Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Seventeen-year-old Bella has moved to Forks, Washington to live with her father following her mother's remarriage. At school she meets an strange but beautiful boy to whom she feels this unexplainable attraction. She soon discovers, however, that Edward and his family are not all that they seem but are a family of vampires who prey on animals rather than humans. The mismatched, star-crossed lovers have a lot to overcome to make their relationship work. This is a book that you cannot put down. The tension, suspense, and danger make this book a compelling read. The characters are terrific, very relatable- lots of teen angst but very honest and realistic. Definitely a must read for anyone who is looking for a dark, edgy romance.

Gwyneth and the Thief by Margaret Moore

Lady Gwyneth is a proud and stubborn young woman who is determined to keep her home and her hand in marriage out of the clutches of her greedy and power hungry neighbor. When Gwyneth meets Gavin, who has only known the life of a thief, she hatches a daring plan that could save the home she loves. As Gavin trains the people of Haverleigh to defend their homes, sparks begin to fly between Gwyneth and Gavin- but love between a lady and a thief is unthinkable. Story was a little flat in terms of action but had a sweet, clean romance.

A Really Nice Prom Mess by Brian Sloan

Cameron is taking beautiful Viginia to his senior prom, but he would much rather be attending the prom with his super star jock boyfriend Shane. Cameron's night begins badly and steadily worsens. His date is drunk when he picks her up, continues to drink at the pre-prom dinner, pukes in the fish tank, finally passes out at the prom and then catches her hair on fire. Shane catches Cameron making out on the dance floor with Jane, his fake dake, and slugs him resulting in a huge fight. Cameron flees the prom in disguise with a drug dealer who takes him to the local gay bar where things continue to spin out of control. Cute, funny quick read crammed full of teen angst and the search to discover oneself. Some of the situations that Cameron finds himself in are a little unrealistic, however, they add to the drama and the comedy of the story. Things end well for Cameron (although not entirely happily ever after).

Kristy's Great Idea by Ann M. Martin, Graphic Novel by Raina Telgemeier

Friends Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and the new girl Stacey create a new business to help organize their babysitting. The girls deal with cranky toddlers, dogs, scary neighbors, crank calls, and the ups and downs of middle school friendship. The novel focuses on Kristy, especially her thoughts and feelings on her mother's relationship with Watson. While I wished for color illustrations, the black and white illustrations by Telgemeier capture the essence of the girls. The story is taken directly from the original novel, complete with references to G.I. Joe and Rainbow Brite (which are also making a comeback attempt). As someone who devoured the original series, I was thrilled to see a graphic adaptation.

First Boy by Gary Schmidt

When Cooper Jewett's grandfather dies suddenly, Cooper is left alone with no other relatives to care for him. With help from his neighbors, Cooper manages to keep the family dairy farm going. When Senator Wickham comes to town, Cooper's life begins to get weirder. Senator Wickham looking for the presidental nomination uncovers a scandal involving Cooper that he believers will smear the reputation of the current President and First Gentleman. The suspense, mystery, and drama will keep reader engaged and interested in Cooper's story. The secondary characters are entertaining, fun, and add humor to tense situations. Cooper is a hard worker who is determined to stay and take care of his families farm despite the obstacles placed in his path.