“… if I’d known I was descended from royalty. Maybe I would’ve gone to college or dreamed bigger. Maybe I would’ve understood that the possibilities for my future were limitless.”

Ugh. Every time I read historical fiction, my love for being Black gets deeper and deeper. Our history is so rich. So deserving of every story that is told. I learn something new every book. It sends me researching and reminding me how important it is to share those stories that’s been passed down to me.

Queen Luella was indeed bad ass. And Mother Rita was too.

Dolen Perkins-Valdez writes stories that make their way into my head and heart, to live there forever! I had never heard of kingdoms in the South - many likely haven't since there is no written history of them. I'm so glad Dolen decided to dig in and bring this story to life for us. Dual POV, we get Luella's story - the queen of the kingdom - as they settle and establish their community. We also get present day with Nikki and Mother Rita, who still lives in the land and is trying to keep it in the family. A beautiful story!!

Happy Land is one of those rare books that stays with you long after the final page. As a fan of historical fiction, I was completely pulled into the world Dolen Perkins-Valdez created—rich with detail, heartache, and resilience. Knowing this story was based on true events made it even more powerful.

I especially loved reading about Queen Luella—a complex, strong, and deeply human character. Her journey is both heartbreaking and empowering. This book doesn’t shy away from hard truths, but it also celebrates the endurance of the human spirit. Happy Land is a beautifully told story of love, power, injustice, and survival. I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing for this e-ARC! It was a great read, and I was equally invested in the past and present timelines. I liked how they both mirrored each other as well. This was a beautiful story about the power of love, resilience, community, and the courage it takes to pursue your dreams. Definitely add this to your TBR if you enjoy:

-Historical fiction
-Multigeneral stories
-Past/present timelines
-First person POVs

Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez is a dual timeline novel that follows Nikki’s first visit to her grandmother in years and the story of her great-great-great grandmother Luella. The historical part of the novel focuses on the creation of the kingdom of Happy Land in North and South Carolina’s Appalachia. I really enjoy how Perkins-Valdez shines a light on little known aspects of history- such as the existence of this African-American Kingdom from the late 1800’s that was started by a group of former enslaved people.

Did you know there was a kingdom in the hills straddling North and South Carolina? It was ruled by a King and a Queen and they created their own community living off the land. At least that is what Nikki’s grandmother insists on telling her when she mysteriously asks her to visit after years of estrangement between her mother and grandmother.

The story of the Kingdom called Happy Land is slowly revealed to the reader as a parallel timeline to the present. In the present, Nikki has been tasked with helping her grandmother reclaim the land that she lost as a descendant of Happy Land’s Queen, Luella. But the real estate rules are tricky and complex and time might be running out.

There are two parallel stories presented in this novel. In the 1870’s several formerly enslaved people escaped the brutal reality of life in the aftermath of the Civil War. They created a thriving community on land that they were able to cultivate for themselves. But nothing lasts forever and circumstances beyond their control led to the loss of the land and the dismantling of the kingdom. But its legacy still lives in Nikki’s grandmother and now, in herself.

I enjoyed this novel immensely. I really enjoyed Take My Hand and this newest novel is just as good! I didn’t want the novel to end.

Thank you to @berkleypub @netgalley for this #gifted digital advance reader copy.

This was a well written book on a topic I think is super important and interesting. I loved that it was based on actual history with land/land wealth/and generational wealth. But I think this wasn't the right book for me. Or maybe not the book for me right now and I would have enjoyed it more if I was in the mood for slower historical fiction. While I wanted to get to the end, I did get a big bogged down in the back and forth between time periods and I got kind of bored.

There is a lot to love here though. The idea of the creation of the kingdom, the women who pushed for a seat at the table, the focus on dreams, creativity, family, and identity. The dual timelines took place in the past with the creation of the kingdom following their queen, Luella, and the present with Nikki, a descendant of Luella.

Nikki is unprepared for what her grandmother, Mother Rita, will ask of her, and she knows to little of her family history, so Nikkia really learns so many pieces while the readers do. The beautiful thing about that, is you can see her begin to really grow into herself and maybe start to find her place in the world as she tries to piece her family back together and her family history together. Mother Rita is stubborn, but I don't know if anyone as stubborn as Nikki's mom, Lorelle. The feud that keeps Mother Rita and Lorelle apart doesn't just hurt them but prevents Nikki and her daughter Shawna from getting to spend as much time with Mother Rita and they should have.

Luella was such a vibrant character and probably my favorite to read about. I spent so much time frustrated because I just wanted her to get what she wanted out of life and there was always something or someone preventing that to some degree. I know a lot of that is also because of the time period the kingdom was built in, but I couldn't help but hope that nothing bad would happen to them in this haven they had created.
I do think this was kind of heartbreaking but ultimately a beautiful story that will resonate with so many readers. There was a line toward the end that made me cry a little, and for that alone I am happy I read it.

Because of the rift between her mother and her grandmother, Nikki hasn’t visited her grandmother, Mother Rita, in many years. Then one day she receives a call from Mother Rita asking her to come down to North Carolina immediately. Nikki goes hoping to learn about what caused the estrangement but she ends up learning so much more - about the land and her family’s history. Mother Rita tells Nikki of a kingdom made up of ex enslaved people established after the civil war, with a king and a queen and her great-great grandmother Luella as the queen. Through Nikki’s story as well as Luella’s the reader learns the history of the land and Nikki realizes how strong her ties to the land are and why it is so important to fight for her family’s rights to it.

I picked this one up because I loved the last novel I read by the author, Take My Hand and I appreciate how she finds an aspect of history and tells the story beautifully. I thought this one was interesting and enjoyable for the same reasons. I loved learning of this kingdom established after a group of ex-enslaved people were pushed out of their homes by the KKK and came to form what they hoped would be their utopian existence. Luella’s story kept me reading as it was so engrossing and personally, I loved Mother Rita’s character. I listened to about 1/2 of this one and the narrator was perfect for the story. When I read historical fiction (which I do quite often) I always prefer stories that are new to me, and this one was exactly that.

4.25 Stars

Thank you to Berkley Pub and NetGalley for the ARC to review

This book reminded me why I'm such a fan of historical fiction! I was hooked from the start.
What kind of secret could cause that much distance between a mom and daughter? Nikki's need to understand what really happened between her mom and Grandma Rita, mixed with Rita's stubborn attitude, made their dynamic interesting to follow.
The dual perspectives, Luella in the past and Nikki in the present, made the story even more meaningful. It was emotional, insightful, and everything tied together so well by the end.
What stood out most was the theme of community. Even in the face of struggle and uncertainty, they worked hard to build something that would last for future generations. That really stuck with me.
And what happened to Luella's son, Wade? It definitely made me wonder if something darker was going on. It brought to mind real life issues around land and injustice that have affected Black communities for decades.
Overall, Happy Land is a story full of strength, courage, and resilience. I highly recommend!

‘Calling something your own is a powerful prayer and there was God in it.’
‘I will see the footsteps they left behind and I will walk in them.’

Based on a true story this novel captured my imagination page one and didn’t let go until there were a few tears shed by the end. The author masterfully gave voice to the main characters in this dual POV, dual timeline story set in the same place 150 years apart depicting that even though times have changed, the struggle to save the patch of land they call home and their family hasn’t changed.

HAPPY LAND is a generational story inspired by a real African kingdom that will leave you feeling all the emotions!

Nikki is summoned to North Carolina by her estranged grandmother. Mother Rita tells Nikki a shocking story about her great-great-great grandmother, Queen Luella, and the very land they stand on. But she is also hiding many secrets, all of which Nikki is desperate to uncover. As Nikki learns about the Kingdom of the Happy Land, she comes to realize how much of her identity is rooted in this family land, and the struggle to preserve the land that has belonged to their family for generations.

This is a slow paced story with dual timelines. It was interesting to see the family drama and long-buried secrets come to light. Anger, frustration, heartbreak, grief and hope...all my emotions were running wild. The brothers were deplorable and Luella deserved MUCH better in my opinion. The strength and resilience she displayed is astounding. I also learned a lot about landownership laws and how unfair they can be. It took at least 50% of the book for me to truly become invested in the characters and the direction the story was headed. It felt like something was missing, especially after being so immediately captivated by TAKE MY HAND. I would've loved to hear more from the perspective from closer descendents.

While this was a journey and I enjoyed parts of HAPPY LAND, the story doesn't stick out for me like her previous book did. If you love historical fiction, particularly those focused at the end of the Civil War, you may enjoy this story!

This was an incredible story told through dual timelines. I was heavily invested in both the Nikki’s perspective in the present and Luella’s in the 1800’s. Through Luella’s story, we learn so much about the intentional Black communities that were established after the Civil War by recently freed enslaved people and what life was like for Luella. Nikki’s personal growth and the mending of her family relationships through discovering connection to her ancestors was so emotional and beautiful to witness. I LOVED Take My Hand and I loved Happy Land just as much!! Dolen Perkins-Valdez is firmly an auto-buy author for me.

Thank you to @prhaudio for the free audiobook and to @berkleypub and @netgalley for the free copy!

Dolen Perkins-Valdez’s book Take My Hand was one of my absolute favorite books I read last year, so I was very excited to see she had a new book releasing! Happy Land is based on a true story of formerly enslaved men and women who create their own kingdom on a mountain, and eventually come to own their land and claim freedom they have never known before.

I really enjoyed both perspectives in this story—learning about Nikki and her present day familial struggles and then shifting to Queen Luella’s struggles balancing a new land, relationships, and the role she grows into.

This one did start a little slow for me, but the storytelling was, nonetheless, evocative and beautifully crafted. I thought the two audiobook narrators were absolutely perfect for the roles they took on and truly brought their characters to life! It’s a great listen and one I would recommend.

The drama in Luella’s life really helped me latch onto this story and I loved how her character handled everything that was thrown at her with grace. Nikki’s relationships with her grandmother, mother, and daughter are a really big piece of what makes this book impactful. It’s truly all about family, legacy, and heritage.

This story is a beautiful, yet poignant one; it deserves to be told and to be heard, and it is for sure worth a read.

I was utterly captivated by both narratives. Nikki's journey of understanding and self-acceptance is poignant and relatable, while Queen Luella's story had a particular charm that brought a smile to my face. Yet, beneath the captivating details of Queen Luella's time, the author skillfully revealed the wellspring of strength and determination that has been passed down through generations of women in this family. It became clear where Nikki and Rita inherited their own inner fortitude.

"[Happy Land]" is a phenomenal book – a testament to pride, excellence, strength, and above all, love. The author has crafted a narrative that is both enlightening and emotionally resonant, leaving the reader with a profound appreciation for the power of heritage and the enduring bonds of family. This is a story that will stay with you long after you turn the final page
4 star read and would recommend
Thanks to Netgalley via Berkeley for the ARC… all thoughts and opinions are my own

I started ready Happy Land on the heels of finishing The American Queen and imagine my surprise when i realized that i would again be immersed in the story of The Kingdom of Happy Land North Carolina!!! I was in Historical Fiction Bliss. This story was perfection. Five stars. Love to see Black people intentionally seeking and embracing joy, rest, peace, love and wealth especially after they've gone through everything that robbed them of it!

The past and present storytelling was seamless! I appreciated the author's ability to have Nikki and Queen Luella's stories parallel each other so effortlessly. This book is so much about community, making hard choices as a parent, the sacrifices one makes for the ones they love. It dives deep into heir property dynamics, a struggle that many Black families continue to face as they fight was what unjustly stolen from them. A welcomed surprise for me? That Luella, Robert and William love triangle! I was here for it and 100% understood why each of them made the choices they did.

I loved this book!

If you would have told me a year ago I would be reading historical fiction novels and actually enjoy them I would not have believed it. WOW, Dolen Valdez-Perkins puts history on her back with these stories. I write this review on her writing style alone, as it is expressive and evocative in ways that you are fully engaged with the characters. Her writing style along with the dual POV was extremely helpful because with the timelines both the characters and the plot can fall flat.

Happy Land touches on the importance of black history, family legacy, and generational struggle. The relationships among the characters offer a snapshot of how African Americans banded together to support one another in the face of both external and internal pressures.

Huge thank you to the author for taking us on this journey right in my own back yard (NC native).
Lastly, thank you to Berkey Publishing for this E-ARC. It was perfection!

Pub Day: 4/8/2025
Rating: 5 Stars

Thank you Berkley Pub for the free book! #BerkleyBookstagram #BerkleyIG #berkley #berkleypub

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐃𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐬-𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐳
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

𝟯.𝟱★

Dolen Perkins-Valdez is a phenomenal storyteller and after reading Wench and Take My Hand, I was so excited for this book. I loved how this book was inspired by a real African kingdom and is a beautiful multigenerational story. Told in a dual timeline and dual POV format, Perkins-Valdez does a great job painting the picture of the Kingdom of the Happy Land. This book taught me a lot about land ownership laws and I found myself researching and wanting to learn more while I was reading. I personally went into this book with very high expectations, especially after loving Take My Hand as much as I did. While I enjoyed parts of the book, I had a difficult time connecting to overall to this one. It took quite some time to get into the overall plot and really feel like I was connecting with the characters. I love books where I’m able to learn something new, and I’m glad I read this book and I can’t wait to read whatever Dolen Perkins-Valdez writes next.

🌻Multigenerational
🌼Strong Female Characters
🌸Family Secrets
🌺Strength and Resilience
🌻Dual POV
🌼Dual Timelines
🌸Based on a True Story

Posted on Goodreads on April 8, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around April 8, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on April 8, 2025
**-will post on designated date

Generational Patterns
Land Rights
Appalachia
Family History
Finding Purpose
This is a beautiful story from two different women in the family. The different perspectives and the character development! I teared up quite a bit reading this one. Nikki visits her grandma in Western North Carolina and learns quite a bit of family history while she’s there. This felt so relatable for multiple reasons but seeing the women grow together and rekindle their relationship is the most beautiful part.
I have so much I want to say but no spoilers. Nikki going from thinking this story is JUST a story to becoming a believer of the kingdom that once was, made me so happy. She learned more about her mom and grandma, about the land that belongs to their family, and grew to love that land as well. As Nikki is from DC, transitioning to country living, well more mountain living, isn’t the easiest. She loved seeing the community her grandma had around her. I like to think her inner child was being healed throughout this book. She also sees the similarities between the women in her family and wants to change that for her and her daughter! Reading this felt like watching a show you don’t want to stop. Nikki even discovers what it is she wants to do, she allows herself to imagine. All in all, this is a story filled with emotion, history, and lessons.

Great book! Story of a kingdom of freedpeople who escape post-slavery conditions in South Carolina and create a new home in the North Carolina mountains. This is based on a real group of people, and I'm so glad I learned about them. I love this author and I know any historical fiction from her will be well-researched and well-written. The story tells of this group that create a kingdom called Happy Land but it shares so much more. I finished the book thinking about family ties and how we lose something when we don't live in proximity to generations of family. I found myself thinking about people who live on land that has been in their family for generations and the connection they feel to that land, particularly people who fought so hard to keep it. This is a good read, would be great for a book club discussion, and will stay with you.

Very touching read that shows the trials that many black persons go through who have historically owned land in US. Touching on the lengths that these peoples families had to go thru to try to sustain themselves and create a community that was self sufficient and capable of providing for their descendants. Loved the dual timeline that mirrored each other as the climax of the plot began to take place. This is my first book by this author but I have heard great things about her other book “Take my hand” and this books makes me excited to read more of her writing. Highly recommend!