E. Lynn Harris’ Books – In Review
Written by RAWSISTAZ · September 25, 2009 · 693 views
For many, E. Lynn Harris has been a favorite since his first book was released, but for those who need to catch up, his list of books are below. We have reviewed many of his books, so wanted to share some of our past reviews with you.
MAMA DEAREST – BOOK DESCRIPTION
One of E. Lynn Harris’s incomparable heroines, Yancey Harrington Braxton, is working her way back to Broadway and beyond. And this diva supreme always stirs up drama in and out of the spotlight….
New York City, you’ve been warned: Yancey Harrington Braxton is back. The ambitious singer and actress is fired up to move past her recent professional and personal setbacks — including an explosive romance with NFL tight end John Basil Henderson — and prove her talents are stronger than ever. After being out on tour, Yancey realizes what she really wants is to star in her own reality TV series, and she’s even found a rich and well-connected lover to make it happen. There are, however, two women fierce enough to derail Yancey’s plans with ambitions of their own: Madison B., a hot new bombshell taking the music industry by storm, and Ava Middlebrooks, who happens to be Yancey’s own mama dearest.
Ava is out, about, and ready to reclaim her throne. Not even a stint in prison for attempted murder has curbed Ava’s competitive nature, and it doesn’t faze her in the least that her #1 rival is her own daughter. Ava is willing to do whatever it takes to make Yancey pay, including using Madison B. to turn Yancey’s world upside-down by forcing her to confront the past…and making her comeback dreams more exciting and dangerous than she ever imagined.
Taking readers on a wild, passion-filled tour of the entertainment world, E. Lynn Harris’s Mama Dearest delivers sensual thrills and electric plot twists — with one unforgettable woman of radiant star power, sexual magnetism, and unapologetic ambition at the heart of the action.
RAWSISTAZ BOOK REVIEWS
BASKETBALL JONES gives a very detailed look at the down low lifestyle from those who live a very public life and the lover who has to deal with it. Harris continues to do what he does best, which is to produce extremely well-written novels that shock and enthrall, as well as provide an educational backdrop for relationships society has labeled. He is a master at developing characters that draw you in and keep you involved throughout the story.
I raised an eyebrow or two in a few of the scenes in which he orchestrated an erotic moment between Dray and AJ. The potency, while shocking, was very tastefully delivered. Fans will not be disappointed in his latest offering. READ ENTIRE REVIEW
- Reviewed by Brenda M. Lisbon
The long awaited release of JUST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE is a deviation from the norm by E. Lynn Harris, but it is a well-written, compassionate read that embodies all of what readers have come to expect from Harris. It is filled with secrets, deceptions, twists, turns and a few life lessons. Being perfect is a figment of the imagination. We are all human and are subject to human frailties. Putting our lives under a microscope reveals our perfect intentions are sometimes thwarted by our imperfect actions.
As a master storyteller, Harris brings us a compelling story about the relationship between a single mother and her son, which is hampered by forces from the outside. With solid writing and memorable characters, don’t let summer end without reading this one. If not already an E. Lynn Harris fan, you will definitely become one. READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW
- Reviewed by Brenda M. Lisbon
E. Lynn Harris does it again with SAY A LITTLE PRAYER. This page-turner reveals a part of the African-American community many choose to ignore: the intolerance of the homosexual community in the church. This is not a typical E. Lynn book. This is not another extension of the Raymond and Basil love affair, even though two past favorites, Basil and Yancey do make small cameo appearances. Never fear fans, it does give updates on the storylines that we love, while introducing you to new characters you will love and want to know more about as well. You will find yourself engaged in the life of Chauncey, wanting to laugh, cry, get revenge and pray right along with him. READ ENTIRE REVIEW
- Reviewed by Skyy
WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKENHEARTED takes us from the time Harris is a child through his young adult life. He shares his fears, his desire to be in a loving relationship, and his realization that he does prefer men to women; despite his attempts otherwise. Through his candid and honest recount of those times in his life, we learn of his fight with depression, the abusive relationships he’s had the misfortune to suffer through and the make-believe world he built around himself to hide not only his poor upbringing, but also his sexual preference. READ ENTIRE REVIEW
-Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
In A LOVE OF MY OWN, E. Lynn Harris’s eighth novel, he brings us into the lives of Raymond and Zola. Also, he beautifully intertwines the September 11 tragedy and the death of R & B singer Aaliyah into the storyline and portrays them with compassion and accuracy. As a reader it was very interesting to see how these two tragic events affected Raymond, Zola and the people around them.
A Love Of My Own was a wonderful book. Raymond Tyler Jr., is my favorite character and I was very pleased to see him back. I have just one complaint about this book, and that is that I finished it and now I have to wait for E. Lynn Harris’s next literary offering. READ ENTIRE REVIEW
- Reviewed by Simone A. Hawks
GUMBO: A Celebration of African American Writing
Editors Marita Golden and E Lynn Harris introduce us to a concoction of witty, soulful, provincial, urban, thrilling, and stunning works by some of the most talented African American authors on the planet. Pronounced a literary rent party benefiting the Hurston-Wright Foundation, Gumbo is divided into 4 sections spanning everything from the “Family Tree” to a “Love Jones”. Numerous affecting short stories and excerpts contribute to this amazingly filling collection.
Witty stories like Yolanda Joe’s Miss Prissy and the Penitentiary and Harris’ Dinner Party modulate the emotions invoked by pieces such as David Anthony Durham’s “The Boy-Fish” and acclaimed horror author Tananarive Due’s “The Knowing”, my personal favorite. Other notables include J. California Cooper’s “$100 and Nothing”, Tayari Jones’ “Press and Curl”, Faith Adiele’s “Fire: An Original Tale”, Elizabeth Nunez’s excerpt “from Discretion”, and Alexs Pate’s “To Haiti or To Hell.” There is truly something for everyone in this abounding congregation of African American authors coming together for a cause.
-Reviewed by CandaceK
RAWSISTAZ Literary Group was founded in 2000 to support and promote the work of African-American authors. The groups, on and offline, represent close to 600 readers, writers, aspiring writers, and others interested in literacy and the impact on our communities.
