TROUBLE IN PARADISE When the smoke clears after the devastation Cartier Timmons and her Cartier Cartel experienced in New York, she's determined to leave the fast life behind once and for all. Now in South Beach, Miami, Cartier is living the peaceful, yet lavish life in paradise when her daughter is snatched away by the hands of ruthless criminals looking for an epic payday.
Cartier jumps back into the game with Lil Mama and Quinn, a new member of the Cartel, at her side. They declare to tear Miami apart block by block and hold court in the streets in their quest for justice.
Nisa Santiago came bursting onto the literary scene in 2009 with her debut title, Cartier Cartel. The book garnered rave reviews and left her readers wanting more. She followed up with the sequel, Return of the Cartier Cartel – which turned into a national bestseller. The Library Journal declared that Santiago’s sequel, [Return of the Cartier Cartel] “Will keep readers hooked to the last chapter.”
Born and raised in Brooklyn, and now living in Harlem, the author is moving at full speed with her writing endeavors. Coined the Duchess of Hop-Hip lit, Santiago humbly admits, “I’m just grateful to be doing what I love as a career and not just a hobby.”
Her latest novel, Bad Apple – The Baddest Chick is slated for an October 2011 release date. The author emphatically states that her decision to start a new series instead of penning part 3 to Cartier Cartel was a brave one. “My readers love Cartier and they wanted more.” Santiago wants her readers to know that she has so many stories to tell and shows no signs of slowing down. Dirty Money Honey is an anthology with her peers, Erica Hilton and Kim K., Melodrama Publishing’s new trinity of authors.
Now that I've finally read pt 3 of this series, I hate I waited so long. This book picked up where 2 left off & I easily remembered the characters as if I finished pt. 2 on yesterday. Cartier seems to meet betrayal & trouble everywhere she goes! Good surprise ending--
This was so crazy. Everybody was dying. I hate when a series goes out with a bang. It's too much to bear. Especially when you have become attached to the series and characters.
One thing I can never say about this series is that there’s anything wrong with the writing, the flow, or the story keeping my attention. That will never be the issue. My rating is more about the actual contents of this book because, my God, this was a profusely sad-ass book.
This book was DARK. Heavy. Gloomy. There was rarely any light, comedy, sunny days, relief, NOTHING. It was death everywhere you motherfucking looked. Left, right, up, down. Death, death, death. Everybody is fucking dead. Point blank and period.
Everybody Cartier was connected to, everybody we knew from the previous books, GONE. Her family gets wiped out. So-called friends get wiped out. Even the kids aren’t safe. You don’t know who to trust. Every time I thought maybe we were done losing people, here comes something else.
There was absolutely no relief in this book.
I had to keep putting it down. It really shouldn’t have taken me as long as it did to finish because it was definitely a page-turner, but I needed breaks. I would read some, stop, come back, read some more, and stop again because damn. It was just HEAVY.
And Cartier? This is NOT the same Cartier from Books 1 and 2.
Cartier is straight crazy now. Cold-witted. Ruthless. Cutthroat. And considering everything happening around her, I honestly feel like it took that. Everybody is gone. Trina gone. Her sisters gone. Her child gone. Lil Mama gone. Nobody was saved in this damn book. At some point, what else is she supposed to become?
I was expecting a kidnapping story. I was NOT expecting all of this.
And one thing I will say, I had a feeling that little girl was already dead from the get-go. Maybe I watch too much TV and spend too much time trying to solve crimes, but when Christian kept saying the exact same thing over and over on those phone calls, I immediately thought, “That baby is already dead. They’re playing Cartier a recording.”
And sure enough.
At that point, it became clear these people weren’t even really after money. They were toying with Cartier. Meanwhile, she’s desperate trying to get her child back, watching everybody around her die, the police are on her ass and making it look like SHE might have something to do with everything happening. It was A LOT.
Half the time I didn’t even know where the plot was going anymore because every time I thought I understood what was happening, something else dropped.
Literally.
Another body.
The drama was definitely there. The page-turning quality was definitely there. But this is one of those books where you might need to close it for a minute and go look at something happy because what the fuck?
As far as Cartier and these men go, at this point, girl, have your pick. I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t commit to none of them either. Have your fun because clearly NOTHING in this woman’s life is promised tomorrow.
Now I’m sitting here trying to figure out what the hell Book 4 could possibly be about.
Who is left?
Who else can die?
What else can possibly happen to this woman that HASN’T already happened?
Cartier is basically out here wreaking havoc and fucking up the streets while somehow surviving everything thrown at her. I genuinely don’t know what else she can get herself into and, by some miraculous reason, survive, but apparently I’m about to find out.
I’m going into the final book completely open-minded because after this one, I don’t even feel like I can predict this series anymore. I don’t know who the one is romantically. I don’t know who can be trusted. I don’t know what could possibly shock me next. I don’t even know if there’s a light at the end of this tunnel.
I just know I’m curious as hell to see how they close Cartier’s story out.
And as crazy as she is, I already feel like I’m probably going to miss Cartier and her ways when it’s over.
So, 3.5 stars. Still entertaining, still well-written, still had me turning pages, but DAMN. This book wore me out.
I’ve read this book multiple times but this may be the first time I read the epilogue and Idky. But I’m just shook and to see there is another book!! Omg. I need it immediately!! This was so savage and the way Cartier was having a hard time trusting anybody was so real. I’m upset she took out her friends but I guess it had to be done. Sucks being a one woman wrecking ball though!! I’m shook. I’m so sad about her family though like dang you ain’t have to do her like that?!? I mean literally everyone she ever cared deeply about is gone!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Yessssss!!! Head is out of prison but can be really be trusted ... I have my doubts!!! I also have my doubts about Hector! Cartier cannot afford to trust anyone!!! GREAT SERIES!!!
This book was good all the killing all the backstabbing all around the board. Then the part I wanted came true ahead came home my thing is can he really be trustworthy. I hope so because Cartier ass needs him and he needs her. On to the next book.
So intense. What is Cartier going to do now? Head is home!😟 She killing any and everybody to get revenge. She was low down for killing Lil Mama and Quinn. It's time to start book 4 now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I Feel Where Cartier Was Coming From LIVING In This Rude Ass World With NOBODY 💯🎯💯 And She Said She Couldn't/Wouldn't Turn Back👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 GREAT READ 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
I'm assuming there's another book after this one. Although this book was a good read and the series is very intriguing I'm still trying to decide if I like Cartier being a murderer for GP. The storyline about her daughter was a little predictable. Why would such savage and brutal killers leave one survivor? I did not believe the motive was money since Cartier was not balling like she was in NY. It just did not make sense. I like Head for some reason and I hope he does not get killed off in the next book. Overall the book is a page turner and will definitely keep you interested until the last page.
This book was AMAZING!One thing i can say about Nisa Santiago novels is that they always keep you guessing. At the very beginning i knew it i fell in love with the book. It was so sad to see Cartier's life ruin and everything she loved taken from her. This book showed a character that is ruthless and will do anything to stay alive.
I'm sad at a lot of things that happened in this book. Not trying to give anything away bt I would have never thought Jenet would have ran her mouth no matter what. Anyways loved the book. Keep up the wonderful work.
Nisa Santiago has done it again I was literally on the edge of my seat with this page turner. The events was very heart felt and sad at the same time. I have to start reading the next installment as soon as possible.
I really liked this book. A lot of drama and it keeps you wanting more. I think this books is more for adult readers. I. Choose a five because the book is action packed.
Cartier is a piece of work. I don't quite like her anymore. She killed friends who genuinely cared about her. She is very selfish. Quinn had her back from the time they met. I wonder what she is going to do about HEAD! Great Read!
This was a great read... I am really feeling this author. She made the return/will read again list of my new authors to try for 2015, cant believe I have never read her books before.
Rated 10+++. Lots of drama. Cartier, Quinn & Lil Mama were a force to be reckoned with. How does one ever get over losing all your family? Read and see!!!!!