#BookReview: Luther: The Calling - Neil Cross

Fans of the BBC miniseries are no stranger to the brooding figure who observes crime scenes with his hands stuffed in his pockets.  But they'll learn in Luther: The Calling where that habit came from and why lead character, John Luther, does just that.  In this prequel to the miniseries, Neil Cross introduces John Luther before we, as television viewers, come to know him.  And in introducing him this way, Cross ties up some loose ends that we weren't even aware of before.

Neil Cross will tell you that he can't imagine anyone else playing John Luther.

I've said elsewhere that the moment Idris Elba put on that coat and strutted into the room -- a big man with a big walk -- it became unimaginable to me that anyone else might ever have played the role.  Idris made Luther.

 And as you read Luther, you can clearly see and hear Idris Elba in every thought, word and action of the character.   If you've not seen the show, please know that my love of Idris does not cloud my opinion of it.  It is simply one of the most brilliantly written and acted shows I've ever seen.

DCI John Luther has a lot going on.  Though he's married to his college girlfriend, Zoe, his intense focus on his job distracts him from said marriage and home life.  But through this prequel, we learn that John has always been focused and always, somewhat, distant and withholding.  As Zoe can admit, she may not know him as well as she'd like to.

So I tell him this, all about myself.  Then I ask him about himself, and he tells me about books.  As if he's made up of all these books he's read, or was going to read.

But it's his intensity that allows DCI Luther to excel at his profession.  As he tracks down a murdering kidnapper, he pulls out all stops to locate the missing children and figure out just who the kidnapper is.  While he has all of that going on, he still takes the time to assist an elderly man that's being harassed by a couple of thugs who feel he's blocking a high dollar real estate deal.  Because that's who John Luther is.  As much as he's able to serve and protect others, he can't get a grip on his personal life.  And that could ultimately lead to his downfall.

I highly suggest fans of the miniseries give this a read as it offers a lot of insight into Luther and provides background about his friendship with Ian Reed, whom you'll remember from season one.  One character that really impressed me, that I don't recall seeing in the television series, is DS Isobel Howie.  She fulfills the role that we see played by Justin Ripley in the series.  But where DS Justin Ripley is just a fringe character in the book, he plays a major role as Luther's subordinate on TV, and DS Howie disappears altogether.  I would have loved to find out what happens to her character.

For those wondering if you can read this book without seeing the series and still be able to follow along, yes!  This lays the groundwork for what's to come in the series.  If you've seen the series and you wonder if you'll be bored with a prequel, no!  Like I said earlier, this serves to tie up loose ends you were unaware of and provides more background on the complicated character, Luther.  For lovers and newcomers to the show, this book is well worth a read.

336pp
Published: September 2012
Disclaimer: Copy of book provided by publisher, opinions are my own.

Theme: Paradise Circus - Massive Attack

#BookReview: Destiny's Divas - Victoria Christopher Murray

90s R & B superstar Raine Omari had the career most people dreamed of, but she walked away from that life to fully embrace her love of the Lord.  More than that, she wanted the freedom to express her Christianity through her music and use her life's testimony as a witness to others.  And she decided to bring along a few more singers to help her out. 

Twenty something Sierra Dixon is certifiably nuts.  Actually, calling her nuts is an understatement.  Damaged goods, she was raised in a home with an alcoholic mother who dictated to her a list of things to do, and not to do, to trap and keep a man.  Sierra has more issues than the New York Times, but she doesn't see it that way.  She's just doing what she has to do to get ahead, even if that means lying about being celibate to retain her membership in the country's hottest new group, Destiny's Divas.

First lady Liza Washington has been hiding a secret for twenty-eight years.  From the outside, she appears to have the perfect marriage to her mega church pastor-husband.  As the forty something member of the group, her life is supposed to be a testimony to longevity and endurance in marriage.  In actuality, her husband has been shadier than an oak tree of late and Liza fears that it's just a matter of time before his actions bring the world crashing down around her.

The group organizer, Raine Omari, has it all.  She's in love with her husband and would do anything for her daughter.  But how can she testify about unconditional love when she can't stand her mother-in-law?  Truth be told, her mother-in-law, Beerlulu, could drive anyone ever the edge, but her meddling ways threaten to harm Raine's daughter and drive a wedge between Raine and her husband.

I found that though I felt sorry for Raine and Liza, I didn't have much sympathy for Sierra.  While the other women seemed changed by their situations, Sierra's damaged thoughts were too deep to have simply been changed without benefit of therapy or medication.  You don't go off the deep end one day and hop back up a month later like everything is everything.  Perhaps she talked it out with someone, but the author didn't mention it, so I have to assume that she was as nutty at the end as she was in the beginning. 

Even though Destiny's Divas is 400 pages, it's a quick read as you try to find out how each woman will deal with her situation.  I was amused by the author's reference to current places and people.  She referenced Hue-Man bookstore, an actual bookstore in Harlem that's scheduled to close soon, and a comment she heard Melissa Harris-Perry, host of the Melissa Harris-Perry Show, make.  If you're a fan of Victoria Christopher Murray's previous works, this does not disappoint.

400pp
Published: June 201
Disclaimer: Copy of book received from publisher; opinions are my own.

 

Theme: God's Grace by Trin-i-tee 5-7

#BookReview: Snitch - Booker T. Mattison

One of the codes of the streets is "no snitching."  So when bus driver Andre Bolden sees a man get shot while he's driving his route, he knows that his best bet is to keep his mouth shut.  The problem is, the killer, Clops, saw him and now, whether he snitches or not, he's become a moving target.

A former college football stand out, a run in with the law left Andre expelled from school.  Lying about his criminal conviction on a job application gets him fired.  And his displaced anger and an unwillingness to show emotion have left him without the love of his life and his son.

Snitch is really about a man who is slowly descending to rock bottom.  I wouldn't call it urban lit or Christian lit, though it seemed to have a tinge of both.  I'm not a big fan of either genre, but Mattison keeps it light enough that it doesn't interfere with the overall story telling.

One problem that I did have with the book was the nice and neat way that people were connected and the frequent near misses.  Andre and Clops traveled in different circles, but somebody's grandmother went to church with somebody's girlfriend who was friends with someone's brother, yada yada yada.  Coincidences are fine, but it was just a little too unrealistic.

I was also confused by the ending.  Even now, I'm not quite sure what happened at the end. I went back and re-read it several times and it's still unclear.  Maybe the author's goal was to create a cliffhanger, leaving the door open to a potential sequel.  Um...no.  I was confused enough this go round. I won't be jumping back on that ride any time soon.

290pp
Published: May 2011

 

Theme: Forget I Was a G by The Whitehead Brothers

#BookReview: Sinners & Saints - Victoria Christopher Murray and ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Jasmine Larson Bush and Rachel Jackson Adams play to win.  So when their husbands are both nominated for the presidency of the American Baptist Coalition, they'll stop at nothing to see them win.  And though they're supposed to be women of God, there's nothing godly about their scheming and plotting.  Sinners and Saints could have been aptly named "Christians Behaving Badly." 

While the two ladies battle it out at convention, their husbands are oblivious to what's going on until it becomes all too obvious.  That leads each man to question how badly he wants the position.  If it's meant to be, it'll be, right?  Not if Jasmine and Rachel have anything to do with it.  And what happens if there's someone that wants the position more badly than Rachel or Jasmine? Having personally served on a regional level of a national organization and on the national nominating committee for that same organization, I can honestly say that Murray and Billingsley are definitely on point when it comes to the things people will do to make sure they, or the person they're supporting, wins. A convention has never been so exciting!

It's rare that two people can co-author a book so seamlessly, especially when they're bringing characters that they've each created independently together in one storyline.  With alternating chapters, each author takes a turn presenting Jasmine's and Rachel's side of the story.  I can honestly say I was team Jasmine, but only because I've read about the character previously in Sins of the Mother.  Rachel gives almost as good as Jasmine, but not quite.  I'd say that's only because Jasmine is older and has more years of experience at being conniving and cunning.  I'm sure Rachel will be around giving others hell for years to come.

288pp
Published: January 2012
Disclaimer: Copy of book received from publisher.  Opinions are my own.

Theme: Long As I Got King Jesus by Vickie Winans

#BookReview: Secret Obsession - Kimberla Lawson Roby

Well she finally took a break from the ridiculously long story line of Reverend Curtis Black, but I can't say that Kimberla Lawson Roby did readers any favor with her detour into the crazy world of Paige Donahue. Paige has always lived in the shadow of her sister, Camille. From the time they were kids until now, Paige has wanted whatever Camille has, including her husband, and she'll stop at nothing to get him. Thank goodness this was a short read because the naivete of Camille and her husband, Pierce, combined with the far fetched schemes of Paige were hard to read due to the constant eye rolling on my part.

With at least 15 books under her belt, Roby still has not learned to fully develop her characters and give them plausible story lines. Yes, Paige is bat shit crazy, how do you give the reasoning behind it less than a page and then wrap up the entire story with a nice neat bow a few pages later without fully exploring the transformation from bat shit crazy to regular old crazy?

Paige and Camille's mother admitted a family secret that had a devastating effect on their lives and Roby didn't feel that it needed more than a paragraph? The people that Paige and Camille became was solely based on their childhood and the role that this secret played in it, but a paragraph will suffice? Oh, ok. I guess the author thought readers didn't require more or maybe she was only obligated to write a 200 page book and this one had hit 192 so she figured I could use the other eight pages to write my own ending. Hell, I don't know.

What did you like about this book?
Twas short.

What didn't you like about this book?
Relleh b, relleh? (Ok, seriously, in order to understand my usage of "relleh" you'll need to listen to Jay-Z & Kanye West's HAM. Tis hilarious!)

What could the author do to improve this book?
Learn that character development is key.

192pp
Published September 2011

Theme: Crazy Love by Ne-Yo featuring Fabolous (and that tooth of his)

#BookReview: The Lies That Bind - D.L. Sparks

If your husband cheats on you, is it fair of him to give you a time limit for getting over it?  That topic was broached the other night on the Black 'n Bougie radio show the other night and the answers varied.  Overall, the panel of male guests said that women were expected to forgive their men, but men were not ready to be so forgiving.  Author D.L. Sparks captures that very sentiment in The Lies That Bind.

Dr. Teresa McCall is married to a cheater.  Of course, let him tell it, he only cheated because Teresa worked so much.  As a therapist building her practice, Teresa does put in long hours.  Donovan knew that when they got married, but now that he's established as a partner and owner in investment banking, he'd prefer if she stayed home and had some babies.  If she can't do that, at least cut back on her hours at work, right?

No matter how much she tries, Teresa can't get past the fact that Donovan was emotionally connected to another woman. So when the opportunity to have an affair of her own presents itself, it doesn't take much for her to give in to temptation.  After all, what's good for the goose is good for the gander.  The only problem is Teresa is in over her head and has no idea of just how much.

What did you like about this book?
It was an extremely quick read.

What didn't you like about this book?
Teresa is extremely naive.  The quickness with which she hops in bed with a stranger seems a great contradiction to the person that she is originally portrayed as.  And I know that doctors make the worst patients, but it was hard to believe that a therapist would allow marital issues fester for two years without either taking steps toward divorce or participating in serious therapy herself.

