Get Popular Audiobook Authors in Fiction, African-American

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Title: Dark Dreams

Subtitle: A Collection of Horror and Suspense by Black Writers

Author: Brandon Massey

Narrator: various

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-13-06

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 102 votes

Genres: Fiction, African-American

Publisher's Summary:

With heart-stopping stories by Zane, Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes, Joy M. Copeland, Robert Fleming, Terence Taylor, Francine Lewis, Brandon Massey, and 12 other established or up-and-coming writers, Dark Dreams is a must-have contemporary anthology for fans of the supernatural.

©2004 Brandon Massey; (P)2004 Recorded Books, LLC

Members Reviews:

OUTSTANDING COLLECTION!!

Listen carefully to the editor's introduction and you'll agree that black writers have so much more to offer than those situational, dramatic, relationship-type novels. Now, I do *luvs* my "black soap opera" novels from time to time, but as the colors of the rainbow, I have an ecclectic appetite for literature and it is TRULY refreshing to own a collection like this offered in Dark Dreams.

I was not surprised at the profound, suspenseful, intriguing, and supernatural short stories in this collection of black writers because I'm a serious fan of Gary Hardwicke, Gar Anthony Haywood, Zane, Stephen Carter, and Tina McElroy Ansa. All of these writers can stand toe-to-toe (or shall I say, noun-to-noun) with those so called "New York Times Best Sellers" lists of authors any day!

I strongly advise those who tend to have an affinity to those "too much black drama for your mama" novels to expand your horizons a bit. Check out this collection of well written, intriguing short stories and I guarantee you will be truly pleased as I am!

--B4

slow start, but good

this a collection of horror stories by different Black American authors the first few stories I was really disappointed, the ending just left you hanging, like the narrator was about to go the next section and.....nothing, after the first few stories it got really good with some very good short stories by Blk amer. authors , some of these I'd seen in print but never purchased. I want substance and not a lot of unnecessary drama in what I listen to or read. But after the first 3 I was pleasantly suprised, I will look for these authors works I just wished more were in audio format

Good horror

This was a good ecclectic collection of short horror pieces, some better than others, and a few outstanding. Narration was fantastic, from a number of sincere and dramatic voices. In my experience with horror anthologies, a book is worth getting even if there are only two or three chilling and disturbing tales which you will keep in the background of your thoughts for weeks afterward, which this collection has.

DID NOT ENJOY

14 hours of my life that i will never get back. Good that I have to commute daily to work. I think I may have like 2 to 3 stories from this collection...Did not really enjoy this book at all. I thought some of the stories were very slow. They were unable to hold my attention. This is one book I wish that i could have gotten a refund on.... Buy this one at your own risk!!

Black Entertainment

l loved this book. Lots of ups and downs. Laughing out loud while shaking my head!!! Something for everyone.

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Title: 72 Hour Hold

Author: Bebe Moore Campbell

Narrator: Pamella D'Pella

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-15-05

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 219 votes

Genres: Fiction, African-American

Publisher's Summary:

Trina suffers from bipolar disorder, making her paranoid, wild, and violent. Watching her child turn into a bizarre stranger, Keri searches for assistance through normal channels. She quickly learns that a 72 hour hold is the only help you can get when an adult child starts to spiral out of control. After three days, Trina can sign herself out of any program.

Fed up with the bureaucracy of the mental health community and determined to save her daughter by any means necessary, Keri signs on for an illegal intervention. The Program is a group of radicals who eschew the psychiatric system and model themselves after the Underground Railroad. When Keri puts her daughter's fate in their hands, she begins a journey that has her calling on the spirit of Harriet Tubman for courage. In the upheaval that follows, she is forced to confront a past that refuses to stay buried, even as she battles to secure a future for her child.

Bebe Moore Campbell's moving story is for anyone who has ever faced insurmountable obstacles and prayed for a happy ending, only to discover she'd have to reach deep within herself to fight for it.

Critic Reviews:

"Powerful....Moore Campbell is terrific at describing the different emotional gradations produced by each new circle of hell." (Publishers Weekly)

"Campbell is masterful at evoking black Los Angeles and creating strong characters. She bravely confronts a taboo issue in the black community, presenting the anguishing issues of mental illness from the perspective of a resilient and determined mother." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Very interesting book on mental health...

This was by no means what I was expecting when I started this book, but i can't seem to stop listening. This books explores the health care system for the mentally ill as well as the unspoken depths of mother's pain for a child with this illness.

This is really a good book. It's not for the faint of heart.

Exceptional book

Normally I listen to audiobooks on my daily commute, but this one also came into the house with me. I really couldn't put it down. The story is fascinating - like another reviewer, I now feel as though my eyes have been opened just a bit to the experiences of parents of a child withh a mental disorder. Ms. Campbell's style and ability to choose the absolute perfect words to express each thought absolutely floored me - it reminded me of the incredibly evocative way James Baldwin described his young life in "Go Tell It On the Mountain." And the reader? I hope she continues to narrate audiobooks because she really made the words come to life. Definitely a five-star book.

A Must Read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you could sum up 72 Hour Hold in three words, what would they be?

Real

Life

Everyday

What was one of the most memorable moments of 72 Hour Hold?

The way she spoke to her mother and told she hated her, she was not her mother.

Which character as performed by Pamella D'Pella was your favorite?

The Mother

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

72 Hour hold!!

Any additional comments?

I could have not gotten this book at a better time. I have a step brother who has problems and it allowed me to deal with him better and understand is state of mind better.

Well written, accurate and heartbreaking account!

Ms.

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Title: The Land

Author: Mildred D. Taylor

Narrator: Ruben Santiago-Hudson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-17-03

Publisher: Listening Library

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 190 votes

Genres: Fiction, African-American

Publisher's Summary:

Ever since running away at the age of fourteen, Paul-Edward, the son of a white landowner and a black slave, has had one dream: to own land every bit as good as his daddy's. While growing up, Paul-Edward loved, and feared, his father, but he loved the land unconditionally. Then, after a rash act of youthful rebellion, he leaves his family behind and vows to succeed on his own. However, for anyone black coming of age in 1880s Mississippi, this is no simple goal. From horse racing to lumber camps to outwitting double-crossing businessmen, Paul-Edward will do what it takes to make his dream come true, along the way discovering his own strength, learning the value of friendship and even falling in love.

©2001 Mildred D. Taylor; (P)2001 Random House, Inc.

Critic Reviews:

"Readers...will grab this and be astonished by its powerful story." (Booklist)

"It's a powerful, evergreen story that furthers our understanding of American history." (AudioFile)

Members Reviews:

Totally Awsome Story!

Here is a book that can't be sat down! I have loved other of her books but this one is just fantatic. The story is gripping and heartwarming. There is not annoying profanity, or uncomfortable sexual scenes. This book is one that makes you sit in the car long after you have finished your trip and keep listening. The characters are developed well, and maybe the best thing is that I found myself wanting to have the character and integrity of Paul.

Thank you Mildred Taylor and thank you Audible!

Jack Rose

Laugh and cry!!!

I will never forget this story! This is the best written book since Memoirs of a Geisha. I highly recommend listening to this book. Inspiring, sad and beautiful. This is my first Taylor book. It won't be my last. I wish I could give more stars.

Engaging, Captivating; Intriguing; Reflective

I love this book. Everyday I looked forward to going to my car just to listen to it. By the time I made it to work, I didn't want to get out of the car. I felt like if I go into the office, I would miss something.

This book was written so well, I felt like I knew the characters personally. I enjoyed following Paul and Mitchell to adulthood and I'm sure everyone else who reads/listens to this book will have the same feeling. You will be engaged from beginning to end.

I've recommended this book to every reader I know and highly recommend it to my colleagues of audible.

The Land

Wow! What an eye-opening history of segregated/learning how to co-exist American history. The language was strong by todays standards, but true to life for the time this book represents. I strongly recommend mature teens to listen to this one.

Gripping

This story made me feel as if I were part of a history that I wish had never existed. Growing up in the south in the 60s and 70s, prejudice was an unavoidable reality of life. It was as if I became Paul Edward and began to see the world in a different time and light. And COLOR. It made me question my own heritage.

All personal reactions aside, this is a gripping tale with vivid characters and heartmoving twists. EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Title: A Little Yellow Dog

Subtitle: An Easy Rawlins Mystery

Author: Walter Mosley

Narrator: Howard Weinberger

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-19-02

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 198 votes

Genres: Fiction, African-American

Publisher's Summary:

It's 1963. Easy Rawlins has given up the street life and is now the supervising custodian of Sojourner Truth High School in Watts. He gets up early and goes off to work. He wears nice clothes and puts all his energy and love into his job and his adopted children. He likes his new life.

But his life changes when Easy comes in early one morning to find one of the teachers already in her classroom. She has her dog with her, and a story about a husband gone mad. Before Easy knows what's happening, the teacher is in his arms. Before the day is over the teacher is gone, leaving Easy with her dog - and a corpse in the school garden.

Easy may have left the streets, but he hasn't been forgotten. The police believe that Easy is involved in the murders. Old enemies are waiting to get even. The principal of the school wants to fire him. His old friends aren't the same, and his new friends might mean his death. A murderer is running lose somewhere. And a little yellow dog plots revenge.

Critic Reviews:

"The best book yet in this fine series. Easy Rawlins [is] one of the most distinctive voices in crime fiction." (The Seattle Times)

"A well energized and crafty novel." (The New York Times Book Review)

Members Reviews:

It's not what you say .....

This title has potential and builds on the Easy Rawlins saga; a chapter from his middle-age. Easy's 8 to 5 job (and how he got it), his reluctant return to the streets, Mouse's transformation are all elements to keep your interest. Unfortunately, if you have enjoyed the distinctive narration of Stanley Bennett Clay in the three earlier titles, this audiobook will be a big disappointment.

the story is great, but the narrator is awful

I loved all the previous Easy Rawlins audiobooks. They are great stories, compelling, suspenseful, real. I highly, highly recommend all the books, and this one is no exception.

BUT. The previous narrator, Stanley Bennett Clay, was fantastic. A perfect Easy. In constrast, the narrator for this book, Howard Weinberger...i have to say, he was truly awful. He stumbled over words, chronically mispronounced things, his emphasis was all wrong. It sounded like a kid in school hesitantly reading something for the first time. It was as if he had never seen the script before...and didn't bother to look up the words he didn't understand! It was so jarring, I considered several times going out and buying the book so I could finish it without listening to him. It made me wince. It was really disappointing.

All in all, I would listen to all the previous books, but read this one.

Compelling story, poor narration

To be fair, this fifth Easy Rawlins Book followed four narrated by the incomparable Michael Boatman, and I don't envy any narrator trying to fill those giant shoes. That said, this is a pivotal work in the Rawlins canon. It gives us a new Easy, no longer a man of the streets, but a hard-working supervising custodian at a school, clinging to family life and sobriety. It's a compelling and important story, and it deserved better than Howard Weinberger's narration. The Easy Rawlins novels are as much about the Los Angeles of the era as they are about the lead character. Having a narrator who can't even pronounce "La Cienega" pulls the listener right out of the story at crucial moments.

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Title: The Emperor of Ocean Park

Author: Stephen L. Carter

Narrator: Peter Francis James

Format: Abridged

Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-07-02

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 177 votes

Genres: Fiction, African-American

Publisher's Summary:

The Emperor of the title, Judge Oliver Garland, has just died, suddenly. A brilliant legal mind, conservative and famously controversial, Judge Garland made more enemies than friends. Many years before, he'd earned a judge's highest prize: a Supreme Court nomination. But in a scene of bitter humiliation, his nomination collapsed in scandal. The humbling defeat became a private agony, one from which he never recovered.

But now the Judge's death raises even more questions - and it seems to be leading to a second, even more terrible scandal. Could Oliver Garland have been murdered? He has left a strange message for his son Talcott, entrusting him with "the arrangements" - a mysterious puzzle that only Tal can unlock. Talcott must risk his career, his marriage, and even his life, following the clues his father left him.

Intricate, superbly written, often scathingly funny, The Emperor of Ocean Park is a brilliantly crafted tapestry of ambition, family secrets, murder, integrity tested, and justice gone terribly wrong.

Critic Reviews:

"This thriller, which touches electrically on our sexual, racial and religious anxieties, will be the talk of the political in-crowd this summer." (Publishers Weekly) "A roman à clef with fascinating insights into the behind-the-scenes machinations of racial and power politics. An elegantly nuanced novel, with finely drawn characters, a challenging plot, and perfect pacing." (Booklist, starred review)

Members Reviews:

An Extradordinary Story

Carter is always insightful and articulate and with "Emperor" he proves he's a master storyteller. Unlike much of what passes for popular fiction these days, Carter invites the reader's intelligence into the story. If you're not engaged, you're just not paying attention! He weaves social observation and commentary into the storyline and combines them with a well-develop mystery. This one is worth listening to/reading more than once!

The Emperor of Ocean Park

Fast-paced and suspenseful. It was a bit difficult at times to know if I was in the 'present' or flash-back but it grabbed me from the beginning and held me tight.

Too Dull

Not enough action or character development to hold my interest. Scott Turow or John Grisham are better choices for those looking for behind the scene court room drams.

Disappointing

Not what I expected. Like a watered down version of a Grisham novel and often very boring during sections. Not recommended.

Slow Start but interesting ending

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Yes, the reader. The reader was very dry. I equate it to watching an actor that can't act. All the characters kind of blended together.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes, The end result was unpredictable but not shocking.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Not very good:(

Was The Emperor of Ocean Park worth the listening time?

It was a good book, but you had to get past the first chapter or two to really enjoy the story.

Any additional comments?

Good book, would be a better listening book if the reader was better. It would probably be a better book to actually read and not listen to.

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Title: Fearless Jones

Author: Walter Mosley

Narrator: Peter Francis James

Format: Abridged

Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-01-02

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 144 votes

Genres: Fiction, African-American

Publisher's Summary:

Fearless Jones is an army veteran, a man who is proud of his accomplishments during World War II and refuses to step into the background now that the war is over. Violence dogs Fearless' every step, and Paris has tried to keep his distance. But there's no friend like the one you need.

The two set out to find the elusive Elana Love, and every step leads them deeper into a bewildering vortex of money and betrayal. These two black men in 1950s Los Angeles have few rights, little money, and no recourse under attack. But they have their friends, their wits, and their knowledge of the way the world really works to help them prevail.

Listen to a conversation with

.

Critic Reviews:

"A violent, heroic and classic piece of noir fiction. Fearless is...a knight-errant and hopefully destined for further adventures as fine as this one." (Publishers Weekly)

"Well-paced action and rich, evocative dialogue...Mosley writes in an open, engaging style that translates well to audio." (AudioFile)

"Cause to rejoice... we can only hope that this is the first of a series." (Amazon.com)

Members Reviews:

Mosley at Perfection

I'm a big fan of Mosley's Easy Rawlins series and was a little apprehensive about a listen with different characters. The book, the characters, the dialog and the narration all swept me along in vintage LA in a story of strange loyalties and soul searching. As a white woman who grew up in segregated Texas and witnessed (from afar and with joy) the civil rights movement, I'll never truly understand what life was and is like for black men and women, but Mosley's stories bring me so much closer. His characters are so real and so deep they walk around in my head like old friends I miss.

Laughter and suspense

The characters vibrantly jump out of the words in this book. The number of relationships and their impact on one another forces you to concentrate on every word. Paris Minton's character provides subtle humor to this exciting mystery.

Walter Mosley is a fantstic author

What did you like best about Fearless Jones? What did you like least?

I love Fearless Jones he is a dynamic character.. There is nothing I didd not like in this book.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes there are so many fights and killings one could not predict what would possibbly happen next.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The narrator did a wonderful job.

Could you see Fearless Jones being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Yes definitely not sure who the stars should be

Any additional comments?

great book I loved it

Captivating

Mosley certainly has the makings of a movie or s mini series - the story line is interesting, the social issues are relevant today - and he has a Myriad of colorful and well thought out characters.

Great reader

It would have been better without the music but the reader was excellent and the story was well paced and interesting

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Title: Just As I Am

Author: E. Lynn Harris

Narrator: Michael Boatman, Brenda Braxton

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 06-16-00

Publisher: Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 86 votes

Genres: Fiction, African-American

Publisher's Summary:

E. Lynn Harris's blend of rich, romantic storytelling and controversial contemporary issues like race and bisexuality have found an enthusiastic and diverse audience across America. Just As I Am, picks up where Invisible Life left off, introducing Harris's appealing and authentic characters to a new set of joys, conflicts, and choices. Raymond, a young black lawyer from the South, struggles to come to terms with his sexuality and with the grim reality of AIDS. Nicole, an aspiring singer/actress, experiences frustration in both her career and in her attempts to find a genuine love relationship. Both characters share an eclectic group of friends who challenge them, and the listener, to look at themselves and the world around them through different eyes. By portraying Nicole's and Raymond's joys, as well as their pain, Harris never ceases to remind us that life, like love, is about self-acceptance. In this vivid portrait of contemporary black life, with all its pressures and the complications of bisexuality, AIDS, and racism, Harris confirms a faith in the power of love - love of all kinds - to thrill and to heal.

©1999 E. Lynn Harris; (P)1999 Random House, Inc., Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, A Division of Random House Inc.

Critic Reviews:

"Harris is a wonderful writer. His romantic scenes, whether between men and women or men and men, are always touching." (San Francisco Chronichle)

Members Reviews:

enjoyable

This book was very enjoyable..the characters were fully developed, it had a quick pace and having two readers was a nice change. I look forward to reading more of E Lynn Harris' books.

Wonderful Listen

This was my first E. Lynn Harris book. What a delightful and touching story. I can't wait to read more from this author. Narration was superb.

Just as I am

Listening to this book really put what we go though in real life it really opens your eyes to what really matters well it did for me

Just As I Am

What would have made Just As I Am better?

I found the jumping around from character to character confusing and an impediment to telling the story

Would you ever listen to anything by E. Lynn Harris again?

probably not

What about Michael Boatman and Brenda Braxton s performance did you like?

Reasonably good job

You didnt love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I could not finish it so do not know

The Best of The Best

I really enjoyed this book. It shows just how confused some men are when it comes to sex.

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Title: Carl Weber's Kingpins: Oklahoma City

Author: Clifford "Spud" Johnson

Narrator: Mirron Willis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-31-16

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 49 votes

Genres: Fiction, African-American

Publisher's Summary:

The kingpins of Oklahoma City, one from the north side and one from the south side, push pounds of weed, gallons of PCP, and kilos of cocaine through the corridors of the OKC, using very different methods to keep their people in line. King is the leader of the north side crew. Along with his protégé, Tippi, he runs his crew with deadly force. Each member knows there is no room for error when it comes to getting money on the north side. Flamboyant, the leader of the south side crew, is the opposite. His crew is tight out of loyalty, not fear.

King and Flamboyant know nothing of each other, especially the fact that they are both doing business with the same connect. The money is good for all involved, and it's a win-win situation for Charli and Toni, the suppliers. They keep the reins tight on both leaders, because a war on the streets would be detrimental to their thriving business in Oklahoma City.

Everything goes awry when Flamboyant's woman, Shayla, becomes torn between her current man and the one who used to rule her universe - King. Once the lines are crossed, there's no going back, and the war that Charli and Toni are trying to avoid becomes a reality.

A love triangle fueled by two men who would gladly give their lives for the woman they love is causing death at an alarming rate. Is Shayla worth losing what these two men have built? In the end, which kingpin of Oklahoma City will remain standing?

Members Reviews:

Not Serious

The narration voice threw this book completely off. I couldn't even finish it. The story was already struggling and the narrator took it over the "this book sucks" ledge.

Loved it!

I've read all of the Kingpins & this by far was my favorite although I didn't really care for narrator everything else was off the chain only hate the fact that Bitch lived & everyone else lost smh

Annoying

story is ok but the voices are annoying as FUCK, my lease favorite kingpin book

disappointed

I am a fan of the King Pen book series. this book was very Disappointing

OK Story

I do understand what the author wanted us to understand, but this book was extremely too long and drawn out. The characters were well developed but in my opinion this is a typical story about 2 different King Pins working for an organization and wanting power. All in all it is OK in the OKC.

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Title: Glorious

Author: Bernice L. McFadden

Narrator: Alfre Woodard

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-19-10

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 163 votes

Genres: Fiction, African-American

Publisher's Summary:

Academy Award nominee Alfre Woodard narrates Glorious, by Bernice L. McFadden, a novel set against the backdrops of the Jim Crow South, the Harlem Renaissance, and the civil rights era. This is the story of Easter Venetta Bartlett, a fictional Harlem Renaissance writer whose tumultuous path out of Waycross, Georgia, to success, ruin, and revival offers a candid portrait of the American experience in all its beauty and cruelty. Woodards nuanced narration beautifully enhances McFaddens imaginative blend of fictional and real events and peoplesuch as Marcus Garvey, Langston Hughes, pianist Fats Waller, and shipping heiress Nancy Cunard.

Glorious poses the question that is the title of Langston Hughess famous poem: What happens to a dream deferred? It is an audacious exploration into the nature of self-hatred, love, possession, ego, betrayal, and, finally, redemption. Easter is not only a survivor, but also a creator, and a fearless blazer of trails.

Bernice L. McFadden is the author of six critically acclaimed novels, including the classic Sugar and Nowhere Is a Place, which was a Washington Post Best Fiction title for 2006.

Editorial Reviews:

Bernice McFadden's Glorious opens with an interesting premise. If the real-life "Fight of the Century" between Jack Johnson and James Jeffries hadn't occurred, then the life of our protagonist, Easter Bartlett, might not have taken the turns it did. She might not have been moved to leave her hometown of Waycross, Georgia; might not have met the strangely fascinating dancer named Rain; might not have ended up married to Marcus Garvey's would-be assassin; and might not have found herself a darling of the Harlem Renaissance.

Although the historical events mentioned in Easter's story most certainly occurred, Easter Bartlett is nothing but a figment of McFadden's imagination. The book, which is half Ragtime and half Beloved, is fresh for both reasons. While its fictional main character may be more engaging than the real figures that populate the story, the novel is written so that history serves as a supporting actor, a mirror to reflect the true drama of what's happening in Easter's world and the world at large.

As such, Glorious is filled with many voices telling many stories. The prose flows along swiftly, catching in its current a number of different places and social spheres. Alfre Woodard rises to this challenge with incredible talent and range. One moment she's an early-1900s white socialite, the next a Caribbean man freshly immigrated to America. She's totally competent in each new role, turning an exceptional piece of new literature into a kind of epic bedtime story, complete with colorful voices. Woodard rolls gracefully with McFadden's wild cast of characters, inhabiting each of their experiences, adding volumes to the mythical feeling of the work and, with McFadden's help, making us believe their stories.

Critic Reviews:

"McFadden's lively and loving rendering of New York hews closely to the jazz-inflected city of myth.... McFadden has a wonderful ear for dialogue, and her entertaining prose equally accommodates humor and pathos." (New York Times Book Review)

Members Reviews:

Gruesome violence

I love Alfre Woodard and that was the reason why I chose this book. The subject matter also appealed to me.

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Title: Sanctuary Cove

Subtitle: A Cavanaugh Island Novel, Book 1

Author: Rochelle Alers

Narrator: Nicole Small

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-15-12

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. and Buck 50 Productions, LLC

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 299 votes

Genres: Fiction, African-American

Publisher's Summary:

Sometimes love is the simplest choice of all.

Still reeling from her husbands untimely death, Deborah Robinson needs a fresh start. So she decides to pack up her family, box up her bookstore, and return to her grandmothers ancestral home on Cavanaugh Island. The charming town of Sanctuary Cove holds happy memories for Deborah, and, after she spies a gorgeous stranger in the local bakery, it promises the possibility for a bright new future.

Dr. Asa Monroe is at a crossroads. Ever since the loss of his family, he has been traveling from one town to another on a quest for faith and meaning. When he meets Deborah, the beautiful bookstore owner with the warm eyes and sunny smile, Asa believes he has finally found a reason to stay in one place.

As friendship blossoms into romance, Deborah and Asa discover they may have a second chance at love. But small towns have big secrets. Before they can begin their new life together, the couple must confront a challenge they never expected.

Rochelle Alers, with nearly two million copies of her novels in print, is a regular on the Essence best-seller list. She has received numerous awards, including the Gold Pen Award, the EMMA Award, the Vivian Stephens Award for Excellence in Romance Writing, the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award, and the Zora Neale Hurston Literary Award.

Critic Reviews:

"I truly and thoroughly enjoyed the book. I found it a wonderful, warm, intriguing romance and was happy to find a new author to read." (Jill Shalvis, New York Times best-selling author of Simply Irresistible)

"A gentle romance focused on second chances. Soaked in an old-fashioned feel, [this book] will appeal to readers looking for gentle, inexplicit romance." (Publishers Weekly)

"Carolina low-country comfort food, a community of people who care, and a wonderfully emotional love story. Who could ask for more? Sanctuary Cove is the kind of place you visit and never want to leave." (Hope Ramsay, best-selling author of Welcome to Last Chance)

Members Reviews:

Slow Slow Slow

Although it's later in the story, I like the way values are instilled in the raising of the children. I'm kind of tired of the "I've got him but not really" theme. This book is slow for me, most love scenes happen before the middle of the book, this one happened towards the end...SLOW.

Kind of slow

I really like Alers' writing. However, I found myself wanting the story to pick up or end quickly. It's not necessarily a terrible tale of the two main characters who both lost people in their lives, it just lacked something.

Not Good, Clean Fun

Well, I was trying for a gentle and healing story. This was not it. The main character, a widow, is supposedly a devout Christian mother who attends church regularly. Be warned. She believes that there is health and healing in coming to the point where she can purposely plan to have pre-marital sex with a man she believes will soon be gone for good. This is no mistake in the heat of passion. Not only that, but the sexual descriptions are very graphic. This is not a book for me.

In fact, I would appreciate it if "Romance" categories were not all lumped together.