'Til Death

admin — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 16:49:00 +0000

In 'Til Death, the third and final installment for bestselling series Secret Society, Miasha takes us on a whirlwind adventure of sex, drugs, fame, and money. 'Til Death picks up where its predecessor Never Enough left off, and now fans can follow Celess and Sienna (better know as Si-Si) as they travel the world trying to avoid police who have accused them of murder and the psychopathic murderer who wants Si-Si dead. This fast-paced story takes you to places such as Rome, Italy; Cape Town, South Africa; and Dubai as our two leading ladies live off of rich men while building up an extremely successful escort agency.

I wanted to read the other books in this series so I would have a better sense of the current plot and background. While I love the storyline for its realism and energy and how it gives women power, I can't say I enjoyed the book as much as I would have liked to. Using the style of slang commonly found in R-rated gangster movies, 'Til Death is crudely written, making it difficult for a person not completely familiar with it to read the book without having to re-read, as much of it feels as if it hasn't been edited very well.

Along with this, the descriptions could use some cutting as they drag on needlessly, such as in Rome when Celess and Si-Si have multiple outfit changes. Miasha sees fit to take us from head to toe of everything the girls change into. While I understand that Celless is a shallow, money-obsessed woman who defines a person's wealth by what they wear, descriptions of all things Gucci that are a bit much for those of us who buy Levi's jeans. A simple and quick description would do just fine. The dialog also needs to be trimmed, such as when Si-Si, Celess, and Andrew go to a Roman night club to make a business deal and when Andrew finds the girls in Dubai. The reader is subjected to needless and sloppy segments of dialog that review what the reader already knows or can be pieced together from contextual clues.

All in all, the story itself was enjoyable but the way it was laid out left much to be desired. I wouldn't recommend 'Til Death to someone who isn't familiar with the author.

Written by: Nina Lopez-Ortiz, August 6th 2010

Mommy's Angel

admin — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 13:30:00 +0000

By Miasha

Touchstone Books

Most savvy feminists can argue their way through complex social problems such as sexual violence, poverty and drug use. Most savvy feminists, though, could not articulate those issues though a fast-paced, sharply written story like Mommy’s Angel. Dubbed as “a writer to watch” by Publishers Weekly,” Miasha tells the heartbreaking story of one fifteen year old girl’s steel gut and courage in her battle for survival with a heroin-addicted mother and a web of deceit and manipulation.

Miasha depicts some of the most pressing issues of feminism by mixing city street vernacular into the cycle of modern day oppression that fuels the most heated debates in western feminism. Can forms of sex work and stripping be considered modes of empowerment for young women? What forms of intervention can adeptly disrupt the cycle of addiction, rape and teen pregnancy? This work of fictional brilliance is a succinct glimpse into the heart of young girls who seek family redemption, reliable and safe options, and relief from domestic hell.

This jarring novel is loaded with emotion as it takes the reader through the struggle of one woman who is, chronologically, a teen, but takes on adult responsibilities and choices as she hopes, torments and fights through the vicious hands of urban poverty and rape. With a smart-mouthed younger sister, a loving boyfriend, an abusive employer, and a handful of irresistible page-turning characters, Miasha has constructed a feminist rollercoaster that serves as an important catalyst to explore the painful intersection of social issues facing young women today.

This novel, like everyday life, reminds us that our discourse and intentions must be inclusive, updated and knowledgeable of the realities plaguing our inner-city communities. It serves as a wake-up call that concerned readers must be able to adequately recognize the strategic anti-poverty agendas from the blithe political plans that are often addressed in binary jargon that do little to alleviate the suffering of the oppressed.

After completing the novel in one sitting combined with a stunning ending that left me staring, non-blinking at the ceiling, Mommy’s Angel will haunt your conversations and linger in your personal thoughts for days after the last page is turned.

Written by: Lisa Factora-Borchers, June 7th 2007