What could the author do to improve this book?
I never felt like Donovan's side of the story was truly told.  The reasons for his anger, cheating, etc. weren't explored in depth.  Given that his cheating is what drove the story line, it deserved more attention.  The best friend, Renee, seemed to swoop in occasionally to give a dose of advice, provide an alibi and invite Teri to church.  Either fleshing out the characters more or completely removing some of them would have made it a smoother, more believable, read.

227pp
Published January 2010

Theme: Cheatin' Is by Millie Jackson

#BookReview: Torn Between Two Lovers - Carl Weber

Fans of Big Girls Do Cry and Something on the Side will be happy to know that members of the infamous Big Girls Book Club are back.  When last we left them Egypt finally got rid of her conniving sister, Isis, and Loraine had reunited with her husband, Leon, after her best friend Jerome tried to tear them apart.  With Torn Between Two Lovers, Weber turns his attention towards Loraine.

Loraine and Leon survived Jerome's efforts to tear them apart, but something still isn't right between them in the bedroom.  Loraine has tried to be patient, but it's been a six year struggle and his "early arrival" was one of the many reasons why she was so willing to believe Leon was cheating on her before. 

Leon wants his marriage to work desperately and will stop at nothing to please his wife.  The last time he was hypnotized by his therapist, he was surprised to find that he had repressed memories of physical beatings by his uncle as a young child.  Though that revelation was startling, it still hasn't helped him figure out why he can no longer please his wife in the bedroom.

Michael has been in love with Loraine since he was a young boy watching her hang out with his older sister.  When Loraine's marriage fell apart the first time, he swooped in to pick up the pieces.  Now that she's back with Leon, Michael can't accept that she no longer wants her.  He'll do anything to win her back, even if it borders on stalking.

Jerome's desire to see Loraine with a better man led him to set Leon up in Big Girls Do Cry.  He thought by making it look like Leon was cheating, Loraine would open her eyes and move on to someone else.  Unfortunately that plan backfired and Jerome lost his best friend forever.  He's experienced a handful of disastrous relationships himself, but when he has a chance to rekindle a romance with Ron, a handsome basketball player, he's willing to cut ties with all of his other loves, including his secret lover, Big Poppa.  If only his annoying stalker would stop screwing things up for him.

What did you like about this book?
This book starts off at a fast pace and doesn't stop until the ending.  I thought I knew exactly what was going on and who the players were, but I was shocked and surprised to find that I really didn't.  I love that it wasn't predictable.

What didn't you like about this book?
It was shorter than the typical Carl Weber book.

What could the author do to improve this book?
Though it was shorter than usual, there is really nothing I can think of that would make it better.

208pp
Published September 2010
Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided by the publicist.

Theme: You, Me & He by Mtume

#BookReview: Tempted by Trouble - Eric Jerome Dickey

For an author that started out writing from the woman's point of view, Eric Jerome Dickey has certainly evolved. If you've followed his writing career, you'll remember the days when his stories were considered the male answer to Terry McMillan's Waiting to Exhale. They were funny, they were romantic, they were light. I can remember commenting to a fellow reader years ago that he wrote with a woman's voice so well that if I didn't know he was a man, I would have assumed he was a woman.

I've noticed in recent years that he has shied away from romantic lit as a whole and has begun to hide it within darker, sexier novels. Though he started bringing the sexy in 2003's The Other Woman, the first time I noticed him bringing a whole lot of sexy was in 2008's Pleasure. An older relative gave it to me for Christmas and I blushed so much through out it that all I could hope was that she hadn't read it prior to giving it to me.

With the beginning of the Gideon series, 2007's Sleeping with Strangers, Dickey introduced us to the darker, more masculine side of his stories. If I remember correctly, this was really the first time that his lead character was a male. A killer for hire, Gideon is the focus of four books, which is somewhat unusual for the author. He seems to like to utilizing characters for one story and then moving on from them. It would seem that he found his voice within Gideon.

