Uncovers the historical roots and contemporary impacts of anti-Black racism in America directly leading to unjust legislation, police violence, and mass incarceration. Harris’s book provides readers with an ethic and religious framework for implementing solutions and advocating for reform.
While recent bestselling works like The New Jim Crow and The 1619 Project present in-depth scholarship on the legacy of enslavement, In the Shadow of Freedom uniquely brings together the scholarship, journalism, history, criticism, and legislation to provide what many readers have been seeking: a starting point, an introduction that is both comprehensive and accessible offering readers a compelling examination of the intertwined issues of over-policing, violence, the death penalty, the war on drugs, red-lining, and racial oppression unpacking in clear terms the effects of centuries of anti-Black racism directly leading to mass incarceration.
In the Shadow of Freedom is a wake-up call for all people seeking justice and ethical – as well as religious — responses and collective solutions to the systemic racism that continues to plague society.
Pre-Order on Amazon for release in May 2024
In the aftermath of her husband life-altering mistake, Tiana Williams grapples with lingering resentment while working full time and raising their toddler. But when Jay becomes a person of interest in the kidnapping of ten-year-old Zoe Miller, Tiana is torn between trusting her husband and believing the growing pile of evidence. After she gets dragged further into the mystery and discovers her connection to the missing girl, the shaky ground beneath her crumbles.
With the odds stacked against him, Jay does everything in his power to prove his innocence. Racing against the clock, he must uncover the truth about Zoe’s kidnapping before he loses everything he loves—including his freedom.
During a sweltering heatwave and a raging California wildfire, Tiana and Jay will stop at nothing to find Zoe, even if it means tearing apart their marriage and risking their very lives in the process.
Winner of Best Thriller – Indies Today Book Awards
“Explosive and filled with drama, Last Place Seen reads like a bingeable crime series, with secret lives, a kidnapping, misdirection, and enough family conflict to spark a wildfire.” ~ Jennifer Klepper, USA Today Bestselling Author of Unbroken Threads
“This was an exciting rollercoaster of a read that kept me up well into the night, unable to put the book down as the mystery and surrounding drama hooked me completely. Author Alessandra Harris doesn’t miss a single trick in filling the narrative with tension, intrigue, and well-timed explosive developments, her sense of pacing underscoring the outstanding narrative throughout. The prose and descriptive writing set the book head and shoulders above other works in the genre, effectively using the sweltering Californian heat to add to the atmosphere and create a pressure cooker for the characters in which anything could happen at any moment.” ~ Reader’s Favorite
“With an intensity that reaches incendiary proportions, Last Place Seen takes the concept of drama to bold new places. Alessandra Harris offers readers a first-rate thriller that wrestles with controversial issues and comes off victorious by means of an exceptionally well-structured storyline with some stunning twists… Sublime, compelling, nuanced, and wholly entertaining, Last Place Seen is an absolute must-read!” ~ Indies Today
“…the pages fly by with major revelations and marital and family crises, which combine to add a measure of suspense to the conclusion.” ~ Kirkus Reviews
After suffering a mental breakdown that nearly destroyed her marriage, Nina Taylor works hard to maintain her tenuous hold on sanity and be a good mother to her two young daughters. Despite her best efforts, she questions the possibility of a full recovery.
Single mom Deja Johnson struggles to overcome her troubled past and raise her young son. But her friendship with Nina brings more complications. What Deja is hiding could not only destroy relationships, but endanger lives.
One traumatic night threatens to shatter Nina’s mind. With Deja’s help, she strives to maintain her mental balance. But as events spiral out of control, the women must find out if Nina is losing her sanity or if someone is plotting against her.
Praise for Everything She Lost
“Alessandra Harris has set a new bar for drama and strong, well-defined characters that will get under your skin, as you lose yourself in this dark tale. From the first page to the very end, this is magnetic reading, told in powerful strokes of the pen. A highly recommended must read for those who dare to take a walk on the dark side of life and humanity.” ~ Tome Tender Book Blog
“From the get-go this will hold you hostage and resolutely refuse to let go. The character development is sensational and the detail on each and every page will steal your breath away.” ~ Books Laid Bare
“Alessandra Harris has written a captivating and suspenseful novel. The author captures the reader’s attention and engages it until the final chapter.” ~ Readers’ Favorite
“I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a tight, fast-paced, doubly diverse novel.” ~ Colorful Book Reviews
“A great story of friendship and betrayal. Lessons to be learned by all.” ~ Michelle’s Book Ends
Sophia Douglas can’t shake the fear that she’s in over her head. A spontaneous elopement and a layoff from her high-paying job are stressful enough, but a plus sign on her pregnancy test sends her into a panic. Fearing her husband, Terrence, might leave like her father did, Sophia confides her insecurities to Tara, her friend and mom of three.
Though Tara Fisher encourages Sophia to trust Terrence, she’s hiding her own secret: a handsome attorney is pursuing her, and she’s questioning her commitment to Josh, her husband of ten years. After a devastating career-ending accident, Josh has changed and so have Tara’s feelings for him.
When a crisis arises that threatens to destroy Sophia and Terrence’s young marriage, Sophia must either overcome her fear of abandonment or lose everything she never knew she wanted. Meanwhile, as Tara is torn between responsibility and passion, her imperfectly put together life starts to unravel, and ghosts from her past resurface to haunt her.
As these two couples grapple with secrets, temptation, and illness, only time will tell if their vows are strong enough to hold them together.
Praise for Blaming the Wind:
“I loved the novel and yes it is a must read category!” – Books That Come My Way Blog
“It is a really interesting and quite unique take on a women’s fiction novel. I absolutely adored this book.” – Comfy Reading Blog
“Blaming The Wind is one of those delicious guilty pleasures that you won’t be able to put down.” – Well Worth A Read Blogspot
“An emotionally jarring read…that proves that in order to have a happy ever after, it takes commitment and total trust and honesty.” – Tome Tender Book Blog
“I really enjoyed the different perspectives, oftentimes revolving around the same incident… Alessandra does a very good job with it.” – The Book Sage
“The moral questions at the heart of the story will keep you invested in the characters’ paths, and the suspense will keep you turning the pages.” – Review from Illuminations, An International Magazine of Contemporary Writing
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