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Not Like Us
Caleb “Webb” Williams thought he had left his past as a drug dealer behind. Intelligent and determined to live a better life, Webb struggles to make ends meet in a grueling 9-to-5 grind. Meanwhile, his older brother, Jean Pierre “JP” Williams, thrives in the drug game, running his own crew with confidence and cunning skill. But when JP is arrested, everything changes. Forced back into the world he tried to escape, Webb must use his brilliance to keep their empire afloat—and soon discovers his knack for turning street smarts into a financial goldmine through cryptocurrency and high-stakes stock market plays.
Their newfound fortune catches the eye of Aviel “Avi” Ackerman, a billionaire with a sinister charm and an appetite for power. Avi promises Webb the keys to an elite world of unimaginable wealth and influence, while reigniting JP’s addiction to the thrill of the drug game.
Through his dealings with Avi, Webb is introduced to Swan, a stunning and enigmatic influencer who uses seduction as her weapon, and exposes him to the dark vices and unsettling pleasures of the rich and powerful. With every step deeper into Avi’s world, the brothers find themselves drawn further apart, torn between ambition, loyalty, and the allure of Avi’s promises.
As their empire grows, so do the stakes. Webb wrestles with his conscience as he plunges into a life of excess and moral decay, while JP embraces the chaos of the streets with renewed passion. But with Avi pulling the strings, the brothers must confront a painful success always comes at a cost. Not Like Us is a gripping tale of loyalty, betrayal, and the price of ambition in a world where the pursuit of power can destroy everything—and everyone—you hold dear.
Their newfound fortune catches the eye of Aviel “Avi” Ackerman, a billionaire with a sinister charm and an appetite for power. Avi promises Webb the keys to an elite world of unimaginable wealth and influence, while reigniting JP’s addiction to the thrill of the drug game.
Through his dealings with Avi, Webb is introduced to Swan, a stunning and enigmatic influencer who uses seduction as her weapon, and exposes him to the dark vices and unsettling pleasures of the rich and powerful. With every step deeper into Avi’s world, the brothers find themselves drawn further apart, torn between ambition, loyalty, and the allure of Avi’s promises.
As their empire grows, so do the stakes. Webb wrestles with his conscience as he plunges into a life of excess and moral decay, while JP embraces the chaos of the streets with renewed passion. But with Avi pulling the strings, the brothers must confront a painful success always comes at a cost. Not Like Us is a gripping tale of loyalty, betrayal, and the price of ambition in a world where the pursuit of power can destroy everything—and everyone—you hold dear.
369 pages, Hardcover
Published January 31, 2025
1 person want to read
About the author
E. Nigma
28 books10 followersE.Nigma started his writing prowess as a scriptwriter initially, with dreams of seeing his work on the big screen. His first script"The Afflicted" was based on a dream he had one night, and thus began the first work of many by E.Nigma.
His first feature work that was filmed was a youtube video created by HeavenandHell Entertainment, which filmed a short based on E.Nigma's popular series, The Professionals. E.Nigma's followed that up with his first feature film entitled "Twisted Affair" which he wrote, edited, and directed. After other various film shorts, E.Nigma dabbled with animation, where he created a series based on his characters from the aforementioned "The Professionals" which garnered a cult following.
Even though E.Nigma had turned his attention towards more video/animation work, he never stopped his first love of writing. In 2016 he completed his first novel work with "Confessions of a Call Center Junkie - The Diary of Lellow" which is a mock diary documenting the day and life of a recovering addict as she struggles to maintain herself in the workplace.
Since then, E.Nigma has gone on to write a multitude of works covering various genres such as drama, science fiction, romance, crime drama, and more. His unique writing style allows him to be diverse while capturing captivating stories to satisfy any reader’s thirst for imaginative writings.
Check me out on the following media:
Facebook – enigmakidd
IG – enigmakidd
Snapchat – ericnigma
Twitter - @NigmaEric
Email – enigmakidd@gmail.com
His first feature work that was filmed was a youtube video created by HeavenandHell Entertainment, which filmed a short based on E.Nigma's popular series, The Professionals. E.Nigma's followed that up with his first feature film entitled "Twisted Affair" which he wrote, edited, and directed. After other various film shorts, E.Nigma dabbled with animation, where he created a series based on his characters from the aforementioned "The Professionals" which garnered a cult following.
Even though E.Nigma had turned his attention towards more video/animation work, he never stopped his first love of writing. In 2016 he completed his first novel work with "Confessions of a Call Center Junkie - The Diary of Lellow" which is a mock diary documenting the day and life of a recovering addict as she struggles to maintain herself in the workplace.
Since then, E.Nigma has gone on to write a multitude of works covering various genres such as drama, science fiction, romance, crime drama, and more. His unique writing style allows him to be diverse while capturing captivating stories to satisfy any reader’s thirst for imaginative writings.
Check me out on the following media:
Facebook – enigmakidd
IG – enigmakidd
Snapchat – ericnigma
Twitter - @NigmaEric
Email – enigmakidd@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 31, 2024
Not Like Us is a gripping story centered on two brothers, Webb and JP, living vastly different lives in Los Angeles. Webb, once deeply entrenched in the drug game, made some life-altering decisions to pull himself and his family out of that world. But when JP ends up in jail, Webb is reluctantly pulled back into the very lifestyle he tried to leave behind—and things spiral out of control from there.
At first, I really admired Webb. He was a family man who seemed to be making solid, thoughtful decisions. But then he met Avi and Swan, and all his common sense went out the window! He abandoned his morals and made choices that left me shaking my head in frustration. On the other hand, JP, who I initially thought was reckless, quickly grew on me. Despite his time in jail and his involvement in the drug game, he ended up being the most grounded and rational character. His ability to stand his ground, especially when he called Webb out on his decisions regarding his marriages, made me switch to Team JP.
The characters in this book are incredibly well-developed. Avi, Swan, and even some of the crew members had distinct personalities and intriguing backstories that kept me engaged. That said, I absolutely despised Swan. Her intentions to destroy a happy home made her irredeemable in my eyes—she can go straight to hell for that! Avi is no better; he belongs in a handbasket headed the same direction.
The dynamic between the brothers was the heart of the story for me. It hurt to see them not speaking, especially since JP seemed to be the one who kept Webb grounded. The vivid descriptions of their lifestyle, including parties that felt like something out of a Hollywood special, left me clutching my pearls!
One area where I wish the book gave us more was their family dynamics. A deeper dive into their parents’ story would have added another layer to the brothers’ relationship. And that ending? Wow. It left me on a major cliffhanger! Did they come back and kill Swan? I wouldn’t be mad if they did.
At first, I really admired Webb. He was a family man who seemed to be making solid, thoughtful decisions. But then he met Avi and Swan, and all his common sense went out the window! He abandoned his morals and made choices that left me shaking my head in frustration. On the other hand, JP, who I initially thought was reckless, quickly grew on me. Despite his time in jail and his involvement in the drug game, he ended up being the most grounded and rational character. His ability to stand his ground, especially when he called Webb out on his decisions regarding his marriages, made me switch to Team JP.
The characters in this book are incredibly well-developed. Avi, Swan, and even some of the crew members had distinct personalities and intriguing backstories that kept me engaged. That said, I absolutely despised Swan. Her intentions to destroy a happy home made her irredeemable in my eyes—she can go straight to hell for that! Avi is no better; he belongs in a handbasket headed the same direction.
The dynamic between the brothers was the heart of the story for me. It hurt to see them not speaking, especially since JP seemed to be the one who kept Webb grounded. The vivid descriptions of their lifestyle, including parties that felt like something out of a Hollywood special, left me clutching my pearls!
One area where I wish the book gave us more was their family dynamics. A deeper dive into their parents’ story would have added another layer to the brothers’ relationship. And that ending? Wow. It left me on a major cliffhanger! Did they come back and kill Swan? I wouldn’t be mad if they did.
February 1, 2025
This was a engaging and immersive story about two brothers with teo different ideas about life . JP is a street dude and lives for the thrill of the street life while Caleb wants nothing to do with it . When JP ask Caleb to hold him down it sends both brothers down a path they did not imagine. This is the first book I have read from this author . I enjoyed the story.
January 6, 2025
Caleb and JP are brothers, thick as thieves, although you wouldn’t guess from the lifestyles they live. Caleb, previously in the streets, has left the street life and dedicated his life to living on the straight and narrow. Although he is struggling to make ends meet, he is enjoying the peace that a life lived right has given him. JP on the other hand is the King of the streets, and doesn’t understand his brothers need to struggle for the good life when it’s right in front of them. When JP gets pinched for a bid, he begs his brother to take over, just until he’s out and able to take over again for himself. Although reluctantly, Caleb steps back into shoes he knows well, and the streets drag him into a problem he never saw coming.
The dialogue and characterization in this book was off the hook, good! The words just flowed off the page and the characters were so multi-dimensional. For example, our MC Caleb is initially thought to to be the “smart” brother of the two; he finds legitimate ways to make money for the crew, has settled down and gotten married, and also took himself out of the street life for a better life. And yet, the more money he makes, the more he changes and Caleb, or Webb, is not the same man we met at the beginning of the story. Much like his brother JP, who I originally didn’t like for his seemingly careless and reckless ways. By the end of the story he was my favorite character! He was brave, stood up for what he believed in, and had his family’s back 100% no matter who he was up against. Even Swan, who is one of the other characters, is not all that she appears to be. I simply loved how this author created characters with so much depth and so much character growth by the end of the story. I felt like I really knew the characters because of how they were written.
I also loved how this author was able to pack so much into this story as well. Caleb primarily makes his money from crypto-currency and then later real estate. We got a front row seat into how gentrification works and how rich we would have been had we invested in Bitcoin! The author also touches on the activities of the rich and famous. I’m talking P Diddy level white partying with all sorts of weird, kinky, and often illegal activities that happen after the lights go down. The author touches on sex- trafficking a little as well and what it means to be groomed from a young age by the rich and powerful. I could go on and on, there was just so much happening in this book, yet the author did it in a way that didn’t feel rushed or overwhelming.
If there’s one thing I was looking for more of, it would be what was happening during the pauses in the book. There would be times when the book would leave off on one chapter, and the next chapter picked up months, or even years later. I personally don’t like books that show the passing of a lot of time with one sentence summarizing what had happened during that time. I need the deets! I also wish we got to see more of JP and Caleb’s lives before they were adults to understand why they decided to get into the streets anyway.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read! Special thanks to E. Nigma for sending me a personal copy! I am so grateful to have gotten the chance to read such a great book!
The dialogue and characterization in this book was off the hook, good! The words just flowed off the page and the characters were so multi-dimensional. For example, our MC Caleb is initially thought to to be the “smart” brother of the two; he finds legitimate ways to make money for the crew, has settled down and gotten married, and also took himself out of the street life for a better life. And yet, the more money he makes, the more he changes and Caleb, or Webb, is not the same man we met at the beginning of the story. Much like his brother JP, who I originally didn’t like for his seemingly careless and reckless ways. By the end of the story he was my favorite character! He was brave, stood up for what he believed in, and had his family’s back 100% no matter who he was up against. Even Swan, who is one of the other characters, is not all that she appears to be. I simply loved how this author created characters with so much depth and so much character growth by the end of the story. I felt like I really knew the characters because of how they were written.
I also loved how this author was able to pack so much into this story as well. Caleb primarily makes his money from crypto-currency and then later real estate. We got a front row seat into how gentrification works and how rich we would have been had we invested in Bitcoin! The author also touches on the activities of the rich and famous. I’m talking P Diddy level white partying with all sorts of weird, kinky, and often illegal activities that happen after the lights go down. The author touches on sex- trafficking a little as well and what it means to be groomed from a young age by the rich and powerful. I could go on and on, there was just so much happening in this book, yet the author did it in a way that didn’t feel rushed or overwhelming.
If there’s one thing I was looking for more of, it would be what was happening during the pauses in the book. There would be times when the book would leave off on one chapter, and the next chapter picked up months, or even years later. I personally don’t like books that show the passing of a lot of time with one sentence summarizing what had happened during that time. I need the deets! I also wish we got to see more of JP and Caleb’s lives before they were adults to understand why they decided to get into the streets anyway.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read! Special thanks to E. Nigma for sending me a personal copy! I am so grateful to have gotten the chance to read such a great book!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews