Publisher's Weekly - 05/26/08

Street Vengeance
Evie Rhodes. Dafina, $14 paper (304p) ISBN 978-0-7582-1668-7

This inspiring urban thriller from gospel songwriter Rhodes charts the meteoric rise of Brandi Hutchinson, a smart "fabulously beautiful" 18-year-old, who forms the Conquerors, a powerful female posse that seeks to rule South Central L.A. Recruits include street-savvy sistahs Tata Davis, "a fifth-generation projects girl," and Tangie Parker, whose bro, Fishbone, leads L.A.'s biggest male gang. Brandi's instant success is the bane of a rival female gang, whose leader kills a child whose jump-roping skill Brandi admired. As a gang war shifts into high gear, Brandi finds herself drawn to seductive Chase Ajani, an avid student of African studies. Rhodes (The Forgotten Spirit) tells it like it is for many teens in (and outside) the hood who struggle to deal with a violent society that all too often embraces money over faith. (July)