Book 1

Step to This

by Nikki Carter

Published 1 March 2009
Fifteen-year-old Gia Stokes knows exactly what she needs to make her life fantabulous:



   • Get her mother Gwendolyn to let her relax her hair


   • Find a boy to ask her out


   • Get on the Hi-Steppers dance squad


Gia doesn't have the hair or the clothes, but she's got the moves and the attitude to make her sophomore year at Longfellow High unforgettable. But not everyone agrees, so Gia decides it's time for a makeover. With her stylish new look, she scores a date with hottie football player, Romeo, snags a spot on the Hi-Steppers dance squad, and makes a ton of new friends. Gia's on top of the world?until things go horribly wrong. Now Gia feels like all she has left is her mom and her faith. That's not going to stop Gia, she's just got to convince the Hi-Steppers and everyone else at school, to follow her lead and step to her beat.

"Step to This is hot, it's new, it's now. . .with characters that leap from the pages, it's absolutely a must-read." --Monica McKayhan, Essence bestselling author of Indigo Summer

"Filled with smart and witty characters, Step to This is a fun, fast-paced read teens will love." --Ni-Ni Simone, author of A Girl Like Me

"Nikki Carter steps up and delivers a home run with her debut novel, Step to This. It's a real winner." --Chandra Sparks Taylor, author of Spin It Like That and The Pledge

"Nikki Carter is a fresh, new voice in teen fiction! Step to This has it all--drama, humor, and a lesson that everyone can learn from. Full of fun-loving, unforgettable characters that readers will love, Nikki has written a page-turner that will leave the reader wanting more!" --ReShonda Tate Billingsley, author of The Good Girlz series

"Gia Stokes might be a Hi-Stepper, but this teen role model has both feet on the ground as she meets life's challenges with style and grace. Kudos to Nikki Carter for a great start in this fun and relevant teen series!" --Melody Carlson, author of The Carter House Girls, Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors and The Secret Life of Samantha McGregor series

"Step to This is a wonderful, witty tale that is full of laugh-out-loud moments and great lessons." --Victoria Christopher Murray, National bestselling author of The Divine Divas series

"Fun, honest, and so for real . . . I loved Gia and cheered for her as she struggled to find where she fits with friends, family, and faith. Debut author Nikki Carter is now on my must-read list!" --Shelley Adina, author of the All About Us series

"Step to This has alluring characters, wonderful scenes, and a fascinating premise. Nikki Carter has a real talent for writing stories that deal with real issues, but are gripping to read by teens and adults alike." --Jacquelin Thomas, author of The Divine Series

Cool Like That

by Nikki Carter

Published 1 March 2010
"Now that she's been acccepted into a summer enrichment program in New York City, Gia knows that she's going to have the flyest summer ever. Especially since her mom and her annoying stepsister won't be around. And best of all? Her best friend, Ricky, is joining her so they're going to spend the entire summer together. Gia hope that Ricky's finally going to make a move on her, but it seems like Ricky's bent on playing it safe -- too safe, as far as Gia's concerend. So when Rashad, a cutie from the summer program, starts to get his flirt on with Gia, she's got a new crush -- and Ricky's so not cool with that"-- P. [4] of cover.