APOOO » Book Review 2002

Afraid of the Dark by Michelle Devlin

Yasmin Coleman — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:52:38 +0000

FROM THE 2002 Archives

Ali Connery is young, attractive, married to a wonderful husband and appears to have a satisfying job. But her perfect world is falling apart, as she continues to fall into the abyss of pills, marijuana and alcohol addiction. When Ali continues to have nightmares regarding her abusive childhood, her husband suggests that she seek a professional for counseling and therapy.

As Ali roller coasts from a Therapist to a Psychiatrist, the reader quickly realizes that Ali really doesn’t want help as she continues the yo-yo cycle of falling off the wagon so often that it becomes ridiculous and rudely annoying. Actually, Ali possesses both of those traits along with being one-dimensional and self-destructive. Since she was the main character, I kept looking and expecting some redeeming quality but unfortunately none was forthcoming. So…I ended up liking all of the other characters and truly disliking Ali.

Afraid of the Dark has a strong premise but the execution needs improvement. The story was plot-driven but the subject matter really called for more character development. I wanted Ali’s childhood abuse to be explored further and more rationale provided as to why. I wish that Ali showed at least once that she wanted to be helped. I commend Devlin on a gramatically well-structured book; however, I hope that future reads are more compelling, in-depth and that the characters are better developed.

Yasmin
APOOO BookClub

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Married But Still Looking by Travis Hunter

Yasmin Coleman — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:59:08 +0000

FROM THE 2002 Archives

I almost didn’t read Travis Hunter’s most recent novel Married But Still Looking (MBSL) because of the title. I wasn’t looking forward to reading yet another “he say, she say” relationship saga. Fortunately, Hunter showed me that you can’t judge a story by the title.

Yes, Genesis Styles, the main character, is engaged but still whoring around and as such questioning if once he’s married he will still be looking…for that piece of “fresh meat/new bait”. But Genesis’ story is only one aspect of this multidimensional and faceted story that takes us into the lives of Genesis’ siblings as well. These are the characters who kept me quickly turning the pages and anxiously anticipating what would happen next. Each of the siblings were dealing with their own demons: Genesis’s brother was a drug-addict and ex-convict; oldest sister, Phyllis, had “white man” addiction; and youngest sister, Grace, used escapism to New York City as a mechanism to avoid the family drama in Atlanta…as the age old saying goes “she could run but she couldn’t hide” and at some point she would have to come home and deal with the noise.

In his sophomore novel, Hunter proves that he has a solid career as a writer and that we can continue to look forward to his trademark of solid reads portraying positive African American brothers. Of course, Genesis was a baby bow wow but even he had some redeeming traits…well you had to look real hard to find them. I enjoyed MBSL and this is a book that will truly have you talking to the characters, shaking your head, and wishing you could take some folks across your knees and give them a spanking. Looking for an entertaining and fast-paced read with in-depth character development, vivid imagery and shocking plot twists and turns? Then check out Married But Still Looking by Travis Hunter. PS…Just Overlook the Title.

Yasmin
APOOO BookClub

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Heat Seekers by Zane

Yasmin Coleman — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:21:20 +0000

FROM THE 2002 Archives

A gentler and softer Zane is back with The Heat Seekers, a change of pace read that proves that she’s able to write outside of the sexual escapades box. Readers who may have been turned off by Zane’s prior works due to the profanity, explicit sex scenes, and over the top Jerry Springer situations will be pleasantly surprised by The Heat Seekers. Zane gives us a strong storyline with her latest novel, where she allows women and men to engage in monogamous relationships, shows us men who are flawed but still have redeeming qualities, and doesn’t rely on sexual escapades or shenanigans to carry the storyline.

I enjoyed The Heat Seekers. Its the story of best friends, Janessa and Tempest, who meet and date best friends, Geren and Dvonte. While the story does not follow her usual pattern, Zane’s unique creative style is still evident with mentions of midgets, Niagra and the infamous “ghetto” wedding. However, its the seriousness of opposite sex relationships and the love story between young African Americans, which caused me to read The Heat Seekers nonstop. Zane might not have given her avid fans what they wanted; however, The Heat Seekers brought her storytelling abilities to the forefront and hopefully captures some new readers and brings them into her target base.

The Heat Seekers is entertaining, engaging and fast-paced and one that I recommend. I applaud Zane for taking a chance and a departure from her previous writing style and I look forward to future reads …where she continues to write outside of the box.

Yasmin
APOOO BookClub

Heat Seekers by Zane is a post from: APOOO

Living on the Edge of Respectability by Suzette Harrison

Yasmin Coleman — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:03:50 +0000

FROM THE 2002 Archives

Living on the Edge of Respectability (Living) is an engaging, entertaining and delightful story from first-time novelist, Suzette Harrison. Harrison takes us into the lives of three young professionals…Vanessa, Reina and Chris (the lone male of the threesome). Friends since college, they’ve been through many trials and tribulations, but they continue to plow forward and come to terms with some hard life truths. Each of them is currently “Living on the Edge of Respectability” as they deal with serious and sensitive issues of obesity, abandonment and secrets regarding a parent’s death. Told in alternating voices, the plot thickens and takes on surprising and sometimes shocking turns and twists as each character shares their story.

Living is a great summer/beach type read that moves quickly. From Chapter One, I was captivated and held hostage until the last page. The characters while flawed were lovable. I cried, laughed, became angry, frustrated, and was saddened by events in the characters’ lives. I felt like a family member for the few moments that I was allowed into their lives.

Living is an emotionally powerful story filled with wit, humor, candor and vivid imagery. It is a story about friendship, family and relationships between the opposite sexes. The storyline was wholesome and clean and as such a book that could be read by almost anyone without embarrassment. I recommend Living to others who are looking for an entertaining, fast-paced, summer read and one that positively reflects African American males and females. I look forward to other works from this talented author.

Yasmin

APOOO BookClub

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Journeys of a Tortured Soul by Caesar Brunswick

Yasmin Coleman — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:31:06 +0000

FROM THE 2002 Archives

Arthur Wilson comes from an extremely dysfunctional family and knows what it means to have a tortured soul. As the story opens, Brunswick takes us into the life of Arthur, now a young man, who is traveling cross country via bus, as he has done so often since he ran away from home almost a decade ago. Through flashbacks/journeys back into time we witness what life was like for Arthur, who was raised by a father who was emotionally and physically abusive, while his mother, who was in poor health, silently sat by and endured the wrath of her husband against her son. Arthur was a gifted and talented student; however, while in high school, he committed an infraction that the school considered serious enough to suspend him as well as one which would probably promise brutal, cruel and unusual punishment from his dad. Deciding that he had had enough abuse to last a lifetime, Arthur and a childhood friend decided to run away from their small town in Georgia, to the big city of Atlanta where it would be hard for anyone to find them. But along with anonymity, Atlanta was also filled with demons and vices that could quickly overtake two young runaways who did not have much money. Because he had limited skills, Arthur did what so many runaways living on the street are often forced to do; he became a prostitute servicing gay men. Eventually, it was fear and a run-in with the law that made him return home and to once again endure the wrath and rage of his father. Although Arthur returns home life is worse than before he left. Basically, he must fend for himself; but through all the trials, tribulations and obstacle courses, Arthur endures and actually has a chance to lead a normal, productive life. Through the journeys which always begin with a bus ride, our hearts go out to Arthur, as we become a passenger on the road with him and learn firsthand who he really is.

Journeys of a Tortured Soul (JOATS) by Caesar Brunswick is a very disturbing story and not one for the weak and faint of heart. Its a dark, raw and gritty tale that is realistically written and portrayed with graphic sexual scenes and depiction of life on the streets. Arthur Wilsons character felt real and it was heart wrenching to read and watch the turmoil and trauma that his father put him through as well as the consequences of some of his own actions. Some of the actions of the father were downright inhumane and should have been reported to Child Welfare. Even worse is realizing that there are parents in real life who act like Mr. Wilson.

JOATS is the story of a young man who struggles to survive, while searching for love, self esteem and his sexual identity. Brunswick has a strong handle on the life of a young male living on the streets and growing up in a household with a loveless tyrant as a father and a helpless mom, so much so that I wondered if this was his story. JOATS is a story that I definitely recommend to African American males to include teens and adults. Its a story that most males should read and one that should not ever be experienced in real life. On the APOOO 411 scale JOATS is 3.5 stars and a good read.

Reviewed by Yasmin
APOOO BookClub

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This Side of the Sky by Elyse Singleton

Yasmin Coleman — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:53:06 +0000

FROM THE 2002 Archives

Sometimes a first novel is a homerun; this is the case with This Side of the Sky by Elyse Singleton. Beautifully written and creatively crafted by a fresh new voice in fiction, Singleton’s debut novel is vividly detailed and movingly awesome. This Side of the Sky is a unique story as Singleton shares with us a time in history that is seldom written about and often overlooked.

Singleton introduces us to lifelong friends and two great African American heroines, Lillian Mayfield and Myraleen Chadham. Mayfield and Chadham’s friendship is one that would begin in the early 1900s and span into the new millennium as they charter life through unknown territory. They would survive the harsh realities of segregation, racism, broken romances and economic hardships as they search for their rightful places in rural Mississippi, Philadelphia, PA, an army base in England, and postwar Paris.

This Side of the Sky portrays life for African American women during a time where we are mostly forgotten and rarely (if ever) mentioned. It was engrossing and compelling to read about two African American women who were WACs during WWII and the problems they faced as a result of gender as well as race. Singleton writes with vivid imagery and fluid dialogue and makes the reader feel as though they are there in history experiencing events along with our heroines Lillian and Myraleen.

Historical fiction fans (and those who are not), folks interested in reading about women of color during WWII and those who enjoy a good romance will enjoy This Side of the Sky. Elyse Singleton is an excellent storyteller and I highly recommend her novel to those who like literary reads with a universal appeal, timeless subject matter and stories that entertain as well as enlighten. I look forward to reading future works from this gifted and talented author.

Yasmin
APOOO BookClub

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That’s the Way Love Goes by Daryl Diggs

Yasmin Coleman — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:43:11 +0000

Donavin Jackson is smooth, debonair, handsome, and intelligent and he comes from a well-respected family. However, he is also a member of the BDP aka the Billion Dollar Players whose primary objective is to “screw em and leave em.” During a summer internship in NYC, he meets Jasmine, a college graduate of his current college, and she seems to be on top of her game and has a few surprises for Donavin. Donavin enjoys the challenge and the chase and finds himself wanting to get to know Jasmine better and potentially continue a relationship once he returns to college to finish his senior year in Atlanta, GA. The road of LOVE is rarely without bumps, curves, sharp turns and potholes. However…Haunted House might be a better description to describe Donavin and Jasmine’s relationship as it was filled with the bad, ugly and downright scary once they tried to stay in touch via a long-distance relationship.

That’s the Way Love Goes (TTWLG) by first-time author, Daryl Diggs, is hilarious, witty and well-written. TTWLG is truly Jasmine and Donavin’s story as with the exception of Donavin’s parents, who had True Black Love going on and were definitely a pleasure to read about, the other characters were not very distinctive. I found myself oftentimes rereading passages to try and recall which friend was who. After a while it did not matter because I did not necessarily consider them germane to the storyline. While reading TTWLG, I had to keep an open-mind regarding the characters. I considered many of their pranks and antics immature, childish and sometimes just downright stupid. I had to keep in mind that the characters were young and inexperienced. As such the outlandish and comical situations that they encountered were not out of the norm for that age-group. If you are looking for an entertaining, engaging and quick read then look no further than TTWGG. At just shy of 200 pages, I was able to finish the book in one sitting and was happy that the author did not add extemporaneous information just to extend the storyline. Young Adults, the college crowd, males (especially those trying to relive their youth) will especially enjoy TTWLG. On the APOOO 411 scale That’s the Way Love Goes by Daryl Diggs is 3.5 stars.

Yasmin
APOOO BookClub

Visit amazon to order a copy of That’s the Way Love Goes.

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Shattered Souls by Dwayne Birch

Yasmin Coleman — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:42:51 +0000

Shattered Souls is a candid and emotional debut novel from Dwayne Birch. Britton, Indera, Damascus, and Chyna are friends bonded by unconditional love and tragic childhoods. Each character is colorful and memorable but underneath the humor and cool exteriors are scars that have not healed and souls that are truly shattered. Emotional baggage and repressed childhood memories are threatening to erupt and control their adult lives.

On the surface, Shattered Souls appears to be just another novel about friends and their antics, but when we peel away the layers we find four individuals who are haunted by the hurt and pain that was inflicted during childhood by those that they trusted and those that should have known better. Shattered Souls brings out a myriad of emotions…laughter, shock, tears, anger, sadness and joy. Its a story that entertains but also enlightens. Birch has done a fine job of addressing the after effects of abuse, neglect and abandonment. I recommend this page-turner to others but I must warn you that the storyline includes graphic sexual content and off da hook foul language. Fortunately these two issues were not enough to stop me from reading and enjoying this compelling storyline.

Visit amazon to order a copy of Shattered Souls.

