So Midnight III by Sister Soujlah is free for kindle on amazon.

There are few other ones too here

Then type in simon and schuster and sort by price.

Rating: 2

Synopsis: Teen-aged Winter struggles through a series of hardships after her king-pin father is arrested, upsetting her life completely. Her sisters are taken by social services, her mother develops an addiction, and Winter is on her own navigating street life and trying to hustle for herself. 

Review & Commentary: 

This is the first time that I have read this book, which was first published in the 90s. Sister Souljah does action well, keeping a fast-pace throughout this novel. She also has a knack for portraying youth and their experiences quite realistically, and has achieved this by setting up a believable first-person narrative. However, some of the elements of the story didn't quite tie together for me, which was something to be expected from a book that has since been heralded as a classic of its genre.

Sister Souljah interjects herself into the novel (a trick of meta-fiction I've noticed in other urban lit novels that I suspect borrow from this one), but it fails to underscore any meaningful message Souljah may have had and comes off instead as arrogant. It seems the intention was to provide a dialogue between herself, the writer, and young persons who don't support her activism. Perhaps even it was intended to permit the writer to tell those young persons she is supportive of them and respects their viewpoints. But the way Sister Souljah attempts this feels clunky and forced, as if she is merely tooting her own horn. She appears on a pedestal at different intervals to chime in, but her message isn't accepted by any of the main characters with mixed results. Ultimately it just sends a confusing message. In fact, upon reading The Coldest Winter Ever, one can't be sure just what Souljah is even trying to say.

Perhaps it is an anti-drug message for youth. Yet, a golden halo surrounds character Midnight, even as he defends his involvement in drug-dealing, while Sister Souljah's character trumpets in the background about why this is morally wrong, and it doesn't seem Midnight ever comes to her side on this issue. This strange juxtaposition is furthered by the choices Souljah makes in the denouement. Protagonist Winter Santiaga never reconciles with her mother, who develops an addiction earlier in the novel, and even at the end seems to be firmly sided with her father (as she has since the exposition) who could be blamed for much of her own struggles, that of her mother, and that of her sisters. Winter's narrative insists she's learned a hard lesson after being imprisoned herself, but it doesn't seem she really has -

"So instead of saying what I had learned, what was on the tip of my tongue, I said nothing at all. Hell, I'm not into meddling in other people's business. I definitely don't be making no speeches. Fuck it. She'll learn for herself. That's the way it is" (pg. 337).

But, of course, Winter doesn't learn for herself, even after being betrayed and facing time. It also seems the author is undercutting herself by never allowing Winter to see her activism positively. In this way, the novel fails to provide a strong resolution and brings the reader to question the author's own internalized misogyny. Particularly when Sister Souljah chooses to include a number of disturbing scenes stressing the violence, homophobia, and hatred of women that are rife in lower-income, high-crime areas, a more hopeful message that counteracts those attitudes is desired by the reader. It is strange that Sister Souljah represents herself as having many boyfriends, but is apparently asexual, in contrast to the other female characters. It is as if to say that they are to blame for their own mistreatment through their sexual promiscuity. Yet the character of Winter's mother is sufficient to remind the reader this is not the case. A garbled, rather strange clash of perspective is left with a cast of strongly stereotyped, static characters that interact but never influence each other or change or evolve in a meaningful way. 

The novel also could have benefited from stronger editing and revision, which is something that I have come to expect from urban lit novels. A number of typos and grammatical mistakes are distracting throughout.

Overall, I found The Coldest Winter Ever to be entertaining; but feel it could have been much stronger and deliver a clearer, less conflicting message to its readers.  

(edited 11/9/16)

I know Sister Souljah has a powerful voice,  but I never knew her writing was just as powerful.   The Coldest Winter Ever is gritty and in your face.   It's definately not for those who have a tendency to cast judgment on situations without properly analyzing. 

I managed to complete 3 out of 5 April 2016 Readings.  The question is do I pick them back up or just go with the flow.  Here are the 5 I would like to complete in June.  The Book of Speculation is really a carryover from May.  It's not the page turner I thought it would be, but still interesting enough.

Citation: S. (1999). The coldest winter ever: A novel. New York: Pocket Books.

