Customer Reviews

What's Really Hood!: A Collection of Tales from the Streets

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I purchased this book because I am a BIG fan of Wahida Clark( I have ALL of her books!), & she has never disappointed me in the past. This book, however, was a BIG let down. While not all of the stories were bad, there are MAYBE 3 that were on point & were enjoyable.
"Black is Blue" was an ok read. The ending left me with too many questions. Could've ended much better.
"The P is Free" was, honestly, the BEST out of all of them. It read more like a full length book as opposed to a short story.
"The Last Laugh" was all over the place!!! I was soooo lost reading that story. Just horrible! Jumping form one character to the next, with NO details about who they were! The ending was predictable & ridiculous!!! It took me 2 days to get through that story ALONE, being as I kept putting the book down.
"All for Nothing" was an ok read as well. It just could have been better. The ending was truly predictable.
"Makin Endz Meet" was also, very good in my opinion. I just wish Ms. Clark would have given more. She left you wondering at every turn, and there was no resolution. Hopefully, she'll make a full book from this story, because it would truly be a good read.
All in all, I have to say is, if you want to read this book, I would advise you to borrow it. It is not worth the money.

You know... the people that put down "street lit" are real idiots. Just because something is labeled "street, hood, or ghetto" does not mean that it doesn't have any literary value OR that it doesn't appeal to people. This book here, it appealed the hell out of me. Collections are always tricky because there are going to be some stories that carry most of the weight and others that are just along for the ride. I didn't get that feeling from this book. I enjoyed every story in there. Yes, I enjoyed some stories more than others but that was because of personal preference NOT because of content.

If you're specifically looking for a collection of street lit, then seriously. Stop here. The stories told between these covers are raw, offensive, and unforgiving. Oh, and let's not forget sexual. Thugs and thug-ettes gotta get some too right? Whatever. It's almost like the streets of New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia birthed these stories themselves. You know how like Athena popped out of Zeus's head full grown? Same thing.

Every one of the author's in this book holds their own weight. While the styles may be different, the one thread that holds it all together is the love, the hate, the swagger, and the power of the streets. My favorite one was `All For Nothing' by Shawn "Jihad" Trump. There was just something about Jihad and Crook's story that was just plain damn good. You can sleep on this book if you want. You're a fool if you do. Wahida Clark has already shown her talent as an author. Her talents as editor are just as impressive.

What's Really Hood, edited by Wahida Clark, is a collection of tales from the streets written by authors Wahida Clark, Victor L. Martin, Bonta, Shawn "Jihad" Trump and LaShonda Teague.

Black Is Blue by Victor L. Martin is about Raleigh, NC legal assistant Desiree who just so happens to lust over one of her clients, not really knowing that he is deeper in the game than she could of ever imagined. By the time she realizes this, it may be too late to walk away with her life. In The "P" Is Free by LaShonda Teague, 18-year-old Wiz is making money hand over fist selling drugs. Then he meets Crystal, who already completing two years of college and had it together. When she was introduced to crack, everything went downhill. Wiz could not understand why Crystal seemed to love crack more than him, so he decided to figure it out for himself, leaving them both strung out. Crystal realizes how the drugs have destroyed both of them, so she's determined to get the help she so desperately needs to get right for her and Wiz. Will she succeed? The Last Laugh by Bonta is about a woman that is sick and tired of being cheated on and abused and how she gets back at her gang-banging boyfriend. All For Nothing by Shawn "Jihad" Trump is a story about a crew called the Point Blank Mob. When they are told that one of the members was an informant for the police, the whole crew is determined to get even. Things quickly go awry, forcing two of the members on the run for their lives. Makin' Endz Meet by Wahida Clark is a story about Nina, a woman who is sick and tired of her boyfriend Cream and the disrespect he shows toward her. Her house is broken into, and her money is stolen. On top of all that, her brother has betrayed her, and her kids come up missing.

What's Reallly Hood!, edited by Wahida Clark, was very disappointing to say the least. In Makin' Endz Meet by Wahida Clark, parts of her story read like another book I have read, and then it seemed as if she just forgot to end it. It was like she was in the middle of something and just stopped. The Last Laugh by Bonta was difficult to follow since it had too many characters, and the story was all over the place. Black Is Blue by Victor L. Martin and All For Nothing by Jihad was disappointing only because I was expecting more from them since I have read their books and know how talented they are. The only story I would like to see as a full story would be The "P" Is Free by LaShonda Teague. If you insist on reading What's Reallly Hood!, I would recommend you borrow it or get it from the library.

Reviewed by Leona for Urban Reviews

I wAs sO disApPointed wIth thiS bOok! WheN I Say aLl the StoriEs SuCKed!!! DOn't WasTe YouR MonEY.

What's Really Hood! is a collection of Tales from the Streets, comprising five fascinating stories of varying lengths in one satisfying book. I've never read street tales before, and I'm not familiar with the language or ways of the streets, except inasmuch as I've heard them on TV. So I wasn't sure how I'd like this book, but I was pleased to have the chance to try something new. Hachette sent me an advanced reading copy in readiness for the editor's blog tour and launch-date celebrations, and I'm delighted to be a part of that tour.

As I started to read, I found myself struggling over unfamiliar words. Ho, hoes, babymama, shorty, and all the different names of types of cars, of clothes, of shoes, of bags... But the language in these tales is beautifully consistent, and soon I find myself hearing the voices in my head, fluidly telling their tales. I was particularly impressed with the way that the dialog reads, without the awkwardness that so often arises with different dialects and slang. Perhaps the fact that the writing voice matches the characters so perfectly is what makes it so smooth.

The concerns of the characters are so far from my own--drugs, the search for another high, or another customer to sell to, the need for sex. But each of the authors conveys the characters' lives convincingly, drawing sympathy through the pain.

Of all the stories, the one that will stay with me most is The P Is Free by LaShonda Teague. Even as the story grew darker, and hope more deeply obscured, this story seemed to continually promise something more, which it very satisfyingly achieved by its end.

Black is Blue by Victor L. Martin is the first in the collection, well-placed as it crosses the lives of a corporate woman with thugs on the streets, and leads the reader into that different world, just as she finds herself awkwardly led. The Last Laugh by Bonta, builds up to a fascinating mystery and kept me turning pages, watching and wondering at each of the characters' motivations. All for Nothing by Shawn "Jihad" Trump tells a sad tale, movie-like in its scope and fierce emotion. And Wahida Clark's own Makin' Endz Meet closes the collection with ends that should never have met and a woman whose hopes and dreams have spiraled miserably out of control.

The writing is very different from anything I've encountered before, frequently "telling" the character's emotions, but in such words and nuances that they're equally clearly "shown." I enjoyed this introduction to the characters and their world, a harsh place peopled with fascinating characters and cruel fates, but touched with hope. Thank you Wahida for this fine collection.

At first I wasn't going to get this book only because it wasn't really worth paying $15.00 for it. But when I saw this book at Kmart for $11.99 i went on and got it...

The only stories I liked was The "P" Is Free , Black Is Blue and a little of All For Nothing.

The "P" Is Free has to be continued by the way it ended. "Fight, black man...because you're going to need it.' She had to fight it, now its his turn to fight it and I want to root him on all the way.

If Black Is Blue didn't end the way it did, it would have been a great read also. But who knows..Victor just might have a few tricks up his sleeve.

All For Nothing was unrealistic. There's noway they could have pulled that off at all. It had me going but its still impossible, I don't care how many people they had...maybe back when they were riding on horses but not today.

The Last Laugh started off slow but I kept reading. It had a few..well a sentence or two that was okay but other than than, it was DUMB!

Makin' Endz Meet...I had to smh for that one. After the third baby daddy, I stop reading it. It started off stupid. I jumped to the middle and it still didn't catch my attention. I read the last page and said whatever. Normally if I had done that, It would be the ending that made me go back and read just to figure out how it all got to that point....but it didn't.

Will I recommend this book to someone? NO. If you want to read this book, borrow it or go to the library to read it. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!

I waited to buy and read this book- but I found it for 9.99 and not 15.00 some place and decided to go ahead and buy it- I should have gone with my first instinct and left it there. Some of the stories were OK- but not the greatest. I actually over looked other books for this and now wish I put that 9.99 towards the other book....

Well Miss Wahida I usually ride wit u but not on this one, I only felt one story, sad to say I was not impressed and to know that I waited for this to come out however, I'm still a fan

"What's Really Hood" is a compilation of five short stories depicting hood life.

In the first story, `Black is Blue,' Victor L. Martin relates the story of Tyrone aka Polo, a thug vying for the love of Desiree, a legal assistant trying to make a better life for herself, which includes staying away from bad boys. She is involved with Lamar, Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes. Looks can be deceiving.

The second story is a tale of two people; Wiz, who is looking to come up in life selling drugs, and Crystal, an erudite girl who was on her way to college and the American dream but whose life is now heading for the dumps. As fate would have it, they meet. Like two cars in opposite lanes on the highway, Wiz and Crystal's lives were heading in opposite directions. Fate brought them together again, where Wiz took an interest in her and decided to help turn her life around, but another twist of fate sends them in yet another direction.

In the `Last Laugh' by Bonta, he reveals the nature of a person scorned. Bobo runs his section of Chicago administering brutal punishment to those who cross him. But can Bobo handle what he dishes out?

Jihad's `All for Nothing' is a tale of two friends who after committing a crime are able to evade the police.

In `Making Endz Meet,' Wahida Clark shows what greed will do to people. There are lessons to be learned.

This compilation as a whole was okay. Teague did a good job of showing the many twists and turns life can throw our way. Jihad's story was crafty. And Clark teaches to be satisfied with what you have. That said, there was nothing really impressive or outstanding about any of the stories. There were highs and lows, more lows and evens out to a just okay read.

Reviewed by: Humble
2.5

An "ok" read. Some of the stories seemed a little far fetched like the writer was grasping to write a story. In my opinion, the best best stories were the first and last story. Hope if Wahida Clark decides to tag team a book again with other authors for short stories, watch who see picks to write with her!