African American Contemporary Urban

How was Locksie supposed to tell her boyfriend that she had gone off to church and fallen in love with another man? Locksie grew up in the church - against her will - thanks to her holier than thou mother. But now that she's all grown-up, she's her own woman and church is the last thing on her mind; her live-in boyfriend, Dawson, is the first. When Locksie finally decides to go back to church, she ends up finding more than she could have ever expected.

Some things that happen in the dark should stay in the dark, but that never seems to be the case. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Niya Brown learns this the hard way. The code of the streets is passed down to her from her mother, and to Niya, the code of the streets is law. Life deals Niya a bad hand that forces her to fend for herself at an early age when her mother and sister are taken away from her in a twist of fate. You will never believe what happens next. Truth and falsehood collide in a way that brings Niya face to face with a secret that will change her life forever.

A New York Times best-selling author and award-winning journalist with publishing credits in Essence and Vibe, Aliya S. King uses her experience covering celebrity culture to create juicy tales of sex, ambition, and betrayal. In Diamond Life, Alex Maxwell’s rapper husband, Birdie, sees his album go multiplatinum - but life in the spotlight might be too much for his marriage to withstand.

The lives of Frankie, Tommie, and Olivia (Livvy) haven't turned out quite as planned. Frankie has a pair of stalkers. The life that Tommie had dreamed of having with Blue has become anything but perfect, and Olivia, despite her efforts, hasn't been able to get over the psychological barrier caused by her husband's affair in Naughty or Nice.

It's been years since their parents were murdered. Twin sisters Shia and Leigh are trying to readjust to life while caring for their baby sister, Remi. With the exception of Leigh's angry, dramatic mood swings every now and then, everything seems to be going great. That is until Demetri, a mysterious stranger, enters their midst and falls right in the path of the newly single Shia. After dating Trent for so long, she is looking for a man to treat her like a queen, and Demetri is heaven sent...until inexplicable things begin to happen.

Auben Mutze has more vices than he can deal with - six to be exact - each branded down his arm for the world to see. They mark him as a lesser twin in society, as inferior, but there’s no way he’ll let that define him. Intelligent and outgoing, Auben’s spirited antics make him popular among the other students at his underprivileged high school. So what if he’s envious of his twin Kasim, whose single vice brand is a ticket to a better life, one that likely won’t involve Auben. Then Auben starts hearing voices that speak to his dangerous side - encouraging him to perform evil deeds....

Ancient folklore and modern myth come together in these stories by author Craig Laurance Gidney. Here are found the struggles of a medieval Japanese monk seduced by a mischievous fairy, and a young slave who finds mystery deep within the briar patch of an antebellum plantation. Gidney offers a gay teen obsessed with his patron saint, Lena Horne, and, in the title story, an ailing tourist seeks escape at a distant shore but never reckons on encountering an African sea god. Rich, poetic, dark and disturbing, these are distinctive tales not soon forgotten.

Trapped in cupid's web, Erika fought to shed no more tears over another failed relationship. She wanted more. Grieving over his own heartbroken issues, David held grudges, and was content with keeping women away from his heart. He desired less. Now, as time provided new opportunities in Erika and David lives, they crossed paths and embraced the desires to trust again.

When Desa Rae Jenkins ended her tumultuous relationship with Roc, it seemed like the appropriate thing to do; but now she's second-guessing her decision. Roc moved away to Kansas City, leaving street life back in St. Louis up to the brothas who can handle it. He continues to live his life on the edge, though, and when he returns to St. Louis, Desa Rae shows up at his doorstep to reconcile. Roc is reluctant to go there with the one woman who ripped his heart from his chest.

The coauthor of Desperate Hoodwives, Meesha Mink set out on her own with the street-fiction hit Real Wifeys: On the Grind. The series’ second installment, Get Money, finds Harriet “Luscious” Jordan in serious need of scratch after her hubby Make$ is put behind bars. A natural-born hustler, Luscious jumps into the party-promotion biz and begins pulling in big-time cash. But she can’t let go of a grudge against her old rival Goldie, and it may be her undoing.

"We'd had to be cut free of our mother's womb. Abby and I were fused, you see. But here's the real kicker; Abby had the magic, I didn't." Now adults, Makeda and Abby still share their childhood home. The surgery to separate the two girls left Makeda with what feels like an even worse deformity: no mojo. The daughters of a celestial demigod and a human woman, Makeda and Abby were raised by their magical father. Today, Makeda has decided it's high time to move out and make her own life.

After opening a cultural community center in the heart of Chicago, Porter Crowne is determined to make The Blackout Fest the best Juneteenth celebration yet. Especially when chosen as Mr. Black Chicago. Partnering with influential members of the community will ensure its success. However, if you aren't following the plan, you're in his way just like the curvy, feisty vlogger who argues with every suggestion he has.

Ty never expected to fall in love with the person who saved him the night he was shot; however, one can never stop fate. Once he and Michelle established the relationship that Ty never expected to want, his past comes back, causing chaos and strife. Michelle takes her role as the woman in Ty’s life, but unbeknownst to Michelle, the father of her child still has some unresolved feelings toward her. Ty and Michelle both are blindsided by the danger lurking around them and threatening their well-being, all in the name of love.

Just when things seem to be going well, a curve ball is thrown at Tae causing Brenna to take a step back from their situation. Now becoming a father, Tae puts all his attention on his son, ignoring the yearning inside of him. Brenna thinks moving on is the key to her problems, but what she soon learns is the heart wants what the heart wants. The only question between them is can Brenna put aside her issues with Tae's newfound fatherhood to give them a real chance?

Daisy Baker has a kind heart, a fierce mind, and a brave spirit. Those qualities were what caught the attention of firefighter, Ayden Parker. Every Wednesday at noon for two years straight, they meet the same way, inside of Luxe Flower Boutique, where Ayden makes the same purchase each time. One question, complimentary flowers, and a promise was all it took to shift the dynamic between the two. And right before their eyes, a romance began to bloom.

Halleigh and Malek have been through more drama in their young lives than most people will ever see. Now, their saga is coming to an end. Find out what happens to Halleigh and Malek in the final installment of the Flint series. Will these young lovers, separated over and over again, finally be able to live their happily ever after, or will they be swallowed up by the streets?

From her first days at Virginia’s Hampton University, impressionable, creative Nia falls smitten with Chris Eidos Alleyne, an athlete and a scholar. “Love is sweet nothings and beautiful promises”, Nia writes in her journal. What her girlfriends know, and her mother doesn’t, is that Chris’s expression of love is deeply physical. Wielding powerful charisma, Chris soon has Nia abandoning innocence for experience.

Aspiring chef London Johnson gets to meet Chante when he delivers her dinner on a night when the restaurant where he works is short-staffed. As soon as he lays eyes on her, he wants her. Even though he knew she was older than him, that didn't stop him from asking her for her number. Flattered but uninterested, Chante decides to give him a chance, believing there is no way they'd have anything other than a physical connection. Within a matter of weeks, London steals her heart. But because of their age difference, Chante is terrified and puts up a fight, only to be defeated by love.

Sometimes family can be your worst enemy. With Kamille being ready to watch her sister struggle, she lies to Salantay and gets Ayani kicked out with nowhere to go. Ayani, being desperate, accepts aid from her ex-boyfriend and Kash's father, Mr. Daniel, but things become far more complicated when they begin to mess around and Mr. Daniel starts to catch feelings that Ayani just can't reciprocate.

Ananda is on her way to the top. A frail heart and mistrust of men once took her soul to the bottom. Her sassy personality is how she forges her way through life and remains in control. Until she meets the man most women's dreams are made of. Ananda can't believe she'll finally get a happily ever after - until a tawdry secret reveal splits her world in two and forces her to realize that dreams are for children, and she is a grown woman now.