The Fight
Plot: I think I’ll try a lil something different with this review. I’m going to review this like I’m the character doing the review. It’s good to switch it up every so often. So here goes. All credit goes to L. DIVINE. I DID NOT write the character I’m just reviewing as her. I hope this doesn’t infringe on some kind of copyright rule of thumb. Again, I DON’T CLAIM HER! I DON’T CLAIM HER! I DON’T CLAIM HER!
Why is there always some drama going on around me? First, my boyfriend KG breaks up with me. Even though for a while I had my suspicions for a minute, he was messing around on me with other chicks. It didn’t start out that way. KG used to be sweet in the beginning, picking me up after school, and hanging out. MAN did I love that boy! KG is the definition of Smoove! But he’s not as smooth as he thinks he is. And I am NOT one of his little groupies that he can get the cookies from whenever he wants it. NO not this girl! Then there’s Misty who use to be cool in the beginning to until her colors also started to show. Right after I got my breast reduction, can you believe this girl tried to front me like it was a personal offense? As hard as I try to stay away from her, she’s always up in my business. Thank God for my girls Nellie and Mickey who always keep it 100. I just hope nothing goes down this year. I’ve already been having dreams of fighting. And if that’s not enough mother (that is my grandmother who I live with) always seems to be on my case about studying and practicing my “other” lessons (which involve potions and charms). But I guess that would be too much to ask for because here it is the first day of school and KJ’s new broad is in my face over “her man”. Please, she can *have* his trifling behind. Now this brother Jeremy tho. He just might be worth my time. But what to do about Treece?
My Thoughts: This book was pretty much what you thought of it going in. The build-up to the fight is I’ll say 95 percent of the book. With little bits thrown in about Jay’ds new love interest (Jeremy). It had the typical “urban” tropes: street girl with a smart mouth, her girls, the player boyfriend (that tries to hit), there there’s the conflict she has with other girls, the mother whose absentee (gets pregnant young, decides a child cramps her style, and dumps her off on the grandparent, the overcrowded house, etc) Then there HAS to be the mention of alcohol and smoking weed thrown in there, cause what would a “urban” book be without portraying us getting high and drunk. Even though in a twist it was a *white* party with all that going on. If Jeremy was supposed to be the better guy for Jayd did they have to make him into drugs tho? I appreciate the notion that we aren’t the only ones that do that stuff but would it not have been enough to just make him be a good match for her intellectually. I guess by having him smoke weed it was saying you can’t have everything. KJ is charming, fine, and an athlete. He doesn’t do drugs (that we’ve read about) but he’s a dog. And I did appreciate them not taking Jayd all the way hood (talking in slang) and gave her a brain. Jeremy is fine and has a conversation but he’s into drugs. Such is life I guess that not even the right one will have everything. But I just don’t see this going over well. Jayd seems to have her own mind but how long before she’ll be riding out with Jeremy and we see her sipping or smoking? Now, what did stand out in this and surprised me pleasantly was the element of Jayd Grandmother being a Pagan and Jayd practicing to be one. Now *that* you don’t see a lot of. And I liked how it was handled. It felt real to show that people looked at Jayd’s grandmother in a negative light because of what she practiced because people see anything different as wrong. I know at this age if I had a grandmother who was trying to get me to cook potions and carry charms and what not as an annoyance. Cause at this age you just wanna fit in and not be *too* different. But I would LOVE to have a Grandmother like this! She sounds badass to me! Without *this* element this book would have been pretty flat. It wasn’t a bad book, but it’s just sooooo typical that you felt like you’ve read it before. Or see it on every reality tv show. Which I’m not that much a fan of either. And then this is where it starts. I guess I've just never seen the sense in fighting over a man. Not one like KJ anyway. So when woman starts all this mess over one (that have the time could give two whats about the woman wanting the fight) I just roll my eyes. Jayd doesn't want the fight (which is positive) but because the title says "The Fight" there has to be a fight and Misty ends up getting stomped. I can't say that Misty didn't deserve to get her butt kicked. I'm in no way or shape a fan of Misty. But what I am saying is this. It's just SAD to me that we as females of color feel the need to fight each other over something this worthless. Treece's "man" by the end of the book is off somewhere trying to get inside Misty. The same BOY that just was trying to drop some ol tired game on Jayd that he was in love with her. And what happens next month when KJ finds a new flavor of the month. This dude goes throw women like he probably goes through all those clothes he has. What I would have *liked* to see from this book is a different ending where they all look at each other and be like "Wait, what are we fighting about again. KJ ain't ish." Then they all turn and start fighting *him* or either walk off together and be like "Let's get out of here. I heard there's a sale at the mall" to show unification. That would have been a better message.
Rating: 6 Only because it dared to bring the element of Paganism in.