Just My Luck.

Just My Luck by Tajuana "TJ" Butler One World/Ballantine Books, April 2005 $19.95, ISBN 1-400-06021-4

In this heartwarming tale that chronicles the life of a promising young black woman about to graduate from Howard, Butler won't disappoint her avid readers as she continues to tackle an array of social issues.

Just My Luck is told through the eyes of Lanita Lightfoot as she visits an upscale salon, in preparation for her long-awaited graduation. The road to success hasn't been easy and this lady has seen it all. Her mother proclaimed that luck ran through Lanita's veins, as her birth saved a Jewish storeowner from being attacked by rioters during the Watts Riots of 1965.

As readers are invited into Lanita's world, however, they soon discover that her life experiences are far from lucky: she grew up in a world filled with turmoil, relying on her own inner strength and later her faith in God.

Although the author sometimes intrudes upon the main character while forcing lengthy historical facts upon the reader, the reality of the story line and Lanita's remarkable character makes lust My Luck difficult to ignore.

Carey D. Yazeed is a writer for The Weekly Press and co-owner of The Roots Book Store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.