Customer Reviews

A Dollar Outta Fifteen Cent

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
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Portia Lane is tired of using what she got to get what she wants. At 25 she's ready to give up stripping and become a regular 9 to 5 girl like her friends Lalia, Simone and Fatima. She has a degree in accounting and a good head on her shoulders so it shouldn't be too hard. But life is always hard especially when trying to win the heart of a man who met you while dancing as Mystique.

In the begining of this book I detested Portia's character for a costly mistake that she made while chasing that almighty dollar. Giving full credit to Caroline McGill's writing style she made me do a full 360 and root for a character that I swore I'd hate. This book is simply remarkable!!! It's African- American Contemporary Fiction at it's best and it's difficult to believe that this is Ms. McGill's first book.

A Dollar Outta Fifteen Cents made me laugh out loud and shed plenty of tears. When I got 20 pages from the end of the book I actually closed it because I didn't want the story to end. After I picked it back up and read the final pages I decided not to pick up another book for a couple of days so I could remain a little longer in the environment that Ms. McGill so skillfully crafted.

Portia Lane from "Do or Die" New York is a natural born street savvy hustler that traveled the coast paper chasing with a prudence for the night life. Even with a college degree, she never ruled out any options especially involving fast money and excitement. A gift for gab granted her game enough that she could utilize her kitty as her lethal weapon. Mystique about her "privates," Portia is feeling that the game maybe old as she bids herself into the arms of "thug passion."

Jay Mitchell is one of NY's justifiable thugs. His lady is Luck, Wife is a Desert Eagle and his main mistress is his .45. M.O.B. forget wasting time and energy on love. It was all long- term stability. Without a father guiding his steps it was his goal to be a role model for his mini me, Jayquan. That was fine until he found himself caught up in Portia-ville. Despite what he says P had him open in a major way.

Now can this ambiguous pair survive baby mama drama, lifestyle, drama, and growth?

This is a very explicit account that will immediately draw readers in with drama, jealousy, skepticism, passion, betrayal along with a range of risqué behaviors that depicts the reality of HIV/AIDS and the importance of practicing safe sex. It's all STREET with the characters and their attempts to maintain A DOLLAR OUTTA FIFTEEN CENT.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

This was by far the best book that I have read so far this year! It made me laugh, cry and get mad! I felt like I knew these females. Dont sleep on this book because it is the BOMB!!
I took it to work and over extended my lunch break reading it because I could not put it down. I CANT WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL!
Ms.McGill dont make me wait too long for the sequel please....

I hate that I took so long to read this book but I am glad I finally did. Meet Portia Lane. She grew up in a good home as an only child and obtained her college degree in accounting. During college to make extra paper, Portia was a stripper who also sold "privates" for $500 a pop. She told herself that it was a stepping stone but she got caught up in "The Life" and couldn't stop. Being born with the gift of gab, being street savvy , and being beautiful with a Hershey milk chocolate complexion is a dangerous combination. She was certified Platinum. Dudes loved her and women hated her.

Jay was one of her "privates" but they ended up falling for each other and he made her his wifey. But, he had a baby mama that wasn't about to let Portia have her goldmine easily. Will Jay and Portia make it? You have to read the book to find out. The other characters in this book are Portia's friends, Simone, Fatima and Laila. Simone gets preganant by her boss and finds out that the money and gifts that he lavished her with were nothing compared to the "gift" that she realizes he gave her. No amount of money coudl take it away. Fatima is the thick beautiful girl that grew up with money and is a sugar momma to all her men. Will she find Mr. Right when she starts messing with Jay's right hand man Wise? Laila is the petite sister with a beautiful face, slim waist and a booty to die for. Only problem is her husband of seven years stops showing her attention. He ends up having sex with Portia unbeknownst to her after he ended up at the club she strips at. She ends up cheating on him and BOY when he finds out......... This book deals with all the issues that young people liek myself face. Money, sex, drugs,lies, abortion, aids, lesbianism, etc. IT is a REAL page turner. Get it Now.

Portia is your contemporary city girl caught up in the game of being ghetto fabulous in designer clothes by playing men for what's in their pants (namely their pockets)! Enter, Jay, one of her 'regulars' that despite their 'business' relationship something deeper evolves. Being that we all know that men can screw thousands of women and get up clean, women can't. And because of her past indiscretions, Jay is hesitant to take that step with her even though he's caught feelings for her. This book is full of the drama: beginning with hot love scenes, baby mama drama, betrayal, lies, adultery, and the list goes on. If you want to take a "Fantastic Voyage" filled with rollercoaster turns, this is the one for you! Get on the Bus and buckle up! Excellent job Ms. McGill! I can't wait for "My Sista's Keeper: 3 Da' Hard Way." I wish you continued success!

All I gotta say is that this book was so goood. You have got to read this one! That is all I am gonna say! Trust me ---GET IT!

This story to me was real deep my mind went to another level and I simply enjoyed it. In the book Portia and Jay had a love for each other that was genuine and I could feel the chemistry as I was reading, I felt the pain and the joy of it all. McGill writing skill was off the hook she captured their sense of stlye very well it was like I knew them from the hood. I tought I knew what was going to happen at the end just like most books but not this one I mean it was really mind blowing. You got get this book! She only had some 15 cent when she started but ended up with the Whole Dollar.

Sex, Money, Friendship, Murder, Betrayal, and Spirituality! What more could you ask for? "A Dollar Out of Fifteen Cent" was captivating from start to finish! It's an excellent debut!

Caroline McGill's style of writing is similar to Keisha Ervin's (one of my favorite authors). The love affairs in this book are bananas. Portia, Simone, Laila and Fatima are the "chocolate" version of the ladies of Sex in the City. They were sexy, intelligent, funny and independent. There were a few "chickens" but overall the women in the book were positive.

I look forward to reading her next book, "The Grudge". I must thank my girl Tazzy for the introduction to this gifted author. Good looking out. LOL

This book has been on my must buy/must reads list but it seemed to have been pushed back. Now that I have finally read it I am kicking my own self for taking so long to read it. This book definitely touched me! It dealt with everything you can image: love, friendship, trust, God, Aids, pregnancy, and so many other topics. I was really blown away at how well it was written and to be truthfully honest I expected a typical street fiction book. What I got was a book that I put on my list a an definite bestseller.This story deals with four friends: Portia, Laila, Simone, and Fatima. They all lead different lives but have such a strong bond. I definitely recommend this book as a must read! It is worth your money and a definite page turner!

Portia Lane was introduced to the world of stripping as a means of monetary support while attending school. However, with degree in hand, she is still unwilling to tear herself away from the hustling lifestyle. The money she makes, in a couple of nights, affords her to live comfortably without the monotony of a regular nine to five. When she finds herself falling in love with Jay Mitchell, one of her regulars, she decides to stop stripping, get a real job and let him know how she feels.

True to his game, Jay knew that Portia was not "wifey" material, but that didn't stop him from caring about her. Once she makes her intentions known, little by little, Portia is able to melt the iceberg; a result of major baby mama drama, surrounding Jay's heart. Jay swiftly falls in love and what ensues is a street saga and fairy tale romance between two people destined to be together, all rolled into one.

Caroline McGill has written a very gritty tale filled with jealousy, rage, drugs, lies, and deceit. The storyline is realistic and readers will enjoy how the relationship between Portia and Jay evolves. Readers will encounter a few punctuation and grammatical errors; however, they are not a distraction. I finished the book in a few hours and did not want to see it end. A DOLLAR OUTTA FIFTEEN CENT was a wonderful novel, and I look forward to reading other works by Ms. McGill.

Reviewed by Pamela Bolden
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers