The Real Me

When Mattie has issues with her weight, she decides to take charge of her life, redo her image, find confidence and maybe even dare to talk to guys. Will a change in lifestyle, a friend, a tormentor, and a dream guy help Mattie discover her real self and find romance along the way?

"…a charming young adult novel about love and identity. Mattie, the first-person narrator, is a spunky heroine who takes charge of her life, makes mistakes, dusts herself off, and tries again. Kevin, her heartthrob, is both believable and appealing. The plot moves quickly with enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing about whether-and with whom-Mattie will find true love …." ~ Debra Stang, eBook Reviews Weekly

"…Ann Herrick delivers a plot that is big on empowerment for the female teen, while exploring the conflicting emotions, uncertainty, and dreams that are prevalent in those "between" years. [She] tells a story about a young woman who has character, a sense of compassion, strong commitment, determination, and understanding beyond her years. We see the questions about ethics, compassion and morality arise and how they are handled. This is a very good portrayal of the teen years, addressing some of the issues that are faced, the challenges and opportunities that can arise, and the choices that are made. Best of all, we watch Mattie bloom before our very eyes and grow into what she calls, "the real me"." ~ Kim Green-Spangler, Womenonwriting.com  

"…a great insight into the insecurities, hopes, dreams, and confusion of being a teenager, and the self-acceptance and realization that not all is how it appears to be at first.  Mattie is self-conscious over her appearance, little realizing that her true beauty has been shining forth all the time – even without the weight loss and haircut.  The new look just gives her the self-confidence to hold her head high and let the “real” Mattie shine forth. She realizes that even guys, and the “popular” kids, have insecurities and fears of their own…I found it to be entertaining, and…I plan on reading more of Ms. Herrick’s books in the future." ~ Teresa Henson, Romance Junkies  

"After loving Ann Herrick's The Farewell Season, I was completely honored to be given the chance to read and review The Real Me. Ann has quickly become one of my new favorite authors. I absolutely love her writing style. I loved the realistic characters and the fact that the moment I start reading her novels, I just can't put them down. The Real Me has a great message and makes you think about how everyone has insecurities, no matter what they look like or how popular they are.  I've had weight issues my whole life and it took me quite some time to be comfortable in my own skin. Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. The Real Me was a refreshingly wonderful contemporary read that I highly recommend." ~ 5 Stars, Memoriesovertakingme Reviews

Snowed In Together

What secrets are revealed when six teens get trapped at school on a Saturday? 

Wes and his best buds, Tony and Jeff, have enough brain power to fuel the entire sophomore class, but when it comes to their social lives, they are totally inept. So they volunteer to organize the art room on Saturday knowing three certain cheerleaders will be there for practice. Trouble is, none of the guys can come up with a plan to take advantage of the opportunity to be the only six students in the building.
  
Then, thanks to a freak snowstorm, they're snowed in, which isn't so bad when the girls of their horniest dreams are there, too. Maybe it could give Wes the chance to make his fantasies about Ellyce come true! However, the last thing Wes expects is to be caught in a game that forces everyone to share his deepest secret. He fears if Ellyce discovers the story of his alcoholic father and abandonment by his mother, she'll never want anything to do with him.

"Ann completely stayed true to the characters and their age. Teenage hormones were very active, but not overdone. And I loved how everything turned out in the end for Wes and his friends. Things didn't end perfectly - I mean, it's high school - but the things that really matter, like self-confidence, self-discovery, and self-growth, was accomplished in spades. Ann Herrick's "Snowed In Together" is definitely a five star story!" ~ Zee, Fire Pages Reviews

"Snowed in Together is a young adult novel that has an important message. Wes is not dealing with the things going on in his life…he is hiding them from the world. Only when the students begin to share their deepest secrets does Wes learn that he is not alone and that talking to others about his problems is important.

I really enjoyed the characters from Snowed in Together. It brought back many memories from high school as well as those awkward moments of talking with boys. I could relate to Wes and his friends. The message is very important to the story and one that each child should learn!" ~  MDOBSON, Sizzling Hot Book Reviews

"...funny banter, deep teen insight and interesting bonding." ~ 4 Stars, Sailon at Shelfari