Kylie recommends: Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix by Caleb Roehrig
Genre: YA retelling
Reading Level: YA
Summary: A Romeo & Juliet LGBTQ+ retelling following a relationship between Romeo and Mercutio’s brother Valentine.
Kylie says: A classic retelling with a twist featuring LGBTQ+ characters.
Kylie recommends: Something More by Jackie Khalilieh
Genre: Contemporary romance
Reading Level: YA
Summary: A coming-of-age story about Jessie, a Palestinian-Canadian girl trying to hide her new autism diagnosis while navigating her first year of high school.
Kylie says: I loved the autism representation in this story and the romance was really cute. There are friends-to-lovers, bad boy x good girl, and love triangle tropes. Theater is a big part of the story and Jessie makes a list of goals to achieve that drives the story.
Cathy recommends: Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
Genre: Romance
Reading Level: Adult
Summary: One mistake does not an evil person make.
Cathy says: This book brought such waves of emotion. It’s about a mother separated from her child whom she loves with all her heart. It’s about finding ways to deal with depression, untenable situations, living with disappointments and loneliness. It’s about good people and bad assumptions. It’s about love.
Audrey recommends: Sweet and Sour by Debbi Michiko Florence
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Reading Level: Middle grade
Summary: Mai is furious with her best friend Zach for his awful behavior two summers ago… only problem is, he has no idea what he did.
Audrey says: Debbi Michiko Florence’s novels are the best if you love complex characters and nuanced relationships. Mai and Zach’s memories of the past are different, but neither is wrong for feeling the way they do. The reader might feel compelled to take a side when they’re working with limited information, just like the characters do. When the full truth is revealed, it’s surprising to learn how many bad assumptions you’ve made. As an added bonus, this story takes place in Mystic, CT. Anyone who’s been to the seaport will instantly recognize all the locations in this book!
This book is available at Foster Public Library.
Cathy recommends: Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Reading Level: Adult
Summary: Don’t look for love in all the wrong places.
Cathy says: This is the quintessential rom-com. The protagonist, Annie, has blinders on about whom she should love and, as a result, is not even in the race. The reader is both amused and frustrated by Annie’s mulishness. As with most rom-coms, this easy read has a happy ending.
This book is available at Tyler Free Library.
Audrey recommends: Answers in the Pages by David Levithan
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Reading Level: Middle grade
Summary: Donovan’s mom leads a crusade to ban a fifth-grade book assignment that features LGBTQ+ themes… but Donovan finds himself on the opposing side to fight back against censorship.
Audrey says: This is one of my favorite new releases of 2022! The story follows three interconnected storylines, following unwitting community leader Donovan, gay student Gideon, and the text of the banned book itself. Each storyline is fascinating on its own, and watching them all click together is so satisfying. Everyone in the book had their own voice and opinion, creating a whole fleshed-out community. Even the characters who I thought would never be redeemed were given the time and sympathy to explain their motivations, which made them less “villain” and more “human.” I was pleasantly surprised to find myself forgiving them. And I can’t even describe how much the romance made me smile! Add this to your to-read shelf if you have an interest in contemporary issues, want to teach a lesson on censorship, or just want a really enjoyable short read.
This title is available at Foster Public Library.
