YA Review: The World is Mine (The Come Up Series)

The World Is Mine by Lyah B. LeFlore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a great picture of what hip hop youth culture is really like.

If you're tired of reading the stories that glorify only the violence or profane worlds of hip-hop and the urban music scene, then this series may be perfect for you.

Blue Reynolds is a young, hip 17 year-old who doesn't necessarily want to make his mark on the world by attending Howard University and becoming a lawyer the way his father has. He's more interested in the P.Diddy/Berry Gordy school of fine hustling. His best friend Collin, also the son of a lawyer, is feeling that he doesn't want to attend Georgetown and practice law just to please his dad. Together with their friend Whiteboy, a graphic and tattoo artist, the three friends embark on pulling together their own entertainment company, Blue Up.

On the path to stardom in the music scene there are a lot of ups and downs as romance, parental clashes and the struggle to get away from the streets, tries to catch up to them. For Blue, the appeal of being the hottest promoter in DC could lead to making some pretty shady choices in the eyes of his father and his girlfriend Jade. Collin, desperate to please his dad, may be biting off more than he can chew when he decides to helm the business end of Blue Up instead of pursuing Georgetown fame. And Whiteboy can't seem to get far enough of way from the violence and gang life that lurks around his growing tattoo business.

YA Review: Hot Girl by Dream Jordan

Hot Girl by Dream Jordan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

From the first ten pages I knew I would love this book.
Kate is not your average girl from Bed-Stuy. Well, maybe she is, but her past may be decorated a bit more colorfully than most. She is starting on her 14th summer all alone, with a new foster family, a burning crush on her homeboy Charles, and without the guidance of her best friend Felicia who is spending her summer in Africa. Kate is all set to hold things down solo and slowly press up on Charles when in steps Naleejah, a fly girl from around the way who is all about the fast cars, fast boys, and fast life.

Naleejah takes one look at Kate's "bummy" appearance and painfully obvious crush, and then latches herself on as Kate's new best friend. Eventhough Naleejah laces her with a fresh hairdo and eye-catching new clothes, Kate's street smarts tell her that this new "friend" isn't all she says she is and that her "all that" life isn't all that its cracked up to be either. First of all, Naleejah is far too friendly with the boys, jumping into cars with men she's just met, and proclaiming that men are who get her all her fly gear. Then there's the all-talk part of her that Kate can see right through. Finally, the way she presses up on Charles, rubs Kate the wrong way. Pretty soon, Kate has to decide whether being a good new friend has its limits.

YA Review: After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

The Summer of D Foster, and how it intertwined with the loss of Tupac Shakur, is the focus of this summer tale by Jaqueline Woodson.

While exploring the not so nearby neighborhood of her newest foster mother, D Foster claims Neeka and the unnamed narrator as her new friends.  A strange, but effective friendship ensues as the three 11 year-old girls live through the ups and downs of life in Queens, NY.  D is that friend we all have had.  The one who is unafraid and "cool".  The fearless one who brings adventure and wonder into our lives.

Along with the story of D, we are also introduced to the relationship between Neeka and the narrator as they learn more about themselves and where they stand on life's issues.  One such issue being Neeka's older brother Tash who is in jail for making a bad choice. Feelings on his homosexuality are also explored through the narrator's thoughts.

Drama, Drama, Drama

So, I've read most of the Drama High books.  I don't know if I'm pleased or not. They were good, and had a lot of real things going on, but sometimes the author gets a bit out of order with adding things like magic and voodoo.  They come out of nowhere and throw me off while I'm reading. BUT, for all intents and purposes, the storylines are good and they keep me engaged. There is a lot of talking about who's dating who, trying to handle school, and falling out with friends, so I think it is very realistic of high school.  So if you're looking for something to read this summer, check out Drama High by L.Divine.  From the covers, they seem to be only for girls, but I think young men would like these stories too.
The first book in the series is The Fight.  It talks about Jayd, the main character and how she is being pressured into fighting her ex's new girlfriend.  There's some mild violence, drug and profanity.

These books also remind me of the book I LOVED in 9th grade, Flyy Girl by Omar Tyree.  I would DEFINITELY recommend that one too.
This one was one of my FAVORITES because it dealt with the pressure of being more comfortable being different than how you may have been raised.  Story of my life.  Tracey, the main character is the daughter of two successful parents, but is just more comfortable with the kids from the street and the fast-money people of the neighborhood.  While dealing with her parents' separation and her boy-crazy attitude, Tracey takes you along on a CRAZY ride.  There's also the talk of that FIRST TRUE love, (who you know is probably bad for you).  Anyway, there are some themes in this book that may be a bit racy for some, but like I said, I read it in high school myself, and the moral of the story is a good one.