Customer Reviews

Addicted

5 star:		(332)
4 star:		(75)
3 star:		(41)
2 star:		(33)
1 star:		(64)

 

 

If black romance novels fulfill your romantic fantasies, Addicted, by Zane is sure to give your sexual visualizations color. Addicted, chronicles the life of Zoe, a middle class African American female who seeks therapy for sexual addiction. Zoe becomes obsessed with sex in early adolescence and relentlessly pressures Jason, her high school sweet heart to take her virginity.

Although she manages to marry Jason, the love of her life and they experience financial stability in spite of becoming teen parents, Zoe leads a double life. By day she is mother, doting wife and successful art dealer. By night and sometimes in the afternoon, she goes barreling headfirst into affairs with people who keep dangerous secrets. Blunt, violent and entitled, something black women have never collectively been, Zoe, feels she has a right to toe curling extramarital "sexcapades" with people she knows only on a first name basis to fulfill the sexual desires her sexually repressed husband cannot. She's possessive of her lovers and feels justified in having knockdown drag-out fights with their women and justified in telling outlandish lies to Jason to cover her tracks.

Addicted is a ring side seat into the mind of a sex addict, the vibrant, likeable flawed Zoe. And it is through this heroine's courage to heal that the idea of therapy is made palatable to black people, who traditionally don't see it as a means to dealing with issues.

Flashlight by Parliament and the Funkadelics, grape Kool-Aid, Good Times, and 8-track tape players are just a few of the details that will take you back to the 70s and your own memories of high school. Not all fun and games; Addicted is gritty, risqué and full of suspense. After reading this book, you'll think twice about ever having that one night stand you fantasized about and consider the fact that your would-be lover could be an axe murderer.

But when Addicted is over, you'll miss Zoe like she was your girl friend. You know that wild child who told you so many juicy stories over the phone you didn't have to go out to get your kicks. You lived them vicariously through her tales of love and lust.

Addicted, simply put is about love, passion, sexuality, and the realization that a person's life is not always what it may seem. Especially the sensual side that a lot of women spend their lives trying to repress. With a one-of-a-kind style, Zane takes us on a sensual ride with absolutely no inhibitions....NOTHING held back.

The main character Zoe is beautiful, successful, and has it all...so it seems. Yet, we find out that she lacks one thing that she desires: sexual satisfaction from her husband Jason (who was her childhood sweetheart). In her search of what she can't bring herself to discuss with him (their sex life), she finds herself caught up in affairs with folks she barely knows. Think that's something? Well, that's just the beginning....

That's just one of the surprises and twists and turns this novel takes!! It's definitely one roller coaster ride after another and whether you know it or not, you signed up for one spectacular ride when you purchased this book. Just make sure you put your seatbelt on tight and that you're not "sexually repressed."

Zane spins a web with unforgettable characters that you'll love, hate, and possibly relate to personally. You may even find yourself thinking, "Dang, I know how that feels." Each character is introduced with the intense words of Zane's writing. There are also enough erotically wicked scenes that you'll be in a frenzy flipping the pages for more.

If you haven't read Addicted, you're missing an outstanding novel. This is one of the best books I've read this year and I'll be waiting with great anticipation for the sequel! <grin>

-Tee C. Royal

Reading and Writing (R.A.W.) SISTAZ Founder/Moderator

This was a wonderful thrill of a read. Addicted is full of sex, lies and murder.

I enjoyed this book tremendously - and I am glad that I paid the $20.00 cause it was well worth it. Zane is a wonderful writer and it's hard to believe that she is not mess or at least know some people who are.

All of these characters are wonderful and full of their own story. Addicted was so "addictive" I couldn't stop reading it. I enjoyed the sex scenes - ok...ok go tell my Momma. :-)

If you are looking for a change and some hot...hot...stuff then trust me this one will do it for you. You will get caught up with all of these characters and the lies that they keep.

Lord knows everyone wants a Jason in their life. I do however believe that the book holds a wonderful "lesson in life" for all of those who will read it. I won't tell you what I think it is cause I don't want to spoil the book for you!

Addicted is sure to help you re-think some of those addictions in your life!

What a wonderful and refreshing read by Zane. Addicted pulls you in from the very beginning and holds you until a very dramatic ending. I couldn't put this book one down to save my life. It had some awesome twist and turns that are sure to floor you. Zoe Reynard is the main character. She a married Black woman with everything. Well, everything but, the right thing, or so she thinks. This story is the perfect example of what not to do, when you're in search of satisfaction. Her sexual addiction takes her on journeys that are sure to have you hot and heavy and on edge. She brings into the story Brina, Tyson, Diamond, Marcella, Quinton, Dempsey and her loving family members such as, Jason her husband, mother and her three boys. This book gets rave reviews from me because, it seems to be the first of it's kind. It explores exoticism deeply and the illness or addiction that can result from it. Every page is hot and leaves you longing for more. It made you see the beauty and danger in it. I look forward to reading this one again and sharing it with others, that aren't in my book club. Thanks for the fabulous read Zane, I'm on my way to get all your others and hope to be equally pleased.

I reluctantly read Addicted as a pick for my book club. I had heard of it before but would have never chosen to read it on my own - now I realize why.

To say that it started off slow would be an understatement, and the inconsistencies throught the book were painfully obvious. The time span was not clear to me as the characters were using slang that we use today in an age where kids danced to Cheryl Lynn. I think the characterization was vague. The only physical characteristic I recall about Zoe was her caramel colored hair and flawless skin. I'm sorry, but I like my characters to be REAL and noone in real life is flawless.

I feel Zane didn't research her subject at all. Having three partners outside your marriage doesn't make you an addict. Masturbating doesn't make you an addict. And how much of a coincedence was it that all three people she deal with were lunatics? And how convenient was it for Zoe to suddenly become the victim when all three lovers were after her?

Don't even get me started on the phrases and metaphors that she used to death like "anorexic beanpole" and "waste of oxygen," and let us not forget "boo." And I swear if I hear this one more time, "I love you and this is forever. Always has been! Always will be!"

Whatever happened to show and not tell? When did vague and typical writing become all the rage? Why is this less than mediocre writer being compared to Terry McMillan?

I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. Hell, I'll give you mine for free!

There is a reason Zane was originally a self-published author and if not for the absence of black erotica on the market, she would still be that way.

Initially, I had no idea what to expect when I first sat down to read Addicted. For months, I heard countless praises of Zane's second novel. Naturally, I felt that I would be let down and that all the hype would be about nothing. Boy, was I wrong! I was Addicted to Addicted from page one.

To me, this book is not about erotica but about the power of love to overcome all obstacles. Meet Zoe, a woman who has it all, beautiful children, home, husband and a thriving career. Yet deep down her life is not what it appears and starts falling apart at the seams. In her quest to overcome her illness (sexual addiction) she begins to seek help. Thanks to Zane, she gives her character depth and allows us to see Zoe's vulnerability, which helps you to not view her as loose, but a woman in need of guidance.

Throughout this novel, you witness Zoe embark on a path of self-destruction, but never losing sight on what matters most to her, her family. It is that love of her family, that forces her to seek therapy. That love that makes her take a long hard look at herself and God forbid a glimpse into her past, where all the dark hidden secrets of yesteryear are revealed. In the interim, it also forces Zoe to come clean with her husband about her double life. I immediately thought Jason would run for the hills, but instead he stood by her, and together they uncovered things that enable both of them to move forward. This book is packed with mystery, suspense and yes steamy hot sex scenes that leave you breathless. However, its so much more, its about truth, love and more importantly, forgiveness. It also forces you to look at things beyond the surface, and realize that people are not always who they appear to be. I highly recommend this book to anyone, but fasten your seatbelt as Zane takes you on a roller coaster ride.

Zane has a wonderful creative mind, and I look forward to following her career. She did an EXCEPTIONAL job with Addicted. Thanks for sharing with the world, that it is by choice that we choose to remain a hostage to our fears and that its okay to reach out for help. :)

The book was the bomb! I waited a long time for it to come out and I am glad the wait is over. Zoe is a main character that anyone can relate to in one way or another. I lent it to one of my close male friends and he called to tell me that the main character is just like his ex-wife. In fact, he is reading it for the second time and this man barely reads. What was so impressive was the way that Zane played up the childhood love affair between Zoe and Jason. It made their adulthood feelings and reactions to situations all the more believable. If you are looking for a good read, look no further because Addicted is it. It was nothing like I thought it would be. I was assuming it would be straight up erotica because Zane wrote The Sex Chronicles (which is the best erotica book on the market by the way), but it was nothing like that. It was a full-fledged murder mystery with dozens of twists and turns. The sister knows how to weave a magnificent tale of deception. This was a great novel and Zane is a great new voice in African-American literature.

The majority of the customer reviews on this website were praising this book and this got me excited about reading it. I read the few negative reviews and I thought those people were being intellectual snobs. After all, this is fiction, right? Above all else, we want to be entertained, right? Not neccessarily.

Now that I have read this book myself, I admit that I agree with reviewers who gave it three stars or less. They made some valid points and I'd like to add to them.

Addicted is the story of Zoe Reynard, a sexually addicted woman who cheats on her husband with three different lovers. Zoe is supposed to be this wealthy successful sister, but her behavior is worse than a crackhead prostitute looking for another hit. Her sexual antics behind her husband's back are so vile and disgusting (for a married woman), I had no sympathy for her whatsoever. I can't ever remember hating a fictional character this much. With each turn of the page, I was hoping she would get pushed out of a plane or run over by a dump truck. Of course, later on, we find out some reasons why she is so deceitful and whorish, but by then, it's too late! It would have worked better if the author had opened up the book showing us the tragic incidents that lead to this woman becoming a sex addict instead of saving it for later. The early stages of her sexual development (that we read about in the beginning) are normal things we all go through and they don't add up to sexual addiction.

My second biggest criticism is believability. I found this novel harder to believe than anything I have ever read in my life. Very little of it would happen this way in real life. It was an insult to my intelligence. I know it's fiction, but even in fiction, characters have to act in ways that are BELIEVABLE. The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter are more believable than this story. Towards the end, in particular, Addicted stretches our ability to believe to the limit. It gets more and more absurd in the second half of the book. The climax of the story is a good example of this. The "villian" and our "heroine" engage in an extremely long conversation that is melodramatic and has more predictable cliches than a Batman cartoon. Author Zane also makes the mistake of mixing in some murder and Stephen King style horror and it doesn't fit well in this story.

And speaking of Zane, her writing style leaves a little to be desired at times. Some claim this book to be "erotica" but instead of being sexy, it comes across like pornographic Amos 'N Andy routine or something a naughty third grader wrote on the bathroom wall. I love sex like everyone else and I am not a prude, but there's got to be better ways of describing a sex act other than the basic four letter word stuff we hear on the Def Comedy Jam. Eric Jerome Dickey, for example, writes vivid and clever sex scenes. He is able to get erotic and even raunchy yet seems to find creative ways of doing so.

Despite these major flaws, I must say that the book IS entertaining and holds a reader's interest. For entertainment value alone, I give it the three stars. Am I recommending that people read this one? It depends on what you're looking for. If you're looking for something intellectually stimulating or if you focus a lot on the literary merits of what you read, go find a James Baldwin or Toni Morrison novel. If you want a fun, occasionally brainless page turner that is interesting in a Jerry Springer kind of way, then you will enjoy Addicted.

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND SKIP THIS ONE. I found this book to be very disappointing. The writing was elementary at best. Any eighth grader could've written this! There were inconsistencies in the character's physical discriptions. Also, the use of the most vulgar and unimaginative terms to describe sex organs and sex acts grew old quickly. There's talking dirty and then there's just dirty talk--which is a complete waste of words on a page and doesn't fly as expression (at least not in my book). Also, why go into so much depth with Zoe's relationships with Tyson and Quinton but totally omit escapades with Diamond? It seemed as if the author was trying to cram every possible scenario in the book and then tidy up all the loose ends in less than five pages. I would have liked to have seen a better exploration of what sex means between two people who have such different viewpoints on it as Zoe and Jason. The author also really gave no insight into the true dynamic between Zoe and Jason--I got so sick of reading "I love Jason with all my heart!". I found a lot of the dialogue truly superficial and lacking.

Zane doesn't seem to understand the difference between funny and corny, sexy and nasty, romantic and cheesy, ghetto and ignorant, and real and BS... that's pretty much what I got from this waste of time. Was it a page turner... yes! But that's only because I was reading and reading, trying to find out where the 4 1/2 star rating came from. Here are just a few of the problems I had with this book:

-It's poorly written with shallow characterization, so I found myself not caring much about what happened to the characters in the book (her Daddy and Brina for instance) or what Soap Opera - like stunts were pulled.

-Everything progresses way too fast and there are too many coincidences that slide everything along too smoothly.

-The slang (boo, nucca) was forced and overdone... black people don't talk like that all the time. Even the regular dialogue was really unrealistic. Try imagining yourself saying half the things said in this book and you'll probably crack up laughing at how cheesy it is or be too embarrassed to do it.

-The "sex" wasn't steamy or intimate, not even when it was trying to be (Don't let the cover fool you)... it was just nasty like some cheap porno flick (Nacho Cheese and a "feeding schedule?").. give me a break.

Everytime I think of this book, the movie "Pearl Harbor" comes to mind... romantic cheese! There are much better romance books out there that are well-written with African-American's in mind... Eric Jerome Dickey's books come to mind. Whatever you do, please don't waste your time and money on this.