Except for an Ending, the World is Yours

The World is Mine by Lyah B. LeFlore, ill. by DL Warfield
New York : Simon Pulse, 2009.
1st Simon Pulse pbk. ed.
269 p. : col. ill. ; 18 cm.

There is a lot that is good to say about this book. It has interesting characters from different race, class and gender backgrounds; involves teens dealing with conflicts with parents, with friends and in their romantic relationships; shows the difficulties of balancing work, school and parental expectations; and offers a drama based on young people pursuing their dreams in the business/creative world of hip hop. This book is the first of several planned for "The Come Up" series.

The dialogue and situations are crisp & contemporary and the setting in Washington, DC offers a nice blend of urban and suburban settings. The structure of the book makes it an uncomplicated read, with each chapter heading titled with the name of the character who is narrating it. A bit of the plot and pacing is somewhat overblown (e.g. the main characters quickly move from livening up a high school dance party to the big time world of hip hop music production and party promotion) but setbacks, relationship drama, and a few plot complications keep the reader engaged.

My biggest complaint with this book is the ending. After a major climax (involving new plot complications) the book ends by leaving the reader hanging - and not on just a few minor points. It is clearly a hook for selling the sequel to the book, which may be good business, but - as far as I'm concerned - is not the most respectful way to treat one's readers.