This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Nascha A. Joli was born and raised in Harlem, New York City. She grew up in the Sugar Hill section of Harlem where she was educated in the New York City public school system. Ms. Joli graduated cum laude from the City College of New York, with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in English.
Nascha discovered her love of books at an early age and began creating her own stories and plays at the age of five. She spent many hours in the New York Public Library absorbing as much as she could and developed her craft over the years. She began sharing her work with others in middle school which helped her to further develop her confidence and writing style.
After college, Nascha began writing and editing professionally for various online publications and independent media firms based in New York and California. Nascha’s articles have appeared in various online publications including Suite 101, About.com and eHow.com. Many of her articles have been quoted in other online publications and have also been translated into many different languages.
At the same time, she continued writing creatively; having some of her fiction and poetry published in anthologies. She began working on her debut novel in college while also studying literature and film. In addition to writing literature, Nascha also writes plays and screenplays.
Nascha’s debut novel, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, the first in the La Rue book series is now available everywhere.
Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
Young Diamond La Rue knows that family is everything. She has grown up feeling protected by her closely bonded family until she goes to college. And now, it’s a completely different world out here, a world that will challenge her naivety and family beliefs. As she makes contact with the world and explores new relationships at Columbia University, she struggles to keep the balance. But the reason her family has ensured she develops a strong loyalty is that it hides dirty secrets and the only way to keep a lid on them is to enforce loyalty with the family. But now, Diamond begins to see things differently, challenged by her new friendships and the world around her. Will she choose her own path or remain enslaved by mistakes that threaten the very fabric of her family?
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (Diamond La Rue) by Nascha A Joli is a character-driven narrative that explores family dynamics and a young protagonist’s journey towards self-identity and the quest for truth in a complex world. Nascha A Joli writes well and demonstrates a strong sense of setting, exploring Harlem at its crossroads and offering vivid images to readers. From the very opening, the reader is greeted with the colorful images of the boulevard named after Martin Luther King Jr. “An explosion of bright lights, billboards and bustling activity welcomed us to 125th Street. The boulevard named for Martin Luther King Jr. is the main vessel of Harlem—a long winding thoroughfare that stretches from one side of the Manhattan island to the other, the Hudson River flapping at its edges on the West Side, the choppy waters of the East River chomping on its East Side.” I enjoyed the beautiful writing and the exciting narrative voice, the vivid descriptions and the deft handling of relationships in the story. The psychological conflict permeates the narrative and it goes hand in hand with the deft character development. A great read, indeed.
