Book Review - Truth or Dare by Dwayne S. Joseph - October 2, 2011

My Review:

You've probably played truth or dare before, but I will bet that it was nothing like the game in this story! Be ready to sit down and read this book from cover to cover. It will be hard to put it down so don't even try!

Jess started chatting with Jayson online because of an on-line class they were taking together. What just started out as chats became a truth or dare game that got more intense than you can imagine.

Dwayne S. Joseph totally got the way that Jess would feel. She was afraid that what she was doing was bad. She knew she shouldn't be doing it and should just quit, but hey it's harmless, right? The anticipation of their meeting was just making my heart race! It knew it was going to be HOTTT, and it sure was! I was so wrapped up in the story that I could feel exactly what Jess felt, nervous yet excited, wrong, but also very right.

Jayson is a character that you won't forget! I like the fact that he doesn't require his woman to have a perfect body. I got totally sucked into his game, not expecting what happened at all. I don't want to say too much about him, but just know that he is unforgettable!

This was one amazing book with such memorable characters! The writing is just so descriptive! The game of truth of dare in this book just got so intense that I was on the edge of my seat in anticipation of what was going to happen next. From the time I started this book until the very end, I was hooked like an addict! What a great mix of drama, thrills, sex, and ..... well.......I won't tell you any more. Just trust me. You need to read this one! Not only is it entertaining, but it deals with issues that are current and realistic. It really makes you think about who could be lurking out there online.

My Rating :

Truth or Dare

Author Dwayne S. Joseph

Paperback, 288 pages

Published October 1st 2011 by Kensington Publishing Corporation

ISBN

1601623305 (ISBN13: 9781601623300)

Purchase on:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

About Dwayne S. Joseph:

What's going on! Thanks for taking the time to stop by to get to know me!

I began my writing career at the age of thirteen. Commandeering my parents computer, I sat for hours on end creating dramatic stories of fiction that earned me the best story teller in the Joseph household moniker. I then went on to win second place in the National Scholastic Writing Competition during my senior year in high school, for a short story I wrote, titled Playtime. The novels at thirteen and the short story in my senior year all helped to propel me on the destined path to becoming a published author at the age of 27, with the release of my first novel The Choices Men Make.

With eleven drama-filled novels under my belt, including The Womanizers, Never Say Never, If Your Girl Only Knew, In Too Deep, Til Its Gone, and short story contributions to four anthology collections, most notably, the Essence best seller, Around The Way Girls, I consistently set out to entertain my readers with scenarios and characters that they love and love to hate.

It's all about growth for me. I strive to grow and improve with each novel because I feel that's what the readers deserve. And thats just what I'm determined to do as I'm now taking a walk down a much different literary path with the release of my most recent novels, Home Wrecker, Betrayal, Eye For An Eye, In Strict Confidence. Darker novels filled with more suspense, more intensity, more violence, more mystery and sex!

I'm driven and determined to give more, so sit back, hold on tight....it's going to be one hell of a ride!

Much love..............D.S.J

(source: http://www.dwaynesjoseph.com/#!)



Please visit his website at http://www.dwaynejoseph.com



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 MYexperience while reading this novel.

© 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.

Book Review - Growing Pains by Dwayne S. Joseph

About the Book:

Brian Moore is a straight-A student struggling to escape the lure of the streets in Brooklyn, NY. With no father at home and a mother who works two jobs in order to keep a roof over his head and food on the table, Brian is left alone to navigate his way toward manhood. With the help of his two lifelong friends, one thing is certain; trouble is the only thing he's going to find.

Jawan White is Brian's teacher, and he knows that Brian has the potential to graduate high school and leave the streets far behind him. But will Jawan's constant lecturing push Brian further out into the streets, or will they help reel him in? And what's going to happen when Jawan falls in head over heels in love with Brian's mother? Will Brian continue to respect the only man in his life who cares for his well-being, or will he go along with his best friend's plan to make some fast money?

Growing Pains is a coming of age street novel, filled with romance, suspense, and drama

From Goodreads


My First Reaction When I Finished:
Wow!  What a page turner!  I was so surprised at all of the action at the end! 

My Review:

Brian was really a smart kid, but he hung with the wrong crowd.  They are out to do things to make money, and Brian is really having a bad feeling about what they are planning to do.  It really goes against who he is, but then his girlfriend Carla tells him something unexpected.  Suddenly, he just doesn't know which way to go with it.  Even though he knows what they are doing is wrong and will really hurt someone he has known a long time, the money is just looking so good.  Does he do what is right, or does money rule his decision?

Jawan was such a dedicated teacher and he really wanted to help Brian out.  He reminded him of his nephew that he lost.   He really wants to make a difference in kids lives, and Brian just really seems like he could use his guidance since he does not have any kind of male role model.

Brian's mother tries to do everything she can to bring Brian up the right way, even if it means keeping her past relationship troubles to herself.  She also works as hard as she can to support them, but she has a secret of her own.

I've read most of Dwayne Joseph's books, and each one keeps getting better!  I see more growth in his writing every time a new book comes out!  His novels are becoming less about relationship drama and more about real life issues that really hit home for some people.     This book was a very quick read for me and kept me turning the pages faster as I got closer to the end.  I was very impressed with this book!

Favorite Quotes From The Book:

Jawan had always seen something different in Brian's eyes.  A seriousness and maturity level that many of the other kids didn't seem to possess.  In a lot of ways, Brian reminded Jawan of the nephew he'd lost.  Without being too overbearing, he'd made it his personal mission to guide, or at least try to guide, Brian.

p.13

Jawan walked away, and as he did, he couldn't help but smile.  There was definitely a very strong and very mutual attraction going on. 

p.51

"You act like I am desperate."

"Not desperate, girl.  You're just in need of some tune-ups.  Why do you think I look so good?  Because I hit the gym every damn day?  Hell to the no! I look this good because I get my oil and battery checked every couple of days, that's why."

p.69

Do I recommend?
Yes, go out and buy this one!

My rating:

5/5 diamonds

Highly Recommend Purchasing This Book!

 Book Details:
Title: Growing Pains
Author: Dwayne S. Joseph
Publisher:   Urban Books
Pages: Paperback; 228 pages
Source: Purchased

Visit the author here:  Facebook

Purchase the book here:

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.

 

© 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.

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 
Anyone can play along! 

Just do the following:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a random page
3. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
5. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 Growing Pains by Dwayne S. Joseph

His mom was off-limits to everyone.  

There was nothing personal against Mr. White.  It was just a rule that he'd set in stone when he was six years old.

 P. 55

 Lipstick Hustla by Allison Hobbs

"I am. I am more than honored.  I'm in shock that a hot-looking chick like you wants to go to bed with me."

"Don't get it twisted.  It's not that I want to.  It makes good business sense for me to find out your strengths and weaknesses in the sex department.  I need to find out how long you can last."

P. 37

 © 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.

WW28: Eye for An Eye

WW28
A chance to showcase your favourite!

• First you grab our Wicked Wednesday pic.
• Then you grab a book. Turn to page 28. Take the first sentence. And then you post it in your site with a link back to WW28.
• Come back to the hosting site Cherry Mischievous - WW28 and give them the url of your post (in a comment at a WW28 post) so that other WW28 readers can find your WW28 offering.

My WW28 offering is Eye for An Eye by Dwayne S. Joseph

P.28, 1st sentence:

All of the clients we dealt with knew to keep the information they passed along to a bare minimum.  Or so I thought, until one client who'd received far too much information threatened not only my livelihood, but my life as well.

Click to see my review for Eye for An Eye by Dwayne S. Joseph

You can purchase the book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Black Expressions

© 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.

Review of Eye for An Eye by Dwayne S. Joseph

Eye For An Eye

by Dwayne S. Joseph

Paperback, 288 pages

Published October 1st 2010 by Urban Books

Lisette, the flawless beauty with the take no-prisoners attitude is back! Along with her partners, Marlene and Aida, Lisette ruins marriages at the request of desperate, wealthy wives willing to pay large sums to stick it to their husbands. Control is what it's all about, and that's just what they give back to the wives.

Enter Shante Hunt and Vivian Steele. Shante wants Lisette to set up her brother-in-law to prove to her sister that the man she married is no good. Vivian wants Aida to trap her husband, not so she can get a divorce, but to force him to realize how good he has it at home.

It's business as usual, until Lisette's past comes back to wreak havoc in a major way. Someone is out for revenge, and when Lisette finds out who and why, things for both her and Aida will never be the same.
Sex, suspense, intense drama, and murder . . . Eye for an Eye is an explosive sequel that will leave you with your mouth hanging wide open. This is Dwayne S. Joseph at his best!

My thoughts:
I have been looking forward to reading this book, and I finally got my hands on it! This book was everything I was hoping for and more. I agree that it was explosive and kept me on the edge of my seat and turning the pages until the end!

I have read almost all of Dwayne S. Joseph's books and love every single one of them. This book tops them all. His books just keep getting better and better!

Lisette's trouble started with her father and the way she grew up. She learned how to control men, and got into the business of getting paid for setting men up to prove the women in their life that they are cheating so the women can get what they want from them. She ended up getting set up by Kyra. This book is a sequel to "Home Wrecker" and shows what happened after the setup by Kyra.

This book is hot. Get ready for some steamy sex and hot men. Keep some ice handy to cool you off! Be prepared for the drama and murder. I kept reading faster and faster toward the end to see what was going to happen and my heart was pumping until the end.

5/5 diamonds

Absolutely loved this book!

Disclaimer: Thank you to Dwayne S. Joseph for this autographed book for review. 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.

© 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.