African-American Books

Adrianne Byrd has taken me to a whole new level with her book "Controversy". She takes you on a wild journey of a sister who is a known prankerster and is familiar with overnight stints in jail for some of her pranks. Now she is ready to celebrate the divorce of her husband with her sisters. Which in turn lands them in some very wild type of situations. Lies and Love....does it mix??? There's an off the hook twist in the novel. Let me tell you, when I say my mouth hit the floor, it hit the FLOOR!!!! LOL Adrianne also uses some unique names for the Adam sisters. Michael (main character), Sheldon, Frankie & Peyton. Yep, ALL FEMALES!!!

Great job Adrianne!!!

This is by far one of the best books I have ever read!!!!!!! The end was simply amazing!!!! Go buy the book......You will not be dissapointed!!!!!!

The cover of this book totally hooked me. Handcuffs and a sexy black man! But this story was so well written and so unexpected! Adrianne Byrd has written a winner! In Controversy, we find Michael Adams, the queen of revenge schemes, is in trouble. The police think that she killed her ex.
Police detective Kyson Dekker knows the last thing he should do is get involved with a suspect. But there is a difference in knowing what's right and wrong and doing the right thing. There are more twists in this book than a wild ride at Six Flags. And just when you think you got it all figured out--BAM--another twist. Giving it away in this review would do a disservice to everyone because this book is a MUST READ!

With each book Ms. Byrd get's better and better. In this one we meet another Adams sister. We meet Michael who is newly divorced a slighly bitter and wants to get back at her husband but of course it's all talk or is it? And this is where the funny, hot and crazy story begins and Ms. Byrd takes you on this ride and leaves you wanting more. Did I mention funny. Those Adams sisters can get themselves into some mess LOL! And of cours there a point where Ms. Byrd tries to get you with the tears. You get to catch up with the rest of the Adams clan and meet the sexy dective Kyson. Definite recommendation!

What can I say that hasn't been said already?!! It's NEVER a dull moment with Ms. Byrd. She pulls you in from the first page and takes you on an EXTREMELY thrilling roller coaster ride 'til the end. I read this book in 5 1/2 hours. I love this family, they are HILARIOUS! This book had me LMAO and often reaching for a KLEENEX (wiping away tears of joy and sadness). And as usual Ms. Byrd added just the right amount SPICE to this intriguing tale! The chemistry between Michael and Kyson set the pages of this book on FIRE! And just when you think you know what's going to happen, she SURPRISES you with some unexpected, but pleasant twists. If you're looking for some great entertainment, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book (the whole series). You will NOT be disappointed! Way to go, Ms. Byrd!

This is a very well-written, fast-paced, factually-based book. Chapter twenty-four, starting on page 155, about four-year-old Tidbit being used as gator bait by Clay Derby and his friends was especially enlightening (or sickening).

Title: Copper Sun
Author: Sharon Draper
Publisher and Date: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006
Flesh Kincaid Reading Level: 6.6
Pages: 302
Genre: Historical Fiction

Copper Sun is the story of a 15-year old girl named Amari who lives in an African village named Ziavi. She enjoys spending time with her eight-year-old brother Kwasi and her boyfriend Besa. She is very happy with her life until her village is invaded by pale-skinned men accompanied by warriors from another African tribe, the Ashanti. Her village is burned down and many of the villagers are slaughtered, including her whole family. All the while, Amari is astonished that people from her own land could be helping the pale strangers destroy her village. She sees the shame in her boyfriend's eyes as he is shackled and taken aboard a slave ship. She experiences a feeling of intense loss as she realizes her family has been taken from her and now she is being sold into slavery. She deals with abuse and cruelty in numerous ways, and at times feels as if all hope is lost. However, Amari is a fighter and she endures all of the cruelties of slavery without giving up.

The story follows Amari as she is captured, taken on a ship across the Middle Passage, and brought to America as a slave. When she arrives in South Carolina she is auctioned off and sold to a plantation owner as a birthday present for his son. While at the auction, the plantation owner also buys a young, white indentured servant named Polly. Polly imagines her life as a servant in the main house of the master and is disappointed to find out she will be working with Amari in the fields and living in the slave quarters. Polly initially is prejudiced toward Africans, but over time she and Amari become friends. They also build close relationships with the plantation cook, Teenie, and her son Tidbit. Teenie helps Amari through the difficult times on the plantation, including being abused by Clay, the plantation owner's son.

Clay's stepmother is the only white person on the plantation who shows any sympathy for the slaves. Soon Amari finds out that she has a relationship with one of the slaves. This begins a plot twist with so many surprises that I do not want to spoil it for you! Soon Amari, Polly and Tidbit get a chance to escape from the plantation. The last third of the book follows them on their journey to find Fort Mose, where there is a community for runaway slaves.

Chapter's alternate between Amari's perspective and Polly's perspective which gives the book an interesting twist. Although the book may seem long for some young adult readers it has so many plot twists and surprises that it will keep you reading. Draper's story provides a detailed and realistic description of life during slavery with fictional characters that draw you in and a fast-pace that makes the story readable for any young adult, whether studying slavery or not.

Hello Everyone...I am an 8th grade English teacher and I just finished reading Sharon Draper's "Copper Sun." I almost don't have words to describe how amazing it was. If you are a teacher, you will accrue many cool points from your students if you read this book with them. It is action packed, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Please read this whether you have children/students or not! It has completely enriched my life, and made me even more proud of the African American race's diligence, determination, and strength.

This is a story about a slave girl named Amari who was torn from her family and her homeland and forced to become a slave in america. there she meets a girl named polly who is an indentured servant, they eventually break free and make a run for the spanish colony hoping for freedom but constantly being hunted.
I have to admit I was bored during the 1st chapter, but as I kept reading I got more and more intruiged untill I just couldn't put the book down. Copper sun is an amazing book, and very insightful into the horrors of slavery and the ignorance, arrogance, and cruelety of white slave owners. I highly recommend this book

There has never been a better book about slavery than Copper Sun, though you go through some disgusting times with Amari you find the most painful thing is that actual people were treated like that! Draper is so wonderful in her writing, telling us exactly what it was like for Amari and I really felt like I was standing right next to her through the whole experience. Speaking of whole experience that's exactly what it is...the book starts in her home in Africa and we travel with here through the capturing of her and family members, the trip over seas, the slave action and her new home and ***spoilers (sort of)*** her final desicion! Great book HIGHLY recommend it to anyone.

I am 56 and have been reading sci fi/fantasy since, oh, about 10. This is one of the best collection of stories I have ever read. You'll be glad you read it. The fact of the color of the writers is interesting, but not important. I have read so much sci fi, and even taken a writing course. The bottom line - this is great science fiction.

I've long suspected there were more writers of color out there besides Octivia Butler and Samuel Delany. Ms. Thomas introduces a rich collection spanning decades. My only question is when will volume 2 be published? If you love SF, add this brilliant work to your collection.

A huge sci-fi and fantasy reader I am also getting ready to be a high school teacher of special ed, reading & English. This is a book that will go on my list of books to write lesson plans about and to make sure my students read. The one complaint I have about this book is that I'd read the Butler, Delany & Saunders already. Couldn't we have gotten new stories for this historic anthology? But other writers were a revelation to me.
A great book! Nalo Hopkinson's story about a (...)gone amuck, Tannarive Due's story about the very human side of cloning and Steven Barnes' chilling almost apocalytic picture of a modern African state after a coup are all terrific reading-- and why my students -- and you -- should be excited!

Writers of African descent have played a long and important role in the history of speculative literature, even though that's not always recognized, either in the past or today. But this book opened my eyes to how much wonderful talent has gone underappreciated until now. Often raw, but always colorful and deep, many of the stories in this collection have the quality to be compared with the masters of the past and present. As both a reader and a writer, this collection inspired me greatly.

I highly recommend it to anyone who's a true officianado of speculative literature.

This is a collection that the literary world needed badly. Typical 'speculative fiction' (encompassing sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and other literary persuasions) often features humanity uniting against common enemies or disasters. But for people of color, the alternative present or near-future utopia/dystopia in any speculative story probably won't be so rosy. Technological advancement, alien contact, or astronomical disasters probably won't eliminate prejudice and inequality, as the writers of African descent collected here show us in consistently hard-hitting ways.

