SWEET, by Emmy Laybourne

The story: How far would you go to be perfectly thin? Celebrities and rich folks have gathered on a deluxe cruise ship, eager to try the new food additive Solu. Viv's dad has paid for Laurel and Viv to be there too--maybe they can both lose a few pounds by the end of the trip. They never imagined that instead of being a dream come true, Solu will become a living nightmare that turns a holiday for the rich-and-famous into a cruise from hell...

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence R; Sexual content PG_13; Nudity PG; substance abuse PG-13; magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (obsession with body image; mob action & murder; addiction) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: Here's a story that's not only a can't-put-it-down thriller, but that also tackles America's obsession with body image and how far we'd go to achieve the "perfect" figure. My only question is the premise that the addicts turn into walking skeletons five days into the cruise, which seems a physical impossibility (take it from a forever dieter!) but if you're willing to suspend disbelief on that, here's a story for an 8th-grade (or HS) book club told from alternating points of view (Laurel and TV star Tom) that both boys and girls will like.