Another week has gone by, meaning another week in review.
Starting off like always! By taking out a small amount of time to once again express my appreciation for all the authors that I’ve read this week.
I see your time, efforts, and dedication to your expression of art.
And
This week we had a national holiday, followed up by an obligated day off, meaning more room to read as well.
Some stats about my week
- I completed 15 books this week (4 not posted)
- by 11 different authors (5 new to me)
- totaling 4.413 pages (includes 2 audiobooks not posted)
- making it around 294.2 pages per book
- averaging 630.4 pages read per day
Overview of the Books read
Trying out something different, so you can just hop and skip to the read you want to know my thoughts on, or just ignore and read the complete thing.
- Friction: Touch by Mrs. Christina C. Jones
- Tempted To Love A Rosemont Menace by Mrs. Khamesia Sherean
- Expecting the Prince’s Heir by Mrs. Alecia J.
- Apricot: A Tale of a Kingpin’s Daughter by Mrs. Natisha Raynor
- Enigma by Mrs. C.M. Barnes
- 3:AM by Mrs. Jai Bree’nae
- Love and Trust series by Mrs. T.S. Martin
- When It’s Real by Mrs. Nicole Jackson
- Selfish by Mrs. KuTura B.
Week Opener
This week I opened with Mrs. Christina C. Jones‘ Friction: Touch, book 1 in her Reverie series.
I really went in blind with this one. Only thing I knew? *Mike Jones voice*
Who? Mrs. Jones!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: We love Mrs. Jones!
SheReadsaLot:
I was just happy to be reading something from her pen again.
I had some laughs.
“Okay, then I’m gonna need to hear your reasoning. I know you’re plotting and planning to leave, but for now…. why you not trying to be where the money resides?”
Jones, Christina C.. Friction: Touch (Reverie Book 1) (p. 8). Warm Hues Creative. Kindle Edition.
My eyes went big.
“Where the money resides? I’m gonna tell Cami to put you in a home, old man.”
And I got a nice surprise when I discovered that this wasn’t just a story about Rhea, The Dream Girl of Reverie, and a Pro boxer (Micah), there was something extra special about the characters as well.
And now I’ll be waiting to see how this series is going to develop.
I picked up Mrs. Khamesia Sherean‘s latest release, Tempted To Love A Rosemont Menace.
About Xalori, FMC, who is a single mother really down on her luck. The one keeping her down? Her babies trifling sperm donor.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: What that lil’ girl tell her mom again over on threads?
SheReadsaLot: Figured that it was The Man keeping her down.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot:
And Eason, MMC, who sees Xalori in need, and is there to assist without flinching, and assumes the father role right away!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: But trauma, and grief, is a hell of a beast to deal with!
SheReadsaLot: Yeah, Xalori, didn’t make it easy for Eason one bit!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: We found out that her caution was very much justified though!
SheReadsaLot:
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: But the way he stood by her, and affirmed her?
“Sometimes I still feel broken.”
Sherean, Khamesia. Tempted To Love A Rosemont Menace (p. 260). S.Yvonne Presents. Kindle Edition.
“You are,” he said. “But that’s the best part. Because broken don’t mean weak, Muffin. It means you’ve been through hell, and you still chose to build a home in the middle of the ashes.”
SheReadsaLot: Yeah… He alright with me!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: After beating his ssa though right?
Sometimes the ‘zon knows what it’s doing with their recommendations. This time it was Mrs. Alecia J.‘s Expecting the Prince’s Heir.
The main players are Legacy, MMC, in an arranged marriage, and Mariah, FMC, a CNA.
This story had a lot!
There was royalty (Legacy, and his family), and instead of a hidden baby, there was a hidden royal
betrayal by family, and friends,
There was mystery, secrets, ssa whooping, and a well deserved unaliving
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: There were so many snakes!
SheReadsaLot: Too d&mn much! And there were times that I considered Legacy to be one of them as well
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Same, Same…
SheReadsaLot: He was just so highhanded at times!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Just wrong, and expecting that throwing in some d* would fix the issues..
SheReadsaLot: Now Ma’am… the way he threw down ANYWHERE?
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: And he got himself together some years later after Mariah stood on business!
I had pre-ordered Mrs. Natisha Raynor‘s website exclusive, Apricot: A Tale of a Kingpin’s Daughter.
About Apricot, FMC, and Uno, MMC.
Apricot didn’t want anything to do with her fathers “blood” money
Just because my father was an excellent provider didn’t mean that his lifestyle didn’t come with trauma.
Raynor, Natisha. Apricot: A Tale of a Kingpin’s Daughter (Kindle Locations 321-322)
And I understood!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot:
SheReadsaLot to Audience: Okay, Okay! Maybe I am slightly exaggerating… But living expenses are EXPENSIVE! And the way the world is going? almost every bit of money earned has “blood” attached to it!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: BUT in all fairness, his life style did bring about a higher lever of risk. AND Apricot turned out to be right in being apprehensive…
SheReadsaLot: And it still happened while not accepting his “blood” money..
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsalot: The audience gets it, she made life a bit more difficult for herself. Tell them what they can expect if they pick this one up!
SheReadsaLot to Audience: You will get a FMC with a strong moral compass, who loves her kid, is kindhearted.
SheReadsaLot: To a fault!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: I’m with you when you’re right, because…
SheReadsaLot to Audience: You will find some audacity..
…he replied with he’d give me whatever it was that he felt I needed. … He wasn’t even saying that he’d pay all the bills and spoil his woman.
Raynor, Natisha. Apricot: A Tale of a Kingpin’s Daughter (Kindle Locations 338-341)
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Apricot said it best, D* that was what he had to be smoking!
SheReadsaLot:
SheReadsaLot to Audience: And you’ll find some suspense, mystery, secrets, and hunching along the way!
Twin, kreadingchronicles, dropped in the DMs’s to let me know she still loved me,
by recommending new (to me) author Mrs. C.M. Barnes‘ Enigma.
Mrs. Barnes had me sitting UP when I read this part…
“Pleaseeee, you’re so deep,” I moaned out as tears threatened to spill from my eyes.
Barnes, C.M.. ENIGMA: A Winston Hills Novel (p. 8). Kindle Edition.
“Then I’m right where I need to be,” Angel leaned over whispering in my ear as he bit my neck.
SheReadsaLot to Audience:
Before I continue on, just to let you all know… I won’t do too much AND this book has been out for over two weeks! Do with that information what you will.
Enigma is about a friend group consisting of two couples, Layanna and Angel, and Maria and Caleb. Life happens, and it gets messy.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: And F-I-L-T-H-Y!
“…loved mutual anal play and on many occasions I would cum just listening to him moan while I ate his ass until he had an explosive orgasm and painted my face.”
Barnes, C.M.. ENIGMA: A Winston Hills Novel (p. 14). Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot: And that was only 14 pages in
SheReadsaLot to Audience: But like I said! Life happened, so yes this is F-I-L-T-H-Y! AND it’s also a read addressing grief, being open for love in its many forms, healing, and accountability!
”Most importantly, remember that grace is reserved for people who actually do the work to right their wrongs”
Barnes, C.M.. ENIGMA: A Winston Hills Novel (p. 141). Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Do you want to share what you discovered about yourself?
SheReadsaLot: Should I? I think it has been noticeable that I don’t necessarily give ratings based on the errors. It’s the story that counts!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: And the Filth!
SheReadsaLot: tomato tomato! And this story was very satisfying… And Mrs. Barnes is going to up the story some more, and throw in some DP for good measure?!
I had seen mention of this book, and how good it was. And quickly decided not to read it, because me and cliffhangers? We don’t go together!
And then I saw in the reader groups, and authors posts that Mrs. Jai Bree’Nae had given a release date for 4:AM, the follow up to 3:AM.
I had the pleasure of buddy reading with neiney.thareadindoula (she made the prettiest visual).
Not gon’ hold you these people worked my nerves BAD.
Audience to SheReadsaLot: And these people are?
SheReadsaLot to Audience: Right right!
3:AM is primarily the story of Symphony, FMC, and Kenyatta, MMC. Both with pain in their pasts that’s shaped their present.
Symphony pulled his hand from her face. “It’s hard going through something traumatizing, then trying to be normal afterward, but you know something about that, don’t you?”
Bree’nae, Jai. 3:AM (p. 100). Kindle Edition.
However it is also a story about family.
The bonds Symphony and Kenyatta share with those they deem family is truly beautiful to behold.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Now Harmony was team do too much very often!
“I look out for her like a big sister is supposed to. Symphony can’t handle you. Leave her alone. There are plenty women out here who want you. Play with one of them. Don’t play with my sister.”
Bree’nae, Jai. 3:AM (p. 40). Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot to Harmony: Yea. I get being protective, but tearing your sister down while doing so? Not a good look Harmony! Not a good look!
And a story about loss, the loss of self
She hadn’t thought about doing anyone’s makeup all week long; she’d been too busy worrying about why Kenyatta hadn’t called.
Bree’nae, Jai. 3:AM (p. 185). Kindle Edition.
loss of family
“Hold on, baby. Don’t do this, man.”
Bree’nae, Jai. 3:AM (p. 192). Kindle Edition.
and pain… so much pain.
“You wanna help me through my pain? No one can help me with that shit!”
Bree’nae, Jai. 3:AM (p. 401). Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot to Audience: So the story is good right… I mean I gave it five stars… But let me tell you where my appreciation for Mrs. Jai Bree’nae and her pen cemented. It was page 10, where I read the following.
She had gray eyes and long ‘good’ hair.
Bree’nae, Jai. 3:AM (p. 10). Kindle Edition.
I think most will see the single quotation marks around good. Now why do I appreciate that?
I appreciate it, because language is important. In a society that is distinctly anti-Black? even more so!
One of the things I tend to trip over while reading is the notion/mention of exoticism/colorism/texturism, i.e. even though she was full black she had a good grade of hair, she was mixed with Puerto Rican making her look exotic, she had a beautiful light skinned complexion as opposed to her friend with the dark chocolate skin.
Now it could be that this is the thinking of the characters and the author is of an opposing view. But I truly appreciate not having to wonder about the what if.
Audience to SheReadsaLot: Now I still don’t get why you are so appreciative of her use of words and language?
SheReadsaLot to Audience: Because she did it all through out!
It was a shame they were out here allowing men to molest them.
Bree’nae, Jai. 3:AM (p. 339). Kindle Edition.
Now for a bit of context. Teenagers approached grown men in this instance, already accustomed to GROWN men molesting them, and thinking that this was OK.
Most men in their twenties, even thirties had no problem messing with her and her friends. They were the prettiest girls coming up in the Stead, and all the men wanted them…
Bree’nae, Jai. 3:AM (p. 339). Kindle Edition.
And to drive the point home?
but twenty-two-year-old Kenyatta would’ve never looked at fifteen-year-old Symphony. He didn’t do kids.
Bree’nae, Jai. 3:AM (pp. 467-468). Kindle Edition.
So yes, language matters, and I have extra appreciation for when authors make it very clear where they stand on matters.
SheReadsaLot to Mrs. Jai Bree’nae: Thank you!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Hold up, Hold up Now!!
SheReadsaLot: Why?
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Now you know that ending was disrespectful as f*, so maybe dial the appreciation down just a lil bit?
SheReadsaLot: That ending indeed was disrespectful. But we’ll only have to wait till the 6th of june. Which is just around the corner! Some readers have been waiting for almost 8 years!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Ma’am has the strongest warriors amongst her readers….
SheReadsaLot: I mean….
And then we got to Mrs. T.S. Martin. I have been in Ma’am’s DMs CONSISTENTLY!
So why did I wake up the next day to a post of Mrs. Martin, having released a completed series?
And my DM’s were dry?
SheReadsaLot to Mrs. Martin:
I got over my saltiness quickly however when I dove into Mrs. Martin’s COMPLETED Love and Lust series. As much as I don’t deal all too well with cliffhangers, I have some extra appreciation for Mrs. Martin handing us a completed series.
So when I got to the end of Nobody But You, and found the cliffhanger, I…
Because guess what?
The finale, Only You, was already here!
Now let me tell you a bit about the story. Some years back, events took place that shook the lives of the main characters up, sn: read Mrs. Martin’s Love Secrets series beforehand for the best reading experience. They aren’t only dealing with the fall out of these events, they are also dealing with the emotional consequences/impact, and the questions left behind.
Now on to the main characters presented to us between the pages of this series.
Jourdan, FMC, multiple occupations, and a teensy, tiny, bit, unhinged.
Jourdan, calm down. Stephon is not your man. I fucking can’t believe he just left like that. Oh ok… Could I get away with shooting him in broad daylight? I should run out there and shoot his ass.
Martin, T.S.. Nobody But You (Love and Trust Series Book 1)
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Now you know that is a huge understatement. She broke into HIS house Ma’am!
SheReadsaLot:
Stephon, MMC, observant, patient…
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Crazy! The word you are looking for is C-R-A-Z-Y!
What I wanted to do was watch my Baby stalk around my home.
Martin, T.S.. Nobody But You (Love and Trust Series Book 1)
SheReadsaLot: Now is he, or is he not busy, patiently observing his Baby stalk around his home? They are so precious together.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot:
We have Brice, MMC, a doctor, and brother to Jourdan, has some small trust issues.
I had serious fucking trust issues.
Martin, T.S.. Only You (Love and Trust Series Book 2)
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: See, Brice corrected it for you!
And then we also have Tayla, FMC, best friend to Brice and Jourdan, but they are family y’all.
SheReadsaLot:
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Now you better hush, because you know this series released just a few days ago!
SheReadsaLot: Ma’am it’s hard, because you know they did her dirty!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Now if you want to do something, you can share the way Mrs. Martin read you for filth.
SheReadsaLot: Mrs. Martin would NEVER!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Ma’am, she pointed out your scorpio side!
SheReadsaLot: Now why did you have to go there? We can’t tell these good people that I would’ve had to get at least one shot in, or a few haymakers after what happened? I can’t help the way my petty is set up!
SheReadsaLot to Audience: If someone does you wrong, the only way to go is hell right?
SheReadsaLot: Right, Right!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: I’m not even going to try and reason with you here, let these good people know what they can expect from this series.
SheReadsaLot to Audience: Mrs. Martin is going to give you some laughs,
“Yo, did I tell y’all that she cut all the collars off my t-shirts because I told her that she needed to stay off my neck about cheating? She gone say I didn’t need them since I didn’t like stuff on my neck.”
Martin, T.S.. Only You (Love and Trust Series Book 2)
a lot of mystery, action, suspense, family,
“Sometimes the family we find and create through bonds, connections, and love is better than the ones made by blood.
Martin, T.S.. Only You (Love and Trust Series Book 2)
and hunching!
She tried to pull her leg down, but I fell backward, making her straddle my face, locking her in place by her thighs..
Martin, T.S.. Nobody But You (Love and Trust Series Book 1)
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: We gave her till the end of June to recuperate right?
SheReadsaLot: We did!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Reading this back, we do need some more from her pen… Don’t you think?
SheReadsaLot to Mrs. Martin: Ma’am I’ll just drop by to borrow some sugar… And if by chance you have a WIP…
Now I had a good run, and I didn’t want to fall into a reading slump. And wouldn’t you know, Mrs. theunhinged_bookcafe had me with a rec?! Mrs. Nicole Jackson‘s When it’s Real!
About Babi who is holding her man Too Low down for his bid, and meets Face, while she is giving someone a much deserved straightening out.
I grabbed that bitch, and body slammed her onto the hood of a car.
Jackson, Nicole. When It’s Real (p. 34). Nicole Jackson Presents. Kindle Edition.
Face wants the money for the damage done to his car, and Babi, is more than willing to rectify the situation.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Now you know d&mn well!
I smacked my lips. “Twenty-five hundred? But they say he’s rich, though. That should be play money for him.”
Jackson, Nicole. When It’s Real (p. 38). Nicole Jackson Presents. Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot: Now Ma’am you know all the tricks Babi performed while on and off the d*, she was more than willing!
“Babi?” Soya called out to me.
Jackson, Nicole. When It’s Real (p. 83). Nicole Jackson Presents. Kindle Edition.
Ignoring her, I took the d*ck down my throat.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Now when you say it like that? I see where you’re coming from.
SheReadsaLot: But why was I rooting for the cheater again?
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Maybe because in the end, it was all justified?
SheReadsaLot: Was it though?
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Just to make sure, we’ll be reading Take It Down next week.
