suite 69

Disclaimer:  Okay, so I am not a professional reviewer, but I love to read.  I know what I like and what I don't.

Aight, so when I hear the words 'lesbian fiction' or 'black lesbian poetry', I'm not quite sure what to expect.  So often, what happens is poorly constructed nursery rhymes riddled with hastily thrown in porn scenes.  The words don't flow and the sex is clumsy and fails at whatever it is trying to do.  By the end, I am disappointed and wondering why the hell I even picked it up to read in the first place.

Enter Billie Simone.

I am familiar with her poetry via her blog, so I knew she was talented.  What I didn't know was how talented and how so much talent fit in such a small package!  Suite 69 is a breathtaking roller coaster ride.  It is a journey through love, loss, and love again.  I found myself angry, sad, pissed, I smiled, I fought back tears, and I was even in the middle of the book yet!!

The opening lines "everything was/perfect/then you met her/and now everything is fucked up/..." let me know that I was in for an emotional ride.  I thought I knew, but I had no idea.  I could feel the anger well up inside.  Then to follow this poem was "She Doesn't Love Me Anymore".  I was taken back to 2009 when I was in the midst of a whirlwind, heart wrenching breakup.  I had to put Suite 69 down.  The emotion was too much, but, the writing was so good, I had to pick it back up.

"Funny" made me laugh because it's so true. "Real Womyn" tugged at my heart.  It's like Billie Simone read my heart and mind, listened to my soul, and put my desires on paper.  I had a goofy grin on my face while reading "We Make Art" because I was thinking about my girlfriend.  I want to read this one to her for this one line, "...a slave to the rhythm/of your love notes...."  If you wanna get some, read "We Make Art" to your girl with some candlelight and soft music.

"Browngirl" made me happy.  Not just the poem itself, but I kinda know who Browngirl is so I was definitely feeling this one.  I'm not quite sure when it happened because I was so caught up in the ebb and flow of Suite 69, but the mood of the book turned to anticipation and love.  The end of the book found me right where I am in life.  In love.  Hoping.  Wondering.  Happy.  Art really does intimate life.

It has been said that a good book should leave you exhausted at the end because you have lived several lives while reading it.  Truer words could not be spoken of Suite 69.  By the end, I was exhausted.  So much so, the only word I could eek out was WOW!  This book is a great read.  Billie Simone has a great literary future ahead of her.  I give this book 5 stars!!  It was so good, it

Makes. No. Sense.