Around The Way Girls

Following in the successful footsteps of its predecessors, Around the Way Girls 6 features three popular Urban Books authors presenting their versions of the tough, street-smart girls that everyone loves. Yana and Kiki had to grow up much too fast, thanks to their mother's drug habit. They've got each other's backs, but even that might not be enough to protect them from the ruthless drug dealer who's got them under his thumb. Connie is tired of struggling to get by, so when a shady corrections officer introduces her to a sure thing, she jumps at the chance. It doesn't take long, though, for her to recognize that her new hustle is bringing more drama than she bargained for. Quiana wants nothing more than to do the right thing. After bearing witness to her mother's heinous murder at the hands of her drug-addicted boyfriend, she is struggling with the ramifications of losing the only person in the world who truly loved her. Around the Way Girls 6 . . . the tradition continues.

There's a saying that if you're from my part of town, you're from around the way. Following in the footsteps of its successful predecessors, Around the Way Girls 7 showcases three popular Urban Books authors and their versions of some very tough, street-smart girls. Nina and Mouse are a couple just trying to survive the hater nation. Only problem is Nina's a little paranoid when it comes to other women, and Mouse is usually guilty as charged. Fed up with Mouse's cheating, Nina begins to creep a little herself, but will her revenge blow up in her face? Diamond hates her messed-up life, her sorry-behind county recipient daddy and his broke, crack-smoking girlfriend. Most of all, Diamond hates her mother, who didn't love her enough to stick around. But there are two sides to every story, and Diamond is about to hear the other side to hers. Homegirls Whakelah, LaShawn, and Misha have big dreams to make it out of Webster Projects. There was a time their bond seemed unbreakable, but now that Misha has found love and a ticket to the big time, her friends want to go along for the ride. How far are they willing to go to chase that paper?

Growing up poor and biracial, Shannon never quite fit in. Not truly accepted by either side of her family, the confused teenager turns to the one thing that loves her back unconditionally-the streets. With a bottle of liquor at her side and a worthless mentality in tow, Shannon allows the local strip club and the pole to become her new family. When one of her best customers turns out to be her long lost brother, all hell breaks loose. For Brionna "Breezy" Lee, life has been hell for as long as she can remember. Being mentally, verbally, sexually, and physically abused at the hands of her mother, it seems as if she will never get a break. The only thing keeping her sane is her best friend King, who's always been by her side; but even he is starting to become frustrated, as she says she's fed up with the abuse, but continually makes excuses for why she won't seek help. Will Breezy's loyalty to a mother who couldn't care less about her cause even more tragedy, or will she listen to her friend and get out before it's too late? Cori and Nique are tired of living bottom barrel in Detroit, with shut-off notices and eviction threats a constant reality. Seeing no other way out, the duo sets a plan into motion, becoming the go-to girls from the hood. From robbing an off-duty cop to running stolen gas cards, smash and grabs, or stealing bundles of expensive weave, they definitely don't play about their grind. In their world, sometimes being "Down 4 Whatever" is your only option!

There's a saying that if you come from my part of town, you're from around the way. Around the Way Girls 11 is a fast-paced look at the lives of some street-smart women who think they know it all, but are about to get the lessons of their lives. "Meal Ticket" by Treasure Hernandez: From the outside looking in, Yanna Banks lives what most would consider a perfect life; however, after the tragic death of her husband at the home of his longtime mistress, Yanna's teenage son is forced to step up and fill his father's shoes. Doing everything he can to help his mother make ends meet, the straight-laced student soon links up with an unlikely partner in crime. The two of them, both under the heavy-handed guidance of their mothers, become their households' sole meal tickets. They have no problem dealing with anyone that gets in the way, including one another. "Party Girls" by Clifford "Spud" Johnson: Tammy and Debbie grew up in the projects on Oklahoma's wicked northeast side. Feeling hopeless, they chose to use their bodies to get what they wanted-until a frightening encounter inspires them to focus on schooling instead of the streets. Now Tammy is the youngest federal judge in the state of Oklahoma, while Debbie is a well-respected accountant. Deep down, though, they are still the same around the way girls from back in the day, and they sometimes still feel the urge to "get freaky with it." Of course, what's done in the dark-or in their case, under the sheets-will always come to light, causing complete and utter chaos. "Do or Die" by India Johnson-Williams: After a big indictment comes down on some of Detroit's major drug players, their women are left behind to keep the hustle afloat. Overnight their lives change for the worse. In Detroit, it's sink or swim, and eat or you starve; in the dope game, it's kill or be killed. The streets don't care who you are or where you come from. Will Kali, Hope, and Jamaica beat the odds with their quick wit and hustle-hard mentality, or will the game catch them slippin'?