And She Was

Dara Baker lives in a small town in upstate New York with her mother Millie. Dara just graduated high school and is about to enter the professional tennis circuit. She has to play enough tournaments to get ranked so she can work her way up.

When her mom is at work, Dara searches the house for her birth certificate so she can get a passport. But neither of the two people she sees listed as her parents is called Millie Baker. When her mom gets home, Dara confronts her and is shocked to find out that Millie is transgender and is biologically her father.

Reeling, Dara sets off on a road trip in search of her grandparents with her best friend Sam. A trip that will garner many answers, some she doesn’t even know to ask.

Verdi’s book is a beautiful book about being true to yourself. It takes Dara on an emotional journey as she comes to realize that what Millie did was the right thing for both of them. Read this book – especially if you do not have any trans folks in your life.

Verdi, Jessica. (2018). And She Was. New York: Point.

The Reading List

Sara Nisha Adams’ book The Reading List is a story that illustrates the power of a good book.

Two years after his wife’s death, Mukesh finds a library book that she checked out. She was always reading so he decides to read it to remember his wife. Never before a fiction reader, Mukesh is pulled into the story and it characters as well as feeling closer Naina. When he finishes, he will go to the local library and ask for a recommendation for another book.

Aleisha is working in the library for the summer before her last year of school. She is only there on the urging of her brother who was always in the library growing up. She herself does not really read.

Someone in the Wembley neighborhood of West London has handwritten a reading list titled In Case You Need It. Though no one realizes there is more than one copy, a few people find it. One library patron finds the list on the table next to him. Aleisha finds a copy in a returned book. Someone else finds it on the back of a receipt outside of the shopping center.

Each of the people who find the list start reading their way through the books. Each book has lessons to share as well as some of the best characters in fiction. The list will slowly bring these people together, as the creator of the list intended.

Adams’ book is beautiful. Buy a copy today or check it out of the library. It is a book you will love and then recommend to a friend.

Adams, Sara Nisha. (2021). The Reading List. New York: William Morrow.

it Goes Like This

The teen band Moonlight Overthrown was a smash hit. They were the first out, queer band and their followers will be loyal for as long as time. Unfortunately, they broke up almost two years ago. The internet is now littered with rumors and occasional sightings of one of the four band members.

Eva is in Los Angeles going to college. She still works in the recording industry, but now as a song writer. She is quite enjoying her less paparazzi filled days. She has not spoken to her band mates since the last show. They have a group text, but no one has written in a long time.

Celeste now has a solo career. She is on tour with her second album.

Gina is an actor now. She just finished filming a Netflix project.

No one has heard from Steph is.

Eva is surprised, and a bit hurt, when Celeste and Gina are photographed at an LA party together. The photo also stirs rumors of a band reunion – which seems very unlikely from the point of view of each of the band members. That is, until something happens to bring them all together…

Moreland has written a fun summer read. The characters are well thought-out. It seems like she knows a lot about the music industry. If you are looking for a great queer YA, this is the book for you.

Moreland, Miel. (2021). It Goes Like This. New York: Feiwel & Friends.

Mooncakes

Teen witch Nova Huang lives with her grandmothers over their bookshop. When she hears about something odd in the woods, she goes to investigate. What she finds is her childhood friend, Tam Lang, in her werewolf form.

Tam is back to fight a demon in the woods. She has also run away from home to get away from her stepfather. She will stay with Nova while they figure out what to do.

Walker and Xu have created a great witch story. This graphic novel is based around a Chinese Jewish family, is queer, and a great read.

Walker, Suzanne & Wendy Xu. (2019). Mooncakes. ?: Roar.

Cool for the Summer

Larissa Bogdan just finished her junior year of high school. Whatever her plans were will have to change as her mom tells her they are going to the Outer Banks for the summer. Her mom’s boss summers there, and they have to work. They will be staying in his beach mansion.

Jasmine Killary has spent most summers in Outer Banks. It is the time she spends with her father, the rest of the time she lives with her mother. She sees the same friends each year – all the children of the very wealthy.

Larissa and Jasmine spend the summer going to parties and getting closer. When they say goodbye, they don’t think they will see each other again – just a summer fling. But on the first day of school Larissa sees Jasmine walk down the hall. She has moved in with her father to finish high school.

Adler is a wonderful writer. Her YA romance is great!

Adler, Dahlia. (2021). Cool for the Summer. New York: Wednesday Books.

Melt With You

Fallon and Chloe were best friends, until a year ago when they hooked up. They have not spoken since. Unfortunately, their moms co-own a business where they work in the summer.

Love At First Bite is a popular ice cream truck, both in their upstate New York town, and on the summer food festival circuit. Fallon and her mom were going to drive the truck to Memphis and them Dallas, but now her mom must fly out for a meeting with potential investors.

Chloe is back after her first year of college. She tried to text Fallon a couple of times, but never heard back. Now they are going to be in a truck together for four days.

Dugan has written a YA romance in a unique setting. It is unlikely that things will not be delt with, one way or another.

Dugan, Jennifer. (2022). Melt With You. New York: GP Putnam’s Sons.

Home Field Advantage

Amber McCloud is a high school junior in the Florida panhandle. She is a cheerleader who is campaigning to be head cheerleader next year – hoping to turn that into a college scholarship so she can move far away. She has everything planned and nothing can interfere with the plan.

At the end of the last school year, the previous football quarterback died while drunk driving. As the new year starts there are rumors of a new quarterback, recruited at the summer football camp. For the first day of school, the cheerleaders decorate the players lockers, including the new Jack Walsh – who no one has seen yet.

Jack Walsh agreed to move to a new school to play football for one reason, it is likely the only offer that will come. It is not easy being accepted, despite an incredible set of skills, Because Jack is a girl.

Adler is a great storyteller. Read any of her great YA books!

Adler, Dahlia. (2022). Home Field Advantage. New York: Wednesday Books.