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Sometimes you want a book that's intense and deep—but sometimes you just want something light, sweet, and maybe even a little cheesy. It can help you break away from a crazy day.

As part of the month-long Valentine's Day celebration going on at SparkLife, the SparkNotes blog, I wrote a little something about teen book series published in the 80s and 90s, such as Sweet Valley High, The Girls of Canby Hall, Merivale Mall, and Sisters. I would have mentioned even more series, but I ran out of space! I did manage to squeeze in Degrassi, since they republished some of the original Degrassi Junior High books, and Saved by the Bell.

Yes, that's right - Saved by the Bell books do exist! Zach and Kelly were totally one of my favorite 80s/90s TV teen couples -- and that's saying something, because I'm not super romantic. When the spin-off Saved by the Bell: The College Years was canceled, the show ended with Zach and Kelly's marriage. Most of the books (25, to be exact) take place in high school, though they released a few books (5?) set in college. (Thanks to this site for the verification.)

Read the Flashback Romance piece over at SparkLife!

Related Booklist: Juvenile Series of the 80s and 90s

Looking for the perfect books to give to your loved ones? Thinking about expanding your own personal library? Consider a few things before you go shopping:

* Give what you like. If you really enjoyed a certain book, get a few copies and give them to your best friends, then have fun discussing it with them. Have your own little book club! (Take some tips on how to organize a book group from readergirlz, where you'll also find plenty of recommended reads.)

* Get what you like. There's no shame in stocking your library with light, fun reads as well as longer, more serious tales.

* Bulk up on the classics. I'm a huge fan of The Great Gatsby and the Anne of Green Gables series. If you liked the romance in Twilight, get Wuthering Heights; if you liked the vampires, get Dracula.

* Make mix tapes. Create playlists for books, then burn them onto CDs and give them away with the books. If you need some ideas, check out my book-related playlists.

* Treat yourself to a little something! Get that book you've had your eye on for the past few months. If you like writing, buy or make yourself a journal and a nice set of writing pens. Remember: Recyclable and refillable pens and pencils are more cost-effective and better for the environment!

I've written a bunch of booklists with holiday book shopping in mind, including an article for SparkLife which focused on selections for teens. Categories and titles within that piece include:

If you're going to buy just one . . .

For horror fans: Soulless by Christopher Golden

For realistic drama: A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian.

If you're looking for a specific genre . . .

(Click links for specific book reviews or related booklists at Bildungsroman. You will see that I have first listed an author's name, then a title. This is because each author has multiple books I would recommend, either within that category or in general.)

Realistic drama with a touch of romance: Books by Sarah Dessen (The Truth About Forever), Deb Caletti (The Nature of Jade), Elizabeth Scott (Bloom)

Contemporary drama with teen male protagonists: Books by John Green (Looking for Alaska), Markus Zusak (I am the Messenger) - and more!

Contemporary drama with teen female protagonists: E. Lockhart (The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks), Catherine Clark (The Alison Rules), Rachel Cohn (Gingerbread), Christopher Golden (Body Bags, first in the Body of Evidence series)

Intense, edgy drama: Sara Zarr (Sweethearts), Rachel Cohn (You Know Where to Find Me), Laura Kasischke (Feathered), Elizabeth Scott (Living Dead Girl)

Sci-fi, fantasy, or horror: Christopher Golden (Prowlers, first in a quartet), Tom Sniegoski (A Kiss Before the Apocalypse, first in a series), Libba Bray (A Great and Terrible Beauty, first in a trilogy), Scott Westerfeld (Peeps), Justine Larbalestier (How to Ditch Your Fairy) - and more - and some more!

Poetry and verse novels: Lorie Ann Grover (Hold Me Tight), Lisa Ann Sandell (Song of the Sparrow), and Stephanie Hemphill (Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath) - and more!

Non-fiction gift books: Prince of Stories: The Many Worlds of Neil Gaiman by Hank Wagner, Christopher Golden and Stephen R. Bissette, Things That Make Us [Sic] by Martha Brockenbrough

Read the entire post at SparkLife!

For even more ideas for various age groups (ranging from babies and toddlers to adults) and genres, consult my booklists, including:

If Then for Elementary School
If Then for Middle School
If Then for High School
- These lists are set up like so: If you like that book, then you'll also like this book!

Tough Issues for Teens
- One of my longest and most often hit booklists.

Suggested Sets
- Created with gift-giving in mind!

Also browse through my book reviews (I have a few hundred posted) and my best of the month and best of the year booklists.

I will be posting my complete and official Best Books of 2008 booklist here at Bildungsroman on either New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. Here's a teaser to tide you over until then!

Have you ever seen a John Wayne movie? I hadn't - until I read Girl, Hero by Carrie Jones.

The Girl in question is a high school freshman named Liliana. Lili's not looking for someone to save her, but rather someone to listen to her. Aside from her cat, Muffin, she really doesn't have anyone. Her parents aren't together. She only sees her day on Sundays (and that's about all she can deal with) and her mom, who hasn't had the best romantic track record, is now dating a guy who's pretty creepy. Meanwhile, her older sister, Jessica, in also in a bad relationship, and her best friend, Nicole, isn't so nice anymore.

Remember Leigh, the boy who wrote letters to his favorite author in Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary? If you like epistolary novels (stories told through letters) like that, then you'll like Girl, Hero. Rather than sharing her thoughts and feelings with someone she knows, Lili writes letters to John Wayne. She thinks the world of Mr. Wayne. She watches his movies over and over and wishes that he were her father.

As a fellow actor, I respected John Wayne's body of work and his lengthy career, but I had never sat down and watched one of his films. You see, I'm not really a fan of westerns. Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and things of that nature, I'll watch, but not so much the shoot-'em-ups or saloon brawls. After reading Girl, Hero, I watched the movie True Grit - just for you, Carrie!

With the help of some new friends, Lili summons up the nerve to audition for the school musical. Though I'm not particularly a fan of South Pacific, I'm always happy to read stories which feature productions*, and I cheered Lili on as she found her voice and her footing.

Throughout the book, Carrie Jones does a great job of making Lili really sound like a freshman. Not overly naïve and never striving to be sophisticated, Liliana is simply a girl in her early teens trying to quietly deal with everything and everyone around her.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Each of us has the potential to be a hero, even as we're looking for someone else to save us. I truly believe that you can be your own hero, and I'm glad that Lili learned this, too.

Read my review of Girl, Hero at SparkLife!

* Looking for more stories about performances, practices, and prestige? Check out my booklists called But I Don't Want To Be Famous! and But I DO Want to Be Famous!

I'm psyched because SparkLife published my article about politically-themed titles for kids and teens today! Here's the stripped-down booklist, sans reviews/commentary:

Too Big a Storm by Marsha Qualey

Wide Awake by David Levithan

The President's Daughter books by Ellen Emerson White
- The President Daughter
- White House Autumn
- Long Live the Queen
- Long May She Reign

The First Daughter books by Mitali Perkins
- Extreme American Makeover
- White House Rules

The Julie series by Megan McDonald, specifically:
- #3 Julie and the Eagles
- #5 Changes for Julie

Total Knockout: Tale of an Ex-Class President by Taylor Morris

Popular Vote by Micol Ostow

Please visit the SparkLife blog to read the full article!

My newest book review at SparkLife for SparkNotes discusses a series I read years ago: Sevens by Scott Wallens.

I think those of you who like gritty stories will like this series, but as I personally only know of only one other person who has read it, I wanted to give it a little boost. The seven-book saga follows the lives of seven high school seniors who are tied together by something horrible that happened to them when they were younger.

Let me put it this way: If the kids from Sweet Valley High moved to Beverly Hills 90210 and added in a few After School Specials, they would be Sevens.

Continue reading my review at SparkLife.

Imagine taking a trip halfway around the world, only to find out that you're half-goddess, then be sworn to secrecy. What would happen when you went back to your normal life in your boring American town with your non-magical family and friends? Readers first met Morgan, Connecticut teenager and unlikely half-goddess, in Why I Let My Hair Grow Out, which detailed her trip to Ireland. Morgan's story continues in the sequel, How I Found the Perfect Dress. Read my review of How I Found the Perfect Dress at SparkLife.

