When a wife becomes the prime suspect in her husband’s murder, this criminal psychologist must forget everything she thought she knew in order to clear her name in this debut psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Shanora Williams’ The Wife Before.

Cassidy Evans is the blueprint. As a Criminal Psychologist, Cassidy is a savant. She spent years solving groundbreaking cases by shifting through the minds and behaviors of those driven by the darkness that controls them. After years of dedicated field work, Cassidy decides to retire and share her expertise of killers’ mentalities as a novelist.

As a published author, she’s now happily married and spends most of her time traveling the world and sharing with others how to understand the twisted minds that drive bad behaviors. Unfortunately, with all of the knowledge that Cassidy is armed with, she somehow overlooks the lies of the person closest to her. When she tags along to a crime scene with and old colleague, Cassidy is shocked to discover that the victim is her husband. If that’s not enough to send her world spiraling, she also finds out that the identity of the murdered victim, doesn’t match the name on their marriage license.

Things quickly escalate when Cassidy becomes the main suspect. Not knowing the man she is married to is the least of Cassidy’s problems. Everyone believes she is a murderer, and none more than the lead detective on the case¾Nathanial Davis. He is determined to find the truth while proving to the world that Cassidy isn’t who she claims to be. In doing so, he decides to keep Cassidy close while digging through her past to uncover all of her untold truths.

While she’s hiding secrets that could totally destroy the world she spent years building, Cassidy learns that things are never what they seem. With such an intricate familiarity of seeing through lies, how is it that Cassidy is happily married to a man who she loves and adores, but doesn’t truly know? Suddenly, losing her career is far less important than maintaining her freedom. In the end, she may lose both.

It's raining Black holiday romances and women's fiction this year and we're here to celebrate it all!

EVENT DEETS

When: Sunday, November 24 @ 3:30 PM CST

Where: Virtual via Zoom. We'll send you the Zoom link!

How: RSVP here to let us know you're coming! Also, check out the cool book bundles to support the authors. 

The Grinch (includes Only for the Holidays by Abiola Bello, A Novel Christmas by Charity Shane and Christmas in Spite of You by K.C. Mills)

The Hallmark (I'll Be Gone for Christmas by Georgia Boone, The Christmas Catch by Toni Shiloh, Only for the Holidays by Abiola Bello) 

Home Alone (Christmas in Spite of You by K.C. Mills,  I'll Be Gone for Christmas by Georgia Boone, A Novel Christmas by Charity Shane) 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS 

Abiola Bello is a British-Nigerian author from London, England. She is the bestselling, award-winning author of the children’s series Emily Knight I Am and the YA novel Love in Winter Wonderland, as well as a contributor to The Very Merry Murder Club anthology. Abiola has won London’s BIG Read 2019, was a finalist for the People’s Book Prize Best Children’s Book and was nominated for the Yoto Carnegie Award.

Charity Shane holds a bachelor’s degree and a Juris Doctor degree. Author. Higher Education Leader. Legal Expert. Writing stories that create feelings through her words is her true passion. Her soul sings AA romance and urban romance fiction. To date, she has published twelve books, one of which became a #1 Bestseller in Urban Fiction on Amazon. Charity Shane’ is dedicated to giving readers robust and diverse stories centered around love.

K.C. Mills penned her first novel in July 2015. One of her many talents is the ability to move between multiple genres and fully execute stories which are whole, realistic and heart-warming that leave readers wanting more. Her soul tends to feel at home with contemporary adult romance and urban fiction novels. To date, she has over one hundred titles, thirty-seven of which were published independently. Mills’ goal as an author is to craft Romance with an Edge that displays love in all shades of brown, with beautifully flawed humans that deserve to find their happily ever after.

Toni Shiloh is a wife, a mom, and an award-winning Christian contemporary romance author. Her novel In Search of a Prince won the first ever Christy Amplify Award. It has also been praised by Oprah Daily, POPSUGAR, Library Journal, and Booklist and is a Parable bestseller. Her books have won the Christy Award and Selah Award and have been finalists for the Carol Award and the HOLT Medallion. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Toni loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media. Learn more at ToniShiloh.com

Georgia K. Boone is a writer, a poet, and the daughter of storytellers. Sometimes, she writes songs she may one day share. Once, in a Brooklyn community center, she read James Baldwin’s quote “You can’t tell the children there’s no hope,” and she carries those words from the city to the desert and beyond. She lives on the West Coast with her family

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Theresa Arline, is a Birmingham, AL native, graduate of Texas Southern University and the owner of Public Displays of Reading, a book accesories company based in Houston, Texas. Her lifelong passion for reading has evolved into a mission to promote books by Black authors across genres. 

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For readers of The Twelve Tribes of Hattie and The Turner House, an intimately told story about a woman living by her own rules and the rural community that struggles to understand her.

Azalea “Knot” Centre is determined to live life as she pleases. Let the people of West Mills say what they will; the neighbors’ gossip won’t keep Knot from what she loves best: cheap moonshine, nineteenth-century literature, and the company of men. And yet, Knot is starting to learn that her freedom comes at a high price. Alone in her one-room shack, ostracized from her relatives and cut off from her hometown, Knot turns to her neighbor, Otis Lee Loving, in search of some semblance of family and home.

Otis Lee is eager to help. A lifelong fixer, Otis Lee is determined to steer his friends and family away from decisions that will cause them heartache and ridicule. After his failed attempt as a teenager to help his older sister, Otis Lee discovers a possible path to redemption in the chaos Knot brings to his doorstep. But while he’s busy trying to fix Knot’s life, Otis Lee finds himself powerless to repair the many troubles within his own family, as the long-buried secrets of his troubled past begin to come to light.
Set in an African American community in rural North Carolina from 1941 to 1987, In West Mills is a magnificent, big-hearted small-town story about family, friendship, storytelling, and the redemptive power of love.

Acclaimed poet Nikki Grimes and award-winning illustrator Cozbi A. Cabrera celebrate the joy of family, friends, and of feeling thankful. The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books says that Thanks a Million “offers a variety of reasons for giving thanks and feeling appreciation.” An inspirational and useful picture book that is perfect for educators, parents, and aspiring poets.

What does it mean to connect with someone? What does it mean to feel thankful? Award-winning poet Nikki Grimes and Caldecott Honor artist Cozbi A. Cabrera honor human relationships—from family to friendships to community bonds—and the moments that bring us together.

Join us for a montly children's storytime at Kindred Stories. Each Story time will celebrate a special book and be read by a wondertful community mementer. IT also includes a story time. 

Featured Book: Daisy Helps With The Dress 

Featured Reader: Antonia Adams 

EVENT DEETS

When: Saturday, September 26 @ 11 AM CST 

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St. Houston, TX 77004)

How: 

• RSVP ONLY to reserve your spot and let us know you are coming.

ABOUT DAISY HELPS WITH THE DRESS 

When Daisy tries to help with her cousin’s wedding, her misguided assists almost ruin the big day, until she finds a way to pull the dress—and her family—together in this charming picture book by award-winning author Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich.

Daisy loves helping her family and she knows the best kind of helpers never wait to be asked. That’s why she doesn’t ask before adding finishing touches to her family’s special reused, re-tried, remixed things, like a leftover broccoli topping for Auntie Fontie’s cakes or a good bath for Nana DJ’s “back-in-the-day, rusty, dusty” vintage albums—much to their chagrin.

But what Daisy wants most is to help give her cousin Simone’s recycled wedding dress a little razzle dazzle. She knows just what the vintage dress needs: a little glitter here, a few stickers there to give the dress some flair.

But Daisy’s cousin Simone and the rest of the family are not so happy with her decorations. Can Daisy make things right and help find Simone a new re-lived, re-loved wedding dress?

A dangerous dance of passion and power unfolds when two wounded souls collide in this sizzling unconventional romance by national bestselling author K.C. Mills.

Nari Collette finds herself on the brink of homelessness after a crushing betrayal. Desperate for stability, she reluctantly agrees to an unconventional proposal from the attractive and enigmatic Kincaid Akel.

Determined to reclaim his seat as heir of a dangerous criminal enterprise, Kincaid needs a wife to solidify his position, but he never expected his carefully selected bride to ignite such fierce desire. As Nari awakens feelings he long thought dead, Kincaid struggles to maintain control.

Their entangled marriage of convenience quickly becomes a battleground of wills as Nari fights to protect her heart, even as she's irresistibly drawn to her dangerous new husband.

As enemies close in from all sides, and with both their hearts and lives on the line, Nari and Kincaid must decide if they can trust each other with their deepest secrets . . . or if the very passion that binds them will ultimately be their downfall.

From USA Today bestselling author K.C. Mills comes a scorching romance about a ruthless crime boss who discovers his greatest weakness may be the woman he vowed to protect—a gripping tale of power, protection, and the kind of love that breaks all the rules.

“You Could Do Damage Too weaves a delicious tale of romance, arranged marriage, and family secrets. The character development, storytelling, and romance showcase K.C. Mills’s talent and the power of her stories. This is a must read!” —DANIELLE ALLEN, USA Today bestselling author of Curvy Girl Summer

In a world where power and survival intertwine, Nari—a resilient former foster child—finds herself unexpectedly married to Kincaid Akel, a ruthless businessman with a complicated past.

What begins as a calculated arrangement transforms into a passionate and dangerous journey of love, loyalty, and survival. Kincaid’s fierce devotion to Nari is matched only by his willingness to eliminate anyone threatening her safety. But when the shadows of their past—including Nari’s criminal father, Eli Manchester—begin to close in, their marriage is tested in ways neither could have imagined.

Pregnant and caught between her husband’s dark world and her own search for identity, Nari must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to protect the life they’re building together. With enemies lurking and secrets threatening to destroy everything, Kincaid and Nari must trust each other completely . . . or risk losing everything they’ve fought so hard to create.

BOOK CLUB MEETING DEETS

When: Tuesday, December 10 @ 7 PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2304 Stuart Street, HTX, 770040

How: RSVP to let us know to reserve your seat or support the book club and RSVP WITH BOOK

ABOUT CHRISTMAS IN SPITE OF YOU

After pumping her hard-earned savings into a business plan that doesn’t pan out, Noel Anderson is left financially strapped and needs a way to earn money to stay afloat. She decides to rent her apartment as an Airbnb for the Christmas holidays while visiting her family for Christmas. What she didn’t plan on was coming down ill and having to cancel the trip.

Kanton Joseph is on the cusp of securing a lucrative business deal. In order to get a one-up on his competition, he rents an Airbnb in the same apartment complex where his potential client resides. He’s surprised when he shows up, and the owner of the Airbnb not only wants to cancel the reservation but is still occupying the space.

With great reluctance, Noel and Kanton agree to cohabitate for one week. Noel attempts to stay out of Kanton’s way, but they undoubtedly cross paths, causing friction between them. They immediately clash on everything, most notably with their views on the holidays. Noel is determined to have a very Merry Christmas despite her temporary housemate, which is the source of Kanton’s irritation. Eventually, the two begin to soften toward each other and Kanton learns to view things through Noel’s eyes.

Will the holiday magic fizzle, or will these two spark a connection they didn’t realize they needed? 

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A meddling app says she’s about to meet her match, but which of the four possibilities is the one—and more importantly, is she ready for love? Find out in this novel about family, soul mates, and chasing dreams by the author of Have We Met?

Tiwanda Harris’s thirtieth birthday is a turning point. Gifted her late mother’s journal, Tiwanda is finally getting a glimpse of who her mother was as an adult. Shortly after, the budding entrepreneur receives a grant to jump-start a delicious business opportunity—and her sweet dreams don’t end there. Tiwanda’s been sent a dating app called Met that promises four matches, and among them, her soul mate. All Tiwanda has to do is tap “Yes”…

Though she’s doubtful about fitting romance into her life, the choices are hers. As the matches begin to surface, Tiwanda is surprised to find that maybe there is some future potential there after all. But which one could lead to real love? Only time will tell. That is, if she can find the time.

With her focus split between launching her career, helping heal old family rifts, maintaining friendships while building new ones, and also trying to open her heart to romantic love, chasing so many dreams is leaving Tiwanda breathless. But who knows? With destiny on her side, maybe there’s a chance all those dreams could come true.