FIRST REVIEW FOR ZEN COOPER!

Title: Zen Cooper Woman-Child Ghetto-Genius by Angelia Vernon Menchan
APOOO: 5
Amazon: 5
Heading: Wise Beyond Her Years

Zen Cooper is the exceptionally smart, 14 year-old main character in Zen Cooper Woman-Child Ghetto-Genius by Angelia Vernon Menchan. This fast-paced story tells of a child who had no choice but to grow up faster than she should in order to live the life given to her. She does not know who her father is and her mother, Freida Cooper, is too busy trying to find herself to give Zen what she needs. Zen goes through town with great confidence and is not afraid to speak her mind to anyone.

From time-to-time Zen confides her thoughts and plans for her future to Charlie, a war veteran. She also shares with him the suspicions she has about her mother’s lover, Alice. Something was drawing Zen and Charlie together. He calls her “Warrior Woman” and she calls him her “Soul Daddy.” One of them is keeping a secret and it is killing them to keep it. While Zen attempts to reconnect with the grandmother she never knew, all that she does know is fraying at the edges. What will finally happen to Zen Cooper? Will she ever get the chance to be a child without all the adult baggage?

Mrs. Menchan wrote this book using her heart and her soul. She put a piece of herself into Zen. When I got to the last page I was sad, not because of the ending but because the story ended. I wanted a bit more. For some reason, I had a strong need to know if everyone who had their issues, that was affecting them and the others around them, finally got their life together. I recommend everyone to read Zen Cooper Woman-Child Ghetto-Genius for a lesson on how to love unconditionally, even the crazy people in life.

Jennifer Coissiere
APOOO BookClub