(3) YA Sixteen-year-old homeschooled girls Stevie and Sanger help Max complete his list of "23 Ways to Fake My Death Without Dying" before summer starts in Austin, Texas. Witty, John Green–like banter, as well as Ormsbee's candid look at the diversity of homeschooling and her ability to break down stereotypes, allow this story to rise above the well-worn last-summer-together plot.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(2) YA Fans of the Tantalize quartet will appreciate this companion novel featuring its supporting cast. Set in Smith's alternate Austin, Texas, during the events of Diabolical, this book follows wereopossum Clyde and human Aimee as they investigate the murder of their friend Travis. As before, Smith's blend of supernatural suspense, campy humor, and romantic tension is addictive; allusions to pop culture add to the fun.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2013

(4) YA When carefree Zahra meets Kali and Syd in group counseling, she's surprised to learn that they all have the same deceitful boyfriend. Brokenhearted--and angry--they form Love, Inc., a consulting service for relationships, breakups, even revenge. Though too much is crammed into the story, it does raise some thoughtful questions. Sympathetic characters and an accessible writing style enhance the book.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(3) YA Illustrated by Ming Doyle. Smith's popular novel (Tantalize) gets a new graphic novel format and different point of view. Shapeshifter Kieren's awareness of his imminent return to the wolfpack impedes his relationship with Quincie. Disappearances surrounding Quincie's vampire-themed family restaurant, Sanguini's, make Kieren worry for Quincie's safety. Expressive panel art succeeds at conveying the high stakes for both characters.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) YA In this third book of Smith's vampire trilogy, Quincie hunts down slick vampire chef Brad. As in Tantalize and Eternal, the main attractions are Smith's clever and campy blend of the supernatural and the everyday, and her thoroughly entertaining characters, human and otherwise. A hearty meal for the thinking vampire reader.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2011

(4) YA Maggie moves from school to school at her hippie parents' whim. She's an expert at insinuating herself into the upper echelons of high school hierarchy, but she's also tired and misses her boyfriend. This time she decides to remain invisible and unpopular, but of course her attempts backfire. Despite some reliance on high school stereotypes and melodrama, Maggie's story is warmly comedic.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(2) YA In an alternate Austin, Texas, Quincie and her uncle are preparing to reopen the family restaurant when their chef is murdered. A charming young man appears and tantalizes Quincie with sinfully delicious dishes. The restaurant's heady mix of rich foods and supernatural sexuality sets the novel's tone. Smith adds a light touch of humor, but the main course is a dark romance.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2007

(1) YA A mother and daughter each wage their own battles in the face of mom's breast cancer. Persistently optimistic, Liza is determined to outrun her mother's illness and any other troubles in her path. Her mother's brief, wrenching narratives are brutally honest about the pain her family's denial is causing her. Of course, it is Liza's "flaws" that make her human and interesting in the first place, and the widening gap between mother and daughter will resonate with teenage readers.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2000