Sister Souljah - Midnight: A Gangster Love Story

New York Times bestselling author
SISTER SOULJAH

THE #1 AUTHOR OF THE HIP-HOP GENERATION.

Sean P. Diddy Combs

THE ULTIMATE GHETTO GRIOT, ONLY TWO CLASSICS INTO THE GAME.

Vibe Magazine

Praise for Sister Souljahs unforgettable novels

MIDNIGHT, A Gangster Love Story

The story is sparkly and seductive from the jump.... Souljah is the Biggie of the block-hugging book world.

Vibe Magazine

[Sister Souljahs] fans will enjoy this edgy tale of love and survival led by the provocative lead character.

Ebony

Shows the true grit of the New York boroughs, the strength and determination of an immigrant family and how, even in a concrete jungle, a rose can bloom. The book ends as if there will be a sequel. I hope there will be.

Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

Souljahs sensitive treatment of her protagonist is honest and affecting, with some realistic moments of crisis.... Souljah has obvious talent and sincere motives, making her a street-lit sophomore worth watching.

Publishers Weekly

Hip-hop artist and master storyteller Souljah offers biting social critique on contemporary urban culture tucked inside a love story.

Vanessa Bush

THE COLDEST WINTER EVER

A tour de force.... As finely tuned to its heroines voice as Alice Walkers The Color Purple.... Riveting stuff, with language so frank it curls your hair.

Kirkus Reviews

Winter is nasty, spoiled, and almost unbelievably libidinous, and its ample evidence of the authors talent that she is also deeply sympathetic.

The New Yorker

Intriguing.... Sister Souljah exhibits a raw and true voice in this cautionary tale.... A realistic coming-of-age story.

Publishers Weekly

Real and raw.... If a rap song could be a novel, it might resemble Sister Souljahs book.... The message is solid and one that we can never stop preaching to our youthanything that comes too easy or too fast is also too risky.

Booklist

Sometimes the stuggle has to be repackaged to get a point across. Sister Souljah, one of hip-hops perennial forces and a self-described raptivist, does this with her first novel.... The Coldest Winter Ever is a platform for this resourceful young activist to spread messages that are clear, concise, and true to the game.

The Source

Souljah has an engaging style that makes the novel a fast, fun read.

The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)

Hip-hop sage and activist Sister Souljah has taken her talents from the stage to the page.

Essence

This is a ghetto fairy tale with a surprise ending.... Theres a lesson to be learned from The Coldest Winter Ever.

Tennessean (Nashville)

Compelling.... Tugs at the emotions.

Chicago Sun-Times

Winter is... as tough as a hollow-point bullet.... Her voice is the books greatest strength.

Salon.com

This is a wild tale.... Sister Souljah has painted a vivid portrait of a girl youd rather have as a friend than an enemy.

Seventeen

The power of Sister Souljahs writing enthralled me from the first page. I hope she will continue making young men and women think, letting them know they have choices and that they can change their world.

Fictionforest.com

Souljah, an mile Zola of the hip-hop generation, has written a naturalist novel of a world without redemption. Her story, like the cultures it exposes, is an unflinching eye at the truth.

New York Times bestselling author Walter Mosley

Also by Sister Souljah

No Disrespect

The Coldest Winter Ever

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead,
is entirely coincidental.

Copyright 2008 by Souljah Story, Inc.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book
or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information
address Washington Square Press Subsidiary Rights Department,
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

First Pocket Star Books paperback edition September 2010

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Cover design by John Vairo Jr.

Photograph by Keith Major.

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN 978-1-4516-1256-1
ISBN 978-1-4165-5626-8 (ebook)

To powerful minds, deep voices, and long legs.

To committed hearts, fierce fighters, and passionate lovers.

To men who bow their heads, read their books, raise their fists,
handle their business, and never abandon their families.

To beautiful men who still have the glow of God in their eyes.

By Sister Souljah

A special thanks to every brother worldwide, who ever had a meaningful conversation with me.

A heartfelt thanks to every brother who ever taught me a lesson or shared a perspective that I did not already know or consider.

A warm thanks to all the brothers who show me both love and respect at the same time.

A resounding thanks to every brother who ever considered my words, thoughts, and feelings and used them to make a positive and powerful change in their own lives.

A revolutionary thanks to every brother who ever stood by my side, back and front in difficult times. The ones who did not run and hide when my voice hit the target, or my words seared the soul, or my truth made things too damn clear.

Warm appreciation to the more than one million females who have read, digested, understood, and reflected on my words. Thank you for buying all my books, passing them around, and using them to become better than what we are expected to be!

Peace.

Cornell, Ozman, Saadi, Esau, Kerry, Mahmoud, Glenn, Guiffrey, Tim, Devashis, Shameen, Bilal, Eric, Steve, David, Haqq, Dru, Jeffrey, Malechi, Maurice, Tony, Jeff, Sam, Byrd, Mr. Miles, John DeSane, and Charlie Mack.

Special thanks to Bill Stephney, Linsay Williams, Vernon Rudd, Kenny Gamble, Ras Baraka, Mandla Kayise, Doug E. Fresh, Chuck D, Will Smith, Craig Hodges, Chris Webber, Bill Perkins, Esq., C. Vernon Mason, Esq., Alton Maddox, Esq., Michael Warren, Esq., Lennox Hinds, Esq., Dr. Leonard Jeffries, Reverend Dr. Calvin Butts, Reverend Dr. Ben Chavis, Reverend Dr. William Howard, Minister Louis Farrakhan, Bob Law, Gil Noble, Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Governor David Patterson, Tupac Shakur, KRS 1, LL Cool J, Ice Cube, Wise Intelligent, Tragedy, Kane.