Little White Lies (Canterwood Crest) [Paperback]

Jessica Burkhart (Author)

Book Description

Series: Canterwood Crest

A LITTLE WHITE LIE NEVER HURT ANYONE...RIGHT?

Sasha is with Eric. Callie is with Jacob. And Callie and Sasha are finally BFFs again. Life is as perfect as it's ever been at Canterwood.

So when Sasha learns of a secret that could destroy all of her relationships, she's willing to tell a few white lies to keep everything from falling apart. After all, white lies aren't supposed to hurt anyone....

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Twenty-two year old Jessica Burkhart is a former equestrian turned author. When she’s not writing books, she freelances for magazines such as Girls’ Life and The Writer. She loves volunteering with Shriners Hospital for Children where she had her own spinal fusion. Visit her website at jessicaburkhart.com for blog entries, “Diary of a Debut Author” vlogs, and more.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

1
YOU CALL THIS A WELCOME?

I’D BEEN BACK ON THE CANTERWOOD CREST Academy campus for an hour and I already felt trapped. Not a feeling I’d imagined experiencing on my first day of eighth grade.

But it was true. If I left my dorm, I could get caught between Jacob—my ex–almost-boyfriend who suddenly wanted me back—and Eric—my amazing boyfriend who still didn’t know that Jacob had confessed his feelings to me the day before summer break.

I sat at the edge of my still-unmade bed and took a deep breath, wanting to stay in the safety of my room. I wished my BFF and roommate, Paige Parker, would hurry through her parental good-byes. I needed girl advice stat!

I considered the possibilities:

Out There—I might run into Jacob. That was not good. But I also wanted to see Eric, and with the “no boys allowed in Winchester Hall—ever!” rule, running into him here was highly unlikely. Unless he wanted to risk death by Livvie, my dorm monitor.

Plus, even though I didn’t want to leave, I kind of had to. My riding coach, Mr. Conner, was holding a team meeting at the stable in half an hour. I couldn’t risk being late—it was the first meeting for the Youth Equestrian National Team. After spending most of my summer riding at YENT camp, there was no way I could be late to the first meeting.

I stepped around my matching pink suitcases and checked my reflection in the full-length mirror, wanting to look pretty but casual when I saw Eric for the first time since before summer vacay. I ran my fingers through my light brown hair and flicked a stray eyelash off my cheek. A coat of Cherry Blossom gloss was all I needed—it was so hot outside that any more makeup would run.

I peeled off the wrinkled shirt I’d worn on the two-hour drive from home and pulled a new one from my open suitcase. The cotton-candy pink “I New York” baby tee looked cute with my jean skirt. I’d gotten the T-shirt when I spent a couple of weeks this summer in NYC with Paige.

I smiled as I looked around our room—glad that we’d gotten approval to be roommates again in our familiar seventh-grade dorm room. Despite my worry about running into Jacob, I was beginning to feel better about being here.

Going 2 the stbl 4 mtg. U? I texted Eric.

I pulled on my paddock boots and glanced at my laptop. Just one quick check for any school announcements, I told myself.

Zero new messages.

The mouse hovered over my “save these!!” folder. After a moment’s hesitation, I clicked on the message I’d been staring at all summer long. From: Jacob Schwartz. Subject: Sasha, please read. 6/27. 7:46 p.m.

There was no reason to open that e-mail. None. I should have deleted it the second I’d gotten it this summer. After all, I had a boyfriend. Only horrible girlfriends saved e-mails from other guys—especially other guys currently dating their BFFs. What was wrong with me? But instead of erasing the message, I opened it and read it for the thousandth time.

Sasha,
I had to try again to tell you how sorry I am for the way I acted at the Sweetheart SoirÉe. I know you’re with Eric and I’m dating Callie, but I can’t give up. Not when I still like you so much. You know I don’t want to hurt Callie and I’m sure you feel the same about Eric, but you can’t ignore the truth—there’s something between us. I hope you e-mail or text me back or something. If not, I’ll see you at school. Have a great time at YENT camp.

—Jacob

Not that I’d needed to read the e-mail again to know what it said. I’d had it for three months and now every single word had become stuck in my brain. Just like the look on his face when he’d found me in the courtyard minutes before I’d left to go home last year—the first time he’d told me he wanted me back. I’d run from him then, not answering, and hadn’t replied to any of his messages all summer.

My phone buzzed and I jumped. With shaky fingers, I grabbed my phone.

BRT! Can’t wait 2 c u.

Eric. He was the guy I wanted, not Jacob. Just thinking about seeing Eric after a summer apart made me grin. I couldn’t wait to see his creamy coffee-brown skin and his thick, dark hair that sometimes fell in front of his eyes.

Jacob would have to figure out how to deal.

I shut down the computer and left the dorm, hurrying down the glossy wooden floors of the hallway and stepping around luggage that was stacked outside dorm room doors. Eric was waiting for me. What happened with Jacob—his confession, the e-mail—none of it mattered. Eric and I were happy together. Jacob was too late.

© 2009 Jessica Burkhart

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin; Original edition (December 22, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416990380
• ISBN-13: 978-1416990383
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #129,659 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hi! I'm Jessica Burkhart (Jess) and I write from Brooklyn, NY. I love that I can walk next door and get writer fuel aka Diet Coke and Oreos. :) I was born in 1987 in Nashville, TN and graduated from Florida State University in 2009.

I wrote my first middle-grade novel, TAKE THE REINS, in college and sold it just before graduation at nineteen as part of a four-book deal to Simon & Schuster.

I heart: anything sparkly, unicorns, my bestie and Canterwood editor, Kate Angelella, pink, my friends, pens, horses, lip gloss and books!

I used to be an equestrian before I became a writer. I had to stop due to scoliosis. I had a spinal fusion at Shriners Hospital for Children in St. Louis in 2000.

My BFF and I co-own Violet & Ruby Productions--a company that will soon be producing e-books and e-novellas. We can't wait to release our first e-novella soon! Visit us at http://www.violetandrubyproductions.com.

I also pen (no projects pubbed yet) YA under my real name, Jess Ashley. Currently, I'm working on KEPT, a YA verse novel. http://www.authorjessashley.com.

I blog a lot, so you'll find the most up to date info there: http://jessicaburkhart.blogspot.com. I also Tweet @jessicaburkhart.

For all things Canterwood related, check out http://www.canterwoodcrest.com.

Oh, yeah! I can autograph Kindle versions of Canterwood books via the Internet here: http://www.kindlegraph.com/authors/JessicaBurkhart. It's free and really easy! :)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars love it, November 30, 2010

By 

B. P. Lynch "BriLynValJos" (Bartow, Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Little White Lies (Canterwood Crest) (Kindle Edition)

I love this book.When sasha tells little white lies it is 4 a good purpis.She wants 2 save a relationship.......she dose not want 2 lose Caille again.that is why she lied.I am only 10 and i understand this book very well.I have been reading these books 4 a year. love,<3 <3 :) valerie (fl )

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Series for Girls!!, January 31, 2010

By 

islandgirl "islandgirl" (Northern US) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Little White Lies (Canterwood Crest) (Paperback)

My daughter and I read these together, they are fun, without being "inappropriate"! The characters are likable and well written! so hard to find suitable, fun things for this age group!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars tell me white lies, December 24, 2009

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Little White Lies (Canterwood Crest) (Kindle Edition)

this book is so wonderful sasha is back as an 8th grader @ canterwood but her old boyfriend jacob wants her back she likes eric though. what to do what to do oh sasha knows after all a few white lies never hurt anyone.