Review: label whoring has got to go
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 05 6, 2014
I love this genre of books. I am always excited when ever I find a new talented author of this genre. This book and author are no exception.The only thing that turned me off, besides the lack of proofreading, and editing, and the use of a couple words I don't think exist in any language (street slang, human, English, etc.) was the "label whoring". I felt as if the author was getting paid to talk about certain clothing, car, and alcohol, products/brands throughout his book(s). I know you got to drop some label names, especially in the urban fiction genre, but after a while I felt like I was reading a book about the labels and brands-not a book about interesting and complex characters with great story arcs. I say that because it's true- they are interesting characters with great story arcs.It's okay to say a character resembles a famous person, but to reiterate it over and over and over again got to be a little redundant.I pictured the characters clearer in my mind that were not said to resemble a famous person versus the main character whom I kept thinking of as the twin to Nikki Manaj. Don't get me wrong, Nikki has her pretty moments, but I don't really think she's the epitome of beauty and fashion and class.I am all for a woman being independent, strong, business savvy, and has that little bit of a freak between the sheets vibe, but this main character seemed more like a hood rat that won the lotto. She did not gain any type of class- even with all of the money. She knew what labels were fresh, what cars to drive, had some (a modicum of) common sense and some street smarts, but if she did not have the family she had, I doubt she'd be able to make it as an up & comer in the drug game. She was too sloppy, too emotional, she let her hormones and her love of labels rule her business sense.Call me crazy, but I believe her mother would've been the best drug kingpin in this story. Now I would like to see that story. Especially with her mother.The fact that she was so damned young, had not even a basic high school education, and the only experience she ever had was watching her father and his family from the sidelines, (thug life/drug life) life should not of been that easy for her.All of the unrealistic situations, out of this world money, and experiences, made the story interesting and entertaining.I know it sounds like I am trashing this book, but in reality I actually enjoyed it a lot. In fact I enjoyed it so much I am now reading book three.The books themselves are short. Too short. Books 1 & 2 could've easily been kept together as one book. The same with books 3 and 4.There's one thing I do know about people who buy books on Amazon, and that is this: they do not like to feel as if they're being ripped off. If an e-book is short, and they charge $.99 for it, and you have to keep buying multiple e-books at increasing prices to continue the story, and they are all short in length, people get upset and stop investing in the author & the series. Or they go the "pirate" route. Which NOBODY wants.Like I mentioned earlier, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, the characters, the storyline, even the silly over-the-top "label whoring". All of the unrealistic things that drove me nuts are actually what kept me reading the story. They were so fantasy driven that I just had to keep turning the page. I believe this is an example of the "best case scenario" of a young drug dealers life.Rio has amazing talents and creative abilities. It is quite clear from what I've read so far, that he has a lot more inside of him to get out onto paper for the world to read and enjoy.I am looking forward to seeing how he uses his talents and his way with words to positively impact the young girls and boys where he's from. I am also looking forward to reading more of his urban fiction stories too.