New Review : The Reformatory :Tananarive Due

4 out of 5 books

It is June 1950 in Gracetown, Florida. Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr., is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys. Robbie kicked the son of a white landowner while defending his older sister Gloria. But the nightmares are just beginning when Robbie is sent to the school called The Reformatory. Robbie can see ghosts or haints. But this talent is exposing the real horrors and crimes that has happened to the former students who have gone missing. Gloria is still trying to come up with a plan to get Robbie away from The Reformatory before it’s too late.

Tananarive Due brings a classic horror novel with a good mix of the horrendous history of the real Dozier School for Boys with The Reformatory. This story makes you want to delve into more of the background of the school. Robbie is a character that you will root for throughout the story. There’s also Robbie’s friends that help him along way while in The Reformatory. Due paints such a vivid picture with this story that you feel like you are in Florida in 1950. The Reformatory is a moving,historical haunting tale by Tananarive Due that will delight old and new fans of horror.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert

Get your copy of The Reformatory today!

 

SAVE THE DATE : 17th Annual Great Midwest Book Fest : June 21, 2025

 More info coming soon!

New Review : The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster: Shauna Robinson

3.5 out of 5 books

Shauna Robinson’s “The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster” is a heartwarming and insightful novel that delves into family dynamics and personal identity. The story follows Mae, a bi-racial woman who has spent much of her life feeling disconnected from her father’s Black family while being more integrated with her maternal white relatives. As her wedding day looms, she is concerned because her father’s side of the family has not replied to her wedding invite. When she receives word that her paternal grandmother passed, she decided to attend the funeral and reconnect with that side of her family. As Mae seeks to reconnect with her estranged Black family in the South, she faces the chaos of a family barbecue that stirs both laughter and deep emotional reflections.

Robinson masterfully blends humor with emotional depth, presenting Mae’s journey with a mix of introspection and comedic inner monologues. The novel addresses complex themes of familial and racial histories, offering readers a thought-provoking and resonant experience. Mae’s quest to rebuild family ties and understand her place within her heritage is both inspiring and relatable. Robinson’s portrayal of family interactions and personal struggles brings the story to life, making “The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster” a compelling read for anyone interested in stories of family, identity, and growth.

Reviewed by Paula Allen

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New Review : Camp Lanier : Sylvester Barzey

4 out of 5 books

Taylor Johnson is a Black student at a predominately white private school. Vying to fit in with her friends at her school, she is caught up in a shoplifting incident with her wealthy White classmates. Taylor is left to take the blame and is sent to Camp Lanier as part of a community service program for at-risk youth.

Taylor’s summer at Camp Lanier quickly turns into a nightmare as she encounters strange hallucinations, hears mysterious crying at night, and learns about the camp’s dark past. Taylor’s determination to uncover the truth about Camp Lanier and this drives the story forward. Her interactions with other camp members, particularly Liam and Mia reveal the present-day horrors that are taking place at Camp Lanier. In a quest to save her life and her friends at the camp, Taylor had to give audience to the horrors of the campsite and learn from the ancestors of Oscarville, an all-black town buried under the waters of Lake Lanier.

Sylvester Barzey’s “Camp Lanier” is a gripping horror novel that delves into the eerie and unsettling urban legend of Lake Lanier in Georgia.  “Camp Lanier” is a must-read for fans of horror and supernatural fiction. The novel teases reader with a fictional glimpse into the racial history of the renowned Lake Lanier and entertains with a chilling tale of modern-day horror.

Reviewed by Paula Allen 

        Get your copy of Camp Lanier today! 

 

New Release : Bitter and Sweet: Rhonda McKnight

 

4 out of 5 books

Mariah Clark and Sabrina Holland haven't had the easiest sisterhood, what with all the family drama from their childhood. As adults, they barely communicate, both avoiding the other to maintain their peace of mind. Now, they've both got their own messes to sort out. But when their grandma calls them back to Georgetown to run the family restaurant because their grandpa's health is going downhill, they've got to get their act together. They need to save the restaurant and keep the family name shining. 

