that owns Essie’s Place. She always had a love for cooking and her sweet potato pie is a customer favorite. But Savvy never thought that her pie and her restaurant would be the center of a murder investigation. When a longtime customer Grandy Jaspers drops dead at table two, Savvy now has to worry about more than keeping Essie’s Place open. But was Grandy’s death an accident as the police claimed? Savvy thinks there is more to the story and is trying to get to the bottom of it. But at what cost? Food, secrets, and murder is the name of the game in Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku. This story has the perfect mix of a murder mystery with a dash of humor. There are some very interesting cast of characters in this book. Readers will root for Savvy as she tries to solve this murder on her own. What makes a good mystery is when the reader tries to figure out whodunnit and is shocked when the...

Money has always been one hell of a motivator, and this rings true for Tyise and Eryn. A couple of Philly chicks all about getting their paper. Using their beauty to get what they want is easy, but they want more and are willing to do whatever to get it. All good things come to an end, and when the block gets hot they have to get ghost before their enemies get the drop on them. You're supposed to be able to love the one you're with, but what if you just can't trust them? Somebody has to GO! Get ready for the ride as Tyise finds out who's really for her, and what she has to do to stay ahead of the eight ball. Everyone is suspect in these streets, and you can't hesitate to pull the trigger... even if it's on someone you love. Pre-order your copy of Motives today! Check out the review for Motives here :  https://bit.ly/Motajsr  

  Bel-Air  meets  Legacies  meets  Cloak & Dagger  in this explosive and innovative fantasy debut… Yasir Salah's life is not without its challenges… Forced to live with his uncle without a reasonable explanation, he finds himself adjusting to the most nerve-racking situation imaginable. New school. New rules. New flow—while wishing he could hit the reset button and go back to his life in Atlanta. The changes to his body defy explanation, from the supernatural energy pulsing beneath the surface of his skin to his eyes changing colors to match his mood swings to his mysterious connection to a stunning beauty who has him completely spellbound. All he can do is what his uncle told him: keep a low profile, try not to be noticed, and keep his anger under control. No matter how badly he wants to—some things are easier said than done. But what no one knows—not even Yasir himself—is that the horrors of a tragic event have awakened something hidden deep within th...

5 out of 5 books Tyise and Eryn are all about the money. They know how to use their beauty to get what they want. Tyise and Eryn are living the high life of fast money and luxury. But when things get too hot for them, they need to get out of town fast. But who can they truly trust? Get ready for the ride of your life with Motives . Anna J and Shakir Rashaan brought the heat with this book. On the surface, this story looks like the typical street fiction story. But readers will soon find out that this is not the case. Anna J and Shakir Rashaan have crafted a story with good mix of betrayal, crime, and sex that you’ll wonder exactly what you’re reading. Motives is a crazy page-turner that will have you begging for more from Anna J and Shakir Rashaan. Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert Pre-order your copy of Motives today!  

5 out 5 books The passengers of Flight 725 are flying through a rough storm. But they get the shock of their lives when a fellow passenger is found dead. It doesn’t look like the death is caused by an accident and the killer is onboard. But who is it and what is the motive? Flight 725 is nuts! The dynamic duo of Octavia Grant and Kaylynn Hunt brought us a story that is truly crazy. These authors crafted a unique story that has a lot of moving parts. Readers need to pay very close attention to each character in this book. Just when you think you have something figured out, Grant & Hunt hits you with something totally outrageous. Flight 725 is a quick and thrilling read. Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert Pre-order your copy of Flight 725 today!  

  5 out of 5 books Nina Ford is a thirty-year old woman that has multiple streams of income and dates different men. She likes variety and doesn’t believe in pouring into one man. Nina wants to keep her options open. Enter Russell Long. Russell is who Nina calls “The Fun One” but he is showing her that he can be more than just a good time. Nina is unsure if she wants to get rid of her roster. Is she ready to set down with one man? Danielle Allen brought the heat and romance with Plus Size Player . Allen once again does a great job of showing a confident, sexy, plus size woman. Nina Ford knows who she is and what she wants in a potential relationship. Nina’s interesting career and her spicy escapades makes this story a true page-turner.   Plus Size Player is a perfect mix of romance, unexpected twists, and spice that makes you ready for the next installment in this series. Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert Get your copy of Plus Size Player today!