Category: Books

Fake Dating Young Adult Romances

- Stephanie Leave a comment

In the 1990s, I watched many movies with fake dating tropes geared to young adults. Think She’s All That, 10 Things I Hate About You, and Drive Me Crazy. It should come as no surprise that as an adult, I still love the fake dating trope, especially in books. To satisfy my younger self, I have created a list of young adult romances with fake dating tropes. This is not a complete list, instead these are the ones that caught my eye first! As of this writing, all of these books are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions provided by the publishers.

Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce

No one loves musicals more than Riley Morris—her dream is to be a Broadway director. But when the spring show is canceled, Riley has to figure out a way to bring it back. Easier said than done—she’s stuck working at her dad’s game store. The place that means more to him than his family does.

Riley can’t waste time at a dead-end job when her entire future is resting on making a name for herself. So she convinces her co-worker Nathan Wheeler—the floppy-haired, glasses-wearing guy she barely knows from school—to help her. In exchange, she’ll help him make his gamer-girl crush jealous. Plus it won’t hurt to show her egotistical ex, Paul, just what he’s missing without her.

Soon Riley and Nathan are “a couple,” and people seem to believe it. But selling the ruse means joining Nathan’s role-playing game. To Riley’s surprise, the game is almost fun. And even more surprising, flirting with Nathan doesn’t require as much acting as she thought it would. . . . – Delacorte Press

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee

Dylan Tang wants to win a Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake-making competition for teen chefs—in memory of his mom, and to bring much-needed publicity to his aunt’s struggling Chinese takeout in Brooklyn.

Enter Theo Somers: charming, wealthy, with a smile that makes Dylan’s stomach do backflips. AKA a distraction. Their worlds are sun-and-moon apart, but Theo keeps showing up. He even convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a family wedding in the Hamptons.

In Theo’s glittering world of pomp, privilege, and crazy rich drama, their romance is supposed to be just pretend . . . but Dylan finds himself falling for Theo. For real. Then Theo’s relatives reveal their true colors—but with the mooncake contest looming, Dylan can’t risk being sidetracked by rich-people problems.

Can Dylan save his family’s business and follow his heart—or will he fail to do both? – Underlined

Frankly in Love by David Yoon

Two friends. One fake dating scheme. What could possibly go wrong?

Frank Li has two names. There’s Frank Li, his American name. Then there’s Sung-Min Li, his Korean name. No one uses his Korean name, not even his parents. Frank barely speaks any Korean. He was born and raised in Southern California.

Even so, his parents still expect him to end up with a nice Korean girl–which is a problem, since Frank is finally dating the girl of his dreams: Brit Means. Brit, who is funny and nerdy just like him. Brit, who makes him laugh like no one else. Brit . . . who is white.

As Frank falls in love for the very first time, he’s forced to confront the fact that while his parents sacrificed everything to raise him in the land of opportunity, their traditional expectations don’t leave a lot of room for him to be a regular American teen. Desperate to be with Brit without his parents finding out, Frank turns to family friend Joy Song, who is in a similar bind. Together, they come up with a plan to help each other and keep their parents off their backs. Frank thinks he’s found the solution to all his problems, but when life throws him a curveball, he’s left wondering whether he ever really knew anything about love—or himself—at all.

In this moving debut novel David Yoon takes on the question of who am I? with a result that is humorous, heartfelt, and ultimately unforgettable. – G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating  by Adiba Jaigirdar

Everyone likes Hani Khan – she’s easy going and one of the most popular girls at school. But when she comes out to her friends as bisexual, they don’t believe her, claiming she can’t be bi if she’s only dated guys. Panicked, Hani blurts out that she’s in a relationship… with a girl her friends can’t stand – Ishu Dey.

Ishu is the polar opposite of Hani. An academic overachiever, she hopes that becoming head girl will set her on the right track for university. Her only problem? Becoming head girl is a popularity contest and Ishu is hardly popular. Pretending to date Hani is the only way she’ll stand a chance of being elected.

Despite their mutually beneficial pact, they start developing real feelings for each other. But some people will do anything to stop two Bengali girls from achieving happily ever after. – Hachette

Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan

Elouise (Lou) Parker is determined to have the absolute best, most impossibly epic summer of her life. There are just a few things standing in her way:

  • She’s landed a job at Magic Castle Playland . . . as a giant dancing hot dog.
  • Her crush, the dreamy diving pirate Nick, already has a girlfriend, who is literally the princess of the park. But Lou’s never liked anyone, guy or otherwise, this much before, and now she wants a chance at her own happily ever after.
  • Her best friend, Seeley, the carousel operator, has always been up for anything, but she’s decidedly not on board when it comes to Lou’s quest to set her up with the perfect girl or Lou’s scheme to get close to Nick.
  • And it turns out that this will be their last summer at Magic Castle Playland—ever—unless she can find a way to stop it from closing.