Their grandmother shared letters from their great-great-grandma Tabitha and encouraged Mariah and Sabrina to read them. Her old letters show the sisters that they're not the first in the family to deal with tough times or bad choices. Mariah's not the first to be let down by a guy, and Sabrina's not the first to make hard calls for her kid's sake. Tabitha’s persistent and determination in opening her own restaurant in the Jim Crow south is a testament to how important the restaurant, Tabby’s Meats and Sweets, is to their family heritage. While working together although reluctantly at first, the sisters are able to peel 

   back layers and restore their relationship. 

Rhonda McKnight's done it again with a book that hits you right in the feels. BITTER AND SWEET dives into some heavy stuff—postpartum blues, breakups, sorrow, unexpected pregnancy. It's a story that sticks with you and has characters that feel like old friends. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good multigenerational story of strong women and the importance of family.

Reviewed by Paula Allen

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New Review : Out of Office : A.H. Cunningham

 

3.5 out of 5 books

“Out of the Office” by A.H. Cunningham is an engaging Afro-Caribbean romance that follows Gabriella, a driven professional in a Miami hotel chain, and Adrián, who values a balanced life when it comes to his career. Gabriella has developed her work ethic from her mother who never seems to be pleased no matter how much effort Gabriella puts forth.

When Gabriella and Adrian meet, the chemistry between the two is instant. Gabriella learns to relax and live in the moment in her relationship with Adrian. Cunningham’s vivid writing brings the settings and emotions to life, exploring themes of love, fulfillment, and self-care. I love the romance, island culture, and character development. Perfect summer read.

Reviewed by Paula Allen 

Get your copy of Out of Office today! 

 

 

 

 

New Review : The Art of Scandal : Regina Black

 

3.5 out of 5 books

“The Art of Scandal” by Regina Black follows Rachel Abbott, the spouse of an up-and-coming politician, who uncovers her husband’s infidelity on his fortieth birthday. Rachel agrees to keep up the appearance of a perfect marriage until her husband’s reelection campaign concludes, in return for financial stability. However, her life takes an unexpected twist when she meets Nathan Vasquez, a young artist who rekindles her passion for art and life.

Their immediate and intense connection forces Rachel to reflect on what she truly desires. The story alternates between Rachel and Nathan’s point of view which I loved because you are privy to both of their emotions. This adds depth to the story. Rachel feels free to follow her true desires, even at the risk of scandal.

“The Art of Scandal” speaks of love, ambition, and self-realization. It’s a must-read for contemporary romance lovers who like a little drama and messiness as I do.

Reviewed by Paula Allen

Get your copy of The Art of Scandal today! 

 

 

 

The Forthcoming: Firstborn Girls: A Memoir : Bernice L. McFadden

On her second birthday in 1967, Bernice McFadden died in a car crash near Detroit, only to be resuscitated after her mother pulled her from the flaming wreckage. Firstborn Girls traces her remarkable life from that moment up to the publication of her first novel, Sugar.

Growing up in 1980s Brooklyn, Bernice finds solace in books, summer trips to Barbados, and boarding school to escape her alcoholic father. Discovering the works of Alice Walker and Toni Morrison, she finally sees herself and her loved ones reflected in their stories of “messy, beautiful, joyful Black people.”

Interwoven with Bernice's personal journey is her family's history, beginning with her four-times enslaved great-grandmother Louisa Vicey Wilson in 1822 Hancock County, Georgia. Her descendants survived Reconstruction and Jim Crow, joined the Great Migration, and mourned Dr. King’s assassination during the Civil Rights Movement. These women's wisdom, secrets, and fierce love are passed down like Louisa's handmade quilt.

A memoir of many threads, Firstborn Girls is an extraordinarily moving portrait of a life shaped by family, history, and the drive to be something more.

Pre-order your copy of Firstborn Girls today!

 

The Forthcoming: The Unexpected Diva: A Novel : Tiffany L. Warren

Born into slavery on a Mississippi plantation, Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield has been raised in the safety of Philadelphia’s Quaker community by a wealthy adoptive mother. Sheltered and educated, Eliza’s happy childhood always included music lessons to nurture her unique gift: a glorious three octave singing voice that leaves listeners in awe. But on the eve of her twenty-fourth birthday, young Eliza’s world is thrown into a tailspin when her mother dies.

