AUGUST SELECTION: Choir Director by Carl Weber

[under13]

I still havent finished it...

[JustBritt]

Ok, so I didn't expect the book to be all that explicit lol. I mean most of his books are, but I figured this book wouldn't be since 1st Lady wasn't all that bad.

Oh em gee....

I don't know where to start. 

At any rate, I thought it was the Bishop from Aaron's old church who was causing all the drama.

Then, I dismissed it. And I thought, hmmm................. it HAS to be someone he's close to. I thought of Monique, James, and Maxwell (I think that was his name lol). Then it hit me!

[betnich]

I was underwhelmed by this book. Too much like THE FIRST LADY - women fighting over a man. I think that must be one of this author's fantasies, LOL! And even more explicit.

Would have been nice to have at least one description of a concert or choir rehearsal, instead of all the plot twists and Telenovela-ish nonsense. What I missed the most was the lack of spirituality - the only character who came close to wanting to do God's will was TIA, IMO.

[LaylaMonroe]

@Betnich, I knew not to expect spirituality after the first chapter. The author aint saved (or at least he aint saved like I know it). Furthermore, it was also clear (to me, at least) that he's not a church-oriented person. His book was full of trite, lame, and overused cliches and stereotypes about the church. It is surely one of the most unrealistic books I've ever read in my entire adult life.

Just whack.

And I'm pissed because I read the entire book in basically one night just to find out the very first "mystery" Weber mentioned, which was the story behind James' childrens' crimes and he never even gave an answer to that!!! OMGness!!

[LaylaMonroe]

Also, I thought that after "the big reveal" when we learned who was behind all the drama, it became so comic book/cartoonish. It was just so fake and over-the-top after that.

Weber spent the entire book telling us how much Monique loved the Bishop (who by the way, never gave us even one GOOD sermon snippet. C'mon, Carl Weber, you could've at least given us a paragraph of inspiration or something more than that lame "nothing goes with the Word like a good song" CRAP!!!!). And in the end, Monique (who clearly doesn't know her husband) believes a most lame lie about him and without even asking him or looking into the matter herself like most sisters would, she has sex with a man she ISN'T attracted to??? It wouldve been far more believable if she still had feelings for him. But aint no woman on earth finna sleep with a man she doesn't dig over a silly lie that can be easily resolved.

I also hated how he painted just about every character without integrity. Folks cussing up the wazoo. He clearly and intentionally sent the message that church people ALL cuss and have illicit sex, even while proclaiming to be upstanding and holy men and women of God. The book perpetuated the assumption of hypocrisy as the norm in the church.

I really hated that.

Also, he needs to be more creative. It was LAME and WHACK to use the same means to deceive people (forged/doctored paperwork). Lame, lame, lame.

And for Simone and Monique to be such good friends, the author never developed a friendship (I guess he didn't have time with all the whodunnits). And don't get me started on the 19 year old trapped in a 38 year old character's body. Ridiculous. And her crush on Aaron wasn't even believable. Gold diggers don't change overnight like that. For her to be that whipped over somebody who wasn't balling was stupid. Are we to believe he was the first drop dead gorgeous, talented guy she ever met with no money, so she had to abandon her "principles" to be with him? Mannnnnnnn whateva.

[LaylaMonroe]

By the way... did anyone else notice that the book description doesn't match the actual book??  I wonder if Carl Weber changed the plot while writing or after he was done??

While I was reading, I remember thinking... this isn't what I expected... 

New York Times bestselling author Carl Weber takes readers back to church, where preaching isn't always enough, nothing goes better with the Word than a song--and it's time for some hard-earned lessons in love, brotherhood, and betrayal.

Bishop T.K. Wilson has done all he can to make First Jamaica Ministries a success. But with his last choir director getting caught in a scandal, attendance and cash flow are down. To fill the pews and collection plates, the Bishop is counting on a new choir director, the charismatic Anthony Mackie, to revive the church.

