Rating: 
Summary: I'm Addicted
Review: This story is a must read whether you are Greek, Non-Greek, College bound or a dropout. Ms. Hughes has successfully captured the essence of college life. That essence boils down to one thing: CHOICES. Anyone who has lived can relate to and learn from this novel. It teaches the female about determination and not exepting less than your worth. It shows the male how to be a male. It also purports that its cool to not conform.What set this novel apart from others in the genre was the "writing within the writing". Ms. Hughes was able to pull this off as if there were actually two authors on this one book.
Rating:
Summary: A Sorority Adventure
Review: Walking The Line by Althea Christina Hughes was truly a wonderful book to read. When I saw the book, the title alone caught my attention. I was totally impressed by Ms. Hughes' story line of college life and sororities. It actually brought back memories of my long forgotten college days. What I enjoyed most about the book is how easily you could identify with the characters and their quest for belonging. Reading this book brought smiles, laughs, vindication, and finally tears. Ms. Hughes' novel portrays a typical college senior who has waited until her senior year to pledge her mother's sorority with little, if any, enthusiasm. Her family are dedicated Rho Kappa Delta Sorors, with a family legacy and tradition that insist all female members become RKD sorors. Charisma, who prefers being called Charis, is a 4.0 senior pondering with the decision, after graduation, to either go to law school and become a lawyer like her father, or become a playwright, which is what she truly wants to do. Kyra, president of the sorority, who hates Charis and knows of her family's legacy, coerces her into pledging the Rho Kappa Delta. She's manipulative, conniving, controlling and Charis' worse nightmare. Kyra is also the person Charis' former boyfriend was secretly seeing while being with her, which hurt Charis very much. Randall, Charis' former boyfriend, is a playa, who does not realize he's being played also, until it's too late. The story revolves around walking the line which is pledging and hazing. Although hazing has become illegal, RDK feels it's still necessary to truly weed out those who are not strong and true RKD material. So they secretly continue to haze. The novel is about Charis' struggle along with others, walking the line and the hazing they must endure. She also has to struggle with her parents' issues which includes her father, a successful attorney, who leaves his law practice to open a bookstore which causes a separation with Charis' mother, who enjoys the elite lifestyle, but has a secret of her own. Charis' classmates are a unique cast of characters that will make you laugh, say what, shake your head, and cheer on. Sean, studying to become a doctor of natural medicine, admires and loves Charis, and will patiently wait for her to reciprocate those same feelings. Briana, Charis' roommate, who plans to become a world class journalist, makes it her business to collect the "dirt" on everyone on campus and even goes to the point of keeping files. LaTasha, who takes hazing to the max, has among other things, shoplifting issues. Angela just wants to belong and become a RKD. Desiree, Angela's roommate, is a wannabe RKD and soon makes waves when she is not invited to walk the line. Terrene, also a wannabe RKD and not invited, has socializing issues causing people to dislike her, which is her way of getting the attention she longs for. The finale will make you truly understand the turmoil of belonging and being a part of an elite sorority with devastating results. Overall, Walking The Line is a mixture of college life and the coming of age to being true to self. Ms. Hughes' novel is one you will truly enjoy. I highly recommend it and give it a RAW rating of 5.
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