Rating: 
Summary: IT'S BETTA THAN JOOD!!!
Review: My sister gave me the book as a Xmas present last year. I've read it 5 times, and everytime it gets "jooder." Raheim reminds me of me (I'm a bald ebony brutha, got a son, and work as a mailman), and my shorty is a compact cutie just like Mitchell. We been together three years and our lives are just like the characters -- dealing with class issues, family, friends, death, violence, falling in love, and having some damn jood sex (ain't it funny how heteros can have all the sex they want in books and no one complains, but as soon as two bruthaz get their groove on, folks get uptight?). It's like JEH has been spyin' on us! The story is DA REAL THANG. The only fantasy, myth, and stereotype has been created by folks who don't know how to read a book in context and make ridiculous comments about an experience they know nothing about. Don't diss the author because u can't hang, aight? JEH, don't u worry: the real bruthaz who know what time it is got yo' back! Thanks for givin' us somethin' to call our own. U DA MAN!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Amazing!! A New Voice in Literature!!
Review: I never thought a novel like this would be written. An honest portrait of young black gay life in the 1990s. So much of the so-called black gay literature is simply black gays writing for white gays. I'm so glad that this story is for "us." Hardy's is an amazing writer. His words can leap off of the page and into your heart. His honesty is truly shocking at times, and I loved every minute of it. Both protaganist are wonderful and I feel as if I see people like them everyday. Also, Mitchell does a beautiful job of "reading" all those white gays out there who try to floss to brothers now that we are the flavor of the month. A must read, if you like books at all. Why the four stars, then? Because I wished the book never ended....
Rating: 
Summary: absurd
Review: this was the worst book i've ever had in my hands. really sad that someone would share their personal fantasies in a few hundred pages.
Rating:
Summary: An entertaining way of entering the world of gays.
Review: This book was DA BOMB! It explored the world of homosexuality in the African-American community from the middle class buppie to the homeboy. I truly enjoyed Raheim because he was so down to earth. It was like me reading about one of my homeboys from around the way and Mitch because I felt like I was reading about one of the guys from work. I also like the author's style of writing - the slang (but I truly HATED the word JOOD), and the places in JERSEY & NEW YORK that were familiar to me. It made me want to identify with the characters more. All of them were so realistic, it seemed like I knew each of them personally or someone like them. I also enjoyed the sex scenes. Having never read or seen any videos on gays. I was really interested in how they had sex - meaning who's banging whom. I must admit it was very detailed and I'm not embarassed to say a turn-on! The one thing I didn't understand is why would Raheim pose in a gay magazine and he hasn't "come out of the closet?"
Rating:
Summary: I REALLY LOVED THIS BOOK!!! IT DESERVES A 12+...
Review: James Earl Hardy, you go boy!!! I really loved B-BOY BLUES. It deserves a 12+!! At times, it was absolutely hilarious and at other times, it heartbreaking and sad. I read the book in a day and a half! Although I'm neither male or gay, I found myself relating to Mitchell (a.k.a. Little Bit) and Rahiem (a.k.a. Pooquie). My first boyfriend reminded me so much of Pooquie because he always had a "hard" exterior around friends but showed me the real person that he was inside. I also really loved this book because I found myself forgetting that the characters were two men. In reality they were two people going through the same ups and downs, good times and bad times as anyone else in a relationship. It was a true love story that had me captivated from the time I picked the book up until I finished it. I would recommend this book to anyone to read. It was "ALL JOOD!!!" I can't wait to read all of James Earl Hardy's other books!! I know they'll be "ALL JOOD" too!!!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Good book
Review: The first installment of Pookie and Lil' Bit's love story will entice you to read the sequels
Rating:
Summary: The original and best installment
Review: I read this book a few years ago and am finally reviewing it. I enjoyed it from beginning to end, and there isn't much praise I can shower upon it that hasn't already been repeated several times here. I'm willing to overlook a few flaws in the plot itself. Notably, there isn't much space devoted to developing main character Mitch; maybe Hardy felt that because this was a 1st person story it would happen naturally, but it didn't. All we really know about his personality is that he's highly organized and loves R&B music (& thugs). Also, there's a few glaring contradictions in the story, most notably, Mitch despises the use of the N-word as a term of endearment to the point of sparking debates with people who use it, but tosses around the derogatory F-word with glee several times. He states that he doesn't understand femmes but has one as a best friend. Furthermore, as an assertive journalist Mitch never asks him about his femimine tendencies or why he has them, neglecting an opportunity for more vivid dialogue in an already rich book. Raheim is stereotypical, despite what Hardy- I mean, Mitch declares. Getting most of the questions right on Jeopardy! and being able to draw does not make him any more unique than droves of other young urban Black men who wear sagging clothes. Blasting music, being misogynistic, B.S.ing loudly, and speaking chopped-up ebonics makes him a very generic. One more thing... Hardy tackles the subject of racism towards Blacks which is commendable. However, the way he tells it firmly implies that Whites are the only ones guilty of practicing this. Sorry, not true in New York City! The omission of even lightly admitting this is very conspicuous on the author's part and makes it seem like he just has a personal vendetta against one group of people. Even with those little imperfections, I love this book and highly recommend it. I promise you'll finish it in less than a weekend.
Rating:
Summary: the only jood part was closing the book
Review: Oh my my my, how horrible! This was my first time reading a book about gay people, be it man, woman, black or white. I am a black female and I have too many gay male friends to ever count, and I do love them all, and I do not think they would appreciate this portrayal of their lives and characters. Beyond the actual finishing of this book there was another jood thing, that at times you forgot they were men, they were just people with issues. That concludes the praising session. The rest of this was terrible! Mitchell was a fool, flat out, Raheim was just plain scary. Their relationship was not a 50/50 partnership, Raheim used Mitchell, hello. All he did was lay up in his house, leave a mess, and pay no rent. Also certain things that should have been delved into just weren't, did Raheim's mother know he was gay? Did his son know? Did his baby's mama know? Did he ever plan on paying rent? Mitchell on the other hand was a human doormat, and let's be real, anyone who allows someone to treat them like that in their personal life will not stand up for themselves like that at work. Also Mitchell dropping his friends and familial contacts when triflin Raheim came into his life and that is just plain DUMB! Their relationship lacked any substance and at times they seemed just [unbelievable]. Basically what was the point of the whole thing? Hmm, no answer? Thought so!
Rating:
Summary: Well Worth Your Time
Review: B-Boy Blues is interesting, if light reading. The writing is a bit immature and the plot a bit stretched in a few places. Nonetheless, I liked the characters, found them to be mostly believable, and was interested in their individual and group progressions through the book I just ordered the next two books in this series by James Earl Hardy, which must say something.
Rating:
Summary: Very very jood
Review: Mr. Hardy did a very jood jod for it to be his first novel. As a young gay male going through the same identity crisis as Rahiem was. It kept my attetion and I did not want to put it down. Its not just a book for the Gay, its a book for the people.
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