Showing posts with label 2011 Reading Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2011 Reading Challenge. Show all posts

Friday, June 3, 2011

Book Review - The MPire In Search of the Lost by T.L. James

The MPire: In Search of the Lost

My 13 week challenge book 8 of 13

  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: PHE Ink (June 1, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0982447515
  • ISBN-13: 978-0982447512
  • Source:  I won this autographed copy from PHE Ink!

About the Book:
In Search of the Lost is the story of Mallory Towneson Haulm, a sexy financial powerhouse, who lives in a quasi paradise in Austin, Texas. His opulent world is decorated with expensive toys and women more exquisite than an exotic candy shop. After fourteen years of separation from his family, Mallory is summoned to return home to join The Family Business. Poised for success, Mallory is focused on turning around the ailing business, not realizing that taking his assigned reigns will put him in a position of unrelenting power which he is unaware he even has. His world crashes as he reunites with his brothers and becomes Death, the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse. With every complication popping up in his life, the biggest one by far is in the form of an old lover from the past coming back to reclaim the spot in Mallory's heart.

Book Trailer:



Meet T.L. James

 

TL James graduated with an MBA from LeTourneau University. At LETU, James cultivated an interest in biblical studies and research. Little did James know, but her love for research would become an integral thread in her writing style.


After many sleepless nights, James began writing her first speculative fictional book, with her newly born son tucked comfortably at her side. She developed the family drama storyline that showcases her love of research, biblical studies and literary classics (i.e., Chaucer, Shakespeare and Mythology). The MPire Trilogy was born.


In 2008, TL James revived PHE Ink, a Writing Solutions Firm, after discovering a number of gaps in the publishing industry. James works with aspiring writers, one-on-one, to develop their literary voice. PHE Ink, also, assists entrepreneurs with transforming their business dreams into defined objectives and business plans.
TL James currently resides in Houston, Texas with her son and immediate family.


My Review:
This book has been in my to-read pile, and I was so glad to finally get reading it!  I will be reviewing the second book in this Mpire trilogy in the next few weeks as well.

Mallory Towneson Haulm had been away from his family for 14 years.  He finally comes back and places a bet wherein if he loses, he has to run the family company for a week.   You have to read to find out what happens, but let me tell you about Mallory.  He definitely was a different character!  When he was shaving and hydrating his body at the beginning of the story, I really started to wonder about him.   The way he prepped himself just didn't seem like something the average guy would be doing.  He did have sex with women a lot though, so I wasn't too sure.  Maybe he was just a very neat and clean guy.  After all, he did gargle vodka and then spit it out to take ...well certain odors from when he was with a woman... out of his mouth.  The dance that he did with Amanda, when he lifted her up and his face disappeared under her dress...whew--HOT!    

Mallory had a brother named Matthew.  I was kind of surprised when Mallory and his brother Matthew saw each other.  This is definitely a different twist.  You will have to read to find out who Matthew and Mallory really are!  

I loved this first book in the MPire trilogy!  The majority of the book I read while I was at the beach!  I really was drawn in to the story to see what was going to happen next!  I highly recommend this book!  It really wasn't what I expected at all! I can't wait to read the next book in this trilogy, called Death Cometh!.



My Rating:
5/5 diamonds - highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist. They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.


View my previous post where you will be able to read an exclusive chapter!: 

The MPIRE: In Search of the Lost by T.L. James BOOK TOUR, Exclusive Chapter & Giveaway!





© 2011, Cheryl of Black Diamond's Book Reviews. All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this on a site other than, Black Diamond's Book Reviews, Urban Image Magazine, or Cheryl's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Quirky Brown Reading Challenge 2011

I am going to try the Quirky Brown Reading Challenge 2011.  This will be my first reading challenge for 2011.  This has been started by Brown Girl Speaks.  





Here is what she says on her blog:

This challenge was inspired by a blog post on New Model Minority. The post talked about the hyper-marginalization of Black fiction and included a short but intriguing list of books. That list, or at least the authors on it, were begging to be part of a reading challenge. So, I bring you the Quirky Brown Reading Challenge. This challenge is more than about finishing a certain number of books, but about challenging the overly subscribed to depictions of the so-called “Black experience”. I hope participants also discover some of our lesser known contributions to American literature. 


Quirky Brown Fiction List

This is an ever expanding list of Black fiction deemed "quirky" for its uncharacteristic or atypical depiction of a Black experience. 

A History of the African-American People (Proposed) by Strom Thurmond, as told to Percival Everett & James Kincaid (A Novel) by Percival Everett and James Kincaid
More Like Wrestling by Danyel Smith
Pagan Operetta by Carl Hancock Rux
Drown by Junot Diaz
Hunting in Harlem by Mat Johnson
The Dying Ground by Nichelle Tramble
Slumberland by Paul Beatty
Slap Boxing With Jesus by Victor LaValle
Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by ZZ Packer
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
Sassafrass, Cypress and Indigo by Ntozake Shange
Coffee Will Make You Black by April Sinclair
Sarah Phillips by Andrea Lee
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
Erasure by Percival Everett
Big Machine by Victor LaValle
Liliane by Ntozake Shange
Kinky Gazpacho by Lori L. Tharps
Children of the Waters by Carleen Brice

Everybody Smokes in Hell by John Ridley
Love Is Racket by John Ridley
The Chinaberry Tree by Jessie Fauset
32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Substitute Me by Lori Tharps
A Taste of Honey by Jabari Asim
The Broke Diaries by Angela Nissel
Orange, Mint & Honey by Carleen Brice
This should be a fun reading challenge!