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Throwback Diaries #1
Down by Law
Lesson #1: You come for me, I come back even harder for you. Fair exchange. No robberies. Isis Carter got schooled early on in surviving the streets. When some girls put a beatdown on her, she took back what was hers. When her brother was killed and her mom, Queenie, bailed, Isis fought to stay strong. And when her dad abandoned her for his new family, sixteen-year-old Isis buried the hurt by looking out for herself—and hookin’ up with bad boy Fresh…until a run-in with the law shatters Isis’s world and threatens to destroy her future. Now the only person Isis can rely on is herself…until her secret crush K-Rock steps in. But when Isis lets her guard down, will she be given a second chance to get her life straight or will it cost her everything?
- GenresUrban
288 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 19, 2015
In Isis Carter's life nothing matters except her family, her rep, and her crew. When one of her brothers dies she's abandoned by everyone that matters to her.
Over the next few years Isis basically looks out for herself. After meeting a new boyfriend she thinks she's found her way to a better life. That is, until she ends up in jail.
When two people from her past return they try to show her that there's more to life than the streets. Will she listen?
This book made me care about what happened to Isis. It also made me remember the 80's without telling a story that I've heard before. I give this book a 4. It's a good read for teens. I'm passing it on to my daughters now.
Adellia Whitson-Stafford
AAMBC Reviewer
Over the next few years Isis basically looks out for herself. After meeting a new boyfriend she thinks she's found her way to a better life. That is, until she ends up in jail.
When two people from her past return they try to show her that there's more to life than the streets. Will she listen?
This book made me care about what happened to Isis. It also made me remember the 80's without telling a story that I've heard before. I give this book a 4. It's a good read for teens. I'm passing it on to my daughters now.
Adellia Whitson-Stafford
AAMBC Reviewer
July 28, 2015
I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
I enter a lot of giveaways and sometimes I end up with books that I would never have picked up in the bookstore.That's ok though because it broadens my reading horizons. Down By Law is a book that I would have passed right by, being a white, suburban, more than middle aged male. In spite of my drawbacks, I have to say I enjoyed it. I lived through the 80's and the references ring true. The characters are consistent. The moral, perhaps, a little too predictable. Even with that, this is a book I would recommend and an author I would read again.
I enter a lot of giveaways and sometimes I end up with books that I would never have picked up in the bookstore.That's ok though because it broadens my reading horizons. Down By Law is a book that I would have passed right by, being a white, suburban, more than middle aged male. In spite of my drawbacks, I have to say I enjoyed it. I lived through the 80's and the references ring true. The characters are consistent. The moral, perhaps, a little too predictable. Even with that, this is a book I would recommend and an author I would read again.
March 20, 2018
3.5 stars
The ending was way too tidy too quick. Fresh had no remorse and Isis would’ve had the life of her mother if she’d stayed with him. I had questions that were left unanswered.
1) Why Zeke just abandoned Isis and moved on with Brenda and other kids like nothing moving to Boston
2)Where was Queenie all this time? What has she been doing?
3)I would love to know the awful Grandmother’s story
4)What’s up with Face? We just never heard anymore about him after his arrest.
5)What did Munch and Cali have to go through while in juvie?
The ending was way too tidy too quick. Fresh had no remorse and Isis would’ve had the life of her mother if she’d stayed with him. I had questions that were left unanswered.
1) Why Zeke just abandoned Isis and moved on with Brenda and other kids like nothing moving to Boston
2)Where was Queenie all this time? What has she been doing?
3)I would love to know the awful Grandmother’s story
4)What’s up with Face? We just never heard anymore about him after his arrest.
5)What did Munch and Cali have to go through while in juvie?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2018
Great book! This book is all about, Isis' rough life. It gives you a glimpse of what children go through when they are raised by the streets. I read this book (Book #1) and Dear Yvette (Book #2) in just a few days, that's just how good they are. I think I'm going to read all of Ni-Ni Simone's books now!
June 15, 2017
The book “Down by Law” by Ni-Ni Simone tells a story about a girl named Isis and the changes she goes through in her teenage years. It is full of drama emotion. It has a bitter-sweet love story in it. It tells a story about her emotional, physical, and mental changes in her teenage years. My favorite character was Isis because it showed how she grown. This is one of my favorite books because this is the first that makes want to read.
September 23, 2015
Felt like this one was more hard-edged than some of Ni-Ni Simone's books. Cousin Shake is not cutting capers in this one. Plenty of romance, excellent dialogue and slang, and a nice sense of the 80s inner city.
Give this to kids who aren't quite ready for Coldest Winter Ever or Flyy Girl. It's rougher and sadder than the Seven McKnight books.
Give this to kids who aren't quite ready for Coldest Winter Ever or Flyy Girl. It's rougher and sadder than the Seven McKnight books.
October 21, 2015
I did not expect that to happen. Queenie came back for Isis but it was low little too late for that, but I was glad they worked on their relationship. Fresh was a nasty trick for doing Isis the way he did, and Yvette too. I hope there is a second part to this book to find out if she gets her life together or not. And I was happy K-Rock quit lying to himself about his feelings.
July 21, 2017
Down by Law has a few spoilers here and there, so if you plan to READ or are reading this book don't stroll down and read my review unless you have finished reading this book.
When I first started this book But when I read the back I'm like maybe her older brother is the one who will get killed. But half way through the book, where they rob those dudes, and she gave her other brother who had a disability the chain. I had to SMH because I knew it was going to be him who will be murder SMH people don't have any respect for a person with a disability but the thing is I wish her brother had better common sense, but how can he learn if their parents aren't teaching them wrong from right. And truth be told, I believe Isis, became to grow up the way that she had due to the fact her mother (due to the way her mother treated her, both her parents had her fooled. Especially her father who disowned her. And her grandmother, man that woman was cruel, she wasn't trying to help Isis and but got mad when Isis treated or got rude with her. And her own cousin Yvette, wasn't REALLY her friend, I believe she started to hate Isis because she became jealous and she ended up with Fresh, and I do think Yvette knew that Fresh was a family of the Kid fresh and knew that Snoop and his people's murder Isis brother, smh. But I am trying to figure out like isn't Fresh and Ke'Ron like 20 lol they're older than me right, in this fiction book? I said to myself Fresh a little perv right, lol where as Ke'Ron wanted to wait until Isis was as adult to hook up with her. Instead of dating her when she was at least 16-17. But with her mom leaving her with nothing and didn't bother to contact or come and get her until she was locked up and her dad I'll just SMH (on that). You couldn't really be mad with Isis and the attitude, but I wish she would've learned how to shut up when to shut up, but I did like when she stood up for herself when it came to Fresh.
July 27, 2017
Few Spoilers....
https://ladiikeiii.wordpress.com/2017...
I really enjoyed reading this book the only problem I have is the big girl > skinny girl. Gets pretty annoying after awhile especially if you a big girl you wouldn't like for skinny chick to say why you so fat. Or she a whale. But in every book, I read by this author. It's like she dislikes skinny females.
Other then that annoying part I enjoyed this and I figured that Fresh was the family of the kid Snoop. He a perv anyway for dating a 16-year-old though wasn't he like 20 just like Ke'Ron at least K had more since to wait. But her mom dipping out on her and then her daddy smh just crazy she had nobody but she had a fucked up attitude remind me of 17 y/o niece. But she way worse with her mouth ISIS was.
But when I read the back I'm like maybe her brother the stick up kid was going to get murder be it was her brother who had a disability like come on who going to kill a person with a disability like getting real, but I wish her brother had a bit more common since to not get in a car with strangers dang.
https://ladiikeiii.wordpress.com/2017...
I really enjoyed reading this book the only problem I have is the big girl > skinny girl. Gets pretty annoying after awhile especially if you a big girl you wouldn't like for skinny chick to say why you so fat. Or she a whale. But in every book, I read by this author. It's like she dislikes skinny females.
Other then that annoying part I enjoyed this and I figured that Fresh was the family of the kid Snoop. He a perv anyway for dating a 16-year-old though wasn't he like 20 just like Ke'Ron at least K had more since to wait. But her mom dipping out on her and then her daddy smh just crazy she had nobody but she had a fucked up attitude remind me of 17 y/o niece. But she way worse with her mouth ISIS was.
But when I read the back I'm like maybe her brother the stick up kid was going to get murder be it was her brother who had a disability like come on who going to kill a person with a disability like getting real, but I wish her brother had a bit more common since to not get in a car with strangers dang.
February 28, 2017
The novel Down by Law, by Ni-Ni Simone was a very capturing and fun to read book. The main character Isis held her reputation, friends and family very highly, and when everything got flipped upside down by deaths and arrests she lost her pride and didn't know what to do with herself. For example, the description of what her and her friends used to beat their bully up with made me much more interested in the book because of the detail. Also, Ni-Ni described their household very in a way you wouldn't be confused. You understood what was going on and how all of the characters thought. The antagonist and the protagonist actually went together for a while which shakes up the story, because they started dating. Isis finally came to her senses and decided to become the good one and bring to police to the antagonist house and get him arrested which was her then ex. The whole book was a good lesson to read and you yourself with learn from it, it teaches you to stay on the right path even when things in life are going bad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2015
In the never-ending quest to find new and diverse stories that will appeal to teen readers I have Down By Law by NiNi Simone. Set in the 1980’s, this story follows Isis Carter as she navigates life, love and family with the knowledge and attitude of a survivor.
Hard won knowledge is often skewed with a perspective of us versus them, and it is clear that Isis uses her knowledge and attitude as a shield: get them before they can hurt you. A touch of honest grit highlights Isis: she is justifiably angry and disillusioned with the life she knows: a brother murdered, a mother bailing out, a father who is less present and concerned…that anger and need for acceptance still exist, despite trying to pretend they don’t. While the choices aren’t always the best, there is a clear reason for Isis to make those connections, reasons that start to change as she learns that other paths could be available.
It’s a difficult book to rate – on one hand I wanted to see Isis make better choices for her life, and could see early on how some of those choices could lead to no good. I worried for her, and I kept thinking that something better was available. But, it wasn’t necessarily so: she needed to see and learn for herself, find her own path to realize that she needed to change things up. While I could see how many of the choices were between bad and worse, I couldn’t help but feel the honesty in the situations and the clarity with which Simone shows that divide – not every opportunity is seen, let alone available to everyone.
While this didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat – there was enough angst, drama and intrigue with Isis and her life to keep me reading through the last pages. A good book for someone looking to glimpse at another person’s life – a life that is very different from their own.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Hard won knowledge is often skewed with a perspective of us versus them, and it is clear that Isis uses her knowledge and attitude as a shield: get them before they can hurt you. A touch of honest grit highlights Isis: she is justifiably angry and disillusioned with the life she knows: a brother murdered, a mother bailing out, a father who is less present and concerned…that anger and need for acceptance still exist, despite trying to pretend they don’t. While the choices aren’t always the best, there is a clear reason for Isis to make those connections, reasons that start to change as she learns that other paths could be available.
It’s a difficult book to rate – on one hand I wanted to see Isis make better choices for her life, and could see early on how some of those choices could lead to no good. I worried for her, and I kept thinking that something better was available. But, it wasn’t necessarily so: she needed to see and learn for herself, find her own path to realize that she needed to change things up. While I could see how many of the choices were between bad and worse, I couldn’t help but feel the honesty in the situations and the clarity with which Simone shows that divide – not every opportunity is seen, let alone available to everyone.
While this didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat – there was enough angst, drama and intrigue with Isis and her life to keep me reading through the last pages. A good book for someone looking to glimpse at another person’s life – a life that is very different from their own.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
November 9, 2015
I received an ARC of this book in exchange of a review. And review I do, right here !
I almost didn't finish this book, got to start again after dropping it a first time. But I am kind of glad I did. It was very interesting and ultimately a good read. It was somehow "refreshing". Isis was a different kind of female lead character. She was annoying and infuriating at times, but also loving and caring. She showed strentgh and vulnerability. I liked and respected her. I was a bit surprised by the "eduational" bit by the author at the end.
I almost didn't finish this book, got to start again after dropping it a first time. But I am kind of glad I did. It was very interesting and ultimately a good read. It was somehow "refreshing". Isis was a different kind of female lead character. She was annoying and infuriating at times, but also loving and caring. She showed strentgh and vulnerability. I liked and respected her. I was a bit surprised by the "eduational" bit by the author at the end.
August 9, 2015
A great book! Although the book portrays a stark reality the characters ring true and endear themselves to you. There are also plenty of bad guys and some blame to share. You will become invested in the characters and really love the ending. A great lesson that as promised captures the urban spirit. A good read.
January 14, 2016
I had a difficult time reading this book. The language and dialogue required careful reading, which took me out of the story. While I also had a difficult time relating to the characters, there was a great character arc and an interesting plot.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
March 10, 2016
This book is really inspiring it is sad but also warming. I like the way this story was put together and how the author put the real in this book. Its pretty unfair how her mother and her father left her for three years at her grandma's home.
July 3, 2016
Living as a notorious girl in the hood is a very good feeling but life isn't easy. Losing everything there is always a good and bad path. In the end we all learn our lesson and prevail. Very interesting book and good recommendation. It's not only boys who can be powerful and notorious...
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews