KayBee's Blog

XYZ by Kimille My rating: 4 of 5 stars "if he ain't got nothing, he won't have anything to give me If he cheats on his girlfriend with me, he'll cheat on me with someone else "if he is money ain't strong, who cares if his dick is long if he talks too much, he listens to little if he doesn't respect himself, he won't respect me"                                                                                               Aunt T-Lu I loved this series. You have family and a makeshift family. The Patriarch had taken in and raised 3 children and mentored them to be strong, loyal and smart. I loved that the Author doesn't just tell you who the characters are, but she shows you through their actions. Each character had a developed backstory.  We see XYZ grow into adulthood and find love and happiness of their own. Along the way, you introduced to significant others, grandkids, and friends. I loved the way the Author gave each coup

My Love For You, Always by Aubreé Pynn My rating: 4  of 5 stars Two couples Jaxon and Kinsley & Damien and A'Myra-both looking for signs that the love they've found is for them. Jaxon and Kinsley frustrating is the best way to describe this duo. The Author does such a great job of pulling us into their story. And of course, when you find love and things are going the way they should that's when negativity finds its way to you. This book displayed a bit of weakness in Jaxon. Yet, Kinsley seemed to be a fairly strong character. Damien and A'Myra- I found this couple to be a bit more entertaining, maybe it was the dramatic way they met. OR maybe, the fact that Damien met his match in A'Myra. The characters in the story were very well developed. Although, I did wonder a bit about A'Myra's ex. Some of the story was a bit predictable, but it was still well-written. I also appreciate the excellent editing job. I'll definitely keep reading

Unapologetically Me by Danesha Little My rating: 4 of 5 stars We have Fatima who struggles with fulfilling what is expected of her by becoming a doctor while indulging in her secret real love, writing. Writing fan fiction unwittingly leads her to Jericho, a rapper who stumbles on her story about him thanks to his assistant. He's intrigued as to what inspired her story and er moves to reach out to her. The begin a back and forth dialogue. Fatima is unaware that her "fictional character" is the real Jericho. I enjoyed these two characters. There was chemistry between the two. The story had romance, comedy and a little drama. He needed to clean his house. The snakes in his camp were too much. The fallout from the actions of one was heartbreaking. Watching the couple learn, deal, adjust and grow from it was equally heartbreaking. But, the lessons of self-care, healing, forgiveness and love was worth the ride. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. From a technical stand

Taboo: A Novella by Rosalind Peoples My rating: 4 of 5 stars This story was engaging, heart-wrenching and educational. The Author did such a good job of painting the picture of Preston's circumstances that you felt you were watching some lifetime movie. It can be hard to fully develop characters and offer a full story that doesn't leave the reader feeling short-changed, but this Author did it....AGAIN! She paints a vivid picture of a child trying to survive in a situation, not of his making. The pain and the struggle to find his freedom is felt with every turn of the page. You also get a little education on the signs of predatory behavior and how easily someone who is unloved and unknowing can fall prey to the manipulations of a skilled and practiced predator. I enjoyed this completely. View all my reviews

All Candy Ain't Sweet A Novella by Rosalind Peoples My rating: 4 of 5 stars "He introduced me to ecstasy and I was delighted to meet its acquaintance. I left girlhood the moment he touched my lips with his, gripped my hips and kissed... me where no man has ever gone before."Young Sweetie who fantasized about being the woman of Gawd. A middle-aged man everyone warns her to stay away from at every turn. As I read, I kept wondering what was Gawd notorious for in the neighborhood or the city. As soon as he noticed her, seduced her and made her his, I sensed things would go downhill from there for our young heroine. Reality hit quick and hard for young Sweetie. The author touches on different types of abuse and does an excellent job of portraying them all. From a technical standpoint, the author delivered a well-formatted novella with no errors to note. View all my reviews

Matters of the Heart by D S Pais My rating: 2 of 5 stars This novella is quick, sweet romance. Kate was with her boyfriend for two years in a dead end relationship. A chance sighting at a job interview places Kate at her dream job and in the presence of her future. She meets Ernst who is seemingly living a double life. Fate draws them together for a HEA. The story was told from a third party point of view. It was very descriptive and the plot was clear and easy to follow. While you knew the plot and where it was going, at times the wording was very stilted, which could lead to some confusion when reading. This also made it difficult for me to connect with the characters and truly invest in the story. View all my reviews

Obsession Made Me Do It by Nykhol Munroe My rating: 4 of 5 stars What the hell? Nykhol Munroe you got me with that ending. Iman and Yaro married for 5 years and seemingly in love and lust with one another. Iman finds out some devasting news and her world crumbles. Her husbands obsession skyrockets. And lies, betrayal and paternity results make for a quickly paced drama with a hint of violence and a couple of bomb sex scenes. The supporting cast provided a few laugh out loud moments. The Author delivered a well -written drama perfectly formatted and edited. I was engaged from the first Chapter. The story holds so much promise for the level of drama and entertainment to be taken to a new level as the story continues. Now, where is book 2? View all my reviews

Love Song and Power by Stevie Kinchen My rating: 3 of 5 stars This was a quick and easy story to read about the pitfalls of fame. We are introduced to Violet, an aspiring singer, and Trevor, the man who loves her. As their relationship grows and they get what they want, the relationship is tested. I think the Author did a good job laying the groundwork for the story and told it in a way that was engaging. There were only a few areas that needed to be addressed i.e. grammar, punctuation, and flow. View all my reviews

Double Fudge & Danger by Erin Huss My rating: 3 of 5 stars This was my first read by this Author. I have to say this was a cute, funny read. I had a few laugh out loud moments. I wasn't expecting those. Cambria Clyne is in over her head and we get to see the hilarity and mystery that ensues when the manager of the apartment building next door, Violet Pumpkin, goes missing. Cambria is a single mom and I quickly learned adept at aiding in missing persons and murder investigations. As we watch her juggle all the chaos around her, we are introduced to some quirky characters as well. I have to say I didn't expect this to be as well-written and engaging as it was. I will be going back to read books 1 & 2 and the rest of the series. I received it in exchange for an honest review. View all my reviews

For the Blood is the Life by Joe Albanese My rating: 3 of 5 stars Murders, missing women, a custody battle, alcoholism and a Detective trying to keep it together made for an entertaining read Detective Evan Summers, recovering alcoholic, is dealing with a slew of missing women around his city and the threat of losing his son forever without succumbing to his addiction. I was hooked as soon as the "mysterious stranger" entered the bar and then further pulled in when the first throat was ...well you can read it to find out that part. But, the investigation takes on a bizarre feel and just like that, you are pulled into the book further with this bizarre killing. Detective Evan comes face to face with the unthinkable and becoming something otherworldly or does he? This is a well-written story. The formatting, content, and structure were professionally done. I look forward to the sequel and the new dynamic between Summers and McNally. Should be a 3.5 star

Wanted in Paradise by Kate Ashenden My rating: 3 of 5 stars A story of healing as well as love and suspense for Romeo and Jasmine. It took me quite a few chapters to finally get into the story. There was some confusion in the opening and the pace was simply slow. With Jasmine suffering from PTSD after a tragedy, she needs to heal and find new meaning. She re-connects with Romeo, who was disillusioned by his status as an international singing star and in need of a purpose. Romeo offers Jasmine a job and you have to really pay attention from this point on. There was a lot going on and almost a love/hate relationship between the two as well. The author had a good supporting cast of characters in place to give us some humor, a little "mean girl/boy" drama, and suspense. This was an easy read. From a technical perspective, it was well-structured, no grammatical or punctuational errors to be found. View all my reviews

Wife Of A H-Town Savage: A Hood Love: Standalone by Lady Lissa My rating: 4  of 5 stars Caesar and Savannah Both characters had experienced parental loss and found comfort in each other. Once they got to know each other. Unfortunately, there were surprises, death, betrayals, lies, and haters trying to tear this couple apart. The supporting characters Jordan, Quincy, Ciara, Lana were as interesting as the primary couple. Ciara was expertly written. She personifies many a young foolish woman today. This story was action packed, had developed characters and was well-written all WITHOUT errors. I would say 75% of the book was the build-up to the relationship of the Savannah and Caesar. So, we miss a lot of the relationship growing pains.  But, the way Author wrapped up all the storylines with a couple of time jumps worked well in this instance. One random observation, I didn't get the feel that Caesar was a real savage, but he was still a likable character. Hats off to Lad

Indebted In Blood by Broderick Smith My rating: 3 of 5 stars This street tale had a lot of moving pieces and even more characters to keep track of as it evolved. You will need to pay attention to remember everyone. The story of a family heavily involved in the drug game divided by betrayal and greed. One cousin blamed for the death of another and imprisoned. As we learn of the parties involved in the setup, we get to see how Dre, the wrongfully imprisoned cousin, makes "money moves" in prison. It was interesting to see the association he was able to create behind bars. And how he was able to set himself up financially in anticipation of his release. It was even more entertaining as his revenge game was put in motion. I eagerly anticipated seeing how it would all come together. And I was not disappointed. From a technical perspective, the characters were developed, the plot was strong and the tale was engaging. I'm ready for the sequel. The only drawbac

He Leveled Up with a Boss Chick by Miss Dee My rating: 3.5  of 5 stars This story was engaging from the first chapter. Jonah had been kidnapped and shot. Ciara was turning into the baby mama from hell. Daniel was juggling the ladies.  I didn't realize it was a spinoff of another storyline, which I will go back and read. The author did a good job of developing the characters and even though I didn't have the backstory on the characters who were the focal point of this book, I still got a sense of who they were. The story moved quickly, so the timelines could get a bit confusing, but all in all the author delivered a well-executed story with interesting characters and few errors. Reviewed by KayBee

White Boys Packing Too by Soulja Choc My rating: 1 of 5 stars I struggled with this review. On the one hand, I am all for entertaining the masses and opening each other up to different cultures and experiences they may have no knowledge of yet. On the other hand, I am not a fan of fetishized versions of relationships, even in fiction i.e., you need to choose a white man if you want to be treated well and like a queen because black men just cheat on you and treat you like trash. This was what I got from the story. This was an opportunity to entertain and in that entertainment, your audience would have been inadvertently educated when myths are dispelled i.e. some “white boys aren’t packing”. I’m aware this is fiction and just for entertainment purposes, which is why I struggled with this review. This story chronicled the lives & drama of two couples and the Raina & Jason and Imani & Steven. This interracial romance had very little romance or substance. The

Short and Sweet Part I by L Triplett My rating: 4 of 5 stars This was a collection of poetry. The author pours raw and unfiltered emotion in his work. You can feel the need to be loved as much as the need to give it.  This is evident in his opening words "short & sweet, I want to go long and deep, with your love in my life ". He takes you from the beginning of the relationship when infatuation begins and expectations fill our heads to that moment when real love begins and you enter that Obama-esque love in book 2. This collection is one to read with your significant other on a quiet evening. Let him say the words for you....Short and Sweet Reviewed by KayBee

Diary of a Mad First Lady by DiShan Washington My rating: 3 of 5 stars The story of how a manipulative seductress, Daphne, tests the strength and faith of a marriage between pastor, Darvin, and his wife, Michelle. I will say the story didn’t get off to the best start. The opening was very confusing. The prologue opens with a trial and the pastor and wife’s marriage on the rocks and the couple are the parents of 1 child. Chapter one begins 2 years after this trial. Michelle is pregnant and proclaims she is “living her life like it’s golden as Mrs. Daphne L. Johnson. “ I replayed the first few minutes 3 times to make sure that I wasn’t missing something. As the story progresses, you notice fairly quickly that the story is going to move a slow pace. I found none of the characters likable, which could be how the Author wanted them to be received. The more I listened I was eager to see when it would pick up. And then Dawn appeared and I thought “Yes! Here we go”. With Da

Flighty: A Magical Creature Novella by H.D.A. Pratt My rating: 3 of 5 stars This was an interesting take on the message of " you are perfect the way you are or you are enough". Flighty was born without any fairy dust and so he couldn't take flight and do what his race was born to do. He was different. (Did Lady GaGa's Born This Way just pop into your head too?) He hears tales of a way to get what he thinks he needs to be normal and to fit in. Naturally, it comes in the form of him owing a favor to someone and he's to come when they call in the favor. What was relatable about this character was he is like so many. All he saw was his flaws and not his strength, which he literally had. Fast forward to his dream coming true and then things falling apart. And then.....Well, you'll have to read it. I'm not giving away spoilers today. The Author delivered a well-structured fantasy novella with a strong message. My only concern was surrounding

Stone Cold Assassin: Story Of A Hitta by Richi V. My rating: 2 of 5 stars Solomon, the former street assassin turned preacher, his family, his church and his past The story opens with Solomon married and a preacher of his own church with a wife on a cocaine and 2 adult children ( 1 stripper, 1 killer) doing their own thing and unaware of their father’s bloody past. Someone from Solomon’s former life comes to him looking for “The Shadow” and this is when the chaotic madness ensues. The Good- The Shadow is the most notorious killer the streets have ever seen and everyone fears him. When someone appears to have taken something that belongs to him. He goes on a murderous rampage filled with betrayal and twists at every turn. Many characters are introduced so pay attention and everyone is untrustworthy and more deadly than the last. Great story, interesting characters, and a good cliffhanger. The Shadow was cold, emotionless and sexy. I was completely engaged and it wa

Blood Money: Through My Veins by L Triplett My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars This story was of Pete Synn and his sons Flip & Dolla. Dolla and Pete were heavily in the streets. Young Flip thought he wanted to be a part of the street life, but he was not built for the death and mayhem that came with it. Each man had to deal with the loss of the boys' Mother at the hands of street violence. As the story unfolds and it's discovered who played a hand in the death of the mother, young Flip & his family are exposed to more heartache and shock. This was a solid plot. However, the story appeared to have little to no editing or proofing. To prevent the characters from being flat or one-dimensional, a solid backstory could have been added as well as actions that could have helped the readers connect to them. At times, the passages had a poetry cadence to them. i.e. Everything for keeps, scarred the minds and heart of the Synn family in their home off Simpson Road.” What doe

Princess Turned Gangstress by Hydiea My rating: 3 of 5 stars Book 1 was well written and made for an interesting setup for a series. Nyoora left a regular life with a somewhat regular fiance for a bad boy she met on lockdown. Jemel, her bad boy, betrayed her in the most offensive of ways. You almost felt bad for Nyoora and the fact that she was a bit naive in dealing with someone who is involved in the streets as heavily as Jemel. She was not ready for that mentality either. The story had some entertaining characters and drama. Trifling siblings, betrayal, violence, and lies make up this story. The snakes and jealousy scenes were written well. And again that poor clueless Nyoora. The only thing about book 1 is that it ended in such an odd spot that I thought I was missing some of the book. Book 2 continued along the same vane as book 1- Sex, killing, plotting..killing...more plotting coupled with irrational behavior...more killing...rejection and more killing. The naive p

Mafia Romance Series by Smanta Howard My rating: 1 of 5 stars This story held the promise of rugged alpha intensity, passion, lust, mafia intrigue, and action. There was no chemistry between the couples. We were told of it, but it was not demonstrated. There was an odd jump in one of the stories from newlyweds to grandparents was well ...odd.  The book lacked action, romance or passion. It was for lack of a better word bland. It stayed on the surface of the characters and the plot instead of developing them to give them texture or to give the story "meat".   There were a  few key instances that could have brought "the drama", but were poorly executed. The author had interesting characters, a solid plot, it had good bones. Unfortunately, it was lost in translation when it came to fleshing out the plot. Poor execution leads to a bland, disconnected series. Reviewed by KayBee

ANYTHING TO GET RICH by Octavia Grant My rating: 3 of 5 stars This story was filled with crazy drama that kept me entertained. The story had real-life drama situations that made you want to see what Ms. Savage would do next. And a lesson for those who want to step out on their relationships. It even showcases what could happen when loves not given from birth. I loved how the author drew you in and when the twists come, you are truly floored by it. You could relate to the heroine, well until that twist comes lol. The narrator was not the correct choice for this story. Luckily, it was strong enough to withstand the performance. She's improved and I'm sure she will continue to as she practices her craft. Now let's get you that book! Reviewed by KayBee

A Thug's Love by Jessica N. Watkins My rating: 3 of 5 stars This was a pretty good series. Even though it, the story, has been done countless time, It captured your attention from the onset. A good girl, Kennedy meets bad boy, Damien and they fall in love. She suffered for that love but remained true to it. Her loyalty, especially after betrayal, jail, and death, becomes more than apparent to him. The author took that story and mixed it with some decent characters and produced a good story. This Crew couldn’t seem to catch a break. When one snake was weeded out another one popped up. It truly kept you on your toes. The other primary couple, Jade and Dolla, become the focus of the series after book 3. Once a huge heartbreaking secret is revealed, this couple would never be the same. The drama in this story was good and yet too much all at the same time. At some point, the constant drama for the crew becomes too much and you start to say okay enough already let

Stalker by Brenda Hampton My rating: 3 of 5 stars This is the story of Abigail Wilson attempting to rebound after a brutal divorce. Enter Brent Carson, who seemed like the perfect guy. He was perfect until he made his feelings known and they were not in Abigail's favor. However, the author did an excellent job of creating an unlikeable primary character. However, I was clueless as to why she spiraled into a “stalker” so easily. It did not seem probable that two bad breakups would cause her to go off the “deep end” so quickly. I’m not sure what purpose the Clinton and Velma really played in the story. Their storyline seemed thrown in as a filler and served no real purpose. The ending was predictable, but it was nice seeing how the author was going to get us to that point. I would have liked a bit more character development to go with such a well-formatted story. The narrator, Patricia R. Floyd, gave another top-notch performance as expected. Now let's get you that

Lady Elect 2: Lady Arykah Reigns by Nikita Lynnette Nichols My rating: 2 of 5 stars This review is my opinion and I know I will be in the minority. The author has a gift. I looked forward to experiencing the next installment. The first installment set up an interesting storyline and this series was poised to deliver drama and maybe a few lessons. Unfortunately, this installment could not keep up with said momentum. This book picked up 5 weeks or so, after the rape of the First Lady. I was surprised that the rape was glossed over (no feelings were dealt with and “sexy time” was back as if nothing happened) and rushed to completion. The Angela issue (threat to the marriage) was handled in the same fashion. The First Lady was my least favorite character in this series. She came across shallow, cocky, combative and exhausting. These things distracted from the positive acts she did for others. She was a strong character that stood up for those who needed it. It was good to see a

Lady Elect  by  Nikita  Lynnette Nichols My rating:  4 of 5 stars Drama filled urban Christian story that does not "preach" and hit your over the head with religion I listened to the audio version of this story and it is the first story by this author that I have experienced. First off kudos to the author for creating this interesting tale. I am always leery of urban Christian because you do not want them to become "preachy". However, this tale was full of drama, twists, betrayal, healing and a few scriptures that helped to propel the story forward. There were a few times where I felt the story dragged in its effort to drive home a point, but all in all a good, entertaining story. Unfortunately, there are some devious "church folk" in real life. While they may not all go to the extreme as the "co-villain" in this tale, they do exist. I am on to book 2. I am hoping that book 2 will build on the momentum the author created in this ins

Cry Baby Cry..... or Not by Dewandus Johnson My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is my first read by this author and it will not be my last. My hand went over my mouth more than in once at the twists in the book. And I clutched my imaginary pearls a time or two at the raw delivery this author gave me as a reader. I mean the book opens with one of the lead characters walking in on her “man” copulating with her parent. She was 12 yrs old mind you. This story touched on generational abuse in such a way that you felt every whip, every profane name, every tear and every ounce of anger and humiliation that Trina and Jackie felt. Jackie passed on the anger, pain, and hate she received so much so that at 12 she thinks an adult man is hers. So much so that she’s fascinated by a man killing someone in front of her. I can’t say the scene with Jackie getting her just due with the extension cord didn’t make me smile just a little bit. Enter 15-year-old Mistro, a fledgling gang member doi

For Brooklyn's Love by Quinteese My rating: 3 of 5 stars Dating with purpose (God's purpose) is the message This faith-based love story between Barry, a successful sports agent, and Brooklyn, a fashion designer, and an author was a feel-good story of healing and allowing faith to guide you during your courtship. The story opens with Barry's 2yr relationship with a woman named Simone ending. She did what many do to those we claim to want and love and that plays emotional games, including the ever popular " I think I'm pregnant" or "I'm coming to use as a woman" and she lost. Thanks to a spiritual nudging from God Barry went on to meet his future love at a conference. During their first date, a special prayer spoken solidified to the duo that God led them to each other. They both had a lack of love growing up including one being sold into a sex trafficking ring by a family member. The story takes you through them learning to hea

Let Me Please You: A McClain Family Novella by Alexandria House My rating: 5 of 5 stars Kat's the only girl and deserved to have her own post just like the boys. This was the story that gave us insight as to how Kat (Kathryn) and Tommy (Tomás) became the Kirbys. It is not an extension of the series as in a new novel. But, a novella that overlaps with the events in "Let Me Show You The lone sister of the McClain family was married to a serial cheater, Wayne. They met in school during a time that in Kat's own words "she needed someone" and he was there. Tommy, as you know, had a very brief dalliance with Bridget, Jo's friend and Nolan's future mate. I don't want to tell too much of the story and ruin it. After working together in close quarters for Leland, the two start to really notice each other and one innocent flirt sparks each other's interest. I loved getting to know Tommy and his family. You get to see that he is not just a 6