Pushing Pause

Kenisha Lewis #1

by Celeste O. Norfleet

Fifteen-year-old Kenisha Lewis has it all: good friends who also live to dance, a hot boyfriend headed for the NBA, loving parents and a bling-filled home in the burbs.

But all that changes when her dad drops a bomb: he wants a divorce—and his pregnant girlfriend is moving in. Suddenly, Kenisha and her mom are squeezed into her grandmother's small house in the city, and Kenisha's sharing a bedroom with a cousin she barely knows. Could she hate her life any more? Yeah. Because her boyfriend dumps her, her friends are acting weird and her mother is getting more and more depressed. Time for Kenisha to push the pause button on her life and take a long, deep breath—.

Genres: Young Adult, Urban, Realistic Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2007

About the author

National best-selling author, Celeste O. Norfleet, was a late bloomer to romance. But as soon as she picked up her first romance novel, she was hooked. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Celeste is a graduate of Moore College of Art & Design. An art director and graphic designer for many years, Celeste now devotes all of her time to writing and creating romance letting her artistic imagination flow through the computer keys. Her romance novels, realistic with a touch of humor, depict strong sexy characters with unpredictable plots and exciting storylines. Her young adult novels delve into dramatic fiction, reflecting current issues facing African-American teens. Celeste currently writes for Harlequin's Kimani Press Arabesque, Kimani Romance and Kimani Press TRU (young adult) lines. Celeste lives in Virginia with her husband and two teenagers.

Reviews

[Kenya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absouletly enjoyed this book. I had so many questions while reading this book. I usually got my questions answered, but i was very surprised on some of the ideas in the book.
This book is about a fifteen year old girl named Kenisha Lewis and she thought she had the perfect life; with great friends, a perfect family, and the perfect boyfriend. She thought everything was going well until she found out that her parents were going to get a divorce, but Kenisha just found out that they were not even married. Kenisha started to become very confused, especially when her mother and herself moved into her grandmother's crammed house. Kenisha was very upset because her father left her mother and herself for another woman with twin boys and another baby girl on the way. Everything was happening so fast because her friends were acting strange, (especially her so- called cousin Jade, which is actually a surprise towards the end because that is Kenisha's half- sister) and her boyfriend dumping her. With everything happening so fast, her mother became more and more depressed and she died shortly afterwards because she took too many pills to calm her down, without even knowing it was killing her from pill after pill. Kenisha felt so bad and ended up living with her father and new girlfriend, but she did nopt appreciate what her father did to her and her mother so she decided to stay with her half-sister and grandmother. She also met this nice and smart boy named Terrence Butler and she finally believed that her life is perfect and a wake- up call for her because she thought everything was about her, when there were other people, especially in her family that needed help too. She became very helpful and she was not selfish anymore. This book was great and i wanted it to continue, but i loved it.

[Liv. · Rating 5 out of 5]

-from the back-
Fifteen-year-old Kenisha Lewis has it all:
good friends who also live to dance, a hot boyfriend headed for the NBA, loving parents and a bling-filled home in the burbs. But all that changes when her dad drops a bomb: he wants a divorce---and his pregnant girlfriend is moving in. Suddenly, Kenisha and her mom are squeezed in her grandmother's small house in the city, and Kenisha's sharing her bedroom with a cousin she barely knows. Could she hate her life any more? Yeah. Because her boyfriend dumps her, her friends are acting weird and her mother is getting more and more depressed. Time for Kenisha to push the pause button on her life and take a long, deep breath...

This book was actually very good. I felt the characters, especially Kenisha, were very well-rounded and people you can relate to. I loved everything about this book. It was real, true to life, it showed you that not everything is going to be perfect for you in life and that you've got to realize someday you're going to have to need somebody to lean on when you break down.
This book was very good. :)

[Tiffany Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pressing Pause
Plot: After going to a videotaping for popular singer Tyreece Grant, Kenisha hangs out with her girls Chili and Jalisa at a pizza joint. She bumps into her former friend (Diamond) who’s talking to her boyfriend (Lavon). Diamond who’s later confronted by Kenisha tells her she’s not the one that she needs to watch out for. The next day Lavon gives her an ultimatum for putting other things before him but she tries to make it up to him. Only her mother (Barbara) catches her and gives her a lecture on how status doesn’t mean worth (Lavon thinks he’s headed to the NBA). Barbara later tells Kenisha that James (her Dad) has given them a restraining order to move out and he’s moving his new girlfriend in. So, they’ll be staying with her grandmother and cousin Jade. She finds out Chili went to Lavon and told him about the move and she can’t get through to James because his sideline (Courtney) is blocking her.Barbara tries to tell Kenisha something else but can’t quite seem to (about Jade). On moving day, Kenisha (upset) goes to see Jalisa and Lavon (he’s not there). When she and her mom get there, she finds her grandmother is strict and her cousin Jade is cold for no reason. But she’s taught a little family history and a lesson on putting things in perspective. Later at the studio, she’s surprised to see the cute yard guy she met earlier. But he kicks her out of the room and won’t tell her why he needs it. She tries to ask Lavon over, but he makes up excuses. James and Kenisha eventually agree to have dinner at their old place and Kenisha finds out Courtney is the other woman and she’s pregnant. She leaves only to find out on the way to the mall, Chili’s car is over Lavon’s. Waiting for Jalisa to get off work, she and Diamond reconnect. She assures her again she wouldn’t go after Lavon and encourages her to talk to Jade. Kenisha gives a cooking lesson “aka” a wisdom lesson from Gram, and while she’s out picking some herbs yard guy shows up again and this time kisses her. But on the way to run errands for Gram, Lil Tee (a round-the-way 8th grader) hints that yard guy has a past. But he’s not giving up the details unless she’s giving up Chili’s info. After dancing with Jade and Gayle, Kenisha realizes how close they are (and Tyreece). Later that night Barbara gets a call that James is cutting her off and trying to take custody of Kenisha (saying she’s an unfit parent). She blames Kenisha, and hauls off, and slaps her. This leads to her running away and having an asthma attack. Barbara later apologizes and drops the bomb that she and James were never married. Kenisha later overhears her having a cryptic conversation with Jade about her father being proud, a locket, and her loving a guy named T. Later that night again Barbara looks like she wants to tell Kenisha something but doesn’t. That night she dies from heart problems. Lavon comes by to see her but tries to take advantage of her and then calls it off with her when she won’t give it up. After the funeral, she goes back to live with her Dad but finds out he has two sons with Courtney. She makes up with Lavon but decides he’s not really worth trying for when he turns her down yet again. She finds out from a receptionist her mom was previously engaged to a man named Jaden. Then she finds out yard card did have a past because he stabbed someone for killing his brother. Finally, she gets a chance to talk to Jade at the studio and she tells her Barbara was her mother too, and that she blames Kenisha for taking her from her. She also blames James for breaking up how close they use to be. Kenisha (upset) turns to Lavon and is about to give it up to him, but then she hears a message from Chili that she’s pregnant for the 2nd time. They both try to explain but Kenisha is over them both. Now she’s upset with Jalisa and Diamond also because they knew about Chili and Lavon. Kenisha confronts her Dad about Jade and his excuse is he had a brother and because he always came second he didn’t want that for her. Then he breaks down about Barbara but just as quickly dismisses it because he’s moved on. Jade walks in on Kenisha with a handful of pills she found in a box that belonged to Barbara (with someone named Ty). She then tells Kenisha about how their mom was engaged to her Dad but they had an argument because she got with James and she ran out and into the way of a car and James pushed her out the way but died in the process. Kenisha finds out that Jade used to live with them but it was because of her telling that James made her mom choose. They makeup and Jade introduces her to her fiancée Tyreece Grant. Later she finds out lawn mower’s guy’s name is Terrance Butler and he’s a freshman at Howard. She, Diamond, and Jalisa makeup, and Terrance shows up and tells her he’ll be there when she gets back from dance class.


My Thoughts: This was A LOT to digest! A LOT! It felt like how many bad things can I stuff into these pages. I had to write the recap over 3 times just to try to not make it so long. It was good but after a while reading about drama after drama after drama makes me have to put the book down in tiredness. But let’s break down some of this drama.
(
(James and Lavon): I’ll lump these two in the same category because they were just different age group mirrors of each other. I don’t know why I kept wanting to call James Kenneth. He just didn’t *feel* like a James to me. I guess because I associate the name James with my grandfather and he was NOTHING like this man. He was VERY loyal to my grandmother so I didn’t see this guy as a “James”. Anyways men like this. Now don’t get me wrong I have my moments when I absolutely hate being single but then I look at men like this who use their parents as an excuse (or anything as an excuse) not to commit, that cheat, that knock up other women, that have outside kids, that lie, and wannabe players and are just about the sex, and actually makes me think I’m in a better place just being alone. And it’s more men like these (these) days than “Terrance’s”. Terrence remained good through the series to the best of my knowledge and I like guys with a lil edge so his bad-boy rep was dark but it was also kinda sexy that he’d go that route to protect someone he cared about. (Maybe I shouldn’t be thinking that because it also could mean he has a violent streak. Courtney is dumb to think she actually *has* this guy but then I don’t really feel too bad for Courtney because you get what you pay for.

(Chili): All I’m wondering is why it took so long for Kenisha to put two and two together. Instead of being mad at Jalisa and Diamond, she should have been mad at herself. The clues were there. Chili told Lavon about the move. Why is she talking to Lavon? Chili’s car was over there. Again, what the hell is your car doing over my man’s house? Lavon said himself “I never answer the phone when I’m getting busy?” Something should have clicked. All the times he didn’t call you back. SO MANY RED LIGHTS!

(Barbara): I actually felt bad for Barbara and I don’t think that her death was *accidental*. I think she committed suicide that night. She told Jade “It was too late for her”. Jade also said, “She hated her life”. I think she needed a way out and that’s hurtful because so many people go through this. Honestly, I haven’t really loved my own life and just like Barbara, I’m surrounded with a great family. But unlike Barbara, some people are tired and hurting every day and just aren’t brave enough to take it to the extreme she did. Though I wondered why it was so hard for her to tell Kenisha. In this way, she was just as bad as James. I just don’t like stories where the parent *assumes* the kid is *too young* to understand so they keep things from them. Then there was the thing Gram said about Kenisha shouldn’t feel guilty because it was God’s plan that just sat wrong with me. I just wished Barbara would have found happiness in herself. She could have probably met another man. And with Jade, her mother, and Kenisha. She probably could have gotten another computer job as well if she was *that* good!

(Jade): I really don’t understand Jade’s anger. Kenisha took Barbara from her? How? Jade spent more time with Barbara than Kenisha. If anything, Kenisha should be the one jealous of Jade. She was the better dancer. Plus she had Tyreece (well not that Kenisha knew that at the time). Then she said herself she was 3 when it went down that she told on Jade. If anything she outta be pissed at JAMES. He was to blame for ALL of this.

(Diamond and Jalissa): I’m just saying I think Kenisha has just a lil hint of a girl crush on Diamond. Smidge. Then I can see why it would be hard for you to tell her friend -your man ain’t ish- because they might get pissed at you. But I’m glad in the end they made up. You're always gonna need your girls no matter what and it just felt good to see this kind of friendship in comparison to other clique-based books with girls that are "friends" but backstab either other all the time.

Rating: VERY STRONG 8. With very good messages about guys with status half the time not being worth the time of day. Plus the lesson’s Gram was dishing out. This book was only 21 chapters but it felt so much longer because it was STUFFED and content-heavy.

[Alexis Richmond]

First of all the book was really interesting and I thought it was really deep. I like it very much and what I like about it was that it was very emotional, the main character had gone through struggles and had to split up between her mother and father because her father was with another woman and they had to leave and go and an hour away from her friends and boyfriend to go to her grandmothers house and be in an new environment. I liked how she changed and figured out that her boyfriend was cheating on her and had dumped her eventually she had gotten over it. But what I would think is that she needed to focus on her parents, she had tried o get answers but they wouldn't tell her the woman was pregnant so she would try to go back to house begging her mother , to but it didn't work. Another thing is that ever since she had moved her friends was starting to act real weird towards her. I had alot question about the book, but I kept on reading because it was getting really good. I love how the author based it on a real life story or at least made it like one. It inspires me so much because girls now I have to deal with divorces and people changing on them in the real world and that's why I like it so much. My favorite part of the book is when she was going through the struggle of moving in with her grandmother and I had found alot of things of real girls go through, and what they have to deal with. And so far this will be my favorite book.

[Micah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely amazing But not here to spoil it takes a while for things to go over the shelf but it is not what I expected it to be I never really took time to actually read the book but once I actually did it turned out great and when I read this every moment I can picture in my as if it where a movie I would love if they made a movie out of this book it is just so great there needs to be a 2nd one

[Nyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't how to explain it but, this book left a great positive impact on me growing up. I think it was the whole strained relationship with the mother bit lol (Thank God those years are over!)

[OOSA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patience

‘Pushing Pause’ invites you into 15-year-old Kenisha Lewis’ world. Kenisha is on top of the world. She lives in a fabulous home with her mother and father. Though their marriage is rocky at times, Kenisha isn’t too worried about their drama. Well that is until she learns that she and her mom have to leave Virginia to move to D.C. Why can’t she just stay at the house with her dad? What about school? What about her friends? More importantly, what about LaVon, her boyfriend? How could she just pack up and move because her parents decided that it wasn’t working for them?

While Kenisha is seriously unhappy with the move, she finds that living in D.C. may not be that bad. For one, her grandmother has some serious life recipes that she can get used to. The next door neighbor, Lawn mower guy, knows how to make her smile and it’s only blocks away from Freeman, the dance studio she attends. The main issue is her cousin Jade. She’s mean and doesn’t really seem to take so kindly to having to share her space with her cousin. Kenisha doesn’t understand why. But when her mom dies, it seems that there was a lot that she didn’t know or simply took for granted.

‘Pushing Pause’ was a recommended read. I, too, lost my mom and could relate to how Kenisha felt. It’s like life won’t stop just for a moment and you have to figure out a way to continue on. The story in whole was good. I loved the complexity of the friendships, relationships and the need to rebel just a tad. While I did laugh out loud some, I also felt the sting of the loss.

Reviewed by: Lauren

[Katrina Burchett · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Pushing Pause the author sends the message that the choices we make have consequences, and I believe she proved that best with Kenisha Lewis' mother, Barbra, who - if she had the chance to "do it over again" - probably would have made better choices instead of the ones that left her dependent on prescription drugs. Or even would have started making better choices if she had the chance. To my surprise, she didn't get that chance. But her daughter, Kenisha, a strong, talented girl who seems to be more mature than most of the adults in her life, did get that chance. She's overwhelmed by too much family drama, betrayal, friendships lost and unveiled secrets, but in the end there is forgiveness and relationships are restored. It's as if her life begins again, and this time her world is okay.
Personally, I would have enjoyed this novel much more if I didn't have to read the s*** & a** words so much. But - profanity aside- there have been books I started to read, but never finished. However, Pushing Pause doesn't fall into that category. My fingers kept turning those pages until the very last sentence.

[Jasmine Gladden]

Reading this book was very interesting. I like how it had realistic scenes and not have it to the point where it would seem to be dragged out. When I say realistic, I mean like things that could happen in reality to people reading this book. This book was basically about a girl who dances, but is having problems within her household. Her dad wants to a divorce and his girlfriend is pregnant. The main part of the book that I can relate to is her dancing.

The main character Kenisha, is 15 years old and is going to want to go out like any teenager would. However, sometimes her dancing can be in the way of letting her be able to do certain things. When her and her friends was on their way to this party she says, “ We should have left the dance studio earlier.” This is demonstrating how her dancing is interfering with her teen life. I can totally relate to this because I been dancing for years and I had to give up a lot of things I wanted to do to with my friends because of my dance classes.

However, this was a wonderful book to read. I think anyone who likes drama and realistic things in their reading will enjoy this book like I did.

[tiffany ben]

from the back Fifteen-year-old Kenisha Lewis has it all:good friends who also live to dance, a hot boyfriend headed for the NBA, loving parents and a bling-filled home in the burbs. But all that changes when her dad drops a bomb: he wants a divorce---and his pregnant girlfriend is moving in. Suddenly, Kenisha and her mom are squeezed in her grandmother's small house in the city, and Kenisha's sharing her bedroom with a cousin she barely knows. Could she hate her life any more? Yeah. Because her boyfriend dumps her, her friends are acting weird and her mother is getting more and more depressed. Time for Kenisha to push the pause button on her life and take a long, deep breath.This book was actually very good. I felt the characters, especially Kenisha, were very well-rounded and people you can relate to. I loved everything about this book. It was real, true to life, it showed you that not everything is going to be perfect for you in life and that you've got to realize someday you're going to have to need somebody to lean on when you break down.
This book was very good.

[Teeyanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Pushing Pause on a bus to my Washington D.C trip. At first I was just bored, because we were on the bus for three hours. I borrowed it from the girl sitting next to me ( no comment). After I was too bored to not pay attention to what I was reading, I began to get interested in the book. As always I enjoyed the suspense. I thought I knew exactly what the character was going to do, but throughout the book I realized that I was wrong. The main character Kenisha did things that I wouldn't of thought she'd do. She moved in with her grandmother, and back talked her stepmom. I almost cried when I found out that her mother was dead. To me her mother was strong. She was one of the only things that kept Kenisha from going crazy. When she died I thought that Kenisha would go insane. Keinsha then proved to me that she was strong like her mother. She had great friends and a guy that would later become her boyfriend further in the book.

[Carrie Rolph · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was weak. The pacing was weird. The entire first half is just normal, mundane, teen girls kickin' it in the suburbs, and then we get all sorts of soap opera drama with her family. All of a sudden she's moving to the hood and there's pills and overdosing and parents that were never actually married even though they pretended for fifteen years and girlfriends on the side with two kids and sisters she never knew she had, and it was completely ridiculous and over the top and then wrapped up too quickly in the last few pages. Which you know, wouldn't have been a problem if they'd started the drama in the first half of the book.

She did meet a really cute guy though.

[Rayzin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was good and I cant to read the next. Kaniesha is a good dancer and with everything going on around her she tries to say upright. But with a farther who has moved on up to a new family and kicked her and her mother out and with a cousin who she thought was her cousin is now said to be her sister and with her bestfriend being pregnant by her love of her life she is more confused than ever. She now has to live with her sister and her grandmother in a not so big house (Because she's use to a mansion) she has to show eveyone that she is not a spoiled brat. But how could she do that when she's use to getting anything she wants.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the story Pushing pause the narrator keyshia lewis has a perfect life,perfect boyfriend until it all come crashing down when her father is asking for a divorce but then she finds out that her parents are not really married then her and her mom have to move with there grandmother.Then one night her mom and her have a argument, that same night her mom died and she think its the fault.

[Yaonda]

I wonder if Kenisha's Mom will tell Kenisha why shes taking sleeping pills and where has her dad really gone like in the story she has too lie and say her dads in D.C but she's lieing.
this makes me think that Kenishas mom Is laying off for awhile till forth notice or she shes making a plan for the bad news

[Jabehac7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book ever i could read it a thousand times. it tells you about life situation that happen to teens an what they go throw. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves a true ghetto story

[Heather Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a YA book I think you need to be a teen to really enjoy. While there are a few different storylines with a few twists (some very predictable), but the feelings and emotions were just not there to engage me into the story, however it is a quick easy read!

[she_ill_22 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. It reminds me a lot of my childhood. Kenisha had to face reality and mature quickly. I really felt the emotion that the author was trying to convey. Great read for young adults.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

i'm in love with this book but that was sad when kenisha momma die and her dad kick them out of the house for another woman with 3 of his kids that just couldnt have been me and my mom

[Myesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved diz book so much i could really relate 2 it

[kilah]

this book..girl learned many lessons n all crazy type of stuff.

[Janiece · Rating 5 out of 5]

ive read this book and loved it on the frist page you should try it.

[Shirley]

repped by Elaine English lit. agency

[Jasmine]

Its a good cause you learn how not to hold on to things

[BCPL Youth Services Librarian]

Click to see book in BCPL's online catalog

[Brittany Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting wish there was some new copoies in this series !

[Evoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was good an had a really good ending to it. i like this book because its a teenager writen about a teenage life an i understand it because shes talking about stuff i do as a teenager

[Darian.♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book was great. There were some parts in the book that I didn't like, but overall, the story was AMAZING. It literally had me in tears.

[Sierria]

it was okay

[Michelle]

This book is the most entertaning book I had ever read in my life. I have never been interested in books before until I read this one. Thanks Celeste for helping me read more. Keep up the good work.