African American

There's no place like home for the holidays ... especially for Lesley Carver. Life in the big city just wasn't her jam and now she's back in Hickory Falls, working at the family diner and helping her mom after she took a tumble. Lesley longs to build a life here, working at the cafe, selling her handmade ornaments and ... er, apparently reviving her high school crush on her best friend’s older brother. Only one problem, her mom wants her to leave Hickory Falls far behind.

Billed as the Little Girl with the Big Voice, blues singer Lucille Arnetta Love always dreamed of life under the lights. From traveling family gospel band to lead singer in a riotous vaudeville troupe, Lucille is on the rise. But a devastating family secret, one that’s poised to shatter every dream she’s ever had, casts an inescapable shadow over Lucille’s career. Decades ago, a botched robbery ended in a suspicious death—and all signs point to Lucille’s own father as the culprit. It’s a secret that Lucille’s family is determined to keep buried—even from Lucille herself.

Fighters use supernatural powers to climb a global leaderboard and enter the Ultimate Versus tournament, where the winner — the #1 Fighter in the world — can have their greatest wishes granted. And Daniel Chase needs to get home. A seventeen-year-old teen from Chicago, he’s always loved music more than fighting games, but he must battle his way to the very top to earn the chance at wishing himself back. Even worse, the System labels him a Joke Fighter, and only gives him one technique: a counterattack.

After pumping her hard-earned savings into a business plan that doesn’t pan out, Noel Anderson is left financially strapped and needs a way to earn money to stay afloat. She decides to rent her apartment as an Airbnb for the Christmas holidays while visiting her family for Christmas. What she didn’t plan on was coming down ill and having to cancel the trip. Kanton Joseph is on the cusp of securing a lucrative business deal. In order to get a one-up on his competition, he rents an Airbnb in the same apartment complex where his potential client resides. He’s surprised when he shows up,.

Pregnant by a man she learned wasn't who she thought he was and starting a new career, she's forced to step up and show everyone around her she's more than the hothead, feisty, girl they believe her to be.

Velma Frye is many things. A pilot, a former bootlegger, a well-seasoned traveler, a jazz pianist…and a wielder of celestial magic. She’s also a member of the mystical Rhodes family as well as an investigator for arcane oddities for a magic rights organization, dealing with both simple and complicated cases. And when a pocket watch instigates a magical brawl after one of her flight shows, things become very complicated.

Airyon has always lived according to her parents' strict expectations, relentlessly pursuing academic success. But one fateful night shatters her carefully constructed world, when a passionate encounter with Zayne, a brilliant tech wiz, ignites an undeniable spark between them. Awakening alone the next morning, Zayne is left yearning for more, even as Airyon disappears from his life. But destiny intervenes, reuniting them when Airyon starts working under Zayne. They soon discover their night of passion bore unexpected fruit—Airyon is pregnant.

I’m Leslie Velveeta Spinx, the ‘L’ in LMAO. Come and join me on my journey to the Edge Control Tour. It’s about to be a sold-out show! Before you take your seat, I should warn you, there are a few important things you should know about me.

His ability to launder money has him on the payroll of some of the city's most notorious criminals. When his father was sent to prison for life, Jagger's uncle made it his business to ensure that Jagger didn't suffer the same fate. He sent Jagger to college with plans to keep him on the cleaner side of the business, but unforeseen circumstances put Jagger in the midst of his uncle's empire.

While being a major contributor to the Black Lives Matter movement, Reese "Gypsy" Shackelford discovers that the movement is alive across the globe. Fighting for the cause in both hemispheres comes with casualties. However, when it hits home, the toll is great and affects the lives of Gypsy's family. If that isn't enough, she must return to her hometown, Fayetteville, North Carolina, for the pending trial of the police officer who is accused of contributing to the death of Gypsy's sister, Taylor Russell.

What are the politics of nature? Who owns it, where is it, what role does it play in our lives? Does it need to be tamed? Are we ourselves natural? In A Darker Wilderness, a constellation of luminary writers reflect on the significance of nature in their lived experience and on the role of nature in the lives of Black folks in the United States. Each of these essays engages with a single archival object, whether directly or obliquely, exploring stories spanning hundreds of years and thousands of miles, traveling from roots to space and finding rich Blackness everywhere.

I shouldn't have felt this way about her. She's my brother-in-law's first love. She was forbidden fruit. Ain't shit ever been forbidden for me. I take what I want, and I want her. I shouldn't have these strong of feelings for a woman I just met. I wanted to lay every man who even thought about looking her way… including my brother-in-law. Erin was mine before she even knew it. Our paths were meant to cross, our futures to intertwine.

