The small, sleepy southern town of Lily, Arkansas goes into a frenzy when a birdwatcher thinks he spots a Lazarus Woodpecker, a species thought to be extinct. (“Lily is the kind of place you’d like to move to some short time before you die. If at any other time in your life you think you [...]

Tags: coming of age, family life, grief, kidnapping, mystery, religion, small town
Filed under: Book Review

For those who can’t get enough of Celebrity Rehab, Amy Reed’s Clean offers a voyeuristic look into the lives of five teens forced to face their addiction in rehab. Kelly, Christopher, Eva, Olivia, and Jason all come from very different walks of life, but whether they want to believe it or not they all have [...]

Tags: alcoholism, drugs, family life, identity, rehab, therapy
Filed under: Book Review

When Clara and Christian meet at a basketball game, they have instant chemistry. Things progress quickly, and soon they are spending almost all their time either with each other or talking to each other. It doesn’t take long, though, before Christian’s love turns into obsession, and what once was a fun high school relationship takes [...]

Tags: beach, dating, emotional problems, family life, grief, identity, mental illness, summer
Filed under: Book Review

Chelsea was a star player on her high school basketball team until overuse and a bad fall destroyed her hip. Clint’s hockey playing made him a hometown hero until his girlfriend died in a car accident on the way to one of his games. Physical and emotional trauma keep Chelsea and Clint out of the [...]

Tags: family life, grief, romance, sports, summer, vacation
Filed under: Book Review

Jude Farraday is a helicopter parent and she knows it. She does everything she can to protect her kids, assuming that if she keeps their home a welcoming place then her children and their friends will remain safe under her watchful eye. This becomes increasingly difficult, though, as twins Mia and Zach get older, start [...]

Tags: coming of age, family life, friendship, grief, incarceration, social classes
Filed under: Book Review