What do you think?
Rate this book
Lola Vasquez #1
Lola
Lola stands next to Garcia while he mans the grill in their craggy square of backyard. The barbeque has just begun, and the women are clustered gossiping, while the men hold sweating beers. Lola prefers the periphery.
Business has been good lately in their tiny nugget of South Central Los Angeles, where a legit man has two choices: landscaping off-the-books for West Side white cash, or sweating through twelve-hour shifts at a factory in Vernon. Garcia does not make his living either way, and Lola is a woman. If she were like the other women at her barbeque, she would spend her work day perched on a padded stool behind a dollar store cash register. But Lola is not like the other women in Huntington Park.
Suddenly: a sharp knock on the front door, probably a cop. Lola goes to answer it. The man standing there is Mexican, not Mexican-American, like everybody else here. Lola searches his face for a bead of sweat but comes up empty. She has never met him, but she knows his name. Everyone in this neighborhood knows his name. They call him The Collector, and he won't give them long.
Business has been good lately in their tiny nugget of South Central Los Angeles, where a legit man has two choices: landscaping off-the-books for West Side white cash, or sweating through twelve-hour shifts at a factory in Vernon. Garcia does not make his living either way, and Lola is a woman. If she were like the other women at her barbeque, she would spend her work day perched on a padded stool behind a dollar store cash register. But Lola is not like the other women in Huntington Park.
Suddenly: a sharp knock on the front door, probably a cop. Lola goes to answer it. The man standing there is Mexican, not Mexican-American, like everybody else here. Lola searches his face for a bead of sweat but comes up empty. She has never met him, but she knows his name. Everyone in this neighborhood knows his name. They call him The Collector, and he won't give them long.
Paperback
First published March 21, 2017
203 people are currently reading
4534 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Scrivner Love
3 books125 followersMELISSA SCRIVNER LOVE is the Edgar Award-nominated author of Lola. She was born to a police officer father and a court stenographer mother. After earning a master's degree in English literature from New York University, Melissa moved to Los Angeles, where she has lived for over a decade. During that time, she has written for several television shows, among them Life, CSI: Miami, Person of Interest, and Fear the Walking Dead. She and her husband live in Los Angeles with their children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 472 reviews
March 30, 2017
3.5 stars
Triggers: graphic violence, molestation, rape, drug use
The vicious brutality present in Lola makes it, at times, an uncomfortable book to read. Lola is one woman’s tale about coming out from behind the shadows of men and exerting her power in order to survive in her violent, dark, unforgiving world dominated by heinous men, drugs and gangs.
On the outside, Lola appears to be the submissive girlfriend of Garcia, leader of the Crenshaw 6 gang. However, Lola is actually the cold-hearted leader of the small gang. When tasked by the Cartel to take out a rival, Lola knows she is facing an impossible situation and will die if she does not succeed. But, Lola is a survivor--she has survived abuse and her heroin addicted mother, and will do what it takes to survive the Cartel, even if it means stepping out from the shadows.
Lola is a fast-paced, entertaining read. Lola is a character with potential; I would like to see how her character develops and hope that this book is the start of a series.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Triggers: graphic violence, molestation, rape, drug use
The vicious brutality present in Lola makes it, at times, an uncomfortable book to read. Lola is one woman’s tale about coming out from behind the shadows of men and exerting her power in order to survive in her violent, dark, unforgiving world dominated by heinous men, drugs and gangs.
On the outside, Lola appears to be the submissive girlfriend of Garcia, leader of the Crenshaw 6 gang. However, Lola is actually the cold-hearted leader of the small gang. When tasked by the Cartel to take out a rival, Lola knows she is facing an impossible situation and will die if she does not succeed. But, Lola is a survivor--she has survived abuse and her heroin addicted mother, and will do what it takes to survive the Cartel, even if it means stepping out from the shadows.
Lola is a fast-paced, entertaining read. Lola is a character with potential; I would like to see how her character develops and hope that this book is the start of a series.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 27, 2017
Lola by Melissa Scrivner Love is a 2017 Crown Publishing Group publication.
Wow, this book is the definition of gritty crime drama!
Okay, I admit it- I live a pretty sheltered life. As a Texas gal living in a small town, it’s very hard for me to imagine life in South Central or gang warfare.
But, this novel puts me down right into the midst of a turbulent and intense gang war, while giving me a little peek inside the mind of gang members, and the lifestyle that most of us find shocking, but they are immune to. On a daily basis, hour by hour, it seems, they face all manner of obstacles that threaten their safety, quality of life, and well being. The future is never guaranteed, and making through each day alive is a major accomplishment.
Lola allows people to draw the obvious conclusion that the leader of the ‘Crenshaw Six’ is her lover, a man named Garcia. She plays the gang leader’s girlfriend role, knowing her place, baking cookies and keeping herself manicured.
But, in truth, Lola is the leader of the Crenshaw Six, which is how, after a drug intercept/double-cross is planned, she finds her life hanging in the balance- more so than usual.
In part, this is an intense crime story- an action laced, tautly suspenseful, race against time, as Lola scrambles to recover from their bungled caper and return the heroin and find that elusive 2 million dollars in cash. She has to take her lumps for the screw up and has only a week to get the job done or she's toast.
In the meantime, she takes in a young girl named Lucy, she is trying to keep safe from her junkie mother. Lucy's life in reminicent of her own and Lola has a soft spot for her.
But, for me, the most absorbing part of the book is how the author delves into Lola’s psyche, examining the mindset of a hardened gang leader, while also giving the reader a glimpse of Lola’s horrific background, her softer side, her insecurities, doubts, and of course, her fears.
This book pulls no punches, with the requisite gun violence, buckets of blood, and language that will make your ears burn. But, in truth that is pretty standard stuff in modern crime novels. However, this book goes well beyond that, by exposing a horrific display of misogyny, sexual assault, pedophiles, and graphic descriptions of drug use, which really is difficult material to digest no matter how jaded you are.
Lola makes for an interesting character study, and is a woman you would not want to cross under any circumstances. Saying she’s tough is an understatement. But, what struck me, was how smart she could be, how she reasoned and thought things through, even when her instinct was to lash out, and she makes a pretty good amateur investigator. It's just too bad she still seemed caught in an vicious cycle when all those brains and savvy could have served her well in different circumstances.
Besides, Lola, Lucy’s role is the most compelling and the impact she has on Lola, who wants desperately to keep this child from becoming like her, if that is possible. Her presence is perhaps more important than it is being credited with.
The remaining cast of characters are window dressing in some ways, playing out a pre-scripted part,making them predictable, and one-dimensional, but they do carry out their roles admirably, all the same.
In my opinion, Lola is the main focus on this journey and it’s her progress that remains in the forefront and is where the author would like to keep our attention.
The crime drama is very heavy, but the story is also a poignant tale of deliverance. Although Lola has a toneless aura about her at times, and must keep her tenderness locked away, I still found myself rooting for her, caring about her, and worrying on her behalf.
It took me a little while to get through this one. The subject matter is very disturbing, and the mood is often depressing, with a notable weariness to it, as though everyone involved is tired, worn out by life, but will not stop fighting for survival. But, it’s that very spirit that helps them to prevail time and again, and hopefully, eventually, they will triumph, once and for all.
Wow, this book is the definition of gritty crime drama!
Okay, I admit it- I live a pretty sheltered life. As a Texas gal living in a small town, it’s very hard for me to imagine life in South Central or gang warfare.
But, this novel puts me down right into the midst of a turbulent and intense gang war, while giving me a little peek inside the mind of gang members, and the lifestyle that most of us find shocking, but they are immune to. On a daily basis, hour by hour, it seems, they face all manner of obstacles that threaten their safety, quality of life, and well being. The future is never guaranteed, and making through each day alive is a major accomplishment.
Lola allows people to draw the obvious conclusion that the leader of the ‘Crenshaw Six’ is her lover, a man named Garcia. She plays the gang leader’s girlfriend role, knowing her place, baking cookies and keeping herself manicured.
But, in truth, Lola is the leader of the Crenshaw Six, which is how, after a drug intercept/double-cross is planned, she finds her life hanging in the balance- more so than usual.
In part, this is an intense crime story- an action laced, tautly suspenseful, race against time, as Lola scrambles to recover from their bungled caper and return the heroin and find that elusive 2 million dollars in cash. She has to take her lumps for the screw up and has only a week to get the job done or she's toast.
In the meantime, she takes in a young girl named Lucy, she is trying to keep safe from her junkie mother. Lucy's life in reminicent of her own and Lola has a soft spot for her.
But, for me, the most absorbing part of the book is how the author delves into Lola’s psyche, examining the mindset of a hardened gang leader, while also giving the reader a glimpse of Lola’s horrific background, her softer side, her insecurities, doubts, and of course, her fears.
This book pulls no punches, with the requisite gun violence, buckets of blood, and language that will make your ears burn. But, in truth that is pretty standard stuff in modern crime novels. However, this book goes well beyond that, by exposing a horrific display of misogyny, sexual assault, pedophiles, and graphic descriptions of drug use, which really is difficult material to digest no matter how jaded you are.
Lola makes for an interesting character study, and is a woman you would not want to cross under any circumstances. Saying she’s tough is an understatement. But, what struck me, was how smart she could be, how she reasoned and thought things through, even when her instinct was to lash out, and she makes a pretty good amateur investigator. It's just too bad she still seemed caught in an vicious cycle when all those brains and savvy could have served her well in different circumstances.
Besides, Lola, Lucy’s role is the most compelling and the impact she has on Lola, who wants desperately to keep this child from becoming like her, if that is possible. Her presence is perhaps more important than it is being credited with.
The remaining cast of characters are window dressing in some ways, playing out a pre-scripted part,making them predictable, and one-dimensional, but they do carry out their roles admirably, all the same.
In my opinion, Lola is the main focus on this journey and it’s her progress that remains in the forefront and is where the author would like to keep our attention.
The crime drama is very heavy, but the story is also a poignant tale of deliverance. Although Lola has a toneless aura about her at times, and must keep her tenderness locked away, I still found myself rooting for her, caring about her, and worrying on her behalf.
It took me a little while to get through this one. The subject matter is very disturbing, and the mood is often depressing, with a notable weariness to it, as though everyone involved is tired, worn out by life, but will not stop fighting for survival. But, it’s that very spirit that helps them to prevail time and again, and hopefully, eventually, they will triumph, once and for all.
November 9, 2018
Melissa Scrivner Love writes award winning dark and brutally visceral urban crime fiction set in gangland LA and which explores the role of gender in that community. On the surface, it may well be possible to accept the picture of Hispanic Lola as the subservient girlfriend of Garcia, leader of the Crenshaw 6 gang. However, the reality is rather different as it is Lola that is the true leader. Lola's background has been a nightmare of abuse and neglect with a heroin junkie for a mother in a life that has been short on choices. A failed job that involves her younger brother lands Lola in hot water with dangerous repercussions for both the gang and Lola, her life is at stake as she tries to locate a significant amount of drugs and money within a short time period.
The narrative immerses the reader into the harrowing and volatile world of gang warfare, where life expectancy is limited with the grinding daily hazards faced by gang members. We are given fascinating insights into the smart and manipulative Lola's interior life, her fears, her vulnerabilities, the requirement to dampen down her capacity for compassion, her courage and her bravery in a man's world, in short all the factors that have shaped her into the person she is today. Her need to save and protect the likes of young Lucy from the kind of childhood horrors she was subjected to lends her qualities we can admire, given that it is well nigh impossible for Lola to lead a moral life. This is a hard hitting story that takes in murder, cartels, misogyny, paedophilia, sexual abuse, guns, drug addiction, ruthless killers, police corruption, betrayal, rivalries and so much more.
This is a multilayered tense, fast paced and action packed novel that is definitely not for the faint hearted. It is a heartbreaking read that looks at what it takes for a woman to succeed in the cut throat world of gang leaders and the sheer force of Lola's capable personality that commands the men around her, whilst keeping a tight rein on her emotions. I found this book the very definition of a disturbing and unsettling read but I found Lola an extraordinarily compelling and complex anti-heroine. Scrivner Love's writing and dialogue is impressive as she portrays an LA gang world and characters that feel depressingly authentic and terrifying. If you are looking for a different type of crime fiction from the norm, then this might well be what you are looking for. Many thanks to Oneworld Publications for an ARC.
The narrative immerses the reader into the harrowing and volatile world of gang warfare, where life expectancy is limited with the grinding daily hazards faced by gang members. We are given fascinating insights into the smart and manipulative Lola's interior life, her fears, her vulnerabilities, the requirement to dampen down her capacity for compassion, her courage and her bravery in a man's world, in short all the factors that have shaped her into the person she is today. Her need to save and protect the likes of young Lucy from the kind of childhood horrors she was subjected to lends her qualities we can admire, given that it is well nigh impossible for Lola to lead a moral life. This is a hard hitting story that takes in murder, cartels, misogyny, paedophilia, sexual abuse, guns, drug addiction, ruthless killers, police corruption, betrayal, rivalries and so much more.
This is a multilayered tense, fast paced and action packed novel that is definitely not for the faint hearted. It is a heartbreaking read that looks at what it takes for a woman to succeed in the cut throat world of gang leaders and the sheer force of Lola's capable personality that commands the men around her, whilst keeping a tight rein on her emotions. I found this book the very definition of a disturbing and unsettling read but I found Lola an extraordinarily compelling and complex anti-heroine. Scrivner Love's writing and dialogue is impressive as she portrays an LA gang world and characters that feel depressingly authentic and terrifying. If you are looking for a different type of crime fiction from the norm, then this might well be what you are looking for. Many thanks to Oneworld Publications for an ARC.
June 26, 2017
4.5 stars
This book is an interesting thriller. Lola is the leader of "The Crenshaw Six." But everyone outside of the six gang members think that Garcia, the man that she lives with is the leader. She wants it that way, so she can operate under the radar of rival gangs. Then her gang gets an offer from their drug supplier. Their boss wants them to intercept a drug buy and steal both the drugs and the $2 million cash payment. If they succeed, they get 10% of the cash and drugs, plus more territory to sell drugs. But it all goes wrong and now the punishment is that Lola has to die. How Lola manages to survive by playing off two ruthless cartels against each other, amidst corrupt cops and vicious killers is a tense suspense filled story that never lets up.
Some of the players:
Lola, whose mother was and is a heroin addict prostitute.
Maria, Lola's mother, who used to let drug suppliers have sex with Lola when she was a child in return for drugs.
Rosie, a drug addict who lives close to Lola. She has a 5 year old daughter, who she turns over to men in return for drugs.
Garcia, Lola's lover, who tries to support her.
Eldridge, head of one of two cartels
"The fat man" head of the second cartel
Hector, Lola's brother, and a member of the gang.
One quote: "Growing up, she and Hector ate Spam and hot dogs and sugary fruit punch three times a day. They watched their mother shoot up. Lola did things with and to men, so Maria could shoot up."
Thanks to the publisher and LibraryThing for sending me this book.
This book is an interesting thriller. Lola is the leader of "The Crenshaw Six." But everyone outside of the six gang members think that Garcia, the man that she lives with is the leader. She wants it that way, so she can operate under the radar of rival gangs. Then her gang gets an offer from their drug supplier. Their boss wants them to intercept a drug buy and steal both the drugs and the $2 million cash payment. If they succeed, they get 10% of the cash and drugs, plus more territory to sell drugs. But it all goes wrong and now the punishment is that Lola has to die. How Lola manages to survive by playing off two ruthless cartels against each other, amidst corrupt cops and vicious killers is a tense suspense filled story that never lets up.
Some of the players:
Lola, whose mother was and is a heroin addict prostitute.
Maria, Lola's mother, who used to let drug suppliers have sex with Lola when she was a child in return for drugs.
Rosie, a drug addict who lives close to Lola. She has a 5 year old daughter, who she turns over to men in return for drugs.
Garcia, Lola's lover, who tries to support her.
Eldridge, head of one of two cartels
"The fat man" head of the second cartel
Hector, Lola's brother, and a member of the gang.
One quote: "Growing up, she and Hector ate Spam and hot dogs and sugary fruit punch three times a day. They watched their mother shoot up. Lola did things with and to men, so Maria could shoot up."
Thanks to the publisher and LibraryThing for sending me this book.
will-probably-not-finish
May 26, 2017I need to be honest with myself - I will not finish this book. There is nothing particularly wrong with it, it is more that I am the wrong reader perhaps. It isn't really my genre and the writing isn't quite strong enough to make up for it.
This book focusses on a gang getting entangled with the mob and everything just spirals out of control, or more truthfully has always been spiralling out of control. Lola is the focus point here and her character has been compared to Walter White. I don't think I read far enough into the book to really see that connection - but that comparison also was one of the problems for me. Because while I did actually watch all of "Breaking Bad", I did not enjoy that experience and I started disliking Walter way earlier than anybody I have talked to (third or fourth episode) and that made it a very different story for me than for others - my feeling for Lola were similar. I think I was supposed to root for her but I just couldn't because she never felt like a fully fleshed out character.
Another thing that got to me was the constant "telling, not showing" (as an aside: I never really knew what people were getting at with that expression, now I do), I didn't feel like the author trusted me enough to fill in the blanks - and my favourite kind of literature allows me exactly that.
But still, I can see lots of people enjoying this book, so you should all check out somebody else's review to get a better idea if it might be a book for you. Because like I said, this is very much a wrong person for the book/genre thing.
____
I received an arc of this book curtesy of NetGalley and Oneworld Publication in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
This book focusses on a gang getting entangled with the mob and everything just spirals out of control, or more truthfully has always been spiralling out of control. Lola is the focus point here and her character has been compared to Walter White. I don't think I read far enough into the book to really see that connection - but that comparison also was one of the problems for me. Because while I did actually watch all of "Breaking Bad", I did not enjoy that experience and I started disliking Walter way earlier than anybody I have talked to (third or fourth episode) and that made it a very different story for me than for others - my feeling for Lola were similar. I think I was supposed to root for her but I just couldn't because she never felt like a fully fleshed out character.
Another thing that got to me was the constant "telling, not showing" (as an aside: I never really knew what people were getting at with that expression, now I do), I didn't feel like the author trusted me enough to fill in the blanks - and my favourite kind of literature allows me exactly that.
But still, I can see lots of people enjoying this book, so you should all check out somebody else's review to get a better idea if it might be a book for you. Because like I said, this is very much a wrong person for the book/genre thing.
____
I received an arc of this book curtesy of NetGalley and Oneworld Publication in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for that!
April 28, 2024
My introduction to the fiction of Melissa Scrivner Love is Lola. Published in 2017, this should've been in my wheelhouse: the power behind a tightly knit drug ring in South Central L.A. is the twenty-three-year-old Lola, girlfriend to the gang's public-facing leader. There are a lot of thrillers or mysteries about women investigating bad behavior, but a much smaller sub-genre feaaturing women behaving badly: the con artists, killers, or queenpins. Lola proudly belongs in this second class, but its summary prose and plot-heavy story had me skimming through it in a day.
The first major problem with Lola is that Love--a writer on the TV series CSI: Miami and Person of Interest making her debut as a novelist--tags a lot of her dialogue with explanations about what's going on between the ears of her protagonist, translating plot or character development like a sign language interpreter would for the deaf. I don't want to read a summary, I want to experience an author's story through dramatization. Excessive telling also kills any momentum. This is not an enjoyable novel to read.
Love has to know that the A-class of the drug kingpin sub-genre is Breaking Bad and its spinoff, Better Call Saul. The plot machinations her novel lean so heavily on are just not interesting: Lola's gang has been given territory in exchange for servitude to middle management of the Mexican cartel. Considered expendable, they're ordered to take out a rogue distributor and find out who his supplier is, but Lola's kid brother screws up the operation, giving the gang 72 hours to recover the cartel's product or they'll torture Lola to death.
Unlike Don Winslow, Love doesn't possess the punchiness or pathos to tell a compelling story in this milieu. Given that disappointing a drug cartel guarantees many fates worse than death, Lola isn't confronted with enough tests. She isn't forced to make a tough choice. She isn't tasked with developing new skills. I skimmed through to the ending, spoiled by the presence of a number in the title. As readers, we know Lola is in no danger of meeting a tragic end and if she did, the reader isn't given enough reason to care.
First paragraph: Lola stands across the craggy square of backyard she shares with Garcia. He mans the grill, rusted tongs and Corona with lime in hand, making the center of a cluster of men, their biceps bare and beaded with sweat. Crenshaw Six tattoos evident in their standard uniform of wife-beaters and torn cargo pants. If Lola were alone with Garcia, she would take her turn over the smoking meat, too, but as afternoon transform Huntington Park from light to shadow, Lola stays away from the heat. Her place now is at the center of a cluster of women, their necks craning toward any high-pitched squeak that might be gossip, each one standing with a single hip cocked, as if at any second someone might place a sleeping child there for comfort.
Memorable prose: The only people who knock on front doors in this neighborhood are cops who've exchanged their battering rams for bad news.
The first major problem with Lola is that Love--a writer on the TV series CSI: Miami and Person of Interest making her debut as a novelist--tags a lot of her dialogue with explanations about what's going on between the ears of her protagonist, translating plot or character development like a sign language interpreter would for the deaf. I don't want to read a summary, I want to experience an author's story through dramatization. Excessive telling also kills any momentum. This is not an enjoyable novel to read.
Love has to know that the A-class of the drug kingpin sub-genre is Breaking Bad and its spinoff, Better Call Saul. The plot machinations her novel lean so heavily on are just not interesting: Lola's gang has been given territory in exchange for servitude to middle management of the Mexican cartel. Considered expendable, they're ordered to take out a rogue distributor and find out who his supplier is, but Lola's kid brother screws up the operation, giving the gang 72 hours to recover the cartel's product or they'll torture Lola to death.
Unlike Don Winslow, Love doesn't possess the punchiness or pathos to tell a compelling story in this milieu. Given that disappointing a drug cartel guarantees many fates worse than death, Lola isn't confronted with enough tests. She isn't forced to make a tough choice. She isn't tasked with developing new skills. I skimmed through to the ending, spoiled by the presence of a number in the title. As readers, we know Lola is in no danger of meeting a tragic end and if she did, the reader isn't given enough reason to care.
First paragraph: Lola stands across the craggy square of backyard she shares with Garcia. He mans the grill, rusted tongs and Corona with lime in hand, making the center of a cluster of men, their biceps bare and beaded with sweat. Crenshaw Six tattoos evident in their standard uniform of wife-beaters and torn cargo pants. If Lola were alone with Garcia, she would take her turn over the smoking meat, too, but as afternoon transform Huntington Park from light to shadow, Lola stays away from the heat. Her place now is at the center of a cluster of women, their necks craning toward any high-pitched squeak that might be gossip, each one standing with a single hip cocked, as if at any second someone might place a sleeping child there for comfort.
Memorable prose: The only people who knock on front doors in this neighborhood are cops who've exchanged their battering rams for bad news.
May 21, 2021
Find this and other Reviews at In Tori Lex
I don't like to review books I haven't completely read, but I could not continue reading this book past page 113. I never bought into Lola being as smart, manipulative and capable as she was portrayed. I also thought some of the passages didn't mesh well together. There would be a long description about the environment mixed in with little dialogue between main characters, it didn't flow well. Lola was described as brilliant because she pays attention, but not brilliant enough to translate her skills to opening a business or getting money outside of the drug trade.
The following were the reasons I couldn't continue reading this book to completion.
-unable to suspend disbelief
-protagonist not likeable
-bad transitions
-not enough character development
-info dumps that led to no-where
-picks up rogue kid she identifies with but is ambivalent about actually helping her
It may have been that the author wasn't familiar enough or clear enough about the story she wanted to tell, but this urban violent fiction was not compelling or interesting. Save your self some time and skip this title.
I don't like to review books I haven't completely read, but I could not continue reading this book past page 113. I never bought into Lola being as smart, manipulative and capable as she was portrayed. I also thought some of the passages didn't mesh well together. There would be a long description about the environment mixed in with little dialogue between main characters, it didn't flow well. Lola was described as brilliant because she pays attention, but not brilliant enough to translate her skills to opening a business or getting money outside of the drug trade.
"All people everywhere, rich or poor, skinny or fat, are animals. Looking for a fight. Looking to turn everyone else against the weakest."
The following were the reasons I couldn't continue reading this book to completion.
-unable to suspend disbelief
-protagonist not likeable
-bad transitions
-not enough character development
-info dumps that led to no-where
-picks up rogue kid she identifies with but is ambivalent about actually helping her
It may have been that the author wasn't familiar enough or clear enough about the story she wanted to tell, but this urban violent fiction was not compelling or interesting. Save your self some time and skip this title.
February 10, 2017
I received this from Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions are my own :)
----
This was something that I normally wouldn't have picked up on my own (thanks again, GR and my book-enabler friends ;-P ) but was intrigued by after Edward (actually had forgotten I'd read his review before haha, whoops) and Nenia both reviewed it.
(Click on their names to read their reviews... both are excellent)
*****
I LOVED Lola! She's a complex, strong, cunning, interesting character... not a perfect person and maybe not necessarily a good one but all that combined made for a fascinating read for me.
She has her moments when she gets scared but she doesn't curl into the fetal position and give up, she fights/schemes how best she can.
Lola's childhood was screwed up, and still haunts her but she soldiers on, taking care of her brother and leading her gang from the shadows (for now).
When Lucy entered the picture, my heart broke for this little girl at all she had been through and I wanted to drop kick that so-called mother of hers *glares* When what happened to her happened, I did not shed a tear.
It was refreshing and a beautiful thing to watch Lola do her thing and come into her own power more and more. I found myself wanting to read slower to savor every morsel but also wanting to hurry and see if she could pull herself out of this whole mess in one piece.
A couple of things were surprising to me but in hindsight, the clues were subtly put there... elegantly done, you go in thinking you have everything figured out before Lola does or along with her and then... "Oh."
The ending is done well and wraps things up nicely while still leaving possibilities open of sorts for our "anti hero" (right term?). I wouldn't seeing more of Lola and the gang:-D
Hint Hint Miss Love? *sad eyes*
Will definitely be reading more from this author and would recommend this, happy reading!
*Is now thinking of everyone she can 'convince' to read the book :)*
----
This was something that I normally wouldn't have picked up on my own (thanks again, GR and my book-enabler friends ;-P ) but was intrigued by after Edward (actually had forgotten I'd read his review before haha, whoops) and Nenia both reviewed it.
(Click on their names to read their reviews... both are excellent)
*****
I LOVED Lola! She's a complex, strong, cunning, interesting character... not a perfect person and maybe not necessarily a good one but all that combined made for a fascinating read for me.
She has her moments when she gets scared but she doesn't curl into the fetal position and give up, she fights/schemes how best she can.
Lola's childhood was screwed up, and still haunts her but she soldiers on, taking care of her brother and leading her gang from the shadows (for now).
When Lucy entered the picture, my heart broke for this little girl at all she had been through and I wanted to drop kick that so-called mother of hers *glares* When what happened to her happened, I did not shed a tear.
It was refreshing and a beautiful thing to watch Lola do her thing and come into her own power more and more. I found myself wanting to read slower to savor every morsel but also wanting to hurry and see if she could pull herself out of this whole mess in one piece.
A couple of things were surprising to me but in hindsight, the clues were subtly put there... elegantly done, you go in thinking you have everything figured out before Lola does or along with her and then... "Oh."
The ending is done well and wraps things up nicely while still leaving possibilities open of sorts for our "anti hero" (right term?). I wouldn't seeing more of Lola and the gang:-D
Hint Hint Miss Love? *sad eyes*
Will definitely be reading more from this author and would recommend this, happy reading!
*Is now thinking of everyone she can 'convince' to read the book :)*
April 11, 2017
Lola is exactly what a story about a Hispanic gang in LA and a Mexican drug cartel would be if written by a white woman with an MA English.
November 15, 2018
I picked this book in a spur of a moment, I liked the cover and the title and the synopsis was intriguing. I loved the idea of a badass heroine who is the mastermind behind a drug gang operations and the theme of the book reminded me of Martina Cole. Unfortunately, Lola didn't work for me. The writing style is quite poor. I agree with another reviewer who wrote that the book reads like a television drama. It actually feels to me as if there was a TV show first and the book was written only after, trying to describe what happened on screen. While this might appeal to some readers, it didn't to me.
The only strength of the novel is in the idea of the female anti-heroine, but even her character fell flat for me, there just wasn't enough character development. Sadly, I didn't connect with any of the other characters either, they are only briefly introduced and I had some troubles keeping track of who was who. The plot is average, it didn't grip me like I hoped. I am going to DNF this (@41%), which I rarely do and hate doing, but I can't make myself push through.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
The only strength of the novel is in the idea of the female anti-heroine, but even her character fell flat for me, there just wasn't enough character development. Sadly, I didn't connect with any of the other characters either, they are only briefly introduced and I had some troubles keeping track of who was who. The plot is average, it didn't grip me like I hoped. I am going to DNF this (@41%), which I rarely do and hate doing, but I can't make myself push through.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2016
Lola, by Melissa love, is the kind of book that you find yourself thinking about when you should be concentrating on other things.
This is an epic tale of one woman’s rise to power in South LA gang territory. People know Lola as the girlfriend of the leader of the Crenshaw Six - a gang that controls a small area of South LA. What they don’t know is that Lola isn’t just the girlfriend – she’s the actual leader of the gang – and everything that happens only happens on her say. When the Crenshaw Six is asked to assist a cartel in a dangerous job, it’s death or glory for Lola and the people she cares about.
Lola herself is an amazing character. At first, you think she’s stone cold. She can put a bullet between your eyes simply because it’s necessary and not think twice about it. But despite her practicality, she’s also fiercely loving. And she’ll do anything at all to protect a young girl from being used and abused.
I’ll admit that I had a few struggles believing that, given the gang cultural aspects, the men in the book would have accepted Lola as their superior. While Lola was a force to be reckoned with, I didn’t really expect so many of the men to simply bow to her. But that notwithstanding, I loved her character and her story and that didn’t impact my rating at all.
Highly entertaining story and unusually compelling main character!
• ARC Provided via Net Galley
This is an epic tale of one woman’s rise to power in South LA gang territory. People know Lola as the girlfriend of the leader of the Crenshaw Six - a gang that controls a small area of South LA. What they don’t know is that Lola isn’t just the girlfriend – she’s the actual leader of the gang – and everything that happens only happens on her say. When the Crenshaw Six is asked to assist a cartel in a dangerous job, it’s death or glory for Lola and the people she cares about.
Lola herself is an amazing character. At first, you think she’s stone cold. She can put a bullet between your eyes simply because it’s necessary and not think twice about it. But despite her practicality, she’s also fiercely loving. And she’ll do anything at all to protect a young girl from being used and abused.
I’ll admit that I had a few struggles believing that, given the gang cultural aspects, the men in the book would have accepted Lola as their superior. While Lola was a force to be reckoned with, I didn’t really expect so many of the men to simply bow to her. But that notwithstanding, I loved her character and her story and that didn’t impact my rating at all.
Highly entertaining story and unusually compelling main character!
• ARC Provided via Net Galley
May 23, 2017
2.5 stars
Although I was captivated by the first few chapters, my interest quickly lost its intensity as everything unfolded. The prose was decent, but I believe LOLA would have agreed with me more if it wasn't written in third person. Too much information from a distance... I wish I could have gotten in close, instead of just feeling like a fly on the wall.
There were elements that attracted me to this right away: corruption, drug trade/cartel, dirty people of authority. And I can't deny I have a soft spot for novels that take place in L.A. For the most part I wasn't let down too much; the book brought what I expected. But I had a hard time dealing with Lola herself- for a female leader she does exactly what the men do (one could argue she in fact does more), but it was just boring & fell flat. I do think a large part of this was because of Love's chosen POV. I didn't connect with anyone as much as I'd hoped & maybe that was the point? In any case, (from my perspective) if I'm indifferent towards the characters, if they're just interchangeable to me, it hinders my enjoyment no matter how corrupt you make your book.
I did appreciate the Lola/Lucy aspect, but to be honest it did feel a bit clichéd. A woman caring for a child because she doesn't want to see her go down the same road she did? It was nice, but predictable. In retrospect, a lot of the situations in here are predictable, but I was still eager to see what would happen to Lola. Which leads to the ending- a bit of a cliffhanger; I wouldn't be surprised if a sequel is conceived. Overall, just an okay read. Had some redeeming points, but not really worth it to stick around.
I do think Love can write, regardless of my opinion of choosing the wrong POV for this type of story. I would consider reading another one of her works. However I will say that it was hard to remember where Lola was at some points in the book- this novel is written like it's by someone who has an English M.A.; it seeps through every page. I don't want to say authors should "stay in their own lane", because stepping outside the box is the only way to learn, but I did have to stop multiple times because the dialogue/descriptions didn't always seem to match up. It's noticeable & something to play close attention to.
Although I was captivated by the first few chapters, my interest quickly lost its intensity as everything unfolded. The prose was decent, but I believe LOLA would have agreed with me more if it wasn't written in third person. Too much information from a distance... I wish I could have gotten in close, instead of just feeling like a fly on the wall.
There were elements that attracted me to this right away: corruption, drug trade/cartel, dirty people of authority. And I can't deny I have a soft spot for novels that take place in L.A. For the most part I wasn't let down too much; the book brought what I expected. But I had a hard time dealing with Lola herself- for a female leader she does exactly what the men do (one could argue she in fact does more), but it was just boring & fell flat. I do think a large part of this was because of Love's chosen POV. I didn't connect with anyone as much as I'd hoped & maybe that was the point? In any case, (from my perspective) if I'm indifferent towards the characters, if they're just interchangeable to me, it hinders my enjoyment no matter how corrupt you make your book.
I did appreciate the Lola/Lucy aspect, but to be honest it did feel a bit clichéd. A woman caring for a child because she doesn't want to see her go down the same road she did? It was nice, but predictable. In retrospect, a lot of the situations in here are predictable, but I was still eager to see what would happen to Lola. Which leads to the ending- a bit of a cliffhanger; I wouldn't be surprised if a sequel is conceived. Overall, just an okay read. Had some redeeming points, but not really worth it to stick around.
I do think Love can write, regardless of my opinion of choosing the wrong POV for this type of story. I would consider reading another one of her works. However I will say that it was hard to remember where Lola was at some points in the book- this novel is written like it's by someone who has an English M.A.; it seeps through every page. I don't want to say authors should "stay in their own lane", because stepping outside the box is the only way to learn, but I did have to stop multiple times because the dialogue/descriptions didn't always seem to match up. It's noticeable & something to play close attention to.
March 24, 2017
I've been in a weird state lately — at least, when it comes to reading. Nothing really thrills me anymore; I haven't felt moved by a new (new to me, anyway) novel or story in a while . . . at least a month or longer. As much as I read, that feels like quite a time. This isn't new. This happens to me, without fail, every spring. I don't know why; I just tend to get more enjoyable reading done in the fall and winter months than the spring and summer months.
I think of it as "reader's boredom," and unfortunately, I started Lola just as the boredom kicked in.
That isn't to say my reader's boredom isn't the entire reason my 3-star rating. It isn't. This book is not without its flaws: its lack of medical research, the unsatisfactory ending, et cetera . . . but it is highly readable. Once I hit the 40% mark or so, I really didn't want to put this novel down. But once I did put it down, I didn't want to pick it back up. Huh. Weird.
This tale of a gang leader and drug distribution (said leader/distributor being the titular Lola) trying to gain prominence on her streets is an arresting tale. I've seen this book compared to Breaking Bad, and yeah, I can dig on that. Fans of that series would do well to check this title out, though it doesn't come close to the heights of that television show. Still, it reminds the reader of that show's more intense, high-wire moments; the electric pace and crackle of danger and ordinary people doing the best they can under less-than-best circumstances.
I dunno. This was a weird experience for me. I just feel a little 'meh' toward this novel, but I am willing to reread it in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC, which was given in exchange for an honest review.
I think of it as "reader's boredom," and unfortunately, I started Lola just as the boredom kicked in.
That isn't to say my reader's boredom isn't the entire reason my 3-star rating. It isn't. This book is not without its flaws: its lack of medical research, the unsatisfactory ending, et cetera . . . but it is highly readable. Once I hit the 40% mark or so, I really didn't want to put this novel down. But once I did put it down, I didn't want to pick it back up. Huh. Weird.
This tale of a gang leader and drug distribution (said leader/distributor being the titular Lola) trying to gain prominence on her streets is an arresting tale. I've seen this book compared to Breaking Bad, and yeah, I can dig on that. Fans of that series would do well to check this title out, though it doesn't come close to the heights of that television show. Still, it reminds the reader of that show's more intense, high-wire moments; the electric pace and crackle of danger and ordinary people doing the best they can under less-than-best circumstances.
I dunno. This was a weird experience for me. I just feel a little 'meh' toward this novel, but I am willing to reread it in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC, which was given in exchange for an honest review.
March 11, 2017
4 "Who's the Boss?" Stars.
Warning: As I read a lot of romance titles, I think it's important to note from the start that this is not a romance title--it's a general fiction/thriller title....
Proving that society's prejudices are not solely reserved for women in typical professional careers that experience glass ceilings, Lola explores a side of society that most of its readers have likely never seen or perhaps even wondered about: women's roles and influence in street gangs in LA.
In particular this book explores how a woman leader (Lola) can fly under the radar even after being the one calling the shots of a smaller gang (the "Crenshaw Six") that controls the distribution of drugs in six corners of Huntington Park (a predominantly Mexican-American, lower socioeconomic suburb of Los Angeles) for years. The other members of the gang, include Lola's little brother (who she views more as a mother would a child given she practically raised him due to their drug-addicted mother's neglect), her boyfriend (Garcia--who everyone incorrectly assumes is the true leader of the gang), and two other more secondary level characters (Marcos and Jorge).
As the gang toes the line between being small and insignificant to growing larger and gaining the attention of the Mexican Cartel (previously they were small enough that their drug pipeline had come from interactions with middle men), times and the level of danger the Crenshaw Six attract is changing for the gang. In particular things come to a head when the Cartel recruits Lola's gang for a drug distribution deal gone wrong. As Lola finds herself racing the clock to locate the cash/drugs gone missing, she finds her gang and her life on the line. To outsmart the various factions with some skin in the game, including the Cartel, a high-level, white distributor, the nearby African American drug dealing gang, a dirty cop, and a district attorney with questionable motivations, she must be at the top of her game and prove that you should never underestimate a smart and ruthless woman. But will she be triumphant in the end and who in this laundry list of people is she best served aligning herself with?
One of the things I enjoyed about this crime thriller is the multi-dimensional nature of the story. A secondary story line overarching the suspense arc, is Lola's seeming weakness for "children"--an admittedly feminine trait. Though she has no children of her own, Lola keeps finding herself protecting other children that she informally adopts. First we see her constantly wavering between wanting to protect her little brother but also needing to lead by example and therefore having to punish him for his various mistakes. Additionally, Lola although a drug-dealer and a killer is not heartless. Perhaps the strongest showing of her humanity and compassion is a little girl who she takes under her wing. Seeing that the five year old's mother had been using and allowing the abuse of her own daughter to support her habit, Lola takes justice into her own hands and determines to raise the child herself. But perhaps a mother's most vulnerable weakness is her unwavering need to protect her children above all else. Will Lola's desire to protect her bother and the little girl end up being the Achilles heal that finally leads to her and the Crenshaw Six's downfall?
What a fantastic debut novel by Melissa Scrivner Love. I loved the fresh perspective and focus, and the story kept me engage and intrigued throughout. I can't wait to read more by Ms. Love who has showed great promise with this novel.
Source: Review copy provided for review purposes.
Warning: As I read a lot of romance titles, I think it's important to note from the start that this is not a romance title--it's a general fiction/thriller title....
Proving that society's prejudices are not solely reserved for women in typical professional careers that experience glass ceilings, Lola explores a side of society that most of its readers have likely never seen or perhaps even wondered about: women's roles and influence in street gangs in LA.
In particular this book explores how a woman leader (Lola) can fly under the radar even after being the one calling the shots of a smaller gang (the "Crenshaw Six") that controls the distribution of drugs in six corners of Huntington Park (a predominantly Mexican-American, lower socioeconomic suburb of Los Angeles) for years. The other members of the gang, include Lola's little brother (who she views more as a mother would a child given she practically raised him due to their drug-addicted mother's neglect), her boyfriend (Garcia--who everyone incorrectly assumes is the true leader of the gang), and two other more secondary level characters (Marcos and Jorge).
As the gang toes the line between being small and insignificant to growing larger and gaining the attention of the Mexican Cartel (previously they were small enough that their drug pipeline had come from interactions with middle men), times and the level of danger the Crenshaw Six attract is changing for the gang. In particular things come to a head when the Cartel recruits Lola's gang for a drug distribution deal gone wrong. As Lola finds herself racing the clock to locate the cash/drugs gone missing, she finds her gang and her life on the line. To outsmart the various factions with some skin in the game, including the Cartel, a high-level, white distributor, the nearby African American drug dealing gang, a dirty cop, and a district attorney with questionable motivations, she must be at the top of her game and prove that you should never underestimate a smart and ruthless woman. But will she be triumphant in the end and who in this laundry list of people is she best served aligning herself with?
One of the things I enjoyed about this crime thriller is the multi-dimensional nature of the story. A secondary story line overarching the suspense arc, is Lola's seeming weakness for "children"--an admittedly feminine trait. Though she has no children of her own, Lola keeps finding herself protecting other children that she informally adopts. First we see her constantly wavering between wanting to protect her little brother but also needing to lead by example and therefore having to punish him for his various mistakes. Additionally, Lola although a drug-dealer and a killer is not heartless. Perhaps the strongest showing of her humanity and compassion is a little girl who she takes under her wing. Seeing that the five year old's mother had been using and allowing the abuse of her own daughter to support her habit, Lola takes justice into her own hands and determines to raise the child herself. But perhaps a mother's most vulnerable weakness is her unwavering need to protect her children above all else. Will Lola's desire to protect her bother and the little girl end up being the Achilles heal that finally leads to her and the Crenshaw Six's downfall?
What a fantastic debut novel by Melissa Scrivner Love. I loved the fresh perspective and focus, and the story kept me engage and intrigued throughout. I can't wait to read more by Ms. Love who has showed great promise with this novel.
Source: Review copy provided for review purposes.
April 29, 2017
Lola is the leader of the Crenshaw Six, a female living in a male dominated world. She leads from the shadow’s and is considered Garcia’s girl by all who know her. But she is so much more. Little by little she emerges as the strong leader that she has always been. Lola is ruthless and cunning in the face of adversity. Never backing down on a job that needs done or punishment that needs handed out. Drugs, money, weapons and betrayal are at the heart of Lola’s domain. Her strength is her only hope in surviving another day.
Lola by Melissa Scrivner Love is a hard book to read. We come face to face with children living with drug addicted parents, child abuse, neglect and joining gangs as lookouts at young ages. The violence that occurs in this book is heartbreaking. I am not naive to think this is not happening in America or the world; I just don’t like it. It is certainly an eye opener to the world of gangs and drugs that you will not be able to forget for a long time.
