Weekly Book Review: Stripping Asjiah by Sa'Rese

I usually don’t read urban novels. It’s not that I can’t relate to them, it’s just that I’d felt I’ve seen and read it all before. But when I began reading this book I was hooked from page one.

Stripping Asjiah (pronounced Asia), is the story of a beautiful 17 year old girl, who at the tender age of 8 years old tragically loses her mother, when she is brutally murdered by her estranged father.

On top of that she, along with her older brother Angel, move in with their maternal grandmother, (who they call Marie). There she is viciously raped by her uncle. And to make matters worse, when she tells her Aunt and grandmother what happened to her, they further victimize her by calling her a liar.

With no where to go and no one to turn to Asjiah pours her heart out in her journal and turns to the only people that she thinks she can trust.

That’s all I’m gonna say. Because I don’t want to spoil this book for anyone, but believe me, there is so much more to this novel than what I’ve mentioned so far. I mean I got started reading it as soon as it arrived in the mail and I didn’t put it down until I was done at 12 o’clock the next day.

Stripping Asjiah, was very well written and I loved the pace of the story. It kept me wanting more and I was actually disappointed when it ended. The cast of characters were interesting and the storyline was realistic. As a native Clevelander I loved how she included streets and landmarks in her tale, because it made me feel like I was a part of the story.
Stripping Asjiah is a gritty urban tale set on the back drop of Cleveland’s mean streets.

Stripping Asjiah is Sa’Rese’s first novel.

Order Stripping Asjiah and the sequel, Stripping Asjiah II, which is now available as an e book. You can pre order hard copies of Stripping Asjiah II on Amazon.com also.  I recommend that you order both. Believe me, if you don't, you're gonna wish you had!

Happy reading!

The following is an interview with Sa'Rese, the author of Stripping Asjiah and Stripping Asjiah II:


First of all, I really love the title and the definition you gave for the word
stripping was so fitting to Asjiah's character and the things that she
experiences.

1) What was your inspiration for your main character, Asjiah?
Thank you so much! I wanted a title that would stand out, something unique and that
also had a deeper meaning to the book. My inspiration for Asjiah? Life.
Life and all the things that you hear about, things you see on the
news, read about, things that are hushed and whispered because no
one wants to speak on certain topics.
 
This novel really stands out among the urban fiction that is written today.

2) How would you say Stripping Asjiah differs from other novels of this genre?
Stripping Asjiah differs because it isn't an urban novel. Not to
say that there is anything wrong with urban books but I don't
classify my novel as such simply because it isn't saturated with
the usual, monotonous story line. The characters in the book are easy to
identify with so it allows the reader to feel as though it is more
than just a book.

Stripping Asjiah was such an easy read and you painted a picture that was so
vivid.

3) What was the most difficult thing about bringing this story to life? 
The most difficult thing was me sitting still. Honestly, I am my
own worst critic so the hardest part for me would've been making sure
I didn't get ahead of my thoughts and that everything was depicted the
way I saw it in my mind.

Well, thank you so much for your time. And I wish you much success!

4) Any words of inspiration for my readers and aspiring writers?
Words of inspiration to readers? Keep reading. Society is becoming so lazy
now a day's and people don't read for leisure anymore. I think literature
is a way to escape the mundane. To aspiring writers, be yourself. That's
the best advice I can give. Be yourself and don't allow anyone to write
your story for you.

Sa'Rese, a fresh voice in a literary world of same-old-same old!

May 12th Sarese will be the featured poet at Cover Me Presents
June 2nd is her book release party for Stripping Asjiah II at The Poets Lounge

All of the above events are in Columbus Ohio.  However she is available for booking, signings, etc.

Gitchy, Gitchy, Ya Ya Ya Ya

When I was a little girl the name of the song was Gitchy, gitchy, ya ya ya ya. No they didn't change the title once I became an adult, but that was the name of the song as far as me and my cousin Sandy was concerned. And though we never knew the words to the song we would sing it just as loudly and with just as much confidence, twisting our little hips and belting out every little made up word as if we'd wrote the song ourselves. And even though at that age I was Chaka Khan and she was Natalie Cole, we were more than happy to take a break from our borrowed personas and "become" Patti Labelle. And I must say my cousin Sandy and I could really give Ms. Labelle a run for her money.

I remember that growing up we were allowed to sing and dance to that song. My mother didn't forbid me from singing to it or dancing to it. My granmother didn't stop us and neither did my Aunt Sarah. Which is a shocker the more I think about it, because she almost gave me a whoopin' for using the words "To Hot To Trot". And I wasn't even calling anybody that I was just repeating what someone else had said.

I said that to say, that back then we had boundaries. There were things we couldn't say, things we couldn't repeat and songs that we couldn't sing to or dance to. There was a place for children when grown folks were talking (and that place wasn't up in grown folk's faces looking into their mouths). There were rules, some spoken and some unspoken, but rules nonetheless. And somehow I didn't feel deprived. I felt protected.

Sure I use to pout. I remember when my Aunt Florence bought me and my cousin Sandy our first pair of high heeled shoes and I wasn't allowed to wear mine and by the time my mother said I could they didn't fit anymore (that pissed me off). But I understand why my mother did what she did.

Would it have mattered if she let me wear the shoes when I first got them while they still fit? Probably not. They were ugly navy blue shoes with thick wooden heels. And it was highly unlikely that my cousin and I would have been mistaken for a couple of child prostitutes in them. But I knew that it was her rule and I had to abide by it. No biggy.

But I have to say it's funny how Sandy and I were allowed to sing and dance to Lady Marmalade (A.K.A Gitchy, Gitchy Ya Ya Ya Ya). I have to believe it was because we had no idea what we were singing about and it had to help us out that we made up our own words. I bet it was real entertaining watching two little girls with baby blankets wrapped around our heads (that was our long fake hair), singing our little hearts out. Or perhaps it was easier to allow us to sing and dance and have our fun without having to stop us and explain why such a fun song was bad for two nice little 5 year old girls to sing. Regardless to why that song wasn't forbidden to us I'm thankful because it gave me one of the best memories of growing up with my cousin Sandy.