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It's Like Candy: An Urban Novel
Sisters River and Starr leave home in their early teens after a lifetime of abuse from their drug-addicted mother. Beautiful River joins a stick-up crew, but she doesnt know that her crew has one secret even shes not in on. When she falls in love with Eric, one of her victims, she wants out of their dirty game. Starr is working for a pimp by the time shes sixteen. After one of her dates assaults her in a motel room, she meets a woman in the hospital who wants to help her change her life. But Starr cant get out of the game so easily.
- GenresAfrican American
329 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2007
16 people are currently reading
327 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 22, 2022
Having never read a novel by Erick S. Gray before, I found myself unable to put it down as soon as I started reading it. New York streets are the setting of Erick S. Gray's gripping novel. "IT'S LIKE CANDY" focuses on the lives of two young sisters who fled their abusive mother. Starr and River's mother used her children as prostitutes, rather than protect them. The first to leave and turn to crime stealing was River. After a few years, Starr followed suit, but turned to tricks for survival instead. While the years and life on the streets separated the sisters, they had not forgotten each other. What are the chances that the sisters will ever be reunited or have a life without pain? With its criss-crossing plotlines, IT'S LIKE CANDY weaves a gritty, dramatic tale. A malignant and dramatic mood is introduced early in the novel, and it remains throughout. I was pleasantly surprised by all the characters, especially the certifiable Yung Slim. In "It's Like Candy," we discover a bitter tale of money, power, unfaithfulness, sex, and drugs. It would be fascinating to read a sequel if Mr. Gray decides to write one. I look forward to reading more novels by Erick S. Gray.
March 30, 2022
This book was very intense. It honestly taught me that you never know who you can trust. No matter if it’s family or not, nobody is who they truly appear to be.
January 9, 2009
One Endless Hustle After Another
River and Starr were forced from their home at an early age thanks to their abusive, drug abusing, sex craved, monstrous mother. Separated and struggling, both River and Starr are out on the streets of New York with only one objective, survival. While they are both out jostling their sex to get cash, they never stop worrying and wondering about the other. Is there a reunion in store for these two sisters?
Eric comes from a family of drug dealing murderers. While Eric capitalizes off of his family's legend, he's still a softer version and is content with his small organization and street rankings. When his cousin, Russell, aka Yung Slim, is released from prison, all hell breaks loose as he immediately steps out to reclaim what he deems as his. When he starts taking percentages out of others operations, New York is quickly transformed into a battlefield where tons of blood will be spilled. Will Eric step up to fill the shoes of his ancestors or will this become a battle between relatives?
"It's Like Candy" unravels a bitter tale of money, power, unfaithfulness, sex, and drugs. This is my first read by author Eric S. Gray. While I found the book to be an easy read, there were minimum errors and in my opinion, the story wrapped up too neatly in the end.
3.5
River and Starr were forced from their home at an early age thanks to their abusive, drug abusing, sex craved, monstrous mother. Separated and struggling, both River and Starr are out on the streets of New York with only one objective, survival. While they are both out jostling their sex to get cash, they never stop worrying and wondering about the other. Is there a reunion in store for these two sisters?
Eric comes from a family of drug dealing murderers. While Eric capitalizes off of his family's legend, he's still a softer version and is content with his small organization and street rankings. When his cousin, Russell, aka Yung Slim, is released from prison, all hell breaks loose as he immediately steps out to reclaim what he deems as his. When he starts taking percentages out of others operations, New York is quickly transformed into a battlefield where tons of blood will be spilled. Will Eric step up to fill the shoes of his ancestors or will this become a battle between relatives?
"It's Like Candy" unravels a bitter tale of money, power, unfaithfulness, sex, and drugs. This is my first read by author Eric S. Gray. While I found the book to be an easy read, there were minimum errors and in my opinion, the story wrapped up too neatly in the end.
3.5
April 23, 2012
This is my first time reading a novel by Erick S. Gray and once I started reading I could not put it down. I found the title a bit uninteresting and the book was shelved in my library for months before I read it. I was completely blown away by the story and couldn’t believe I waited so long to read it. I enjoyed reading how the characters stories intertwined to make the plot explosive. I would definitely read a sequel to this novel if Mr. Gray decides to make one. I am looking forward to reading more novels by Erick S. Gray.
October 25, 2009
In this book the two main characters are really sisters.They were separated by the mom not knowing how to really take care of them.Conflict is the problem in the story. In this case the probelm is that the two main characters are prostituing themselves to get money. In this book i leanred that i should finished school get my education so i dont end up like they did and if i dont have my mothers help i will try even harder to get a good life.
March 24, 2024
Damn this was some shit and it's like u really can't trust anybody. Star n River mother is horrible, and I'm glad she's getting what she deserves. Eric is the dream hood thug that doesn't exist. Critter lived up to his name, low down dirty snake thug that does exist. Red and his patner were just extra characters that needed to fill the storyline and help piece it together, I guess because they were a waste of time to me and they killed River's roomate for no damn reason just pointlessly. Russell was just a hood driven, crazed thug who just wanted people to kiss his ass. His whole beef with Eric was pointless as well because that shit with him and River was known of his damn business. Eric's other friend Rah was a waste of time as well, just something to add to the storyline. He was just a waste character, him and his poor wife. The fake ass pimps that Star worked for are the worst pimps ever like they didn't protect their bitches at all..... but overall not a bad read just your typical money thugs and ho's urban fiction.
January 27, 2022
Great book but be careful if you have triggers about rape. I loved the twists though.
February 1, 2022
One of my favorites
November 6, 2022
Good book just hard to follow all the characters.
June 18, 2023
The only way you can truly enjoy and appreciate this book, is if you are non-judgemental.
July 14, 2012
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Erick S. Gray has written a compelling novel set in the streets of New York. IT'S LIKE CANDY follows the young lives of two sisters that fled their abusive home. Instead of protecting her children, River and Starr's mother exploited and prostituted them. River left first, and turned to a life of crime stealing. Starr followed suit a few years later only to turn tricks for survival. Neither sister had forgotten of the other, but the years and the life on the streets separated them. Will the sisters ever be reunited or have a chance at a life not filled with pain?
I read BOOTY CALL a few years back, and I was not impressed. It was okay at best. So Erick has remained under my radar until his book was recently voted as a BOTM. If this is how he is getting down now, I may have to check out his other titles. IT'S LIKE CANDY's crisscrossing storylines mesh together for a dramatic, gritty tale. The opening scenes establish an intriguing mood of malice and drama that is sustained throughout the novel. All the characters are surprisingly convincing - including the certifiable Yung Slim. Don't quite know how this book's title comes into play, but IT'S LIKE CANDY is definitely a tale worth reading.
Reviewed by: Toni
4.5 stars
Erick S. Gray has written a compelling novel set in the streets of New York. IT'S LIKE CANDY follows the young lives of two sisters that fled their abusive home. Instead of protecting her children, River and Starr's mother exploited and prostituted them. River left first, and turned to a life of crime stealing. Starr followed suit a few years later only to turn tricks for survival. Neither sister had forgotten of the other, but the years and the life on the streets separated them. Will the sisters ever be reunited or have a chance at a life not filled with pain?
I read BOOTY CALL a few years back, and I was not impressed. It was okay at best. So Erick has remained under my radar until his book was recently voted as a BOTM. If this is how he is getting down now, I may have to check out his other titles. IT'S LIKE CANDY's crisscrossing storylines mesh together for a dramatic, gritty tale. The opening scenes establish an intriguing mood of malice and drama that is sustained throughout the novel. All the characters are surprisingly convincing - including the certifiable Yung Slim. Don't quite know how this book's title comes into play, but IT'S LIKE CANDY is definitely a tale worth reading.
Reviewed by: Toni
4.5 stars
February 20, 2008
A good read!! I like the fact that the book was different. The main guy Eric wasn't really into selling drugs and killing people. Even when his cousin Yung Slim wanted him to be down with his crew. Eric chose to go his own way and it shows that you dont have to be killing people to make it on top. There was lot of grimey nasty stuff in the book as well. This book also showed the reprecussions of living the fast life and be greedy!!
December 21, 2022
This is the most DISGUSTING thing I’ve ever read. I 100% do not recommend for anyone. I don’t believe in banning books but this shit needs to be banned. The author gets off in writing sex scenes about little girls and incest.
I feel like I have to throw up
I feel like I have to throw up
November 29, 2010
♥ It Was O.K. ♥
November 29, 2010
good believable street lit.
January 30, 2024
**Trigger warning**- all of them!! Extremely explicit and had some grammatical errors. The story line however but was pretty good.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews