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Up the Way

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San Dora is a prison where there's money to be made. Joining forces childhood friends and CO's Mia and Jazz are on the come up and playing by their own rules. A simple bus ride introduce Mia to the game, only to find out that Jazz has been making moves secretly up the way. Escalade and Do-Boy hold down the streets, while in prison Akbar, Malik, and Born Freedom represent the Gods to the fullest. Renegade female guards take no shorts and are gangsta ! Even the Warden has issues. The sex is salacious, and their swagger canonical. Take a journey into the lives of these characters, every page is unique, it s full of great laughs, and nothing is ever what it seems.

222 pages, Paperback

First published April 14, 2009

21 people want to read

About the author

Benjamin Janey

4 books41 followers
Benjamin Janey, the author of the urban novel entitled Up The Way, was born and raised in Bridgeton, New Jersey and now resides in the state of Connecticut. Many people may know him as Bro. Benjamin throughout the internet because of the powerful quotes and words of inspiration he’s shared over the past 3 years. Oft times, you could befriend him and he wouldn’t even mention that he’s an author.
He is a self-taught author who’s defied all odds. With humble beginnings, BEN wrote Op-Ed’s and have appeared in The Hartford Courant, The Register Citizen, and The Litchfield Inquirer, just to name a few.
As time progressed, Benjamin worked full time as a newspaper reporter for The Hartford Inquirer Newspaper Group. Shortly after he was awarded his own column called Generation X, Keeping It Real.
Like any major city, Hartford streets began to run rampant in the mid 90's and a greater need for his services had risen. He was hired as a Violence Reduction Mediator by the University of Connecticut, The School of Social Work, to assist with conflict resolution and to create effective new programs to curb Gang and Domestic Violence. Over a three year period, once the situation calmed, just like any other program that works, the federal funding was pulled immediately.
He's had my brushes with the law, but looks back and then ahead. If it were not for what he's experienced in life, Benjamin wouldn't be here today giving you the heart and soul of what you're anticipating. The real deal...
Helping others is his motivation because he always says, “Everyone has a gift, and it just took me a little longer to unwrap mine!” Letting his past be of no regret, Ben is stepping out of the box, refusing to be just an urban novel author. His sophomore book, Domestic Violence-The Cure© is something the entire country must anticipate. He’s presenting Prevention, Intervention, and Redemption like never before… Mr. Goodnight is now available and it's Erotica like never before.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Profile Image for Crystal.
87 reviews1 follower
July 17, 2012
a book about living in the hood and trying to come up out of the ghetto any which way u can. Mia, her brother Frad(Escalade) and Mia's BFF Jazz happen upon a bookbag filled with illict contents that could make them A LOT of money! The plot is the same as every hood book, hustling mixed with love but there are some really good TWIST in this book that keep u reading
Profile Image for Sistar Tea.
294 reviews
October 3, 2009
Corruption

I was not feeling this story for the first couple of chapters. I put it down for a while and came back later. This novel did make a come back. I was glad I kept up with it although I am still a little confused on a few issues. There are many characters and while all were relevant to the story it made it puzzling to keep up with all of them.

Most of the story takes place in San Dora, a prison that is as most of us imagine cliquish. If you are not down, you’re an outsider. With drugs, sex, corruption running wild in the prison system. We follow the everyday dealings of the drug ring. Mia and Jazz are correction officers and they run the show behind the prison walls with the “Gods” holding them down - Akbar, Malik and Born Freedom. Mia’s brother Escalade and his right hand man DB( Do-Boy) are holding everything down in the streets. When all the characters are brought in and the story starts to flow and I am getting picture clearly the twist comes in and the drama begins. This is where I am lost because I now realize the characters I thought I knew - I didn’t know them at all. I was left to go back and double check things and still be left feeling as if I did not know some of them, while others I knew and understood.

There were questions lingering about some of the main characters sexuality. A lot of the story seems very unrealistic. All in all a decent read. I think this author has potential to become a great story teller if he tightens up his storylines and is more consistent in relaying the turn of events.

SiStar Tea
ARC Book Club Inc.
3.5 stars
Profile Image for Ltrb Club.
86 reviews14 followers
January 14, 2014
This is the second book I have read from this author. It wasn't as fast-paced as I would have liked it to be but overall it was a really good story. There was a lot of drama & foolishness going on that kept me captivated throughout the story. Had me really questioning if life is really like that UP THE WAY. There were some questions left unanswered so hopefully there is a part 2 in the works
Profile Image for Drenna Gurl.
352 reviews62 followers
January 13, 2014
This is the second book I have read from this author. It wasn't as fast-paced as I would have liked it to be but overall it was a really good story. There was a lot of drama & foolishness going on that kept me captivated throughout the story. Had me really questioning if life is really like that UP THE WAY. There were some questions left unanswered so hopefully there is a part 2 in the works
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews

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