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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A BIG let down!!!!!, May 30, 2010
This review is from: What's Really Hood!: A Collection of Tales from the Streets (Paperback)
I purchased this book because I am a BIG fan of Wahida Clark( I have ALL of her books!), & she has never disappointed me in the past. This book, however, was a BIG let down. While not all of the stories were bad, there are MAYBE 3 that were on point & were enjoyable.
"Black is Blue" was an ok read. The ending left me with too many questions. Could've ended much better.
"The P is Free" was, honestly, the BEST out of all of them. It read more like a full length book as opposed to a short story.
"The Last Laugh" was all over the place!!! I was soooo lost reading that story. Just horrible! Jumping form one character to the next, with NO details about who they were! The ending was predictable & ridiculous!!! It took me 2 days to get through that story ALONE, being as I kept putting the book down.
"All for Nothing" was an ok read as well. It just could have been better. The ending was truly predictable.
"Makin Endz Meet" was also, very good in my opinion. I just wish Ms. Clark would have given more. She left you wondering at every turn, and there was no resolution. Hopefully, she'll make a full book from this story, because it would truly be a good read.
All in all, I have to say is, if you want to read this book, I would advise you to borrow it. It is not worth the money.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An exceptional collection by Wahida and company..., May 8, 2010
This review is from: What's Really Hood!: A Collection of Tales from the Streets (Paperback)
You know... the people that put down "street lit" are real idiots. Just because something is labeled "street, hood, or ghetto" does not mean that it doesn't have any literary value OR that it doesn't appeal to people. This book here, it appealed the hell out of me. Collections are always tricky because there are going to be some stories that carry most of the weight and others that are just along for the ride. I didn't get that feeling from this book. I enjoyed every story in there. Yes, I enjoyed some stories more than others but that was because of personal preference NOT because of content.
If you're specifically looking for a collection of street lit, then seriously. Stop here. The stories told between these covers are raw, offensive, and unforgiving. Oh, and let's not forget sexual. Thugs and thug-ettes gotta get some too right? Whatever. It's almost like the streets of New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia birthed these stories themselves. You know how like Athena popped out of Zeus's head full grown? Same thing.
Every one of the author's in this book holds their own weight. While the styles may be different, the one thread that holds it all together is the love, the hate, the swagger, and the power of the streets. My favorite one was `All For Nothing' by Shawn "Jihad" Trump. There was just something about Jihad and Crook's story that was just plain damn good. You can sleep on this book if you want. You're a fool if you do. Wahida Clark has already shown her talent as an author. Her talents as editor are just as impressive.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
(1.5 Stars) What's Really Hood?????, July 18, 2010
This review is from: What's Really Hood!: A Collection of Tales from the Streets (Paperback)
What's Really Hood, edited by Wahida Clark, is a collection of tales from the streets written by authors Wahida Clark, Victor L. Martin, Bonta, Shawn "Jihad" Trump and LaShonda Teague.
Black Is Blue by Victor L. Martin is about Raleigh, NC legal assistant Desiree who just so happens to lust over one of her clients, not really knowing that he is deeper in the game than she could of ever imagined. By the time she realizes this, it may be too late to walk away with her life. In The "P" Is Free by LaShonda Teague, 18-year-old Wiz is making money hand over fist selling drugs. Then he meets Crystal, who already completing two years of college and had it together. When she was introduced to crack, everything went downhill. Wiz could not understand why Crystal seemed to love crack more than him, so he decided to figure it out for himself, leaving them both strung out. Crystal realizes how the drugs have destroyed both of them, so she's determined to get the help she so desperately needs to get right for her and Wiz. Will she succeed? The Last Laugh by Bonta is about a woman that is sick and tired of being cheated on and abused and how she gets back at her gang-banging boyfriend. All For Nothing by Shawn "Jihad" Trump is a story about a crew called the Point Blank Mob. When they are told that one of the members was an informant for the police, the whole crew is determined to get even. Things quickly go awry, forcing two of the members on the run for their lives. Makin' Endz Meet by Wahida Clark is a story about Nina, a woman who is sick and tired of her boyfriend Cream and the disrespect he shows toward her. Her house is broken into, and her money is stolen. On top of all that, her brother has betrayed her, and her kids come up missing.
What's Reallly Hood!, edited by Wahida Clark, was very disappointing to say the least. In Makin' Endz Meet by Wahida Clark, parts of her story read like another book I have read, and then it seemed as if she just forgot to end it. It was like she was in the middle of something and just stopped. The Last Laugh by Bonta was difficult to follow since it had too many characters, and the story was all over the place. Black Is Blue by Victor L. Martin and All For Nothing by Jihad was disappointing only because I was expecting more from them since I have read their books and know how talented they are. The only story I would like to see as a full story would be The "P" Is Free by LaShonda Teague. If you insist on reading What's Reallly Hood!, I would recommend you borrow it or get it from the library.
Reviewed by Leona for Urban Reviews
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