A Heart Like Ringo Starr by Linda Oatman High

Faith is anything but normal, but normal is what she wants to be.  Awaiting a heart transplant, she is home-schooled and surrounded by family that knows the business of dying all too well.  They operate the funeral parlor below their home. When a neighbor dies his heart is given to Faith.  After recovery she is plopped into the life she always wanted.  But will school and a romance with her donor's cousin be too much?

This novel is written in prose and can be read quickly.  But it is deceptively simple - there is a real depth of sadness and hope.  It's the kind of book that you think about long after you've finished reading.

Read Between the Lines by Jo Knowles

When Nate breaks his middle finger in gym class, it is splinted upright in a permanent insult.  Instead of being mortified, he is secretly empowered.  That angry middle finger appears in ten interconnected stories about relationships, family troubles, bullying and sexual orientation.

One of my favorite reads this summer!  The phrase "read between the lines" is more than an insult.  It's an invitation for deeper human contact.

The Geography Of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

Two lonely teens meet in a stuck elevator during a blackout.  A true connection forms between Owen, who just moved to New York after his mother died, and Lucy, who is often left on her own while her parents travel.
When Lucy moves to Europe they communicate through postcards, and when Owen moves out west the connection slips a bit further.  Can the relationship survive the distance?

I enjoyed this light but layered story.  The main characters read as realistic, even if the plot is a little unbelievable.  This book should satisfy the read-in-bed-late-at -might cravings.

Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby

Quinn's boyfriend Trent died in a car accident.  His organs were donated, so Quinn sets out to find and meet the recipients.  When she meets Colton, who has Trent's heart, she is inexplicably drawn to him.  Their romance makes us wonder - does a heart know past loves?

This is a sweet and sad romantic story about love and loss and how to move on from tragedy.  Readers who like a little weeping with their relationships will appreciate Quinn's determination and loyalty, and Colton's hopeful outlook.

She Is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick

Laureth's father taught her to look for recurring events, patterns, and numbers--a skill at which she's remarkably talented. Her secret: she is blind. When her father goes missing, Laureth and her brother are thrust into a mystery that takes them to New York where surviving will take all her skills.

I was ready to like this book; it's a very interesting premise of a blind girl who can see patterns.  The characters are engaging but the story is a bit weak.  The underlying plot involving coincidence and probability and history doesn't really go anywhere. Recommended as a quick mystery.

A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

Like cats, dogs may have several lives.  Told through a dog's perspective, we follow one canine's birth and re-birth, from puppy through old age.  The dog has many experiences, not all good, and keeps his knowledge from life to life.  He questions his purpose - why is he fated to live and enjoy his work, his boy or family, only to do it again and again?

Cameron paints a vivid narration of life as a dog, a dog's motivation, a dog's worries and desires.  Through the dog the reader learns about human behavior as well.  Be sure to read this, as well as the sequel, A Dog's Journey.

In the Shadow Of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

It's 1918 in San Diego, influenza has become an epidemic.  Schools and public buildings are closed.  Citizens wear masks and try home remedies but the death toll climbs.  WWI rages in Europe, taking the young men.  Mary tries to adhere to her scientific principles, until the voice of a beloved childhood friend turned soldier speaks to her  - even though he is dead.

The setting of this story really comes alive through details like clothing and food.  The desperation and sadness of the time are very clear.  The story doesn't really resolve, and some of the characters are not developed, but this is still an interesting book worth reading.