A Deeper Love Inside - The Porsche Santiaga Story

Fans of acclaimed writer, Sister Souljah have waited with much anticipation for thirteen years for a sequel to The Coldest Winter Ever – the tale of Winter Santiaga, a realistic coming-of-age story of debauchery. Winter is a spoiled, pampered, ruthless hood rat.  She is attracted to power, intolerant of those without it; she deceives and steals from those who help her. Winter's obsession with money, possessions and appearances, along with her refusal to change has led her down a path of no return.

Now 13 yrs later, the wait is over as Sister Souljah returns to the Santiaga family to write this unforgettable gritty coming-of-age story in the words of young Porsche Santiaga.

A Deeper Love inside opens with ten-year old Porsche Santiaga serving time in a juvenile-prison for attempted murder.  The narrative proceeds to take readers on a journey that will be very difficult to forget.  It is a story of a shrewd quick-witted young girl, wise and clever beyond her years, adjusting to having had things handled for her and with the world at her fingertips to one of survival and hardship.

While in lock up Porsche is force to physically defend herself from the attacks of jealous inmates, that envy her beauty, hair and ability to dance.  Although she is running her own successful hustle, she is recruited by Riot the leader of the Diamond Needle gang. With Riot's help she learns to act smarter and fight with her brain instead of her fists.   And during all of this, Porsche is more motivated than ever to reunite with the family she hasn't seen or heard from since the authorities seized her from their house. 

When the opportunity presents itself, Porsche returns to Long Island only to find that the beautiful world she once knew and loved is no more.  The mansion she once called home is occupied by another family, her father is still serving a life sentence, and the fate of her other family members is unknown.

Apart from Riot, Porsche encounters some very interesting and well-developed characters along the way, each with a little bit to offer her in life lessons - some good and some not-so-good.  For instance Riot, the leader of the Diamond Needle gang, teaches her how to have patience and plan.   Lil’Man aka Angel,  who killed a stranger that violently raped and impregnated Angel’s mother, taught her about getting even on a different level; Warden Strickland taught her not to trust people in authority.  NanaAnna taught her how to grow, prepare, and cook healthy foods.   Mr. Sharp - a wealthy businessman taught her how to form alliances while helping her empire grow.  And her mother taught her the hardest lesson of all, which readers will find between the pages of A Deeper Love Inside.

Due to the multitude of devastation inflicted on her fragile adolescent psyche while in foster care and juvenile-prison, Porsche develops a disorder and becomes unusually attached to her newly acquired friends, Siri and Ivory and holds tightly to them throughout the story.  And it’s through Siri that she meets Elisha Immanuel, a brilliant young soon-to-be movie director with whom she will be able to find and feel A Deeper Love Inside.

Readers that may be wondering if A Deeper Love Inside lives up to The Coldest Winter Ever;  which it does despite being a somewhat different tale.   Whereas Winter grows into a  cold self absorbed thoughtless and uncaring *itch,  Porsche grows from a beautiful, angry, vulnerable girl who fought to survive into a gorgeous, loving, and enchanting young lady living at peace.  A Deeper Love Inside is an endearing tale.

Sister Souljah is a successful political activist and educator of underclass youth.  Her national bestseller The Coldest Winter Ever, considered the definitive novel of the hip-hop generation, marked her fiction debut; she is also the author of a memoir entitled No Disrespect.  She lives in Jersey City with her husband and son.

I would recommend this book to readers wanting a riveting, gritty, yet touching story.  However, due to some language this book may not be appropriate for readers under the age of sixteen.

A Deeper Love Inside - The Porsche Santiaga Story by Sister Souljah

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Emily Bestler Books - Atria Books

Publication Date: January 29, 2013

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey 

Pig by Sbr Martin

With a title like Pig, you might imagine an adorable television character like Arnold or the cutesy talking star of children's literature, such as Babe. No, Pig is not an enchanting tale of a porcine friend. It is a derogatory reference to a woman name Lily, who has gone by different names over the years - Lilith, Mom, Flower, and Pig, to name but a few.

Pig is a narrative that comes from Lily's memories -a woman holding on to too much pain and too many secrets - The entire novel takes place at her husband Bender's funeral, where she sits alone on a couch in the corner of a crowded funeral home, desperately clinging to a scrap of paper clenched in her right hand.  She avoids contact with those around her, keeping to herself, because she holds more than that scrap of paper - she holds a lot of secrets, including one she's keeping from herself.  Readers will step into Lily's past but won’t be pleased with everything they learn.  Some stories just aren't meant to have happy endings.

This is a story of domestic abuse, sexuality, reflection, and loss - and any flicker of joy that may have been shared early in Lily and Bender’s relationship, vanished before it could even take root and was replaced with never ending tears and long lasting pain.  Readers will learn that despite her husband's cruelty Lily felt beholden to Bender and was obedient to him as a means of expressing her gratitude to him for not leaving her after she had an affair.  Yet, Bender did not feel the need to stop verbally or physically abusing her, though he promised on more than one occasion to do so.  The subject matter is not an easy or pleasant one to tackle in a storyline.  However, the author managers to present this dark tale through the eyes of Lily in manner readers are able to endure to its conclusion - and what a conclusion it is.   

Pig is Sbr Martin's second book, which was honored as a second prize quarterfinalist in the 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest. Her first book, In Wake of Water was published in 2011.

Some readers may find the graphic storyline of domestic abuse to be offensive, and the mature content and language may not suitable for some readers.

Between Friends

Between Friends by D.L. Sparks

Genre: Dramatic/Suspense

Publisher: Urban Books / Kensington Publishing

Publication Date: January 2012

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey

D.L. Sparks, recently voted in as the newest member of the Atlanta Georgia Peach Authors, caught the attention of readers with her debut and sophomore novels is back with her latest dramatic suspense novel Between Friends, about A DEA agent and an APD Lieutenant who lock horns during a joint investigation that unearths cold-blooded corruption and heartless manipulation in this fast paced drama. 

Between Friends opens as DEA Agent Orlando "Trip" Spencer has returned to his home town Atlanta to help with a complicated investigation.  Trip didn't want to take the case, he didn't want to be back in Atlanta, but what he least wanted to do was to work with APD Lt. Lincoln Briscoe

Between Friends, draws heavily on drug kingpins turning up dead and weapons being funneled into the county jail, but there is more than just a cat and mouse game of intrigue being played as this drama unfolds it is also packed with romantic complications and there is no telling what will happen when Trip and his closest friend, Idalis Arrington come face to face again.

Although they have been friends since early childhood, there is a wedge between Trip and Idalis' relationship and that wedge is none other than Lincoln "Linc" Briscoe, Trip's nemesis - whose been on a collision course with Trip since college and happens to be engaged to marry Idalis, a complication that may very well affect Trip's ability to focus on the case. 

Trip learns that Idalis is in trouble and his efforts to protect her and investigate the slaughters taking place on the streets of the Dirty South take him all over the city of Atlanta -from Atlantic Station through Spaghetti Junction to a house in Cascade - a house full of secrets.

 As the investigation gains speed the novel peaks up even more; emerging secrets threaten the pending marriage between Idalis and Linc. Unfortunately while trying to protect Idalis Trip's partner, Philip "Big Phil" Porter is shot and left for dead.

Readers will appreciate that BF does not disapoint, as other suspense dramas tend to do, once the mystery of Phil's shoter is revealed, the adrenaline does not stop pumping, instead the rapid pace continues. The story does not become boring and readers will learn that the innocent aren't always as innocent as they seem.

Sparks may not win an award of excellence (though there's no reason she shouldn't), she is still an author of quality that deserves recognition and merit for the realism she brings to her characterization skills. The realistic characterization of Trip comes to life while he investigates corruption, his relationship with his best friend Idalis and some childhood demons.

Some books defy expectations, some books defy critics, they are often the books readers call a darn good read - and BF is one of those books -  it also suggests the start of an interesting series for Trip rather than a single suspense novel.  I have no doubt that Between Friends could very well become a New York Times bestseller and I’m hoping it will be adapted into a big-screen movie.

Between Friends is a must read and highly recommended for anyone who wants to become engrossed into a suspenseful entertaining storyline.  It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a book for the story content and the characters that come alive throughout the pages. I want to thank both the author for her talent for being able to tell a story in such an entertaining matter.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Mama Ruby

Mama Ruby by Mary Monroe

Genre: Drama

Publisher: Dafina Books - Kensington Publishing Corp

Publication Date: June 1, 2011

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey

Deception, lust, and murder are a few of the ingredients that will keep readers turning the pages of Mama Ruby, by New York Times Bestselling Author Mary Monroe.

The story opens in 1934 in Shreveport, Louisiana - and is the prequel to Monroe's The Upper Room, and takes place during Ruby's formative years - and boy how influential those years were in shaping Ruby into the character she became. 

The down-home Southern names are earthy to match the thickness of the characters - Ruby Jean, Othella Mae, Beulah, Simone  are just a few of the names that are used to express the time period the story is set in.  Ruby is the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter - it was supposed to mean she had mystical abilities that she didn't want anything to do with - she didn't need or want the responsibility, after all just being the daughter of a preacher was enough of a burden as far as Ruby was concerned. 

You would think by being the daughter of overly religious parents it would have had a positive influence on the main character, Ruby - but it did not. Instead Ruby was the promiscuous ignorant young daughter of a preacher and the horrific and somewhat unbelievable consequences that occurred throughout her childhood followed her into adulthood and only seem to be compounded by her own actions.

The human elements of this story may cause many readers to become angry and perhaps even sympathize with the characters.  I was angered enough to put the book down, but had no sympathy for the characters; I did not like the characters, their lifestyles or what they represented. However, I wanted to know what happened, how the characters did or did not prevail over their grim circumstances.

This book contains some gritty as well as offensive language therefore; the recommended audience should be mature readers of ages 18 and older.

Review copy provided by author.

A Good Excuse To Be Bad

A Good Excuse To Be Bad by Miranda Parker

Genre: Suspense-Drama

Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.

Publication Date:  June 28, 2011

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey

Since only a handful of books are worth reading past its opening paragraph, chances are most readers will pass on a novel and perhaps opt for mindless television, unless the author manages to capture their attention, and propel them to read chapter-after-interesting-chapter, and that's what Miranda Parker has skillfully been able to do in, A Good Excuse to Be Bad.

 Miranda Parker's debut novel, A Good Excuse to Be Bad showcases a female heroine, Angel - but don't get it twisted, the name Angel was given to her, but not necessarily earned. This former investigative reporter has become a tough bail recovery agent, aka - Bounty Hunter, with ballistics training, a black belt, and an array of weaponry; and she’s on a mission to save her twin sister, Ava from a scandalous murder charge, and when I say scandalous, I do mean the murder of Bishop Devon McArthur was scandalous.  The action, humor, and thrills keep this fast-paced suspense intriguing while the anticipation unfolds and until the final pages are turned.

Although Angel reluctantly promised the annoying pain-in-her-side detective Salvador Tinsley, that she would not interfere with the investigation, and despite the animosity between Ava and Angel, she is still compelled to save her sister from the death penalty or at the very least, life in prison – so Angel launches a private investigation of her own.  The road to the truth, leads her on a journey of lies, deceit and more dead bodies. At the same time, Parker throws Rev. Justus Morgan, the lavender scented handsome pastor into the mix as Angel's wanna-be sidekick with hints of a taboo romance on the horizon – to learn how far it will blossom, readers will have to follow the story to a close.

 

While on the trail of clues, evidence and motives – not to mention romance, readers will discover some surprising elements that will keep them perplexed and captivated to find out where and with whom the trail will end. 

Ms. Parker has cleverly added some twists and turns that are sure to keep any suspense reader fascinated until they uncover every mystery, including why Angel detested her brother-in-law and what caused her, her sister and the Bishop to be on such bad terms - how does their estranged relationship and the six-year old history between Angel and the sizzling-voice Detective Tinsley fit into this web of deception and the murder investigation?  Oh and then there’s finding out who Rachel is and what if anything, is her connection to Bishop McArthur’s murder.  This story will have readers on edge as they continue to clutch the pages to find out who amongst the suspects is actually guilty of the murder(s).

Readers don’t pass on A Good Excuse to Be Bad, by talented author, Miranda Parker – if you do, you will regrettably miss out on a very interesting read of dramatic-suspense with a cultural trip through the streets of Metro Atlanta and its surrounding areas. 

After reading A Good Excuse To Be Bad, I know I want to find out what happen to put Angel on bad terms with Ava and Devon - so I'm really looking forward to joining Angel on her next manhunt in the latest Angel Crawford installment, Someone Bad and Something Blue, scheduled for release in July 2012 from Dafina Books.

Review copy provided by publisher.