Customer Reviews

B-More Careful: Meow Meow Productions Presents

5 star:		(203)
4 star:		(48)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I truly enjoyed this first book by Shannon Holmes. It was a definite page turner. There was no good point in this book to say ok, I'll read the rest tomorrow, you wanted to read it all NOW..The character development was wonderful, we were given enough information on the characters to feel emotions for them. I am from the streets and have friends and associates who are still stuck in the streets; all aspects of it.

B-More Careful wasn't just about drugs, guns, material things and getting paid. It was a story about life in the streets of Baltimore. It was the story about life and what you make of it. You have power to change the game, don't let it change you. How the game is played doesn't necessarily have to end your life.

Netta wanted love, Mimi craved attention and popularity, Black needed power, and the streets grabbed them all or did it?
In the style of No Disrespect but a voice of her own Shannon Holmes has spun a wicked tale that MUST be read by everyone.
On the APOOO scale this book demands a ^5

If you thought you knew what the streets were about, there is still much more to be realized. Shannon Holmes bears all in this novel where nothing is sugar coated, and every action has its consequence. Holmes keeps it real in this vivid book about the life of one luscious, low-down girl named Netta. Living in the thugged out streets of Baltimore with no father and a junkie for a mother, Netta must find a way to escape from the madness that is her life. Finding some comfort in clothes and money Netta takes her first steps into the "game". When she meets Mimi the two of them bring it like it has never been brought before. Surrounded by the rest of the Pu**y Pound, they rule the streets where no good is the only good, and every day is an opportiunity to be rich. B-More Careful is a page turning thriller full of suspense, action, deception, betrayal, and revenge. As a contemporary novel, B-More Careful touches on everyday issues that spark hours of endless conversation. It was definitely a great read. Shannon Holmes should write a sequel!

B-MORE CAREFUL is written in the style of Teri Woods' earlier novel, THE NAME OF THE GAME. The similarities are immediately obvious, and her editing hand is definitely in it. This book is fast-paced, street-smart, hip-hop and ghetto fabulous.

The story takes place in Baltimore (B-More) and centers around the illegal drug trade, its established hustlers, its wannabes and the women (pussy pound) who cling to the drug lords for the notoriety and the easy money.

B-MORE CAREFUL attempts to show the glamorous side of the drug crime life through the eyes of the ghetto woman by the putting emphasis on flashy jewelry, designer clothes, expensive cars and exciting nightlife. For the most part, this book dwells on the benefits of material things. It highlights greed, envy, jealousy and revenge. It almost totally avoids emotions such as love and commitment.

This novel deserves credit for showing the gritty side of crime, the constant disloyalties, murders, and the ensuing prison sentences. To that end, the author does not spare the reader.

Summarily, the language was coarse and limited and the book truly needed a professional editor. Otherwise, it was a good book. Shannon Holmes has a writing future.

Be More Careful defintely gets five stars off the top-no doubt!
This story has so many twists and turns that you have to read some parts twice to keep up! This is a well written story about drugs, the hood and the GAME!

The P*ssy Pound clique was a bunch of females who used their looks and what was between their legs to get what they wanted. The girls got everything from money, jewerly, expensive clothes and cars. Their cash flow increased while their character decreased. They did whatever it took to get that money no matter who they hurt.

BMC had me shedding tears, drying them and shedding some more. As soon as I got over someone's death in the book then BAM someone else got knocked!

Netta would have to be my favorite character even though she did some devious things! I guess my heart went out to her because from the get-go she never really had nothing. She lived in the projects, her mother was a dope fiend and she didn't know who her father was. On the other hand her best friend Mimi grew with her father and was spoiled rotten. Black was a character I disliked from the beginning, but towards the end of the book I HATED him!

Shannon Holmes and Terri Woods you both did a great job with this story. I loved it and will pass it on to my friends.

Be More Careful is defintely a book that you don't wanna miss!

I rarely feel a book deserves 5 stars (unless your J California Cooper) but this book does deserve that!! BUY IT. If this is the author's 1st novel then we are in for some very spectacular things from her/him. I enjoyed this book very much. Prior to reading this I read "True To the Game" and I do not know why people are comparing the two books. This book is by far superior!! It does a wonderful job of telling the story of how the way you lead your life could one day come back and bite you in the bum(nicest way I could think of putting it w/out being edited). Netta was far more believable as a player and a moneygrubber than any other character I have read thus far. She's smart, ruthless, and beautiful. You love her, hate her, and feel sorry for her. The author does a wonderful job of telling separate stories that all come together in the end. There is no guessing about what is gonna happen in this story. The secondary character where not as developed, but who cares? There is enough going on in this story that to do so would weaken the story. If you like books about players getting played and what can happen if you play the wrong person then you will LOVE this book.

I just finished reading this book! I felt I had to review it as soon as possible. The book is excellent. Ms. Holmes covered every base possible. The character Netta displayed an enormous amount of strength. I enjoyed Ms. Holmes displaying Netta's emotions and allowing us to see that Netta could give and receive love. Ms. Holmes did justice for every character in the book. This book reminds me of the saying "The game is cold but it's fair." I was glad that Netta was able to overcome her love for the game and move on with her life. If you enjoyed "The Coldest Winter Ever", you will enjoy this as well.

This novel was a fast-paced,suspenseful,action-packed thriller.I wished it would have never ended. Any fan of street novels such as "Coldest Winter Ever" or True to the Game" will love this book. Though these three books share similar themes,the way the author paces and words the story is drastically different.

Mr.Shannon Holmes crafts a clever tale of sex,money and murder.From the comfort of your own home, he takes you into the streets. Into places you maynot normally be in or situations you maynot normally see. You get to see the flip side of the game. Things are not peaches and cream.

If you are an observant reader you will see that this story is really about conflict,struggle,drama and change. The author definetely gives the reader a moral to the story. He peaches without sounding preachy. I was throughly satisfied after I finished this novel. I DEFINITELY GOT MY MONEY's WORTH!!!!!

This was a excellent debut book by Shannon Holmes. This was the type of book you absolutely can not put down. The plot had a twist in it that just came totally out of left field. One of the main characters Netta, is the type of character you start off not caring for but eventually you understand where she is coming from and the reason why she is the way she is.

Some people may say that books of this genre glamourize the street life, but I totally disagree. This book shows you that fast money is all it is "Fast Money" from the male who is out slinging on the street and from the female who is waiting at home to be Gucci and Dior down. It also shows you how it can destroy you and the people close to you.

Shannon Holmes I hope you are somewhere in a secluded cabin, writing your next novel because I desperately await more novels from you. Keep up the good work and God Bless!!

I THOUGHT THE NOVEL "THE COLDEST WINTER EVER" BY SISTER SOULJAH WAS THE "BOMB", "B MORE CAREFUL" BY SHANNON HOLMES, IS THE "STRAIGHT UP THE BOMB" DEFINTELY VERY WELL WRITTEN, I HATED THAT THE BOOK ENDED, I WANTED TO KEEP GOING........THIS IS A BOOK THAT YOU CAN'T PUT DOWN....A MUST HAVE. THE BOOK REALLY KEEPS IT REAL, TELLING WHAT LIFE ON THE STREET IS ALL ABOUT, THE GOLD DIGGERS, HUSTLERS, JUNKIES, ECT.......TRUST ME U CAN'T GO WRONG WITH READING THIS NOVEL, U WON'T BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN FROM CHAPTER 1 TIL THE END.......

I had been waiting for this book since the summer and after a long request log for the book at the library, it was finally my time to take on B-More Careful.

Even with ALL the grammatical errors, this book still gets a 5, due to the intensity and peerless story set-up. I thoroughly enjoyed the book from the devilish characters to the game action to the lesson learned about the game of hustling. Although this is a work of fiction, nonetheless, it is someone(s) story in some way, shape, or form. I live in a war zone and know people in the game, so it was a little too real, because people actually do get down like the characters in B-More Careful on a daily.

Sister Souljah (The Coldest Winter Ever), Teri Woods (True To The Game), and Shannon Holmes are our modern day Iceberg Slim and Donald Goins'. They are keeping it real with what's happening in the inner cities.

If you know or don't know the game, enlighten yourself, because what's on the pages of these books are real and only brought to you (the reader) in fiction form.