Annotation:The trials and tribulations of young Winter Santiaga are described in gritty detail in this coming-of-age novel, the first by the phenomenally popular rap star who frequently lectures on the themes of this novel: overcoming teenage pregnancy, fatherless households, and drug use in African American communities. As the oldest daughter of a successful drug dealer, Winter lacks for nothing. But after her father moves the family from the projects to a mansion on Long Island, Winters life begins to come apart. Her beautiful mother is shot, her father is sent to prison, and the familys possessions are seized by the government. Winter and her three sisters, Mercedes, Lexus, and Porsche, become wards of the state. Finally, arrested and convicted of transporting drugs in a boyfriends car, Winter receives a 15-year jail term. Sister Souljah herself appears as a character, urging Winter and other young black women to stand up to the men in their lives, abstain from drugs, and practice safe sex.

Author's Information:

Born in the Bronx, New York and raised in the projects, Souljah is a fighter who came up from the bottom. A graduate of Rutgers University, she earned a degree in American History and African Studies. She also attended the Cornell University Advanced Placement Study Program, and studied abroad in Europe at the University of Salamanca.

A global student, Sister Souljah traveled throughout her college years to England, France, Spain, Portugal, Finland, and Russia. Her academic accomplishments were reinforced with first hand experiences.  She worked to build a medical center for families in Bindura, Zimbabwe. She worked with refugee children from Mozambique. 

A major participant in the international student anti-aparthied  movement, Souljah helped to create a momentum, movement and fervor which liberated Nelson Mandela and brought about the divestment of millions of dollars from corporations doing business with apartheid South Africa. Her travels in Africa also included Zambia and South Africa. She believes it is essential that African professionals work together, invest in and help to save, shape and further develop our continent, resources, families, and children.

As a student activist in America, Souljah created, financed, and implemented the African Youth Survival Camp, a six week summer sleep away academic/ cultural camp for 200 children of homeless families. With a skillful curriculum, which she designed, this camp ran for over 3 consecutive years and inspired major celebrities to start their own camps and schools, and to build charities and institutions to give back.

As a community activist, Souljah organized against racially motivated crimes, police brutality, and the miseducation of urban youth. She produced and promoted several outdoor rallies and concerts, in Harlem NY, which drew nearly 30,000 youth each time, as well as the participation of top Hip-Hop and R&B celebrities.

In 1995, because of her success and sincerity, Sister Souljah was selected by Sean P. Diddy Combs to become the Executive Director of his charitable organization, Daddy's House Social Programs. She built the organization and created academic programs that were housed at Columbia University, and summer camps and international travel groups for young people. Through her intellect, hard work and efforts, and Diddy's donations and clout, she serviced thousands of youth throughout the country in a meaningful and life changing way. Daddy's House Social Programs was under the direction of Sister Souljah for seven years.

In the field of entertainment, Souljah has been on many platforms including radio and television. Before the political shutdown and attack on American 1st amendment rights, she was the young voice in NY radio that spoke to the hip-hop audience about politics, culture, business, and social organization. This includes being a featured speaker at the Million Woman March, appearances on Oprah Winfrey, Larry King Live, and the cover of Newsweek Magazine. As a Hip-Hop artist, Souljah's CD entitled "360 degrees of Power," sparked international debate over issues of race, culture, sexism, and politics. Additionally, the entire world awaits the release of her first film, The Coldest Winter Ever.

Today, Souljah is the author of 5 national best sellers. In 2007 she became a New York Times Best Selling author and has since charted in the top ten of the NYT list three times over. She has penned The Coldest Winter Ever (fiction), which has sold two million copies to date, and Midnight, A Gangster Love Story (fiction), Midnight and The Meaning Of Love, (fiction), A Deeper Love Inside; The Porsche Santiaga Story (fiction) and NO DISRESPECT, (non fiction), all best sellers. On November 10th, 2015, her newest novel, titled; A Moment Of Silence, MIDNIGHT III will be published wherever books are sold.

Many people attempt to silence, isolate, interrupt or alter Sister Souljah's powerful voice. and beautiful presence. An influential woman who has achieved so much, she remains down to earth, consistent and persistent. She has been blessed to reach and touch hundreds of thousands of young people, students and even the elders. Her mantra, is to work with and alongside any human of any race or faith or culture, who lives to add to the good in the world, and not the evil.

Awards: None

Levels: Unknown

Genre: Fiction