Some Species of Outsider-ness by Angela Grey and Paige Peterson is a poignant coming-of-age novel for young adult readers. Piper Quesenberry and Slater Hartmann are two teens who feel like outsiders for different reasons. Piper is battling bipolar disorder, and Slater is recovering from Guillain-Barré...

And Far Between by Alex Stearns follows Jimmy Stone's tumultuous summer as the pre-teen moves through a fractured relationship with his abusive, alcoholic mother, her partner Paul, and the cruel power imbalance of “friends” like Fred and Mike. Jimmy has dreams of an escape route...

Where the Guava Tree Stands by Leah T. Williams is a heartfelt work where the poems in the collection are set in a narrative style. We follow Mina’s emotional journey as she moves from her beloved St. Kitts to Orlando, Florida. Williams has a poignant...

La Ballona Creek by Brant Vickers follows Jorma, Yogi, and Sonny after discovering a hidden world through Tomer, a Tongva descendant, and their involvement in a conflict over the protection of Tongva ancestral lands. They undertake a mission to retrieve the Tongva ancestors' remains from...

Elizabeth Stevens gives us a modern twist on a Jane Austen classic in Netherfield Prep: Austen Reimagined. Lily Brewer had lived in Australia with her mother her entire life. When her mother passed away, Lily was shipped off to England to live with her father....

Kat Baker dreams of running for a cross-country team at New Canaan High. She plans to train all summer, but her mom, Maria, takes Kat and her little brother, James, for a long vacation to her home country, Greece. Kat is devastated. The small village...

Becoming Carly Klein by Elizabeth Harlan follows the story of a headstrong sixteen-year-old girl named Carly Klein. Despite her privileged upbringing, Carly feels neglected by her self-absorbed parents and lashes out in unpredictable ways. A sophomore at Baxter Girls High School, Carly develops a crush...

The Errors of a Blossoming Girl by Marie Shannon is a gripping young adult coming-of-age novel. Siobhain Kelly learns that her older sister is pregnant and about to get married soon. Siobhain is a bright and talented young woman, but her love life has been...

Whispers of an Unfinished Tale by Spandana M L is a refreshing tale of youthful unrequited love. Set primarily in a school, the main character, Roohi, falls fast and deep for her classmate, Karan. At first, they exchange stolen glances during lab, and he asks...

Dancing with No Shoes by Scott Lindgren is a powerful coming-of-age story centered on David Hardy, a teenager with cerebral palsy who refuses to let his disability define his future. Set during one transformative summer in Boston, the novel masterfully interweaves elements of romance, mystery,...