Identity Theft
By Laura Lee

Often witty, Identity Theft by Laura Lee tells the tale of, what some might refer to as a burnt out rock star and his young office assistant that would do anything for just a day in the life of the washed up star.  And if things go right, he might just get the chance.

Ollie has spent the last 17 plus years living his rock-n-roll persona, Blast. Men want to be like him, women want to be with him. However, he's getting to the point where he'd just like to be Ollie again and settle in to the life of a single dad to his daughter.

Then we have Ethan, the 22-year-old lanky office worker at Blast HQ who finds himself still living in the basement of his mom's house. His life has little to no excitement until the day Ollie asks him to take over handling Blast's social media.

Although unsure of what to expect, he stumbles across one of Blast's admirers who includes a picture in her message to her all-time favorite star., a note of extreme admiration and respect. There is something about her that makes Ethan want to respond differently to hers than the way he’s been responding to the others – a more personal note to hopefully get to know her.

Our leading lady is Candy Travis, a 29-year-old office worker based in San Diego. As with many single ladies, she doesn't see the gem she truly is. But when she receives a response from Blast, her all-time favorite performer, her life will change forever.

The emails begin easy enough, casual get-to-know you type stuff.  Ethan is certain to follow Blast’s tour schedule so as to not give himself away to Candy.  He makes sure you know a bit of information about each stop on the tour so, again, he can continue the shenanigans about who he was.  Although what neither thought might occur from a casual fan/star email relationship definitely occurred.  So now what?

It’s here that I leave you because I encourage you to pick up this book for a quick, fun read.  Although I’ve never fallen for an artist/author/and the like that I corresponded with via email, it felt like a real possibility.  The opportunity to put yourself out there in the way only you want someone to know you, hiding the flaws –-be them physical, social, mental, and so on.  How far would you/could you take it?  It’s an interesting predicament anyone might truly find themselves in without a whole lot of thought going in to it
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What happens with Identity Theft between Ethan, Candy, and (oh yeah! How about the most important “victim”) Ollie?  You’re going to have to grab the book and check it out for yourself.    

Yellow Crocus
By Laila Ibrahim 
 
It doesn’t happen often for me that I come across a book that really leaves me in awe.  Certainly I have had a plethora of great books catch my attention, but Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim is in a class all its’ own.  And to be frank, I’m almost at a loss for words; so perhaps I’ll just start with the easy stuff.

As most everyone who has ever picked up a textbook in the United States knows (or should know), the mid- to late 1800’s weren’t exactly easy times for those Blacks living in this country, predominately the South.  There are some Blacks, during this time, that felt those Blacks who worked indoors - as opposed to  out beneath  the beating sun in the fields -had it, in many ways, better than others.  Yellow Crocus tells a story of Mattie, an indoor slave.  As for her story, I’m going to let you decide what to think.

Mattie lived on a large plantation-type home in the South specifically in the slave quarters that lay behind the giant willow tree out back of the main house.  She was married in 1857 when she was 20-years-old.  At the age of 20 she gave birth to her son Samuel.  At the same time, the mistress of the house, Ann, gives birth to her daughter, Elizabeth.  Right off Mattie is taken into the main house to care for as a wet nurse to the baby girl – known from that point on as Lisbeth. 
The expectation at that point, as far as Mattie and her family knew, was that she would care for the infant until such a time that Emily, the second floor maid, can take the reins.  However, it doesn’t end up happening quite that way.  She is told that she will be the personal nurse for Lisbeth.  For Mattie this is a decision she feels ambivalent about.  She loves her son and husband dearly, of course wanting to be with them as often as possible.  However, she has a maternal-like love for Lisbeth as well. 

As Lisbeth grows older, she is intuitive enough to know the conflict that rages within Mattie.  She feels slight guilt but knows that due to her own mother’s issues, she needs Mattie more than she should.  They try to spend time outside beneath the large trees near the slave quarters so that the children can both benefit from Mattie’s presence.
Times begin to change in the United States to make it possible for Mattie and her family to become free of the bounds that have tied them to the house all these many years.  The time arises where Mattie, Emmanuel and Samuel are able to begin a life on their own with more rights than they have ever had and so they do.  And around the same time it is Lisbeth’s time to start making decisions that will dictate her future life – have to leave a little for you to learn about!!  Will the two meet again?
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I cannot say enough how brilliantly written Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim is.  I fear I may have already given more details away than I should have, but I hope there is just enough to peak your interest so you’ll scoop this one up as soon as you’ve finished reading this review.  YES, it is that good!  As a precautionary note, this book does involve some mild sexual content as well as violence, but – in my opinion – not enough to exclude it from a young adult or mature middle to read.