You Opened Your Legs Before I Opened My Heart by Jerald L. Howard

Title: You Opened Your Legs Before I Opened My Heart

Author: Jerald L. Howard

Rating: 3/5

Headline: Open Your Heart Before Anything Else

An old question is when is the appropriate time to move a relationship to one that becomes physical. “You Opened Your Legs Before I Opened My Heart” explores this topic as we, the readers, are exposed to couples that allowed a physical relationship to develop before an emotional attachment has been formed. This book aims to answer if sex alone can keep your partner interested in you and the relationship.

This book is a sequel to Howard’s “Life After the Night,” and since I have not read the first book in the series it took a while for some of the pieces of the puzzle to come together for me. Most of the storyline focuses on Lance and Tameka, a married couple at a crossroad because they are not sure who the father of Tameka’s unborn child is. The other main character is Radiance who displays very confusing behavior especially at the end of the book. Radiance’s behavior is always to the extreme and was not very believable.

“You Opened Your Legs Before I Opened My Heart” has the potential to be a much better book but it started out very slow and it took awhile for the pace to pick up. There were also quite a few spelling and grammatical errors throughout the book that if they were corrected it could make reading this book much smoother. I would recommend a title change as well because I would have never picked it up if it was not sent to me for review purposes.

Overall, this book has great potential.

This book was provided to me courtesy of the author for review purposes.

A Forever Love by Sheila Goss

A Forever Love by Sheila Goss

Reviewed by: Kay

Rating: 4

This book is a warm and inviting read about a second chance at love. That opens the question...no matter how devastating the past, can you really go back?  Does love really conquer all?

 

Trina  immaturely decided  that her High School Sweetheart had a promising career and there was no room for her.  So she made an impromptu decision in High School to abruptly end their relationship.

 

She was Timothy's everything, nothing mattered more that Trina. He was confused and devastated as she never gave him a reason why she ended the relationship.  He was devastated for years even to the point that no woman was ever allowed allowed in his master bedroom.  Tim's successful career was beyond his imagination...but there is still one thing missing....

I rate it 4 out 5 and would recommend it to the romantics that believe love can endure anything.

Ace of Hearts by Jean Holloway

Ace of Hearts by Jean Holloway

Ace of Hearts by Jean Holloway

Reviewed by Leslie Matthews

“We Read It All” Rating:  4.5

Amazon Rating:  4

Fully-loaded Suspense

A self-proclaimed student of legends Dean Koontz, Stephen King, and Jean Auel, Jean Holloway pens a complicated web of a story that pushes the envelope on love and pure evil while still managing to project a style all her own. 

Reminiscent of a female version of James Patterson’s Alex Cross, thirty-one year old homocide detective Shevaughn Robinson gets her first case the first day on the job and is in for a tough one to crack.  A serial killer is on the loose in the small town of Portsborough.  His routine of killing women and mutulating them has the women of the town on edge, not to mention Shevaughn and the police department chasing after the one signature clue he leaves behind: the Ace of Hearts.  To complicate things Shevaughn has fallen for the one guy who seems to be connected to the victims.  Tony O’Brien is an outstanding reporter for NBS News whose career has been tarnished by a previous run-in with the PPD.  Things quickly heat up between the two as they race against time to find the killer and put an end to his twisted new hobby. 

The plot starts out moving very fast, as it does not take long to get into the depth of the story and become attached to it.  Right from the prologue Mrs. Holloway pulls you in with her knack for detailed description and true-to-life dialogue between the characters and within their minds.  The multi-dimensional aspect of the characters allows us to understand them and become intimately familiar with Shevaughn, Tony, the killer, and each one of the victims.  This added glimpse into the minds of the victims creates suspense for what is to come and evokes empathy once they reach their demise. It is truly a story of love conquers all as we get to experience how Shevaughn and Tony overcome the challenges of interracial dating, and how Shevaughn deals with self-doubt and external criticism in her new position due to her minority status.  As for the killer, his psychotic state of mind gets progressively worse as he recklessly and arrogantly pushes the boundaries of his blood sport, and as the source of his mental issues is revealed.    The plot continues on at an accelerated pace and ends in the expected climax, but with many unexpected twists that cause you to thirst for a sequel.

What makes this story unique is how the characters are interwoven and connected by the common threat of the serial killings.  It is non-stop suspense!   Also of note is the fact that Mrs. Holloway writes her “About the Author” paragraph in first person, something you don’t see often.  It gives an interesting perspective on how the story came about and accomplishes the tasks of bringing us closer to her.  In her first literary success Jean Holloway has truly captured the essence of her chosen genre.  Ace of Hearts is a macabre tale injected with yearning romance that I highly recommend as a must read for anyone who shares the author’s love of a thrilling story. 

Love Never Fails by Carla Victoria Wallace

Love Never Fails by Carla Victoria Wallace

Title: Love Never Fails

Author: Carla Victoria Wallace

Rating: 4

Headline: Prayer Changes Hearts

Love Never Fails by Carla Victoria Wallace brilliantly examines if the power of prayer can change a lifetime of hurt, pain, insecurity, and prejudices. Jada Calloway, is a young lady who was always the only black girl in her classes while growing up in Connecticut. She was often ridiculed by her classmates who made her have insecurities about her natural beauty and also bitterness towards other races.

After church one Sunday, Jada meets Pete who is the handsome single brother of her co-worker Tonya. The two of them build a friendship which blossoms into a beautiful relationship. Until this point in her life, Jada had never thought about dating outside of her race and then she meets Pete’s mother, Mrs. McKnight. Mrs. McKnight’s disapproval of their interracial relationship makes Jada’s insecurities resurface and reconsider a life with the man of her dreams.

Jada’s prayer is that she will follow her heart and not her insecurities. Pete’s prayer is that his mother’s heart will be softened. Carla Victoria Wallace writes an excellent Christian story that shows the importance of prayer in our lives. I would highly recommend this book to all people who are struggling with their past and not sure how to move forward.

This book was provided by the author for review purposes.

Re-Rambled: Food and Thought: Ramblings Special Edition by Angelia Vernon Menchan

Re-Rambled: Food and Thought: Ramblings Special Edition by Angelia Vernon Menchan

Rating: 5

Re-Rambled: Food and Thought: Ramblings Special Edition by Angelia Vernon Menchan is a book full of wisdom that I thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end. The combination of food for the soul and actual food recipes is a winning combination. This book is like reading a series of blog entries and each one makes you think and ponder about the issues of life.

Angelia writes from her heart and it is shown in her direct approach to each entry in the book. Entries such as, “Role Playing,” “Emotional and Unprepared,” and “Know Your Power” will make you think and reflect on your own life. There is something in this book for everyone and their life situations.

Re-Rambled: Food and Thought: Ramblings Special Edition is a book that I will definitely read more than once. I am also looking forward to trying out the recipes because they sound delicious. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for any clarity and/or inspiration in their lives.

This book was provided by the author for review purposes.

Welfare Wifeys by K'wan

Welfare Wifeys by K'wan

Rating: 4

Headline: There Goes the Neighborhood

Welfare Wifeys by K’wan continues with the characters Animal, Don B., Gucci and the Big Dawg crew. Animal, who is now a big-time hip hop star, has relocated to Texas but is now returning to New York for a promotional tour and he is back for revenge. His girlfriend, Gucci, is overjoyed that he is returning but she does not know that he has an ulterior motive.

In Welfare Wifeys some new characters are introduced by the names of Malika, Tionna, and Jada. Malika is a young woman living in public housing and is trying to escape her rough life by having a relationship with a married man. Section 8 recently relocated Tionna from an inner city apartment to an Upper Manhattan high rise. Her life seems to be coming together until someone from her past arrives. Jada is cold-blooded due to her former environment and she has her eyes set on sitting on top of the ghetto throne.

Just like his other works, K’wan has filled Welfare Wifeys with deceit, drugs, violence, grit, double crossing, and sex. This book could be confusing if the reader has not read his previous works as he does make reference to some backstories. I recommend Welfare Wifeys to those that have read the other books in the Hood Rat saga. K’wan once again proves why he is considered one of hip-hop fiction’s hottest writers.

This book was provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Tiffany C.

Eat the Cookies...Buy the Shoes by Joyce Meyer

Eat the Cookies...Buy the Shoes by Joyce Meyer

Celebrate Everyday!

Rating: 4

'Eat the Cookie ... Buy the Shoes' by Joyce Meyers is all about celebrating no matter the current situation in your life. Joyce points out how we should celebrate no matter how small an accomplishment may be. Cookies and shoes are metaphors for simply having balance in your life and giving yourself rewards instead of deprivation.

This book is a great motivational, self-help book based on Christian principles and scriptures. But, while Joyce Meyer references many Biblical scriptures it is not overly “preachy” or trying to really push a doctrine on the reader. Throughout ‘Eat the Cookie…Buy the Shoes’ there are several real life stories illustrated so the reader can relate the principles to their personal life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to others.