Following entries are transferred from another forum, JK Readers Circle: Topic started by reader of Webster Fields trilogy - this one in particular surrounds Princess Ces'alena - book one of our historical fiction drama.

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From reader Fiona Phipps...

I just have to do it again. After getting the feedback on Aphrodisiac. What about this one. Oh my lord.
First, this is a five stars gem and should become a literature classic! Who in the world is like Manny? Lord I love this man I love this man and its a serious competition between him and Shawn. Fact is, out of all the men, Manny is my all time favorite. Can we talk about this book please?
- Ms Keyes I just love these dollies. Just a child at heart

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My reply to her...MK

Look at you girl, you on a roll! LOL, so glad you like them enough to start these topics. Yes, I will have to see how to script in instant chat on here. With my plate so full, not so sure when I'll figure it out.
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Philly Girl...

To be honest with you, I had almost passed on this series, even though it's ranked pretty high on a lot of IR lists on Amazon. I think the idea of the whole slavery issue was stopping me, but I'm so glad I gave it a chance!

What I love about this series is the fact that it's a reminder that we come from kings and queens, that we have a rich history that was all but erased from us. And the fact that slavery wasn't as cut and dry as we think. Yes, the overall concept is terrible and wrong, but slavery has been around almost from the beginning of the existance of man. No, I'm not excusing slavery, but I think if you step back, you will find that not everyone who benefited from it actually believed in it, and actively worked--whether in secret or not--to balance the scales.

As you pointed out with Manny, there were many masters who wanted, and did marry the woman they loved, even if they had to leave the country to do it.

Totally aside, but don't we have a circle member whose ancestors are like Manny and Lena?

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Fiona Phipps...

Yes, remember in the start of the book when he was bringing home the new slaves. She, Princess Ces'alena was sitting on the front seat with him? When she was questioning him? I loved that scene. I loved that he could see her thinking, questioning him, and comparing him to where she came from. I loved the fact that he KNEW she was what she said she was. I love love love how he loved her. I hated that he decided to marry Katherine, but then again, there's the drama of it all. My guts were turned inside out when Lena was fighting for that boy and Jordan had to stand there and let that wagon go. Do you know how much that wrecked me? When Manny was in town with Charles and that man pulled out and he stood there. It took me three days to go back and finish reading it. I was so hurt and done by that.

Philly Girl, ain't nothing out there like Princess Ces'alena. Yes, I will be starting one on Gold Raven and Family Reunion too, my favorite of all three. For now, I wanna hear more about Princess Ces'alena.

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Username - Lykeroses

Fi,

Who in the world is like Manny? You know who.........our MAN Shawn. Yeah...I love them both. But Shawn would have never married someone he didn't want to. But it was that time period and it had to start the drama.

This was the first one of Mrs. Keyes' books that I read. I laughed out loud; I cried and I was totally pissed off. When I got through with this book (read it nonstop every chance I got), I was exhausted; even put my 2 cents on Amazon about it.

The one thing that I loved about the book was how Lena acted like a "princess" throughout the book. Even though she had circumstances she could not control., i.e., being a slave & all, she never forgot what she truly was.

IMO this book truly is a classic. It has everything that I personally love when I read a book. It stirs just about all of my emotions (& it has hot sex too) :

I don't think I'll ever read another book of this caliber.

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Fiona Phipps...

So so so true. Shawn wouldn't have, maybe. Again as you said, look at the time period. The description of Lena, her grace and elegance. How she carried herself, as I was reading it, I thought, its about damn time someone writes a novel that shows this other side of us. It's like so many writers have forgotten that we were once royalty. As PhillyGirl brought out. One of my favorite scenes, when Manny and Katherine had that argument, and he walked out of the mansion, butt-tail nekkid, and its cold outside and then Caesar and Ben, them two old men? Girl I laughed and laughed at that.

Fantastic reading and I was going nuts waiting for Gold Raven, yep, I'm gonna start that one too if someone else doesn't. Because that novel is so totally different from Princess Ces'alena, I enjoyed it just as much. Drove me crazy that Lena didn't come until later im the book, but when she did, I was like blown away! I better stop, save that for the other book.

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Username - toni1665...

I too was not eager to read this trio of masterpieces but once I did, boy was I glad. And I swear to GOD by the time I finished crying, laughing out loud, being pissed the H##L off, my head hurt by the time I finished the book. And Manny and Shawn are similar but I swear there were times I wanted to reach through my computer and shake some sense in to Manny!! Shawn would not have married Katherine (the most vile villaness I have ever encountered in literature, cinema or t.v.), not without a gun to his head anyway! I loved this series and that whole family and their friends. Just excellent reading. And it was nice to be reminded that yes, we are descendants of royalty. With the way these chil'ren shake and shimmy around it would seem they don't know or remember either. So sad.

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Username - SpecialK...

I read the Webster Fields trilogy about 4 years ago, needed a refresher course so went back to book one , lo and behold I could not find it, checked all over my computer, never saved it, damn, so a sista did what she had to do.

I bought another copy of course, at 10:00 last night no less . Lord only knows why I did that, cause I knew I had to get for work the next day at 4:30am. Went to bed about 2:00 this morning, on the part where Manny is teaching Mike how to ride the horse he gave him for Christmas.

I understand and accept that I will be up very late for the next 3 or 4 weeks rereading the trilogy.

Special

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Fiona Phipps...

Girlfriend, you should have just requested another download! Or, told Ms. Keyes what happened, I'm almost certain she would have given you another copy without charging you! Man, I would have at least asked first.

Only consolation, its sho'nuf worth it!

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Username - SpecialK...

Princess,

You are right Mercy would have and did give me a new copy without charge(Thank you Mercy) but I had to start reading it like yesterday and I could not wait, and it is definitely worth it.

Special

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My reply in dicussion...MK

I know that we put you are responsible for your copies once purchased, but for the life of me, there is no way in the world I can justify letting someone pay again when they've already done so once.

Granted, with a paperback, if you lose it, you have no choice, but not electronic goods. Too EASY to re-supply. So if that should take place with anyone who has already made the purchase once, just send me an email and I will re-activate your download so you can get it again.

M. Keyes

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Fiona Phipps...

I knew it, that's what I told her. Let's be honest, not too many out there is going to give you a refund after you've already paid for it unless you request it and then you still might not get it.

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Username- Sunrize...

Fiona, ok I am finally able to comment on this wonderful book.

To be honest, this trilogy invoked so many emotions within me that I am just now finding myself being able to write about it. I am so glad that Mercedes created this forum because you guys get it. I went from happy, to sad, to angry, to hating, to crying, to cheering to joy and this is just the first book. I hate that Manny married Katherine. I hated her too. I hated that Michael was taken away like that oh my gosh. That makes me so angry to think of it now. I loved it when Manny found out about Hope, and how her mom and she use to watch Manny in the window and how Ceslena would say that's your daddy. I hated that Manny left Ceslena a second time, and then when her and Hope got separated, my heart was so torn up. Oh my goodness. I hated Katherine even more. But I loved Manny and Ceslena's love. I too loved that she carried herself like what she was, a Princess. She made us proud. She was a fighter in every sense of the word. I loved that she did not let her circumstances break her spirit. Even when he married Katherine, she held her head up high through her hurt. I loved the way the other slaves female and male tried to protect Ceslena and Hope, and even Michael. They had a sense of community that started with the respect that they had towards Manny.

The imagery that Mercedes created oh my goodness was so real to me. Even now my heart is beating fast because I felt that I was in that story living every hurt, shame, joy, and pain. I plan to read it again as soon as I can bear to. I have it in paperback, and I can't wait until the other two come out in paperback too. Well that's all for now, I will write on Golden Raven next.