Hustlin Divas - Book Review

We start off learning that Memphis has three gang groups and within it, there are females who have a factor in how these gangs operate.  We have the  Flowers, Cripettes, and the Queen G and I did not read the story yet, but I heard this author was good in supplying me with the drama and suspense that I crave in stories.  From the looks of it, she doesn't disappoint.  The first two pages, instant fight and you already know what it's about.  The author kind of threw you into the mix of things with limited facts, but you catch on rather quickly.  For those that don't, Tashara is Leshelle's sister and Profit is Fat Ace's brother or closet thing to and they don't want to be a part of any of these gangs and just love each other, but being where they are from its not possible so things hit the fan when their little love is exposed to the wrong people.  You kind of see how they're relationship started and bloomed with the flashbacks.

In the beginning of the book, you also meet all the characters in one and how each of them role.  You meet Leshelle and find out what she is to the head of the Black Gangsters Disciples.  She was probably the worst one for me and the most dramatic so, in a sense, I hated to love her character.  She is Tashara's sister and feels responsible for her despite her sister not wanting to have anything to do with any type of gangs.  You also learn a little about how both of the sisters were brought up and you get a glimpse of Leshelle and why she is the way she is.  You also see how these two lethal combinations met and how far Leshelle went to gain her position.

If anyone knows the game of the streets, it's Momma Peaches who is by far my favorite character because she plays no games and keeps it real with everything that she does.  Leshelle may be the Queen of the organization, but momma peaches is the real queen of this nest and the glue that keeps that family together.  Things go from ok to worse as Momma Peaches returns home and that is really when things popped off.

Melanie is a cop who seems to me, has gangsta qualities and through her father she found a way to put it to good use.  She is the first to enter the scene from the party and how she sees the war on the streets and python, but I think there is an underlying nature there.  Throughout the book, you kind of get a sense of how everybody ended up in the position that they are in and I figured that was done because the book was so short and to the point.

As much as Tashara and Profit want nothing to do with the hood life, it seems to always find them.  In this book, you switch from character to character and I like that because it's almost like watching a soap opera.  Leshelle and Python, I don't think were made for each other because I feel that Leshelle is playing a part of a role just to keep him happy.  It becomes so bad that she actually starts enjoying things that should hurt a little too much all for the sake of her position.  Don't get me wrong, she has love for this man but I think her power position trumps that feeling of love sometimes.  You see a huge difference in these sisters relationship and I loved how the author jumped from one extreme to the other.  Profit and Tashara have been trying to keep their relationship on the down low for obvious reason, but when a recent event happens, all that thinking and hiding goes out the window and you get to chance to meet the other side of the Black Gangster Disciples.  You meet Fat Ace for the first time and find out what his connection is to Profit.   The two relationships clash and Leshelle gives her sister to an ultimatum.  Later on, you also find out Melanie's role and just how far she goes.     Life on the block is still in war times, but you meet this character named Yolanda who is just looking for a come up in status and her best friend Baby who is obviously in love with her.  Like Leshelle's past life you start to see Yolanda live it when she starts working at Python's place of business.  With Momma Peaches, you start to see her past unfold and she probably has the most back stories because the rest of them kind of caught up.  By now, the word is out on Profit and Tashara and now they are throwing caution to the wind.   Profit decides to join the Vice Lords gang and I was kind of upset because now it's official and there is a bigger target on his back.  You also see a deeper character development in Melanie and she is another who is relying on her emotions to validate what she is doing.  From here on the book started to move really fast, but I didn't mind it because you are getting to the good parts at the speed of light.  Yolanda gets what she wants but loses what she had.  Leshelle is livid at Profit for being who he is but they have the weirdest type of power love I have ever read.

Things kind of go up and down towards the end of the book you see that Leshelle is starting to lose her power in the hood.  It's all directed towards her sister Tashara and her relationship with Vice Lords.  At first, Python suspects and because of that he acts out and you see the relationship he has with Yolanda.  Crazy one at least.  Melanie is playing a very dangerous game between both of the sets and thinks that her ultimate protection is because of her status as a cop, but towards the end she reaps what she sows.  Tashara and Profit have a solid relationship going for them and you would think they are good but of course Python gets into the mix and it becomes about street politics.  This ultimately leads into the next book in series which is Street Divas.

Overall the book was a good starting point for the series because you found out where these sets were coming from and how they operated.  Python's past makes him who he and you really don't know much about Fat Ace or his gang just that he has one.  You also know that Momma Peaches is holding on to a vital secret whether intentional or not that could switch up the game for both sets.   Leshelle's so called bond is basically shattered because of her choices of loyalty.  Yolanda also has some bad news and because of her decisions, she loses people who care about her and puts her faith in Python protecting her.  So with that being said, are you ready for the next one? Hmm

Book Details

Book Listing
Title: Hustlin Divas
Author: Denesha Diamond
Publisher: Kensington Corp
Published Date: March 07, 2012
ISBN-10: 0758247559
ISBN-13: 978-0758247551
ASIN: B008847OFO