Book Review - The Healing of Love & Laughter by Rickey Teems II - October 12, 2011

Synopsis:

Some smiles reflect more than just good times, occasionally they are a mask for pain. Comedian Isaac Golden learns the bright lights of Hollywood may shine for triumph, but in the shadows, drugs, wild women, and the fast life are waiting to take their toll on his soul. With the health of his childrens' mother on the brink, a sex-crazed mistress on the side, the criminal woes of his inept younger brother, and increasing stage opportunities, trying to balance ambitions of stardom with reality is no laughing matter. When his faith and obligations are challenged beyond his control, Isaac realizes that overnight success can be tomorrow's biggest failure. He soon finds himself in a deep and dark hole, clueless how it all happened so fast. Will he have any friends and prayer left to help him overcome the guilt and remorse of his ways, or will time run out before he can truly discover: The Healing of Love and Laughter.

Book Trailer

My Review:

You will laugh, you will cry, and you will be so surprised at the end!


I really tried to like Isaac. He was really such a funny guy! He cracked jokes that will have you rollin'! He wanted his dream of being a star comedian to come true so bad that he lost sight of what was going on around him. His first priority was himself. I found Isaac to be a very selfish person after the story got going. Remember, at first I really liked him. His problem is though that he had a one track mind---being a comedian no matter what the price. He wasn't thinking of what his girlfriend needed or his girls. He was determined he was gonna make it big. He said:

"Comedy has to be the way, he affirmed. It has to be what God intended for us to have a better life! "p. 29

His girlfriend Janna is in very bad health. She said it's okay for him to go, so why not go right? She was so unselfish that she wanted him to pursue his dreams while she stayed home with their girls. Janna said:

"When the Lord works on anyone, it‘s never an overnight process," Janna explained. "Just because we want everything right here, right now, doesn‘t mean that‘s His plan. God‘s at work. I can feel it. You may not be able to see it from the outside lookin‘ in, but from the inside lookin‘ out, it‘s there. So I‘m not stressin‘ whether Isaac is changin‘. I‘m not stressin‘ the hospital tomorrow. I‘m just keepin‘ my life and faith in God‘s hands.".........."I just have to believe. Everything works in God‘s favor if we just believe." p.64

This book was fast paced and I read it in one day. I really got immersed in the story. I didn't always like what was happening or how it ended, but I was just determined that Isaac was going to realize what he was doing and God would make it all right. When he started into drugs, it was hard to like what he was doing to himself and his family. I was trying to be optimistic like Janna. I was so glad that finally Isaac brought God into his life and when he realized that God doesn’t take things from us or do bad things to us. We do that to ourselves. When the pastor in the church was saying the message and Isaac went up to him, that was when I got chills. I know that addiction can really mess up a family. The addict doesn't realize the harm it can cause themselves and others until sometimes it's just too late.

Well done Rickey Teems II! You made me laugh with your wonderful sense of humor that I love! You made me mad when you went from what I had hoped to what is more realistic. You made me get teary eyed when you showed what can happen when you only think about what you want vs. thinking about what your family needs. It really did make me really stop and think about prayer. I believe in the power of prayer. I know my prayers will be answered, but only if I am willing to make some changes too. You can't keep making bad choices and expect everything to just float happily along.

My Rating : 

5/5 - Highly Recommend!

The Healing of Love & Laughter

Author: Rickey Teems II

Paperback

Publisher: NoGuile Books (November 11, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0983222622

ISBN-13: 978-0983222620

About Rickey Teems II

 

You can say whatever you want about religion, but know that this page is a testimony to God. I never had a desire to publish books; I never even imagined being an author! All that I have been blessed to accomplish can be directly linked to the unforgettable Easter Sunday in 2001. God was finally able to show me that I didn’t know a fraction of what I thought I did. Imagine that, it took letting go of who I thought I was to discover who I was meant to be.

I put my passion, intensity, and appreciation for life onto every page I write. One part emotions, one part spirituality, one part insight, sprinkled with a lot of action and drama has been the award-winning recipe for my fiction novels. Don’t get mad at me when you find yourself lost in a different world! Non-fiction books are a little more unique. I work diligently to create reader friendly material that will inspire and take lives to new levels based on what I have learned through God, education (Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy) and experience out in the world. I hope the value exceeds the cost.

It’s amazing to look at my past and see the man God created me to be. I am honored to say that I actively volunteer and work with adolescents and their parents in through programs such as the Sons of Abraham mentoring program and Families Learning to Interact Positively (FLIP) to help foster healthy and functional means of growth. As Director of Frontline, the men’s ministry at Resurrection Church LA, we diligently reach out to the community to help uplift and spread the word of God. In 2011, I will begin pursuing my doctorate in Psychology with the intention of conducting research and counseling to assist those seeking help with finding more productive ways of achieving success and happiness.

It seems like I will cross into the realm of conceit if I talk anymore about myself, so for any further inquires or curiosities, just shoot me an email. But I would like to say thank you to all the book clubs, literary factions, and avid readers who continue to show tons of love and support. You are sincerely appreciated for keeping the dream alive!

Be Encouraged. Be Blessed!

Please visit his website at http://www.noguilebooks.com/NG/

Preorder the book here: Amazon

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.

First Lines Friday - October 7, 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.

The Arranger by L.J. Sellers

"Lara Evans attached the LifePac and hit the man with two hundred joules of electrical current. His eyes popped open, his pulse stabilized, and piss flooded his sweatpants. Terrific."

The Healing of Love & Laughter by Rickey Teems II

"Isaac Golden was perspiring profusely. He could almost feel his sweat glands producing the drops which departed his armpits and trickled down his ribs."

© 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 - Regression by Rickey Teems II - July 25, 2011

Regression

by Rickey Teems II

Kindle Edition

Published February 1st 2008 by NoGuile Books

  (book 4 of 13 - 3rd Quarter 2K11 Reading/Reviewing Challenge)

About the Book:

What if you woke up one morning to find...Hip Hop banned throughout the country? African-American athletes boycotting U.S Olympic teams? Welfare abruptly cut-off to the public? School classrooms assigned by ethnicity? Black students kicked out of colleges? Secret Hispanic plans to regain control of Southern California? Presidential plans to lock up all members of one culture? Racial restructuring of the entire United States? Aeneas Mayes just wants to move on from the troubled streets he was raised on and get his life together to be a better example for his son, Naashon. But when he wakes up late for his African-American History mid-term one morning, he quickly learns that his troubles are just beginning. One by one, racially charged decisions by the U.S. government are seemingly turning back the hands of time on civil rights, and Aeneas and the Black community are soon slapped with a first-hand history lesson of discrimination and injustice. The action is non-stop as Aeneas is now forced to rely on his street savvy and some of the unlikeliest of allies to get his son and loved ones back to freedom. But when local law enforcement receives assistance from the military to handle the riotous uprisings throughout urban America, the stakes rise beyond control. And when his best friend is apprehended and thrown in confinement camp for African-Americans, Aeneas will have to make a decision that will impact every life around him. Sound like the Civil War era? The turbulent 60’s? No, it’s 2008, and this is: Regression.

About the Author:

Go to his website at http://rickeyteems.com/bio.html to find out about him.

Excerpt from the book:

(source: http://rickeyteems.com/regression.html)

 “Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor! The camera’s are ready to roll, sir! We need you to take your position at the podium. Please sir, this way!”

The attractive, female aide guided the well-dressed, closely-shaven, Hispanic man to the four-foot wooden stand with a City of Los Angeles Emblem etched on the front. A handsome, Middle Eastern man adjusted the numerous microphones to the appropriate levels. The lady shifted the knot on the Mayor’s blue tie and straightened his dark-blue, Brooks Brothers suit jacket. He winked at her before she stepped away from the stage.

With her out of his sights, he was faced with an audience of reporters from various local news stations and publications. Security saturated the room, keeping a close eye on the few feet that separated the journalist and broadcasters from the slightly elevated stage the Mayor was standing on.

He surveyed the room once more and took a deep breath. He whirled his right index finger in the air as the cue to start. Red, record lights came on as the small contingency of cameras focused in.

The media loved him, and his political prowess was undeniable. There were already talks from politicians across the U.S. that he would be the next Governor of California. He looked significantly younger than he was, and epitomized charisma and charm. Even a recent scandal with a mistress that led to his wife filing for divorce hadn’t tarnished his image too much. His Hispanic heritage had played a significant factor in being elected mayor in the predominately Latin city. But despite a nod of approval from the current governor of the state, and even a late confirmation phone call from the United States President himself, this particular announcement had the potential to be career suicide.

“Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, fellow Angeleanos, I want to thank you for taking time out of your schedules in light of the short notice provided to you. Thank you.” He thumbed through a couple of index cards and then continued. “As many of you are now aware, several executive decisions have been handed down on both domestic and certain state levels that would have previously been considered unprecedented. Clearly, we are in an era of change.” Despite his Hispanic background, there was little evidence of an accent. “For too long now, we have watched as the rights and freedoms allowed to us in this great country have been taken for granted by many and taken advantage of by many others. Well, it is time for change. The government has made clear that no longer will our hard earned tax dollars be utilized on undeserving individuals or measures, which is why we are restructuring the classrooms and ending government assistance. No more will destructive outlets be permitted to contaminate the young minds of our future generations, which is why rap music has been banned throughout our U.S. We will no longer sit around and watch as the fabric of this mighty nation comes unraveled at the threads.”

Everyone was sitting on the edge of their seats. With the recent amount of extreme legislation passing that had shocked the country, even members of the media had no insight as to what could be expected. Wave after wave of special interest laws were being handed down that, just one week prior, would have seemed unthinkable.

“It is imperative that we embrace the same spirit our founders established this land on. Today, we have experienced tragedy like none other of late. City-wide riots have left so many father and husbandless, mother and wifeless, sister and brotherless, childless. To the brave families of the fallen police, sheriffs, and school officials, I promise you that we will not allow this misfortune to continue. Early stats have shown a direct link to the recent violence and one particular ethnicity,” he paused as the eyes of everyone in the room grew with him in sight. “For that reason, from this moment forward, all African-Americans, at work, at school, on the street, no matter where, that are deemed threatening by local law enforcement authorities, will be detained on site and placed in restrictive confines.”

My Review:

Excellent - Really made me think

Rap and hip hop is banned!  If anyone sells, buys, or listens to it, they are breaking the law.  Yes, didn't you know that there is a link between rap music and crime?  Aeneas could not even believe it.   Not only that, but now they also believe that they should divide classrooms by race for better learning purposes?  I mean, whites, Mexicans, Asians, and blacks all have different learning needs from each other right? ---- Hogwash!

I don't know about you, but all of this really pissed me off---literally!  I know this is just a book, but it didn't feel like it while I was reading it.  I put myself in the story and just imagined if rap was banned and classrooms were divided by race.  It was like it was back to the times of segregation.   I could not believe that a book really had so much impact on me.  I really was mad while I was reading this book.  Can a book really do that?  Believe me when I say that it can.

"The district just implemented some new seating regs for the busses," the driver explained.  "You can still sit anywhere you want, just has to be behind row fifteen.  Just behind that emergency exit door there, and only on the right hand side," the driver turned and pointed to the general direction he was referring to. (loc. 236-39 on Kindle).

Imagine the poor kids how they felt when they couldn't sit with their friends because they were a different race.  Yeah, because  you know that the color of your skin makes a difference right.  Come on!  You think that's bad, well I'm telling you that it gets much worse.  You will have to read the book, but trust when I say that it will make your blood boil no matter who you are.

Rickey Teems II really wrote a book like one I've never read before.    He brings the issue of segregation to the present times, and I really felt afraid for the African Americans in the story.

Regression was really eye opening to me.  Rickey Teems II did an awesome job in shocking me from the beginning.  He didn't stop there though.  The story was well developed and very believable.  I found myself very afraid for some of the characters. The ending was definitely something I didn't expect either.  I recommend this book!

My Rating

5/5 Diamonds - Highly Recommend!

Buy the book at:

 rickeyteems.com

 Amazon $2.99 on Kindle!

Disclaimer:  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 blackdiamondsbookrev.fatcow.com, Urban Image Magazine, or Cheryl’s feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday What Are You Reading

~Mailbox Monday~

is hosted by Passages to the Past during the month of April

We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

I won this $30.00 Olive Garden gift card by preordering Derailed by D. Skies!  You still have a chance to win!  Just pre-order your copy and you can be entered in the drawing.

I ordered these from Melodi Writerchick Roberts of Naughty Ink Press

 

I received this autographed copy of Shady from Dell Banks.  I previously reviewed the e-book he sent me, so he was a sweetheart and mailed me this autographed copy!

SHADY BY DELL BANKS!

I purchased this book

CROSS REALITIES BY RICKEY TEEMS II

 and the author sent me this one along with it!

 

NARROW PATH BY RICKEY TEEMS II

 Received this book from Tracee for the Pump Up Your Book Tour - Review to post May 9

 
SNOWFLAKE OBSIDIAN BY THE HIPPIE

Received this book from the author William H. Johnson, for review

THE DARK PROVINCE BY WILLIAM H. JOHNSON

------------------------------

Hosted by Sheila @ One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

We discuss the books that we've read and what we're planning to read for the week.

Book Tours/Reviews in Past Week:
The MPire: In Search of the Lost by T.L. James  Book Tour, Exclusive Chapter and Giveaway!
Sarah They're Coming For You by Susan Kronick - April 15 - 4/5 diamonds (Pump Up Your Book Tour)
Valentine by D.V. Hent - April 13 - 5/5 diamonds

Currently Reading:
Stilettos & Scoundrels by Laina Turner Molaski (to review on 4/20)
Gold Diggin' by Nikkea Smithers (13 week challenge book 3 of 13)

Up Next:
Mon., 4/18    Review of Deed So by Katharine Russell   Pump Up Your Book 
Tues., 4/19    Interview with Katharine Russell (author of Deed So)  Pump Up Your Book
Wed., 4/20    Review of Stilettos & Scoundrels by Laina Turner Molaski  Stilettos & Scoundrels Book Tour
Thurs., 4/21   Review of Unsavory Delicacies by Russell Brooks (sent to me by author for review)

 

 

 © 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.