Next Semester By Cross Cecil R II

by Cecil R Cross II

Not every lesson is learned in school Second semester second chances and James JD Dawson has a lot to prove at the University of Atlanta JD needs to shake academic probation but he and his crew still act as if college is one big frat party After all the drama of first semester you d think JD would learn from his mistakes But once again he finds himself in trouble both in and outside the classroom What s worse JD s future hangs on his class assignment helping Kat get elected student body president To do that he ll have to learn who to trust and who s trying to play him or his next ticket home to the hood will be one way Not every lesson is learned in school Second semester second chances and James JD Dawson has a lot to prove at the University of Atlanta JD needs to shake academic probation but he and his crew still act as if college is one big frat party After all the drama of first semester you d think JD would learn from his mistakes But once again he finds himself in trouble both in and outside the classroom What s worse JD s future hangs on his class assignment helping Kat get elected student body president To do that he ll have to learn who to trust and who s trying to play him or his next ticket home to the hood will be one way Not every lesson is learned in schoolhellip Second semester second chances and James JD Dawson has a lot to prove at the University of Atlanta JD needs to shake academic probation but he and his crew still act as if college is one big frat party After all the drama of first semester you d think JD would learn from his mistakes But once again he finds himself in trouble both in and outside the classroom What s worse JD s future hangs on his class assignment helping Kat get elected student body president To do that he ll have to learn who to trust and who s trying to play him or his next ticket home to the hood will be one way Not every lesson is learned in school Second semester s

Paperback

First published December 15, 2009

Reviews

[kwain · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was pretty interesting, the characters were easy to relate to. The situation the crew found themselves in was pretty funny, the ending wasn't what I expected it to be, but overall, time well spent reading.

[Tiffany Spencer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Next Semester
Kat calls J.D a few days before he’s about to return to UA. No idea why. She says its just to check on him. It brings it all back how she put his life at risk and he tells her when they get back they should act like they don’t know each other. Kat gets upset and starts going off on him and saying she knows she was wrong but he doesn’t have to be that way. CLICK! He hangs up the phone in her face. Only he accidentally put the phone on speaker and his mother overhears. We get the repeated reminder of how J’D’s mother couldn’t finish college because she got pregnant with him, but he actually has a chance to be the first in their family to graduate.

J.D is more than ready to go back. Guys that were cool with him, now are hating on him because he (and Todd) are the only ones that made it out of Oakland to go to college. J.D vows (and tells his mom and sister) on the way to the airport he’s not coming back home any time soon. J.D says he’s cutting off everyone (including Keisha and Kat). (Did he hook back up with Keisha on break. She’d already cut him loose months ago). His mother warns to be careful who you cut off. Then she tells him she just wants him to get interested in an academic extracurricular activity and then tells the story of how she almost became the president of the student government but this spiteful female spread the rumor that she didn’t know who the father of her baby was. So she dropped out and to this day she’s regretted it. She tells J.D (and Robyn) never let anyone get in the way of their pursuits.

There are a lot of signs that J.D is gonna pledge (Kappa). 1 There's a girl outside his dorm that he approaches and she turns him down because she says she only dates Lighthouse (Morehouse) men. Fresh says if JD was a Greek he’d be able to get her just like that. 2) Timothy gets obsessive with his side of the room and decorates it all Alpha Phi Alpha (like a neo would) 3. Varnelius is now a Greek (Omega). 4. The Greeks are all outside on the day they buy books and the Sigma's and Kapa’s get into it over the cane thing. Fresh said he might be a Kappa because they stay dressed, they pull all the bad chicks, and throw all the hottest parties. There’s also a new gaydar alert. Lawry has a tongue ring that he said he got because he and his ex (girl) were wildin out one night. Fresh buys into the old credit card trap for a free box of pizza. Meanwhile, J.D makes another play for Leslie, but she plays him off and tells him to find her on FB (without even giving him her last name). Then she goes off hugged up on a Kappa. (Oh and she knows and says all the girls at Elman- know about him).

JD gets Leslie’s number at a party the next night. She’s drunk and already thought she gave it to him before (which isn’t a good sign). Kat comes up to him in the club trying to get a hug, but he leaves her hanging (despite the fact that he seriously wanted the props of hugging the other finest girl at the party). Even though he knows he has class at nine, JD finds himself at the Kappa House and is introduced by Fresh to a guy named Dex. Fresh mentions they’re *interested in learning more about the organization* which Dex takes as their interested in pre-pledging. JD finds himself and five other guys in the basement where he’s tested with some hazing and a lesson on being a GDI (goddamned individual). He’s told they have to maintain a 3.0 to be online in the fall. Even though it sounds JD just wants the clout so he stays. They’re dismissed *after* they clean up the Kappa House.

JD is supposed to have a class that’s an easy A (public policy) because the teacher is pregnant and Fat’s says she’ll probably cancel a lot of classes. Only it ends up being taught by Dr. J who tells them instead of giving them tests and homework, they all have to work in groups and participate in the student government race. On a piece of paper, it shows what they’re running for and they’ll be running against Howard-the guy who always wins president. In JDS group are Fresh, Timothy, Kat, Dub, and Lawry. Dub says they got this! Since his Dad is the mayor, they’ve got it in the bag. JD considers dropping the course, but he knows that since he’s still on probation he can’t afford to drop that many courses. JD gets Lawry’s key after class for him to go and get his belt back, but when he and Dub walk into the room, Lwary is giving Howard head. Unfortunately, Dub gets it on video. Lawry warns JD that if the video gets out he’ll tell everyone he was pre-pledging (and that will get him in trouble with the Kappas). Somehow he convinces Dub to hold off on uploading the picture by saying they can use it against Lawry if the campaign gets dirty.

JD goes to Dr. J for advice and he tells him that while he’s proud he took the test, HIV might not show up for six months. Basically, he says it is up to him whether he drops the class, but even if he does it won't stop people from talking. He also finds out that Dr. J is also a Kappa. The Kappa’s send JD and Fresh on a food and liquor run, but the line is long at Popeyes so JD gets some Church’s and slips it in a Popeye’s bucket. Fresh tho forgets to take out the receipt. Everyone in the public policy class decides that Kartina will be the best representative for president. They agree to have a giveaway to an event if the students test for HIV (using Kat’s status as a platform). Kat again apologizes -and gets emotional- to JD and he agrees to be cordial for the sake of their grade. Because this girl (Amy) is giving it up to Timothy he thinks he’s falling for her, but actually, she’s a Greek groupie and also messing around with one of the Kappas. The Kappa’s find out about JD’s trick and he and Fresh and the others are called to the baseball field and made to slid in the mud, drink prune juice, and eat onions/ When they get sick and throw up they have to do it in the one in front of them’s hood. All but ironically Fresh. JD talked to Leslie on the phone and basically, she’s this year’s Kat. Same story. Abusive ex. Couldn’t be faithful. She gets all in his biz about his health status and him and Kat, but he tells her he’s clean and he and Kat aren’t together like that. Ironically she sees him while Kat’s getting all emotional and starts giving him the silent treatment. Come to find out Dex is Leslie’s ex and he knows she’s been texting JD. Oh, the rumors are so bad now people think JD is bi and he gave both D and Kat AIDS.

Even though JD *KNOWS* this is Dex’s ex, he’s cocky and starts dating her and making the same mistake he made with Kat (by getting sprung over her). Someone slashes the Kat’s car tires and she can’t make it to give her speech so JD has to give it. He bombs pretty badly. On Spring Break, all the main characters (except Kat) go to Miami for Spring Break. Fresh spends twelve hundred dollars to get into a VIP room and has been tricking females off the ten-thousand-dollar limit he got on the credit card. Timothy finds Amy grinding on a Kappa when she told him she was in her room sick. Then she doesn’t leave with him. JD gets in a fight with one of the Kappas when he sees him put his hands on Leslie. His friends jump in and the all get kicked out the club. And Lawry comes all the way out. Fats and Fresh find out about the video. Kat pulls ahead in the campaign by getting Magic’s Foundation to throw a free concert featuring Kanye. But when DB post the picture of Lawry, he gets back at JD by putting up a poster insinuating that he’s *with* JD. The Kappas sent a text that they need him to bring 100 and three pairs of panties. Leslie is about to help with the money but the panty request istoo much for her. Fortunately, Kat realizes it’s pre-pledging season and comes to the rescue.

On the last night of pre-pledging, JD is told he can’t be online next semester because someone told that he ran his mouth about the pre-pledging. Even tho Timothy hasn’t been speaking to JD, he sits in his usual seat in Biology. So JD copies his answers during the exam. JD ends up with a zero and realizes he was set up. But the Kappa’s decide to give him another chance if he can still make a 3.0. Kat wins the election. Fresh has blown the ten thousand dollars credit card limit but Timonty encourages him that since his GPA is a 3.4, his parents can help him look for a scholarship. He just has to believe that God will find a way.


My Thoughts: Practically the same book as First Semester, with a lot of pledge stuff thrown in. All the student government stuff since I’m like JD I wasn’t all that interested in. The pledging stuff, even though I was a what they call a Kappa “sweetheart” which is basically the ladies of the Kappa’s that supported them with dances and fundraising (not that I really remember any events we actually threw) I use to like feeling like I was semi apart of being in a “sorority” since it bombed for me being in a real one. But after what happened on the baseball field I kept thinking oh HELLLLL NOO! Sometimes books try to downplay all the HORRENDOUS parts of going through hazing, by having the character “all of a sudden” realize that “but that was just done to weed out the weak-minded”, Then to kinda let it slide they’ll start naming all the good things the organization does as a diversionary tactic to show you it’s worth it. But I DON’T CARE how many children and homeless shelters you work with, I’m not letting you cover me in VOMIT! That would have been THE END! I would have walked off that field and they would have NEVER seen my face again after “that night”. There’s such a thing as going “too far”. And then these men like to use words like “distinguished” and “brotherhood” a lot. If I was a man I wouldn’t want to be represented by group of men where one of them beats on a woman (even tho one of the members called him out for this, they should have revoked his membership). NOO! Pre-pledging (which I never even heard of) would have REALLY opened my eyes to what I was trying to join. But people in books, so easily what it (the letters and the colors) sooo badly that’s all they focus on. Like I said maybe this is just coming from a nonmember's point of view but people have DIED trying to join an organization just to be called the “brother” of someone that wouldn’t give a second thought to do you bodily harm Does that sound like any kind of "brother" or "sister" you'd want to have? And if yours stay on the level and don't resort to that kind of hazing kuddoes.

All the characters were DUMB! JD just got over one girl that played him and nearly killed him. He gets sprung not even one week back in school over the carbon copy of the last girl. He stays online after the Kappas let other guys throw up on him! He fools around WITH one of the Kappa’s ex-girls. He actually thinks that after the night in Miami and Timothy hasn’t spoken to him in WEEKS that he’d let him cheat off him. Not to mention the fact that he’s STILL cheating after he almost got busted in the first book. JD might not have HIV now but by the time he graduates he will because he keeps fooling with girls who fool with men who fool with every damn body. Kat is DUMB! I’ll say it again. Yes, I get she feels guilty but how do you *THINK* JD is gonna take that fact that you ALMOST GAVE HIM AIDS! Maybe the best move Is to just let him either COOL OFF OR how about just saying I screwed that up and just .. IDK slink off into oblivion. If I’d almost caused someone their death and I tried to apologize and they didn’t accept it I’d just LEAVE THEM ALONE. I just don’t get how after people WRONG you they just always want to “check on you” instead of letting go. Lawry was DUMB for 1 not locking the damn door when he KNEW JD was coming by to get his belt and 2 for taking his anger out on JD and not Dub. Why not put DUB on the poster? Was JD the one that took the picture? Fresh was DUNB AS HELL! When I Was in college I never got caught up in the credit card thing, but COME ON. Did he seriously think that credit card GAVE me 10,000 for free?! REALLY!? That was the STUPIDEST thing I ever heard! He did the EXACT same thing JD did in the last book with his refund check at the club. Timothy was DUMB because he also took his anger out on JD for what AMY did. Was it JD’s fault Amy was a freak? He *could* have told him true, but I think who Timothy was really made at was Timothy.

Rating: 5

[Tamya Roye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a very interesting book. There are many things that I am able to relate to as a young person. The rumors being spread about J.D to having the guys in your city talk to every girl that they see.However, James goes through stages and it allows him to mature and become more focused into what he needs to do for class and his school work instead of looking at girls and trying to get with them. I overall really like this book because it is really good. It helps us as young readers know and learn from the same mistakes that he made and not do them. He is a good role model and knows how to overcome very had obstacles that came his way.
In this book James Dawson is a very strong character. he was lucky enough to be excepted into a college that normally accepts kids with a 3.0 GPA. Even though he was supervised so that he could get his GPA up he was able to achieve and maintain a steady GPA. James had to go through rumors being spread like him being HIV positive because the girl that he hooked up with was HIV positive. He was very nervous about having to go around campus and knowing that people are talking about him behind his back. However, he was able to get through that and maintain a good GPA so that he could continue to come back to the school next semester.

[Claudio Darosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

i think the book is great because it talks about the life in college. and how you got be be careful with your actions

[Sylvie · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story plot is simple of course. College life. But the author somehow is able to instill life and interest where such a common subject would usually not have anything new to say. And that the story still captivates is a testimony more to the author writing than to the story line itself. We can feel he is still a young author that needs to practice his art, specially in drawing better descriptions - some scenes were cut a bit short to close a chapter - but the dialogues are funny and natural.
So I was hesitating between 2 or 3 stars when I hit the gratuitous violence which made me revisit.

First the scene in the club with an ex-boyfriend who, at the bar, attempts to choke his girlfriend to the point her feet were off the floor. And nobody intervened when actually there were people around? And why was that guy not arrested immediately and sent to jail? Oh but I forgot that's because he was also incidentally the president of a fraternity our hero would like to pledge into! That would have killed the plot.

And that's where I could not follow. I have not been exposed to the concept of fraternities as a student in a foreign university. So I appreciated this book because I thought I would better understand this world, these private clubs. But the picture I got is more like a gang of thugs. The author tries to introduce the "benefits" of the fraternity by mentioning their community involvement but this is just a tiny paragraph in all of the book. The rest is booze, alcohol, sex, power ego fights and degradation of women. Then there is this main character who strangles his girlfriend and gets told by an older fraternity member: tsk, tsk! Don't do these things because we want to keep our hands clean.
The only thing that came to mind was a street gang. And is that really the raison d'etre of these fraternities and sororities? Acting like gangsta instead of promoting values? When does it become ok to do violence as long as it is underground as it was suggested in this book? Truthfully after having been exposed to reading these kind of prepledging stupid degrading tasks which have nothing to do with any publicized longstanding fraternity motto, I'm not surprised any longer about the scandals we hear in the news. And I wonder if these organizations should not simply be abolished.

And third some of these actions on the university campus would have called on the attention of the authority. I doubt any university would not have followed through with severe consequences for the kind of slandering campaign that is described in public places. And truly, could the author not have found better showing the right side of politics and democracy instead on focusing and giving more attention on the slandering side? The benefit concert was a good idea. The unrealistic posters with innuendos and sex references would never fly. No candidate and his team would be allowed this kind of "publicity", and be even remotely associated with the posturing of direct attacks on the personal life such as race or sexual choice. Strangely I felt the sex attacks similar to the same as if today someone would post colored people pamphlet. Unacceptable. And could the author not see this and change the plot? That is where I think the lack of maturity of the author shows up.

So I have to lower the grade. Too bad, I thought there was good material and I can just hope next time the author will take into consideration to lessen the free violence. The scene on how Timothy and JD face off at the end of the semester was much better.

[Natilee Joyner]

The book that I have finished reading is called Next Semester by Cecil R. Cross . This book has been one of the best books I have read so far. This book had me in my room all the time because it was so interesting.

In Next Semester the main character , James Dawson , tries to show that he can act better than he did in the first semester of college. With James friends all in this ear he has lost all control of passing the school year. After all of the drama in the first semester of getting on academic probation James continue to do what he wants. Now that him and his crew have found out about pledging for the school it makes matter even worse. Most of his friends who he thought had his back turned on him. Getting him into trouble just for the fun of it. James has to learn to play the college life right or he will end up back at home in the hood. With everybody bringing him down it is not going to be easy.

When writing this book Cecil was trying to explain that, life is not easy. You are always going to have somebody that don't wants to see you succeed. People nowadays want to see you struggle. But no matter how hard they try to put you down you have to come back with an even bigger mindset, knowing that you are going to make it. Life is what you make it not what everybody else tell you its going to be. Also he wants to show that peer pressure is not going to solve a situation. Especially if your friends are the ones who are doing it. Everybody in the world is not your friend.

The book itself was an good book. I felt like I learned a lot from it. Even though there were times when I felt sad because I knew that James would make a bad decision, but then got right back up and fixed them. The book kept your mind wondering what was going to happen next . Some of parts in there I never even thought of would happen. I also like that this book gave me a variety of emotions. This was truly a good book.

I would recommend this book to boys and girls who are entering college for the first time. Although this book may have parts that you may have to handle. Any body that is mature enough to read about the struggles someone will go threw should also read this book.

[Tyquasia Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

My book is called next semester. James Dawson "J.D" is the main character in the book. As you may think the book is mainly about J.D and his college life. his second semester and he's been through a lot and has a lot to prove from his first semester in college. J.D goes to the university of Atlanta. A special quote for this book is "Not every lesson is learned In school". I felt like I learned a lot from this book.
After all the drama and problems that was in the first semester J.D still continues to do the same thing. I really loved this book because it was really interesting and because everything seem so realistic: could just picture it in my head. The book made me realize that life is not easy. There's always somebody in the way or somebody trying to steal your shine and success.

James made a lot of bad decisions in this book but he always found away to work them out. He had a great mind. With being on academic probation and being thousands of miles away from his family and friends he managed to make it all work. I think J.D proved a lot and his points and got something going on himself in Second Semester.

[Reynaldo · Rating 5 out of 5]

i liked this book because its like reading another sequel to First Semester. Eventhough the character is still in a struggle, he finds a way to get out of it. in this book i can actually see J.D making the same mistakes as before. He still chases girl and he met one named Leslie. J.d met leslie and as i read, she was like a girl that seem hard to get but in the end J.D made his move and officially got her. Meanwhile, problems started to rise. in First Semester,the whole campus knew about J.d getting HIV even though it was a false statement and one day leslie called him to interrogate him about that. A few chapters later, he was in class and he had to do a school election thing and in their GRoup, had Katrina. He didnt want to talk to her because he knew that theHIV stuff would be brought up. So she said thanks so j.d helped katrina with the election and at that very end Katrina won the election and now J.d is proud of her.
This book has alot to offer and so many things happened that came to a conclusion that J.D has alot to show in college

[Britney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sequel was absolutely amazing. The way the drama and escalated through the was plotted well. The way JD grew at the end decided to turn his self around can open eyes for others to see that grades are more important. It also shows others that the have to have a balance while they are in college. College is not all about fun and games, you still have to work hard to get the career you want in life and be happy. I never expected such an amazing part two.

The suspense that was created throughout the book numerous times made the book even more enjoyable. It was hard to put this book down because there was so many unexpected things. For example when they found out that Lawry was in fact gay and that Timothy went gangsta. Next Semester was more just as exciting as the first part of the book. By far, this is sequel I have every read so far.

[Susana Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book very interesting and funny i liked the book. This book is about a guy named JD and is a freshman in University of Atlanta. JD is on Academic Probation And is trying his hardest to Pass all of his classes. But him and his friend still act like College is all about big frat parties. JD can only come back to college next year and pledge Kappa beta Psi if he has a 3.0 average and all of that is up to Kat gets elected to become student-body president. The One person he never expected to talk to again after what she put him through and that's the person his final grade depended's on. Kat HIV positive and JD was with her while she had that. When JD left to go back home he got checked and didn't have anything.

[Misdajania · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about JD Dawson's second semester at college. The first emester was rough from the begin. Acedemic probation, being thousands of miles away from home and being without his friends. JD experinced alot of things now he will return to deal with them. Not only does he hav to work hard to maintain his gpa he has to dal with Kat a girl he onc liked but changed after gtting unxpectd nw from her. His new love interest Natlie who is so what spoken for. Last h's on lin for a fratrnity.

I liked this book bcaus it was writtn wll. I could understand what JD was going through. It was realistic and modern. I think it is signifigant to see how people have to adapt to the college life.

[she_ill_22 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't wait to read Next Semester to find out how JD and his people did after one eventful first semester. I was not disappointed. Things turned up more than First Semester. I got a taste of credit card debt, pre-pledging, group work, the downside to competitiveness and much more male bonding. I was a bit disappointed that the story ended without tying up all of the loose ends or any mention of a continuation. This is definitely worth reading nonetheless.

[Rayzin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though he was on the verge of getting kicked out of college and having a desease he comes back doing the same stuff. Until he gets a wake up call that the class he though was going to be easy turns out to be taught by a Professor who plays no game. So now he was to pass or he will be on the verge of getting kicked out again.

[Leaha]

J.D Finally Got his grades up but however, he finds his self falling back into trouble with his family back home and his college pep friends.J.d and Katrina are now an thing but is going back to the old ways.Kat is trying to do her own thing by running for student president but instead of j.D helping he wants to drink and party with his boys. James took an total L this Semester .

[BCPL Youth Services Librarian]

link to book in BCPL's catalog

[Jabehac7]

im not a huge fan of this so far but im gunna keep reading. maybe it'l get intersting.

[Fred]

need to read it

[Joi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It covered some heavy topics, but not in detail. I liked the main character, the book was not exceptionally long, and the plot kept me interested.

[Porsha Dixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great follow up to first semester. I enjoyed reading about our prominent HBCU and social issues that happen in real life and through Cross' books.

[Jartima · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very good , and I would like for every teenager to read it !