SheReadsaLot: Because this is the second book that Mrs. Jackson has us rooting for the cheater!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: But Mrs. Jackson didn’t only give us messiness. She also gave us a word!
I really hope that you can snap out of that survivor’s mentality. You’re beyond that. You have to think bigger. You aint gotta start at the bottom to prove a point.
Jackson, Nicole. When It’s Real (p. 289). Nicole Jackson Presents. Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot: Now that’s balance!
Week Closer
My last currently reading post of this week was for new to me author Mrs. KuTura B. who had released Selfish.
About Sundae, who had a loving father, filth for a mother, and a f’ed up life because of it.
I already told you guys, that this read was T-R-I-G-G-E-R-I-N-G. But also very real.
!! SheReadsaLot to Audience: I will be talking about Child Sexual Assualt (CSA), please be mindful of your triggers, and don’t continue on if this topic is one of them. Your mental health is important!
.
.
.
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I’ll use some statistics from victimsofcrime.org (who is in search of private donors btw), to further demonstrate this point.
- 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 20 boys is a victim of child sexual abuse;
- Self-report studies show that 20% of adult females and 5-10% of adult males recall a childhood sexual assault or sexual abuse incident;
- During a one-year period in the U.S., 16% of youth ages 14 to 17 had been sexually victimized;
- Over the course of their lifetime, 28% of U.S. youth ages 14 to 17 had been sexually victimized;
- Children are most vulnerable to CSA between the ages of 7 and 13
When reading these statistics please be aware that these types of crimes are often underreported.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: And do you blame them?
SheReadsaLot: We did report, only for them to “lose” the file!
Having said that, Selfish is a story about life,
One wrong nigga, one missed period, and boom—your whole life rerouted.
B., KuTura. Selfish. Kindle Edition.
survival,
I slid that blade in his side while he fumbled with his belt.
B., KuTura. Selfish. Kindle Edition.
scarcity that will have your mind trapped, unable to heal.
“You’re so damn used to being broken that when somebody tries to love you, you can’t even see it.”
B., KuTura. Selfish. Kindle Edition.
betrayal,
My mind was twisted, confused. I couldn’t understand why he went so hard to get me, only to shit on me in the end.
B., KuTura. Selfish. Kindle Edition.
consequences of bad decision making, but also healing,
“I thought if I kept pushing, I’d be okay,” I whispered. “But I’ve been surviving so long… I forgot what it feels like to live.”
B., KuTura. Selfish. Kindle Edition.
and l chose this exact quote, because this is where healing starts. The realization that you are indeed in need of healing.
Mrs. KuTura B. did throw in some levity, at various points in time, that had me falling out at the visual.
I scanned the room until my eyes landed on her. Vicki. My mother. Perched on the corner of the couch like a damn gargoyle. Her robe halfway open, pipe still warm beside her, legs ashy, eyes low,
B., KuTura. Selfish. Kindle Edition.
Now if you’ve read any of my posts, you’ll already know this. And if not, let me tell you now.
I LOVE FICTION!
And this book is exactly why. Yes it’s triggering as F.
I’ve been on my healing journey for years, (take note that I’m saying journey because I will not ever be healed, but I am able to better cope, and make sure that I won’t hurt myself or others because I am hurting) and I still get triggered. But books like these make it easier to talk about your experiences, because it isn’t you.
You are talking through a character.
Seeing your actions from a distance, making it easier to reflect.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Because let’s be real.. We sometimes can have our blinders on.
SheReadsaLot: It’s sometimes hard to see your situation for what it is when you’re in it.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: And then you have fictitious characters in the same situation, acting like you.. And you’ll be like.. That is so stupid!!
SheReadsaLot to Audience: So Yeah, I love to laugh, ramble on about the stupidity and messiness of characters, love to immerse myself in new worlds. But books like these are needed to have the hard conversations so that we can better understand, and heal. And while healing, give yourself the same grace you would give others. Because you are human!
Signing off with Mrs. KuTura B.’s closing words:
To the girls who made it out—this one’s for you.
B., KuTura. Selfish (p. 374). Kindle Edition.
That was a lot for this week, and this go round! Looking forward to what next week will bring, and hope to see you there!
👩🏾SheReadsaLot 