Happy Land Audiobook By Dolen Perkins-Valdez cover art

Happy Land

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Happy Land

By: Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin, Ashley J. Hobbs
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A 2026 NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction

A woman learns the incredible story of a real-life American Kingdom—and her family’s ties to it—in this enthralling novel from the New York Times bestselling, NAACP Image Award-winning author of Take My Hand.

As featured in The Washington Post ∙ People ∙ Harper's Bazaar ∙ NPR ∙ TODAY ∙ ELLE ∙ PopSugar ∙ Reader's Digest ∙ SheReads ∙ Woman’s World ∙ Real Simple ∙ BookBrowse ∙ and more!

Nikki hasn’t seen her grandmother in years. So when the elder calls out of the blue with an urgent request for Nikki to visit her in the hills of western North Carolina, Nikki hesitates only for a moment. After years of silence in her family, due to a mysterious estrangement between her mother and grandmother, she’s determined to learn the truth while she still can.

But instead of answers about the recent past, Mother Rita tells Nikki an incredible story of a kingdom on this very mountain, and of her great-great-great grandmother, Luella, who would become its queen.

It sounds like the makings of a fairy tale—royalty among a community of freed people. But the more Nikki learns about the Kingdom of the Happy Land, and the lives of those who dwelled in the ruins she discovers in the woods, the more she realizes how much of her identity and her family’s secrets are wrapped up in these hills. Because this land is their legacy, and it will be up to her to protect it before it, like so much else, is stolen away.

Inspired by true events, Happy Land is a transporting multi-generational novel about the stories that shape us and the dazzling courage it takes to dream. African American Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction Sagas Genre Fiction Inspiring Royalty Heartfelt
Powerful Storytelling • Rich Historical Fiction • Excellent Narrators • Emotional Depth • Compelling Family Saga

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Heard this author on the Karen Hunter show while promoting her book. It was such a wonderful story. I could not wait to see what was going to happen next with all the characters.
I will definitely recommend this title to family and friends.

A beautiful emotional roller coaster

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Loved the book. Great historical story that was both interesting and fascinating. I highly recommend!

Excellent read!

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The characters inspire my curiosity to the history behind this book. I highly recommend listening.

I love this story and its truths.

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What a great story!! The historical fiction intertwined with the family in modern day, kept my interest the entire time! I loved how it all came together in the end.

Great story!!

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Thus story is a fascinating tale about the hopes and dreams of the African American community here in my Henderson County. I really enjoyed the audio voices and performance, which seem evocative of the local voices I hear in the region.

Intriguing story about a real life mountain kingdom

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