YA Fiction (Young Adult)

Juliet Takes A Breath by Gabby Rivera

‘F***ing outstanding.’–Roxane Gay, New York Times bestselling author Rivera captures both the disappointments and the possibilities that come with realizing that your life s solution cannot be figured out by someone else. The New York Times Book ReviewJuliet Milagros Palante is a self-proclaimed closeted Puerto Rican baby dyke from the Bronx. Only, she’s not so closeted anymore. Not after coming out to her family the night before flying to Portland, Oregon, to intern with her favorite feminist writer–what’s sure to be a life-changing experience. And when Juliet’s coming out crashes and burns, she’s not sure her mom will ever speak to her again.But Juliet has a plan–sort of. Her internship with legendary author Harlowe Brisbane, the ultimate authority on feminism, women’s bodies, and other gay-sounding stuff, is sure to help her figure out this whole ‘Puerto Rican lesbian’ thing. Except Harlowe’s white. And not from the Bronx. And she definitely doesn’t have all the answers . . .In a summer bursting with queer brown dance parties, a sexy fling with a motorcycling librarian, and intense explorations of race and identity, Juliet learns what it means to come out–to the world, to her family, to herself.

A fist-pumping intersectional feminist power anthem with powerful ideas about sexual, racial, and political identity.
The book addresses white privilege and unintentional racism within feminist circles.

Of Ice And Shadows by Audrey Coulthurst

The long-awaited sequel to the acclaimed YA fantasy Of Fire and Stars! Mare and Denna travel to a new and dangerous kingdom where Denna will be trained to tame her magic by a mysterious queen who is not all she seems. Perfect for fans of Malinda Lo and Kristin Cashore. Princesses Denna and Mare are in love and together at last only to face a new set of dangers.Mare just wants to settle down with the girl she loves, which would be easier if Denna weren t gifted with forbidden and volatile fire magic. Denna must learn to control her powers, which means traveling in secret to the kingdom of Zumorda, where she can seek training without fear of persecution. Determined to help, Mare has agreed to serve as an ambassador as a cover for their journey.But just as Mare and Denna arrive in Zumorda, an attack on a border town in Mynaria changes everything. Mare s diplomatic mission is now urgent: she must quickly broker an alliance with the queen of Zumorda to protect her homeland. However, the queen has no interest in allying with other kingdoms; it s Denna s untamed but powerful magic that catches her eye. The queen offers Denna a place among her elite trainees an opportunity that would force her to choose between her magic and Mare.As Denna s powers grow stronger, Mare struggles to be the ambassador her kingdom needs. By making unconventional friends, her knowledge of Zumorda and its people grow, and so too do her suspicions about who is truly behind the attacks on Zumorda and her homeland.As rising tensions and unexpected betrayals put Mare and Denna in jeopardy and dangerous enemies emerge on all sides, can they protect their love and save their kingdoms?

Tell Me Again How A Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan

At Armstead Academy, everyone knows everything about everyone. Well, everyone thinks they know everything . . . Leila has made it most of the way through Armstead Academy without having a crush on anyone, which is a relief. As an Iranian American, she s different enough; if word got out that Leila liked girls, life would be twice as hard. But when beautiful new girl Saskia shows up, Leila starts to take risks she never thought she would. As she carefully confides in trusted friends about Saskia s confusing signals, Leila begins to figure out that all her classmates are more complicated than they first appear to be, and some are keeping surprising secrets of their own An empowering romance featuring a lovable, awkward protagonist who just needs a little nudge of confidence to totally claim her multifaceted identity. Booklist, starred review Farizan exceeds the high expectations she set with her debut, If You Could Be Mine, in this fresh, humorous, and poignant exploration of friendship and love. Publishers Weekly, starred review Funny, heartwarming, and wise. Kirkus Reviews A 2015 ALA Top Ten Rainbow List Title A 2015 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

Of Fire And Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

An atmospheric and romantic debut fantasy perfect for fans of Ash and The Winner s Curse.

Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile kingdoms.But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire a dangerous gift for the future queen of a land where magic is forbidden.Now Denna has to learn the ways of her new kingdom while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria s formidable warhorses before her coronation and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine, sister of her betrothed. When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two work together, they discover there is more to one another than they thought and soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms and each other.Plus don’t miss the sequel: Of Ice and Shadows!

Margaret and the Mystery of the Missing Body by Megan Milks

Megan Milks s Margaret and the Mystery of the Missing Body (2021) is a highly celebrated queer coming-of-age novel that was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in Transgender Fiction. It heavily explores sapphic desire, 1990s girlhood, and trans/genderqueer identity through a experimental literary lens.