Jennifer Dugan’s sparkling debut coming-of-age queer romance stars a princess, a pirate, a hot dog, and a carousel operator who find love—and themselves—in unexpected people and unforgettable places. – G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

I’ll Pretend You’re Mine by Tashie Bhuiyan

Summer Ali has been making a name for herself in the music industry for years, slowly but surely climbing the charts—but the world doesn’t know her stage parents are the ones who molded her entire public persona. Finally eighteen, Summer breaks free of their control and focuses on creating her own path.

Upon running into writer’s block, Summer grows eager to take any opportunity to shake things up—even if it means agreeing to a PR stunt with child-actor-turned-playboy, Jules Moradi, famous for his tabloid escapades.

At first, Jules keeps his distance, maintaining professional boundaries. But as time passes, his walls come down, and Summer uncovers who he is beyond his reputation, and it’s someone more like her than she ever realized. As the lines blur between fake and real, Summer begins questioning who she is and what she wants—and if her dreams are worth sacrificing her heart. – HarperCollins

Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

Twelve days of fake dates. Two holidays. One chance to convince everyone they’re in love.

Arden James is Hollywood’s hottest teen actor. Infamously reckless, she’s a constant in the tabloids. But when her messy reputation costs her an audition for her dream role, Arden and her publicist make up a lie to flip the script. Only, for the lie to work, she’ll have to head home for the holidays for the first time in four years.

Caroline Beckett has spent those last four years shining up a stellar portfolio that will get her into a top journalism program and convincing herself she could not be less interested in what her former best friend and first crush has been up to since she left without a word. But when Arden suddenly shows up at her doorstep with the promise of a real byline in Cosmopolitan in exchange for a write up on their “secret romance” and twelve snow-covered holidates in their Christmas-obsessed hometown, Caroline can’t help but be tempted into playing along.

It should be easy enough to stand each other for twelve days to make their dreams come true, right? But when old feelings start to bubble up, so do new holiday wishes that might just have Arden and Caroline falling faster than that Christmas Eve snow… – Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

Noah Ramirez thinks he’s an expert on romance. He has to be for his popular blog, the Meet Cute Diary, a collection of trans happily ever afters. There’s just one problem—all the stories are fake. What started as the fantasies of a trans boy afraid to step out of the closet has grown into a beacon of hope for trans readers across the globe.

When a troll exposes the blog as fiction, Noah’s world unravels. The only way to save the Diary is to convince everyone that the stories are true, but he doesn’t have any proof. Then Drew walks into Noah’s life, and the pieces fall into place: Drew is willing to fake-date Noah to save the Diary. But when Noah’s feelings grow beyond their staged romance, he realizes that dating in real life isn’t quite the same as finding love on the page.

In this charming novel by Emery Lee, Noah will have to choose between following his own rules for love or discovering that the most romantic endings are the ones that go off script. – Quill Tree Books

August’s Celebrity Book Club Picks

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Bestsellers Club is a service that automatically places you on hold for authors, celebrity picks, nonfiction picks, and fiction picks. Choose any author, celebrity pick, fiction pick, and/or nonfiction pick and The Library will put the latest title on hold for you automatically. Select as many as you want! Still have questions? Click here for a list of FAQs.

It’s a new month which means that Jenna Bush Hager and Reese Witherspoon have picked new books for their book clubs! While Reese and Jenna generally announce a new title each month, Oprah’s selections are more sporadic. Reminder that if you join Bestsellers Club, you can choose to have their selections automatically put on hold for you.

Jenna Bush Hager has selected My Other Heart by Emma Nanami Strenner for her August pick.

Curious what My Other Heart is about? Check out the following description provided by the publisher.

A missing child, two girls in search of their true identities–a stunning novel of mothers, daughters and best friends

In June 1998, Mimi Truang is on her way home to Vietnam when her toddler daughter vanishes in the Philadelphia airport.

Seventeen years later, two best friends in Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, discuss their summer plans before college. Kit, with the support of her white adoptive parents, will travel to Tokyo to explore her Japanese roots. This dizzying adventure offers her a taste of first love and a new understanding of what it means to belong.

Sabrina had hoped to take a similar trip to China, but money is tight. Her disappointment subsides, however, when she meets a bold, uncompromising new mentor who prompts Sabrina to ask questions she’s avoided all her life. Meanwhile, Mimi purchases a plane ticket to Philadelphia. She finally has a lead in her search for her daughter.

When Mimi, Kit, and Sabrina come face to face, they will confront the people they truly are, in this tremendously moving novel that is propelled to its astonishing climax in a way you will never forget. – Pamela Dorman Books

Reese Witherspoon has selected Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley Jordan for her August pick.

Curious what Once Upon a Time in Dollywood is about? Check out the following description provided by the publisher.

A playwright must grapple with her difficult year and writer’s block while falling for the single dad living next door in this emotional debut novel from Ashley Jordan.

Eve Ambroise may be a rising star playwright, but her personal life is falling part. Desperate for a fresh start, she breaks up with her fiancé, cuts off her parents, and heads to the Tennessee mountains. But keeping up the lie that she’s just on a writing retreat becomes near impossible when faced with the well-meaning townspeople and a neighbor who has just as much baggage as she has.

Coming off a contentious custody battle, Jamie Gallagher is restructuring what his life looks like as a single dad, and spending more days at his cabin makes his new “free time” a little less empty. Especially when he meets the beautiful—and prickly—woman next door. The last thing he needs is a new romance to shake up his family dynamics even more, but there’s something about Eve.

What starts out as a fling quickly becomes more serious, and it’s not long before Eve is running scared once again. She’s loved and lost in every possible way, and risking it one more time could finally break her. But like the fireflies that fill the mountains around them, Jamie’s and Eve’s lives keep falling into sync. A fairy-tale ending could be in the cards, but only if the new couple can get out of their heads and put their hearts first. – Berkley

Oprah has selected Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo for her latest pick.

Curious what Bridge of Sighs is about? Check out the following description provided by the publisher.

Lucy is sixty years old and has spent his entire life in Thomaston, New York. Like his late, beloved father, Lucy is an optimist, though he’s had plenty of reasons not to be—chief among them his mother, still indomitably alive. Yet it was her shrewdness, combined with that Lynch optimism, that had propelled them years ago to the right side of the tracks and created an “empire” of convenience stores about to be passed on to the next generation.

Lucy’s oldest friend, once a rival for his wife’s affection, leads a life in Venice far removed from Thomaston. In fact, the exact nature of their friendship is one of the many mysteries Lucy hopes to untangle in the “history” he’s writing of his hometown and family. And with his story interspersed with that of Noonan, the native son who’d fled so long ago, the destinies building up around both of them (and Sarah, too) are relentless, constantly surprising, and utterly revealing. – Vintage

Join Bestsellers Club to have Oprah, Jenna, and Reese’s adult selections automatically put on hold for you!

Local authors added so far in 2025

- Beth Leave a comment

Dozens of titles were added to our Local Authors collection during the first half of 2025. These are books written by authors born or living in Scott County, Iowa, or Rock Island County, Illinois. In most cases, the items were donated to the Davenport Public Library by the authors themselves. All Local Author items are available for checkout from our Fairmount branch.

Kids

My Dog Sam, Recipe for a Little Monster, Willow the Minnow, and Boy Meets Squirrels by Marva Lewis

The Adventures of Kids United: The Glass Bridge by Rene Gellerman

Empowering Eloise by Kevin Turner

 

 

Daddy Dinosaur Gets Deployed by Amari Harris

Fiction and genre fiction

In the Toe of a Shoe: Secrets Revealed by David E. Coe

Aphrodite Rising by Kathy Criswell

The captain’s game and other tales of the strange and supernatural and The black tea box and more tales of the strange and supernatural by Benjamin Headlee

 

Poetry

Plain clothes hamburglar by Sean Moeller

 

 

 

 

 

Nonfiction

Yet will I trust him: A Sedonia Roland memoir by Kassaundra Hester

Bessie’s prayer : “I am Walter, Bessie’s Son”: That made all the difference! by Walter D. Braud

That’s all there is to it! A collection of easy, delicious meals by Carman Wilken

If you are a Quad Cities-based author, whether traditionally published or self-published, please consider donating a copy of your book to our Local Authors collection so that it can be checked out and enjoyed by our patrons. Email Beth Paul at bpaul@davenportlibrary.com for details about making the donation.

Cozy Fantasy

- Stephanie Leave a comment

If you’re looking for a feel-good story with low stakes, let me recommend cozy fantasy! Cozy fantasy is a sub-genre of fantasy that focuses more on community and familial relationships. Think of these as slice-of-life reads where emotional development of relationships is central. You might be asking: well, what about conflict? This is harder to nail down in cozy fantasies. Conflict levels vary between different cozy fantasy novels, but the important thing to remember is that these books need to have strong cozy emotional energy and low stakes. Cozy fantasy prioritizes relationships and relaxing settings over sweeping battles and epic quests.

Want to try a cozy fantasy? Check out the list below. This is by no means a complete list of all the cozy fantasy available within our collection, so please contact us if you would like more suggestions! As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

The Crescent Moon Tearoom by Stacy Sivinski

Ever since the untimely death of their parents, Anne, Beatrix, and Violet Quigley have made a business of threading together the stories that rest in the swirls of ginger, cloves, and cardamon that lie at the bottom of their customers’ cups. Their days at the teashop are filled with talk of butterflies and good fortune intertwined with the sound of cinnamon shortbread being snapped by laced fingers.

That is, until the Council of Witches comes calling with news that the city Diviner has lost her powers, and the sisters suddenly find themselves being pulled in different directions. As Anne’s magic begins to develop beyond that of her sisters’, Beatrix’s writing attracts the attention of a publisher, and Violet is enchanted by the song of the circus—and perhaps a mischievous trapeze artist threatening to sweep her off her feet—it seems a family curse that threatens to separate the sisters is taking effect.

With dwindling time to rewrite their future and help three other witches challenge their own destinies, the Quigleys set out to bargain with Fate. But in focusing so closely on saving each other, will they lose sight of themselves? – Atria Books

Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis

It’s bad enough waking up in a half-destroyed evil wizard’s workshop with no eyebrows, no memories, and no idea how long you have before the Dread Lord Whomever shows up to murder you horribly and then turn your skull into a goblet or something.

It’s a lot worse when you realize that Dread Lord Whomever is… you.

Gav isn’t really sure how he ended up with a castle full of goblins, or why he has a princess locked in a cell. All he can do is play along with his own evil plan in hopes of getting his memories back before he gets himself killed.

But as he realizes that nothing – from the incredibly tasteless cloak adorned with flames to the aforementioned princess – is quite what it seems, Gav must face up to all the things the Dread Lord Gavrax has done. And he’ll have to answer the hardest question of all – who does he want to be?

A high fantasy farce featuring killer moat squid, toxic masculinity, an evil wizard convocation, and a garlic festival. All at once. All in all, Dread Lord Gavrax has had better weeks. – Titan Books

Greenteeth by Molly O’Neill

Beneath the still surface of a lake lurks a monster with needle sharp teeth. Hungry and ready to pounce.

Jenny Greenteeth has never spoken to a human before, but when a witch is thrown into her lake, something makes Jenny decide she’s worth saving. Temperance doesn’t know why her village has suddenly turned against her, only that it has something to do with the malevolent new pastor.

Though they have nothing in common, these two must band together on a magical quest to defeat the evil that threatens Jenny’s lake and Temperance’s family, as well as the very soul of Britain. – Orbit

I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons by Peter S. Beagle

Dragons are common in the backwater kingdom of Bellemontagne, coming in sizes from mouse-like vermin all the way up to castle-smashing monsters. Gaius Aurelius Constantine Heliogabalus Thrax (who would much rather people call him Robert) has recently inherited his deceased dad’s dead job as a dragon catcher/exterminator, a career he detests with all his heart in part because he likes dragons, feeling a kinship with them, but mainly because his dream has always been the impossible one of transcending his humble origin to someday become a prince’s valet. Needless to say, fate has something rather different in mind… – S&S/Saga Press

Shoestring Theory by Mariana Costa

The kingdom of Farsala is broken and black clouds hang heavy over the arid lands. Former grand-mage of the high court, Cyril Laverre, has spent the last decade hiding himself away in a ramshackle hut by the sea, trying to catch any remaining fish for his cat familiar, Shoestring, and suppressing his guilt over the kingdom’s ruin. For he played his part – for as the king, Eufrates Margrave, descended further and further into paranoia, violence and madness, his grand-mage – and husband – Cyril didn’t do a thing to stop him.

When Shoestring wanders away and dies one morning, Cyril knows his days are finally numbered. But are there enough left to have a last go at putting things right? With his remaining lifeblood, he casts a powerful spell that catapults him back in time to a happier period of Farsalan history – a time when it was Eufrates’s older sister Tig destined to ascend to the throne, before she died of a wasting disease, and a time when Cyril and Eufrates’s tentative romance had not yet bloomed. If he can just make sure Eufie never becomes king, then maybe he can prevent the kingdom’s tragic fate. But the magical oath he made to his husband at the altar, transcending both time and space, may prove to be his most enduring – and most dangerous – feat of magic to date…

Featuring a formidable great aunt, a friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance, an awkward love quadrangle and a crow familiar called Ganache, this charming story is imminently easy to read and sure to satisfy fans of fanfiction who like their fantasy lite. – Angry Robot

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

Tao is an immigrant fortune teller, traveling between villages with just her trusty mule for company. She only tells “small” fortunes: whether it will hail next week; which boy the barmaid will kiss; when the cow will calve. She knows from bitter experience that big fortunes come with big consequences…

Even if it’s a lonely life, it’s better than the one she left behind. But a small fortune unexpectedly becomes something more when a (semi) reformed thief and an ex-mercenary recruit her into their desperate search for a lost child. Soon, they’re joined by a baker with a “knead” for adventure, and—of course—a slightly magical cat.

Tao starts down a new path with companions as big-hearted as her fortunes are small. But as she lowers her walls, the shadows of her past close in—and she’ll have to decide whether to risk everything to preserve the family she never thought she could have. – Ace

This title is also available in large print.

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“You can’t just keep doing what you’re doing and wait for it to turn into something happy. You kind of have to look for the happy things along the way.”
― Annabel Monaghan, Summer Romance

When Ali Morris’s husband ask for a divorce a year after her mother dies, Ali is understandably distraught. Not because she particularly cares that her marriage is over, but the audacity of her husband to divorce her while she’s grieving instead of helping her through it. After they have been separated for a year, it shouldn’t be a surprise when he suggests they finalize their divorce, but yet again she’s caught off guard.

Ali’s day job as a professional organizer should mean that her home and her life are pretty put together, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Her life is a mess. Her friends and her three children are concerned about her lack of wearing hard pants and her increasing pattern of wearing the same dirty sweatpants out in public. When one day she decides to take off her wedding ring and put on a pair of overalls, her only plans are to take her dog to the dog park. Imagine her surprise when she meets someone. Well actually, her dog picks this stranger out of the crowd and marks him for her by peeing on him and soaking his shoe. Ethan and Ali immediately hit it off. He looks at her like she is brave, young, and has her life together. The more time they spend together, the more Ali works to find her spark. A summer romance may be just what she needs to get out of this rut. What harm can come from that?

This romance was exactly what I needed. What hooked me was that the characters were older, aka in their late 30s with established careers and families. The character growth portrayed by the main characters and some of the supporting characters was a breath of fresh air. I found myself laughing, crying, and cheering them on, the whole range of emotions throughout this book. I can’t wait to read to more by this author!

This title is also available in large print.

Romance Awareness Month

- Elena Leave a comment

August is Romance Awareness Month! Set 6 months after Valentine’s Day, Romance Awareness Month is a reminder to invest in your relationships year-round. Check out these recent self-help books on relationships, communication, and romance, available at Davenport Public Library. (Descriptions below provided by publisher.)

Who Deserves Your Love by KC Davis
This bold approach to relationships from celebrated therapist KC Davis will help you determine which relationships are right for you-and which are not-and what to do about them. Is love conditional? What do you do about a relationship where someone’s best efforts are hurting you? When should you step away? KC Davis, the renowned therapist who specializes in difficult relationships, asks and answers these questions. Just as she helps you design a functional home in How to Keep House While Drowning, here she applies the same bold but gentle approach to relationships so that they function, too. She helps you navigate decisions in every type of relationship, whether romantic or platonic. Recognizing that it isn’t always realistic to cut loose the people who rattle you, she explores how to protect yourself in those situations. Who Deserves Your Love is a gentle approach to hard relationships and is written in short bursts of text with visual tools such as lists and diagrams. The writing style is suited for those with ADHD, depression, or anyone who appreciates expertise without being overwhelmed by lengthy descriptions.

The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More by Jefferson Fisher
From communication expert Jefferson Fisher, the definitive book on making your next conversation the one that changes everything. No matter who you’re talking to, The Next Conversation gives you immediately actionable strategies and phrases that will forever change how you communicate. Jefferson Fisher, trial lawyer and one of the leading voices on real-world communication, offers a tried-and-true framework that will show you how to transform your life and your relationships by improving your next conversation.

The Love Habit: Daily Self-Care Practices for a Happier Life and Healthier Relationships by Rainie Howard
There’s a secret that most people don’t know: Our self-image defines our relationship experiences with others. In The Love Habit, author and relationship expert Rainie Howard explores the profound connection between self-image and daily habits–emotional, mental, and physical–and how these actions shape our relationships with others. Whether you’re seeking to enhance communication with loved ones, establish boundaries, or foster greater self-love and acceptance, The Love Habit is a persistent commitment to prioritizing yourself in mind, body, and spirit by aligning yourself with appreciation, peace, and joy above all else.

How to Love Better by Yung Pueblo
“Personal transformation, that is grounded in self-love and has greater inner peace as the goal, will naturally teach you how to love better. Seeing yourself clearly opens the door to compassion for yourself and other people.” Love enters our lives in many forms: friends, family, intimate partners. But all of these relationships are defined by the love we have for ourselves. If we see our relationships as opportunities to be fully present in our healing and learn to love each other better, yung pueblo assures us that we can transform and meet each other with compassion instead of judgment. In How to Love Better, yung pueblo examines all aspects of a relationship, from the rose-colored first days when you may be hesitant to show your full self, to the challenges that can arise without clear communication, to dealing with heartbreak and healing as you close a chapter of your life. The power of looking inward remains at the core of all his teachings. Ego and attachment can become barriers in a relationship, so the more self-aware you become, the more you can support your partner and yourself. yung pueblo’s understandings on embracing change, building a foundation of honesty, and learning to listen selflessly will resonate regardless of where you are in your healing journey. And his unique combination of poetry, personal experience, and thoughtful advice will help you grow and strengthen all your relationships.

How to be Dateable by Julie Krafchick and Yue Xu
Does dating feel like an endless maze with no way out? Find your person with this actionable, compassionate guide that will help you break free from the traps of modern dating and change your approach to love. As creators and hosts of the hit dating podcast Dateable, Julie Krafchick and Yue Xu have made breaking down the nuances of the ever-evolving dating world and empowering the people within it their purpose and passion. Drawing on a decade’s worth of research from speaking to thousands of daters and world-renowned experts, Julie and Yue have learned what it takes to find love in today’s dating world. In How to be Dateable, they’ll show you how to take control of your love life and focus on the levers that actually get you results.

During the month of August, look for the “Romance Awareness” displays at all three branches for more recommendations.

Man o’ War by Cory McCarthy

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“Not all trans people started out feeling like a different gender trapped in their skin. Some find themself a little at a time, a door inside that unlocks and reveals new doors, and new doors after that, and so on.”
― Cory McCarthy, Man o’ War

Living in a small landlocked Midwestern town, McIntyre, a seventeen year old Arab American swimmer struggles to figure out who they are in Cory McCarthy’s 2023 Stonewall Honor Book, Man o’ War. McIntyre isn’t happy. As the inconsistently best swimmer on their high school team, they have always had swimming to fall back on, but their family and friends’ situation is something else entirely. Their relationship with their mom is rocky, their dad is present but quiet, but their brother is close by to help, although he’s dealing with his own issues. Their best friend is off and on again because McIntyre doesn’t always pick the best partners, relationship wise.

While on the annual class field trip to SeaPlanet, McIntyre runs into Indigo ‘Indy’ Watts, someone they used to go to elementary school with. Indy, an affirmed queer person, sparks something in McIntyre, leading them out of the closet and on a journey of self-discovery that spans years chronicled throughout this book. Follow McIntyre over a few years as they work to see who they are and, most importantly, who they want to become. McIntyre must also learn how to be true to themselves in spaces where other people don’t perceive them the way they view themself.

Interested in this book? Man o’ War is the September 2025 See YA Book Club selection. We will be discussing this book on Wednesday, September 3rd at 6:30pm at our Eastern Avenue branch. For more information about future See YA book picks, visit our website.

See YA Book Club

Join our adult book club with a teen book twist. See why so many teen books are being turned into movies and are taking over the best seller lists.

Registration is not required. Books are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Eastern Avenue library. We meet the first Wednesday of the month at Eastern at 6:30pm. Stop by the service desk for more information.

September 3 – Man O’War by Cory McCarthy

October 1 – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

November 5 – Rez Ball by Byron Graves

December 3 – Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Young Adult Verse Novels

- Stephanie Leave a comment

A novel in verse is one of my favorite formats of books. This may be an unusual format to some, but novels in verse convey the emotion and heart of a story in a way that sticks with me for longer. The poetic structures they employ tell captivating and important stories while favoring poetry over prose.

Below you will find a list of new young adult verse novels that have just hit the shelves! As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe by Mahogany L. Browne

Grief, pain, hope, and love collide in this short story collection.

In New York City, teens, their families, and their communities feel the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst the fear and loss, these teens and the adults around them persevere with love and hope while living in difficult circumstances:

  • Malachi writes an Armageddon short story inspired by his pandemic reality.
  • Tariq helps their ailing grandmother survive during quarantine.
  • Zamira struggles with depression and loneliness after losing her parents.
  • Mohamed tries to help keep his community spirit alive.
  • A social worker reflects on the ways the foster system fails their children.

From award-winning author Mahogany L. Browne comes a poignant collection of interconnected prose, poems, and lists about the humanity and resilience of New Yorkers during the Covid-19 pandemic. – Crown Books for Young Readers

All the Love Under the Vast Sky edited by Kip Wilson

Twelve short stories in verse by bestselling and award-winning authors that explore the highs and lows of love – romantic, platonic, familial, and self-love.

Love can be many things – all-consuming, fleeting, vengeful, selfless, toxic, uplifting, and always, a core part of the teen experience that leaves an indelible mark. This enchanting, genre-crossing anthology delivers something for every reader with unique characters, global settings, and a dazzling mixture of myth, historical, speculative, and contemporary fiction.

With the turn of a page, get swept away by unexpected love blooming between two princes from enemy Mesoamerican nations in the 15th century, who’d rather make music rather than war; cheer for a timid bearded lady who was shunned by her family and runs away to find belonging and safety at the circus during the 1800s experience the heartbreak of saying goodbye to a beloved pet; breathlessly watch a myth unfold as a siren bound to the water falls in love with a winged forest spirit, their love seemingly impossible from the start. Root for a girl who emerges from grief and battles with chronic pain to discover how to love herself and life again.

Love is complicated, and this anthology embraces the messiness and the joy of all kinds of love. Contributors include:

  • Alexandra Alessandri
  • David Bowles
  • Melanie Crowder
  • Margarita Engle
  • Eric Gansworth
  • Robin Gow
  • Mariama J. Lockington
  • Laura Ruby
  • Padma Venkatraman
  • Jasmine Warga
  • Charles Waters
  • Kip Wilson

Nancy Paulsen Books

Everything is Poison by Joy McCullough

This historical novel in prose and verse tells the story of a deadly secret hiding in plain sight and of the women who risk everything to provide care for those with nowhere else to turn, perfect for fans of Blood Water Paint and The Lost Apothecary.

Early Seventeenth-Century Rome
For as long as she can remember, Carmela Tofana has desperately wanted one thing: to be allowed behind the counter of her mother’s apothecary in Campo Marzio, Rome. When she turns sixteen, she’s finally allowed into the inner sanctum: the workroom where her mother, Giulia Tofana, and two assistants craft renowned remedies for their customers. But for every sweet-smelling flower extract in the workroom, there’s another potion requiring darker ingredients. And then there’s Aqua Tofana, the apothecary’s remedy of last resort for husbands who are just as deadly as any disease. In all Carmela’s years of wishing to follow in her mother’s footsteps, she never realized one tiny vial could be the death of them all. – Dutton Books for Young Readers

The House No One Sees by Adina King

Penelope Ross has always felt like a passenger in her mother’s fairytale – until the night of her 17th birthday, when she is forced to enter her own.

After a text from her estranged mother rips her away from a night with friends, Penny is forced into a kaleidoscope of memories locked inside the dark labyrinth of her childhood home. As Penny wanders between present and past—prose and verse—she must confront her mother’s opioid addiction to mend her fractured past. But the house is tricky. The house is impossible. It wants her to dig up the dead to escape. And as Penny walks through herself to find herself, she is not sure she has the courage to free the light she trapped inside. – Feiwel & Friends

One Step Forward by Marcie Flinchum Atkins

One Step Forward is a compelling debut YA historical fiction novel in verse about Matilda Young—the youngest American suffragist imprisoned for picketing the White House to demand women’s right to vote.

Raised in a politically divided family, Matilda wondered if she could be as courageous as her older sister who fought for suffrage. Joining the radical protest movement came with plenty of risk. Women were routinely scorned, harassed, arrested—and worse. And taking a stand for her rights could tear her family apart.

Told in powerful verse, One Step Forward follows Matilda’s coming-of-age journey as she takes her first step into action. Amid the backdrop of World War I, Matilda’s story vividly highlights the extreme mental, physical, and emotional battles faced by the protestors leading up to the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. It also reveals the bravery, hard work, and spirit of the women who paved the way for future generations to use their voices and votes. – Versify

(S)kin by Ibi Zoboi

From award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Ibi Zoboi comes her groundbreaking contemporary fantasy debut—a novel in verse based on Caribbean folklore—about the power of inherited magic and the price we must pay to live the life we yearn for.

“Our new home with its

thick walls and locked doors

wants me to stay trapped in my skin—

but I am fury and flame.”

Fifteen-year-old Marisol is the daughter of a soucouyant. Every new moon, she sheds her skin like the many women before her, shifting into a fireball witch who must fly into the night and slowly sip from the lives of others to sustain her own. But Brooklyn is no place for fireball witches with all its bright lights, shut windows, and bolt-locked doors.… While Marisol hoped they would leave their old traditions behind when they emigrated from the islands, she knows this will never happen while she remains ensnared by the one person who keeps her chained to her magical past—her mother.

Seventeen-year-old Genevieve is the daughter of a college professor and a newly minted older half sister of twins. Her worsening skin condition and the babies’ constant wailing keep her up at night, when she stares at the dark sky with a deep longing to inhale it all. She hopes to quench the hunger that gnaws at her, one that seems to reach for some memory of her estranged mother. When a new nanny arrives to help with the twins, a family secret connecting her to Marisol is revealed, and Gen begins to find answers to questions she hasn’t even thought to ask.

But the girls soon discover that the very skin keeping their flames locked beneath the surface may be more explosive to the relationships around them than any ancient magic. – Versify

A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat

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When my to-read list is overwhelming, I look up book award lists. One of my favorites is the National Book Awards and my latest read came from that list! A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature in 2023. This graphic memoir caught my attention straight from the beginning and left me reminiscing about my middle grade years.

Dan Santat was an awkward kid. His middle grade school years were especially awkward, but thankfully a trip to Europe helped turn his life around just in time for high school. Dan may be a good kid, but that doesn’t stop him from being bullied. While he feels like he’s invisible some days, others he is constantly picked on while staying out of trouble. When his parents find a brochure talking about a class trip to Europe, they decide that Dan must go because when else is he going to have the chance. Dan has low expectations and is decidedly not excited to go.

When he shows up at the airport, his feelings are confirmed. He’s stuck with the same middle school girls who made fun of him, showcased through a series of flashbacks throughout the book. As he travels through Europe, seeing the sights in France, Germany, Switzerland, and England, Dan starts to open up as he experiences a series of firsts. He decides he wants to try all the different types of Fanta, has his first Fondue, accidentally steals a bike in Germany, and most importantly has his first love. Dan slowly breaks out of his shell while going through the big emotions that we all experienced as thirteen year old kids trying to find our way in the world.

This graphic memoir was funny and adorable. I found myself commiserating with Dan as he struggled to express himself and crying along with him as he had to say goodbye to his first love. The author acknowledges how even though his middle school years were awkward, they also changed his life. This is such a reflective and self-affirming graphic memoir for all of us that went through challenging middle school years.

Online Reading Challenge – August

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Welcome Readers!

This month the Online Reading Challenge is focusing on classics. Our main title for August is Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. Here’s a quick summary from the publisher:

In the 1950s Paris of American expatriates, liaisons, and violence, a young man finds himself caught between desire and conventional morality.

David is a young American expatriate who has just proposed marriage to his girlfriend, Hella. While she is away on a trip, David meets a bartender named Giovanni to whom he is drawn in spite of himself. Soon the two are spending the night in Giovanni’s curtainless room, which he keeps dark to protect their privacy. But Hella’s return to Paris brings the affair to a crisis, one that rapidly spirals into tragedy.

David struggles for self-knowledge during one long, dark night—“the night which is leading me to the most terrible morning of my life.” With a sharp, probing imagination, James Baldwin’s now-classic narrative delves into the mystery of loving and creates a deeply moving story of death and passion that reveals the unspoken complexities of the human heart. – Vintage

Looking for some other classics? Try any of the following.

As always, check each of our locations for displays with lots more titles to choose from!