Room to Breathe by Kasie West

“When the walls close in, the truth comes out.

When Indy’s life came crashing down, she made a no one could know. To the world, she’s still the same Indy—cool, calm, unshaken. But behind the scenes? It’s chaos.

Her tight-knit crew—Beau, Caroline, and Ava—were once her everything. Now they’re strangers she can’t seem to reach—especially Beau. And the only person she talks to these days is Cody, a skater-boy she used to think was so not her type. Funny how everything changes when your world flips upside down.

And then, as if things couldn’t get weirder, Indy finds herself literally stuck in a school bathroom with Beau. After months of silence, and there’s no escape. If they want out, they’ll have to face the messy truth about what happened between them and find a way back to what they once had. Or maybe even more . . .” - taken from Goodreads.

Indy finds herself locked in the teacher's bathroom after school on a Friday without her cell phone. Her life has been turned upside down due to some family issues. When her former friend Beau gets locked in with her as well, Indy's story between then and now begins to unfold. Locked in the bathroom together overnight, can Indy and Beau repair their damaged friendship and find a way out?

Visit Kasie West’s website.

Wander in the Dark by Jumata Emill

 

“Amir Trudeau only goes to his half brother Marcel’s birthday party because of Chloe Danvers. Chloe is rich, and hot, and fits right into the perfect life Marcel inherited when their father left Amir’s mother to start a new family with Marcel’s mom. But Chloe is hot enough for Amir to forget that for one night.

Does she want to hook up? Or is she trying to meddle in the estranged brothers’ messy family drama? Amir can’t tell. He doesn’t know what Chloe wants from him when, in the final hours of Mardi Gras, she asks him to take her home and stay—her parents are away and she doesn’t want to be alone.

Amir never gets an answer to his question, because when he wakes up, Chloe is dead—stabbed while he was passed out on the couch downstairs—and Amir becomes the only suspect. A Black teenager caught fleeing the scene of the murder of a rich white girl? All of New Orleans agrees, the case is open and shut.

Amir is innocent. He has a lawyer, but unless someone can figure out who really killed Chloe, it doesn’t look good for him. His number one ally? Marcel. Their relationship is messy, but his half brother knows that Amir isn’t a murderer—and maybe proving Amir’s innocence will repair the rift that’s always existed between them.

To find Chloe’s killer, Amir and Marcel need to dig into her secrets. And what they find is darker than either could have guessed. Parents will go to any lengths to protect their children, and in a city as old as New Orleans, the right family connections can bury even the ugliest truths.” - taken from Goodreads.

Who killed Chloe Danvers? I love a good, suspenseful mystery and this book succeeds on all levels. Amir, the oldest son of Martin Trudeau, is resentful of his younger half brother Marcel. Their father left Amir’s mother for Marcel’s mother and became a famous restaurateur. Marcel throws an extravagant sixteenth birthday party that Amir has no desire to attend, that is until he receives a text from Chloe Danvers, a hot girl from their school. At the party, Amir leaves with Chloe when she asks him and stays the night at her house since she is afraid to be alone. Amir agrees. Falling asleep on her couch, he wakes up to go home before his mother comes home from work. Unfortunately Amir finds that someone has killed Chloe. Fleeing her house, Amir’s life is turned upside down when he is charged with murder. Feeling hopeless, Amir finds that the brother he doesn’t want to be around is the one person determined to prove his innocence. Can Amir and Marcel repair their relationship in order to find the real killer? 

Visit Jumata Emill’s website.

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

 

“Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays; after the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory's focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious "Kingkiller" Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess.

Nolan's loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone. What's even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory's victory opens the door to sorely needed cash-prizes and despite everything, she can't help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist....

As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realizes that the games aren't only on the board, the spotlight is brighter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce (-ly attractive. And intelligent...and infuriating...)” - taken from Goodreads.

Very closely related to her adult books, this one doesn’t revolve around science but still takes on a smart girl in a male dominated society, professional chess. Mallory has taken it upon herself to delay college and work to help out her financially struggling family. She reluctantly agrees to play in a charity chess tournament for her best friend and unknowingly beats the number one player in the world. Soon she finds herself thrown back into the world of chess when she sees how much money she can make. When Mallory sees Nolan Sawyer the next time, sparks begin to fly. Can two rivals on the board become friends and more outside of tournaments?

Visit Ali Hazelwood’s website.

