23 Books Published by Pocket Books on AALBC — Book Cover Collage

Jasmine Larson Bush and Rachel Jackson Adams are not your typical first ladies. But they’ve overcome their scandalous and drama-filled pasts to stand firmly by their husbands’ sides.

When a coveted position opens up—president of the American Baptist Coalition—both women think their husbands are perfect for the job. And winning the position may require both women to get down and dirty and revert to their old tricks. Just when Jasmine and Rachel think they’re going to have to fight to the finish, the current first lady of the coalition steps in … a woman bigger, badder, and more devious than either of them.

National bestselling author L.A. Banks’s electrifying new paranormal series is set in a sizzling world where Dark and Light are trapped in an eternal struggle for the fate of mankind.

Celeste Jackson has fought all her life against a fog of hallucination and substance abuse, but it’s not until she meets her protector, Azrael, an angel who has left the safety of the Light, that she learns of the evil forces that have been trying to ruin her, and why. A fierce battle for control of the mortal realm is brewing, and only Celeste—with the help of the Remnant, her half-human, half-angel brethren—can stand in the way. Together, Celeste and Azrael must gather an army of sensitives to defeat the dark powers that have ruled humanity for centuries, but time is running out. If Azrael surrenders to his growing desire for Celeste, he risks being trapped among humanity forever. But the longer he stays, the harder she is to resist. To save the world, Celeste must draw on her own dark experiences with addiction to help Azrael overcome the one temptation that could possibly make him an eternal prisoner—his obsession with her.

As the reigning "Queen of Radio," Ritz Harper has managed to out, ridicule, jack up or mess over everyone and anyone, from hip-hop stars to high-class snobs. So, she’s decided to take her career to the next level: Hollywood, baby!

Decked out in Chanel from head to toe, and sporting bodacious new breast implants, Ritz is ready for her close-up. But first, she has to deal with the dirtiest dealmakers in Tinsel Town — and the trashiest trash-talkers in her reckless past. Is Ritz worried? Of course not. She’s saving all the drama for her on-air debut, where the scandalicious details of her life could send her ratings through the roof. Even if the hottest players and heaviest hitters in Hollywood come gunning for her, this tell-it-like-it-is bombshell plans to drop a few bombs of her own — before you can say "Lights! Camera! How you doin’?"

The inspirational first novel from #1 Essence bestselling author Patricia Haley’s series based on the popular biblical kings David and Solomon

After Dave Mitchell abandoned his wife and business partner, Madeline, and their four children for a younger woman, the battle between his two families began. Dave’s oldest son, Don, had been groomed from birth to take over his dad’s business. Nothing prepared Don for the shock of his father’s decision to appoint his inexperienced half brother, Joel, as CEO of the multimilliondollar ministry.

Confused, Don flees the country to become his own man, while Madeline won’t go down without a fight. Seeking to regain control of the business for her family, Madeline tries to sabotage Joel’s every move. But as the ministry grows and charismatic Joel captures the nation’s attention, his hunger for power and lust just might be his downfall….

Diamond.
India.
Veronqie.
Aaliyah.

What does that spell? DIVA!!

The Divine Divas. They’re fifteen and they’re fine, and they want to be the hottest, hippest new girl group to hit gospel music. First they’ll have to win the team talent competition. But with looks, energy, and voices like theirs, they are sure they’ll go right to the top.

Diamond Winters is the one who formed the Divas. With her wealthy, loving parents and an endless supply of charm, she’s always been able to sweet-talk her way into anything. But this time, has Diamond talked her way right into trouble? Diamond has support for her group from her family and church, but she has a lot going on. She’s made it onto the school’s varsity cheerleading squad, and she’s caught the eye of the totally cool senior Jason Xavier. Jax is sweeping her off her feet, but Diamond is starting to feel as if she’s in over her head.

Diamond has always been so sure she’s in control. Will she have the courage to ask for help and guidance when she needs it? And will the Divas even manage to stay together long enough for the first round of the talent competition?

Bestselling author Yolanda Joe brings back savvy Chicago reporter Georgia Barnett in a novel that moves to the beat of the newsroom and pulses with wit and intrigue.

She’s calling the shots.

Georgia is at the center of a chaotic scene, but not as a TV reporter breaking an incredible story. She and her partner, Zeke, are taken hostage when a bomb-wielding gunman holds up a bank. He doesn’t want money, though. He wants national media to focus on the story of his missing daughter. In exchange for access to the airwaves, Georgia can walk. Zeke, however, is going nowhere fast.

She’s dodging the bullets.

With her tough cop boyfriend away on assignment, Georgia’s taking help where she finds it. Enter the Video Cowboys, a rough-and-tumble camera crew hungry to ride with Georgia on a nail-biting, action-packed investigation that leads them all over Chicago. With a trigger-happy police force facing off against a desperate father, Georgia is under the gun to find the missing girl and save Zeke from the crossfire. And time is running out…

MIASHA’S STUNNING DEBUT NOVEL… WITH A TWIST THAT WILL LEAVE YOU SHOCKED!

At nineteen years old, Celess and Tina are at the top of their game. They’ve got the looks and the bodies to attract attention from men wherever they go — and they work it. From New York to Philly to Vegas, they hit all the clubs and every big party dressed to kill. And they don’t pay for a thing — not with men like O, Tariq, and James lining up to buy them designer clothes, the hottest jewelry, and luxury cars.

But their fast, packed lives are about to catch up with them. The two share a devastating secret, and when it’s revealed, Celess will need every ounce of her street smarts to survive….

Faith, family, and forgiveness are at the heart of this powerful story collection from four bestselling African-American authors. Meet a group of unforgettable women in these tales of hope and inspiration and discover how doors can open if you just

ReShonda Tate Billingsley: Faith Will Overcome

Determined to leave her small town and broken family behind, Faith Logan believes finding a man is the solution to all her problems. But a chance meeting with Darius Williams helps her realize that all she needs is faith to find true happiness.

Jacquelin Thomas: Signs of Light

Businesswoman Lorna Hamilton has always looked down on unemployed single mothers, but she learns a valuable lesson when she befriends devout single mom Brittany Spencer and finds the family she’s been praying for.

J. D. Mason: Maybelline

Olivia Phillips’s world is falling apart, and the last thing she needs is her elderly neighbor knocking on her door. But kindly Maybelline won’t take no for an answer, and an uplifting friendship takes hold thanks to a little persistence and some homemade pie.

Sandra Kitt: Survival Instincts

Even after an attempted mugging, librarian Lynn Hayes is devoted to her work in the bad part of town. Her rescuer, reporter Davis Manning, isn’t so forgiving, and it’s up to Lynn to show him that it is possible to save a community, one person at a time.
 

Award-winning author ReShonda Tate Billingsley delivers a bold and heartwarming story of family and faith about a man who has succeeded as a reverend and failed as a father.

Reverend Simon Jackson has always felt destined to lead and he’s done a good job of it, transforming his small Houston church into one of the most respected and renowned in the region. But while the good Reverend’s been busy tending his flock, his family’s gone astray. His nineteen-year-old daughter, Rachel, gives new meaning to baby mama drama. Crazy in love with her son’s father, she’s wreaking havoc on the man’s life, even though he’s about to marry another woman. David, Simon’s oldest at twenty-seven, has been spiraling downward ever since a knee injury ended a promising football career. These days he’s seeking solace in drugs even feeding his habit by stealing church offerings. Blessedly, twenty-three-year-old Jonathan, a college graduate and the apple of Simon’s eye, is poised to take his father’s side as associate pastor or so everyone thinks. Loretta has been a devoted wife to Simon, but she’s beginning to realize that enabling him to give more to the church than to his children was her biggest mistake. As things begin to fall apart and secrets are revealed, will Loretta be able to help her husband reunite their tattered family before it’s too late?

Let the Church Say Amen is a powerful journey through one family’s trials and a remarkable story of reconciliation and love. When things are down to the wire will Reverend Simon Jackson choose to fight for his family or the congregation?

From bestselling author Jill Nelson comes a sexy and uproarious novel about Lydia and Acey, two best friends whose career successes are matched only by their romantic and sexual frustrations — until one night, over a bottle of wine, they concoct a plan: why not develop a business that discreetly supplies handsome black men who are willing and able to serve the sexual needs of black women? Thus is born A Sister’s Spa — a "full-service" spa — but even as their delighted customer base grows, they face a firestorm of attacks from hostile media, grandstanding church leaders, and other outraged parties.
Sexual Healing is a page-turning comedy, a blistering satire on gender and race relations, and a sexually frank exploration of what women really want.

Aja James has a sordid family history. It’s full of painful memories. However, she’s managed to leave her troubled past behind and begin again. But her brother, Eric, a promising NBA prospect, is unable to get past it. His uncontrollable rage and inner turmoil sideline his basketball career and wreak havoc on his own personal relationships. When Aja sees her brother heading down the same violent path that destroyed their family, she makes it her business to stop the cycle - even if it means putting her own life, and love, on hold. My Brother’s Keeper is a captivating novel that takes a poignant look at how deep childhood issues can run. Both humorous and heart-wrenching, this debut novel will leave you wanting more.

Dave Harding’s got a wonderful wife, a beautiful home, and a job he could do in his sleep… So no one is more surprised than Dave when he hears his own biological clock start ticking. Loudly. Unfortunately, his better half, Izzy, has no nine-month plan for fat ankles or a credit line at Baby Gap. With even worse timing, the music magazine Dave writes for folds. Desperate for work, he’s forced to become an advice columnist for a teen magazine. But he’s about to get a serious wake-up call. Wading through letter after letter of adolescent angst is the last thing Dave wants to do, especially since he could use some help dealing with his own. But one letter is about to make all his little problems disappear — and replace them with one big one. The letter is from a teenage girl named Nicola. But she doesn’t need advice about boys, or friends, or the latest fads. She’s looking for her father, whom she’s never met. She’s looking for a man to call Dad. She’s looking for Dave.

From the author of the smashing-debut bestseller Good Hair comes The Itch, the stirring story of a crisis-torn woman who discovers a depth of character and a sense of self she never knew she possessed. With this novel, Benilde Little has created a stunning drama about the African American upper class. These thirtysomething urban sophisticates — urbane men and elegantly hip women — lead lives of immense privilege in which each possession and every investment is blue chip. Abra Lewis Dixon is the envy of the fashionable, professional women of her well-heeled social circle. She leads a charmed life — she has attended all the right schools, married very well, and enjoys every material comfort granted by her bourgeois existence. An executive in her own film production company, along with her best friend, Natasha Coleman, Abra is an ambassador from the world of perfection. It is only when her impeccable marriage turns suddenly shaky that Abra’s insular utopia is left in pieces. Like Good Hair’s Alice Andrews, Abra and Natasha are as endearing as they are genuine, and their stories are familiar to all who have known the desolation of heartbreak and the redemption and joy of self-discovery. Benilde Little has again written a novel that will earn a claim on readers’ hearts and a place in their memories for years to come.

The New York Times Book Review ended its rave for White Butterfly, the most recent novel in Walter Mosley’s acclaimed mystery series, by saying "I can’t wait to see where Easy Rawlins turns up next. And when". Black Betty holds the sure-to-be-bestselling answer. The place is Los Angeles. The year is 1961, the dawn of a hopeful era for America’s black citizens. Easy Rawlins’s quiet real-estate empire is deep in the hole, so he must accept $200 from the oily white private eye Saul Lynx to track down one Elizabeth Eady, aka "Black Betty". From her native Houston’s Fifth Ward to her position as housekeeper for the immensely wealthy Cain family of Beverly Hills, Betty’s stunning beauty and raw sensuality have left a trail of chaos and mayhem in her wake. To compound Easy’s troubles, his murderous sidekick Mouse is due out of jail, and he has bloody revenge on his mind. Entertainment Weekly has said that "[Easy] Rawlins isn’t just the best new series detective around, he might be the best American character to appear in quite some time". Easy’s murder-strewn search for "Black Betty" takes him into the depths of America’s racial dilemmas and the mysteries of human character - and his creator, Walter Mosley, to even greater heights of achievement in the American novel. It is that rare novel that tells a gripping, fast-paced story while it grapples with the biggest questions that haunt American life.

First the hit movie.
Then the groundbreaking television show.
Now the smart and sassy book series. SOUL FOOD Sisters at heart. Sisters through it all…. Baby sister Bird and her husband, Lem, are having a rough time. Lem has a secure job with his brother-in-law Kenny, but he still feels like the charity case of the family — and he wants to make it on his own with his own business. But with his checkered past, Lem knows it will be tough to find anyone to front him the cash — legally, at least. Lem’s attempt to get the money on the sly brings him into conflict with Bird’s eldest sister, Teri, who finds out that Lem may be slipping into his old, shady habits. When Bird learns of this, the stress of worrying about her husband, her business, and her future proves too much, and her health begins to suffer badly — bringing her family together, and forcing Bird and Lem to decide how much they mean to each other, and whether they’re willing to risk losing their dreams and everything they’ve worked for.

A savvy, wisecracking reporter-sleuth makes big news in this stunning new mystery by Ardella Garland — the nom de plume for acclaimed bestselling novelist Yolanda Joe.

DETAILS AT 10

Inner-city Chicago: After identifying a drive-by shooter’s car on live TV, a young girl named Little Butter disappears. Haunted by her responsibility for the child’s fate and heartbroken at seeing her former South Side neighborhood devastated by crime, reporter Georgia Barnett desperately searches for the girl. Butting heads with tough detective Doug Eckart at every turn, Georgia enters dangerous territory where street violence escalates and informers turn up dead. Suddenly, this simple missing-persons case turns into a citywide effort to nab a notorious gang, and Georgia, Doug, and the Channel Eight News crew find themselves struggling to do what’s right in a city overcome by racism, fear, and hostility.

That was Mother’s life back then: planning one daughter’s wedding while plotting to kill her other daughter’s lover…. For feisty young Lita Du Champ, New Orleans is a place dominated by her hardworking family — in particular, her strong-willed mother, Helen, who rules with an unshakable sense of propriety. Ever loyal to her mother, and adoring of her beautiful, restless, married sister Adele, Lita works hard to keep the family together as she attempts to establish her own life. But when Adele falls in love with Lucien Faure — a smooth operator with "the devil’s good looks" and a decades-old score to settle with Helen — Lita unveils her mother’s mysterious past to confront the Du Champs’ long-buried secrets. Now, Lita finds she has one last and desperate chance to save the future of those she loves. Award-winning author Jervey Tervalon draws from his own heritage — and the twisting family story that has lived and breathed inside him his whole life — to create a spellbindingly luminous novel of passion, murder, and vengeance.

With a "powerful combination [of] medical authenticity and strong writing" (Washington Post Book World), this acclaimed debut thriller is set on the front lines of real-life hospital drama. Margaret Cuthbert draws from her career as an obstetrician to create a terrifying scenario for a doctor — and arouse our darkest fears about the greedy side of the business of medicine.Save the life. Save the life….This is the mantra repeated by Dr. Rae Duprey, Berkeley Hills Hospital’s premier obstetrician, who’s driven by a passion to save the lives of women and babies in her care. But when her career is threatened by a series of "bad baby" cases emanating from the politically sensitive birth center across the street — a center run by her ex-lover and nemesis, Bo Michaels — Rae is determined to uncover the truth about why these seemingly routine deliveries are going fatally haywire.Rae soon discovers that in the ruthlessly competitive atmosphere of today’s health-care system, everyone has a hidden agenda. As the hair-raising emergencies continue unabated, she begins to suspect the unthinkable: a sinister plan of medical sabotage, masterminded by a killer who is hardly a stranger to Berkeley Hills Hospital.

A stirring recreation of the Civil War years recounts the adventures of Peter Mango, an escaped South Carolina slave, who steals a gunboat and pilots a group of unforgettable runaways to freedom. Reprint. AB.

Mildred Peacock is the touch, funny, feisty heroine of "Mama, " a survivor who’ll do anything to keep her family together. In Mildred’s world, men come and go as quickly as her paychecks, but her five children are her dream, her hope and her future. Not since Alice Walker’s "The Color Purple" has a black woman’s story been portrayed with such rich power, honesty, and love.

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Gregory’s autobiography, Nigger, was originally published in 1963 prior to The assassination of President Kennedy, and became the number one best-selling book in America. Over the decades it has sold in excess of seven million copies. His choice for the title was explained in the forward, where Dick Gregory wrote a note to his mother.

“Whenever you hear the word ‘Nigger’,” he said, “you’ll know their advertising my book.”

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I understand there are a good many Southerners in the room tonight. I know the South very well. I spent twenty years there one night… Last time I was down South I walked into this restaurant, and this white waitress came up to me and said,
    “We don’t serve colored people here.”
    I said, “ That’s all right, I don’t eat colored people. Bring me a whole fried chicken.
     About that time these three cousins come in, you know the ones I mean, Klu, Kluck, and Klan, and they say, “Boy, we’re givin’ you fair warnin’. Anything you do to that chicken, we’re gonna do to you. About then the waitress brought me my chicken.
    “Remember, boy, anything you do to that chicken, we’re gonna do to you.” So I put down my knife and fork, and I picked up that chicken, and I kissed it.