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It's a Small World
Ask Nicely and I Might by Lorraine Elzia is a seductively written thriller. This novel is filled with dark characters, suspense, and creative twists.
Jade, your typical battered woman has finally reached her breaking point. After years of physical, mental, and emotional abuse, she has masterminded the perfect exit from her pitiful marriage by way of premeditated murder. Once she is in the clear, Jade has newfound freedom and makes her way to the city of dreams, New York City. Now she has a brand new attitude and a lot more confidence that she never knew. Driven by her deep hatred for inconsiderate men, she goes on a quest to obtain exactly what she wants and by any means necessary.
Alex Carlysle, one of the best homicide detectives in New York City is highly respected among her peers. She is also known for her ability to maintain control of her emotions even in the most extreme crime scene situations. That is until a series of brutal murders include her very own lover. Already obsessed with her line of work as she avoids facing the demons of her past, she has taken to solving his murder into her own hands. She will stop at nothing until she finds his killer.
For 186 pages, I was highly impressed with how the story was written. The character development was thorough and will give readers a complete understanding of the whos and whys. The plot was also executed ingeniously as the characters were uniquely tied together in diverse ways. The metaphors within the story will make readers feel as if they are watching a movie instead of reading a book. I would have liked to see a more complex ending. I feel as if the catch of the serial killer was much too simple for how skillfully she avoided being caught throughout each murder. Perhaps more forensic detail would give thriller fans even more enjoyment of this story. Overall, Ask Nicely and I Might is a sexy, enthralling read and sure to be enjoyed by readers of many genres; especially thriller, suspense, and mystery.
www.LorraineElzia.com
5 Stars
Reviewed By: Kenya Mack
http://www.twitter.com/KenyaMack
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Heart of Man
A Jarrell Hayes has penned a collection of heartfelt poems and done so very beautifully. In a world where men aren't very expressive, this collection will give readers a deeper look into the heart of man where true love resides. Hayes' use of words tugs and moves the hearts of readers with much finesse. This collection of love poems are broken down into four categories: Romantic Love, Unrequited Love, Sexual Love, and Love for Family. I find it highly impressive that Hayes touched all aspects of life and love with good structure.
I have no favorites as each poem was beautifully written. I experienced much personal emotion in reading poems such as: "Anchor the Night", "Let Love", and "What You Did To Me" probably for my own reasons. I absolutely fell in love with Hayes' use of metaphors in "A Flower Called Me". "Chicken" has a touch of humor and a surprise erotic ending that is sure to please--I loved it! The only poem that had me slightly hesitant was "How I Met Your Mother". There was quite a bit of sexual expression from the Father towards the Mother, and I didn't think that would be the average conversation between Father and Child. Nonetheless, it was still a beautiful expression.
Overall, To Woman, From Man: Love Poems is a great read for poetry lovers. I would definitely recommend this book to all lovers of poetry, lovers of love, and anyone wanting a look into the heart of man.
http://www.ajhayes.com
4 Stars
Love is Blind
Niquole Wright has it made and is living the lavish life with expensive clothes and cars, two children, celebrity status among her peers, and a thriving record label. All seems perfect in her world except for her husband ?situation?. Obviously no longer in love with her husband, Niquole engulfs herself in an extramarital affair with Kingston. Losing sight of everything of importance around her, each day brings increase to her new obsession. Niquole no longer respects her husband, neglects their children, and mistreats her family and friends. Everyone around her isn?t ignorant to what?s going on in her personal life, however; especially the anonymous person that threatens to expose her secrets to Germaine. Niquole takes a nonchalant approach to their threats since all she seems to care about is spending the rest of her life with Kingston anyway. Make no mistake; her money is just as important. Her money being the reason she hasn?t left her husband already. While Niquole is busy planning her escape with Kingston, Germaine is desperately trying to hold their family together. Little do either of them know, Kingston seems to have a plan all his own.
Karma is the bitch that needs to give Niquole Wright a good beat down! Her character, or lack thereof, is developed so well that my blood boiled the entire read. Racy, erotic, and suspenseful, The Available Wife was a hard book to put down and walk away from. The plot is strong and the twists are very compelling. Despite the slight editing issues, the story is very much enjoyable and well written. The drama starts on page one and doesn?t stop until the last page where Pennington made sure to leave readers anticipating more. What I like most about this book is the lesson behind the fiction. The characters bring awareness to the issue of codependency in some who put addiction ahead of everything else in their life. This story shows what it looks like from the outside looking in when people don?t value their blessings. Good fiction story telling and life lessons make for a fantastic book!
http://www.lifechangingbooks.net
Romance is not Dead
Welcome to the well-known everyday struggle of the majority in finding true love. In "Champagne, Jellybeans, and Chocolate", we enter into the worlds of Royce and Paula. Two high school sweethearts who are unexpectedly reunited one fateful day. Royce immediately begins his pursuit of rekindling the love they once shared; but finds himself intimidated by the obviously high maintenance Paula. He struggles with picking up the pieces of his broken life after tragically losing both of his parents. As his relationship with Paula progresses, Royce is able to pull himself out of his homeless and broke circumstances. In the meantime, he has to compete with the high rollers trying to buy Paula's love and fears losing her to the "good life". Not only does he have to deal with the high rollers, he also has to figure out a way to fix things once Paula finds out he hasn?t been truthful about his living situation. Will true love prevail, or will the ?good? life win over Paula?s heart?
The first thing that caught my attention was the title of this book. I wondered how Taylor came up with such a unique title. After reading the book, I realized it was absolutely perfect. I love the meaning behind the title as it holds sentimental value between the main characters. I enjoyed reading this book and am thoroughly impressed with Taylor's ability to tie all of the characters together. This made for a good read and brilliant twists. The characters were also well-developed and easy to relate to. Despite the slight editing issues, the story was still an emotional and heart-tugging one. Romance novel fans will definitely fall very much in love with this story. In my opinion, "Champagne, Jellybeans, and Chocolate" stands out from other romance novels because the storyline wasn't overly predictable. The twists kept my pages turning! I am certainly looking forward to RL Taylor's future literary works. He's got the creative gift!
http://www.rltayloronline.com
Open Spaces
Open Spaces pulls readers into the world of Mika and Sedari and doesn't let us go. They are the perfect example of how happiness on the outside doesn't equal happiness in reality. At the first glance, they are a seemingly happily married couple. As time goes on, we learn that they have allowed temptation of the flesh to shake the very foundation of what they have built over the years. Each of them are individually wrestling with demons of their past while trying to do what is best for their son, Corey. Sedari faces an overwhelming desire to give into the advances of Desiree, his brother's ex-girlfriend. Having to deal with years of built up curiosity and attraction, Sedari finds it extremely difficult to resist the noticeably mutual feelings between him and Desiree. Desiree doesn?t have a problem making it known that she doesn't respect Mika or their marriage; causing an immense amount of problems between the couple.
When Mika realizes there is something more than a friendship between Sedari and Desiree, she is devastated. Soon, she turns to other outlets of coping with her heartbreak. Her worst coping mechanism, Lee, threatens to destroy her marriage as well. Having feelings of nostalgia and not caring to hide it, Desiree blatantly loses interest in continuing to honor her marital vows at times. Sedari and Mika are so wrapped up in dancing with their devils, that they almost don't realize what they are doing to their son and their marriage. Will they forgive each other and move on from their past, or will it be too late?
There is no doubt that writing and creativity is Keith Williams? God-given gift in life. I found it difficult to set the book down from beginning to end. He has an incredible gift of using words to create vivid scenes and settings throughout the story. The characters in this book are so well-developed that one can't help but feel every bit of the emotional rollercoaster ride. The plot and twists were executed with near perfection and flow to make for an outstanding read. Keith definitely leaves readers wanting more. After reading ?Water Flows Under Doors?, Keith?s debut novel, I was instantly a fan of his writing style. Open Spaces shows the incredible amount of growth he has experienced as an author. I am very much looking forward to his future works and am certain fans of Urban Contemporary Fiction will feel the same way.
http://www.twitter.com/reemthegullygod
Brooke Alexander is a waitress in love with a prominent attorney Patrick Sterling. Although Patrick is a passionate lover, he quickly becomes a controlling and verbally abusive demon during their aggressive sexual encounters. To add to Brooke's stress, she also has to endure even more belittling comments from Patrick's parents. Brooke dreads attending family or social events at the Sterling's household; as she knows she will become the spotlight entertainment. Mrs. Sterling is so hell bent on ruining her son's relationship with Brooke, that she even goes as far as to offer her severance pay to leave immediately. Not only does Brooke have to put up with Patrick's insults, she has to put up with Mrs. Sterling's claims that her son has other women besides her. Brooke's suspicions and Mrs. Sterling's claims are soon confirmed after Brooke follows Patrick to the other woman's house, and catches him red-handed in the act. Although very hurt and betrayed, Brooke stayed in her relationship because it was all she has known. Damon and Carleigh Johnson appear to be the perfect couple, but looks can be deceiving. Damon adores his wife, but Carleigh put on a show and views him only as a trophy husband. Damon works as a Human Resources Manager, but has other aspirations in beginning his own business. However, Carleigh isn't as supportive of his dreams as he would like for his wife to be. Not only is Damon flaunted as a trophy piece, his endeavors are constantly insulted as he shares them. Damon remains determined to remain committed to his wife and achieve his goals. One tragic night, Damon and Brooke are brought together after saving her life and suffering a permanent disability. A disability that forms an undeniable bond between the two. In Damon's case, his wife becomes distant after he becomes disabled. In Brooke's case, her relationship continues to it's abusive spiral downhill. As each of their relationships fall apart, Brooke's and Damon's grows stronger. They knew they were playing with fire, but it felt so right. It was destiny. Readers will enjoy this erotic tale of forbidden love. The story was well written and creatively delivered. Although the storyline is predictable, I was pleased to see Zane include the realistic life of disabled individuals. Overall, I give this novel 4 stars.
http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Zane/269527
Not Too Happy
Here we are fifteen years later, revisiting the lives of Savannah, Gloria, Bernadine, and Robin. The ladies who touched our hearts and lives in more way than one in ?Waiting to Exhale?. ?Getting To Happy? is the long-anticipated sequel we?ve all been waiting for. The ladies are now in their fifties, but life definitely doesn?t slow down with age. One might be intimidated by the age of the characters; feeling as if they won?t be able to relate. However, their age wasn?t a factor in relating to the lives of these ladies. It?s almost as if they hadn?t aged a bit. We remember Savannah as a passive woman looking for love in all the wrong places. As we revisit Savannah, we find that her personality hasn?t changed much at all. Her character still remains true to who she has been. The only good and notable change was that she found love and married a good man named Isaac. The problem is that they?ve grown bored with their unchanging marital routine. After discovering Isaac?s disturbing online porn addiction, Savannah decides to hop on the train straight out of her marriage. Somehow, despite divorce being something touch to endure; they were able to part ways peacefully. Now Savanna is faced with having to enter back into the single life once again. Gloria is another character that seems to remain true to herself. We were all happy to see her and her neighbor, Marvin, begin something beautiful. It?s pleasing to know that they married and maintained a love-filled marriage for fifteen years. When tragedy strikes, Gloria has to find a way to pick up the pieces and continue living life. Thank goodness she has her salon, son Tarik, and his four children to help keep her focused. When hardships come upon Tarik and his marriage, Gloria is able to step in and find purpose in living life again.. Bernadine is remembered as the ?strong one? of the bunch. One of the people?s favorites. After going through a nasty divorce with John in ?Waiting to Exhale?.,she bounced back and married again in ?Getting To Happy?. His name James Wheeler, or so she thought. That was until his real wife called to inform her he?d married Bernadine under a fake name. After ?James? cleaned her out and disappeared, leaving her nearly broke; Bernadine turned to self-medication. Pills were her escape from reality. When everyone began to notice her dependency problem, she decides to make a change once and for all. Surprisingly, her strongest supporters were her children, girlfriends, and John (her ex-husband). Robin, the sex kitten herself, has been on a fifteen year man drought. Focusing entirely on the upbringing of her too-grown-for-her-britches daughter, Sparrow, she has failed to remember her own happiness matters too. After failed attempts at online dating, Robin finally decides to throw in the towel. That was until she runs into an old friend at the gym. I have to say I wasn?t entirely pleased with ?Getting To Happy? as a sequel to such a wonderful masterpiece. The storyline and twists were the strong points. However the story flow was lacking. There were also some devastating character development issues in the story. The one that stood out the most is when Russell, Robin?s ex married lover, was mixed in with the drug junkie?s Robin briefly dated in ?Waiting to Exhale? past. Personally, I expected a better written story from an author of seven novels. Overall, I enjoyed the story and am still looking forward to Terry?s future works. I?m glad to see her back on the literary scene after all that she has been through.
3 stars
www.terrymcmillan.com/
Chante's Got a Man
Chante' Chambers is the living testament that physical perfection and financial success does not equal happiness. In Chante's Song, Chante' takes us on a continuous man rollercoaster, as she desperately searches for love through sexual satisfaction encounters. Clearly, Chante' mistakes sex for love, as she tries to push her broken relationships with her boss and ex-lover, Jason, in the back of her memory banks. Jason, hell-bent on not letting her go so easily, attempts to buy her love and forgiveness with pricy gifts and back-breaking sex. Enters Keith, Chante's knight in shining armor. Little does he know, Chante' wasn't in much of a hurry to completely dismiss Jason and his tempting gifts to totally give her heart to him.
Chante's Song was well written and, despite minor editing issues, possessed the undeniable ability to keep readers engaged. I, personally, couldn't put the book down, as I anticipated what would happen next. Chante's Song is a very promising debut for Donneil Jackson and gives great hope for her future literary works.
http://www.twitter.com/donneildjackson
Everything that Glitters Ain't Gold
Bentley Dean, III was born into a wealthy yet, humble family. It is apparent that his father is adamant about how he envisioned his two children's lives to fall into place, and held the family fortune over each of their heads as the motivation. In the beginning of the story, Bentley delivers heartbreaking news to both his fianc?, and his father, that he wouldn't be marrying, as he was deeply in love with his gay lover, Warren. After being practically disowned by his father and cast out of the family, Bentley, III finds it hard to survive through a recession that threatens to take his co-owned modeling agency under. He finds himself making the deal with the "devil" after a suspiciously shady business man enters his office; and offers a too-good-to-be-true business proposition that is sure to save Bentley's sinking ship. The sacrifice would be using male models as potential male escorts for a private gay "party". Bentley, III finds himself in a whirlwind of sex, violence, and drama after his close friend and agency model, Jah, becomes entangled in a life of being a "kept man". Jah's lover is the powerful force behind the discreet, gay "party" of potential male model lovers. Jah loses sight of his own life and personal goals; all in the name of what he thinks is love. What he doesn't know is that his gay lover, who is a happily married, family man in the public eye, is willing to protect his reputation by any means necessary.
Harris' latest release was slightly discouraging compared to his previous works. Although his words and dramatically expressed scenes intrigue readers, the storyline took more than half of the book to get on a good pace. The book wasn't well written and, it is my hope, that there will be a sequel since the ending leaves readers wanting to know what happens next.
http://www.amazon.com/My-Fathers-House-Novel/dp/0312541910/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1299511192&sr=8-1
The Envy War
Coveted certainly brings the drama. This story is filled with just about every drama ingredient there is: philandering husbands, backstabbing friends, dangerously envious family members, and a few doses of violent behavior. This is a read sure to please lovers of urban drama.
Naima is a hard-working mother of two lovely children, and married to the well-known ex-NFL superstar Quarterback Kaden Fairchild. Although the two became parents in their teenage years, they have managed to become successful in their careers even after Kaden’s upsetting injury. It is no surprise to hear about professional athletes cheating on their spouses, but Naima was distraught after learning Kaden had not only carried on an affair with her best friend, Haven, since their college years; but, he also fathered her child, Naima’s god-son, Kaven. Determined to move on with her life and make the best of it, Naima leaves Kaden and makes, what she thought to be, a pretty successful attempt at a new path in life. After moving back into her parents’ house, their world is suddenly shaken by the appearance of Emeri; a product of her own Father’s love affair from years before. Emeri, with no where else to turn after her Mother’s death, sought to find the Father she never knew; her Mother’s last wish before passing away. Naima welcomes the handsome distraction of Damir, but is left confused after his sudden distancing. Little did she know, the reason why resided in the same house as she. It seems as if everyone wanted the life and love that Naima had, and was willing to acquire it by any means necessary.
Coveted shows the danger of obsession and envy, and the power of forgiveness and authentic love. I was amazed at how well the storyline was delivered. There were several noteworthy characters, and they were all dexterously linked. A few editing issues did not distract me from experiencing a smooth read. The twists definitely kept my attention and the pages turning. In conclusion, this was a good read and the ending left me wanting to know more of what happened next!
4 stars
http://www.mycheawrites.com
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave when, at first, we practice to deceive.”
If you thought Coveted was full of never-ending drama, wait until you get a load of Vengeance by Mychea. Coveted ended with a bang—literally; leaving us wanting to know what happened after everything in Naima’s world went black. Vengeance picked right back up, bringing us into her and Emeri’s world where she is recovering from a gunshot that shattered her dreams of having more children, and struggling to walk on her own again. The tragic shot delivered accidentally by her very own mentally-ill sister, Emeri. Five years later, Emeri has successfully deceived the system and managed to manipulate her way back into society where she plans to wreak havoc on unsuspecting lives. After blackmailing her therapist, Coleen, into resigning as Emeri’s court-appointed therapist, she opens up to her new therapist and tells the story of a childhood full of poverty, molestation, and rape. Unethically, her therapist falls in love with her and enables her to carry out some of her plans seeking revenge. Nobody is exempt from Emeri’s plan to finally have what she wants; not even her new therapist love.
Mychea has written a page-turner full of drama, lies, deceit, and murder. As with Coveted, there were a few editing issues, but nothing that distracts the reader from the storyline. There are a few stones left unturned, which means the story of the Vaughn family will continues. I would recommend this book to lovers of urban drama and thrillers. I am looking forward to reading what will happen next.
www.MycheaWrites.com
Justice most definitely served!
Dreaming of a Crayon Sun is a remarkable sequel to Champagne, Jellybeans, and Chocolate by RL Tyler. Going in, a reader would have expectations of continuing to read a romantic story about Royce and Paula as they continue to live their lives together. Much to my surprise, Dreaming of a Crayon Sun is an action-packed thriller and I have absolutely no complaints.
We are brought into the worlds of Rochelle and Brian, who nearly fell in love at neighborly first sight after Brian moved next door. Rochelle was still grieving the loss of her husband and struggling to maintain for her infant daughter, Skyla, and herself. Brian was simply a businessman in eager pursuit of the damsel in distress, Rochelle. Only a few months later they marry against the strong opinions of each of their families. Unexpectedly, Rochelle’s supposed-to-be deceased husband turns up on her doorstep after being held captive for over a year in Peru. He is visibly shaken and warns her that some people may be looking for him there soon after his departure.
Rochelle’s sister, Charlene, takes on a huge tax fraud case alongside Metcalf and Tyler. The case draws national attention against Nixon Burns and turns out to be a risky endeavor. Lies, cover-ups, deceit, money laundering, murder, and kidnapping; all being committed by Nixon, the man with the millions and the power. Nixon is willing to do whatever it takes to keep himself out of trouble; even if that means turning on his own team and soliciting the help of crooked law enforcement officials. Thanks to one woman who escapes Nixon’s imprisonment, his business is under investigation. Royce Tyler works feverishly to keep everyone safe as he uncovers the hidden truths behind a human trafficking operation funded by Nixon.
RL Taylor has penned a page-turning novel with non-stop action. I found it very hard to put this book down, and I read it in less than a day. There were quite a few characters to keep up with for 238 pages, but Taylor managed to have pretty good character development. Very impressive. In the beginning, I was a little puzzled as to why a truck driver was being held captive in Peru and assumed it was drug operation, but it was eventually revealed that it was human trafficking. I appreciate surprises like that. Overall, this was a refreshing read and I am and will continue to very much be a fan of Taylor’s literary works.
www.RLTaylorOnline.com
