The first four stories where really good. The last two they were alright! Literature Fiction This book was really good I enjoy all the short stories I highly recommend this book to all book clubs and individuals who love to read as much as I do Literature Fiction
♥ Good Book ♥ Literature Fiction these short stories flew by really quick. I was concerned in the story with Paris, but thankful no ugliness was written in that part. decent book. Literature Fiction This novel is what turned me off of Nikki Turner's books. Literature Fiction One star is a little harsh on the first three stories, which weren't great but not terrible either. However, the last two stories would receive a negative 40 star rating, so the whole star thing works out in the end.
The first story started out rough - a stripper/prostitute mom is just looking to replace the Christmas presents that were stolen by her boyfriend. A Christmas angel saves her. Cheesy, and predictable but fine.
Mo Shines wrote my favorite story - 'Me and Grandma'. Gigi becomes a little drug entrepreneur only to help save grandma (who is also a drug dealer) by trying to earn enough money for her kidney transplant. This story had the best characterization and decent pacing and storyline (kidney transplant and all).
In 'Holiday Hell', Noelle also needs to come up with money by Christmas to save her little sister who has been kidnapped by a loan shark who wants payback on the money their mother stole from him to feed her drug habit. The details were either harsh, or completely unbelievable (a wealthy safe designer is working at a clothing shop?), but again has decent characterization and pace.
The last two stories were miserable. Ferranti's 'A Christmas Song' is the worst offender. This was possibly the worst short story I've ever read. The characterization is insane - including some Italian mobsters out of a 1980's movie. The story line wants to be action packed, but the pacing is abysmal so nothing really happens. And it goes on and on and on - complete with ridiculous dialogue and some unnecessary homophobia too. I hated this story and felt bad for the other stories that had to share the book with this story.
The last story had boring characters, boring storyline, no frame, no Christmas details, but at least the pacing was decent!
P.S. I read this book for a class, and realize that I am not the intended demographic! Literature Fiction Need a break from the hood stories; hope to finish this weekend. Literature Fiction
The undisputed queen of hip-hop fiction, #1 Essence bestselling author Nikki Turner unwraps a talented new collection of writers with raw urban stories to jingle your bells this season.
Christmas in the Hood presents fresh talent alongside shining stars such as K. Elliott and Seth “Soul Man” Ferranti–all writing gritty tales that reveal what the holidays bring for the naughty and the nice who live by the code of the street. In “Secret Santa,” after her children’s Christmas presents are stolen, a woman has to decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to give them the holiday they deserve; in “Me and Grandma,” a senior sleighs more crack than candy canes to bring Christmas cheer to her needy grandkids; and in “Holiday Hell,” Noelle must raise $23,000 to repay a loan shark or her sister will become a ghost of Christmas past. True to the streets and true to the season, these stories will raise the holiday spirit in the heart of even the most ghetto-hardened gangsta.
“The ghetto’s voice without constraint.”
–Upscale, on Tales from da Hood Christmas in the Hood