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Summary: ultra cool book
Review: HIV positive Ava Johnson decides to pay a visit to her sister and the town she grew up in before she heads to San Francisco to start life afresh and anonymous. However, things don't go according to plan, and she soon discovers that it's better to come home late, than not at all.The book is never "woe is me, 'cos I've got HIV" it's smarter than that. There's plenty of characters to like, a few to make you angry and a few to make you cry. All in all, a great book that keeps you thinking about Ava way after the book is finished.
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Summary: if only life were this good...
Review: Just finished this book, though it's been out a while, and I loved it! Cleage fills this small town - far from the so-called 'Black Mecca' of atlanta and the idealistic hope of SF - with reality, and then some. Gritty on the one hand with the saga of teen girls with overworked hair searching for something in sex with lost young men. But pure and gentle on the other in the emerging love story without wrinkles. I was in love with the Rasta Man myself, but I did wonder throughout if there wasn't just-one-thing about him that got on Ava's nerves. Surely there musta been something...to make him more real. What really got me involved, however, was the way the Reverend's wife so artfully redefined Joyce's positive HIV work with teen mothers into something pornographic and suspect. How ironic that the keepers of the moral code failed to see the spiritual vision of Joyce and her sister. There are many timeless lessons in this contemporary novel, and thankfully Cleage crafts her dialog and constructs her characters in a way that allows us to truly care about what happens in the end. When's the next one coming?
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Summary: one of the best books I have ever read
Review: This book is so wonderful. Halfway through the book, I found myself looking furtively toward the end, not wanting to spoil the ending for myself but at the same time wanting to ensure that nothing horrible would happen to characters who already felt like dear friends. And I think that Eddie, even with his dark side, is just about the most perfect man I have ever heard of; I just really hope he (or some reasonable facsimile thereof) actually exists somewhere!
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Summary: What looks like a great book!
Review: As a 24-year old upper-middle class white girl, I wasn't sure I would enjoy and/or relate to this story of a 30-something black woman with HIV returning home to her increasingly troubled mostly-black hometown. Boy, was I wrong. This story was funny, touching, uplifting and downright inspiring. The author's main character, Ava Johnson, is a lot like me - she's discovering real love, struggling to find answers about her purpose, searching for spirituality, reconnecting with her family and hometown, and forging a new path in life. Right up there with "The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing" this book is a must-read for a woman, regardless of where she is on her path to self-discovery.
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Summary: Thoughtful
Review: I enjoyed reading this selection. I found myself questioning if it is ever too late for a person to make a change in their life and find love. The characters touched me and I truly cared about their struggles. Good weekend read!
Rating: 
Summary: Predictable and flat
Review: An amiable enough book, but it seemed flat, and most of the crises were entirely predictable. The three main characters were too good to be true, and the bad guys were ALL bad. Interesting that all were black, i.e., for once the enemy was not the white man. Empowerment a strong and inspiring theme. All in all, though, this seems to be written by number.
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Summary: Exceptional Read
Review: This book will take you on a journey that some of us will never experience. I could not put it down. I often wonder what it would be like to walk in someone elses shoes. This book is so well told that you feel like you are someone else. Ava Johnson had the courage and determination to face HIV head on. Her family and friends pulled her together and she learned about love. If you have family and love you can do anything. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to take a memorable journey. Thank you Pearle Cleage!
Rating: 
Summary: A GOOD READ!
Review: I ALSO BOUGHT THIS BOOK BECAUSE OF THE INTERESTING TITLE. I TRULY ENJOYED THIS NOVEL.
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Summary: No Ordinary Book
Review: This is probably the only book I can remember ever reading that impressed me so much. This book paces itself so well, you almost seem to find a steady rhythm to it. The story itself is truly reviting, but the author's ability take the reader by the hand and just lead them one step at a time through the story is absolutely incredible. I've never had any author do that to me before. Usually, you're so wrapped up in the plot and charaters and who did what, you speed through the book and finish it before you can catch your breath. Not with this book. You follow the life of the main character, Ava Johnson, and all those whose lives touch hers and you feel yourself wanting the best for all of them. Yet you never feel the need to peek into the next chapter or "accidentally" glance at the last page of the book. Pearl Cleage has moved to the top of my favorite author list and will be praised to anyone who will listen. I can't recomment this book enough!
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Summary: Love triumphs in this book...
Review: What an enjoyable read! An HIV positive woman in transition sounds depressing, but this book is anything but. This book is about family, by blood and by friendship. Rich characters, good versus evil, today's society versus yesterday's society, are all subjects tackled with humor and insight.
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