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First Love by Yolanda Brook Callegari

Yasmin Coleman — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:19:41 +0000

Yolanda Brook Callegari’s debut novel, First Love, is an urban contemporary Christian novel and coming-of-age story about a young girl and her first romantic relationship with the opposite sex. Amani Nicole Shepard is content with a life that revolves around school and church activities. She finds comfort in her spirituality, her strong relationship with God, knowledge of the Word and her mother, Olivia Shephard. Amani meets Marley Jamison, a star UCLA basketball player, during her senior year of high school. Marley is everything that Amani could wish for–he is intelligent, handsome, manner able, affectionate, kind and considerate. Like Amani, Marley is in love for the first time, a born-again Christian, a virgin and is committed to staying that way until he marries. As Amani and Marley fall deeper in love, Marley decides its time to trade in their celibate lifestyle and to consummate their relationship because after all they plan to marry each other after college. Amani faces a dilemma…should she give into her boyfriend’s demands and just do it like everyone else…or should she continue to save herself for marriage. As Amani struggles to hold on to love and her boyfriend she does not want to lose herself in the process.

First Love is an entertaining and inspiring novel for the times in which we live. The characters and the situations they encountered were realistic, real world issues that teens and adults face everyday. Callegari-Brooks’ used biblical verses throughout the storyline to show that if we meditate on the Word, God will hear our cries and answer our prayers. I also liked how Callegari-Brooks’ incorporated a parent/child theme to draw adults (especially parents) into the storyline. Amani’s mother, Olivia, has high hopes and expectations for her youngest daughter who is the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter. (The significance of the seventh is symbolism which stands for the completeness of the life cycle; in the biblical sense God created the world in seven days.) … Amani finds out about her mother’s past and her entire foundation is shaken. To make matters worse everything Amani believes about those closest to her-her mother, her boyfriend, her best friend-all appear to be built on sinking sand.

First Love is a story that entertains, inspires, encourages and teaches us all to put first things first. It is a Christian fiction story that examines maintaining values as a young person, as well as helping parents understand that communication, honesty and openness are key to a trusting relationship with a child and oftentimes can help prevent the same mistakes from reproducing in generation after generation. First Love is about choices and consequences. In light of the rising rate of teen pregnancies, abortions, and HIV/AIDs, First Love is a necessary read for young adults and parents today. At times, Callegari-Brooks’ might appear preachy to some, but I think it is only because she is passionate and strong about her beliefs and wants others to know that they do have options.
I felt her book equipped me as a parent for when the time comes that I need to explain to my children “what thus says the Lord” about premarital sex. First Love is a wonderful debut novel about ones relationship with God, the opposite sex, parent/child, friends and loved ones, and self. I recommend this book to all Godly parents who are trying to raise a Godly child.

Yasmin
APOOO BookClub

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Bliss by Gabrielle Pina

Yasmin Coleman — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:57:13 +0000

From the 2002 Archives

What if your entire life, as you’ve known it, was an illusion? Who do you turn to when the people you trust the most are the ones lying to you?” Claudine Jenkins is an unattractive, overweight child from an abusive family. Her Mom is an alcoholic and barely pays any attention to her while her father and twin brother taunt her because she’s obese. Claudine seeks food for protection and believes it provides a cushion between her and the rest of the world. Claudine’s aunt, the mysterious and exotic Hattie Mae Jones, recognizes early on that Claudine is gifted and that it is possible for dreams to take her away from the dysfunctional family members who do not deserve or appreciate her.

Francesa Valentine is one of the most talented violinists in the world. She is attractive, slim, well-spoken, well-traveled and well-known. She is also a workaholic, touring constantly, giving interviews and doing what ever is necessary when it comes to her career so that she can avoid life.

Despite Claudine and Francesa’s dreams and accomplishments, would either one of them be able to really escape her past? What happens when three generations of lies come to the surface? Power, deceit, greed, and lust collide-leaving you with sheer Bliss.

Bliss is a story about powerful women, fearless women, and strong women. Women who handle stress under fire with grace and lack of tears. Via Claudine, Francesa, and Hattie Mae we experienced feelings of hope, determination and perseverance. We felt pain, the struggle and the joy of the journey and we also laughed and smiled along the way. Bliss is about love, hate, secrets, lies, deceit, betrayal and mother/daughter relationships. Its a riveting and compelling story of triumph over adversity; I highly recommend this book to others. I read it on the same day that the mailman delivered it and several hours later I was finished and satiated. First time author Gabrielle Pina delivers a powerful story that grabs the reader and does not let go until the very end. I look forward to future works from this talented author.

Yasmin
APOOO BookClub

Visit amazon to order a copy of Bliss.

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APOOO » Book Review 2002

Afraid of the Dark by Michelle Devlin

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