Happy Land

By: Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Narrated by: Bahni Turpin, Ashley J. Hobbs

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.

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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.

What an incredible story!!! A must read!!!

Dolen Perkins-Valdez (author of Take My Hand) has done it again! Another incredible historical fiction novel, this one less heartbreaking but no less captivating! A depiction of a true Black Kingdom in NC that produced a family whose story is a beautiful one that weaves together the heart strings of a strained family bond. The imagination and belief of a people and later the belief of its descendants created this beautiful story! Grateful for Dolen’s research and incredible storytelling! A definite must-read!!! And also beautifully narrated by Bahni Turpin & Ashley J. Hobbs!

It was good!

I think I was expecting writing like Take my Hand. Its hard to describe but I was not thrilled by the narrative. It might be because I read The American Queen which was about Queen and King. It was slow starting book. The go between present and past was okay but the granddaughter narratoring her feelings was a bit to much. Just my thought

Felt like home

I loved this book kept me listening/reading I do both its def now 1 of my favs

Story weaves vulnerability, racial discrimination, and family dynamics together.

The relationships were relatable and could have been at any era and the love story is nothing but compelling.

Excellent!!

Excellent read!!! Highly recommend, I completed it in less than an hour. You will not be disappointed!