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One Lyfe To Live
A story about Lyfe like no other
Lyfe Benjamin fits the statistics that a good number of black men fall under in this country today; he’s young, uneducated black and lives a reckless life. Statistics say he will be incarcerated or dead by the age of twenty-five.
Lyfe runs around with a young crew that he considers family.
He is the typical thug from the projects with an absent father, A Christian mother who prayers sometimes go unanswered. He has a child on the way from a woman he cares nothing about and at this point, his life is limited. But most of all violent due to the choices he has made, until he meets Ayana, a college student who speaks two languages and has a totally different drive for life.
Opposites attract, Ayana pulls Lyfe into her world, showing him diversity, culture and a meaningful way to live. But will Lyfe take advantage of the opportunity that is being offered to him from the woman he does love or will he continue to be a thug traveling down hill.
Turmoil and death follows him throughout his life while he holds dark secrets within his soul.
In his world, friends become bitter enemies, betrayal is costly, secrets revealed and in the end, he will truly see who his true friends are and what family really should be.
With a harsh reminder of where he needs to be this young man will share with you the true meaning of the words.
You only have one Lyfe to live.
Lyfe Benjamin fits the statistics that a good number of black men fall under in this country today; he’s young, uneducated black and lives a reckless life. Statistics say he will be incarcerated or dead by the age of twenty-five.
Lyfe runs around with a young crew that he considers family.
He is the typical thug from the projects with an absent father, A Christian mother who prayers sometimes go unanswered. He has a child on the way from a woman he cares nothing about and at this point, his life is limited. But most of all violent due to the choices he has made, until he meets Ayana, a college student who speaks two languages and has a totally different drive for life.
Opposites attract, Ayana pulls Lyfe into her world, showing him diversity, culture and a meaningful way to live. But will Lyfe take advantage of the opportunity that is being offered to him from the woman he does love or will he continue to be a thug traveling down hill.
Turmoil and death follows him throughout his life while he holds dark secrets within his soul.
In his world, friends become bitter enemies, betrayal is costly, secrets revealed and in the end, he will truly see who his true friends are and what family really should be.
With a harsh reminder of where he needs to be this young man will share with you the true meaning of the words.
You only have one Lyfe to live.
239 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 2, 2011
4 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 27, 2011
One Lyfe to Live ~ Erick Gray
At the end of this story, all you can say is WOW! A story where friends become enemies, loyalties are tested & secrets are revealed. Written with such description you are immediately placed in the scenes of this book going thru the day to day drama with this group of friends. Lyfe, Generation, Tempo, Nutt & Butter all claim to have love for one another and have each others back… a crew on the come up. They hang & bang together until loyalties are tested and it becomes a race to be the last man standing especially after the information starts to surface and Lyfe feels as though he’s been used. Will a chance encounter with a beautiful woman named Ayana who is educated, has class & culture give Lyfe more to look forward to then the streets. Will Lyfe be able to put the streets behind him and build a new life as he gets to see another view of what life outside of the hood? Torn, he finally decides that he wants more; he wants something different for himself and takes a chance until an unfortunate accident suddenly sends Ayana out of town and Lyfe right back to the hood in the thick of things. He is back in the hood where drugs, murder & jail are common place but will he survive it? One Lyfe to Live is full of page turning plot twists that will have you begging for more!
At the end of this story, all you can say is WOW! A story where friends become enemies, loyalties are tested & secrets are revealed. Written with such description you are immediately placed in the scenes of this book going thru the day to day drama with this group of friends. Lyfe, Generation, Tempo, Nutt & Butter all claim to have love for one another and have each others back… a crew on the come up. They hang & bang together until loyalties are tested and it becomes a race to be the last man standing especially after the information starts to surface and Lyfe feels as though he’s been used. Will a chance encounter with a beautiful woman named Ayana who is educated, has class & culture give Lyfe more to look forward to then the streets. Will Lyfe be able to put the streets behind him and build a new life as he gets to see another view of what life outside of the hood? Torn, he finally decides that he wants more; he wants something different for himself and takes a chance until an unfortunate accident suddenly sends Ayana out of town and Lyfe right back to the hood in the thick of things. He is back in the hood where drugs, murder & jail are common place but will he survive it? One Lyfe to Live is full of page turning plot twists that will have you begging for more!
August 30, 2011
Life Choices...
Lyfe Benjamin's life is filled with the type of strife that's sadly become typical to most inner city youth. The second youngest of five kids Lyfe has an absentee father, one brother killed in a botched robbery, another brother serving a twenty-year jail sentence and an older sister who's married to the streets so much so that Lyfe's mother kicked her out of the house when she found her stashing crack in their apartment for her drug-dealing boyfriend. The only thing Lyfe has going for him is his Christian mother who's constantly praying that her youngest son escapes the same streets that has claimed all of his older siblings.
However can a mother's prayers compete against the desperation felt by a young man determined to attain hood riches without a high school diploma? Lyfe has the heart of a hustler and is determined to achieve his street dreams at any cost. Complications arise when members of his street team get Lyfe caught up in several life or death situations. When the walls begin to close in all around him Lyfe's choices will ultimately dictate his future and the adage you only have one life to live will hit way too close to home.
Author Erick Gray does a phenomenal job allowing readers to walk a mile Lyfe's shoes. Lyfe is in no way a one dimensional thug that's found in numerous urban stories. Lyfe's struggles are heartfelt and will leave readers breathless as Lyfe struggles against becoming a product of his environment. Erick Gray provides no fairytale ending rather one that will leave readers teary eyed yet still hopeful that no matter where life takes you, the ability to change paths is always possible.
Lyfe Benjamin's life is filled with the type of strife that's sadly become typical to most inner city youth. The second youngest of five kids Lyfe has an absentee father, one brother killed in a botched robbery, another brother serving a twenty-year jail sentence and an older sister who's married to the streets so much so that Lyfe's mother kicked her out of the house when she found her stashing crack in their apartment for her drug-dealing boyfriend. The only thing Lyfe has going for him is his Christian mother who's constantly praying that her youngest son escapes the same streets that has claimed all of his older siblings.
However can a mother's prayers compete against the desperation felt by a young man determined to attain hood riches without a high school diploma? Lyfe has the heart of a hustler and is determined to achieve his street dreams at any cost. Complications arise when members of his street team get Lyfe caught up in several life or death situations. When the walls begin to close in all around him Lyfe's choices will ultimately dictate his future and the adage you only have one life to live will hit way too close to home.
Author Erick Gray does a phenomenal job allowing readers to walk a mile Lyfe's shoes. Lyfe is in no way a one dimensional thug that's found in numerous urban stories. Lyfe's struggles are heartfelt and will leave readers breathless as Lyfe struggles against becoming a product of his environment. Erick Gray provides no fairytale ending rather one that will leave readers teary eyed yet still hopeful that no matter where life takes you, the ability to change paths is always possible.
September 13, 2011
One Lyfe to Live y Erick S Gray
Real Lyfe
Mr. Gray does what he does best and that's tell a great story. A story of real life, no sugar coating. The struggles of life come to reality on these pages and jump out like a screen play before your eyes. I have been a supporter of this author for years. His books always seem to get me in trouble; they appeal to everyone and folks pick his books up and just start reading. If you familiar with his work, you know it's read at your own risk.
Lyfe Benjamin is twenty two when we meet him and life has run a string of bad luck. Being raised in the hood his mother tries to keep him from being of the hood, but we all know that is not always possible. So as the saying goes a hard a** make for a soft behind. So we get to follow Lyfe through all his trials and tribulations and see if he can come out on top. Put your 4D glasses on and get ready, because you will feel everything. The plot thickens the more you flip the pages and flipping to get to the end you will do.
If you have never read anything by Erick S Gray this is as good as any to get acquainted with him. He deals with real life situations and consequences, while keeping the street edge. I highly recommend this novel to those who love street lit and to those who want to give street lit a try. This as real as the streets get. As always, I await his next novel.
SiStar Tea
ARC Book Club Inc.
5 star rating
Real Lyfe
Mr. Gray does what he does best and that's tell a great story. A story of real life, no sugar coating. The struggles of life come to reality on these pages and jump out like a screen play before your eyes. I have been a supporter of this author for years. His books always seem to get me in trouble; they appeal to everyone and folks pick his books up and just start reading. If you familiar with his work, you know it's read at your own risk.
Lyfe Benjamin is twenty two when we meet him and life has run a string of bad luck. Being raised in the hood his mother tries to keep him from being of the hood, but we all know that is not always possible. So as the saying goes a hard a** make for a soft behind. So we get to follow Lyfe through all his trials and tribulations and see if he can come out on top. Put your 4D glasses on and get ready, because you will feel everything. The plot thickens the more you flip the pages and flipping to get to the end you will do.
If you have never read anything by Erick S Gray this is as good as any to get acquainted with him. He deals with real life situations and consequences, while keeping the street edge. I highly recommend this novel to those who love street lit and to those who want to give street lit a try. This as real as the streets get. As always, I await his next novel.
SiStar Tea
ARC Book Club Inc.
5 star rating
February 4, 2012
Compassion and Loyalty.
One Lyfe To Live is a story that shows compassion, loyalty, and peer pressure. Lyfe Benjamin is a young man fighting with his internal feelings of not wanting to disappoint his mother, being in a loving relationship with his girlfriend, and fitting in as one of the homies.
But the pull from all sides becomes extremely difficult for Lyfe and he doesn’t have anyone to turn to.
The reader gets an inside look into the mind of Lyfe and we become completely involved in his emotions, actions and the good and bad things going around him. Who he thought were his friends are slowly revealing themselves as enemies. The girl he loves is a world away from the hood and she shows him a new life…but is he strong enough to follow his heart?
The turmoil that Lyfe goes through can only be written so vividly by someone who understands. Author Erick S. Gray has no problem writing from his heart and soul and weaving his findings into heartfelt gritty stories.
I really liked the relationship between Lyfe and Jimmy, it was developed slow, deliberate and meaningful.
Erick, keep up the great work!!
Loved it…a recommended read!
Locksie January 21st 2012
ARC Book Club Inc.
Star Rating 5.0*****
One Lyfe To Live is a story that shows compassion, loyalty, and peer pressure. Lyfe Benjamin is a young man fighting with his internal feelings of not wanting to disappoint his mother, being in a loving relationship with his girlfriend, and fitting in as one of the homies.
But the pull from all sides becomes extremely difficult for Lyfe and he doesn’t have anyone to turn to.
The reader gets an inside look into the mind of Lyfe and we become completely involved in his emotions, actions and the good and bad things going around him. Who he thought were his friends are slowly revealing themselves as enemies. The girl he loves is a world away from the hood and she shows him a new life…but is he strong enough to follow his heart?
The turmoil that Lyfe goes through can only be written so vividly by someone who understands. Author Erick S. Gray has no problem writing from his heart and soul and weaving his findings into heartfelt gritty stories.
I really liked the relationship between Lyfe and Jimmy, it was developed slow, deliberate and meaningful.
Erick, keep up the great work!!
Loved it…a recommended read!
Locksie January 21st 2012
ARC Book Club Inc.
Star Rating 5.0*****
November 5, 2011
I just couldn't put the book down I was so enthralled in Lyfe's life and how he live it.He explain his life as he lived it,and what it all envolved,and came along with it.When you read this book you will be shock by some of the situations that Lyfe has to deal with because how he was living.At first I was like it was a shoot out cop chasing drug dealer,and it was at times,but Lyfe tells you how it came about ,and the life that came along with being a drug dealer.Erick S.Gray wrote an epic tale that will have you in awe because the plot draws you in the story as though you're there experiencing what Lyfe was going through.I felt Like I was ducking,and diving from the bullets being shot at him.As I was reading every sentence I was rooting for him to make it out of that situation alive.OH!Oh!.. I forgot to mention I like how the plot of the story takes another direction when he meets a lady that shows him there is another world out there besides his own.The Author will keep you on your toes to see what will be the end result of Lyfe....
June 27, 2011
Have you ever had that feeling that life was setting you up? Every step you made life knocks you back two. One Lyfe To Live is not your average story... Lyfe Benjamin was trying to lead the fast lane in hopes of becoming Hood St. He grew up in 40 projects in South Side Queens. At the age of 22 Lyfe endured so much and it always seemed like he was on the wrong side of the fence. There was also a much softer side of Lyfe such as he was a caring man who wanted to better himself. However his careless choices leads him into something’s that he can’t shake and it's hard to give up the ghost... This book is a must read especially for the young guys that are struggling with being in the streets or trying to do right...This book is straight raw with no chaser. I’m in awe with this 5 star read here.
Cha’Bella Don
AAMBC Reviewer
Cha’Bella Don
AAMBC Reviewer
August 7, 2011
I was compelled to read this novel after receiving a recommendation on Goodreads and then after speaking about it with a colleague of mine. I began to read it and then spoke directly to the author who inquired about it. Three days later here I am! This novel truly reads like a movie and Erick Gray did an excellent job gripping, and holding me during some of the most difficult scenes. I wanted to turn away at times due to the grit but then I had no choice to continue with swollen, red eyes to find out if the young man Lyfe would end up with his in the end. Everything happens for a reason and in this book it shows how choosing life and death is a struggle but one well worth it. I would only hope for a sequel after how it ended but this one is magnificent just the way it is! Good job Erick!
July 26, 2016
This book was an excellent read. It had a little bit of everything. It had drama, murder, drugs, rape and redemption. Life was a remarkable young man who had a second chance at life and took it. The best was that he found God and was a changed man. He made it!!!
July 25, 2011
I read One Lyfe to Live and thought it was great. The plot was very good and it kept me reading. I would highly recommend this book.
January 26, 2015
this book was so good i could not put it down.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews