As usual Shelly does a great job tell the story of these friends navigating their way in their adult life. You will love this story.

I tried this book but couldn't finish it. I didn't expect it to be so focused on gangs/crime and there was a strong homophobic element early on (the heroine's father who left his family for a man when he was older, was presented rather negatively

I read this book nonstop, completely intrigued with Shelly's ability to craft a story. With delicious descriptions, each guy had appeal, along with their secrets.

Quite honestly, I was screaming obscenities at the end. Major cliffhanger!

Excellent read!

Come on Part 2!!! The author knocked this beginning to a series out of the park. Good character development due to outstanding writing. Very smooth read, easy to follow. The ending is OMG!!!! Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book. Although I received the book in this manner, it did not effect my opinion of this book nor my review.

I really enjoyed this and wanted more when it ended, of course. That’s what cliffhangers do, and this one was executed well. The stories for each character drew me in. Very vivid writing.

Shelly Ellis has done it again, she has wrote another 5 star book in my opinion, these three guys grew up together and are starting to grow apart since they all now are leading totally different lives. This was different from other books since it was more urban than the others but I quite enjoyed it. I knew this was part of a series but I never would have imagined that end. Patiently waiting on the next installment.

This was a great read. I think the author did a great job on the first installment to this book series. It started off somewhat strong. It kept me interested and I think the characters were described very well. In my opinion, the title fits with only some of the characters in the book. It wasn’t based on the streets entirely which was very refreshing for me. So far, I don’t have a favorite character as of yet. I believe that will change as I read on. There were definitely some characters that had me in my feelings, and as usual I have so many questions that I’m sure will be answered in the next book. I can’t wait to get to the next one!

This was a page-turner of a story. It couldn't stop reading. It had drama and suspense and well developed characters. Such an easy book to recommend.

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1.) Perspective/Narrative Voice:

The story is told through the third person point-of-view and switches focus between Jamal, Derrick, and Ricky each chapter. WARNING: There are some explicit passages in the book (both in language and in descriptions of characters sleeping together) so if that isn't your thing, be wary. On top of that, there are some thoughts expressed by one or two characters--including a main one--that could be considered problematic at best and there is some homophobia portrayed. Of course, I do not speak for the entire LGBTQIA+ community, and that topic isn't the main focus of the book, but it was uncomfortable and worrying to read, especially casual use of a word that could be taken as a slur...

The writing style is very stuccato at some parts because there wasn't much variation in the structure of sentences that came one after another. It is particularly noticeable around the middle of the novel. It could get distracting at times and make it hard for the reader to want to continue. Thankfully, there is improvement towards the end. 

Score: 2.8/5

2.) Characters (there are, of course, others but these are the main ones):

-Derrick: He is Director of an institute for "wayward" boys, the same one that helped him make something of his life. It is very very easy to understand why he's so stressed throughout the book. He isn't superlovable but he is likable enough.
-Jamal: Deputy mayor of the city, Jamal has done everything he can and sacrificed a lot just to earn the respect of those around him. While it isn't too difficult to sympathize with the predicament he finds himself in, he is not a particularly lovable character. He's simply another layer.
-Ricky: He associates with one of the area's biggest street criminals and manages a restuarant called Reynaud's (named after his grandmother) and a strip club named Club Majesty (which serves as a front for a whole lot of illegal activity). Ricky has the most arc of all three main characters and it's great to see his transformation at the hands of a certain other character. In terms of likability, he ranks there with Derrick.
-"Dolla Dolla": Basically the novel's main villian and the neighborhood's top gangsta/criminal. He has done/still does some very horrible things and yet it's hard to fully hate him, due to his personality.
-Melissa: Derrick's fiance, she is a likable and believable character, so much so that it would have been intriguing to get into her mindset a bit the way the author does for the cover characters. Unfortunately, she isn't fully fleshed out (like a few others). 
-Bridgette: She is Jamal's girlfriend and straight up annoying most of the time.
-Simone: A low-level cop who enlists one of the men's help, Simone is lovely in her stubbornness, desire to save her sister by any means necessary, and strong moral compass. 
-Morgan: A new hire of Derrick's at the Institute he works at, she is perhaps the most fleshed out of the women and somehow feels like the one the reader gets to see the most of.
-Most of the characters feel like actual people that the reader can relate to directly or know somebody whom it reminds them of.

Score: 3.5/5

3.) Plot/Storyline:

It is pretty interesting to see what each of the three main characters are going through and how they're trying to cope. The conflicts felt quite real and natural. It would've been nice though to see the three interact more (even if they weren't always as close as they used to be) so that their stories feel more connected and intertwined rather than simply loosely related.

Score: 4/5

4.) Setting/World-building:

In one way, setting (D.C.) plays a pretty big role in the story as Jamal, Derrick, and Ricky have lived there their whole lives. There's just enough description of physical location(s) to ground the reader but it isn't super in-depth.  

Score: 3/5

5.) Ending:

    To avoid spoilers, this section will be as brief as possible. It is closer to the end that the story really picks up. Especially on the last page where it is so far past cliff-hanger that it might as well have stopped mid-sentence. Whether this is a good or bad thing, well...

Score: 3/5



*Overall Score: 16.3/25. Does this book offer the most groundbreaking of stories with a majority black cast of characters? No. Might the reader at times feel like they're simply reaidng a sterotype/carricuture of black people? Possibly. However, there are people who behave like the characters and lead similar lives, which is something to keep in mind.*

This one was worth every bit of it's
🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷


“BEHIND EVERY GOOD MAN IS A GOOD WOMAN” … WHAT SAY YOU DERRICK, RICKY AND JAMAL?

“IN THESE STREETS” is a well written tale of three young men that find their life of destruction diverted by the Branch Avenue Institute for Boys. It is here that the three forge a bond that remain into adulthood, even though they take different career paths. The cover had me opening the first page, but the story kept me turning the pages.

Derrick decides his passion is to give back and provide hope to those families that find themselves in unsavory situations. Noble idea, right? It is the very decision that brings his character into question and lands him torn between two women.

Ricky aka Pretty Ricky is his own man and provides us with the most suspense and entertainment in this story. His stent in the institute didn’t completely strip him of his street mentality. The fabric of his character teetered the line of legal and illegal. When he sets out to live the straight and narrow he finds himself excepting assistance with his startup from the neighborhood kingpin (Dolla Dolla). Things begin to shake up when he lets a woman in and it has him questioning his decisions. Spite his upbringing and view on women, he falls hard and fast. Will this be enough to keep her from taking him down or will she validate his views?

Jamal, in my opinion never really found his way, living in the shadows of others. The very woman that had him on top of the world is the very one that cut him down like a tree and had him questioning his moral compass. Will this have him joining the likes of those he despises to save face and his popularity>

Spite the author, Shelly Ellis leaving us with questions, which I am sure will be answered in the other installments I enjoyed these characters and their stories and would definitely recommend to anyone who love stories of hope and second chances.

It's not surprising that I enjoyed this book. The author tends to take you on an emotional roller coaster ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. The characters were well developed, and there were a couple of people that I wanted to knock into the year 2050 they pissed me off so much, especially Bridget AKA Becky. I was through with that something or other. I did not want this story to end. While I enjoyed seeing the growth of the three friends, Ricky's growth was probably the most emotional and shocking. I was not expecting that ending, and I can't wait for the next book in the series

Thanks to Net Galley, Shelly Ellis, Honey Magnolia PR and Kensington for an ARC of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dafina and Shelly Ellis for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.

In These Streets centers around Derrick, Ricky and Jamal. The 3 friends had a tough life growing up. Each guy has achieved various levels of success in their life, some legal and some not.

The book explores male friendships, their relationships with significant others, careers choices, moral choices and more. I really liked that the author explored the multidimensional character of each person. No one is perfect. Each person’s reasoning, behind their actions, was explained so you understood them even if you didn’t agree with their choices. I also enjoyed the diverse representation. Also a gay male black character is in the book, which isn’t always talked about. I was really invested in the stories and enjoyed reading them.

However, some of the romantic relationships were unfaithful. And you know me, I’m not a fan of that. But mostly, people are good human beings.

Overall, a very enjoyable and in depth read. Loved the character exploration and development. Highly recommend!

In These Streets (A Branch Avenue Boys Novel) is gritty urban novel from author, Shelly Ellis. The novel follows three men who met as boys and have maintained a close friendship well into adulthood. They are as different as they are alike. The novel is told from the alternating viewpoints of each man, but is easy to follow, since the chapters are named for the men.

Derrick, Ricky and Jamal met as boys at the Branch Avenue Boys Institute, where they had each been sent for delinquent behavior. Derrick followed in the footsteps of his mentor, the father of his fiancée, and is now director of the Boys Institute. Ricky, a restaurant and strip club owner with a questionable partner, finds himself falling for a cop who enlists his help in locating her sister. Jamal, a newly appointed deputy mayor, has a forbidden love interest. Complications and circumstances lead the men to a crossroads in their relationship. Their careers and personal relationships are seemingly leading them in different directions. Can they save their friendship?

In These Streets is very well-written. The characters are completely developed. The plot is compelling. Drama, intrigue and betrayal are all woven into the tapestry of a book that grabbed my attention at the beginning and held it until the very end. In fact, the ending left me wanting more. I’ll definitely be reading the next novel in this series. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

My thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

In These Streets introduces the reader to the Branch Avenue Boys (Derrick, Ricky, and Jamal). They are a unique trio of men who are living life in the heart of DC. Their friendship was formed as little boys and has progressed into manhood. Each man is going through their own season of life where things are not going as planned. Derrick is working non-profit where the job is stressful, pay not great, but yet fulfilling (or is it). Ricky or Pretty Ricky as he is sometimes called, is living the ultimate life as a bachelor with 2 successful businesses he is running. Unfortunately, his life is on a roller coaster that he might not be able to get off without crashing. Then here is Jamal 0r Sinclair depending on who you ask. He is the newly appointed deputy mayor where he maybe in bed with the devil as well as the devil's sister.

With all of the various trials and tribulations they each are facing, will they be able to make it out of these situations or will they have to pay the ultimate prices? Find out more in the first book in the Branch Avenue Boys Series.

No sure what i was expecting but this turned out to be a very good read. I found myself keep rushing back to it at every opportunity.
The story is about 3 black men who have been through school and grown up together Jamal Derrick & Ricky. The chapters are named after each man making it easy to follow the story.

Ricky part owns a nightclub with local kingpin Dolla Dolla. He meets up with Simone who is a cop whose sister Skylar is being held by dolla dolla. He feels close to her because his sister died many years ago and doesn't want the same to happen to Skylar.
Derrick is in charge of an institute for boys he is struggling with his relationship with Melissa, they argue all of the time. Then Morgan is interviewed by him for a job in the woodwork class and she seems to soothe his damaged life.
Jamal is deputy mayor, who discovers mayor Johnson is a dodgy character. Jamal's girlfriend Bridget is above herself and tries to reinvent him, she asks him to separate himself from Ricky & Derrick as they are not the sort of people she feels he should be associating with, she also encourages him to use his middle name Sinclair as it sounds better than Jamal.
It is an easy to follow story and i really enjoyed it.
Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity.

Ok so listen. I have been waiting for this book to hit Netgalley for months on months, so as soon as I downloaded it, I put my face in it! And I was mad, because I was out of town for work and I couldn't just steal away and devour this drama filled, captivating, entertaining story of three boys turned men who've had no one else to count on but each other... until now. I wish I could review this without giving away major plot points but I TRULY don't want to ruin this story for anyone, so I'm going to give it the old college try.
I loved the foundation story line, that "Pretty" Ricky, "Sinclair" aka Jamal and Derrick all met at the Branch Avenue Boys home way back in the day. Since they were 12, they'd been taking up for each other, supporting each other, but now, as adults, the trio seem to be growing and changing, listening to voices that are louder than their homeboys. The conversation and familiarity between the three is obvious, easy going and evident. These men are brothers, the kind you choose.
Each of them have their own storyline and level of drama. Just when something got hot for Ricky, Jamal's life would heat up, and then Derrick, who seemed to be the most stable of all, had a blowup. Toss in the trappings of a life that, in their own ways and for their own reasons, they're trying to leave behind,.. plus the WOMEN who seem to want to "rescue" them, and In These Streets is quick-but-packed read about three men who learn that sometimes you can't count on anyone but those who've known you the longest and the best.
I am already poised for book two, because in true Shelly Ellis form, this book leaves you wanting more, more, more!
Grab you some popcorn and a drank and sit down with this book... you won't want to stop until the end!