Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely Wonderful!
Review: Have you ever read a book that made you feel you were sampling a sinfully delicious dessert? This is exactly how the newest addition to the genre of contemporary African-American fiction by Pearl Cleage felt like. We meet our protagonist Regina Hall, freshly recovering from the downward spiral of cocaine addiction following a love gone wrong. Needing to repair burnt bridges (and to save her family home from foreclosure) she reluctantly journeys to Atlanta to amass some badly-needed capital via a consultancy extended to her from her former boss Beth Davis. Armed with little more than wild speculation on what awaited her there (courtesy of her "visionary" post-menopausal Aunt Abbie), she encounters new truths about the man who left her life and stumbles upon a new mysterious gentleman "who has the ocean in his eyes" that coincidentally has an eerie resemblance to the man Aunt Abbie described in her vision...
Like her past best-selling efforts, "What Looks Like Crazy on An Ordinary day" and "I Wish I Had a Red Dress," Cleage infuses her narrative with an intimacy and appealing eclecticism among her characters that makes them interesting and ultimately effective dispensers of truth. Themes familiar in her other works such as the Black man as protector (and the Black woman's response within this paradigm), the idea of creating a safe haven in communities of color and the notion of self-renewal as a prerequisite to community revitalization are deftly interwoven into the fabric of this work without being preachy or self-righteous.
This is truly a story I did not want to end. It gently illustrates what can happen when we remain open to gracefully accepting what we've asked the universe for-regardless of the actual packaging it shows up in. As readers and witnesses to this phenomenon in the experience of our protagonist, we are nourished, strengthened and that more receptive to the gifts that make their way into our lives through the most unlikely of channels.Idara E. Bassey, author of "Reflections of A Mystical Sistah: On Traveling Down the Road to Self Definition"(iUniverse)- For more information visit www.OneLightMessenger.com
Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful read
Review: I am a huge fan of Pearl Cleage's books. I really loved this latest tale;however, I had a problem with the way Regina's drug habit is presented. Quite frankly, I find it unbelievable that she could have a nasty enough cocaine addiction that she would loose her house and most of her belongings, yet be so "recovered" that she could dring cognac, champagne, and get a "buzz" on. Since when is this appropriate behavior for a recovering addict? Also, there is nothing in the story about Regina's journey to stay off of drugs and her rehab. She doesn't go to any Narcotics Anonymous meetings, doesn't check in with any counselors, etc. Sorry, but this all seems a bit unbelievable. Other than that, this is a terrific book and I can't wait for the next!
Rating: 
Summary: I gave up!
Review: I missed the book club meeting that discussed this book but thought I would read the book anyway because everyone seems so enamoured with Ms. Cleage. I read the first 150 pages of this book and I am bored to tears. All of the reviews call this book astonishing; did the reviewers read the 1st 150 pages--nothing, absolutely NOTHING interesting happens in these pages. Even if the author made up for it in the last 150 pages, this book could not be an astonishing book. I will not be reading anymore Cleage books. I, however, will try to finish reading this one since I started it. My hopes for some excitement in the book,however, has been shattered by the other reviewers who state that the book doesn't even have excitement at the end of the book.
Rating:
Summary: I WILL TRY AGAIN
Review: I read this book after it was recommended to me and I came with high expectations, maybe too high. While I respect the writer as a sucessful author I was quite disappointed with this book. It was not the type of writing and storyline I expected. The book forced me to ask myself if I was starved for more drama or could a simple, fairy-tale story satisfy my thirst? I did want to see more. When I noticed that I was getting very close to the end and nothing happened yet, not even a sex scene, I was wanting something to explode, some gun to go off, something to put me on the edge of my seat and cause me to escape, SOMETHING! I found myself skipping over pages while reading because I was uninterested in conversations, hoping to get to something, something that would drive me and make me say, "I didn't see that coming!" But that didn't happen. Everything was predicable to the very end. And the end was just that, the end, as one reviewer wrote, "The ride off into the sunset" toward D.C and while I wanted very much to feel good and say "Ah, wasn't that sweet?" it wasn't the heart candy that I believe the author was trying to give us. It fell very very short of that. The past life time storyline was just too ill-developed and not at all believeable even if I am one that believes in such possibilities. I would have loved to have seen that developed more! With that said, I am very sure I will read another book by this author because I know she is an excellent writer. I will give her another try. She's proven herself, but this book just didn't do it for me.
Rating: 
Summary: Clumsy
Review: I've never been a fan of Ms. Cleage especially after I read I Wish I Had a Red Dress. It was written clumsily. The concept was good, but the message was clumsy. Some Things I thought I'd never Do follows that same formula. The character "Blue" left us hanging. Perhaps a sequel will follow.
For a change in pace, read THE PREACHER'S SON by Carl Webber and LUST OF THE FLESH by Beverly Roylat. Two great reads. LUST is an excellent novel and should be read by every sexually active person.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Recommended
Review: In two words this novel moved me. I do not have the words in my vocabulary to expound on the effects this story had on me. When I finished reading it, the tears from my heart flowed freely. I was so engaged in the characters the ending was like a loss of life. Pearl Cleage has the ability to write characters that are not perfect, but are human. Her characters have human frailties and must deal with the ups and downs of life. Regina Burns is one of those characters. We meet Regina as she is literally begging a loan officer to not sale her house she borrowed against during her addiction to cocaine. From there we see Regina taking a chance and things falling in place. Her aunt tells Regina of her vision and what she sees in her future. Whether Regina believes it or not Atlanta will be the starting point. There are a host of characters you are drawn to and some you want to handle with a long handle stick. Once Regina arrives in Atlanta she meets the blue-eyed stranger that is part of her aunt's vision. Blue as he is called will be the past and future for Regina. We also meet Flora, Lu, Aretha and bad guys DooDoo and King James. We also meet Regina's mentor, Beth, who needs her expertise and gets more than she bargains for. Ms. Cleage has the ability to make you believe in hope, courage and honor. She however never lets us forget that the world is not perfect and no person is perfect in it. She uplifts the African-American males by portraying the good males alongside the no so good males. She upholds the spirit of community and neighbors. All though there is romance there is also love of family, friends and neighbors and shows us an endearing side of our African-American communities. The one thing that touched me and really expresses the title of the book is one statement that is made in the novel. That one statement is that no one is perfect, but we all have possibility of perfection. So profound and so true. No one is perfect but there is room for the possibility of perfection. That is what we should all esteem to be. Regina does as well as the other wonderful characters in this book. This is a page-turner from the opening lines. Well written and crafted by a gifted storyteller and writer. Thank you for moving me with this wonderful story. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A Magical Story with a Lovable and Engaging Protagonist
Review: Is the enjoyment of a book lessened if you know from the start how it will end? In the case of SOME THINGS I NEVER THOUGHT I'D DO, the answer is no. Right from the start of the book Regina Burns knows her fate, as told to her by her visionary advisor, her Aunt Abbie. A recovering drug addict, Regina has lost her job, her love, and is close to losing the home that belonged to her mother and her mother's mother. But her "vibrant, self-sufficient, patchouli-smelling" Aunt Abbie predicts ... no, she knows that all will be well. "There's a man in Atlanta who's been looking for you across time," she tells Regina. Voices are telling Aunt Abbie that her niece will travel to Atlanta to "complete a task for a fallen friend" and "rescue a damsel in distress." It's heady stuff for sure, but Regina takes it in stride as she heads off to Atlanta to work for the one person who would hire her: her former boss Beth Davis, a motivational speaker and the mother of her former fiancé. She's not keen on working for the woman who contributed to the demise of her relationship, but it's work and it'll save her mother's house. Beth has employed her to archive her deceased son's papers and work on a memorial to him ... to "complete a task for a fallen friend." Once in Atlanta she finds a neighborhood that verges on too-good-to-be-true. There's no crime, the streets are clean and bright, and the neighbors are all friendly. One man --- Blue --- gets all the credit for the town's charm and it turns out he also gets Regina's heart. Eyes the color of the vast ocean, Blue has indeed been looking for Regina and the spark is instantaneous. The "damsel in distress" will reveal herself soon enough, so I won't spoil that for you. I will say though that this is a magical story. Passionate and engaging, Regina is a lovable character for whom you can't help but root. You may know from the start what awaits Regina, but the lovely unfolding of the story will keep you reading until the damsel is saved and all in Regina's world is what Aunt Abbie knew it would be. --- Reviewed by Roberta O'Hara
Rating:
Summary: Something I Never Thought I'd Have to Write
Review: It's hard to write this review since I love Pearl Cleage's style of writing and her book called, "What Looks Like Crazy On An Ordinary Day." I read "Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do" cover to cover. The whole time I kept hoping something really exciting would happen, afterall, it's a novel right? Well, it never did! It never quite climaxed! The strength of this book was in how honestly she spoke of the dreams and problems between black women and men. The idea of Blue Hamilton was wonderfully imaginative. (Oh how I wish there were real Blue Hamilton's in "Our World") I love how she wrapped this hidden wish into the fictional pages of this novel. It's always priceless to me, to read a book where the authors speaks of the physical, emotional and spiritual beauty and complexity of "Black" people. Ms. Cleage is a wonderful writer but I couldn't get excited about the plot. It was like reading the diary of this one, kinda eccentric, woman's life. Overall, I have mixed feelings which explains my "4-star" rating. At one point the characters are connected on this rather odd belief which either should have been developed more or left out completely. Of course, the inside flap tells us that this is a book about sisterhood (true!), unexpected love (that part was cute!), and just a little magic (hold up, that's where it got WEIRD!). But, if you like Ms. Cleage's unique way of pulling us in with ordinary, at times, humorous, lives of "sistahs", you'll enjoy this book. It was interesting enough to finish reading, so have your go at it. Afterall, we're all entitled to our opinion!
Rating:
Summary: Something I Never Thought I'd Have to Write
Review: It's hard to write this review since I love Pearl Cleage's style of writing and her book called, "What Looks Like Crazy On An Ordinary Day." I read "Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do" cover to cover. The whole time I kept hoping something really exciting would happen, afterall, it's a novel right? Well, it never did! It never quite climaxed! The strength of this book was in how honestly she spoke of the dreams and problems between black women and men. The idea of Blue Hamilton was wonderfully imaginative. (Oh how I wish there were real Blue Hamilton's in "Our World") I love how she wrapped this hidden wish into the fictional pages of this novel. It's always priceless to me, to read a book where the authors speaks of the physical, emotional and spiritual beauty and complexity of "Black" people. Ms. Cleage is a wonderful writer but I couldn't get excited about the plot. It was like reading the diary of this one, kinda eccentric, woman's life. Overall, I have mixed feelings which explains my "4-star" rating. At one point the characters are connected on this rather odd belief which either should have been developed more or left out completely. Of course, the inside flap tells us that this is a book about sisterhood (true!), unexpected love (that part was cute!), and just a little magic (hold up, that's where it got WEIRD!). But, if you like Ms. Cleage's unique way of pulling us in with ordinary, at times, humorous, lives of "sistahs", you'll enjoy this book. It was interesting enough to finish reading, so have your go at it. Afterall, we're all entitled to our opinion!
Rating:
Summary: Love story that spans across time
Review: Living in Atlanta and going to one of the areas historically black colleges, this book reminded me of my campus life days. As a Pearl Cleage fan, I purchased the book sight unseen and could not have been more pleased. It restored my belief in true black love community and sisterhood. An endearing read, I couldn't put the book down. Cleage's innate storytelling ability makes all the characters come to life and your eager to find out how they work it out. My only disappointment was finishing the book.
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