Zen and Xander Undone by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Zen and Xander lost their mother almost a year ago. And for the past year, they've been receiving messages from her, sent by someone on significant days.

The girls are handling their grief in their own ways. Zen, who tells this story, bottles everything up and buries herself in her karate and trying to keep the family together. Xander goes out drinking, wild parties, drugs, and dangerous men. When one follows her home, Zen allows her anger to push her to fight back.

Now Zen has to deal with her sister's antics and a bad back. She no longer has karate to look forward to, and as she tries to cope without it, she and Xander stumble upon a secret they didn't want to know about their mother.

Can they get it together before Zen paralyzes herself and Xander throws her future away?

A heartfelt and touching story with a lot of emotion. The girls have a hard time with their grief and struggle to overcome it in their own way. I found this to be a powerful and very moving story.

Getting to Third Date by Kelly McClymer

Katelyn has a secret everyone on campus is dying to find out. She is the mysterious Mother Hubbard--the advice columnist for the school newspaper. Her advice is no-nonsense, but angers many students for being too unforgiving.

So now Katelyn, a.k.a. Mother Hubbard, must break her own two-date rule, and give the men in her life another chance. Could she be wrong about their potential? Can she possibly find Mr. Right in a sea of Mr. Wrongs?

A cute romance about not giving up on people too soon. The characters are touching and amusing.