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.

Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott

Dani has been a thief her entire life, trained by the best--her mother. The arrive in Heaven--a tourist town with many rich houses--and Dani's mom can't wait to figure out the house they'll be stealing from.

But Dani isn't happy with her life. She doesn't like stealing. And when she meets Allison, who becomes her friend--Dani isn't sure what to do. Then Dani learns Allison lives in the house her mother has her sights on. And Dani has an admirer in the form of a young cop determined to start something with her. Add in her mother's sickness, and Dani feels pressure on each side to decide what kind of life she wants to live.

Well-written and heartfelt. You can't help but like Dani, and enjoy her interactions with Greg and Allison. I really enjoyed the story.