Book picks similar to
The Ski Mask Way by 50 Cent


fiction
urban-fiction
urban-lit
war-on-drugs

Mistress of the Game


Sherrie Walker - 2003
    Henry's Orphanage where, under the harshest circumstances, they forge a bond that is to last a lifetime.

The Millionaire Mistress


Tiphani Montgomery - 2006
    Just when she thinks she's got it all, times get tight, and her body is put to work in the bedroom. Between sexin' married men for hire and searching for the man who would get her out the game; 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. Will Chloe look past her evil ways and change for the better, or will their fate be a replica of their dark family secret? There's a reason why their mothers are locked down and six feet under.

In the Company of My Sistahs


Angie Daniels - 2006
    Lisa Miller has a wonderful life while her sister and their friends have been searching for love in the wildest of places. She invites them to join her in Jamaica where she plans to share heart-wrenching news, and hopes the pain in her life will give them a reason to stop taking theirs for granted. Renee Moore is a best-selling author with an insatiable appetite for men. She plans on spending her vacation, engaging in a fling that will give her reason to exhale. Unfortunately, she soon finds out it’s not always sunny in paradise. Attorney Nadine Hill has been living in denial for far too long. By the end of the trip, she needs to decide if she’s going to continue to live for everyone else or take a chance at her own happiness no matter the consequences. Kayla Sparks has always dreamed of being a preacher’s wife. When a handsome minister walks into her life, she thinks God has answered her prayers. Only his wife would probably disagree. **this book was originally published in 2006**

Hoodlum


K'wan - 2005
    A college hoops star, Shai shunned the world that his father had created and focused on his dreams of going pro. Tommy, Shai's trigger-happy older brother, is next in line for the throne and rules under his father through brute force. But Poppa has bigger plans for Shai. The situation soon turns ugly when Poppa is murdered and Tommy is removed from the equation. Suddenly Shai finds himself at the head of his father's empire and the streets are thrown into chaos. It is then that he must decide whether to pursue his own dreams or put his father's affairs in order. Unable to sit idly by while the Clarks' underworld empire is pillaged, Shai takes up his father's mantle and brings his game to the streets. He quickly learns that there are two sides to every coin, and the streets hold no mercy for the weak.Hoodlum chronicles three generations of Trinidadian immigrants and their rise to power in the New York City heroin trade. A K'wan classic.

Dead Broke


Trista Russell - 2008
    But her memory is ten months behind, and her life went from fabulous to scandalous in the time she forgot. She has no clue that "high class" prostitution was her way of making ends meet. Meanwhile, Sarai's new but forgotten love, Tremel "Mel" Colton, vows to stay by her side. Though she can't remember him, he patiently waits to remind her of the long, steamy nights she spent in his arms. He romances her all over again, but just as lust and love start to blossom, shocking secrets from Sarai's past are revealed and suddenly Mel is unsure of their future together. Also, because she doesn't remember them, some of Sarai's enemies mask themselves as her friends, and Sarai has no idea how much trouble she has gotten herself into. But one thing is certain -- she will never forget her enemies again. In this seductive sequel to her sizzling debut novel, Going Broke, Trista Russell turns down the sheets and turns up the heat in a story about one woman learning that money comes and goes, but good friends, love, and sex are hard to forget.

Thirsty


La'Tonya West - 2013
    She doesn't give her goodies to just anyone though. She prefers wealthy Caucasian men. Brothers are not to her liking. She has a thirst for the good life that she feels they cannot fulfill. That is until she crosses paths with Thrill. Initially uninterested Kaliyah has no words for Thrill but once she finds out about the paper that he is sitting on it changes the game. Will her thirst end up being her downfall?

A Gangster and A Gentleman


Kiki Swinson - 2012
    . .I Need a Gangsta Kiki SwinsonMelody Goldman isn't about to let her rich, cheating, ungrateful husband walk out and leave her with nothing. Fortunately, ex-con Scotty Harris has no problem disposing of her problems in exchange for plenty of cold, hard cash--and hot, hard sexing. But when Scotty crosses one line too many, Melody's revenge will be a hustle he never saw coming . . .Gentlemen Prefer Bullets De'Nesha DiamondSuccessful publicist Blake Scott survived by playing the Hollywood game. . .and keeping far, far away from her gangsta kingpin father. But now the only person who can protect her is his enforcer, Eli Hardwick. Good thing this thug cleans up real nice--and is even better when he gets down and dirty . . ."Kiki captures the heat of the streets." --Wahida Clark"Diamond's hairpin plot twists, snappy dialogue, sultry sex scenes, and colorful, often hilarious characters keep the pages turning." --Publishers Weekly on Heist

Never Kiss and Tell


Tracie Howard - 2004
    Successful Manhattan psychotherapist Brooke Parrish falls for Taylor Hudson, a handsome, ambitious ivestment banker with a prestigious New York firm who is trapped in a loveless marriage, but the situation is complicated when Taylor's wife, Kiernan Malloy, enlists Brooke's aid as her therapist to he

The Velvet Rope


BRENDA L THOMAS - 2005
    From this Essence bestselling author comes a sexy, fast-paced novel about astreet-smart girl determined to make it big in the glitzy nightclub business.288 pp.

Diamond Life


Aliya S. King - 2012
    . . Set in the highest ranks of the music industry’s fame machine, Diamond Life is an intoxicating story of love, sex, ambition, money, betrayal, and the surprising realities of making it big. Alex Maxwell’s career as a journalist and celebrity ghost writer is taking off, despite the slightly embarrassing authorship of hip-hop super-groupie Cleo Wright’s memoir. And while Alex’s star is on the rise, it pales in comparison to her husband Birdie’s multiplatinum debut and world tour. Slowly but surely, everything they swore would never happen begins to come true, like leaving Brooklyn for a mansion in suburban Jersey and letting a reality TV crew into their home. Birdie is confronted time and again by the sexy groupies who pursue famous rappers like heat-seeking missiles and he’s forced to make some life-changing choices. Meanwhile, aging rapper Z, in recovery from drug addiction, is too busy trying to repair his marriage to leave much time for his son Zander, newly signed to Z’s label and struggling to maintain his appeal in the wake of a domestic violence scandal with his diva girlfriend Bunny. Record label president Jake is trying to deal with the death of his wife, multiplatinum R&B artist Kipenzi Hill, by drowning his sorrows in alcohol and women. When he meets Lily, a beautiful, quiet waitress, he can’t get her out of his head. But Lily has her own problems to handle and she wants nothing to do with the fame, drama, and baggage that Jake carries with him. This juicy follow-up to Aliya S. King’s Platinum is a scintillating roman à clef that takes readers behind the curtain once again for the real scoop on the biggest players in the hip-hop game—and the first ladies who hold them together.

Dice


T.N. Baker - 2007
    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. When Wasuan is challenged and the stakes grow high, he finds himself caught out in deeper waters than he can swim in, with Tone dangling three options: pay up, take your last breath, or sacrifice something much greater...his girl, Enychi. But when Enychi agrees to spend one night with Tone in order to save her man's life, she finds herself caught up in an unwilling love triangle like the streets have never known. Love, betrayal, lies, sex and money are just the beginning in this scandalous tale, where loyalties are put to the ultimate test. In this new novel, T. N. Baker takes the term "sheisty" to a whole new level.

Dirty Game


Shannon Holmes - 2007
    Now he's a cab driver, doing what he can to put food on the table and give his daughter, Destiny, everything she needs. In spite of his past or because of it, he's willing to do whatever it takes to keep Destiny off the streets. But when he is shot and paralyzed during a robbery while on the job, Destiny knows that she has to step up to the plate to take care of the father who has provided for her. Allowing herself to learn from one of the fiercest street hustlers, Destiny becomes his lover and soon her skills rival his. But the longer she stays in the game, the deeper into the game she falls.

Juicy (Pandora's Box)


Nicety - 2012
    An overbearing, controlling father sends the girls' ambition to get away into high gear as they devise a plan to leave home for good. But will their plan go as smooth as silk or will it set off a chain of events that brings the sisters spiraling downhill? Kojack is one of the hottest dudes on the block. He finds himself in a game of tug of war as Diamond pursues him first but is quickly crossed by the one person she loved the most. Love, lust, and betrayal are in the air as the sisters deceive each other for the love of a good man. Who will end up with Kojack and will they be able to evade suffering the consequences of their plan even with blood on their hands?Growing up in an abusive home took a toll on twin sisters Pandora and Diamond and their 16 year old sister, Lexi. When enough became enough, they devised a plan to get out of his grasp for good. Sun was their unsuspecting victim and everything seemed to be going according to plan until Pandora decided to change the game. Now with blood on their hands, a newfound business and two suitcases full of cash, Pandora thinks she is sitting on top of the world. Forbidden fruit is tastier when it's not rightfully yours as she pursues Diamond's crush, Kojack, under false pretenses. Lexi is only 16 but her love of Yompers keeps her feeling grown and sexy as she does any and everything she wants while still trying to remain loyal to her sisters. But that is all tested when Pandora shows her sisters that blood isn't thicker than water. Will Pandora remain on top or will she crash and burn? FInd out in the first installment of the trilogy!

The Flip Side of Sin


Rosalyn McMillan - 2000
    "The Flip Side of Sin" takes readers on a journey through the lives of a group of unforgettable characters who must overcome life's toughest challenges to find true happiness. It is a book in which worlds collide and people are forever transformed by the tumultuous changes that occur in one man's life. The story begins with Isaac Coleman, a man whose tragic mistakes cost him years away from everyone and everything that mattered to him -- especially his wife and son. Alone, confused, and bitter, Isaac can only become whole by learning to love again. But when he re-enters the world he left and attempts to get reacquainted with his now teenage son, Peyton, he finds heartbreaking rejection.As Isaac struggles to understand and change his plight, his only form of self-expression is found in the keys of his saxophone. When he later meets up with Miracall Lake, a woman with whom he shares a painful past, she surprisingly helps him to face his fears and reach for his dreams. In this case, love indeed conquers all -- or so it tries to in this tale of good versus evil and love versus hate. "The Flip Side of Sin" is a poignant and memorable work from a writer of immense talent.

The Flint Saga


Treasure Hernandez - 2011
    A place where the good die young, loyalty is a rarity, and everybody has a hustle. Malek Johnson's hustle is the basketball court, and he's the best Flint's projects has ever produced. He's on his way to the University of Michigan, but not for long because all the NBA scouts say he's destined for the pros after a year or two of seasoning. He finds love in the super fine girl everyone calls Halleigh, and he promises her that he will take her out of the hood. When Halleigh's virginity is traded in exchange for her mother's drug tab, their dream spirals out of control and they are quickly separated and sucked into the life that they have so desperately tried to avoid. Now that every installment of the series has been released, The Flint Saga combines all the parts of this street love story into one book.