Not Without My Pink Lip-Gloss: A Jenna Belle Story by Mara Witsken is a realistic and relatable young adult novel about Jenna Belle, a girl who never goes anywhere without her pink lip-gloss. She doesn’t feel complete without it. She is a freshman at Sunset High School, loves Spanish class, and dreams of one day attending Harvard University.

In middle school, she was one of the popular girls with her best friend, Katie, by her side. When Jenna starts high school, however, everything is different. Katie is now a cheerleader and acts like Jenna doesn’t exist. Jenna is completely cut off from all of her social connections.

When she meets Annie, a nerdy but kind soul, Jenna is grateful to have found a friend. Soon, they are best friends.

However, Jenna still misses Katie and feels as though a part of her is missing. Halfway through the school year, Annie is still her only friend. Jenna is lonely and has a hopeless crush on Jason Hall, the star basketball player in the school. But is he really the Prince Charming Jenna thinks he is?

About the Author

Mara Witsken is a graduate student at Mount Saint Joseph University working towards a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music and plays multiple instruments such as the violin, viola, French horn, saxophone, and clarinet. Writing a novel for teenage girls has been her dream since she was a teenage girl. It is her sincere hope that young girls all over the world will read her book and see that they are beautiful just the way they are, and they don't need makeup to be pretty.

Although, it never hurts to have a little extra sparkle. ;)