Month: June 2006

A Different Kinda Luv by Tanaine Ja’Cole Jenkins (June 2006 Pick of the Month)

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Publisher/Date:  iUniverse, Dec. 2005
Genre:  Romance
Pages:  213
Website:  http://www.adifferentkindaluv.com

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

It might seem like it’s all about the bling in Tanaine Jenkins’ debut novel, A DIFFERENT KINDA LUV, but once you get into the adventurous romance story, it goes so much deeper. Absorbing until the last page, Jenkins knows to capture your attention.

Best friends Nickaya “Nick” Rivera and Jordan “Jae” Taylor have been through it all. Growing up together since kids, the pair has nurtured each other through rough childhoods, survived their college years, and matured into successful entrepreneurs. The friends own Flavors, a popular gay nightclub they bought in the college-town of Tallahassee. However the ladies couldn’t be more different.

Jae is the more level-headed of the duo, the one who works to the bone in both business and love. She works hard to keep Flavors the best in the city. And when in love, she falls hard, giving much of herself to the relationship. That led her to stay in a miserable relationship for so long with A’lanna. But she finds comfort in Tamiera, someone who is the total opposite of controlling A’lanna. Tamiera is down-to-earth, loving and thoughtful. The two make a great couple, but Jae doesn’t want to move too fast. She soon realizes, though, when you find a different kinda luv, you hold on to it.

Nick, on the other hand, ain’t studying love and is all about the you-know-what. Women are simply playmates, and she’s the one holding the cards. That is, until she meets Suenos, Tamiera’s friend. Nick allows her in her heart just a little, spending more time with her than with any woman Jae’s seen her with. Nick knows Suenos is a special lady, but she’s not sure she wants to turn in her playa card just yet. She’s not quite convinced if this is a different kinda luv.

Jenkins’ book delves into a lot of action that will keep you flipping the pages. It’s a read in one night kind of book because you won’t want to put it down. The fast cars, the crazy parties and the beautiful women will capture both studs and femmes alike. A little slow at first, it picks up and keeps you on the edge of your seat till the end; the ending will leave with watery eyes. Jenkins, grammatical errors aside, is a good storyteller—and that counts for a lot.

Cause everybody’s looking for a different kinda luv. And in Jenkins’ book, it’s certainly possible.

Reviewed June 2006

All the Bold Days of My Restless Life by Sharon Stone

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Publisher/Date:  Alyson Books, May 2005
Genre(s):  Romance, Out the Box Feature
Pages:  224

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

If you’ve ever wanted to get an insider’s look of a soap opera and be captivated by a lesbian romance, then look no further than ALL THE BOLD DAYS OF MY RESTLESS LIFE, the laugh-out loud novel that takes place on a daytime drama. Author Sharon Stone concocts a wild ride with main character Bailey Connors, the head writer on the soap billed with the same name as the book.

Though it seems like a dream to work on a wildly popular show, Bailey doesn’t have it easy. She not only has to cater to the stuffy suits of the network executives, but she also has to wrestle with the demands of the spoiled, egotistical actors who don’t always agree with the scripts they’ve been given. It’s enough to make a girl pull her hair out. And Bailey’s not trying to hear it right now, especially after being dumped by her longtime girlfriend.

Never fear, her trusty assistant Peter is there to save the day. Her flamboyant friend has a few prospects up his sleeve to help butch-looking Bailey to get back on the horse. But the women he sets her up with are horrible, to say the least. Let’s see there’s the actress cum online porn star; the plain-jane looking femme with six kids; and let’s not forget the…oh okay, I won’t give it all away.

And if Bailey’s life could get any worse, she is stuck with one of the dumbest writers to ever live and has to rewrite months of scripts to kill off one of her favorite characters on the show. Talk about drama!!

Stone’s All the Bold Days is hilarious, not to mention outrageous. It has a quirky sense of humor that reads sharply and very quickly. She creates a great peek into the world of daytime TV, giving tidbits into the soaps. The ending wraps up well, as you root for Bailey to land on her feet.

Pick this one up if you need a good laugh.

Reviewed June 2006

I Am Your Sister by Ericka K. F. Simpson

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Publisher/Date:  Xlibris Corporation, May 2003
Genre(s):  College Life, Religious, Romance
Pages:  276
Website:  http://www.publishedauthors.net/e_factor

Rating: ★★★★★ 

Symone shook her head and stated, “Black lesbian love has just has no place anywhere.”

“Yes, it does,” corrected Regina. “With one another.”

And it also has an excellent place in I AM YOUR SISTER, the first novel by Ericka K. F. Simpson. The author has created a brave and genuine protagonist in Symone Holmes, the 18-year-old student athlete and entrepreneur.

A basketball phenom, Symone is graduating high school at the novel’s onset and has the world at her fingertips. The top b-ball player in the country, her accomplishments allow the star to have her pick of colleges to choose from. Symone ultimately chooses an athletic scholarship Marian University, not exactly the most notable school in the country, but a small school that will allow her to shine and leave her hometown in Virginia, where she has had more than of her share of trials.

Not one to hide her sexuality, Symone came out to her parents to disastrous results. Her mother practically disowned her, and she moved out on her own at 16. During her crisis, she turned to the Lord, hoping He would guide her through the pain and could help her understand her sexuality. He, along with girlfriend Kidera, has been her rock, whom she turned to in times of need. Through him, she truly believes that “being in love, regardless of who it was, was not wrong.” And she has no problem explaining that to the world.

Especially at Marian. When Symone arrives at the school, she quickly makes friends a few of her teammates, including fellow sistahs Jasmine, Christina and Deborah. Their color forms a kinship of sorts — until Symone’s teammates find out she’s a lesbian. Some of the once-friendly women shun her. Others pick fights. Her car is vandalized. Through these actions, Symone realizes she only has herself and shuts anyone down who gets too close. Except for Regina.

Regina finds a way to befriend Symone, despite what others have done. She allows Regina into her family life and love life, especially after her romance with Kidera goes sour. The attraction is there between them, but Symone doesn’t want to let Regina have the one thing that has been broken time and time again: her heart.

Marian University is a new start for Symone, but can she handle the pressure of everything that comes with growing up?

Simpson’s I Am Your Sister is outstanding, a great piece of work that combines love and basketball, sexuality and religion. The author really knows her stuff on and off the court, as the b-ball scenes kept my attention (and I am not the sports type at all). What made it so superb was that you really connected with Symone on a more personal level, and got to know her triumphs and struggles with every page. Her connection with the Lord was one every lesbian questioning her sexuality has had, and it allowed you to endear Symone as a great character. I couldn’t put it down.

I now have a new favorite book–and new favorite author, as well.

Reviewed June 2006

Sister Girls by Angel M. Hunter

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Publisher/Date:  Kensington Publishing Corporation, May 2006
Genre:  Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Straight Books with Lesbian Characters
Pages:  304

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

Interracial dating, drug abuse and lesbianism run rampant in SISTER GIRLS, the novel written by Essence best-selling author Angel M. Hunter. These four distressed sistahs have their problems cut out for them in this cookie-cutter plot that comes out a little flat.

Crystal, Susie, Elsie own the New Jersey law firm where Jewell works as a secretary. Although not exactly enemies, the ladies aren’t really that familiar with one another outside of work. But each has her own problems that eventually lead them to create a fast friendship.

Crystal is the former rape victim still holding on to the pain of that unfortunate act. Her nights are sleepless, and when she does lie down, her nightmares begin. By all appearances, she seems put together, but her pain leads to destructive behavior like drinking and dating a married man.

Hard-nosed Susie knows she has a drug problem, but doesn’t know how to stop. It’s all she can do to make it through the day without a hit. But when her fiancé returns with a marriage proposal, she knows she has to give up the white horse.

Elsie, the most easy-going of the four, is trying her best not to move in with her lesbian lover, Summer. It’s not that Elsie doesn’t love Summer; it’s just that she loves her privacy more. And now that Summer’s daughter has come to stay with her permanently, she definitely doesn’t want to step into a ready-made family. Her decision is made all the more complicated when her ex, Jenay, returns to town.

And single-mother Jewell finds herself uncomfortably dating a white man for the first time. But does her discomfort come from being with him or the fact that she still has feelings for her baby daddy?

Hunter’s characters and problems were the center of this sordid tale, but they didn’t exactly shine. Although you could easily relate to their problems, the women seemed one dimensional. And the ending leaves you hanging at the end. You could tell Hunter left it open for a sequel, but I wanted a better conclusion than what I got.

Sister Girls is an easy read, one you could probably finish in a few hours on a lazy afternoon.

Reviewed June 2006