Urban - Fiction, Settings & Atmosphere - Fiction, Books

Discover the best selection of urban fiction books at Barnes & Noble. Whether you’re into fierce, raw stories about life on the streets in the big city or you’re a fan of urban romance novels about love, lust, danger, and revenge, there are thousands of urban books to choose from. Shop the newest urban books like The Coldest Winter Ever about a fast-paced life of a young woman from a Brooklyn drug-dealer family or classics like The House on Mango Street, a remarkable story about a young Latina girl's challenging coming of age journey in an inner-city neighborhood of Chicago. Not just very entertaining reads, Urban novels bring up important social issues like poverty, crime, homelessness, and racial discrimination. The books also highlight the strength and resilience on which urban communities are built on. Urban fiction is a genre that is often represented by African American writers like Zane and Sister Souljah. Although works of fiction, their bestselling novels are thought to be authentic portrayals of the African American urban experience. These books passionately explore coming of age themes, embrace street culture whether it’s hip hop or local slang, or simply give the reader an inside look into the urban lifestyle. Browse our list of popular “street lit” by the best urban fiction authors like Teri Woods, urban thrillers and suspense books, and more good urban fiction books.

What is considered an urban book?

When referring to urban books, one usually thinks of urban fiction. Urban novels are a type of literature that dives into stories of inner-city life including challenging social issues like poverty and crime as well as urban romance, fantasy, and the exploration of city culture.

8 Popular Urban Fiction Books You Won't Be Able to Put Down

The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
Bodega Dreams by Ernesto Quiñonez
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
Brooklyn Crime Novel by Jonathan Lethem
City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg
Life After Death by Sister Souljah
Addicted by Zane