Black Page Turners

Early Departures by:Justin A. Reynolds
Justin A. Reynolds, author of Opposite of Always, returns with another charming and powerful YA contemporary novel with a speculative twist, perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon, Becky Albertalli, and Adam Silvera.

What if you could bring your best friend back to life—but only for a short time?

Jamal’s best friend, Q, doesn’t know that he died, and that he’s about to die . . . again. He doesn’t know that Jamal tried to save him. And that the reason they haven’t been friends for two years is because Jamal blames Q for the accident that killed his parents.

But what if Jamal could have a second chance? A new technology allows Q to be reanimated for a few weeks before he dies . . . permanently. And Q’s mom is not about to let anyone ruin this miracle by telling Q about his impending death. So how can Jamal fix everything if he can’t tell Q the truth?

Early Departures weaves together loss, grief, friendship, and love to form a wholly unique homage to the bonds that bring people together for life—and beyond.
Release: 9/22/20
Ages: 14 And Up, Grades: 9 And Up
Click to Read: (Kindle); (Audiobook); (Hardcover)

Every Body Looking by:Candice Iloh
Every Body Looking is a novel of a young woman’s struggle to carve a place for herself—for her black female body—in a world of deeply conflicting messages.

Told entirely in verse, Ada’s story encompasses her earliest memories as a child, including her abuse at the hands of a young cousin, her mother’s rejection and descent into addiction, and her father’s attempts to create a home for his American daughter more like the one he knew in Nigeria.

The present-tense of the book is Ada’s first year at Howard University in Washington DC, where she must finally confront the fundamental conflict between who her family says she should be and what her body tells her she must be.
Release: 9/22/20
Ages: 12 And Up, Grades: 7 And Up
Get the Book: (Kindle); (Audiobook); (Hardcover)

Smash It! by:Francina Simone
Refreshingly authentic and bold… Don’t miss this smashing #ownvoices novel from Francina Simone! Filled with heart, humor and a heroine to root for, Smash It! is a perfect read for fans of Julie Murphy, Ibi Zoboi and Ashley Poston.

Olivia “Liv” James is done with letting her insecurities get the best of her. So she does what any self-respecting hot mess of a girl who wants to SMASH junior year does…

After Liv shows up to a Halloween party in khaki shorts—why, God, why?—she decides to set aside her wack AF ways. She makes a list—a F*ck-It list.

1. Be bold—do the thing that scares me.

2. Learn to take a compliment.

3. Stand out instead of back.

She kicks it off by trying out for the school musical, saying yes to a date and making new friends. Life is great when you stop punking yourself! However, with change comes a lot of missteps, and being bold means following her heart. So what happens when Liv’s heart is interested in three different guys—and two of them are her best friends? What is she supposed to do when she gets dumped by a guy she’s not even dating? How does one Smash It! after the humiliation of being friend-zoned?

In Liv’s own words, “F*ck it. What’s the worst that can happen?”

A lot, apparently.

#SMASHIT
Release: 9/22/20
Ages: 13 And Up; Grade: 7-9
Click to Read: (Kindle); (Audiobook); (Hardcover)

We’re Better Than This by:Elijah Cummings
Baltimore Congressman Elijah Cummings was known for saying “We’re better than this.”

He said it in Baltimore, a city on the verge of explosion over police treatment of citizens. He said it in Congress when microphones were shut down, barring free speech. He said it when the President flaunted his power and ignored the Constitution. He said it when the President resorted to bullying, name-calling and feeding racial divisions. We are better than this. He continued to say it until his final days last October. He said it because he believed we must call out what is wrong and call on our better selves to make things right.

In We’re Better Than This, Cummings details the formative moments in his life that prepared him to hold President Donald Trump accountable for his actions while in office. Cummings powerfully weaves together the urgent drama of modern-day politics and the defining stories from his past. He offers a unique perspective on how his upbringing as the son of sharecroppers in a South Baltimore neighborhood, rampant with racism and poverty, laid the foundation of a life spent fighting for justice.

Cummings was known for his ability to referee contentious members of Congress and reach across the aisle for the sake of justice. Since his early days in politics, Cummings proved his abilities as a leader and legal mind who could operate at the highest levels of democracy, always working with – and for – the underserved.

Part memoir, part call-to-action, the book goes behind the scenes with the House Democratic leadership, offering an eye-opening account of the relentless and unprecedented obstructionism by both the President and GOP. Cummings’ final words present a vital defense of how government oversight defines our collective trust and makes the case that, even in the face of our nation’s most challenging times, we must remain rooted in the politics of optimism.
Release: 9/22/20
Click to Read: (Kindle); (Audiobook); (Hardcover)

And Now She’s Gone by:Rachel Howzell Hall
Isabel Lincoln is gone.

But is she missing?

It’s up to Grayson Sykes to find her. Although she is reluctant to track down a woman who may not want to be found, Gray’s search for Isabel Lincoln becomes more complicated and dangerous with every new revelation about the woman’s secrets and the truth she’s hidden from her friends and family.

Featuring two complicated women in a dangerous cat and mouse game, Rachel Howzell Hall’s And Now She’s Gone explores the nature of secrets — and how violence and fear can lead you to abandon everything in order to survive.
Release: 9/22/20
Click to Read: (Kindle); (Audiobook); (Hardcover)

I Am These Truths by:Sunny Hostin
The Emmy Award winning legal journalist and co-host of The View Sunny Hostin chronicles her journey from growing up in a South Bronx housing project to becoming an assistant U.S. attorney and journalist in this powerful memoir that offers an intimate and unique look at identity, intolerance, and injustice.

“What are you?” has followed Sunny Hostin from the beginning of her story, as she grew up half Puerto Rican and half African-American raised by teenage parents in the South Bronx. Escaping poverty and the turbulence of her early life through hard work, a bit of luck and earning academic scholarships to college and law school, Sunny immersed herself in the workings of the criminal justice system. In Washington, D.C., Sunny became a federal prosecutor, soon parlaying her wealth of knowledge of the legal system into a successful career as a legal journalist. She was one of the first national reporters to cover Trayvon Martin’s death—which her producers erroneously labeled “just a local story.”

Today, an inescapable voice from the top echelons of news and entertainment, Sunny uses her platform to advocate for social justice and give a voice to the marginalized. In her signature no-holds-barred, straight-up style, Sunny opens up and shares her intimate struggles with fertility and personal turmoil, and reflects on the high-stakes cases and stories she worked on as a prosecutor and during her time at CNN, Fox News, ABC and The View. Timely, poignant, and moving, I Am These Truths is the story of a woman living between two worlds, and learning to bridge them together to fight for what’s right.
Release: 9/22/20
Get the Book: (Kindle); (Audiobook); (Hardcover)

For Beautiful Black Boys Who Believe In A Better World by:Michael W. Waters & Keisha Morris
“Dad, what happened?”

“Why are they shooting?”

“What is this vigil for?”

The shootings keep coming, and so do Jeremiah’s questions. Dad doesn’t have easy answers, but that doesn’t mean he won’t talk about it–or that he won’t act. But what if Jeremiah doesn’t want to talk anymore? None of it makes sense, and he’s just a kid. Even if he wants to believe in a better world, is there anything he can do about it?

Inspired by real-life events, this honest, intimate look at one family’s response to racism and gun violence includes a discussion guide created by the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky, a multicultural center and museum committed to promoting respect, hope, and understanding.
Release: 9/22/20
Get the Book: (Kindle) or (Hardcover)

100 Days of Believing Bigger by:Marshawn Evans Daniels
Have you been… limiting yourself? Maybe getting in the way of what heaven has for you due to doubt, fear, or feeling you’re just too flawed?

Well, you are not alone. You were made to believe and live bigger, and this devotional journal can guide that discovery, drawing you confidently toward God’s one-of-a-kind dreams for you as His beloved daughter.

Join reinvention strategist and life coach, Marshawn Evans Daniels on a 100 day devotional, journaling, prayer adventure and discover your true identity. You’ll identify what is stopping you from living out your calling and enter into open dialogue with God about your ambitions, goals, and dreams. As you lean into God’s promises for you in scripture you will explore the truth about who you are, why you matter and what you are here to do.

Marshawn will walk you through 100 days divided into 10 sections covering:
Trust
Purpose
Identity
Disruption
Belief + Faith
Blessing Blocker
Stillness
Blessings + Obedience
Significance
Courage

Step out and take the next 100 days to pray, journal and spend time with God and uncover your true identity and unleash your faith like never before. A higher destiny, filled with possibility is calling you. God is awakening something magnificent within you!
Release: 9/22/20
Get the Book: (Paperback)

Knight of Grand Crossing by:Hiram “Shogun” Harris, Naleighna Kai, and Anita L. Roseboro
Rahm did time for a crime he didn’t commit. Now that he’s free, taking care of the three women who supported him on a hellish journey is his priority, but old enemies are waiting in the shadows.

Rahm Fosten’s dream life as a Knight of the Castle includes Marilyn Spears, who quiets the injustice of his rough past, but in his absence a new foe has infiltrated his family.

Marilyn Spears waited for many years to have someone like Rahm in her life. Now that he’s home, an unexpected twist threatens to rip him away again. As much as she loves him, she’s not willing to go where this new drama may lead.

Meanwhile, Rahm’s gift to his Aunt Alyssa brings her to Durabia, where she catches the attention of wealthy surgeon, Ahmad Maharaj. Her attendance at a private Bliss event puts her under his watchful eye, but also in the crosshairs of the worst kind of enemy. Definitely the wrong timing for the rest of the challenges Rahm is facing.

While Rahm and Marilyn navigate their romance, a deadly threat has him and the Kings of the Castle primed to keep Marilyn, Alyssa, and his family from falling prey to an adversary out for bloody revenge.
Release: 9/22/20
Get the Book: (Kindle)

The Never List by:DL White
Esme Whitaker has held out on an important rite for just the right person at just the right time. She’s had a recent glow-up full of accomplishments to be proud of, but there’s still a list of adventures to cross off before her 40th birthday.

Take a flight. Swim in the ocean. Eat exotic food. Have sex.

On the cusp of her 40th birthday, the time is now. All she needs the right man. When a date with a potential love interest goes very, very wrong, she’s rescued by a tall, bearded, stylish gentleman. What could have been wonderful fizzles instantly; the vibe between them crackles with animosity.
Sometimes, though, you get a second chance to make a first impression.

Trey Pettigrew is a man with a dream, and one job: keep his father, CEO of Pettigrew Construction, happy during recovery from a heart attack. What should have been a simple acquisition turns sideways when Trey is forced to leave the negotiation table to thwart an attack on a sharp-tongued but intriguing woman.

In a twist of fate, the specialist hired to put his acquisition back on track is the woman that Trey rescued. Esme is bright, tenacious, and unrelenting at the contracts table. With her dangerous curves etched into his memory, Trey hopes to make up for his behavior the first time they met, but her no-nonsense attitude about after-hours pursuits puts that idea to bed.

Until Trey happens upon her Never List.

Can two people, each determined to accomplish what they’ve set out to do, find a way to meet in the middle? You know what they say – life is what happens when you make plans.
Release: 9/25/20
Get the Book: (Kindle)