Customer Reviews

Little Black Girl Lost 4 (v. 4)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Johnny Wise finally begins to disclose the contents of her grandmother Josephine's diary. The contents prove that Johnny's life experiences are by design not by chance. It is in her DNA so to speak to live a life filled with challenges so that she will face hard-core decisions and either sink or swim! Johnny swam, although the waters were very choppy at times she made it. Now we learn of Ibo's tumultuous journey from Africa to America through the Middle Passage into the hands of slavery. Historical information is revisited with a Keith Lee Johnson flare. This is one you need to add to your collection of KLJ novels.Little Black Girl LostLittle Black Girl Lost 2Little Black Girl Lost 3 (v. 3)

Almost seventeen years of age, young Ibo Atikah Mustafa is whisked away from her home of Africa, along with her fiance, on a slave ship bound for America. The young couple was fleeing Ibo's impending, arranged nuptials only to be captured. Will their love survive? Will they survive?

LITTLE BLACK GIRL LOST 4 is evocatively written, calling up image after image. Author Keith Lee Johnson probes the environment, the people, and the thinking of the time through the eyes and experiences of young Ibo as she quickly grows to maturity. As with all of Johnson's books, the fourth edition of the "Little Black Girl Lost" series is thought-provoking and engaging. LITTLE BLACK GIRL LOST 4 is a rewarding read and I look forward to part five.

Reviewed by: Toni

This was a highly anticipated book for me and it did not disappoint at all. It was what i expected and more. Mr Lee. Did his thing with this one. 1,2,3 was excellent but this was phenomenal. Two lovers risking life for freedom to love who they want. They paid the ultimate price. Shocking twist after twist. i finished it within 24 hours of picking it up. i highly recommend this one to everyone. go get it now.

Little girl lost part 4 is an excellent book.

This book is a prequel. It starts us off at the beginning of Johnny Wise's family roots in America via Africa. Ibo is to Johnny Wise what Kunta Kinta was to Alex Halley in that Ibo is Johnny's direct linking African ancestor. A Dutch slaver in West Africa who ironically enough worked with Ibo's father selling Africans was the one to steal her. I found it interesting that Keith gave her the name Ibo when that is the name of a neighboring tribe/ethnic group of the Yoruba (Ibo's tribe) found in modern day Nigeria.

On to the summery:

One night Ibo decides to run away with the love of her life, Amir to avoid an arrange marriage to the brother who is King of her beloved. If captured, Ibo and Amir faced certain death so the two planned to run to the coast of West Africa so they would avoid execution and be able to start over. Unfortunately, after running for two days straight, the two take a rest and before they could consummate their love, a group of Dutch slavers walk upon them.
*I was kinda of mad about this part because I really wanted to read about Amir laying down his Napoleon Bentley style tongue game on Ibo*

*SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS*
Amir puts up a very good fight but the two are captured and taken along with the rest of the slaves/Africans to the new world. The captain had asked Ibo's Father to allow him to purchase Ibo many times but her father refused. Understand Ibo was a bad chic. She had beauty for days and could turn most men in to whimpering fools who would forget their own names after looking into her eyes. The captain wanted Ibo for himself but decided to take her to the new world untouched so he could fetch a higher price for her.

Something went down( I won't give it away) that lead to the captain to become indebted to Ibo. As a result, the two became very close and the captain develops romantic feeling for Ibo of which, he does not act on. During those three long dreadful months traveling across the Atlantic, Ibo sucks up knowledge from the Captain like a Sponge. He teaches her about Shakespeare and other important European authors. It is through those authors that Ibo begins to understand human nature. The lessons she learns from reading and discussing Shakespeare will serve her well during her new life in the Americas.
* END OF SPOLIERS END OF SPOILERS*
I stop right here in order to avoid giving to much away. Was the book good? Hell yea, you know Keith writes in away that you can't put down the book. As I was reading the book, I felt like I was watching a movie. This is part four and Keith confirmed in the book that there will be a part 5 of this book. I can't wait for that.

BTW, if you want another book based on American Slavery which reads like a movie try Kindred (Bluestreak Black Women Writers)by Octavia Butler(RIP). Be for warned that this book will have you feeling as if you are living in the fields and big house with the slaves. Literally, you will feel as if you have time traveled. When you put Kindred down, you will need a few seconds to "get it together".
enjoy

The Little Black Girl Lost series is an awsome read. I have started from part 1 and it has always had me looking for the next. You have to read the series from the beginning to be able to follow through. Part 4 is a good read and a real page turner - just like the others. Can't wait to for part 5. I would suggest reading part 4 when you get part 5, otherwise, like me, you will be vex considering how it ends - JUST LEFT ME HANGING. I was looking for more. Johnson has done it again!

With the discovery of Josephine Baptiste's, diary author Keith Lee Johnson jumpstarts the voyage into Johnnie Wise's past and introduces readers to her great, great grandmother, Ibo. Originally from Nigeria, on the night before she was to wed, Ibo and her true love, Amir, ran away with plans on living happily ever after. Before the two can venture far enough away from their families, they're captured into slavery and are torn apart. Will this demoralizing journey plague the life that they've planned? Or is there hope for them?

A true fan of the LITTLE BLACK GIRL LOST series, whereas I was thrilled to see that we'd get to see how it all began, I felt like the story wasn't truly authentic and for that very reason I struggled while reading. Admittedly it did slow me down, but it didn't nor would it be able to detour me.

3.5 stars
OOSA Book of the Month

This book was different but Sooooo Goooood.It totally surprise me and I couldn't put it down.A must read the whole series.If you haven't read them go and get "ALL" 4 books you won't be sorry!!!!

Ibo b*k*a Lauren was set to marry royalty but she was in love with her intended's brother Amir. They planned their escape in the wee hours of the night the day the wedding was to take place. the unlucky lovers planned to run far away, marry and have babies only to be snatched away by captain rutgers, a slave trader that had dealings with Ibo's father. Captain Rutgers stowed them away on a dutch slave ship where unspeakable horrors occured at his hands but he had one weakness... Ibo.

Upon enterting america the windward made a stop in Santa Domingo where an uprising by slaves left the island ablaze. Lauren was sold to Beaumont Bouvier who was one of the richest men in New Orleans. Beaumont had his special tastes and went to great lengths to have them. Drama, scandal and doom plauged Bouvier Hill leaving Lauren a very rich woman.

LBGL4 is a very intriguing book that has a of history and background information to offer, but i felt the book was rushed and could've been more detailed and not so rushed with the mini chapters. Although, not as fast paced as the three books before it, it's still a great read. i know this can't be it for this series which is why the revenge i know is coming, will be best served cold. i have a love /hate relationship with Lauren but i'm looking forward to reading more about her.

Mr. Johnson you are truly exceptional and simply fantastic. This novel made me laugh and cry and some passages were very painful to read. I wrote a review to another of Mr. Johnson's novels and like a "molly" I revealed the ending. Not this time though, after rewriting that review never again will that happen. I'm at a loss for words...this novel was great.

IM GLAD THAT THIS WAS THE 4TH OF THIS SERIES AND NOT THE 1ST, OTHERWISE I DONT THINK I WOULD HAVE READ THE ENTIRE SERIES. 1-3 ARE SO GOOD THEY ARE ABOUT A YOUNG LADY NAMED JOHNNIE WISE. THE 4TH IS ABOUT HER GREAT GREAT GRANDMOTHER I BELIEVE AND HOW THE CHOICES THE GRANDMOTHER MADE AFFECTED JOHNNIE AT THAT POINT IN HER LIFE. I UNDERSTOOD WERE HE WAS COMING FROM I JUST WISHED HE COULD HAVE TIED THE 1ST 3 BOOKS IN WITH THE 4TH. OTHERWISE IT WAS OK. BUT READ THE 1ST 3 AND THEN THIS AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF.