Ann Herrick Books for Kids & Teens
My Bad-Boy Summer
17-year-old Vija Skalbe wants to be an all-American girl—no matter how hard her parents try to impose their strict Latvian standards on her. Then one day Nolan, a folksinger, steals her heart at a coffeehouse.
Soon Vija is cruising from one adventure to another, dizzy with joy, her new-found freedom and the excitement of being with the kind of guy who is a challenge.
However, when Vija’s father has a heart attack, she must take over running the family lawn-care business. She feels overwhelmed until sweet brainiac Joel volunteers to help. He shares the workload and lifts her spirits with his humor. But it is Nolan who fills her heart.
It doesn’t matter that Nolan wants everything his way. Or that he’s constantly eyeing other girls. Or that he can be pouty and punitive. Or that he says she’s seeing things all wrong. Until it does matter. But Vija’s in so deep. The thing is, she likes the excitement of being with him. Now, she is about to find out just how much she likes it.
Reviews
“… he was the quintessential bad boy – he lived by his own rules and no one tells him what to do. She found it appealing – at some point we all have. But I could not bring myself to like him – not one bit. BUT, it was refreshing to see a real life, true to realism relationship. With all that goes along with getting to know a significant other and what you are willing to change about yourself for another person…
The story is thought provoking and should be a must read for all teenage girls.”
~~Erin, Goodreads
“…thought provoking and should be a must read…the story still holds true–that even though the package is nice and pretty on the outside and quite tempting – what’s inside isn’t always what its cracked up to be.”
~~Erin, The Reading Cafe
4 Stars
“… sucks you in right at page 1…. the author does a great job of connecting the reader to the characters.
There was great suspense in this book that forced me not to be able to put it down. I loved how the author makes the reader root for Vija to make the right decisions and see what Vija wants has been right in front of her face.
…a fantastic job of portraying teenage issues, i.e., friendships, relationships…”
~~Amy Fischer, Goodreads
5 stars
“Sometimes, exactly what you need has been right in front of you the whole time! You just need to open your eyes and open your heart to the obvious! It’s All in Your Mind by Ann Herrick touches on the fantasy of love and reality of life as her young heroine comes of age, learns about life and what she wants from it…Ann Herrick has done a remarkable job of weaving a tale that touches on relationships, love, and the confusion of being a teen who hasn’t spent life in the fast lane and really isn’t sure it’s what she wants, but is caught up in the thrill of breaking away…”
~~Dii, Tome Tender Book Blog
5 stars
” …. A great contemporary YA novel, this one is sure to appease readers of all kinds…has a wonderful voice that makes the reader still feel as if they are in a different time, while still being able to connect with the characters and feel at home.
…Vija is definitely a realistic character… She doesn’t have a lot of experience with romance, so when she gets the attention of a man, she is a little naive and not unbelievably headstrong. However, she is still able to stand up for herself when the moment arises….thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought the close came at a perfect time. Not to mention, it left a delicious hint of what will happen next with the characters.
…truly a gem of a story, and as a little YA contemporary definite find, I can highly recommend giving it a try. ”
~~Justine, YA LIT Chick