Teaser Tuesdays (Feb 5)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/  Anyone can play along!

Grab your current read Let the book fall open to a random page Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

If your sentences that fall between lines 7 and 12 on the page you turn to give too much away, choose a different page, or a different spot on the page… we don’t want to ruin any surprises for anyone!

My current read is: 

Exploring The World of Lucid Dreaming by Stephen LaBerge, Ph.D. & Howard Rheingold

Random Page:

Lucid dreamers are more aware of their real situation--they know they are dreaming; thus we can say they are "awake in their dreams" (p.17)

© 2013, Cheryl of Black Diamond's Book Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

4th Annual AAMBC Literary Awards - March 4, 2012

I have been nominated as BOOK REVIEWER OF THE YEAR for the 4th annual AAMBC Literary Awards!

Voting Starts today and ends on April 6.

Winners will be announced at the Baltimore Urban Book Festival/AAMBC Awards Ceremony on May 6^th.

Here is the link to vote for CHERYL FRANCIS:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEp4M25ZN2xRQks1ZlJuajJUNTM4M3c6MQ.

Book Review- Getting In Touch With Your Inner Bitch by Elizabeth Hilts - January 25, 2012

Synopsis


I read this book on the way to my last job interview. And I got the job. Now, I'm not saying that I was successful by being a bitch, but being in touch with my needs and goals was certainly a help. This humorous look at why women don't get what they need and want uses cartoons by Nicole Hollander (Sylvia) to illustrate strategies for "getting over toxic niceness" and saying what you really mean. Perhaps the world would be a nicer place if we all stopped fretting over the "B" word.

My Review:

Anybody that knows me knows that I am way too nice. I saw this book and knew I needed to read it! Anything that I can read to help me become a better person is what I am interested in right now! If you are a person who is too nice and try to be as agreeable and nice as you can all the time, you need to read this book!

"Eventually, I manifested all the Niceness I could, bending over backwards to be agreeable, helpful, thoughtful, adoring, and adorable--in other words, a complete dormat." (loc. 128)

This is totally me. I hate conflict and I always try to do everything I can to make someone else happy, even if it means putting my feelings aside. The author in this book realized that she was suffering from toxic niceness, and it was when she was dealing with a man. She got stood up and she was mad, but then she started making up all these excuses to give him the benefit of the doubt. She just knew he must have been seeing another woman (he said "something came up"), but he was so cute and she really liked him so she forgave him. After all "no one likes a bitch. How could a nice girl like me stay angry? He asked me for another chance and I gave it to him." (loc 146).

I highlighted so many things in this book. It was so full of great information! The biggest thing is to learn to say "I don't think so". It's so easy to just agree with everything even if you don't want to. That way you avoid any hurt feelings. It's just easier to get along with everyone. This book is showing me that I don't have to get along with everyone. I have my whole life ahead of me and there is no reason why I should let any part of my life be unhappy. Now, the real trick will be putting this into practice!

I highly recommend this book!

My Rating :

Getting in Touch with Your Inner Bitch by Elizabeth Hilts

Kindle Edition, 208 pages

Published September 1st 2006 by Sourcebooks Hysteria(first published May 1994)

ASIN

B003YFJ5BS

© 2012, Cheryl of Black Diamond’s Book Reviews. All Rights Reserved. If you 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.

PLEASE NOTE:  I HAVE A NEW BLOG AT 
http://blackdiamondsbookreviews.com/
Please visit that blog to see recent posts, as I do not regularly post to this blog anymore.

Thank you.

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Book Tour – Review of A Hustler’s Promise: Some Promises Won’t Be Broken by Jackie Chanel – January 23, 2012 | Black Diamonds Book Reviews

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Teaser Tuesday - January 10, 2011

NOTE:  PLEASE VISIT MY NEW BLOG:   http://blackdiamondsbookreviews.com/  It's my Wordpress Blog.  I haven't been posting to blogger, but I decided to put this post on here so people can find my new blog.  You can join by Google friend connect or subscribe by e-mail.

 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Shouldbereading.wordpress.com Anyone can play along!

Grab your current read Let the book fall open to a random page Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

There is only one VERY IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER:

*** Do NOT post anything that could spoil the plot of the book!!! ***

If your sentences that fall between lines 7 and 12 on the page you turn to give too much away, choose a different page, or a different spot on the page… we don’t want to ruin any surprises for anyone!

My current read is: A Hard Man is Good to Find by James W. Lewis

Something you should know about this book. It's funny as heck! See why:

Random Page:

"Damn shame. How you gon' bring the buns to the party and forget the meat?" (loc 234 on kindle)

Also reading: Sixty-Nine by Pynk

Random Page:

"All these other men are part of the preparation. You have to pray, baby girl. And just when it looks like you're getting more of the same, pray some more. The right man is out there and God will bring him to you when the time is right." (loc 539 on kindle)

© 2012, Cheryl of Black Diamond's Book Reviews. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Black Diamond's Book Reviews, Urban Image Magazine, or Cheryl's feed, be aware that this post

Mailbox Monday and It’s Monday, What Are You Reading – January 9, 2012 | Black Diamonds Book Reviews

Mailbox Monday and It’s Monday, What Are You Reading – January 9, 2012 | Black Diamonds Book Reviews

Please click on the above link to go to the main post.  My blog is being moved to wordpress.

Saturday Snapshot - December 3, 2011

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by athomewithbooks.blogspot.com. To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then visit At Home With Books. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.

 

My daughter got me up one night at 3:00 a.m. wanting turkey. I thought that was weird, so I opened the refrigerator and she started crying. She wanted her turkey she made with her hand. I could not find it. Well, last night I was looking through a pile I had in my bedroom, and I found her turkey! My favorite part of it is the bottom. She is 3 years old, and she wrote her own name. Here is a more close up picture of her name:

Is that cool or what?

© 2011, Cheryl of Black Diamond's Book Reviews. All Rights Reserved. If you 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.

First Lines Friday, December 2, 2011

This is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. Here is what you do:

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author so that other FLF participants can add the book to their TBR Lists.

How to Make Love to a Negro Without Getting Tired by Dany LaFerriere

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, this is the fifth time Bouba's played that Charlie Parker record. He's crazy about jazz, and this must be his Parker period. Last week I had Coltrane for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Now it's Parker's turn.

also I am reading:

Chill Run by Russell Brooks

Eddie Barrow, Jr. didn't remember feeling the bullet tear into his shoulder. From where he lay on the hardwood floor, the ceiling spun in and out of focus. God, I can't even lift my arms and legs, more or less move my wrists.

© 2011, Cheryl of Black Diamond's Book Reviews. All Rights Reserved. If you 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.