Love in Suspense: 3 teen thrillers to one-click
There are some exciting titles coming from HarperTeen lately — some wonderfully suspenseful, evocative and unique stories to tantalize the mind, keeping you guessing as these stories take some unexpected turns. I'm really excited to highlight three novels you'll want to be one-clicking, with excerpts from each to give you a sneak peek at what you can expect.
Made You Up by Francesca Zappia (out now)
Synopsis
"Let's play twenty questions."
"Okay. But I ask the questions this time."
"Fine."
"If I guess it before five, I'll be really disappointed."
The corners of his lips twisted up in a smile and he said, "Don't insult me."
"Are you alive?"
"Yes."
"Do you live here?"
"Yes."
"Do I know you?"
"Yes."
"Did I make you up?"
Excerpt
It was Wednesday night—six days after the scoreboard fell, three days after I'd woken up, half a day before I was scheduled to leave the hospital—when Tucker burst into my room, his coat dripping with rain.
"Oh, finally decided to come visit?" I put the finishing touches on my newest Crayola masterpiece, a picture of a T-Rex. It reminded me of something, but I couldn't think of exactly what. "I didn't figure it'd take you this long to show up."
"Alex."
The tone caught me, made me look up again.
"What? What is it?"
"Miles. I think he's doing something stupid."
I threw my legs over the side of the bed and hunted for the shoes Mom had brought me. "Have you talked to him? What did he say?"
"He hasn't been coming to school." Tucker's words came out short and fast. "I haven't seen him until just before I came here. He was at my house—he looked really freaked out, like someone was after him. He apologized. Except he kept tripping over his words."
I stood, grabbed Tucker's hand, and pulled him toward the door. "What else?" I peeked around the doorframe.
"He ... he wanted me to make sure you were okay. He said he couldn't come himself."
I ignored the invisible buzz saws cutting holes in my stomach. "Give me your coat."
"What?"
"Give me your coat. You're sneaking me out of here."
"But you're hurt!"
"I don't care if I'm missing a leg, Tucker. We're going to Miles's house, and you're driving. Give me your coat."
He did. I pulled it on, zipping it all the way up. I balled my hair back and pulled the hood up to cover it.
"Lead the way," I said.
Find out more about Francesca and her books at www.francescazappia.com.
Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton (Coming Tuesday)
Synopsis
Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars in this soapy, drama-packed novel featuring diverse characters who will do anything to be the prima at their elite ballet school.
Gigi, Bette, and June, three top students at an exclusive Manhattan ballet school, have seen their fair share of drama. Free-spirited new girl Gigi just wants to dance—but the very act might kill her. Privileged New Yorker Bette's desire to escape the shadow of her ballet star sister brings out a dangerous edge in her. And perfectionist June needs to land a lead role this year or her controlling mother will put an end to her dancing dreams forever. When every dancer is both friend and foe, the girls will sacrifice, manipulate, and backstab to be the best of the best.
Excerpt
"Gigi?" I hear from the studio door. Both Alec and I turn around. One of the petit rats shuffles up to us. She curtsies. She's holding a small pastry box.
"This is for you," she says.
"Thanks," I say. "But you didn't have to give me anything."
"It's not from me." She whispers, "One of the RAs told me to give it to you."
"Okay," I say, taking the box from her tiny hands. I wonder who it's from.
She scampers out of the studio while I untie the ribbon. Alec starts to nibble on my shoulder. "What's this?" I say, then smile at Alec. "Is this a surprise from you?" Just what I needed after telling him my secret.
"No," he says, craning to look in the box. "I didn't send it to you."
My insides get all squishy and weird as I pull off the note attached to the bottom. I flip it over. It reads:
For your heart—a little start. Hope it doesn't fall apart.
I throw the card and rip open the box. Inside there's a moldy heart-shaped cookie stuck on a sticky pad, surrounded by dead cockroaches. Startled, I drop it.
I shriek in fear that quickly swells to anger, and jump up.
I run to the hallway. Alec follows, frazzled, furious. Girls whizz by in and out of other practice studios.
"Who left this?" I shout, shaking the empty box. "Who's messing with me?"
They stop and stare at me like I've lost it. And maybe I have. I hear the blood whooshing through me and feel my heart pounding. I can't stop yelling. "Who? Who?"
"Gigi," Alec says, his arms cradling me. "It's just mind games. They're trying to rattle you." He pulls me back into the studio. "You've got to be strong here, Gigi. You can't let them shake you. You can't let them win."
He pulls me close even though I fight his embrace. "Everything's going to be fine." His words land in my hair, and his arms close in around me.
He says it over and over again, but I don't know if I can believe it.
Find out more about Sona at www.sonacharaipotra.com and Dhonielle at www.cakeliterary.com.
The Good Girls by Sara Shepard (June 2)
Synopsis
From Sara Shepard, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Pretty Little Liars series, comes the shocking sequel to The Perfectionists—with an ending you'll have to read to believe!
Mackenzie, Ava, Caitlin, Julie, and Parker have done some not-so-perfect things. Even though they all talked about killing rich bully Nolan Hotchkiss, they didn't actually go through with it. It's just a coincidence that Nolan died in exactly the way they planned ... right? Except Nolan wasn't the only one they fantasized about killing. When someone else they named dies, the girls wonder if they're being framed. Or are they about to become the killer's next targets?
Excerpt
"You have the right to remain silent," one of the cops was telling Alex in a loud voice. "Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."
Ava's mouth fell open. They were reading him his rights?
She had reached the front walkway. She pushed around a few random people until she had a clear view of the porch. "Alex!" she called out before she could properly think the situation through. "Alex, it's me!"
Alex turned his head sharply and met her gaze. His mouth fell open. Suddenly, an officer touched Ava's shoulder. "We need you to stay back. This guy could be dangerous."
Dangerous? Alex was the type of guy who let spiders outside instead of squashing them. He had been the one who'd held off on having sex, saying he wanted to wait until it was absolutely and positively special and right. "Why is he being arrested?" Ava cried. Then she looked at Alex. "Alex, what's going on?"
Alex just stared through her. The cops pushed him across the lawn, holding him by the arms. And as they shoved him into the squad car, a strange thought began to take hold in Ava's mind. This guy could be dangerous. She thought of Alex's blank look as they led him away. Whatever had happened, Alex couldn't explain it to her.
The cop closed the car door on Alex, then made his way around to the front. The lights were already blaring, and as he opened his door, the reporters descended on him. "Officer!" they cried. "What's the nature of that boy's arrest? Can you tell us?"
Ava leaned forward, heart pounding.
The cop touched the walkie-talkie on his belt, then looked into the camera. "All I can tell you is what I know," he said gruffly, his hand on the top of the door. "Which is that as of now, Alex Cohen is under arrest for the murder of Lucas Granger."
Find out more about Sara and her books at www.saracshepard.com.
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Vilma Gonzalez is a blogger, reader, marketer, wife and mom. She has an insatiable appetite for happily ever afters and a deep love of the written word. You can find more about her and read full book reviews at Vilma's Book Blog. Please e-mail Vilma at loveinsuspense@gmail.com about content related to this column. Due to the volume of mail, e-mails may not be answered personally, but all will be read.