Leftovers by Laura Wiess

Laura Wiess’ Leftovers tells the intense story of two 9^th grade best friends from the perspective of each. Blair is an only child from a rich family, consisting of a career obsessed mother and a cheating father. Both parents are very absent from their daughter’s life. Blair begins to drift after her parents lie about putting her dog Wendy to sleep. Blair’s mother, always concerned with appearances, often tries to set her daughter up with “good” boys to advance her own career and does not approve of her best friend Ardith. Meanwhile, Ardith’s parents have created a party house of their home. Thus, while Blair's life is closely controlled, Ardith has too much freedom. Her mother and father will allow her brother and his underage friends to drink and party in their home, even joining in. While she could do anything she wanted, Ardith is looked down on by her family for being a good student, not partying, and having dreams for a bright future. Ardith feels so unsafe in her home, particularly around her brother’s friends, that she padlocks her bedroom door. Together, Blair and Ardith deal with feeling unwanted and unloved, boys and abuse, and much more. Throughout the book, they strive to make the reader understand their horrible and shocking secret. Though they come from different backgrounds, the reader sees how the girls become almost co-dependent, ultimately even partners in crime.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

A terrible accident takes Samantha Kingston's life. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she relives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.

Sweet Little Lies By Lauren Conrad

This is the second book in the L. A. Candy series of books by reality TV star Lauren Conrad. Sweet Little Lies continues where L.A. Candy left off, only now Jane Roberts is a famous, due to the reality TV show she stars in. Jane soon learns that being in the spotlight brings a variety of problems she did not anticipate, especially when she learns that unauthorized and revealing photos of herself, have been spotted in the media. This situation causes Jane to question her relationships in L.A., mainly her friendship with her childhood friend Scarlett Harp. Jane begins to question who she can trust, especially the producer of her TV show who insists on making Jane “act” out situations for hype, instead of portraying herself. Jane begins to realize that her life in the spotlight may not be worth the sacrifices she has to make in her personal life, especially those concerning her friendships, integrity and character.

Sarah Dessen's Someone Like You

Sarah Dessen's Someone Like You, absorbs readers into the world of Halley Cooke and her best friend Scarlett Thomas during the summer before their junior year of high school and during the school year up to prom. Since meeting Scarlett when she was eleven, Halley's life has revolved around Scarlett--someone she wishes she were more like. Halley has always been the consenting friend in the relationshiop while Scarlett took life by the horns and ran with it--dragging Halley along for the ride. When Scarlett calls Halley at camp in the middle of he night because her boyfriend Michael has suddenly died, Halley rushes home to her best friend's aid. Weeks later, Scarlett finds out she's pregnant and Halley seems to be the only one who supports her in her decision to keep the baby.

Throughout the book, Halley starts to change who she is. She can no longer tell her mother everything, despite how close they've been in the past. Halley is barely recognizable to her parents when she dumps their family friend's safe son Noah Vaughn and starts dating one of the school's bad boys and the lately deceased Michael's friend Macon Faulkner. With Macon, Halley has become separated from her old-self and sees herself as a different girl than the one from the beginning of the summer. Halley's metamorphosis gives a startling life lesson regarding relationships with mothers, best friends, family members, peers, and the boys who turn out to be different than what you thought they were. To Halley, turning sixteen is not just about getting her driving license; it's about getting her license to make her own decisions, and live and learn from her own experiences.

Chanda's Secrets by Allan Stratton

Chanda's Secrets, by Allan Stratton, is a book set in an African country struggling to survive in an AIDS epidemic where the very mention of AIDS sends everyone into panic and rumors about who has it and who doesn't. Funerals are a blooming business and everyone chooses to ignore the reasons why, except for the main protagonist, Chanda Kabelo. After her father and older brothers die in a mining accident, Chanda and her mother Lilian are left with the little "blood money" the mining company gave them to compensate for their losses. In order to provide for her family, Lilian has relationships with several men at different times, one of which ends after Lilian catches him sexually molesting Chanda. As a result of her relationships, Lilian gives birth to three other children, daughters Iris and Sara, and son Soly, who all have different fathers.

When one and a half year old Sara dies from a disease which causes her to wail consistently and uncontrolably from the pain the blisters all over her body cause her, Lilian is grief-stricken and sixteen-year-old Chanda is left caring for her family. Chanda shows remarkable courage and strength as she fights against everything her mother, family members, and neighbors would rather keep secret. She continues to be friends with Esther, regardless of the rumors that Esther has AIDS.

Chanda is burdened with secrets, and is caught between ignoring the issues like everyone else, or doing something about it. When her mother gets sicker, thinner, and more exhausted as the time passes, Chanda is left with keeping up the household. Her teachers believe she has the intelligence to fulfill her dreams of becoming a doctor, lawyer, or teacher; but when her mother goes back to their hometown to settle unfinished family business, Chanda is forced to put the care of her siblings above her own desires.

Weeks pass and Chanda hears no word from her mother. When Chanda realizes Sara's father Jonah died from AIDS, she realizes her mother is suffering from the same disease. Chanda bravely returns to Tiro and brings her mother home. Back home, nobody wants anything to do with Chanda's AIDS infected household. Chanda is the only one who dares to go against the tide. She refuses to ignore the AIDS issue like everyone else. After her mother dies, she gets tested (afraid that Isaac may have given her mother the disease, and her since she was sexually abused by him). Her siblings, Esther, and Esther's siblings get tested too. Everybody's results come back negative, except Esther's. In the end, the six live together in Chanda's home hoping and praying for a cure that will save Esther.

Waiting for You By: Susane Colasanti

In the book Waiting for You the main character Marisa has decided to make a change in herself from her freshman year self to what her sophomore year self will be. She wants to portray herself in a new way her second year. Her and her best friend Sterling have made a pact that they will forever live for the moment and try to find boyfriends. Friendships are renewed with old childhood friends. While rekindling friendships she also attracts the attention of charming and flirtatious Derek. Her parents have started to act different then previously. Her best friend Sterling tends to fail for older men on the Internet and can not stop. The lesson learned by Marisa in the end is that life has twists and turns and does not always turn out how a person may plan their life. Yet even with the changes that come it is not always the end of the world.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

In a high school with clearly divided clans, Melinda Sordino is clanless. She is an outcast. After calling the police and ruining a summer party, her friends have all abandoned her and even complete strangers in her new school hate her. The trouble is not restricted to the halls of her school either. Melinda is even having problems with her parents. What prompted Melinda to commit social suicide and call the police that night? Is her reclusiveness merely a typical stage for many teenagers transitioning into high school? The mystery unwinds in this novel as Melinda struggles to find her voice against her attacker. Melinda is a victim not only of rape but also of her silence. Only when she speaks out about the events of that night can Melinda begin to heal. Speak is an inspiring Young Adult novel through which Laurie Halse Anderson addresses a too-often silenced issue among teens. Melinda acts as a damaged yet delightfully sarcastic heroine who will encourage any reader to, at the very least, always speak up.

L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad

L. A. Candy is a book written by Lauren Conrad, star of hit reality shows such as Laguna Beach and The Hills. L.A Candy stars Jane Roberts, a young adult who decides to move to L.A. The book follows Roberts journey, while in L.A. and her success on a reality TV show. The book also follows Roberts thoughts and her relationships that change due to the glitz and glamour involved in Hollywood. Media is a huge element of the book and ultimately becomes the element that causes Jane Roberts to question whether life in LA. is what she really wants. The book is based on the importance of genuine friendships and remaining grounded in a fast pace city such as L.A. Although the book is listed as fictional, it is thought to be based on Lauren Conrad's (the author) own personal experiences.