Books with author Ni-Ni Simone

Lesson #1: You come for me, I come back even harder for you. Fair exchange. No robberies. Isis Carter got schooled early on in surviving the streets. When some girls put a beatdown on her, she took back what was hers. When her brother was killed and her mom, Queenie, bailed, Isis fought to stay strong. And when her dad abandoned her for his new family, sixteen-year-old Isis buried the hurt by looking out for herself—and hookin’ up with bad boy Fresh…until a run-in with the law shatters Isis’s world and threatens to destroy her future. Now the only person Isis can rely on is herself…until her secret crush K-Rock steps in. But when Isis lets her guard down, will she be given a second chance to get her life straight or will it cost her everything?

What's a girl to do when love has her caught up?That's the plight of eighteen-year-old Seven McKnight. Her freshman year at Stiles University turned out to be a tug of war for her heart and her sophomore year promised more of the same. Just when she'd sworn off her ex-boyfriend, Josiah Whitaker, and thought she'd never love him again, he boldly stepped back into her life, with no regard that she'd moved on with Zaire St. James, her new boyfriend. Caught off guard and thrust into a whirlwind of emotion, Seven no longer knows if she should stay or go. . . All she knows is that old feelings won't die, her new love is being ruined by lies, and the fairy tale she once dreamed of may never become her true story. Praise for Ni-Ni Simone"Smart and cutting, full of clever comebacks." --Kirkus on No Boyz Allowed"This is creative, innovative, and important storytelling for today's urban teen readership." --Library Journal on Teenage Love Affair

Simone tells authentic stories of teen life in the 'hood better than any other author currently writing contemporary YA street lit. --Library Journal on Teenage Love Affair (starred review)True story: I'm Gem, G-E-M, like a precious jewel, and my life has been nothing like my name. I've been on my own since I was nine and now I'm sixteen. But so what. I'm good, and so is my little brother. So why the state won't let us do our own thing is beyond me. Instead, we've been forced to live with a foster family who wants to love us, but I'm not beat--I'm just trying to do me. To make matters worse, I've been checking for this guy, Ny'eem. But my new clique has an unbreakable rule--no boyz allowed to come between our friendship--which is forcing me to keep my relationship with Ny'eem a secret. Though not for long. . .because in high school secrets are always exposed, scandals always rewrite the rules, and friendships are never what they seem. . . . "Excitement, drama, and life lessons. . .. Upgrade U is sure to be a classic." --A.J. Byrd, author of Losing Romeo"A new series with a pair of drama-fueled stories about girls looking for love in all the wrong ways." --Publishers Weekly on The Break-Up Diaries

Simone tells authentic stories of teen life in the 'hood better than any other author currently writing contemporary YA street lit. --Library Journal on Teenage Love Affair (starred review)True story: I'm Gem, G-E-M, like a precious jewel, and my life has been nothing like my name. I've been on my own since I was nine and now I'm sixteen. But so what. I'm good, and so is my little brother. So why the state won't let us do our own thing is beyond me. Instead, we've been forced to live with a foster family who wants to love us, but I'm not beat--I'm just trying to do me. To make matters worse, I've been checking for this guy, Ny'eem. But my new clique has an unbreakable rule--no boyz allowed to come between our friendship--which is forcing me to keep my relationship with Ny'eem a secret. Though not for long. . .because in high school secrets are always exposed, scandals always rewrite the rules, and friendships are never what they seem. . . . "Excitement, drama, and life lessons. . .. Upgrade U is sure to be a classic." --A.J. Byrd, author of Losing Romeo"A new series with a pair of drama-fueled stories about girls looking for love in all the wrong ways." --Publishers Weekly on The Break-Up Diaries

She's got a voice like Keisha Cole, attitude to burn--and is the body-rockin', Bebe-sporting girl everyone in her high school wants to be. . .or be with. But in real life, sixteen-year-old Elite has a crack-addicted mother, no father in sight, and is secretly raising her sister and two brothers on her own. Now a radio contest has put her up-close-and-personal with mega-hot singer Haneef and their chemistry is too sizzling for Elite to stop pretending. And as the clock ticks down fast for this 'hood Cinderella, she has only one shot to save her family and make all of her dreams come true. . .

Check it: I'm Zsa-Zsa. Some call me arrogant, but I call it confidence. You decide when you find out what I'm working with.First things first--I'm seventeen, but I'm grown and have been for a long time. I have my own ride, my mama doesn't clock my time, and my boyfriend, Ameen, is getting money like you wouldn't believe. There's only one problem: when Ameen gets mad, sometimes he takes his anger out on me. And yeah, maybe I could leave him, but there's no way Ameen could imagine being without me. So now I'm all confused, especially since my first love, Malachi, is back in my life. Ameen is not giving up without a fight, and no matter how hard I try, the love I have for Malachi won't go away. And did I mention that Malachi has a girl? Needless to say, my days are filled with drama. So this is my story and you need to come and chill with me as I try and see what boy is for me, what love is all about, and if my first teenage love affair will forever rule or ruin my life. Praise for Ni-Ni Simone "Urban teen readers may recognize their friends and themselves in the language, music and feel of this fluffy-but-fun read." --Kirkus Reviews on If I Was Your Girl"Ni-Ni Simone's fast-paced writing keeps me coming back for more." --L. Divine, author of the Drama High series

All sixteen year old Yvette Simmons wanted was to disappear. Problem is: she has too many demons for that. Yvette’s life changed forever after a street fight over a boy ended in a second degree murder charge. Forced to start all over again, she’s sentenced to live in a group home far from anything or anyone she’s ever known. She manages to keep her past hidden, until a local cutie, known as Brooklyn, steps in. Slowly, Yvette lets him into her heart and he gives her the summer of her dreams... But in Yvette’s world things are never as they seem. Brooklyn has a few secrets of his own and Yvette’s past comes back with a vengeance. Will she face life head-on? Will she return to her old ways? Or will an unexpected letter decide her fate?“Simone’s story is reminiscent of Sistah Souljah’s groundbreaking The Coldest Winter Ever…a hard hitting tale of the inner city’s unforgiving streets.” —Library Journal “Simone knows how to tell a story…and she can also bring the drama.” —RT Book Reviews

A YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult ReadersWhat happens when the girl everyone least expects gets the guy all the chicks want. . .?she can rock Apple Bottoms jeans and stilettos like nobody's business, but she's got her share of issues. It's not easy being the thickest one in her clique or hiding that her rebellious twin sister Toi is playing wifey to the neighborhood thug. And Seven is definitely not happy that she's feelin' the school's hottest baller, Josiah, especially since he's dating her high maintenance girlfriend, Deeyah. But when Deeyah decides to play Josiah and his worst enemy against each other, she'll have everyone facing off in the worst way. The question is can Seven try and set things right or does she end up trying to save herself from major heartbreak?

Life is poppin' and seventeen-year-old Seven McKnight is rockin' Stiles University's hottest baller, Josiah Whitaker, on her arm when it all falls apart. With groupies threatening her basketball wife status and Josiah's dreams of the NBA blowing up his ego, Seven finds herself in a tailspin. . .should she stay or leave?In steps the unbelievably fine sophomore heartthrob, Zaire St. James, who's been watching Seven and waiting for his chance. With Josiah doing his own thing, Seven finds herself falling for Zaire. But just when she decides to give Zaire her everything, Josiah becomes determined to win Seven back by any means necessary. . . Praise for Ni-Ni Simone"Ni-Ni Simone's fast-paced writing keeps me coming back for more." --L. Divine, author of the Drama High series "Simone tells authentic stories of teen life in the 'hood better than any other author currently writing contemporary YA street lit. Spiced with plenty of Simone's trademark humor." --Library Journal on Teenage Love Affair "Urban teen readers may recognize their friends and themselves in the language, music and feel of this fluffy-but-fun read." --Kirkus Reviews on If I Was Your Girl

All sixteen year old Yvette Simmons wanted was to disappear. Problem is: she has too many demons for that. Yvette’s life changed forever after a street fight over a boy ended in a second degree murder charge. Forced to start all over again, she’s sentenced to live in a group home far from anything or anyone she’s ever known. She manages to keep her past hidden, until a local cutie, known as Brooklyn, steps in. Slowly, Yvette lets him into her heart and he gives her the summer of her dreams... But in Yvette’s world things are never as they seem. Brooklyn has a few secrets of his own and Yvette’s past comes back with a vengeance. Will she face life head-on? Will she return to her old ways? Or will an unexpected letter decide her fate?“Simone’s story is reminiscent of Sistah Souljah’s groundbreaking The Coldest Winter Ever…a hard hitting tale of the inner city’s unforgiving streets.” —Library Journal “Simone knows how to tell a story…and she can also bring the drama.” —RT Book Reviews

Check it: I'm Zsa-Zsa. Some call me arrogant, but I call it confidence. You decide when you find out what I'm working with.First things first--I'm seventeen, but I'm grown and have been for a long time. I have my own ride, my mama doesn't clock my time, and my boyfriend, Ameen, is getting money like you wouldn't believe. There's only one problem: when Ameen gets mad, sometimes he takes his anger out on me. And yeah, maybe I could leave him, but there's no way Ameen could imagine being without me. So now I'm all confused, especially since my first love, Malachi, is back in my life. Ameen is not giving up without a fight, and no matter how hard I try, the love I have for Malachi won't go away. And did I mention that Malachi has a girl? Needless to say, my days are filled with drama. So this is my story and you need to come and chill with me as I try and see what boy is for me, what love is all about, and if my first teenage love affair will forever rule or ruin my life. Praise for Ni-Ni Simone"Urban teen readers may recognize their friends and themselves in the language, music and feel of this fluffy-but-fun read." --Kirkus Reviews on If I Was Your Girl"Ni-Ni Simone's fast-paced writing keeps me coming back for more." --L. Divine, author of the Drama High series

She's got a voice like Keisha Cole, attitude to burn--and is the body-rockin', Bebe-sporting girl everyone in her high school wants to be. . .or be with. But in real life, sixteen-year-old Elite has a crack-addicted mother, no father in sight, and is secretly raising her sister and two brothers on her own. Now a radio contest has put her up-close-and-personal with mega-hot singer Haneef and their chemistry is too sizzling for Elite to stop pretending. And as the clock ticks down fast for this 'hood Cinderella, she has only one shot to save her family and make all of her dreams come true. . .