NEW REVIEW: Sasha Campbell - Suspicions

Sasha Campbell - 
Suspicions - 
Available Now! - 
3 out of 5 books - 


Suspicions by Sasha Campbell is the story of three women: Noelle, Tiffany and Candace. All three women share one thing...the man in their life has been keeping a secret.

Noelle is a beautiful full-figured woman who owns an upscale hair salon called "Situations." With a son away at college, this is the time where she should be relaxing and enjoying her time with her husband. But with an unexpected package left on her doorstep, that's all about to change. Noelle automatically assumes she knows the owner of this "package," but she will soon find out that she is totally wrong. With this unexpected gift, it causes a huge rift within her marriage. Will her marriage be able to survive when it's all said and done?

Tiffany is one of Noelle's stylists at "Situations." She is a 27-year-old woman that is engaged to be married to a sexy and rich man. Her gift to her husband-to-be is something sacred and precious. With the time looming nearer to the wedding date, Tiffany is eager to share it with him, but she's conflicted at the same time.

Candace is Tiffany's friend who is a single mom that works at the local health clinic around the way. Her baby daddy is still in love with her, yet she is tired of his deadbeat ways. When she lays eyes on the sexy new pedicurist Chauncey, she is instantly attracted to him. She thinks he may be a player and is determined to protect her heart at all costs. But could Chauncey be one of the good guys?

Suspicions by Sasha Campbell is a story of secrets and lies within relationships that go through ups and downs with the hopes of holding on. Suspicions is a drama filled story of anger, resentment, hurt and tears. Where the story falls short is that it's filled with too much drama. The fact that these were all grown women and not young girls, and how they acted towards the situations like they were totally in the dark was a hard pill to swallow. No way could an adult be that blinded by these situations. The story had twists, but they were predictable from the very beginning. All in all, Suspicions was an okay read.

Reviewed by Leona for Urban Reviews

Order your copy of Suspicions today!
 
 

NEW REVIEW: Karen Williams - Thug In Me

Karen Williams - 
Thug In Me - 
Available Now! - 
5 out of 5 books - 


What would you do if your life as you know it suddenly changed? Would you take the cards that life handed you, or would you fight to clear your name?

Thug In Me revolves around a young man name Chance who grew up in a single family home. Even though he grew in a rough neighborhood, he was still able to beat the odds. He obtained a college degree and had a great job at Microsoft. Chance took care of his mother and just recently purchased a new home. Things suddenly change when Chance is wrongly convicted of murder and is now facing a long prison bid. Everything is slowing slipping away: his job, his girlfriend, and his life as he knows it. Will Chance be able to clear his name,  or will he waste his life in prison for a crime he didn’t commit?

Calhoun is Chance’s best friend and brother, and the two of them have been through thick and thin together. Chance never understood how his best friend's, who came from a two-parent middle class household, could be in total chaos. Calhoun had every chance awarded and given to him, but instead he chose to be a thug in the street, a dead beat father and go in and out of prison. Calhoun has always taken chances, but when secrets are revealed, will Calhoun and Chance friendship be able to test the obstacles put before the?

Thug In Me is an excellent read by Karen Williams. This book covers various topics that are relevant in our society today. I enjoyed reading the book from cover to cover. Chance was able to overcome life-altering obstacles and situations and still remember his morals and dignity. Thug In Me is a must read, and I can’t wait to read the next novel by Karen Williams.

Reviewed by Kristin for Urban Reviews

Order your copy of Thug In Me today!
 
 

NEW REVIEW: Brandi Jenee - The Playground Whore

Brandi Jenee - 
The Playground Whore - 
Available Now! - 
3 out of 5 books - 


Starting The Playground Whore, I really didn’t know what to expect. The author Brandi Jenee takes us into the life of Dinah Bradley, a marriage and family therapist turned up-and-coming author. Dinah is becoming a celebrity overnight, with book appearances and lectures she gives on her book “The Playground Whore” Everything seems to be moving in the right direction, until her world is turned 180 degrees. Dinah is unable to remember key points in her life when she was working on her graduate degree. When a mysterious e-mail comes to her, can Dinah no longer suppress her secrets? The real question is whether these secrets will destroy her marriage.

I had a difficult time finishing “The Playground Whore” by Brandi Jenee. The book follows a woman who has the occupation to help others, but actually needs help herself. The storyline just failed to hold my interest.  I think the book had some good points, but the whole premise was just difficult for me to dive right in and connect with the characters or the storyline.

Reviewed by Kristin for Urban Reviews

Order your copy of The Playground Whore today!
 
 

NEW REVIEW: Tony Lindsay - More Boy Than Girl

Tony Lindsay - 
More Boy Than Girl - 
Available Now! - 
2.5 out of 5 books - 


Dai Break Jones has always identified herself with being more of a man than a woman and has lived her life this way. Her father is a founding member of one Chicago’s largest street organizations. Dai gets into the game by being a female pimp. She runs her stable with an iron fist and there’s no room for error. But a turn of events puts Dai in a vulnerable position.

More Boy than Girl by Tony Lindsay started off as a good story. But when getting further into the book, it seemed as if something was missing. For Dai to be a female pimp, there wasn’t a lot of action or drama going on to draw the reader in. There’s no real background on Dai and how she got into the pimping business. The book would have been a little more interesting if this back story would have been given. It’s as if Lindsay was going through the motions of writing this novel but didn’t put his heart and soul into it. This book was such a disappointment, especially coming from a veteran author like Lindsay. More Boy Than Girl was a book that could have been so much more.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert of Urban Reviews

Order your copy of More Boy Than Girl today!
 
 

NEW REVIEW: Swift - Motivation: Mastering The Game

Swift - 
Motivation: Mastering The Game - 
Available Now! - 
3 out of 5 books - 


Keyshawn “Key” Watson always wanted to be a major player on the streets of Milwaukee. With his stable of prostitutes and thieves, Key quickly earns enough street credibility and prestige to expand his growing empire. But that expansion comes to a halt when a sudden tragedy in New Orleans causes Key to get some unwanted attention from the U.S. Justice Department. There’s also a mole in his organization who is trying to destroy him.

Motivation by Swift is a typical street tale about a young man coming up in the streets running a prostitution ring. Key goes from being an observer of the game to being fully immersed in it. Swift did a good job with the storyline of this book especially when showing the growth of Key as a character. One of the most interesting parts of book is when the justice department starts their investigation of Key and how they go about doing it. The pace of this story dragged in some areas, which you wouldn’t expect in this type of book. There is a cliffhanger at the end of the story that may lead to a sequel, but the book should have had a more complete ending. This book also could have used the assistance of a good editor in order to make this story more polished. Motivation is still a decent debut novel by Swift.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert of Urban Reviews

Order you copy of MOTIVATION ~ Mastering the Game today!
 
 

NEW REVIEW: Victoria Vanee Anderson - Lady Vicious

Victoria Vanee' Anderson - 
Lady Vicious - 
Available Now! - 
2 out of 5 books - 


Vita Truth, a.k.a. Lady Vicious, comes from a family of nothing but pimps and hustlers. So it is a given that she should have pimpin' in her blood. After putting her foot in the drug game for a brief period and instead of spending her money on the finest clothes, jewelry or other designer items, Vita stacks her money until she and her best friend have a nice stash. The question is, what are they going to do with all the money?

That's when Vita comes up with the idea of an escort business with a total of 20 beautiful women. Ten are average girls that will pretty much do anything for that dollar, and the other are Lady Vicious' top ten. They are the finest of the women who will only date men with money, power and respect. Money begins flowing in and eventually Lady Vicious decides to open up a strip club. But with more money comes more problems. The previous owner is none to happy with her success with his former club, and he wants it back. At what cost does he want it back, and will Lady Vicious even want to go up against this well respected hustler on the streets?

Lady Vicious by Victoria Vanee' Anderson was very slow getting moving. The story seemed to jump around and not have a flow to it, thus making for a difficult read. There are gaps within the story that desperately need to be filled in, and at times, the story is very repetitive. I had a hard time getting into the storyline because it was so cut and dry. With a good developmental editor the story has the potential to be better but until then I cannot say I would recommend this novel.

Reviewed by Leona for Urban Reviews

Order your copy of (5ive Star Publications Presents) Lady Vicious today!
 
 

NEW REVIEW: L. L. Reaper - Black Widow and the Sandman

L. L. Reaper - 
Black Widow and the Sandman - 
Available Now! - 
5 out of 5 books - 


There is a poisonous toxin that is killing the children in Cuba. But who is behind it? The Cuban government is running out of patience and thinks that the US government is conducting a horrible experiment on its citizens. Jeanette “Black Widow” Mason is a top scientist that is assigned to find a cure for this horrible toxin and to stop and capture the person that’s responsible. Roman “The Sandman” Tate is a top notch mercenary who is assigned to protect Black Widow while she’s doing her scientific work. The Sandman soon finds out that trying to tame the Black Widow is easier said than done.

L.L. Reaper crafted a good mystery with Black Widow and the Sandman. This book is full of government secrets, conspiracies, and murder that will keep you guessing until the very end. Reaper did a wonderful job with character and storyline development. Black Widow and the Sandman have a mission to complete, but you can feel the obvious romantic chemistry between them. Both of these characters also have some obvious personal demons that lead to their current professions. Their back story gives readers the proper insight into the Black Widow and Sandman’s psyche. The storyline gives you the feeling that there’s danger around every corner as the characters get closer to the truth. The inclusion of the high-tech and innovative tools of the trade that Black Widow and Sandman used added to the authenticity to this book. Black Widow and the Sandman is a good start to this series and will have you waiting for their next adventure.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert of Urban Reviews

Order your copy of Black Widow and the Sandman today!
 
 

NEW REVIEW: Jvictor - The Sorcerer's Mask

Jvictor - 
The Sorcerer's Mask - 
Available Now! - 
3.5 out of 5 books - 


Jasson Vaughn is a successful art dealer who has just been unceremoniously dumped by his fiancée Angela. Trying to get over his heartbreak, Jasson decides to just pour himself into his work. His best friend, Ramon, has other ideas when he introduces Jasson to a beautiful woman named Marisa. Just when Jasson and Marisa develop their relationship, Marisa is suddenly caught in a dangerous situation. Now Jasson and Ramon are doing everything in their power to save her. But everything is not quite what it seems.

Drug enforcement agents, drug lords, high art, and diabolical plans are what Jvictor Black brought us with The Sorcerer’s Mask. This book was an interesting tale about what happens to a man who takes that leap of faith in order to fall in love. Jasson’s relationship dilemmas serve as a backdrop to the real main plot of the story, which is Marisa’s grave situation. The beginning of the book is a little odd because you really don’t have a clue as to what kind of person the ex-fiancée, Angela, really is. Angela is a character that could have been deleted out completely because she doesn’t serve any purpose other than starting out the book. The story really picks up with a lot of television drama type action towards the middle of the book, but before you know it, it’s all over. The book just needed to be just a little bit longer. The Sorcerer’s Mask is still an enjoyable read for those who like untypical characters, intrigue and suspenseful twists.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert of Urban Reviews

Order your copy of The Sorcerer's Mask today!
 

NEW REVIEW: Nataisha Hill - How Could She Do It

Nataisha Hill - 
How Could She Do It - 
Available Now! - 
1 out of 5 books - 


How Could She Do It by Nataisha Hill centers around the main character Kayla, a young woman fed up with her abusive and cheating boyfriend. Kayla is bound and determind to make him feel just as miserable as she does. When she comes up with a plan to get back at him, the only person she is really hurting is herself.  After careful thought, Kayla decides the best thing to do is to move far away and have a fresh start. She meets a man she thinks just may be her prince charming, yet he deceives her as well. With the back and forth relationship between her ex-boyfriend and her current boyfriend, it spells nothing but trouble.

How Could She Do It by Nataisha Hill was a typical story about a young-minded girl who instead of just walking away from a bad situation, she keeps getting herself in the same mess over and over again. The story was predictable and unrealistic in certain situations and a little too convenient in others. The main character Kayla constantly talks about getting revenge but never really falls through in doing so. She refers to the men in her life as being "psycho," but honestly, there is absolutely nothing within these pages that would warrant this reference. The author tended to throw in "big words" into a simple storyline, the timeline in the story was unclear, and the lack of editing made for a poor read.

Reviewed by Leona for Urban Reviews

Order your copy of How Could She Do It today!

NEW REVIEW: Donna Hill, Niobia Bryant, Zuri Day - Heat Wave (anthology)

Donna Hill, Niobia Bryant, Zuri Day - 
Heat Wave (anthology) - 
Available Now! - 
4.5 out of 5 books - 


Heat Wave is a romance anthology featuring three stories about summer flings.

Summer Fever by Donna Hill was a fun summer romance. Nina Forbes is house sitting in the Hampton's for one of her best friend's clients. Nina has planned to get a little R & R and sightseeing in while there. The last thing she expected to do was to have a summer rendezvous. But once she meets her summer neighbor, Ian Harrison, she may have to rethink her plans. Ian is in the Hampton's to oversee the summer season opening of his lounge and plans to return to Barbados once his business there is complete. However, love has a way of changing all plans. Can what started out as fling, become the real thing?

One Hot Summer by Niobia Bryant was an excellent read. Nylah "Love" Lovely is a very sought after event planner that was once married to a superstar R& B artist. She has no desire to ever have her private life placed on display again after everything she went through during her divorce. So when NBA superstar Maleek Trenton wants her to plan his end-of-summer party, she wants no part of it or him. Maleek is use to getting everything he wants, and he doesn't plan on letting Love get away. The question is, can there new found romance withstand the public scrutiny and allegations that comes with dating a high profile person and the mistrust that they have due to past relationships?

Too Hot to Handle by Zuri Day was a hot and steamy read. Choice McKinley and Trey Scott become trapped in an elevator on the hottest July that New York has ever seen. While trapped, Trey and Choice turn up the heat even more. Choice decides that since she will probably never see Trey again, she can engage in a little elevator foreplay. Once the elevators door are open, they go their separate ways, never to see each other again...so they think. Once Choice and Trey discover that she is his boss's daughter, they end up at a crossroads. Trey wants to see where the relationship can go, and Choice doesn't think the relationship will work out. Who will get what they want? Or do they really want the same thing?

Heat Wave is a collection of three stories by three exceptional writers.  Overall, these were three very well written stories by Hill, Bryant, and Day!  I highly recommend this to all the romance readers out there.  You will not be disappointed.

Reviewed by Tenecia for Urban Reviews

Order your copy of Heat Wave today!
 
 

NEW REVIEW: Candice Poarch - Deadly Intentions

Candice Poarch - 
Deadly Intentions - 
Available Now! - 
3.5 out of 5 books - 


Lisa Claxton wants desperately to prove to her family that she is no longer the family screw-up. In addition to starting her own cleaning service, she also wants to find her family's golden bowl that was stolen. Lisa thinks she has tracked down the bowl at a residence on the island. However, when she goes to the house where she believes the bowl may be, she finds a dead body. Thinking her day can't get any worse, she literally runs into Brian Knight while she is trying to get out of the house as fast as she can. Brian is a Navy Seal who has come to his grandfathers' house to recuperate after being injured in the line of duty. The last thing he expected to find was a hysterical woman trying to escape the dead body she stumbled upon in the house he has come to relax in. In this crazy whirlwind of events, Lisa and Brian realize that they need each other for more than just tracking down a killer and an antique bowl.

Deadly Intentions by Candice Poarch was a good read. The main characters and plot were well developed. It had the right mix of mystery and romance. However, with this being the last book in the series, there were several unanswered questions with secondary characters and plots that were not resolved. This made me wonder, is there going to be a spin off to this series? These unanswered questions also left a lack of closure to the series.

Reviewed by Tenecia for Urban Reviews

Order your copy of Deadly Intentions today!

NEW REVIEW: Nique Roberson - Tatted On My Neck

Nique Roberson - 
Tatted On My Neck - 
Available Now - 
3 out of 5 books - 


Chantel is a misunderstood young woman who is daddy's girl in every sense of the word. She even has a tattoo of her daddy's name. Chantel's mother, Teresa, regrets the day Chantel was ever born. Living with a mother that hates her and determined to turn her father against her is a tough pill to swallow. So Chantel eagerly gets involved with an older man and soon earns the reputation of being "a slut."

Teresa ships her daughter off to live with Chantel's no nonsense brother in L.A where she soons meets the sexy, tatted up, and NFL bound Chris. The only thing is that Chris's girlfriend, Shalonda, is in the way. Chris and Shalonda have been together for four years, and Shalonda is territorial when it comes to her man. That does not stop Shalonda from having her cake and eating it too, nor does it stop the ensuing friendship laced with attraction between Chantel and Chris.

Tatted On My Neck by Nique Roberson was a good debut novel. It is a story of jealousy and lies. The story is somewhat repetitive with the constant back and forth fighting between the characters and their relationships. I got a little confused with the lyrics to songs intertwined within the story since the lyrics were not italicized. Near the end of the story, there was a huge gap that I would have liked filled and unanswered questions satisfied. I am assuming the questions will be answered in book 2 since this is going to be a 3 part series. All-in-all, Tatted On My Neck was a good read, and I look forward to reading the next book within the series to see what happens next.

Reviewed by Leona for Urban Reviews

Order your copy of Tatted On My Neck: It Takes Love To Know Love today!
 
 

NEW REVIEW: Tamika Newhouse - Cookie: A Fort Worth Story

Tamika Newhouse - 
Cookie: A Fort Worth Story - 
Available Now! - 
3.5 out of 5 books - 


Latoya James, a.k.a. Cookie, is going into her freshman year of high school with skin the color of a hershey's kiss and a body that has curves in all the right places. Not only does Cookie have the looks, but she is also very smart to boot. Cookie is the type of girl that has her head in books but is witty, outgoing and quick to tell you what is on her mind.

Hanging with her older sister, Cookie is able to hang out in all the cool spots and with an older crowd, thus older men. One takes a real shine to Cookie and is in hot pursuit of her. While Cookie likes the attention, she really has feelings for a young man that she grew up with. The only problem is that although his mouth says one thing, his actions speak another. Eventually Cookie finds herself in a position that will force her to grow up quickly. Will she be able to overcome it all and with her head held high?

Cookie: A Fort Worth Story by Tamika Newhouse is a coming-of-age story. For the most part, this was a good story, although I felt the story was too rushed. There were considerable gaps within the story that I would have liked to have seen filled. I will say that near the end of the story, I found myself proud of the young woman that Cookie turned out to be. I would have to recommend this novel to a younger crowd mainly because I feel a lot of young teens can really become inspired or learn from the mistakes of the character within this book.

Reviewed by Leona for Urban Reviews

Order your copy of Cookie: A Fort Worth Story (Delphine Publications Presents) today!
 
 

NEW REVIEW: Frederick Germaine - Ladies' Man

Frederick Germaine - 
Ladies' Man - 
Available Now! - 
1.5 out of 5 books - 


Damien Hardy was an All-American athlete at Crenshaw High in Los Angeles. He had a baseball scholarship from USC and a beautiful girlfriend that he was madly in love with. But that all comes to a screeching halt when he finds out that she betrayed him. Thinking with his heart instead of his head, he rescinds the scholarship and heads off to The University of Miami for a fresh start.

After 5 years of college (yes 5), he decides to follow his roomate and best-friend Mookie to Atlanta, GA, where he hopes to start his career in his chosen field. Shortly after his move, Mookie gets himself into some trouble that there is just no fixing. Damien lands himself a great job. Fast forward ten years, and Damien finds himself without a job. And on top of all that, one of the women he was sexing drops an unexpected surprise that will change his life. Not to mention that there is one woman that feels scorned, and you know what they say about a woman scorned?!

LADIES MAN by Frederick Germaine was a poorly edited novel. There are an abundant amount of editing issues throughout the novel. And to top it all off, the synopsis gives too much of the story away. Mr Germaine mentions that the main character, Damien, is "involved with a plethora of beautiful black women." but over the course of 15 years only mentions a total of about 5 women. Mr. Germaine also makes a point of saying that Damien went to college for a total of five years, but never mentions what Damien went to college for, or what field he had hoped to go into with his degree. The story was very detailed...from what the character wore, ate, and what paperwork was filled out, to a daily account of what he did. Now I will say that there were two parts in this story that would have been interesting if elaborated on, but Mr. Germaine seems to bypass over these parts quickly. These parts could have made for an interesting and better storyline.

Reviewed by Leona for Urban Reviews

Order your copy of Ladies' Man today!
 
 

NEW REVIEW: Keith Thomas Walker - Riding The Corporate Ladder

Keith Thomas Walker - 
Riding The Corporate Ladder - 
Available Now! - 
4 out of 5 books - 


Deena Newman is determine to become a partner at her law firm, even if she has to do it lying on her back. Deena is a very beautiful and intelligent attorney that thinks hard work alone won't get you where you want to be. Deena is a woman who has worked hard to get everything that she has, but she knows she is in a male dominated field so she uses her God given assets to keep men in control. This is her philosophy in the office and out. That is, until she meets her match, a junior partner by the name of David Markham. David flips the script on her and makes here rethink her whole philosophy on life, love, and happiness. The question is, will this revelation come too late?

Riding the Corporate Ladder is a great read by Keith Thomas Walker. Walker has such a unique way of telling it like it is. His word choices always add an extra layer to his writing. He does a fantastic job with plot and character development. He seamlessly weaves the main and several secondary plots together while keeping the story flowing. Reading realistic romance from a male prospective is a refreshing change!

Reviewed by Tenecia for Urban Reviews

Order your copy of Riding the Corporate Ladder (Indigo) today!