The Guesthouse of Befania (The Royals of Kéra Asnela) Kindle Edition by Stephanie Nicole Norris

 Book Excerpt:

"One bed.

Forty-eight hours.

Irresistible attraction.
Unadulterated passion.
Jasir’s the second in command—A guard from the strongest monarchy in East Africa.
Amara was the only one to make him bend to her will in this Royals of Kera Asnela spin-off."

Title: The Guesthouse of Befania
Author: Stephanie Nicole Norris
Publisher: Love Is A Drug Ink LLC
Series: [Spin-Off] The Royals of Kera Asnela
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"The Guesthouse of Befania" by Stephanie Nicole Norris

My Sentiments:

I enjoyed this short good and steamy spin-off read about Amara and Jasir who finally get together in their newfound love. They were servants and security for the Royals of Kera Asnela. Who knew that watching from afar and helping Amara learn the right stand in using a bow and arrow would finally get them together? Pick up this short read to see how it will all come out for these two.

Wrapped in the Arms of a Ryder Kindle Edition by Jade Jones

 Book Excerpt:

"A Beautifully Written and Captivating Romance Novel From Bestselling Author and Filmmaker, Jade Jones

Stuck in the hometown she’s lived in all her life, Remi’s ambitions were bound to end up as unfulfilled dreams. Growing up with strict but loving parents, Remi is a good girl through and through, but her sheltered life makes her hesitate to leave everything she knows behind and go out into the world. But with the encouragement of her best friend, she finally takes the plunge and moves to DC to follow a new career path which she hopes will bring her the success she craves.

However, things don’t always go exactly as planned, and when she meets a bad boy by the name of Ryder – a member of an ill-famed motorcycle club – Remi falls for him. He’s slick, dangerous, and unlike anybody, a small-town girl like Remi would have ever dated, but also far more trouble than she can deal with.

Finding herself tangled up in a torrid affair with a bad boy, it seems that the dreams she left home to pursue are forgotten – that is unless Remi comes up with a whole new dream for herself.

*This is a re-release formerly titled ‘Dreeco and Deja’*

Title: Wrapped in the Arms of a Ryder
Author: Jade Jones
Publisher: Jaded Publications
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Wrapped in the Arms of a Ryder" by Jade Jones

My Sentiments:

'Wrapped in the Arms of a Ryder' was quite a read that will keep one's attention turning the pages at a read full of 'drama, surprises, mayhem, sex, backstabbing, fighting heartbreak,' and I am sure I am leaving something out. If this is your kind of read...you will enjoy it with twists and turns all over the place. Just when you think maybe Ryder and Remi are finally going to get their HEA...this author gives the reader quite a shocking ending. This is where I say you must pick up this read and see how it all comes out. I will say with friends like Jordan, Remi needed no enemies.

The Evolution of Her Kindle Edition by Ella Quent

Book Excerpt:

"As She was changing, she was growing,

she was transforming, she was shifting,

she was building, she was tearing down as she was pulling up, she was cutting away,

she was progressing, she was reconstructing,

she was teaching,

she was learning, she was yearning

as she was finding Herself...she was Becoming...Herself

Title:  The Evolution of Her

Author:  Ella Quent

Publisher:  E. Q. 

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Five

Review:

"The Evolution of Her" by Ella Quent

My Sentiments:  

This was a beautiful writing of this author's story as we find her "changing...growing,

Transforming, shifting, building, teaching down as she pulls up, cutting away, progressing

reconstructing, teaching, learning, yearning, and in the end...finding Herself...Becoming Herself."

We are given 23 pages of 'The Evolution of Her' starting with the words...'Ethereal, Majestic, Magical, Passionate Alluring and Indestructible.'  All words that 'celebrate the Transformation of The Black Women.'

Part 1

Growing Pains...Little Black Girl...

Self-Conscious...

The Journey to Beautiful...

Shy Girl...

If I am Beautiful...

Part 2 Lessons Learned...

As I Am...

I am

The Apology...

The Journey of "Me"

I find Myself...

Celebrating Me...

Bare...

In My Element...

You Better Recognize...

Woman...

Magical...

Free At Last...

I am the ...

The Evolution of Her...

If you pick up this good read you will see how this author brings it all together...so I am going to stop here and say pick up this author...'The Evolution of Her' to see how well she brings it all out to you in this unique version as you read through her words.

That's Not Yo Chic It's Just Yo Turn Kindle Edition by Niki Jilvontae

 Book Excerpt:

"Living a lie isn't easy, but it becomes second nature when you tell yourself what you’re doing is for the greater good. This is a reality for 25-year-old Jamar Maxwell, an ex-NBA star from Memphis. Jamar grew up with four friends, one of whom was his best friend/twin from birth Bryce. Growing up in the hood, Jamar was the star of the click because he had all the popularity and clout his homies wanted. He shared it with them too and anything else he had because in his eyes they were his brothers and what was his was theirs by law of the streets. He lived with that philosophy for years until people's true colors started to show. Soon Jamar found out that those he was most loyal to weren’t loyal to him at all, and that sh*t didn’t sit well with him. That harsh reality along with each of their faults, led Jamar on a mission to destroy their egos and shatter those glass houses all around them. One by one he slept with their girls and left his mark on their hearts all while he had the perfect family waiting for him at home. That happy world away from the chaos didn't last long though, because everything that happens in the dark eventually comes to the light, and that's when people get hurt and drama unfolds in this twisted tale. Soon Jamar finds himself up against hate, drama, violence, life-changing secrets, and even death all because of his insatiable appetite for other peoples' women. In the end, will Jamar teach his disloyal friends a lesson? Or will he become the man who finds out... That's Not Yo Chic, It's Just Yo Turn!"

Title: That's Not Yo Chick It's Just Yo Turn
Author: Niki Jilvontae
Publisher: N. J. ‎
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"That's Not Yo Chic It's Just Yo Turn" by Niki Jilvontae

My Sentiments:

When Jamar thinks that life is going well for him, married to Milan with two boys, what will happen when he finds out that his friends, especially his best friend, Bryce was not his friend? But one may ask...what brought all of this on? What had Jamar done that karma soon came for him? I don't want to tell it to you, but you the reader should pick this story up because the author brings it all out so well to what Jamar was doing and it seemed to think in his mind that it was ok. What I couldn't understand seemed to understand just why his friends were being disloyal to him. However, his friends and the woman he was fooling around with didn't like him doing what he was doing and yes, he was called out on it, even though they were doing the same. It was karma coming back to bite him especially when his wife found out. But was she one to say anything after all she had previously done? Again, pick up 'That's Not Yo Chic Just You Turn' to see how it will...well it seems like we have a cliffhanger, toward the end, and you will have to go to the next story to find out who is still alive. Be ready for many twists and turns in this mystery, thriller, and suspenseful read, along with 'hate, drama, violence, secrets, and death' that will keep one turning the pages to see what will be going on next for Jamar and all the karma that seems to be coming straight for him. Who will learn a lesson from all of this with all of the chaos that is going on?

When Life Gives You Sunsets (The Energy Series) Kindle Edition by Brookelyn Mosley

 Book Excerpt:

"What if at the very moment you gave up on finding romantic love, you found hope for it over 4,000 miles away? Would you allow yourself to explore that hope to confirm if it’s real or would you let doubt decide for you?

When Clarke Ali encountered Yusuf Baldwin while en route to her vacation in Maui, a misunderstanding quickly formed a skewed first impression. Clarke had just discovered a truth that morphed her newly sprouted optimism from love to jadedness, and Yusuf had experienced a painful loss he convinced himself he would never recover from in his lifetime.

Neither Clarke nor Yusuf wanted anything to do with love again after their experiences with it. To them, love wasn’t worth the effort to pursue. Especially since their love lives had uncovered that forever has an expiration date. But something more powerful, more significant than their island stay, keeps putting them in the same space at the same time. What they do with that time proves that what they’ve discovered in each other isn’t as random as they thought. It may have always been written in the stars.

If they allow it, their chance meetings on the island of sunsets will reveal to them both that painful endings can lead to healing beginnings, too.

Will they be brave together and let what they find in one another play out long enough to see if what they have is real? Or will their aversion to romantic relationships reduce what they’ve unearthed in each other to being just an island fling?"

_____

*When Life Gives You Sunsets is book two in The Energy Series. Though it is a part of a series, this story, like book one, is a standalone. WLGYS contains sexually explicit content, profanity, grief, and grieving the death of a spouse.

Title:  When Life Gives You Sunsets

Author:  Brookelyn Mosley

Publisher:  85 Media LLC

Series:  The Energy Series Book 2

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating:  Five

Review: 

"When Life Gives You Simsets" by Brookelyn Mosley

My Sentiments:  

"When Life Goves Upi Simsets" was a beautifully told story that featured Clarke and Yusuf.  How this author brought these two together was quite interesting.  We find Clark had lost faith in men due to what had happened during her last relationship and Yusuf was still grieving the loss of his wife Parris after eleven years of marriage. With the story being heartbreaking it was also a well-thought-out story where there was encouragement all around these two main characters...Clarke and Yusuf.   Well, what will happen as they both head for Maui  The story will be wonderfully written as these two come together with the help of some well-developed secondary characters who were there to help each of these main characters giving words of 'wisdom and support.'   You must pick up this novel to see how well this author gives the reader a beautiful love story of what can happen 'When Life Gives You Sunsets.'

A Praying Wife vs A Preying Woman: A Christian Romance Thriller (Love Conquers All Thrillers Book 1) Kindle Edition by Tanisha Stewart

 Book Excerpt:

"They wouldn't call it betrayal if it didn't come from a friend...

For lack of a better word, Destiny's life is perfect.
She met the man of her dreams her first week in college. Her grades are stellar, and she's got the lead role in the choir.
But someone in her circle isn't happy about Destiny's success.
And that person won't stop until she meets her demise.

Des always gets the short end of the stick.
She fights with everything she has to be noticed, but she's always overlooked.
Her roommate, Destiny, always seems to come out on the winning side. Things reach a head when Destiny sails by on a cloud of joy the same day Des faces the worst rejection of her life.
Out for blood, Des zeroes in on her so-called best friend.
Time to knock her down a peg or two.

A Praying Wife vs. A Praying Woman is a spell-binding psychological thriller that will keep you up all night turning its pages."

Title:  A Praying Wife vs. A Preying Woman

Author:  Tanisha Stewart

Publishers:  T. S. 

Series:  Love Conquers All Thrillers Book 1

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating:  Five

Review:

"A Praying Wife Vs. A Preying Woman" by Tanisha Stewart

My Sentiments:  

Wow...what a read about two supposedly friends?  Both of these ladies...Destiny and Des had some problems, but Des took it overboard in all that she did to her friend.  The story will be quite read as the story continues on from their days when they met in college.  Why was Des so determined to destroy Destiny as she lied, was deceitful with some much betrayal behind all she did?  But more importantly...why didn't Destiny listen to her friends Chloe and Malik? Well, to find out this and more, you will have to pick up this good read to see how it all turns out for both of them.  I was left shaking my head...that was some read!

The Soul that Surrenders to Love: A Christian Romance Story (Surrendering All Book 1) Kindle Edition by Nikki Smith

 Book Excerpt:

"What do you do when you’ve made the BIGGEST mistake of your existence?

Veronica Bell was once a woman after God’s heart, but when she thinks she’s found the love of her life, she puts everything that has to do with serving the Lord in her rearview mirror. Yes, she’s walked away from the church and the Bible, but when things don’t go exactly as she’d planned, she realizes that maybe God was the answer to true happiness all along.
In walks Nicholas Cooper, a successful business owner with a checkered past. As an ordained minister, Nick puts God first in his everything. When he meets Veronica, he’s captivated by her grace, beauty, and newfound recommitment to Christ. Perhaps they’ll both discover their hearts' desires when their souls surrender to love."

Title:  The Soul that Surrenders to Love

Author:  Nikki Smith

Publisher:  N. S. 

Series:  Surrendering All Book 1

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating:  Five

Review:

"The Soul that Surrenders to Love" by Nikki Smith

My Sentiments:  

What a good Christian Fiction this one was to read.  The reader will be turning the pages to see what is coming next for Veronica Bell and Nicholas Cooper.  Truly God was in the midst of all that was happening especially for Veronica.  Be ready for a story that will have a little bit of it all from 'backsliding, hatred, repentance, acceptance, unexpected twists and turns, forgiveness of self, God's forgiveness, redemption, and that unconditional and true love' in the end ... a beautiful read.

The Heart that Surrenders to Faith: A Christian Romance Story (Surrendering All Book 2) Kindle Edition by Nikki Smith

 Book Excerpt:

"What do you do when the person you love doesn’t love you back?

Destiny is a strong woman of faith with a heart for the Lord, but she’d be the first to admit that she hasn’t always been that way. The thirtysomething wants a husband and a family of her own. The problem? The man she wants to spend her life with is engaged to be married to someone else. Almost worse, he considers Destiny to be just a friend, and he has never loved Destiny romantically anyway. When a blast from her past shows up in her life, Destiny begins to think that she has a shot at love with someone besides the man she’s been infatuated with for over a decade. But Destiny has a secret…one that can threaten her shot at a happy-ever-after."

Title:  The Heart that Surrenders to Faith

Author:  Nikki Smith

Publisher:  N. S. 

Series:  Surrendering All Book 2

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating:  Five

Review:

"The Heart that Surrenders to Faith" by Nikki Smith

My Sentiments:  

Book 2 of this series featuring Destiny and Ralph is an enjoyable read where we see how a person's life can change for the good as it did for Destiny.  Yes, Destiny had done some horrible things in her life but with God's help, she was able to turn things around for the betterment of it all.  One thing was finally, realizing that Nick was not going to be Her's and moving on with her life.  And what will happen?  Will Destiny be able to find someone who truly loves her and not let her past define the future?  There will be a lot of twists and turns, along with the Prophesy, drama, love, and inspirational scriptures, before the ending to a good read.   

A Lie Ain't Shit To Tell (The Deception Series Book 1) Kindle Edition by Niki Jilvontae

 Book Excerpt:

"A lie ain’t shit to tell and a heart ain’t shit to break in this tale of love, lust, and betrayal. Samantha aka Sam is a beautiful, 20-something pharmacist who is married to a sexy comedian Dre. Sam and Dre have a fairy tale marriage; until one day everything changes. After Sam finds texts, pictures, and a heap load of hoes in Dre’s phone, she sees that he isn’t who he pretends to be, so she sets out to tell a few lies of her own. Come on this steamy, turbulent thrill ride and find out how the lies you tell can come back to bite you in the ass!"

Title: A Lie Ain't Shit To Tell
Author: Niki Jilvontae
Publisher: N. J.
Series: The Deception Series Book 1
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"A Lie Ain't Shit To Tell" by Niki Jilvontae

My Sentiments:

Samantha thinks she had the best marriage but soon finds out her fairy tale has ended. What happened? Will Samantha's plan work as she planned Dre's demise after what he has put her through? What is up with Sam's twin sister, Brina? Is Darnell playing a part in all of this? What about Marcia...she seems to be a good friend to me, but is she really?  To get the rest of this story, you must continue as Sam seeks revenge...'Playing For Keeps'...The Deception Series Book 2 is the next one to read.

Justice on Her Terms: An Sophia Dawson Legal Thriller (Sophia Dawson Legal Thriller Series Book 1) Kindle Edition by Ellis Keler

 Book Excerpt:

"When a man is accused of murdering his brother, lawyer Sophia Dawson becomes his last hope.

Brutal and cynical, Sophia struggles to balance her painful past with her career. But when she witnesses an innocent man being trapped, she cannot give up the chance to help him.

She is determined to win. But the deeper she delves into the case, the more she realizes she cannot get to the truth without dealing with the ghosts of her past…

Justice on Her Terms is an exciting, blood-pumping legal thriller written by Ellis Keler and published by Cobalt Fairy.

If you are an avid fan of strong characters, action-packed courtroom drama, and mind-blowing murder mystery, then you'll love Ellis' intriguing story."

Title: Justice on Her Terms
Author: Ellis Keler
Publisher: Cobalt Fairy LLC
Series: Sophia Dawson Legal Thriller Series Book 1
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Justice on Her Terms" by Ellis Keler

My Sentiments:

Sophia Dawson is defending a man [Mark Wixx] accused of killing his brother...Paul. But before all of this happens, we find Sophia and her husband just gone through a loss... her daughter Cheryl dying from Hodgkin's lymphoma at four years old. Now we find Sophia five months pregnant with her second child and taking on a job, with her husband wondering if this may be too much for her. However, after speaking with Mark, Sophia says she is up for the job, but little did she know all the problems she will have with being Mark's lawyer. Getting help from a detective and several other secondary characters from the read will help Sophia defend Mark. I will say that this story had some fascinating secondary characters that will leave you shaking your head and saying wow! This will be a startling case of just why and who was involved in the killing of Paul Wixx. I don't want to share who they were, but I like the reader to read and see who was all involved in this mess as this author brings it all out. It will be quite a riveting legal thriller with surprising twists after all is done.

The Verdict's Secret: A Charles Lawson Legal Thriller (Charles Lawson legal thriller series Book 1) Kindle Edition by Freya Atwood

 Book Excerpt:

"After more than fifteen years away from his hometown, Charles Lawson must return to take on a murder case.

He has left his old life behind since it's holding his darkest secret. But when Eleanor Caldwell, his mother's best friend, is accused of murdering her husband, Charles feels compelled to help her.

He will do anything to save her. And not just because he believes she is innocent; she also holds the key to his past, and if he loses, she has the power to destroy his career and life forever...

The Verdict's Secret is an exciting, blood-pumping legal thriller written by Freya Atwood and published by Cobalt Fairy.

If you are an avid fan of strong characters, action-packed courtroom drama, and mind-blowing murder mysteries, then you'll love Freya's intriguing story.

Buy "The Verdict's Secret" today to discover Freya's new intriguing crime mystery!"

Title: The Verdict's Secret
Author: Freya Atwood
Publisher: Cobalt Fairy LLC
Series: Charles Lawson Legal Thriller Series Book 1
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"The Verdict's Secret" by Freya Atwood

My Sentiments:

How will Charles Lawson's past secret affect him in his new case from his hometown of Harborwood after being away for over fifteen years? We find that Charles has been asked to take on a case of murder of a person [Eleanor Caldwell] he had been involved with many years ago. She had supposedly murdered her husband, Edmund Caldwell. What would Charles do with this person being his mother's best friend and asking him to take the case? So, yes, he takes the case where we find this murder mystery will keep the reader turning the pages as the plot is brought out with some intriguing twist in this gripping story. However, there will be quite a story as it seems that Charles's secret from his past of what happened to him many years ago will ...well, I will stop here and say pick up 'The Verdict's Secret' to see how well this author brings it all out, especially with that extended epilogue.

Reversible Error (Lainey Abbott Book 2) Kindle Edition by Nia Forrester

 Book Excerpt:

"Book 2 of the Lainey Abbott Series

It's one thing to defend a client everyone thinks is guilty ... it's quite another to defend him if you think so, too.

Former ADA turned defense lawyer Lainey Abbott is beginning to worry. It looks like the rest of her professional life will be spent representing dope boys in stop-and-frisk cases just to help keep the lights on at her and Greg Knight's law practice. Then, a star football player from an elite college shows up at their door.

A young, beautiful classmate, with whom he had an erratic three-month fling, was just found dead, and right away, he's in the NYPD's crosshairs. Could be a fairly straightforward case to defend. Or maybe not. He's Black, and the missing girl is white.

Without hesitation, Lainey agrees to represent him. She and Greg are hungry for a case like this because they know firsthand how unequal American justice can be. Soon, the 'straightforward' case becomes much more complicated than they ever imagined. And if that weren't bad enough, Lainey's relationship with Det. Russ Sanders might be unraveling. He isn't crazy about her working on criminal defense and, worse yet, with a former lover as a law partner.

But the biggest test of all is yet to come, and once again, it's about her missing sister, Stephanie."

Title: Reversible Error
Author: Nia Forrester
Publisher: Stiletto Press LLC; 1st edition
Series: Lainey Abbott Book 2
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Reversible Error" by Nia Forrester

My Sentiments:

As we continue from book one, we find that Lainey Elaine Abbott is working with Greg as a Defense Lawyer in this new partnership. They will soon take on a case where we find out who called Kelsey Freeman. What will happen when an athlete, Kurt Blaze, is accused of this murder and seeks these lawyers to help him? Also, in this story, will we discover that Lainey's sister's death wasn't an accident? A lot will be going on, so you must keep up. What will happen as we find Lainey, who is working with Greg? Yes, the guy she once dated and is now working with him as a law partner. Will Russ... Laniney's now boyfriend, have any thoughts about that?

The reader will have to keep up because this will be a pretty intriguing good mystery, thriller, and suspense read, and by the end, one will get the answer to one of these central questions: Who is the person who murdered Kelsey Freeman?

Jane Doe Black (Lainey Abbott Book 1) Kindle Edition by Nia Forrester

Book Excerpt:

"She dedicated her life to working for the justice system, but it didn't work for her when she needed it most.

On the eve of the trial, Assistant District Attorney Lainey Abbott gets a disturbing phone call. Her baby sister, Stephanie, who should have been back at her college dorm after visiting for the weekend, never arrived. At first, she isn't too worried because she's a system insider with plenty of resources available to locate her sister quickly, including Russ Sanders, the police detective she's been on and off with for years. It'll take a couple days, tops. They'll find Steph and give her a piece of their mind for being so irresponsible.

But a year later, Stephanie still hasn't been found.

And what's worse, the system Lainey once had so much faith in, no longer seems inclined to look. Reeling from the loss, her career and personal life are in freefall, and most days, she can't even bring herself to care.

Until another case surfaces, of a girl who's gone missing under strikingly similar circumstances to Steph's..."

Title: Jane Doe Black
Author: Nia Forrester
Publisher: Stiletto Press, LLC
Series: Lainey Abbot Book 1
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Jane Doe Black" by Nia Forrester

My Sentiments:

'Jane Doe Black' was a read that will keep one turning the pages to see what was going on with Lainey Elaine] Abbott, a New York Assistant District Attorney after her sister Stephanie's visit went missing on her way back to Penn University supposedly. This will be quite a read as Lainey has another problem to contend with...her drinking. What will happen after her friend or ex-boyfriend Russ Sanders, who was a police detective, comes to Elaine's rescue trying to help her find her sister? This is a case in which the police seemed incompetent, as they seemed to let cases become cold way too soon. I shouldn't have said that...but check this read out for yourself!

It will be quite a read with lots of twists and turns, complex characters, as we see how the injustice system can be, missing women of color, death, suspense, mystery, romance, angst, and a family member who was a person whom Lainey thought she knew, but did she really?

As the story ends, the reader will not be left hanging, as the author gives it all to us. You will have to pick up this good read to see what she did for us by the end of this story. It is indeed a good, well-written story.

The Unsettled A novel by Ayana Mathis

 Book Excerpt:

"From the best-selling author of The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, a searing multi-generational novel—set in the 1980s in racially and politically turbulent Philadelphia and in the tiny town of Bonaparte, Alabama—about a mother fighting for her sanity and survival

"[A] powerful book.” —Marilynne Robinson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gilead

From the moment Ava Carson and her ten-year-old son, Toussaint, arrive at the Glenn Avenue family shelter in Philadelphia in 1985, Ava is already plotting a way out. She is repulsed by the shelter's squalid conditions: their cockroach-infested room, the barely edible food, and the shifty night security guard. She is determined to rescue her son from the perils and indignities of that place and to save herself from the complicated past that led them there.

Ava has been estranged from her own mother, Dutchess since she left her Alabama home as a young woman barely out of her teens. Although their estrangement and the thousand miles between them, mother and daughter are deeply entwined, Ava can't forgive her sharp-tongue, larger-than-life mother whose intractability and bouts of debilitating despair brought young Ava to the outer reaches of neglect and hunger.

Ava wants to love her son differently, better. But when Toussaint’s father, Cass, reappears, she is swept off course by his charisma and the intoxicating power of his radical vision to destroy systems of racial injustice and bring about a bold new way of communal living. 

Meanwhile, in Alabama, Dutchess struggles to keep Bonaparte, once a beacon of Black freedom and self-determination, in the hands of its last five Black residents—families whose lives have been rooted in this stretch of land for generations—and away from rapidly encroaching white developers. She fights against the erasure of Bonaparte's venerable history and the loss of the land itself, which she has so arduously preserved as Ava's inheritance.

As Ava becomes more enmeshed with Cass, Toussaint senses the danger simmering all around him—his well-intentioned but erratic mother, the intense, volatile figure of his father who drives his fledgling Philadelphia community toward ever-increasing violence and instability. He begins to dream of Dutchess and Bonaparte, his home and birthright if only he can find his way there. 

Brilliant, explosive, vitally important new work from one of America’s most fiercely talented storytellers.

Title: The Unsettled
Author: Ayana Mathis
Publisher: Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
'The Unsettled' by Ayana Mathis

My Sentiments:

'The Unsettled' was quite an engaging powerful epic and pulsing read that the reader will have to keep up with all that will be going on in this story. "A searing multi-generational novel set in the 1980s in racially and politically turbulent Philadelphia and in the tiny town of Bonaparte, Alabama...about a mother [Ava Carson and her ten-year-old son, Toussaint] fighting for her sanity and survival." Be ready for a story about racism and misogyny.

We find Ava trying to make a better life for her son, but we also see the disruption of her dreams with characters coming in and out making it impossible for her dreams. What will happen when Ava's first love Cass and the three move on attempting to find a place to settle? You, the reader will have to pick up this read to see how that comes out.

The author gives us a read that is told through 'dual POV's, third person around Ava's lie, and first-person through her mother, Dutchess.' This was a good read if you can keep up with what is going on with who, 'especially with the main characters are all complex and believable as are the situations in which they find themselves and from which they may or may not be able to extricate themselves.'

Be ready for quite a heavy read with some of the topics that are covered in the read of multiple generations and themes that deal with the contrasts of 'mother/daughter, mother /son, and man/woman all giving us a story of family trauma of these unsettled lives.'

Thank you to Net Gallery for a free e-copy of this novel.

Austin Heat THE ONE...Who Undid Me (Book 1 of 6) (Austin Heat Series) by Amari Nylix

 Book Excerpt:

"Rumor has it that Austin, Texas, just got a little hotter! Fans of Tessa Bailey and Christina Lauren will fall for this sexy story of mistaken identity, electric attraction, and irresistible romance. The first installment in Amari Nylix’s addictive new series, Austin Heat, will make you laugh and swoon while you twist in anticipation. And, of course, you’ll need a few cold showers…it gets hot in Texas!

Jake is desperate to rewrite his past with women and leave behind the media storm surrounding his off-the-field antics that cloud his potential. He’s done with the stream of models, actresses, and NFL cheerleaders that have warmed his bed since he made a name for himself as starting quarterback for the University of Texas. He desperately wants to meet a normal girl in his hometown of Austin.

After moving to Austin to be the hired girlfriend of one of her long-term escort clients, Rakell finds herself wishing she could live a normal life with an average guy. Turned off by the billionaire clients she’s been serving for the last five years, she longs to get out of the business and build a life where she doesn’t live in the shadows of her escort persona. “Just get through this year, and then you’re done, Rakell,” she reminds herself.

When Jake saunters into her life with his jet-black hair, cocky sweet bravado, and piercing blue eyes, Rakell is knocked off-guard. She finds herself internally buzzing and fantasizing about getting him naked. Can she have a low-key relationship with the guy from the gym without things getting complicated? Will she finally get to sleep with someone she’s chosen? She’s trained to leave her heart out of sexual relationships, but can she do that with Jake?

Their worlds collide, and the spice is off the charts. “Pretty boy” Jake Skyler has met his match with saucy-mouthed, sex-driven Rakell McCarthy. Both think they’ve fallen for an average person in Austin, Texas. Both are wrong! What happens when their physical connection explodes, and their hearts take charge? Both are concealing secrets that threaten their future together, and things are about to get heated."

Title: Austin Heat The One ...Who Undid Me
Author: Amari Nylix
Publisher: AuthorBuzz, Temair Media
Series: Austin Heat Series Book 1
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Austin Heat The One... Who Undid Me" by Amari Nylix

My Sentiments:

'Austin Heat' was a little different kind of read for me in that one will find an NFL quarterback Jake, and a high-end escort Rakell, who meet at a gym where no one knows what the other one does for a living. What will happen when their secret comes out and seems to become quite a problem for them? Will Jake be able to clean up the partying that he loved doing with different women? Will Rakell be able to get out of the kind of business that she is committed to especially with one long-term client? This is definitely a read about two emotionally stunted people with some real issues.

This story wasn't a football romance to me because this story happens during the off-season...and no actual football was going on. Be ready for this couple's journey as the reader will be entertained by lots of laughter, spice, and passion, and also some crying where one will hope that this couple will make it. However, you will have to pick up this good read to find out.

The story ends on a cliffhanger, so be ready for this read that's just the starter of a good series.

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Rory: The Lyrical Genius (Life & Music Book 1) Kindle Edition by J.L. Campbell

 Book Excerpt:

"Have you ever been drawn to someone you knew was wrong for you?

That’s Nasira’s dilemma after she wades through Rory McGregg’s fans and sits beside him on a flight. An accomplished dancehall deejay, he’s charming, self-assured, and has a certain vibe that’s hard to resist.

By the time they touch down in Jamaica, Rory has her number and a promise to see him again.

The after-party she says yes to coordinating turns into a rollercoaster ride of frustration and interference, thanks to his celebrity status and bad-boy reputation.

His lifestyle and circumstances make Nasira uneasy, but Rory’s heart is fixed. There’s nothing he won’t do to prove they’re right for each other."

Title: Rory: The Lyrical Genius
Author: J. L. Cambell
Publisher: The Writers' Suite
Series: Life & Music Book 1
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Rory: The Lyrical Genius" by J. L. Campbell

My Sentiments:

'Rory' was a good story that will keep one's attention turning the pages to see what is coming next for these two...Rory and Nasira. From reading one will see how that Rory was the one for Nasira...with her stuck-up and stubborn self. I can see why she has had problems in her previous relationships. I will say she grew on me. As we will see Rory is a celebrity, and Nasira is a businesswoman who is trying not to get involved with him. How will these two complex individuals come together in a relationship?

However, Rory wanted Nasira and was determined to get her for himself. The story will be quite a ride with all the drama, and twists and turns before we get to the end to see if they get toward the HEA. Pick up this good read to see how well this author brings it all out to the reader. It will be a good read.

revised due to Amazon...

'Rory' is a good story of two interesting complex people...Rory and Nasira that will keep one's attention all the way through the captivating story.   Be ready for a dramatic story with some spice as these two find their way with each other in this well-written story.  Will they find the HEA in the end?  Well, this is where I say you will have to pick up this good read to see how well this author brings it out to the reader.