Book Review Alert: Shatter Silence: Poems of Survival and Hope (THE ECHOES OF BECOMING Book 1)

 

Book Review Alert: Shatter Silence: Poems of Survival and Hope

(THE ECHOES OF BECOMING Book 1)
Authors: Angela Thomas Smith, Rolanda Pyle, Little "Unique" Parker, Michelynn Moss, Cheryl Northern-Legrand, Charlotte Simon-Rawson, and Shanette W Johnson

Kindle Edition
Published: September 1, 2025
Publisher: Aspiring Authors Magazine & AAALAC
ASIN: B0FL4H7RYX
ISBN-13:979-8262658565
Rating: 5

Shatter Silence is a powerful poetry collection that speaks directly to the parts of us we often try to hide. The poems touch on pain, heartbreak, trauma, fear, and emotional wounds that are carried quietly for far too long. Every piece feels personal and honest, as if the author is opening the door to thoughts and emotions many people struggle to say out loud.

What makes this collection stand out is the way it balances hurt with healing. While the poems acknowledge darkness and emotional suffering, they also show the strength it takes to keep going. As the pages unfold, there is a sense of growth—of someone slowly finding their voice after being trapped in silence for so long. The emotions feel real, raw, and deeply relatable.

Shatter Silence is not just about pain; it is about endurance, self-discovery, and learning that your voice still matters even after life tries to quiet it.

Book Review Alert: Dying for Success by Garrick Wade

Book Review Alert: Dying for Success 

Author: Garrick Wade

Published: May 24, 2011

Publisher:  AddisonCraft

ASBN: B0052O49P6

Rating: 3 stars

Reviewed by: Patrice "SCBookGal843" Grimball

Deandra has two main dreams in life. Her first is to be the best parent to her young daughter and the second is to be a famous dancer. When trying to achieve her goals she meets a young, sexy, man by the name of Kwame. At first, he was just a sexy face that she could not get her mind off, and then with a second chance meeting while shopping, he becomes a man of interest. She has a feeling that she has met Kwame at another place in her life. Is Kwame the man to give her the motivation to pursue her dream? In addition, where does she know Kwame from? Is there drama in the future for this new couple?

Kwame is a very successful man. He wants for nothing. He meets Deandra and is very smitten by her. He falls in love with this around the way girl. Kwame is dealing with a situation from his past, that will greatly affect the relationship with Deandra. Will this situation resolve itself with love or will there have to be bloodshed to bring there union together?

Daniel aka Fresh, is and up and coming player in the game. He loves the world of money, cars, and girls. One night changes the life of this want-to-be player . A family is murdered and a close relative of the decreased has now sent out a hit on the person who did the deed. Daniel’s girlfriend who happens to be pregnant. How will Daniel deal with everything that is going on? Will the love for money be his downfall? Is blood thicker then water when he has to choose being between the street life and the love of his sister and having a new baby

Starting very slow in the beginning but leading to a much thrown together ending. From the readers standpoint seems the author was going one way with this story then decided to go another angle. Some parts of the book gets you hooked to the action that is going on but the next thing that happens in the story places you into left field and leaves the reader wondering where did that come from. I wish the author would have given more interaction with the main plot of the character. I say it is a good read, but if the author had taken out some parts of the books that seem to be just “fluff”, it would have been a great read.

Book Review Alert: Lessons on Church Folk - Volume 1 & 2 of by Antoinette Marie Davis

Book Review Alert: Lessons on Church Folk -

 Volume 1 & 2 

Author: Antoinette Marie Davis

Published: September 6, 2011
Publisher: Mill City Press, Inc.

ISBN-10: 1936780933

ISBN-13: 978-1936780938

ASIN: B006IIIS7K

Rating: 3 stars

Lessons on Church Folks Vol. 1 and 2 are novels that bring to light many issues that are found in the everyday twentieth -century church. These short stories contained in these novels are there to entertain but also show the seriousness in the issues that are spoken about. The book covers issues from backbiting (gossiping) to adultery. Each story starts with a short paragraph explaining the issue and then a short parable or example of the issue.

In some cases, I love the format of the book. The size of the book could be intimidating to a new reader but on the other hand great for the reader that cannot sit and read a full novel but just a little excerpt every day. The downfall of the novel is the lack of scripture references. Based on the writing presented, there is a feeling that most of the book was skewed toward negativity of those that attended church as a regular practice. If one were a weak-minded or simply or unaware of the positives of religious worship gathering, on would never return to a church or visit a church after reading this.

This reviewer wishes that the author would have given just a little more to the novel than a “parable a day”.

Book Review Alert: 10 Erotic: Book 1 by Dallas Black

Book Review Alert: 10 Erotic: Book 1 by Dallas Black
Author: Dallas Black
Published: June 2, 2010
Publisher:  http://www.10erotic.com
ASIN: B003PDMNOA

Rating: 5 stars

Sometimes a quickie is all you need…

10 Erotic: Book 1 by Dallas Black is for the reader on the go that needs a little taste of a good story. Just enough of a tease to get to the next phase. All of the stories contained in this book were that of raw passion, in numerous places, from the laundry room to the spa. All the stories have a great storyline that stays on point for whatever the theme is. I cannot say much more or I will be giving away too much.

The fact each story has a poem that goes along with it is just another plus for this author.

I personally love this book. It was just an enough to tease keep and me satisfied. The vivid use of description gives you a since of being there like a fly on the wall watching the action. My personal favorite of this author would have to be called Preserves and P**sy.

I give this book 5 star. I recommend this book to anyone that does not have the time to sit and read a conventional novel and just want a little something to hit the spot.



Reviewed: Patrice"SCBookGal"

Book Review Alert: The Temptation of Love

Book Review Alert: The Temptation of Love
Author: Amore
Published: February 11, 2011
Publisher:  5ive Star Publications
ISSBN-10: 098226383X
ISBN-13: 978-0982263839
ASIN: B004H4XESK (Kindle) 
Rating: 5 stars

Alexander Love is an attorney who is looking to make his way up the corporate ladder. Now Love has no time for love but you will notice that you cannot run from love or what's destined for you. Jada Whitman is the best friend of Ami, cousin of Alexander. When these two lay eyes on each other it is love at first sight but neither of them want to admit it. After avoiding the burning passion and desire that they have for each other, Alex asks Jada out for a date. Reluctantly she says yes.

Of course good love has it trials and that is true when it comes to Jada and Alex. Jada is the one that has the stronghold against relationships. Because of the fact that she lost her family so many years ago to a car accident, she felt that she was never ...really able to fall in love with someone. A love interest from Alex’s past sees the achievements of Alex and decides that she wants him back and will got through any means to get him. Now on the other side of the fence there is someone that is in love with Jada and feels it is time to let it be known. When these two forces work together the drama is taken to another level. Will they succeed in the quest? Will true love conquer drama?

Amore did as great job with this being her first novel. Many secondary characters are used to bring little details to light. The verbal interaction with the characters is a relief from the descriptive novels that are out today. I would like to see how the next installment of this book would be. It has sort of a thrown together ending but it does leave the novel open for a new novel.

Reviewed by Patrice "SCBookGal"

Book Review Alert: The Case of the Night Detective (Death Shall Follow Night)

Book Review Alert: The Case of the Night Detective (Death Shall Follow Night) 
Author: Jay A. Harris
Published: November 3, 2022 (paperback)/ September 15, 2021 (Kindle)
Publisher:  Markata Publishing
ISBN-13:  979-8986355610
ASIN: B09GHRJK1R (Kindle) 
Rating: 4 stars 
Review completed by: Kela Calvin 

 

 

“Tray” DuChaine is considered a great detective of the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations better known as a Vampyrian agent. He was part of a Vampyrian Unit with his partner, Veleta, to hunt vampires. He was brave and intuitive about his job and the creatures that he was looking for. However, he was part human and part Vampyrian. He lived the life of working for a living as an investigator, having a girlfriend, and the icing on the cake is that he has now been framed for the murders of those closest to him. However that was not always the case. 

 

I gave this novel a 4-star rating. This was a book that I enjoyed thoroughly. There were a lot of twists and turns in this book that kept me anticipating the happenings of each page turn. The author painted a clear picture through words of how life was in the novel’s setting. Some of the events were gruesome as it related to the mangled effects of vampires. However, there were a lot of narrations of different characters that were supposed to be the previous lives of the current characters. I was surprised by the ending of the novel. It definitely shocked me as the outcome was revealed.

Follow Jay A. Harris at the following social media outlets:

FB: Jay A. Harris, Novelist

Book Review Alert: The Marshmallow Mystery (Children's Book)

Book Review Alert: The Marshmallow Mystery

Author: CJ Corki

Published: July 21, 2021

Publisher:  Quintina Publishing LLC

ISBN-13: 979-8846001367 

ASIN: B09B2P6472 (Kindle) 

Rating: 4 stars 

Byline: A cute book with a great adventure to find. 

 

Oh where? Oh where? Has the marshmallow gone? Jack and his friends are on the hunt for them. Jack, the teddy bear, knows that Sage is looking for them. Quin, Gena, and Zaba put their heads together to solve this mystery. 

 

This is the cutest children’s book. Having a scavenger hunt inside the novel is a plus for the child. I would like to see more of the graphics of the novel. I am looking at a kindle version so that could be the reason for the imagery. The flow of the story is that of a story that was passed down from generation to generation. This was my first time seeing a seek and find game within the story. Having a game within the book was such a plus. As a mother that reads to her daughter each night this makes the story so much more memorable. Claps to the authors!!!!!!!!!!!

Check out @SCBookGal and Friends interviewed with Author CJ Corki. Click here to read that interview here.

Follow Author CJ Corki on the following social media outlets:

Author website- https://www.cjcorki.com/    

Amazon- CJ-Corki

Facebook- cjcorki

Book Review Alert: Trust Issues

 Book Review Alert: Trust Issues

Author: Tia Barnes

Published: December 26, 2020

Publisher: Unknown

ISBN-13: n/a

ASIN: B08RCWMHPT

Rating: 5 stars

Byline: With friends like these, who needs enemies. 

Where my girls at? Friends Candice, Layla, Sheree, Katrina, and Trina have friends for quite some time. But their definition of friendship is much to be desired. Let’s break these ladies down. And I promise I will not give away too much information but I will say…. YALL NEED TO GET THIS BOOK RIGHT HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sheree has the baby daddy from hell. He is determined to control her life by using their son. Sheree meets the man of her dreams who is willing to stick by her side. But is he really the man of her dreams or is he the man that is willing to kill her dreams? 

Next we have Layla. This chick right here could have caught plenty of hands in this novel. She is the worst when it comes to friends. Her loyalty is to herself. She doesn't care who she hurts to get what she wants. But can I say that what she wants may not be the best thing for her.

On to Katrina. This chick is stuck between the “best” of both worlds. She loves her girlfriend but she has a bad case of the can’t let the baby daddy go syndrome. Who will she choose? Here ex husband or her gal?

Now we have Trina. She went through a lot growing up. Will what happened in her past be the blockage to her happy future. 

Lastly we have Candice aka Candy. She was my favorite character in the book. I am so mad at Tia Barnes for what she did to her. WHY WHY WHY? Candice is caught between two lovers also. Her heart is torn between that man she married and the man she loves. Which will she choose?

Fights, death, kidnapping, sex and lies can be found all throughout this novel. Go on this rollercoaster ride of friendship or what some may call frenemies? You will not be disappointed, just upset because it leaves you hanging.

This was a great novel. Nice and face-paced. A great read for someone that just wants a quickie. The character development of the novel was on point. Reading this novel you can envision the ladies in each scene. This book plays out like the television show Sisters but with a hood twist.  I can see the novel taking place in the summer in the city. For the novel to be so short, it answers all the questions that would have come in part one leading to a starting point for book two (that I am already reading).

Want to know more about Tia Barnes here to read her interview with SCBookGal and Friends. Follow Author Tia Terrell-Barnes at the following social media outlets:

Pentellectually Tia Barnes on Facebook

Everydayblackmommy7 on Instagram

Book Review Alert: Rescued By A Savage: A Tainted Love

Book Review Alert: Rescued By A Savage: A Tainted Love

Author: Talena Tillman

Published: October 29, 2021

Publisher: Independently published

ISBN-13: ‎ 979-8760521446

ASIN: B09KQ8HFJR

Rating: 5 stars

The story of Harmony Bellamy starts as her being a teenager along with her baby sister, Melody. Their living arrangement at that time was nothing short of an extravagant home with two loving parents. Love and financial stability enveloped the girls into a blanket of no worries. Harmony was a daddy’s girl. I say WAS because as a teenager she lost her father by way of a brutal murder. Shortly after, she lost her mother to suicide leaving Harmony and her baby sister without parents and into the custody of Aunt Pam. Living with their aunt was the exact opposite of what their lives were before. Once Harmony became of legal age, she worked hard and eventually was awarded custody of her sister.

A happily ever after life would be an understatement. Harmony struggles to provide for their household. Life’s circumstances has her on the brink. By chance, she meets Santana Rossi; a music producer backed by his grandfather’s legacy and a lifetime of street cred. They are instantly attracted to each other and he begins to spoil Harmony and her little sister. To Harmony, Santana is heaven sent. To Santana, Harmony is his yin to his yang. They appear to be a match made in heaven, until this too good to be true urban romance comes full circle. I was impressed with the author’s storytelling abilities. A vivid picture was painted through her words typed on paper; the character Harmony’s independent mentality and her struggles with maintaining her independence. The author also detailed Harmony’s struggles with her mental issues. However, her character is strong and very relatable to female readers. I loved reading about the urban love story of Harmony and Santana. Although money was no object and Santana spoiled her, Harmony still worked hard to provide for her sister Melody. With the turn of each page I anticipated which path their relationship would take. While I’m glad that they’ve made their relationship official, the book ended with a cliffhanger and with an explosion of events that will most definitely turn things on its head. I recommend this read. I’m anticipating part two of this novel.

Reviewed by Kela

Book Review Alert: Battle Scarred Love: BWWM (Book 1)

 

Book Review Alert: Battle Scarred Love: BWWM (Book 1)

Author: Y. Deonna

Published: September 4, 2019

Publisher: Y. Deonna

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1733058520

Rating: 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Book Summary

Royale Chastain is a preacher’s kid. She is the daughter of Bishop Grayling Chastain and

First Lady Royce Chastain. Her grounded foundation in Christ has afforded her the

opportunity of a good upbringing, education, and non-profit opportunities which

allowed her to travel abroad on several occasions to complete missionary work. Her

family stars in a Christian turned outlandish reality show giving Royale celebrity status.

To add the cherry atop the sundae, she is planning to marry the man of her life.

However, she is faced with the ultimate betrayal by those who vowed to love her most.

She has decided to leave her issues in Virginia. While enroute to visit a sorority sister in

West Virginia, she meets Khan Masterson. Seeing apples and oranges would be like

looking at Royale and Khan, they are not a match. However in their souls, it feels like a

match made in heaven. Khan is also a college graduate and owns his own business. He

has survived his mother’s murder and is doing his best to rise above the expectations of

following in his father’s footsteps since his father has become a Klan member. They grew closer only to be challenged by the stigmas of their pasts. Will the love they have for each other conquer all or will they surrender to the judgement and hate of others?

I am impressed with the author’s wordsmanship abilities. A vivid picture was painted

through the words of the author. It is a great book when you can imagine characters and

places while reading. Being from Virginia myself, I felt a connection to the story’s setting

in Northern Virginia. I love that the author’s storytelling is not locked in a box. She

displays originality as well as the importance of a Christian foundation and prayer in her novel. She also explores on-going barriers in today’s day and age such as racism,

stereoptyping, hatred, and stigmas of interracial relationships. In this story, Royale and

Khan vow to knock down barriers promoting hate and preventing their love from

blossoming. With the turn of each page I anticipated what would happen next. The

ending of the book happened leaving a cliffhanger. I recommend this read. I discovered

that there was a part two to this novel. I recommend that you read this too, in advance. I

know I’ll be reading.

Book Review Alert: An Orman's Revenge

Book Review Alert:  An Orman's Revenge: Truson S.E.T. series 
(The Truson S.E.T. Series Book 1) 
Author:  Dominique Gibson
Published:  January 6, 2019
Publisher:  Dominique Gibson 
ISBN-10 : 1732957428
ISBN-13 : 978-1732957428
ASIN:  B07MPTYGQ9
Rating:  4 

Book Summary

Ford Mayfield, is an educator at the Truson School. He is also an orman, which is a hybrid being that is half orca and half human. The students at the Truson school were also ormans, better known as shapeshifters, that Ford Mayfield taught how to survive on their own after the effects of the Animan Three-Hundred injection; A potion that mixes dead human and animal DNA in order to create hybrids. This injection was crucial in the creation of the ormans as it was a formula created by Dr. Madison to bring victims back to life after death. All of the ormans lived on the Island of Truson. Ford Mayfield was given an assignment by Dr. Madison to watch over and train the new orman, Mandy Stevenson. Mandy was washed up on the shore of Truson and was brought back to life as a hybrid orman. However, she does not remember anything about her past life. During this period, Ford is faced with dealing with his past as well as his future. Would Mandy be the missing link?

Overall Feeling of The Novel  

The author was very imaginative in creating the Truson Island as well as the hybrid characters. In the beginning of the novel, she even listed terms that she created and their meanings that the reader will see throughout the book to gain a better understanding of the story. I felt that the novel had a good plot and was easy to follow. One thing that I would have liked to read more about was how Dr. Madison was killed being that she was an integral part of the shapeshifters’ creation. In the story, one could assume that members of the transforments were the cause of Dr. Madison’s demise, however, it wasn’t clear in the novel. It also appeared at some point in the book, Stin’s character was questionable. You would have to read the novel to see what I am speaking of; no spoilers! I’m pleased with the ending of the story. I’m curious to know, how many books will be in this series?

Book Review Alert: Trahison Why Weren't We the Chosen Ones

Book Review Alert: Trahison Why Weren't We the Chosen Ones
Author:  Anjunette L. Washington
Published:  April 27, 2021
Publisher:  Page Publishing
ISBN-13:  978-1682137628
ISBN-10: 1682137627
ASIN:  n/a
Rating:  4

This book is for the generations. It's all about the Davidson Family. Money is the foundation of the family. Mostly the men in the family. It was something that was instilled in them. Growing up with love letters and encounters with love grew in this story. Then there are the ladies. I will say that my favorite character is Chase. She placed her foot down and said I don’t love with sex. That was a You Go Girl moment. I love traveling through time with this novel. It shows life. Life in all aspects. How we grow and change as people.  From single to married. From finding yourself to finding love. Take your time and read this novel. You will find little nuggets of wisdom or even some characters that remind you of those in your life.

Ms. Washington, you took your time with this novel. It is like a homemade cake. You made sure that all the ingredients work together to make this book. You  created a plot line that grew with the characters. The setting changed with the mood. The growth of the book gave understanding of the plot. All these ingredients together made a great book. The only negative aspect for me is that the book was a little too long. I am a reader where my attention span is not long but there are others that are able to sit and read for long periods of time. For me I wish it was broken into two novels. Other than that, you go girl. This book was good. 

Book Review Alert: The Tomorrow Game

Book Review Alert:  The Tomorrow Game

Author:  Paul J. Chetcuti

Published:  February 5, 2021

Publisher:  Oakfield Books

ISBN-13:  978-1777498115

ASIN:  B08TZXTT22

Rating:  5

Book Summary

Timothy Koops, in his personal opinion, lives a life of mediocrity. He didn’t take his university education seriously and now works a dead-end job as a data analyst for a research corporation. He has a longtime friend that he’s grown tired of. To make matters worse, his home life with his wife and son is not a pleasant one. Timothy has become agitated with his dealt hand of circumstances and wants more out of life. Through a mandatory assessment for work, he became eligible to participate in scientific experimentation that would ultimately alter his past and enhance his memories, as well as his perception. He began living the life that he never thought would have existed; prestige, money and power. However, Timothy’s new lifestyle would not be without repercussions.

This story was out of this world, literally. To be honest, scientific novels have not been on my list of go-to-reads. However, this book was amazing! I couldn’t put my kindle down once I started to read this story. I really enjoyed the author’s creativity along with his wordsmanship. Together these two elements painted a vivid picture of details that I was able to imagine while reading. It was interesting to read about retro-causality and how it shaped the future in this novel. There have been theories regarding technology such as man is going to outdo himself and technology will be the downfall of mankind. Scientists have performed breakthrough creations such as artificial intelligence, which is the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. This novel puts a twist on this theory. Rhetorically speaking, will this become the future? It’s enough to make readers put on their thinking caps

(Reviewed by Kela)

Yasmine and Romeo: A Valentine’s Day Short

Book Review Alert: Yasmine and Romeo: A Valentine’s Day Short

Author: Talena Tillman

Published: January 30, 2021

Publisher: n/a

ASIN: B08VHQGLX2

Rating: 5 stars

Enter the life of Ms. Yasmine. Just left a bad relationship to go home with her tail in between her legs back to mommy and daddy.  Time flies and we meet our main character again but this time she meets Dr. Pierce aka Mr. Gynecologist aka Romeo. This short, sweet, and steamy novel will take you on the ride to discover the  love of Ms. Yasmine and Mr. Romeo. They go from intimate dates to putting exs in their place. I promise you, you will feel some type of way after reading this novel.  

WHY WHY WHY???? How could you leave me this way. I want to know what happened. I am sitting here writing this review feeling like a kid: where as someone just took my favorite toy while the playing was getting good. A great book shot. A book that is just enough to get you through the day.  Tillman you did that with this book. And the sex scene…. Look here. Girl you had me feeling some type of way. Too hot to handle. Please keep me informed when your next installment comes out.

For more information on Talena Tillman’s books, follow her at 

Facebook-Talena Tillman 

Instagram- @AuthorTalenaTillman 

Website- https://www.authortalenatillman.com/

Book Review Alert: The Awkward Armadillo: A Mental Health Memoir

Book Review Alert: The Awkward Armadillo: A Mental Health Memoir

Author: Aimee Larson

Published: January 17, 2021

Publisher: Aimee Larson

ISBN-13: 978-1736497500

ASIN: B08SWJJ98Y

Rating: 5 

Author Aimee Larson is an author and a poet who has written a memoir regarding

mental health. However, the writer has not always been good with writing, the

pronunciation of words, or the subject of English in general. In her memoir, she

discusses the impact of mental health on her family going back as far as her

grandparents; her paternal grandfather, who was an abusive alcoholic believed to be

suffering from PTSD, and maternal grandmother, who was an alcoholic narcissist. Back

in the day it was universally known that mental health issues were not discussed nor

were you to seek out for professional help. She discloses that her father, brother, as well

as herself has suffered from mental illness. She also discusses her bouts with mental

illness and how it has impacted her life negatively growing up leading up to her adult

life.

First and foremost, the author was very courageous in sharing her story. What can I say?

This was an exhilarating read! I absolutely loved the author's writing style, which was

indeed unique and raw. I loved that she was able to incorporate poetry into this novel. I

was pleased that her father finally agreed to receiving help, which improved his quality

of life. I was also happy to read that Aimee came to terms with her mental illness and

termed her symptoms “armadillo mode”. I’m sure many people who may read this book

would be able to relate to this terminology as people suffering from mental illness tend

to shut themselves off from society, as an armadillo may tuck away into its shell. In the

memoir, the author was able to finally start loving herself more by making positive

decisions for her life, whether it made her uncomfortable in the beginning or not. This

was a pure example of stepping out of your comfort zone, or in her case, coming out of

her armadillo shell. I was happy to read that with all of her awkwardness she was able to

find true love and develop a true support system. I would recommend this read and give

it ten stars if I could. The author also wrote in her memoir that she plans to write more.

I would gladly read more from this author.

(Reviewed by Kelva)