My Side by Norah McClintock

My Side by Norah McClintock

This book was impossible to put down.  Told from both Addie and Neely's point of view, this is a mean girl story.  Addie is shy and quiet.  Neely is her only friend.  Until they reach high school, the girls do a lot together.  Once in high school, Neely is trying to impress the popular girls. Addie becomes the butt of a cruel and damaging prank.  Once the video is emailed to everyone, Addie struggles to come back to school.  Great read and less than 130 pages!

Panic by Sharon Draper

Panic by Sharon Draper

A suspenseful and intense novel, Panic puts into play stranger danger and why children should stick together.  Diamond knows not to take candy from a stranger, but the man who is offering extends his hand with more than candy. Well-dressed and armed with evidence of who he is, a stranger approaches Diamond, an exquisite dancer, while she is waiting for her best friend at the mall.

The decision she makes and how her family and friends deal with those results results in a suspenseful novel sure to keep you turning the pages.  Told from the perspective of the main and secondary characters, this novel is full of jaw-dropping surprises.

Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher

Writing her unconventional pen pal, a Texas Death Row inmate, Zoe is trying to absolve herself of her sins.  In detail, she writes and shares with him the events leading up to the night of the murder, hoping he knows how she feels.  Depressed and unable to express her isolation from everyone, Zoe slowly writes down her story in an effort to reach out to someone who has done something as terrible as she has.   Through her confession the reader learns of the romance, deceit, and love Zoe shows.  Zoe's voice describes the setting of England through her voice and use of dialogue. Humorous at times, but heartbreaking still, Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher is a surprisingly fulfilling romance novel.  It is labeled young adult for mature relationships and language.  Honestly, after reading this, I was asking why it was titled, Ketchup Clouds.  I should read it again because I remember only one reference to the clouds.