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

Sister Souljah -  A Deeper Love Inside: The Porsche Santiaga Story -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  Porsche Santiaga had spent the first eight years of her life looking up to her older sister Winter. But when her dad is sent to prison, Porsche is forced to grow up in the harsh juvenile justice system that Winter knew nothing about. Through this growing process, Porsche is determined to become a strong woman. Will Porsche be the queen that she is destined to be, or will she be just another statistic? Sister Souljah finally gives us a true sequel to The Coldest Winter Ever with A Deeper Love Inside. In the prior book, Porsche blended into the background and you didn’t get her whole story. With this novel, Porsche is telling you everything in her own voice so that you see everything through her eyes. Sister Souljah does an excellent job of showing the harsh realities of Porsche growing up in the juvenile justice system. Readers will find that Porsc...

Dream Jordan -  Bad Boy -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  All Kate ever wanted was to be loved & to love. Growing up in a group home for girls, all that Kate ever had to do was fight for her light. She had to tell these girls who was boss somehow. That was until Kate was brought in by The Johnsons. The Johnsons loved Kate and Kate loved them back. While living with them, Kate left her old habits behind with the help of The Johnsons and her social worker, Tisha. Tisha helped Kate realize that she was going to survive any hardship no matter what because she is a survivor. After a year of living with The Johnsons, Kate found herself back at a group home. She found herself putting up with crap from her roommates because she was the new girl. As much as Kate wanted to, she wasn't going to let these girls break her or make her . Kate's peace of mind came back to her after she met Percy, or at least she thought. Percy put Kate through misery,...

Takerra Allen -  There's Power In The V -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  There's Power in the V by Takerra Allen is the story of three stisters: Valerie, Vickie and Veronica. Valerie is the oldest of the three and even from an early age, she had her life mapped out. She was determined to get an education and make something of herself. Although Valerie had a crush on one of the dope boys from around the way, she was not about to go down that road with someone that in her mind had no future besides the streets. Valerie makes a good life for herself and marries well to a big time lawyer, but the thing that Valerie is missing most from her marriage is the love and intimacy that she longs for. She soon realizes that having money and stability is nothing without love and happiness. Vickie is the middle of the Bell sisters and from an early age, she staked claims on an older dope boy who all the girls seemed to want. Vickie eventually tamed him down...

Michelle Stimpson -  Falling Into Grace -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  The Sweet Treats was a sweet hit in the late 90’s, and consisted of Camille, Alexis, Tonya and Kyra. They were managed by Camille’s business-minded brother, Courtney. Greed smothered Camille, which ended the group and severed her relationship with Courtney. Broke and desperate for a comeback into the industry, Camille lies and makes enemy number one while trying to secure a contract with agent John David. The first lie is the beginning of many to almost everyone in her life. John David agrees to see her only after hearing her demo. He agrees to sign her to a contract but with stipulations. First he tells her she can sing but he agrees only to her coming back not as a Rhythm and Blues singer but as a gospel voice. And he will not promote her until she joins a mega church to become that gospel singer. Camille joins Grace Chapel and she has her eyes on the praise team. They con...

Kimberla Lawson Roby -  The Reverend's Wife -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  After dealing with Charlotte's multiple affairs, Reverend Curtis Black is fed up and thinks it's time to divorce his wife. Even though he has had his share of dirt that the family and his congregation has had to deal with, he finds it hard to forgive his wife for her transgressions. But Charlotte has other plans. She knows that begging and pleading with Curtis not to give up on their marriage is not working. She will try anything necessary to make Curtis give up the decision to divorce her, even using his little girl and her stepdaughter, Curtina. To make things worse, Curtis has been talking about his marital troubles to another female by the name of Sharon Green. Will Curtis fall back into old temptation, or will he give his marriage another try?        Author Kimberla Lawson Roby has written anoth...

Kiki Swinson and Noire -  Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  I didn't know what to expect when I started to read this novel.  I knew with both of my favorite authors featured, this book wouldn't disappoint. This novel is two short stories written by each author. From the start to the end, you will see that money doesn't always bring you happiness and love, and at times, it can cause more problems. Shamelessly Rich Megan Rich was daddy's little girl. She had everything at her disposal....cars, designer clothes, and money you can burn.  Once Megan looks at her father and talked in her baby voice, her dad could never say no to his baby girl. But Megan loved to live on the bad side. She liked bad boys, dabbling in drugs, and defying all of her parents' rules. Things take a drastic turn when Megan’s parents give her an ultimatum of either going to rehab or moving out....

Delaney Diamond -  A Hard Man To Love -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  Eva Jacob wants nothing to to with Derrick Hoffman, even though she is having his baby. Four months ago, Eva ended things with Derrick because she had done the one thing that was not part of their agreement: she fell in love! Derrick Hoffman grew up privileged and is used to having what he wants...when he wants it. So after the death of his stepfather, he decides he wants the baby that Eva is carrying. Eva has no plans of giving up her child, which leaves her only one choice, and that is to go along with Derrick's plan of marriage. Derrick had it all planned. He would give Eva a comfortable life while getting to see his daughter everyday. He didn't plan on falling in love with Eva. He has never uttered those words to anyone, not even his mother. But when an unexpected event takes place, Derrick realizes what's most important in life. A Hard Man to Love is an excellent read b...

Stacy-Deanne -  The Season of Sin -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  Detective Brianna Morris wakes up after being knocked unconscious to find out her friend, Nadia, has been murdered. She teams up with her partner Steven Kemp to try to solve this murder case.  Why would anyone want to kill Nadia? Brianna soon discovers everything isn't what it seems when she discovers things about Nadia that she never knew.   As an avid reader, the most important thing an author can do is to draw you into the story with the first few lines. Author Stacy Deanne accomplished this and so much more with her title, The Season of Sin. This book will definitely keep you turning pages and have you eager to read more. This story was very well developed. The chemistry between Brianna & Stephen scorched the pages of this book.  I love reading a book that keeps me guessing.  I highly recommend  The Season of Sin . Review...

Anthony Barrow & Tracey 'Big Tray Deee' Davis -  Streetz Gon' Cry -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  Streetz Gon’ Cry introduces a crew of young men deemed Vernon Boys. Their mindsets are of warring over territory and drug sales with their rival gang, the King Crips. Boo is the hot-head of the crew who begins to voice his disapproval of actions sanctioned by the Big Homie, S-Mack, as they are being disrespected by their enemies. Carter, a.k.a. Dollaz, is home from the penitentiary and an air of apprehension surfaces in the crew’s realms as the tensions continue to flare with division and deceit. The pledge that once stood for allegiance is questioned, beginning at the head as the body peeps an unknown force infiltrating their kingdom. Upon beginning Streetz Gon' Cry, I thought it would be filled with the typical wildin’ out, gang banger mentality. But upon delving deeper into the read, I was pleasantly surprised. Character development w...

K. L. Brady -  Got A Right To Be Wrong -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  Charisse has agreed to marry Kevin. What was she thinking? The wedding is only a week away and everything is about to "hit the fan." Kevin will find out he has a child from a one night stand, Charisse will come face to face with a father she thinks abandoned her, she will find out that her mother has been keeping a secret, and her "friend" is still harboring feelings for her that he feels the need to share while all of this going on. And if that isn't enough, Kevin's ex-partner is in love with him and is trying to come between Kevin and Charisse. With all this on the table, Charisse and Kevin have a lot to sort out in order to make it the altar in a week.  Got a Right to be Wrong is another phenomenal read by Brady. The character development is excellent. There are several secondary characters that are critical to the plot of the story, and Brady does a wonderful job ...

Lutishia Lovely -  Taking Care of Business -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  The Livingstons are back, and when they come back, all hell breaks loose. In this third installment of the Business Series, there is suspense, jealousy, and of course drama. Taste of Soul Restaurant on the West Coast called Taste of Soul Tapas Style (TOSTS), is a complete success and about to celebrate its one year anniversary when an unfortunate accident occurs at the restaurant. There are a series of characters that you'll read about in this novel, and you'll start to wonder did they do it? The Livingstons start to wonder if this was a simple accident, or did someone deliberately set out to sabotage the restaurant? Bianca  Livingston was climbing up the ladder in the family business. It was her business plan  to run the restaurant on the West Coast  that beat out the plan of her brother, Jefferson. She worked hard to...

Victoria Christopher Murray -  Destiny's Divas -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  Raine, Liza, and Sierra are a new, up-and-coming gospel group called Destiny's Divas. Their singing and their testimonies are the rave across the country. In their songs, they tell their audience how great God is, but behind close doors, they sing a different tune.  Raine Omari claims she loves everyone and could not dislike a soul...well, except her mother-in-law. Raine, tries everything she can to compromise, but it just does not work. Raine decides on a different route. Will she succeed, or will it all just cause more problems in the long run? Twenty-something Sierra Dixon preaches that she's celibate until she can find that one true love she can marry. Not sure what celibacy means to Sierra because each man she meets, she's hopping into bed with him, and thinking he's the one...and he most definitely is not.  Liza Washington tries to be a faithful wif...

Cheris Hodges -  Recipe For Desire -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  Marie Charles was Charlotte's It Girl! Partying and disappointing her father was what she did best. However when her latest antic causes an accident that could have been fatal, her father decided that his pampered princess needed to be taught a lesson. So when Marie has to complete 500 hours of community service at My Sister's House, a homeless shelter for women, she thought her life was over. Devon Harris is a well renowned chef that volunteered at My Sister's House. His volunteer work was personal and he took it very seriously. So when he learns that Charlotte's very own party girl would be volunteering, he was not very happy about having to put up with a pampered diva who didn't want to work. To say that their initial meeting was rocky is an understatement.  It was more like a train wreck. However, it didn't take either of them long to realize that the initial judgment of ...

Marsha Randolph -  The Truth About Vashtai -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  Married for twenty years, Omar and Vashtai Terrace were the picture perfect couple. They had the money and the power. During their marriage, Vashtai was everything for Omar, the kids and their business. After promising that Vashtai could have a spa day with her girls on her 40th birthday, Omar calls Vashtai on the last night of their company celebration and demands she comes home. Vashtai tells Omar that she is not coming, turns off her phone and calls the front desk and adds a “do not disturb” notation to her room. This act of female defiance is considered a dangerous example, which bruised Omar’ego. Being led by his business associates, he retaliates by leaving her and marrying another. He realizes too late that those same associates who were in his ear were the ones who had an ulterior motive of coveting over what was his. As much as things seem to change, they remain...

Bianca Eugene -  At Last -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  When it comes to picking men, Keisha has not done a very good job. First was Durran, her first love. She supported him while he was trying to get his music career off the ground. Their "on again, off again" relationship was brought to a halt when Durran got one of his songs on the radio and moved to Atlanta. Even though he wanted her to go, she knew that would be a mistake. Next was her baby's father, Justin. She fell in love with Justin, bipolar and all. Because of his disorder, she had another "on again, off again"  relationship with him as well. The only difference is that she had a child with him, which kept him a part of her life. What Keisha really wanted was a family. That's why she put up with Justin as long as she did. When Justin did the unthinkable by committing suicide, Keisha turned back to Durran. Durran was waiting in the wing because he never stopped wanting Keisha. A...

J. Leon Pridgen II -  Color of Justice -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  James Pruitt had no questions about being adopted. His bond with his parents was tight, and he never felt the need to search for his biological mother and father. He realized early on how lucky he was to even have parents like William and Mamie Pruitt. However, on his death bed, James' father used his last breathe to tell James that he loved him but what came next set the tone for the entire book: “have…brother, help him.” The author didn't put much into this scene; you could almost pass right by it. James has much more on his mind at this time then to realize the magnitude of what his father has just said. While going through his dad’s things, James finds a box filled with newspaper clipping, photos and several different articles, all about Warren Johnson...the same Warren Johnson that was in the newspaper on Friday, the same paper James never had a chance to read. After pon...

Zuri Day -  Love In Play -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  Dominique is large-and-in-charge of her life and does not need a man to complicate things. So when she meets her son's new football coach, she can't understand the immediate attraction she has to him. Jake McDonald is an ex-NFL star who now coaches a middle school football team. He is trying to get his life back on track from the loss of his wife, his father, and the fact that the men in his family don't live past 60 due to heart disease that runs in his family. So when he comes in contact with this voluptuous, full-figured woman, he is totally thrown for a loop. She is not even his type. He usually goes for the petite, "willing to please" kind of woman, which is everything that Dominique is not. Dominique and Jake can't seem to get on the same page. When it seems as if they have finally decided to give their relationship a try, an unfortunate event causes Jake to pull back even though...

Latisha N. Patterson -  Airing Out Dirty Laundry -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  Five friends with different personalities and lifestyles are thicker than thieves. Damisha, Kori, Jamyya, Skye, and Jasmine each have a secret in one way, shape or form. But like the old saying goes, “What’s done in the dark will come to light.” Skye has the perfect life looking from the outside. She has a career, a caring boyfriend and a wonderful child. But no one knows the hell that Skye is secretly living in. Omar is controlling, insecure and is constantly stalking her every move. Will these issues eventually tear at their tight relationship? Will Skye reach her breaking point and fall into the arms of another man? Damisha has never been the settling down type. Her philosophy is to beat a man at his own game. Damisha slowly finds her life is spiraling out of control when she realizes she is falling in love with two men. Will Damisha choose the good guy, or will...

Ice-T -  ICE: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption-from South Central to Hollywood -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  ICE is a memoir from rapper/actor ICE-T. ICE-T talks about everything in this book. From his childhood to his current life, readers really get to know ICE-T the man as well as the celebrity. He gives you a bird's eye view of the music industry and how he transitioned into an acting career. ICE-T even talks about fatherhood and the complications that come with it, which people will be able to relate to. He gives you a behind the scenes look at the hit TV show Law & Order SVU as well as the movie New Jack City. ICE is a good memoir for anyone who wanted to get to know the raw and uncut ICE-T. Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert of Urban Reviews Order your copy of ICE today!

Dwayne S. Joseph -  Eye For An Eye -  Available Now! -  5 out of 5 books -  Lisette is back to help wives teach their husbands a lesson. But this time Lisette has other partners to help her out. All is going well until they get a request from a woman that Lisette is a little leery about, but she accepts the case anyway. The business gets dangerous as someone from Lisette's past is out for revenge and is determined to make Lisette pay with her life. Eye for an Eye is the perfect sequel to Home Wrecker by Dwayne S. Joseph. Although her actions are quite dubious, Lisette is a character that you will root for until the very end. There is a lot of surprising twists in this story that will have you on the edge of your seat and yelling at the book. Joseph did an excellent job of providing a true conclusion to this story. Eye for an Eye is a fast paced page-turner by Dwayne S. Joseph. Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert of Urban Reviews Order your copy of Eye For An E...