
Skin & Bones
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Zenzi Williams
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By:
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Renée Watson
About this listen
From the acclaimed #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a soulful and lyrical novel exploring sisterhood, motherhood, faith, love, and ultimately what gets passed down from one generation to the next.
At 40, Lena Baker is at a steady and stable moment in life—between wine nights with her two best friends and her wedding just weeks away, she’s happy in love and in friendship—until a confession on her wedding day shifts her world.
Unmoored and grieving a major loss, Lena finds herself trying to teach her daughter self-love while struggling to do so herself. Lena questions everything she’s learned about dating, friendship, and motherhood, and through it all, she works tirelessly to bring the oft-forgotten Black history of Oregon to the masses, sidestepping her well-meaning co-workers that don’t understand that their good intentions are often offensive and hurtful.
Through Watson’s poetic voice, skin & bones is a stirring exploration of who society makes space for, and is ultimately a story of heartbreak and healing.
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Story
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies explores the raw and tender places where Black women and girls dare to follow their desires and pursue a momentary reprieve from being good. The nine stories in this collection feature four generations of characters grappling with who they want to be in the world, caught as they are between the church's double standards and their own needs and passions.
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An Honest, Modern-Day Telling
- By Jenee' Yvette Skinner on 01-06-21
By: Deesha Philyaw
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Deluge
- Good Intentions Collection
- By: Charmaine Wilkerson
- Narrated by: Kristyl Dawn Tift
- Length: 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
One year after her mother’s death, a woman prepares to celebrate her fortieth birthday. Digging through a trunk in the attic, looking for keepsakes for the occasion, she discovers photographs that call into question everything she believed about her life. The truth is a different story—one of a little girl in danger, a lie, and a mother’s love so fierce it led her to do the unimaginable.
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Interesting Story
- By Bailey Rose on 05-21-23
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You Were Always Mine
- A Novel
- By: Christine Pride, Jo Piazza
- Narrated by: Alexis Floyd, Jenni Barber
- Length: 12 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Cinnamon Haynes has fought hard for a life she never thought was possible—a good man by her side, a steady job as a career counselor at a local community college, and a cozy house in a quaint little beach town. It may not look like much, but it’s more than she ever dreamed of or what her difficult childhood promised. Her life’s mantra is to be good, quiet, grateful. Until something shifts and Cinnamon is suddenly haunted by a terrifying question: “Is this all there is?”
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You Were Always Mine
- By Patricia on 09-01-23
By: Christine Pride, and others
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The Sable Cloak
- By: Gail Milissa Grant
- Narrated by: Karen Chilton, Murphy Lorenzo Applin Jr
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Jordan Sable, a prosperous undertaker turned political boss, has controlled the Black vote in St. Louis for decades. Sara, his equally formidable wife, runs the renowned funeral establishment that put the Sable name on the map. Together they have pushed through obstacles in order to create a legacy for their children. When tragedy bursts their carefully constructed empire of dignity and safety, the family rallies around an unconventional solution. But at what cost?
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This was a beautiful story!
- By Ely B on 04-10-25
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The Secret Keeper of Main Street
- A Novel
- By: Trisha R. Thomas
- Narrated by: Janina Edwards
- Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
1954: In the quaint town of Mendol, Oklahoma, Bailey Dowery is a Black dressmaker for the wives and daughters of local oil barons. She earns a good living fitting designer gowns and creating custom wedding dresses for the town’s elite. But beyond her needle and thread lies a deeper talent, one passed down from her mother: the gift of insight. With just a fleeting touch or brush against the skin, Bailey has sudden flashes of intuition.
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Wheeww…
- By Britainy M. on 08-25-24
By: Trisha R. Thomas
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All We Were Promised
- A Novel
- By: Ashton Lattimore
- Narrated by: Shayna Small, Ashton Lattimore
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Philadelphia, 1837. After Charlotte escaped from the crumbling White Oaks plantation down South, she’d expected freedom to feel different from her former life as an enslaved housemaid. After all, Philadelphia is supposed to be the birthplace of American liberty. Instead, she’s locked away playing servant to her white-passing father, as they both attempt to hide their identities from slavecatchers who would destroy their new lives.
