Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Little Girls Lost, July 30, 2008
This review is from: Strawberry Mansion: A Philadelphia Story (Paperback)
Strawberry Mansion by Julia Press-Simmons is a touching novel revolving around the lives of three teenage girls trying to survive their teenage years as best they can. This heartfelt story will take you back to when you were a teen as well as some of the hardships you faced when growing up and not knowing how to ask for help.
Tabitha is a nineteen year-old battered women, who is also a teenage mom and has
nowhere to turn but to the safety of her friends when Eric's rage becomes overbearing. Is there time for Tabitha to see that Eric's' love is one she can do without, or will she become another statistic?
Lisa is a caring and nurturing young lady willing to help everyone but herself. Lisa tries to tell her mother that her step-father is molesting her; but when Mrs. Gloria throws Lisa out and chooses a man over her own child, hurt and rejected Lisa deals with life the only way she knows how, by herself. Lisa only wants her mother's love, but she will have to deal with the fact that her mother does not know how to love herself. Even though her mother puts men first, Lisa and her estranged mother try to settle old wounds, only see if they can forgive and forget.
Shanice is looking for love in all the wrong places, Shanice is fourteen years-old and running wild. Drugs, alcohol, and sex, you name it, she is right there in the middle of the chaos. Scared to confide in her mother, Shanice gives into promiscuity and becomes the school whore. Can Shanices' mom reach her before it is too late?
I recommend this book to readers of all genres, especially our youth today, to let them know that we love them and there is help for them. They are not out there alone.
Reviewed by: Cheryl H
APOOO BookClub
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Everybody's Got A Story, Everybody's Got A Song..., October 26, 2008
This review is from: Strawberry Mansion: A Philadelphia Story (Paperback)
Ms. Press-Simmons makes her mark with a storyline centered around three friends that are all plagued with various issues but have one true connection. Their love for one another outweighs all other circumstances.
Tabitha Williams is the eldest of the three but low self esteem ties her to her daughter's father, who's verbally and physically abusive. Lisa Perkins, a high school senior who left home to escape molestation at the hands of a family member, seems to be the strongest of the three. Then there's the baby, 14-year-old Shanice Thomas, who is wild, promiscuous, and foolishly unafraid of the world.
Strawberry Mansion is a tale of struggle that narrates that pain has no discrimination in whom and when it strikes. It was a good storyline, had a good flow, and would have been a much better read if not for the very poor editing job. Julia Press-Simmons has the potential to be a force to be reckoned with. I hope with future projects that she makes a more conscious effort to perfect her novels.
Reviewed by Tazzyt2bossye for Urban Reviews
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Teenage Blues, November 23, 2008
This review is from: Strawberry Mansion: A Philadelphia Story (Paperback)
"Strawberry Mansion" takes you into the lives of three best friends. Tabitha, a teenage mother, is involved in an abusive relationship at the hands of her child's father, Eric. Lisa, whose mother always seems to put her men before her daughter, leaves Lisa feeling unloved. She is the one that seems to hold the group together. Then you have Shanice, the youngest out of the group. She has the reputation at school for being "fast" and is always the one caught up in some drama.
When Lisa is kicked out of the house, Eric hits on Tabitha one too many times, and Shanice gets in over her head, the group pulls together for one another. But the real surprise comes to all of them when it is revealed that there is a secret that will affect each and every one of them.
I felt this story was a fast paced read and keeps your attention. I do think that the ending was a little unbelievable, but all in all I think this was an okay read. I feel as if the story is more geared towards the younger readers because I feel as if there are lessons to be learned from reading this book. So I would definitely recommend this book for younger readers.
Reviewed by: LeonaR
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
