RAWSISTAZ – Five on the Fifth (Oct-Dec 2009) / Black Book Reviews

Hello and welcome to Five on the Fifth, where we showcase five reviews, rated at the top of our rating scale, which we’re pretty sure  readers will enjoy.  Since we’ve been so busy over at RAWSISTAZ the last few months, we’ve missed deadlines for the past two columns, so we’re going to include a special treat of 15 reviews this month, to cover October-December.

In January, we will return with our Great Black Books ‘09 as a wrap-up of all the books we’ve featured in Blogging in Black for the year.

Share your favorites from the past few months via the comments section below.  Also be sure to let us know if you’ve read any of these listed and your thoughts!

Also, for the avid readers, RAWSISTAZ is having a Holiday Reading Challenge through January 12th and we’d love if you participated.  Click HERE for the book list and author blog chat schedule.  (All chats are held via blog format.)

Happy Holidays!

-The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

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FEATURED BOOK REVIEWS

Love Yourself First by Delvon Johnson

LOVE YOURSELF FIRST welcomes the reader into the bourgeoisie world of Vondel Consulting and the drama that encompasses the lives of Dwight Jones and Issiah Richards.  Both are drama queens who endlessly seek love in all the wrong places.  Their tumultuous lives are further enhanced wh

en Joan Marks figures into the equation.  A diva with her own agenda, Joan wreaks havoc on Vondel Consulting. Will Dwight and Issiah be successful in seeking revenge?  Will Joan reap what she sows?  While she is weaving her web of lies, Joan’s fiancé, Maurice, is entangled in his own web of deceit.  In this tale of love, lies, betrayal and deception, the reader is entranced by the never-ending drama in the homosexual and the down low lives of these colorful characters. 

Wife of The Gods by Kwei Quartey

Darko Dawson, detective inspector with the Accura, Ghana police department, is called to investigate a murder in the remote town of Ketuna.  A young medical school student whose passion was to provide HIV/AIDS awareness and education to the residents of Ketuna and surrounding towns, is found murdered and the powers-that-be believe the truth will prevail by utilizing the investigative skills of the police from the capitol city ,and specifically Darko, because of his ability to speak their native language. 

Flirt by Tracy Brown, K’wan and Angel Mitchell

Tracy Brown’s “Flirting with Disaster” chronicles 20-year-old Chloe as she navigates the dating scene.  Armed with good looks and high self esteem, Chloe refuses to fall victim to guys who just want to get in her pants.  When she meets Trey, she  thinks she’s found a man who respects her enough to wait and who doesn’t mind spending money on her.  But all that glitters isn’t gold and Trey may be way more than Chloe can handle. 

Cliches: A Life In Verse by La’Shawnda D. Jones

The clear reflection of childhood pain and abuse is sometimes difficult to swallow, the ugliness of the act leaving a bitter imprint on both the conveyor and receiver of the memory.  In CLICHÉ:  A Life in Verse, poet La’Shawnda D. Jones grapples with surviving the most brutal violation of trust and the devastating residue that speaking out left on her life and her family. 

The Barack In Me by Moses Miller

THE BARACK IN ME by Moses Miller is a powerful real-talk work of art.  Miller jumps right in with making the reader of all ages feel cozy and comfortable as he gives quick street-smart lessons about survival.  He has the gift of inviting you to sit down and hear what he has to share through his tone and precise word choices.  This enables youth readers to discover that the ideals and principals of a great leader can be found deep inside their own minds and hearts. 

A Gifted Child In Foster Care: A Story of Resilience by Dr. Grace LaJoy Henderson

A GIFTED CHILD IN FOSTER CARE:  A Story of Resilience by Dr. Grace LaJoy Henderson is another too good to be true tale!  Dr. Henderson has already demonstrated her gifted hands at creating poetry that ministers to the spirit; however, in this concise little book, she reveals her talent at telling an emotional story with a positive twist.  Breaking her silence about living in a foster care home after losing her parents taught this woman of God some very hard-knock lessons about love, abandonment, life, family, discipline, and resilience! 

A Peek Into My Soul Redux by Monda Webb

With well over 70 poems, A PEEK INTO MY SOUL REDUX is a weighty collection.  The poems are divided into eight categories ranging from Webb’s personal insight, to family and love, and even a section with a mixed bag of subjects.  The poems are personal and socially conscious.  The poetry covers the emotions we all experience in our lives.  I enjoyed the compilation, but the one poem that resonated with me was the final one in the collection.  “If I Could Go Back”, which is an ode to musicians of the past who gave us music to live by, but whose own lives were cut short.  This particular poem had me patting my feet to an imaginary beat and swaying my body to an unheard tune, because from the Webb’s words I could hear each and every one of the musician’s songs in my mind.  Being the last piece, it made quite the final impression on me. 

Sizzling Seduction by Gwyneth Bolton

Wow! It’s over but all good series must come to an end. The Hightower Honor Series ended with a blast of fireworks.  Patrick, the oldest of the Hightower brothers, is happy all of his brothers have found the right lady and started families.  He loves his life as a firefighter, big brother, brother-in-law, and uncle.  He has no desire to be in a relationship of any type, as he is still dealing with a past hurt.  Aisha Miller, dealing with her own past, has her life back on track – teaching kindergarten, trying recipes from the Food Network, and raising her energetic ten-year old son.  She is determined to stay away from abusive men, never giving another man a chance to abuse her verbally or hurt her physically. 

LESSON LEARNED is the continuing saga from the Situations and Circumstances series by Portia A Cosby. This sequel to Too Little Too Late is spot on. A classic case of as much as things may change they remain the same. LESSON LEARNED leaped right into the lives of Tiffany Price and Alexis James. Alexis is struggling with the death of her sister Tameka, as she tries desperately to get her life together. Tiffany has a Masters Degree in Psychology, three children, no husband and major drama. 

It’s In My Blood by Shawneda Marks

IT’S IN MY BLOOD by Shawneda Marks is Rosalyn’s story of love gone wrong. After finding herself pregnant and alone, she decides to go back home for a while and get herself together. During her visit, she discovers her job in Houston may be almost over and so she hunts for a job in Chicago. She finds one with a nice man as her boss. 

Undead On Arrival by L. A. Banks

It is now four weeks after the United Council of Entities (UCE) Conference. Four weeks and the demon virus is still wreaking havoc on the immune system of Max Hunter, a Shadow Wolf and Sasha Trudeau’s mate. The deadly virus could cause him to lose his Alpha rank among the Shadow Wolves, the faith of Sasha and the possibility that she will not want to continue an unpredictable dangerous relationship with him, and most importantly.his life. 

A Deep Dark Secret by Kimberla Lawson Roby

Seven-year-old Jillian was the happiest little girl in the world.  She was finally going to get a father and soon a new baby sister.  She grew into a responsible teenager, obeying her parents, exceeding in school and being a loving, attentive older sister to her baby sister.  On the outside, Jillian is your typical energetic teenager, but on the inside, she’s protecting a deep, dark secret.  

Spoon by Robert Greer

While driving home, teenager TJ Darley picks up a hitchhiker. It is Arcus Witherspoon, known to his friends as Spoon. He takes him to his father’s ranch and encourages his father to hire him, which Mr. Darley does. Spoon tells TJ he is trying to find his roots. He is half Native American and half Black. His grandfather was a Buffalo Soldier and he is searching to find where he really came from and to which tribe his mother belonged. He is able to sometimes see or feel the future and even though some are skeptical, TJ believes him.  

Sins Of The Father by Angela Benson

Abraham Martin has been a busy man. He married Saralyn because she was pregnant with their son, Isaac. They give Isaac anything he wants, when he wants it, so he is somewhat spoiled and thinks the world revolves around him. But, Abraham has a big secret. He actually got another woman, Leah, pregnant at the same time and he didn’t stop seeing her just because he was married. He had two children, Michael and Deborah. 

In Love With Losers by LaToya S. Watkins

IN LOVE WITH LOSERS by LaToya S. Watkins tells the story of a group of women who are looking for a man to love and who will love them. Zora is recovering from a bad relationship with Bryan and she stays away from men in general. However, she meets Will, an African doctor, at a girls’ night out and finds him so attractive she can’t resist him. Will he be better than Bryan? It seems Will has his secrets too. Emery, a Black man who is very interested in helping others, moves near her and they become friends, but that wild spark isn’t there. Not yet, anyway.