Par for the Curse

A friend told me about the book, "Par of the Curse" and I was pretty intrigued about the generational curses portion. I am pretty impressed w/ Toyi Ward's writing because I was able to complete the entire book within 1.5 days...that's with being married and raising 2 little children. The book was quite the page turner...I didn't want to put it down because I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. It's something how some women always seem to want what they can't have. It's almost like a game or something to them and the men are no better who entertain these types of behaviors. I think the most I took from this book is that our tongues have the power to speak life and death into a situation. We need to be mindful of that power we are given by God and be selective and mindful of our words. Harmful things we speak over our children and our families can have a negative effect on them for the rest of their lives. It took Stormie, Riley and Lourdes to go thru so much abuse to finally get to the bottom of the matter and dispel the curse. In actuality...we all have the power in Christ to dispel any curse, whether it's supposedly generational or not. We have to exercise our faith to believe that our lives are destined for greatness. I feel Ms. Ward did a great job giving enough detail on certain matters to keep the intrigue...but not going too overboard to become bored. Each page kept you wanting for more. Get this book...you will not be disappointed.

What a refreshing story. For popular fiction the sentence structure is strong and could easily be literary in nature. The plot is well done and the ending does not disappoint. This is a genre busting display of originality. It's obvious the author conducted extensive research in palm reading to provide the back drop for this story. Even I tried to interpret my own hand while reading the story. The character development is some of the best in popular fiction. Though the characters are mixed race African-Americans, their plight and appeal are universal. The depth and complexity of the family dynamics are perfectly crafted in a tale of love, support, and typical family tension. The character behavior is consisten throughout the novel and there was never any place that I felt a disconnect between character and behavior. The plot had several underlying stories, all that were wrapped up by the end of the story. Unlike a lot of popular fiction, this novel develops, nurtures, and closes the plot at all levels of the story. It's funny, thought-provoking, and pure entertainment. I give this story an "A" and Toyi Ward a red carpet into fiction writing.

I posted another review on the hardcover version, which is the one I read as a preview copy. I was psyched to get to preview this story. It was so much fun, yet it rang very true. I saw myself in not one but all of the girls in the book. One minute I was laughing the next I contemplated my own life because of the truth that rang throughout the story for me. It was an excellent read. I hope there is a sequel.

I was so glad to score a preview copy of this from Facebook. This is a great story. I couldn't believe that this was her first book. The story is very original and moved me through many emotions. One minute I was laughing aloud and the next I was contemplating my own life. I felt like each one of the girls was a part of my own personality. When I finished the book I actually missed the characters, wondering what they were doing. Great story! Hope there is a sequel.

As a former book reviewer for Gospelcity.com, I've read a lot of first time authors' work. This is the rare exception. It is not only well-written but it has a compelling storyline centered on the subject of family generational curses. Welcome Toyi Ward into the fold as an emerging talent, one who has many more stories in her being and one who will be around for a long time.