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drtamikamichelle's reviews
177 reviews
Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose
mysterious
medium-paced
3.75
This is my first book by this author and I actually enjoyed her writing style, the overall plot of the book, and the pace of the book. I also enjoyed the short succinct chapters, which lended itself to great pacing.
In “Home is where the bodies are”, Three estranged siblings try to solve a family mystery after their mother dies and leaves them with many unanswered questions.
I enjoyed the audio version of this book as well as the 4-points of view within the book. This was definitely was a page turner and made the reader want to keep reading to find out what really happened. I wouldn’t consider this a thriller, but more of a family mystery. I felt it was a little predictable, but not enough to not be enjoyable. This was an enjoyable read. I would rate this book a 3.75 star.
Songs of Irie by Asha Ashanti Bromfield
4.0
This was a good book but a GREAT Audio. The singing, Jamaican accents, and the overall energy of the audio book was AMAZING. The storyline was good and the historical context regarding the civil unrest in Jamaica in the 1970's was spot on. I enjoyed this book.
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.75
SO CLOSE TO BEING REAL THAT IT’S INSANE
This is just what I NEEDED!
Every once and a while you come across a book that makes you think, makes you wonder, and makes you question your own beliefs about how you feel about specific atrocities, and for me Chain- Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah is one of those books. This is a brilliantly written piece of work. The best components of this book were the multiple points of view, the footnotes, the narration in the audiobook version and the character development throughout the book.
Through the lens of a brutal live on pay per view television type of blood sport, 'Chain-Gang All-Stars' offers a seriously realistic critique of our flawed U.S. prison system and our cultural obsession with violence. In the fictional dystopian reality of this book, the author weaves several characters and points of views together to craft this amazing story.
I have read some reviews which have found the incorporation of multiple points of view hard to follow in this book, but I loved this aspect of the author’s writing. The fact that such a needed topic could be told from the points of view of so many different characters was amazing. It forced the reader to look at the story from multiple lenses and really evaluate your own beliefs, ethics, and feelings about our current racist and inhumane penal and prison systems.
In this book you get to understand the points of view of the following:
• convicts-turned-gladiators
• viewers
• protesters
• Television Anchors/Executives
• Abolitionists
• Prison officials/employees
The footnote system in the physical and audio copies of this book was beyond genius. The way this author uses real statistics and verbiage from actual U.S. documents is brilliant. It reminds us that this was a fictional depiction of the very real ills of our current society. I felt this book was so close to something that really could happen in our Prison system and our world because it already has and still is happening in so many other ways. It's intriguing how the story delves into commentary on the flaws of the prison system and our fascination with violent entertainment, highlighting the ethical dilemmas and moral decay that could accompany such a scenario.
Imagine committing a crime and being sentenced to 25 years to life but being given the opportunity to join a program called the CAPE Program where you must kill or be killed as you move up the ranks toward your freedom. The more you murder the closer you get to being ‘High-Free’. Well, that’s what you will get in this book. In this book private prison systems have collaborated with tv executives to create a live action sport gladiator-like sport in which convicted criminals fight each other to the death.
Season after season, people watch this murder mentality and get so enthralled in the characters’ lives, that they tend to forget how inhumane it really is. This book makes you ask yourself so many questions, such as:
• Would I actually watch this?
• Am I a true abolitionist?
• Do I believe because they are criminals they should die anyway?
• Do I believe this form of slavery is beyond what America is capable of?
This book was fast paced and written so seamlessly it felt like I was watching a movie. It definitely kept my attention, and I did not want to get to the end.
This book was incredibly impactful and will change how I view the prison industrial complex forever. This book will stay with me for a very long time. I was blown away by this book. What sets "Chain-Gang All-Stars" apart is its ability to provoke introspection and spark conversations about the ethical implications of our fascination with violence and the treatment of those deemed as society's outcasts.
“I’m saying that the death penalty has always been an abomination, even before the CAPE program. Prison as it exists is an abomination. Right now, the fact is, people are doing the exact kinds of harm you’re describing. Prisons haven’t deterred the harm they’re meant to deter. They’re a failed experiment.”
“Some truly didn’t think about the fact that men and women were being murdered every day by the same government
This is just what I NEEDED!
Every once and a while you come across a book that makes you think, makes you wonder, and makes you question your own beliefs about how you feel about specific atrocities, and for me Chain- Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah is one of those books. This is a brilliantly written piece of work. The best components of this book were the multiple points of view, the footnotes, the narration in the audiobook version and the character development throughout the book.
Through the lens of a brutal live on pay per view television type of blood sport, 'Chain-Gang All-Stars' offers a seriously realistic critique of our flawed U.S. prison system and our cultural obsession with violence. In the fictional dystopian reality of this book, the author weaves several characters and points of views together to craft this amazing story.
