African American Literature Fiction

Mama Black Widow tells the tragic story of Otis Tilson, a stunning black drag queen trapped in a cruel queer ghetto underworld. In hopes of escaping the racial bigotry andeconomic injustice of the South, Otis' family journeys north from their plantation to an urban promised land. Once in Chicago, Otis and his siblings become prisoners to a wasteland of violence, crime, prostitution, and rape. This is the gut-wrenching tale of the destruction of a family and the truest portrayal of homosexuality in the ghetto ever told.

When Candy arrives home from school to find her entire family murdered, she turns to the only one she trusts, her uncle, Joseph "Rock" Barton. Rock's a reclusive hitman and "cleaner" who's been in service to Candy's father for years. He takes her in, and together they vow to avenge the murders. When she turns 18, her plans go into effect as she knocks off all her father's enemies, one by one, going up against some of the most dangerous killers in the game. But has she put her trust in the right hands?

A.J. Grayson has come a long way from adopted orphan to fast-rising executive at a cutting-edge technology firm. Now an anti-terrorist agency wants to use the revolutionary artificial intelligence system she developed to thwart a plot against Jafir's monarchy—and handsome, dynamic Damon Toca, the region's newly crowned king. In six short months, Damon has gone from gallery owner to controversial politician. When his cabinet hires A.J. Grayson—without his consent—he gets ready for a battle.

Ebony and De’Kari (aka Flow) do not get along. How could they when their cafeteria scuffle ended with De'Kari's ruined shoes, Ebony on the ground, and both of them with ten days of at-home suspension? Now Eb and Flow have two weeks to think about and explain their behavior—to their families, to each other, and ultimately to themselves. Single-parent homes, tight funds, and sibling dynamics provide a balancing act for the growing tweens. And whether they realize it or not, these two have a lot more in common than they think.

The LaCroixs are four beautiful Haitian American women bound by money and blood. On the surface, the LaCroix Group is a venture capitalist company, but underneath, it’s so much more. The four sisters run long cons, targeting wealthy, prominent business figures. They have a system: Find the perfect mark, create the problem, then present the solution. For a cost....

Jaylin and Nokea Rogers have been married for almost four years. Jaylin has finally tamed his womanizing ways, and they're happily raising their children together. Things couldn't be more perfect, until an unforgettable kiss from Nokea's past has her wondering what could - or should - have been. The tender kiss was placed on her lips by Jaylin's best friend, Shane, and when Nokea is forced to spend a night alone with him, the unthinkable happens.

Malachi “Mal” July has run into trouble in the past. With a reputation as a player, he’s now a recovering alcoholic and has made progress in redeeming himself in the eyes of his family and the citizens of Henry Adams, Kansas. He’s turned his diner into a profitable business, and mentors the town’s foster kids. And he’s even staying true to one woman - Bernadine Brown. But all it takes is a moment of pride to blind Mal to his blessings - a moment that makes him betray his friends and family, and lose Bernadine’s trust and love. Will he ever be able to win her forgiveness?

Winner of the African American Literary Award for Fiction, Essence® best-selling author Victoria Christopher Murray delivers a cautionary tale about debt and the dangers of an overly tempting offer. Married at 17, Adam and Evia Langston have worked their way up from rags to riches. But as they are enjoying all the trappings of their success, a financial downturn leaves them teetering on the brink of disaster. And that’s when Evia’s boss makes the Langstons a fivemillion dollar offer they can’t refuse.

This Was Your Life is a story about an African American man who dies and his soul returns back into the real world to confront his stepsister who was rude to his mother and attempted to murder her. This is based on a real-life situation.

Palm Trees In The Storm by Gena West is a powerful and emotional coming-of-age novel about resilience, identity, and finding your inner strength. Set in Ghana, England and America, this deeply moving story follows Jessica Sokari Brown as she faces family expectations, betrayal, and the struggle to carve out her own path in a world that often feels unforgiving. Jessica’s journey is about more than survival—it’s about learning how to thrive. Just like palm trees bend but don’t break in the fiercest storms, you’ll discover how to stand tall despite life’s challenges.

