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So, as I went through this catalogue, I debated on what would make it to the blog and what would make it to the podcast. It wasn't until a week ago that I decided that the full synopsis, thoughts, etc. would make it to the blog because putting it on the podcast make the episode 2-3 hours and I don't want to bore you with my dramatic semantics. The podcast features highlights of what is written here and possibly some extra surprises. With that being said, let's jump into my thoughts on what I've been thinking (shoutout to Tee Roy (@iamteeroy) from Duval).
Books I Read:
Series/Books Read: (Click the link to jump to section)
Relationship Status Series: We Tied Forever, Still Tied, Til Death Do Us Part
Rating: 💫💫💫💫
Raunch Scale: ☄️☄️☄️
This 3-book series in my opinion, was a great introduction. I was hooked from page 1. 😂 So, this series is about 3 couples, Keyton (Key) & Tori, Lemonte (Mon) & TaNia (Nia), and Demarco (Marco) & Winter (Storm). Key & Tori met her sophomore year in high school, when he was a junior. They literally ran into each other, and the rest was history. Mon & Nia knew each other in high school, becoming friends because their best friends were together. Mon wanted Nia, but Nia was paying him dust, keeping him friend zoned. Marco didn't become a part of their brotherhood until a few years after they graduated from high school. Winter didn't join the scene until 8 years later, working for Key at the strip club. Aside from the club, the guys owned a few restaurants and were opening a hotel.
Tori and Key had a love-hate relationship in book one because Tori blamed Key for losing their baby and her insecurities due to the women that stayed in her inbox. Key was like a typical man, thinking everything could be smoothed over with good dick...and for some women it is good enough, but Tori had been fed up with his inconsistency. She left (and went to her parents' house) and he went and got her. By the end of book 1, they eventually got it together. They didn't have any problems throughout the rest of the series, except for the people trying to kill them, but it wasn't anything that would have caused them to be on the road to divorce.
Nia had a lot of insecurities for a woman with high self-esteem. Her insecurities intensified when her father passed, removing the constant reminder of reassurance she so desperately needed. (Sis thought she was fat because she wore a 12-14 🤦🏾♀) Lemonte basically forced her into a relationship, and her only request was that he didn't bring any drama her way. And he failed miserably...not for his lack of trying. It just seemed like drama showed up at Mon's doorstep frequently. It started with an unknown attacker or two (later found out who it was), then this grimy bitch named Delia, then this lunatic they thought was loyal named Cortez. Nia was back and forth the entire series and Mon was so patient with her, especially after she had to kill some people. Mon didn't understand it at first, but after sitting in on her therapy session, he began to show her a little grace.
Marco wanted Winter, and Winter wanted NOTHING to do with him. Marco was used to getting what and who he wanted, so Winter showing her disinterest was a challenge for him. Marco was in the military before he left to work for the cartel, which is how he met Key & Mon. The leader of the cartel had put a hit out of the entire crew of guy they worked for (Flacco, Sr.). Key & Mon asked for a meeting with Lou, the head of the cartel, to plead their cases and ask for their lives to be spared. Lou agreed, granting them freedom from all past debts, and they made moves to get out of the game for good, bringing Marco into the fold when he expressed his desire for something different in life. A lot went down between them at the hotel opening, including Winter getting shot and Marco expressing his love for her when he thought he was losing her. They eventually got it together and got married, revealing a pregnancy at the end of the series.
Throughout the three books, haters came at the from every side.
The beginning was against Tori and Key, causing Tori to lose their baby because Key had begun making moves to become completely legal. Before they knew who was behind all of the attacks, Key & Tori were pulled over and assaulted by two police officers. Key & Mon ended the series emptying their clips on the partners (all pun intended).
Then, the entire crew came under attack because Flacco, Jr. held a grudge because he thought Mon & Key had something to do with Flacco, Sr. being killed since they were the only two from his crew that were still alive. His brother and Gazelle helped him see the light. Flacco, Jr. later found out the real reason behind his father's demise and all was forgiven between the men. I would even go as far as saying they established a friendship based on a common enemy, known as Ardeno (referred to, by me, as the Russian).
Delia, who posed as a waitress at the restaurant, drugged and raped Mon, got her ass beat by TaNia, and then went home to Flacco. She was later dropped by Flacco when he met and started to get serious about Gazelle. Mon went to find and kill her but found Deja and Rylan instead. She later pops back up pregnant, claiming it's either Mon's or Flacco's...because she poked holes in the condom before she raped him and went home to slide down Flacco.
Cortez, who was "security" for the crew (but was working with Flacco, Jr.), went off his rocker because he was in love with TaNia. She was momentarily kidnapped after storming out of Key & Tori's house, when she discovered Deja (Delia's sister) was there. Mon found her and killed Cortez for messing with his girl, which he should have done. 🤷🏾♀️
We find out that Winter's ex, affectionately known as bitch ass Reggie, was salty because she didn't want him anymore. He went as far as running to her abusive daddy, throwing her under the bus about being a stripper (which she had stopped doing by the time her parents found out). He was so salty, that he teamed up with Ardeno, who gave him the manpower to vandalize the club, and shot up Tori and Deja's joint baby shower. That sparked Winter to set him up, under the guise that Marco was abusive to her and wouldn't allow her to leave. Marco took him out.
Ardeno...had to be the biggest pain in the ass. He held a grudge with Flacco, Jr. (because of Flacco, Sr.) AND Marco (because he was ordered to kill his father by Lou), which put the entire crew (women included) in danger. He didn't care who got hurt in his quest for revenge. He was definitely the most unhinged villain in the series. He wanted Gazelle, after he was the reason that her father was sent to Federal prison. He did everything in his power to try to convince Gazelle to be with him, but she didn't like him, nor did she trust him. He found someone disloyal in Flacco's camp, affording him the opportunity to catch him slipping (when Flacco was supposed to be meeting with Gazelle for dinner). Gazelle ended up knocking him off at her house where he was holding Flacco, half-dead.
She From the Jungle Series (Relationship Status Spin-off)
Rating: 💫💫💫💫
Raunch Scale: ☄️☄️☄️
This 2-book series follows Deja, who was introduced in the Relationship Status Series as Delia's little sister. From RS, we learn that Deja is a teenage mother with aspirations to go to college (JSU to be exact) to join the dance team. She leaves Rylan with the TaNia and Mon, while she pursues her dream that she thought she would have to give up on. She met the love of her life, Chance, and they were happy until they weren't. Which just so happened to be when that bitch Delia shows up on the scene. Her pregnant ass had been plotting against Deja, and we learned where her hatred for her comes from. In her delusional brain, she blames Deja for her life turning out the way it did. She was the ultimate hater, never taking responsibility for her actions. Book one ends with Deja taking her out in self-defense, after TaNia put her up on game. Delia somehow, found out where Deja was, hoping on the first flight she could get after giving birth to Mon's child (that we all know should've been TaNia's). Delia showed up at Deja's door on that ra-ra shit, pointing a gun at my girl, threatening her, causing a scene and junk. Chance knocked on that door, distracting Delia, Deja pulled her gun (that TaNia made sure she had) and she fired a single shot into her sister as Chance and Mon kicked the door open. Deja struggled through the summer with having offed her sister, even though it was well deserved and justified. She thought about dropping out and she iced Chance, he wasn't having it because he had since become attached to Rylan. Ultimately, they moved in together when the fall semester started up and Chance proposed to her by the end of the story.
Deja meets her new besties, Ariel & Britain, who just so happen to have their own drama going on. Ariel was a mule for this nigga in New York. She found out he was married with kids, after she miscarried their child, so she took the money, which she so rightfully earned, and started a new life, going to school like she wanted to do. She got swept off her feet by the quarterback of the football team, Jacques. Their initial meeting was a not so positive one, but they figured it out, for the most part. There was a hiccup at the end of book one, where Jacques confessed to sleeping with one of the broads that was heading the dance team and that she was claiming to be pregnant with his child. She breaks up with him and they spend the summer miserable. She started "dating" one of his teammates (that never showed up for her when it mattered), so Jacques found his way back into her arms and her heart and her bed. 😂 Found out the teammate was a B.A.N. (cue Sevyn Streeter) that tried to make him and Ariel situation bigger than what it was. Ques laid him out in the restaurant when he and Ariel went to get pancakes. Ques finds out the baby not his...and then the broad calls him to tell him it could've never been his and she just wanted to make his life miserable, and that she got rid of the baby. She was just trifling. But in the end, Ariel and Jacques got their HEA.
Britain was sexually abused by her father after her brother got killed and her mother turned a blind eye. She was in love with her brother's best friend, who had become her friend and protector over the years. She had never been in a relationship, Cordell being her first...everything. They had been denying their feelings for each other, until one night when Britain got drunk and let Cordell stuck over the phone. They had been hot and cold because Cordell was "that nigga" and Britain was supposed to be off limits. After the back and forth, they finally figured out how to do the long-distance thing. Britain was venting one day and slipped and told Cordell about how handsy her pops was and how her mama pretended not to know what was going on. Cordell sat on the information for a while before he pulled up to confront him. Needless to say, he beat that man within an inch of his life and acted like he didn't know why Britain was upset about it. She eventually forgave him, affording them their own HEA.
The Mercer Sisters Series: All Yours or Nothing & Our Love Above All Things
Rating: 💫💫💫💫
Raunch Scale: ☄️☄️
I have N E V E R wanted to put a character in the ground so bad. I mean ever. But before I get too carried away, let's start back from the beginning. So, anything that starts with death or some type of conflict or drama, is probably gonna be a good book. 😂
The series is about Ashton, Jr. & Naijlah Mercer and their ability, or lack thereof to navigate loving the men that played a pawn role in the death of their father. Book 1 is all Ashton, who is more like her father, Ashton, Sr. She took on his love for the game of pool (billiards), even becoming a professional competitor. Long, complicated story short, she fell in love with the guy that was charged with her father's murder...even though he was innocent in the fact that he didn't pull the trigger.
Camillion spent 15 years on a 20-year bid behind a murder he didn't commit. How? Trying to keep a roof over his head because his mama was on drugs. He, Wild, and Koop (RIP) were trying to join this gang called the Deuces, because they knew that was how they could get the money they needed to survive the hood.
Book 2 is about Naijlah, who Wild has been in love with since he first laid eyes on her when he was 22. They didn't officially meet until they were good and grown (after Cam got out of jail), being forced into each other's orbit when Cam and Ashton started dating (which only happened because Wild sent Cam to Ashton's spa to get some services). My girl fought those feelings until she couldn't deny that she was a wild thing that had a thing for a wild thing. The way she whooped Gina (Wild's egg donor) at the BBQ...I will forever choose that type of violence, even though Gina got her initially, sneaking my sis in her eye.
While Cam was locked up, Zayviore "Wild" was holding everything down. Losing his two best friends and having to take care of and protect his cousin forced him to grow up and live a life a child shouldn't have had to live. Because he never received proper love from his mother (because she wasn't worth two pennies to rub together), he didn't know how to receive it when it came from outside forces. I loved the relationship that developed between he and Mrs. Mercer. Marilyn was the real MVP from the night he and Uni knocked on her door.
And Uni 🥰 she never let her difference dim her light. I loved her relationship with Wild, even though she was older, her innocence was everything. And even at her big age, she was a daddy's girl and never switched up on people. I was glad to read that Mrs. Mercer was able to get her the help she needed to gain her independence despite her mental blocks. When Uni was finally able to move out of the facility and into her own place with her dad, it was a beautiful thing. And Jonathan was so adorable.
While on the topic of mamas and daddies, Wild's mama (bum ass Gina) and Unique's dad (Ice) were siblings, which is how Uni ended up with Gina in the first place. Ice got knocked and her mama (whoever she is) dropped her off and never came back. She had them babies doing inappropriate acts aka grown folks' shit, for shits and giggles to please the perverts and pedophiles in the projects they lived in. I was so damn glad when Wild and Uni got away from her trifling ass. If y'all thought the Russian was a pain in my ass, Gina got the other cheek. Then this bitch had the unmitigated gall to lie on her health and try to make Wild feel sorry for her, just so she could move out of the hood because Ice was getting out. Wild showed her though; especially once he found out that she was lying, hence the smackdown at the BBQ! But the move-in day fiasco! Whew baby. The amount of control Wild had when it came to the decision to convince Ice not to kill Gina was commendable. Because in all honesty, I would've killed her and the "boyfriend", disposed of the bodies, and continued life like nothing happened. BUT THIS AIN'T MY STORY! She had better heed her brother's warning and stay away from them.
Euphoria Series: Secrets We Kept Til Morning 1&2
Rating: 💫💫💫💫
Raunch Scale: ☄️☄️☄️☄️
Deshon! Ms. Dreamz if you nasty! And BAYBEE this series was FILTHY! And I loved every bit of it. From the initial conversation and in person interaction between Nobu and Nina (Control Freak), to her literally running in to Dominique (Dominant when you're nasty). I don't even have words to describe what all went on between them. Nina was definitely a punk, but I understood her reservations. However, I think the funniest part was when Arielle asked if she was Dom's girlfriend, and her response was "friend"...that's the type of correcting I need in my life. They were just nasty! But the way their feelings and eventually relationship developed was beautiful. I just hate that Nina was a runner, because a great deal of conflict could/would have been avoided in the beginning, had she opened her mouth. 🙄 had my man waiting for 2 months because she was scared. But this book had the right amount of filthy, raunchiness that we love to read about. They got their HEA, and I'm wondering if we will see these two again in the near future.
Where to follow this author
Deshon Dreamz (link takes you to Amazon Author Page)
IG: @deshondreamz
Facebook: Author Deshon Dreamz
Twitter: @AuthorDDreamz
TikTok: @DeshonDreamz
Be sure to tune in to the podcast episode that will be out FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2023. And get ready for our February featured author, Prenisha Aja!