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Priceless Inspirations
On her hit television show 'Tiny and Toya', Antonia 'Toya' Carter seems to be living the good she has a beautiful home, good friends, and is pursuing her dreams in fashion design. But hers has been a life of peaks and valleys. Abandoned by her parents as a child, she was passed from family member to family member as her mother sank deeper into her drug addiction. Feeling unloved and unwelcomed, Toya fell into the arms of a 15-year-old rising musical star—Dwayne Michael Carter, known these days as the rapper 'Lil Wayne'-- and ended up pregnant at the tender age of 14.
In Priceless Inspiration, Toya takes the reader through the pain of being a teenage mother struggling to raise a child while still a child herself—without the benefit of the guidance of her own mother. Using the words she recorded in the journals she kept as a teen—and the wisdom she has gained in the years since—Toya bares her own struggles, using them to offer young women real and heartfelt understanding and advice about sex, relationships, motherhood and growing up.
In Priceless Inspiration, Toya takes the reader through the pain of being a teenage mother struggling to raise a child while still a child herself—without the benefit of the guidance of her own mother. Using the words she recorded in the journals she kept as a teen—and the wisdom she has gained in the years since—Toya bares her own struggles, using them to offer young women real and heartfelt understanding and advice about sex, relationships, motherhood and growing up.
- GenresAutobiography
226 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2011
35 people are currently reading
769 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
June 21, 2012
I never watched Tiny and Toya.
To be honest, I was a bit prejudiced. Comments or tabloid posts didn't necessarily sway me, but I was a bit tired of the reality shows that highlighted the almost-wives, wifey material, and opportunistic exes of celebs. That, and I've lost interest in most of what BET produces these days.
So, I just wasn't all that interested in seeing how life was like for the former singer/current fiance (at the time) of T.I., or the ex-wife of Lil Wayne. Neither life interested me in the least, and I just wasn't up to the real housewifey-ish drama.
I wonder if I had watched, would I be less inspired and profoundly touched by Ms. Carter's book. She had much, much more to say than what I expected to hear.
Antonia Carter may be known by some as the ex-wife of a famous rapper, but she's also a heroine. A survivor of family secrets, heartbreak and desperation. She's turned her life into something she can be proud of, and not only is it a story worth reading, but one worth sharing.
At a very young age, Toya was "collected" by an uncle and his wife who realized that drugs were keeping Toya's parents from actually taking care of her. She grew up longing for a relationship with her mother, and yet ashamed of her through the harsh words of neighbors and even some family. That embarrassment led to teenage rebellion, which also led to her being tossed from house to house within her family. Some aunts were too old to take care of an angry, disrespectful teen, while some cousins were simply uninterested. The few family members who wanted more for her, she rebelled even harder against.
Meanwhile, the place she would freely accept affection from, was boys. Their hugs and kisses made her feel worthwhile and acceptable. As Toya put it, she felt like if she was pretty and he was handsome, and they were popular all would be well. While she evaded actually going "too far" with most of the boys she dated, she finally fell head over heels in love with a boy she calls "Dream", who readers learn is her name for Wayne. Their romance was hot, heavy, and endearing but she makes reference to the fact that Dream was simply not ready for the family life she had in mind. Even less when she actually did become pregnant at age 14.
Through short vignettes into her life as a young and practically homeless mom to daughter Reginae, 18 year old wife of a young man whose career was taking him farther from the home she wanted so desperately to build, and overcoming her feelings of low self worth, Toya gives amazingly blunt and heartfelt advice. She discusses the relationship with her ex-husband, friends, and family members freely, with a tone of maturity and forgiveness.
Some of Toya's advice is said with an innocence that can be mistaken for naivete, but it is clear that she's nobody's fool anymore. The chapters cover everything from sex to faith, and she is careful to include every bit of herself that could be helpful to other girls and young women. Including her own daughter.
The book was published by Farrah Gray Publishing, which I feel could have done a much better job on the editing, as there were missing words and some minor misspellings. There were also some times where I couldn't figure out which aunt she was referring to, or what time period we had jumped into. Overall, it was a beautiful book that I will share with the young girls in my life.
To be honest, I was a bit prejudiced. Comments or tabloid posts didn't necessarily sway me, but I was a bit tired of the reality shows that highlighted the almost-wives, wifey material, and opportunistic exes of celebs. That, and I've lost interest in most of what BET produces these days.
So, I just wasn't all that interested in seeing how life was like for the former singer/current fiance (at the time) of T.I., or the ex-wife of Lil Wayne. Neither life interested me in the least, and I just wasn't up to the real housewifey-ish drama.
I wonder if I had watched, would I be less inspired and profoundly touched by Ms. Carter's book. She had much, much more to say than what I expected to hear.
Antonia Carter may be known by some as the ex-wife of a famous rapper, but she's also a heroine. A survivor of family secrets, heartbreak and desperation. She's turned her life into something she can be proud of, and not only is it a story worth reading, but one worth sharing.
At a very young age, Toya was "collected" by an uncle and his wife who realized that drugs were keeping Toya's parents from actually taking care of her. She grew up longing for a relationship with her mother, and yet ashamed of her through the harsh words of neighbors and even some family. That embarrassment led to teenage rebellion, which also led to her being tossed from house to house within her family. Some aunts were too old to take care of an angry, disrespectful teen, while some cousins were simply uninterested. The few family members who wanted more for her, she rebelled even harder against.
Meanwhile, the place she would freely accept affection from, was boys. Their hugs and kisses made her feel worthwhile and acceptable. As Toya put it, she felt like if she was pretty and he was handsome, and they were popular all would be well. While she evaded actually going "too far" with most of the boys she dated, she finally fell head over heels in love with a boy she calls "Dream", who readers learn is her name for Wayne. Their romance was hot, heavy, and endearing but she makes reference to the fact that Dream was simply not ready for the family life she had in mind. Even less when she actually did become pregnant at age 14.
Through short vignettes into her life as a young and practically homeless mom to daughter Reginae, 18 year old wife of a young man whose career was taking him farther from the home she wanted so desperately to build, and overcoming her feelings of low self worth, Toya gives amazingly blunt and heartfelt advice. She discusses the relationship with her ex-husband, friends, and family members freely, with a tone of maturity and forgiveness.
Some of Toya's advice is said with an innocence that can be mistaken for naivete, but it is clear that she's nobody's fool anymore. The chapters cover everything from sex to faith, and she is careful to include every bit of herself that could be helpful to other girls and young women. Including her own daughter.
The book was published by Farrah Gray Publishing, which I feel could have done a much better job on the editing, as there were missing words and some minor misspellings. There were also some times where I couldn't figure out which aunt she was referring to, or what time period we had jumped into. Overall, it was a beautiful book that I will share with the young girls in my life.
December 3, 2013
I have had this book since the date it was released in 2011, but I recently picked it back up to start reading it again. After watching the reality television show “Tiny and Toya”, I became inspired by Antonia Wright. Priceless Inspirations is an autobiography written by Antonia Wright, also known as “Toya”, the ex-wife of rapper Lil Wayne. In this book, “Toya” shares personal accounts that were previously private and hidden from the public’s eye. Since she’s famous, people would think that her life has been extravagant, but according to her, it has not. Toya was abandoned as a child and forced to become a woman sooner than most, giving birth at the age of fifteen. In this book, Toya covers several topics including boys to men, sex and love, pregnancy and motherhood, heartbreak and healing, money and fame, and many more obstacles women face everyday. In Priceless Inspirations, Toya uses her voice and point of view to speak directly to women across the world and share the wisdom she has gained over the years. Toya uses her voice to express situations that connect her to the readers. Although I could not relate to Toya on any of these situations, I honestly felt like Toya was telling me these things about her life herself. While reading this autobiography, I was able to hear Toya’s voice loud and clear. It had me emotional, and I felt the heartache and pain that Toya experienced just by reading a few chapters. I knew this book was going to be powerful by watching an interview with Toya. The author does a great job using point of view to show the audience that she was a victim just like many of them. Point of view is very important because Toya is telling the story in the first person, which makes the story more personal and relatable. If anyone else had written Toya’s story for her, it would not have been the same. I could tell that she was passionate about writing her book by the things she shared, and I could see how determined she was about touching the lives of younger girls. At the end of every chapter, Toya wrote a “Priceless Gem”, a message from Toya to her readers. This shows the personal connection Toya intended to have with the readers. I could use the craft of point of view to influence my students’ writing in which they learn to write from different perspectives, namely first person writing their own stories. I would use this in my writer’s workshop for adolescents seeing that is a more appropriate read for their age level. Teenagers would be more likely to know and relate to Toya, especially since most of this was written when she was an adolescent. I would instruct each student to imagine that they had become successful and had never taken the time to sit with a writer to begin a biography. They would then be instructed to begin to write their own stories in the manner they think will better attract readers. First person is such a fun perspective to write from because it is completely your own thoughts and opinions.
November 8, 2011
This book was one of my favorite books. I felt like I could relate to the majority of the subjects that she was talking about. She also gave great advice-advice that you would give to your daughter if you have a close relationship. I also felt like we had a relationship thru her book because of emotions that strikes up in her book. I would highly reccomend this book to women/girls. EVERYONE NEEDS INSPIRATION!
February 2, 2012
This book is about the life of Antonia Carter. I really like this book because she went through somethings that I can personally relate to. Also she gives inspirational tips that you can look back on so that you kno how to deal with certain sitiuations. She is a very good author who not only tells you what she did in her life but she states how to avoid the mistakes she made. Thats why I REALLy like this book.
April 24, 2012
this book is a great book. First time i readed this book i just couldn't stop reading it i love the book and her show was great she doing a great job.
June 1, 2012
Really Inspirational! Watching A Family Affair really helped me to get into it.
September 23, 2011
Priceless Inspirations is By Antonia Carter.THis book is a Autobiographe.Also priceless inspiration is ny times best seller #14. The paperback book has 240 pages. It took me two days to read this book. THe main character is Antonia Carter.The setting in priceless inspriation is in lousiana , and georgia.
THe setting in this book is bascially in new orleans , lousiana where toya was raised and born & Atlana,Georgia where she lives to day.toya is the protagonist in the book priceless inspriations.THe desisons Toya has to make from puting lil wayne on child support ,dealing with her mother beening on drugs , moving from houses to house.NObody is the bad guy but there were people in her life that was cuased most of her problems. Miss.Anita Her mother , & Lil wayne . Also , other characters in the book are . her brothers Walter , Rudy , Josh & Casey . Her Sister Anisha . Antonias MOther Anita & Father Walter.Toyas Daughter Reginae. Lil wayne her ex husband .
The theme of this book is you shouuld make the best out of ever situation .Also the message mrs.Antonia CArter was trying to put a cross is that teen pregancy is not a good thing . and dont get married at a young age . The characters in the book convey the message becuase they all are apart of her life and went through the problems by bring her happiness . or breaking her down. IF i Had the choice do do things differently i would not change a bit becuase if it wasnt for the things she went throught she probley would havent wrote the book for been famous to day . THe characters help us understand the message better becuase they all play a role in antonias life .
What i like about the book is that she was real she didnt not try to sugar coat anything in the book or hide anything . What i dont like about this book is nothing i love this entire book .
I wolud recommendd this book to somebody who likes reality things like me and whos been married at a young age or pregant . Also i would recomend it to everone becuased its an amazing book . You should also ready the book , Money hungry . its a teenagers book and it talks about a girl named raspberry . thats is money hungry and poor .
THe setting in this book is bascially in new orleans , lousiana where toya was raised and born & Atlana,Georgia where she lives to day.toya is the protagonist in the book priceless inspriations.THe desisons Toya has to make from puting lil wayne on child support ,dealing with her mother beening on drugs , moving from houses to house.NObody is the bad guy but there were people in her life that was cuased most of her problems. Miss.Anita Her mother , & Lil wayne . Also , other characters in the book are . her brothers Walter , Rudy , Josh & Casey . Her Sister Anisha . Antonias MOther Anita & Father Walter.Toyas Daughter Reginae. Lil wayne her ex husband .
The theme of this book is you shouuld make the best out of ever situation .Also the message mrs.Antonia CArter was trying to put a cross is that teen pregancy is not a good thing . and dont get married at a young age . The characters in the book convey the message becuase they all are apart of her life and went through the problems by bring her happiness . or breaking her down. IF i Had the choice do do things differently i would not change a bit becuase if it wasnt for the things she went throught she probley would havent wrote the book for been famous to day . THe characters help us understand the message better becuase they all play a role in antonias life .
What i like about the book is that she was real she didnt not try to sugar coat anything in the book or hide anything . What i dont like about this book is nothing i love this entire book .
I wolud recommendd this book to somebody who likes reality things like me and whos been married at a young age or pregant . Also i would recomend it to everone becuased its an amazing book . You should also ready the book , Money hungry . its a teenagers book and it talks about a girl named raspberry . thats is money hungry and poor .
December 19, 2011
This a quick, interesting read. I didn't want to put it down. I'm not one to read autobiographies but I enjoyed this one in particular. I would recommend this book to any & every young lady. There is at least one thing in this read that everyone can relate to. I loved it & will be reading it again.
June 27, 2011
Because I am over the age 21, I gave it 2 stars. However, I think it is a wonderful book for preteens and teenagers. All parents should allow their daughters to read this book.
September 8, 2011
This was a very quick read and I would recommend the book to young adults. There were moments during the book were she switched from the past to the present and left me a lil confused.
February 28, 2012
this book was very enlightening
September 13, 2012
It was okay, a little redundant at times.
January 25, 2013
Jessica's Review
Because this author has inspired me throughout my teenage years through her successful reality show "Tiny & Toya", I kind of knew what to expect when reading this. This is a memoir/self help book for teenagers struggling to cope with problems they're having at home or women in general.
Antonia "Toya" Carter is the Ex-Wife of Lil' Wayne, a mother, a supporter, a fighter, a Louisiana native and overall a woman who has leaped over many bumps in her road. Growing up, her mother was an addict which led to her moving away to live with her aunt at an early age. She would always see her mother with drug dealers around and always wonder why her mother cared more about drugs than her.
Throughout the book she gives priceless stories which leads to "Priceless Inspirations" that make you want to forget about all of the bad that are happening in your life and focus on the good to come. Giving many examples of the mistakes she has made makes the book more enjoyable because she says, I've made this mistake, I should have done this, but this is what I'm doing to change that.
She keeps you interested with her heart wrenching, but soulful stories that doesn't allow you to put the book down. When reading this you want to keep the pages turning. I often find myself reading books that either have to deal with me or someone that has turned their struggles into success.
I would recommend this book to teenage girls and women because of the type of stories she shares. She talks a lot about sex, relationships, heartache, pain, struggles, abandonment, growing up too fast, and being a mother.
Most people who read this thought it was going to be a tell-all book about her relationship with Wayne, but it's more of an advice book for women which is what it should have been. If you're looking for "messy" information, this book is not for you. It is for people who need encouragement that comes from Mrs. Wright's "Priceless Inspirations".
Because this author has inspired me throughout my teenage years through her successful reality show "Tiny & Toya", I kind of knew what to expect when reading this. This is a memoir/self help book for teenagers struggling to cope with problems they're having at home or women in general.
Antonia "Toya" Carter is the Ex-Wife of Lil' Wayne, a mother, a supporter, a fighter, a Louisiana native and overall a woman who has leaped over many bumps in her road. Growing up, her mother was an addict which led to her moving away to live with her aunt at an early age. She would always see her mother with drug dealers around and always wonder why her mother cared more about drugs than her.
Throughout the book she gives priceless stories which leads to "Priceless Inspirations" that make you want to forget about all of the bad that are happening in your life and focus on the good to come. Giving many examples of the mistakes she has made makes the book more enjoyable because she says, I've made this mistake, I should have done this, but this is what I'm doing to change that.
She keeps you interested with her heart wrenching, but soulful stories that doesn't allow you to put the book down. When reading this you want to keep the pages turning. I often find myself reading books that either have to deal with me or someone that has turned their struggles into success.
I would recommend this book to teenage girls and women because of the type of stories she shares. She talks a lot about sex, relationships, heartache, pain, struggles, abandonment, growing up too fast, and being a mother.
Most people who read this thought it was going to be a tell-all book about her relationship with Wayne, but it's more of an advice book for women which is what it should have been. If you're looking for "messy" information, this book is not for you. It is for people who need encouragement that comes from Mrs. Wright's "Priceless Inspirations".
June 16, 2013
I feel like this was a nice attempt for "Toya" to quickly summarize her life, however it was just not as juicy as I thought it was go be. So, ummm I will give her credit for trying to encourage & provide guidance to young women.
Want to read
April 30, 2011hope it is good
February 23, 2012
I expected this book to be more about her personal life. She just repeated things we already knew about her. Mostly an advice book. Do not read if your expecting a tell-all autobiography.
August 10, 2012
A great book for girls in middle school.
July 17, 2017
check out review on yt channel, sotbp conference on
August 14, 2011
i love this book. its a good book to read especially if your looking for a sense of direction.
November 4, 2011
So good && Relating
December 30, 2019
Great biography
January 30, 2020
Really good book....you can really relate to the writing the pain and the struggle.
January 24, 2022
🤍💎🤍thank u babe
📡 seriously 😒🎙📖
📡 seriously 😒🎙📖
December 1, 2013
“Priceless inspirations”, is a fantastic autobiography about Antonia Carter. Being the mother of a child whose father is one of the most famous rapper’s in the world can seem glamorous but she shows us how everything isn’t always what it seems. In this book, Toya discusses how she grew up to become a woman quicker than she could have ever imagined by having a child at age 15. She touches on topics such as heartbreak and healing, boys to men, drugs and alcohol, and several other things that any women could relate too on a daily basis. Toya definitely shows us her struggles and triumphs that she’s faced in life and how it has shaped her into the women that she is today. She uses, voice, characters, and conflict as her writing craft to convey her message to her audience.
Toya does an exceptional job with using voice as one of her writing crafts. She’s very honest in her writing about her life and the things that she went through which made me connect better with her as a reader. Since she discusses an array of topics, it’s very easy for any women to relate to if not all of the topics, the majority of them. As a reader, she made me feel like I was actually having a conversation with her and she was telling me about her life instead of just reading about it. She does a great job with writing exactly what she wants her readers to know about her life and how making the wrong decisions can lead anyone down the wrong path. From reading this book, I could tell that she was passionate about the things that she wrote and she really wants young women to learn from the mistakes that she made in her life when she was younger. She took the time to write a book about herself, as well made sure that there was a life lesson at the end of every chapter. Just in case the reader could not infer exactly what the message of each chapter was, she took the time to write out a priceless gem at the end of each chapter so that women knew exactly what the message was before moving on to the next chapter. This is how I know she was passionate in not only getting her life story out, but also making sure that she teaches lessons along the way which helps her connect with her readers on another level. She made sure she spoke directly to her readers though her priceless gems that were at the end of every chapter which is why I believe she uses the writing craft of voice so well.
Toya also does a good job with the use characters and conflict in her writings as well. Since this is a biography and Toya did not actually have to build her characters, she did a great job in describing her characters physically, emotionally, and how each one affected her life in great detail. She uses her characters to help show how life can be with the right and wrong people that you decide to associate yourself with. Her use of characters is another way that Toya connects with her reader’s because the characters that she uses is close friends and family which we all have, can all relate too.
Conflict is another writing craft that Toya uses very well in her writing to reach her audience. She uses person against person conflict, person against nature, and internal conflict to help us understand her life and everything that she went through. One reason I believe that Toya uses conflict good in her writing is because she touched on different areas of conflict. She discusses conflict with family members, close friends, and enemies. She also discusses how being a celebrity can cause conflict and how it affects the lives of not just her, but everyone around her as well. She also discusses internal conflict with her herself in some of the decisions that she made as a young adult and even as a women.
Overall, “Priceless Inspirations”, was a very good interesting book. It made me laugh, cry, and taught me several life lessons along the way. I decided to read this book because I love to read about people’s life. When others tell about their lives I’m usually all ears. I would use this book to teach editing. Although this is a great autobiography, there were several grammatical errors. This book is fantastic overall, and I would recommend it to anyone because this would be a great. Although these is no specific piece or passage that I would use in a mini-lesson, this would be a great mentor text.
