Street Fiction
Baby Brother by 50 Cent & Noire
The seven Davis brothers made a promise to their mother on her deathbed: they would each make something of their lives. And they vowed they would watch over 18-year-old Zabu Davis, their baby brother. Intelligent, driven and charismatic, Baby Brother had resisted the lure of Brooklyn street life and was headed for Stanford University on a pre-med scholarship. But on the eve of his departure for California, in a split second of blinding violence, Baby Brother's life is thrown onto a tragic collision course. Soon, his devoted brothers follow a path of blood justice that will rock the city streets. Baby Brother was their pride and joy. Now, he's their reason to fight for vengeance.
Dice by T.N. Baker
Wasuan Wells has two loves – one is his beautiful girl of two years, Enychi Carter, and the other is his love for dice. Rollin' dice is an everyday hustle for Wasuan, and he's one of the best the hood has ever seen. No one can defeat him. That is, until he stumbles across a dude from the same hood named Tone who has just as much confidence, a little too much mouth, lots of cash to back it up, and a strong desire for Wasuan's girl.
Sheisty by T.N. Baker
Old friends find their friendship is put to the test when envy, built up animosity, hidden betrayal and the havoc caused by the bad boys in their lives come into play. Also check out the hit sequel Still Sheisty.
Don't Hate the Player by Brandie
Indulge yourself in a world of drama, sex, lies and betrayal as Brandie invites you into the lives of Luvly, Money, Chocolate and Taeko; four friends that take each other to a higher level. Money and Luvly are playing a dangerous game. He's a pro football player, she's a drug dealer's girlfriend. Their steamy and often volatile love affair intertwines girl fights, outside lovers and bed sheets and could add up to a deadly equation.
Payback is a Mutha by Wahida Clark
Essence bestselling author Wahida Clark tells the story of a woman who thinks she has everything, but who really has everything to lose – starting with her best friend, and ending with her life. Brianna and Shan couldn’t be more different. From her $1,200 weave to her closet full of Gucci, Prada and Chanel, Brianna believes that men were born to bankroll her lifestyle. Shan likes to make her own money by working for a living at a men’s prison – and prefers Sean John, Baby Phat and Fubu to Jimmy Choo. Still, despite appearances, Shan and B are sisters where it counts – or so they think… Also check out the sequel
Payback With Ya Life.
Thug Matrimony by Wahida Clark
Angel, Jaz, Tasha and Kyra are four girlfriends pulling themselves out of the ghetto – and trying to bring their hearts up to higher ground with them. Now Angel has started her own law practice and new life with Kaylin. But when an unwanted guest crashes their wedding, all the rage and blood lust from the hood comes bustin' out – and Angel's gonna need every prayer in heaven to make it to the altar alive...
Love Don't Live Here No More by Snoop Dogg & David E. Talbert
The year is 1989, Long Beach, California. When Ulysses Jeffries's mother decides to move her family from the drug-infested East Side to what she believes is safer North Long Beach, Ulysses and his little brother Bing are hurled into a world like none they've experienced before. Instead of moving on up, they've just moved on over.
Ski Mask Way by K. Elliot
A 28-year-old ex-con, Seven is trying to put his past behind him but soon finds the drug game all too tempting. When he meets another ex-con named Ditty, they consider a business deal where the payoff is big but the stakes are high, and possibly deadly.
Mina's Joint by Keisha Ervin
Mina is not your typical around-the-way girl; her dreams of making a life for herself outside the hood are now a reality. At the age of 25, she has her own full-service salon, Mina's Joint, drives a CLK55 and is engaged to the Mayor of St. Louis' son, Andrew. To most, she has it all. But everything that glitters ain't gold. Mina's life is turned upside down when the man of her dreams and childhood sweetheart, Victor Gonzalez, re-enters her life.
Torn by Keisha Ervin
Torn follows the bittersweet relationship between lovestruck Mo and eternal-playboy Quan. The line between right and wrong in their relationship is hazy because Mo and Quan have invested nearly a decade of love, time and money in each other. Although the fruits of Quan's hustling is visible in the expensive house, cars and clothes, Mo would trade it all for a true bond of love from his heart to hers.
Payback by Roy Glenn
When his beautiful wife is kidnapped by South American drug dealers, ultra-powerful club mogul Mike Black must not only contend with his wife's disappearance, he must also fight-off a corporate takeover, solve a murder and discover the one man who is behind it all.
In Love With a Thug by Reginald L. Hill
During college, Juan Jiles fell in love with Darrell, who convinced Juan to help him rob one of Philadelphia's largest banks. During the heist, Darnell is killed, and Juan escapes with more than $175,000. After mourning the loss of his lover, Juan begins rebuilding his life and uses the money to open a popular celebrity hair salon. Then along comes Bryant Thompson, a street thug with drugs, drama and deception in tow. Juan falls in love with the hustling, muscle-bound Bryant and soon succumbs to Bryant's addictive world.
A Bona Fide Gold Digger by Allison Hobbs
Milan Walden is living the high life. She has it all, a high-power career, respect from her peers, and unlimited business potential. But when she finds herself unemployed and facing criminal charges, she flees the only life she's ever known to start again. Milan accepts a position as a live-in companion to ailing millionaire Noah Brockington. Her hunger for glamour and luxury drives her to become involved in a twisted relationship with her employer that soon results in a bizarre prenup and frantic preparations for the strangest wedding anyone could expect.
Climax by Allison Hobbs
A seductive tale of lust and revenge, The Climax charts the entangled lives of two women – Terelle and Kai – who have both suffered irrecoverable losses in their pursuit of Marquise, who is believed to be dead. Kai is in prison, and Terelle suffered from a mental breakdown after losing her fiancé. After two years of catatonia, Terelle is awakened by a sweet and mysterious kiss, and the voice of her lost love.
Around the Way Girls by Angel Hunter
Sydni, Angel and Cream are all from around the way. They all live in Crown Heights, one of the most notorious sections of Brooklyn, but to them it's just a place they call home. Around The Way Girls is a fast-paced look at the life of three street-smart women who think they know it all but are about to get the lessons of their lives.
Turf War by Renay Jackson
Big Ed is in prison for murder. As gang leaders grapple for dominance in the power vacuum he's left behind, Big Ed plots his comeback through the murder of the only person who saw his crime. Though she's in the witness-protection program, Vanessa is still vulnerable to Big Ed's extended network of thugs as he becomes increasingly determined to beat the system and avoid trial.
Snow By Kenji Jasper
Nicknamed for his snowflake-shaped birthmark, the title character of Jasper's taut, brutal, inner-city character study is trying hard to preserve a shred of purity and decency, but the mean streets of Washington, D.C., make it a tough proposition. A murdering thief for hire, Snow manages to keep just out of reach of the cops, and of his archrival Kamau. Luscious Adele and baby Kayi are what he comes home to, and what he wants to quit for, if he can manage both to make a big enough score, and to get out of the business cleanly.
Around the Way Girls 4 by Dwayne S. Joseph
There's a saying that if you come from my part of town, you are from around the way. Around the Way Girls 4 is a look at the life of some street-smart women who think they have the world in the palm of their hands, but are about to find out that things aren't always what they seem. For talented artist Jovia Grant, life has gone from one extreme to the other. Being raised by a single mother living in a lavish home, her much needed break from home comes when she is accepted into a summer art program where she rediscovers old friends and meets a few new ones.
Blow by K'wan
Prince, Killa-E, Daddy-O and Danny grew up together in the projects, moving crack and cocaine, and answering to Diego, the neighborhood drug lord. They were small-timers playing for low stakes – until Prince is introduced to a heroin connect. Overnight they go from soldiers to bosses, and their crew is held together by loyalty and love. But taking the reins of power comes at a high price. Now, with Diego at their back and a traitor in their midst, they find themselves between a kilo and a hard place, ready to spill blood to stay on top.
Eve by K'wan
Evelyn Panelli is of Italian, black and Irish descent, with red hair and blue-green eyes and with the demeanor of a boy. She has lived a rough life in the streets as a member of the all-girl family, Twenty-Gang. At 17 she is sentenced to a jail term of no less than 18 months but no longer than two years in a juvenile detention center. Upon release, Eve quickly resumes her criminal lifestyle as a strong-arm robber. She also comes home to discover that her former partners, Felon and Butter, are now kings of the street. She and Felon have always had an attraction to one another but have maintained a business relationship.
A Thug's Life by Thomas Long
Dayvon and Ty ran the drug game in West Baltimore for years as the heads of the DFL (Dogs For Life) family; however, after Ty gets sent to prison on a suspect charge and Dayvon decides that he wants outta the game, drama is about to jump off between the two once loyal comrades. Ty plots his brutal revenge when he begins to think that Dayvon had something to do with his incarceration. Dayvon is not about to lie down and let Ty take him outta the game without a fight. To top it all off, they both face a surprise enemy in two up and coming members of their crew, Lil' Jay and Stink, who have their own plans to seize control of the family.
The Millionaire Mistress by Tiphani Montgomery
Chasing money is all Chloe has ever known. Just when she thinks she’s got it all, her life is shattered when her cousin Oshyn pulls in a drug dealer with deep pockets. Oshyn knows her conniving cousin would do anything to walk in her shoes, so she flaunts glamorous gifts and icey diamonds, given to her by new love, Brooklyn Jones. Chloe gets senseless and resorts to desperate measures when she can’t steal Brooklyn from Oshyn. When her wild sexual escapades don’t work, she uses the ultimate betrayal as her weapon. But her plan is destroyed when a tragic moment happens that shocks everyone. Also check out the sequel Still a Mistress.
Thug-a-licious by Noire
Andre Williams, a.k.a. Thug-A-Licious, is a Harlem boy determined to make good relying on his talent and ambition. After living in the streets and participating in illegal activities, he escapes his unstable lifestyle by attending Syracuse University on a basketball scholarship. His dreams become reality when he is drafted in the first round by the New York Knicks. By age 25, Andre is making millions as a starting NBA rookie with a chart-topping rap song and number-one video.
T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E. by Sanyika Shakur
In this fiction follow-up to his well-received memoir, Monster, Shakur produces a visceral and strikingly real portrayal of gang life in Los Angeles, replete with sudden and inexplicable violence, revenge, betrayal, ostentatious living, racism, the strong arm of law enforcement, drugs, love and loyalty indistinguishably blurred.
The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah
The trials and tribulations of young Winter Santiaga are described in gritty detail in this coming-of-age novel. As the oldest daughter of a successful drug dealer, Winter lacks for nothing. But after her father moves the family from the projects to a mansion on Long Island, Winter's life begins to come apart. Her beautiful mother is shot, her father is sent to prison, and the family's possessions are seized by the government.
A Project Chick by Nikki Turner
Tressa is a fly girl accustomed to the lavish lifestyle that her possessive, deranged, baby’s daddy, Lucky, has provided her with. In order to keep her high-post standards of living, she has excused so many of his unforgivable actions. It is not until he pulls off the ultimate stunt that she realizes that no mink coat, car, house or any amount of money is worth her peace of mind.
Game Over by Tu-Shonda Whitaker
Only knowing the life of gold diggin’, hustling men and rejecting love, Vera has suddenly found herself in a world where her game has "flipped...and slipped through her fingertips."
Around the Way Girls 2 by KaShamba Williams
Welcome to the world of Deidra "Juicy" Brown, a welfare recipient from North Philly who had no bones about how she did it. At 30, Juicy has teenagers who she smokes with, parties with and competes with for the hottest guy in the strip clubs. Although her parenting is less than desirable, Juicy does the best she knows to teach her kids the facts of living a bonafide hood life. Will Juicy drive `em crazy or does she finally tone it down?
Grimey by Kashamba Williams
After suffering the loss of his little sister, Yatta is determined to find out who is responsible for putting her to rest. The first suspect on his list is her ex-boyfriend Cam. Since Cam is no slouch in the game, Yatta must join up with the grimiest playas on the streets of Brooklyn.
True to the Game by Terri Woods
This book represents the drug game during the late '80s from the inner-city streets of Philadelphia. The main characters, Gena and Quadir, find themselves caught in the vicious yet seductive world of drugs and money.
Around the Way Girls 3 by Alisha Yvonne
There's a saying in Brooklyn that if you come from my part of town, you're from around the way. Around the Way Girls 3/Double Trouble, like it's predecessor, is a fast-paced look at the life of some street-smart women who think they know it all but are about to get the lessons of their lives.
Naughty Girls by Alisha Yvonne
Ivy Lee Jones and Candy Cane have known their share of trouble and have got each other's backs. When the criminal-minded Stormy Daniels insists the girls hang with him and his crew of high-rollers as payback for funding their needs, Ivy and Candy vow to get out from under Stormy's grasp, no matter what it takes.
Updated 7/08