Tag Archives: Romance

YA – Near Misses & Cowboy Kisses

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Emmel, Katrina. Near Misses & Cowboy Kisses. Delacorte Romance, 2024. 978-0-593-70814-9 $12.99. 276 p. Grades 7-10.

Riley Thomas has had enough upheaval.  Her parents decided to take new teaching positions at a different college, and they’re taking Riley and her younger brother along with them. That means a new school, a new town, and a new state. Moving from California to Nebraska is a huge change, and Riley’s sure she’ll never like it. She had summer plans and senior year plans. Now all of that is gone. In addition, her parents decided they would all take a week long Oregon Trail family bonding experience, and her luggage is lost. There are few people her age on the trip–one is Colton Walker, the highly knowledgeable and apparently smug tour guide, who quickly sizes up Riley as a “prairie princess” with new boots, new clothes, and California origin. Colton loves his Nebraska life and his family’s business running tours of the plains.  He’s used to the quiet, the wide open spaces, and never getting close to anyone on the tours. Jake Wheeler, on the other hand, welcomes any chance to charm a girl, and brief flings are his forte. As soon as she arrives, Jake has his eyes on Riley, and Colton begins to see other sides to her as well. 

THOUGHTS: The ensuing (far-fetched) ups and downs of their falling in love is predictable and perfectly appealing to fans of Hallmark movies.  

Romance

YA – The Secret Year

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Hubbard, Jennifer R. The Secret Year. Viking Books for Young Readers, 2025. 978-0-593-69532-6. 208 p. $11.99. Grades 9-12.

For the past year seventeen-year-old Colt secretly has been meeting Julia by the river near his home in the flats. What started out as an innocent run in quickly became a dysfunctional “relationship” that neither Colt or Julia has shared with anyone else. Julia’s life up on Black Mountain – full of country club events, parties, and unimaginable wealth – seems to be worlds away from Colt’s. His front yard is more like dumping ground for rusting, broken down vehicles. The two couldn’t be from more different backgrounds, but they click. But Julia is dating Austin and is fine keeping things casual with Colt. Then Julia dies suddenly, and Colt can’t show his grief because no one else knows he even knew Julia. Lost in a bit of a grief fog, Colt goes about his normal routines until he’s approached at school by Julia’s younger brother Michael who gives him Julia’s journal. Then begins Colt’s healing process as he reads the journal entries Julia wrote to him about their time together. But will Colt ever be able to move on when no one else knows what he’s experienced?

THOUGHTS: This title is a reprint (originally published in 2010) and is being heavily marketed for fans of If He Had Been with Me (also republished) and If Only I Had Told Her by Laura Nowlin. Though Colt and Julia share a mature “relationship,” much of it is assumed and is mostly off page (“What happens between us is amazing. It’s not just the sex.”). This title takes a unique approach to the grief, where a male lead is featured which is a nice change for the romance/realistic genre, and it also addresses other important topics like social classes, grief, poverty, family dynamics, and homophobia. A new catchy new cover will ensure this epistolary title flies off of high school library shelves.

Realistic Fiction

YA – A Drop of Venom

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Patel, Sajni. A Drop of Venom. Hyperion, 2024. 978-1-368-09268-5. 416 p. $18.67. Grades 9-12.

Manisha is a 16 year old naga in hiding who lives in the floating priestess temples trying to survive like her mother and sisters wanted. However, the temple isn’t as safe as it appears as Manisha tries to hide who she really is. Pratyush is famous for slaying monsters, and every time he visits the temple he is drawn to Manisha and he doesn’t know why. He decides he no longer wants to slay monsters; instead he wants a simple life with Manisha. However, Manisha has made some enemies at the temple and one day is assaulted and thrown off the ledge into a pit of vipers. Fast forward, the King sends Pratyush off to murder one last monster before he will grant him his freedom. He must kill a naga who is turning to men and then he can live the simple life he has dreamed of. What Pratyush doesn’t know is that Manisha survived being thrown off the ledge and is the naga monster he has to kill.

THOUGHTS: This is told in alternating perspectives, it might take the reader a little while to get settled into the story. However, once that happens this book takes off and will definitely make you want to keep reading to find out what is going to happen. A very interesting take on the legend of Medusa woven with Indian mythology, A Drop of Venom will delight fantasy readers who will anticipate book 2 which publishes in February 2025!

Fantasy

YA – A Language of Dragons

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Williamson, S.F. A Language of Dragons. Harper Collins, 2025. 978-0-008-74072-6. 473 p. $19.99. Grades 9-12.

A Language of Dragons begins with Vivian Featherswallow getting ready to start the rest of her life, with an internship to study dragon languages on the horizon. By the end of the night, her parents are arrested for being traitors, her little sister is in hiding with another family, and she has started a civil war between the humans and dragons. Not quite what she thought was going to happen, Vivian is determined to fix it. She is given an opportunity to go to Bletchley Park and do something top secret. If she succeeds, her family will be safe, and life will go back to how it was before. However, as she tries to break a new dragon language, she discovers there is more to all of this than she thought. Now she has a hard decision to make which will affect her family and everyone she cares about.

THOUGHTS: This is a fast paced, high action fantasy with amazing characters and creepy villains. This book is great for fans of the Wings of Fire series and is a must have for every high school collection.

Fantasy

YA – Just Another Epic Love Poem

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Akhbari, Parisa. Just Another Epic Love Poem. Dial Books, 2024. 978-0-593-53049-8. 394 p. $19.99. Grades 9-12.

Mitra Esfahani, an Iranian American high school senior at a Catholic school in Washington, has always relied on two things to make sense of her world: her best friend Bea Ortega and poetry. From the day Bea passed Mitra a note in eighth grade with an original poem scribbled inside, their friendship blossomed into an unshakable bond. Together, they’ve poured their hearts into The Book, an ever-growing collection of confessional poetry that’s seen them through heartbreak, identity struggles, and family traumas. For introverted Mitra, The Book is a lifeline—a creative sanctuary where she can express everything except the one truth she’s too afraid to admit: she’s in love with Bea. As senior year unfolds, Mitra and Bea face new challenges. They’re taking a competitive poetry seminar together, grappling with college decisions, and planning their future in Seattle. But when Bea begins to suspect Mitra’s feelings and Mitra’s estranged, newly sober mother reenters her life, everything feels on the verge of unraveling. Mitra must confront her past, her fears, and the insecurities that have kept her from fully opening up—not just to Bea, but to herself.

THOUGHTS: In this poignant debut, Akhbari weaves lyrical prose, chat logs, and heartfelt poetry with themes of first love, cultural identity, and the lingering impact of addiction. Mitra’s journey of self-discovery—rooted in Iranian culture, family dynamics, and queer identity—offers a tender and authentic portrayal of growing up, filled with humor, heartbreak, and hope. Perfect for teens navigating big emotions and literary aspirations.

Romance

YA – Your Blood, My Bones

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Andrew, Kelly. Your Blood, My Bones. Scholastic, 2024. 978-1-338-88507-1 . 356 p. $19.30. Grades 9-12.

Wyatt Westlock has just found out that her father died, and she has inherited the house. The only thing she wants to do is light a match and watch the house burn. When she shows up to do just that, she makes a discovery in the basement… Peter, who was her childhood best friend, is chained up in the basement. Wyatt has no idea what’s been happening to Peter at the hands of her family, or that Peter has been tied to the property for hundreds of years unable to die. The only way for Peter to stop what’s been happening to him is to stop the Westlock line and kill the last remaining member…Wyatt. With Wyatt’s father dead, the dark forces from the underworld are creeping in, and pretty soon they will take over everything living and dead. Will Wyatt be able to stop them with the help of Peter who has sworn to kill her? Or will they both end up torn apart?

THOUGHTS: This is a very creepy, fast paced, horror book that will keep the reader up late into the night trying to figure out what’s going to happen next. There is a romance, but there is nothing graphic on the page. Highly recommended for any high school collection.

Fantasy (Horror)

MG/YA – Kusunoki’s Flunking Her High School Glow-Up, Vol. 1

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Mii, Mitsuki. Kusunoki’s Flunking Her High School Glow-Up, Vol. 1. Kodansha Comics, 2024. 979-8-888-77271-3. 192 p. $13.99. Grades 7+.

Two high school students who unknowingly switched from their old school to a new school together, trying to escape their nerdy, ugly, and unpopular past with a fresh start. Keisuke Shizuki is trying to outrun his trauma of confessing to his middle school crush and being rejected and the resulting phobia of even talking to girls, but it is made all the harder when the prettiest girl at his new school Shizuka Kusunoki is also a former outcast from his middle school. But Shizuka’s transformation is not complete, her social skills are still lacking and she asks for Keisuke’s help. So he has to fight his fears to help someone in need.

THOUGHTS: A cute high school glow up story that stays fairly light in the first novel, just introducing us to the characters and showing us some surface level insecurities but hinting at deeper story lines. Two outcasts who know of each other from hiding away in the library but never spoke to each other, now are becoming a mentor of sorts for each other, helping to navigate social situations in fun awkward ways. The hints of a budding romance (if only they get over their ineptitudes!) for the two will keep readers anticipating what other social missteps they will make. Art is neat and straightforward for the genre, playing up the nerdiness angle of the middle school versions of themselves. Will be a hit for realistic romance manga readers.

Manga

YA+ – Total Suplex of the Heart

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Starer, Joanne. Total Suplex of the Heart. Humanoids Inc, 2024. 9781643379562. 160 p. $22.99. 12+.

Just out of college, Georgie signs up to write what she thinks will be a quick undercover freelance article about a local wrestling circuit but finds herself drawn into the fast paced drama in and out of the ring. She builds friendships and romantic relationships and is thrust into a complicated, male dominated sport while still trying to find out who she really is.

THOUGHTS: A fun but Adult level coming of age graphic novel that covers heavy topics like eating disorders and abuse from parents and sexual partners all in the backdrop of local wrestling teams. Great for fans of the show GLOW! The illustrations are fun and lively, really bringing the story to life with movement and color. Inspired by the author’s own experiences in the pro-wrestling world, it gives hope for being able to find yourself after heartbreak and loss.

Graphic Novel

YA+ – Nightmare Before Kissmas

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Raasch, Sara. Nightmare Before Kissmas. Bramble, 2024. 978-1-250-33319-3. 356. $19.99. Grades 9-12 

Nicholas “Coal” Claus has very big and famous shoes to fill, and he can’t seem to live up to his father’s, the current Santa’s, expectations. He used to love the spectacle, but as the heir to Christmas he does anything to escape his duties, including drunken hookups with an anonymous guy in an alley behind a bar. Now his duties come calling, and he is commanded to marry his best friend Iris, the Easter Princess and his brother’s not-so-secret crush. The tension ratchets even higher when Halloween demands a chance at romance with the princess, but the Halloween prince Hex, is also the same handsome man from the alley behind the bar. It’s a fake dating competition between two holiday princes who are attracted to each other, fighting over a marriage of convenience that no one wants. Humor, heart, and a steamy romance fill out this fun first in a Royals and Romance series.

THOUGHTS: The audiobook, narrated by Ellis Evans, was a delightful listen with great inflection and adding great feeling to the story. An interesting take on how holiday royal families would exist with magic abound in our world, great for fans of The Nightmare before Christmas but with the romance level of Red, White and Royal Blue. Coal as a main character is snarky and lovable with clear flaws, and Hex is a great foil with his insecurities too. Raasch builds a great web of magical royalty that is easy to follow and really helps the world building. It hits many of the romance cliches, but that is what helps it weave well into the genre. Content skews more to the New Adult side than Young Adult so be aware of your audience.

Fantasy
Romance

YA – Mirror of Beasts

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Bracken, Alexandra. Mirror of Beasts. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2024. 978-0-593-48169-1. $20.99. 496 p. Grades 9-12.

Tamsin Lark has returned from the now ruined Avalon. The Lord of Death destroyed the ancient realm, and only a few lucky ones survived. Now, Tamsin and her friends must find a way to stop The Lord of Death and his wild hunt. They begin to search for The Mirror of Beasts and are determined to find it before the winter solstice. It’s the only weapon that can stop Lord Death and the destruction he plans for their world. Tamsin must learn to forgive those she loves the most and trust that she still has allies as she navigates ancient stories and realms as she find a way to stop him.

THOUGHTS: Mirror of Beasts is an action packed follow up to Silver in the Bone and picks up right where book one left off. The combination of urban fantasy and Arthurian myth blend seamlessly together, and the action packed scenes will keep readers on their toes. The “enemies to lovers” trope continues between Tamsin and Emrys, and readers will feel a strong and spellbinding connection with each of the characters as they make tough choices in order to save each other and potentially the world. This is a duology that should not be missed, but reading book one first is a must!

Fantasy