If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin is a moving story about self-discovery that follows childhood best friends who grow apart but continue to have a shared connection. Autumn and Finn have been raised as family since childhood with their mothers being best friends and living next door to each other. After they began middle school, popular Finny and alternative Autumn found different friends, styles, and relationships as they stopped interacting with one another.
“When you truly love someone and they love you in return, you ruin your lives together. That is not a curse, it’s what life is, my girl. We all come to ruin, we turn to dust, but whom we love is the thing that lasts.”
Caraval is a story of the love of two sisters, Scarlett and Tella. Scarlett has always dreamed of going to the magical performance of Caraval. The only thing stopping her and her sister is their cruel father, who hasn't let them leave the island. Now Scarlett's father has arranged a marriage for her as well. However, Scarlett's dream has come true, as she receives an invitation to the show. With the help of a mysterious sailor, she and her sister leave the island.
Mall Goth is a Teen fiction graphic novel by Kate Leth. In this book, Liv Holme is a goth girl who loves the mall in her new town. She struggles with problems at home and being herself in her new setting. A teacher at school makes her feel welcome, but she faces some harsh realities. The mall is her escape from her problems. In her new town, Liv finds herself and true friendship.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky follows the story of Charlie, an introverted high school freshman navigating through her life, friendship, and mental health struggles. The novel explores themes of love, friendship, trauma, and self-discovery through Charlie's letters to an anonymous recipient.
If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin is a beautifully written subpar book that I wish gave me more. This book is a coming-of-age book about two best friends harboring secret feelings for each other while also dealing with the ins and outs of high school.
Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton was one of if not the hardest books I’ve ever read. This book is about Adeline a girl who is moving into her grandmother's old mansion, when she finds out about her great-grandmother and her death she becomes intrigued because not only did her great-grandmother have a stalker, but now Adeline has one too. She becomes intrigued by who her stalker is and what he wants. But there is something more sinister behind him, and she is both scared and thrilled to discover it.
This book is the sequel to Fourth Wing and the second book in the Empyrian series. The third book is being released in 2025, which I’m excited for! This book goes through the journey of Violet Sorrengail, and her plans to save her people, as well as her relationship with Xaden Riosrson.
Belly Conklin has been going to Cousins Beach every summer since she was little with her mom and brother Steven to spend the summer with Beck and the Fisher boys. They would make tons of memories and hang out every summer, but this summer was different. Belly realizes she likes one of the Fisher boys but doesn’t know which one and is stuck in a love triangle between Conrad and Jeremiah. Along with this, something is wrong with Beck, and no one knows what it is. I rate this book a ten out of ten, and I liked the summer vibes of this book.
“All their life in this world and all their adventures had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”