Tempted by Trouble introduces the reader to a new character, Dmytryk Knight. An out of work former executive turned assembly line worker, Dmytryk is struggling to maintain his home, his marriage and his sanity in Detroit. His out of work wife, Cora, has taken to stripping to bring money into the house while Dmytryk picks up odd jobs here and there. A chance encounter in the strip club introduces Dmytryk to a way of life that he never imagined, as the getaway man for a crew of bank robbers.

Dmytryk isn't cut out for the life of a thief, but if it keeps Cora happy, he's willing to do it. When his latest heist goes wrong and Cora disappears, Dmytryk has to decide if this is really the path he wants to continue down. With fast paced writing and several twists and turns, Eric Jerome Dickey has created yet another page turner.

What did you like about this book?
There were quite a few unexpected surprises and I loved that.

What didn't you like about this book?
Dickey never comes out and tells the reader what race Dmytryk is. One could infer from his parents names, as well as his, that his origins are European, but the fact that he was born and raised in Detroit and attended Cass Technical High, a predominantly black school leads you to wonder if he's black. I would suspect that the author wanted to leave it up to the reader to decide. Ultimately it doesn't matter what race Dmytryk is since this isn't a black or white story, but a human story.

What could the author do to improve this book?
Dmytryk is the lead character and so much of the story is built around him. I would have liked more background on the other players though.

368pp
Published August 2010



Theme: American Dreaming by Jay-Z

#BookReview: Belly of the Beast - Caleb Alexander

Fans of the HBO series Oz will appreciate the latest from Caleb Alexander, Belly of the Beast. Set in a Texas prison it is the story of Christian Alexander. Raised by his strict grandmother and a high performing student in his Catholic high school, Christian seems destined for greatness. With his own father in prison, Christian looks to his uncle for guidance. When that uncle is gunned down while walking a friend home, Christian descends into his own personal hell. With little regard for life, he goes on a killing spree that lands him in a maximum security prison.

Coming from the streets of San Antonio, Christian has always had Hispanic friends. He learns quickly that there’s no such thing as friends of another race in prison. Separated from Enrique, his lifelong friend, Christian quickly aligns himself with others of his race. At first content to go along to get along, Christian doesn’t get involved in prison politics or race wars. When his best friend is attacked, his views change and he begins to organize the biggest and most well trained prisoners that the system has witnessed.

A student of several world religions, Christian creates Umkhonto, whose sole purpose is to protect black prisoners from those that would do them harm. Backed by his counterparts in other parts of the yard, Umkhonto becomes a force with which to be reckoned. As the native Mexicans and U.S. Mexicans do battle on the yard for dominance, the Umkhonto quietly build up their numbers in preparation for the battle that is surely coming.

Though not an extremely lengthy read, I found myself struggling to make it through this book, simply because of the subject matter. There’s a point when Christian rejoices over the number of black men arriving at the prison because to him it means more soldiers for his war. To me it simply meant more black men displaced from their families and more black women left behind to raise their kids alone.

Is it hypocritical of me to enjoy shows such as Oz or the works of Iceberg Slim, yet question this storyline? Perhaps. Christian does have redeeming qualities and expands his mind enough to think beyond the prison walls. The fact that such an avowed separatist can find it in his heart to save a man of another race is enough to make me step back and question whether or not I’ve misjudged him.

What did you like about this book? 
The author obviously took time to research prison life to create such a realistic account.

What did you dislike about his book? 
There were a lot of characters and at times it was difficult to keep up with them.

What could the author do to improve this book? 
It would have been interesting to see what happened with the main character beyond the prison walls. I don’t know that a sequel is necessary, but an epilogue would have been sufficient.

302pp

Published March 2010

#BookReview: Karma - Sabrina Eubanks

The author titled this book Karma, but it just as easily could have been called Frenemy of the State. Justine Greer is an attractive woman with a good head on her shoulders and a great career as a news reporter. A night out with her best friends Holly and Simone leads to a chance introduction to the suave and debonair narcotics detective, Lucas Cain.

