Rating: 
Summary: A Must Read
Review: LaShonda Tate Billingsley has written an excellent novel! I laughed, I cried, I was caught up. LaShonda tapped right into Aja, Eric, and Jada's pain. Roxie was a wonderful supporting character. You will find yourself caring for each character as if they were people that you know. You, too, will want to fight to keep Aja and Charles together. I can see this movie I my mind [...].Congratulations LaShonda on a wonderful, heartfelt novel!
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Summary: Title to Be Revised
Review: My Brother's Keeper begins with the James family experiencing a night they'll never forget -- the night Gerald James took his wife's life and left Aja, Eric and Jada motherless and fatherless. Fifteen years later, Aja is struggling to keep her family together and sane, but to what extent will she jeopardize her own happiness just to make sure her brother and sister are happy too?
Roxie, Aja's best friend, decides it's time for Aja to have some fun and sets up a blind date for her with sports journalist, Charles Clayton. He's tall, handsome, a local celebrity and an excellent catch. Aja is both excited and leery; she can't believe Charles Clayton wants to date her. She's been dealing with a lot of insecurities since the death of her mother. She's been struggling with trying to forgive and forget but realizes it's becoming harder to accomplish either.
Eric is the only son. He's been wallowing in his self-pity ever since he was kicked out of college for losing his temper. He dreams of becoming a NBA star but wonders if his dream will ever be realized. Elise, his girlfriend, has been supportive of him during his time of turmoil; however, she realizes there comes a time when the pity party has to stop. Their relationship goes through many tests and only reading the story will give insight to whether or not they passed or failed. Will they live happily ever after?
Jada is the youngest. After that fateful night, she became a mute. She hadn't spoken in years and was still in the mindset of a seven year old. Then one day, something makes her speak, but what? When Aja discovers her sister speaking, she experienced both joy and pain from the revelation. The reason Jada starts speaking has Aja peeved and old feelings, she's been trying to get rid of, start to resurface.
My Brother's Keeper is about what happens when we let things that happened in the past fester inside our heart. Of course, it's not easy to let go of the past hurt and yet it's not conducive to hold onto to it with a tight grip either. Aja tries hard to be the glue to keep her family together, but soon realizes that she can't do it alone. My Brother's Keeper takes you through an emotionally charged story about the love a family has for one another. And it also makes you question how much of your happiness you are willing to sacrifice to ensure others are happy. Sometimes we have to let go and not be tempted to look back. Billingsley worked magic with her pen and put together a touching story.
Reviewed by Esther "Ess" Mays
Rating: 
Summary: WHO IS RESPONSIBLE
Review: MY BROTHER'S KEEPER gives an agonizing look into the lifelong complications involving children of alcoholic and abusive parents. In this book, the father accidentally kills the mother while he's in a drunken rage. To make matters worse, all three children witness the slaying. Throughout their lives, each child suffers in his own way. The oldest feels guilt because she couldn't stop the killing, and responsibility for her siblings simply because she's the oldest. The second child, a son, appears to inherit his father's lack of self-control, and goes through life missing promising opportunities. The youngest, having no other way to cope, simply closes her mind down and lives in a child like state. As the years pass, their father tries to stay in contact, and when he's released from prison, he makes the effort to mend fences with his children. Each child reacts differently. MY BROTHER'S KEEPER is an emotional book and a real tearjerker. It truly pulls at the heartstrings. Overall, it's a good book. Yet, the ending was confusing and less than satisfactory. Also, the picture on the cover doesn't represent the people in the story.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Work
Review: My Brother's Keeper is a masterpiece. From the first chapter to the last, this book is hard to keep down. From the first time i started reading it, i always wanted to know what will happen after reading every chapter until the end. Great Job and what a talent. I hope to read another of your work soon.
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Summary: Am I My Brother's Keeper
Review: ReShonda Tate Billingsley breaks in the literary scene with her first novel, My Brother's Keeper. The book focuses on the lives of Aja, Eric, and Jada James.
Tragedy separates them from their parents at a young age and the effects of that tragedy mold their lives. Aja being the oldest of the three appoints herself as their 'keeper,' always putting their needs ahead of her own. Aja has created a good llife for herself as the Assistant Director of a social service agency for at-risk teens. Eric is a talented college basketball player with the prospect of making it in the NBA. Jada, well Jada is the same little girl she was the day of the tragedy. Aja's best friend Roxie introduces her to the charming and handsome sportscaster r Charles Clayton. Will Aja allow the baggage from her life and lives of her siblings to interfere with having a relationship with Charles? How will Aja's behavior affect Charles? Will Eric escape the guilt of that tragic day, and be the man his girlfriend Elise needs him to be? What will become of Jada? Billingsley has weaved a heartfelt tale about the bonds of love between siblings. The story was a definite page-turner filled with humor, drama, lies, loss, tears, forgiveness, friendship and love. I highly recommend this read and anxiously await the next book by this talented author. Readincolor Reviewers
Vanessa A. Johnson
Rating:
Summary: Great story...!
Review: Situated in Houston, Texas, My Brother's Keeper is a well written story that keep the reader turning pages! Mrs. Billingsley shocks your "reading" system in the first gathering of pages with an explosive tragedy. The reader is compelled by the affect it has on the character's adult lives. My Brother's Keeper also allows the reader to think about the ability to forgive someone you loved so much, even after they have destroyed a family. We look forward to the next literary installment from Mrs. Billingsley! -LC
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Summary: This book is one of the best!!!
Review: Sorry, I'll have to disagree with the last post. This book was GREAT. Yes, it dealt with a topic that's been beat in the ground, but it was far from predictable. Abuse and neglect still happen so the stories still need to be told. I think the challenge is to find fresh and insightful ways to tell those stories and this author did just that. Just when I thought I had figured out what would happen, something else happened! It was exciting, sad, funny, unpredictable and just an absolute page-turner. I cant wait to read Let the Church Say Amen! (Which by the way, I read an excerpt on her website and it doesnt seem like it will mirror Church Folks).
Rating:
Summary: Forgive and Be Free
Review: The story of the James family takes us into their world of despair, domestic violence, anger and hatred. As the book opens you are exposed to a tragic act of violence that will haunt the children into adulthood. Aja, the oldest takes on the responsibility of being her brother and sister's keeper at the expense of her own needs. Aja was so concerned about Eric's need for help that she didn't realize that she too had a need for help. The one theme that struck this reader was Aja placing blame on her brother's behavior on the father. While that may have been the case to a certain degree, Eric needed to let it go to heal. Little sister Jada is the one that helped all to realize that to forgive is to be free. And Roxanne, aka Roxie, was funny as all get out and provided some much needed humor and insight for Aja. The one lesson learned and overall message was to forgive and overcome hatred or it can destroy you and your relationships. You will learn something about forgiveness with this one.
Rating:
Summary: Great first effort!
Review: This book is one of the best I've read this year. The fluidness with which the author writes is amazing. I breezed through the book, feeling happy, sad, angry and sorrowful. This book touched my soul and taught me how important it is to learn to forgive. My only complaint was that it was too short! I wanted more!!! I would definitely recommend this book. And I think its only a matter of time before one of the big publishing houses picks this book up!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent novel!
Review: This book is realism at its best. How do I know? It's my reality. I felt like the author was telling my story. That's why I was amazed to read a previous review that said it was soap-opera style writing. I cant even fathom that. This book so hit it on the head. Not only was the writing simply excellent, the characters well developed, but it showed the power of what happens when you don't forgive. Something I definitely can relate to. You may not can ever see yourself in an abusive relationship, but beleive me it does exist and this book is like a mirror of what some of us endure. My book club discussed Charles and I think women have a hard time believing a man like this exists. But number one, Charles wasnt perfect. He was a mama's boy and he was arrogant. But he stood by his woman. There are men out there like that. They may be few and far between but they're out there. I so loved this book. It ranks among my favorite and I cant wait to read the rest of the author's works.
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