The Do-Over by Lynn Painter

 

“After living through a dumpster fire of a Valentine’s Day, Emilie Hornby escapes to her grandmother’s house for some comfort and a consolation pint of Ben & Jerry’s. She passes out on the couch, but when she wakes up, she’s back home in her own bed—and it’s Valentine’s Day all over again. And the next day? Another nightmare V-Day.

Emilie is stuck in some sort of time loop nightmare that she can’t wake up from as she re-watches her boyfriend, Josh, cheat on her day after day. In addition to Josh’s recurring infidelity, Emilie can’t get away from the enigmatic Nick, who she keeps running into—sometimes literally—in unfortunate ways.

How many days can one girl passively watch her life go up in flames? And when something good starts to come out of these terrible days, what happens when the universe stops doling out do-overs?” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a fabulous book that was a mixture of Groundhog Day and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Emilie is a planner, down to the perfect boyfriend. When her plans for the perfect Valentine's Day start to go awry, beginning with crashing her van into her chem lab partner Nick, who acts like he doesn’t know her. The rest of the day is an excruciating disaster. She catches her boyfriend kissing his ex, her father is moving to another state, etc. Heartbroken, she is shocked to wake up the next day to a repeat of her not so perfect Valentine’s Day. Find out why Emilie's disastrous day is on repeat and what or who it will take to get her to the 15th.

Visit Lynn Painter’s website.

When We Collided by Emery Lord

“Can you fall in love when you’re falling apart?”

“We are seventeen and shattered and still dancing. We have messy, throbbing hearts, and we are stronger than anyone could ever know…

Jonah never thought a girl like Vivi would come along.

Vivi didn’t know Jonah would light up her world.

Neither of them expected a summer like this…a summer that would rewrite their futures.

In an unflinching story about new love, old wounds, and forces beyond our control, two teens find that when you collide with the right person at just the right time, it will change you forever.” - Goodreads 

At the heart of this book, this was Jonah's story. I really wanted to shake Vivi for some of her choices but she was the breath of fresh air in the small town of Verona Cove. And the town and Jonah were better for Vivi being there. The beginning of this story wasn't really capturing my attention but I was in tears at the end. Grief, mental illness, and recovery are what makes this book. 

Visit Emery Lord’s website.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (For Darkness Shows the Stars book 1)

“It's been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the Reduction, decimating humanity and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family's estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot's estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth--an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret--one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she's faced with a choice: cling to what she's been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she's ever loved, even if she's lost him forever.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Here is another book that I've had on my TBR pile for well over seven years. I've never read any books by Jane Austen, so I wasn't really familiar with her novel Persuasion, which this book is based upon. I am glad that I finally picked up this book about star-crossed lovers. Elliot's life of privilege isn't easy as she is the responsible while her father and older sister live for pleasure. When Elliot's lifelong friend/love shows up unexpectedly as a wealthy man and no longer the enslaved farm hand, she is thrown for a loop. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and cannot wait to read the companion book. 

Visit Diana Peterfreund’s website.

Everyday Magic by Emily Albright (The Heir and the Spare book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! This book is a companion story to The Heir and the Spare. You can read this one without having read the first book but there are several spoilers or scenes that will make more sense if you do. 

“He runs with A-list stars, but will he run her life?”

“For once, Maggie McKendrick just wants to control her own life. Her overbearing Hollywood director father has it all planned out for her: UCLA, law school, then working as an entertainment lawyer, preferably for him. But Maggie has other, more creative-spirit friendly, plans. Namely, Thrippletons School of Fashion and Design in England, and then onto becoming a designer, preferably a wildly successful one. The big snag in her plan? Getting it past her dad.

A movie shoot takes the family to the Scottish Highlands for the summer, and closer to Maggie’s dream school. While there, she runs into the charming Preston Browne. Maggie is intrigued and decides to bend her no guys rule—instituted after her ex used her to get close to her dad. Forced to keep secrets from Preston in order to protect the future plans she’s made, Maggie finds herself falling for the tall Brit. And for once in her life she knows that he’s interested in her, not her Hollywood connections. When Maggie's father blackmails her into dating his lead actor, she isn’t left with a choice. The biggest problem isn’t having to date hunky, mega-hottie, Ben Chambers. No, it’s praying she doesn’t lose Preston in the process.

Excelling at her dream school, Maggie’s personal life is a tangled mess. She needs to decide if living a lie is worth losing Preston or chance going against her father and facing his wrath. When the tabloids expose the truth of her fake relationship with Ben, Maggie's world is thrown into a tailspin. Ultimately, Maggie must find the courage to take risks and forge ahead on her own path.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I loved diving back into this world and was pleased to read Preston’s story. Preston was the one character that I had felt sorry for. Meeting Maggie McKendrick is life-changing for both of them. Maggie is trying to get out from underneath her father’s domineering control and become a fashion designer. We also get to delve into Preston’s life more. Of course, the road to true love never runs smooth. The only complaint that I have about this book was that the ending seemed a little far fetched. I did enjoy the appearances by Evie Gray from the first book.

Visit Emily Albright’s website.

Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry

Jesse Lachlin is cursed. 

“So the town folklore says, but while Jesse’s had his fair share of tragedy, the only curse he believes is in his grandmother’s will: in order to inherit his family farm he must win the approval of his childhood best friend, the girl he froze out his freshman year, Scarlett Copeland.

Scarlett Copeland is psychic.

Glory Gardner tells Scarlett she has hidden psychic abilities, but Scarlett thinks Glory is delusional. What is real is Scarlett’s father’s irrational fears, controlling attitude, and the dark secrets at home. Scarlett may have a way to escape, but there’s a hitch: she’ll have to rely on the one person she used to trust, the same boy who broke her heart, Jesse Lachlin.

Each midnight meeting pushes Jesse and Scarlett to confront their secrets and their feelings for each other. But as love blooms, the curse rears its ugly head… “ - taken from Goodreads.com

Another great read from Katie McGarry about two star-crossed lovers who grew up together as children. Jesse Lachlin truly believes that his life is cursed. So much so that he devastates his best friend and the girl he loves, Scarlett Copeland, in order to keep her “safe”. When both of their lives reach the point of implosion, Jesse and Scarlett find themselves drawn to one another in their times of need.

A bit different from her previous books, I’m looking forward to the next installment in this series.

Visit Katie McGarry’s website.

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

“The woods
The stars
And the boy who broke her heart”

“Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern day, Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets.

But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.

What could go wrong?

With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.

And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars?” - taken from Goodreads.com

This was a unique take on a romantic tale of friends/neighbors becoming significant others and the many uphill challenges they faced to finally be together again. Thrown together during a glamping trip gone wrong, Zorie and Lennon soon find themselves stranded in King’s Forest National Park. Their friends abandon the two of them after Zorie and her friend Reagan have words. With nowhere really else to go, the two hike through the backcountry of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to reach Condor Park, where Zorie is to meet a friend for a star watching party. The further they hike, Zorie and Lennon reveal the pain from the past year being apart and realize their feelings for one another still remain. 

What truly makes the story different is that the author drew several maps outlining Zorie and Lennon’s journeys. Definitely loved reading this book! 

Visit Jenn Bennett’s website.

Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy

“Ramona was only five years old when Hurricane Katrina changed her life forever.

Since then, it’s been Ramona and her family against the world. Standing over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona is sure of three things: she likes girls, she’s fiercely devoted to her family, and she knows she’s destined for something bigger than the trailer she calls home in Eulogy, Mississippi. But juggling multiple jobs, her flaky mom, and her well-meaning but ineffectual dad forces her to be the adult of the family. Now, with her sister, Hattie, pregnant, responsibility weighs more heavily than ever.

The return of her childhood friend Freddie brings a welcome distraction. Ramona’s friendship with the former competitive swimmer picks up exactly where it left off, and soon he’s talked her into joining him for laps at the pool. But as Ramona falls in love with swimming, her feelings for Freddie begin to shift too, which is the last thing she expected. With her growing affection for Freddie making her question her sexual identity, Ramona begins to wonder if perhaps she likes girls and guys or if this new attraction is just a fluke. Either way, Ramona will discover that, for her, life and love are more fluid than they seem.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I really enjoyed delving into Ramona’s complicated life. Just a senior in high school, she took on a tremendous amount of responsibility in the years since her mother’s abandonment after Hurricane Katrina and her pregnant sister, When a childhood friend moves back to Eulogy, Ramona’s world is turned upside down. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and seeing where Ramona’s journey would take her.

Visit Julie Murphy’s website.

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

TENNYSON:

Don’t get me started on The Bruiser.  He was voted “Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty” by the entire school. He’s the kid no one knows, no one talks to, and everyone hears disturbing rumors about.  So why is my sister, Brontë dating him?  One of these days she’s going to take in the wrong stray dog, and it’s not going to end well.

BRONTË:

My brother has no right to talk about Brewster that way – no right to threaten him.  There’s a reason why Brewster can’t have friends – why he can’t care about too many people.  Because when he cares about you, things start to happen.  Impossible things that can’t be explained.  I know, because they’re happening to me.

BREWSTER:

Stealer of screams and thief of anguish,  I am a criminal, but you can’t see it, blinded by your own relief as my body becomes a battlefield in a war that can’t be won.  Will I be the bullet that ends your pain, or will you end mine? Taken from http://www.storyman.com/books/bruiser/

This book had been on my TBR (to be read) pile since it came out. I finally got around to listening to it when it was the daily deal over on Audible. First of all, this book is not what I expected and I should have known better since it wasn’t my first Shusterman read. Brewster Rawlings is wrongly perceived by everyone at school. He is a loner and when you find out why, your heart will break. The Sternberger family is going through a major crisis of their own. When Brewster, Tennyson and Bronte begin to cross paths, things begin to get infinitely worse before anyone can start to see improvement. Brewster isn’t what either Sternberger twin expected.

Visit Neal Shusterman’s website.

Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty (Lock & Mori book 1)

London, Present Day

March 4th was the day that James “Mori” Moriarty first met Sherlock “Lock” Holmes during a fire drill. Her drama teacher sent her to fetch him from his private laboratory in the basement beneath the theater. The two come to a standoff when he immediately pegs her but she has unnerved Sherlock. The two part and go about their day. Mori knows that it will be a bad night when she comes home. Her mother died six months earlier and her father is unable to deal with the situation. Mori not only acts as mother for her younger brothers when the drinking and reminiscing occur but as a distraction for her father’s ire. Her father does tell her to stay out of Regent Park because a murder has occurred there and is under investigation. Mori’s well meaning comment about the police needing her father on the scene to complete the job blows up. Physically abusive, he finally stomps off to his room and continues to drown his sorrows over his wife’s death. Mori ends up doing the one thing her told her not to do, she heads off to the park.

Mori and Lock run into each other that night in Regent Park. She heads to the deserted bandstand but once again notices a man, smoking a clove cigarette, leaning against a monument in the shadows. Paying him no attention, she dries her tears and attempts to pull herself together. Mori is disbelieving at first when the man speaks to her but soon realizes that it is Sherlock when he remarks that she never told him her name. He has seen her multiple times in the park at night but he never wondered about her until today. Mori tells him her name, since it is unlikely that her would ever guess that her real name is James. Sherlock asks her to follow him and she is baffled when her takes her to the active crime scene in the park.

Reluctant at first, Mori trails after him, even when he ducks under the police tape to hide in the woods. The two get an upclose view of the scene and notice the position of the body. They also hear what the police officers are saying about the scene and speculate that it was a robbery gone wrong. Sherlock proposes that the two of them could do a much better job and challenges Mori to the task. He knows that her father is a police officer. Even though Sherlock doesn’t know Mori all that well, he figures the two of them can solve the case first. He suggests they it a game and the first one to solve the case, wins. Mori wants to know the rules but Sherlock states that there will only be one; no transparency. She tells him that she isn’t sure and explains that her father can never find out. Mori states that they will have to meet in the middle of the lake where no one can overhear their conversations. Sherlock has a smile on his lips as he walks away after hearing Mori comment that the blood is fake.

Mori has decided against playing Sherlock’s game the next morning. During play practice, once again Mori is playing her understudy part, Sherlock shows up. Unsure why he is there, she tries to back out of his game until he states that they need to talk to the girl whose part she has overtaken. Turns out, her father was the man killed the park the night before. Mori sends Sherlock away and tries to find out some information about Lily Patel, the girl for who she is the understudy. She eventually finds out that there will be a memorial on Saturday from Lily’s boyfriend when she says that she wants to offer her condolences. Sherlock and Mori attend the service. Alone out in the lobby, she sees the display of photographs they family put together. She is shocked to see her mother in a photo with Mr. Patel and several other people. She pockets the picture before a member of the family comes up to her. The white haired woman begins talking of the life Mr. Patel lived even after his troubled youth. She begins searching for the photo that Mori has taken, saying that a woman was at the center of it all. She looked innocent on the outside but was a real wolf once you knew her. Before she can cover her face, the woman remarks that Mori resembles her. Mori heads off to find Sherlock who believes the two of them have wasted their time. She keeps her new found information quiet from Sherlock, breaking their pact.

What secrets does Mori uncover about her mother and the photograph she lifted from the memorial service? Why was Mr. Patel murdered? Can her father’s rage at her stop or does it continue to escalate? Does Mori lay bare her dysfunctional home life to Sherlock? Who solves the case first? What happens when Sherlock discovers Mori’s deception after the two of them grow close?

Book two in the trilogy is expected to be published in 2016.

Visit Heather W. Petty’s website.

I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

The graduation/welcome home party for Josh Mitchell doesn’t go as planned for Skylar Evans. The two worked together at the Paradise Hotel before Josh joined the Marines and shipped out to Afghanistan. Skylar briefly dated his younger brother Blake during his deployment. Not much happens in the blink and you might miss it town of Creek View, located just off of California’s Highway 99. In fact, at the end of summer, she will start at San Francisco State and leave Creek View behind. Looking everywhere for Josh to welcome him home, she hears him before she sees him. When Skylar turns around, she is stunned to see his gaunt face and lifeless eyes. It is only when he takes a step towards her for a hug does she notice that Josh has lost his left leg, courtesy of the Taliban. After Josh moves on to a new group of friends, Skylar questions Blake on the situation. Josh made their mother promise not to tell anyone. Leaving the party, Skylar recalls the last words Josh said to her before his deployment. “This is as good as it gets for me.”

The first week that Josh is back home, Skylar only runs into him once. She went to pick up her friend Dylan at the diner after she had finished her shift. While waiting, Skylar sees Josh sitting alone at a table, staring out the window, his food untouched. She  recalls how popular Josh was before joining the Marines. Knowing that it is only proper, Skylar walks over to say hello.The first thing Josh says to her is how good she looks. She jokes that he would hit on Marge, the hotel owner, given the chance. Nope, not going there but he is coming back to work as the handyman until he figures out what to do with his life. While driving Dylan to the nearest Walmart, Skylar finds that she cannot keep her mind off of Josh. Dylan says that she is wonders what he would be like under the sheets.

When Skylar gets home, she is surprised to find their trailer door unlocked. She and her mother are adamant about locking it. Her mother should be working at Taco Bell. Carefully opening the door, she hears her mother coughing from the bedroom. Skylar finds her sitting on the bed and just thinks she is having a bad day. Skylar is floored when her mother tells her that she has lost her job and breaks down. Skylar is so close to leaving Creek View behind and her worst fears have come true. She cannot leave her mother alone.

Skylar’s life soon spins out of control. Her mother begins drinking again and refuses to look for a job. And to Skylar’s horror, her mother starts having a guy over. Working at the hotel, Skylar begins to see Josh every day. She no longer sees the wounded warrior or the carefree boy before he joined the Marines. War has changed Josh. His life now revolves around physical and group therapy at the VA and trying to decide whether to stay on the Marines or take an honorable discharge. The two start to spend more time together and Josh becomes the one bright spot in Skylar’s life while everything else comes crashing down around her. Skylar finds herself falling for Josh, but when he starts running away from close encounters, she wonders if she has read Josh’s signals wrong.

Will Skylar be able to leave Creek View behind? Does she get to go to college? Can she help her mother turn her life around? Is Skylar getting the wrong message from Josh? What horrors and loss did Josh suffer in Afghanistan that haunt him? Can Skylar help Josh move forward?

Visit Heather Demetrios’ website.

The Duff: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger

"You, darling, are The DUFF. Designated. Ugly. Fat. Friend."

The book does contain language that may be offensive to some and sex occurs but is never graphically described. The overall power message of the book makes it a worthwhile read.

Bianca Piper is at a teen night club with her friends, Jessica and Casey. She is the protective best friend who drags them away from the boys who might take advantage of them after a night of dancing, flirting and attracting attention. While wishing she was anywhere but The Nest, a guy who remarkable didn't smell bad sits down beside her, a change from the usual guys she unwittingly attracts. When Bianca turns to see who it is, she is angry that the school's hottest guy and biggest player, Wesley Rush, is trying to talk to her. When she begins to question his motives, he informs her that he needs her help. It is a proven fact that guys who talk to the Duff gets on the good side of the girls with whom she is friends with. Jessica and Casey are good looking and Bianca is their Duff, the designated, ugly, fat friend. Even if Wesley looks like a Greek god, Bianca knows that his soul was empty and black. Furious, she pours her Cherry Coke over his head. Grabbing her friends, they leave the club. At home later that night, Bianca catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror and Wesley's words come rushing back. She wonders why they bother her so much. 

One night after a particular hard day at school, Bianca overhears her father begging her mother to come home during a phone call. A motivational speaker, her mother has spent more time on the road than at home since her own mother died. Making herself scarce until her father hangs up, Bianca walks in as if she has heard nothing. Asking what is wrong, her father tells her that he would really like some time alone. She calls Casey and the three of them head to The Nest. Drowning her sorrows over Cherry Coke at the bar, the bartender cuts her off when she has had too many. Worrying over her father being alone, he is a recovering alcoholic; she is frustrated when Wesley sits beside her. He is still hoping to score with one her friends. She keeps telling him to leave but he quickly senses something is wrong with her. Making her to look at him, Bianca cracks and suddenly kisses him. Shocked at first, Wesley responses and Bianca begins to feel better. Then Wesley does a stupid thing and Bianca comes to her senses. She slaps him. Storming off, Bianca is more upset with herself than with Wesley.

Doing well to avoid Wesley for over a week, one day their English teacher, Mrs. Perkins, pairs them up to write an easy together. Unhappy, Bianca makes plans for Wesley to come over to her house to work the following afternoon. Bianca has a girls' night in with Casey and Jessica instead of going to the homecoming dance. Coming home the next morning, she finds the house trashed. Her mother sent divorce papers to her father and he fell off the sobriety bandwagon. Beer bottles and pictures frames are smashed all over the living room. She hears her father snoring in his bedroom. Starting to clean up her father's mess, the phone rings. It is Wesley calling to say that he is on his way over to start working on their essay for The Scarlet Letter. Not knowing what her father will be like when he wakes up, Bianca tells him that she will come to his house instead.

Arriving at the Rush mansion, Bianca is unsettled when Wesley says that his computer is in his bedroom and that they will need to work there. Surprised by the vast space of his room, Wesley asks her what she would like to write about. He was thinking about why Hester had her affair and gives his reasons. Bianca shoots back that maybe she just needed the distraction. Her mind wanders back to the divorce papers her mother sent. Wesley says that if that was the case, it didn't end too well for her. While thinking back to another time, Wesley calls her Bianca Duffy and asks what she is thinking about. She snaps at him not to call her that. As he is asking, "are you okay, Bianca---?" She moves to kiss him. Surprised, he doesn't hesitate to kiss her back. When she pulls away, Wesley asks her not to slap him again. Wanting her mind blank, she does the unthinkable. She has sex with Wesley so that she can escape her problems for a little while. Afterwards, they get started on their paper. 

As she is leaving to go home, Bianca asks Wesley not to say a word about what happened between them. He asks if it is going to happen again. She thinks to what waits her at home. He then asks if she is alright. She rushes out of the house. Wesley follows her out to her car. He bends down to her level and looks her in the eye. He asks her what is bothering her. Wesley knows that something is wrong with Bianca. She can tell that he is being sincere. She whispers that it doesn't matter if she is or not and leaves.

The following week only goes downhill for Bianca. The one boy who broke her heart is in town for a visit, with his fiancé. Her father is in denial over the divorce papers her mother sent. And Bianca finds that the only escape is in the arms of Wesley, the boy who she cannot stand. But what happens when Bianca realizes that she isn't the only one having difficulties in life? Will Bianca be able to stay away from Wesley or is he the one good thing in her life? What will her friends think when they find out the secrets that Bianca has been keeping? Can she put her life back on track? What happens when Bianca realizes that she is falling in love with Wesley?

Visit Kody Keplinger’s website.

The DUFF will be released in theaters on February 20, 2015.

Perfect Chemistry trilogy by Simone Elkeles

Book One - Perfect Chemistry

“A modern tale of star-crossed lovers, with a fresh urban twist.”

Everyone believes that everything about Brittany Ellis’ life is perfect but her. She works hard to keep up the charade because her parents have taught her that “outward appearances mean everything/” Her mother’s anxiety isn’t easily controlled and her father goes to work early and stays late so that he doesn’t have to deal. Only her best friend Sierra knows about her seriously disabled older sister Shelley. She wants everything about her first day of senior year to be perfect since she hasn’t seen her boyfriend of two years, Colin, all summer.

 
Alex Fuentes could be the first member of his family to graduate from high school if he passes his senior year at Fairfield. The eldest of three boys, his mother works at the neighborhood grocery store to support the family in the wake of their father’s death due to gang violence. Even though he is smart, for Alex, college is a dream. Caught up in the life of the Latino Blood gang, there is no way out for him and would die before he would let his brothers make the same mistake. He has a rough reputation and history defines who he is.
For both Brittany and Alex, the first day of school begins with a slight altercation in the parking lot. Brittany, driving her new car, almost hits Alex’s motorcycle when she attempted to park in the space he was already in. Brittany and Sierra literally fear for their lives trying to back out of the space. They are able to find a space on the other side of the lot and head to class. They find Alex and his gang blocking their way into the front doors. He attempts to intimidate Brittany but she stands up to his bullying and mouths off to him. Sierra asks Brittany if she has a death wish.
From opposite sides of town, Brittany and Alex would normally never cross paths. Their worlds collide during Mrs. Peterson’s sixth period senior chemistry class. A hard-nosed teacher, Mrs. Peterson assigns lab partners alphabetically. Instead of being partnered with her boyfriend Colin Adams, Brittany Ellis finds herself with Alex Fuentes. The barbs and insults start immediately. Neither is happy to learn they will have to partner on a joint project.
 
When one of Alex’s friends proposes a bet that he cannot have sex with the perfect Brittany Ellis before thanksgiving, he takes it. There isn’t a better way to get back at Brittany and Colin than taking her reputation to the toilet and being chem. Partners is the perfect place to start. For Brittany Ellis is very beautiful, very rich and very white while Alex Fuentes is the opposite; very poor, very Mexican and leads a very dark life. At Fairfield high, where you live is what matters and opposites are about to collide.
 
Forced to work as chemistry partners, it isn’t too long before Alex realizes that he underestimated Brittany and she him. Soon the heat is ratchet up between them and the sparks begin to fly. Will Brittany and Alex ever be able to break down one another’s walls or will they ultimately decide it isn’t worth the trouble?

Book Two - Rules of Attraction

“If you loved Alex Fuentes, wait until you meet his brother Carlos …”
It has been two years since the events in Perfect Chemistry. Mrs. Fuentes and her two younger sons, Carlos and Luis, have been living and eking out a living in Mexico. Carlos unfortunately has fallen victim to the local gang and Alex is bringing him back to the United States to make a fresh start. Bitter with a chip on his shoulder, Carlos thinks his older brother has left behind his Mexican heritage and is trying to live his life as a white man. Carlos believes that the gang life, not the college life is for him. Rebelling against Alex is the only way to strike back.Kiara Westford has worked with her speech therapist all summer to stop her issue with stuttering.

She is excited to start the school year but her boyfriend dumps her via a text message. Lamenting to her best friend tuck, Kiara is determined to have a great year. Remembering she needs to go to the auto body shop to pick up a radio for the vintage car she is trying to restore, she heads out to meet Alex Fuentes. One of her father’s former students, Alex has been helping her find the parts she needs. When Alex inquires if she could help show Carlos around Flatiron High, Kiara immediately offers to be his peer guide. Alex attempts to warn her about Carlos’ attitude but she quips that she loves a challenge.

Carlos and Kiara are soon like oil and water. He finds that he loves to give her a hard time and soon realizes that she is up to the challenge. Things change when the police bring the drug dogs to search the high school and drugs are found in Carlos’ locker. He insists that they aren’t his but even Alex is skeptical. When the judge discovers that Carlos live with Alex in subsidized housing, they are given two choices. Carlos can be deported back to Mexico even though he is a US citizen or he can live with the Westford family. Alex is desperate to keep Carlos in the US and the Westford family all agree that Carlos can live with them.

It’s not long before Carlos finds himself not only under the spell of Kiara, but the entire Westford family as well. As he figures out who set him up with the drugs and why, Carlos realizes that he will not be able to just walk away from the gang life as he hoped. But when it comes to the middle Fuentes brother, he would willingly lay down his life for the girl and her family that he loves. Can Carlos leave the gang life behind and make a life for himself? Is Carlos a challenge that Kiara and the Westford family are willing to take on? And what happens when Carlos and Kiara realize what the rules of attraction are?

Book Three - Chain Reaction

“The youngest Fuentes brother will risk everything to protect his family.”

Luis Fuentes is known as “the good kid” I his family. The youngest of three boys, he has watched his two older brothers get into some serious gang-related trouble while in high school. Luis dreams of going to college to study aeronautics. What Luis portrays to his family on the outside is not the Luis his friends know on the inside. An adrenaline junkie, he craves the rush taking a risk gives him, whether it be snowboarding or rock climbing. After being bitten by a snake while climbing, Luis comes close to losing his life and unfortunately his family discovers his reckless side Alex admonishes him for risking his life two weeks before his wedding.

Two weeks later, the Fuentes family is gathered outside of Chicago for Alex’s big day. Luis offers to go inside to get something that Alex forgot. He stumbles upon a girl about his age (fifteen) on a cell phone in his brother’s dressing room. Looking Mexican, Luis begins speaking to her Spanish, she snaps and says that they are not in Mexico and she is an American. Luis knows that the fire in her means she has some Mexican blood in her. He tries to flirt and she shoots him down. Mrs. Fuentes comes in and demands to know who she is. Nikki Cruz, she tells them. Her father was Alex’s surgeon and they have kept in touch over the years.

Nikki, who just completed her freshman year of high school, was recently dumped by her boyfriend, Marco Delgado. Marco is going the Latino Blood gang. She is devastated since they lost their virginity to one another and now she is pregnant. Terrified and unable to tell her parents who disapproved of Marco, Luis Fuentes has her unnerved. He reminds her of Marco physically and is a bit conceited. She definitely sees a ladies’ man and knows all too well that men lie. After being forced by her parents to dance with Luis, Nikki ends up kneeing him in the groin. She is pushed by her mother to apologize but finds Luis skinny dipping with a girl. She hides his clothes as payback and leaves. Nikki gets sick at home and her parents discover she is pregnant. She has suffered an ectopic pregnancy and loses her baby.

Two Years Later

Luis and his mother leave Colorado and return to Fairfield, Ill. To be near family, they move back to their former house to find that it and the neighborhood have drastically changed. A star student and athlete at Flatiron High, it doesn’t take Luis long to fit in again with his old friends from the south side. He is at his locker with Marco on the first day when he and Nikki first spot one another. Marco tells Luis that Nikki is bad news and to stay away. She is from the north side of town and there are plenty of Latina girls in the south. By the end of the day, both are in Mrs. Peterson’s chemistry class and have detention. Luis notices that Nikki is having difficulty with her math homework and offers to be her tutor. She states that she doesn’t hang around south side boys any more.

Luis makes the soccer team and quickly strikes up a friendship with Derek, the boyfriend of Nikki’s best friend. Derek and Kendall are having a few problems and he thinks if Nikki had a boyfriend, things would be better. Derek says he will arrange a blind double date and Luis agrees. Soon he spots Nikki’s younger brother Ben and strikes up a conversation. Before long, Ben invites Luis back to the Cruz house to play the computer game he is creating. Nikki is upset that Ben brought Luis home and Luis attempts to smooth over the negative feelings between the two of them. Luis says they need to kiss to see if there is any chemistry between them. Nikki takes the lead and Luis knows she is messing with him. It doesn’t take long before she loses control but tries to play it off. Luis Fuentes is quickly getting under her skin and he seems to realize it.

The blind double date turns out better than Nikki would have thought possible but she won’t admit it. After soccer practice one day, Marco invites Luis to a beach party. Luis is surprised to see it is taking place at an old Latino Blood spot. Trying to get his mind off of Nikki, Luis is stunned to see Chuy Soto, the head of the Latino Bloods, has gotten out of prison. Chuy is determined that Luis will join the gang family.

Will Luis be able to resist joining up with the Latino Bloods? Can he keep his dreams of going to college alive? Will Nikki be able to put aside her distrust of boys to open up her heart to love? And will she be able to admit her feelings for Luis?

Each book in the Perfect Chemistry series focuses on each of the Fuentes Brothers and is told in alternating viewpoints between the brother and the girl he loves. In book two, Alex is a minor character and we see how his life progresses. Just like in book three, continuing details are given about both Alex and Carlos.

Visit Simone Elkeles’ website.
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Dead To You by Lisa McMann

“Some memories are better left untouched.”

At the age of seven, Ethan De Wilde and his younger brother Blake were playing in the front yard when a car pulled up. Two strange men call Ethan over and he gets in. They drive away and Ethan is not to be found after his parents and the community conducts an exhaustive search. It turns out he went to live with a woman named Ellen who couldn’t have children. They scarped out an existence until she wasn’t able to keep him anymore and left him in a group home in Nebraska. Ethan lived there for a short time before eking out a merger existence on the streets. After spending time at the public library researching missing children, Ethan finds the website his parents set up to search for him. He makes the phone call and his family comes to pick him up.

Things have changed in the last nine years. His sister Grace, the replacement baby, is now six and is just as confused as Ethan over his sudden reappearance. Back home in Minnesota, Ethan has trouble remembering anything about his life prior or his abduction and steadfastly refuses to talk about Ellen. Blake is angry with him over not only his leaving but his abrupt reentry and subsequent turmoil her has brought to everyone’s life.

Struggling to fit into his old life, Ethan is just looking for another escape. Very few of the pieces of his former life are making sense and it seems that once again he is tearing his family apart. Why did Ethan leave with complete strangers nine years ago? What happened to him during the nine years he was gone? Why is Ethan having difficulty trying to recall even the simplest of memories about his life before his abduction? What really happened to Ethan De Wilde?

Visit Lisa McMann’s website.