Sistahs on the Shelf

Bookshelf Global Publishing, Sept. 2005
230 pages
College Life/Contemporary Romance/Studs & Femmes
www.nataliesimone.com

Rating: 4½ out of 5

Few understand the ordeals black lesbians go through in relationships, but Natalie Simone has compellingly portrayed what we feel in her debut novel, GIRLS JUST DON’T DO THAT.

Through the eyes of several main characters, the tale of six college women at the University of Georgia takes on several types of relationship woes.

First is Delia, a pretty tomboy type with a seemingly shy demeanor and thoughtful personality. She is the loner type, preferring to have a small circle of friends. Though her strikingly good looks could pull any woman on campus, Delia doesn’t play games with women’s hearts. So why she becomes involved with Jayne, her old high school nemesis, is beyond comprehension.

Jayne is the complete opposite of Delia. She’s a sorority-girl type, an arrogant, gorgeous beauty who was once overweight and made life miserable for Delia back in the day. Jayne’s homophobic behavior toward Delia pitted them against each other, but when they are now paired up on a class project, Delia lets go of the past and sees Jayne for the dime she’s turned into. She can’t help but become enraptured by Jayne’s charm, and they begin a one-sided relationship, where Jayne reaps all the pleasurable benefits. Delia knows she’s being played, but can’t free herself from Jayne’s cunning spell.

And while Delia is being used, her best friend Shavonne is being abused by her girlfriend, Tracy. She lives on eggshells night after night, not knowing what mood could set Tracy off on a rampage, especially when Tracy comes home drunk. In Shavonne’s eyes, it was all so good in the beginning, as in most abusive relationships. As the disrespect worsens every day, Shavonne felt she couldn’t tell anyone what was happening because “girls just don’t do that.” Who would believe that a woman could beat another woman? One thing Shavonne does know is that she has to get out - one way or another.

If someone had asked Stacy three months ago would she ever be attracted to a woman, the answer would have been no. Yet somehow Stacy - an aspiring lawyer from a well-to-do family - spots Kendal and is infatuated with what she thinks is a handsome dude. When she discovers Kendal’s a woman, Stacy can’t help being turned on by her feminine/masculine appeal. Though she has a boyfriend, Stacy’s body betrays her head when she’s around Kendal. Now Stacey has to decide whether to leave her two-year relationship headed toward a white-picket future, or be with the woman who completes her emotionally and physically. Girls just don’t do that, remember?

Simone’s Girls Just Don’t Do That, written several years prior, still resonates with readers. You’ll be drawn into these women’s lives and inner turmoil as they decide what’s best for them to be happy. As an added bonus, Simone includes “Dyke Categories” at the end of the book, which describes several types of stud and femme black lesbian personas. I like the fact Simone not only has the potent gift of storytelling but can also impart knowledge, as well.

Simone has a new novel coming soon, one that follows the scandalous Jayne, a person who refuses to declare herself bisexual even after sleeping with several women. After reading Girls, that’s one I’ll definitely pick up.

Reviewed June 2009

Kings Crossing Publishing, Feb. 2009
304 pages
College Life/Contemporary Romance/Studs & Femmes
www.simplyskyy.com

Rating: 5 out of 5

Love. Sex. College. Studs. Femmes. It’s all one big circle in beloved author Skyy’s newest installment of lesbian drama, CONSEQUENCES, which follows our favorite ladies and gents as they navigate their senior year of undergrad together.

Consequences begins exactly where Choicesconcluded, with Lena readying herself for marriage while still pining over Denise. Despite having what appears to be all she wants – a fiancé who’s pro-basketball player, money and a chic apartment – she can’t help but imagine another life with Denise. The kiss they shared at the end of last year changed everything, and even the love of Brandon can’t stop her fantasies of the stud who stole her heart.

Denise, meanwhile, has tried to move on from feeling like Lena’s second choice. The women she’s been spending her time with aren’t up to par – one is a certified nutcase – and they certainly aren’t Lena. It’s hard to see her former roommate, whom she fell in love with, marry another man. But Denise doesn’t want to let go of their friendship, and only hopes Lena will realize how deep her loyalties lie before she walks down that aisle.

Cooley, Cooley, Cooley. It took Misha to tame that wild heart of hers, but when she did, Cooley wound up alone after being caught in some mess that wasn’t her fault. No worries, though, Cooley’s had the summer to get hoochies out her system and conspires to win back Misha. However, she didn’t plan on Misha being with someone else or settling for being “just friends” when Cooley’s heart says she’s the one. This is a move the former player surely didn’t see coming.

And finally Carmen, the previously portly beauty, has maintained her relationship with Nic. While the couple plans their future as they approach graduation, Carmen’s past threatens to destroy their present. She still has insecurities when she sees Nic around other women, no matter how much Nic professes her devotion. Carmen can’t believe she’s found someone who loves her so much – and begins to sabotage what she has. Can she see what she has in front of her before Nic gets fed up?

There’s a lot more in Consequences than I can describe here, but I don’t want to give it all away.

Most will agree that Skyy is the new queen of black lesbian romance, and the writing of Consequences proves it. She’s our version of E. Lynn Harris of Invisible Life fame, but with a style truly all her own. Despite its long wait following Choices, Consequences was well worth the pure uproar women created about the fate of Denise, Lena, Carmen and Cooley, and who would end up with whom. We sincerely care about these characters as our own, as the animated discussion at my book club proved.

Skyy’s Consequenceswill not only answer your questions, but will gladly provide you with cliffhangers to the next chapter in these women’s lives. When the next book arrives, I’m 100 percent sure Skyy won’t disappoint.

Reviewed June 2009

Soul on Fire Publishing, Jan. 2009
236 pages
Bisexual/Contemporary Fiction
www.soulonfirepublishing.com

Rating: 3½ out of 5

Protagonist Tiffany Love’s life is a testament to the fact that sex is a powerful thing, one that can distort your mind, body and soul if you let it. Her experiences are chronicled in DIARY OF A SEX ADDICT, based on a true story written by Shalona L. Amos.

Tiffany’s descent into sexual addiction began when she was a child. While her mother would go out with friends, she was left at home to her own devices. Masturbation, in all sorts of ways, became the addiction of choice for Tiffany – so much so that she couldn’t go a night without pleasuring herself. As a young girl, watching porn was a hobby, allowing her fantasies to extend to being with women. Tiffany knew full well what she was doing was wrong, keeping it a secret from her mother and new overbearing stepfather, Vincent, yet she couldn’t stop.

As a result, Tiffany’s sexual urges grew from sex of the five-finger kind to chatting with men online. There, she could explore her hidden desires and get lost in the anonymity of the Internet. But even cybersex wasn’t enough, and she begins meeting these men for the real thing. After losing her virginity to someone she hardly knew, most nights were a different dude and more sex. It eventually proves unfulfilling for Tiffany, because while she felt valued for the moment, she craved real love. And she couldn’t seem to get it at home, with her mother allowing Vincent to belittle Tiffany at every turn, and it paved the way for her to be mistreated and used by men.

Then comes the day when Tiffany ends all dealings with men, and enters a relationship with a woman. It finally gave her the chance to love and be loved, and things are terrific. Tiffany’s addiction resurfaces when it falls apart, along with all the old feelings of abandonment. It takes control of her life again and causes her realize she needs help.

Yes, Diary of a Sex Addict is hardcore, but it’s also very sad and realistic for a lot of young girls who confuse sex with love. Amos does a good job taking you inside Tiffany’s head. The writing could have been a bit sharper, as parts of it were monotonous, but fortunately the story is fast-paced and easy to get through.

Reviewed June 2009

Sun Cycle Publishing, Aug. 2008
320 pages
Activism/Coming of Age/Young Adult
www.manjani.com

Rating: 5 out of 5

Never will you read a novel with a more outspoken, unwavering young lady than MANJANI, a tale that narrates a girl’s coming of age and chronicles her ultimate self-fulfillment written by Freedom Speaks Diaspora.

The title character, Manjani, is one to be reckoned with. When she speaks, she speaks the truth. The problem is that it’s her version of the truth. Manjani wants to be a revolutionary, bless her heart. Although she means well, she uses her most powerful weapon – her voice – to annihilate anyone who impedes her growth and doesn’t ascribe to her way of thinking – including her teachers and even her own friends.  Determined to lead the charge to cure her “deaf, dumb and blind” peers, she sets out to prove how gullible “African-Americans” are, ignorant of the full history of their Afrikan people. It’s not that her message is flawed, it’s that the way it comes across leaves people turned off.

But never mind that. Manjani has a mission: to be revolutionary. With her father a member of an Afrocentric band and her sister, Aniba, a student at a healer’s school, Manjani has a few examples of role models to follow. However, her family is torn apart when a fire destroys their home, and Manjani is left with her father and younger brother while Aniba is missing. Living in a new home, her father decides to enroll her in Catholic school, where she is one of the few black faces there.

In short, life is a nightmare for Manjani. It doesn’t get any better when she realizes the school supports racist traditions – one that Manjani can’t stand for. Soon she’s kicked out of school, and joins an academy for future revolutionaries like herself. The Black Nationalist Academy is where she envisions achieving her life’s purpose with students and teachers who have the same goal in mind. Except the more she learns, the more Manjani realizes the world isn’t black and white, but several shades of gray. It’s even more complicated when she falls in love with a woman, who is both her teacher and mentor. But revolutionaries can’t fall in love, can they?

As the story progresses, Manjani finds out being true to yourself is the best cause she could fight for.

Manjani is a clever, energetic novel from an author who creates an honest character. Diaspora has a method to her writing that is introspective, but doesn’t come off as too preachy. I enjoyed the rise of a true woman warrior who knows her value and endeavors to make a difference with it.

Reviewed June 2009

Authorhouse, Oct. 2008
263 pages
Contemporary Romance
www.shondasbookshelf.com

Rating: 4 out of 5

Love can blossom in many ways: a knowing glance between women, a friendship turned love affair, stumbling and collapsing on top of someone. All these things can lead to love - especially the latter - as witnessed by author Shonda’s SHE SLIPPED AND FELL, a romance developed between best friends Tina Jones and Kendall Long.

Meeting in the foulest circumstances in the ladies’ room, the girls become fast friends despite having contrasting personalities. Kendall is a reserved and quiet beauty, where Tina is the more outspoken charmer. Both are sexy and intelligent, with men falling all over them. Their friendship survives through high school, boyfriends and the usual teenage misadventures. However, it was during their undergrad years that Tina and Kendall come into their own and are closer than ever, even while attending separate schools and pledging different sororities.

But it happens one night that they are left to their own devices after a party and a slip - literally - leads Tina and Kendall to fall hard for one another and share a passionate encounter. Because they have boyfriends, their affair is kept secret. Soon it becomes clear, though, that Tina wants to be out and open, something Kendall can’t handle. It breaks them apart, and once they graduate, all their years together can’t stop them from losing touch.

Tina soon lands at an Atlanta university, pursuing a medical degree. She meets someone new, opening herself up to new experiences. She can finally admit being gay to her family and lives her life accordingly. In contrast, Kendall moves back home with her parents, simply working for a living. But tragedy strikes Kendall’s family, and it leads her straight back to Tina. It’s not long before she admits the love she had for Tina never left. Does Tina, however, feel the same?

Shonda’s She Slipped and Fell is the love story that can happen between two friends who didn’t see it coming. Their love is heartfelt and built on a foundation of admiration and trust – the way most relationships should be. Shonda has a good tale on her hands, even with some plot devices that seem to come out of nowhere. Slipped is a book you can breeze through and be content by the end.

Reviewed June 2009

Outskirts Press, Nov. 2008
224 pages
Coming of Age/Coming Out/Identity/Self-Love
www.cdkirven.com

Rating: 4 out of 5

Karmic retribution allows the universe to make things happen the way the world intended. Yet we still have some control over our destiny, to shape the future based on our experiences and goals. C. D. Kirven’s debut novel, WHAT GOES AROUND COMES BACK AROUND, builds on this premise as we follow the coming of age of Kingsley Ross.

As the novel begins, Kingsley can be best described as passive, a 14-year-old girl who believes her grandmother’s words of what goes around comes around. She and her best friend, Tanya, spend their days doing typical teenage mischief, which returns to bite her in the ass. When it comes to getting what she wants, Kingsley doesn’t aggressively pursue her desires, and by adulthood, she’s living with glimmers of regrets.

One decision she laments is not allowing herself to fall in love. Uncomfortable with her blossoming lesbian tendencies, Kingsley fails to pursue a relationship with a woman she meets through a set-up, the drop-dead gorgeous Emery, who has the swagger to make Kingsley swoon despite her trepidation of being with a woman. They spend a glorious night together, leaving Kingsley more confused than ever. When Kingsley sees her months later - with another woman - it devastates her that she never told Emery how she felt. She let her fears prevent her from the love she could have had.

Seeing Emery moving on with her life, Kinsley vows to take charge of her own, experiencing everything the world has to offer. It helps her to see things clearly, to see that she was living by other’s standards - her family, society - instead of her own.

“I realized that all this time I had been thinking that I was no one on my own but everything with someone else. This was a lie that became my way of life. I am everything now…”

Nominated for a Lambda Literary Award, What Goes Around Comes Back Around captures a woman’s passage to herself. Through Kirven’s writing, it’s refreshing to see Kingsley grow from her antics as a teenager to a woman of her own. The transformation, described in colorful detail, is engrossing on many levels: Kingsley becoming an adult, accepting her sexuality, and discovering herself. Kirven allows you to take the ride with her character, and while a little bumpy, it leads to a place of self-fulfillment and love.

Reviewed February 2009

Strebor Books, Jan. 2009
256 pages
Erotica/Short Story
www.eroticanoir.com

Rating: 3 out of 5
 
The second coming of Zane’s lesbian erotica collection, MISSIONARY NO MORE: PURPLE PANTIES II, proves it’s never as good as the first time.

Stories ranging from sex club escapades and naughty housewives get you going, but don’t take you too far over the edge. Still there are some tales that manage to titillate your senses and stand out from the rest. 

“The Namar’s Nectar” is one in particular, a novella about two women wondering what gifts lie within the queen to make the men of their village line up in droves; the pair yearn to experience the secret for themselves. Then in “Caged,” an inmate recounts the crime of passion that landed her in prison while discovering a new passion behind bars. 

Purple Panties II also has its share of bad girls - some you might not see coming. “It’s All the Same” sees a pampered princess getting everything she wants from her stud prince, while “Bad Behavior” sees a bridesmaid making good use of her hideous dress…on the floor. 

Other stories involve threesomes of both the all-women variety, and, surprisingly, the two-woman-one-man type. And there’s a tale involving a fetish one might not expect. 

As usual, the best story is saved for last with Zane’s “The Flipper,” where a woman with an unusual occupation gets herself stuck between two women. If they only knew what she does for a living… 

Overall, Purple Panties II is tasty in some parts, a little bland in others. It’s doesn’t stray too far from the mold of the original book, so if you liked the first pair of Panties, you’ll like this installment. It gets the job done, so to speak, and that’s never a bad thing.

Reviewed February 2009

Regal Crest, Nov. 2008
268 pages
Drama/Mature Lesbians
www.reneebess.com

Rating: 4 out of 5

When love is new, it’s passionate, exciting and full of promise; the days are sweeter, the sex is abundant. When love goes sour, the hope of happily ever after evaporates, leaving an empty shell of what could have been.

This is the predicament of Sasha Lewis, the loyal protagonist of Renee Bess’ third novel, RE:BUILDING SASHA. At first captivated by the fiery nature of her lover, Lee Simpson, Sasha finds her four-year relationship becoming combustible. Lee is a jealous, controlling lover who berates Sasha to the point of insanity. The abuse and neglect at Lee’s hands wounds Sasha, yet makes her try harder to accommodate Lee’s extreme mood swings.

The mistreatment has also made Sasha push everyone out of her life, including lifelong friends. The only area it doesn’t affect is her work at Whittingham Builders, her sanctuary from Lee’s wrath. It’s where Sasha takes pride in being the manager of a successful construction firm, overseeing the building of houses to completion. One such project involves Avery Sloan, an attractive new client Sasha’s company takes on, rehabbing a group home for the non-profit Avery operates.

It’s not Sasha and Avery’s first encounter, previously meeting by chance on a business flight. Now paired on a professional level, the two are drawn together, but that’s where it ends for Sasha. Though there’s an attraction to Avery, Sasha remains devoted to Lee - and her hesitancy may cost her the chance to experience love without fear of what her partner may do next.

Bess is in fine form with Re:Building Sasha, a multi-dimensional story with well-drawn characters. Sasha and Avery’s romance is smoldering, burning into something that could be deeper and satisfying. What’s compelling about Re:Building is Sasha’s pain felt through Bess’ superb writing, where you both hurt and root for her.

Bottom line: Bess shows you the rebuilding of woman ready for genuine love.

Reviewed February 2009

Lulu, March 2008
178 pages
Contemporary Romance/Military
www.dahnimcphail.com

Rating: 4½ out of 5

Love military style is the order of TWO AND A POSSIBLE, the debut novel by Dahni McPhail, who writes a sensitive, insightful story of a black lesbian in the Army.

With the main character of the same name as the author, the life of a private is shown in great detail as she falls in love for the first time against the backdrop of basic training. Dahni leaves home for the first time at 18, headed for an army base with dreams of glory. Drawn to the structure and professionalism of the military, she immediately aspires to climb the ranks as an officer.

That is until Dahni meets her own drill sergeant of pain, Sergeant First Class Jones aka the Jackal. After that, her life is never the same. The Jackal puts Dahni through her paces, torturing her and her fellow privates - christened the Kru - who soon become her sisters-in-crime. Jones gives them hell every single day, and Dahni will never forget the merciless woman.

While being tormented, Dahni manages to have a love life - as much as you can have in the military with “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” laws. After surmising her inexperience, Private Sealyn Scott teases Dahni unmercifully with questions. Their flirtation takes a new level when they celebrate graduating basic training; she savors the sweet taste of a woman, but it leaves her confused about what it means about herself and her sexuality. She can’t be attracted to women…can she?

Not helping matters is the fact that she may never see Sealyn again. After being transferred to Germany, Dahni is on her own, with no friends or love in her life. She meets her firecracker roommate, MiMi, a Black-Korean beauty who gets her out of her shell and out of the closet. MiMi shows her that she can love a woman without being scared. It goes effortlessly until Sealyn reappears. Whom will she choose: her first love or her new one?

McPhail has a masterpiece on her hands with Two and a Possible. It combines a love story with a subject she knows well, as she served in the armed forces herself. It’s so finely portrayed you feel like you’re there. The drama is engaging, without being too scandalous. McPhail is definitely a writer to watch, and one I’ll make room for on my shelf.

Reviewed February 2009

Seven Stages Publishing House, June 2008
132 pages
Erotica/Short Story
www.finasflow.com

Rating: 4 out of 5

What you don’t know about YOU THINK YOU KNOW, the debut novel from author Fina, is that you can’t possibly know just how good it is to read a work of black lesbian fiction as passionate, honest and explosive as these 15 tales of love between women.

Each story electrifies with carnal desires and insatiable lust, while caressing the heart in sincere reflections. Nothing has ever felt this easy when it comes to describing  our lives and loves.

Take for example, the confusion expressed in “The Lesbian Circle of Destruction,” which revolves around the scandalous relationships we have as women-loving  women. Monogamy is a dirty word with these women, whose almost incestuous ties can be found in any small lesbian community. For instance, your best friend is sleeping with your ex, while you’re still pining away over your first love, who’s now your best friend. Talk about complicated.

What you see is what you get in “She Finally Let Me Have a Femme All to Myself.” Who can ignore a story that begins with, “Have you ever just wanted to eat some pussy?” It gets more uninhibited from there, in a way that grabs your attention and won’t let go.

Balanced with the hardcore fantasies of You Think You Know are thoughtful works about love, expressed in “You,” pinpointing the exact moment a woman falls in love, and “Family Night,” a piece portraying the life of lesbian parents finding time for each other when the kids aren’t around.

Fina points out that you’ll wonder what happened to “good old fashioned wholesome ladies,” and it’s true when you read “An Eye for an Eye,” wherein a stud finds herself caught between a wife and a mistress. You may think you know how the story ends, but trust me, you can’t envision this ending.

The assorted tales of You Think You Know are riveting, able to draw you with their simple, sinful sentiments. Grammatical errors aside, simply put: Fina can tell a story. What she’s also able to do is depict our relationships for what they are - both beautiful and ugly at times.

And that’s what you should know about You Think You Know.

Reviewed December 2008