Tag: young adult

The Greatest Thing by Sarah Winifred Searle

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High school can be an incredibly emotional time, but add in missing your best friends and things get harder. This is what Winifred experiences in The Greatest Thing, a young adult graphic novel written by Sarah Winifred Searle.

Starting sophomore year of high school should be easy and fun, but Winifred only feels dread. Her two best friends have transferred to a private high school, leaving her alone. She isn’t sure how she will survive high school, but she soon meets April and Oscar. They quickly become friends, making zines, having sleepovers, shopping at thrift stores, and helping each other survive the school madness. Their friendships help Winifred cope with what’s she’s feeling, but her underlying problems are still there. At times of quiet or unease, she slips back into old habits. Winifred has been keeping a secret from her friends, her family, and even herself. If she doesn’t find a way to deal with it, it could destroy all of her relationships.

This young adult graphic novel tugged on my heart strings from the very first page. The author has clearly put a lot of thought and emotion into this story in order to deliver such an honest story of self-growth, self-acceptance, and love. Friendship is an overarching theme throughout, but what I appreciated was that not everything worked out perfectly at the end. It was clear that Winifred and her friends have a lot of things to work through, but also that many tools are available to help if they want them. Overall, this is a message of hope for anyone struggling.

(Content warnings for eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and self-harm)

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis

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“Everyone wants something—a lot of the times things that belong to other people. People will play you like a violin to get whatever they need from you.”
― Kayvion Lewis, Thieves’ Gambit

First in a new series by Kayvion Lewis, Thieves’ Gambit is described as The Inheritance Games meets Ocean’s Eleven. As someone who absolutely loves The Inheritance Games series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, I knew I needed to give this book a try.

Seventeen year old, Rosalyn Quest grew up in a family of thieves, in fact they are a legendary thieving family. Ross wants free of this life, but knows that her mom will never willingly let her go. Working on a plan to escape, Ross has hope for a different future. On the day of her planned escape, things go horribly wrong. Her mother is kidnapped and Ross is at a loss of what to do until she remembers her invite to the Gambit, a thieving competition that brings people together from across the world to complete a series of dangerous heists for the grand prize of anything they want in the world. Ross joins the Gambit hopeful to rescue her mom. As soon as she arrives on site, Ross realizes that this isn’t going to be as easy as she thought. She recognizes one of the other competitors, while another tries to distract her with his charm. Having been taught since birth to only trust people with the last name Quest, Ross is hesitant to get close to anyone, but the nature of the Gambit means that she may have to break her rules and trust someone. Only one can win the prize though. Does Ross have what it takes?

While I enjoyed this series, I will say it doesn’t quite hit the same level for me as The Inheritance Games. Even though I say that, I did enjoy that the characters were well-developed and that the plot’s twists and turns were action-packed. Very seldom did the characters just sit around and do nothing. They were never passive victims. They were constantly planning, scheming, and working to solve a problem. The ending caught me off guard and had me wondering just what was going to happen in the second book, Heist Royale.

If you’re a teen and you’re interested in talking about this book, please join us on Tuesday, December 30th, 2025 at 6:30pm at Eastern for the Teen Book + Club: Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis program. More information about this program can be found on our website here: https://davenportlibrary.libcal.com/event/15660155

Thieves’ Gambit series

  1. Thieves’ Gambit (2023)
  2. Heist Royale (2024)

Slip written by Marika McCoola, illustrated by Aatmaja Pandya

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Slip written by Marika McCoola and illustrated by Aatmaja Pandya is an incredibly emotional coming-of-age young adult graphic novel that isn’t afraid to talk about tough topics. What hooked me about this graphic novel is that it centers on ceramic artist! Most of the graphic novels about art that I read center on painting or dance, so seeing one based on a talented young ceramic artist, I knew I needed to give this a read (Plus I know almost nothing about working with ceramics, so I wanted to learn!).

Trigger warning for suicide attempt.

Jade is a ceramic artist who has earned a spot at a summer art intensive at the Art Farm. She is hopeful that this intensive will help her create a portfolio which will help her get accepted into art school and also help her get a scholarship. Her mom thinks that this is a lot of pressure since it’s the student residency intensive, but has faith that Jade can succeed. Right before Jade is set to leave though, her best friend Phoebe attempts suicide. After learning this, Jade struggles with focusing on herself and constantly worries about Phoebe.

At the Art Farm, Jade meets many new people and learns many new techniques that have the ability to help her expand her art. Jade also feels the spark of a summer romance with a quirky artist named Mary. Through the summer, Jade struggles to find her motivation to work, but eventually finds her rhythm. She starts making ceramic monsters as a way to help vent her anger, frustration, and fear. The scary part is that her creations start coming alive when she puts them in the kiln. Jade must figure out what is causing them to come alive and find a way to stop them. Slip is an engaging read that doesn’t end prettily. There are clearly still plenty of issues for Jade to work through, but readers are left with the sense that she is on a path to succeed.

Dual Timeline Young Adult Fiction

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Let’s talk about a controversial narrative structure in books: dual timelines. Some people love them, some people hate them! Dual timelines usually present as past and present narratives that are linked together by a common mystery, thread, or story. Sometimes dual timelines are told from the perspective of the same character, but they can be told from two different characters’ perspectives at different points in time. The important key to remember, and what separates dual timelines from a multiple narrator or dual perspectives story, is that one timeline is typically set in the past and another is set closer to the present. I fall in the reader camp that loves dual timelines. I love the switch between characters, seeing how the past informs the present, and the little clues that the author leaves for readers to find. Below I have gathered six young adult novels with dual timelines that have caught my attention recently. As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

All You Have to Do by Autumn Allen

In All You Have to Do, two young Black men attend prestigious schools nearly thirty years apart, yet both navigate similar forms of insidious racism.

In April 1968, in the wake of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination, Kevin joins a protest that shuts down his Ivy League campus . . .

In September 1995, amid controversy over the Million Man March, Gibran challenges the “See No Color” hypocrisy of his prestigious New England prep school . . .

As the two students, whose lives overlap in powerful ways, risk losing the opportunities their parents worked hard to provide, they move closer to discovering who they want to be instead of accepting as fact who society and family tell them they are. – Kokila

Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson

The fire wasn’t Marlowe Wexler’s fault. Dates should be hot, but not hot enough to warrant literal firefighters. Akilah, the girl Marlowe has been in love with for years, will never go out with her again. No one dates an accidental arsonist.

With her house-sitting career up in flames, it seems the universe owes Marlowe a new summer job, and that’s how she ends up at Morning House, a mansion built on an island in the 1920s and abandoned shortly thereafter. It’s easy enough, giving tours. Low risk of fire. High chance of getting bored talking about stained glass and nut cutlets and Prohibition.

Oh, and the deaths. Did anyone mention the deaths?

Maybe this job isn’t such a gift after all. Morning House has a horrific secret that’s been buried for decades, and now the person who brought her here is missing.

All it takes is one clue to set off a catastrophic chain of events. One small detail, just like a spark, could burn it all down—if someone doesn’t bury Marlowe first. – HarperCollins

Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler

Natalya Fox has twenty-four hours to make the biggest choice of her life: stay home in NYC for the summer with her dad (and finally screw up the courage to talk to the girl she’s been crushing on), or spend it with her basically estranged mom in LA (knowing this is the best chance she has to fix their relationship, if she even wants to.) (Does she want to?)

How’s a girl supposed to choose?

She can’t, and so both summers play out in alternating timelines – one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the girl she’s always wanted. And one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the guy she never saw coming. – Wednesday Books

Nothing Burns as Bright as You by Ashley Woodfolk

Two girls. One wild and reckless day. Years of tumultuous history unspooling like a thin, fraying string in the hours after they set a fire.

They were best friends. Until they became more. Their affections grew. Until the blurry lines became dangerous.

Over the course of a single day, the depth of their past, the confusion of their present, and the unpredictability of their future is revealed. And the girls will learn that hearts, like flames, aren’t so easily tamed.

It starts with a fire.

How will it end? – Versify

Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian

2019. Moud is an out gay teen living in Los Angeles with his distant father, Saeed. When Moud gets the news that his grandfather in Iran is dying, he accompanies his dad to Tehran, where the revelation of family secrets will force Moud into a new understanding of his history, his culture, and himself.

1978. Saeed is an engineering student with a promising future ahead of him in Tehran. But when his parents discover his involvement in the country’s burgeoning revolution, they send him to safety in America, a country Saeed despises. And even worse—he’s forced to live with the American grandmother he never knew existed.

