Rating: 
Summary: Catchy dialoge and initial premise but over-reaching
Review: I liked this book but I didn't love it. I thought the book was the strongest when it came to the dialog and sarcasm since that was when I felt I was over hearing a real conversation. But overall, it struck me as a novel written more in the style used for older teenages except the language was so foul and the violence and sex so graphic. While this Newberry-ish format made it easy to read, it also resulted in monotone pacing and predictable plot.
Rating: 
Summary: a great read!
Review: I really liked this one! I would have given it more stars but it fell off toward the end, leaving too many ends untied. Earlier in the novel, the reader was led to believe that the Good Reverend was abusing his grandson but that issue was never fully addressed. Ava experienced her first AIDS-related symptom- and then what happened?? What happened with Imani? Did Aretha get the scholarship? I enjoyed the story but I felt that Ava's character could have been fleshed out a bit more- i knew her story but i never felt like I truly knew HER and what made her do the things she did. I know Pearl's work and I think its fantastic. This was good, too. I just think it could have been a little better.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I finished it in one day... couldn't put it down. The main character, although dealing with major problems and even facing death, managed to pull her life toghether and found the true love she had been searching for. A wonderful ending, the kind I love. Great book. I recommend this book highly!
Rating:
Summary: Real funny, sneak up behind you reality check!
Review: This book first looks as if its going to be a throat closing tear-jerker! Then, all of a sudden you find yourself laughing out loud! So many messages put together with humor and true voices. I was finding myself cheering for the characters. We all should be able to take some type of lesson from this book. The best lesson of all is...it's never too late to change your life! It is never to late to live!
Rating: 
Summary: A less than enjoyable read with little redeeming value
Review: Oprah needs to take her fingers out of publishing and find some other industry to invade. Her judgement of books is poor, at best. This book is processed sugar. Avoid it.
Rating:
Summary: A thought provoking and consuming first novel.
Review: I thought this book was GREAT!. I could not put it down. Pearl Cleage really delivered a truly rich and rewarding work of art. Her characters were so heartfelt and sincere. The book was definitely believable and really true to life. She has a way of looking deep inside each character's soul and delivering it on paper!
Rating:
Summary: Learning to understand the processes of peace and happiness.
Review: I found myself feeling as though I were a resident in Idlewild. Understanding Joyce's mission to educate and save as many young people from heartache and disaster, as possible. Identifying with Ava and understanding and having empathy for her and her fear of obtaining, enjoying and maintaining that unconditional love from Eddie. While I do not have the illness that Ava was confronted with, I understand from the heart how often times you are ostracized simply because today people do not take out the time to examine the depth of another human being's spirit and heart. We have become a society that define our relationships/friendships with other humans according to social/economic status. Unconditional love, friend/relationships seem to be a thing of the past. We have forgotten how beautiful a simplistic life can be. Eddie was able to reintroduce Ava to all the wonderful simple things of life. Things that she had buried. I can only say that this reading touched my heart like nothing else that I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: There is hope when you least expect it!
Review: Though it took a chapter or 2 for me to get into this book (and Pearl Cleage's style of writing), once I was there I was totally hooked and couldn't put it down. The message I received from this book was that we must live our lives to the fullest extent we can. Live each day, love each day, give of ourselves each day. This is the only way we can truly discover who we are and what we can give to each other. This was a book of hope and renewal. Anything is possible even when we're dealt what looks like a losing hand. This book dealt with real life and had a wonderful ending!!!!
Rating:
Summary: A great first book.I'd recommend to everyone
Review: Ms Cleage has done a wondeful job creating characters that are sensitive and real. I felt this book gave insight into the emotional pain many people are living with daily ,as they deal with life. in the 90's. It may not be pretty ,but that's life. This book was a real pleasure as the characters,dealt with everything life dished them and continued to have a positve outlook and faith in themselves and their God.
Rating: 
Summary: Say What?
Review: First, allow me to say, I'm glad you post book excerpts. I am definitely going to buy this book by Pearl Cleage. Why? Certainly not because of her literate writing style. Perhaps, this low-down and dirty descriptive way of writing is considered "hip". To me, it appears Pearl Cleage, just sat down one day, with a yellow steno pad, and starting scribbling away, free association, if you will. No method or madness to her style. Its kinda like sitting around the inner city stoops, and listening to talk you hear every day and certainly identify with, if you come from the inner city, that is. That's the catch, Pearl Cleage comes off as hard, not dispassionate, and makes no bones about the life and times she is depicting. The language is raw, rough and the view of life presented is disturbing. A Pulitzer winner? I think not. But I'll read it.
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