Jasminium : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: A Classic: Soul Mates and Tragedy
Review: Jonathan Luckett is a literary master. I'm sure his books will become classics! A great writer knows how to structure levels of depth and "Jasminium" is the result of such a talent! This book is sure to change your life. Cheyenne and Taj experience a love that spans through decades,events and people. At the same time the love becomes an uncontrollable force with a will of its own, hence the soul mate relationships. Yes, there are even layers of soul mates structured as creatively as Taj, an architect would structure a blueprint. I read their story in one day; and actually had to take a break because my inner-being became arrested by the flow, sensory metaphors and vivid descriptions. Luckett's portrayal of love as well as evil seeps into the reader's pysche. One character, Seifu made me as uncomfortable as Melville's Captain Ahab. I recommend you read "Jasminium" to learn why. Luckett wrote this book like he didn't stop to breathe. The words just join together in one fluid rhythm akin to a spoken word artist. I was left wanting to remain with these remarkably strong characters. Luckett's story also gives an accurate example of the fact that women who face danger as a teen or child, often somehow become adult magnets for controlling males.
Jonathan Luckett will join our classic writers such as James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison, Langston Hughes, and Harper Lee.

Rating:
Summary: True Love and Friendship
Review: Taj and Cheyenne, twenty years ago, shared this horrible event in there life that they vowed to no speak about again until one fateful night in December. On this night they see each other again and everything that happened came back to haunt both. One now married and the other engaged can there relationships stay afloat? Will this bring both back together again for good?

True love and friendship will last a life time.


Rating:
Summary: Seeking Closure
Review: Taj is a successful architect engaged to marry to Nicole. Cheyenne is in a loving relationship with her husband, Malcolm. While in New York, Taj and Nicole venture into a church to hear carolers sing. He hears a melodic voice that sounds familiar but knows the odds of it belonging to Cheyenne are slim. He follows the voice to its source and softly whispers to the person, "Jazz, look only into my eyes...focus only on my eyes..." Tears immediately begin to fill Cheyenne's eyes; she can not believe her ears and the realization that Taj is actually standing behind her. They initially met while on a missionary assignment in Jamaica. They have not seen or spoken to each other in twenty years.


Without words, the two stare at each other and memories, of twenty years prior, immediately invade their psyches. Malcolm and Nicole both stand in bewilderment wondering who these two are to each other. Malcolm especially wonders why this stranger is calling his wife Jazz. Nicole finally realizes why Taj's eye was twitching uncontrollably because according to an ancient Ethiopian proverb, "when one's eyes quiver" depending on which eye, either the person is going to receive bad news and cry, or they will encounter someone they haven't seen in an incredibly long time.


Seeing each other has brought back the feelings they've had buried for so long and unrelenting nightmares of what happened in Jamaica. They both need closure in order to move on completely with their lives. What happens now? No one knows what happened in Jamaica except Taj and Cheyenne and not knowing is what may be the ultimate downfall to their present relationships. Will they break the pact and tell their mates?



Luckett gives you vivid details of their adventure. I reminisced about the times I visited Jamaica and felt I was in the story, hiking the dirt roads in the countryside and taking in the breathtaking view of the Blue Mountains. Luckett's words are poetic and his flow is flawless. Each turn of the page brought forth a new discovery and I reveled in it all, wanting more. The ending made me want to scream, "You can't end it like that!"


Reviewed by: Esther "Ess" Mays for Loose Leaves Book Review


Rating:
Summary: jasminium
Review: This was the best book I have ever read! Most of the time you have to read the first two or three chapters to get interested, but this book was interesting from the beginning. What an imagination this author has! Jasminium is full of excitement,love,commitment,and drama. I promise you a book you will not want to put down.