Stealing Candy is one of those books that really makes you think. It is fiction, but yet everything about it is all too real. Allison Hobbs did a great job depicting what teen prostitution is like in America, the America that most of us will never see. These poor girls go through horrible abuse being trafficked by a psychotic pimp, and he will stop at nothing to keep them working and keep them under his watch. This book is raw, gritty and graphic. Saleema is an amazing character and she really holds the whole book together for me. There needed to be that small ray of sunshine to keep everything going amidst all the darkness. Excellent urban read with great writing and editing. Strebor Books never disappoints!
http://www.hoteatsandcoolreads.com/2012/01/book-review-stealing-candy-by-allison.html
http://www.hoteatsandcoolreads.com/2012/01/book-review-stealing-candy-by-allison.html
I've come to expect the best from Allison Hobbs' and I wasn't disappointed with this. I think she's doing a great thing getting readers involved and more knowledge about the subject she touches on here. Besides a few editing mistakes and a few snide comments that didn't do anything for the story the book is great.
It's a pet peeve of mine when an author sticks in a 'real life' subject. Obama just doesn't belong in an urban fiction book. He doesn't belong in any fictional book - it's just plain weird. the only problem I ever had with The Coldest Winter Ever was when I read about the author - in the authors own book. Straight weird if you ask me.
Anyway, the comment between people at the meeting about how a black girl abduction goes unnoticed while a white girls would be all over the news - how did that progress the story? It didn't. It takes away from it for any intelligent person reading it because they know this isn't true. It's just not factual. It smacks of racism actually.
Those are the only aspects of the book that bothered me. The talented writing is there - it always is with Hobbs' books. The moral to the story and the premise, the characters - everything is on point as always. in my opinion Hobbs' is by far the best female author in the genre. The potential is there for genre crossing - she could definitely appeal to a much larger audience - with a few changes. The conversations between the characters all felt real.
Oh, one other small thing - I like when the covers match the character and have to assume the girl on the cover here is Gianna. Yet she doesn't match the story. She seems to be taking a casual stroll down an alleyway instead of fleeing a pimp. I think the cover would have been better had she had a more fearful look on her face, maybe glancing behind her, and wearing the clothes she was described as having on in the beginning of the book.
One good thing for Philly/surrounding area readers - there are tons of street names, Fairmount Park, etc. so you can get that comfy feeling that comes from reading about areas you know and have been to.
As an end note - I wish everyone would stop seeing this world and everyone in it in black and white - you're only helping keep racism alive. Even if it's not actually racist - everything you say and do that seperates black people and white people does just that - it keeps racism going.
It's a pet peeve of mine when an author sticks in a 'real life' subject. Obama just doesn't belong in an urban fiction book. He doesn't belong in any fictional book - it's just plain weird. the only problem I ever had with The Coldest Winter Ever was when I read about the author - in the authors own book. Straight weird if you ask me.
Anyway, the comment between people at the meeting about how a black girl abduction goes unnoticed while a white girls would be all over the news - how did that progress the story? It didn't. It takes away from it for any intelligent person reading it because they know this isn't true. It's just not factual. It smacks of racism actually.
Those are the only aspects of the book that bothered me. The talented writing is there - it always is with Hobbs' books. The moral to the story and the premise, the characters - everything is on point as always. in my opinion Hobbs' is by far the best female author in the genre. The potential is there for genre crossing - she could definitely appeal to a much larger audience - with a few changes. The conversations between the characters all felt real.
Oh, one other small thing - I like when the covers match the character and have to assume the girl on the cover here is Gianna. Yet she doesn't match the story. She seems to be taking a casual stroll down an alleyway instead of fleeing a pimp. I think the cover would have been better had she had a more fearful look on her face, maybe glancing behind her, and wearing the clothes she was described as having on in the beginning of the book.
One good thing for Philly/surrounding area readers - there are tons of street names, Fairmount Park, etc. so you can get that comfy feeling that comes from reading about areas you know and have been to.
As an end note - I wish everyone would stop seeing this world and everyone in it in black and white - you're only helping keep racism alive. Even if it's not actually racist - everything you say and do that seperates black people and white people does just that - it keeps racism going.
