BOOK #3, "Caught Up In the Rapture" by Sheneska Jackson, 52 Books in 52 Weeks

This is a novel written by Sheneska Jackson. It is about two young people who want to attain great success in the music industry in South Central Los Angeles. There is 26 year old Jazmine Deems, who has a wonderful talent for singing, but her overbearing, preacher father won't support her and wants her to go to college and have a "normal" career. Jazmine has had no luck with men and has practically given up on finding love. Jazmine has an outgoing friend named Dakota, who's parents are already in the music industry. Dakota takes Jazmine to a music  event, where Jazmine's music demo ends up in the hands of a music executive named Bobby Strong who works for Black Tie Records. Bobby Strong is striving to impress in hopes of becoming boss when his own boss leaves Black Tie Records. However, there is a younger exec who is also vying for the position name Kirk Walker. Kirk Walker has just signed Xavier Honor, otherwise known as X-Man to the label. Xavier is a gangster who is headed in the wrong direction. He hopes his shot at becoming a rap star and hitting it big will take him out of the street life.


Jazmine and Xavier hit it off at the party and begin dating. They try to make their relationship work, hoping that their careers don't get in the way. But there is a war going on within the record label. If Jazmine's career takes off, Bobby Strong will shine. If X-Man's career takes off, Kirk Walker will shine. It doesn't help matters, that Bobby Strong has a drug habit, and a failing marriage.


Jazmine and Xavier hit many road blocks on their way up the music ladder. Jazmine has issues trusting men, while Xavier is trying to run from a past that may just stop his music career before it even gets going.


The novel is told from the point of view of characters Jazmine and Xavier. This does help the reader get a good understanding of what each character is facing as they struggle with imminent crises. However, at times the story moves too slow and at times it moves too fast. There is a feeling of inconsistency throughout the book, that may have been improved if the author had let the characters resolve their issues in a timely fashion that would lend itself to a normal rise and fall pace. Overall, the book is a good read, it could quite possibly be categorized as a young adult novel if it weren't for the strong language and gratuitous profanity.


I highly recommend Sheneska Jackson's debut novel, "Lil Mama's Rules". It has a better flow, a comfortable pace, climaxes where there should be and it sustains its momentum.




** 2 STAR


Favorite Quotes/Excerpts from "Caught Up in the Rapture"


"Dakota says I'm weak when it comes to Daddy, but she just doesn't understand."