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Last Updated: May 14th, 2008

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TRR Favorite Books Reviewed

Those books rated at the top of our scale have been identified as TRR Favorites.  Check them out via the FAVORITES link.

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RAWSISTAZ Literary Group

RAWSISTAZ focuses on reading, writing, and discussing books primarily by African-American Authors.  Our groups (both online and off) are not only book clubs, but resources to readers, writers, and literary enthusiasts. Share your feedback via the guestbook!

Naked Love by Darnella Ford

Adrian Moses spent most of her life longing for a normal life and craving affection, but found lost love and treachery. At the age of two, Adrian's mother passed away from cancer. She spends the remainder of her childhood with her father who is lost in his own personal pursuit of an identity. Riddled with disappointment and disillusionment, he commits suicide and leaves Adrian in the hands of his angry, prejudiced and hateful mother, Reva Joe. Despite the difficult times with her grandmother, Adrian found two rays of hope, her art and her first love, Anthem. That is, until Reva Joe disrupts everything and sends her packing to a year-round boarding school. 

Dream of Shadows by Seressia Glass

Nicole Legere was born with extraordinary gifts, but Its not shocking, however, because it runs in her family. Her mother is The Keeper, which means she has had this gift passed down to her from her ancestors and it is up to her to keep it on track. In DREAM OF SHADOWS, Nicole begins to dream of murders before they happen. Her conscience won’t let her just ignore her dreams so she goes to Detective Carter Jackson to give him all the information she has from her dreams, hoping that he can glean enough to prevent the murder. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen that way and when the murder actually occurs, Nicole is the suspect. Nicole continues to have dreams and each time, the dream comes true.  

Long, Hot Nights by Candice Poarch

Small, idyllic Paradise Island, off the Virginia coast, has a history dating back to the 1600's, but the serenity of this remote island is under the throes of a double homicide.   

Gospel of the Gun by Sean Chandler

As a child I watched the Saturday westerns with wide-eyed fascination.  It was years later when I realized the cowboys were not men of color. Sean Chandler gives us an inviting, yet raucous account of a different cowboy. 

Next Lifetime by Gregory K. Morris

Devivia Jackson married Charles Jackson right after college, even  though she had met another man at her institution she felt she loved. Her mother was determined that she was going to marry Charles because he was a star basketball player going to the pros. For eight years, their marriage goes well, but by the year 2030, when Devivia’s job begins to take up a lot of her time, it begins to get a bit rocky.  

All About The Vets by Sheila L. Agnew

ALL ABOUT THE VETS by Sheila L. Agnew is an enlightening book for women of all ages, but particularly those who are moving into their forties.  Our society begins to tell us we’re old and useless and we shouldn’t wear this or that, or it’s too late to do something. Agnew lets us know  that it is never too late. If a fashion strikes your fancy and it looks good on you, then wear it. If you’re older and you’ve always wanted to  start your own business or write a book, do it! 

The Knees of Gullah Island by Dwight Fryer

Dwight Fryer has created a made-for-television mini-series bringing the Gullah-Geechie, African-American culture up from the Carolina low country marshes and into their respectful place in American history.  At last, THE KNEES OF GULLAH ISLAND reveals all that was concealed by the illegal whiskey-making Hale family.  This prequel to Fryer's book, The Legend of Quito Road, takes place in Charleston, South Carolina where the former slave, Gillam Hale, caused his family to be sold and scattered as chattel slaves. This was due to his moral decision to end the Hale legacy of  selling “moonshine” liquor which angered many white customers.  

We The People of Colors: For Sale to the Lowest Bidder by L. E. Coleman

L. E. Coleman uses The Republic by Plato as background for his book, WE THE PEOPLE OF COLORS. He shows how today, even more than race and racism, elites and elitism are taking over and pushing people of all colors into the background. This is accomplished by the few at the top because they don’t care what color a person is, all they want is the money. They will do whatever they think is necessary to get it and they don’t care who they hurt in the process. Coleman mentions that this can be easily accomplished by such things as television news reports. These reports say what the masters/corporations want them to say, whether it’s the truth, if it just skims the truth or is mere entertainment. He notes that people need to become conscious and start using sources other than television to find out what is really happening globally. He also says corporations use television to sell us their products and make us think we can’t be happy without them. Please notice how many minutes are used for news and how many for commercials. 

Why African Americans Can't Get Ahead by Gwen Richardson

In WHY AFRICAN AMERICANS CAN'T GET AHEAD, Gwen Richardson asks some very potent questions.  But, she does not leave it there; through in-depth research and her own quest for answers she has uncovered some eye-opening revelations about the fiber of American society that has set too much of the tone for African Americans (AA).  Dr. Thomas Sowell, an AA economist and senior fellow at the Hoover Institute, graphed ethnic groups by their economic success.  Blacks and Native Americans were at the bottom of the scale.  Richardson took that information, determined to find the reasons why.  She found that the history of AA played a major role in shaping attitudes, negative and positive, as we struggle to become economically affluent.  She further notes that while a solid, successful AA middle class does exist, the fact remains that there has been little improvement in the net worth of most AA households over the past decade. 

Sacrifice: Demon Hunter Series Book 2 by T.L. Gardner

SACRIFICE, book 2 of the Demon Hunter Series places readers back in the life of Elijah Garland, the Protector. He is still struggling to find some meaning in the destiny he inherited after his death. Elijah's lineage is not ordinary; his mother was human, but his father was the Arch Angel, Gabriel.  

Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting by Terrie M. Williams

Terrie M. Williams, a professional in mental health care, as well as the owner of a public relations firm, describes the debilitating agony of depression felt by black people, yet denied by many. In the black community there is a taboo against looking “crazy” or not having enough faith in God. This prevents many from seeking the help they need from professionals to deal with deep depression. She covers the subject in many ways and gives the symptoms of depression; she covers the depression of women and men separately. She notes that many black women feel they have to be super woman and don’t know how to just say ‘no’ to anyone asking a favor or needing help. She lets us know that if we can’t help ourselves first, we won’t be any good to anyone else. Black men have difficulty showing weakness of any sort and many times don’t seek the help they need. BLACK PAIN covers the myriad reasons for pain in the black community, especially among the young, such as living in foster care, single parent households, dealing with addicted parents or struggling parents who have to work all the time. Depression breeds anger and produces gangs running the streets taking out their anger on each other because it temporarily relieves the pain. The Hip Hop culture is sometimes a reflection of depressive situations. 

Defying Dixie: The Radical Roots of Civil Rights, 1919 - 1950 by Glenda Elizabeth Gilmore

Glenda Elizabeth Gilmore’s DEFYING DIXIE: The Radical Roots of Civil Rights, 1919 - 1950 is the history of the civil rights movement from that time until the early 1950s. It gives inside history, interviews and information on how the Civil Rights movement that we are aware of today, came about. In the beginning, the Communist party was deeply involved. Their plan was to get the workers of America – black and white – to fight for better salaries from the companies they worked for. The only way to accomplish that was to get the two groups to work together. Naturally, the South, with its legacy of slavery, wasn’t too happy with the mixing of the races. The companies, to keep their profits high, wanted to continue to pay blacks less than they paid whites and the only way to do that was to keep them separate. Many residents of the South didn’t want blacks involved in the job market because they felt it would reduce their ability to have those jobs. There were, however, many people, of both races, who were determined that segregation/Jim Crow, would end. They were brave enough to defy the system and as a result, they frequently ended up in jail or worse.