Guidelines: Learn more about the ins and outs of Your Profile.
|
Reviews Written by
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Is It Real?, July 1, 2009
Event Coordinator Tori Carter has it all, a wonderful job, loving family, friends, the perfect home, and has planned her own storybook wedding. An event she is sure will be the talk Kansas for years to come. Stop! Rewind! Is this a dream or reality?
Berry had my undivided attention from the prologue to the very last page. The humor in which she dealt with each situation was remarkable and one would not know if they should be laughing or crying. The characters in THE NEXT BEST THING were ones you could put the names of your personal friends and family, yet never miss the message while reading.
First time novelist Deidre Berry is truly an author to add to your reading list. Her voice is one the fiction world will be giving thumbs up to for years to come.
Reviewed by Toni Bonita
of The RAWSISTSAZ(tm) Reviewers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Have Mercy
|
by Earl Sewell
Edition: Paperback |
| Price: $11.25 |
|
| Availability: In Stock |
|
|
|
|
|
Past Life Demons, July 1, 2009
After the death of her parents, Carmen took on the responsibility of raising her younger sister, Nikki. The home they made for each other was peaceful until Nikki began hanging out with the wrong crowd, which caused friction between her and her sister. Carmen devotes all her time and energy making a nice home for them, never spending any time on herself or a social life. Will an encounter with a rough-around-the-edges man open a whole new world for Carmen?
Life wasn't easy for Luther Parker. Raised by a loveless, drug addicted mother who constantly told him he was worthless, Luther had to do whatever it took to survive. He made many wrong choices and felt his life was meaningless and he didn't deserve to have anything better. However, when he sees an opportunity to improve his situation, little does he know his actions will leave a profound impact on his life and the lives of others.
Marshall Turner is extremely happy with his life; he loves his beautiful wife and daughter. In a split second, his world is turned upside down after a tragic accident. Gripped with grief, his marriage crumbles and he loses all self-control. But as time moves on, Marshall takes control of his life and a new romance evolves. Has Marshall truly found peace within himself after that fateful day which altered his happy life?
Romance, suspense and drama come alive on the pages of HAVE MERCY. I love the connection between the characters and how full of life they appear on the pages. The novel discharges an emotional energy pulling me into each character and the erotic love scenes are titillating. I finished HAVE MERCY in one day and the ending is surprising.
Reviewed by Sharon Lewis
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Body By Night
|
by Zuri Day
Edition: Paperback |
| Price: $6.99 |
|
| Availability: In Stock |
|
|
|
|
|
Body Workout, July 1, 2009
A broken love relationship, a stressful home life, and terrible eating habits send plus-size beauty, D'Andra Smalls to the emergency room. After being diagnosed with high blood pressure and diabetes, D'Andra is determined to live a healthier lifestyle. She begins by making better food choices and joining a fitness club, but the lack of support from her family and her own low self-esteem makes taking control of her life challenging.
While sitting in her car debating whether to go inside the fitness club, a deep sexy voice speaks to her. D'Andra's eyes feast on the six feet tall, ebony Adonis, JuJuan "Night' Simmons. As Night, a personal trainer, whips her body into tip-top shape, D'Andra sees a caring, softer side to Night as his feelings for her are becoming hard to control. The magnetic attraction they have for each other will bring them closer in more ways than they could imagine.
The pages of BODY BY NIGHT are dripping with fire and desire. The electrifying chemistry between D'Andra and Night is very intense and raw. Their characters are clearly developed, making them easy to visualize. The secondary characters and subplots add a velvety touch to the book. I am most happy how the author describes D'Andra's weight loss as a lifestyle change and not a diet. BODY BY NIGHT is an emotionally stimulating and romantic story.
Reviewed by Sharon Lewis
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Saga Continues...., July 1, 2009
The Chase family will learn a valuable lesson....when you lie, manipulate, and deceive, eventually you will have a price to pay.
Carter Chase will never accept the fact that his beloved ex-fiancée, Avery, married another man. He vowed he would win her back, no matter what it takes. He devises a plan he's sure will have her running back into his arms. Avery loves her husband and tries to keep peace between him and Carter, but whenever she's in the presence of Carter, her emotions go haywire. A near fatal accident has Avery running to Carter's side and he has her where he wants her. However, life has a way of throwing a mean curve ball.
Michael Chase always felt second to his older brother, Carter. Searching for acceptance from his powerful and influential father, Michael's business proposal could land him back in the good graces of his father and earn the Chase empire mega millions. Will the business deal go belly-up like his marriage?
Spoiled little rich girl, Haley Chase, is the youngest daughter in the Chase clan. Wherever Haley goes, drama follows. Haley's boyfriend is a suspect in a murder investigation and she promises to support him and stay by his side but there's a price he has to pay for her help. What will be in store for the Chase family when the media invades the privacy of this high-profile family?
A PRICE TO PAY is the fourth installment of five in the View Park series. I felt it could easily be a stand alone novel, providing flashbacks from the previous novels, however to truly understand the rich and unethical Chase family, the first three installments should be read. I was easily drawn into the characters, developing a love-hate relationship with a few of them. Fast-paced and full of drama, A PRICE TO PAY will keep the reader entertained.
Reviewed by Sharon Lewis
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Miracles In Action
|
by Angela Alexander
Edition: Paperback |
| Price: $11.96 |
|
| Availability: In Stock |
|
|
|
|
|
If You Only Believe, July 1, 2009
Angela Alexander has seen and been through more pain and challenges in her life than most will see in their lifetime. Yet, she continues to stand on faith and her belief that God is her strength and protector doing her most difficult times. As a soldier in the military, she was summoned to the office and when she saw the priest her heart stood still enough to hear God, because she was about to hear the biggest heartbreak in her life. After hearing the news, she did not lose control, she simply did what she had learned to do, she gave it to God.
MIRACLES IN ACTION is an outstanding book that takes you through the pain of one person's trials and tribulations. It is a strong testimony to what God can do if you let Him. Through Alexander's experiences she teaches you to listen to God while allowing Him to handle your burdens.
MIRACLES IN ACTION is well-written and reads like a novel. This book is awesome. Author Alexander did an excellent job in detailing the events that shaped her life. Finally it makes you feel as if you can handle any adversaries that come your way with God on your side. Reading this book encourages you to want the same kind of relationship that Angela has with God. Readers will be drawn into the writer's life and will be satisfied that she made it through.
Reviewed by RM Jackson
of The RAWSISTAZ (tm) Reviewers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(RAW Rating: 4.5) - Beware!, July 1, 2009
Despite a rough childhood, Katrina, known as "Kat", is achieving success her way. Kat owns expensive clothes and jewelry and drives the hottest cars. She learned early in life to take care of herself since her mother cared more for the men in her life than she did her own child. Kat is a highly paid assassin with a unique way of trapping her targets. She manages to keep her career a secret from family and friends. However, when her private life collides with her day-to-day life, the results may be deadly.
This is my first book by Cairo , but it won't be my last. Written with the gritty realism of street life, THE KAT TRAP is a page-turner. Kat's character is strong-willed and focused which is good for her chosen profession. Yet, she is soft enough to still unwind with friends and desire the love she seeks from her mother. The only thing I felt the plot lacked is more interaction between her and a budding love interest. There was also quite a bit of gratuitous sex, which pushed the novel towards the erotica genre. Lovers of urban literature will be captivated by this one.
Reviewed by Paula Henderson
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Playing Dirty
|
by Kiki Swinson
Edition: Paperback |
| Price: $10.20 |
|
| Availability: In Stock |
|
|
|
|
|
No Rhyme or Reason, July 1, 2009
Yoshi Lomax, a mixed race African American/Asian beauty, is a very successful attorney in Miami . The motto she lives by is "by any means necessary" and by following this; she is very wealthy and has never lost a case. Her clientele includes several top level drug lords and rap artists who are blatantly guilty of the crimes they are accused but after Yoshi performs her magic, they get off scot-free. When she decides to take on a client who is a rival of a former drug dealer she represented, her life is turned upside down. Yoshi starts to realize what it means to play dirty.
I was engaged in PLAYING DIRTY from the first page, but it changed midway into the novel when the storyline became unbelievable. Common occurrences came off as staged scenes just so the novel could flow into other outlandish scenes. The novel could have easily worked with a little more research. Case in point, everyone knows DEA agents can recognize the scent of death so one of the scenes in the book would not have played out as it did. The book also ended abruptly without tying up the loose end or offering a cliffhanger for the next installment.
Reviewed by Paula Henderson
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We Belong Together
|
by Barbara Grovner
Edition: Paperback |
| Price: $14.95 |
|
| Availability: In Stock |
|
|
|
|
|
(RAW Rating: 3.5) - Obsession, July 1, 2009
Mavis Rollins is a woman with a past that still rules her life. Before his death, her husband Herbert had an affair with a very wealthy woman. Although Mavis knew about the affair, she never confronted him or the woman. However, with a declining mental state and a granddaughter to raise, Mavis made plans. One day her granddaughter would marry the grandson of her tormentor.
Sandy grew up believing everything her grandmother told her, including her destiny was to marry Makai Wilson. However, Sandy is befriended by Kara in high school and it is ironic that Kara would be the one to fall in love with Makai and eventually marry him. Marriage doesn't deter Mavis or Sandy and their obsession goes into overdrive. It helps that Makai plays right into their plans, as he is the consummate philanderer. Giving up all women is not in his realm of thinking, until he is forced to take a good look at what he's been doing. Before he can make things right, Kara is found murdered. Who did it?
In WE BELONG TOGETHER, Barbara Grovner blends together an interesting collection of twists and turns with fast moving action, which kept me seated and thoroughly shocked. I questioned a couple of scenes that appear to be thrown in just for the shock factor and didn't really add anything to the story. There were obvious editing issues and abrupt changes in the points of view, which caused the flow to shift uncomfortably at times. Despite these somewhat minor flaws, Grovner has definitely captured my attention.
Reviewed by Brenda Lisbon
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fallen 2 Stand
|
by Angela M. Thomas
Edition: Paperback |
| Price: $15.00 |
|
| Availability: In Stock |
|
|
|
|
|
Standing Taller, July 1, 2009
There are times in our lives when it seems like everything is against us, nothing seems to work out right, or God seems to have forgotten all about us. We feel hopeless and bereft of any way to fix the feeling of total loneliness and abandonment. This is when we have fallen on dark times. Angela M. Thomas, in FALLEN 2 STAND, reminds us this is the time that we should look at and within ourselves, take up our sword and shield, and stand against the manipulations of Satan. Using the experiences of her life, Thomas shows exactly how Satan wants us; operating in darkness and being bound in our self pity, past hurts and inadequacies. However, when taking a real look within you can choose to learn from your struggles, stand taller and reach your destiny in spite of them. With God, all things are possible.
FALLEN 2 STAND is a inspirational book that shows how to overcome, in the face of adversity, and use it as a stepping stone to better things. Thomas invites readers to come and have some "mind surgery" where her aim is to change our way of thinking. She challenges us to let go of those past hurts and become the people we were meant to be. If you fall during your Christian walk, Thomas advises that you rise by learning from your mistakes, forgiving yourself, and moving forward. This was a quick read with lots of potential had more attention been focused on editing and formatting.
Reviewed by Brenda Lisbon
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Strange Things Happen, July 1, 2009
12 STORIES HIGH: The Imaginative Trip Through a Black Mind by Justin Thomas is creative stories that sometimes take place in the past but cover the Black situation today. The stories show racism still exists, but many feel it is no longer an issue. Just Walked Us tells of a youngster on a trip to the museum with his class, took a detour and saw the display of Africans being brought to America as slaves. His teacher and tour guide evidently felt it wasn't worth visiting so they skipped it. Even the Blacks who were looking at the display had no respect for the pain those people suffered.
My favorite was The Curse of Cain-An. A man who had been arrested because of another man's suicide was kept hidden deep underground in a government building. They knew he hadn't killed the man, but they claimed he was a national security danger. Cain had the ability to reach out and touch someone and they would feel their past life, they would see the pain Blacks suffered coming to this country. Through such an experience, a preacher realized he was preaching a lie when he went into the story of Ham being cursed by God and turned Black. An agent from the government, also Black, was sent to recapture Cain when he escaped. Cain knew Victor had some of the same gifts he had and he was determined Victor would see the truth, not only of the lying government agency he worked for, but of his past life also.
Justin Thomas penned a fantastic set of stories about the `what if' portion of Black lives in the world. He tells the truth, he digs deeply into the real history of Black people in this world and destroys the myths that have surrounded us for so long we believe them. There were some editing issues but they did not distract from the true message of the book. I would recommend this book for readers, regardless of color.
Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers
|
|
|
|
(RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net)
