urban fiction

In Bed Stuy, New York, a small misunderstanding can escalate into having a price on your head—even if you're totally clean. This gritty, triumphant debut captures the heart and the hardship of life for an urban teen. A lot of the stuff that gives my neighborhood a bad name, I don't really mess with. The guns and drugs and all that, not really my thing. Nah, not his thing. Ali's got enough going on, between school and boxing and helping out at home. His best friend Noodles, though. Now there's a dude looking for trouble—and, somehow, it's always Ali around to pick up the pieces. But, hey, a guy's gotta look out for his boys, right? Besides, it's all small potatoes; it's not like anyone's getting hurt. And then there's Needles. Needles is Noodles's brother. He's got a syndrome, and gets these ticks and blurts out the wildest, craziest things. It's cool, though: everyone on their street knows he doesn't mean anything by it. Yeah, it's cool...until Ali and Noodles and Needles find themselves somewhere they never expected to be...somewhere they never should've been—where the people aren't so friendly, and even less forgiving.

In Bed Stuy, New York, a small misunderstanding can escalate into having a price on your head—even if you're totally clean. This gritty, triumphant debut that Publishers Weekly calls "a funny and rewarding read" captures the heart and the hardship of life for an urban teen. A lot of the stuff that gives my neighborhood a bad name, I don't really mess with. The guns and drugs and all that, not really my thing. Nah, not his thing. Ali's got enough going on, between school and boxing and helping out at home. His best friend Noodles, though. Now there's a dude looking for trouble—and, somehow, it's always Ali around to pick up the pieces. But, hey, a guy's gotta look out for his boys, right? Besides, it's all small potatoes; it's not like anyone's getting hurt. And then there's Needles. Needles is Noodles's brother. He's got a syndrome, and gets these ticks and blurts out the wildest, craziest things. It's cool, though: everyone on their street knows he doesn't mean anything by it. Yeah, it's cool...until Ali and Noodles and Needles find themselves somewhere they never expected to be...somewhere they never should've been—where the people aren't so friendly, and even less forgiving.

Justice stays out of trouble and spends his time writing rap lyrics and playing chess in the park. Then his teacher's phone and wallet are stolen, and Justice must prove his innocence before he is wrongly convicted of the crime.

Gabby Herrera is not like her perfect sister, Celia-straight-A student, obedient, responsible. Her parents don't get it. They don't get her C-average report card. Her love for basketball. The three of them think anything is possible if you just try hard enough. Well, I have tried. It's not possible. She can't be who she is unless she's just like them. And if she's not like them, she's not a real person. She's a broken person. A broken Herrera. And that is unacceptable.

Ali is a drug dealer/businessman who tries to change the way the game is played by giving back to the community. But at the same time he has to keep a close eye on his childhood crime-partner, G-money, who has a strong hatred for the police. Ali's life takes a serious turn when a local rival, a crooked cop, his pregnant girlfriend, and his little brother come into the picture.

Jessica Jones and her three best friends find that a prom night adventure turns into a crime scene and they are left with bloody hands and shattered futures. After spending years paying off a debt that wasn't theirs, Jessica returns to Harlem to find that crack is now king and Jessica decides totake a stand against the destruction of her family and neighborhood.

Keyasia "Keyz" Green is a seventeen-year-old child of a crackhead. When stomachs are growling and bills are behind, she sees no way out but using what she has to get what she wants in order to make sure her and her little brother Key'air survives.

Popular Fiona Madison, who is not interested in any committed relationships, meets a guy who changes all that.

Zyir, having taken over as the head of the Diamond family and ruling the streets of Miami with Breeze as his queen, is aware of the possibility of being overthrown, while Carter, having retired and moved away from the madness, is surprised by a visitor who threatens to bring down the Cartel.