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Winston Fletcher should probably be angrier about the way her Momma abandoned her in pursuit of a glam Hollywood career.  Truth is, Winston's used to not having her mom around.  She prefers it that way (that's a half truth).  For the past eleven years, the 15-year-old's been getting along fine with just Nanny (her maternal grandmother) and their animals (1 rooster, 13 chickens, 1 dog).  Their lives in small town New Smyrna Beach, Florida, might not be glittery enough for Judith Lee Fletcher (a.k.a Skye Harper, a.k.a mom), but they're alright with Winston.  So, when Nanny receives an urgent letter from Miss Hollywood herself, begging her mother to come get her, both Nanny and Winston feel as ruffled as Denny the Rooster.  What should they do?

Nanny may be a penny-pinching, chain-smoking grump, but she's also a mother.  And a resourceful one at that.  After "borrowing" a slick new RV from an out-of-town friend, she hustles Winston, Denny and Thelma (Winston's dog) aboard the craft and takes off for Sin City.  Unbeknownst to the quartet, they've got a stowaway—cute Steve Simmons is not only the RV owner's son, but also the boy who makes Winston's heart pound like a bongo drum.  Winston's flustered enough over road-tripping in a stolen vehicle to retrieve the mother she hasn't seen in over a decade—now she has to spend the whole time trying to keep it together so she doesn't humiliate herself in front of the guy she likes?  Unbelievable.

Will Mission: Bring Skye Harper Home be a success?  How will Winston deal with having her larger-than-life mom around again?  And what will happen between her and Steve when their unlikely journey together ends?  With so many emotions ping-ponging around inside her, how will Winston cope with it all?  

The thing I love about YA author Carol Lynch Williams is that she does real so very, very well.  Signed, Skye Harper, her newest, is no exception.  Despite the novel's quirky humor, the story remains achingly authentic.  Steve, for example, is probably the most realistic teen boy I've ever encountered in YA fiction.  Yes, his hormonal behavior makes him less likable, but it also makes him more real.  More important are Winston's tender, heartbreaking emotions as she reacts to the upending of her ordered world as well as the highs and lows of falling in love for the first time.  Teens, especially, will relate to the roller coaster of feelings as she rides out her anxiety, confusion, sorrow, and fear.  After such a whirlwind trip with a girl like Winston, it will be impossible for anyone not to cheer as such a memorable heroine finally finds a place in her topsy-turvy world.  Heartwarming, but real, Signed, Skye Harper is just an all-around good read.  I loved it.  

(Readalikes:  Reminded me a little of Sway by Amber McRee Turner)

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A student's last year at New York's prestigious Irving School is about one thing:  traditions.  There are the gifts graduates leave in their dorm rooms for the incoming occupants to find, the clandestine game/prank the most popular seniors secretly organize and carry out, there's the dreaded "tragedy paper" assigned by the school's toughest teacher and, of course, there's the curse which guarantees that each year, one senior will leave school for some mysterious, inexplicable reason.

Duncan Meade, a senior from Michigan, can't wait to begin his final year at Irving.  Although the tragedy paper already weighs heavily on his mind, he's anxious to get his room assignment and find what's been left behind for him.  He's dismayed to learn he'll be living in the most undesirable room in the dorm, the former home of an albino named Tim MacBeth.  Most unimpressive is the lame stack of CDs Tim left for him—it's not even music, just the boy talking about his "downfall."  It's only when Duncan begins listening to them that he becomes entranced by Tim's story, which promises to reveal the truth behind the tragic incident that marred the former school year and led to a senior's mysterious leave-taking.  While unraveling the secrets of Tim MacBeth, Duncan must deal with his own dramas—and come to terms with the part he played in the grim events that changed Tim's life forever  

As you can probably tell from the cover, if not its plot description, The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan is a quiet, atmospheric mystery.  Featuring authentic, sympathetic characters, its plot unfolds slowly, building tension all along the way.  Comparatively, the novel's climax is a bit of a disappointment.  It's rather, well, anti-climactic.  Still, the novel kept me turning pages.  Sure, I would have liked smoother prose, a more dramatic ending, and a subtler overall story, but all in all, I enjoyed this one.

(Readalikes:  The publisher compares it to 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher and Looking for Alaska by John Green.  I haven't read the latter, but I agree the former is similar.)

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With her gleaming mane of auburn hair, her twinkling green eyes, and her charming manners, it's no wonder 19-year-old Amber Sterlington is the Rage of the Season.  Men of the ton—single or otherwise—fall over themselves to win her attention, while the women seethe with jealousy at her ability to command a room with her natural charisma.  Confident in her ability to snag whomever she pleases, Amber is aiming for the bachelor with the highest title and biggest fortune.  She'll step on whomever it takes in order to get what she wants.  

Thomas Richards, the third son of a Northern baron, knows he has no chance with a debutante like Miss Sterlington.  She's not what he's looking for, anyway—someone as glamorous and vain as Amber could never be content as the wife of a gentleman farmer.  And yet, Thomas can't stop thinking about her.  Even though he's seen—all too vividly—how far beneath her notice she considers him to be.

When Amber suffers a shocking, very public abasement, she's knocked off her high society pedestal with a force that leaves her reeling.  Banished by her disgraced family, she's packed off to an isolated cottage in the wilds of Yorkshire.  Humiliated, Amber hides herself away, vowing never to show her face again.  For, who could ever love the hideous creature she's become?

What Amber doesn't know is that there's one man who's never forgotten her, one man who would gladly give her everything she desires ... if only she could find the courage to let him in.

I often dismiss Regency/Proper romances as trite, silly affairs appealing only as entertaining fluff between "real" books.  Maybe that's true (at least for me) in many—even most—cases, but not when it comes to A Heart Revealed by Josi S. Kilpack.  Although the novel's premise sounds as frivolous as any other Regency romance, it's got more going on beneath the surface than you'd think.  True, the topics it explores—the fickleness of the gentry, prejudice between social classes, gender inequality, physical attractiveness vs. inner beauty, etc.—are common to its genre.  That's not what makes A Heart Revealed stand out.  No, it's Kilpack's careful attention to character development and her skill at building realistically imperfect relationships that makes her story special.  Because of this, Amber's evolution from a selfish, spoiled brat to a concerned, capable woman is not just believable, but also touching.  Same goes for her interactions with the people around her.  It's all so authentic that I felt Amber's pains, ached for her sorrows, and longed for her happiness.  Her story kept me thoroughly engrossed, surprising me with its depth.  Honestly, I didn't expect to enjoy A Heart Revealed as much as I did, but I loved it.  It's a clean, complex, tearjerker of a romance—one that spoke straight to my heart.  

(Readalikes:  Reminds me a little of Becoming Bayley by Susan Auten)

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For most people, moving to Hawaii probably sounds like a dream come true.  Not for Peggy Sue Bennett.  The 12-year-old Texan couldn't feel more out of place in The Aloha State.  Not only is she haole (white), but this is 1960 and her classmates are not shy about telling her just what they think of uppity non-natives.  Every day.  And not in a kind way either.  Kiki Kahana, an Eighth Grade bully, even threatens to kill Peggy Sue if she doesn't help her pass home ec.  

Peggy Sue's misery is compounded by the fact that her precious cat, Howdy, has been impounded by the Hawaiian government; her mother has a serious case of the blues; and Peggy Sue's best friend from back home seems to have forgotten all about her.  Things can't get any worse—until a terrifying tsunami threatens Peggy Sue's Honolulu home.  The disaster shows her her own strength and courage, which just might be the keys to finally finding her place in her new home. 

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's vacationed in lush, exotic Hawaii and wondered what it would be like to live there.  Anywhere but Paradise, a new middle grade novel by Anne Bustard (available April 14, 2015), gives readers a little taste of that daydream.  Filled with references to Hawaiian culture, mythology, traditions, etc. it's an atmospheric tale that will appeal to anyone who's ever felt the pain and loneliness of being an outsider.  Although the story is a little unfocused, it's authentic, enjoyable and, ultimately, hopeful.  

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't really think of anything.  Can you?)

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