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

  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...

  Bel-Air  meets  Cloak & Dagger  in this explosive and innovative paranormal debut… Being the new kid is always gonna land you in it. Yasir Salah isn’t like the other guys in his new suburban Georgia high school. Lately, he can feel something shifting in his body. Raw. Edgy.  Volatile . Like his eyes changing colors and heat on his skin when some alpha bro comes for him…or how just a grin from the gorgeous, untouchable girl at school sends vibrations shooting through his entire body. Only it’s not just being at a new school. It’s a new town. New rules.  New flow . And everything feels way smaller than his ex-life in Atlanta. All he can do is what he’s been told: keep a low profile and try to not be noticed…and keep his anger under control. But they never warned him. They never told him what he is. And they sure as hell didn’t tell him that the world is gonna need him. Pre-order your copy of Neverwraith today!

  4 out of 5 books Raphael Waters has been a survivor his whole life. Things seem to be getting better for Raphael when he becomes the muscle for a leader of a criminal enterprise name Rah. But when Rah suddenly disappears, Raphael has no one to turn to. Enter Alex Gatts. Alex is the queen of South Bend’s nightlife. When Alex offers Raphael the job of being her bodyguard, he sees an offer that he can’t refuse. However, Raphael & Alex will get more than they bargained for when an international business deal goes south. This story starts off as your typical street tale. But readers will soon find out that’s not the case. Eddy Clark & D. Andrea Whitfield brought us a fast-paced, gritty tale filled with action packed scenes and plot twists. Clark & Whitfield brought a hard hitting debut novel that will make you want to read more from these authors in the future. Crime, drama, and a little romance is what you find in American Gunner .   Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert

 

   3 out of 5 books Karen Baker has had a rough life. When her mother abandoned the family, Karen was forced to raise her brothers and sisters at a very young age. Her father did nothing to help. Karen is in the midst of an identity crisis of her own. She’s trying to figure out her place in the world. Karen gets exposed to the better things in life when Alex Harper is assigned to be her Big Sister. But as Karen navigates her way to college & adulthood, will she find her way? Parade of Shades is an interesting coming-of-age story by Jewel Hopson. Hopson shows us what happens when a child has to take on adult responsibilities. This book takes on a variety of topics such as colorism and what it means to be an African American woman. The conversations Karen had about race and equality were interesting. But they could have been shortened to include more of Karen’s every day life especially when she graduated from college and started working in the real world. With Parade of Sha...

  5 out of 5 books This is my first read by author Jim Stroud, however I plan to follow his pen. The story was relatable. I loved the relationship between Ma’Dear and Viola. It’s pretty much customary for children to treat their peers differently as if there is something wrong with the individual. Viola was special and had supernatural spiritual gifting that many didn’t understand and were afraid of. Viola was sent to live with her grandmother after experiencing social troubles at school and mainly due to the sorrows her mother was having because of infidelity. Viola was extremely gifted although she didn’t have training on how and when to use the gift God had blessed her with. Initially Viola didn’t want to have to stay with her grandmother, but she grew to love her and appreciate her. Ma’Dear validated Viola’s gifting and helped nurture it. Secrets that tore families apart, distrust and broken bonds were a constant. No secrets could be kept from Viola and many feared her for know...

  4 out of 5 books In October 1995 in Gary, Indiana, Jamal is ready to get out of school to enjoy his weekend. But things turn for the worse when Jamal and his best friend Simon are wrongly accused and harassed by the police. While at the police station, Jamal falls asleep while waiting for his father. Suddenly, he wakes up in an unfamiliar police station and surroundings. Jamal has somehow been transported back to Chicago 1969. He quickly learns that he and the rest of his family are members of the Black Panther Party. Will Jamal embrace his new life or try to get back to his old one. K.C. Taylor does a great job with incorporating history of the Black Panther Party into B lack Leather Jacket . Taylor gives readers a good coming-of-age story of a young black teen in the 90s. Readers will see how Jamal’s eyes open up to the injustices that he and his best friend Simon faces. Taylor addresses police brutality and the Black Panther Party   in a way that is not preachy and will b...