Books

Tales of Urban Horror Series

Harper does an excellent job of capturing the ups and downs of adolescent development in an urban setting, specifically in Oakland. Harper’s story perfectly reflects the issues that teenagers face growing up in Oakland, only he throws vampires into the mix!

Christina Villarreal, 8th grade Instructor

Tales of Urban Horror, a series of urban fantasy novels written by the author A. J. Harper. The series chronicles the adventures of Omari and his sister, Jamilah, and their friends.

The siblings arrive in Oakland, CA to spend the summer vacation with their Aunt and Uncle. At the airport, a mysterious stranger gives Omari a magical compact disc and crucifix. Upon listening to the CD, the siblings learn that the lyrics and the crucifix can aid them against the danger of vampires. Soon the teen finds themselves on an adventure that involves vampires, werewolves, demons, and zombies.
The main story arc concerns Omari’s quest to overcome EnOlive`, the music mogul of the popular label Darke Music and his plot to destroy most of humanity and allow demons dominion of the earth.

“This book is amazing in that it speaks to each and every one of my students. The characters in the book represent various ethnic, racial and cultural backgrounds – all of which mirror one of the few places that could be so diverse – the Bay Area. The students get excited and proud when we read a scene that’s set in their local neighborhood.”