The Break-Up Diaries

Simone (Upgrade U) and debut author London kick off a new series with a pair of drama-fueled stories about girls looking for love in all the wrong ways. Set in Atlanta, Simone's "Hot Boyz" follows the charmed life of 16-year-old Chance%E2%80%94the pampered daughter of a DA and a CEO%E2%80%94who prefers partying with her Thick-n-Juicy clique in edgier neighborhoods; when she meets college senior Ahmad, she pretends she is 18, which brings plenty of trouble. In London's "The Boy Trap," head cheerleader and schemer Gabrielle, aka "Easy Breezy," is dumped by a popular basketball player, only to latch on to a new one, Tyler, as she tries to fulfill her goal of snagging a future NBA player and living the easy life. Readers won't doubt that everything will work out in the end (even after Gabrielle nearly poisons Tyler after she tries to stimulate his libido with ginseng), which it does in very tidy, message-heavy endings. Opportunities for genuine growth get lost amid dialogue and characters that aim for authenticity but simply feel clich%C3%A9d. Ages 14%E2%80%93up. (May)