Anthony Mackie has been waiting his entire life for the opportunity to prove he has what it takes to be a big-time choir director like Kirk Franklin. But while Anthony is more than up to the challenge, his ways around women, both past and present, could cost him more than his job.

Savannah Dickens is just one of the women who's caught Anthony's attention. The choir needs a soloist, and Savannah, a beautiful singer who once topped the charts, also needs the church. She has a voice that could break any man's heart, but now she just wants to be left alone to reclaim her faith.

First Lady Monique Wilson is far from being the typical first lady. She does and says what she wants, and doesn't subscribe to church politics.  Despite her shortcomings and a past rumored to include a long list of men, she's willing to do just about anything to protect the Bishop.

The members of First Jamaica Ministries are also keeping the Bishop busy with choir in-fighting, romantic jealousies, and personal vendettas. You'd think the Bishop was being tested enough, but a final piece of the puzzle has yet to be revealed: Someone has been robbing the church blind. Someone whose connection to the Bishop is far too close for comfort. . . .

[pastor rob]

Also, I thought that after "the big reveal" when we learned who was behind all the drama, it became so comic book/cartoonish. It was just so fake and over-the-top after that.

Weber spent the entire book telling us how much Monique loved the Bishop (who by the way, never gave us even one GOOD sermon snippet. C'mon, Carl Weber, you could've at least given us a paragraph of inspiration or something more than that lame "nothing goes with the Word like a good song" CRAP!!!!). And in the end, Monique (who clearly doesn't know her husband) believes a most lame lie about him and without even asking him or looking into the matter herself like most sisters would, she has sex with a man she ISN'T attracted to??? It wouldve been far more believable if she still had feelings for him. But aint no woman on earth finna sleep with a man she doesn't dig over a silly lie that can be easily resolved.

I also hated how he painted just about every character without integrity. Folks cussing up the wazoo. He clearly and intentionally sent the message that church people ALL cuss and have illicit sex, even while proclaiming to be upstanding and holy men and women of God. The book perpetuated the assumption of hypocrisy as the norm in the church.

I really hated that.

Also, he needs to be more creative. It was LAME and WHACK to use the same means to deceive people (forged/doctored paperwork). Lame, lame, lame.

And for Simone and Monique to be such good friends, the author never developed a friendship (I guess he didn't have time with all the whodunnits). And don't get me started on the 19 year old trapped in a 38 year old character's body. Ridiculous. And her crush on Aaron wasn't even believable. Gold diggers don't change overnight like that. For her to be that whipped over somebody who wasn't balling was stupid. Are we to believe he was the first drop dead gorgeous, talented guy she ever met with no money, so she had to abandon her "principles" to be with him? Mannnnnnnn whateva.

you summed it up perfectly.

[mztee09]

I've never had the opportunity to read any of Carl Weber's work, prior to now, but this was an interesting read only because I'd never read a book based on "the church."  As far as the plot was concerned, it was a bit over-dramatized for me, but not so unbelievable as I've observed some of the things mentioned in here at a church I'd went to when I first moved down to S.A.  (namely the minister impregnating two women in the course of one year, the nympho missionary asking every newcomer if they knew of any available men, and some of the officers drinking and clubbing and posting pictures on Facebook almost every week  ) while I'm not perfect I had to KIM because it was not the right atmosphere.  Iunno, while I don't think all "saved" people are anything like what was depicted in the book, I do think that this book contributes to the common perception that church-goers are just glorified hypocrites. 

IMO Simone and Monique had a friendship that was convenient not a friendship in the "ride-or die" sense of the word.  While I'm on that note,  Simone needed to be cuffed down quick, fast, and in a hurry.  Tia seemed okay at first.  My only problem with her, though, was how easily she took the word of a pathological liar and just ran with it. Who does that?  All in all the characters seemed to have one-track minds and there really wasn't much in the way of development.  I couldn't stop reading because I really thought there was going to be some type of moment where each character experienced some significant change once the choir was restored, but it was what it was.