There have not been many times when I finished reading a book and was immediately inspired to write the review. This happened to me after reading, The Bust: Live By the Gun Die By the Gun by Stanley E. James, II.

Looking at the title and reading the synopsis, I had an idea of what I would be reading, but I did not realize that this novel would involve so much action, drama, suspense, heartache, and disappointment. On the first page, the action begins with a raid. The Gang Task Force is looking for weapons, drugs, or anything that will give them a reason to arrest Mitch, Tristan, and Roddy. They are Square Hood Crips whom Lieutenant Thurman cannot stand with a severe passion.

Mitch, C. Mac, Tristan, and Roddy are Crip brothers for life. However, they do have other items on their agendas to achieve; they have dreams that they want to make become a reality. Mitch  wants to retire from the gang life and become a famous author. He loves to write, as it is his outlet. It is not until he attends the local, community college that his English professor, Mrs. Bassett, recognizes his God-given talent. She does what any intuitive teacher/professor would do. She encourages him and helps to set his dream in motion. She lights the fire that needs a flame to make sure that some of his writings get into the hands of someone who can help him publish his debut novel. 

This novel took me on a rollercoaster ride. There were plenty of ups and downs as I read this story. In fact, there were moments when I said, “Awww!” But there were other moments when I said, “OMG!” Then, there were times, when I simply said, “Dang! or “For real!” Yet, there were times when I was completely sad. The loss of life in this novel were clear reminders of the students whom I had lost due to gun violence. In addition, to add to your emotions, there will be characters that you love, and there will be characters that you will not love as much, if at all. 

James does not skimp on any detail in this novel. His words allow you to imagine EVERYTHING, from locations, to events, to the drama. The use of imagery, similes, and lingo, to name just a few, adds to the suspense and overall excitement of this story. It also allows you understand the world of Crip life as James knew and experienced it. 

The more I kept reading, the more I kept cheering for Mitch. In fact, I fell in love with this character because I wanted to him to achieve his dream of becoming a renowned writer. He had a plan, a brain, and intuition. He listened to his intuition and never ignored it. He clearly is the protagonist of this story, and when you read this story, you will also be cheering for him. 

On Sunday, I needed to relieve some stress and for me, one of the things that I do to rid myself of stress is to read a book. Since I had not yet read one of his books, I decided that this would the perfect opportunity to begin reading, The Bust: Live By the Gun Die By the Gun. I cannot wait for the sequel because the ending left me in total suspense. I must know how this story ends. If you are looking for an urban and gritty story, then be sure to read, The Bust: Live By the Gun Die By the Gun. I promise that you will not be disappointed!

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