• Age: 12 to 18
• Grade: 8 to 12
• Reading age: 12 to 18

When sixteen-year-old Adele Reimer is forced to spend two weeks at a youth reform camp, she has no idea it will lead to a complicated and dangerous love triangle.

With her mother in rehab and her estranged father unable to take immediate custody, Adele's only goal at the camp is to avoid any trouble. But then Adele meets mysterious Fergus and charming Andy and soon finds herself pulled into a dangerous situation that might end up costing her life. Can Adele both listen to her heart and trust her instincts?

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Melinda Di Lorenzo has been writing professionally for more than a decade and is the author of Counting Scars and Racing Hearts in the Orca Soundings line. In 2013 she won Harlequin's annual So You Think You Can Write contest, which came with a publishing contract and launched her successfully into the romance world. With a BA in English from Simon Fraser University and a passion for classic love stories that feature strong (albeit sometimes problematic) female leads battling social constraints, such as Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights, Melinda infuses her books with flawed characters in real, relatable situations. Bullied as a teen, Melinda sought refuge in books. She now wants to bring that refuge to others, and she draws on her experience as the parent of three teens to craft stories that reflect modern struggles without turning those struggles into stereotypes. She also supports young writers and makes an annual creative writing scholarship donation to École Salish Secondary. Melinda lives in Surrey, British Columbia.

Melinda Di Lorenzo's profile page

• Commended, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Quick Picks
• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens, starred selection
• Commended, Top Grade: CanLit for the Classroom
• Commended, Junior Library Guild (JLG) Gold Standard Selection

“Short and well-paced...The interesting and age-appropriate subject matter make the books in the series more accessible to a wider range of readers, and Counting Scars is no exception.”

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

“Propulsive, with cliffhangers and burning resentments...Hand to reluctant high school readers looking for a good crime story.”

School Library Journal (SLJ)

“An engaging, focused romantic thriller that will pull in reluctant readers.”

Kirkus Reviews