Eat, Pray, Love - A Review

I'm so happy I read this book and didn't buy into the hype surrounding the movie! I found it to be a very interesting and enjoyable read.


I enjoyed Gilbert's writing style - it was very conversational, and engaging. 

Her descriptions transported me to Italy and were so engaging at times I could really see where she was. The same was true with each of her destinations.

I would give this 3.5 stars.

Before I Forget by Leonard Pitts, Jr. - A Review

Before starting this review I must first say I will try to limit any spoilers. It is not my intent to give away the story, but I will probably offer more detail than I have in other reviews. So consider yourself warned.

We've all heard the old adage "like father like son" and at first glimpse that seems to be the message in "Before I Forget" by Leonard Pitts, Jr. Pitts uses different points of view to tell the story of the three James Moses Johnsons, each dealing with his own dilemma and less than perfect father-son relationship.

We start out with the "junior" of the bunch, Mo Johnson, an aging 70's soul singer who is confronted with a medical condition that forces him to re-evaluate his life. If this was not enough to deal with, Mo learns five days later that his 19 year-old son Trey, is in trouble with the law. While not estranged from young Trey, Mo has not been the model father or a regular presence in the young man's life. As if all of this drama was not enough, Mo also learns that his estranged father, Jack, is also suffering from a serious medical condition.

All of this conflict happens within the first 75 pages of "Before I Forget" which definitely piques the interest of the reader and will keep you reading. Set between Baltimore and Los Angeles, the remaining 280 or so pages takes Mo and Trey on a cross country drive and a better understanding of one another. Along the way an old would is healed, but the story does not end there.

To offer depth to this story, Pitts introduces secondary characters and story lines that instead of taking away from the story had flavor, and substance. The underlying story of absentee fathers was presented in a light that is rarely seen - the father's perspective. Although the reasons noted are not all forgiving, you are at least given a glimpse into the inner workings of some young fathers.

"Before I Forget" is a well written story with a number of intermingled story lines that work very well together. I really enjoyed the character development and the realism exhibited in this work. I would highly recommend this book.

Sisters & Husbands - A Review

During the holidays my book club, The Literary Sistas, held our final meeting for the year with a Holiday Gathering hosted by yours truly. The title discussed was Connie Briscoe's "Sisters & Husbands", a work that I found very disappointing.

It has been a number of years since I read Briscoe's "Sisters & Lovers", but as I recall I enjoyed it and had high expectations for this latest work. "Sisters and Husbands" chronicles a month in the life of the Jordan sisters - Evelyn, Charmaine, and Beverly. A month that just happens to be the four weeks preceding Beverly's wedding. The elder Jordan sisters are married, Evelyn for more than 20 years and Charmaine is a newlywed - but not new to marriage, this is her fourth husband.

The story could be a very good one, I believe, but all I came away with was total irritation - particularly with the main character Beverly. Although there is an ensemble cast of sorts, the main character would be Beverly - this is her story. She is insecure and while this is her first marriage, Beverly is no stranger to being engaged - this is her third engagement.

Briscoe does a good job of interweaving the three stories, and I won't go into detail so as not to spoil it for anyone, but the stitches she uses are more like a whip stitch, when a surged stitch would add more depth. Each of the sisters is struggling with relationship issues, some more than others and for varying reasons. The problem for gun shy Beverly is that she begins to live vicariously through her sisters which leads to more drama in her own relationship.

The problems they each face are common to many couples, but I believe the novel would have served the reader better if more depth had been built into the characters. This would have produced a longer book, but I think a more fulfilling read.

At 273 pages, "Sisters and Husbands" was a quick read and would definitely be classified as "Chick Lit". If you're looking for a story to distract you from the mundane day-to-day, this would be a good fit, but if you're looking for an in-depth look at the relationships between sisters and husbands, you'll be left unsatisfied.

Review: "Sugar - A Novel"

In October of last year author Bernice L. McFadden set in motion a plan to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the publication of her debut novel Sugar. The publication anniversary was January 9, 2010. I'm not sure if she reached her mark, but I do know that she sparked a renewed interest in her work.

As I write this review almost a year later, I am apologetic because I'm not sure when I first noticed the posting and I unfortunately did not read it well because I thought it was a year long campaign. That being said, if you have not read Sugar, please do so. Why you ask? Well continue to read and I'll give you what I believe are a few good reasons.

Set in rural Arkansas in the 1950s, Sugar is a story of friendship, acceptance and the love that must exist for the aforementioned to thrive.

When Sugar Lacey arrives in the sleepy town of Bigelow, Arkansas heads turn and tongues begin to wag. You see Sugar is not like the women of this small town. She is worldly, wears vibrant colors from head to toe and the "good" women who reside in this town see her as nothing but trouble. Based purely on what they see, the women have labeled her and while the label may not be far from the truth a "welcoming committee" is not on the horizon.

The lone dissenter in town is Pearl Taylor, Sugar's neighbor on Grove Street. While Pearl is curious about the comings and goings of her new neighbor in #10, she has not turned a cold shoulder. Pearl feels a connection to this woman, but can't quite put her finger on why.

McFadden does a wonderful job of delving into the various characters and weaving a tale that is so real that you can imagine your grandmother telling this story. By shifting between characters and telling the story from their point of view, McFadden invites the reader into Bigelow and the friendship that develops between Sugar and Pearl.

Pearl works to tame Sugar while the younger woman attempts to add some spice to the sadness that she sees permeating the soul of her neighbor. With a supporting cast of characters including Pearl's husband Joe and her overly critical friends, McFadden's prose takes you into the depths of Bigelow. You become the new neighbor watching in on the lives of these characters. McFadden adds just a hint of suspense and wonder that keeps you turning the pages. The drama unfolds so crisply that when it all comes together you're left shaking your head saying "You've got to be kidding me, or better yet 'Girl shut yo' mouth'"

So if you're not familiar with Bernice McFadden, make today the day that you change that and go pick up a copy of Sugar. While you're at it, pick up This Bitter Earth, a sequel to Sugar and Glorious, McFadden's latest novel released this year.

The not so flattering photo above is of me holding a copy of Sugar, which was one of the requests of McFadden to help spread the word about the 10th Anniversary. As stated above I blew the whole concept, but I hope that you will stop here to learn more about this very inspirational and down to earth author.

Summer Reading - reviews to come

I've been busy this summer trying to catch up on reading that was pushed to the backburner this winter and spring.

Keep an eye out for reviews of the following titles:

• "Sugar" by Bernice L. McFadden's
• "Road Song" - A Memoir" by Natalie Kusz
• "Uptown" by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant
• "Tracks" - A Woman's Solo Trek Across 1,700 Miles of Australian Outback" by Robyn Davidson
• "Wildflowers" by lyah beth leflore
• "Children of the Waters" by Carleen Brice
• "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamande Ngozi Adchie

This should keep me busy and actively posting over the next few weeks. I hope you'll drop in and check out the reviews and offer your feedback.

A Review: What Doesn't Kill You

What Doesn't Kill You: A Novel by Virginia DeBerry



In their latest novel /What Doesn't Kill You Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant have offered a new style and new voice - first person.
This timely novel is told from the experience of the novel's main character Tee Hodges who has found that she must reinvent herself just as she reaches her prime.

In the Night of Heat, A Review

In the Night of the Heat: A Tennyson Hardwick Story by Blair Underwood



Sexy underemployed actor and former gigolo turned part time super sleuth Tennyson Hardwick finds himself in the middle of another murder mystery as he tries to get his acting career and personal life on the right track. That's the backdrop for the second installment of the Tennyson Hardwick series In the Night of Heat.
The Hardwick series are the brainchild of actor Blair Underwood and noted authors Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes. They present a picture of Hollywood's upper middle class African American community and the privileges and dangers that sometimes come with thier lifestyle.
In this installment, former football superstar TD Jackson, the number one suspect in the murder of his ex-wife and her fiancee, has been cleared of the criminal charges but his worries are far from over. There is the civil charges for wrongful death and the death threats that lead him to Tennyson for help. Ten, as the handsome super sleuth is better known, declines to take on the case and the action begins.
As with any good mystery/suspense there are other stories taking place in Ten's life. He's trying to work through his new family dynamic complete with his father, a retired LAPD police captain; his new "daughter" Chela; and his relationship with new love April.
The action moves pretty quickly after the first couple of chapters as new characters and events change the course of Ten's life.
Much like a "Law & Order" episode the storyline, though altered by creative license, seemed ripped straight from the headlines and not to cheesy.
One downfall I encountered was the lack of copyediting. There were a number of typos - basically repeated phrases that caused the reader to reread sections, particularly the further you got into the book.
The series is being written for the screen, but I just don't see Blair Underwood as Ten; yet all in all I would rate this a good read when you're looking to be taken away from your life and want to live vicariously through Tennyson Hardwick.

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Stand the Storm, A Review

River, Cross My Heart by Breena Clarke



Breena Clarke has presented a very good re-enactment of a time in history that has mostly been presented only in a negative and less than favorable light. She does not over simplify, or negate the hardships of slavery, but presents that time in history in a framework of hope. In Stand the Storm, Clarke takes invites the reader to take the journey to freedom with the Coats family. I was especially pleased to see that the Coats' were skilled in the field of textiles. Take a journey of hope with Clarke and the Coats' by reading Stand the Storm.

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A Natural Woman - A Review

A Natural Woman by Lori Johnson



A Natural Woman is the story of Aleisha Eaton a successful college professor who could be your next door neighbor, best friend or sister. Lori Johnson's sophomore effort is a must read if you're looking for a good solid story, complete with conflict, suspense and of course a solid love story. It is much more than a love story, it's really a life story and confronts some of the many issues that African American professionals face regularly, from classism to abuse.Johnson does a wonderful job with POV, and the dialouge moves you through the story with great ease. It's familiar and as is a trait of Johnson's it is lyrical and familiar.I highly recommend A Natural Woman.

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