Megatron Loric Manfield is the definition of perfect imperfection. He is not scared to love—he just knows that when it comes along, he wants it to be God-sent. When the right woman comes along, he will fall in line to receive his favor. Ruth Lindsay Gordon is saved, sheltered, and suffocated. Being a preacher’s kid is never easy and even harder when the preacher sometimes references himself more than the God he claims to serve. Desperately, she wants to be released from the hold that is her father, so she prays for God to send her Boaz. They say to be careful what you pray for.

Inmate Riley Price A.K.A., “Lil Riley” is a full-time hustler and part time pimp. He was recently indicted by the Federal Government on conspiracy and money laundering charges, and he is currently awaiting trial in the detainment center at LaSalle Correctional Facility. Before Lil Riley was arrested, his stable of women were willing to do any and everything he asked. Since his arrest, not only has there been a series of action, but also some disturbing rumors in the streets.

Follow Raheem, a young man striving to break free from the cycle of violence and drugs that has claimed so many around him. When his best friends, Damon and Mike, fall victim to the streets they once ruled, Raheem finds himself caught between grief, guilt, and an unexpected chance at redemption. As he navigates a minefield of betrayal and lost love, Raheem forms an unlikely alliance with Khadijah, Damon's sister and Mike's widow. Together, they dream of escaping to a better life, but the shadows of their shared history threaten to unravel everything they've fought for.

Imagine everything you've ever built, devoted, and worked hard for is abandoned by one wrong move. Your loyalty is up for stakes, but the consequences don't measure against your heart. Imagine love consisting of one single roll, and one's reckless behavior starts to deteriorate a loving relationship. Remember when gambling with someone's heart, the odds are always against you.

Nalani, a dedicated and compassionate teacher, never expected her life to take a turn when she met Lorenzo, a single father trying to rebuild his life after a painful divorce. When Nalani becomes the teacher of Lorenzo’s daughter, fate plays its hand, intertwining their lives in ways they could never have foreseen. As Nalani and Lorenzo spend time together, their connection grows stronger, igniting a flame neither of them can ignore. The walls around their hearts crumble as they navigate the complexities of love amidst the challenges of co-parenting and healing from past wounds.

In Houston, Texas in the year of 1964, a black veteran in his late 20’s named Aaron hears an angry mob of white people near his home. After a bullet flies through his home he hears something moving on his porch. To his surprise it is a black woman named Diana seeking to come in.

Love is never simple, and in this captivating collection, Scarlet Ibis James weaves twelve unforgettable stories that explore the raw, unfiltered truths of longing, connection, and self-discovery. Scarlet Yearnings: Stories of Love and Desire invites you into the lives of Black women and people of multi-ethnic origins, each navigating the complex, often messy terrain of love in its many forms.

Remington Lawson has always been the man who ran things around the small town of Gloombridge. Being a man with money, he has a lot of influence and power but never lets that take away from the laid-back person he is. A leader of two businesses, Remi has a lot on his plate. When someone close to him tries to sabotage his livelihood, Remi is out for blood. Will he find out who is behind it?

Exploring her beloved forest, young Princess Chibuike “Chi” encounters a man unlike any she has seen. His skin is as pale as the moon that watches over the Queendom of Kana, a land where women rule fiercely and freely. But outside the comforting embrace of her homeland, a disturbing change blows with the wind.

Yana is a workaholic. She has noble aspirations but isn’t taking care of home. Meanwhile, Sasha, her new nanny, is more than ready to step in. Sasha and Yana’s husband, Shawn, get closer, arousing suspicion by Yana.

For teenagers Angel, Rahsaan, and Kahmeer, the summer before their last year of high school is the time for unadulterated fun. What they don’t expect is for a party to lead to a shootout that changes the trajectory of their summer and their lives permanently. Cousins Imani and Darla, don’t expect connecting with Angel and Rahsaan to reshape their hearts and lives, but it does. They learn quickly that the only thing stronger than love is hate, and the only person they can trust is themselves.

Swearing to herself she’d never get involved with an alpha due to a devastating loss, Shante, a therapist with magic and an omega, has now gained the attention of an alpha demon. When he asks her for help controlling his beserker rage, she can’t say no. However, maintaining her walls around the handsome alpha proves more challenging than she anticipated.

In a world where tradition rules and secrets are buried deep, one boy’s disappearance will unravel it. Kamboda, a boy with physical impairments, lives in an African village where such children are believed to be evil spirits. When Kamboda mysteriously vanishes, his cousin Maladho sets out to uncover the truth, challenging deep-seated beliefs and uncovering government complicity.