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106 reviews for:
Second House from the Corner: A Novel of Marriage, Secrets, and Lies
Sadeqa Johnson
3.64 AVERAGE
106 reviews for:
Second House from the Corner: A Novel of Marriage, Secrets, and Lies
Sadeqa Johnson
3.64 AVERAGE
*I obtained this book for free for an unbiased opinion and review*
I have never read anything from Sadeqa Johnson before, so at first I was a bit skeptical. However, this will not be the only book I read of hers.
From the beginning of the novel I was entranced with the characters. Relating to the woman who is in over her head with everything she needs to get done on a daily basis and just wanting to take a breather from it all. There was a sense of rooting for the Felicia from the get go. Wanting her to get the break she needed.
Her relationship with her husband is endearing, solid and sensual. Until he finds she has a past that he is unaware of. Then things for Felicia crumble. Despite this being what her husband claims is a "deal breaker" for them, they spend some time apart and find their way back to each other.
I enjoyed this book and read it much quicker than I thought I would. I would recommend this to anyone.
I have never read anything from Sadeqa Johnson before, so at first I was a bit skeptical. However, this will not be the only book I read of hers.
From the beginning of the novel I was entranced with the characters. Relating to the woman who is in over her head with everything she needs to get done on a daily basis and just wanting to take a breather from it all. There was a sense of rooting for the Felicia from the get go. Wanting her to get the break she needed.
Her relationship with her husband is endearing, solid and sensual. Until he finds she has a past that he is unaware of. Then things for Felicia crumble. Despite this being what her husband claims is a "deal breaker" for them, they spend some time apart and find their way back to each other.
I enjoyed this book and read it much quicker than I thought I would. I would recommend this to anyone.
Nothing Substantial, Just a Juicy Pastime
Sadeqa Johnson is a good writer and that's the only reason why I finished the book. She's excellent at transitions and flow that makes the story seem like it is going somewhere even when it isn't.
Felicia Lyons is more-or-less a bored and stressed mother of three and wife to a seemingly perfect husband, Preston Lyons. Although Felicia intended on having a long and fruitful marriage, her past traumas begin to intrude and shadow her life, one of them being an affair with a man named Martin at the age of 15 whom impregnated her and disappeared only to wind up in jail.
The story begins to disappoint at the time Felicia agrees with her childhood friend, Shayla, to put her house on the line for her friend's boyfriend as a form of bail. From there, she continues on a path of irrational behavior with the coverup that she isn't receiving support from her husband and is stressed of being a mother.
Martin comes into the picture again and she entertains him with no seemingly logical or emotional reasoning. Just pure stupidity.
If you asked me, Preston responded like any man or woman would if an affair was discovered but Felicia seemed to make him the villain; the "Fuck you!"s and questioning as to why Preston behaved the way he did suggests that Felicia is living a selfish world and that her actions should never be looked at with too much scrutiny. To make matters worse, she went to Philly and slept with Martin not long after being put out the house.
In the end, her children is what snaps her back into reality and forces her back home but the book ends with her using her charm to allure her husband back to her, nothing redemptive. And poor Crystal--Gran and Felicia basically swept her under the rug and pretended like Felicia was the true prize.
I'd say I was disappointed with the character development; it seems that no one learned any lessons or inspired to change. Everybody remains a victim to their circumstances and problems.
Sadeqa Johnson is a good writer and that's the only reason why I finished the book. She's excellent at transitions and flow that makes the story seem like it is going somewhere even when it isn't.
Felicia Lyons is more-or-less a bored and stressed mother of three and wife to a seemingly perfect husband, Preston Lyons. Although Felicia intended on having a long and fruitful marriage, her past traumas begin to intrude and shadow her life, one of them being an affair with a man named Martin at the age of 15 whom impregnated her and disappeared only to wind up in jail.
The story begins to disappoint at the time Felicia agrees with her childhood friend, Shayla, to put her house on the line for her friend's boyfriend as a form of bail. From there, she continues on a path of irrational behavior with the coverup that she isn't receiving support from her husband and is stressed of being a mother.
Martin comes into the picture again and she entertains him with no seemingly logical or emotional reasoning. Just pure stupidity.
If you asked me, Preston responded like any man or woman would if an affair was discovered but Felicia seemed to make him the villain; the "Fuck you!"s and questioning as to why Preston behaved the way he did suggests that Felicia is living a selfish world and that her actions should never be looked at with too much scrutiny. To make matters worse, she went to Philly and slept with Martin not long after being put out the house.
In the end, her children is what snaps her back into reality and forces her back home but the book ends with her using her charm to allure her husband back to her, nothing redemptive. And poor Crystal--Gran and Felicia basically swept her under the rug and pretended like Felicia was the true prize.
I'd say I was disappointed with the character development; it seems that no one learned any lessons or inspired to change. Everybody remains a victim to their circumstances and problems.
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this one. Being a mother and a wife can have its challenges, but the rewards far exceeds the challenges. This was a good book. The trails of life can lead you down many roads. Home is truly where the heart is!
In Sadeqa Johnson's Second House from the Corner, frazzled stay at home mom Felicia Lyons' marriage teeters on the brink of divorce when her long buried past comes back to haunt her.
Felicia is a happily married mom of three young children but with her husband Preston working long hours, all of the child-rearing and household duties rest squarely on her shoulders. Stressed to the breaking point, she is suddenly contacted by two people from her past whose demands send her careening down a rebellious path. The unexpected phone calls from Martin Dupree, a much older man who seduced her into an illicit romance when she was a teenager, immediately awakens the same heat she felt for him all those years ago. Trying to discover how Martin tracked her down, Felicia gets in touch with her childhood best friend Shayla Douglas which puts her right in the middle of Shayla's boyfriend drama. Despite her best efforts to keep her past hidden, when Preston finds out about her previous relationship with Martin, he is so deeply betrayed that he refuses to listen to her explanation. With nowhere to go, Felicia naturally gravitates to her beloved Gran's house where she tries to make sense of those long ago events and decide what comes next for her marriage and her children.
Felicia is an extremely frustrating character who makes one wrong decision after another. It is difficult to feel sympathy for her when a lot of stress could be eliminated by cutting back a little on the kids' extracurricular activities. While understandable that she wants her children to have the best opportunities in life, it is pretty obvious that not only is she over extended but based on their behavior, so are the kids. Felicia's growing animosity over Preston's long hours spills over into secretive behavior as she escapes from her day to day life. And when she returns to her grandmother's house? Oh. My. Gosh. Her decisions go from bad to worse as she reverts to old behaviors to try to forget her problems with Preston.
However, Felicia finally comes to her senses once she realizes she has let herself be taken advantage of once again. Her feelings of shame overwhelm her and she finds herself slipping into depression. She continues to hide from her problems, but there comes a point when she finally realizes that ignoring these troubling issues is not healthy nor are her painful memories going to just vanish. Help arrives in a somewhat unorthodox manner but Felicia finally finds the inner strength to confront not only her mistakes but Preston as well.
Despite feeling annoyed with some of Felicia's choices, Second House from the Corner is a riveting read that is realistic yet entertaining. Sadeqa Johnson's portrayal of Felicia is unflinchingly honest and she does not shy away from difficult topics. While it is a painful journey for both the reader and Felicia, it is extremely gratifying when she finally forgives herself for her mistakes and takes control of her life. The conclusion of the novel is a bit abrupt but overall, the ending is positive.
Gritty, raw and real, Second House from the Corner is an enjoyable, thought-provoking novel that I enjoyed and easily recommend to readers of women's fiction.
Felicia is a happily married mom of three young children but with her husband Preston working long hours, all of the child-rearing and household duties rest squarely on her shoulders. Stressed to the breaking point, she is suddenly contacted by two people from her past whose demands send her careening down a rebellious path. The unexpected phone calls from Martin Dupree, a much older man who seduced her into an illicit romance when she was a teenager, immediately awakens the same heat she felt for him all those years ago. Trying to discover how Martin tracked her down, Felicia gets in touch with her childhood best friend Shayla Douglas which puts her right in the middle of Shayla's boyfriend drama. Despite her best efforts to keep her past hidden, when Preston finds out about her previous relationship with Martin, he is so deeply betrayed that he refuses to listen to her explanation. With nowhere to go, Felicia naturally gravitates to her beloved Gran's house where she tries to make sense of those long ago events and decide what comes next for her marriage and her children.
Felicia is an extremely frustrating character who makes one wrong decision after another. It is difficult to feel sympathy for her when a lot of stress could be eliminated by cutting back a little on the kids' extracurricular activities. While understandable that she wants her children to have the best opportunities in life, it is pretty obvious that not only is she over extended but based on their behavior, so are the kids. Felicia's growing animosity over Preston's long hours spills over into secretive behavior as she escapes from her day to day life. And when she returns to her grandmother's house? Oh. My. Gosh. Her decisions go from bad to worse as she reverts to old behaviors to try to forget her problems with Preston.
However, Felicia finally comes to her senses once she realizes she has let herself be taken advantage of once again. Her feelings of shame overwhelm her and she finds herself slipping into depression. She continues to hide from her problems, but there comes a point when she finally realizes that ignoring these troubling issues is not healthy nor are her painful memories going to just vanish. Help arrives in a somewhat unorthodox manner but Felicia finally finds the inner strength to confront not only her mistakes but Preston as well.
Despite feeling annoyed with some of Felicia's choices, Second House from the Corner is a riveting read that is realistic yet entertaining. Sadeqa Johnson's portrayal of Felicia is unflinchingly honest and she does not shy away from difficult topics. While it is a painful journey for both the reader and Felicia, it is extremely gratifying when she finally forgives herself for her mistakes and takes control of her life. The conclusion of the novel is a bit abrupt but overall, the ending is positive.
Gritty, raw and real, Second House from the Corner is an enjoyable, thought-provoking novel that I enjoyed and easily recommend to readers of women's fiction.
Second House from the corner is a book about marriage, secrets, and lies. I really enjoyed this book, the author did a good job keeping you intrigued. Secrets and lies are never good in a relationship. One they will haunt you and two they will always come back to cause havoc in your relationship just when you think all things are clear and you feel you can go on with your life.
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A pearl-clutching page turner! 🫢 I see you, Ms. Johnson!