Customer Reviews

Chasing Destiny

5 star:		(93)
4 star:		(39)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I can't quite understand why there are so many negative reviews on this book from "so-called EJD fans". Part of being a fan of someone's writing is allowing them to evolve as a writer and following them faithfully down the paths they choose to travel. I enjoyed this book tremendously. The characters were dramatic, well-developed and very real. I particularly liked the way the characters' lives all intertwined...it is a small world. The ending was classic and not typical. I hope this is not the last we read of Destiny, Billie, and Carmen. Eric Jerome Dickey has outdone himself, AGAIN!!!

Billy aka Ducati is a gorgeous "biker chick" famous for tooling around LA on her yellow Ducati. Billy is a looker, has posed on her motorcycle in a thong for a well-known magazine, and is desired by both males and females alike. So why would she waste her time in a toxic romantic relationship? Well, she does; and when the novel opens, she is sitting across the table from her not-yet-divorced lover Keith, announcing that she is pregnant with his child. Keith is less than enthused; beset with financial woes and all of the legal haranguing that can accompany trying to divorce a wife who doesn't want to be divorced, especially when she is a lawyer, Keith is facing eviction from his apartment. So while Billy is busy breaking the news of her pregnancy...Keith is trying to figure out how to break the news of his decision to reconcile with his wife....for the good of daugher Destiny, of course. Keith's news sends Billy over the edge; and what follows are a series of confrontations between the two women almost too embarrassing to recall. And when daughter Destiny is assaulted and runs away from home, Billy finds out exactly what evil may lurk in the hearts of many...she is stalked, her home vandalized, and her life threatened. Billy finds out the hard way the lengths to which some people will go to maintain hearth and home.
Without a single, in my opinion, likeable character in the whole saga, it is only Dickey's ability to weave a tale and keep readers turning the pages that render this novel the five stars it so rightly deserves.


DYB

Very interesting read. I am an Eric Jerome Dickey (EJD) fan, and have been since my early college days. The stories in this book are woven together very well, mostly with lies, and a little bit of love mixed in.

There was a lot I liked. I enjoyed the mystery. I liked the way the stories merged together. I marveled at the re-introduction of old characters, since I have read all of the previous books by EJD, I embraced the brief references to old faces. I really, really loved the way one of the main characters called upon one person as their rock, their salvation, and it turned out that person was wrapped up in the same drama. I enjoyed the way the stories came together full circle. Clearly California is not all that big!

Overall I didn't care for all of the drama, come on the book's climax spanned 2-3 days, yet there was drama on every other page. None of the characters thought about the consequences of their actions. There was TOO much Violence. Most of the violence was way over the top. The excessive lies got on my nerves. I kept thinking- OK just tell the truth- the truth will set you free. But no- the people just kept lying and lying. I didn't care for the main character or the title character. One was so under-developed you couldn't get a grasp on their true self, so how could you really be surprised or shocked at their actions.

The book reminds me of a Jill Scott song- "Do you remember"- especially the last line! I would love to look at the rejected titles for this book- I know "Baby Mama Drama" had to have made the list, of course it has been done before.. But would have suited nicely.

Run out and get this book. It is good. It will make you think twice about telling a life changing lie

When it comes to me and Eric Jerome Dickey's books its always the same. After I finish one, I'm forced to impatiently wait for word of the next offering. Once a new book comes out, I go to my local book seller (on the release date of course), grab the first one on the shelf, buy it, then find a quiet place to get my fix. But inevitably, before I read the first sentence, no, the first word I can't help but wonder; will this be it? It's a law of nature: What goes up must come down. Has ERIC JEROME DICKEY finally reached his pinnacle? Will this book be able to live up to the sky high standards he has set? Will my favorite author finally let me down?

Well, after reading the first few sentences of Chasing Destiny, I knew that if ERIC JEROME DICKEY falls from grace it won't be holding this book. Chasing Destiny is a fast paced, mentally satisfying journey into the lives of Billie, Keith, Carmen and Destiny. For 400+ pages they live, breath, love and screw up in ways seldom seen on the pages of a book. I'm telling you, they seemed real. With a cast of supporting characters shoring up the winding and mysterious plot, Chasing destiny made my cheeks burn from laughter and my heart ache with empathy. This book may just be this author's best book to date. I gobbled up the pages and now once again I'm saddened by the thought of waiting another year for his next book.

My only criticism is that while satisfying, the ending left me with a few questions. I wonder if for the first time readers will be blessed with a sequel. Basically, I'm just saying that when it comes to writers like Eric Jerome Dickey, the whole five star rating system thing gets sort of blurry. When a person writes at the level he does, you no longer base the number of stars you give him on comparisons to the work of other authors. He's on another plane with writers like Terry MacMillan, BeBe Moore Campbell and Colin Channer; sitting amongst the stars in the literary sky, Eric Jerome Dickey sits the highest on a throne of books as the King of African American Fiction (at least in my opinion). His work is uncomparable to any writer's. So when deciding how many stars he deserves you must compare him only to himself and his prior works. Even with that, I still give chasing Destiny 5 stars.

Destiny is one interesting Part-time bartender, aspiring singer and celebrated biker chic (aka, Ducati, after the Italian motorcycle). Eric Jerome Dickey again brought an interesting fast paced storyline under is belt.

Chasing Destiny is a well-developed plot, interesting characters, and beautiful imagery of various neighborhoods of Los Angeles. You never known what what goes on the L.A. motorcycle culture in Cali even though you see what happens in cars racing (fast and furious) but it was a nice touch into this storyline. Destiny's Korean roommate was really down to earth and very supportive towards Destiny's situation. The diversity of the characters really made this novel stand out. There were a lot of shocking elements to this story that will leave readers anxiously flipping the pages. I also liked the way the stories merged together within the characters. The only thing that detour me from this book was the long dialog among the characters I feel as though it could of been edited some more and I also wish the book could of gotten to the point in certain areas, it sort of frustrated me a bit that lead me to skip a few lines.

Eric Jerome Dickey is a great African American Fiction writer. and his work is un-comparable to most writers. Other than that "Chasing Destiny" is a great novel which is also another departure from his previous works, I know a lot of fans seems to complain about this new style of writing but he's broaden his horizons. Definitely recommended to all dedicated EJD fans and for those who want to know his work.

"Simply riveting describes this fast paced read. Chasing Destiny will have readers chasing every word from beginning to end. Eric Jerome Dickey has brilliantly created a story unlike any other. With a novel that is filled with romance, intrigue, suspense, drama and deceit, you name it, and it can be found here among the pages of this intoxicating book."

"The story begins with Billie, a very attractive, strong willed woman who just so happens to be involved with Keith, a married man and the father of a daughter named Destiny. Keith is separated from his wife Carmen who happens to be a very successful attorney that is determined to salvage her marriage by any means."

"Billie announces to Keith that she is expecting their child. This throws Keith into a tailspin as he has decided to reunite with Carmen due to his dwindling finances since he has recently lost his job and is having a difficult time finding a new position making the kind of salary that he is accustomed to."

"Needless to say, the relationship between Billie and Keith is challenged with this unexpected revelation. Throughout the story, they try to hold onto their love for each other. But all of the mitigating circumstances could tear them apart."

"Keith's daughter Destiny becomes a victim in a tragic situation that totally gets out of hand as she seeks revenge on those who have caused harm to her."

"This page turner will pull readers into the world of manipulative, shady characters that believe in taking matters into their own hands in order to get what they want."

If you are an unattached person and you have ever considered stepping to a married man or women (not yet divorced/seperated from their ex) U NEED TO READ THIS BOOK AND RETHINK DOING THAT!!!

This book like Genevieve before and The Other Woman eons back interweaves the angles of the impact of an action and how the characters react to it! Infidelity & a disfuctional marriage being the basis of Chasing Destiny it was interwoven on how it not only impacted the lives of Billie and Keith but also Carmen (Keith's wife), Destiny (a black female Omen child at best) and Carmen's parents.

This book left me with little sympathy for the grown folks (who should know better but I couldn't help stop reading on to see how the drama escalated) but I had sympathy completely for Destiny. She was in the mix of the disfunction caused by two parents & their childish and greedy behavior and she was going buck wild as a result of it and got caught up in bad circumstances and reacted in a way that put her in serious trouble. The secondary characters such as Billie roommate Viviane and her sister, Raheem and those kids Destiny hung out with are interwoven in the story makes this book have a "6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon" theme going on.

EJD does it again with this book and his drama based story lines!!

If your like me, you probably just want to know if this book is worth reading after reading Genevieve... and my response is yes its worth reading/buying, its waaaaaaaay better than Genevieve.

Like someone previously said, this book is fullll of violence, surprised the hell out of me!! Not what i expected. Nothing wrong with violence, its fiction, but dam! lol. If your expecting a nice love story, with all these wonderful sex scenes and all that lovey dovey stuff.... not in this book of EJD's (ok there was one good sex scene). I basically would sum up this book by saying that this book is about "the extent of things u would do for your family" It's got all the usual: sex, lies, and lots of drama. The only thing I wasn't feeling, is that the book seemed kinda drainey; you would think a week has passed by with all the drama going on, but in reality its only been one long day. If you have ever seen an episode of 24 the tv show, then you know exactly what i mean, maybe EJD was watching 24 when writing this book, and tried to see how much drama and violence and twists he can add in a days work. I finished the book in a couple days... I had to find out what happened next!!

To all the EJD fans: the man has clearly got a new style of writing, and I don't think we'll ever get that old EJD back, the one who gave us all those "classics" (lol) but maybe he's tryin to feel out a new writing style or something. Either way can't wait til next year to get his new book, and meet him again, EJD is too funny!

Bottom line, as a fan of EJD's go out and get the dam book :)

I usually LOVE Eric's books, but I was very disappointed in this one. It seemed that he was trying to be like another author in writing this book. If you like Zane, you'll like this one. If not don't bother!

Yet again I am still surprised at Eric Jerome's books. His writting never fails to keep your attention. I could'nt stop reading, this book is a page turner right till the end.If you like his writing I suggest you read this book. It is brilliant.