Margaret and the Mystery of the Missing Body by Megan Milks
A genre-bending, darkly comedic reimagining of 1990s adolescent nostalgia, Megan Milks’s novel follows Margaret Worm, the twelve-year-old head detective of the mystery club ‘Girls Can Solve Anything’. As high school begins, the club disbands and Margaret finds herself completely unmoored by the social demands of growing up, her burgeoning sapphic desires, and an overwhelming sense of gender dysphoria. Opting out of adolescence entirely, she develops a severe eating disorder that lands her in a surreal treatment center. There, the narrative fractures into a ‘choose-your-own-adventure’ style video game format where Margaret must navigate literal ghosts, secret passages, and the shifting landscape of her own body. The text serves as an essential, brilliant interrogation of the ‘girl sleuth’ genre, populated by the queer, butch, and trans youths historically left out of mainstream YA fiction.

The Girl From The Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag

From the author of The Witch Boy trilogy comes a graphic novel about family, romance, and first love.Fifteen-year-old Morgan has a secret: She can’t wait to escape the perfect little island where she lives. She’s desperate to finish high school and escape her sad divorced mom, her volatile little brother, and worst of all, her great group of friends…who don’t understand Morgan at all. Because really, Morgan’s biggest secret is that she has a lot of secrets, including the one about wanting to kiss another girl.Then one night, Morgan is saved from drowning by a mysterious girl named Keltie. The two become friends and suddenly life on the island doesn’t seem so stifling anymore.But Keltie has some secrets of her own. And as the girls start to fall in love, everything they’re each trying to hide will find its way to the surface…whether Morgan is ready or not.

One True Way by Shannon Hitchcock

A heartening story of two girls who discover their friendship is something more. But how, among their backward town, will Sam and Allie face what they know is true about themselves?Welcome to Daniel Boone Middle School in the 1970s, where teachers and coaches must hide who they are, and girls who like girls are forced to question their own choices. Presented in the voice of a premier storyteller, One True Way sheds exquisite light on what it means to be different, while at the same time being wholly true to oneself. Through the lives and influences of two girls, readers come to see that love is love is love. Set against the backdrop of history and politics that surrounded gay rights in the 1970s South, this novel is a thoughtful, eye-opening look at tolerance, acceptance, and change, and will widen the hearts of all readers.

Girls Of Fate And Fury by Natasha Ngan

TO SAVE THE KINGDOM, AND THEIR LOVE, THE GIRLS OF PAPER AND FIRE MUST FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO EACH OTHER.

The Hidden Palace is the last place LEi hoped to find herself. As a captive, she’s put on display as the Demon King’s sign that war is on the horizon and he intends to win. But Lei learned long ago that Paper is never as fragile as it seems, and she’ll do whatever it takes to bring down the kingdom from the inside.

Outside the palace walls, Wren is desperate to rescue her love. Charged by her father to fight in the impending battle, Wren sees the brutality of war up close. As she makes her way across Ikhara, she’ll question what sacrifice for the greater good truly means.

WIth the two girls torn apart and each in great peril, will they reunite at last or have their destinies diverged forever?

Love & Other Natural Disasters by Misa Sugiura

This delightfully disastrous queer YA rom-com is a perfect read for fans of Jenny Han, Morgan Matson, and Sandhya Menon. When Nozomi Nagai pictured the ideal summer romance, a fake one wasn’t what she had in mind. That was before she met the perfect girl. Willow is gorgeous, glamorous, and…heartbroken And when she enlists Nozomi to pose as her new girlfriend to make her ex jealous, Nozomi is a willing volunteer. Because Nozomi has a master plan of her own: one to show Willow she’s better than a stand-in, and turn their fauxmance into something real. But as the lies pile up, it’s not long before Nozomi’s schemes take a turn toward disaster…and maybe a chance at love she didn’t plan for.

Girls Of Paper And Fire by Natasha Ngan

Uncover a riveting story of palace intrigue set in a sumptuous Asian-inspired fantasy world in the breakout YA novel that Publisher’s Weekly calls ‘elegant and adrenaline-soaked.’*A New York Times Bestseller**#1 on the Indie Next Kid’s List**Goodreads Best Books of November**B&N Top Books of November**Publisher’s Weekly Books of the Week**Hypable Most Anticipated YA Book Releases*In this richly developed fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most persecuted class of people in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards for an unknown fate still haunts her. Now, the guards are back and this time it’s Lei they’re after — the girl with the golden eyes whose rumored beauty has piqued the king’s interest. Over weeks of training in the opulent but oppressive palace, Lei and eight other girls learns the skills and charm that befit a king’s consort. There, she does the unthinkable — she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens her world’s entire way of life. Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide how far she’s willing to go for justice and revenge.