“Blurred Lines
Jada, a beautiful young woman with potential, has problems at home. So she's susceptible and falls prey to the deadliest of predators - crack.
Born, a handsome young man, is the son of a hood legend. So going into the family business is only logical.
Jada and Born's paths cross and the chemistry is immediate and undeniable and so begins the journey of love for these two young lovers. Little do they know, that journey will be marred with temptations, vices, loss, and pain. Will the two overcome it all for their happy ever after?
I'm a day late, or more like a few years late. I read SNAPPED and was very disappointed, yet I heard so much about this author. I didn't understand what I was obviously missing. I was pushed, prodded and urged to give this book a try, that this was her best book...and so I did. Had I read this book back in 2007, I might have been really impressed and riding on the bandwagon with so many other fans of her work. But it's 2011 and I've read so many books that have delved into this subject matter, some of which were told better. With WHITE LINES, Tracy Brown digs deep into the world of addiction and her effort is admirable. However, at 497 pages, WHITE LINES finds itself on repeat more often than not. Published by St. Martin's Press, I was taken aback to find so much repetition here. Riding shotgun to repetition was contradiction. Characters' actions and thoughts were often contradicted by previous actions and thoughts. One minute Jada is doing drugs but maintaining her appearance and keeping up with school. But before you can flip the page, Jada's appearance has fallen off and she's never in school. Which is it? Again, I was taken aback. How did these issues slip past the developmental editors?
I love me a thick book, the thicker the better, but I don't understand the length of this book. This book could have easily been 100 pages less. Easily. There were spots were the story dragged.
I enjoyed WHITE LINES in that it kept my interest. Tracy had a story to tell and she told it. It was well written...almost. I can see how others love this book and I probably may have too had I read it a few years ago. It's not a bad or average read by any means, but it's one among many. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for an urban love story or a story dealing with the effects of addiction.
*stepping on my soap box* I was bothered by the fact that the women labeled and stressed as being beautiful in this novel were not just black. Beauty here meant a bi-racial female. What message are we sending to our youth? I know what message I'm promoting - My black is beautiful and black girls rock! Join me, won't you?!?
3.75 stars
”
Ms Toni wrote this review Thursday, April 14, 2011.
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