1939. Bobby, the son of a calculating Hollywood stage mother, lands a coveted MGM studio contract. But the fairy-tale world of glamour he’s thrust into has a dark side.

Set against the backdrop of Tehran and Los Angeles, this tale of intergenerational trauma and love is an ode to the fragile bonds of family, the hidden secrets of history, and all the beautiful moments that make us who we are today. – HarperCollins

Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer

Ellis and Easton have been inseparable since childhood. But when a rash decision throws Ellis’s life—and her relationship with Easton—into chaos, she’s forced to move halfway across the country, far from everything she’s ever known.

Now Ellis hasn’t spoken to Easton in a year, and maybe it’s better that way; maybe eventually the Easton-shaped hole in her heart will heal.

But when Easton’s mom invites her home for a visit, Ellis finds herself tangled up in the web of heartache, betrayal, and anger she left behind . . . and with the boy she never stopped loving. – HarperCollins

You Belong Here by Sara Phoebe Miller

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You Belong Here written by Sara Phoebe Miller and illustrated by Morgan Beem is a coming of age story about Esther Rosen and her senior year of high school. Full of drama, angst, and romance galore, You Belong Here is a true-to-life glimpse of one teenager’s struggle to find out where she belongs.

Esther Rosen, Essie if you please, is more than ready to leave her hometown of Harborview. Luckily for her, it’s her last first day of high school and she can’t wait for school to finally end so she can graduate and get away from here! While it seems like the end may be far off in the future, time has a funny way of playing tricks. With her best friend off at Columbia living her best life, her brother across the country in rehab, and her mom turning every conversation into a fight, Essie is struggling to find her way. Essie should be able to turn to her boyfriend Bruno, but even he has become weirdly distant. Through all of these ups and downs, Essie knows one thing: she has a limited number of days before she will start school at NYU in the acting program of her dreams with her best friend.

It doesn’t take long before Essie’s plans start to unravel. Her best friend isn’t responding to her texts, Bruno breaks up with her, and her mom’s constant nagging about perfection ramp up her anxiety. After she bombs her audition, Essie is at a loss. She missed the audition window for the community theater group she usually works with and instead has to try out for the school play. When she’s cast opposite Christopher Sun, Essie is conflicted. While Christopher is charming and attractive, he is also the young brother of the drug dealer who got her older brother hooked on drugs and caused all her family’s problems. How can she be attracted to Christopher? Is he a rebound? Or is what she feeling for him real?

This young adult debut graphic novel was gorgeously written and drawn. The illustrator used blue watercolor tones to highlight the story, focusing on details and expression in each interaction. Even though the artwork is monochromatic, readers are easily able to see the big emotions play across each character. You Belong Here is ripe with teenage angst as Essie struggles with her family, friends, and feelings.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

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“Perhaps the logical conclusion of everyone looking the same is everyone thinking the same.”
― Scott Westerfeld, Uglies

Uglies is the first book in the series of the same name written by Scott Westerfeld. Published in 2005, Uglies is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and anyone interested in young adult dystopian novels.

Tally Youngblood is about to turn 16 and she couldn’t be more excited. In Tally’s world, every 16 year old is required to have a surgery that turns them pretty. Tally is ready to leave the wrong side of town, turn pretty, and join her best friend in New Pretty Town. This mandatory plastic surgery will alter everything about Tally, turning Uglies into Pretties and eliminating any issues of jealousy, insecurity, suffering, and inequality across the world.

Sounds too good to be true, right? Enter Shay, who wants to leave before her surgery and run to the Smoke, a band of rebels who are opposed to everything that Pretty Town stands for. Tally can’t understand why Shay would want to leave, but circumstances soon drastically change for Tally, leaving her with no choice but to hunt down Shay. This book was rich with symbolism and had me on the edge of my seat, thinking about the consequences of a society so caught up on beauty and appearances that they are willing to sacrifice anything for the chance to be pretty.

“What you do, the way you think, makes you beautiful.”
― Scott Westerfeld, Uglies

Interested in this book? Uglies is the December See YA Book Club pick. We will be discussing this book on Wednesday, December 3rd at 6:30pm at our Eastern Avenue branch. For more information about future See YA book picks, visit our website.

Books in the Uglies series

  1. Uglies (2005)
  2. Pretties (2005)
  3. Specials (2006)
  4. Extras (2007)

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.

Wednesday March 4th session will be meeting in the Story Room.

December 3 – Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

January 7 – She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

February 4 – Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter

March 4 – The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

April 1 – Looking for Smoke by KA Cobell

May 6 – If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang

June 3 – Shut Up, This is Serious by Carolina Ixta

Visitations written and illustrated by Corey Egbert

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Inspired by true events, Visitations, written and illustrated by Corey Egbert, dives into a formative part of Corey’s childhood that starts him on a path to change his life forever. This young adult graphic novel has strong themes of religion, mental illness, and family dynamics. To me, Visitations was an insight into a young child’s upbringing in the Mormon church and how he was influenced by those around him.

Growing up, Corey was closer to his mom than his dad. His mom always made him feel safe, while he felt further away from his dad. Something happened in the family when Corey’s sister was young that caused his parents to divorce which led to visitations with his dad. He dreaded the visitations, especially as he grew older because his mother’s accusations against his dad and his dad’s side of the family became more erratic. She insisted that Corey be his sister’s protector against their father as she believed he was the devil and trying to turn them against her.

Corey’s mother relied strongly on the Lord through all of their troubles. One day, she received a message that Corey and his sister were to stop the visitations with their father. She took Corey and his sister away from their home and traveled deep into the Nevada desert. With seemingly no directions except to believe that the Heavenly Father had a plan for them, the three traveled with little food, living in their car, while running from the police. Tensions quickly grew to a breaking point. Corey was consistently visited by a flickering ghost who urged him to look outside of what his mother had been telling him for years. This graphic novel deals with heavy topics: mental illness, religion, and ever-changing family dynamics. I appreciated the author’s examination of religion and belief systems, how those are so intertwined into every aspect of life, and how hard finding the line between imagination and memory, the truth and lies can be. This was a four star read for me, but could be triggering for others.

Young Adult Books with Multiple Narrators

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How do you feel about books with multiple narrators? Similar to books with dual timelines, books with multiple narrators or multiple perspectives are a hot topic.  Single narrative stories provide readers with one point of view, but typically go more in depth into the actions and the mind of that singular character. Multiple narrator novels add more dimension to the story. Readers learn more about each characters’ thoughts as well as showcasing multiple experiences. One of my favorite aspects of multiple narrator novels is that you learn more about the story, be it the actual truth or each narrators’ perceived truth. Which do you prefer: single narrators or multiple narrators? To help you decide, below you will find a list of young adult books with multiple narrators. As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

6 Times We Almost Kissed (and One Time We Did) by Tess Sharpe

After years of bickering, Penny and Tate have called a truce: they’ll play nice. They have to. Their mothers (life-long best friends) need them to be perfect, drama-free daughters when Penny’s mother becomes a living liver donor to Tate’s mom. Forced to live together as their moms recover, the girls’ truce is essential in keeping everything—their jobs, the house, the finances, the Moms’ healing—running smoothly. They’ve got to let this thing between them go.

There’s one little hitch: Penny and Tate keep almost kissing.

It’s just this confusing thing that keeps happening. You know, from time to time. For basically their entire teenaged existence.

They’ve never talked about it. They’ve always ignored it in the aftermath. But now they’re living across the hall from each other.

And some things—like their kisses—can’t be almosts forever.

Told through the two girls’ present and six moments from their past, this dynamic love story shows that sometimes the person you need the most has been there for you all along. – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

After Life by Gayle Forman

One spring afternoon after school, Amber arrives home on her bike. It’s just another perfectly normal day. But when Amber’s mom sees her, she screams.

Because Amber died seven years ago, hit by a car while on the very same bicycle she’s inexplicably riding now.

This return doesn’t only impact Amber. Her sister, Melissa, now seven years older, must be a new kind of sibling to Amber. Amber’s estranged parents are battling over her. And the changes ripple farther and farther out: Amber’s friends, boyfriend, and even people she met only once have been deeply affected by her life and death. In the midst of everyone’s turmoil, Amber is struggling with herself. What kind of person was she? How and why was she given this second chance?

This magnificent tour de force by acclaimed author Gayle Forman brilliantly explores the porous veil between life and death, examines the impact that one person can have on the world, and celebrates life in all its beautiful complexity. – Quill Tree Books

Darker by Four by June CL Tan

A vengeful girl. A hollow boy. A missing god.

Rui has one goal in mind—honing her magic to avenge her mother’s death.

Yiran is the black sheep of an illustrious family. The world would be at his feet—had he been born with magic.

Nikai is a Reaper, serving the Fourth King of Hell. When his master disappears, the underworld begins to crumble…and the human world will be next if the King is not found.

When an accident causes Rui’s power to transfer to Yiran, everything turns upside down. Without her magic, Rui has no tool for vengeance. With it, Yiran finally feels like he belongs. That is, until Rui discovers she might hold the key to the missing death god and strikes a dangerous bargain with another King.

As darkness takes over, three paths intersect in the shadows. And three lives bound by fate must rise against destiny before the barrier between worlds falls and all Hell breaks loose—literally. – Storytide

Four Eids and a Funeral by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar

When Said Hossain’s favorite hometown librarian dies, he must return from boarding school for her funeral and for the summer. Too bad being home makes it a lot harder to avoid facing his ex–best friend, Tiwa Olatunji, or facing the daunting task of telling his Bangladeshi parents that he would rather be an artist than a doctor.

Tiwa doesn’t understand what made Said start ignoring her, but it’s probably that fancy boarding school of his. Though he’s unexpectedly home for the summer, she’s determined to take a page from him and pretend he doesn’t exist. Besides, she has more than enough going on, between grieving her favorite librarian and her broken family while helping her mother throw the upcoming Eid celebration at the Islamic Center—a place that means so much to Tiwa.

But when the center accidentally catches fire, the mayor plans to demolish it entirely. Tiwa and Said will need to put their feelings aside if they’re going to get the mayor to change his mind. Will all their efforts be enough to save the Islamic Center, save Eid, and maybe even save their relationship? – Feiwel & Friends

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

Bradley Graeme is pretty much perfect. He’s a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough), and comes out on top in all his classes . . . except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine.

Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption—yet, she’s still not cool enough for the popular kids’ table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that’s how Celine sees it.)

These days, there’s nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she’s surprised to find Brad right beside her.

Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship? – Joy Revolution

Lulu and Milagro’s Search for Clarity by Angela Velez

Overachiever Luz “Lulu” Zavala has straight As, perfect attendance, and a solid ten-year plan. First up: nail her interview for a dream internship at Stanford, the last stop on her school’s cross-country college road trip. The only flaw in her plan is Clara, her oldest sister, who went off to college and sparked a massive fight with their overprotective Peruvian mom, who is now convinced that out-of-state-college will destroy their family. If Lulu can’t fix whatever went wrong between them, the whole trip—and her future—will be a waste.

Middle sister Milagro wants nothing to do with college or a nerdy class field trip. Then a spot opens up on the trip just as her own spring break plans (Operation Don’t Die a Virgin) are thwarted, and she hops on the bus with her glittery lipsticks, more concerned about getting back at her ex than she is about schools or any family drama. But the trip opens her eyes about possibilities she’d never imagined for herself. Maybe she is more than the boy-crazy girl everyone seems to think she is.

On a journey from Baltimore all the way to San Francisco, Lulu and Milagro will become begrudging partners as they unpack weighty family expectations, uncover Clara’s secrets, and maybe even discover the true meaning of sisterhood. – HarperCollins

Those Pink Mountain Nights by Jenny Ferguson

Overachievement isn’t a bad word—for Berlin, it’s the goal. She’s securing excellent grades, planning her future, and working a part-time job at Pink Mountain Pizza, a legendary local business. Who says she needs a best friend by her side?

Dropping out of high school wasn’t smart—but it was necessary for Cameron. Since his cousin Kiki’s disappearance, it’s hard enough to find the funny side of life, especially when the whole town has forgotten Kiki. To them, she’s just another missing Native girl.

People at school label Jessie a tease, a rich girl—and honestly, she’s both. But Jessie knows she contains multitudes. Maybe her new job crafting pizzas will give her the high-energy outlet she desperately wants.

When the weekend at Pink Mountain Pizza takes several unexpected turns, all three teens will have to acknowledge the various ways they’ve been hurt—and how much they need each other to hold it all together. – Heartdrum

The Queens of New York by E.L. Shen

Best friends Jia Lee, Ariel Kim, and Everett Hoang are inseparable. But this summer, they won’t be together.

Everett, aspiring Broadway star, hopes to nab the lead role in an Ohio theater production, but soon realizes that talent and drive can only get her so far. Brainy Ariel is flying to San Francisco for a prestigious STEM scholarship, even though her heart is in South Korea, where her sister died last year. And stable, solid Jia will be home in Flushing, juggling her parents’ Chinatown restaurant, a cute new neighbor, and dreams for an uncertain future.

As the girls navigate heartbreaking surprises and shocking self-discoveries, they find that even though they’re physically apart, they are still mighty together. – Quill Tree Books

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

 

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world. – Storytide

A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass

“Love has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time.”

Princess Annika has lived a life of comfort—but no amount of luxuries can change the fact that her life isn’t her own to control. The king, once her loving father, has gone cold, and Annika will soon be forced into a loveless marriage for political gain.

Miles away, small comforts are few and far between for Lennox. He has devoted his life to the Dahrainian army, hoping to one day help them reclaim the throne that was stolen from them. For Lennox, the idea of love is merely a distraction—nothing will stand in the way of fighting for his people.

But when love, against all odds, finds them both, they are bound by its call. They can’t possibly be together—but the irresistible thrum of a thousand heartbeats won’t let them stay apart.

Kiera Cass brings her signature sparkling romance to this beautiful story of star-crossed lovers and long-held secrets. – HarperCollins

Loving, Ohio written by Matthew Erman and illustrated by Sam Beck

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“We all lived here. In some way. And wherever you live it leaves imprints on you.” – Matthew Erman, Loving, Ohio

In Loving, Ohio, four teens are dealing with the tragic suicide of one of their friends amidst the mystery of an overbearing cult in this supernatural horror graphic novel voted one of New York Public Library’s Best New Comics of 2024. As someone who devours any and all fiction and nonfiction about cults, Loving, Ohio was the top of my list. The cult in this book gave me strong Church of Scientology vibes, but with enough quirkiness that I was freaked out at points.

Sloane, Elliott, Cameron, and Ana are four teenagers trying to make it through high school while people go missing or are murdered in the town where they live, Loving, Ohio. Loving was built around The Chorus, a new age cult with members in high ranking positions of power and influence within both the cult and the community. Everyone in the community is enamored by The Chorus with it leaching into any and every business and family around. Sloane and her friends are not thrilled with The Chorus and have plans to hopefully make it out of Loving alive. When one of their close friends dies by suicide, the four decide enough is enough. When more murders happen, the four find themselves hunting down the murderer while dealing with normal teen things like finding out their place in the world. All of this loss is dealt with while The Chorus looms over them.

This book was incredibly well written. The art was gorgeous, the story was freaky and unsettling, and the horror was horrifying. While Loving, Ohio clearly has supernatural elements throughout, the characters are still dealing with the mundanity of life, albeit with immense levels of grief and nightmare mixed in. Highly recommend.

Kirby’s Lessons for Falling (In Love) written and illustrated by Laura Gao

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Laura Gao’s latest graphic novel, Kirby’s Lessons for Falling (In Love), grabbed me from the start in this young adult graphic novel about someone so different from myself, yet so relatable. This coming-of-age story was beautiful and angsty and full of slow-burn romance that had me cheering at the end, hoping that each character would find their happily-for-now.

Kirby Tan learned rock climbing from the best, her father. After his death, she fell into a slump, but with her mother’s encouragement, Kirby went full-tilt into rock climbing and ended up becoming her high school’s top climber. With the nickname, ‘Queen of Balance,’ Kirby’s wish is to get a college scholarship for rock-climbing. Her dreams come to a pause when she suffers an injury at a meet that puts her out for the rest of the season. Without that extracurricular, Kirby needs another club to join. She finds her way to the newspaper club, specifically working on a love advice column, because of the extra credit promised. Bex Santos, the person in charge of the astrology-based column, couldn’t be more different than Kirby. She wears crystals, reads tarot, and isn’t afraid to share her opinions loudly to anyone and everyone. Kirby reluctantly helps Bex with these matches, but the more time she spends with her, the more Kirby starts to wonder if the two of them are connected via the stars. Is Kirby willing to go after what she wants with Beth while her church community and her family possibly against their relationship? How will Kirby balance her new life with Bex with her current life with her family and church friends? It’s all on the line.