APOOO

Dancing With the Stars (Season Nine) Featuring Susan Boyle

APOOO — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:27:30 +0000

Hey it’s time for Dancing With the Stars? Who’s watching this week? I just saw a teaser that Susan Boyle is going to be on this week? I can’t fathom her dancing (lol) so I wonder what she’s going to sing. Grab your favorite beverage and snack and come hang out with APOOO as we spend a new week chatting about Dancing With the Stars.

Okay I’ve missed a couple of weeks…so who’s left? I know Mya (the singer) is and I’m still rooting for her.

PS Anyone miss Michael Irvin?

Dancing With the Stars (Season Nine) Featuring Susan Boyle is a post from: APOOO

Fighting the Blues by Rambling Raven

Raven — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:38:31 +0000

Fighting the Blues by Rambling Raven
Every year I struggle to find ways to battle the winter blues. The days are shorter; the city is barren, cold and gloomy. I often feel as if I am walking in a fog from November until sometime around late March. I was told by my doctor that my symptoms were not severe enough to be classified as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Yet, I can not deny the fact that I go through a funk for a good portion of the winter months. I have learned to live with such gloominess, but I think that this year may be a little more difficult than usual. I have a demanding boss, I am dealing with an ill family member and I will take on a few classes to help me further my career. A lot of demands and a lot of stress added on to the dreariness I often experience during this time of year.

I am however, determined to battle the winter blues this year. I took time out and actually sat down and began to list all the things that I can do to help lift my spirits during this time of year. Here is my list:

Listen to lot of uplifting and upbeat music. (I especially find this helpful in the morning when I am getting ready for work. It puts me in a joyful mood and I find that I don’t lag around the house as much. I also take my ipod along with me to continue the upbeat mood.)
Finish as much of my work at work. (I find that if I just stay an extra hour or so at work getting things done, I can go home with a more relaxed mind.)
Turn off the news. (I love being informed but when I am already battling mild depression the last thing I need is to harp on the dreadful news that is going on around my city and the world. I try to update myself only a few times a week instead of everyday.)
Stay in touch with friends and family. (During this time, the last thing I need to do is isolate myself. It helps to know that I have people I can turn to for support or just to have a conversation with, via the telephone or internet.)
Thank goodness for DVDs. (I don’t have to worry about what is on cable or TV. I can indulge myself in some good old nostalgic movies or old television shows. I watch a lot of situational comedies, also. I enjoy an evening with the Golden Girls, Sandford and Son, The Jeffersons and Everybody Loves Raymond. And my all time favorite, the X- Files. A little nostalgic fun can go a long way.)
I chose what I read carefully. This isn’t the time for me to tackle heavy duty subjects. I try to read a lot from my favorite genres. Anything that is heavy on action and suspense and light on heartache is what I indulge in.
I try and stay healthy. (This time of the year it is very easy to catch a virus and being sick will on add to the misery. Therefore, I try to watch what I eat and take my vitamins and supplements.)
Most importantly I relax when I need to. I desperately try to get in my eight hours of sleep. Sleep deprivation can only add to the stress filled days and an overall feeling of sadness.

I am determined to beat the winter blues and a stress filled winter. Everyday it is a battle to stay positive, yet I am determined to do just that. I am armed with a slew of CDs, DVDs, books and family and friends to help me get by. I know I may not win the battle everyday, but at least I have a plan to battle those winter blues whenever I feel them coming on.

Fighting the Blues by Rambling Raven is a post from: APOOO

Holiday Brides by Jewel Amethyst, Farah Rochon, and Stefanie Worth

Jennifer Coissiere — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:13:48 +0000

I must admit, I love anthologies and romance stories. Holiday Brides by Jewel Amethyst, Farah Rochon, and Stefanie Worth are both those things wrapped up in one nice looking cover. The stories are different but very entertaining and enjoyable. I went from the islands to the cold streets of Detroit. I would gladly do the journey again, stopping off in New Orleans.

Kerina, Sheridia, and Janelle are three friends determined to get away from their mundane lives and have a different type of Christmas. But most of all they want to bring the spirit of the holiday back to their friend, Venetta, who has been grieving the death of her husband for a few years. “From SKB with Love” by Jewel Amethyst takes a woman who did not see how she could possibly move on and turns her world into a whirlwind of steel pan festival and a handsome dreadlock man, Sean. What is the one gift that she can give to him? What is the one gift that he can give to her?

When we receive gifts for Christmas is there such a thing as an ordinary gift? If you ask Kemah in “No Ordinary Gift” by Farah Rochon, she would say there is no such thing when it comes to those who have done without for most of their lives. Kemah works for a community center that Tyson’s late mother started. The community center caters to the children of a very poor neighborhood. The children remind Kemah of a life she once knew all too well. Tyson, on the other hand, has never wanted for anything until now. He did something stupid six months ago and now he would do anything to right the wrongs. Would Kemah be forgiving?

If ever I would need to find a mate, I would love to believe that there is a place available online where angels makes a love connection. Brenna and Evan have more in common than they know. They both have big dreams for their future in business and in love. These two people have put their life on hold for so long that someone had to finally step in and make things happen. “[...]” by Stefanie Worth is a story of realization. Would Brenna realize all her possibilities? Would Evan realize the value of what is right in front of him?

Christmas stories are warm and fuzzy. Reading about brides or soon-to-be brides is like the topper on the cake. Each story gave me insight into the lives of people I never knew. Amethyst introduced me to St. Kitts traditional way of celebrating Christmas. Rochon gave me an idea of how I can introduce another tradition that children are not really taught in schools or anywhere, if their families do not do it. Worth taught me that sometimes I should look no further than the tip of my nose to find exactly what I have been looking for. I recommend Holiday Brides to readers who enjoy romance and holiday stories combined.

Jennifer Coissiere
APOOO BookClub

Visit amazon to order a copy of Holiday Brides and to vote accordingly for Jennifer’s review.

Holiday Brides by Jewel Amethyst, Farah Rochon, and Stefanie Worth is a post from: APOOO

Goodness and Mercy by Vanessa Davis Griggs

Sharel Gordon-Love — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:02:33 +0000

Gabrielle Mercedes’s aunt and uncle took her in after the death of her mother and incarceration of her father, but she was never shown the love she needed to thrive. However, her angel in the person of Miss Esther took note of her natural ability to dance, and convinced her aunt to let Gabrielle do chores at her house. There her love for dance flourished under the tutelage of Miss Esther until her angel went away after a serious accident. Gabrielle Mercedes was forced to leave home once she turned 18, of which she did not have a problem with, not ever looking back from whence she came.

Forced into the street with no place to go, and unsure of what she would do, Gabrielle was rescued by a man who would prove to be a friend to treasure for years. The job he offered her was not one to be proud of, but it kept money in her pockets and a roof over her head. That is, until an encounter with a young woman she would normally ignore was instrumental in changing Gabrielle’s life forever.

Because of the strong pull on her heart strings, Gabrielle found herself seeking a place to worship, to hear God’s Word and live for Him. God blessed her to find refuge, redemption and a renewed chance to realize her girlhood dream to become a dancer at the Christ through Followers of Jesus Faith Worship Center pastored by Pastor Landris.

Gabrielle’s newfound love and commitment to Christ helped her to make life-changing decisions that would put her in the position to lose material gain, testing her foundation to the limits. Will she continue to stand on the Word of God and enjoy the blessings of the Lord in spite of her losses? Or will she take the easy way out and miss out on all God has for her and others through the ministry God has blessed her with?

I enjoyed Goodness and Mercy, a true testimony to the fact that if you are faithful over a few things, God will make you ruler over many things. I recommend this book to readers who are having trouble standing in the face of adversity, needing God’s assurance that He will never forsake you.

Reviewed by Sharell Gordon-Love

APOOO BookClub

Visit amazon to order a copy of Goodness and Mercy.

Goodness and Mercy by Vanessa Davis Griggs is a post from: APOOO

Eyewitness by M.C.Beamon

Phyllis Rhodes — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:19:05 +0000

M. C. Beamon’s sophomore novel, Eyewitness, undertakes the difficult issues surrounding racial prejudice, personal culpability, and redemption. In her novel, a small, secluded Southern town has reluctantly embraced the concept of integration with the construction of the historically African American Beulah Baptist Church in a traditionally Caucasian neighborhood. However, early one summer morning the peacefulness of Emerson Woods is awakened to the smell of smoke, fire, and gunshots to find a church engulfed in flames and a local White resident murdered on its front lawn.

The police question two eyewitnesses that yield differing descriptions of the perpetrator: an upright White citizen describes a White man leaving the scene and an elderly, visually impaired Black citizen describes a Black man fleeing the area. Unfortunately, the personal issues of the investigating officers lead them to arrest and brutalize an innocent black man. The story continues and we eventually learn that police officers, lawyers, sheriff, and the eyewitnesses themselves have varying degrees of pernicious baggage that clouds their “vision” and the ability to “see” the truth. Their impartiality and judgment is blurred by their personal ills. However, each eventually realizes that to solve the murder and to identify the arsonist they must face their problems and work together (instead of against each other), before the truth can be “seen”.

Besides a few loose ends surrounding a few of the main character’s personal issues, the book moved at a solid pace and was very well written. Beamon’s writing style is precise and succinct; the novel is easy to read and the message is clear. The reader walks away with valuable lessons on faith, healing, and transcendental justice. I look forward to reading Ms. Beamon’s next release.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub

Visit amazon to order a copy of Eyewitness and to vote accordingly for Phyllis’ review.

Eyewitness by M.C.Beamon is a post from: APOOO

Gonna Lay Down My Burdens by Mary Monroe

APOOO — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:01:57 +0000

Gonna Lay Down My Burdens is a great drama that opens strong and keeps the reader hooked until the very last page. We are introduced to the story’s central character, Carmen Taylor, on her wedding day when she has an eerie, apprehensive moment prior to receiving an urgent telephone call from her maid of honor, Desiree. Desiree, Carmen’s best friend and drama queen, is having yet another domestic episode with live-in policeman boyfriend, Chester, and frantically asks Carmen to come rescue her. When she arrives, a scuffle ensues and Carmen delivers a fatal blow to Chester’s head.

As they flee to escape capture for the murder of a cop, Carmen relives her life in a series of flashbacks where we meet the primary characters of Chester, Burl (Carmen’s fiancé), Desiree and many other funny, interesting townsfolk of Belle Helene, Alabama. Monroe skillfully allows us to experience the development of friendships, meet the town’s dysfunctional families, and witness childhood crushes evolve into adult romances. As the story progresses, we clearly understand how the strong-willed Carmen with the big heart ultimately becomes so heavily burdened by guilt and shame to the point that she neglects her own happiness and nearly self destructs.

I think this book will fare well simply because it is a good story that is told very well. Monroe’s writing style is easy to follow and the book exhibits solid pacing. With this being her third novel, I can say Monroe has earned a place on my favorite author list.

Phyllis
APOOO BookClub

Visit amazon to order a copy of Gonna Lay Down My Burdens and to vote accordingly for Phyllis’ review.

Gonna Lay Down My Burdens by Mary Monroe is a post from: APOOO

Granddaddy’s Dirt by Brian Egeston

Phyllis Rhodes — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:10:29 +0000

Granddaddy’s Dirt will leave you wondering about the age-old adage of unjust deeds affecting future generations and the possibility of family curses. The novel opens with a serious crime committed and covered up in rural southern Georgia. This single act is the catalyst for a series of events in the life of Andrew Scales, a respected businessman with a wife, two daughters, and two grandchildren. Andrew is a proud, black man and pillar in the community who believes he has acted appropriately and righteously despite his wife’s protests to the otherwise. He feels justified in that he must protect his honor, his family, and his money at all costs and ignores her constant pleas to “do the right thing”.

As the story progresses through the years we watch a web of deceit and lies build to the brink of implosion for Andrew and his family. At the center of the story is Andrew’s undying love for his oldest grandchild, Kyle. Unbeknownst to Kyle (the third generation), who has benefited greatly from his grandfather’s wealth and reputation, very tough decisions are in order when he returns to take over the family business. Through a series of clues, the truth starts to surface and Kyle slowly begins to unravel a twenty-year old mystery. Cosmic forces are also at work and the evidence of a family curse is quickly upon him. Will Kyle dismiss everything to let sleeping dogs lie? Will he face the truth, break the cycle, and do what his grandfather refused to do?

Granddaddy’s Dirt is a thought-provoking novel that effectively uses metaphors, similes and vivid imagery which heighten the reader’s apprehension and allow them to use their own intuition to determine what is going to happen next. The symbolism of the ‘dirt’ and cleansing waters of the ‘flood’ was masterfully conveyed. The Southern dialogue was “readable and understandable” while still seemingly authentic. The scenes were indeed funny when they were intended to be comical and heartbreaking when they were to be sad. There are some religious overtones in this book: the concept of confessing sins, asking for forgiveness, loving thy neighbor, passing burdens and curses onto future generations may disturb some readers, but it does not take away from the novel. However, I concur with another reviewer when she wrote that Granddaddy’s Dirt could be used as an excellent example for teaching writing and storytelling techniques. This is good book for an easy, quick summertime read.

Phyllis
APOOO BookClub

Visit amazon to order a copy of Granddaddy’s Dirt and to vote accordingly for Phyllis’ review.

Granddaddy’s Dirt by Brian Egeston is a post from: APOOO

Growing Up by Illyasah Shabazz

Phyllis Rhodes — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:26:25 +0000

I commend Ilyasah Shabazz for her courage to publish her memoirs in Growing Up X. It is clearly an act of bravery for anyone to share intimate thoughts with the world. I found it surprising that she led a rather normal, non-eventful life in Mt Vernon, New York because I, like many others, perceived her (and her sisters) as the legacy of two remarkable parents-thus making her destined to supercede their combined greatness. Naturally, this is an unfair and often cruel expectation to place on children of infamous parents and Ilyasah shared how her mother worked hard to shield and protect them from the burden of proof. She also enlightens the reader by saying she often would not to tell people of her parentage when she first met them for just those reasons.

The novel, which is largely a tribute to her mother, chronicles Ilyasah’s life from her father’s death to her mother’s death. She begins by mentioning the Little Family (her father’s family) kept their distance in early years and how her immediate family was largely sustained by members of the local mosque, close friends, her mother’s relatives, and high profile celebrities who showed her mother kindness and support in a time of need. Despite the generosities of others, it was her mother’s resolve and personal sacrifices that kept the family together. She rehashes childhood memories of private school, summer camp, sisterhood bonding, and coming of age into adulthood. She speaks of her first kiss, her juvenile experiences with prejudice/racism, her loss of virginity from rape, the many career changes, and the loves of her life–one of which was an NBA player that she thought she might marry. These memories are simplistically and rather briefly written in a matter-of-factly type manner with little emotion. The only exception is the heart-wrenching section where Ilyasah tells of her mother’s battle for life after the fire set by Betty Shabazz’s grandson, Malcolm, Quibillah’s son. I felt her pain through the pages of the novel and my heart goes out to her family.

With the exception of a few events, I found Ilyasah’s life to be quite ordinary and found myself wanting to learn more about the “holes” in the novel. For example, she mentions that she never had visited her father’s gravesite until she was an adult in college. In fact, she did not know the gravesite’s location upon arriving at the cemetery and just wandered around until she found it. I suppose I wanted to know why they never visited his grave as a family unit, even for Father’s Day (considering all attempts made by her mother for a ‘normal’ mainstream life). The only explanation offered was that it would be too painful for her mother.

I found it equally extraordinary that her mother hires a home tutor to supplement their private school education ensuring they are properly and completely taught African history, Arabic, etc. however Ilyasah admits to having to learn of her father’s political ideologies, beliefs, and struggles by taking a humanities class on Malcolm X in college. It is only then that she comes to truly appreciate and comprehend his influence and effect on society. Surely since her father has his honorableplace in American history, it almost seemed almost like an injustice to neglect this part of her heritage for so long. Despite what this reader thinks, I am sure Mrs. Shabazz, or “Mommy” as she is referred to throughout the book, had her reasons and I am not second-guessing her judgment, just asking for clarification that is not apparent in the novel. Ilyasah tries to clarify by stating that he was “Daddy” at home, nothing more and nothing less, which is totally justified.

Disappointingly, the book concludes at Mrs. Shabazz’s death and I ended up having more questions than when I started about Ilyasah and her family. I wanted to learn more about the Little family, Quibillah’s FBI encounter (conspiracy to assassinate Louis Farrakhan), her sister’s lives, and Malcom (the grandson). From my understanding Ilyasah is working on a second novel about her parents, perhaps my questions will be answered in the upcoming body of work.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub

Visit amazon to order a copy of Growing Up and to vote accordingly for Phyllis’ review.

Growing Up by Illyasah Shabazz is a post from: APOOO

Skin the Movie Trailer

The Warmest Wednesday — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:47:56 +0000

I read this book (When She Was White by Judith Stone) when it came out last year and I really enjoyed it. I remember being very moved and touched by the storyline but also angry and disgusted regarding the conditions of apartheid. It’s still mindboggling to me how one race can treat another race so poorly strictly because of the color of their skin. It happened in America and also Africa…a continent populated by people of color. I look forward to seeing the movie but I know now that I need to equip myself emotionally to watch it.

BOOK DESCRIPTION
During the worst years of official racism in South Africa, the story of one young girl gripped the nation and came to symbolize the injustice, corruption, and arbitrary nature of apartheid. Born in 1955 to a pro-apartheid Afrikaner couple, Sandra Laing was officially registered and raised as a white child. But when she was sent to a boarding school for whites, she was mercilessly persecuted because of her dark skin and frizzy hair. Her parents attributed Sandra’s appearance to an interracial union far back in history; they swore Sandra was their child. Their neighbors, however, thought Mrs. Laing had committed adultery with a black man. The family was shunned. And when Sandra was ten, she was removed from school by the police and reclassified as “coloured.”
As a teenager, Sandra eloped with a black man, and her parents disowned her. The young woman, who had only known the privileged world of the whites, chose to begin again in a poor, rural, all-black township, where life was a desperate, day-to-day struggle against poverty, illness, and a legal system designed to enslave.

In this remarkable narrative, veteran journalist and author Judith Stone takes us on her own eye-opening journey as she and Sandra explore the mysteries of Sandra’s past and piece together the fractured life of one of apartheid’s many victims. As the devastating circumstances of Sandra’s life are revealed, Stone comes to understand and admire her for the flawed — yet enduring — survivor she is.

Skin the Movie Trailer is a post from: APOOO

If Walls Could Talk by Vincent Alexandria

Phyllis Rhodes — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:11:52 +0000

Alexandria’s If Walls Could Talk is a drama-filled, romance/mystery novel that opens with the murder of a well-known businessman, Raymond, who happens to be the childhood friend of one of the book’s central characters, Detective Joe Johnson. Joe takes an obvious personal interest in the case and vows to find his friend’s murderer regardless of the cost. During his pursuit, he meets a variety of suspects ranging from Raymond’s very shady ex-gambler business partner to his beautiful, pregnant fiancé. The level of complexity and intrigue is heightened when Joe falls in love the with fiancée’s equally beautiful and seductive twin sister, Sierra. During the investigation, relationship drama unfolds between Joe and his ex-girlfriend, Joe and Sierra, and is taken to another level as Raymond’s “other” lifestyle is exposed. Comical relief is sprinkled throughout the book as the good cop-bad cop, old cop-young cop relationship is exposed. Joe prevails, despite all the sub-plots, and eventually nails the murderer in an unsuspecting twist at the end.

This is my first time reading Vincent Alexandria’s work and although the book was enjoyable I deducted points because of the slow start and some disconnects in the plot that contributed to the ‘choppiness’ of the story. I think Mr. Alexandria is off to a great career as a writer and I look forward to reading his other works.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub

Visit amazon to order a copy of If Walls Could Talk and to vote accordingly for Phyllis’ review.

If Walls Could Talk by Vincent Alexandria is a post from: APOOO

APOOO

Dancing With the Stars (Season Nine) Featuring Susan Boyle

Related Posts

Fighting the Blues by Rambling Raven

Related Posts

Holiday Brides by Jewel Amethyst, Farah Rochon, and Stefanie Worth

Related Posts

Goodness and Mercy by Vanessa Davis Griggs

Related Posts

Eyewitness by M.C.Beamon

Related Posts

Gonna Lay Down My Burdens by Mary Monroe

Related Posts

Granddaddy’s Dirt by Brian Egeston

Related Posts

Growing Up by Illyasah Shabazz

Related Posts

Skin the Movie Trailer

Related Posts

If Walls Could Talk by Vincent Alexandria

Related Posts