Full Circle

Choices #4

by Skyy

It's been two years since Lena decided to take time away from drama to find herself and focus on her child. But the present finds her staring at images of Denise, the one who got away. Will Lena finally move on to someone new, or go after the one she's wanted all along?

Genres: LGBT, Lesbian, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Adult

354 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 2013

About the author

Skyy is a 30-year-old writer from Memphis, TN. Her first novel, Choices, was released in 2007, and quickly gained popularity both within the gay and lesbian community and the urban fiction community. The highly anticipated sequel, Consequences, was released in 2009 with high praise, and rocketed to the top-10 best-seller lists on Amazon.com as well as at independent bookstores across the country.


Touted as the next E. Lynn Harris, Skyy blurs the lines between lesbian and straight communities in her fiction by speaking with intimate familiarity about the striking commonalities of loving and living as African American women in urban America. The books resonate with truismsamong women of all ages and gender identities.


Right now Skyy is working hard to bring her books to the screen.

In Skyy’s spare time. she enjoys traveling and spending time at home. When she is not on the road with her books, she is a club promoter.

Reviews

[Rena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-Read, as of 1/20/2018: I finally finished re-reading the Choices series. I still have maybe a couple of slight issues with Full Circle, but this is still a beautiful ending to a great series. Or is it the end?


Original Review: June 2013
This is what happened when I opened my mailbox to find FULL CIRCLE  waiting there...

Why the jig? Because Full Circle is the fitting end of a series that began with three best friends – Denise, Cooley, and Carmen – at Freedom University, and finalizes the family they've made with Lena, Misha and Nic. What happened in the three previous books – Choices , Consequences and Crossroads  – comes completely together in Full Circle and is so good it's worth the back-and-forth these characters experience page after page.

At first reading, it seems as if everybody is living in the past. Lena, mother to 4-year-old Bria, can't help thinking about the what-ifs with Denise, only because she's single and hasn't had a relationship since Crossroads' Terrin. Seeing Denise everywhere – on TV, in movies, on gossip blogs with her girlfriend Farih – only furthers the helplessness she feels about her mundane life. Thus the pining begins...

Denise, the once-college basketball star, is a rising actress in New York and also part of a powerful lesbian couple with girlfriend/model Farih. Dubbed the black Portia and Ellen, their life appears magical, but behind the scenes, Farih is obsessed with reviving her waning career at Denise's expense. All Farih cares about is being back on top, and it leaves Denise time to wonder why she and Lena couldn't make it work. Seeing Lena in Atlanta brings those feelings back, and again they circle around one another without landing the plane...

Meanwhile, Cooley is still on the grind as manager to both Denise and Sahara, her long-time girlfriend. Cooley has settled into a great relationship with Sahara, something we never could have predicted based on Cooley's playa mentality three books ago in Choices. Cooley thinks Sahara is the best thing since sliced bread, and would give her just about anything – her heart included. So when something sinister happens to test Cooley's love, we find out whether Cooley slips back into her trademark way of using sex as a band aid, or trusts that being in love can help you get over the hurt. Let's just say the growth from Choices Cooley to Full Circle Cooley is tremendous. She's not the same, and though she slips, she never falls. Skyy truly shows Cooley's growth as a character.

Things get more complicated when Misha is back in the picture. Cooley's first girlfriend, the first one she ever gave her heart to, is back hanging with the Freedom University crew, still married with a husband and son. There are so many things she had to give up to be married – her education, her career, her dreams, lesbian pussy – that she wonders if it's all worth it. Her husband is stifling her in the worst way, but this is the life she wanted when she left Cooley, right? Right?

Back in Memphis, Carmen is set to walk down the aisle to Nic, her hardworking stud. They've settled into domesticity, and along with her tedious job as a teacher, Carmen finds her life boring as compared to Denise and Cooley's fast-paced, sumptuous careers in entertainment. They can afford things Nic can't, and though she would never trade Nic for anything, her envy could ruin her impending nuptials. All she wants is the fairytale wedding...

I truly enjoyed this book. Full Circle is just a fun, thoughtful read. It’s a page-turner, and definitely something that will get readers talking. The writing, though slack in parts, is some of the best Skyy’s done.

In this final book, she gives readers what they wanted, and if you’re a true fan of Skyy, Full Circle is a fitting end to a series you’ve followed for six years. Skyy built characters we love for better or worse. Despite their many faults, we’ve trailed from undergraduates to grown women, seen their mistakes, yelled at them when they just couldn’t get it right (yes you, Lena!), cussed Cooley every which way, and shed a tear when love brought them together (here’s looking at you, Carmen & Nic). You can’t ask for much better than that.



I wonder what characters Skyy will create next. She’s got a hard act to follow, but I think she can do it.

all gifs from mariahgifaday.tumblr.com

[Christiana Harrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crossroads still remains my favorite of this series, but this one was still an amazing read. It didn't get good for me until the middle,but by that time I was laughing out loud and putting my hand over my mouth. I absolutely loved every character. I loved the fact that they all grew and it seems Sky's writing grew with them as well. I smiled so much reading this. It's obvious that Skyy reads the reviews of her fans and takes everything into consideration to please the reader. I hate to see this series end. I hope that Lena and Denise get there own book,i'm selfish lol. I'm completely happy with the ending though. These books will definitely teach you a lot about, love, patiience, and sacrifice. I absolutely loved it.

[Sky Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was honestly not ready for this series to end I was still enjoying it even though the drama was getting a little too predictable and their personalities were almost the same but I was still intrigued by this whole series and am sad it has now ended. It was honestly amazing.

[Jaxson · Rating 4 out of 5]

One day I gave Choices a read and when I looked up I was done with the series. Full Circle, for me, did a decent job of wrapping everything up. I wish I could have seen more of Cooley, she really grew on my throughout the series and I have always wanted more of Nic. Actually I would have loved to see more of everyone, it felt so short. There were some moments when I was reading that I was wondering what in the world is this character doing, but Ms. Skyy for the most part did her characters justice.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about the ending of this series. I hate to see it end because I know that life is full of drama, good and bad, and the lives of these characters have more stories to tell. Although I know there are people who are happy to see Lena and Denise back together, a part of me was hoping that Lena and Danni would have become a couple.

[Quintan Smith-gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. I was sad that it ended and FINALLY! we get what we've been waiting for since the first book. It was a really good series that perhaps showed black lesbian life in a realistic manner that wasn't negative.

[Carrie Rembert]

Loved it!

OMG!!! This was just a beautiful love and confused story. The story in this book sum of it hit home. B true to yourself and everything will fall in place. Amazing ending just what I wanted to happen....Enjoyed it

[Agent Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drama drama drama!!! I thought some of the characters and the situations they got into were a little over the top. Overall, an okay ending to the series.

[Mariah Lebron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't think I'd like the series but the last too books are my fav. Only problem I had with this one was that it felt rushed in the end.

[Halima Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Series!!!

An absolute page turner regardless of orientation! Life lessons at its best! Loved every word written with pride! Good Job!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great end to the series! Loved it!

[Keesha Wooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book was so good I didn't want it to end

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. Stressful. This was so fucking stressful and I wanted to smack everyone who wasn’t Nic and Carmen. Everyone got on my last nerve and yet I still loved them so much, I just wanted everyone to do better and be better. This series was fantastic from beginning to end and each book was better than the last. It’s full to the brim with drama and mess and a whole lot of complicated relationships.

I’ll be honest even though I knew that Lena hot mess ass and Denise’s hot mess ass were going to be endgame but while reading this I had doubts. I had no idea how Skyy was going to make them work and get back together but she did it. It’s an exhausting and hard earned HEA for them.

Cooley…*deep, heavy sigh* Cooley, Cooley, Cooley. She went through it in this book my goodness but that’s how she is. Her character makes great stride and development and then takes huge steps back. She was a mess here but I was glad when she was able to pull her head out of her ass and see how much pain she was causing Sahara. I did like them together though I genuinely thought that Cooley and Misha were going to be endgame. I was shocked they weren’t.

Nic and Carmen continued to be the only levelheaded and mature couple in the series and I love that for them. Even though the whole plot point with ol’ dude and Carmen felt so unnecessary and then was dropped with no resolution. Weird.

Overall, this was a fantastic finale for this series and I loved it. I’m sad to see these characters go. All of them were a pain my ass but I love them anyway.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The conclusion of the craziness

Cause, how else could they go out, all dripped in extra-level messy-a$$ ratchedness?!!