Maryrose Wood's contemporary YA fantasies are fun, quick reads with plenty of comedy and romance. Morgan is more punk-rock than princess, and her conversations with her wide-eyed little sister are classic. Lewis Carroll's Alice would definitely like the scene when Morgan goes through a dressing room mirror. I know I did.

If you discovered that you were half-god or half-goddess, who would you like be your mythical parent? Please post your answer at SparkLife!

High school junior KJ (short for Katie Jean) is very kind. Maybe too kind. She can't seem to say "no" when classmates or adults ask her for help. She does say "no" to the geeky boys who are attracted to her, um, body, but they don't always get the hint because she's still super nice to them.

Continue to read this review at SparkLife.

Most of the story revolves around a musical production of Grease taking place at KJ's school, Washington High. In fact, the book begins with a cast list noting all of the main characters and what roles they play in both the show and in KJ's life. The book is written in traditional prose, but instead of having numbered chapters, it is split up into five acts, and each chapter is a numbered scene with a title that hints at the action to come.

This book will give readers a newfound respect for theatre crew members. KJ works her tail off backstage as the stage manager. I was pleased to see a protagonist who took pride in her work, and happy that she wanted that position and loved it, as opposed to the typical "I want to be the lead!" or "I want to be on stage, but I'm too shy - Oh, wait, now I'm the lead right in time for the happy ending!" stories. There's nothing wrong with those stories, of course, but those behind the scenes really ought to be celebrated just as much as those on stage.

Musical theatre is my passion, and Grease is the word, so I loved all of musical scenes. I applauded the non-traditional casting: popular girl Tama, who has beautiful cocoa skin and sassiness to spare, plays Sandy; KJ has red hair and is, err, well-developed but so uncomfortable with her body that she covers it up in layers and hoodies. As an actress/singer/dancer who occasionally works as a stage manager, I really appreciated KJ's dedication to the show, and all of the little tidbits about the production.

KJ herself must do a little acting on more than one occasion. She's known for being the nice girl, and she's always tried to let boys down gently, Tama encourages her to be bolder, even a little rude, in an effort to repel the guys and stop being a geek magnet. KJ's home life takes a turn for the worse when her father starts drinking more and more frequently. KJ tries to hide her father's alcoholism from her friends and stay upbeat, but it's hard.

Kieran Scott has written a surprisingly poignant story with a healthy mix of drama and fun. She handles serious issues with tact and feeling while giving the story enough humor and sentiment to keep her main character positive. In addition to the drama on and off stage, Geek Magnet also has carpools, understudies, skee-ball, and paint. Lots and lots of paint. Throughout the book, KJ releases her frustration through her art, painting up a storm whenever she's really emotional.

Trivia: Kieran Scott also writes under the name of Kate Brian, best known for her bestselling series Private.

I'm now blogging once or twice a week at SparkLife in the books section. Today, I posted about readergirlz and Good Enough.

On a related note, SparkLife is looking for teens who watch daytime soaps and would like to blog about them at the TV section of the site. If any of you fit the bill and are interested, please let me know ASAP! Thanks! :)

Love reading (or watching) Gossip Girl? Can't get enough of books set in blog or diary format? Get ready for the The Bradford Novels by Micol Ostow.

The buzz about this new YA series is starting early. Websites related to the series will offer exclusive content, such as character blogs and interactive opportunities for readers. The first book, GoldenGirl, will be available in January.

Want to know more? Check out my post about The Bradford Novels at SparkLife!

Feedback is welcome and encouraged, especially because this is my first post for them. Please leave a comment.

I am pleased to announce that I will be regularly contributing YA book news and reviews to both the SparkNotes website and the SparkLife blog. I will keep you posted - literally! - as new blogs and feature articles become available at their website.

Many thanks to the thoughtful person who recommended me for the position. I appreciate your support more than you know. Thank you so much.