Blues Dancing : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: A Struggle....
Review: I struggled to read this book, as I struggled to read Tumbling by this same author. At least I did finish this one, I can't say the same for Tumbling. I obviously missed something in this book! This was my book club's read for this month, everyone struggled with this book! I can't really explain what it was, but whatever it is, it is the same in Tumbling! Someone help me out?

Rating:
Summary: Rythmic
Review: Blues Dancing tells a story about what happens when love isn't enough. It also tells what happens when one hides from the truth. But when the characters finally get love right, love for self and their love for others, the passion of the characters explode onto the pages of this novel. All of the characters have a rythm of their own, similar to the joy and pain felt in something like a good sounding blues song. Some characters put limits on their love, some used the love that others had for them to cower behind life's hardships. I think that this is the best book by Whetstone thus far. It was such a sweet, passionate, slow, blues-jazzy read that I didn't want the music to stop.

Rating:
Summary: What a Powerful Story
Review: From the first pages, this book grabbed my heart and my soul. So many powerful emotions and feelings were etched on those pages. The journeys taken by each character were so vivid, so real, and in some cases so real that I had to put the book away for several days to conjure up the courage to read about the depths to which Verdie and Johnson descended. This is truly a literary piece of the highest quality. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Love Story
Review: Verdi and Johnson, two lovers during their college years, haven't seen each other in 20 years but Johnson's back in town. This story takes you back to their past as well as lets you know what's going on in the present. A wonderfully told story that romantics will love and it's quite frankly a great story even for those who aren't usually into love stories. Once I got to about page 200, I sat home to read the last 100+ pages just because I had to know what happened with Verdi, Johnson, Rowe (her current boyfriend), and Sage (her cousin's daughter). I was fortunate to meet Diane McKinney-Whetstone at a book signing in Philadelphia at the Black Book Store in The Gallery (I have an autographed copy) and I am definitely hoping that I'll meet her again to tell her how much I enjoyed this book and to buy and have her autograph her next book!

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best!
Review: I was hynoptized by the writing of Ms. McKinney-Whetson. The romance between Verdi and Johnson was a bittersweet one.I found myself thinking about after them after I'd read the book. The other characters are fascinating too. Blues Dancing is not a quick read, but it takes you on a sweet mellow journey that you won't regret taking.

Rating:
Summary: Blues Dancing
Review: I found this book extremely dull and boring! Yes, the writer has a beautiful way with words, but it seems that she keeps saying the same things over and over again. That repitition lead me to get impatient and I kept thinking, "OK, OK let's get to the good part"... as you can imagine, I was quite ticked off when I found out there WAS no good part.

Rating:
Summary: Relaxing Read
Review: I really enjoyed this book. The author did an excellent job letting the reader live the experiences of the past instead of just being told what happen. The book was skillfully written and would make an excellent movie.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable
Review: She has a different writing style than other authors. I enjoyed the book as much as the other two. I'd recommend to my friends.

Rating:
Summary: Soulful Stirrings
Review: I was captivated by the descriptive words and metaphors that Diane uses in Blues Dancing. She uses lyrical, pivoting words that enhance the imagination, and stir the story around in your mind. 'Blues Dancing' is the best writing and use of words that I've read in a long time. This novel is the balance between the overly descriptive novels, and the 'tell a tale' novels. This is the first novel that I've read by Diane, and I was thoroughly impressed. Her characters were so well developed and described, that I could actually feel them, their dilemas, their pain, and their longing. Reading 'Blues Dancing' was like listening to a slow, sultry jazz song dripping with soulful love and palpatating emotions.

Rating:
Summary: She Gets Better Each Time
Review: Her work is magical. She describes a feeling or a scene and I immediately think 'oh yeah, I know exactly what she means.' I love her work. Blues Dancing is her best effort yet. Her story of Verdi and Johnson touched me in places few books have. As with all excellent books I try to read slowly, savoring each line. It doesn't work with this novel because I can't wait to find out what the next page will bring. I have a very short list of favorite authors, but Ms. McKinney-Whetstone you are definitely at the top. Congratulations on a wonderful piece of work. And I know this isn't fair, but please release your next work soon. Peace and love, Breezee