For Love & Grace

Rating:
Summary: All Rise!
Review: This book deserves the respect of a courtroom judge. In a world where the bookshelves are filled with fiction novels that feed such negative energy into the heads of our young and old alike, I must say that this story was one that engulfed me and hugged me like a warm blanket on a winter night. In a matter of three hours, I'd read it cover to cover and I cannot remember the last time I was so refreshed. I'd love to say that I purchased this book and sewed a seed into this young author's career, but I did not. I met her late last year and was given this gem. In my reading room, I have masses of books. Some I've read and some I haven't. I cannot tell you how happy I am that this is the one I pulled for comfort when I was battling with the flu on last week. I'm not sure the age of this author. When I met her, I thought she was barely more than a teenager, but in the biographical information printed, I see where she is married with children. So many of our children are suffering for the lack of proper parenting and constructive surroundings. I hope her children know how fortunate they are to have a mother who is creating positive stories about a community that is in tremendous need of this type reflection. Energy like this can only overflow and spread to the little ones. I trust that this book and other books like it will get into the hands and thus into the minds of our children and adults so that the courthouses, jailhouses and crack houses won't so often bleed black.

Rating:
Summary: A Pleasant Surprise!
Review: This novel was passed along to me over the Thanksgiving holiday and although I'll be the first to say that I am not a romance reader, I found this one to be a pleasant surprise. I was told that it was romance, but I saw it more as a relationship book because there was a whole lot more than romance in here. When I was handed this book, my words were, "If I don't like it, I'm sure gonna put it on Amazon." Well, I really dug this book and since I was so ready to post a bad response to it, I thought it was only fair for me to pull my foot out of my mouth and post a good one. While the only Christian books I generally do are non-fiction, I had to take the time to to give this the props it deserves.

Rating:
Summary: Oh, My!
Review: Tuesday afternoon, November 9, 2004 I walked into Karibu Book Store at PG Plaza in Maryland and saw camera crews and people standing around getting ready to film a commercial of some sort with the author of this book and some other writers. Until then, I'd never even heard of Kendra Norman Bellamy. I picked up a copy of For Love And Grace while I was there and on the ride back to D.C., I couldn't put it down! This book surrounding the lives of Gregory (Greg) Dixon, Jessica (Grace) Charles, Derrick (Rick/Ricky) Madison and Sherry Madison was so good that my boyfriend got angry with me for not listening to him talk during the drive back home. I was so absorbed! It had me laughing (you have to read about the parents in this book to see what I mean), crying (the love story part) and angry(with Derrick, mostly). And the ending was stellar. This is one of the best books I've read all year and by the time the sun went down, I was finished. Wednesday morning, I went to a store that was closer to my home and asked if they had any other titles by this author and they pulled one called A Love So Strong. I'm reading it now and it is excellent too. I'm not done with it, but by tomorrow, I will be. I am definitely a new fan for life and I hope to see other work by her soon.

Rating:
Summary: Look out, Victoria Murray!
Review: What a glorious book! Not since Victoria Murray have I read a more refreshing story of love seasoned with wholesome values that left me with an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction. It's a wonderful emotional experience to actually feel that a story has met every single need and expectation that you would have desired it to. For Love And Grace is one of those stories. It's more than just a good story. It's so well-written that I felt like I knew the characters and I could feel what they were feeling throughout the novel. I honestly hated for this one to end and I've started reading it for a second time. It's not often that you pick up a novel that portrays positive Black male role models who make you just want to get on your knees and ask God "Where's mine?", but Greg, in this book did that for me. Even Derrick, in his imperfections was decent and loved his family dearly. I really, really hope to see more work from this author. She certainly has a fan in me.