Street Vengeance

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)