What do you think?
Rate this book
Cry Baby Cry..... or Not
Trina is a young girl raised by her deaf and mute mother named Jackie. Jackie is so mad at the world because of her curse that she pours unimaginable hate into her daughter. Trina grows in hate until she finally has enough and stands up for herself. She runs away and finds herself subject to a world filled with murder, gangs and extreme violent behavior. Trina knows nothing about the game so all that she learns is by trial and error until she meets Mistro. Mistro, a young gangbanger blessed with royalty in his mob, sees something in Trina that makes him infatuated with her persona. After she witnesses him murder a mark, the question that she asks catches him completely off guard..... (How does it fill to kill someone!?) Unable to shake the first murder he witnesses, a bond is formed in his mind with Trina and he sets out to find her and they find love. Mistro tries to find a flaw within Trina because of his own battles with trust issues and finds that her loyalty is real and untainted. Mistro starts a new hustle and Trina starts to question his love. Tee Tee introduces Trina into her own hustle and all hell brakes loose. Will Mistro understand or will Trina find her own way into a world of selling dreams and orchestrating her own survival.
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 4, 2014
2 people are currently reading
2226 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 21, 2019
This book totally caught me off guard; when I initially started reading, it was shocking until I started getting a feel for the style of how it's written. I may have gotten the original version since there are a fair amount of grammatical/spelling errors [total understand why after reading your response to another reviewer]. I was mostly interested in Mistro and the story line focused around his gang. Mimi was another character I cared about, I really hated what Trina did to her regarding introducing her to Marco. I loved getting different character's point of view.
One thing that really resonated with me was the conversation Angelo had with Duke about how your upbringing influences how you turn out. I definitely grew up jaded because of mine.
*Spoiler*
Oh man, I was excited at the idea of Carlos finding out that Mistro was behind Teetee's death but then he passed away, right after saying he would seek revenge!! Felt like that might have been a missed opportunity for something intense(mistro's betrayal would have rocked him), then again it could have been written that way so his death would catch you off guard. I had to reread that scene, it was insane! Feel bad for Cash a little, Tango got him into a bad situation for sure. I understand Carlos's reaction completely, you can't look weak in front of your men, Tango basically signed his death warrant with that bitch slap.
Very vivid and interesting, it was cool getting to read everyone's point of view and see how certain things created a domino affect.
One thing that really resonated with me was the conversation Angelo had with Duke about how your upbringing influences how you turn out. I definitely grew up jaded because of mine.
*Spoiler*
Oh man, I was excited at the idea of Carlos finding out that Mistro was behind Teetee's death but then he passed away, right after saying he would seek revenge!! Felt like that might have been a missed opportunity for something intense(mistro's betrayal would have rocked him), then again it could have been written that way so his death would catch you off guard. I had to reread that scene, it was insane! Feel bad for Cash a little, Tango got him into a bad situation for sure. I understand Carlos's reaction completely, you can't look weak in front of your men, Tango basically signed his death warrant with that bitch slap.
Very vivid and interesting, it was cool getting to read everyone's point of view and see how certain things created a domino affect.
March 7, 2019
This is my first read by this author and it will not be my last. My hand went over my mouth more than in once at the twists in the book. And I clutched my imaginary pearls a time or two at the raw delivery this author gave me as a reader.
I mean the book opens with one of the lead characters walking in on her “man” copulating with her parent. She was 12 yrs old mind you. This story touched on generational abuse in such a way that you felt every whip, every profane name, every tear and every ounce of anger and humiliation that Trina and Jackie felt. Jackie passed on the anger, pain, and hate she received so much so that at 12 she thinks an adult man is hers. So much so that she’s fascinated by a man killing someone in front of her. I can’t say the scene with Jackie getting her just due with the extension cord didn’t make me smile just a little bit.
Enter 15-year-old Mistro, a fledgling gang member doing what he needed to be initiated into gang life. Whose life was no better. They both played the hand they were dealt as best they could and attempted to make their own way, however that would turn out. The author gave us a gritty and shockingly realistic urban tale. The supporting characters were as interesting as the two characters that were the main focus of this story. There was so much to absorb. You had drama, sexual abuse, murder, gang life, and as I said before generational abuse. It was nice to see not just the heartbreaks that one or two can change their direction and survive it. That being said, I look forward to book 2. If the sequel is as well written, expertly formatted and gripping as book 1, this author has another winner on his hands. What’s next to come for the young Trina and her new occupation? The only reason this was not a 5 star read was that there were some grammatical errors that distracted me a time or two.
I mean the book opens with one of the lead characters walking in on her “man” copulating with her parent. She was 12 yrs old mind you. This story touched on generational abuse in such a way that you felt every whip, every profane name, every tear and every ounce of anger and humiliation that Trina and Jackie felt. Jackie passed on the anger, pain, and hate she received so much so that at 12 she thinks an adult man is hers. So much so that she’s fascinated by a man killing someone in front of her. I can’t say the scene with Jackie getting her just due with the extension cord didn’t make me smile just a little bit.
Enter 15-year-old Mistro, a fledgling gang member doing what he needed to be initiated into gang life. Whose life was no better. They both played the hand they were dealt as best they could and attempted to make their own way, however that would turn out. The author gave us a gritty and shockingly realistic urban tale. The supporting characters were as interesting as the two characters that were the main focus of this story. There was so much to absorb. You had drama, sexual abuse, murder, gang life, and as I said before generational abuse. It was nice to see not just the heartbreaks that one or two can change their direction and survive it. That being said, I look forward to book 2. If the sequel is as well written, expertly formatted and gripping as book 1, this author has another winner on his hands. What’s next to come for the young Trina and her new occupation? The only reason this was not a 5 star read was that there were some grammatical errors that distracted me a time or two.
March 21, 2020
DNF... I couldn’t stomach it past 25% and that took me forever to get through. I’m just gonna put this one away as it’s been sitting for so long unnecessarily.
May 1, 2019
What the hell am I reading?
I asked myself that question constantly while reading this book. Every single page had either a grammatical error, or a punctuation error. It’s clear that this book received no editing before publication. I understand that editing services are expensive, but the amount of errors were very distracting and unprofessional.
The book itself was unapologetic in every way and I don’t mean that as a good thing. Every character was problematic and with the exception of a couple, there was no character development. Once I got to the end I felt relieved, but I also felt as though I had been cheated. What was the point of the story?
Trina, the young protagonist, went from one bad situation to another. Each involving a new man. None of whom gave a damn about her age. She starts out in a relationship with a pedophile and ends up with a well-intentioned killer for hire. In between all that she ends up with a teenage gang banger, and of course she loses him to the streets. Sigh.
It would be unfair of me to say that the entire book was terrible and I hated every page. I actually liked the parts about the gang, it was the pedophilia that I couldn’t get past. It was a very prominent theme and overshadowed everything else. That and other parts were just too much.
I would’ve enjoyed the book more if executed differently. For the sequel, the author should definitely hire an editor. I think this book was published too soon and could’ve used a rewrite or two.
I asked myself that question constantly while reading this book. Every single page had either a grammatical error, or a punctuation error. It’s clear that this book received no editing before publication. I understand that editing services are expensive, but the amount of errors were very distracting and unprofessional.
The book itself was unapologetic in every way and I don’t mean that as a good thing. Every character was problematic and with the exception of a couple, there was no character development. Once I got to the end I felt relieved, but I also felt as though I had been cheated. What was the point of the story?
Trina, the young protagonist, went from one bad situation to another. Each involving a new man. None of whom gave a damn about her age. She starts out in a relationship with a pedophile and ends up with a well-intentioned killer for hire. In between all that she ends up with a teenage gang banger, and of course she loses him to the streets. Sigh.
It would be unfair of me to say that the entire book was terrible and I hated every page. I actually liked the parts about the gang, it was the pedophilia that I couldn’t get past. It was a very prominent theme and overshadowed everything else. That and other parts were just too much.
I would’ve enjoyed the book more if executed differently. For the sequel, the author should definitely hire an editor. I think this book was published too soon and could’ve used a rewrite or two.
August 1, 2014
Cry Baby Cry or Not is a stunning realistic novel about life’s choices and decisions. DeWandus Johnson, has a well written plot that shows us that sad but very real world that we live in. I found the characters to believably real and intriguing. This stunning book is a about a girl whose mother is born both blind and deaf and ends up pouring al her hate and anger at the world into her daughter. That is until her daughter can’t take it anymore and decides to leave. The daughter is soon caught up in a dangerous world that is both sad and ugly. Gangs, violence, and so much is seen by this girl. One gangbanger in particular sets his sight on her and is instantly attracted to her because of her loyalty. Her personality draws in him closer as well. Readers will enjoy reader this one girl and her adventure in life and where her decisions and choices lead her. I would definitely recommend this book to readers because it shows the realistic side of our world like it is today, that many do not see. I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
Danielle Urban
AAMBC Reviewer
Danielle Urban
AAMBC Reviewer
July 22, 2020
Well this here..... so let me start off by saying this was the kind of read I could not put down. I mean wtf did I just read??? This book is straight up vulgar, nasty, and so satisfying all at once. I couldnt set it down because I couldnt wait to see.... what next?
Gangs, hoes, thugs, street trash, drugs, and business this put forth a look into ghetto life in Chicago. I loved every moment of it!
Now for the 3 star review reasons. Up front this author needs a new editor. Being someone who only passed college because of spellcheck and APA checker, for me to say something like this is had to be bad. It was. 1 star lost for that. Another star lost for too many characters to keep straight. New random people introduced all the time. Course they were all as crazy as the last one so this was by far the most jacked up work I ever read. This wont be for everyone, as it is quite raunchy. Of course though I dig that, so it was well worth my time. I honestly cannot say I've read anything like it.
Gangs, hoes, thugs, street trash, drugs, and business this put forth a look into ghetto life in Chicago. I loved every moment of it!
Now for the 3 star review reasons. Up front this author needs a new editor. Being someone who only passed college because of spellcheck and APA checker, for me to say something like this is had to be bad. It was. 1 star lost for that. Another star lost for too many characters to keep straight. New random people introduced all the time. Course they were all as crazy as the last one so this was by far the most jacked up work I ever read. This wont be for everyone, as it is quite raunchy. Of course though I dig that, so it was well worth my time. I honestly cannot say I've read anything like it.
May 31, 2020
Read my full review written for Online Book Club here: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
"It is a strong-held belief of mine that a good piece of literature should have purpose and trajectory, a direction. Granted, I am all for some mindless escapism at a particular time and place, where the main purpose is the escape. Just like there are times when I want to eat all of the high-calorie, low-nutritional value food, there are also times when I just want to wallow in mindless lit. However, I’m picky; I’m particular. Even in those moods, I still need to leave a book feeling like something was gained—perhaps not literary gains, perhaps not academic gains, but at least receiving something of value; I still want to feel attachment to the book, and for that, I believe there needs to be purpose and intention. There is such a concept as well-done mindless escapism literature. However, DeWandus Johnson’s Cry Baby Cry or Not is not that..."
"It is a strong-held belief of mine that a good piece of literature should have purpose and trajectory, a direction. Granted, I am all for some mindless escapism at a particular time and place, where the main purpose is the escape. Just like there are times when I want to eat all of the high-calorie, low-nutritional value food, there are also times when I just want to wallow in mindless lit. However, I’m picky; I’m particular. Even in those moods, I still need to leave a book feeling like something was gained—perhaps not literary gains, perhaps not academic gains, but at least receiving something of value; I still want to feel attachment to the book, and for that, I believe there needs to be purpose and intention. There is such a concept as well-done mindless escapism literature. However, DeWandus Johnson’s Cry Baby Cry or Not is not that..."
February 28, 2020
Cry Baby Cry or Not by DeWandus Johnson had me shaking in my boots in a matter of moments. I felt chills down my spine as I read. I love me some crime stories; however, this was a lot for me to handle. The first few paragraphs of the material, literally had me exclaim, wow! I had to read again to be sure I read that correctly. This material has everything from manslaughter, abuse, drugs, prostitution, women and child trafficking, sex; basically, any crime you can imagine.
The story surrounds a young girl brought up in a dysfunctional home. At a young age, she got maltreated by individuals that should protect her. Accordingly, she made not so wise decisions; after all, nobody taught her to do better. This material gave me a great deal of Gotham vibes, the main catch is that the focus was not on corrupt police, but on the society were wrongdoing was the other of the day.
I like this story; however, this material holds some characteristics that I found disturbing. To begin with, I like the composing style of this essayist. It is something I am not used to, and I am not mad at it. It was like an introduction to a whole new style of writing, and I appreciated it a lot.
Secondly, as a non-American reader, this material has opened my eyes to the comprehension of what "Gang, and Gang members" are. I had the option to see through the perspective of one who sounds to be no stranger to the system, and can articulately enlighten a novice like me. Even though most characters in the book were somewhat disturbed, I like the way this book gave me a whole different perspective of life. The events recorded in the book are new to me; however, this material brought me to the reality of happenings in someone else's life.
Some not so good things I discovered about this book is the fact that it has errors here and there, even in the area with reference, there was a spelling error. For instance, “Ceily from the movie The Color Purple”. The name of the character is Celie, not Ceily. Furthermore, there are lots of punctuation errors and minor typo errors. It is safe to say; this book needs editing. Other instances are school.Jackie instead of school. Jackie, case worker instead of caseworker, signaled instead of signalled, etc.
Furthermore, I don't like the fact that I did not get a description of the protagonist much earlier in the book. I found myself trying to put a face on some characters majorly because emphasizes went to their abstract features first. Telling me; “She looked like she could be the twin sister of singer Alicia Keys", does not explain to me who she is. I want to know if she is black, Latina, or mixed.
I am not a fan of the content (language specifically). Murder scenes and children molestation described excessively. Words like bl--dy, a--h--e, f--k, mo---rf---er and d***, among others were spoken many times. I understand that this feature comes with most books in the genre, but boy, it was too much.
Finally, this material was super graphic. Overly described violence and sex scenes are a significant part of this book. At some point, I wanted to throw up.
Overall, I rate this book 2 out of 5. I like the story; however, it is not one of those books I would like to read again. I recommend this book purely for adults. If you have suffered from any form of abuse, I will say you stay away from this material as it can be a trigger.
The story surrounds a young girl brought up in a dysfunctional home. At a young age, she got maltreated by individuals that should protect her. Accordingly, she made not so wise decisions; after all, nobody taught her to do better. This material gave me a great deal of Gotham vibes, the main catch is that the focus was not on corrupt police, but on the society were wrongdoing was the other of the day.
I like this story; however, this material holds some characteristics that I found disturbing. To begin with, I like the composing style of this essayist. It is something I am not used to, and I am not mad at it. It was like an introduction to a whole new style of writing, and I appreciated it a lot.
Secondly, as a non-American reader, this material has opened my eyes to the comprehension of what "Gang, and Gang members" are. I had the option to see through the perspective of one who sounds to be no stranger to the system, and can articulately enlighten a novice like me. Even though most characters in the book were somewhat disturbed, I like the way this book gave me a whole different perspective of life. The events recorded in the book are new to me; however, this material brought me to the reality of happenings in someone else's life.
Some not so good things I discovered about this book is the fact that it has errors here and there, even in the area with reference, there was a spelling error. For instance, “Ceily from the movie The Color Purple”. The name of the character is Celie, not Ceily. Furthermore, there are lots of punctuation errors and minor typo errors. It is safe to say; this book needs editing. Other instances are school.Jackie instead of school. Jackie, case worker instead of caseworker, signaled instead of signalled, etc.
Furthermore, I don't like the fact that I did not get a description of the protagonist much earlier in the book. I found myself trying to put a face on some characters majorly because emphasizes went to their abstract features first. Telling me; “She looked like she could be the twin sister of singer Alicia Keys", does not explain to me who she is. I want to know if she is black, Latina, or mixed.
I am not a fan of the content (language specifically). Murder scenes and children molestation described excessively. Words like bl--dy, a--h--e, f--k, mo---rf---er and d***, among others were spoken many times. I understand that this feature comes with most books in the genre, but boy, it was too much.
Finally, this material was super graphic. Overly described violence and sex scenes are a significant part of this book. At some point, I wanted to throw up.
Overall, I rate this book 2 out of 5. I like the story; however, it is not one of those books I would like to read again. I recommend this book purely for adults. If you have suffered from any form of abuse, I will say you stay away from this material as it can be a trigger.
March 17, 2019
Cry Baby Cry ...or not has everything in it that you are looking for in a Street Lit book and then some, there were several times I had to put this book down and just walk away, it bought back some painful memories that I had not thought about in a long time. I could relate to Trina and some of the stuff she went through. The story line flowed very well even though there was a lot of characters I was able to keep up. I can honestly say this was just a little to much for me and as much as I want to know how Trina's life is going to end up I don't think I will be able to read the follow up to this. I was truly hoping Yentyl was going to help Trina out. If you are looking for murder, sex, drugs and drama then I highly recommend this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
August 21, 2019
There were so many things wrong with this story and I am not really sure why it has a 4 star rating. Not even considering the horrible grammar and spelling, this story has no real storyline. There are too many characters to keep track of, not enough focus on the plot, and way too much profanity and unnecessary sex, murder, etc. I do not recommend to anyone.
September 6, 2024
Congratulations 🎉 on “Cry Baby Cry ….. or Not.” 📖✨ It took me a while to get to it, but I’m so glad i finally did. 🤩 The first few chapters were very fitting and memorable, and the intensity of the plot kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! 🔥
Your writing is powerful, and I can’t wait to read what you create next. Keep up the fantastic work! 👏
~ young reader 🎓
Your writing is powerful, and I can’t wait to read what you create next. Keep up the fantastic work! 👏
~ young reader 🎓
August 22, 2019
Very graphic. If this is the way gangs and blacks live in Chicago, no wonder there is a murder problem. I think the author has lived through this life style. I understand the need for slang in the dialog, but it needs some editing otherwise. There might be a sequel.
Read
April 23, 2021I don't want to leave a horrible review, because I only made it 60 pages. Way too much child abuse, molestation, torture, etc. I imagine it's like a modern day, Chicago placed story similar to 'Kids'.
November 12, 2019
Great book different but great loved every bit of the story.
February 20, 2019
Title: Cry Baby Cry...or Not
Author: Dewandus Johnson
Publisher: Royal Roar Publishing
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Cry Baby Cry...or Not" by Dewandus Johnson
My Rationalization:
I will say this was my first read by this author and all I can say is this story was one that will keep your attention turning the pages to see what was coming next. There was 'never a dull moment from cover to cover.' My heart really went out to the main character Trina with her life spent with her mother Jackie who was born deaf and mute. Then we see as Trina moves on with Mistro and on to many other ones that greatly affected her life in one way or another. By the end of this story I was left still wondering will Trina ever get it all together with the person she was not with? Would Trina listen to what Yentl had told her? I found that this author was able to give the reader a story with the use of 'graphic details and oh yes an intriguing storyline' with lots of drama, twist/turns excitement and loads of action along with much despair. Be ready for quite a 'raw and gritty read' of 'Cry Baby Cry ...or Not' that definitely featured the bad and ugly of the life of Trina.
Thank you to the author for the read and my presenting my opinion of the read.
Author: Dewandus Johnson
Publisher: Royal Roar Publishing
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Cry Baby Cry...or Not" by Dewandus Johnson
My Rationalization:
I will say this was my first read by this author and all I can say is this story was one that will keep your attention turning the pages to see what was coming next. There was 'never a dull moment from cover to cover.' My heart really went out to the main character Trina with her life spent with her mother Jackie who was born deaf and mute. Then we see as Trina moves on with Mistro and on to many other ones that greatly affected her life in one way or another. By the end of this story I was left still wondering will Trina ever get it all together with the person she was not with? Would Trina listen to what Yentl had told her? I found that this author was able to give the reader a story with the use of 'graphic details and oh yes an intriguing storyline' with lots of drama, twist/turns excitement and loads of action along with much despair. Be ready for quite a 'raw and gritty read' of 'Cry Baby Cry ...or Not' that definitely featured the bad and ugly of the life of Trina.
Thank you to the author for the read and my presenting my opinion of the read.
September 7, 2014
An Urban Smack
One word to sum up this novel: Wow! The story line is intriguing, easy to follow, as well as captivating. The story itself is mind boggling. The author tapped into the urban world with a twist one may find hard to grasp but oh so believable.
Author Dewandus Johnson takes readers on a nose-dive into a pool of realism through the eyes of a preteen adolescent starting with the perversion of her deaf and mute mother's man to the world of pimps, prostitutes and ‘the game.’ Through the murders, beatings, pimping, and porn, Trina has the survivor's instinct that readers latch onto.
This writing emphasizes a family unit slipping through the cracks of today's system with social and economic problems. The reference of difficulty dealing with certain handicaps or challenges brought a fresh breath to an untold truth.
It is an enjoyable read. Editing issues are apparent. Had the author taken the time to edit this book properly, this would be a 5-star rating.
Reviewed by: KaTina
3.5 stars
One word to sum up this novel: Wow! The story line is intriguing, easy to follow, as well as captivating. The story itself is mind boggling. The author tapped into the urban world with a twist one may find hard to grasp but oh so believable.
Author Dewandus Johnson takes readers on a nose-dive into a pool of realism through the eyes of a preteen adolescent starting with the perversion of her deaf and mute mother's man to the world of pimps, prostitutes and ‘the game.’ Through the murders, beatings, pimping, and porn, Trina has the survivor's instinct that readers latch onto.
This writing emphasizes a family unit slipping through the cracks of today's system with social and economic problems. The reference of difficulty dealing with certain handicaps or challenges brought a fresh breath to an untold truth.
It is an enjoyable read. Editing issues are apparent. Had the author taken the time to edit this book properly, this would be a 5-star rating.
Reviewed by: KaTina
3.5 stars
July 29, 2014
After reading so many sub par books lately, this was a pleasant surprise. This book had lots of action and drama. I loved how every character's story was told and just when you thought you had everything figured out, here comes a new twist. The book was raw, gritty and in your face. Although there were a few editing issues, they did not take away from the story. I loved this book and can't wait for part two! Kudos to the author!
Kenya E.
Soul Sistahs Book Club
Kenya E.
Soul Sistahs Book Club
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews