It's Like Candy: An Urban Novel

This book was definitely not what I thought it would be like to read. The book is written to a raw vulgar very descriptive of everything that happens to the girls (Starr and River) I pushed through the book just to see what actually happens to the girls but I wouldn’t recommend reading the book of you can’t handle what happens to girls being on the streets to survive. I wouldn’t recommend this book to young adults under a certain age. However I believe this book has some good insights for what happens to girls that have to be in situations the girls were in. There’s lots of pros and cons to this book. But for me I won’t be passing this book along for anyone to read. I couldn’t get over the nastiness of the book because of it being so vulgar. This book just wasn’t for me but I have it a chance and read it.

This book took the mean streets of Queens, NY to another level. River is a hustler who knows nothing but sex, money, and drugs. She was abused sexually, mentally, and physically by her mother at a young age along with her sister, Star. River gets feed up with her mother and decides to make it on her own in the streets. Star is left behind - with the abuse. River meets Big Red and Twinkie who takes her in and guide her on the streets. Big Red is an aggressive man who develops strong feelings for River but tries to hide them to the GAME. Twinkie is Big Red's right hand man and together makes them unstoppable in the streets. They begin their hustle in the streets by using River as bait to rob and terrorize "Tricks". Star life is hell as she is left behind with her sick mother. Star is doing things that adults do at a young age. She is very miserable and wants a better life. She then leave but will she survive on the streets? River then meets Eric and gain feeling for him - however, he is the assignment. Yung Slim is a PIMP who takes Star under his wing into a life of prostitution. Will Star and River ever reunite? This book gets better at the end. It has many twists that you have to read it to understand it. I recommend this book to other and await the auther's - Erick S. Gray next book.

I loved this book soooooo much! Excellent from cover to cover! River and Starr both had it hard and it all worked out at the end. I loved Eric and how he sacrificed everything for the woman he loved. This book has more twists and suprises than you are going to know what to do with! Most definitely deserving of 5 stars! This book was straight fire!

I shook my head in horror as I read this book. Starr's and River's flashbacks about the molestation they endured from their perverted druggy mother was sickening to read and I can only imagine how painfully real. The bloodshed, drugs, prostitution, and street battles in these pages were frightening. I felt intimidated by most of the characters---I had to remind myself that this was only a book! Even though Eric shouldn't have gotten off so easy after snitching and River should have paid the price for all of the men she wronged, I was happy that River and Starr finally found their way. Erick S. Gray definitely dishes a hot street saga here.

This book is really good and make you think. What do you do when you are force to survive on the streets, doing anything and everything to live. These are the questions two sisters River and Starr have to deal with, when they are out there robbin and selling your body. I really enjoy this book Mr. Gray do not hold any punches about what can occur when abuse is in the family. So I recommend that you buy this book.

Starr and River are sisters and victims of their circumstances. Their drug-addicted mother introduced them to the world of prostitution just as they entered their teens. River left home and became a part of a trio who robbed wealthy, unsuspecting men. Starr escaped her hellish home only to sell her body on the streets. Both girls know their risky lifestyles could eventually lead to their death, but they don't know the way out. Eric, a small-time hustler, is content making money by providing female entertainment for parties and events and moving small shipments of marijuana from suppliers to dealers. He becomes the victim of one of River's schemes, and in the process, falls in love with her. He is also being pressured by his cousin to step up his game and become one of his soldiers in a gang of ruthless pimps and drug dealers. Eric resists because he knows about his cousin's volatile ways and that he has just recently been released from prison. His cousin's presence is immediately felt as he attempts to take over the streets and avenge past wrongs done against him. His disrespect of the game and hostile takeovers result in a bloody street war that has far-reaching impacts. IT'S LIKE CANDY is a page-turner. I read avidly to the end, curious to know how it would all play out. Gray incorporated so many twists and turns, which thoroughly shocked and entertained me. Filled with the elements of sexual abuse, violence and revenge, Gray also balanced it out with love, spirituality and redemption. Although there were way too many characters, the main ones were fully developed. His portrayal of street life was raw and gritty. I highly recommend this as one you can't put down. Reviewed by Paula Henderson of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers