Cry Baby Cry..... or Not

Cry Baby Cry..... or Not by Dewandus Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first read by this author and it will not be my last. My hand went over my mouth more than in once at the twists in the book. And I clutched my imaginary pearls a time or two at the raw delivery this author gave me as a reader.
I mean the book opens with one of the lead characters walking in on her “man” copulating with her parent. She was 12 yrs old mind you. This story touched on generational abuse in such a way that you felt every whip, every profane name, every tear and every ounce of anger and humiliation that Trina and Jackie felt. Jackie passed on the anger, pain, and hate she received so much so that at 12 she thinks an adult man is hers. So much so that she’s fascinated by a man killing someone in front of her. I can’t say the scene with Jackie getting her just due with the extension cord didn’t make me smile just a little bit.
Enter 15-year-old Mistro, a fledgling gang member doing what he needed to be initiated into gang life. Whose life was no better. They both played the hand they were dealt as best they could and attempted to make their own way, however that would turn out. The author gave us a gritty and shockingly realistic urban tale. The supporting characters were as interesting as the two characters that were the main focus of this story. There was so much to absorb. You had drama, sexual abuse, murder, gang life, and as I said before generational abuse. It was nice to see not just the heartbreaks that one or two can change their direction and survive it. That being said, I look forward to book 2. If the sequel is as well written, expertly formatted and gripping as book 1, this author has another winner on his hands. What’s next to come for the young Trina and her new occupation? The only reason this was not a 5 star read was that there were some grammatical errors that distracted me a time or two.

Now let's get you that book!

Reviewed by KayBee