Review: Extremely disappointed beyond words...
Rating: 1 out of 5
Date: 02 24, 2014
I was extremely excited to read the sequel which is obvious because this book was just published and I already bought and read it.  But I really believe the author sold out.  The characters and their personalities were shaped in book one and I think she went in another whole direction in book 2 for shock value and to write another book.  First of all, I am a very open-minded individual.  That being said, I don't agree with authors trying to completely change the direction of the characters just for shock value and to continue writing sequels because it created useless drama.  Kenya Wright is a very good author and I have enjoyed several of her other books (Flirting with Chaos+ An Arrangement of Love) because they were not traditional romance books.  She has skills and writes well but this book bothered me.The review listed below will contain spoilers.**I UPDATED THIS POST BECAUSE I MADE A MISTAKE WITH THE TWO CHARACTERS NAMES.  THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU SPEND THE WHOLE NIGHT READING.  SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION.SPOILER ALERT****************************************************Why does the only main African-American character (Evie) have to be so hypersexualized and be the only one who has some kind of sexual interactions with the other three main characters (Jay, Pipe, Cynthia)?  It is understandable that she has an intense relationship with Jay but then the author had to throw in her constantly making out with Pipe.  And then she went completely out of left field and wrote Evie as having sexual feelings for Cynthia.  Evie also cannot accurately communicate to Jay what she is feeling or take a strong stance because she is so overcome with wanting to jump his bones.  She is portrayed as a modern day Jezebel.Now Evie may be bisexual or a lesbian?  Hmmmm... She is in college and young and having fun in life but to go from being that uncomfortable with being in a relationship with two other people to now openly getting aroused from Cynthia watching was again way out of left field.Now Cynthia is a lesbian?  Understandable that she is having horrific issues after her being continously raped by her relative but just because you have been molested, does not make you a lesbian.  I have a problem with that and that plays into stereotypes of gays and lesbians.  I understand that Cynthia had a deep emotional relationship with Evie because she was a damaged individual but she went from being asexual (with the exception of getting aroused by her uncle) to suddenly wanting Evie sexually and getting super turned on.  What triggered the sudden change?It was obvious in book one that Cynthia had huge issues which is common in people who have been molested but to write that she was still getting turned on by her uncle sexually was rather unsettling.  I know that the big taboo that is not really spoken with  molestation victims is that sometimes what is happening to them does feel good and they suffer needless guilt from that part but I think the author was all over the place with Cynthia's story.Pipe is openly gay (even though he makes out with Evie and gets sexually aroused).  Again, I am bothered by the stereotypes.  Why does the gay male have to be that badly damaged where he is ok with getting cut over and over again and so badly that the person who does it sends a medic to help him with the cuts?  Not all gay men/women are that extreme.Overall, I think that the author wrote the characters in book 1 a certain way and then completely switched it up and created scenes just for shock value rather than trying to portray the characters accurately.