2015 A-Z 'Deuces Wild ' Reading Challenge of African American Authors discussion
2012 members reading list
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Arzella's partial list
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Hi ArzellaI have on my kindle Alcutt, Curtis, Sins of a Siren
to read, heard that it is very good
I read half of Sins of a Siren last night. It is a great read, with complex characters and interesting plot twists.
My review of Sins of a Siren by AlcuttImagine Zoe Saldana in Columbiana with red hair and green eyes. This book reads like a movie. The action starts with the first page and keeps right on going to the end. If they made this into a movie, you could really use the novel as a screenplay.
Trenda Fuqua draws men to her like a ancient siren leads sailors to their deaths in the ocean. Alcutt creates a heroine that you love and hate in equal parts. Trenda "is crazy" to quote her friend Lollie. The streets call to her and she answers back. There is a Siren 2. I might read it too.
My review of The Taste of Salt by Southgate..its longWhen I decided to read this book, I chose it becasue of the cover and becasue I read the word "ocean" in the review. Ii was excited to see what a Black woman would write about the ocean. I have lived near the ocean my whole life. I love it and I love being in it.
Southgate delivers a story about the Black experieince. About coming from a working/middle class family and becoming something and becoming nothing at all. Most importantly it talks about the effects of substance abuse on a family. This is the first book, I've read about substance abuse and its effects on a family where no one is in the ghetto. Although I can't picture the people in the book, I can feel them. She writes in a way that is reminds me of the Renaissance writers. I feel the energy from the pages and the emotions fromthe characters. If I passed them on the street I wouldn't know who they were. The setting is described breifly, but not too much. It all adds to the fact that this book is about the people in the book and that these people are separate from the things "normal" people feel a connection to.
I was a substance abuse counselor and I wish Ihad this book when I was practicing. So many Blacks feel that they are better than others just becasue they can string a sentence together with good grammar. When the middle class black kids came in, it was like they couldn't get help becasue they weren't poor enough to be in my chair. I think this book would have set them and their parents free.
Arzellavery nice review. I put book on my list to purchase
Thank you
Arzella, very intriguing review. I will definitively add to my list to read. Thanks.
Review of Minion by L.A. BanksI have been looking for a Black vampire hunter/vampire series. Paranormal fan fiction is my favorite. In my wildest dreams I would not have come up with the tale that Banks delivers. It combines all the vampire/hunter lore and puts an inner city, Black community twist to it. It was awesome. In this firs installment, Banks gives us tons of background information and allows us to understand better the world she has created. There is a message in the story and although she doesn't try to hide it, Banks doesn't eat up pages trying to get her point across.
Sometimes when I read a book, I try to think of the music the author used as inspiration. I think she was listening to Public Enemy and Notorious BIG. And California Love by Tupac.
After I finished reading it, I just kept saying wow and trying to figure out how to read the entire series this week.
WOW.
Arzella wrote: "Review of Minion by L.A. BanksI have been looking for a Black vampire hunter/vampire series. Paranormal fan fiction is my favorite. In my wildest dreams I would not have come up with the tale t..."
Arzella thanks for the review. I'm a paranormal fan as well so I think I will definitely have to check out this series.
Arzella wrote: "My review of The Taste of Salt by Southgate..its longWhen I decided to read this book, I chose it becasue of the cover and becasue I read the word "ocean" in the review. Ii was excited to see wha..."
I loved your review of this book, it made me want to read it - I added it to my TBR list - thank you Arzella!!
A review of Wench by ValdezWe think we know all the stories the slaves have to tell. We know about the families torn apart, the beating and the rapes. This wonderful novel tells us one more story. A story that the historians might have overlooked. A story that the author might be both ashamed and scared to tell. This is the story of the mistress. The black slave that was seduced and loved. One that dared to love back.
Hey, how do you fall in love with the man that literally owns you? Well you gotta read Wench to find out. I cried and screamed and cussed( not cursed, because I was too mad to use correct English). This was the perfect Black History Month read. It truly oped my eyes to a facet of slave history that I never quite understood. I knew there were house slaves and that the male slave owners often slept with slaves, but I just figured that the women were brutally raped and mad about it.
The year just started, But Wench might be the best book I read this year.
Arzella wrote: "A review of Wench by ValdezWe think we know all the stories the slaves have to tell. We know about the families torn apart, the beating and the rapes. This wonderful novel tells us one more sto..."
iLoved Wench also! It gave a great insight on how slaveowners washed some of the slaves' thoughts...must read for everyone!
I started listening to Wench on audio but couldn't get into it - probably because I was home and my dauhgter kept talking to me. I'm going to try to give it another go round though since so many seem to have liked it.
Natasha wrote: "I started listening to Wench on audio but couldn't get into it - probably because I was home and my dauhgter kept talking to me. I'm going to try to give it another go round though since so many se..."I have to admit it starts out slow..keep going it gets really good really quick.
Arzella wrote: "A review of Wench by ValdezWe think we know all the stories the slaves have to tell. We know about the families torn apart, the beating and the rapes. This wonderful novel tells us one more sto..."
I have debated on this one - maybe I should pick up the audio version as well. It can be hard to read these types of books.
Thanks Arzella, I will. I've heard many good reviews =)
A review of The Story of America and African Americans.This was my book to read to the kids for Black History Month. It was an easy read, but jam packed with information about the history of Blacks in America. Kadir Nelson is known for his illustrations and he didn't skimp on the great visuals in his own book.
Reading it reminded me of my mom and aunts telling stories about growing up in Alabama in the 40's and 50's. It reads like an elder talking to the next generation. I pride myself on not being the one in the room with the least amount of information about Black history and this book had tons of info that the average person wouldn't know.
Buy it and pass it along to the young people in your life.
Arzella wrote: "A review of Wench by ValdezWe think we know all the stories the slaves have to tell. We know about the families torn apart, the beating and the rapes. This wonderful novel tells us one more sto..."
I enjoyed both the audio and book, missed the author when she came to a book signing here
A review of Noire's G-Spot...I know I already read an "N" author, but this one was good.This is my very first Noire book.
Juicy is the woman of the most influential man in Harlem. She lives in a posh apartment, wears the best clothes and is absolutely miserable. Like every other 19 year old she wants to get her freak on. However, her sugar daddy thinks most of the act of procreation is disgusting. What's a girl to do?
Noire creates urban characters that ring true to the streets without being an overwrought stereotype. The tale was just like the main character, Juicy. It was sweet tale of innocence lost. A tale of a girl coming into her womanhood and then the tale of how that woman got strong enough to change her life.
Now that I have waxed about the literary greatness of the novel, I can talk about it being an erotic tale. When Noire brought the heat, it was hot. I suggest keeping a fan nearby. The scenes were erotic without being smutty. They developed just like the main character and kept in line with the flow of the story.
My next Noire read is Candylicker.
Review of The Plot Against Hip Hop by Nelson GeorgeThe Plot Against Hip Hop started out great. Then it fizzled for me.
I know if you read my reviews, you would think that I am a romance reader. My love of a good romance is about a year old. My love of a good mystery is 31 years old. This book held promise of a great African American mystery at first. Then it just dropped off. I tried to rationalize it my saying it was an allegory(hope that's right) for Hip hop. Showing how it started out a strong movement and then just dropped off. Then, I just finished it because, being nosy I wanted to find out who the killer was. It was a surprise, but by then I just wanted the book to end.
It was got two starts for a great start and because it made me Youtube some classic Hip Hop.
Just finished A Deep Dark Secret by KImberla Lawson Roby. Very good read. It exposed abuse without making the heroine of the novel a victim. You felt badly about the things happening to her, however, she was a fighter and that made you want to fight too.Great read. I am a counselor and I would urge my clients to read this novel.
A review of Baby Brother Blues: A NovelI forgot that I already knew Pearl Cleage. I was reading the book and I kept telling my friend that it sounds like "What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day". That said, it is a different story. Pearl Cleage just creates the same kind of peace in a novel with her word choices.
Baby Brother's Blues: A Novel, tackles many of the social issues faced in Black America. It doesn't however, hit you over the head with warnings and proverbs. It simply gives you a 360 view of the issues and the people involved in the issues.
It presents you with a small portion of Atlanta on lock down by one Blue Hamilton. Hamilton believes that he is a reincarnated free man. His job is to protect the women and children of his neighborhood and to provide them a safe place to live. The story chronicles the lives of several of the residents.
Cleage is a wonderful storyteller. She mixes beautiful language with urban lives to create stories that appeal to all people. This is my second Cleage novel and I guess I gotta read the rest.
B Banks, L. A, Minion ( 2/5/12)
C Cleage, Pearl: Baby Brother Blues (8/14/12)
D Danticat, Edwidge: Krick? Krack!
E Evans, Danielle Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self
F Ferguson: Dillion and the voice of Odin
G George, Nelson: The Plot Against Hip Hop ( 6/12/2012)
H hooks, bell : Teaching to transgress : education as the practice of freedom
I Iceberg Slim : Doom Fox
J Tervalon,Jervey : Dead Above Ground
K Killens, John Oliver: Youngblood
L Kelly Starling Lyons: One million men and me /
M Mosley, Walter: Diablerie ( 1/13/12)
N Nelson, Kadir: Heart and Soul: The story of America and African Americans ( 3/1/2012)
N Noire; G-Spot ( 4/26/2012)
O
P
Q Quarles, Benjamin : Black Abolitionist
R Roby, Kimberla Lawson: A Deep Dark Secret ( 8/4/2012)
S Southgate, Martha : The Taste of Salt ( 1/26/12)
T Turner, Nikki: Natural Born Hustler
U
V Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Wench (2/10/12)
W Walker,Alice : Now is the Time to Open Your Heart
X
Y Youngblood, Shay :Black Girl in Paris
Z Zaria Garrison : The Rainbow Z