Lucas and Noah have been partners on the force and best friends for years. When Noah sees the trio of ladies enter the club, he immediately senses that Justine is just the kind of woman to turn his friend’s head. When Lucas sends drinks to the ladies’ table, the romance begins for them, while jealousy and envy begin for others.

Simone has been friends with Holly and Justine since college. While she’s always been able to relate to Holly, since they both came from humble backgrounds, inwardly she has hated Justine since college. In her mind, Justine’s middle class upbringing and the fact that she is an only child has lead her to have a charmed life. Everything has always come so easily to Justine, but Simone knows that there’s one department that Justine cannot compete in with her.

Holly’s husband, Robert, has warned Lucas about Simone and her evil ways, but Lucas isn’t prepared for the extremes that Simone will go to. Though he’s managed to dodge a few bullets she sends flying his way, nothing will prepare him for what happens when he and Noah go undercover as bodyguards for her rapper/drug dealer boyfriend, Nine.

Justine knows that Simone is a little flirty and over the top, but she’s always been that way. Even when Simone openly flirts with Lucas in her presence, Justine sits by idly without saying a word. Everyone wonders how long she will allow Simone to carry on with her wild antics, until the day Justine loses it and turns the tables.

Bodhidharma once said, “Still others commit all sorts of evil deeds, claiming karma doesn’t exist. They erroneously maintain that since everything is empty, committing evil isn’t wrong. Such persons fall into a hell of endless darkness with no hope of release. Those who are wise hold no such conception.” I can’t say that Simone would have changed her ways had she known what fate awaited her for her evil actions, but she just might have.

What did you like about this book?
It was very well written. The author created such an unlikeable character in Simone that even when she was in harm’s way; I felt absolutely no remorse for her.

What did you dislike about this book? Not a thing, I’ve already added the sequel to my “to be read” list.

How can the author improve this book?
No improvement needed.

#BookReview: The Million Dollar Demise - RM Johnson

The Million Dollar Demise is supposed to be the last in the series that includes The Million Dollar Divorce and The Million Dollar Deception. Somehow I think there's room for either a fourth book with the same characters or a new series based on some of the existing characters.

For those that haven't read the first two books, let me bring you up to speed. Multimillionaire Nate Kenny always gets what he wants...always. When he finds out that his new bride, Monica, is unable to have children he files for divorce. Realizing that the only way to keep her from getting his money is to catch her cheating, he hires a con man, Lewis Waters, to weasel his way into her life and seduce her. Nate didn't bargain on Lewis actually falling in love with Monica and vice verse. Not only does Monica fall for Lewis, she falls for his daughter. Upset that his plan backfired, Nate sets out to destroy Lewis and uses his best friend, Freddy Ford, to do it. When that plan fails, Freddy seeks revenge on Nate for causing him to lose his house, his fiancee and their unborn child. Meanwhile, Monica learns of Lewis' deception and returns to Nate, taking with her the daughter of the now jailed Lewis, not realizing that Nate is the master mind of her unhappiness. At the close of The Million Dollar Deception Monica has moved back into Nate's house, along with Lewis' daughter, and the toddler that Nate adopted as part of his grand plan to win Monica over. A knock at the door and several gunshots later, Nate and Monica have been left for dead and little Nate is nowhere to be found.

Alright, so The Million Dollar Demise picks up with the previous book left off. Tigers don't change their stripes over night, leopards don't change their spots and Nate Kenny hasn't become an angel. Recovering from his wounds, he sits by the comatose Monica's bedside for weeks while his personal detective searches for Nate, Jr. But when his ex-fiancee', Daphanie, shows up and says she's pregnant, Nate makes plans to dump Monica as soon as she awakens.

On the run from the police in Chicago, Freddy heads down south to his ex-girlfriend's house. When he shows up with a kid in tow, she knows something's up, but she's smart enough not to ask. Recently released from prison, Lewis reaches out to Freddy to return Nate, Jr. in hopes that Nate and Monica will return his daughter to him in exchange.

