Narrator

L. Steven Taylor

L. Steven Taylor
  • Written by New York Times best selling author JaQuavis Coleman, this heart-wrenching thriller follows the life of a young inner-city kid through one night in the streets of Flint, Michigan. In the middle of a water crisis, Money, a popular young boy throughout his neighborhood, has gotten himself into a deadly game of cat and mouse as he struggles to survive through the night when the city’s most notorious crime lord orders a hit on him. This story follows Money as he is on the run for his life desperately trying to find help in a lawless town. This intense game of survival leads into an unpredictable ending that will leave you breathless.

  • Netta lays in a hospital bed in a coma, fighting for her life. She comes face to face with her own bad karma as she tries to untangle herself from the web she has woven, wanting to free herself from the streets. However, it may be too late to get out of the game alive. The odds are not in her favor—Netta is forced to face the consequences of her actions and pay the wages for the sins she has committed on the streets. She may be done with her past, but her past isn’t done with her. B-More Careful the Prequel will surely continue in the tradition set by it’s predecessor, B-More Careful. It’s a fresh insight to the first book and a bridge to B-more Careful Part 2.

  • After the death of a police officer, assassin Kahllah (a.k.a. the Black Lotus) is forced out of retirement in an attempt to clear her name while outrunning a mysterious enemy.

    It’s been months since Kahllah El-Amin, aka the Black Lotus, hung up her pistols, retired from the murder-for-hire business, and finally found peace. But when a police officer is murdered and a familiar flower is left at the crime scene, all signs point to it being the work of the Black Lotus. Someone is trying to frame her. Things get more complicated when the case is handed to Detective James Wolf, a former adversary who has since become a friend.

    To clear her name, Kahllah is forced out of retirement and once again must don the mask of the Black Lotus. She races against time to catch the real killer while trying to outrun her most formidable rival. Their deadly game leads to a shocking truth buried under a mountain of lies, as Kahllah attempts to find justice in a world devoid of light.

  • In the world of the Cartel, there are many pitfalls and family curses. In the city of Miami, the good die young and the bad live forever. The first family of Miami, the Diamonds, are back and more ruthless than ever. When the family has to deal with the sins of the father, karma comes back and rests on the shoulders of Carter “CJ” Jones II. The life his father never wanted for him calls him and the allure of family tradition sucks him in so deep that he falls victim to the game. This story shows the second coming of a king and solidifies the cartel family tree in the roots of the streets forever.

    Ride with a new regime as Carter II and his cousin Mo attempt to carry the legacy of their fathers on their shoulders. Will the city respect them? Or have the ghosts of the past been erased by a new wave of hustlers. Miami was forever changed when Carter and Miamor came to town. Can the Cartel ever regain their strength or was their fall from power too devastating to repair?

    Ashley and JaQuavis dive into their franchise series once more and give their fans a taste of classic urban storytelling.

  • On the outside, Tone seems to have it all. He has a father he looks up to and an older brother who keeps him under his wing—until the day his father crosses a line that changes everything. Tone is forced to enter a world he knew nothing about.

    Detective Abraham is obsessed with power and money, so he has figured out a way to play on both sides of the tracks when it comes to organized crime. The only thing stopping him from making it to the top spot is Santiago, one of the most feared suppliers in the country. Santiago’s only weakness is his daughter, Serena. Detective Abraham develops a plan that involves his son, Tone, getting close to Serena.

    Against his better judgment, Tone goes along with his father’s plan and sets out to win Serena over with his charm. What he hasn’t planned on is Serena turning the tables and stealing his heart. Now Tone is faced with choices that leave him questioning his loyalty to his family.

  • There’s a saying that if you come from my part of town, you’re from around the way. Around the Way Girls 11 is a fast-paced look at the lives of some street-smart women who think they know it all, but are about to get the lessons of their lives.

    “Meal Ticket” by Treasure Hernandez: From the outside looking in, Yanna Banks lives what most would consider a perfect life; however, after the tragic death of her husband at the home of his longtime mistress, Yanna’s teenage son is forced to step up and fill his father’s shoes. Doing everything he can to help his mother make ends meet, the straight-laced student soon links up with an unlikely partner in crime. The two of them, both under the heavy-handed guidance of their mothers, become their households’ sole meal tickets. They have no problem dealing with anyone that gets in the way, including one another.

    “Party Girls” by Clifford “Spud” Johnson: Tammy and Debbie grew up in the projects on Oklahoma’s wicked northeast side. Feeling hopeless, they chose to use their bodies to get what they wanted—until a frightening encounter inspires them to focus on schooling instead of the streets. Now Tammy is the youngest federal judge in the state of Oklahoma, while Debbie is a well-respected accountant. Deep down, though, they are still the same around the way girls from back in the day, and they sometimes still feel the urge to “get freaky with it.” Of course, what’s done in the dark—or in their case, under the sheets—will always come to light, causing complete and utter chaos.

    “Do or Die” by India Johnson-Williams: After a big indictment comes down on some of Detroit’s major drug players, their women are left behind to keep the hustle afloat. Overnight their lives change for the worse. In Detroit, it’s sink or swim, and eat or you starve; in the dope game, it’s kill or be killed. The streets don’t care who you are or where you come from. Will Kali, Hope, and Jamaica beat the odds with their quick wit and hustle-hard mentality, or will the game catch them slippin’?

  • The love story with a hood flavor is back, but there is still no happy ending for Halleigh and Malek. Their situation has just taken a turn for the worse. Halleigh has been kidnapped by Malek’s adversary, who’s holding her for ransom. Malek only has seventy-two hours to save her, or she will be gone forever. With the help of Scratch, a seasoned junkie with a soft spot for Halleigh, Malek terrorizes the city to get his true love back. Will Halleigh make it out alive, or will she finally fall victim to the game?

    Treasure Hernandez brings you an action packed, suspenseful story that will have you wanting more of Flint. Welcome to the most dangerous city in America.

  • Urban Books’ popular Girls from da Hood series is back, bringing readers more dramatic tales about the lives of some tough, resourceful women who can hold their own when things get rough on the streets. This time, Redd, Nikki-Michelle, and Erick S. Gray deliver the stories with their trademark flair.

    Like a hood-rich Bonnie and Clyde, Candy and Raynail have their hands on all of the drugs that run through the veins of Westwood. When Raynail is set up to take the fall for a crime he didn’t commit, Candy goes on a mission to take down everyone involved.

    Baby and G. G. should be thinking about high school, but their minds are definitely not on studying. These two are tight like sisters, and they have each other’s backs no matter what—until Baby comes up with a plan that involves blackmailing someone to kill G. G.’s man. When these two cousins clash, the shock wave will be felt throughout the hood.

    Vix Dixon is an upscale ghetto-girl that no man in his right mind wants to cross. She’s a predator who preys on the weak. Her mission? To have any man or woman she wants by any means necessary. Now, she’s set her sights on her teacher, Alex Rodriguez, and he bites the apple instead of a bullet. By the time Alex realizes just what he’s gotten himself into, hell on earth will have a different meaning for him.

  • In this latest installment of Treasure Hernandez’s super hot series, the intensity heats up even more—more drama, more sex, more lies … more Flint!

    Ever since fate sent them down separate paths, Halleigh and Malek have been trying to work their way back to the innocent love they once shared. Now they’re finally together again, but the rough streets of Flint keep threatening to tear them apart. Halleigh’s life is hanging in the balance, and Malek has been knocked from his throne as the king of the city. Things are getting deep. This hustler’s love story will take you on an emotional roller coaster as Halleigh and Malek search each other’s souls and their own as well. Some deep, dark secrets are exposed, and their love will be put to the test. Flint Book 5: Back in the Hood will have you at the edge of your seat until the last sentence.

  • Urban Books’ popular Around the Way Girls series is back, bringing readers more dramatic tales about the lives of some tough, resourceful women who can hold their own when things get rough on the streets.

    Growing up poor and biracial, Shannon never quite fit in. Not truly accepted by either side of her family, the confused teenager turns to the one thing that loves her back unconditionally—the streets. With a bottle of liquor at her side and a worthless mentality in tow, Shannon allows the local strip club and the pole to become her new family. When one of her best customers turns out to be her long-lost brother, all hell breaks loose.

    For Brionna “Breezy” Lee, life has been hell for as long as she can remember. Being mentally, verbally, sexually, and physically abused at the hands of her mother, it seems as if she will never get a break. The only thing keeping her sane is her best friend King, who’s always been by her side; but even he is starting to become frustrated, as she says she’s fed up with the abuse but continually makes excuses for why she won’t seek help. Will Breezy’s loyalty to a mother who couldn’t care less about her cause even more tragedy, or will she listen to her friend and get out before it’s too late?

    Cori and Nique are tired of living bottom barrel in Detroit, with shut-off notices and eviction threats a constant reality. Seeing no other way out, the duo sets a plan into motion, becoming the go-to girls from the hood. From robbing an off-duty cop to running stolen gas cards, smash and grabs, or stealing bundles of expensive weave, they definitely don’t play about their grind. In their world, sometimes being “down 4 whatever” is your only option!

  • Malek and Halleigh were once innocent high school sweethearts, but their lives changed drastically when they were separated by tragic circumstances and sucked into life on the streets.

    Now Malek has risen to the top of the drug empire and is running things after Jamaica Joe’s murder. His rival, Sweets, has left town, so Malek has things under control on both the South Side and the North Side.

    When Halleigh finally escapes from the clutches of Manolo, her pimp, she and Malek are reunited. For a while, things are running smoothly, and Halleigh and Malek are like well-respected hood royalty—until Halleigh grows bored with her life hidden safely away in the suburbs.

    She ventures into Flint and meets up with her old drug-using partner, convincing him to enter the new rehab facility—the same place that’s cutting into Malek’s business by helping his customers get sober. To make matters worse for Malek, Sweets has returned and wants to take over his side of town again. As he struggles to hold onto his reign at the top, will Malek be able to keep Halleigh out of the crossfire?

  • In Knucklehead we meet Marcus Hayes, a black law student who struggles, sometimes unsuccessfully, with the impulse to confront everyday bad behavior with swift and antisocial action. The cause of this impulse is unknown to him.

    When Marcus unexpectedly becomes involved with the brilliant and kind Amalia Stewart, her love and acceptance pacify his demons. But when his demons return, he is no longer inclined to contain them.

  • Korey Taylor, a.k.a. “Killa Korey” and his ace, Hammer, were sentenced to serve two decades in federal prison, but after an unexpected change in the crack cocaine sentencing laws, Korey is released. Now he’s on his way home to Charlotte, North Carolina.

    Like Hammer, Korey is a thug with a violent nature, nothing to joke around with in the cold streets. However, while serving his time, Korey took classes that he hoped would help him become someone other than a drug dealer. Armed with a new way of thinking and a deep desire to reconnect with his teenage daughter, Korey wants to wave goodbye to the game.

    When he immediately links back up with Hammer, who was released months before him, Korey finds his most sincere intent to go straight challenged. He is reminded of their brotherhood and the street oath that he and Hammer vowed to never go back on. Korey is left with a serious decision to make in their world, where disloyalty is an unpardonable fault.

    Partnerz in Crime is a high-powered street tale of unbreakable love and loyalty.

  • The Romeo and Juliet of the streets are still struggling to find their way back to each other after fate has cruelly separated them.

    In order to move up in rank on the streets of Flint, Michigan, Malek knows that he’s going to have to deal with some jealous players in the game, but when he’s forced to go up against players on his own team, the rules change.

    Halleigh, on the other hand, learns that everything isn’t always how it seems. Those who she thought had a foot on her neck, keeping her held down and imprisoned in a life she didn’t freely choose for herself, are, in fact, the same ones who might be able to help her escape.

    In Flint Book 3, will Halleigh and Malek end up on the same team? But more importantly, will it be the winning team?

  • When two former members of Los Angeles’ most nefarious rival gangs decided to unite under one oven, they had no idea that they would be creating an empire. Trap Kitchen is more than just a cookbook. It’s a glimpse into the meals that have now become famous in the LA streets thanks to the series of pop-up restaurants that continue to bloom throughout the area. Celebrities and residents alike flock to the locations for soulful meals, but it’s more than that. Having lost friends and family to violence, we learn how the masterminds behind Trap Kitchen sought to change the paths they were on, using cooking as their driving force.

    While other cookbooks may boast a level of urban-skewed appeal in their realness, this cookbook also delves into the stories of why they became involved in cooking in the first place. It’s a heartfelt and stomach-filling experience to learn how two men changed their stars by seeking out peace and good food for themselves and their community.

  • It is the end of days. A nuclear strike hits New York. Alfie, a young black male, survives but with no memory of what has happened. The only thing he can remember with any clarity is how to play his guitar and a few snatches of old blues and folk songs. Another survivor, Meg, has taken refuge in the hills of Vermont, and she too is the victim of near absolute amnesia. Her only hope is to survive these darkest of days. Across the country, a prophet called John is reveling in the fallout of chaos that accompanies the strike and is calling for Judgment Day against sinners, all while civilization burns around him.

    This is the final battle. Alfie and Meg don’t know it, but they have a grim destiny. They must stand together and defeat the Great Beast with only their faith to shield them. Can they build a New Jerusalem from the ruins of the White House?

  • Walk with Halleigh and Malek as they introduce you to a new struggle in a new city … a place called Flint, Michigan, one of the roughest little cities in America. It’s a place where the good die young, loyalty is a rarity, and everybody has a hustle.

    In Choosing Sides, Malek became affiliated with the North Side’s biggest kingpin, and Halleigh was manipulated into the streets by his South Side adversary. North versus South, love versus loyalty, and lies versus truth. Now the saga continues in Working Girls, as we are introduced to the Manolo Mamis, the baddest chicks in the game. They’re playin’ for keeps, and their services come with a price—an expensive one.

    Halleigh is knee-deep in the game. She has become lost, turned out at the hands of her pimp, Manolo. Will she and Malek ever meet again? And if they do, will they share the same love that they once had, or is it too late?

    Welcome to Working Girls. The saga continues.

  • Dragged into a violent conspiracy, one woman learns how far the Illuminati will go to protect its secrets.

    Teen sensation Melissa Jones is dragged into a world of conspiracy and violence when her boyfriend is shot dead by police. Melissa joins forces with unlikely allies in a desperate search to uncover the shocking truth behind his murder. Her unlikely allies include a newly elected senator who refuses to be compromised by a wealthy donor, a conspiracy theorist who believes the worst of all enemies has infiltrated the corridors of power, and a Black Lives Matter leader who seeks justice for her brother’s murder. Together, the four of them share a common enemy, magnate Lionel Granger, who will stop at nothing to protect the secrets of the Illuminati. First blood has been spilled. More will flow. This is what happens when they want you dead.

  • Welcome to Flint, Michigan, one of the roughest little cities in America, 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.

    Malek 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. With no place to go, their destinies take them down separate paths. Malek becomes affiliated with the North Side’s biggest kingpin, and Halleigh is manipulated into the streets by his South Side adversary.

    North versus South, love versus loyalty, and lies versus truth. What will they choose? Walk with Halleigh and Malek as they introduce you to a new struggle in a new city … a place called Flint.

  • The year is 1978. The Duncan brothers and their tough-as-nails women have vanquished their rivals and taken their place as the leaders of Waycross, Georgia’s criminal enterprises. However, their rise to power has not gone unnoticed, and the family is rocked when their mother, Miss Bettie, is kidnapped and her body is found in a swamp.

    No one knows who the killers are, but instead of drawing closer, the family is split when their grief-stricken leader, LC, is offered membership in the South’s most powerful black organization, the Council. Membership has its privileges, but they do not include his brothers. LC packs up his growing family and moves to Atlanta to open his first car dealership.

    Unable to deal with their mother’s death, Lou Duncan searches for her killers with the help of an unlikely ally—LC’s ex-fiancée. Her presence may cost him his relationship with his brothers, but Lou is resigned to that fact because Donna’s help is instrumental in finding Ms. Bettie’s abductors. What he will soon learn is that his search for the truth will also lead him to discover a long-buried Duncan family secret.

  • “That’s right! You are 100 percent guaranteed to succeed in any aspect of life when you never give up!”—Percy Miller

    Percy Miller is living proof of the truth and power of that statement. He was born and raised in poverty, but today he’s a successful multimillionaire. In this book, he shares the wealth wisdom that he has gained through his life’s journey.

    When you never give up you:

    • Achieve your goals
    • Make money work for you
    • Build “generational wealth”
    • Live a prosperous and purposeful life
  • Lance Thomas is a sexy, young black male who has it all: a high-paying blue collar career, a home in Queens, New York, two cars, a son, and a beautiful wife.

    However, that marriage happened at a very young age, and it wasn’t long after that he realized he was afflicted with dogism, a distorted sexuality that causes men to stray and be unfaithful in their relationships with women.

    You will not stop turning the pages as you read and witness Lance as he juggles God, a wife, a son, and a new mistress, all the while trying to end his dealings with a drama-filled stripper from his past who is obsessed with him. In the midst of drama and deception, Lance realizes that eventually every dog has his day.

  • The saga of love, loyalty, and crime continues …

    After the tragic and bloody end to the Cartel’s reign, Carter is forced into isolation to evade the law. With his wife, Miamor, facing federal charges and his dear brother six feet under, Carter has never been more alone. His empire is at his feet, and he has no idea how to rebuild his kingdom. The only thing that is certain is that he has to stay out of the way and off the radar of the feds until he can figure out how to get his lady out of prison.

    Miamor’s freedom is guaranteed―provided Carter help create and distribute a drug that will take the streets by storm. Rubbing elbows with the most notorious, ruthless leaders of the underworld will get him what he wants. But can he win at their game of murder and money?

  • All he ever wanted to be was a good son.

    Shai Clark was an all-American basketball player with aspirations of one day making it to the NBA, but that all changed when his father was viciously murdered and he found himself thrust into the role of the new head of his family’s criminal enterprise.

    After waging a war on the streets of New York that lasts nearly three years, it seems like peace is finally being restored to the land and Shai can get back to focusing on continuing his father’s mission to legitimize the Clark family— but little does he know it was only the calm before the storm. Not everyone respects his claim to the Clark empire, and when new and old enemies start to come out of the woodwork, Shai will find that inheriting the throne was one thing but holding onto it will prove to be a far more difficult task.

  • Animal 4 reissue featuring bonus material. Also includes a sneak peek at Hoodlum 2: The Good Son.

    From the moment Animal’s former lover Red Sonja showed up on his doorstep, he knew trouble wouldn’t be far behind. It wasn’t because the last time he’d seen her, he had been fleeing for his life from a strange island. Nor was it because of the little girl she had in tow, claiming Animal was the father. It was because women like Red Sonja carried trouble around with them like designer purses. He knew getting involved with Sonja again would come at a price, but he had no idea how steep the price would be until it was too late. With his wife gone and his children abducted by a ruthless drug cartel, Animal must lead a suicide mission into the lair of one of the most dangerous assassins in the world, a woman who calls herself Tiger Lily. To go against Tiger Lily and the cartel Animal would need an army, so the call to arms is put out and the streets readily answer. Leading a handful of loyal souls against seemingly insurmountable odds, Animal races against the clock to save his children and put a stop to Tiger Lily and the cartel’s plans, while trying to stay one step ahead of the two detectives following the trail of bodies. Things take an unexpected turn when Animal learns a dark truth hidden beneath what he had been led to believe that changes everything, including who can be trusted. When the Grand Design his father had always spoken of is finally revealed Animal will be forced to make the hard choice between love, loyalty, and vengeance.