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Carrying On
From accomplished author Jonita Davis comes a witty and vivid murder mystery, Carrying On. A perfect match for fans of the Stephanie Plum novels and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, the book packs a punch!
Nadia sits, tied to a chair, watching curiously as three so-called “gangsters” fret about a ferret. The only thing she can think about at the moment is her life before all of this. At what point did it all go wrong? Well, to understand that, we have to take a trip that started a few weeks and 600 miles back.
Before the darned pink Caddy showed up.
Before the seriously sexy paramedic rescued her.
Before a respected local politician was accused of a heinous crime.
We have to start on the day when Nadia went about her business, thinking that she had life all put together. She did, until it broke.
Nadia sits, tied to a chair, watching curiously as three so-called “gangsters” fret about a ferret. The only thing she can think about at the moment is her life before all of this. At what point did it all go wrong? Well, to understand that, we have to take a trip that started a few weeks and 600 miles back.
Before the darned pink Caddy showed up.
Before the seriously sexy paramedic rescued her.
Before a respected local politician was accused of a heinous crime.
We have to start on the day when Nadia went about her business, thinking that she had life all put together. She did, until it broke.
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First published November 23, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 10, 2022
Carrying on is an electrifying release. Jonita Davis creates a rich world here, a delightful combination of funny, wholesome and filthy. The characters seamlessly switch from cartoonish and zany to heartfelt and authentic. Although at first it seems short in length at 142 pages, eventually it becomes clear that the narrative is one without any unnecessary padding. It is as long as it needs to be and has no chance of overstaying its welcome. I absolutely adored every page and know that others will do too.
The story concerns Nadia, a small town paralegal and mother to 3 lovable children. One day she finds her world flipped upside down as her husband tears their marriage apart, leaving Nadia and her kids to fend for themselves as a black family in a very white community. The story begins in medias res, with a stressful and dangerous situation being thrown at the audience face-first, leaving us to speculate as we continue through as to how such an ordinary group of people could find themselves facing such odds. Eventually, she finds herself back at her childhood home; 500 miles away from the place she raised her family. There she rekindles her relationship with her father and siblings, all of whom she has been semi-estranged from.
The narrator herself, Nadia, is absolutely hilarious, overflowing with world-weary humour and a southern charm. She spends most of the novel bulldozing her way through each new struggle like a, well, a bulldozer. The author makes great use of brackets in the narration which helps give an impression as to how fast Nadia’s mind works and how self-aware she is as a character. I love this style of writing so I was always going to love her as a character. She shows great strength in the face of an ever increasing adversity, kind of like an American Bridget Jones but one that’s more likely to give you a SMACK on the head for talking out of turn. These traits can be found in her immediate family members, most commonly her father who has Nadia’s brains and willpower but lacks her self-awareness. This often sends him across to the abusive side on the parent’s scale with childish taunts aimed for his kids who give in to his every request.
The whole adventure reads like a comedic Animal Kingdom but told from the perspective of a black working-class family in the rundown suburbs of Chicago. This was another thing the book offers that most don’t: real working-class representation. Not many authors can get it right, others certainly try but they always fall short (for example, they cite a store that the working-class famously don’t frequent etc) so it was good to see this story come with the familiar chaos working-class life brings with it.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in speedy, quirky, witty stories told from an engaging perspective with electric humour, deep commentaries and sharp teeth.
The story concerns Nadia, a small town paralegal and mother to 3 lovable children. One day she finds her world flipped upside down as her husband tears their marriage apart, leaving Nadia and her kids to fend for themselves as a black family in a very white community. The story begins in medias res, with a stressful and dangerous situation being thrown at the audience face-first, leaving us to speculate as we continue through as to how such an ordinary group of people could find themselves facing such odds. Eventually, she finds herself back at her childhood home; 500 miles away from the place she raised her family. There she rekindles her relationship with her father and siblings, all of whom she has been semi-estranged from.
The narrator herself, Nadia, is absolutely hilarious, overflowing with world-weary humour and a southern charm. She spends most of the novel bulldozing her way through each new struggle like a, well, a bulldozer. The author makes great use of brackets in the narration which helps give an impression as to how fast Nadia’s mind works and how self-aware she is as a character. I love this style of writing so I was always going to love her as a character. She shows great strength in the face of an ever increasing adversity, kind of like an American Bridget Jones but one that’s more likely to give you a SMACK on the head for talking out of turn. These traits can be found in her immediate family members, most commonly her father who has Nadia’s brains and willpower but lacks her self-awareness. This often sends him across to the abusive side on the parent’s scale with childish taunts aimed for his kids who give in to his every request.
The whole adventure reads like a comedic Animal Kingdom but told from the perspective of a black working-class family in the rundown suburbs of Chicago. This was another thing the book offers that most don’t: real working-class representation. Not many authors can get it right, others certainly try but they always fall short (for example, they cite a store that the working-class famously don’t frequent etc) so it was good to see this story come with the familiar chaos working-class life brings with it.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in speedy, quirky, witty stories told from an engaging perspective with electric humour, deep commentaries and sharp teeth.
July 18, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5 stars
Thank you Saga Fiction for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ok now for the review...I enjoyed Carrying On by Jonita Davis. It's a novella with a lot of action within about 100 pages.
Nadia our MC has 3 kids and her marriage is falling apart all this while facing the challenges of everyday life.
Through this Nadia ends up back in her hometown 600 miles from where she has built her life now. From there we are able to see relationships rekindle after many years.
I liked how strong Nadia is and continues to get back up again after each struggle. Carrying On is exactly what Nadia does through each struggle she is faced with. Nadia is very funny and charming so even though she is going through so much she continues to keep the book light.
Although I greatly enjoyed the book I felt I had a hard time connecting to the characters sometimes. In my books I like to be able to relate to them. Seeing real life struggles does help with that but I also want to read about things I can relate to. I had similar feelings when reading Regretting You by Colleen Hoover.
I don't think this takes away from the book because it just means it may be for a different audience. Unforunately, that audience just may not be me.
Overall, definetly give it a read and see what you think. It's a great quick summer read!
Thank again Saga Fiction for the ARC!
Thank you Saga Fiction for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ok now for the review...I enjoyed Carrying On by Jonita Davis. It's a novella with a lot of action within about 100 pages.
Nadia our MC has 3 kids and her marriage is falling apart all this while facing the challenges of everyday life.
Through this Nadia ends up back in her hometown 600 miles from where she has built her life now. From there we are able to see relationships rekindle after many years.
I liked how strong Nadia is and continues to get back up again after each struggle. Carrying On is exactly what Nadia does through each struggle she is faced with. Nadia is very funny and charming so even though she is going through so much she continues to keep the book light.
Although I greatly enjoyed the book I felt I had a hard time connecting to the characters sometimes. In my books I like to be able to relate to them. Seeing real life struggles does help with that but I also want to read about things I can relate to. I had similar feelings when reading Regretting You by Colleen Hoover.
I don't think this takes away from the book because it just means it may be for a different audience. Unforunately, that audience just may not be me.
Overall, definetly give it a read and see what you think. It's a great quick summer read!
Thank again Saga Fiction for the ARC!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews