APOOO » General

In the Mirror by Odessa Rose

Priscilla Johnson — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:33:10 +0000

Jasmine Falls was in love with Daniel Roberts. Daniel was her patient and from the moment she saw him, she knew he was the one. Her friend, Candy, tried to convenience her that she deserved someone better; someone who would love her unconditionally. Her parents wanted her to be happy but they could not understand all of the secrets. Jasmine knew what was in her heart. Daniel loved Jasmine – just not enough to commit to her the way that she wanted. After two years, Jasmine came up with a plan to prove once and for all to everyone that Daniel loved her. In the Mirror, by Odessa Rose, gives a very different account of fatal attraction gone wrong.

Rose gets into the head of a woman obsessed with being in love. Instead of being the other woman, Jasmine believed that she was the only woman for Daniel. Rose gave readers an inside view of what happened when Jasmine’s plan slowly began to unravel as she witnessed what true love was really all about.

This was a very intense story. The story was slow in some places and there were a few editing errors that were distracting. All in all, it was a very interesting novel to read and it will provoke a lot of topics for discussion by book clubs.

This book was provided by the author for review purposes only.

Priscilla C. Johnson
APOOO BookClub

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In the Mirror by Odessa Rose is a post from: APOOO

Lost for Words by Margaret Brown

Jennifer Coissiere — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:24:37 +0000

Lost for Words by Margaret Brown is a collection of poetry, recording in creative verse the things that occurred in the poet’s life. In “Lost Child” the death of her son was the subject matter. Is a child really an extension of his parent? Would knowing that “His wings were released now he’s free” bring comfort to his mother? I can only hope in some way it does.

In “Brown” there is a play on words addressing two different subject matters. In this piece we have a mother who lost her son, and this same woman is a grandmother who lost her granddaughter, too. The difference is one was by death and the other due to the cruelty of another living human being, who only wants this little girl to pass for the lighter side of her genetic make up. However, there is no way she will be able to hide from her true family history forever.

The one poem that could be about any woman was “Really.” How often have women given their all to the ones they love, especially that special someone. Constantly giving and giving of herself only to get less than half of what she gave in return. By the time she realizes what is truly going on and looked at herself in the mirror, “She disliked the reflection she saw.”

Ms. Brown opened her heart up for all to see. Some of the poems stole my heart and forced through my lips “no one should have to go through this.” I hope she has found solace and happiness. I recommend Lost for Words to readers of poetry.

The author provided a copy of the book for review purposes.

Jennifer Coissiere
APOOO BookClub

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Hurricane: A Novel by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Beverly Jackson — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:30:07 +0000

In Hurricane: A Novel by Jewell Parker Rhodes, Dr. Marie Laveau awakes from a recurring nightmare to find her daughter, Marie-Claire, also tossing-and-turning in her sleep. Marie knows the spirits are struggling to warn her of a pending disaster, and now they are also disturbing her daughter. Trusting the care of her daughter to Baron Samadi, a powerful spirit who is not only the master of death, but the giver of life, and Louise, a feisty friend, Marie heads south into the heart of the bayou to clear her head, hoping the spirits can communicate better once she is away from the city. Just as she is relaxing and settling into her drive, the atmosphere becomes sinister, as Marie becomes aware of evil surrounding her. Knowing that evil and good came in many forms, Marie wonders what to make of the brutal murder of a couple and their baby, the sheriff who seems more concerned with the care of his elderly grandmother than investigating the murder, and the elderly grandmother who not only knew who Marie was, but was expecting her. Knowing nothing is random and all is related, Marie will need to rely on all of her skills as a medical doctor and voodooienne to prevent mayhem from the spiritual and human worlds. But, time is of the essence as Hurricane Katrina is about to threaten the Gulf, and more specifically her daughter.

Hurricane, the third and final installment of the contemporary voodoo series, explores the themes of corporate greed, environmental issues, and the mysteries of the spiritual world. In Hurricane, we find Marie has now settled in accepting the destiny handed down by her great-great grandmother, Marie Laveau and power entrusted to her. Naturally feisty by nature, Marie has a very strong sense of right and wrong, accepting the challenges presented to her. These qualities make for a haunting and suspenseful read as she faces adventures challenging both her spiritual and human skills.

I was disappointed that Marie relied more on others to school her in the practice of voodoo instead of seeking this knowledge on her own so she could be better prepared to understand the spirits. The plot is fast-paced as there is a race against time with the spirit world, Mother Nature, and the bad guys. It was good to see several of my favorite characters back in this book; the sexy Parks, El as a ghost spirit, and the adorable Marie-Claire. It would not be a Marie Laveau book, if we did not learn more about history of voodoo, and the many spirits who guide their worshippers. The blending of storylines of the anger of the water goddess, and the destruction of the delta wetlands was an effective way to give Hurricane Katrina a fresh feel when presented as a character. While all the mysteries were resolved, I thought the ending was a little open-ended, and wondered if we might see Marie Laveau again in the future.

I recommend this book to readers of the Marie Laveau series, and those who also enjoy a crime mystery with magical elements. It is the perfect read for a plane ride or relaxing by the pool.

Reviewed by Beverly
APOOO Literary Book Review

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Mammoth Melting Sugar by Rayfer E. Mainor

Jennifer Coissiere — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:26:29 +0000

Mammoth Melting Sugar by Rayfer E. Mainor, poet laureate with Sarah “SJ” Mainor is a father and daughter collection of poetry. The poems weave the past and the present together. They have the slow steady pace of the slaves from yesteryears and the gaiety of the people reveling from all the hard work of their predecessors.

One of my favorite pieces used food metaphorically to carry the message even deeper than the surface. Like food providing nourishment to the soul, this poem’s meaning was imprinted into my cerebral cortex. “Noggins and Beads” reminds me of the melting pot the United States has come to be, with lines like, “…Black and White beans,/Brown Pinto beans,/Kidney’s fat, limas/ And little Navy’s small.” The people we see walking around are definitely a mixture of different cultures, nationality, etcetera; however, when it comes down to it all we are all classified as human beings like all the aforementioned are beans.

Have you ever been in the presence of a person, man or woman, who can turn your dismal day into a ray of sunshine? Well, the trait of that person is best described in “Good Together.” This poem puts the individual ahead of the person’s gender. It also answers the age-old question “can a man and a woman be friends?” I say yes, after reading this.

I like the poems that brought the book to a close. The one that stood out the most was “…and so,.” It goes back to the food analogy which tells you to “Eat your vegetables,” or know your history. “They will protect and insulate you/From the ravenous and voracious/Tapeworms that life dispenses,” life is filled with entitled rights already fought. Knowing what rights you have will protect you from those still living in the past trying to destroy what is veracious.

Mammoth Melting Sugar provides food for thought. There were some pieces where I was not sure of the meaning and they left me a little confused. I could even be misinterpreting the poems I mentioned. Overall, this collection was an interesting book. I recommend it to poetry connoisseurs.

The author provided an electronic version of the book for review purposes.

Jennifer Coissiere
APOOO BookClub

Visit amazon to order a copy of Mammoth Melting Sugar and to vote accordingly for Jennifer’s review.

Mammoth Melting Sugar by Rayfer E. Mainor is a post from: APOOO

Fall Into Fiction Literary Event

APOOO — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 17:25:39 +0000

United California African-American Bookclubs

Present

2010 Fall Into Fiction Literary Event

For more information, visit Web site:

UCAA Book Clubs

UCAAB
United California African American Book Clubs (UCAAB) was founded in 2003 as a way for African-American book clubs in California to network, support and promote our reading groups and the authors we love to read. Many of us live, work and meet in the same area, but rarely do we get a chance to come together as ONE! UCAAB is our way of officially creating and sustaining a cohesive environment that celebrates each clubs’ individuality, encourages community bonding, embraces sisterhood and supports the literary contributions of African-American authors.

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All About Eva by Deidre Berry

Angelia Menchan — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:39:54 +0000

Eva Cantrell meets Donovan J. Dorsey by chance. She is out with her friend and is introduced to him and immediately she is taken in by him. He is handsome, educated and, most importantly, paid. Within a short period of time, Eva discovers that Donovan has no problem sharing his wealth, especially sharing it with her. Eva becomes used to the good life and for a couple of years she lives in the lap of pampered luxury. However, when it is discovered that Donovan may be on the left side of the law, the party ends and Eva ends back up on the south side of Chicago. All About Eva by Deidre Berry tells the story of Eva’s rise and fall and her eventual growth.

All About Eva is a page-turner that is filled with details about the high life and the low life. It also shows how easily life can change and that while it is good to be taken care of, one must know how to take care of one’s self. I recommend this novel to all who love drama-filled, contemporary storytelling.

The book was provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Angelia Menchan

APOOO BookClub

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Bedtime Stories by Torrian Ferguson and Brian W. Smith

Leona Romich — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:43:34 +0000

BEDTIME STORIES is a collaboration of short stories by Hollygrove Publishing’s hottest authors: Brian W. Smith, Nikkea Smithers, Torrian Ferguson, N’Tyse and Deilra Smith-Collard.

In The Babysitter by Brian W. Smith, Gracie is a 38 year-old single mother who has been lusting over her neighbor’s college-aged son. His well chiseled six-pack, makes her fantasize over him. The question is will she act out her desires when and if the opportunity presents itself? Illicit by N’Tyse is a story about 34 year-old Camille, who has the philosophy that all men are dogs and that they should be used as sex-toys. Will she meet that one man to prove her theory wrong? Physical Fitness by Torrian Ferguson was an interesting story about a man that is about to make partner at his law firm. That day he wakes up to put on the “perfect” suit but notices that his suit is too tight…so he enrolls in a fitness club that offers more of a workout than he ever imagined. The Sin by Deilra Smith-Collard starts off with a woman sitting in prison where she will spend the rest of her days. Why is she doing life behind bars? Trip Down South on the Metro North by Nikkea Smithers is a story of Sharita who is on her way to work on the Metro North. She is so wrapped up in her grieving after just losing someone very close to her that she does not notice her admirer. This will turn out to be a ride she will never forget.

BEDTIME STORIES by these various authors is a collaboration of moderately erotic stories. I enjoyed Phyical Fitness by Torrian Ferguson and The Babysitter by Brian W. Smith, the most. I think A Trip Down South by Nikkea Smithers and The Sin by Deilra Smith-Collard would have been better as full-length novels.

Reviewed by Leona
APOOO BookClub

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A Deep Dark Secret by Kimberla Lawson Roby

Jeanette Wallington — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:39:45 +0000

Seven year-old Jillian Maxwell’s life could not be better. She had a new step-daddy that she adored and a new baby sister. On the day her baby sister was born, Jillian’s life began to change. Her dream daddy became her worst nightmare when he started to make secret visits to her bedroom. Jillian knew what they did during these visits was wrong, but her daddy told her not tell anyone about them because no one would believe her and she would have to leave home. Therefore, Jillian endured years of being manipulated by her step-dad to do things she knew was not right. Jillian successfully disguised her anguish, by putting on a happy face for her family, friends and teachers. In this novella, A Deep Dark Secret, by Kimberla Lawson Roby, the plight of Jillian and other young ladies with her problems came to light.

Statistics show that one in five girls will be abused by a trusted family member by age 18. As a former child protective services worker, I have witnessed most girls respond in one of two ways. They will either become sullen and withdrawn or they will become promiscuous at an early age. It is usually when the perpetrator tries to take the abuse to another level that will make the child react, by either telling or fighting back. In this novella, Ms Lawson Roby presents two opposite reactions to the abuse by the parents and by the girls. I think this novella is a good book for mothers and daughters to read together and could open up an excellent dialogue between them on the perils of keeping secrets.

Jeanette
APOOO BookClub

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The One Thing I Hate About The Summer by Rambling Raven

APOOO — Mon, 25 May 2009 12:31:00 +0000

The One Thing I Hate About The Summer by Rambling Raven　

I love the family gatherings. I love the walks on the beach. And I absolutely adore the warm nights. There is however, one thing I do not welcome with the warm summer weather. I do not like all the violence that the warm weather brings to the inner city. Chicago’s violence spikes when the weather gets hot. In fact a huge part of the murder rate here takes place between the months of April and September. And most involve young African-American males as both victims and culprits. The victims and culprits usually range from the ages of 12-25. Chicago media has been keeping a running count of all the school age children who are murdered every year. Last year before school began, over 30 students between the ages of 12-18 were murdered. The suspects in most cases were young adults themselves.

One problem is that too many young people roam the city streets in the summer without curfews. Yes, the city has a curfew but little is done about it, especially when parents themselves allow their children to stay out until the early hours of the morning. Another huge problem is that there are too many children with not enough to do during the summer months. There aren’t nearly enough summer jobs for these young people. Many turn to the selling of drugs in order to make a few dollars. Due to huge budget cuts and the lack of interest to invest in the poorest communities, there are few summer activities sponsored for pre-teens and teens. And, of course, there are just too many guns on the streets. For some reason it is extremely easy for a poor, underage, unemployed person to get their hands on assault weapons.

Just last weekend, in a matter of eighty minutes, nine people were shot and one fatality occurred in a series of shooting across the city. The incidents happened during one of the warmest weekends of the year thus far. A deadly combination of too many idle teens, with nothing to do and warm spring nights.

I don’t know what the solution to this legacy of violent summers is. The problem is multi-layered. We first must somehow teach our children that life is precious. They must be given hope. And we must, as a nation, invest in this country’s most vulnerable. We must find a way to help those who are the poorest and most disenfranchised. Somehow we have to find a way to bring happy summers back to our children who are not fortunate enough to spend summer vacation beyond the borders of their own communities.

The One Thing I Hate About The Summer by Rambling Raven　 is a post from: APOOO

Dancing With the Stars, Week 8

APOOO — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:30:53 +0000

Another week of Jilles and Cheryl…wonder what they’re going to razzle dazzle us with this week. Will this be the week that Ty goes home? Join us at 8PM EST as we discuss another episode of DWTS.

Jilles and Cheryl–doing the lyndi hop. Hmmm. Lyn said the French are now good for the lyndi hop. Bruno said there was a tiny little error but still good. Carrie Ann said tonight was fantastic…he was great. Predicted Score: 28 ACTUAL Score: 27 Wow not as good as I thought.

Kim and Derek doing the pasa doubly. They were INTENSE. Bruno said the bitch is back and she means busy…classy, classy and well done. Carrie Ann said that the pasa showed how much Kim had grown…Len said it’s coping with the dances you might not be so good at it…he was expecting something but he got ole’. Predicted Score: 28 ACTUAL Score: 28

Chuck and Julianne doing the ChaChaCha…Carrie Anne said Chuck is definitely in the game but he needs to watch his chin. Lyn said its turning into a fantastic competition…he’s getting stronger and stronger but he needs to work on his arms…Bruno said his arms are bit too thrown away and too wooden…but his bun action was great. Predicted Score: 25 ACTUAL Score: 26

Shawn and Mark will be doing the Simba. Len said it lacked hip action…the dress was doing most of the work…it was okay but it wasn’t her better job. Bruno said it was a good Simba. Carrie Ann said she’s looking for great technique, solid performance and Shawn had it. Predicted score: 26 ACTUAL Score: 27

Melissa and Tony doing the Jive. Their vote will be based on the rehearsal performance because Melissa was injured. It’s not going to be good. Predicted Score: 24 ACTUAL Score: 21 No sympathy points this week.

Ty and Chelsie dancing the Salsa. Ty has grown on me…he really tries and he’s a good sport. Carrie Anne said that was a SALSA. Len said unless he performs in the group tango it’s time he hits the trail. Bruno is crazy…lol…said it wasn’t perfect but he enjoyed watching it. Predicted Score: 23 ACTUAL Score: 24 Go Ty!

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APOOO » General

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