The settings and themes of these short stories are uniformly fascinating and thought-provoking for any intelligent reader. As with any collection of works from various writers, the quality of the stories varies a bit, and this book does have a few bumps in the road that deserve the thumbs-down for heavy-handedness. Examples include the predictable melodrama of 'The Woman in the Wall' by Steven Barnes, or the poorly-plotted conspiracy theories of 'The Space Traders' by Derrick Bell. However, these are minor quibbles, and even these stories contribute to the sheer fascination of this book as a whole.

My favorites include the supremely moving Jazz Age vampire story 'Chicago 1927' by Jewelle Gomez, an outstanding look at the human costs of cloning in 'Like Daughter' by Tananarive Due, the creepy erotic thriller 'Ganger (Ball Lightning)' by Nalo Hopkinson, and the heartbreaking dark fantasy of 'Gimmile's Songs' by Charles Saunders. Of historical interest we have 'Aye, and Gomorrah...' from the master Samuel Delany, the groundbreaking 'The Goophered Grapevine' from way back in 1887 by Charles Chesnutt, and the very chilling 'The Comet' by W.E.B. DuBois (I had forgotten that DuBois wrote fiction, and his important stories are ripe for rediscovery). Kudos to Sheree Thomas for creating this hugely important, haunting, and illuminating anthology. [~doomsdayer520~]

I'm still reading this book and it has brought many good things to light for me. I'm sending my copy to a friend so she can read it and understand more things about herself.

This book was so inspiring and at time overwhelming... It will make you cry with the poetic reverence, and laugh with its abunding charm.... It give great insight on comming out, and It helps you to decide when is right for you to enter into your own journey on the road to being free.. to being OUT

This book unites the coming out experiences of black women from different socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds.
This collection of 49 short stories/poems/essays and interviews offers an insight into the complexities and issues surrounding women of colour as they search for and claim their identities. The selections which are fictional and non-fictional, are personal, daring, honest, funny, moving and thought provoking.
In short, this is a powerful book which easily transcends the Women's Studies/African American Studies and the Gay and Lesbian arenas, making it the quintessential "must read" for all.

READING THIS BOOK WAS AN INSIDE PEEP AT WHAT GOES ON INSIDE THE HEART AND SOUL OF EVERY WOMAN WHO EVER THOUGHT ABOUT LOVING ANOTHER WOMAN....IT CONFIRMED THAT THE WARMTH, INTIMACY, CLOSENESS, SISTERGIRL CONNECTION THAT I FEEL WHEN IM WITH MY SPECIAL FRIEND IS NOT SICK, OR IMMORAL BUT SPECIAL AND WORTH HOLDING ON TO DESPITE WHAT PEOPLE WHO CANT RELATE MIGHT THINK. THANK YOU TO ALL THE WRITERS AND ESPECIALLY LISA C. MOORE. LOOKING FORWARD TO DOES YOUR POPS KNOW ? (SMILE)

"Does Your Mama Know?" was worth the time and effort that I spent visiting four different bookstores and walking a total of four miles or so. "Does Your Mama Know?" is like "The Color Purple," "The Women of Brewster Place" and "Zami" but better. Similar to these books, Moore's book validated my experiences as a lesbian of color. Her well-chosen stories highlight almost every conceivable coming out experience. Although the book is VERY hard to find -- there are only 8,000 copies floating around the world -- I would recommend this to any black lesbian, regardless of nationality.

As a causal reader, I found ".....Scratch Line" to be a remarkably unique book. Therefore, "Echoes...." cannot compare to it even though it is outstanding on its own. "Echoes.." presents new a powerful characters and relationships that Johnson has masterfully brought to life. Johnson is genius at capturing the flavor of the time in both books, but there is only one Tremaine. Is this a good read? No. A very very good read? Absolutely.

