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124th out of 404 books
—
466 voters
Better Than I Know Myself
by
Virginia DeBerry Donna Grant (Goodreads Author)
The beloved #1 Essence bestselling authors of Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made now deliver a novel in which you'll meet their most unforgettable characters yet. Carmen, Jewel, and Regina could not be more different. When they meet as freshmen at Columbia University, they're pretty confident that a friendship among them isn't in the cards.
Jewel is Hollywood royalty: as...more
Jewel is Hollywood royalty: as...more
Hardcover, 384 pages
Published
June 1st 2004
by St. Martin's Press
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True friendship is something you build together
BETTER THAN I KNOW MYSELF is a novel where we meet three opposite sisters in search of something that leads them to college.
Regina is the rebellious one.
Carmen is the loner.
Jewel is the famous one.
"None of us are in this alone." It took meeting the others' for the others to realize.
From opposite's end of the world to the same campus, a class here and there, to being roommates, these three young women transcend in time and eventually grow as sis...more
BETTER THAN I KNOW MYSELF is a novel where we meet three opposite sisters in search of something that leads them to college.
Regina is the rebellious one.
Carmen is the loner.
Jewel is the famous one.
"None of us are in this alone." It took meeting the others' for the others to realize.
From opposite's end of the world to the same campus, a class here and there, to being roommates, these three young women transcend in time and eventually grow as sis...more
Better Than I Know Myself is the latest offering of Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant. It is a melodramatic coming of age story of three girls from varying socio-economic backgrounds emerging into adulthood and their lifelong friendship until one of them meets an untimely demise.
This novel reads like a "Made-For-TV" movie complete with unspoken secrets, lost loves, teenaged pregnancies, drug addiction, illness, perfectly timed flashbacks, and a host of canned, supporting characters. Opening with...more
This novel reads like a "Made-For-TV" movie complete with unspoken secrets, lost loves, teenaged pregnancies, drug addiction, illness, perfectly timed flashbacks, and a host of canned, supporting characters. Opening with...more
This is an excellent read. You laugh, you cry, you become one of the girls. You can relate to each character in this book. I absolutely loved it!!!
I read a previous book by these two ladies several years back, called “Tryin To Sleep In The Bed You Made”. Even though that book had tons of great reviews, I personally didn’t care for it. So, when “Better Than I Know Myself” was picked for one of my book club reads, I wasn’t pleased. I really put off reading it until the last minute because I already had it in my brain that I wouldn’t like it. In short, my assumption wasn’t completely inline regarding this particular book. This did have a simi...more
This book is so long and slow! There are more than a few chapters that could have been shortened. And honestly this book is melodramatic. Obviously life is filled with drama and some people have to go through more hardships than others, but SO MUCH TRAGEDY. At times it just seemed like one incident after another and it dragged on. The message of living life to the fullest rings a little too loudly but it's one that bears repeating over and over again. On a more personal note, I wanted a few more...more
About 10 years ago, I read a book by this duo - I think it was my first positive review on Amazon. So, I decided to look them up and try another. Mmmm, the three woman interwoven story seem so late 1980s beachy readish. It was a story looking for a plot. None of the characters were very interstesting or deep - but did have some tragedy, some good times, some bad times, you know - the usual.
Very good audio book, but I think I've read the print edition also. The audio version does an excellent job of bringing to life the three characters: Jewell (the actress), Regina (the fly-girl former cocaine addict), and Carmen ( the little mousey homeless and motherless young girl who became a doctor). I think it is good from time to time to listen to the audio book. I downloaded this book to my smartphone and my NookColor. The download really helped durin our recent "blackout." Virginia DeBerr...more
This book had me crying and I hate books that have me sad and crying. But I couldn't help but like this book. I love the authors, and the characters seemed so real to me, I was immersed in the story of their lives.It wasn't the typical dramafied book about black women. It had depth, real feeling and meaning, not a superficial story.
This is my absolute favorite book. I was laughing and crying. It the story of three girls all attending the same collge, but from very different worlds. I can't really spaek on the book too much, because it ruins the entire book. I would reccomend it to anyone.
Long one and I agree there was a lot of " extra". It could have been shorter but I couldn't stop reading. I haven't cried that hard over a book in awhile. It was a love of friendships that brought me to tears. Call your girlfriends, there's no friendship like girlfriendship.
About 10 years ago, I read a book by this duo - I think it was my first positive review on Amazon. So, I decided to look them up and try another. Mmmm, the three woman interwoven story seem so late 1980s beachy readish. It was a story looking for a plot. None of the characters were very interstesting or deep - but did have some tragedy, some good times, some bad times, you know - the usual.
This book completely resonated with me when I read it. Three different friends with distinct life paths. I really enjoyed watching them change, struggle, and triumph. The ending was a definite tear-jerker. This book is worth owning.
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Great novel. The characters were very relateable. I enjoyed the journey I took as the three women matured individually and grew together as friends. The authors did a good job at concealing the final ending; I was guessing all the way up til the very end. I'll definitely read their other novels.
Melodramatic coming-of-age book about 3 black women who meet as students at Barnard/Columbia University in the 80's. A light, tearjerking summer read that was exactly what I was in the mood for this week.
This story was a really touching illustration of friendship and the bonds that are formed through the years. I laughed and cried ... A LOT. This would make an excellent gift between girlfriends.
Read the other reviews before reading this book. I din't love it as much as everyone else seemed too. I thought the book picked up in the second half, I enjoyed it from there on.
Gread read.I absolutely loved this book. The authors presented a very good portrayal of lasting friendship between women of differnt backgrounds.
This is a great book from beginning to end. I could not put it down.It made me laugh and cry.
This book shows you with true friends by your side you can get thru anything together.
This book shows you with true friends by your side you can get thru anything together.
the african-american book that transcended to the "mainstream" chicklit shelf.
i picked it up because it's the story of three girls who met at barnard and ended up life long friends. each story is heart-breaking in its own way, and yet the ending remains hopeful. still it doesn't fall into traditional chicklit tropes, and i appreciate that. the characters feel more real, even if they are a bit stereotyped, and.
this is what real quality chicklit should be doing, i think. not shying away from the...more
i picked it up because it's the story of three girls who met at barnard and ended up life long friends. each story is heart-breaking in its own way, and yet the ending remains hopeful. still it doesn't fall into traditional chicklit tropes, and i appreciate that. the characters feel more real, even if they are a bit stereotyped, and.
this is what real quality chicklit should be doing, i think. not shying away from the...more
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Enjoyed the story the friendship, hardship, love, and death. This was well written. When an author can reach so many emotions in one story you know they have done a great job. I would like to read something else from them.
I loved this book so much! It taught me heaps about life, and I actually did laugh and cry along with it.
This was a good book but it was VERY VERY slow. However, once I got into it, it was a very touching story
Apr 18, 2012
Cia
added it
I want to read it again. I read it when I was younger, maybe in high school. I really enjoyed it.
Bittersweet tale of friendship. Audiobook narrator was really good, but I didn't enjoy the story all too much. It was a bit too sappy and too long and didn't really have a point.
The most touching book that I've ever read. A true page-turner
Read it. Don't remember much about it which says something about the story.
Great book about the unbreakable bond of true friendship.
Nov 21, 2012
Kai
added it
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish
Interesting look at friendships that endure after school.
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We are best friends who’ve been co-writing women’s fiction for twenty of our twenty seven years of friendship. Uptown is our seventh novel. For more information about who we are, what we do and/or to read an excerpt of Uptown please visit deberryandgrant.com. We can also be found online at: Twomindsfull.blogspot.com, Twitter.com/deberryandgrant, Facebook.com/deberryandgrant.
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