The Candy Shop [Paperback]

Kiki Swinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2010

Having no regards for people, their property and even her own life, Faith Simmons has done everything from selling off her life’s fortune, to selling her body, and stealing, all because of her sweet addiction for The Candy Shop. Looking back ten years, who would have ever thought that this well-respected and very well paid thirty-one year old assistant principal for a performing arts school would trade in her six-year marriage, a two-story brick home in a gated community and a 2007 Jaguar, for a body riddled with track marks and a substance that gives her a better feeling than sex. When that candy, as she knows it, finally runs out; she resorts to the ‘desperate times calls for desperate measures’ solution; which will have her playing Russian roulette with the angel of death. And sooner than later, these episodes will catch up with her, so she will be forced to make some life altering choices, but will it be too late?

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"After reading Candy Shop all I could say was scandelous!" -- K'Wan, National bestselling author of Gangsta, Street Dreams, Eve, Hoodlum, and Hood Rat --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Dafina; Reissue edition (January 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758238916
• ISBN-13: 978-0758238917
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #193,025 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born and raised in Portsmouth, Virginia, Kiki Swinson discovered her flair for writing twelve years ago after completing her first novel entitled "Mad Shambles," while serving a five year sentence at a federal prison for "being the wifey" of a known drug dealer. This charge is known as "knowing of and/or about a criminal-enterprise."

After being released in December 1996, she did a little research and learned about the success of authors such as Bebe Moore Campbell, Terry McMillan and Sheneska Jackson. She said, "DangÂ… these women got it going on. And if they did it, so can I!"

Ms. Swinson, later went on to self-publish "Mad Shambles." Her passion for writing didn't stop there. Writing feverishly into the wee hours of the night, she completed her second novel, Wifey, which was picked up and published by Melodrama Publishing. After the success of Wifey, there was an overwhelming demand for her to write a sequel. Her fans wanted more so Ms. Swinson decided to answer all unanswered questions. The result is a creative, gritty work of fiction entitled, "I'm Still Wifey."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Candy FLOP, May 22, 2007

By 

Mai_Ling (anywhere, ny) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Candy Shop (Paperback)

This was a horrible book!!! It was like reading an after school special script. You never fully understand why she ever started using drugs. This author wants you to believe either 2 premises. 1. You have an educated sucessful vice principal who can run a school with little to no help from the principal but a friend ask her to try drugs and not any ole drug but hard drugs and she couldn't resist anymore so she just to try it. or premise #2 You have a woman who is so smart she is stupid and she has such high standards for herself but she wasn't strong enough not to do drugs? Huh.
Is it just me or are there chapters missing? Did anyone else not understand what she was trying to escape from? What was her reasoning behind using drugs? Staying on drugs? You never get a true sence of her stress level because this books never goes into that and I really didn't understand what was so horrible about her husband? She didn't seem to suffer from low self esteem because even while tricky she still wouldn't just take 4.00, she thought she was better then that. She also thought she has high morals and standards. So why did she need to use drugs?
Let me tell you what I think.
I think this author tried to use something called irony but I don't think she get's it. As the reader we are suppose to say humn Faith is always downgrading Teresa but there in the same boat. How ironic. Instead I'm just like when is this trick going to die? I also feel the author wanted to write a book with no happy ending which is fine but by the end of the book you know there is no happy ending it might have been better if you thought there was going to be a happy ending and it looks like there is going to be and then BAM no happy ending. One thing I really did not like about this book is all the conversations seemed forced. Lastly, was it just me or was you also wondering when she would stop being so gulliable? I mean most fiends (yah, I know some fiends.AND?) start out gulliable but eventually if they stay in the game end up being scandolous. This chick still just seemed simple and you can't be simple and live on the streets it impossible.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Don't mess with that Candy!, May 15, 2007

By 

Nay J "Book Junkie" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Candy Shop (Paperback)

This book was a really big let-down. I had high expectations for this book but it didn't deliver like I thought it would. It was straight at best. Faith was irritating me though because she kept acting all high and mighty towards Teresa, when she was a fiend just like her. Then when she was trickin' for drugs she talking about she had morals and standards. I'm like WHAT? Overall this was okay. I can't wait to read Life After Wifey though because I liked the "Wifey" books.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars It just wasn't good, March 1, 2007

By 

cherly marie "printer maven" (washington, dc) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Candy Shop (Paperback)

I love Kiki. I really do. She's amazing. I love her, but I want to give an honest review. The book wasn't written poorly at all, but the plot wasn't good at all to me. It started off very very slow. The way Faith fell into drugs seemed very awkward. Like she didn't even really try to avoid it even though she was disgusted by it. It just seemed like she was smarter than that, but just did anything just because she was told to do so. What I did like about the book was the message saying basically anyone can fall victim and lose it all. Powerful message. Some things was just really weird to me.