What do you think?
Rate this book
Flip Side of the Game
Funny, passionate, and straight from the soul, Vera Wright-Turner thinks she has it all under control, until she meets and greets herself. Born on the flip side of the hustler's game, she is the child of a fifteen-year-old drug addict who placed her in a trash dump with a note that read:
Please forgive me. My mother’s only fifteen
. Well, that is of little consolation to Vera as she lives her gold-diggin' life full speed ahead. Everything comes to a crashing halt when she realizes that she can run, but she can’t hide. Facing up to the Flip Side of the Game is the only way she will survive.
288 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2004
14 people are currently reading
489 people want to read
About the author
Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker
11 books118 followersTu-Shonda L. Whitaker is the award winning, Essence bestselling author of Flip Side of the Game and Game Over.
She is also a contributing writer to the anthologies: Cream and Kiss The Year Goodbye.
Whitaker was awarded the Ella Baker and W.E.B. Du Bois International Award for fiction writing. Her most recent title, The Ex Factor has been featured in several magazines such as Vibe Vixen and Romantic Times Book Review as one of the hottest, sensual, and humorous tales released this year.
Whitaker lives in New Jersey with her husband and their children.
She is also a contributing writer to the anthologies: Cream and Kiss The Year Goodbye.
Whitaker was awarded the Ella Baker and W.E.B. Du Bois International Award for fiction writing. Her most recent title, The Ex Factor has been featured in several magazines such as Vibe Vixen and Romantic Times Book Review as one of the hottest, sensual, and humorous tales released this year.
Whitaker lives in New Jersey with her husband and their children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 10, 2017
This book was good to me remind me of a long explicit version of my favorite tv show girlfriends there was sad parts a good parts to balance it out.
Vera ass is a Mya
Angie is Toni with a mix of Lynn freaky ass
Lee is just her own person.
Vera ass can be so spoiled and stubborn this was a good read love me some Vera and Taj he's the right man for her ... Cookie is the auntie we all need Vera better respect her & Lee's crying ass Lmaoo girl get it together shit I loved me some Angie her freaky ass reminds me of my self this book was well put together and really made up some believe situations that women go through and who doesn't need a girlfriend shoulder to lean on and a good man who doesn't want nothing but your love
Vera ass is a Mya
Angie is Toni with a mix of Lynn freaky ass
Lee is just her own person.
Vera ass can be so spoiled and stubborn this was a good read love me some Vera and Taj he's the right man for her ... Cookie is the auntie we all need Vera better respect her & Lee's crying ass Lmaoo girl get it together shit I loved me some Angie her freaky ass reminds me of my self this book was well put together and really made up some believe situations that women go through and who doesn't need a girlfriend shoulder to lean on and a good man who doesn't want nothing but your love
February 12, 2019
I have Read and Read and Re-Read this Joint Many Many Many Times and I Still Love It! This was one of Originals in Urban Lit even though it's more of a contemporary read. Despite the poor editing, I still find myself sighing at Taj Bennett. 4.48
November 10, 2017
I love this book, Vera remind me so much of myself though. Its actually kinda scary. But I love it!
August 28, 2022
Great book.
August 20, 2024
Vera is so annoying but tell me why I actually enjoyed this book😭
November 9, 2015
This was my faaaaavorite book in high school! I mean I read it in one day, bought the second part, read that in two days then contacted the author. If Twitter/Tumblr/Facebook was a thing back them my profile picture would have been this book cover, the author would have been my most tweeted person and I probably would have had a Tumblr name like FlipSide or something. Like this book spoke to me.
Now reading it about ten years later, it is not half as good as I remember. No lie I still loved the romance (although I though Taj and Vera went back and forth too much). But instead of seeing the strong and funny woman I saw Vera as, she was more of a sad woman who should have sought therapy.
All throughout the novel Vera is sadden and cannot love anyone (other than possibly her girls, Cookie and Uncle Boy) because of how her mother hurt her at age 9 and below, (really all her life). Now, I have never experienced thankfully a mother who has been addicted to narcotics or a missing father, my parents have been together for 30 years and showed me what a loving marriage is suppose to mirror. However, I still feel that Vera should have left her little players card in her 20s and looked at love when she saw it. What I saw when I saw Rowanda was a very loving mother who did not know how to provide for her daughter but the love was there every step of the way. Hell, the way I saw it Rowanda loved her daughter as best as she could, which is why I think Vera needed serious help beyond Taj asking her how she felt every time she saw her mother or had a bad memory. I know in the second novel
When I was in high school I loved Vera's relationship with Taj, but now looking at this I'm thinking these people are fucking thirty (I think older). I'm 26 right now. If Taj put me through what he put Vera through or Vera put Taj through what she did I'd say FUCK IT! Nah bitch, we 30 now, at this age of our dating it's either we doing this or not, but this back and forth is too much for me to handle. That was high school, lets leave it there. I know but come on! Don't you think we're a little to old for that shit?
Although I thought Taj and Vera's banter was a bit childish, I did love their romance and I love Aunt Cookie. The spelling got a bit annoying with the chile and puhlez, ironically I enjoyed it in the last novel I read. Also, compared to the last novel I read this was more of a happy ending with the possibly of a new beginning.
My library does not have Game Over but luckily I bought it in like 2004 which means I still have my old copy from get this: BORDERS bookstore R.I.P.
Now reading it about ten years later, it is not half as good as I remember. No lie I still loved the romance (although I though Taj and Vera went back and forth too much). But instead of seeing the strong and funny woman I saw Vera as, she was more of a sad woman who should have sought therapy.
All throughout the novel Vera is sadden and cannot love anyone (other than possibly her girls, Cookie and Uncle Boy) because of how her mother hurt her at age 9 and below, (really all her life). Now, I have never experienced thankfully a mother who has been addicted to narcotics or a missing father, my parents have been together for 30 years and showed me what a loving marriage is suppose to mirror. However, I still feel that Vera should have left her little players card in her 20s and looked at love when she saw it. What I saw when I saw Rowanda was a very loving mother who did not know how to provide for her daughter but the love was there every step of the way. Hell, the way I saw it Rowanda loved her daughter as best as she could, which is why I think Vera needed serious help beyond Taj asking her how she felt every time she saw her mother or had a bad memory. I know in the second novel
When I was in high school I loved Vera's relationship with Taj, but now looking at this I'm thinking these people are fucking thirty (I think older). I'm 26 right now. If Taj put me through what he put Vera through or Vera put Taj through what she did I'd say FUCK IT! Nah bitch, we 30 now, at this age of our dating it's either we doing this or not, but this back and forth is too much for me to handle. That was high school, lets leave it there. I know but come on! Don't you think we're a little to old for that shit?
Although I thought Taj and Vera's banter was a bit childish, I did love their romance and I love Aunt Cookie. The spelling got a bit annoying with the chile and puhlez, ironically I enjoyed it in the last novel I read. Also, compared to the last novel I read this was more of a happy ending with the possibly of a new beginning.
My library does not have Game Over but luckily I bought it in like 2004 which means I still have my old copy from get this: BORDERS bookstore R.I.P.
January 14, 2015
I Flipped Out!, April 10, 2007
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This book was very entertaining in a happy way and sad way. Vera mother(Rowanda)is only 15 years old when she had her. Vera was born as a crack baby and put into the dumpster by Rowanda. Her Grandmother tried to raise her but she was a dope fiend also. Her grandmother dead on her and her mother gave her to Children Services.
But Auntie Cookie rescue her (saves her life)after she is put into children services. Her auntie rescue her from the system but not from her past. The more she tries to hate her mother for what she did to her. Auntie Cookie tells her and teaches her that "Whatever you may feel or say that is still your mother, regardless."
Vera finds herself unable to love because of her mother past and present actions until she runs across a doctor by the name of Taji. She puts him through pure Hell until she comes to grab with her demons.
Rowanda finds herself wanting her daughter love so bad that she cleans herself up to find rejection on the other ends that leads her back to the world of drugs.
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This book was very entertaining in a happy way and sad way. Vera mother(Rowanda)is only 15 years old when she had her. Vera was born as a crack baby and put into the dumpster by Rowanda. Her Grandmother tried to raise her but she was a dope fiend also. Her grandmother dead on her and her mother gave her to Children Services.
But Auntie Cookie rescue her (saves her life)after she is put into children services. Her auntie rescue her from the system but not from her past. The more she tries to hate her mother for what she did to her. Auntie Cookie tells her and teaches her that "Whatever you may feel or say that is still your mother, regardless."
Vera finds herself unable to love because of her mother past and present actions until she runs across a doctor by the name of Taji. She puts him through pure Hell until she comes to grab with her demons.
Rowanda finds herself wanting her daughter love so bad that she cleans herself up to find rejection on the other ends that leads her back to the world of drugs.
April 26, 2009
I've had to book way to long and I finally got to really sit down and read it. After reading it I wonder why I took so long to read it.
Book was sad, funny all in one.
Vera was a girl that believes she was born grown. Her mom was a dope fiend that throw her in the trash when she was first born.
Vera grew up with her Aunt Cookie her dad's sister. Her Aunt gave her everything a home, clothes, food. Vera even got to go to college.
Vera grew up thinking that aint no one go love her or aint no need for her to love any man until she meet Taj. She put of a big fight when it came to Taj. Taj loved her and he said that you will have to give me your all and grow up and stop blaming your mom for your life.
Even her best friend Shannon told her that it's time out for all the game play just be with Taj and live your life with him.
Overall the book was great. I laughed my butt off at some parts of the book but, I see that Vera is starting to now open up a bit with it comes to Taj and now her mom she is totally trying with her mom Rowanda.
Now I am on to reading "Game Over"
Book was sad, funny all in one.
Vera was a girl that believes she was born grown. Her mom was a dope fiend that throw her in the trash when she was first born.
Vera grew up with her Aunt Cookie her dad's sister. Her Aunt gave her everything a home, clothes, food. Vera even got to go to college.
Vera grew up thinking that aint no one go love her or aint no need for her to love any man until she meet Taj. She put of a big fight when it came to Taj. Taj loved her and he said that you will have to give me your all and grow up and stop blaming your mom for your life.
Even her best friend Shannon told her that it's time out for all the game play just be with Taj and live your life with him.
Overall the book was great. I laughed my butt off at some parts of the book but, I see that Vera is starting to now open up a bit with it comes to Taj and now her mom she is totally trying with her mom Rowanda.
Now I am on to reading "Game Over"
January 4, 2012
I liked this book. It'a about a girl name vera who was brought in the world and threw in the trash after birth. It talked about her life, relationships, and how she couldnt get over her horrible child hood. This is the first book I read from this author and after I got into her style of writing I really enjoyed the story.
September 19, 2012
Ok I love this book. I love the fact that it is urban fiction and they still act like they have some sense. The main character Vera has a few issues but when she gets out of hand Taj (the guy) he gets her together not by beating her or putting her down, he loves her and just wants to see her put her demons to rest
Read
February 11, 2009This book was sooooo good, and soooo funny, it was refreshing having the guy of the book have a career and still be able to give the persona of a man not putting up with bull-shit, it was a very good read
April 11, 2011
this book is also an eye catcher in the beginning but by the middle it may seem boring then when you least except it BAM ! the action begins .this is the second part of the game you have to read this to understand game over . i liked it ...
February 14, 2012
This Book Is Omg To Fie , I Love The Way The Characters Come Off The Page And UU Could Actually Visualize Everything Thats Happening . And Taj Baby I Wish Men Like U really existed In This World , But Overall I Recommend This Book Is Extremely Good !
October 21, 2007
I love this book. Especially her boyfriend Taj. This was a good book. I also loved the seqel Game Over
November 15, 2007
I really liked this book! Til the girl Tamara got killed. lol my name always dies in Books for some reason!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2008
This is one of my favorite books because of the characters.
January 5, 2009
I read this book around 3 times and i love it!!! I was happy to find the sequal to it. They tell her background good and its almost like I was watching a movie.
Read
August 24, 2009i LiKE dIS bOOk bECAUSE ShE lEARNEd hOW tEW fORGiVE hER MOTHER ANd ShE lEARNEd tEW lOVE..
May 18, 2011
LOL! I'm crackin up as I think about this book, this author really brought. This book made me laugh, cry, it just kept you goin from start to finish. Definite must read.
January 10, 2012
This is a really good book.Aunt Cookie was a mess. I loved it. I stayed up until 3am to finish. Yes, it was just that good.
August 1, 2012
One of my all time favorite books :))))))
May 1, 2013
I absolutely loved this book and its follow-up. I laughed and enjoyed every page.
June 8, 2014
I loved this book... it had characters that you can relate to.
Currently reading
March 30, 2009ill tell u when i find out more
September 5, 2015
Good book. Cute couple. Realistic battles with a person that had a difficult up bringing.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews