Customer Reviews

Dare

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Maya and Athena have been sisters of the heart since gradeschool days, but they're nothing alike. Maya's a Masters degree level sociologist, a poet, and a political activist. Athena's a cheerleader, a rapper wannabe, and though Maya loves her--she thinks her roommate's 'easy'.

But love is thicker than disagreements and the bonds of sisterhood are strong between these two sister-friends. When Athena's Mom becomes ill and Athena cannot make the rapper audition of a lifetime, Maya comes and does Athena's audition.

When Maya's audacity causes her to win, Athena convinces her to take a sabbatical from her job and continue the ruse until they can get things straightened out and get Athena her chance to shine.

Maya thinks she's crazy, til Athena DARES her. Now, these two women aren't children, but Maya can't refuse that dare.

"Dare" is a beautifully written book by a woman whose soul is full of light and who obviously wants to brighten up her reader's lives, too. You not only get a heart-rending tale of a strong woman's life, you get life lesson's as well. Abiola Abrams has filled "Dare" with personal dares that will change your life if you open yourself up to them--one of these is a "Beauty Day". No, this isn't pampering at the spa, it's noticing and acknowledging beauty everywhere.

Ms. Abrams writes with the rhymic beauty of both a musician and a poet. Her imagery is strong with color and sensory impressions. Scenes from "Dare" will bring tears to your eyes and leave you laughing and cheering.

You don't have to love rap or hip hop to love this book. You do need poetry in your soul and be willing to open up and learn--because Maya does have some amazing insights into life in general.

Go on--read the first chapter on this page. I dare you. Bet you won't put the book down til you're done. I also bet you're going to keep the book for the rules and the inspirational material in between the narrative.

Rebecca Kyle, April 2008

GO DARE! I am so excited about writing this review. One of my best friends and I have been arguing about this book for a week, so we're both going to post our reviews. I absolutely loved it, and she wasn't crazy about it. But it got us both talking so I guess that the brilliant author accomplished her point. Here's what the big issue is-- this book is MIS-CATEGORIZED. It is listed as "Urban Lit," but as one of the other reviewers says, Dare is definitely either "CHICK LIT" or just "CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE." I guess that since it's a book by a black woman, the simple category they threw it into was "urban fiction."

Here is why I ENJOYED DARE SO MUCH and my friend did not-- our tastes in reading are totally different! I am a LITERARY reader. My favorite authors are Maya Angelou, Edwidge Danticat, Erica Simone Turnipseed, Zadie Smith, Toni Morrison, Gloria Naylor and Sofia Quintero. I LOVE SMART BOOKS that are creative with strong characters and a meaningful plot. My friend-- whose negative review you will see here ;-D -- loves "urban reads"-- books about hip hop, hustlers, gangsters, etc. If that is what you read or what you are looking for, that is definitely not Dare. No insult against any other authors, but Dare is literature. If you are used to easy reading about pimps, prostitutes, gangs and hustlers, buy something else. If you are an educated reader who loves profound, poetic and thoughtful storytelling and literature, BUY THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY!!!

The crazy thing is that because I am biracial, I have friends of all races. However, the books that my white girlfriends read and my black girlfriends read are totally different. The black books tend to be so one dimensional and basic. My white girlfriends are loving Dare too because they are not used to books like the others that appeal to the lowest common denominator. Edwidge Danticat and Abiola Abrams ROCK.

Dare is so rich and it was wonderful for me to read something that is as good as or better than "regular" chick lit but aimed at ME!!! The character was not a pimp, prostitute or a hustler, but a strong, proud, educated black woman like me. I didn't intend to keep going on and on, but I guess that the only flaw Miss Abrams has as a writer, if any, is that as a black writer she is above the pack, and that by itself might hold her back. People who are used to Big Macs can't understand caviar.

I can't wait for the next book by Abiola Abrams. I couldn't put Dare down. I loved the affirmations and literary references. More, please!!

Sociologist Maya Hope is re-united with Hip Hop culture when she reluctantly agrees to stand-in for her best friend Athena at a nationwide talent search for the next emcee. After confronting Hip Hop mogul "Shell" at the audition, Maya is rewarded for having "cojonés" with a recording contract from the hottest Rap label in the industry, Camp Hustla. Athena dares Maya to accept the offer and sign the deal with the intention of making the switch in a few weeks--but their song and dance gets remixed when Maya morphs in the limelight from would-be fan to famous. Her swagger subdued, Athena is reduced to mere hype-man status, while Maya succumbs to willing victim in her own social experiment. Tension builds when Maya's ex-fiancé Rob is introduced as her new manager, proving once again that revenge is the best therapy when your ex-man faces the next man.

Maya clashes with superficial celebrities, deceitful insiders, the media machine and her own self-esteem on a sordid Hip Hop tour of self-discovery from the female perspective. The truths among the lies in the Rap game have never been disclosed so insightfully--with thought-provoking portrayals and captivating narrative. Abrams' breakaway debut novel is a chart-topping, champagne popping, heel-clicking adventure you wouldn't Dare ignore!

Ms Abrams does a wonderful job of portraying the behind the scenes world of hip-hop in between the pages of Dare. With two unforgetable characters and non-stop drama, DARE is an easy and fun read.

I don't think that I have ever written a review before but this book was completely different from what I expected. Picture a librarian, spoken word poet type woman falling into the grimy world of hip hop!! I really enjoyed reading Dare. It was a fun and fantastic wild ride. At first I was a little unsure of the affirmations, then I realized that this was because Maya was unsure and as the character became more clear, so did we. The characters were interesting-- I was busy trying to guess who was based on whom?

Eventually what got me though, was the heart of the book. I really felt for the characters and their ordeals. Very well written too. I loved the poetry and rhymes. Maya was a true survivor!!! Hot! And the Toni Morrison, Alice Walker and Maya Angelou hidden references-- double hot!

I really liked this book. It shows women over coming self esteem issues while dealing with the problems in hip hop. There are affirmations that help women in particular love themseleves better. We always think that the other women have it easier because they have certain features deemed attractive by the media but that doesn't make them happy/confident. As for the characters in the book they are relatable and real, especially Thug. He reminds me of Tupac!
We need to Dare ourselves to live better lives/have fun, so that we don't look back at our past with regret.

Maya Hope was hopeless. After she left her fiancé, her world and her life seemed doomed to failure. Then a chance meeting with the biggest name in the hip hop industry thrusts Maya into the national spotlight.

Going undercover to expose the playas and the hatas in the business, what Maya didn't expect was to lose herself in the music. Can Maya survive, or will Maya Hopeless fail yet again?

The debut novel from Abiola Abrams is sleek. Her expose of the hip hop world is entertaining and intriguing. Each character is interesting and colorful, making the reader to learn more about them.

Abrams's book is a fantastic first attempt. Readers are not going to be able to put it down. They will become lost in the behind-the-scenes world of hip hop and will never want to leave. -4 Stars - Reviewed by Leigh O'Donovan, Authors on the Rise Book Reviews.

I ordered this book, not really knowing what to expect. I LOVE it! I haven't finished yet, and I had to stop long enough to write this review. That's how good the book is. I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised by the author's talent at weaving a believable tale that is NOTHING like what's out in the mainstream media right now. I've been sick of reading the same ol' thing. You know, girl meets boy, girl has trust issues and diva'tude,girl loses boy, girl gets boy back and life is all good again.

Well, this book has so much more meat to gnaw on than that. My favorite character is Maya. She has some self-esteem issues and she's still trying to figure out WHO she is, but when she finally finds herself, LOOK OUT! DARE is an urban literary treat. Don't believe me, grab a copy of this book for yourself if you want to be convinced!

Abiola Abrams' debut novel, Dare, is a spin on a German tale in which Faustus, based on magician and alchemist Dr. Johann George Faust, made a pact with the devil. Fittingly so, Maya and Athena lived in Faustus, Ohio; a fictional city where the only thing thriving was hip-hop.

Maya and Athena were friends and roommates, but were total opposites. Maya was a sociology nut who enjoyed activism, writing poetry, conducting trivial experiments dealing with human condition and tendencies, and battling demons that kept her from being at peace in life. Athena, an ex-cheerleader, was all about how she could make her next dollar or meet her next bedmate. Since none of her get-rich-quick schemes panned out, she returned to her love of rap. However, Maya had beef with hip-hop.

Athena was set to audition for Shell the Boy Wonder, but circumstances made her ask Maya to stand in for her. Though Maya was apprehensive, she knew all of Athena's rhymes and decided she had to be there in her friend's time of need. She nailed the audition and Maya, as we knew her, ceased to exist. Reborn as Jezebel, she coerced herself to embrace this new endeavor under the guise of another sociological experiment until the truth could be revealed. This truth would put the real rapper on the pedestal she deserved, but when the ugliness of fortune and fame arose, would Maya be able to make a successful transition? Or would the lifestyle hand her the successful existence, tranquility, and love she sought while she was a simple civilian?

Abrams' has written a great, thought-provoking debut novel. Her writing is fresh and witty and her characters are lively and engaging. Dare's plot is strong and without question, realistic. I enjoyed following the characters' angst in taking on roles that unsettled their souls and witnessing the strength it took to practice tough love. The first six chapters were difficult to get into. I had to get used to the writer's style, but once I was able to, I found it hard to put the book down. I was also disappointed that it ended abruptly. Maybe there is a sequel in the works. The back cover labels Dare as urban fiction, but it seemed to be more chick-litish. Urban fiction fans may feel cheated since it does not follow the traditional formula of the genre. Chick-lit and contemporary fiction fans will surely enjoy this read. I look forward to reading Abrams' future works.

Reviewed by Darnetta Frazier
APOOO BookClub

Maya Hope a jazz lover, sociologist, and political activist. Her roommate and best friend Athena Jackson likes hip-hop music and is trying to desperately break into the music business. Athena's dreams of hip-hop superstardom may come true when a superstar producer comes into town looking for new talent. Things get complicated when Maya is forced to take Athena's place at the audition. Suddenly, Maya is thrown into the fast-paced hip-hop world as the sexy Jezebel with the promise to get Athena signed to a deal. But when Maya's music career starts careening out of control, will she be able to get her feet back on solid ground?

Dare is an intriguing debut novel by Abiola Abrams. Abrams brought us a new twist on how a young woman tries to break into the music industry. What made this novel stand out was Maya's approach to her sudden music career. You see how she starts out by treating her music career as a sociology experiment but then later gets swept up in the glitz and glamour of it all. The rich character development also adds to the unique flavor to this story. Dare is a fun, socially conscious novel with a good dose of humor. Hopefully this is just the start of Abiola Abrams' novel writing career.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert
for Urban Reviews