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SCANDALICIOUS A novel by Armani Williams
Reviewed by Stanley Bennett Clay
W
hen Tamika Bishop, the gorgeous Real-Housewives-of-Atlanta-type spouse of Teddy Bishop, a handsome, virile, wealthy, NBA superstar, walks in on her hunky hubby sexing down her younger brother in the basement of their multi-million dollar mansion, all hell breaks loose in Armani Williams’ wild and raucous, laugh out loud, too sexy-for-my-shirt debut novel Scandalicious.
And that’s only the beginning. After the distressed diva shoots off a barrage of expletive-laced damnations, a few pistol shots, and threatens castration, she makes good on her promise to out her celebrity husband in the media by going on the top nationally syndicated radio talk show of Neicy Ross, an even more tacky version of Wendy Williams, and spills the tea on her man in delicious detail, much to the shrill delight of radio show host Neicy and her hungry listening audience, only for the accused husband to come on the show and dish a trash truck full of dirt of his own, which ultimately results in the outing of a major rap star, some hot and heavy lesbian action, a suicide, divorce, paternity claims and even murder.
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DBQ Magazine
By the time we get to the second half of the book, things have calmed down a bit, but are no less smoldering, as our ball-bouncing superstar finds himself and true love, handles his viciously homophobic/psychopathic brother, and goes from a self-centered self-hater, to a hero whose inside ultimately grows as beautiful as the hunky frame he lives within.
Scandalicious is truly all that and a bag of chips. Author Armani Williams’ writing style is unadorned, but effective, as his sexual descriptions are sure to keep your damp cloth busy, and his ghetto fabulous dialogue rocks and rolls between the outrageous and the hysterical.
The story burrows along like a horny bull in a china shop, and we marvel at the delicious carnage. There are even moments of great poignancy, particularly when the outed rapper grimly and tragically comes to terms with who he really is.
In spite of tenses arbitrarily chosen, and some clumsy editing, this fast and breezy little mud wrestle of a book, works. No, it’s not filet mignon, but it’s a pretty good burger and chili cheese fries combo.
Jan/Feb 2013
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