5 Young Adult Books To Read This Summer

I guess it is young adult summer over here! Honestly though I have been tearing through books this year. The following five books are ones I picked up from the library and eagerly read. Three of the five books below feature a sapphic romance. I also realize this list is heavily white with one exception and really have to work on that aspect of diversifying my reading — it is always an ongoing work in progress and so important to me.

I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

The One True Me and You by Remi K. England
Published by St. Martin's Publishing Group on March 1, 2022
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Coming of Age, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / LGBTQ
Pages: 304
Format: eARC, Hardcover
Source: Library, Publisher
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Most Anticipated by: Buzzfeed * Lambda Literary * LGBTQ Reads * Bustle * Book Riot * Autostraddle * The Nerd Daily * Epic Reads * Frolic

“A breezy, snappy story about fandom, friendships, and being true to yourself.”—TJ Klune

One small fandom convention. One teen beauty pageant.
One meet cute waiting to happen.

Up and coming fanfic author Kaylee Beaumont is internally screaming at the chance to finally meet her fandom friends in real life and spend a weekend at GreatCon. She also has a side quest for the weekend:

· Try out they/them pronouns to see how it feels
· Wear more masculine-presenting cosplay
· Kiss a girl for the first time

It’s...a lot, and Kay mostly wants to lie face down on the hotel floor. Especially when her hometown bully, Miss North Carolina, shows up in the very same hotel. But there’s this con-sponsored publishing contest, and the chance to meet her fandom idols...and then, there’s Teagan.

Pageant queen Teagan Miller (Miss Virginia) has her eye on the much-needed prize: the $25,000 scholarship awarded to the winner of the Miss Cosmic Teen USA pageant. She also has secrets:

· She loves the dresses but hates the tiaras
· She’s a giant nerd for everything GreatCon
· She’s gay af

If Teagan can just keep herself wrapped up tight for one more weekend, she can claim the scholarship and go off to college out and proud. If she’s caught, she could lose everything she’s worked for. If her rival, Miss North Carolina, has anything to do with it, that’s exactly how it’ll go down.

When Teagan and Kay bump into one another the first night, sparks fly. Their connection is intense—as is their shared enemy. If they’re spotted, the safe space of the con will be shattered, and all their secrets will follow them home. The risks are great...but could the reward of embracing their true selves be worth it?

A big-hearted, joyful romance and a love letter to all things geek, Remi K. England's The One True Me and You is a *witness me* celebration of standing up for, and being, yourself.

“A love letter to the support of online communities, to the friendships that define you, and to the ongoing, lifelong challenge to define yourself.”—Emma Lord

"This geeky rom-com is fan-tastic and i-con-ic." -Buzzfeed

"Wonderfully explores the alienation and confusion felt by many LGBTQ+ teens without verging into hopelessness...heartwarming and immensely relatable." —Kirkus Reviews

Even though Pride Month is over, I am still reading LGBT+ books. The One True Me And You by Remi K. England caught my eye because the cover is bold and colorful. Then, the summary on the back drew my attention. The One True Me And You is about Kay and Teagan. Kay is a fanfiction writer who is attending a con for her favorite show. Kay is very excited to meet all their online friends and have the time of their life this weekend reveling in fandom and presenting on a panel. Unfortunately, there is also a beauty pageant going on in the exact same hotel as the con. The other point of view character is Teagan who is competing in the pageant. Teagan is favored to be in the top five and she hopes to win and take home the scholarship money. However, Teagan is keeping her orientation as a lesbian underwraps. Oh and also, Kay’s bully from back home is competing in the pageant as Miss North Carolina. 

England’s book was such a fun read. I really enjoyed both Kay and Teagan’s journey. This book made me want to pick fanfiction up because the community aspect sounds so great. I can really get behind that. Teagan is an absolute gem and just a true kind heart. Kay is on their journey and has a sort of trauma response to an incident that happens during this book. Initially I was like wow, Kay is meh, but I had to reframe and repross their reaction. So, yeah pick this book up for a quick romance featuring LGBTQ characters and fandom.

 

I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

Borrow My Heart by Kasie West
Also by this author: Pivot Point, Split Second, The Distance Between Us, On the Fence, The Fill-In Boyfriend, , Lucky in Love
Published by Random House Children's Books on June 13, 2023
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Coming of Age, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Young Adult Fiction / Social Themes / New Experience
Pages: 288
Format: eARC, Paperback
Source: Library, Publisher
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When a girl overhears a guy getting verbally destroyed by his friends for being catfished, she jumps in to save the day—and pretends to be his online crush. A young adult romance from the critically acclaimed author of Places We've Never Been.

Wren is used to being called a control freak. She doesn’t care; sticking to the list of rules she created for herself helps her navigate life. But when a cute guy named Asher walks through the door of her neighborhood coffee shop, the rulebook goes out the window.

Asher is cute, charming . . . and being catfished by his online crush. So Wren makes an uncharacteristically impulsive decision—she pretends to be the girl he's waiting for to save him from embarrassment. Suddenly she’s fake-dating a boy she knows nothing about. And it’s . . . amazing.

It's not long before Asher has her breaking even more of her own rules. But will he forgive her when he finds out she's not who she says she is? Wren's not so sure. . . . After all, rules exist for a reason.

Kasie West is an author I truly enjoy. At one point, I was completely caught up with her backlist and had read everything she’s put out. Borrow My Heart is West’s latest and one of the first I am reading to try and get current again on her work. This story is about Wren who is essentially the careful daughter of a careless woman if you are picking up what I am putting down. One day she is visiting her friend Kamala at work and happens to overhear two guys – one of whom is about to be catfished. So, she pretends to be the person the guy is meeting, to save him from humiliation. Only, it spirals from there and Wren ends up falling for Archer. 

I really respect that Borrow My Heart by Kasie West was less than 300 pages, set during the summer, and full of dogs. It was easy like I was looking for. I enjoyed the different turns this book took, one of which ended up surprising me. The pace is fast — if you want something you can breeze through while sitting on the beach or by the pool this is the one. Also, exactly none of the dogs die in this book. In fact, one dog that is tough to adopt out from the shelter Wren works at plays a large role too. Overall, this story was so cute.

I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

When We Had Summer by Jennifer Castle
Also by this author: You Look Different in Real Life
Published by National Geographic Books on April 25, 2023
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Coming of Age, Young Adult Fiction / Girls & Women
Pages: 336
Format: eARC, Hardcover
Source: Library, Publisher
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The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants meets 13 Little Blue Envelopes in this new young adult novel about a tight-knit, daring, and eclectic group of friends who dedicate every summer to completing their #SummerSistersBucketList together – that is until one of their own passes away.

Best friends Carly, Daniella, Lainie, and Penny – aka the self-proclaimed #SummerSisters – have been coming to the New Jersey shore town of Ocean Park Heights ever since they could remember. And every year, the girls make a bucket list and dedicate their entire summer to completing every item on it, documenting their wacky escapades on FotoSlam for everyone to see. It’s their tradition, and as long as the Summer Sisters had each other, the rocky jetty on the shore, and their bucket list, that would never change. Right?

But then, tragedy strikes after Carly – the mastermind behind the bucket list– unexpectedly passes away. As the remaining Summer Sisters try to wrap their heads around their best friend’s death, life seems determined to throw more curveballs at the girls, threatening to split the Summer Sisters up for good. Daniella is accepted to a prestigious music academy in New York City, Lainie finds out her family is moving to Florida and leaving Ocean Park Heights for good, and Penny struggles to find her footing as she feels ready to leave childhood behind more quickly than either of her friends. What will hold them together with Carly gone and the Summer Sisters seemingly over?

Then, Daniella finds Carly’s final bucket list. And just like that, the Summer Sisters are back! But of course, things don’t always go as planned, and the girls try their hardest to navigate grief, loss, and coming-of-age woes while keeping the Summer Sisters – and Carly’s memory – alive.

When We Had Summer by Jennifer Castle is a book featuring three fourteen year old girls spending the summer grieving their best friend Carly who passed away. Carly was the glue that held the summer sisters together and the one who typically kicked off the tasks for the annual Summer Bucket List. The girls think last year was the last one, given that Carly is no longer with us. However, Daniella, Carly’s cousin, finds a list that Carly had started in her seashell purse. And so, even though Daniella is spending summer in New York City doing music academy and Penny and Lainie are spending the summer at Ocean Park Heights, the three summer sisters left decide to take on the bucket list. Through the tasks they find a way through their grief and a way to move forward with their individual lives.

I felt like this story was really cute! I mean, yes there’s some gravity to it, considering the death of Carly. However, ultimately it is a journey of self discovery for three girls who are all at a turning point. Penny has just gone through puberty, about to start a new job, likes a boy and isn’t sure how to feel about her body. Lainie’s grandparents are about to sell their bakery in Ocean Park Heights and move to Florida which means everything is changing for Lainie. Daniella is struggling with anxiety, panic attacks, and spending summer staying with her aunt and uncle, aka Carly’s parents. The way each character’s story plays out was very well done. I think given a lot of librarians are saying they are looking for books aimed at the younger end of YA, When We Had Summer by Jennifer Castle is a start!

I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

No Boy Summer by Amy Spalding
Also by this author: The Reece Malcolm List, , Ink is Thicker Than Water, Imprison the Sky
Published by Abrams on April 18, 2023
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Coming of Age, Young Adult Fiction / Family / Siblings, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / LGBTQ
Pages: 304
Format: eARC, Hardcover
Source: Library, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Lydia and her younger sister Penny make a pact to avoid boy drama for the summer—but Lydia can’t help looking for a loophole when she falls for a cute girl

Lydia Jones and her younger sister Penny have had it with boy drama. Last year was marred by relationship disasters for both of them, threatening Lydia’s standing with her school’s theater tech club and Penny’s perfect GPA. Penny has, naturally, diagnosed the problem and prescribed a drastic solution: a summer off from boys.

Lydia and Penny decide to stay with their Aunt Grace and her boyfriend Oscar in Los Angeles while their parents are off on a European cruise. Penny follows her future-business-school dreams with an internship at Oscar’s office, and Lydia gets a part-time job at Grace’s neighborhood coffeeshop, Grounds Control.

Even when they spent hours, days, weeks dissecting their various boy drama, Lydia’s never felt this connected to her sister before, and it makes her wonder what else in her life could be different. She finds herself drawn to a group of friends she meets through her Grounds Control coworker, Margaret, as well as an intriguing customer, Fran, an aspiring filmmaker and—while not the first girl Lydia finds herself attracted to—the first girl who has mutual feelings for her. But she’s not breaking her pledge to Penny, right? That was just about boys. Even though in her heart Lydia knows she’s bending the rules, she hasn’t had a connection with anyone as strong as her connection with Fran, so she thinks it can’t be wrong. And Penny won’t mind as long as she’s happy . . . Right?

I really enjoy Amy Spalding’s books so of course was so excited to read No Boy Summer. No Boy Summer follows Lydia, a rising high school senior spending the summer in LA at her aunt Grace’s house with her sister Penny. Lydia and Penny make a pact to not get involved with boys this summer and to focus on their self development and sister relationship. However, working at Uncommon Grounds — a coffee shop — Lydia makes friends with a group of wonderful girls. She also meets Fran, whom she has feelings for. As Fran is a girl, it doesn’t count against the pact, right? Still, Lydia doesn’t tell Penny and carries the secret of her feelings for Fran.

The setting of the corner of LA that Grace lives in was so well written. I love when books have a solid sense of place. Lydia’s growth from someone who feels at arm’s length from everyone to having a solid group of girl friends was excellent. The way the friendship group was written was great. Also, Lydia is fat which plays into one part of the story where she calls someone out for an offhand comment. I didn’t care a ton for Fran or Penny but I guess both were on their own journeys as well. No Boy Summer was a fantastic warm weather reading. 

 

I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko
Published by St. Martin's Publishing Group on May 30, 2023
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Own Voices, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / LGBTQ
Pages: 336
Format: eARC, Hardcover
Source: Library, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

*INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*

Trailblazing pop star, actor and director, Hayley Kiyoko debuts her first novel, a coming-of-age romance based on her breakthrough hit song and viral video, GIRLS LIKE GIRLS.

It’s summertime and 17-year-old Coley has found herself alone, again. Forced to move to rural Oregon after just losing her mother, she is in no position to risk her already fragile heart. But when she meets Sonya, the attraction is immediate.

Coley worries she isn't worthy of love. Up until now, everyone she's loved has left her. And Sonya's never been with a girl before. What if she's too afraid to show up for Coley? What if by opening her heart, Coley's risking it all?

They both realize that when things are pushed down, and feelings are forced to shrivel away, Coley and Sonya will be the ones to shrink. It’s not until they accept the love they fear and deserve most, that suddenly the song makes sense.

Based on the billboard-charting smash hit song and viral music video GIRLS LIKE GIRLS, Hayley Kiyoko's debut novel is about embracing your truth and realizing we are all worthy of being loved back.

It must be sapphic summer as Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko was my fifth sapphic read of the summer. Girls Like Girls is set in 2006. It is about Coley who has moved to a small town in Oregon to live with her father after her mother dies by suicide. Coley forms an intense friendship with Sonya, a rich girl. Only, it is more than a friendship. The girls have to come to terms with their feelings and their sexuality. Sonya feels that if she comes out, she risks everything — including her family and being able to see her sister. But, well, everything is just so intense — as it is when you are young.

Lord did I feel old reading this book. I too once had a Livejournal like Sonya — we get excerpts of Sonya’s live journal. We also see AIM away messages too. (An aside — maybe I like Teams chat so much because it reminds me of AIM a little) Anyways, there were some things that I wanted more of from this book – like what happens after the end, ha. Girls Like Girls does reflect some of the attitudes of the time — there is homophobia depicted. Ultimately though, it is a first love kind of love story with all the attendant feelings that come with that. Kiyoko’s book is a quick read and for sure one to add to your summer reading list.