Tune in as Arielle and Tasha dive into Zeal by Morgan Jerkins, a sweeping, multigenerational novel about love, loss, family secrets, and the ways one generation’s choices can shape those that follow. They discuss the dual timelines, Tirzah and Harrison’s enduring connection, Ardelia and Oliver’s complicated relationship, and whether the ending delivers on the story’s promise.

Note:  This episode includes discussion of domestic violence and sexual assault. Listener discretion is advised.

Note:  This episode includes discussion of domestic violence and sexual assault. Listener discretion is advised.

Author Nikesha Elise Williams joins us for part two to discuss the family secrets, complicated relationships, and generations of Black women at the center of the novel. We also talk about her writing and publishing journey, the choices behind the story, and what she hopes readers carry with them after the final page.

Listen to the new episode of Shelf Sabotage™ wherever you get your podcasts.

Support Nikesha’s work by purchasing The Seven Daughters of Dupree, exploring her self-published backlist, requesting her books through your local library, leaving a review, and sharing them with other readers.

In Part 1 of our conversation about The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams, we unpack the secrets, relationships, and inherited wounds connecting seven generations of women from 1860 to 1995.

We talk through our first impressions, the shifting timeline, the characters who tested our patience, and the ways the novel explores motherhood, colorism, passing, hair, reproductive trauma, family silence, and the harm that can grow when people refuse to tell the truth.

Listen now and stay tuned for Part 2 when we sit down with Nikesha to discuss the novel, her research, and our burning questions after reading.

Check out Part 2 of our Harlem Rhapsody discussion. This time, we're joined by the book's author, Victoria Christopher Murray, who discusses the research behind the novel, her writing process, the choices she made in telling Jessie Redmon Fauset’s story, and where history ends and fiction begins.

We also get into Victoria's latest novel, the responsibility of writing real Black historical figures, and what she hopes readers carry with them after reading Harlem Rhapsody.

In Part 1, we discuss Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray. Join us as we get into the complicated relationship between Jessie Redmon Fauset and W.E.B. Du Bois—from the affair, grief, and power dynamics to race relations and more.

The conversation continues in Part 2, where we speak with Victoria about her writing process, what in the story is real and what's not, and her latest novel.

The real question: would you have covered for Dimple?

This week, we're unpacking the siblings' decision, the predicament they find themselves in, and the audacity of Cyril.

In this episode, we discuss Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez—a multigenerational historical fiction rooted in land, legacy, family secrets, and the history behind the Kingdom of the Happy Land.

This week on Shelf Sabotage, we’re joined by Vanessa Walters, author of Lagos Wife, to talk about the inspiration behind the book, the real-life experiences that shaped the story, and the layers beneath the drama. 👀✨

If you’ve read Lagos Wife (or are looking for your next read), this conversation is one you don’t want to miss!

Content warning: This episode includes discussion of domestic violence and sexual assault. Listener discretion is advised.

This week's episode unpacks The Lagos Wife: a mystery featuring complex history, layered characters, and an unexpected twist. We discuss the back-and-forth timeline featuring two main perspectives, and how much of the main character comes through other people’s voices.

Check out Part 1, then join us next episode for our conversation with Vanessa Walters.

On this episode of Shelf Sabotage™, we get into With Love from Harlem by ReShonda Tate, and… whew! Join us as we follow the life of Hazel Scott, a Black woman and musical prodigy navigating fame, love, and power in 1940s Harlem, alongside Adam Clayton Powell Jr., whose ambition and ego complicate it all. From the outside, Hazel’s life looks glamorous but up close “it’s complicated,” as life and love can sometimes be.

QTNA: Did you already know Hazel Scott? And how much did you really know about Adam?

#ShelfSabotage #HazelScott #AdamClaytonPowellJr #ReShondaTate