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Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
When Diamond La Rue begins college, she is young, naïve and very protected by the close-knit La Rue family. From the cocoon of her grandmother’s brownstone in Sugar Hill, Harlem, Diamond must set out into the world and find her own way.
Smart, ambitious and loyal, she seeks to balance her family life and education with the new relationships she’s formed as a student at Columbia University. At the same time, Diamond is expected to maintain the family secrets that surround her---the very secrets that could push the La Rue family over the edge.
Can Diamond have a life of her own and avoid the mistakes and traps that have hurt those around her?
Diamond’s loyalties are tested when family and friends begin to question her allegiances. Alliances are challenged, boundaries are re-drawn, and misunderstandings bring about rivalries and destruction.
Set against the backdrop of a Harlem on the cusp of change, Diamond’s journey takes her from the hills of Harlem down to SoHo and out into the rich suburban enclaves of New York City and everywhere in between.
Will Diamond La Rue find everything that she is looking for or will smoke get in her eyes?
Smart, ambitious and loyal, she seeks to balance her family life and education with the new relationships she’s formed as a student at Columbia University. At the same time, Diamond is expected to maintain the family secrets that surround her---the very secrets that could push the La Rue family over the edge.
Can Diamond have a life of her own and avoid the mistakes and traps that have hurt those around her?
Diamond’s loyalties are tested when family and friends begin to question her allegiances. Alliances are challenged, boundaries are re-drawn, and misunderstandings bring about rivalries and destruction.
Set against the backdrop of a Harlem on the cusp of change, Diamond’s journey takes her from the hills of Harlem down to SoHo and out into the rich suburban enclaves of New York City and everywhere in between.
Will Diamond La Rue find everything that she is looking for or will smoke get in her eyes?
695 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 29, 2018
1 person is currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Nascha A Joli
1 book28 followersNascha A. Joli was born and raised in Harlem, New York City. She grew up in the Sugar Hill section of Harlem where she was educated in the New York City public school system. Ms. Joli graduated cum laude from the City College of New York, with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in English.
Nascha discovered her love of books at an early age and began creating her own stories and plays at the age of five. She spent many hours in the New York Public Library absorbing as much as she could and developed her craft over the years. She began sharing her work with others in middle school which helped her to further develop her confidence and writing style.
After college, Nascha began writing and editing professionally for various online publications and independent media firms based in New York and California. Nascha’s articles have appeared in various online publications including Suite 101, About.com and eHow.com. Many of her articles have been quoted in other online publications and have also been translated into many different languages.
At the same time, she continued writing creatively; having some of her fiction and poetry published in anthologies. She began working on her debut novel in college while also studying literature and film. In addition to writing literature, Nascha also writes plays and screenplays.
Nascha’s debut novel, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, the first in the La Rue book series is now available on Amazon, KOBO and Barnes & Noble. Purchase here.
Nascha discovered her love of books at an early age and began creating her own stories and plays at the age of five. She spent many hours in the New York Public Library absorbing as much as she could and developed her craft over the years. She began sharing her work with others in middle school which helped her to further develop her confidence and writing style.
After college, Nascha began writing and editing professionally for various online publications and independent media firms based in New York and California. Nascha’s articles have appeared in various online publications including Suite 101, About.com and eHow.com. Many of her articles have been quoted in other online publications and have also been translated into many different languages.
At the same time, she continued writing creatively; having some of her fiction and poetry published in anthologies. She began working on her debut novel in college while also studying literature and film. In addition to writing literature, Nascha also writes plays and screenplays.
Nascha’s debut novel, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, the first in the La Rue book series is now available on Amazon, KOBO and Barnes & Noble. Purchase here.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 18, 2019
This is author Nascha A. Joli's debut book and it's an amazing start to what I hope will be a long series.
The book revolves around young Diamond La Rue, who hails from Harlem. Her family is extremely close-knit, and it must be said that this may be because they have big secrets to protect. Keeping everyone close is one way to maintain their loyalty to each other as it's in everyone's best interest that the secrets remain so.
When Diamond enters the big world of college, she realizes just how shielded she has been kept from the "big" world. The best word to describe her would be "naive". Her family protected her, and now she must learn to navigate in what must feel like an alien world to the young woman.
This book is exceptionally well written, and the characters are very well developed. From a shielded youngster in the "better" part of Harlem and on to Columbia University, and into New York City, you will find yourself rooting for this young woman as she begins to make her own way into a world that wants to test her loyalties to her beloved family and all she holds dear.
The book revolves around young Diamond La Rue, who hails from Harlem. Her family is extremely close-knit, and it must be said that this may be because they have big secrets to protect. Keeping everyone close is one way to maintain their loyalty to each other as it's in everyone's best interest that the secrets remain so.
When Diamond enters the big world of college, she realizes just how shielded she has been kept from the "big" world. The best word to describe her would be "naive". Her family protected her, and now she must learn to navigate in what must feel like an alien world to the young woman.
This book is exceptionally well written, and the characters are very well developed. From a shielded youngster in the "better" part of Harlem and on to Columbia University, and into New York City, you will find yourself rooting for this young woman as she begins to make her own way into a world that wants to test her loyalties to her beloved family and all she holds dear.
August 12, 2021
What happens when a person is kept under protection since birth, and then the person gets free and is exposed to the world, outside of that protective layer. The person gets free will, they now have the option to choose, but what if their choices prove wrong. Nascha A. Joli in her book Smoke gets in Your Eyes, the first book in Diamond La Rue series takes us on a similar journey.
Diamond La Rue, is grown by her grandparents. She was always being kept in a protective layer by her family. But things are about to change now, Diamond is now a college student and now is out of the protective layer. She is a naive girl and will now have to learn how to deal with this world where good and bad co-exist.
She also have to protect her family secrets, which if come out in the world can prove fatal to her and her family and friends. At every point in the story her loyalty is challenged towards her friends and family. Will she be able to live a life that she has always wished for? Or she will make mistakes that will bring danger to her and her family?
Coming from a Harlem to moving to New York the story is full of adventure. The character development is very good especially of the leas character Diamond, from a girl in a protective layer to a girl taking her own decisions in the open world, facing and conquering every challenges in her way. The author has written an exceptionally good book, the story is simple yet intriguing.
The lovers of the young adult genre are going to love this book also the readers who want to get into a simple and interesting story they can find this book useful.
Diamond La Rue, is grown by her grandparents. She was always being kept in a protective layer by her family. But things are about to change now, Diamond is now a college student and now is out of the protective layer. She is a naive girl and will now have to learn how to deal with this world where good and bad co-exist.
She also have to protect her family secrets, which if come out in the world can prove fatal to her and her family and friends. At every point in the story her loyalty is challenged towards her friends and family. Will she be able to live a life that she has always wished for? Or she will make mistakes that will bring danger to her and her family?
Coming from a Harlem to moving to New York the story is full of adventure. The character development is very good especially of the leas character Diamond, from a girl in a protective layer to a girl taking her own decisions in the open world, facing and conquering every challenges in her way. The author has written an exceptionally good book, the story is simple yet intriguing.
The lovers of the young adult genre are going to love this book also the readers who want to get into a simple and interesting story they can find this book useful.
February 15, 2019
This book is the first in a series, following 17 year old Columbia College student, Diamond who hails from the 'good' part of Harlem.
I am grateful that the author has a 'Dear Reader' letter in the back as it explains her reasoning behind writing this story, and shares that she started writing this story while she was in college and wanted to write about people having the best of both worlds.
Ms. Joli has certainly achieved this as her love, knowledge and research of everything this story encompasses, definitely shines throughout this book.
This is a very descriptive book and you can certainly 'see' the characters from their facial expressions, what they are wearing, what they drive and where, where they 'hang out, 'and what type of house/apartment they live in. Most of the characters are doing quite well for themselves - Diamond, herself is from humble beginnings, with a Grandfather who worked hard to provide for his family and was able to purchase a Brownstone in Harlem, where he and his wife raised their children, and where the grandmother has been raising Diamond and her sister, Jewel for the past 5 years.
You can say that this story is common in that it reflects family and friends and the drama and love that both bring through the eyes of someone Diamond's age group (any age really) - so it is relatable on many levels regardless of cultural background - the only difference is, Diamond is afforded the luxury of fine dining, hi-end clubs, expensive cars, clothing, etc ... with the help of a wealthy friend she is reacquainted with from high school, and the new friends she meets through and with this friend, (Milan) while a freshmen at Columbia College.
It is set in 2000 Harlem, when 'Harlem was on the cusp of change and there were rampant talks about gentrification and what Harlem could look like compared to what some people thought Harlem was -- perceptions of Harlem, were both good and bad during that time ...'
Ms. Joli did an exceptional job reflecting this in this story!
I am grateful that the author has a 'Dear Reader' letter in the back as it explains her reasoning behind writing this story, and shares that she started writing this story while she was in college and wanted to write about people having the best of both worlds.
Ms. Joli has certainly achieved this as her love, knowledge and research of everything this story encompasses, definitely shines throughout this book.
This is a very descriptive book and you can certainly 'see' the characters from their facial expressions, what they are wearing, what they drive and where, where they 'hang out, 'and what type of house/apartment they live in. Most of the characters are doing quite well for themselves - Diamond, herself is from humble beginnings, with a Grandfather who worked hard to provide for his family and was able to purchase a Brownstone in Harlem, where he and his wife raised their children, and where the grandmother has been raising Diamond and her sister, Jewel for the past 5 years.
You can say that this story is common in that it reflects family and friends and the drama and love that both bring through the eyes of someone Diamond's age group (any age really) - so it is relatable on many levels regardless of cultural background - the only difference is, Diamond is afforded the luxury of fine dining, hi-end clubs, expensive cars, clothing, etc ... with the help of a wealthy friend she is reacquainted with from high school, and the new friends she meets through and with this friend, (Milan) while a freshmen at Columbia College.
It is set in 2000 Harlem, when 'Harlem was on the cusp of change and there were rampant talks about gentrification and what Harlem could look like compared to what some people thought Harlem was -- perceptions of Harlem, were both good and bad during that time ...'
Ms. Joli did an exceptional job reflecting this in this story!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews