I read the 1st book in this series. I was happy to read the second installment. This book was a bit better than the first. So far, good series. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on my review.

The mark of a truly good story is that it is capable of invoking emotion well after the last chapter is finished. A tremendous amount of talent and polish went into writing this story. With a consistent style and tone not commonly seen in the urban fiction genre and efficient descriptions that didn't slow the pace, Shaun's work it extremely original and an excellent addition to the genre.

I wanted to like this book. I really tried to like this book. But honestly, it fell flat for me.
We meet King Reece as he is on the cusp of completing a five-year prison sentence. He is a kingpin even behind the walls. His friend Qwess is an award-winning rap star who King has taken the fall for.  King Reese has big plans for the people who betrayed him upon his release. And this is where things went left. As a huge fan of urban lit, I didn’t care a single thing about these characters, which make it difficult to continue reading.
Once King is released he begins to execute his plan along with The Crescent Crew, but the trouble is even brewing over there. This man cannot catch a break. I really want to dig into it but I don't like to post spoilers. 
The character development was off. A character would show up and I’d know nothing about them. I then researched and found out this book is part of a series and although it is presented as a standalone, I do believe you need to read the first book.
There are no such things as a bad book, but this one wasn’t for me at all.

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.

King Reece
Shaun Sinclair

King Reece is urban fiction from author Shaun Sinclair. The novel is second in his Crescent Crew series but works well as a standalone. Sinclair provides more than adequate details of the story to-date.

The Crescent Crew is a gangster organization that rivals the Italian mob. It’s founders, rappers King Reece and Qwess, own the streets even when they’re locked up. King Reece is nearing the end of his nearly five year incarceration, and he has big plans for both friend and foe. He and his crew operate from both the street and legit sides of business. They have embraced the life and legend as gangster rappers and street thugs.

Shaun Sinclair’s characters are well-developed and have significant backstories. These are characters that you love to hate and hate to love. Sinclair introduces us to more ruthless killers with fleeting hints of humanity. The Crescent Crew continues to embody their motto - Death Before Dishonor.

Sinclair has risen to his own standard. He has once again successfully utilized his literary formulation that mixes ghetto life and affluence. King Reece delivers what is expected from a gritty urban novel: over-the-top gangsters, violence, sex, drugs and more violence.

I throughly enjoyed every aspect of this novel. Again, the plot is exquisite and the betrayals are stunning. King Reece is a definite 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys urban fiction, however the explicit sexual content and violence may be disturbing to some readers.

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.