The Queer Girl is Going to Be Okay

by Dale Walls

LGBTQ+

Publishers Weekly Best of the Year

Queer Love. Something Dawn wants, desperately, but does not have. But maybe, if she can capture it, film it, interview the people who have it, queer love will be hers someday. Or, at least, she'll have made a documentary about it. A documentary that, hopefully, will win Dawn a scholarship to film school. Many obstacles stand in the way of completing her film, but her best friends Edie and Georgia are there to help her reach her goal, no matter what it takes. A touching and joyous story of queer friendship and girlhood set in the vibrant city of Houston, THE QUEER GIRL IS GOING TO BE OKAY will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you believe that eventually, everything will be okay. ~Amazon

The Way I am Now

by Amber Smith

Social Themes

Eden and Josh decide to give their relationship another chance in this much anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Way I Used to Be that explores how to move forward after trauma—in life and in love.

Eden and Josh never had a fair shot at a healthy relationship. When they dated in high school, they each had their own problems getting in the way of the deep connection they felt toward one another. Unbeknownst to Josh, Eden was carrying the burden of a devastating sexual assault, while Josh was dealing with his own private struggle of having an alcoholic father.

Months after Eden and two other girls publicly accuse their rapist, Eden is starting college while her case goes to trial. Now when she and Josh reconnect, it seems like it might finally be in the right place at the right time for them to make it work. But is their love strong enough to withstand the challenges and chaos of college and the crushing realities of a trial that will determine whether Eden gets the justice she deserves? ~Amazon

Artifacts of an Ex

by Jennifer Chen

Romance

In the tradition of Jenny Han and Emma Lord, Jennifer Chen’s Artifacts of an Ex is a story of love, art, and finding your way when everything you know has changed completely.

When Chloe Chang gets dumped via USPS after moving across the county from NYC to LA, her first instinct is to throw her box of memories in the garbage. Instead, she starts buying other teenagers’ break-up boxes to create an art exhibit, Heartifacts. Opening night is going great, until she spots Daniel Kwak illicitly filming his best friend’s reaction to his ex’s box. When she tries to stop him, an intense discussion ends up launching a creative partnership and friendship… and a major crush for Chloe.

There’s just one problem: Daniel is dead set on not being another rebound.

Five times he’s been the guy who makes the girls he’s dating realize they want to get back with their ex. And he refuses for there to be a sixth. She insists she’s over her ex, but when he shows up unexpectedly with his new girlfriend, it turns out Daniel was right. She isn’t ready for a new relationship.

She throws herself into making Heartifacts successful, but flashy influencers threaten her original vision of the exhibit. To create the exhibit she’s always wanted, Chloe needs to go back to basics, learn to work with artists in a more collaborative way, and discover what love can be. Only then will she convince Daniel she’s truly ready for everything they could be to one another. ~Amazon

Wish of the Wicked

by Danielle Paige

Fantasy

New York Times bestselling author Danielle Paige puts a dark YA spin on Cinderella's fairy godmother in this brand new origin story, perfect for fans of These Violent Delights and A Curse So Dark and Deadly.

Everyone knows a fairy godmother helped Cinderella get to the ball. But no one knows why.

For centuries, Farrow's family-the Entente-have been magical advisors to the Queen. Their wisdom and foresight kept the Thirteen Queendoms in harmony. Until a new queen, Magrit, takes power, outlaws magic, and executes the Entente. Only Farrow survives, with her magic warped beyond repair. She can now use it only to fulfill the feeble wishes of commoners.

Since that day, Farrow has dreamed of revenge. The one way to reach the queen is through her son, Prince Mather, who is nearing the age when he must select a bride. When a special ball in his honor is announced, Farrow sees her opportunity. All it will take is a young woman named Cinderella who dreams of true love. With one night, one chance to reclaim her magic and destroy the queen, Farrow will stop at nothing.

Set in a lush, dangerous world rooted in our beloved fairy tales, New York Times bestselling author Danielle Paige launches a brand-new Fairy Godmother origin story full of intrigue, magic, and romance. ~Amazon

UnOrdinary

by uri-chan

From WEBTOON, the #1 digital comic platform, comes unOrdinary, the popular, action-packed series about John, an ordinary teen trying to survive high school in a world where superpowers dictate social status, and betrayal and conspiracies make up every turn. 

**This hardcover edition features exclusive chibi case art!**

Nobody pays much attention to John—just a normal teenager at a high school where the social elite happen to possess unthinkable powers and abilities. John prefers it that way. The more he stays under the radar, and stays close to the Royal’s most powerful Ace, Seraphina, the safer he is in the halls of Wellston High.

But John has a secret past that threatens to bring down the school’s whole social order—and much more. And when the other students start to suspect John has something to hide, he becomes their latest target. Suddenly, John is pulled into a world of turf wars, betrayals, and deadly conspiracies. ~Amazon

The Apothecary Diaries: Vol 10

by Natsu Hyuuga

After breaking a "curse" on the imperial heirs, a palace servant with training in herbal medicine is promoted up the ranks to food taster...and right into the thick of palace intrigue in this lushly illustrated historical mystery series!

When two beautiful foreign envoys with designs on the Emperor come calling with a tale of old about a spellbinding courtesan who captured the imagination of their family patriarch, it’s up to Maomao to concoct a theatrical scheme to give the ladies a whopper of a story to take home! Later, Maomao goes back to sniffing around the Inner Court to find out the truth about the troubling prevalence of those foreign perfume oils that could spell disaster for the throne's future heirs... ~Amazon

The Beasts in Your Brain

by Katherine Speller

It can be hard to find the words to describe the icky feelings that seem to come from nowhere and sap all your joy and energy. You can tell that your brain just isn't pulling off the same tasks as others, and you're constantly bouncing between feeling nothing and feeling the weight of everything. It's hard enough to admit that you're struggling, but how do you even begin to navigate getting help when it feels like there's an enormous gap between you, your peers, and the adults in your life who keep saying they want to support you but just don't seem to get it?

This is not your doctor's dry health pamphlet or a preachy self-care listicle. The Beasts in Your Brain is a guide and companion equally for you and your loved ones, here to provide that essential first dose of information, understanding, and validation about mental illness and how it affects the young people of today. This book knows how much harder things are for you and your generation, how out-of-touch much of the advice out there is (after all, how are you supposed to "just unplug" when more than half your social life is conducted online?), and how identity, circumstances, and stigma can affect your experiences.

Though they might be scary or seem unstoppable, the beasts can be defeated. It will be hard work, but it is not work you will ever have to do alone. This book will be your first partner in your battle against the beasts, reminding you that there's always hope and humor to be found in openly talking about the realities of living with mental illness. Together with the support of your loved ones and the practical knowledge and tools you will learn in this book, you can win this fight. ~Amazon

One in a Million

by Claire Lordon

Debut graphic novelist Claire Lordon’s medical misfortunes may be one in a million in this relatable memoir, but so is her determination, grit, and passion to beat the odds and reclaim her life.

Something is wrong with Claire, but she doesn’t know what. Nobody does, not even her doctors. All she wants is to return to her happy and athletic teenage self. But her accumulating symptoms—chronic fatigue, pounding headaches, weight gain—hint that there’s something not right inside Claire’s body. Claire’s high school experience becomes filled with MRIs, visits to the Mayo Clinic, and multiple surgeries to remove a brain tumor. But even in her most difficult moments battling chronic illness, Claire manages to find solace in her family, her closest friends, and her art.A deeply personal and visually arresting memoir that draws on the author’s high school diaries and drawings, One in a Million is also a sophisticated portrayal of pain, depression, and fear that any teen or adult can relate to. With a sensitive preface and an author’s note connecting past to present, this true story of resilience strikes a moving balance between raw honesty in the face of medical and mental trauma and the everyday musings of a teenager.