Welcome to another week of BBPD! The lineup this week is STACKED, and my wallet is giving me side-eye as we speak. Too bad! This week we’re highlighting Turning Page Bookshop in Goose Creek, SC, so make sure to support and show love. Happy reading!

Wings of Ebony

J. Elle

'Make a way out of no way' is just the way of life for Rue. But when her mother is shot dead on her doorstep, life for her and her younger sister changes forever. Rue's taken from her neighborhood by the father she never knew, forced to leave her little sister behind, and whisked away to Ghazan--a hidden island of magic wielders.

Rue is the only half-god, half-human there, where leaders protect their magical powers at all costs and thrive on human suffering. Miserable and desperate to see her sister on the anniversary of their mother’s death, Rue breaks Ghazan’s sacred Do Not Leave Law and returns to Houston, only to discover that Black kids are being forced into crime and violence. And her sister, Tasha, is in danger of falling sway to the very forces that claimed their mother’s life.

Worse still, evidence mounts that the evil plaguing East Row is the same one that lurks in Ghazan—an evil that will stop at nothing until it has stolen everything from her and everyone she loves. Rue must embrace her true identity and wield the full magnitude of her ancestors’ power to save her neighborhood before the gods burn it to the ground.

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Take Back the Block

Chrystal D. Giles

Wes Henderson has the best style in sixth grade. That—and hanging out with his crew (his best friends since little-kid days) and playing video games—is what he wants to be thinking about at the start of the school year, not the protests his parents are always dragging him to.

But when a real estate developer makes an offer to buy Kensington Oaks, the neighborhood Wes has lived his whole life, everything changes. The grownups are supposed to have all the answers, but all they’re doing is arguing. Even Wes’s best friends are fighting. And some of them may be moving. Wes isn’t about to give up the only home he’s ever known. Wes has always been good at puzzles, and he knows there has to be a missing piece that will solve this puzzle and save the Oaks. But can he find it… before it’s too late?

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Gutter Child

Jael Richardson

Set in an imagined world in which the most vulnerable are forced to buy their freedom by working off their debt to society, Gutter Child uncovers a nation divided into the privileged Mainland and the policed Gutter. In this world, Elimina Dubois is one of only 100 babies taken from the Gutter and raised in the land of opportunity as part of a social experiment led by the Mainland government.

But when her Mainland mother dies, Elimina finds herself all alone, a teenager forced into an unfamiliar life of servitude, unsure of who she is and where she belongs.

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Little Petty Notions

Rae Shawn

Love can come and go, but after Jada Lorenzo's bad breakup, she doesn't want to be bothered again. That all changes the moment an old flame walks back into her life.

Jada is figuring out how to balance her single parenthood, while also maintaining a business and a fresh start in a new place. Her best friend is there to provide as much assistance as he can, but after Jada has a random encounter with her first love, he seems to start encouraging her to rekindle with the flame who already burned her burned.

Tra'Mel Denzel is adjusting to to life off the field. After an career-ending injury, he opened up a rehab facility to help other athletes. When he runs into Jada, all the feelings he once had come rushing back, but he doesn't know if she will be willing to give him a second chance.

While Jada and Tra'Mel work to figure out if love is in the cards for them again, they both have to deal with factors that seem to want to drive them apart.

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Won’t Go Home Without You

Cheris Hodges

One night only—that's all Robin Richardson-Baptiste will give the husband she once adored. She thought nothing could shatter their storybook marriage—not illness or a life-saving operation that left her unable to have children. For her husband, Dr. Logan Baptiste, told her in a thousand unspoken ways their love was all he needed. But now, in the face of overwhelming evidence, his co-worker, Kamrie, claims Logan fathered her son.

Logan can’t recall what happened with Kamrie—and DNA never lies. He does know he’s never stopped loving his gentle, courageous wife. But doing whatever it takes to uncover the truth, and save his marriage, not to mention his career, will challenge them like never before. And one night of undivided attention and desire may be the only thing to heal their hearts, reveal all—or shatter things beyond
repair . . .

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Another Tuesday is around the corner, and with it are some fantastic new books written by Black authors. The Black bookstore we’re supporting this week is Books and Crannies. Go forth and support, and as always, happy reading!

Amari and the Night Brothers

B. B. Alston

Amari Peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive. Not even when the police told her otherwise, or when she got in trouble for standing up to bullies who said he was gone for good.

So when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she’s certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating Quinton—if only she can wrap her head around the idea of magicians, fairies, aliens, and other supernatural creatures all being real.

Now she must compete for a spot against kids who’ve known about magic their whole lives. No matter how hard she tries, Amari can’t seem to escape their intense doubt and scrutiny—especially once her supernaturally enhanced talent is deemed “illegal.” With an evil magician threatening the supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she’s an enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn’t stick it out and pass the tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton.

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Dear Mama’s Loving Arms

Ceece Kelley

Dear Mama's Loving Arms is a heartwarming story about the importance of a mother's embrace and the joy it brings to children. Dear Mama and Baby love to laugh and play all day. But what happens when Baby can't be in Dear Mama's arms? Maybe Dear Mama can be in Baby's dreams...

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Empowered Black Girl

M. J. Fievre

Even strong, fearless, and badass Black girls and Black women need affirmations. Now more than ever, we need to practice the art of self-care and give our minds and bodies the TLC they deserve. Author of Badass Black Girl and Happy, Okay? M.J Fievre brings you inspirational words of wisdom through fabulous Black female trailblazers who have changed the world, including Audre Lorde, Lupita Nyong'o and Angela Davis.

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Temple of the Inner Flame

Amber Fisher

Necromancer Kezia Bernard sees her ability as both a blessing and curse. While it’s an honor to connect the African diaspora to their deceased ancestors and channel magic from the past, her power is overshadowed by a crushing affliction. One that has cost her all she holds dear.

The Temple of the Inner Flame, a high-profile cult, is experiencing strange happenings in their hallowed sanctuary. Called to investigate, Kezia discovers far more malicious forces at work than the haunting she expected. But when the case takes a deadly turn, the necromancer comes face-to-face with an ancient evil whose twisted agenda ventures beyond the boundaries of death.

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A Theft Most Fowl

Nicole Givens Kurtz

Following her success in Gould, Hawk Prentice Tasifa returns to her university to unravel a mystery. Someone has broken into the Museum of the Goddess and stolen its most sacred artifact, attacked two of the guards, and is trying to frame her mentor. Under pressure from The Order, Prentice is urged to find the culprits, but not all is as it seems.

Can Hawk Tasifa see through the echoes of her own past and find the dirty birds before they destroy everything she loves?

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Raising Confident Black Kids

M. J. Fievre

It's hard to balance protecting your child's innocence with preparing them for the realities of Black life. When--and how--do you approach racism with your children? How do you protect their physical and mental health while also preparing them for a country full of systemic racism? On the heels of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria and "Multiplication Is for White People" comes a parenting book specifically for parents of Black kids.

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Joaquin Fuertes

Chiquita Dennie

Joaquin

I never expected things would get this out of control.My sins have come back to haunt me and affect everyone I love. I forced my way into her life, and turned things upside down. Not only am I dealing with snakes in business, but her family, and friends think we shouldn’t be together. The only problem is that I’ll never let her go.

Sofia

It wasn’t meant to be like this. I think back to the first time I laid my eyes on Joaquin Fuertes, and thought I could control my feelings and not get caught up with falling in love.Now I’m in a position to never see my family and friends again.I ask myself should I leave my life behind or try to make things work with him. The only problem is that I doubt he'll ever let me go, but do I really want to be away from him anyway?

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Welcome! This week’s Black bookstore is Loyalty Bookstores in Washington, DC! Start the new year out right and give them your support. Happy reading!

Concrete Rose

Angie Thomas

If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison.

Life’s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav’s got everything under control.

Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father.

Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it’s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he’s different.

When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can't just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. He’ll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.

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Off to See the Sea

Nikki Grimes, Elizabeth Zunon

The faucet flows like a waterfall, the bathroom floor is a distant shore, toy boats sail against the waves. An imagination-fueled adventure on the high seas is just what it takes to get little one clean.

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Angel of Greenwood

Randi Pink

Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Wilson is, on the surface, a town troublemaker, but is hiding that he is an avid reader and secret poet, never leaving home without his journal. A passionate follower of W.E.B. Du Bois, he believes that black people should rise up to claim their place as equals.

Sixteen-year-old Angel Hill is a loner, mostly disregarded by her peers as a goody-goody. Her father is dying, and her family’s financial situation is in turmoil. Also, as a loyal follower of Booker T. Washington, she believes, through education and tolerance, that black people should rise slowly and without forced conflict.

Though they’ve attended the same schools, Isaiah never noticed Angel as anything but a dorky, Bible toting church girl. Then their English teacher offers them a job on her mobile library, a three-wheel, two-seater bike. Angel can’t turn down the money and Isaiah is soon eager to be in such close quarters with Angel every afternoon. But life changes on May 31, 1921 when a vicious white mob storms the community of Greenwood, leaving the town destroyed and thousands of residents displaced. Only then, Isaiah, Angel, and their peers realize who their real enemies are.

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The Theory of Flight

Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu

As Imogen Zula Nyoni, aka Genie, lies in a coma at Mater Dei Hospital. her family and friends struggle to come to terms with her impending death. This is the story of Genie, who has gifts that transcend time and space. With the lightest of touches, and with an overlay of magical-realist beauty, this novel sketches, through the lives of a few families and the fate of a single patch of ground, decades of national history (a country in Southern Africa that is never named) – from colonial occupation through the freedom struggle, to the devastation wrought by the sojas, the HIV virus, and The Man Himself.

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Tempt the Dragon

A.C. Arthur

After the love of his life walked away, powerful half-human, half-dragon Aiken French isn’t about to risk his emotions on a woman ever again. It doesn’t matter that his Drakon beast wholeheartedly disagrees, or that his powers of telekinesis are suffering as a result. He can’t live through that kind of heartbreak again. But with a long-buried vampire stirring, he might not have a choice.

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Xavier Reynolds: Blood Ties

N. M. Porterfield

There have always been creatures that go bump in the night. But for his entire life, Xavier Reynolds had been hidden from that truth. Believing he was a normal teenager, Xavier had no idea that he actually hailed from a long line of monster hunters. The evils around him were oblivious to his existence, thanks to a technique used by his father before he died. But when Xavier turned eighteen, that protection faded and the things that lived in his nightmares suddenly became his reality.

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Hunted

Sharon C. Cooper

Former CIA spy Myles Carrington experienced enough danger in his clandestine days. The last thing he needs in his life right now is trouble, but that’s what he gets when salon owner Geneva Ramsey crosses his path. She’s combative, fierce, and the sexiest woman he’s ever met, but he’s not looking for anything serious. He promises himself only one night with her and nothing more.

Geneva kissed him on a dare. A dare that altered her carefree life, and she’s conflicted. Myles is an enigma, a puzzle she can’t piece together. Yet, she’s addicted to him—which is just crazy. She never gets serious with any guy, but after one night with Myles, no other man will do. Now, she just needs him to cooperate.

When an unknown enemy from Myles’s past begins hunting him, the hunter becomes the hunted. Myles will destroy anyone who dares threaten those he loves, but will Geneva become a casualty of his past? Or can Myles save her and begin a life he thought he never wanted?

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Secrets of the Elite

Sydney Addae, Jacki Kelly, Sienna Mynx, Pepper Pace, Renee Wynn

A collection of five novellas centered on a cruise ship, featuring stories of romance, intrigue, mystery, and even a touch of the paranormal.

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This week’s featured Black bookstore is none other than Mahogany Books. Check them out and order a few copies of the following new releases.

As always, these are only a few of the books Black authors are producing. Support, share, and happy reading!

Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance

Nikki Grimes

For centuries, accomplished women--of all races--have fallen out of the historical records. The same is true for gifted, prolific, women poets of the Harlem Renaissance who are little known, especially as compared to their male counterparts.

In this poetry collection, bestselling author Nikki Grimes uses "The Golden Shovel" poetic method to create wholly original poems based on the works of these groundbreaking women-and to introduce readers to their work.

Each poem is paired with one-of-a-kind art from today's most exciting female African-American illustrators: Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Cozbi A. Cabrera, Nina Crews, Pat Cummings, Laura Freeman, Jan Spivey Gilchrist, Ebony Glenn, April Harrison, Vashti Harrison, Ekua Holmes, Cathy Ann Johnson, Keisha Morris, Daria Peoples-Riley, Andrea Pippins, Erin Robinson, Shadra Strickland, Nicole Tadgell, and Elizabeth Zunon

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The Awakening of Malcolm X

Ilyasah Shabazz and Tiffany D. Jackson

In Charlestown Prison, Malcolm Little struggles with the weight of his past. Plagued by nightmares, Malcolm drifts through days, unsure of his future. Slowly, he befriends other prisoners and writes to his family. He reads all the books in the prison library, joins the debate team and the Nation of Islam. Malcolm grapples with race, politics, religion, and justice in the 1940s. And as his time in jail comes to an end, he begins to awaken -- emerging from prison more than just Malcolm Little: Now, he is Malcolm X.

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A Test of Courage

Justina Ireland

When a transport ship is abruptly kicked out of hyperspace as part of a galaxy-wide disaster, newly-minted teen Jedi Vernestra Rwoh, a young Padawan, an audacious tech-kid, and the son of an ambassador are stranded on a jungle moon where they must work together to survive both the dangerous terrain and a hidden danger lurking in the shadows….

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The Scrumptious Life of Azaleah Lane

Nikki Shannon Smith, Gloria Felix

Mama and Daddy are heading out of town, which means Azaleah and her sisters get to spend the weekend at Auntie Sam's. The girls can't wait for their special weekend! Azaleah even decides to bake cookies to surprise her parents when they return. After all, as Mama says, "Cooking for someone is like giving them a gift." But the cookies are a disaster! Azaleah is stumped. She's sure she did everything right. Can Azaleah get to the bottom of the cookie catastrophe before Mama and Daddy get back?

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Be:come, Issue 4

Daimon Hampton

In this issue: The Crew has made a decision to break The Path to save Lena. The only problem is they have no idea where she is. More importantly, Lena has no idea where she is or who this mysterious lady is that knows her name. 

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Root Magic

Eden Royce

It’s 1963, and things are changing for Jezebel Turner. Her beloved grandmother has just passed away. The local police deputy won’t stop harassing her family. With school integration arriving in South Carolina, Jez and her twin brother, Jay, are about to begin the school year with a bunch of new kids. But the biggest change comes when Jez and Jay turn eleven— and their uncle, Doc, tells them he’s going to train them in rootwork.

Jez and Jay have always been fascinated by the African American folk magic that has been the legacy of their family for generations—especially the curious potions and powders Doc and Gran would make for the people on their island. But Jez soon finds out that her family’s true power goes far beyond small charms and elixirs…and not a moment too soon. Because when evil both natural and supernatural comes to show itself in town, it’s going to take every bit of the magic she has inside her to see her through.

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Happily Ever Afters

Elise Bryant

Sixteen-year-old Tessa Johnson has never felt like the protagonist in her own life. She’s rarely seen herself reflected in the pages of the romance novels she loves. The only place she’s a true leading lady is in her own writing—in the swoony love stories she shares only with Caroline, her best friend and #1 devoted reader.

When Tessa is accepted into the creative writing program of a prestigious art school, she’s excited to finally let her stories shine. But when she goes to her first workshop, the words are just...gone. Fortunately, Caroline has a solution: Tessa just needs to find some inspiration in a real-life love story of her own. And she’s ready with a list of romance novel-inspired steps to a happily ever after. Nico, the brooding artist who looks like he walked out of one of Tessa’s stories, is cast as the perfect Prince Charming.

But as Tessa checks off each item off Caroline’s list, she gets further and further away from herself. She risks losing everything she cares about—including the surprising bond she develops with sweet Sam, who lives across the street. She’s well on her way to having her own real-life love story, but is it the one she wants, after all?

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One Of The Good Ones

Maika and Maritza Moulite

When teen social activist and history buff Kezi Smith is killed under mysterious circumstances after attending a social justice rally, her devastated sister Happi and their family are left reeling in the aftermath. As Kezi becomes another immortalized victim in the fight against police brutality, Happi begins to question the idealized way her sister is remembered. Perfect. Angelic.

One of the good ones.

Even as the phrase rings wrong in her mind—why are only certain people deemed worthy to be missed?—Happi and her sister Genny embark on a journey to honor Kezi in their own way, using an heirloom copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book as their guide. But there’s a twist to Kezi’s story that no one could’ve ever expected—one that will change everything all over again.

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Meow Or Never

Jazz Taylor

Avery Williams can sing, but that doesn't mean she can sing in front of people. She likes to stay backstage at her new school, which is where, to her surprise, she finds a cat tucked away into a nook. Avery names the stray Phantom and visits any time she's feeling stressed (which is a lot these days).

As she sings to Phantom one day, her crush, Nic, overhears her and ropes Avery into auditioning for the school's musical. Despite her nerves, Avery lands the lead role!

She knows she should be excited, but mostly Avery is terrified. Can Phantom help her through her stage fright? And what will happen if anyone finds out about her secret pet?

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From The Desk Of Zoey Washington (paperback)

Janae Marks

Zoe Washington isn’t sure what to write. What does a girl say to the father she’s never met, hadn’t heard from until his letter arrived on her twelfth birthday, and who’s been in prison for a terrible crime?

A crime he says he never committed.

Could Marcus really be innocent? Zoe is determined to uncover the truth. Even if it means hiding his letters and her investigation from the rest of her family. Everyone else thinks Zoe’s worrying about doing a good job at her bakery internship and proving to her parents that she’s worthy of auditioning for Food Network’s Kids Bake Challenge.

But with bakery confections on one part of her mind, and Marcus’s conviction weighing heavily on the other, this is one recipe Zoe doesn’t know how to balance. The only thing she knows to be true: Everyone lies.

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When You Look Like Us

Pamela N. Harris

When you look like us—brown skin, brown eyes, black braids or fades—everyone else thinks you’re trouble. No one even blinks twice over a missing black girl from public housing because she must’ve brought whatever happened to her upon herself. I, Jay Murphy, can admit that, for a minute, I thought my sister Nicole just got caught up with her boyfriend—a drug dealer—and his friends. But she’s been gone too long. Nic, where are you?

If I hadn’t hung up on her that night, she would be at our house, spending time with Grandma.

If I was a better brother, she’d be finishing senior year instead of being another name on a missing persons list.

It’s time to step up, to do what the Newport News police department won’t.

Bring her home.

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