Loved this book. The ending will leave you begging for more and, with any luck, RM Johnson will deliver.

#BookReview: Nappily Faithful - Trisha R. Thomas

After Jake is found not guilty of killing his former business accountant, he and Venus relocate to Atlanta. Hoping to make a new start, he sells his clothing line to his best friend, Legend, and focuses on producing new artists and spending more time with his family. Things haven't been right between him and Venus since she lost the baby she was carrying when he went to trial.

Venus isn't happy with the way things are with Jake and is ready to call it quits until she receives a call from Airic. After a three year absence, he's ready to be a father to Mya, a role Jake has been filling happily.

Newly married to televangelist and speaker, Trevelle Doval, Airic realizes that it's time for him to grow up and be the father that he should have been when Mya was born. Trevelle has convinced him that Jake's recent trial and Venus' brief hospitalization for an overdose have made them unfit parents.

Former prostitute turned evangelist, Trevelle Doval, will stop at nothing to complete her perfect picture as good Christian woman. She's so busy throwing stones at Jake and Venus that she conveniently forgets that she killed her former pimp and abandoned her child in the backseat of a car. It's too bad that the presiding judge of the custody hearing remembers, because she was there to witness it all.

I had forgotten about this series until someone reminded me of it. I'm already looking forward to reading Trisha Thomas' latest, Nappily in Bloom.

#BookReview: Nappily Married - Trisha R. Thomas

Fans of the Nappily Ever After series are already familiar with Venus Johnston. For those that aren't, let's catch you up. In the first book of the series, Venus is shacking up with her doctor boyfriend, Clint, while holding down a decent job and biding time until he proposes. Committed to Clint and keeping her hair "did", Venus chucks it all to the wind when Clint gives her a dog for her birthday, instead of the ring she expected. Cutting all of her "long, luxurious mane" off gives Venus the independence she's been searching for, but when Clint dumps her and starts dating a long-maned beauty, Venus begins to wonder if she made a mistake.

Book two of the series, Would I Lie to You?, finds Venus in the arms of a new man, the aloof Airic. After dating him for two years and realizing there's still no ring in sight, Venus relocates to the west coast where she meets former rapper, Jake Parsons, working on the marketing campaign for his new clothing line. Jake is only meant to be a distraction from her problems with Airic and her mother, who is battling breast cancer. To Venus' surprise she finds herself in love with Jake while carrying Airic's baby.

Ok, so now that we're all caught up, let's get to Nappily Married. Venus is happily married to Jake and together they're raising Mya, the daughter Airic refused to help Venus raise. While Jake is happy running his clothing empire, Venus finds herself looking for something she can call her own.

When an opportunity to work at a local hospital opens, Venus jumps on it. Imagine her surprise at finding that former boyfriend, Dr. Clint Fairchild, has relocated to the west coast as well and brought along the woman he left Venus for. Her new employer decides to have Venus compete for her job with Clint's wife, Kandi, who's determined to make Venus' life a living hell. Jake is not happy at all about Venus being in such close proximity to her ex-boyfriend and when she fails to tell him that she's traveling to DC with him for a conference, all hell breaks loose.

#BookReview: Hell Has No Fury - Keith Lee Johnson

Hell Has No Fury is part of a series of books about Phoenix Perry, an FBI agent based in Washington, DC. I didn't realize the book was part of a sequel when I picked it up, but the author does a good job of bringing you up to speed so that you don't feel lost. On to the book...When Phoenix receives a call that her cousin, Michelle, is suspected of killing a couple and is in a coma, she and her BFF jet to the west coast to clear Michelle's name and find out what really happened. She's shocked to find that Michelle did indeed commit the murders and even more shocked to find out why.

This is a quick read, no deep meaning behind it and it won't change your life, but it's an easy read if you're looking to pass the time.