Man, I hate to see this series end cause the Freedom University crew totally became my friend group too over the last 4 books. Its like a final farewell — graduating on to the next chapter in life & won't be together as "we" again. So…
Goodbye, not see you later…

(Man I had forgot how much the end of college sucked!!! So thanx for that… 😉)

[Storie B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the ending to this series. If we can have just one more book to actually enjoy Denise and Lena’s love, then my heart would be all set. Truly a great balance of all of the characters and their growth!

[Vanessa Friend · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drama, drama,drama !

What can I say? Dyke drama to the endth degree. At times I wasn't sure who was lying with who, but a happy ending made it readable!

[Jaylen Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been my favorite seires so far and it was everything I needed I can't wait to read more from Skyy 😀

[Comelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. I’m very happy they got their happy ending. They honestly did deserve. But the only thing I really bug me is the whole Rhonda situation. They kept blaming Lena for that. I mean that was not Lena’s Fault, at all. Rhonda was just bat shit crazy and that’s it. Saying that “I never would’ve met Rhonda if I wasn’t trying to get over you.” it’s what, five years after college. it’s literally years later. Rhonda being brought up is unnecessary and just not needed. I mean clearly at the end of the second book Rhonda went to jail and that’s where she needs to be. She was just crazy. And the second book you see it was Rhonda’s perspective so nobody knows that she was the one who ran Stephanie off the road.
But I’m very very glad that Sahara and Cooley are still together and so in love. I am so glad it worked out for them. I was really scared Cooley was going to go back to her ex cuz clearly they just were not meant to be.
And what was the point of the male teacher coming on to Carmen. When he kissed her, she turned him away and it was just never brought up again. That was honestly weird. I mean to put in that whole big thing and then never brought up again was just odd. That whole situation could’ve really been left out if more of that wasn’t going to be talked about. I wish this was on Audible but yay for digital e-books.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow

I truly loved every one of these books I read two books one weekend and the other two the following I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next there was many times were I was talking to my kindle looking like an idiot cause a character would do something stupid and the nooooo would just come out my mouth before I could stop it lol these were such intense and realistic every time I would put the books down I be like dam I really want to finish that movie and my head be like you mean book dummy I even have people in my head that would play the characters lol I have to say thank you Skyy for writing such great books can't wait to read your other work

[Tab Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book... I wish there were more in the series, or we would get to see it unfold on the big screen. I know Skyy will put more incredible books out and will one day make it to the big screen. Many times you read a series and with each passing book, it gets worse. Skyy did the complete opposite with her series. Everything about her writing style improved and the story only sucked me in more with every page. Skyy, my old friend, you have truly developed into one amazing writer, and I'm looking forward to your next published book.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skyy does it again. I haven't gotten any sleep in two days trying to see what happened with this crew. It was refreshing to see the changes within each character. The struggles and triumphs were real and relatable. I especially liked that we got some happy endings in this installment. I laughed, was disappointed, happy, angry, and finally content. Loved it.

[Juanita Johns]

Hey Sister Girl, I am elated right now, WOW! I didn't know if you would have to do a continuation on this storyline but I am so glad you did. I am sorry that this is the end of this story but I am looking forward to your next. Try not to take so long,lol!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked how Skyy chose to end this series. On one hand it was predictable, but on the other hand I loved every minute of it! I teared up during the wedding between Carmen and Nic. Having just married my wife on the beach, it brought back some fond memories.
I love a gay happily ever after.

[Jae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skyy rocks!

The entire Denice, Carla, & Carmen series is awesome and well written. It throws all stereotypes out the window. I loved getting to know each of the characters and hate that it has come to an end...

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucky to have lucked up on this

I didn't realize there was a fourth book and I just loved the first three. This didn't disappoint at all. As a matter of fact it was an amazing ending to such a great story.

[sierra mccallie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting

I ENJOYED ever book about Lena and Denise wish it didn't half to end I love all the characters but they were the ones I wondered if they even end up together

[Starlita]

Review coming soon.

[Shay Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and felt it was the perfect end to the series.
I was not disappointed.

[Edwena Corley · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWESOME!

[Philisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great end to the series. Had me laughing and yelling and hoping for the best toward the end. It's bittersweet to see it end, but would definitely like a Denise and Lena book!