Thanks you to Crown Publishing and Penguin Random House's First To Read program for providing me with an advance galley in return for this review.
Lola by Melissa Scrivner Love is a hard book to read. We come face to face with children living with drug addicted parents, child abuse, neglect and joining gangs as lookouts at young ages. The violence that occurs in this book is heartbreaking. I am not naive to think this is not happening in America or the world; I just don’t like it. It is certainly an eye opener to the world of gangs and drugs that you will not be able to forget for a long time.
Thanks you to Crown Publishing and Penguin Random House's First To Read program for providing me with an advance galley in return for this review.
December 24, 2016
I just finished reading Lola by Melissa Scrivner Love and it wasn't a book or an author that I was at all familiar with so I basically had no preconceived expectations for this book and honestly, I think I prefer it that way because I really get to read a book with an open mind and form my own opinions when there are no outside influences to factor in. I basically was just drawn to the cover, read the synopsis and found that to be intriguing and decided to give this book ago. I guess it's not surprising that I hadn't heard of this book or author considering the book doesn't officially come out until March and this is Love's debut novel. I'm always excited to read an author's first time publication, especially if it turns out to be enjoyable (obviously!) and this particular book didn't disappoint.
This was completely unlike anything else I've read in a very long time in terms of characters and setting and plot. Although, several years back I went through a phase where I read a lot of, what my friends and I referred to as, "hood books", although I'm sure there's a more pc term for them...urban fiction perhaps? Books like The Cartel(series) and The Prada Plan by Ashley Antoinette and JaQuavis Coleman where the characters are usually African American or Hispanic and usually involved in a profession that is not widely accepted by society (not to mention illegal) like selling drugs, gang banging, Pimpin' hoes, to name a few. These books always take place in inner city, high crime areas and often the main characters will start out in the ghetto and work their way up to a very lucrative, albeit illegal, career affording them fancy homes and fast cars in gated communities, or the end up dead or in jail. Very predictable outcome but I found them entertaining, almost like a soap opera would be where you don't take it seriously, you don't admit to enjoying it but sometimes when no ones looking you can't help but indulge in the guilty (shameful) pleasure. They were also very quick, easy reads and I could read one from cover to cover in one setting and again, we're not talking about intellectually stimulating literature by any stretch, just trashy, fun entertainment. I found that Lola reminded me a lot of those types of books although it was on a much higher literary level, much better written with much more depth and overall content then the typical "hood book" but the tone and the theme along with the characters and the setting was very urban and very street.
Lola is about a 20 something Hispanic woman, born and raised in South Central Las Angeles who learned from a very young age how to fend for, and protect, herself. Her mother is a heroin addict who would pimp Lola out to drug dealers for a fix and as a teenager Lola caught her mother offering her seven year old brother, Hector, heroin to try for himself. That was the last straw for Lola and she moved herself, and Hector, in with her gangster boyfriend who is the leader of a local street gang that called themselves "The Crenshaw 6". It doesn't take long before Lola earns the respect of the gang members and eventually they come to accept her as their leader although, as far as anyone else knows that title belongs to her boyfriend because as a woman she doesn't have the street credibility or the respect that she would have were she a man.
As the story progresses The Crenshaw 6 and Lola find themselves in conflict with rival gangs, law enforcement, a district attorney, a white drug dealer, and their own family members to name only a few, so there isn't a lack of difficult decisions that could easily mean the death of Lola or those closest to her if she makes the wrong choice of an ally vs. adversary. There is also a five year old girl, Lucy, who is introduced into Lola's life when she runs away from home because she was being abused by her drug addicted mother's boyfriend so Lola takes her in. I loved reading about her relationship with Lola and I think she added a cute dynamic to the story and brought out the softer side of Lola. As did Valentine, the pit bull she rescued from a dog fighting situation and now treats her just like she's Lola's own child which absolutely makes me melt! I am the biggest softie ever for animals, especially dogs, so I loved reading about Lola's and little Lucy's interactions with Valentine.
I think this book stayed very true to its setting and characters and Love did a great job painting a realistic picture of a lifestyle that is so foreign to me while making it believable and in the same time empowering the lead female character who was stuck in a man's world with all its limitations but still found away to overcome the odds and be the head bitch in charge! I loved the way Lola lived what society would call a "bad" life doing "bad" things (like murder and selling drugs) but I was still able to perceive her as a morally good person who was a product of her environment trying to do the best she could with the hand she'd been and never once did she complain or appear to feel sorry for herself. I found Lola to be a very strong, likable character and I enjoyed reading about her struggles and triumphs and gained a great deal of appreciation for her courage and strength. I can't imagine what it would be like to be born into a life predisposed to so many awful things with so much stacked against you at no fault of your own but that was the reality that Love illustrates throughout this novel and, considering the circumstances, I think Lola was pretty remarkable despite her flaws and imperfections. I'll be looking forward to reading more work by Melissa Scrivner Love in the future. I'm rating Lola with four out of five stars and this is a book I would definitely recommend to anyone.
I received an advanced reading copy of "Lola" from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This was completely unlike anything else I've read in a very long time in terms of characters and setting and plot. Although, several years back I went through a phase where I read a lot of, what my friends and I referred to as, "hood books", although I'm sure there's a more pc term for them...urban fiction perhaps? Books like The Cartel(series) and The Prada Plan by Ashley Antoinette and JaQuavis Coleman where the characters are usually African American or Hispanic and usually involved in a profession that is not widely accepted by society (not to mention illegal) like selling drugs, gang banging, Pimpin' hoes, to name a few. These books always take place in inner city, high crime areas and often the main characters will start out in the ghetto and work their way up to a very lucrative, albeit illegal, career affording them fancy homes and fast cars in gated communities, or the end up dead or in jail. Very predictable outcome but I found them entertaining, almost like a soap opera would be where you don't take it seriously, you don't admit to enjoying it but sometimes when no ones looking you can't help but indulge in the guilty (shameful) pleasure. They were also very quick, easy reads and I could read one from cover to cover in one setting and again, we're not talking about intellectually stimulating literature by any stretch, just trashy, fun entertainment. I found that Lola reminded me a lot of those types of books although it was on a much higher literary level, much better written with much more depth and overall content then the typical "hood book" but the tone and the theme along with the characters and the setting was very urban and very street.
Lola is about a 20 something Hispanic woman, born and raised in South Central Las Angeles who learned from a very young age how to fend for, and protect, herself. Her mother is a heroin addict who would pimp Lola out to drug dealers for a fix and as a teenager Lola caught her mother offering her seven year old brother, Hector, heroin to try for himself. That was the last straw for Lola and she moved herself, and Hector, in with her gangster boyfriend who is the leader of a local street gang that called themselves "The Crenshaw 6". It doesn't take long before Lola earns the respect of the gang members and eventually they come to accept her as their leader although, as far as anyone else knows that title belongs to her boyfriend because as a woman she doesn't have the street credibility or the respect that she would have were she a man.
As the story progresses The Crenshaw 6 and Lola find themselves in conflict with rival gangs, law enforcement, a district attorney, a white drug dealer, and their own family members to name only a few, so there isn't a lack of difficult decisions that could easily mean the death of Lola or those closest to her if she makes the wrong choice of an ally vs. adversary. There is also a five year old girl, Lucy, who is introduced into Lola's life when she runs away from home because she was being abused by her drug addicted mother's boyfriend so Lola takes her in. I loved reading about her relationship with Lola and I think she added a cute dynamic to the story and brought out the softer side of Lola. As did Valentine, the pit bull she rescued from a dog fighting situation and now treats her just like she's Lola's own child which absolutely makes me melt! I am the biggest softie ever for animals, especially dogs, so I loved reading about Lola's and little Lucy's interactions with Valentine.
I think this book stayed very true to its setting and characters and Love did a great job painting a realistic picture of a lifestyle that is so foreign to me while making it believable and in the same time empowering the lead female character who was stuck in a man's world with all its limitations but still found away to overcome the odds and be the head bitch in charge! I loved the way Lola lived what society would call a "bad" life doing "bad" things (like murder and selling drugs) but I was still able to perceive her as a morally good person who was a product of her environment trying to do the best she could with the hand she'd been and never once did she complain or appear to feel sorry for herself. I found Lola to be a very strong, likable character and I enjoyed reading about her struggles and triumphs and gained a great deal of appreciation for her courage and strength. I can't imagine what it would be like to be born into a life predisposed to so many awful things with so much stacked against you at no fault of your own but that was the reality that Love illustrates throughout this novel and, considering the circumstances, I think Lola was pretty remarkable despite her flaws and imperfections. I'll be looking forward to reading more work by Melissa Scrivner Love in the future. I'm rating Lola with four out of five stars and this is a book I would definitely recommend to anyone.
I received an advanced reading copy of "Lola" from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
February 17, 2017
I received this as an ARC from Penguin. This is one of those stories that sticks with you. You want to make sure the characters get out of the sticky situations they are in. I kept hoping that Lola, the main character would make it through.
She had to make the best of the situation she was thrown into.
Many terrible things happen in the underbelly of big cities and there is plenty of "collateral damage" associated with it. But mostly remember that looks can be deceiving.
Ms. Love is a new writer that I hope to read more of in the future. Try and find this book when it comes out.
She had to make the best of the situation she was thrown into.
Many terrible things happen in the underbelly of big cities and there is plenty of "collateral damage" associated with it. But mostly remember that looks can be deceiving.
Ms. Love is a new writer that I hope to read more of in the future. Try and find this book when it comes out.
March 20, 2017
Lola, the debut by Melissa Scrivner Love, is not a novel that I would have picked out on my own. I am not usually drawn to books with cartels or gangs, but I am glad I took a chance on this one. It actually ended up being a pretty entertaining read.
The novel follows a gang, the Crenshaw Six, which operates in South Central. Seemingly at the head, a young man named Garcia leads the Crenshaw Six through their deals with drug cartels and other gangs. However, underneath it all and at the crux of the gang is its true leader, Lola.
In all honestly, the character of Lola made this book for me, I believe that if any other character had been central, I probably wouldn’t have made it past the first five chapters. She is strong willed and, frankly, kind of scary. She definitely plays with the big boys and isn’t afraid to make sacrifices for the good of those around her. I love Love just shattered gender stereotypes with this character, especially in her build up and the introduction of Lola. This was literary brilliance.
My one complaint was the amount of characters. There were so many main characters and secondary characters; I found myself getting mixed up and confusing their relationships. I had to go back several times to read and reread. I think it almost would have been helpful to have some sort of gang “family tree” to show who everyone was and how everyone fit together. This amount of confusion made parts of the novel drag on.
That being said, I applaud Love at her ability in creating a character such as Lola and I feel that this one screams to be turned into a television show. It was sort of the perfect blend of Sons of Anarchy and Narcos.
I gave it 3.5/5 stars.
The novel follows a gang, the Crenshaw Six, which operates in South Central. Seemingly at the head, a young man named Garcia leads the Crenshaw Six through their deals with drug cartels and other gangs. However, underneath it all and at the crux of the gang is its true leader, Lola.
In all honestly, the character of Lola made this book for me, I believe that if any other character had been central, I probably wouldn’t have made it past the first five chapters. She is strong willed and, frankly, kind of scary. She definitely plays with the big boys and isn’t afraid to make sacrifices for the good of those around her. I love Love just shattered gender stereotypes with this character, especially in her build up and the introduction of Lola. This was literary brilliance.
My one complaint was the amount of characters. There were so many main characters and secondary characters; I found myself getting mixed up and confusing their relationships. I had to go back several times to read and reread. I think it almost would have been helpful to have some sort of gang “family tree” to show who everyone was and how everyone fit together. This amount of confusion made parts of the novel drag on.
That being said, I applaud Love at her ability in creating a character such as Lola and I feel that this one screams to be turned into a television show. It was sort of the perfect blend of Sons of Anarchy and Narcos.
I gave it 3.5/5 stars.
February 5, 2017
I could see potential in this book but it moved way too slowly for me to get to that potential. I got as far as chapter fourteen and was left still wondering when the story was really going to pick up. The author did a good job of describing the people and the vibe. What was lacking however is a strong connection to the characters or anything intriguing happening in these fourteen chapters. It was just a lot of talking. Which after a while, I found myself tuning it out. At this point Lola had not even shown how or why she was the boss or the one to be feared. She was portrayed as a quiet person. Her true nature had not come out yet. If you are willing to stick with this book, you may get farther than me. I am sure Lola is a force to be reckoned with.
April 13, 2017
One of the best debuts I've read. Outstanding.
March 31, 2018
Agh. I really wanted to love this. But I just couldn't. I had tried getting into it so many times, but it's really just not my genre. I have to admit that I skimmed a lot. There were a lot of characters, and I didn't really feel connected to any of them. But I did like Lucy, and I liked her story. Overall, though, just not my thing.
April 2, 2017
This is one of those novels that is hard to review because to reveal too much would be to provide spoilers.
The novel centers around a woman named Lola and involves a local gang, violent drug dealers and the an ever encroaching merciless Mexican drug cartel. Lola is a highly intelligent and tough young woman, formed and haunted by her terrible upbringing, which involved being raised by a drug addicted mother. Her character has not been created in the Superman manner so many writers tend to create, which removes skepticism from the plot within the novel.
In the novel, Lola is forced to partake in a drug transaction-rip off which causes her to become intertwined in a byzantine game of cat and mouse with other dangerous characters when things go awry and continue to spin out of control at almost every turn.
Of course, with the subject manner, the novel is violent, but without gratuitous or unbelievable portrayals.
First time novelist Melissa Scrivner Love has created interesting, believable characters and has placed them in an interesting story.
Highly recommended.
The novel centers around a woman named Lola and involves a local gang, violent drug dealers and the an ever encroaching merciless Mexican drug cartel. Lola is a highly intelligent and tough young woman, formed and haunted by her terrible upbringing, which involved being raised by a drug addicted mother. Her character has not been created in the Superman manner so many writers tend to create, which removes skepticism from the plot within the novel.
In the novel, Lola is forced to partake in a drug transaction-rip off which causes her to become intertwined in a byzantine game of cat and mouse with other dangerous characters when things go awry and continue to spin out of control at almost every turn.
Of course, with the subject manner, the novel is violent, but without gratuitous or unbelievable portrayals.
First time novelist Melissa Scrivner Love has created interesting, believable characters and has placed them in an interesting story.
Highly recommended.
April 10, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I thought the female characters were well written,the story moved well.
I did have some issues with the book that keeps it from being a 5 star read. Discussing said issues may contain spoilers so I shall keep them to myself.
If you enjoyed "Queen of the South",you will enjoy this book.
I did have some issues with the book that keeps it from being a 5 star read. Discussing said issues may contain spoilers so I shall keep them to myself.
If you enjoyed "Queen of the South",you will enjoy this book.
did-not-finish
November 1, 2018I read about 100 pages of this book and I just can't do it to myself anymore. I don't really care about characters. The plot is not good enough and honestly the writing style is weird/extra/pretentious. So this book is going to The DNF Zone for now but maybe one day I give it a second chance.
P.s: I am also really irritated by the repetition of the main character's name!! Lola picked it up. Lola knew. Lola is the leader. Lola must do this. Uhhh this so annoying. WE ALREADY KNOW HER NAME JUST USE THE DAMN PRONOUN!!!!
P.s: I am also really irritated by the repetition of the main character's name!! Lola picked it up. Lola knew. Lola is the leader. Lola must do this. Uhhh this so annoying. WE ALREADY KNOW HER NAME JUST USE THE DAMN PRONOUN!!!!
March 26, 2017
Events and actions were predictable. Nothing was surprising. I had a hard time staying interested.
This book feels like a description – not a story. It tells what life is like for the leader of a small Hispanic gang in LA. Sometimes the leader must kill people. Sometimes the leader must punish followers. The gang leader in this story happens to be Lola, a 20-something woman. She does the same things a man would do as a gang leader.
This book was missing things that make a good story: interesting and surprising events to move the plot, interesting relationship development among characters. It was missing engaging characters I wanted to read about. It just plods along. I was bored.
I bought this because the marketing blurb said it is “an astonishing crime thriller about an unforgettable woman who combines the genius and ferocity of Lisbeth Salander...”
My opinion: No, Lola is not like Lisbeth Salander. The backstory says Lola’s drug addicted mother pimped Lola (providing sex to men) as a way to get drugs. That was briefly mentioned, vaguely referred to, with no details or dialogue. It did not have the punch of Lisbeth’s back story. In Lisbeth’s story there is dialogue from evil doctors and a kind nurse as well as details about unusual and shocking things happening. Now as a gang leader Lola does a couple of smart things but that does not make her into a Lisbeth.
The plot: The cartel tells Lola’s gang they must intercept a drop/pickup. When things go wrong, the cartel plans to kill Lola. Lola takes steps to make things right.
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
Roxana Ortega did a good job. I was pleased that I did not hear her breaths - good editing. I’m not sure how I feel about her on and off again Spanish accent. Her normal narrating voice was nicely generic American but it was disconcerting when she would switch to a Spanish accent for foods and other words.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 336 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words. Sexual content: one scene vaguely described. Also there were several references to female children being pimped to men for sex. Setting: current day Los Angeles, California. Book copyright: 2017. Genre: crime suspense thriller.
This book feels like a description – not a story. It tells what life is like for the leader of a small Hispanic gang in LA. Sometimes the leader must kill people. Sometimes the leader must punish followers. The gang leader in this story happens to be Lola, a 20-something woman. She does the same things a man would do as a gang leader.
This book was missing things that make a good story: interesting and surprising events to move the plot, interesting relationship development among characters. It was missing engaging characters I wanted to read about. It just plods along. I was bored.
I bought this because the marketing blurb said it is “an astonishing crime thriller about an unforgettable woman who combines the genius and ferocity of Lisbeth Salander...”
My opinion: No, Lola is not like Lisbeth Salander. The backstory says Lola’s drug addicted mother pimped Lola (providing sex to men) as a way to get drugs. That was briefly mentioned, vaguely referred to, with no details or dialogue. It did not have the punch of Lisbeth’s back story. In Lisbeth’s story there is dialogue from evil doctors and a kind nurse as well as details about unusual and shocking things happening. Now as a gang leader Lola does a couple of smart things but that does not make her into a Lisbeth.
The plot: The cartel tells Lola’s gang they must intercept a drop/pickup. When things go wrong, the cartel plans to kill Lola. Lola takes steps to make things right.
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
Roxana Ortega did a good job. I was pleased that I did not hear her breaths - good editing. I’m not sure how I feel about her on and off again Spanish accent. Her normal narrating voice was nicely generic American but it was disconcerting when she would switch to a Spanish accent for foods and other words.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 336 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words. Sexual content: one scene vaguely described. Also there were several references to female children being pimped to men for sex. Setting: current day Los Angeles, California. Book copyright: 2017. Genre: crime suspense thriller.
May 20, 2017
It was not a good sign that I hated the first chapter of this book. Too much back story was dumped on me all at once. Up until the point in this book when I gave up, it was all tell and no show and it was painfully slow going. I was also never going to develop any empathy for these characters. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher but I wound up listening to the audiobook borrowed from the library.
February 7, 2017
With Lola, the author takes us inside the life of a small, inner city gang, with the unique twist of having a woman as boss. I enjoyed the story, and it held my interest all the way through, but there were some problem areas for me.
Starting with the good stuff: Lola is an intriguing character with many elements to her personality. She's tough and strong, merciless at times, but she also has unexpected emotional depth and vulnerability.
The plot is mostly a crime story, with drugs and cash at its center. We go along with Lola as she attempts to unravel the mess she's gotten herself into. The pacing is steady, keeping us engaged as the plot unwinds. I wasn't all that surprised by the big twist, but I liked the way it all fell into place.
I was mostly taken with the way this story makes us look at the struggles of inner city life for minorities. We see the bravado necessary to survive life on the streets when no one, family or society, is helping to hold you up and keep you safe.
Now the not so good stuff: The characters, aside from Lola, lack development. We only see them in the way Lola shows them to us during interactions, and often that feels superficial. Consequently, we understand little about their behavior and motivations. I wanted a deeper connection with Lola and the people in her life.
A lot of the emotional value got lost, for me, because I was being told what Lola felt more than I was being allowed to feel it with her. Given the content, this should have been a powerful, gut-wrenching story, but it wound up as more of an intellectual stimulant than an absorbing experience. This is the author's first novel, though she does have a professional background in screenwriting. For me, this is a transitional issue the author hasn't totally mastered yet. We needed the actors portraying her characters, giving them life and emotion.
And, finally, because I am a detail person, some things could have used a little fact-checking. I don't want to give spoilers, so I'll generalize. We have hospital scenes that don't ring true. One has to do with sepsis, which is contracted and magically cured way too quickly. Another has to do with how easily Lola obtains information on a patient. Since HIPAA laws were implemented, I sometimes have a hard time getting my own information, much less details on a random patient. Yes, you can sign to allow someone else to get your medical information, but that other person would need to provide a name and ID, at the very least.
Overall, this is a good read for those who love gritty crime fiction. The book has a solid ending, while leaving the door wide open for a possible series.
*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via LibraryThing, in exchange for my honest review.*
Starting with the good stuff: Lola is an intriguing character with many elements to her personality. She's tough and strong, merciless at times, but she also has unexpected emotional depth and vulnerability.
The plot is mostly a crime story, with drugs and cash at its center. We go along with Lola as she attempts to unravel the mess she's gotten herself into. The pacing is steady, keeping us engaged as the plot unwinds. I wasn't all that surprised by the big twist, but I liked the way it all fell into place.
I was mostly taken with the way this story makes us look at the struggles of inner city life for minorities. We see the bravado necessary to survive life on the streets when no one, family or society, is helping to hold you up and keep you safe.
Now the not so good stuff: The characters, aside from Lola, lack development. We only see them in the way Lola shows them to us during interactions, and often that feels superficial. Consequently, we understand little about their behavior and motivations. I wanted a deeper connection with Lola and the people in her life.
A lot of the emotional value got lost, for me, because I was being told what Lola felt more than I was being allowed to feel it with her. Given the content, this should have been a powerful, gut-wrenching story, but it wound up as more of an intellectual stimulant than an absorbing experience. This is the author's first novel, though she does have a professional background in screenwriting. For me, this is a transitional issue the author hasn't totally mastered yet. We needed the actors portraying her characters, giving them life and emotion.
And, finally, because I am a detail person, some things could have used a little fact-checking. I don't want to give spoilers, so I'll generalize. We have hospital scenes that don't ring true. One has to do with sepsis, which is contracted and magically cured way too quickly. Another has to do with how easily Lola obtains information on a patient. Since HIPAA laws were implemented, I sometimes have a hard time getting my own information, much less details on a random patient. Yes, you can sign to allow someone else to get your medical information, but that other person would need to provide a name and ID, at the very least.
Overall, this is a good read for those who love gritty crime fiction. The book has a solid ending, while leaving the door wide open for a possible series.
*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via LibraryThing, in exchange for my honest review.*
Read
August 5, 2016*No rating because I work for the publisher.
March 20, 2017
South Central LA has several gangs, but the one known as The Crenshaw Six has the Mexican cartel tapping on them to wage war on rival dealers. They tell Crenshaw's leader, Garcia, that if they don't follow through and do what they say, they will kill his girlfriend, Lola. They have no idea that Lola, in fact, is the true leader of The Crenshaw Six and she is watching their every move. She didn't become the leader without having to earn it. And because of her actions and strength, the men behind her will do whatever she says to protect her. Loyalties run high and are tested, brutal punishments are meted out and families grow in number, if not in blood. Lola has to find a way to balance it all, without losing her position, her family or her life.
Into the first few chapters, I wasn't sure if this was the book for me. But the more I read, the further I was sucked into the gang life of The Crenshaw Six. Inside Lola's head for the entire ride, we see her piece together puzzles, make tough decisions to keep the law of her world running smoothly and take a young child under her wing. As a rare woman leader in that type of life, she can no longer continue to rule from the shadows but may have to go further than she thought she was capable of to make her voice heard.
A truly remarkable debut novel. Melissa Scrivner Love knows how to write. By the end of the book I was rooting for Lola and couldn't stop turning the pages to see what would come up next. There were some truly amazing scenes that I could visualize clearly in my head and I felt my face actually cringe. There is no big bang of an ending and there was no need for one. I'm left wanting, thinking, so now what? I'm need to know what is next for these characters.. and if an author can do that, I think she's done a pretty damn good job with her story. Debut novel win!
Huge thanks to Crown Publishing for this copy in return for my honest opinion.
Into the first few chapters, I wasn't sure if this was the book for me. But the more I read, the further I was sucked into the gang life of The Crenshaw Six. Inside Lola's head for the entire ride, we see her piece together puzzles, make tough decisions to keep the law of her world running smoothly and take a young child under her wing. As a rare woman leader in that type of life, she can no longer continue to rule from the shadows but may have to go further than she thought she was capable of to make her voice heard.
A truly remarkable debut novel. Melissa Scrivner Love knows how to write. By the end of the book I was rooting for Lola and couldn't stop turning the pages to see what would come up next. There were some truly amazing scenes that I could visualize clearly in my head and I felt my face actually cringe. There is no big bang of an ending and there was no need for one. I'm left wanting, thinking, so now what? I'm need to know what is next for these characters.. and if an author can do that, I think she's done a pretty damn good job with her story. Debut novel win!
Huge thanks to Crown Publishing for this copy in return for my honest opinion.
September 17, 2019
She is running a street gang in L.A., but no one knows except the gang. Brilliant Lola is playing the supportive girlfriend so that she stays out of the spotlight and keeps her gang alive and making money. Here is the crux of her challenge to not only keep her patience with this world, but to stay in charge: “And now he’s giving Lola orders, despite the fact she betrayed him, killing his best customer, (and it) pisses her off. What does she have to do to get men to stop telling her what to do?” This is a thriller obviously, but it also is a story that helps you understand the reason gangs thrive and fill a huge, aching need for people born into poverty and despair.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 472 reviews