Customer Reviews

Life, Love & Loneliness: Revised Edition

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Crystal Lacy Winslow's Life, Love, & Loneliness is superb... a beautifully written and well thought out book. Her characters are addicting to the reader, one line and you will want to read more.

Lyric Devaney is a top notch diva, doing whatever is necessary to make it to the top of her game in the entertainment industry. Realizing, once she made it there that she stepped on the toes of those who really loved, care for and knew her best.

Joshua Tune, attorney at law, was very focused in his business life yet, very careless in his personal one until he lost the one person who loved him unconditionally. However, he would never be able to retrace his faults and move on. He finds himself so engrossed in capturing a murderer until he has lost all self respect and drugs took over.

Richard Cardenale, mayor of the City of New York plays his cards tight. In one sense, he is racist and very contradicting in the other. His appetite for black woman was so overwhelming until he jeopardized his career. Fortunately, for his wife and his connections he would maintain his status and go on to being Senator. With nothing standing in his way, he cannot wait to run for presidency.

Madison Michaels is a well-educated sistah that is on her way to becoming an attorney but gets side tracked by what she perceived as love. Love; a powerful emotion that would make this girl lose all sense of reality and life. She placed her friends, credit, and job on the line for a con artist that sensed her vulnerability and set out to use and kill her when there was no more using left. Fortunately, for her sake, she was just a victim of ignorance and he would lose his life before she could lose hers.

I have read many books and there are many more I will read. This one has just been placed at the top of my favorites list. The plot was so well thought out that I would just love to see it on the big screen. In my opinion this is a book for every one of all races and sex, it is an educational lesson for woman and men alike. Ms. Winslow did a wonderful job portraying the characters and setting the stage. I can only say go get a copy. It is a must read!

Stacy Campbell

APOOO BookClub

This debut by Crystal Lacey Winslow, takes you on a serious journey into Life, Love & Loneliness of Lyric Devaney and her friends, Madison Michaels, Joshua Tune, and Portia Jones.

Lyric Devaney is an aspiring actress who knows exactly what she wants out of life. Being the abrasive woman that she is, Lyric has absolutely no worries about stepping on toes of friends, lovers, and foes. As Lyric's mind focuses on a starring role with her past is in a position to help her, as well as settle a score, Lyric feels as though she's practically fulfilled her dreams. YET she can't help thinking that she hasn't. Where is the love? You said that was mine all mine till the end of time was it just a lie? Lyric is involved in an adulterous affair and he's shared that their relationship has reached its end. Lyric, the street girl that she is at heart plays her trump card just as her career is getting started. Ms. Diva sees a glimpse of what's to come is it too late to make amends?

Madison Michaels is an intelligent naïve young woman who is uncertain about herself, her beauty, her worth. As a third year law student with her career being in full sight Madison can't help that she's lonely. With a heart so full of love she's easily swayed and does anything to please, and be accepted. As love introduces himself Madi takes on a severe transformation. Eliminating friends who are against her, she toughens up loosing weight, cutting off her hair in an effort to erase the negativity. Sleeping with the enemy with her eyes wide shut poor Madi never sees that the big bad wolf has her on edge and alienating the love that she so desperately needs to get through the hard times. Can Madi recover from a case of my endless love?

Joshua Tune Brooklyn's Assistant District Attorney, husband, and let's not forget a major "pretty boy" who has an addiction to cheating! No matter how he is cornered he always comes out with Pumpkin believing he'd walk through fire in gasoline drawers for her! Did Pumpkin finally have enough? Josh is so caught up that he can't see the forest for the trees, as he is so hot in pursuing his opponent as well as the one he believes that got away! As Joshua picks up a new addiction, he misses the clues that something is wrong around him and seems to further drag himself down. Can Joshua fix the past or has time vanished?

Portia Jones a project chick with the mentality of the hood deeply embedded in her is all about the thrill. There is nothing that she can't do, but it's what she wants to do. As Portia is contemplating what lies ahead she dismisses what comes natural. Quick to dip with whomever she never allows herself a chance to be considered worth the wait. Can you change the heart of a thug girl?

Politics, lies, deceit, revenge, and video tapes... I liked this story a lot, although there are some questionable scenes I do think that this is a fast and entertaining read.

I have been wanting to read this book for quite some time. I had it on my Amazon wish list for months. I read the reviews more closely and decided to purchase it. Boy, am I glad I did! This book was excellent. Lyric was a trip. Don't cross her. But in reality she was lonely and wanted a real relationship. Her two best friends, Madison and Portia were a handful. Madison appears to have her act together, but you will soon find out that she doesn't. Portia is just plan "Ghetto". She's really smarter than she wants to admit. Joshua just couldn't keep his pants on and his wife, Parker, had reason's for doing what she did, until she realizes she is the only one that can make her happy.

There is much drama in this book and a surprise at the end, that will leave your mouth hanging open. Ms. Winslow did an excellent job. The characters were well developed and the story flowed. You never had to re-read a passage to find out who was actually talking. Excellent book. A must read. Can't wait for her next novel.

I picked up this book and I wasn't to sure if it would be very good. I was pleasantly surprised.

Lyric Devaney loved only herself. She was the type of person that the entire world had to center around her and her great needs. She went to any length to get what she wanted no matter what the cost.

If I was to tell you anymore I would tell you the entire plot.

Do not hesitate in buying this book you will not be disappointed.

In Crystal Lacey Winslow's debut novel, Life, Love and Loneliness, she presents a cast of characters who are both manipulated and manipulative. They will lie, cheat and steal for their own self-gratification. They are rich, striving to be rich, working class and poor. One thing all the characters have in common is a love/hate relationship with Lyric Devaney.

Lyric knew at an early age that she wanted to be rich and well connected. In her own words, she proclaimed she would be the next Jacqueline Kennedy. Her method of achieving this goal was to surround herself with all the right people, and when they did not do what she wanted them to, she resorted to backhanded measures to make them comply. There were two women who considered Lyric to be their best friend. Portia Jones hailed from Brooklyn. She was the only person whom Lyric would admit she was afraid of, at least initially. Portia tried to hold her own against Lyric, but when Lyric wore Gucci she wore "Ucci". Madison Michaels was very naive and easily manipulated by those who professed to love her. She was a law school student and a paralegal in the District Attorney's Office. Joshua Tune was her boss and a close friend. Joshua Tune was the District Attorney who had everything going for himself, but had trouble staying faithful to his wife and keeping his nose away from the white powdery stuff. While not really a good friend of Lyric's, he was connected to her because of his relationship with Madison.

There was an assorted cast of characters and outrageous scenes that made this reading exciting and hard to put down. This story will draw you in, have you talking to or in my case screaming at characters to not be so "doopid", and just waiting for others to get what is coming to them. While I actually gave this book a 3.5 on the APOOO rating scale, the constant conflicts among the characters and the unexpected twists and turns in the plot made this an enjoyable reading experience.

Jeanette
APOOO BookClub

Life, Love and Loneliness was a definite page turner. I received the book as a bithday gift from my friend's mom. She saw Crystal at a book signing. I am mostly into reading inspirational books. However, I am glad I gave this book a chance and that I received it as a gift! I started reading it on a Friday evening and was done by Sunday morning! I had a love/hate thang for Lyric. She was so confident, yet emotionally unstable at the same time. It was interesting moving from one chapter to the next awaiting the drama filled lives of these friends. Crystal always amazed me with the new crazy, and sometimes dangerous decisions that Lyric, Joshua, or Madison made in their lives! I could not put the book down and I have passed the word. I've recommended this book to all my friends/associates. This is one not to miss. It also exemplifies that you cannot judge a book by it's cover (meaning the characters). Excellent start Crystal. I look forward to reading more of your work!

I loved everything about the book, heck I loved the characters names. Lyric was something else you hated her yet loved her at the same time, every character had their own drama and it was nothing boring about none of theirs. Boy oh boy how love can shatter some lifes.

The story starts with Lyric, beautiful, sharp and every man's desire.

Madison, naive, timid and so not sure of herself.

Joshua, husband, protector, lover and friend.

Portia, straight from the projects and not on Lyric's level.

These four friends have no idea what it means to be friends. I think Ms.Winslow takes us on a ride we can't imagine.

This book is so deep and real, and I am going to suggest this book for my Book Club, because it would be a great topic for discussion. The woman in this book was so self centered and really thought she was the *#$@!. Well that is until carma caught up with her. Read it, I couldn't put it down!

This is the story of four unlikely friends: Lyric, Madison, Joshua and Portia, and the special way that they bond. Lyric Devaney is out for one person, herself, and she is a woman who will not hesitate to use her body to get whatever and whomever she wants. Her affairs with successful and powerful men have gotten her all of the material things any person can possibly desire. Though Lyric can be difficult to deal with, her friends not only love her,but each of them secretly envys her lifestyle and yearns to be like her in some way.

Madison is a sharp law student in her final year of school,who seems destined for success, yet she dreams that she will someday be as together as Lyric appears. When she meets Maurice Morgan, a man she believes to be her soul mate, she feels that she is finally getting on track. At a glance Maurice appears to be the man of her dreams, but when one is wearing blinders the view is not really clear. As their relationship grows more intense Madison finds herself falling into a deep abyss, one that she may not be able to escape.

Joshua is a prominent Brooklyn district attorney who has a penchant for success and beautiful Black women; sleeping around is his specialty. However, Joshua who is white and married has a very suspicious wife. If Joshua continues his womanizing ways he may lose the one thing most precious to him.

And finally there is Portia, the girl from the hood, she only wants one thing out of life to be rich. Although she is rough around the edges, inside Portia there is a sensitive and intelligent woman. And if given the chance she could actually make something of herself.

In her remarkable novel LIFE, LOVE & LONELINESS, author Crystal Lacey Winslow has hit a home run. She takes readers into the minds and lives of these four diverse,interesting and complicated characters. She also weaves an emotional story with many plot twist and turns, and by the end of the story the reader is still yearning for more. I applaud this author and look forward to reading more of her work.

Reviewed by Simone A. Hawks
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers