Book picks similar to
On the Inside Looking Out by Lakaii


african-american
marriage
mental-illness
5stars

Tell Yo Bitch 2


Niyah Moore - 2013
    Mai’s betrayal lands her in a life threatening situation at the hands of Cipher, whom seems to think Rocko is responsible for his cousin’s death. While Heather and Troi are forced to work out their differences for their own safety, Brandon isn’t really who he says he is. Heather has to decide if her relationship with Brandon will be able to outlast what he’s been hiding. Rocko comes back in contact with an old fling, Dominique. Will he be able to deal with her surprise?

Counterfeit Love


Blake Karrington - 2014
    For the love of money, people don't care who they hurt or beat…" In this epic tale of lies, deceit, and suspense, come witness what happens when a set of money plates get into the hands of a local tyrant from North Philly. These streets are flooded with counterfeit money, fake love, and deceptive friendships in pursuit of that all mighty dollar. Sanaa, a well- known female gambling house owner, is at the top of her game. But after she decides to inject the counterfeit currency into her business, all hell breaks loose. Guns are drawn and opposing sides are taken. The city of Philadelphia becomes the Wild, Wild West. Stirring up skeletons that Sanaa and her best friend Joy thought were buried when they left the south; back in Atlanta Georgia. Real or fake, with millions of dollars still to be claimed, all the wolves come out – and the hunting season begins. Will the love of that mean green shatter families and friends? Or will they prove that money can't buy everything?

His Destiny


Demettrea - 2015
    She was dead tired and just wanted to nap. "My babies! I'm so glad you all made it." Caroline met them on the porch. "Hey, ma." Adonis hugged her and then Destiny hugged her before she took the baby out of her hand. "Look at granny's baby," she cooed over AJ. "But I thought I was your baby, granny," Serenity pouted. "You sure are my baby. Come give me some love, sugar." Caroline loved her grandbabies. "Oh my goodness, he looks just like you, Des." "I know right. All he has of his daddy is skin tone," Destiny replied. "Well y'all come on in here." They went inside. "Where is Tamara?" Adonis asked about his sister. "She's at work but she'll be here later," Caroline replied as she kissed all over AJ's face. "Oh ok." He responded. "Adonis take y'all stuff to the guestroom and you know ReRe has her own room here now 'cause I want to start getting her during the summers," she said, referring to Serenity by the nickname she had given her. "Nah, I'm getting a hotel room. Des and the kids are staying here with y'all." Caroline looked at him like he had grown two heads. "And why the hell can't you stay here with your family?" His mom still didn't know that he had a new girlfriend. It was now or never. "My girlfriend coming up here to kick it with me," he sort of mumbled. Even though he was a grown man, his mothers' opinion mattered. "What the hell did you just say?" Caroline only cursed when she was pissed. "Look ma, not now okay." He let out a frustrated sigh. He knew how much his family liked Destiny but they had to accept the fact that they weren't together. "So you brought Destiny and my grandbabies up here knowing your girlfriend was coming too?" "Yeah, man. But it's not even like that. I invited my girl before I knew Des was coming." Adonis felt like a little kid who was being reprimanded by his mother. "Well, the minute you found out Des was coming, you should have canceled that other chick." Caroline was so disgusted by her son that she got up and left the room. "Look, I didn't know coming here would cause problems. I was just trying to make it better for AJ." Destiny was apologetic. "Nah, Des, you good, ma. But I need to go take care of something. I'll be back later." He stood to leave. "Okay." Destiny hated to see him leave because she knew he was going to meet up with Nikki. Yeah, she was actually jealous.

Crack Money With Cocaine Dreams


Jahquel J. - 2014
    And so are the drug dealers that flood them. When your pockets are empty but your needs are full, you do the unthinkable. After her mother walks out on her at seven years old, Messiah Garibaldi was groomed to be a boss. Being the daughter to a mob boss and maid, she learned early to never mix business with pleasure. Messiah and her best friend, Jaylah, cook some of the best dope to man, which is how the ruthless drug lord, Tech, enters her world. Never being the one to be in love, Rasheed enters Messiah’s life and opens her to the possibility to love. Will Messiah mix business with pleasure? There’s only one thing in his way: Eli, Messiah’s companion. Eli is money hungry and broke. When giving the opportunity, Eli pulls off a stunt that might end his life. LB is a low-level nickel and dime drug dealer for Tech. Tech has been promising to put him on for years. Tired of being broke and watching Tech reaps the benefits of his labor, LB decides to step out and link up with Rasheed. Staten Island is small, everyone knows everyone…but do they really? When you have crack money but cocaine dreams, envy becomes your best friend.

Soul Cry: The Ten Year Girlfriend


Candace Mumford - 2014
    After three engagement rings and no wedding on the horizon Amina has packed her bags. While relocating to a new state to start over Amina forges an unlikely friendship with two women who end up being just the friends she so desperately needs. Amina will soon find ending her long term relationship isn't going to be as easy as she'd once thought when deception is involved and women she thought were friends have been waiting in the wings to be her mans ten year girlfriend.

Dope Girl's Ambition


Monique Love - 2014
    From her early childhood years her life was anything but normal. Her extensive knowledge of the drug game followed her from a young age right into adulthood. It wasn't until the sexy son of a Columbian drug lord was stunned by Rain's striking beauty that she realized she can also rule. You'll witness how a man and a woman torn by the love of money and power, past losses, present fears, and the paradox of their growing ambition for the game withstood their love for one another. Rain becomes the woman everyone loves to hate. Will she know when to stop, or will her greed for money cause her to self destruct!

Forever Salty (A Ghetto Soap Opera)


Aleta L. Williams - 2013
    Will they succeed, or will Ken & Jazz get the ending they deserve? In this episode, Peter is Grimy as ever. His new motto is “I want it all.” Will he get it? Yay is still envious and Jazz isn't the only one she’s out to bring down. Lisa has something that belongs to her and she wants it back, and Jazz . . . she just doesn't like her. Will Lisa and Jazz be able to handle Yay’s Saltiness? Calvin, Jazz’ dad, is back and he's on his revenge trip. He's going after Diesel and his family—while waiting on Pastor G to step out those prison gates, because he wants that dude, too. Will he be able to take them all down? Ken and Jazz just want to be happy, but Jazz believes that won’t happen until Ken changes his lifestyle. Will he give it all up for his Forever?

A Bytch Named Karma 2


Teruka B. - 2013
    “Get them before they get you!” is her motto. After Karma loses the closest thing to her, her whole mindset changes, and her heart turns to ice. Karma has endured a lot of pain in her life, and now her sights are set on making everybody miserable with her. If they have caused her pain in anyway she will be sure to bring the pain right back to them. However, Karma never realizes that “what goes around comes around” and just because her name is Karma doesn't mean she can’t get it too!Get sucked into this fast-paced read that is sure to leave you speechless at the journey Karma takes you on. Find out who Karma’s secret admirer is, and see what Devon has in store for you this time. Karma is on a killing spree with no remorse in her soul…. Will Karma get her life together before it’s too late? Will she find love or will love be her downfall?

Rozalyn 5


Shan - 2014
    except the business she gets into she knows nothing about. Rozalyn makes a huge mistake that puts a dagger in her and Tamar's relationship that could possibly end them for good. Her lack of knowledge for the game threatens to tarnish Tamar's reputation and leaves him with deciding if this will be the end of his reign. But of course with Tamar, things are never easy. He loves the power and respect more than he loves the money and refuses to settle for anything less than being King of the Streets. One phone call from a beauty by the name of Keysha causes Tamar to revert back to a place that he'd left in his rearview--the ATL. Keysha has everything that Tamar needs to get back on top, but there is only one problem--she wants Tamar for herself and doesn't want to share him---not even with Rozalyn. Will Rozalyn give up the man she's gone through so much for or will she put up a fight? Will the two of them get their happy ending or will Keysha have Tamar all to herself? Latoya has realized the damage she's caused and desperately wants to make things right with Taron. She pays for one of the best legal teams in Miami to fight his federal case hoping he would forgive her for her part in Journey's suicide. But when Tamar lets Taron know that he needs him in the ATL, will Latoya let him leave or will she result to desperate measures to keep him around. With Erica now in prison for almost killing Jamir's brother, Justice, Passion now has Jamir right where she wants him. Things are going good until he's made aware that Erica's life is now in danger. Also, what happens once Erica exposes Passion's secret?

The Way My Heart is Set Up


Dechella Taylor - 2014
    After years of childhood abuse, Kylah finds herself grown, single, and scorned, and it isn't until life forces her to break down that she realizes that she must heal from yesterday's trauma's in order to move on to brighter tomorrow's. When Kylah loves, she loves hard, so when her old high school sweetheart walks back into her life only to end up destroying her heart, he validates her cynical view of men. She warns her sister Kyree and best friend Trixie about love, but soon enough, she finds herself falling in love faster than she could ever imagine. Then to make matters worse, her drug addicted mother pops back into her life, spilling secrets that turns Kylah's life upside down. When it's all said and done, Kylah is forced to either face the pain of her yesterday's or risk losing everything and everyone she loves for a past she can't seem to shake. Formerly My Yesterday's Text

Checkmate 2: Let the Games Begin


Tiece - 2013
    He’s now a legit business man who intends to make Bank’s Realty one of the most profitable corporations in Augusta, GA. Unlike his past, which included a rush from sexual pleasure and getting money; his new pawns are now considered to be the women whom he pays and uses for their services. In this sequel, Monty battles with the concept of being faithful to Candy, but a strong connection with a new chick in town keeps interfering. After Monica returns, Rico mans up, but it still seems to be in the wrong manner. Can love really stand the test of time or will everything come crashing down around the both of them? One thing for sure is that you really can’t mix business with pleasure and come out unscathed. Everyone is competing to win. Let the Games begin…

From Mistress to Wife


Angie Hayes - 2014
    Fed up with Troy and his games, Alicia calls it quits. She soon runs into Shawn, an old friend, and in no time begins to believe that she actually has a chance at happiness. With wedding bells in her near future, will Alicia go from mistress to wife, or will everything crumble when she finds out that Troy isn’t the only one with secrets? Keisha, Alicia’s cousin, has raised her daughter on her own since her ex walked out on her years ago. She meets Keith, they hit it off, and before long they are engaged; preparing to spend the rest of their lives together. That is until something shocking is revealed. Candy is Alicia’s close friend, and one of the people that she trusts the most. The problem is Candy isn’t who she seems, and is also holding in a deep dark secret, that is so bad, it will destroy their friendship forever. Cassandra, Troy’s wife, isn’t as naïve as he believes she is. She knows that her husband is cheating; always has. It could be because every time she turns around, another woman pops up pregnant with Troy’s child. Tired of trying to save her family Cassandra comes up with a plan of her own. In From Mistress to Wife, you’ll find out that everyone has a secret. The question is which ones are forgivable, and which ones are deadly?

Hood Misfits (Volume 3)


Brick - 2013
    Dame is dead, so they’re safe right? What’s going to happen when Trigga and Diamond find out that Every Nigga Gotta Agenda, even those closest to you? Ride with them through the streets of Hackney, one of the most dangerous boroughs in London, as the ENGA crew try to stay alive long enough to make it out.

Started From the Top Now I'm Here(An Urban Tale from Riches to Rags)


Lady Onyxx - 2013
    She was also the ultimate backstabbing bitch and didn’t apologize for it. She will do whatever it takes to come up in the game, even if it means hurting those closest to her. Despite having the gold digging game on lock, Sonnet’s selfish ways soon get the best of her. Find out what happens when this ghetto princess goes from hood rich to a lowly street urchin fighting to survive on Skid Row. The question is does she deserve a come up? You decide.

Shooting Blindly in the Dark


Nicole Jackson - 2015
    She considers herself a realist, and decided that she doesn’t have time for fairy-tales. Therefore, she wasn’t some young naïve girl looking for love. Kaydoa doesn’t live a glamorous life, either. He hustles just to get by, and provide what he can for his beautiful girl, Farrah. Life coasts on for him and Black Reign, until they decide to get money together. All goes according to plan, until someone decides to get their feelings involved. Hustling with the one you love is extremely complicated, but the two attempt to make it happen. Soon, their decisions take them on a journey that neither of them seen coming. Shooting Blindly in the Dark is a story about the power of love. When two lost souls come together life seems complete. But in the real world there are no fairy-tales, and reality can be harsh and uncaring.