I have read some reviews which have found the incorporation of multiple points of view hard to follow in this book, but I loved this aspect of the author’s writing. The fact that such a needed topic could be told from the points of view of so many different characters was amazing. It forced the reader to look at the story from multiple lenses and really evaluate your own beliefs, ethics, and feelings about our current racist and inhumane penal and prison systems.
In this book you get to understand the points of view of the following:
• convicts-turned-gladiators
• viewers
• protesters
• Television Anchors/Executives
• Abolitionists
• Prison officials/employees
The footnote system in the physical and audio copies of this book was beyond genius. The way this author uses real statistics and verbiage from actual U.S. documents is brilliant. It reminds us that this was a fictional depiction of the very real ills of our current society. I felt this book was so close to something that really could happen in our Prison system and our world because it already has and still is happening in so many other ways. It's intriguing how the story delves into commentary on the flaws of the prison system and our fascination with violent entertainment, highlighting the ethical dilemmas and moral decay that could accompany such a scenario.
Imagine committing a crime and being sentenced to 25 years to life but being given the opportunity to join a program called the CAPE Program where you must kill or be killed as you move up the ranks toward your freedom. The more you murder the closer you get to being ‘High-Free’. Well, that’s what you will get in this book. In this book private prison systems have collaborated with tv executives to create a live action sport gladiator-like sport in which convicted criminals fight each other to the death.
Season after season, people watch this murder mentality and get so enthralled in the characters’ lives, that they tend to forget how inhumane it really is. This book makes you ask yourself so many questions, such as:
• Would I actually watch this?
• Am I a true abolitionist?
• Do I believe because they are criminals they should die anyway?
• Do I believe this form of slavery is beyond what America is capable of?
This book was fast paced and written so seamlessly it felt like I was watching a movie. It definitely kept my attention, and I did not want to get to the end.
This book was incredibly impactful and will change how I view the prison industrial complex forever. This book will stay with me for a very long time. I was blown away by this book. What sets "Chain-Gang All-Stars" apart is its ability to provoke introspection and spark conversations about the ethical implications of our fascination with violence and the treatment of those deemed as society's outcasts.
“I’m saying that the death penalty has always been an abomination, even before the CAPE program. Prison as it exists is an abomination. Right now, the fact is, people are doing the exact kinds of harm you’re describing. Prisons haven’t deterred the harm they’re meant to deter. They’re a failed experiment.”
“Some truly didn’t think about the fact that men and women were being murdered every day by the same government
A Woman's Revenge by Sherri Lewis, Rhonda McKnight, E. N. Joy
3.5
A woman’s Revenge is a collection of three short stories, written by three different authors, that all revolved around:
- Revenge
- Deception
- Vengeance
All three main characters were deceived and set out to seek revenge and get their lick back.
The first two stories demonstrated the loss of trust and the deep yearning for revenge but I feel the third story did not meet the mark in this area.
Overall I would have given the first two short stories a 4 Star rating but because the book will be rated as a whole I will give the overall book a 3.5 star rating because the last story just seemed so off from the others.
Wait for your love by AshleyNicole
4.0
Another enjoyable book to this series. Definitely loved book one best but this was very good also. Enjoyed the ending of this book and the epilogue...
Play For Your Love by AshleyNicole
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
This was my first time reading anything from this author. I am now an Ashley Nicole fan. I loved the writing style of this author and am looking forward to reading the next book in this series. This novel was an absolutely great sports story. I found myself laughing and smiling throughout the entire story. This love story was fun and mature. Though I understood the trauma Aria had experienced previously, I must admit she was wearing me out with her inability to open herself to love. I am so happy Tori had the patience of Job and wore her down with genuine love. He found a way to touch every part of her and be extremely intimate with her without even physically touching her. I am very happy for Aria and Tory. This love story was very sweet.
I was not happy with the narrator’s voices and felt the ending was too premature and abrupt, it was like they were on a high one second and in the valley the very next second with no transition, but the story was so good that I can look past that. With that being said I give this book a 4.5-star rating. I look forward to their continued love story and the love story of AJ and Dominique.
Somebody's Forever by Robbi Renee
3.0
I absolutely loved the first book "Somebody’s Wife" and was excited to continue to follow the journey of Zeke and Jules, but this just did not do it for me. After listening to this book, I honestly felt it was not needed. I would have rather left loving the book rather than reading this continuation. What I disliked most was that Jules 20-year-old daughter Shiloh’s needs took precedence over the entire story and totally derailed the love story. Again, because I loved the first book so much, I will give this a 3 star, but it just gives me unnecessary novella vibes.