With my first teen book coming out in March, I've been reading a lot of books for the younger crowd. Luckily, author Lara Zeises has her third teen book out! First of all, Lara is very funny, when I was touring the Girls' Cyber Circuit we had some funny e-mail exchanges.

But before I tell you all about the book, the all-important two questions for Lara:

Q: What song would you love to find out was written about you?
A: "In Your Eyes." I know, I know. Completely unoriginal. But I've loved that song fiercely since I was 13 years old.
Q: If you were going to be the inspiration for a song, what would its titlebe?
A: "You Make Me Want to Be a Better Person." Not the sexiest of titles, but you get the drift. I'd like to think I inspire people, because it's something I work very hard at.

Now, on to Lara's book, ANYONE BUT YOU.

“Family, it turned out, was something you really could choose for yourself.” So says Seattle, one of two teen protagonists in Lara Zeises’ third novel for young adults, ANYONE BUT YOU (Delacorte Press / on sale November 8 / $15.95). The other, Critter, is Sea’s best friend and “pseudo brother,” with whom she’s grown up since her dad took off six years ago. Set within Zeises’ home state of Delaware during one steamy summer, the novel takes a fresh, hard look at what it means to be a family – especially when relationships change in surprising and unexpected ways.

It all begins when Seattle, 15, and Critter, 17, get tired of sweating out their days waiting for summer school to start. Sea, too hot to hop on her skateboard, hatches a plan for Critter to sweet-talk their way into a private pool. It works – but Sea gets more than she bargained for, as Critter falls under the spell of the Penn Acres princess guarding the pool. No way can Sea stomach Critter hooking up with a girl like that.

But Critter can’t believe his luck when Sarah seems to like him as much as he likes her. He’s certain this girl “gets” him – a quality that up to this point he’s only found in Seattle. Even though Critter knows Sarah could break his heart, he can’t understand why Seattle is less than happy for him. Especially since Seattle has found Scott, an older skater boy visiting from out of town. Not that Critter approves of their relationship, he is certain Scott’s only after one thing – and he won’t get it, not if Critter has his say.

Just when things couldn’t get any more confusing, Seattle’s dad resurfaces, his mere presence a threat to the fabric that binds their unconventional family. Told in alternating viewpoints, ANYONE BUT YOU delivers the story of a family in crisis – and the love that keeps them together.