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Would they actually be friends?
- By Makenzie on 05-29-25
By: Ashton Lattimore
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Where Wild Peaches Grow
- A Novel
- By: Cade Bentley
- Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
- Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Nona “Peaches” Davenport, abandoned by the man she loved and betrayed by family, left her Natchez, Mississippi, home fifteen years ago and never looked back. She’s forged a promising future in Chicago as a professor of African American Studies. Nona even finds her once-closed heart persuaded by a new love. But that’s all shaken when her father’s death forces her to return to everything she’s tried to forget.
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Not an interesting plot
- By Danyett S. Armstrong on 12-29-22
By: Cade Bentley
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Hold You Down
- A Novel
- By: Tracy Brown
- Narrated by: Patryce Williams
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Mercy and Lenox Howard have always only had each other. Growing up on the mean streets of Harlem with an absentee mother meant that they had to have each other's backs. Now young, smart mothers they are determined to survive in New York City while raising their two sons, who have bright futures ahead of them.
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Horrible Narrating
- By Kingdom Faith Services on 02-28-23
By: Tracy Brown
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House of Cotton
- A Novel
- By: Monica Brashears
- Narrated by: Jeanette Illidge
- Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Magnolia Brown is nineteen years old, broke, and effectively an orphan. She feels stuck and haunted: by her overdrawn bank account, her predatory landlord, and the ghost of her late grandmother Mama Brown. One night, while working at her dead-end gas station job, a mysterious, slick stranger named Cotton walks in and offers to turn Magnolia’s luck around with a lucrative “modeling” job at his family’s funeral home. She accepts. But despite things looking up, Magnolia’s problems fatten along with her wallet.
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strange tales of death and happiness
- By Clare on 06-12-23
By: Monica Brashears
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Rootless
- A Novel
- By: Krystle Zara Appiah
- Narrated by: Clifford Samuel, Diana Yekinni
- Length: 13 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
On a Spring afternoon in London, Sam hops the stairs of his flat two at a time. There’s £1,300 missing from his and his wife, Efe’s, shared bank account and his calls are going straight to voicemail. When he finally reaches someone, he learns Efe is nearly 5,000 miles away as their toddler looks around and asks, “Where’s Mummy?”
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The ending was traumatic & unnecessary
- By Kayzee on 04-27-25
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What You Leave Behind
- A Novel
- By: Wanda M. Morris
- Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Lynnette R. Freeman
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Story
Award-winning author Wanda Morris returns with a powerful, haunting thriller following a lawyer who after the mysterious disappearance of a local landowner and the death of his sister just months before, uncovers a conspiracy that dates back to Reconstruction and persists in half the United States today.
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The suspense!
- By Tenishia Unique on 09-07-24
By: Wanda M. Morris
Amazing and Inspiring! Just a beautiful story all around
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I became one with the story
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I loved the fact of them not just being comfortable their skin, but their bodies and attitudes towards life!
Strong, accomplished women.
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Watson's talent for weaving complex emotions with raw honesty shines through every page. Her characters are relatable, dynamic, and richly layered, drawing readers into their struggles, triumphs, and evolving relationships. The themes of self-acceptance and the beauty of diversity resonate deeply, offering a powerful reminder that every voice and every story matters.
What makes Skin and Books truly remarkable is how it seamlessly integrates the love for literature with the complexities of real life. Watson invites readers to reflect on their own stories, encouraging them to embrace their unique journeys while finding solace in the shared experiences of others.
Whether you’re a fan of contemporary fiction, a lover of inspiring narratives, or simply looking for a book that will leave an indelible mark on your heart, Skin and Books is an absolute must-read. Renée Watson has crafted a timeless work that will continue to inspire readers for years to come. Highly recommended!
A Must-Read Masterpiece: "Skin and Books" by Renée Watson
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Love yourself at any size!
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Thorough and Poetic Examination of Womanhood
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Portland Oregon
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The best book I’ve read all year
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Skin & Bones is REAL and HONEST
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The coming together of #yesterdaytodaytomorrow
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