In MONEY POWER RESPECT by Erick S. Gray, we meet Ricky Johnson, a young man who has been hustling since he was a teenager. Practically raising himself because his mother abandons him and his father is always working, Ricky turns to the one place he feels at home, the streets.  He is taken under the wing of one of the most notorious and feared hustlers in the city, Fat Tony.  Being on Fat Tony's team automatically gains you respect with other young hustlers, you are not to be messed with and feared by many.  Ricky is living the life, he is 13 years old and has the best money can buy. 

Unfortunately Ricky gets caught hustling and has to do time in jail. During his time away, the only person that takes the time to visit him is one of his high school teachers, who sees potential in Ricky that he doesn't see in himself.  He promises Ricky that if he straightens himself up and works on his GED he will do all he can to get him in college and on the right track. All he has to do is leave the fast life behind and live life on the straight and narrow.  He opts to give the straight and narrow a try, after all, he is locked up in jail and currently has nothing but time on his hands. Will he continue on the right path and make Mr. Jenkins proud? Or will the streets call his name so loudly, he has no choice but to answer?

MONEY POWER RESPECT is a true-to-life novel. It shed light on how easy it is to get caught up in a life of crime and how difficult it is to do what's right. Although this is an urban fiction novel and profanity is expected, it was a bit distracting in this book. At times it took away from the story and I felt it was a bit overused. The writing, editing and character development were all on point. Overall this was an enjoyable, heartfelt read that showed the struggles and pressures of living in an environment surrounded by crime. It showed how the choices you make can change your life from bad to worse and how only the strong will survive.

Reviewed by Eraina Tinnin
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers