Little Ghetto Girl by Danielle Santiago

Little Ghetto Girl by Danielle Santiago
Hardcover pgs 197
06/19/2011
rating: 3stars

from back of book:


After a successful life in the drug game, twenty-one-year-old Kisa Kane plans to retire - settle down, find a good man and raise a family of her own. Done with the thug life , she has everything a ghetto girl would want: plenty of money, drop-dead-gorgeous looks, and two thriving legitimate businesses. Until she falls in love with Sincere Montega, a powerful drug dealer whose down-and-dirty money pulls Kisa back into the world she is trying so hard to leave behind. With lies, cheating, and conflict, Kai, their newborn, may be the only reason for this couple to stay together, but their lives are ineviably changed in the most unexpected way the only way the streets of Harlem can.


My Review:
I have said it before, I will say it now, and I will say it again. What is with all the brand name dropping in urban/street fiction, hell name dropping period? It is so not necessary for a good story. The characters are always ghetto beauties. Will anyone break the forumla? I am in search for it. Anyway on to the review. Good looking girl meets good looking guy. Both are involved in the streets. They love, they fight, they have beef with others, and in the end they have a happy ending.

What did stand out for me in this story is the jealousy of Kisa's sister Shea (same father different mother). Shea is as grimy as a sibling can get. All and all this is a good urban/street fiction story. I did not like the writing style of the story though. Kisa said. Sincere said. And it jumped forward too much. Also the sex scene where not written out which is actually a change for this genre. I missed the explict sex scenes. I rated this 3 stars because there were points when I was really interested in what was going to happen next. TBR list #4 really there's no rush.


Challenges:
Off the Shelf Challenge
What's in a Name 4
2011 Where Are You Reading

Baby Momma Drama by Carl Weber

Baby Momma Drama by Carl Weber
3.5stars
02/24/2011
Tradeback $15
pages 311
published: 2003


From back of the book:
Older sister Jasmine, a postal worker in Richmond, Virginia, is working hard, saving money, and waiting for the right man to walk into her life. And in fine-dressing, smooth-talking attorney Derrick, she thinks she's found him. Derrick is generous, gorgeous, and oh-so-sexy. But all it takes is some pointed questions from Jasmine's shrewd granny Big Momma to expose her man as nothing more than a lying, drug-dealing hustler. Refusing to admit she's been played, Jasmine chooses to remain faithful to Derrick while he's doing time. That is, until she finds him in a clinch on visiting day with his baby's momma, Wendy. Derrick's big mistake with Wendy pushes Jasmine even further toward the arms of good friend-and good man-Dylan. But when yet another baby momma comes into the picture, Jasmine will have to decide whether the right love is worth the complications that come with it

Little sister Stephanie is looking for a good time, not a good man, although she finds both in sweet, loyal Travis. Before she knows it, a one-night fling has turned into a three-year relationship. But then, Malek, Stephanie's sexy high school sweetheart and the father of her adorable son, swings back into town and that wild part of her wants another taste of the one that got away. Right in the middle of wedding planning, Stephanie falls into a crazy affair with Malek-one that could destroy the best thing that ever happened to her. Big Momma tries to keep Stephanie's little family together, but a woman has to take care of her own life and for Stephanie, part of keeping things real will be learning how to lie in the bed she made for herself. Now that she's the momma, maybe it's time to start acting like a grownup

My Review:
Main characters are Jasmine, Stephanie, Travis, and Dylan. What did I think about the characters? I felt like all the characters were in a rush to be in relationships. None of them just too time out to reflect on what went wrong with the last relationship.

Jasmine was judgemental quick to finding fault with how other woman dealt with men and judging those men. The same is true about Stephanie. Travis was a good man but should have put his foot down every now and then. And he shouldn't have tried to buy her love. Buying things do not make someone love you and does not make one a good man. Dylan was perhaps the only person who had most things right though he waited way too long for Monica.

There are book club discussion questions at the end I will answer those now but I will not type out the questions. So here goes:

I have dated someone who have been in prison. I have dated a few guys who have been in prison. When I was younger I definitely went for the bad boys. An ex of mine was in and out of jail...a lot. So yeah, I know what it's like to date someone in da joint. Most have some of the same things in common. They put work above almost everything else. They tend to cheat. And is not above them to manipulate emotions to work in their favor.

If I could have any man from the book it would have been Dylan. Travis was ok but he just didn't appeal all the way with me. Dylan has a loyal friend,, faithful boyfriend, and sexy lover quality. Malek and Derek, well I've known several of men like them. I think there are many women who would agree with the statement "good sex will keep you in a bad situation."

Now Big Momma. She is like many nosy mother figures in family. The thing about giving advice is that you can give it but it doesn't mean the person receiving it has to take it. Nagging never fixed anything, in fact, some times it makes a person want to do the opposite. Also it makes people not want to come to you when something is going on.

The story was well told. It is a fast paced novel. The plot moved forward from the point of view of the four main characters. I would have given this novel 4stars but there were times when I wanted to smack the crap out of a couple characters, mainly Jasmine and Big Momma. Also I didn't like the way the character jump right into a relationship. It was like the were all afraid of taking some time. Especially Travis, I don't want to reveal what he did because it takes away from some of the story but let's just say shame on him, not for Stephanie's sake but his own. I saw myself in some of the characters so it was very for me to relate and that gives why I added the .5. The overall meaning of the storyline is two things. One, people treat you the way you allow them to treat you. Second, appreciate what you have before it's gone.
TBR list #3

Challenges
Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge 2011
What's in a Name 4
2011 Where Are You Reading?

Thong On Fire by Noire

Thong On Fire by Noire
Hardcore pages 291
Published: 2007
Genre: Urban/Street Lit
2stars
02/17/2011



From back of book:

I WAS JUST A LOST LITTLE GIRL forced to make it in a grown woman’s world. A child turned out by the rulers of the game. When you get thrown into a snakepit you better learn how to wiggle! It’s all about survival, baby. And not only did I learn the code of the streets, I made my own damn rules and got paid in the process. So listen close, but watch your pockets. I’m a Harlem girl. A scandalous chick. A ruthless mama. Me and this city are just alike. Grimy. And we never, ever sleep…



My Review:
Saucy is selfish, self-centered, and straight grimy. She betrays Tai, a girl she calls her best friend. Though she hasn’t said anything to her face she bad-mouth her in her mind. She thinks Tai has low self-esteem when it’s really her. She has no sense of self worth outside of her looks and sexually skills. In the back of her mind if people weren’t paying her any attention, she wasn’t laced with stack of money and fly gear she was dirty, raggedy Saucy with the crack-head parents.

The fact that she liked that she had gotten herself tagged as Brainiac should make me feel sorry for the character but she is so unlikable, I can’t feel an ounce of sympathy for this character. All I could think is that somebody needs to Tae Bo that hoe. At least she really did love on person and though she screwed over everyone in her life she honestly had a limited of what she would do to her Uncle Swag.

In the end she loses everything. The funny part is that she still didn’t get it right up to the end. She had no sense of responsibility. Everything was everyone else’s fault. She turned out to be just like the mother she despised, right down to the neglected of her own child.

The book is a cautionary tale for all those people who value looks and material possession over everything else. It is hard to write a character that the reader is supposed to be not like but sympathize with Noire didn’t succeed in creating that effect with me.

NOTE *She likes to reference characters from other books in to the novel you are reading. She is associated with a few rappers and you will find their names and raps throughout the novels whenever she brings up music.

Challenges:
What's In A Name 4
Chick Porn Reading Challenge 2011
Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge 2011

Fifth Born by Zelda Lockhart

Fifth Born by Zelda Lockhart

hardcover pgs210

1/22/2011

rated: 4stars

from back of book:

When Odessa Blackburn is three years old, she sees her grandmother for the last time, and so begins her story as the fifth born of eight children in a troubled family. Molested by her father, Odessa is also the sole witness to a murder he commits. Her mother guards both secrets and joins her husband in ostracizing their fifth born from the rest of her siblings.

As Odessa grows, so do her troubles. She ultimately separates herself from her parents and siblings into a new reality that prompts memory and revelation. her choices for survival provoke an outcome that will forever alter the carefully maintained lies of her childhood.

My Review:

The novel was written beautifully. It is somewhat fast paced in that I ead it in two days. The subject matter is sad and distrubing. The way the adult characters chose to treat children is just appalling. Odessa is subject to constant physical, mential, and emotionally abused from all sides. A drunken father who does not hestitate to show just how much he hates her. A mother who ignores the truth in an effort to stand by her man.

However, I did not and could not feel completely sympathy for her. As a child of three she was indeed a cry-baby, I could understand that though being that she was only three. But as she got older and continued to make excuses for the way people treated her angered me. Her constant neediness for her mother love disguised me. And her inability to fight back turned her into a punk in my mind. Everyone survives tragedies in their own way and this is how Lockhart chose to have Odessa survive her but it just could not respect this kid. Her plight was a harsh one to bear but I just could not get behind her 100%. It was this feeling about the character that prevented me from giving this book 5 stars. On your tbr list of five this should be #2

Challenges:

Off the Shelf Reading Challenge

Mini-Challenge

What's in a Name 4