Absorbing, Intoxicating Books for Girls Who Like Drama, Mystery by Lee Littlewood on Creators.com

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Absorbing, Intoxicating Books for Girls Who Like Drama, Mystery

Teen girls have much to keep them entertained with a new array of novels, which are full of high-school drama, parental abuse, boyfriend troubles and angel themes.

"Pretty Little Devils" by Nancy Holder; Razorbill/Penguin Young Readers Group; 250 pages; $14.99.

"Pretty Little Devils" is the cutesy name of a girls' high-school clique, made up of four popular students who are rivals of the cheerleading squad. When first a neighborhood cat goes missing, then a horse is found dead, the clique blames the cheerleading captain, who is known for threatening the "Pretty Little Devils." But when she's murdered, all bets are off. Other students start blaming each other, airing lots of dirty laundry and wondering whose pranks aren't so innocent after all.

Soon one of the girl's boyfriend's is killed, maybe deliberately, maybe not. The group and the police suspect the clique's ring leader, Sylvia, and she's — so we think — appropriately jailed. But toward the end of the book, another student dies, and with tons of intrigue and mystery, we finally learn the identity of the true killer.

Hailed as a "keep you on the edge of your seat" winner by my 15-year-old and her friends, "Pretty Little Devils" is a fun way to wile away after-school hours.

"Because I am Furniture" by Thalia Chaltas; Viking; 368 pages; $16.99; available soon.

The haunting tale of a teen girl completely ignored by her father but forced to witness his abuse of her older brother and sister, "Because I am Furniture" accurately captures the voice of a forgotten child. Penned in teen Anke's own heartfelt verse poems, the novel portrays the emptiness felt by a young girl who feels completely unloved, and even unworthy enough for her own father's abuse.

All is not lost, however, as Anke finds her voice and self-esteem after joining the high-school volleyball team and meets caring friends and a boy she likes. Shouting the word "Mine!" while diving for a volleyball, Anke realizes her worth as an athlete and a person.

It also makes her feel stronger and gives her the impetus and drive to aim to rescue her entire family.

Kids who feel lonely or forgotten may find solace in reading about Anke's turmoil and road to maturity. It is slightly hard to read at first, but ultimately hopeful as Anke finds her hope and empowerment.

"The Lonely Hearts Club" by Elizabeth Eulberg; Scholastic, Inc., 290 pages; $17.99.

On a lighter note, Eulberg's funny, relatable story about friendships stars high-school student Penny Lane, the daughter of serious Beatles fans. Penny decides she's sick of boys and sick of dating, so she vows: No more! Her friends agree, and soon the whole school wants to know about it. The girls' path toward an important epiphany — how teen girls sometimes seem to prioritize boyfriends over real friends — causes them to start The Lonely Hearts Club.

All is well in the non-dating world, until Penny finds a boy she really likes and questions her well-meaning intentions.

Hilarious and so fun, Eulberg's debut is even hailed by "Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer, who calls "The Lonely Hearts Club," "a must-read for anyone who's ever fallen in love."

"Fallen" by Lauren Kate; Knopf Delacorte Dell Young Readers Group; 452 pages; $17.99.

The first novel in a darkly romantic four-book series about fallen angels and doomed love, "Fallen" poses this question: What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours? For Luce Price — who arrives at a glum boarding school near Savannah where even cell phones are forbidden — feeling like an outsider is nothing new. But when she meets the aloof and mysterious Daniel, things look up. Not for long, however, as Daniel does everything to avoid her. Still, Luce can't shake the feeling that she's somehow met him before.

Rooted in theology and populated with a cast of memorable characters with unclear allegiances, Kate's sweeping story culminates in an epic battle between heaven and hell.

A refreshing addition to the marketplace saturated by vampire-centric love stories, "Fallen" and its angels theme seems somehow lighter and more hopeful, an appropriate switch for teen books in a new decade.

To find out more about Lee Littlewood and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.