Mr. McCane
I couldn’t wait to read this book. The moment I saw the words “The Authorized Biography” in the title, I moved it to the top of my TBR. There are over 40 books written about my favorite rapper, but none of them are official. I’m not saying those books aren’t good, they’re just not authorized. So for nearly 20 years, I waited for someone who truly knew him to tell his story. This is recognized as the first and only official biography authorized by his estate, and I knew this was the one to read.
This book was written by Staci Robinson, a close friend of Tupac Shakur. They attended high school together, and he even lived with her for a time. Tupac’s mother personally asked her to write this book, which makes the storytelling feel even more intimate and intentional.
What also makes this biography unique is the access to Tupac’s private notebooks, poems, and letters, they were preserved and provided by his mother, Afeni Shakur.
The book begins with Afeni’s story, diving into her life as a member of the Black Panther Party. We learn about her relationships with Mutulu Shakur (Tupac’s stepfather) and Billy Garland (Tupac’s biological father), and we get a vivid look at what life in America looked like during that era. I was so intrigued that I ended up purchasing Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy to learn even more about her.
From there, we follow Tupac’s life from his earliest days to his tragic death. While I was familiar with much of his story, there were still stories that caught me off guard. Some of them jaw-dropping. The narrator made me feel like I was right there for the ride. Tupac wasn’t just an actor, activist, rapper, and poet, he was an icon. For young street dudes like me, he was a big brother and a role model.
I won’t lie, the final chapters were difficult. Knowing how his story ends doesn’t make reliving it any easier. If you’re sensitive to discussions surrounding violence and untimely death, check your triggers before diving in.
This is easily one of the best celebrity biographies I’ve ever read. I highly recommend both the physical copy and the audiobook. The photographs, poems, and personal letters alone make the physical edition worth owning. Rest in Peace, we lost a good one.
I couldn’t wait to read this book. The moment I saw the words “The Authorized Biography” in the title, I moved it to the top of my TBR. There are over 40 books written about my favorite rapper, but none of them are official. I’m not saying those books aren’t good, they’re just not authorized. So for nearly 20 years, I waited for someone who truly knew him to tell his story. This is recognized as the first and only official biography authorized by his estate, and I knew this was the one to read.
This book was written by Staci Robinson, a close friend of Tupac Shakur. They attended high school together, and he even lived with her for a time. Tupac’s mother personally asked her to write this book, which makes the storytelling feel even more intimate and intentional.
What also makes this biography unique is the access to Tupac’s private notebooks, poems, and letters, they were preserved and provided by his mother, Afeni Shakur.
The book begins with Afeni’s story, diving into her life as a member of the Black Panther Party. We learn about her relationships with Mutulu Shakur (Tupac’s stepfather) and Billy Garland (Tupac’s biological father), and we get a vivid look at what life in America looked like during that era. I was so intrigued that I ended up purchasing Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy to learn even more about her.
From there, we follow Tupac’s life from his earliest days to his tragic death. While I was familiar with much of his story, there were still stories that caught me off guard. Some of them jaw-dropping. The narrator made me feel like I was right there for the ride. Tupac wasn’t just an actor, activist, rapper, and poet, he was an icon. For young street dudes like me, he was a big brother and a role model.
I won’t lie, the final chapters were difficult. Knowing how his story ends doesn’t make reliving it any easier. If you’re sensitive to discussions surrounding violence and untimely death, check your triggers before diving in.
This is easily one of the best celebrity biographies I’ve ever read. I highly recommend both the physical copy and the audiobook. The photographs, poems, and personal letters alone make the physical edition worth owning. Rest in Peace, we lost a good one.
I was born and raised in Chicago. In 2001, R. Kelly wasn’t just a superstar; he was a living legend in the city. I remember hearing about the leaked tape while buying bootleg CDs and DVDs like everyone else. I thought it was just another celebrity sex tape. But while watching it, something felt deeply wrong. The woman in the video didn’t look like a woman at all; she looked like a child. And he was urinating on her. This was an obvious case of child exploitation, and everyone in the city was trying to identify her.
It was one of the saddest, most disturbing periods I can remember in Chicago. I felt so bad for her and hated R. Kelly after that. For years I thought about that child that I only knew as Jane Doe. Now, Reshona Landfair has released a memoir claiming she is Jane Doe. In this book, she tells her story with honesty and restraint, remaining respectful of other victims’ privacy. The memoir is heartfelt, shocking, and emotionally heavy. Please check your triggers before diving in.
I’ve worked crimes against children cases for the past 16 years, and the patterns she describes are painfully familiar. Grooming, manipulation, isolating the child, and gaining the trust of parents. The only difference here is that R. Kelly has a lot of money and influence, which makes everything ten times worse.
She comes across as sincere and credible to me. There are several jaw-dropping moments, but the most powerful part for me is hearing a little girl, failed by nearly every adult around her, finally reclaim her voice. That, more than anything, makes this memoir matter. I’m very proud of her and glad she told her story. I recommend the audiobook since she does her own narration.
Tiffany D. Jackson’s book “Grown” was based on this story. But instead of rapper Korey Fields and Enchanted, you have the actual story of Robert Kelly and Reshona Landfair.
I was born and raised in Chicago. In 2001, R. Kelly wasn’t just a superstar; he was a living legend in the city. I remember hearing about the leaked tape while buying bootleg CDs and DVDs like everyone else. I thought it was just another celebrity sex tape. But while watching it, something felt deeply wrong. The woman in the video didn’t look like a woman at all; she looked like a child. And he was urinating on her. This was an obvious case of child exploitation, and everyone in the city was trying to identify her.
It was one of the saddest, most disturbing periods I can remember in Chicago. I felt so bad for her and hated R. Kelly after that. For years I thought about that child that I only knew as Jane Doe. Now, Reshona Landfair has released a memoir claiming she is Jane Doe. In this book, she tells her story with honesty and restraint, remaining respectful of other victims’ privacy. The memoir is heartfelt, shocking, and emotionally heavy. Please check your triggers before diving in.
I’ve worked crimes against children cases for the past 16 years, and the patterns she describes are painfully familiar. Grooming, manipulation, isolating the child, and gaining the trust of parents. The only difference here is that R. Kelly has a lot of money and influence, which makes everything ten times worse.
She comes across as sincere and credible to me. There are several jaw-dropping moments, but the most powerful part for me is hearing a little girl, failed by nearly every adult around her, finally reclaim her voice. That, more than anything, makes this memoir matter. I’m very proud of her and glad she told her story. I recommend the audiobook since she does her own narration.
Tiffany D. Jackson’s book “Grown” was based on this story. But instead of rapper Korey Fields and Enchanted, you have the actual story of Robert Kelly and Reshona Landfair.
This was a wild ride. This is about a woman named Eden who thought she married her dream guy. That dream ended up turning into a nightmare when she finds out that her husband is actually a cutthroat, lowdown, conniving, cheating bastard. Eden has several options. She can try to fix her marriage, divorce her husband, or match or exceed her husband’s level of ruthlessness.
Typically, I extremely dislike books that portray all men as bad. However, it worked here. I was more focused on what craziness Eden could come up with next. Although this book is only 175 pages, it really packs a punch. If you’re looking for the perfect feminine rage book, look no further. Cutthroat is perfect if you want to be entertained and/or looking for ideas to get even with someone in the worst way. 4.25 ⭐️
This was a wild ride. This is about a woman named Eden who thought she married her dream guy. That dream ended up turning into a nightmare when she finds out that her husband is actually a cutthroat, lowdown, conniving, cheating bastard. Eden has several options. She can try to fix her marriage, divorce her husband, or match or exceed her husband’s level of ruthlessness.
Typically, I extremely dislike books that portray all men as bad. However, it worked here. I was more focused on what craziness Eden could come up with next. Although this book is only 175 pages, it really packs a punch. If you’re looking for the perfect feminine rage book, look no further. Cutthroat is perfect if you want to be entertained and/or looking for ideas to get even with someone in the worst way. 4.25 ⭐️
This was my third read in The Red Series, and this installment follows Sariah Simmons. She accepts a weeklong babysitting job for a wealthy couple, the Rodwells, tasked with caring for their 10-year-old daughter.
From day one, it’s clear something isn’t right. The Rodwells are unsettling, their daughter is even more disturbing, and Sariah quickly suspects there’s more hidden in that house than just family secrets, especially whatever is locked away in the basement.
The story opens strong and immediately pulls you in. However, the middle section dragged a bit for me, and the pacing lost some of its tension. By the time we reached the ending, it felt rushed, as if everything wrapped up too quickly. That said, it was still a solid read overall.
I did an immersive read with both the paperback and audiobook. The narrator, JR Mason, delivered another phenomenal performance and elevated the material. Her narration added intensity and atmosphere that made certain scenes hit even harder.
At 183 pages, this is a quick psychological thriller with enough twists to keep you engaged. One of the strengths of The Red Series is that you can read each book as a standalone.
My main critique would have to be the familiar stereotypes/tropes, particularly the portrayal of men as dumb, and law enforcement as incompetent.
And as always with this series, check your triggers before diving in.
This was my third read in The Red Series, and this installment follows Sariah Simmons. She accepts a weeklong babysitting job for a wealthy couple, the Rodwells, tasked with caring for their 10-year-old daughter.
From day one, it’s clear something isn’t right. The Rodwells are unsettling, their daughter is even more disturbing, and Sariah quickly suspects there’s more hidden in that house than just family secrets, especially whatever is locked away in the basement.
The story opens strong and immediately pulls you in. However, the middle section dragged a bit for me, and the pacing lost some of its tension. By the time we reached the ending, it felt rushed, as if everything wrapped up too quickly. That said, it was still a solid read overall.
I did an immersive read with both the paperback and audiobook. The narrator, JR Mason, delivered another phenomenal performance and elevated the material. Her narration added intensity and atmosphere that made certain scenes hit even harder.
At 183 pages, this is a quick psychological thriller with enough twists to keep you engaged. One of the strengths of The Red Series is that you can read each book as a standalone.
My main critique would have to be the familiar stereotypes/tropes, particularly the portrayal of men as dumb, and law enforcement as incompetent.
And as always with this series, check your triggers before diving in.
Wow, this is my second read from The Red Series, and it did not disappoint. It’s a little hard to talk about this book without spoiling it, so I’ll only mention a few things about the plot and then focus on how it made me feel.
We follow two sisters, Kaycee and Katrina. It’s Kaycee’s wedding day, but everything goes horribly wrong. Both sisters and everyone in their circle have secrets. This is a psychological murder mystery/thriller that’s so twisty I’d bet money you won’t figure out the killer until the author wants you to. This was a plot twist done right.
I immersive read it and had some issues with the audiobook. The sound quality seemed off. I would recommend not listening to it, but I don’t know if I disliked it enough to say that definitively. That’s all I’ll say. I’m really loving this author right now.
Wow, this is my second read from The Red Series, and it did not disappoint. It’s a little hard to talk about this book without spoiling it, so I’ll only mention a few things about the plot and then focus on how it made me feel.
We follow two sisters, Kaycee and Katrina. It’s Kaycee’s wedding day, but everything goes horribly wrong. Both sisters and everyone in their circle have secrets. This is a psychological murder mystery/thriller that’s so twisty I’d bet money you won’t figure out the killer until the author wants you to. This was a plot twist done right.
I immersive read it and had some issues with the audiobook. The sound quality seemed off. I would recommend not listening to it, but I don’t know if I disliked it enough to say that definitively. That’s all I’ll say. I’m really loving this author right now.
First, I want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read the ARC of this memoir. I had such an amazing time going down memory lane with Mr. Arsenio Hall.
The book started out a little slow, but picked up quickly. I found his love for entertaining people intriguing. We learn about his family and how he made it to Hollywood. At this point, I couldn’t put the book down. For six years, (1989 to 1994) Arsenio ran late-night television, and I was there for it all. I remember all of this because I was between the ages of 9 and 14. I loved reading the chapters on two of my favorite movies, Coming to America and Harlem Nights. But I’ll have to say that what I enjoyed the most was reliving his interviews with all of my favorite celebrities.
So this is what I did. Arsenio would talk about a particular celebrity’s appearance on the show. Example: Madonna, Prince, Magic Johnson, Tupac Shakur, Eddie Murphy, etc. While reading the chapter, I would pull up the actual interviews on YouTube. Not only was I reliving my childhood memories in my mind, but because of YouTube, I could visually see them again. That one-two punch mixed with his insider information gave it the perfect immersive trifecta. This was a great read, filled with many outstanding stories.
First, I want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read the ARC of this memoir. I had such an amazing time going down memory lane with Mr. Arsenio Hall.
The book started out a little slow, but picked up quickly. I found his love for entertaining people intriguing. We learn about his family and how he made it to Hollywood. At this point, I couldn’t put the book down. For six years, (1989 to 1994) Arsenio ran late-night television, and I was there for it all. I remember all of this because I was between the ages of 9 and 14. I loved reading the chapters on two of my favorite movies, Coming to America and Harlem Nights. But I’ll have to say that what I enjoyed the most was reliving his interviews with all of my favorite celebrities.
So this is what I did. Arsenio would talk about a particular celebrity’s appearance on the show. Example: Madonna, Prince, Magic Johnson, Tupac Shakur, Eddie Murphy, etc. While reading the chapter, I would pull up the actual interviews on YouTube. Not only was I reliving my childhood memories in my mind, but because of YouTube, I could visually see them again. That one-two punch mixed with his insider information gave it the perfect immersive trifecta. This was a great read, filled with many outstanding stories.