Eliza’s inheritance is contested by her mother’s white cousins, leaving her few options. She can marry her longtime beau, Lucien, though she has no desire to be a wife and mother. Or she can work as a tutor for rich families. Her mother’s dying wish was for Eliza to pursue her talent and become a professional singer, but that grand vision now seems out of reach.

When a chance performance on a steamboat to Buffalo, New York, leads to a surprising opportunity, fearless Eliza seizes her moment. Within a year she is touring America, singing to packed houses, and igniting controversy wherever she goes. In a country captivated by “the Swedish Nightingale” Jenny Lind, Eliza is billed by tour promoters as “the Black Swan.” An unlikely diva, Eliza is tall, dark-skinned, and robust of figure compared to the petite European prima donna, but even the harshest critics can’t deny Eliza’s extraordinary gift. Menaced by racist crowds, threatened by slave-catchers who kidnap free Black people, Eliza lives a public life full of risk, but one which also holds the promise of great riches, and the freedoms those buy.

From the churches of Philadelphia to Queen Victoria’s salon in Buckingham Palace, Eliza Greenfield will blaze her own path—with a voice that no listener will ever forget.

Pre-order your copy of The Unexpected Diva today!

 

The Forthcoming : Harlem Rhapsody : Victoria Christopher Murray

In 1919, a high school teacher from Washington, D.C arrives in Harlem excited to realize her lifelong dream. Jessie Redmon Fauset has been named the literary editor of The Crisis. The first Black woman to hold this position at a preeminent Negro magazine, Jessie is poised to achieve literary greatness. But she holds a secret that jeopardizes it all.
 
W. E. B. Du Bois, the founder of The Crisis, is not only Jessie’s boss, he’s her lover. And neither his wife, nor their fourteen-year-age difference can keep the two apart. Amidst rumors of their tumultuous affair, Jessie is determined to prove herself. She attacks the challenge of discovering young writers with fervor, finding sixteen-year-old Countee Cullen, seventeen-year-old Langston Hughes, and Nella Larsen, who becomes one of her best friends. Under Jessie’s leadership, The Crisis thrives…every African American writer in the country wants their work published there.
 
When her first novel is released to great acclaim, it’s clear that Jessie is at the heart of a renaissance in Black music, theater, and the arts. She has shaped a generation of literary legends, but as she strives to preserve her legacy, she’ll discover the high cost of her unparalleled success.

Pre-order your copy of Harlem Rhapsody today!

 

The Forthcoming: Murder in Berkeley Square (The Lady Worthing Mysteries Book 3) : Vanessa Riley

A marriage of convenience saved Lady Abigail Worthing’s family from disgrace, but she’s finding her absent husband's endless conditions increasingly repressive. Unable to stay at their London home during the oncoming winter, she accepts a ride to the country from her neighbor, Stapleton Henderson. However, she's less than delighted that she’s his excuse to avoid a dinner held by Lord Charles Duncan, one of London's most powerful—and relentless—magistrates. More irritating, women are decidedly unwelcome at the evening’s prestigious discussion of criminality—even though Abigail and Stapleton have solved several cases together . . .  

Then an unexpected blizzard strands them at Lord Duncan’s with his now-houseguests. Suddenly, an evening of fine dining, fine brandy, and insightful debate becomes an inescapable—and deadly—ordeal. The ultimate test for Abigial’s skill. One of the dinner guests is found dead in front of the Berkley Square mansion. And when another party is murdered, Abigail discovers each had received a taunting, prophetic nursery rhyme . . . coincidence, or clues left by a killer on the loose?

Through deft interrogation, she learns everyone present is connected to Lord Duncan's greatest failure in the courts: the conviction of a Martinique plantation informant for a murder he didn’t commit. But as Abigail races to find who was really responsible for the miscarriage of justice, she'll be forced to put her own and Stapleton's lives at risk in a gambit that will alter their fates forever—or end them permanently.

Pre-order your copy of Murder in Berkeley Square today!