Customer Reviews

The Night Before Thirty: A Novel (Strivers Row)

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

 

 

Since I picked up Sorority Sisters, I realized Tajuana Butler was an author like no other. Hand Me Down Heartache was good, but not quite as good as her debut. However, this novel, though it was enjoyable at times, really lacked depth. The story was over before it began. I love how she develops her characters, but where was the story, and why was it over so quickly? Hopefully a sequel will make up for it's shallow/rushed plot. Don't waste your money, get this from the library if you must.

In TJ Butler's The Night Before Thirty, five women go on a cruise for their thirtieth birthdays and receive more than just "fun in the sun."

Alecia is an actress who likes to live the good life on a rich man's arm. Catara is a personal shopper who has dreams of becoming a fashion designer. Elise has just fulfilled her dream of opening a gymnastics center for children. LaShawnda is a receptionist who questions her relationship with her lover who happens to also be her employer. Tanya has been involved in a long term relationship with a man involved in illegal activities. All of these women live in different cities, come from different backgrounds with different problems yet they share one thing in common...they all turn 30 on the first of December. The women enter and win a contest that sends them on a cruise for their birthday. Some of the women clash, while others get along, but they all learn valuable lessons that they take home with them.

This book was a light, engaging read. We only got a glimpse into the characters' lives but it was enough to make you care about what happened to them. The concept of a "night before" party is wonderful and I would not be surprised to hear girlfriends planning their own using this book as a guide.

The ending was tied up nicely with a red bow. That does not mean that everybody had a happy ending but there was closure for all the characters. Sometimes our books should be like that, even when real life is not. I would recommend this book to people who are looking for that perfect summer read.

Reviewed by Nicole
APOOO BookClub

This novel written by Ms. Butler, is a interesting novel. A radio show hosts a contests for 5 participants whose birthday is Dec. 1st, turning 30 to join one of the radio personalities who also shares a birthday on the same day for a weekend getaway. Each lady selected has their own internal issues they are dealing with. Catara has dreams to become a fashion designer, and is very critical of her weight. Tanya has a drug dealer boyfriend, that she has basically given an ultimatum to. Lashawnda is having an identity crisis--is she a lesbian or heterosexual. Elise has her heart set on a colleague but not quite sure if the feelings are mutual. Alecia is a woman of beauty and wealth, but she's in love with a married man of status and class....will he chose her? I enjoyed the novel from beginning to end. I only wish there was more to read. However the book ended on a positive note.

This book touched so many subjects that 30ish aged women have to encouter. From being overweight to unstable relationships. This book was great and the story of each woman will be you or someone you know.

Five women with five very different lifestyles win a contest to hang out with a national DJ and live it up on the night before their thirtieth birthdays. Sharing a birthdate are one of the few things these ladies have in common at a glance, however.

Elise is the old-fashioned girl next door, running her own gymnastics studio and shying away from letting on about her romantic feelings towards Allen, a business associate. Alecia is the gold-diggin, plane-hopping chica with everything she wants - except for the undivided attention of her beau William, who just happens to be very married. Catara is the fashion genius who is confident that she will be the next big thing in design, but is self-conscious about her weight. Tanya is the hustler's girlfriend who wants to move out of the game and into a new life. And finally, LaShawnda is the once naive, sexually confused sista who longs to be out from under the thumb of her employer, Cicely, who is also her lover. Coming together on the weekend of their birthdays, these women learn from each other's issues and dilemmas.

The concept is unique, but I didn't think that Butler allowed me into the psyche of these women as much as I would have liked. You won't find any earth-shattering profundities in THE NIGHT BEFORE THIRTY, nor will you find any revolutionary literary technique. However, as a light and entertaining read, this book adequately fits the bill.

Reviewed by CandaceK
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I really do believe that many authors should either keep tape recorders on them or eavesdrop on everyday conversation, because Ms. Butler is not the first author I've read who has unrealistic conversation. No one says things like "...I was thinking that maybe we could grab a bite to eat afterward and continue the engaging conversation we began on the plane." This was the type of wordplay throughout the whole book and I spent more time rolling my eyes than I did reading. I am usually driven to dialogue first, but in this case, I wish the author would've just told the story in biography format. The back stories of the "Questions" were so interesting (minus Lashawnda's Braces Story...that was wack! Her snide comment to her ex-girlfriend was very gross...ugh!), and William's pay-off was ABSOLUTELY UNREALISTIC. I think the author kinda played her readers for suckers because this book ended too happily-ever-after for me.

Overall, this book was an easy read. TJ Butler has done it again. She brought the characters together, however, I like many of the other reviewers, was left hanging at the end. I would love to read a sequel to the text. The book was definitely a page turner and though I have not reached 30, I felt like the issues in the text were relevant to my life as well. I have read all of TJ Butler's books to date and I feel that God has blessed her with a tremendous gift. Buy the book and Soror Butler, definitely keep doing what you are doing!

I picked up the book because I thought the title and the concept behind it was very interesting. 5 different women, all sharing the same birthday and all about to turn 30 get chosen as winners for a contest. Each of the main characters had a very interesting back story. I was definitely ready to see how everyone evolved. The author does a really good job of building this up before they win the trip. However, once they went on the actual trip it just went down from there. It's almost like there was no story left and she wasn't sure how to resolve it all. I didn't feel like there was anything about the trip itself or the way these women interacted with each other that would cause any deep impact on their lives. And then, at the end all of them went home and had these happy "Hollywood" type endings. And this was all supposed to be because of this little trip they just took with random strangers? I don't know. It just felt like the author ran out of story and in a lot of ways I can understand that. Unless these women went through a traumatic experience together (which they didn't in the book) I just can't see them all making these fabulous transitions in their life.

So, to summarize, it was a great beginning but the ending fell flat.

i just finished this book. it was alright. it was a pretty quick read for me.

Five women, five hard-luck - woe is me stories, five endings that you just knew were coming. There's not much more to this book than that, so don't go into it looking for something other than an easy-to-read story with a fairy-tale ending. I'd recommend this for a day at the beach or for a plane ride - it's written in a very simplistic style. 2.5 stars.