So my rating is really more like three and half stars but since that's not a choice I went with three. I enjoyed the book I just didn't "really" enjoy the book. I'm not sure it's for everyone but if your looking for something different in the contemporary urban African American fiction genre then give it a shot. I'm interested in reading more from Nikki Turner, she is the main author on this book and was asked by 50 Cent to write a story for his literary group G Unit. (I would have put a link but there doesn't seem to be one to his page, the one that came up didn't go to his author page.) Death Before Dishonor was the first of the G Unit series. These books were to be realistic dramas that according to 50 Cent are, "...the kinds of dramas me and my crew have been dealing with our whole lives: death, deceit, double-cross, ultimate loyalty, and total betrayal." If these are the goals then Death Before Dishonor delivers it all. Some of the slang and lingo might throw you, (depending on where your from) but if you watch enough TV and/or movies you have probably heard it. I could see this being made into a made for TV movie for the BET Channel with Tyrese Gibson as Trill Johnson and maybe Gabrielle Union as Sunni James, I'm not sure who the other main characters Precious, Trill's gang, Cher - Sunni's best friend or Trill's son would be exactly but it would still be a fast paced and interesting movie. I say BET because aside from Netflix, (though Netflix would be fine too),the other options would be channels like HBO and Showtime and then I wouldn't be able to see it right away. If you have a problem with hardcore cursing then this is probably not a book for you there are 52 f-bombs, not to mention that the N word is used 77 times. For me that was more uncomfortable I felt wrong just reading the word. There are also descriptive sex scenes throughout the book, not to mention violence. This isn't labeled as a romance but there are elements of a romance in the writing.

Trill Johnson runs a "major money organization" as it's described in the book. He has spent five years in jail before the story starts. It seems he mostly sells drugs but he is involved with other things. When we meet him he's making a drop to a valued customer. He's having to do this because Mont, who is a childhood friend, didn't show to do it himself. Other members of his crew are Noc-Noc his cousin from Detroit, Jon-Jon who had been his cellmate for three of the five years he was in jail, and Seven. Precious is his live in girlfriend that lost part of her leg in a shoot out and Lil' Stanley or aka Lil' Trill is Trill's son from another woman that Precious has been raising since Trill was in jail.

Sunni James owns a 24 hour beauty salon called "Sunny Delight." She got her beauticians license after doing time in jail due to an ex boyfriend named Scoop. Her grandmother was very important and influential person in her life. Her best friend is Cher, they like to pick up men and then bounce them back and forth between each other until bored of them. She doesn't need or want a man in her life due to the fact the last one left her high and dry. Another close and trusted friend and employee is Ta-Ta who doesn't put up with anyone's crap. When we meet her she is sitting in her office counting her money before heading to the bank.

This book is full of high's and low's not to mention a major twist that left me with my jaw hanging wide open. Love, trust and betrayal they all describe this story. This book is defiantly not for everyone. If you are sensitive to violence, explicit sex scenes, and language this is not a book for you. If you can look past these things then go ahead and give it a shot it's a short quick and easy read. ( )