Black: Triple Crown Publications Presents

by Tracy Brown

Who said the streets don't love nobody? Black is the novel that shatters the myth. Kaia didn't choose the streets. The streets chose her. Tossed from a broken home, Kaia is forced to learn the hard way just how grimy street life can be. Shedding her innocence overnight it seems, Kaia goes from being an often overlooked, stepped upon and crushed little girl, to a woman. She endures all of the drama that is thrown her way, sometimes catching it and sometimes being knocked flat on her ass. To aid in softening the blow is Aaron. Even street fairy tales have a Prince. Experiencing seclusion and imprisonment while locked down in street dreams and the illusion called love, is Aaron a Savior or Satan? With enemies in disguise, Kaia fights for survival and freedom, but to survive the streets could mean suffocating the freedom of her mind. Like a captured black butterfly, Kaia struggles to emerge and triumph, but victory ain't always sweet. As a matter of fact, sometimes it's bitter to the end.

Genres: Young Adult, Adult, Urban, Grad School, Romance, Drama, Fiction

247 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

I am a storyteller, a painter of words, a writer who genuinely loves my craft.

Reviews

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book years ago and it's one I used to go back to frequently and always remember. I loved this book so much back in the day I purchased it again after I lost my first copy in a move, forgot I had it and wanted to read it again, and bought an extra copy haha if that doesn't convince you to read it, you're missing out lol

[Patrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book I started awhile back, but it hit a dry patch and other books came my way, but when I picked it back up and got through the dry patch...Whoa!! This book was amazing. So much drama, sooooo much. I love how the story is developed and evolves. Just magnificent.

[Chantelmdavis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Black by Tracy Brown was a great. I would tell all my friends to read it because it taught me a lot. This book taught me that you have to keep your friends close; because you don’t know when they will turn on you. I also learn that I should be grateful for me and my mother relationship because in this book the character and her mother relationship aren’t happy at all.
Kaia was a smart young lady she only cared about school. Kaia was an A+ student in high school she wasn’t someone that surrounded herself with drama. Kaia’s mom was jealous of her cause her father pay more attention to her. Her moms always call her out of her name but loved her two sister’s more. They always left the house because the father would come home drunk, and always yelling at each other. Kaia mom had stabbed her father in the chest. Kaia and her mother was the only one in the house when this happen. Janice Kaia’s mother told her if she told anyone that she would kill her too. After that day her mother never talks to her or ask her about her day in school.
Kaia had friend’s names Symphany, Talia and Giselle that she hangs out with. There a boy named Aaron who she didn’t give a time or day to because she thought he was a bad boy. One day she was outside reading a book; he sat down and started talking to Kaia. Kaia liked Aaron conversation because they talked about basketball and their friends. They also talked about Aaron friend James because Kaia wanted to know why he hung out with him. Aaron told her that James was his homeboy and James will do what he wants to do. After the conversation they started to date, and she got pregnant. Kaia went home to tell her mother and she wasn’t happy about that. Janice told her if she doesn’t get an abortion she would have to move out. So Kaia moved in with Aaron and his brother Keith. Aaron started to sell drugs, so he would have money for the baby. Aaron had a friend named Jermaine that just got out of jail. Jermaine seen that Aaron was living large, so he told Aaron that he owned him. Aaron was in the gas station one night when he seen Jermaine. Aaron knew that Jermaine and him had beef, and he wanted to get to him before Jermaine did. Aaron shot him Jermaine in the head. Kaia was in labor while all of this was happening. Aaron had gone to jail and was sentence to 10 years. Symphany was their when Kaia had a baby girl named Phoenix.
Kaia had got her and the baby apartment, and started to work at the law firm with her friend Giselle. Her dearly life was working, picking up Phoenix and going to see Aaron. Kaia started feeling lonely and started messing with a guy named Erick. Erick and Aaron were boys. Giselle told Kaia to hook up with Erick since Aaron was in jail. Giselle was the jealous type and she had feeling for Aaron. Giselle wanted to live the life that Kaia had. Kaia didn’t want to hook up with Erick because she stilled loved Aaron. Kaia went out on a date with Erick and had a one night stand. Kaia had went out with the girls one night, and told them what happing with her and Erick. Giselle was happy to hear that because the next day she went to go see Aaron. Giselle had told Aaron what had happen with Kaia and Erick. When Kaia went to see Aaron he was acting different. Aaron told her that he find out she was messing around, and he didn’t want to see her anymore. Kaia knew that she only told her girlfriends, and she didn’t know how he finds out.
Aaron had got out of jails two years later. He and his brother went to go get breakfast and they seen Giselle. Keith knew that Giselle was a gold digger and was all about the money. Aaron didn’t pay her any attention because he didn’t care about her. When Giselle seen Kaia she told her that Aaron was home from jail. Kaia wanted to know how she knew before her. Giselle told Kaia that Aaron was at her house. Kaia went home and started to put all the pieces together about Giselle. Then s he figure out that Giselle was the one that told Aaron. Kaia called up her girls and they went to Giselle house. They knew that she was in their but Giselle didn’t open the door. Kaia had got Giselle jumped at the job the next day. The girl’s stop talking to Giselle because they seen she wasn’t a real friend. Kaia mother had got sick. Kaia went to see her mother after five years. When her mother woke up she looked at Kaia like why she was there. Kaia was hurt and told her mother to tell her sister’s what she did to her father. Janice went into cardiac arrest. Kaia sister’s asked her why she would say that. Kaia just left because she felt like no one wanted her there.
Symphany was sick and didn’t want to tell anyone. She had a seizure do to epilepsy and she was also taking pills to stop the seizure. She passed away days later. Kaia had picked up Phoenix from Aaron house and they started too talked. She told him all about Erick and how they really didn’t so nothing. He forgave her and they started to date again. Aaron and Kaia went to Symhany funeral together. Giselle was there and everybody wonder why she was there. Symphany mother told the girl’s that Symphany had let all those envelopes. Symphany had left Taila money for her to go to college. Symphany left her 50,000. Kaia open up her envelope and find out that there was one for Phoenix. Symphany left a note that Phoneix is the only that can open the envelope, but only when she turns 18th. Symphany left Kaia 50,000. Giselle opened her envelope and looked for a checked and read the letter. Symphany told her that how she wasn’t a real friend and wasn’t getting anymore. She said in the letter that her share of the money was left to Phoneix. Sympahany said she knew she was going to be mad about the money but she didn’t care. Giselle was embarrassed and bitter. After the end of all of Aaron and Kaia got married, and her an Aaron lived like a family. Kaia went to see Symphany grave and visit her mostly every month.
As you can see that this story has a strong meaning to it. People can relate to this book in many ways. Everyone doesn’t have a good relationship with their mother. I know that some people have friends that they can’t trust. I want to see if there is a part two to this book because the ended left me with nothing.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Mrs Tupac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty decent book. I waited sooooooooo long to get my hands on this book !!! and I HAD TO BUY IT ; just to read it (that says alot !!!!! the libraries were I live really need to do better). The book summary was very vague the first chapter of the book started off as good and kept my attention (like I expect most of the books I like to do) I expected this book to be as good as Dime Piece or Twisted but it was medicore compared to those books. Overall, this book would have been a pretty decent LMN movie. At first I liked Kia and Aaron's relationship I wish it was not cut short like it was. Characters should have been more developed (i,e Giselle, her father, and Smphany) I really liked reading the book I just wanted more. . . The book was good though Aaron pissed me off because he jeopardized he and Kia's relationship by the murder and believing Giselle shiety ass !!! (women like her are the reason I don't have friends). Aaron just wanted someone to blame for his misfortunes and I think that is why he was so hard on Kia it was like he was still that 18 year old boy that had got arrested nothing really seemed to change about him but his looks. I really think Kia could have done better HELL she spent half her life waiting for him to get out of jail and he still chose to wait to marry her like dude are you serious?!?!?! I'm sorry my ass would have been gone. I really did not like his character !!! even behind bars he made me mad !!!! I just feel the characters I liked should had their own chapter. This book was not what I expect but it was good :-)

[Diane Rembert · Rating 5 out of 5]

New to me, but an oldie but goodie to some, Black is the story of youngsters growing up in Staten Island, New York. At an early age, Kaia witnessed the murder of her father...at her mother’s hands. From that day forward, she was basically invisible to her mother and older sisters. In walks Aaron, a schoolmate that has a little troubled past as well. Spending time together leads to an unplanned pregnancy, leaving Kaia homeless and confused. Her friends Symphany, Talia and Giselle promise to be there...even after something happens and Aaron is taken away. Left to fend for herself and her daughter. Kaia does the best that she can, but makes a few mistakes along the way. At this time, she learns who her true friends really are.

I enjoyed this 💎💎💎💎💎book by @authortracybrown, and don’t know what took me so long to read it.

[BetweentheCoversLiterary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was truly an remarkable. I was totally enraptured in the story from beginning to end. I read the book straight through and couldn’t put it down for a moment afraid I might miss something from off the pages. My heart went out to Kaia, she had been through so much devastation starting from a young age. Thank goodness for Aaron being the knight in shining armor she never knew she needed. With life comes trouble and hardships but that Giselle was a mess and thank Goodness everyone saw through even Symphany from the heaven. Love conquers all and Kaia and Aaron will raise Phoenix as a family and Kaia for the mother she always needed through Symphany’s mom. I laughed, I cried, and I cheered.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was one of the best books I have ever read! It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me happy.
It was like I could feel what the main character was feeling. It was amazing!!

[Kia Rolle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a really good book to read

[Free Ekpe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a young girl named Kaia who has a troubled life. At a very young age, she witnesses the death of her father, the only person in her family to show her genuine love and affection. Her mother barely speaks to her and seems to regard her with contempt (although she ensures to provide Kaia with all the essentials - food, clothing, shelter, etc.), and her two older sisters are too busy living their own lives to be bothered. Despite that, Kaia has 3 very close-knit friends who she regards as family and a man who seems to really love her. However, when her man gets in trouble with the law, Kaia is forced to face a difficult situation on her own that may test the bonds she has with not only her man but her 3 besties.

While I liked the story, it was very predictable. You can pretty much guess with these kinds of books how they will end. There’s gonna be a trifling/jealous man or woman who causes unnecessary drama and miscommunication will play a big part in the characters falling out with one another. But in the end, some sort of tragedy will happen to bring everyone or almost everyone back together again. And while it makes for a good story, it doesn’t always make it a very captivating one which is how I feel about this book. It was good, but just wasn’t amazing - 3 stars!

[Colleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know... I feel like the story had promise, but the author didn't really do it justice. The writing was mediocre, at best, and just left the whole thing kind of unmemorable. There were a few spots, especially towards the end, that dumped some "feels" on me, but most of it was just unremarkable; and the parts that did spark some sort of reaction or emotion was mostly just irritation over these triflin', raggedy, treacherous a** characters.

[Kizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

Tracy Brown never disappoints, I cried so much in this book, and laughed. I love the way she rights because everything so realistic and relatable. You come away with a lesson learned. Tracy Brown is one of my favorite authors because her words jump off the page; it’s almost like watching a movie in your mind!!

[Kadedra Wooten · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Black by Tracy Brown was really good, which is odd for me because I am not a fan of books that have young people as the main characters. Lots of drama and a few parts I was not really expecting. Kaia and Aaron were a really cute couple and I could not put the book down. I like this one so much that I actually read it twice because I could not find anything else to read.

[Chekenna Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read ‼️

So relatable ‼️ This book showed how you can overcome any obstacles that are in your life. Also, this was a true understanding of REAL LOVE‼️

[Ericka Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book at 16 and aging at 26 and I LOVED it both times. It was definitely a little dramatic reading as an adult but the love story was still beautiful

[Reading Forever · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I read by Tracy Brown. I fell in love with her work. She has ALWAYS been and will FOREVER be my favorite author. I pray you are smiling above peacefully.

[zenith Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

I truly enjoyed this book. I didn't understand Giselle. She will not have good luck. I am happy for Kaia and Aaron. Syympany was a beautiful person. Good job

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply but beautifully written. Strong characters with lovable and hate-able personalities. We follow the story of Kira, a young woman who watched her mother stab her father to death before her eyes when she was only 4 years old. This very same mother sees only her mistakes in Kira and hates her 3rd child.

**SPOILERS**
Kira is an amazing character and I was sucked into the story so strongly that I spent a large portion of the last third of the book sobbing and cheering along with the story. When her best friend/sister/soul-saver dies after the epileptic episode I was devastated for her. But watching her pull through to find herself in the book through her friends, the love she finds, the strength she grows was one of the best feelings I could have when reading a book.

[Ezraela-Baht · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book for several reasons, one was because it had more characters in it that I liked and that's rare, it was only one that I didn't like and she got hers in the end which is always a plus for me, a great ending, but as always it can't have a great ending without a price which is the case in this book, I loved it.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

For my YA Lit class. This book was horribly edited - It was in a sans serif font that was hard to read and had typos and grammatical errors like crazy. That said, it was a sweet urban fairy tale, in which the characters overcome their drug-dealing, teen-baby-having ways and are rewarded in the end with true love and financial gain.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for a YA Lit class. Good story about an African-American girl who is abandoned by her mother when she becomes pregnant. She makes her way in the world with the help of her friends and her boyfriend and then deals with the fact that he is sent to prison. The writing was just okay and some of the characters were just a little too perfect. Also wrapped up in a nice bow at the end.

[Shaday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black is a phenomenal book,and would be perfect if there was a part 2. Black is the perfect combination of love, loyalty, and companionship. With strong and Independent people around you Black shows that everyone is entitled to a life filled with enjoyment no matter what life brings you, may it be death or dishonor, it still goes on.

[Sha'Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

I can honestly say this book is one of the best books I've ever read. this is almost as good as white lines. Tracy Brown really outdid herself with this one. this book took me on an emotional rollercoaster. I would recommend this book to anybody. I literally read this book in a few hours. MUST READ!!!!!!!!

[Meredith Lamothe · Rating 2 out of 5]

The (lack of) editing drove me NUTS! The story was difficult and jam packed with sooooo much. I didn't enjoy the writing style, but know that some teens do. There were sweet moments and memorable quotes but is not one I will be reading again.

[Rashida Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It had me captivated, wondering what happens next in the lives of the characters. The characters were so relate-able and this was an overall fun book for me to read. It was like watching a good movie!

[Saquoia Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book back in high school. At that time I only read urban literature. So needless to say I was intrigued by the story. It was a very classic romance "hood" novel. I should probably read more books by this author to see if her writing style have remained the same.

[Shena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the story line with this book. Very good.

[Saysha Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I coldn't get into this one. After three attempts, I return it back to the bookstore for a refund.

[1Gloria onwugamba]

ITS a good suspensful book one that i cant forget <3

[Tonya r · Rating 2 out of 5]

IT WaZ OK