book-reviews

In this new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve, one American woman’s vision in post WWII Germany will tie together three people in an unexpected way.

Ethel Gathers, the proud wife of an American Officer, is living in Occupied Germany in the 1950s. After discovering a local orphanage filled with the abandoned mixed-race children of German women and Black American GI’s, Ethel feels compelled to help find these children homes.

Philadelphia born Ozzie Phillips volunteers for the recently desegregated army in 1948, eager to make his mark in the world. While serving in Manheim, Germany, he meets a local woman, Jelka, and the two embark on a relationship that will impact their lives forever.

In 1965 Maryland, Sophia Clark is given an opportunity to attend a prestigious all white boarding school and escape her heartless parents. While at the school, she discovers a secret that upends her world and sends her on a quest to unravel her own identity.

Toggling between the lives of these three individuals, Keeper of Lost Children explores how one woman’s vision will change the course of countless lives, and demonstrates that love in its myriad of forms—familial, parental, and forbidden, even love of self—can be transcendent.

——AMAZON

From Sadeqa:

Many of the events require advance registration and tickets, so please click on Tour Schedule to get all the details. I’ll be joined by some incredible conversation partners, including Victoria Christopher Murray, Nicole Dennis-Benn, Sharon Kurtzman, and Tanya Sam, to name a few. I’m dropping the links for the first week here as well:Richmond, Washington D.C., New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Hampton. For additional cities, please visit my events page.

Pre-Order Exclusive VIP Experience with Sadeqa on Jan 28th, 7pm

As promised, I’m hosting a very special zoom VIP Experience on January 28, 2026 at 7pm EST, exclusively for my most loyal book clubs, readers, and friends. Your pre-order book receipt or your ticket to one of my upcoming events will grant you access. You don’t want to miss this special sneak preview of all things Keeper of Lost Children. Plus, I will be giving away a few very special prizes to my VIP attendees. You don’t want to miss this!

To join me for the VIP Experience, do the following:Follow me on INSTAGRAMEmail a photo of your pre-order receipts or ticket to tour event to sadeqabookstores@gmail.com. Please type VIP in the subject line. Then include your name, email address, and photo of receipt in the email.Tell five friends about Keeper of Lost Children and invite them to do the steps above and join us too!If you haven’t pre-ordered your book yet, you are in luck. Here are a few of my favorite independent bookstores happy to assist you, Uncle Bobbies, 44th and 3rd, Resist Booksellers, . And they will ship you a signed copy. Audio lovers, you can pre-order your audio copies here!

By Bonnie Newman Davis

“The media has been in decline for a quarter of a century now.” — Dana Milbank, MSNBC, Feb. 28, 2025

Spot on. And exactly what I stated when discussing my book two nights ago at Fairfield Library. Because my audience included some amazing scribes, storytellers, community advocates/activists, historians and world travelers, our conversation was far-reaching and wide-ranging. One audience member, hoping to pivot from her social work profession to journalism, sought advice on how to accomplish her goal. Diane Walker, a retired Richmond news anchor and investigative reporter, encouraged her to seek out reporters and others who can help her pitch, shape or sell her stories or story ideas. (Diane is one of the 24 women who is featured in my book, “Truth Tellers: The Power and Presence of Black Women Journalists Since 1960.)

I agreed with Diane, and added that in today’s media climate, the social work professional should also consider starting her own digital publication or newsletter. “Technology is on our side,” I said. I then recalled how I wanted to purchase a Richmond publication about 20 years ago. It was The Good News Herald published by the late Cleomine Lewis. The paper lived up to its name, and I was always fascinated by how Ms. Lewis single-handedly ran the paper, which was mainly available in Richmond’s Black churches. Ms. Lewis died in 2004, according to a Chiles Funeral home obituary. Back then we did not have a smidgen of the technology that we now take for granted.

Here is what one attendee shared after the book talk:

“Hey Bonnie!! I didn’t want another day to go by without sharing how extraordinary your program was on yesterday! Bonnie, the wisdom that you, Diane and others shared, transcended time and journalism! I would love to see a monthly meeting like that one! We all felt so blessed to be in the presence of greatness!!! Thank you!!!”

Next up I will discuss my book at Second Baptist Church-Idlewood for Women’s History Month. Stay tuned for the date and time. And you to my loyal tribe of “Truth Tellers” supporters!