Top 50 BlackChristianNews/BCBC Bestsellers (Fiction) July 26 -- PT 1
Discover the Top 50 BlackChristianNews/BCBC bestselling fiction titles for July, featuring captivating stories from ReShonda Tate Billingsley, Victoria Christopher Murray, and Michele Andrea Bowen. From heartfelt African American women's fiction to inspiring juvenile reads like *Nothing But Drama* and *The Pastor's Wife*, this curated list showcases faith-filled novels, family sagas, and transformative journeys. Perfect for book clubs and devoted readers, explore the best in Christian fiction with these must-read books and hidden gems.
Book
The Other Side
by Jacqueline Woodson
Jacqueline Woodson is the 2018-2019 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Clover's mom says it isn't safe to cross the fence that segregates their African-American side of town from the white side where Anna lives. But the two girls strike up a friendship, and get around the grown-ups' rules by sitting on top of the fence together. With the addition of a brand-new author's note, this special edition celebrates the tenth anniversary of this classic book. As always, Woodson moves readers with her lyrical narrative, and E. B. Lewis's amazing talent shines in his gorgeous watercolor illustrations.
Book
A Sin and a Shame
by Victoria Christopher Murray
From the bestselling author of The Personal Librarian, the ever-scheming Jasmine Larson, from the Essence bestseller Temptation, has sworn off all the lying, manipulating, and cheating that got her into trouble in back in Los Angeles—but will turning to Christianity truly change her? After fleeing Los Angeles when her attempt to break up her best friend's marriage fails, Jasmine is now a changed woman...and a Christian. She vows to attend church every Sunday, swears off married men, and begins her search for the soul mate she is sure God has for her. Now living in the Big Apple, she has shed twenty-five pounds, shaved ten years off her age, filled her expensive apartment with designer clothes...all to begin her man-finding mission. She quickly meets her dream mate—a preacher—who falls head over heels in love with her. Surely, God is good! But things start slipping when another man from Jasmine's past refuses to stay there, and an unexpected pregnancy threatens to sabotage all of her dreams. Will Jasmine's lying and scheming continue? Or will she finally learn that honesty is the only path to redemption?
Book
Miracle's Boys
by Jacqueline Woodson
Winner of the 2001 Coretta Scott King Award, in Miracle's Boys, three young outsiders struggle to make it through when their parents die and leave them to survive on their own. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
Book
The Pastor's Wife
by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
From bestselling author ReShonda Tate Billinglsey comes a charming novel filled with love, laughter, inspiration and drama as Pastor Terrance searches for his Mrs. Right. Most men barely survive one mother, but Terrance Ellis has three: his aunts. His grandmother Essie's sisters—Eva, Dorothy Mae, and Mamie—lovingly raised him after Essie died in a tragic accident. They made sure that troubled young Terrance got on the right path and made something of his life. And now that he's all grown up and the rising pastor of Houston's Lily Grove church, the endlessly argumentative sisters agree on one thing: Terrance needs to find a wife. And not just any wife—but the right young woman to stand beside him as First Lady of Lily Grove at the fast-approaching one-hundredth-year Christmas service. Humble and handsome, Terrance is focused on preaching more than dating and has kindly fended off the advances of more than a few perfectly available ladies. So why, of all women, is outrageous, flirtatious Savannah McKinney drawing him in? Seeing Terrance falling under her seductive spell has got his aunts frantically matchmaking since time is running out and gossip is flying. Who will be the pastor's wife? Only heaven knows for sure. But before he finds her, some surprising and dramatic revelations are in store for Terrance, his congregation, and the three aunts who love him most in the world.
Book
My Brother's Keeper
by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
From the #1 Essence bestselling author, this unforgettable book takes a realistic look at how childhood scars can scar for life.
Book
Nothing But Drama
by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
The first book in an exciting and inspiring new series from national bestselling author ReShonda Tate Billingsley Their lives are nothing but drama. . . . Camille can't believe her bad luck when she's ordered to join a church youth group after hiding her boyfriend from the police. She'll bide her time if that's what it takes to get everyone off her back, but it's the last place she ever expected to make a new friend. Angel has a secret that's got her running scared, so when she sees a flyer for the group, she heads to the church, hoping to find an answer to her problem. Now Rachel, their group leader, has a task for them that may just end their daily dramas and give them a whole new beginning. They just have to take a leap of faith. . . . Along the way, they meet tough-as-nails Jasmine and society-darling Alexis, forging friendships built on strength, loyalty, and faith. As the girls take up Rachel's challenge to honor their parents, they find that walking a new path isn't always the easiest way to go. But together, Camille, Angel, Jasmine, and Alexis will embark on adventures that only the best of friends can share.
Book
Truth Be Told
by Victoria Christopher Murray
The author of The Personal Librarian and Essence bestsellers Temptation and Joy returns with a story about one woman's personal and spiritual journey to overcome the consequences of her husband's dark secret. Grace Monroe has the ideal life: a devoted husband, adoring daughters, and a booming career in politics. Newly elected on a Christian platform to the Los Angeles city council, she is determined to put her mistakes behind her and focus on her bright future. But when a secret from her husband's past is revealed, setting off a chain of attacks that threaten to rip her family apart, Grace must face a dilemma that will force her to question her life and her faith.
Book
The Ex Files: A Novel About Four Women and Faith
by Murray, Victoria Christopher
No summary available.
Book
Watercolored Pearls
by Stacy Hawkins Adams
Each at different places in their lives, three women--Serena, a stay-at-home mom; Erika, who is haunted by her abusive past; and Tawana, a lawyer trying not to let her ambitions destroy her life--turn to each other, and to God, to unleash their inner beauty.
Book
Divine Confidential
by Jacquelin Thomas
Divine is used to getting what she wants.... Thanks to her loving Aunt Phoebe and Uncle Reed, Divine Matthews-Hardison has a place to call home after the Hollywood life she was accustomed to fell apart at the seams. Getting away from the spotlight that nearly destroyed her own parents, Divine has changed for the better -- though there's still enough diva in Divine to keep life in Temple, Georgia, very lively, from mall shopping with her cousin Alyssa and her fashion-challenged aunt, to worshipping at her uncle's church, to dating. But what if it's too much too soon? Divine has boys on the brain and she's itching for a social life -- at least as much as is allowed under Uncle Reed's watchful eyes. She knows she's too young for the kind of secretive drama her cousin Chance is going through with his girlfriend, but still.... Turning to the internet, Divine gets a major crush on sixteen-year-old Sean, who sounds and looks like the perfect guy. But she is about to learn a difficult -- and potentially dangerous -- lesson: Things are not always what they appear to be....
Book
With Friends Like These
by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
The third book in an exciting and inspiring new series from national bestselling author ReShonda Tate Billingsley Only one girl will be chosen.... In the year since Camille, Alexis, Jasmine, and Angel joined Rachel Jackson's church youth group, the four best friends have bonded over boys, pitched in on community projects, and shared their deepest secrets. There's nothing they don't know about each other -- or is there? When a special guest arrives at Rachel's group and announces auditions for a television talk show, the girls will come to know a side of each other they never knew existed. And they may not like what they see. Will the four friends become enemies? The race to find the perfect host for KRCP's Teen Talks is heating up -- the competition is fierce, and so are the lies the girlfriends tell about each other in order to win the coveted spot. But more painful than any lies they can concoct is the cold, hard truth: none of them will reach their ultimate dreams if cutting each other down is how they choose to get ahead. Is winning a place in the spotlight worth losing their friendship? Includes a reader's group guide! Be sure to read the previous novels in ReShonda Tate Billingsley's fresh and fun series that looks at the Ten Commandments in a whole new light: Nothing But Drama and Blessings in Disguise -- now available! ReShonda Tate Billingsley is a general assignment reporter for KRIV-TV, the Fox affiliate in Houston, Texas. She is the author of the nonfiction book Help! I've Turned Into My Mother! and three previous adult novels: My Brother's Keeper, for which she received the prestigious Gold Pen Award for Best New Author from the Black Writer's Alliance and the Nova Lee Nation Award from the Greater Dallas Writing Association; the national bestseller Let the Church Say Amen, chosen for Library Journal's Best of 2004 list for Christian fiction; and I Know I've Been Changed, a Main Selection of the Black Expressions Book Club. Her previous Christian teen novels are Nothing But Drama and Blessings in Disguise, both available from Pocket Books. She is also a contributor to the story anthology Have a Little Faith. Visit her website at www.reshondatatebillingsley.com.
Book
The Truth about Love
by Tia McCollors
In the anticipated sequel to Zora's Cry, revisit the lives of the four women from the P.O.W.E.R. discipleship group. Facing many different challenges, they search for answers. The women pull together in prayer and end up confirming the truth about love: it never fails.
Book
He's Saved-- But is He for Real?
by Kimberley Brooks
In her sequel to inspirational romance He's Fine, But Is He Saved? Kimberley Brooks takes another look at the lives of Michelle, Liz and Sandy. Michelle is falling for friend David, but her feelings are thrown into confusion when her old boyfriend returns; Liz's insecurity and jealousy are threating her two great blessings - her calling as a minister and a man who loves her; Sandy's had the strength to get her ex out of her life, but meeting a spiritual man to replace him isn't easy, and soon loneliness leads her to someone who should be off-limits...
Book
Nothing But the Right Thing
by Stacy Hawkins Adams
In her heartwarming second novel, the award-winning author of "Speak to My Heart" explores the journey of faith, friendship, and the power of prayer.
Book
Second Sunday
by Michele Andrea Bowen
When the members of the Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church prepare for its one-hundredth anniversary celebration, the unexpected death of the pastor sets the congregation at odds over who the replacement pastor should be.
Book
Cruisin' On Desperation
by Pat G'Orge-Walker
Birdie Tweet is a newcomer to the Oh-Lawd-Why-Am-I-Still-Single church group, and her love life is just as unpromising as the others'. When Birdie realises she and several other ladies have been duped by a suave con artist named Lyon Lipps, the group devises a way to get payback...while improving their chances of meeting men at the same time.
Book
Church Folk
by Michele Andrea Bowen
Mississippi, 1963. Essie Lee Lane is a small-town girl who doesn't take "stuff" from nobody. Yet even she isn't ready for the Reverend Theophilus Simmons, one of the South's most fiery and respected young preachers. Down-to-earth, caring, and oh-so-fine, he's everything Essie never thought she'd find in a man, and he realizes she is everything a pastor needs in a wife. But Essie and Theophilus soon discover that dealing with the contentious members of Theophilus's church will be no honeymoon-especially when a couple of First Lady wannabes and a few blasphemous preachers enter the picture. With their parishioners in turmoil and their denomination facing a major scandal, Essie and Theophilus must put their faith and love to the ultimate test as they struggle to lead their congregation to God's sweetest rewards.
Book
Speak to My Heart
by Stacy Hawkins Adams
Serena is successful, sassy, and saved. But can she come to terms with her mother's secret and past relationships before it's too late?
Book
Saved Race
by Stephanie Perry Moore
As Payton leaves high school and goes on to college, she and her friends learn to deal with racism and other difficult issues.
Book
Holy Ghost Corner
by Michele Andrea Bowen
The owner of Miss Thang's Holy Ghost Corner and Church Women's Boutique, God-fearing, forty-six-year-old Theresa Elaine Hopson, who has spent her life looking for true love, finds romance in an unexpected way when church mother Queen-Esther Green re-introduces her to the older woman's backsliding nephew, Lamont Green.
Book
Abraham's Well
by Sharon Ewell Foster
Armentia, an aged black Cherokee woman, remembers her youth, her family, and their struggle to hold on to their dreams.
Book
I Know I've Been Changed
by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
A successful television reporter discovers that family is more important than fame and fortune in this hilarious and heartwarming family drama from bestselling author ReShonda Tate Billingsley. Raedella Rollins left the dusty town of Sweet Poke, Arkansas, on a Texas-bound bus with four mismatched suitcases, a newsroom job offer, and a promise to herself: never look back. Now, less than a decade later, she’s a top-rated talk show host, a celebrity news anchor, and fiancée to Houston’s star councilman. The future looks bright for Rae, and Sweet Poke is nothing more than a distant memory. But now that she’s reached the top, her ragtag family comes knocking. Mama Tee, the grandmother who raised her, calls with unwelcome family updates; and Shondella, her jealous older sister, guilts her into sending money. To Rae, nothing could be worse than an unexpected reunion with her over-the-top relatives. But when her picture-perfect life turns out to be an illusion, Rae's family calls her back to Sweet Poke and to the life she left behind. Can Rae let go of the pain of her childhood and open her heart to the healing that only faith and family can provide?
Book
True Friends
by Stephanie Perry Moore
When her African-American family moves to a new town after her father takes a football coaching job at a historically black university, ten-year-old Carmen learns important lessons about friendship and prejudice.