The Lex List
December was pretty good to me Sistah girls! I truly wish I could have gotten a lot more reading done but it was a pretty busy month. Here is what I read, loved and could not put down in December!
5 Stars for Conflicted Heart by Kay Shanee
“But how am I supposed to know if what I’m feeling for Drue is real and not something that our circumstances created?” -Siyanna
When unthinkable tragedy strikes, Siyanna finds herself a single mother after the sudden death of her husband. In a twist, Drue Hendrix finds himself a single father when his wife dies during childbirth.
Suddenly thrown together as single parents both Siyanna and Drue naturally begin to raise their children together. The two quickly grow closer and as their feelings start to shift, they both become uncomfortable.
You see, Siyanna was married to Drue’s brother Drae and Drue was married to Siyanna’s sister, Summer. Oh wait…did I forget to mention that Siyanna and Summer are twins that fell for twin brothers, Drue and Drae?
My Thoughts
5 Stars because I simply COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN. The whole forbidden romance will have readers clinging to the story and waiting for these two to go for what seems inevitable.
Yes, it has some tragic moments and even some cringe-worthy moments, but Siyanna and Drue had the sparks flying. They were meant for one another and sadly it took for them to lose their wombmates for it to happen.
This story also has twists and turns you won’t see coming but it’s the angst for me. The angst was at an all-time high. This was my 1st book by Kay Shanee but no worries I am already downloading her entire catalog.
5 Stars for Tattoo Your Name on My Heart by Tay Monae
‘Samara was like a mood ring. I never knew what to expect from her. She was mostly up and cheery, but lately, she’s been up and down with her emotions.’ -Thoughts of Zavion
Looking for a fresh start Samara moves to Butter Ridge Falls and is placed under the apprenticeship of Zavion, the owner of a popular local tattoo shop.
Zavion is just as tough on the inside as he appears to be on the outside. After growing up without receiving the love of either of his parents Zavion’s heart has grown cold towards the possibility of love.
He treats every woman he’s ever encountered the same, he freezes them out, and then in walks Samara and she slowly melts the ice around his heart. I repeat, slowly melting the ice around his heart.
My Thoughts
This book completely caught me off guard. I was not expecting both lead characters to have been carrying such heavy loads of pain from their past. And when I say painful, I mean you wouldn’t wish this pain on your worst enemy.
The author does not shy away from the need to seek help and how therapy can help with moving forward and overcoming past trauma. Well done to Tay Monae!
3 Stars for F*ck Boy Blues by Ivy Symone
“No, I’m always listening cause you always lying,” she stated. -Tia speaking with Major
Tia knows her baby daddy is no good but for some reason, she listens to every lie that comes out of his mouth.
Major has no good intentions for anyone but himself. He’s a hustler, well at least in his mind he is. The truth is he’s hustling backward and on top of that, he’s addicted to pills.
Major thinks he has Tia in the palm of his hand but what he doesn’t know is that someone else has their sight set on Tia. And this someone from her past already has a hold of her, no matter how much she tries to run from him.
My Thoughts
In true Ivy Symone fashion readers are hit with crazy twist after twist up until the very last page. This book had me laughing, frowning, and rolling my eyes at the stupidity of some of these characters.
All the while I was completely entertained. This was a good follow-up after reading two emotionally heavy books. I recommend this as a good in-between read for anyone looking to be entertained.
4 Stars for Trappin’ Through The Snow by BriAnn Danae
‘Krypt knew for a fact people had only come out to see if it was true. Had someone really killed Duke Priest?’ -Krypt
Trappin through the Snow follows the Priest brothers, Krypt, Khrome, and Kavalli.
While each brother finds themselves in a current situation-ship and flirting with the possibility of love, the streets are another story. Unbeknownst to the Priest brothers, an unexpected enemy has risen.
When their enemy finally strikes it gains their undivided attention and shocks the hell out of one brother with what is revealed.
My Thoughts
I enjoyed this quick read by BriAnn Danae and I look forward to part 2 because that ending was a jaw-dropper.
The story didn’t drag, it had a quick pace and was easy to follow. In book two I hope we get more backstory on the family, and I am curious about their mother. Man, I have so many questions, but I am sure book two will deliver and I look forward to it!
Honorable Mentions
My Honorable mentions go to We Outside 2 by Nicole Jackson and a surprise release of Christmas In The Projexs by BriAnn Danae.
Both are follow-ups to previous books I’ve read and absolutely loved! They receive honorable mentions because not only did I love both books I also consider both 5 star reads!
Of course, certain books need to be read before these, We Outside come before We Outside 2 and From the Hood with Love is a three-book series that should be read before Christmas in the Projexs.
My Quick Thoughts
We Outside 2 was a complete roller coaster ride! Jackson flexes her muscle with this one by throwing a devastating curveball at all her characters. I literally couldn’t put the book down!
Christmas in the Projexs gives readers an incredibly sweet update on our fave couple, Lauren and Projex that will have readers swooning. However, the surprise release also gives a small glimpse into the lives of characters from Trappin Through the Snow. Therefore, if you’ve read Trappin’ Through the Snow first you’ll be able to easily recognize the appearance of a few characters in Christmas in the Projex.
IF YOU’VE READ ANY OF THE BOOKS FEATURED I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS!
For The Curious: Now, I don’t know how others base their ratings but the following is how I base mine and why. The writing style of an author holds major weight for me. Even though I have a few preferences, I’ve decided to go by a template with regards to how I judge a book to avoid being biased.
How appealing are its characters, how well do they develop, plot developments, how descriptive is the writing or lack thereof. Then I follow it by looking at the author’s ability to properly foreshadow future events, resolutions to major and minor events, and how well the author carries multiple themes and/or plotlines throughout the book.
Basically, judging the story’s overall structure which should be important to any writer, and because of all of this, I am extremely stingy with giving out stars.