In this glittering triptych novel, Suzette, Maple and Agnes, three Black women with albinism, call Shreveport, Louisiana home. At the bustling crossroads of the American South and Southwest, these three women find themselves at the crossroads of their own lives. A searing meditation on grief, female strength, and self‑discovery, Nobody's Magic is a testament to the power of family—the ones you're born into and the ones you choose. And in these three narratives, among the yearning and loss, each of these women may find a seed of hope for the future.

Kate has always been a wanderer. A well-published author, married many times, she has lived a life rich with explorations of the natural world and the human soul. Now, at fifty-seven, she leaves her lover, Yolo, to embark on a new excursion, one that begins on the Colorado River, proceeds through the past, and flows, inexorably, into the future. As Yolo begins his own parallel voyage, Kate encounters celibates and lovers, shamans and snakes, memories of family disaster and marital discord, and emerges at a place where nothing remains but love.

When Blanche White moved north to Boston, she believed it would be a better place to raise her kids, especially after she got them into an elite private school. But now her children are becoming elitist and judgmental, acquiring more attitude than education. So when she and her kids are invited to Amber Cove, an exclusive resort in Maine for wealthy blacks, Blanche jumps at the chance to see how the other half lives and maybe stop her kids turning into people she doesn't want to know.

New York Times best-selling authors Ashley and JaQuavis have returned with the much-anticipated final installment in the epic Murderville series. Taking up where the previous book left off, we're thrown back into the international street chronicle. Lives and money are on the line, and tough choices will have to be made between love and loyalty. In the final installment of this breath-taking trilogy, the characters will have to learn that, in this game of power, sometimes you have to give up the glory to survive.

Malik Carter, the youngest of the Carter brothers, finds himself heartbroken, shattered, and bewildered after one fateful night shatters his world and leaves him and Bria estranged. Events spiral out of control pushing them apart to confront their demons alone.

At the time of its publication, Wallace Thurman’s debut novel was deeply provocative. This was due not only to its frank considerations of race and sex, but also to its vivid portrait of a Harlem that few other writers had dared to explore. At the heart of this journey into new terrain is Emma Lou Morgan, a Black woman who leaves her “color-struck” Idaho hometown behind and strikes out, first for Los Angeles and later for Harlem—where, unfortunately, discrimination simply takes on a new form.

As the owner of WTZB broadcast station, Avery Michele was determined to make her grandfather's legacy thrive, even if her duties included being in front of the camera for Chicago's hottest events. However, Avery didn't foresee catching the eye of one determined bachelor. And after accepting his invitation to lunch, an unexpected craving for more than nutrition storms her with heat that takes her breath away. But with life outside of her profession shifting in the wrong direction, the thought of disappearing is the impetus that makes Avery run away from love.

Narcotics Detective Carl Malease earned the nickname of Malice because of his relentless drive on the job. Motivated by walking in his legendary father's footsteps drives him to make the biggest bust in New York city. The problem with that is he is the lone good apple in a bushel of bad ones. His ambition and integrity put him at odds not only with his crooked supervisor but his entire unit. A miscalculation gives them the fuel they need to burn his stellar career to the ground. It also puts him in the cross hairs of the most dangerous mobster in the city.

Hassan Clarke is a self-proclaimed ladies' man with his eyes set on the prize. With his jovial ways and gift for gab, he has managed to weasel his way into the lives of two women - his wife, Destiny, and his mistress, Imani. His mistress is a gold-digging, self-serving side chick determined to be with her married lover even if it means losing everything, including her soul, to get to him. However, after putting years of hard work and her hard-earned money into building her husband's firm, Destiny doesn't plan to forgo all the benefits without a fight.

Honey Williams doesn’t trust men. Between her father and last lover, a part of her struggles with resenting the entire species. She’s spent the past six months hidden in the safety of her parents’s home hoping her kind heart will never be the cause of pain and misfortune again. That seems possible until a cranky client causes chaos … which leads to her meeting Mr. Librarian.