Kiss Me Kill Me by Lauren Henderson

Kiss Me Kill Me by Lauren Henderson starts out like another Gossip Girl or Private novel. Scarlett attends a very posh girls’ school in London. She longs to be part of the popular group—the rich, polished girls who dress in all the latest fashions and date the best boys. But Scarlett is an athlete, a gymnast who spends most of her time training,and likes to wear sweats and doesn't think too much about her appearance.

Scarlett's parents died when she was only 5 and she lives with a guardian. However, one day after gymnastics practice, Scarlett is asked to attend a party with the “in-crowd.” Turning her back on her two best friends, Scarlett attends the party and finds herself kissing the boy of her dreams on the terrace.

This is where the book changes from the normal fancy prep school novel to something much more interesting. When Scarlett is kissing Dan, he suddenly gasps for air and suffocates in her arms. The popular girls accuse Scarlett of killing him and quickly her life changes. She changes school from the posh London girls school to an isolated highly academic school in the country. But all she can think of is what happened to Dan. Scarlett must learn to make a new life for herself and find out what happened to Dan.

This book has a good ending, but there is a sequel that I am anxious to read too.

Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty by Jody Elizabeth Gehrman

Confessions of the Triple Shot Betty by Jody Elizabeth Gehrman is a lighthearted story of friendship and romance. Geena plans to spend her summer working at the Triple Shot Betty coffee Shop with her two best friends: Amber and Hero. She imagines whipping up lattes during the day and sleepovers at night. Hero goes to an exclusive boarding school and is only in town for the summer, and Geena is excited that her two best friends will finally meet. However, things do not go as planned. Amber and Hero do not like each other and this puts Geena in the middle of an uncomfortable situation.

However, Amber and Hero put their differences aside when they work to set Geena up with a guy who is her rival for valedictorian. This part of the plot borrows itself directly from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. In an interesting subplot, John the school’s golden boy decides he likes Hero who wants nothing to do with him. When John uses both Amber and Hero in his ploy to get what he wants, Amber, Hero and Geena concoct a creative plan to get back at John for all he has done.

Enjoy this story of three friends who have many different strengths and weaknesses, but come out on top and together in the end.