Customer Reviews

Once Upon a Family Tree

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

 

 

Once Upon A Family Tree is a raw, gritty and dramatic look at one family's eventful life in the Big Apple. The storyline truly grabs you from page one and takes you on a whirlwind rollercoaster ride.

Hi, My name is Yolara Burkett. I am only 18 years old and until a moment ago the only concern I had was how I was going to afford college. Now it seems all hell has broken loose. My Dad's wife Olive, and daughter Egypt, just found out that he has another family, which includes me. They're just jealous because I'm the Love Child. My Dad, Meshach Burkett, is a bus driver and he met my Mom, Caridad Flores, when she was a teenager. Well she was almost grown, as she was a high school senior when they met. It was lust... oh I mean love...at first sight and a couple of years later I was born. Dad having two families seemed to work fine, until Mom decided she wanted to be the only woman in my father's life. Since my Dad wouldn't leave his wife, several years ago, my Mom decided to leave him. She proceeded to have a one-night stand with a teenager by the name of Kaliq and now today they have a set of 5-year-old twins. In the meantime, Dad's marriage has disintegrated and he's decided that he wants to get back with my mom. Mom ain't hearing it 'cause her girlfriend Rue is trying to brush up on her. And then there's me.... I think I like my mama's babies daddy, Kaliq. After all at age 23 he's closer in age to me than he ever was to her and she doesn't really want him. I wonder if she would get jealous if I decide to let him talk to me. Wow, with all this family drama going on-and this ain't even half of it---what's a girl to do?

Once Upon a Family Tree is an entertaining and intriguing novel from newcomer Michelle DeLeon. The storyline is filled with much drama and "twisted" plot turns and events. The storyline moves quickly and is an easy read. I liked how the author bridged the worlds of the young adults with the older adults; this gave the book a mature feel so that those over age 30 will also enjoy this book. At times, some of the scenes might appear a little farfetched and over the top, however, this added to the originality and uniqueness of this book and showed the author's ability to think outside of the box. One pet peeve I had was that some of the details regarding very common topics were lacking and as such the topics didn't appear to be researched very well (i.e. bi-annual pap smears, renter's insurance). With this aside, overall, I really liked this book and recommend it to those who enjoy storylines with much drama and truly colorful characters.

Reviewed by Yasmin

I am a romance writer and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Ms. De Leon takes a chaotic situation and makes you say 'yeah, that could happen'. You come to care about her characters and root for their survival as a family. I look forward to her next novel!

Ms De Leon characters are so real and alive! By the end of the story, they have become folks you know and want to stay in touch with. You will feel as if you're right there and can have your own discussion. Be prepared not to put this one down. You'll just have to know how it all turns out.

When you're at home during the day, do you find yourself glued to the television for hours on end as you watch soap operas or the many court shows that inundate the airwaves? Does the drama of other people's lives keep you enthralled? If so, author Michelle DeLeon has written just the book for you.

ONCE UPON A FAMILY TREE is rife with infidelity, homosexuality and dysfunction of the greatest magnitude. Yolara, a high school student, finds herself smack dab in the middle of all the drama. On one hand, she has issues with her father. On the other hand, she has feelings for someone who her mind tells her she shouldn't have feelings for, but her heart says otherwise. For good measure, murder and mayhem also become a part of Yolara's already complicated life.

Even though I've had my fill of books full of drama, Ms. DeLeon did manage to create a story that held my attention from beginning to end. The drama was slightly over the top in some aspects, but underneath it, the author conveyed a deep sense of familial love and support that I really didn't expect. The major problem I had with this book is that I felt as if I were left hanging on some of the situations. A scene would end abruptly, and when it picked up later in the story, it had already been resolved, without any reference to the actual resolution. Other than that, I found this to be an okay read.

Reviewed by Renee Williams
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Caridad and Yolara are mother and daughter. Having been stuck by Cupid's arrow in a most unconventional way, each of them must navigate through unchartered waters in Michelle De Leon's, Once Upon a Family Tree.

After a long-term affair with Yolara's father, Caridad seduces Kaliq, a younger man. The result of their one night stand are a pair of twins. Caridad tells Kaliq that he does not have to assume responsibility for her indiscretion, but Kaliq steps up to the plate and becomes active in his sons lives, all while working and attending college. At some point, seventeen year old Yolara falls in love with Kaliq and Kaliq with her. They try to resist each other, but they find that their feelings are just too strong. Meanwhile, through unforeseen circumstances, Caridad moves her lesbian friend into their apartment and ends up exploring a homosexual relationship. The question then becomes, can Yolara and Caridad accept each other's choices in romance and still respect each other?

Although this book had an excellent plot and characters that were well-developed, lack of tension and conflict were areas where it fell short. There were several instances where situations that should have been packed with tension and conflict were not. For instance, Yolara falls in love with the father of her mother's children, and her mother readily accepts it. On the flip side, Caridad brings a lesbian home and they become a couple. Yolara then accepts her mother's first-time lesbian relationship with no problem whatsoever.

I do, however, recommend reading this book. If you're looking for an entertaining read with several twists and turns, this book is an excellent choice.

T. RHYTHM KNIGHT
APOOO BookClub