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Year of the Crackmom
Kaneesha and her boyfriend Jarvis find themselves struggling to care for themselves and their eight year old son. But after being forced out of a their home due to a foreclosure that their slumlord failed to tell them about, they end up in a small project called The Heights.
Trying to fit in, they accept an offer from their first floor neighbors to go to their home. Once they enter the filthy, funky apartment, they want to leave but to avoid being rude decide to stay. That is until Kaneesha mistakenly ingests a roach after being offered a drink from a dirty cup. The couple flees immediately and it doesn't take long before they discover that trifling neighbors are the least of their concerns.
After a few puff... puff... pulls, they lose their jobs, possessions and self respect.
Their relationship crumbles when Jarvis leaves Kaneesha and his son all alone. In the hood, misery loves company so Kaneesha befriends Reds, a neighbor hood pregnant crack queen. Now she learns the ropes on how to use her body to feed her habit. Things go terribly wrong when Red leads Kaneesha to a hotel party to score drugs in exchange for sex, a decision she ll regret. Will the dangerous move cause Kaneesha to trade a life of peril to be the mother she always knew she could be? Or will she surrender to its power and seduction?
Year of the Crack Mom is a brilliant debut novel, based on true events, that deals with the power of the human spirit to live against all odds.
Trying to fit in, they accept an offer from their first floor neighbors to go to their home. Once they enter the filthy, funky apartment, they want to leave but to avoid being rude decide to stay. That is until Kaneesha mistakenly ingests a roach after being offered a drink from a dirty cup. The couple flees immediately and it doesn't take long before they discover that trifling neighbors are the least of their concerns.
After a few puff... puff... pulls, they lose their jobs, possessions and self respect.
Their relationship crumbles when Jarvis leaves Kaneesha and his son all alone. In the hood, misery loves company so Kaneesha befriends Reds, a neighbor hood pregnant crack queen. Now she learns the ropes on how to use her body to feed her habit. Things go terribly wrong when Red leads Kaneesha to a hotel party to score drugs in exchange for sex, a decision she ll regret. Will the dangerous move cause Kaneesha to trade a life of peril to be the mother she always knew she could be? Or will she surrender to its power and seduction?
Year of the Crack Mom is a brilliant debut novel, based on true events, that deals with the power of the human spirit to live against all odds.
254 pages, Paperback
First published April 24, 2009
8 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 6, 2011
I have no idea where to even start here. I'll save the editing drama for the end because there is more than enough to begin with. Was the blurb from the publisher on the front cover just a way to sell the book?
I saw nothing "chilling and brutal" and, from what I know about drugs and addicts, nothing "honest" either. The publisher claims the book is so much of these things that they "almost didn't publish it".
I keep finding myself staring at the book like it's an AIDS infected three headed monster. Yeah, it's that bad.
I'm not going to go in any sort of order here, just from my memory, so here goes:
1. Point me to the projects where I can find a crackhead drenched in designer duds. Because I venture to say that you can't do it.
2. Using "ting" instead of "thing" and screaming "bumbaclot" and "blood clot" do not a Jamaican accent make. Do any Jamaicans really use those words? The ones I've known don't.
4. From what I read of this book the absolute only thing thing that was "honest" was the how-to on cooking up crack. That's it. (Which, by the way, is an awesome thing to include in a book.)
Are we supposed to actually believe that Jarvis was smoking crack, day and night, for months on end and then one night Kaneesha, all of a sudden, notices the jaw grinding and the huge eyes? Really? That's honest?
On page 101 Baggs gives Kaneesha a "fifty-cent piece". From the context clues and street slang I know I can assume that "cent" was slang for "dollar". I don't know where you can find that an amount of crack fitting in a dollar bill is "generous" or worth asking "is that all mine".
Page 63 - "Stone was furious about something and every other word that fell from his mouth was a curse word either in Patios (foreign language) or English." Yeah, thanks for the clarification. I needed that.
I can spew forth many more instances of unrealisticness, amateur writing, etc. but I'll stop. Frankly, it's giving me a headache.
The lack of editing. I want to make it clear that I do not expect an author to write a perfected manuscript. I'm not an author but I do know that doesn't happen often. I do expect, however, the finished product to be perfected. The finished product, which the author and publisher want my money for, should be perfect in my opinion. I don't buy moldy bread or broken microwaves and I don't want to buy a sloppy books.
I've seen time and time again, with Cartel Publications in particular, that the editing is atrocious. How, and why, would a publisher continue to use an "editing service" when they know they get sloppy results? (Sloppy is me being nice by the way.) A few of the mistakes that glared out at me included incorrect punctuation, missing words, extra words, incorrectly phrased sentences, spelling errors, and many, many more examples.
I can say this with absolute certainty: I will not pay money for any Cartel Publication books. I may read some but I will not buy them and I will not recommend them or spread the word about them.
How could I possible spread the word about this book? I'd be laughed at. I have many friends who take recommendations seriously and will go out and buy a book on a recommendation. What do I look like telling them to read this?
I've said this before and I'll say it again, it is not hard to edit a book. Once you have someone or some service edit a book and it's not done right you no longer use them. I'll put an offer out there for you Cartel, pay me half and I'll edit your book. Then you can see what a real editing job looks like. (And I'm not even an editor.)
There is a solid reason why other publishing houses are moving beyond and this is it. I have more than a handful of non-urban-fiction reading friends trying the genre. They read one like this and they're finished. And who can blame them? The genre if full of books like this. Had this (or similar titles) been my first urban fiction read I'd have never continued.
Save your time and your money (and most likely your sanity) and pass on this one. To my friends, I know you and you will NOT like this.
If there was a story tucked in there somewhere it would have been weighed down by all of the negatives.
At the end of the description it states that this is a "brilliant debut novel" and that it "deals with the power of the human spirit to live against all odds." I'm speechless. I'd have to say it's exactly opposite of that sentence. The only thing this shows readers with any intelligence is that this publisher spews forth untruths. (And how to cook crack.)
**I should note that I'm suspicious of a few of the ratings below. I think they've been manufactured by the author and/or publisher. Look closely and decide for yourself.**
I saw nothing "chilling and brutal" and, from what I know about drugs and addicts, nothing "honest" either. The publisher claims the book is so much of these things that they "almost didn't publish it".
I keep finding myself staring at the book like it's an AIDS infected three headed monster. Yeah, it's that bad.
I'm not going to go in any sort of order here, just from my memory, so here goes:
1. Point me to the projects where I can find a crackhead drenched in designer duds. Because I venture to say that you can't do it.
2. Using "ting" instead of "thing" and screaming "bumbaclot" and "blood clot" do not a Jamaican accent make. Do any Jamaicans really use those words? The ones I've known don't.
4. From what I read of this book the absolute only thing thing that was "honest" was the how-to on cooking up crack. That's it. (Which, by the way, is an awesome thing to include in a book.)
Are we supposed to actually believe that Jarvis was smoking crack, day and night, for months on end and then one night Kaneesha, all of a sudden, notices the jaw grinding and the huge eyes? Really? That's honest?
On page 101 Baggs gives Kaneesha a "fifty-cent piece". From the context clues and street slang I know I can assume that "cent" was slang for "dollar". I don't know where you can find that an amount of crack fitting in a dollar bill is "generous" or worth asking "is that all mine".
Page 63 - "Stone was furious about something and every other word that fell from his mouth was a curse word either in Patios (foreign language) or English." Yeah, thanks for the clarification. I needed that.
I can spew forth many more instances of unrealisticness, amateur writing, etc. but I'll stop. Frankly, it's giving me a headache.
The lack of editing. I want to make it clear that I do not expect an author to write a perfected manuscript. I'm not an author but I do know that doesn't happen often. I do expect, however, the finished product to be perfected. The finished product, which the author and publisher want my money for, should be perfect in my opinion. I don't buy moldy bread or broken microwaves and I don't want to buy a sloppy books.
I've seen time and time again, with Cartel Publications in particular, that the editing is atrocious. How, and why, would a publisher continue to use an "editing service" when they know they get sloppy results? (Sloppy is me being nice by the way.) A few of the mistakes that glared out at me included incorrect punctuation, missing words, extra words, incorrectly phrased sentences, spelling errors, and many, many more examples.
I can say this with absolute certainty: I will not pay money for any Cartel Publication books. I may read some but I will not buy them and I will not recommend them or spread the word about them.
How could I possible spread the word about this book? I'd be laughed at. I have many friends who take recommendations seriously and will go out and buy a book on a recommendation. What do I look like telling them to read this?
I've said this before and I'll say it again, it is not hard to edit a book. Once you have someone or some service edit a book and it's not done right you no longer use them. I'll put an offer out there for you Cartel, pay me half and I'll edit your book. Then you can see what a real editing job looks like. (And I'm not even an editor.)
There is a solid reason why other publishing houses are moving beyond and this is it. I have more than a handful of non-urban-fiction reading friends trying the genre. They read one like this and they're finished. And who can blame them? The genre if full of books like this. Had this (or similar titles) been my first urban fiction read I'd have never continued.
Save your time and your money (and most likely your sanity) and pass on this one. To my friends, I know you and you will NOT like this.
If there was a story tucked in there somewhere it would have been weighed down by all of the negatives.
At the end of the description it states that this is a "brilliant debut novel" and that it "deals with the power of the human spirit to live against all odds." I'm speechless. I'd have to say it's exactly opposite of that sentence. The only thing this shows readers with any intelligence is that this publisher spews forth untruths. (And how to cook crack.)
**I should note that I'm suspicious of a few of the ratings below. I think they've been manufactured by the author and/or publisher. Look closely and decide for yourself.**
February 22, 2012
This book was one of the best books I read this year. It now only told the tale of the authour's life story, but mines as well. I would reccomend this book to anyone who has a open mind at would could happen to any one by choice or force.
July 31, 2018
Very good book
This was a very good book. It shows how easy it is to get caught up in stuff and lose control.
This was a very good book. It shows how easy it is to get caught up in stuff and lose control.
September 28, 2019
Speaks to me
I like these authors. I read other authors, but these are the only ones that speak personally just to me
I like these authors. I read other authors, but these are the only ones that speak personally just to me
November 15, 2013
With a title like that how could I not pick it up?!?
Urban fiction is weird. I respect it but it is more alien to me than a dark fantasy full of unicorns and orcs. Most of them seem more like hard-core romance novels set in the ghetto than gritty, reality-based dramas. This one was both. What kept me interested was the realness of it. Very reminiscent of the show Breaking Bad with the characters drawing arbitrary lines they won't cross - until they do.
Then the justifications, then the regrets coupled with the helplessness of a stark situation. The reader can see where the character is heading but the character is too self-absorbed and nothing can come between a junkie and her next fix.
Urban fiction is weird. I respect it but it is more alien to me than a dark fantasy full of unicorns and orcs. Most of them seem more like hard-core romance novels set in the ghetto than gritty, reality-based dramas. This one was both. What kept me interested was the realness of it. Very reminiscent of the show Breaking Bad with the characters drawing arbitrary lines they won't cross - until they do.
Then the justifications, then the regrets coupled with the helplessness of a stark situation. The reader can see where the character is heading but the character is too self-absorbed and nothing can come between a junkie and her next fix.
April 22, 2010
A hot book... This book took me into the mind and world of a crack user. The book was raw and had me wanting to whoop someone's butt. It also made me cry! I loved this book. The Cartel Publications has brung out a banger with this one@
July 18, 2014
Loved it AGAIN
Loved it AGAIN
I've been looking for this book forever, but could never remember the name of it. After asking around, I finally found it and could've be happier.
Loved it AGAIN
I've been looking for this book forever, but could never remember the name of it. After asking around, I finally found it and could've be happier.
June 28, 2015
Awesome story!! I can relate to this story as being a product of this type of environment. It was sad but so realistic and I had the pleasure of reading it. Glad things turned out the way they did for Kaneesha!!
April 6, 2010
this book is hot
July 2, 2010
a very good book
shows how one can get caught up in another different life style
shows how one can get caught up in another different life style
July 8, 2015
Crack
This one was a good one some parts you felt bad for nesha and hoped she will be strong enough to survive.. Happy she got it together
This one was a good one some parts you felt bad for nesha and hoped she will be strong enough to survive.. Happy she got it together
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews