African Magic

Laila desperately wants to become a mother, but each of her previous pregnancies has ended in heartbreak. This time has to be different, so she turns to the Melancons, an old and powerful Harlem family known for their caul, a precious layer of skin that is the secret source of their healing power. When a deal for Laila to acquire a piece of caul falls through, she is heartbroken, but when the child is stillborn, she is overcome with grief and rage. What she doesn't know is that a baby will soon be delivered—by her niece, Amara—and delivered to the Melancons to raise as their own.

Tristan Strong, just back from a victorious but exhausting adventure in Alke, the land of African American folk heroes and African gods, is suffering from PTSD. But there's no rest for the weary when his grandmother is abducted by a mysterious villain out for revenge. Tristan must return to Alke - and reunite with his loud-mouthed sidekick, Gum Baby - in order to rescue Nana and stop the culprit from creating further devastation.

Folk magic is not just limited to Wiccan magic rituals or Celtic traditions. There’s a whole lot more to folk magic, which is practiced worldwide in different ways. Despite the multitude of resources for learning about these cultures, you’d rarely find a consolidated source of information about all of the folk magic cultures in one place. Besides, if you’re unsure about which culture they identify with, this audiobook will be the ideal guide to your magic discovery journey.

In the wake of her mother's passing, Layla Hurley unexpectedly reconnects with her mother's sisters, women she hasn't been allowed to speak to, or of, in years. Her aunts reveal to Layla that a Gullah-Geechee island off the shore of South Carolina now belongs to her. As Layla digs deeper into her mother’s past and the mysterious island’s history, she discovers that the terrifying nightmares that have plagued her throughout her life and tainted her relationship with her mother and all of her family, is actually a power passed down through generations of her Gullah ancestors.

IN A HOUSE OF LIES, TRUST WISELY. Book 2 in the prize poly Sleeping Lotus series.... The country of Soma is on the brink of war… and its newly-minted spy, Raena Barren, must stop it. Only a week has passed since she earned the ranking of Rose, but already, she has a high-profile client. An ambassador from another kingdom has requested her company, and if Raena can convince him to ally his country to hers, then she can avert a four-to-one war. But being the escort of a vigorous man like Ossyne True is not easy. Fearing her own inexperience, Raena seeks guidance from Mikail Haze--a fellow ...

Santeria, a religion whose origins can be traced back to the Yoruban tribes of West Africa. Brought into the United States and Latin American countries through the slave trade, it is now practiced in Cuba and the Latin American countries and has over 20,000 followers in the United States.

Solstice Winters never expected her job as a photojournalist would involve stopping a death god. She’s only ever wanted the same things as anyone else—a nice career, a safe place to call home, and no magical assassins trying to kill her. Alas, there’s nothing like an unexpected dimensional misalignment to ruin plans. The rapid flood of magic into the world changed her from simple reporter to secret agent in mere months. It also revealed the truth of her being an elf. Her investigation into who wants her dead stalls when a paranormal entity shows up in her apartment pleading for help. ...

Seventeen year old Anastasia Francois became a ward of the state when she was only 4 years old, after her mother murdered her father in a psychotic rage. Spending most of her life in foster care, Tasia, as she prefers to be called, learned to take care of herself— that is, aside from the mysterious headaches and blackouts that result in her waking up in the aftermath of fire and ashes on occasion. When an unfortunate incident beyond her control leaves Tasia out in the cold, she has no choice but to pack up and leave for Louisiana to live with the only biological family she has left, ...

Golden boy Graysen Galder has it all figured out. He’s the soon-to-be valedictorian of the first combined class of Magics and Naturals at the Boston School of Magic. No one would ever guess that, beneath the charming veneer of the school’s top Natural student, there are dark secrets. Like execution-worthy crimes. But all those crimes are in the past where they belong. That is, until Graysen is framed for a brutal murder. With his future in shambles and the past nipping at his heels, Graysen has no choice but to go on the run. And the only one willing to help him is a ghost from his past...

Just as Martine is settling into life on the wildlife game reserve, she is whisked away on a school trip. Her class is going on an ocean voyage to witness the Sardine Run, a spectacular natural phenomenon, off the coast of South Africa. What begins as an exciting adventure quickly turns perilous when a storm blows up and Martine and her classmates are thrown overboard into shark-infested waters. They are saved by a pod of dolphins, only to end up marooned on a deserted island.

FACE THE STORM. Book 4 in the prize poly Sleeping Lotus series.... Jaded and betrayed, Raena Barren walks on eggshells, trying to keep her fellow spies from stabbing her in her sleep. They’re jealous of her fast rise through their hierarchy, and some dangerous people want her to stay put. But when someone she cares about gets a knife in the back, the only way to save him is to keep up the pace. And to rank again, Raena will have to face her greatest fear yet: she will have to share a bed with Jaen Portent. But this calculating, cold-eyed man has his own set of secrets… and Raena finds ...

Everyone’s favorite fifteen-year-old ghostalker, Ropa, arrives at the worldwide Society of Skeptical Enquirers’ biennial conference just in time to be tied into a mystery—a locked room mystery, if an entire creepy haunted castle on lockdown counts. One of the magical attendees has stolen a valuable magical scroll. Caught between Qozmos, the high wizard of Ethiopian magic; the larger-than-life Lord Sashvindu Samarasinghe; England’s Sorcerer Royal; and Scotland’s own Edmund MacLeod, it’s up to Ropa to sort through the dangerous secret politics and alliances to figure out what really happened.

On the day of the Harvest Festival, the old woman who lives in the forest appears in Abeni's village with a terrible message: You ignored my warnings. It’s too late to run. They are coming. Warriors with burning blades storm the village. A man with a cursed flute plays an impossibly alluring song. And everyone Abeni has ever known and loved is captured and marched toward far-off ghost ships set for even more distant lands. But not Abeni. Abeni is magically whisked away by the old woman.

When the windshield of his Chevy Impala shatters in a dark diner parking lot in Alabama, Melvin moves without thinking. A split-second reaction marrows in his bones from the days of war, but this time it is the safety of his fiancé, Bernadette, at stake. Impulse keeps them alive, and yet they flee with blood on their hands. What is life like now that they are fugitives? Pack passports. Empty bank accounts. Set their old life on fire. The couple disguise themselves as a pastor and a reluctant pastor’s wife who’s hiding a secret from her fiancé.

The Tree of Enlightenment (The Seeds of Enlightenment) is a story for all ages about a six year old boy named Zion who comes of age in his village in Africa by participating in the traditional ceremony of initiation. With the Seeds of Enlightenment in him he travels to America with his family where his father has gotten a big job, but all through his life as he grows up in America, Zion returns to his village to partake in the fruit of the Tree of Enlightenment, eventually bringing his own family there as an adult, and returning to the Tree of Enlightenment as an old man.

From Vanessa Brantley-Newton, the author of Grandma's Purse, comes a collection of poetry filled with engaging mini-stories about girls of all kinds: girls who feel happy, sad, scared, powerful; girls who love their bodies and girls who don't; country girls, city girls; girls who love their mother and girls who wish they had a father. This book invites listeners to find themselves and each other within.

Nathaniel is a well-intentioned, if naive, British cleric feeling blessed to educate a West African village about the benevolent power of God. But as slavers encroach, Nathaniel’s endeavor is daunted by the realities unfolding on the beautiful homeland of his congregation. It seems the Devil has power too. What follows for Nathaniel is a profound spiritual upheaval as he questions his purpose and even his humanity.

In the heart of Gary, Indiana, three adventurous siblings named Leah, Nasir, and Kingston roamed the bustling streets every summer day. Leah, a curious and resourceful girl with a passion for books, led the way. Nasir, her older brother, was a tech-savvy boy with a love for puzzles, while Kingston, the youngest of the trio, was a fearless and imaginative boy who dreamed of becoming a superhero, yet wise enough to know that being a hero doesn’t require powers but selflessness and bravery. After their parents banned electronics for a week. One sunny afternoon, as they explored a seldom-...

The Clever Black Detective Club Book 2 Enchanted Forest Adventures: A Collection of Mystery Detective Short Stories for Kids Ages 8-12The Clever Black Detective Club transports to an enchanted forest filled with mysterious and magical creatures. In this second book of enchanting mystery short stories, kids ages 8-12 will follow the club as they solve 8 cases to find their way home. From deciphering ancient symbols, uncovering missing treasures, and stopping a phantom threat, this book will have kids on the edge of their seats as they follow the club’s journey. FEATURES Follow the ...

Deadly ingredients, earth-shattering recipes, and poisoned relationships abound in this tantalizing third installment of the Hex Kitchen series. The culinary magic world is at war with itself. A murderer with a vendetta has taken control of the all-powerful Gourmands. The first step in his recipe for domination: kill all his rivals...beginning with Braxton and Kenzie. New enemies are emerging from all sides, and the future of magic is at stake. Everything hinges on Braxton’s sister and her lover-turned-enemy. The problem is that Sofia is in jail, and Graham is being hunted by the police. ...