Yasmin Shiraz

Tashera is seventeen, she is a lovely girl, she’s kind, innocent, never in any trouble. So when she gets jumped by three hooded girls on the way home from school her life changes. Luckily someone breaks the beating up before she loses her life but from then on in things get complicated. It seems everyone Tashera knows wants to get the girls for this but will they get them before the police get them?

I found this a shocking read, although I know this does happen, but not around here. Gangs and violence seems to be what it is all about where Tashera lives. But it gets worse before it gets any better believe me.

Yasmin Shiraz wrote a book that will capture you from the start and although you may be shocked, disgusted and at some points about to cry it is definitely worth reading with fast pace and well written.… (altro)

Title: Loyal: The Prequel To Retaliation
Author: Yasmin Shiraz
Publisher: Y. S.
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 5
Review:

"Loyal" by Yasmin Shiraz

My Thoughts....

I found this novel such a good read with all that had gone on in this family...a single mom trying to be their for her daughter Tashera and son Khalil. However, it seems like the son had problems being caught up with the wrong people [gangs] who thought that they would be their for him. Khalil thought he knew what loyalty was but did he really know what that word meant? After asking his sister Tashera to look up the word loyal...I loved the way she brings it all out so well in her answer to her brother in a letter...

"this experience, this is what I've learned from you about being loyal:

Being loyal makes you choose between friends and family.
Being loyal takes away your happiness and replaces it with anger.
Being loyal puts your life at risk. (Loyalty dropped you off at the doorstep bleeding),
Being loyal means deserting your friends if the police come around.
Being loyal means dumping your boyfriend when he gets locked up.
Being loyal reminds me of a movie..."Every man for himself."
Everyone scattered and didn't look out for or try to help the other
person in their crew. Isn't that what happened to you?"

Will Khalil really get and receive this message?

This was a well written read that had me shaking my head through most of the read. Wow, this author really puts a message out there for all who will receive it! Very well done by this author and yes I would definitely recommend this one to all as a good read.… (altro)

Title: Retaliation
Author: Yasmin Shiraz
Publisher: Rolling Hills Press at Smashwords
Series: Retaliation # 1
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:

"Retaliation" by Yasmin Shiraz

My Thoughts....

Wow, this was some story where 'Retaliation' is front and center in this urban YA read. Will the Odom family ever be the same after Tashera was 'brutally attacked by a group of HS girls.' It seems like their had already been problems in this family from her brother Kahlil who had been 'paralyzed
due to running with gangs.' What will happen when Tashera's mom and brother tries to take care of the situation that had happened? My, my how this dramatic story will take many turns through retaliation.

There will be so many twist and turns that one will find it hard to put down definitely keeping your attention all the way to the end of the story. I found this wasn't a happy story ... quite a sad one but in the end will Tashera find any happiness through all of this? Well, you will have to pick up this novel and see for yourself how well this storyline is brought out to the readers.

I liked how Tashera reach out to Yasmin [the author of this novel] who had spoke at one time at her school. It was indeed wonderful to see how that Tashera wanted out of her present situation and had someone to tell her trouble to that truly understood what she was going through.

"Retaliation" really brings out what can happen from one 'single act of violence' that did affect so many individuals in this community. Would I recommend? YES!

Thank you to the author for the gift of the read for my honest opinion of the read.… (altro)

I think that everyone should pick up this book - it is such a realistic account of inner city living, violence and teenage angst and will hit any reader hard. Shiraz does a wonderful job with this book - it is told from multiple perspectives, all focusing around retaliation for an incident - all the ways people become involved and take it upon themselves to make things 'right'. It was a very deep contemporary read.

This author emailed me about Retaliation and from the very beginning I was interested. I went to college and grew up outside of DC in Northern Virginia and Towson, MD - but for explanation purposes when asked were I would live I would just say DC. However, my life and experiences were far from what those face in the inner cities as show by this very realistic account of city life and involvement.

In the book Tashera is brutally attacked by people that she doesn't even know and everyone in her family takes it upon themselves to provide her justice - only adding to the emotional agony in her life. The book was all about choices and how many can effect your life so deeply without you even knowing.

I really think everyone should grab this one and read it for themselves, it was violent, real, and overall a hard-hitting portrayal of life.… (altro)