Toya does an exceptional job with using voice as one of her writing crafts. She’s very honest in her writing about her life and the things that she went through which made me connect better with her as a reader. Since she discusses an array of topics, it’s very easy for any women to relate to if not all of the topics, the majority of them. As a reader, she made me feel like I was actually having a conversation with her and she was telling me about her life instead of just reading about it. She does a great job with writing exactly what she wants her readers to know about her life and how making the wrong decisions can lead anyone down the wrong path. From reading this book, I could tell that she was passionate about the things that she wrote and she really wants young women to learn from the mistakes that she made in her life when she was younger. She took the time to write a book about herself, as well made sure that there was a life lesson at the end of every chapter. Just in case the reader could not infer exactly what the message of each chapter was, she took the time to write out a priceless gem at the end of each chapter so that women knew exactly what the message was before moving on to the next chapter. This is how I know she was passionate in not only getting her life story out, but also making sure that she teaches lessons along the way which helps her connect with her readers on another level. She made sure she spoke directly to her readers though her priceless gems that were at the end of every chapter which is why I believe she uses the writing craft of voice so well.
Toya also does a good job with the use characters and conflict in her writings as well. Since this is a biography and Toya did not actually have to build her characters, she did a great job in describing her characters physically, emotionally, and how each one affected her life in great detail. She uses her characters to help show how life can be with the right and wrong people that you decide to associate yourself with. Her use of characters is another way that Toya connects with her reader’s because the characters that she uses is close friends and family which we all have, can all relate too.
Conflict is another writing craft that Toya uses very well in her writing to reach her audience. She uses person against person conflict, person against nature, and internal conflict to help us understand her life and everything that she went through. One reason I believe that Toya uses conflict good in her writing is because she touched on different areas of conflict. She discusses conflict with family members, close friends, and enemies. She also discusses how being a celebrity can cause conflict and how it affects the lives of not just her, but everyone around her as well. She also discusses internal conflict with her herself in some of the decisions that she made as a young adult and even as a women.
Overall, “Priceless Inspirations”, was a very good interesting book. It made me laugh, cry, and taught me several life lessons along the way. I decided to read this book because I love to read about people’s life. When others tell about their lives I’m usually all ears. I would use this book to teach editing. Although this is a great autobiography, there were several grammatical errors. This book is fantastic overall, and I would recommend it to anyone because this would be a great. Although these is no specific piece or passage that I would use in a mini-lesson, this would be a great mentor text.
January 10, 2016
I love Toya like seriously I'm a major fan she's like fam in my head! However I wasn't too thrilled or impressed about this book! Don't get me wrong I loved some chapters and some key points! But overall the book is geared toward more younger girls or teenagers. What she touched on I have either done it and learned from it or knew better not to. I purchased this book about 5 years ago and never completed it until now. I will pass it along to one of my little cousins and see what they get from it. Also the book was very repetitive and sometimes a little all over the place with many grammar errors that made me very sad
June 12, 2012
Antonia Carter gave some great advice that young girls and women should pay attention to. Her story is truly inspiring and encouraging to anyone who reads it. She is a very strong woman for not only enduring all of challenges in life but for sharing her story with the world as well. After finishing this book I begin to look at myself in a new light and I love the new person I found in myself. If you haven't read the book, I strongly encourage you to read it.
May 9, 2011
I think that this book can be useful to girls growing up in urban areas that don't have many positive role models. Toya describes her life prior to but mostly after having her daughter at 15 years old. The way the book read was very uncomfortable for me, it didn't flow. I probably would not read another book from her.
December 4, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Once I read the first page I knew I wasn't going to put the book down until I was done. I love hearing about the many things that people have went through or may be going through, it encourages me but most of all it gives me wisdom. After reading this book, I see Toya in a different light, a better one that is. She's so strong and resilient!
March 12, 2012
This book is definitely for teenagers, I wasn't inspired nor did I have any huge takeaways from Antonia's word's of wisdom. I did appreciate her realness and openness about her life up until now and I think someone younger would be more inspired by her.
January 9, 2013
In this book Toya Carter proves that she's more than just rapper Lil Wayne's "baby mama." Toya speaks of her life before and after Wayne. She shares secrets and tells stories that each of us may relate to in some way. She speaks in the tone of a wise woman, and offers advice, like an older sister.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews