Customer Reviews

Stripped

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

CAIZA BELL WAS A YOUNG LADY WHO HAD IT ALL! A RICH FIANCEE, A SECURE JOB OF THREE YEARS, AND EVERYTHING HER HEART DESIRES. SUDDENLY EVERYTHING FALLS APART AFTER SHE CATCHES HER FIANCEE CHEATING. SHE LEAVES HIM AND FOR ONCE IS IN THE WORLD ON HER OWN. REFUSING TO GO HOME TO HER MOM, CAIZA STRUGGLES TO KEEP HER HEAD ABOVE WATER. IF LOSING HER LIFE SUPPORT WASNT ENOUGH, SHE LOSES HER JOB AS WELL. TAKING ON NUMEROUS JOBS THAT BARELY KEEP HER AND HER DOG FED, SHE IS FACED WITH A EVICTION NOTICE. WITH HER BACK AGAINST THE WALL, SHE TURNS TO STRIPPING. SHE IS OPEN TO A WORLD SHE WAS NEVER ACCUSTOMED TO. THIS NOVEL KEEP A GOOD PACE FILLED WITH ENOUGH DRAMA TO KEEP YOU LOCKED INTO THIS PAGE TURNER.

Caiza was living in the lap of luxury. A college student working at a law firm and living with her fiance Jacey, her money was hers and his money was hers. That is until unfortunate circumstances "stripped" her of it all. She never thought the day would come that she'd be manless, jobless and homeless. Caiza quickly rebounded but could never really make ends meet. Robbing Peter to pay Paul just wasn't cutting it. Determined not to ask others for help financially, she makes the ultimate decision to bare it all at the House of Sin. In baring it all, Caiza unknowingly opens herself to murder, greed and mayhem. Will she see the error in her ways before she is stripped of it all, including her life?

Stripped made for a very quick, easy and enjoyable read. Nice pace and just enough drama to carry readers along without going over the top. The ending however, wrapped up quickly, a little too quickly. As the pages dwindled, I honestly thought that the author was going to leave readers with a cliff hanger to be continued in a sequel. I would have also liked for the mystery/suspense elements to have been explored a little more. Overall, Jacki Simmons nicely introduces herself to the literary world in this promising debut novel.

Caiza Bell is a young law firm secretary and business school student. She was living the glamorous life while living with her fiancé Jacey and didn't have to worry about things like bills and money. Caiza's world comes crashing down on her when a stupid mistake forces her into a life of poverty and an eviction notice. Caiza turns to her best friend Myeshia to help her get out of this financial turmoil. Myeshia introduces Caiza into the seedy but lucrative world of stripping at The House of Sin. Caiza quickly becomes the star of the club and gets more money lavish gifts than she ever expected. But all that glitters isn't gold and Caiza soon finds out that all of this money and new found fame comes with price...a price that could be deadly.

Stripped is an exciting debut novel by Jacki Simmons. Simmons gave us an engaging story about a young woman's struggle to survive by any means necessary. I loved the realistic storyline. I really saw how fast Caiza had to grow up after she's forced to be out on her own. There were also good supporting characters like Caiza's best friend Myeshia that made this story soar. Stripped is fast-paced and entertaining. This is a wonderful start to Jacki Simmons' career.

Still a baby, Caiza Bell was already in a five year long relationship with Jacey White. A student at St. John's, Caiza studied Business and worked as a secretary for Ester and Scarowitz. Budgeting was never a priority as Caiza was able to enjoy her checks due to the fruits of Jacey's labor.

One broken engagement... heartbroken
Downsizing at your job... broke
An eviction notice tacked on your door...$2100- due immediately
Being able to exhibit your ballet skills...Priceless!

Caiza's enchanted life was quickly turning into a never ending nightmare. Her best friend, Myeshia Brown, knew of an easy solution to her money woes. Once the forbidden door was unlocked, sin, sex, deception and infidelity came lumbering in full-force. Could the once cautious Caiza avoid all of the ghastly elements that her new life presented?

STRIPPED is a lively read that offers booklovers an exhaustive look in the two-way mirror of living. I would have loved more from the mystery and suspense. STRIPPED is a good first effort for beginner Jacki Simmons.

Reviewed by: Crystal

The best thing about this book it that it was short....it was alright up until the end of the first chapter LOL. I mean really if a man loves you enough to ask you to marry him after five years then some obsolete female shows him some picture on her camera phone and like that he starts cheating, that is how the story begins??? Here comes the stripper life? The same virginal girl who was judging her friend because she had kids by different guys, now here she his shaking her ass while strange men throw money @ her? After a few weeks she is so much better than the other strippers (who have been stripping for awhile) she gets to headline (i guess that's a promotion for a strip hoe) and every one just loves her! A stranger a man no doubt just happens to give her a brand new BMW out of the blue? I know later it turns out she has to drop off dope for him on Fridays but come on he could have any one of his cronies do that for free! She enters a club and gets a round of applause for WHAT?! Being the best strip hoe at the club?! Yeah okay!! Oh let me point out that she chose the name La Perla! How original a stripper that wants to be called the same name as some dam underwear! The author writes how when she is driving around in her new ride she has "status" now. Why do our people equate material things with having some kind of "status" or respect?! It doesn't matter if your stripping, robbing or selling drugs to obtain it huh? Material things don't define a person and if someone thinks that having them does then that just shows that there is not much to your ignorant ass then! The stripper flies to Jamaica with a customer gets offensive when he asks her why she is stripping as if a customer would really give a dam why a stripper strips lol. Then she goes on and talks about going to college for business to open a hair salon! That is funny! To suggest that the to men were having a silent battle over her was amusing as well. There aren't to many women stripping that men care to battle over when one is done with her the other one can have her. Lastly in the last chapter her cocaine sniffing friend who didn't care enough about her own children not snort cocaine, not to hang out in clubs all night and not to strip cared so much about Perla to throw herself in front of a bullet for her?!! In what world? Wait, one more! What was with the dog? In the middle of of some one trying to kill KAM friend why would the KAM stop and think about THE DOG? All through the dam story it was pointed out that PRICELESS didn't care about people so why would she care to ask Perla about her dam DOG? I could go on forever...As usual I know it is fiction but dam can it make sense? Can it flow? Can it be believable? Can it stay relevant? Through out my copy there were so many spelling mistakes what happened with that? Learn how to write a story Jacki. This book is going in the trash. GW

"Stripped" by Jacki Simmons was a story of survival turn to greed. Caiza was happy with life. She had the perfect man, house, job and all. She went from sitting on top of the world to rock bottom. As she enters a world of desperation she turns to stripping. What started out as a pure need to survive turned in to out right greed. Once she was n the lifestyle it was hard to get out. Jacki lets you see what happens in various parts of your life once you let the greed over run your common sense. A great fast paced story of love lost, and a need to survive in this mean world!
Great job Jacki!!

Don't be fooled by the title or cover. This is far from your average story about a young woman lost on the wrong path. Stripped is your gateway into the life of Ciaza, a young woman who had it all and lost it all and is determined to do whatever it takes to keep it all. Overall this book is a pretty fast read with enough of a hook to keep you reading until the end. Although the ending seemed a bit rushed and some of the suspense wasn't fully explored, Jacki Simmons has indeed lived up to all the hype surrounding her freshman effort.

1. What did you like best about this book?
I loved that Jacki was able to turn a tired, over used scenario into her own.

2. What did you dislike about this book?
I liked the book overall, and although the author took a very common plot and added her own story to it, it does boil down to another book about a young girl lost trying to make her way.

3. How can the author improve this book?
Stripped would be better if the book didn't end so quickly.

Jacki Simmons rips it up in her debut novel "Stripped". Caiza has been walking around with rosed colored designer glasses,living every girls dream life. Ummmm... Just long will that last...... and how far will you go to keep that status????? will you have to srip, or WHATTTTTT.... In this page turning novel you will see just how far a girl will go to stay on top of her game. Reviewed by Glamour Coast 2 Coast Readers Oline Book Club.

Caiza Bell thought she was sitting on top of the world, until things made a turn for the worst and all she could think is how I will survive.

Trying to get thru school, pay bills which she is not used to doing and keep food in her and Sparkles mouth; she does the one thing that is a sure way to solve her problems.
That's to Use what you got to get what you want, and that she does. She is the baddest b*tch Trina aint got nothing on me is what she tells herself, and she does the one thing she never thought she would do; strip.

This was an enjoyable first read by Ms. Simmons; I look forward to what's to come from Ms. Simmons.

I REALLY WASTED GAS AND TIME SEARCHING FOR THIS BOOK. IT WAS NOT GOOD AT ALL. WITH ALL THE HYPE AROUND MS.SIMMONS, I WAS SURE THT THIS BOOK WOULD BE A PAGE TURNER BUT FOR ME IT WAS NOT. I FELT THT THIS WAS REALLY HAD TO FOLLOW AND I FELT IT WAS A WASTE OF MONEY. I STILL AM AWAITING THE NEXT BOOM FROM THE AUTHOR AND MAYBE IT WILL BE A BETTER READ.