Precious and Williams, KaShamba (2006). Runaway. Precioustymes Entertainment. 112 pages. This is the third book in Williams’ “Platinum Teen” series, and features the three teen heroines introduced in the first novel, Dymond in the Rough. This installment of the series stars Kera, one of Dymond’s good friends, and is told from her perspective. After she…
Shiraz, Yasmin (2008). Retaliation. Rolling Hills Press. 264 pages. Author of two motivational books for teen girls of color (Blueprint for My Girls, Blueprint for My Girls in Love, and The Blueprint Guide to Motivation and Success), Yasmin Shiraz has also written two fictional and street-lit inspired novels for adults. Retaliation is her first novel…
Carter, Nikki (2009). It is what it is. NY: Dafina. 227 pages. This is the second novel in Carter’s “So for Real” series, but the first novel in the series that I have read, which made my understanding of this popular and lightly Christian-themed novel only a little hazy. Picking up presumably where the last…
Lee, Darrien (2008). 16 Going on 21. NY: Urban Books. 288 pages. I had high hopes for this novel, the first in a growing series written by adult urban erotica author Lee; however, they were mildly crushed as I waded through the first book in the “Denim Diaries” series. 16 Going on 21 introduces Denim,…
Daniels, Babygirl (2009). Sister, Sister. NY: Urban Books, 288 pages. This is actually the second Babygirl Daniels book I’ve read and, I have to say, this novel proved to be totally off the chain! The last, like, thirty pages of the book introduced a crazy soap-opera element to the novel that I totally did not…
Divine, L. (2007). Jayd’s legacy (Drama High series). NY: Dafina (Kensington Publishing Corp). 218 pages. This is the third book in Divine’s “Drama High” series of popular fiction that I would consider both inspired and influenced urban or street fiction. In this installment, Divine’s heroine Jayd is dividing her time between her girlfriends, boyfriend, and…