"Glass" by Ellen Hopkins

This is the sequel to "Crank," the story of how Kristina Snow met the monster, or crystal methamphetamine. Kristina's taking care of her new baby, studying for the GED and attempting to get her life back on track. She finds herself in a dark depression and she turns to the monster for temporary relief. Her addiction escalates and spirals out of control. This is a heartbreaking story of Kristina's struggle with drugs, and how her negative choices damage her body and her relationships with those she loves, including her young son. Powerful and disturbing.

"Identical" by Ellen Hopkins

Identical twins Kaeleigh and Raeanne lead what looks like the perfect life. But appearances can be deceiving. Eight years ago, their father, a respected judge, was involved in a fatal car accident. Since the incident, their home life has been in shambles. Their mother is embarked on an ambitious campaign for congress, and is emotionally unavailable. Kaeleigh endures repulsive sexual abuse from her father, and turns to cutting and bulimia to stifle her pain. Raeanne rebels against her family and finds solace in drugs and promiscuity. Each twin tells her side of the story in alternating verse. This is raw emotion, and will draw the reader in, but not for the faint of heart. Best for 9th and up.

"Wake" by Lisa McMann

Dreaming can be pretty amazing. What do they mean? Where they come from? How do you interpret them? 17 year-old Janie is ready to dream on her own. Ever since she was a little girl, she gets sucked into other people's dreams when they fall asleep around her. Watching other peoples' fantasies and nightmares can be both exhilarating and terrifying. Janie knows her special power is unique, and she's forced to keep this secret to herself. That is, until people in their dreams start reaching out to her to save them. Janie can tell her friend Cabel is in need of serious help, but does she want to get involved? This is a first novel for Lisa McMann, but the 2nd installment in the series, Fade, is already set for publication on February 10, 2009.

Best of all, Lisa McMann is hosting a special essay contest for teens aged 14-18 to help them fund their dreams. The grand prize is $1,000! Check out Lisa's website for details: http://lisamcmann.com/

"Tweak: Growing up on Methamphetamines" by Nic Sheff

Oprah let me know about this one. She had both Nic and his dad on her show to talk about how drugs can tear a family apart. Nic grew up privileged in San Francisco, with all opportunities available to him. He took his first drink at age 11, and quickly started a downward spiral into deep addiction. This book is dark and gave me the creeps. No details are left out, so I wouldn't recommend this to anyone with a queasy stomach, methamphetamines are not pretty. It really showcased the struggle of overcoming an addiction and how easy it can be to relapse. Nic's dad wrote his own memoir as well called "Beautiful Boy."