Encore!! Excellent read! I can not recall a book that I enjoyed as much as I enjoyed these two books. Would love to see it on the BIG Screen. Thank you so much Mr. Johnson. If you haven't read it, get them both and take some time off from work because you won't be able to put the books down.

I loved both Guy Johnson's books. Living now in the bay area I can completely see the places he talks about in the book and picture myself there. I love the way he uses retrsopection and how well he links the two. I love Jackson Tremain's character and how the character evolves and changes when confronted with his grandfather's past. Can't believe or agree with Elizabeth's decision at the end, but it makes for a very circle of life kind of ending. Read Standing at the Scratch Line first to get the whole story behind it.

I was skeptical at first, that him being Maya Angelou's son made him think that was enough to make him a writer. He proved me SOOOO wrong (and I am glad!) I am usually not a fan of the gangster world, but he drew me in so fast with this book. Every bit was a delight to read. I actually read them starting with Echoes, and then moved to Standing, and I thought it worked well, changed my perspective of King. The only disappointment I have is that it's been a few years since these came out, and I haven't seen anything else by him. Hopefully that will change soon.

Do we have to get find and send a director to Guy Johnson with a planeful of actors... someone get this to the big screen! If Tyler Perry can commercialize Madea, I am confused why we can't have these books made into a movie. Heck, I have someone willing to do it! Let's face it, the world isn't a perfect place and less than perfect personalities bring out some interesting public discourse (Black women made Madea). Not all our inspirational people are noble God fearing and pious so why should our make believe "larger than life" folk be any different. One reviewer examined the historic accuracy of the book. While being a noble observation it misses the point that Black Folk, African Americans ...and for that fact Americans and the world need to be able to tell the truth in real historic events let alone the fictional stories. Further, in bring on a sense of Black Folk place in this world, there is still much to do with dismantling the rediculous vision of the timid, unlearned, unpatriotic, lazy, morally bankrupt Black Male that American has underwritten for all these hundreds of years. How long will these perpetuate? Answer: Until Black Folk change these images and begin telling their own stories... one by one; fiction and non-fiction alike. Lord knows, currently there aren't enough Black Historians to undo the less than honest works of the legions of half-truth historians America has seen and not enough Jewish historians to care (much Black is written by our Jewish friends). These stories will, like the lies that preceded them, go a long way toward gaining a foothold on the destiny of human kind everywhere.. not just Black Folk! Our destiny is tied together and human kind will never be whole nor great until nobody is allowed to be viewed as "less than."

this book was written from someone who probably had to experience these things. Im white, im sometimes immature, but that doesnt mean that you bust on every white kid whos friends with a black kid! Hell, im friends with a black kid.

The Hoopster is a good well rounded book about love, family, sports, racism, and finding yourself. Andre Anderson is a good basketball and also a good writer and he writes for his local magazine but when his boss assigns a project to write about racism he writes his report but then he gets beat up by some racist white people he learns alot about himself and life i think this book is really good

This is a very original and well thought out book. It has many twists and turns and really makes us look @ our society today and our acceptance of different cultures.
This book is a very daring topic to write about. This book is about racism, and how it nearly stops someone from fulfilling his destiny. It makes us change our minds and rethink sterotypes. It is a awesome book and u wouldthink so too. my favorie part about this book is that it teaches about racism and how people sterotypem others

5. The Plot:
This is a very original and well thought out plot. It has many twists and turns and really makes us contemplate our society today and our acceptance of different cultures. My favorite line in this book is "If a black person is caught walkin' 'round 'da street at night....he's up to no good. If a white man pays for a cup of coffee with a twenty dolla' bill...he's wealthy. If a hispanic don't speak english while shopping in a store... they're illegal."
4. The imagery:
The way the author uses words to depict an image in your mind is extodinary.You can hear, feel, see, taste, and smell the basketball games. It is an amazing book filled with tons of imagery.
3.The characters:
If you are a very multi-cultural person this book is perfect for you. If you are not very interested in other cultures this book is pefect for you. These characters are people who anyone can relate to. These characters are so true to life. When you read this book it's almost as if you known these people for a long time. The characters are phonmonal.
2.The layout:
The way this book is formated is so something can be happenning one moment, and then in the next paragraph it's two years later.
This is a good layout because it leaves in air of mystery. But don't worry, there is a very complete ending.
1. The reality to our generation:
This book is a very daring topic to write about. This book is about racism, and how it nearly stops Andre from fulfilling his destiny. It makes us change our minds and rethink sterotypes. It is a very well-written book.

In Alan Lawrence Sitomer's novel we meet Andre Anderson, an African-American teen nicknamed, "The Hoopster." Andre is athletic, does well in school, and is an aspiring writer. He has landed the internship of his dreams, working for a small local magazine. His next door neighbor Shawn, although white, is like a brother to him, and at the open of the book, they are enjoying a happy and relatively uneventful summer.

When Andre is asked to write a feature story about racism for the magazine, initially he is put off by the topic. He doesn't think he has experienced racism personally, and feels that a lot of people use race as a crutch instead of assuming personal responsibility. When his boss refuses to let him off the hook, Andre works hard and creates a heartfelt article that gains him a lot of attention. Unfortunately, his article catches the eye of a local hate group and he becomes the victim of a senseless and brutal hate crime that threatens to change his life forever. He must rely on his family, friends (Shawn in particular), and all of his strength to overcome his physical and emotional wounds.

THE HOOPSTER is the first of a planned trilogy of books. The story is well-written, with believable characters and a good pace. As I read, I found myself thinking over and over, how nice it would be to see this book played out on the silver screen. The book has an urban feel, yet it doesn't buy into the prevalent stereotypes and includes young people with positive dreams and goals, who live in two-parent households with caring adults. While the main character is black, the supporting characters come from diverse backgrounds, making this a story that will attract a diverse audience of readers. While girls may enjoy this book, boys, even those who tend to be more reluctant to read, will especially like this engrossing and realistic story.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

After reading several excellent reviews of this book, I purchased it for
my nepbew's birthday. I have not read the book myself since I lived through that period.

It was a year of Fire and also the year of Grace for Jackie Robinson!! It is an amazing book to read about a great person who changed history and loves baseball!! It is more than just baseball and it has so many things to show that shaped Jackie's life so much. It is also spiritual and emotional book that leaves you to become a stronger person to make a great difference in the world.

I really liked this book and normally I dont like reading. Ijust wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. I think Jackie Robinson is a vary good romodel because no matter what, you should never give up. Because Jackie never gave up he ended up being one of the best baseball players to ever play the game. But most of all he broke the color code for all professional sports.

This biography does an outstanding job of giving an overview of Robinson's life and times, from his early, awnry but talented years in Pasadena, through UCLA, then the military, and then the Brooklyn Dodgers and beyond. It paints a picture of a strong willed gentleman with enormous pride, dedicated to his family, and dedicated to the idea of racial integration and equality. The influences of his mother on his early, somewhat (understandably) confrontational character, that allowed him to ultimately be the individual who paired with Branch Rickey to integrate "America's Pastime" are clearly laid out.

Some reviewers have faulted the author for not being more interpretive of Robinson's politics - specifically, that he was a Nixon supporter in 1960 and a Rockefeller supporter in 1968 (while also being a strong supporter of Civil Rights, active in almost every civil rights organization) and Humphrey supporter as well. I think the book lays out all the facts for the reader to see for themselves. Robinson's coming of age - in an era when a Dixiecrat from a Jim Crow state (LBJ) led the passage of the Civil Rights Act - was a time of a shifting political landscape that didn't settle out until near his death (he also broke badly with Nixon later in Nixon's career). The Republican party's mantra of self-reliance, and Robinson's determination to succeed in business in the same way he did in sports, made his attraction to the party not a big leap; the alienation of this country's African American establishment from big business was not a pre-ordained fact in the time Robinson lived.

Finally, Robinson's own family struggles were also a reflection of the confusing and troubling times in which he lived.

Robinson died too young for us all. This is a great book and I would highly recommend it..

i'm not particularly interested in baseball, but i am particularly interested in American history from the human perspective. i could have read a much more dry account of the turmoils that dominated American race relations throughout the middle of the 20th century, but instead i've read this fascinating account of those terrible, backward days from the perspective of a true pioneer, Mr. Jackie Robinson.

of course he is looked back on now as a symbol, a mythological figure. i always knew peripherally of Jackie as the same thing most people do: the first black man to play major league baseball, a step forward & up in the painful struggle of the times. but this book presents him as a human being, a fallible man who lived most of his life not on the baseball field, but in a relentless pursuit of his ideals and desire for a better life for himself and everyone around him.

the reviewer before me questions the biographer's lack of judgement of Robinson. i am curious as to why he feels Rampersad should insert his own analysis; the biography presents analyses of Robinson by many of Robinson's contemporaries, and then presents the recorded facts available to clarify incidents & statements. yes, this is an intensely personal biography, perhaps too personal in places. it is very much centered on Jackie's private correspondences. it is absolutely told from Robinson's persepctive, as best can be reconstructed from his widow Rachel & the papers he left behind, but it feels very honest, not at all like an airbrushed bit of hero-polishing. it is in places very blunt about Jackie's shortcomings as observed by his peers & contemporaries.

before i stretch this out any longer, i'll just say that this is the most engrossing biography i can ever recall having read. it's an account of a fascinating life in an amazingly recent time, in an America that seems so long ago but is still discouragingly recent. readers will learn not just about Jackie Robinson, but about two American eras as well.

This book is a "must" have 4 all poets!
It not only has great poetry, it has great writing.
Most poetry books, in my opinion, are overly priced. This excellent book is well worth the price.
I highly recommend this book. I like that fact that it has so many different poets writing the poetry. A book this size would become boring if only one poet wrote it.
I appreciate the effort that went into publishing this book and I also love the warm colors of the bookcover.
This journey into "Timbooktu" is a great read.
Thanks 4 sharing with us, Mr. Vaughn Jr. & contributors.

Poetry and prose come together in a journey of discovery to and from the e-land of TimBookTu.com. The selected writers in this work of an African American Poetic Odyssey have made the journey from aspiring to arriving literary voices.

...I personally feel that "Journey to Timbooktu," is an excellent edition to any anthology readers library. It has short fiction of many genre's (Horror, romance, suspense, ect.), heartwarming and at times tear jerking poetry. Also a variety of essays and other scriptured jewels, from some of the most talented writer's in the world. Mephis Vaughan has an eye for talent as well as a knack for the written word himself. I can't wait to see what he does with volume two. If you don't have a copy go out right now and buy one. As for those select few who can just order online and have it shipped to your home...buy two. You know friends and family are going to want to read one, so you need to have an extra one for yourself. To all the artists who contributed to the success of the manuscript..excellent job!!! I wish you continued success and best of luck on all future artistic endeavors.

Sincerely,
Levi James Baldwin III

The writings in this book will take you on a tireless journey through the Afro-American experience with poetry, essays,and short stories.
Many will touch your heart. A favorite will stay with you forever,and the desire to read on relentlessly will captivate you. I was taken through a wonderful journey from beginning to end.

Journey to Timbooktu is a must purchase! This anthology definitely offers an excellent array of diverse authors, writing styles and genres to explore from an African American perspective. Memphis has done a wonderful job in selecting the writings and offering something for everyone's palette. What a wonderful gift and treasure.

I love the storyline, It was easy to relate to the characters. Not one pimp,prostitute, sorid sexual escapades. True God given love. Awesome!!!!!

Kendra has done it again....definitely another great addition
to the Grace series. Kept my attention entirely and I didn't want to put it down. She is definitely an author on her way!~~

More Than Grace is the final installment of Kendra Norman-Bellamy's BET Grace Series.

Dr. Gregory Dixon and his wife, Jessica Grace Dixon, are excited about life as they raise their son Julian. Greg's career as a surgeon is booming and his superior abilities land him a temporary position at a well-known New York hospital. Despite Greg's hectic schedule which includes traveling to New York periodically to work, he and Jessica are still able to maintain the love and passion they had as newlyweds. However, unlike Greg and Jessica, their best friends, attorney Derrick Madison and his wife, Sherry will experience turbulence in their marriage. One of them desperately wants to have a second child while the other fights against it throughout the story. Will this once loving and vibrant couple allow this disagreement to destroy their marriage? Sherry at times will become discouraged and turn to Greg for encouragement. How will Jessica respond when Sherry goes to Greg for comfort? How will it affect Jessica and Sherry's friendship?

The ever-comical Mattie and Lena, (the mothers of Jessica and Greg respectively), have some major parts in this story as well. Both of them are keeping secrets that will be revealed throughout the story. These revelations will have major effects on their children. Will it bring the families closer together or tear them apart?

Meanwhile Derrick has to defend a young teenage boy who's accused of murder. Derrick tries to figure out why the boy, who's father is a wealthy businessman, would kill a woman for a watch. Did the teenager really do it or was he framed?

Again, Mrs. Norman-Bellamy paints a dynamic picture of prosperous Christian men and women who are faced with difficult decisions, but trust God to handle them. The story is filled with great surprises and it keeps the reader wanting more.

Great ending to a great series!

"More than Grace" opens with Gregory, Grace's husband, filling in at the prestigious Lenox Hill hospital in the absence of their top surgeon. Although this is an opportunity for Greg to flirt with his dream job of all time, his dream would cause him to make the decision to leave his position at Robinson Memorial where he is respected as being their top surgeon and love by many. When the position is offered and Grace and Gregory share what appears to be a blessing from God with the rest of the family, it is Grace's Mom who cannot bear to see them leave; she goes into a deep depression concerning them living in New York.

In the meantime, Grace and Gregory's long-time friends begin to go through serious marital problems of their own; their battles touching the lives of their closest friends, but nothing seems to help them get past their troubles to reconcile the strong marriage they always had.

As if this is not enough, Grace comes to find a piece of a missing puzzle in her life that will have an effect on her as well as her mother, as they work through this juncture in their lives.

What I like about this story is the fact that each character comes to a place of change and yield to what God wants them to do in their lives. The events intertwine, overlap and have links to the past that touche their present, but God brings them out victorious as they face these issues head on.

In this wonderful story, we find the characters of Norman-Bellamy's Grace Series at another level in their lives. There is a need for more grace as they each come to terms with something that requires they give more of themselves.


Review by Sharel E. Gordon-Love
Apooo Book Club

As I began reading this book, I couldn't help but wonder where Kendra Norman-Bellamy would take these charaters this time. Afterall, we have lived with them for the past few years or so. What else could we learn abou them? Would I be as intrigued with this book than I was with the first two?

MORE THAN GRACE was more than I thought it would be. The book is aptly titled because there is so much going on with all of the characters. I am sort of sad that this is the final book of the series. However, I know that Kendra will continue to write MORE books that represent family and most importantly (to me) books that represent the brothas.

This book is great to use in a writing lesson. Donald Crews does an excellent job in using details to describe the "shortcut". This book goes well with his other one about Big Mamas.

One of the things I love about Shortcut is that it gives young children a chance to be scared/tense (like adults enjoying John Grisham or a suspenseful movie) in a way that isn't like to keep them awake later! I used to teach four-year-olds, and, if read with expression, this book keeps them on the edge of their seats!

Donald Crews' relating of an actual childhood experience is powerful -- they decided to take the shortcut home -- over the train tracks. What happens when they realize a train is coming?

I love Donald Crews' books and this one is top notch! My four year old son loves trains. He has listened to this one so many times he has memorized the text. Great pictures and easy text plus the train sounds printed in text throughout the book make this one perfect for children. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars!

I enjoy reading this book because it was interesting how the kids wanted to take the shortcut home, even toght ther knew it was not safe. The story reminded me of how sometimes when im doing homework i wanted to get it done even toght i knoe sometimes its not ryte. I learn from this book that trying your best on everything u do is the right way to do something.

I enjoy reading this book because it was interesting how the kids wanted to take the shortcut home, even toght ther knew it was not safe. The story reminded me of how sometimes when im doing homework i wanted to get it done even toght i knoe sometimes its not ryte. I learn from this book that trying your best on everything u do is the right way to do something.