1. If You Were My Man, by Francis Ray

2. The Lip Gloss Chronicles: Paper Thin, by Shelia M. Goss

3. The Reason Why, by Vickie M. Stringer

4. Beater, by Brian W. Smith

5. Goodness and Mercy, by Vanessa Davis Griggs

Check it out:

SPLITSVILLE is Volume 2 in THE LIP GLOSS CHRONICLES.  In the first book, the reader gets a glimpse
inside the life of Britney.  For SPLITSVILLE, the reader now gets to know more about Jasmine, Britney’s friend
from THE ULTIMATE TEST, and the girl who DJ Johnson was bothering.

Jasmine’s life is out of control these days.  She’s practically failing geometry, so she engages Cecil as her tutor.  DJ
is still on her case at school.  She interacted with TallandFly on the Internet and now he won’t stop texting and
calling her.  And last, but certainly not least, her parents are constantly fighting and it looks like they’re headed for
divorce.

Thankfully, Jasmine has her friends.  They insist on accompanying her to the mall to meet the boy from the Internet.
They stand by her side when DJ gets in her face again. They tell her she’s being too tough on Cecil, her tutor, who
obviously has a crush on her.  And they help her out when she gets her parents to agree to go on a new reality show
that offers marriage counseling, Situation Number Nine.

As the reader can imagine, with all of these things going on, something is bound to happen.  But I’m not one to give
away such exciting plot twists.  You’ll just have to pick up SPLITSVILLE for yourself and find out what happens to
Jasmine!

This second installment of the series continues the story of Jasmine, Britney, and Sierra nicely.  It’s easy to pick up
from where the first novel left off.  And if you’re discovering THE LIP GLOSS CHRONICLES for the first time,
you’ll easily figure out all of the characters.  It was also nice to see a different point of view in this novel as
compared to THE ULTIMATE TEST.

Go directly to review, by clicking on the link: http://www.teensreadtoo.com/SplitsvilleLGC.html

As a lip gloss connoisseur, I thought I’d seen it all, but then I came across Hard Candy’s Fortune Gloss ($6) and it was like I’d stumbled upon a fruity wand for the first time in my life.

Fortune Gloss comes in six tasty flavors — Kismet Cherry, Fortune Banana, Gypsy Pink Lemonade, Fate Blackberry, Destiny Peach, Lucky Mint — and glides on smoothly with a slightly tinted shine. Industry standard, right? But hold on a sec — the cap doubles as a magic 8 ball!

The Lip Gloss Chronicles Book Club recommends The Oracle of Dating by Allison van Diepen

About the book:

For five bucks, the Oracle of Dating will tell you:

• How to flirt
• If that cute guy you’re crushing on likes you, too
• Whether your new romance will last through lunch period
• And much more

What she won’t tell you?  Who she is.

No one at Kayla’s school knows she’s the famous Oracle of Dating — the anonymous queen of dating advice.  She doesn’t even have a boyfriend.   Two relationship disasters were enough to make Kayla focus on everyone else’s love life.

But then her advice backfires on her own best friend.  And Kayla starts to seriously obsess about Jared Stewart — the very cute, very mysterious new guy in school.  Suddenly, the teen queen of advice needs her own oracle of dating — and she knows just where to find one…

Lip Gloss Rating: 4 Lip Gloss

What we liked: It only took a few hours to read. Although Kayla’s website  says “for entertainment purposes only,” for a low price, a teen can get great advice from a self proclaimed dating guru.  Of course, people are not aware of her secret life.   Jared is Kayla’s love interest.  Her feelings for Jared is best described as sweet.  The quirky teenager has to take some of her own advice.  The Oracle of Dating  is a teen romantic comedy filled with some realistic good advice for teens.

What we didn’t like: Sometimes it seems as if some of the dating issues were a little too grown up; but times have changed.

Lesson Learned: It’s easier to give out advice, than take your own.

Overall review: The Oracle of Dating is a quick fun read with a witty lead character.  ~ The Lip Gloss Chronicles Book Club Reviewer

4 Stars

The ultimate test?  Never dish on the same guy as your best friend.  You know nothing good can come of it.

As you can imagine, girl drama abounds in THE ULTIMATE TEST, the first volume in THE LIP GLOSS
CHRONICLES.  Britney has a great head on her shoulders and is a good role model for young girls reading this
book.  She’s stuck in a situation that happens all the time in any school, urban or not.   It takes a tough situation to
make the girls come to their senses and realize that friends should always come before boys.

To read the entire review, go to: http://www.teensreadtoo.com/UltimateTestLGC.html

The Lip Gloss Chronicles Book Club recommends The Promise by Chandra Sparks Taylor.

About the book:

Since she broke up with the hottest basketball player in school, seventeen-year-old Courtland Murphy has been the subject of a million rumors. The fallout from her relationship with Allen Benson has made Courtland more sure than ever that waiting to have sex is the right decision. But the drama’s not over, especially with her own father acting strangely and Allen out to make her life hell—with his teammates’ help. All except Aidan Calhoun, the new star player who’s just moved from Atlanta. Aidan supports her involvement in the Worth-the-Wait club and the upcoming purity ball, and despite vowing to never date another baller, Courtland’s falling fast. But can she trust her feelings for someone new when the people she’s closest to may not be what they seem?

Lip Gloss Rating: 4 Lip Gloss

What we liked: Courtland Murphy’s character was not only likable but believable. Her actions and thoughts mimicked teens. Her and Brees relationship showed the true meaning of being a friend.

Courtland is hesitant on revealing her feelings to a new boy, Aidan, due to being hurt previously. She not only deals with her newfound feelings for Aidan, but she’s dealing with her father’s indiscretions that could threaten her family structure.

What we didn’t like: I wanted to know more about Courtland and Allen’s past relationship. I regret that I didn’t read The Pledge, the first book in the series, prior to reading The Promise.

Lesson Learned: Everything is not always what it seems.

Overall review: Just like life, The Promise has a few surprise twists in the story that will keep the reader entertained. ~ The Lip Gloss Chronicles Book Club Reviewer

List compiled by Shelia M. Goss

Below is a list of books either by or about African-American pioneers. The books can be found at your local library or from an online retailer.

The early black history movement, Carter G. Woodson, and Lorenzo Johnston Greene.
Dagbovie, Pero Gaglo

Carter G. Woodson : the father of Black history
McKissack, Pat

Carter G. Woodson : a life in Black history
Goggin, Jacqueline Anne

Art from her heart : folk artist Clementine Hunter
Whitehead, Kathy

Clementine Hunter : the African house murals
Hunter, Clementine

Talking with Tebe : Clementine Hunter, memory artist
Hunter, Clementine

Coretta Scott King
Waxman, Laura Hamilton

Coretta Scott King : first lady of civil rights
Stanley, George E.

Coretta Scott King : civil rights activist
Rhodes, Lisa Renee

Minnie’s sacrifice ; Sowing and reaping ; Trial and triumph : three rediscovered novels
Harper, Frances Ellen Watkins

A brighter coming day : a Frances Ellen Watkins Harper reader
Harper, Frances Ellen Watkins

Three classic African-American novels
Brown, William Wells

Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site : junior ranger activity book. DOC
United States. National Park Service.

Freedom’s Teacher: The Life of Septima Clark by Katherine Mellen Charron

Ready from Within: Septima Clark & the Civil Rights Movement, A First Person Narrative by Septima Poinsette Clark and Cynthia Stokes Brown

From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African Americans by John Hope Franklin and Alfred A. Moss Jr.

Shelia M. Goss compiled this list for her in person lecture during Black History Month. She is the author of the young adult series – The Lip Gloss Chronicles: The Ultimate Test, Splitsville, and Paper Thin.

For more information or to sign up to The Lip Gloss Chronicles mailing list, visit www.thelipglosschronicles.com or www.sheliagoss.com.

The Lip Gloss Chronicles Book Club was founded after meeting numerous teens and pre-teens this past fall. I wanted to have a central place for parents and teens to come for reading suggestions.

If you read young adult books or know someone who reads young adult books, be sure to bookmark the site and sign up to the mailing list so you’ll be informed of new YA books.

Why should I join the Lip Gloss Chronicles Book Club?
It’s free. I love reading YA books and I want to stay informed of up & coming books.

How do I join the Lip Gloss Chronicles Book Club?
Just sign up to the mailing list and keep informed on what’s going on in The Lip Gloss Chronicles Book Club.

How can I contribute to the Lip Gloss Chronicles Book Club?
Easy. Send an email to sheliagoss@aol.com and let her know you want to contribute a book review to the site.

I’m an author. How do I get profiled on The Lip Gloss Chronicles site?
Send your information via email to sheliagoss@aol.com with the name of your book and release date.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask them in the comment field.

In the book she addresses teen dating violence. It’s something that every parent should read. Teen dating violence is not limited to any one region in the country; it’s wide-spread and that’s why I addressed the issue in the latest book in the Lip Gloss Chronicles series - Paper Thin.

I want teens to realize that they do not have to stay in an abusive relationship with a boy, they should first try to leave the boy alone. If that doesn’t work, don’t be scared to tell an adult about it so they can intervene and help.

Here are some facts from StayTeen.org:

# 1 in 5 teens who have been in a serious relationship report being hit, slapped or pushed by a partner.
# One-third of teen girls say they have been concerned about being physically hurt by their partner.
# One-quarter of teens who have been in serious relationships say their boyfriend has tried to prevent them from spending time with friends or family.
# Nearly 1 in 4 girls who have been in a relationship (23%) reported going further sexually than they wanted as a result of pressure.

If you’re a parent reading this blog, don’t let your teen be a statistic.
If you’re a teen reading this blog, do not let a boy abuse you. Tell an adult. Get out of it and know that you’re worthy to be treated with love and respect and that you’re not the one with the problem, the boy is.

In Paper Thin, the character has people who care and try to help her. For more information about teen dating violence, go to: http://www.loveisrespect.org or http://www.acadv.org/dating.html

100 words or less how would you describe your work?
I write stories with a twist. I like to write about every day issues many people face. Although my stories are entertaining and dramatic, they are also inspirational.

To read the entire interview, go to: http://coloronline.blogspot.com/2010/02/women-writers-of-color-sheila-m-goss.html