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The Perpetual Page-Turner

The Perpetual Page-Turner

Book Recommendations and Book Lists For Adults And Kids

Home | books | 32 Great YA Books You Might Have Missed

32 Great YA Books You Might Have Missed

May 2, 2018 - Updated January 24, 2021 // 16 Comments

Sometimes when I’m perusing my Goodreads account (hi, let’s be friends there), I see all these great books I read that I feel like went under the radar hardcore or were SUPER popular when they published but I hear NOTHING about now– which is something that’s bound to happen with SO many new books coming out per year. AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THESE UNDERRATED HIDDEN GEM YA BOOKS.

I also feel like some of them were before the big YA-boom that happened outside of our YA community space so maybe people didn’t get a chance to discover them or they were just hidden gems in general.

So I decided to take a trip down memory lane and share some of these fantastic books you may have missed over the years whether it’s because you are newer to the YA book scene, they went under your radar or they were on your TBR but you never got to them.

Or maybe you haven’t missed these books because you have been ON TOP OF THINGS when it comes to your YA reading through the years and, in that case, let’s reminisce about great books and convince people in the comments to read them!

 

Need a book to read? Check out this list of 32 Young adult books you may have missed!

 

[Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links which means that if you click on a link and purchase something I’ve talked about or recommended, I’ll receive a very small percentage of the sale. Please see my disclosure policy for more info.

I included books that were published up through 2014  — will probably eventually add more as years go on.

So let’s get on with these hidden gem YA book:

1. The Body Finder series by Kimberly Derting: If you like some supernatural mysteries, this series was super fun following along with a teen who can hear the echoes of the dead and tries to solve their murders.

2. Summers At Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn: OH MY GOOOOODNESS. I randomly found this book while perusing at the library, recognized the name of the author as I know people who love her adult stuff and it sounded really good  so I picked it up. ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOKS. A charming YA fantasy that just makes me so happy when I think about it.

3. Moonglass by Jessi Kirby: Jessi Kirby is one of the most underrated contemporary YA authors around. I love her books so much and her debut was so wonderful. I also highly recommend her other books that I’ve read: Golden, In Honor and Things We Know By Heart. A beautiful and raw story about a daughter trying to gain closure related to her mother’s death when she was a child as she and her father move back to the beach town where he and her mother grew up and met. Beach life, new friends, cute lifeguards keep Anna busy but can it distract her from the family secrets lingering in her new town?

4. Bunheads by Sophie Flack: If you love all things dance and ballet, this one is more of a quiet contemporary YA about a nineteen year old ballerina in a super prestigious and competitive ballet company. Her whole life has been devoted and she’s been used to juggling everything else in life around it…until she meets Jacob and gets a taste for the freedom outside of a life of professional ballet which makes her question if this is what she really wants for her life. The ballet descriptions are so vivid and transports you right into this world of competitive ballet!

Books To Read THat You Might Have Missed

5. Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White: If you are in the mood for a STANDALONE fantasy, check this one out! I LOVED IT! Magic! Great setting! Banter! Snark! It’s wonderful!

6. Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez: A beautifully written novel about a gifted teen musician and her upward climb to success and unlikely romance that could ruin it all. I seriously don’t understand how this book didn’t get more popular back when it came out!

7. Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley: OH THIS BOOK! It makes me irrationally mad that more people haven’t read it. It blew me away…like way more than I thought it would! I was physically squeezing this book so hard while reading it because I was having such a visceral response to what is happening to the main character. The main character, on a dare from her older brother who has since passed away, enrolls in the military school her brothers went to when they announce that they will be accepting females. Being part of the first class of female recruits when a lot of people are NOT okay with the idea makes it a hostile climate for heroine Sam and her fellow female recruits and I FELT IT. It actually surprised me with how intense it all was. But lemme tell you the #girlpower feels are strong here and I was ACTUALLY fistpumping and cheering while reading. Sam is a badass — especially mentally with what she endures.

8. Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid: I feel like this one was really popular in the book community before it came out (HUGE promo at Book Expo that year) and then when it did come out but then I didn’t see much love for it outside of that. I LOVED this book so much. Like SO MUCH. Let’s Get Lost is told from the perspective of four teens who all encounter Leila, a girl on her own journey, in places along her road trip. They all have their separate life happenings and hurts and somehow Leila winds up in their life at the right moment as she’s driving across the United States. I found myself desperate to know why Leila’s journey was so important and loved watching how Leila would get entangled in each person’s individual affairs. It wasn’t what I expected by the end! Definitely pick it up if you like John Green’s stuff!

YA Books To Read You Might Have Missed

9. Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley: This book was soooo suspenseful and quite a page-turner. It’s about a girl who finds herself outside of her home, to the surprise of her parents, who inform her that she’s been missing for 3 years. Her last memory was from when she was 13. The mystery of what happened in the last 3 years is SUPER compelling and the main character’s story is harrowing and intense.

10. Pointe by Brandy Colbert: Oh this book was so hard to read at times! It deals with a kidnapping, depression, eating disorder and a whole bunch of other things that made my heart hurt and made me feel raw emotion. It’s definitely an intense and gritty sort of read dealing with some heavy topics.

11. The Boy In the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds: Jason Reynolds is super popular yet I feel like this book is super under the radar. It’s definitely a slower, quieter novel but oh my heart it’s so wonderful.

12. Behind The Scenes by Dahlia Adler: An addictive and enjoyable read with a fun Hollywood setting and a VERY shippable romance aka normal girl falls for the hot co-star on her bff’s new teen show who ends up being her faux boyfriend in a publicity stunt. A great beach read!! Dahlia’s books are so underrated!! I’m OBSESSED with her book Just Visiting (not published before 2014 for the purposes for my post) and her amazing romance series set in college.

In The After by Demitria Lunetta: A post-apocalyptic survival story filled to the brim with action and twists and turns. Could not put it down!

Vixen by Jillian Larkin: This was a fun series set in the 1920’s full of flappers and gangsters and speakeasies and glamour.

Life By Committee by Corey Ann Haydu: I get sad that this has a lower average rating on Goodreads because I LOVED this book and I’m sad that it didn’t click for others the way it did for me! If you like messy and imperfect and flawed characters (like for real) you NEED this book in your life!! I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!

Send Me A Sign by Tiffany Schmidt: Get the tissues ready for this one!! This story about a girl who finds out she has leukemia and tries to hide it from all her friends nearly broke my heart.

Shade by Jeri Smith Ready: If you love paranormal romance, this is a series that just went absolutely under the radar!

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard: Ahhh I love this contemporary YA so much. If you love travel, get this one!! Traveling through Central America with Bria was amazing & I loved the romance!

I’ll Be There by Holly Goldburg Sloan: This book is so beautiful and such a testament to how we all are so interconnected and weave through one anothers lives making varying degrees of impressions. I just loved the little vignettes of many people’s lives that were used to tell this story of Sam and Emily.

The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna: This book is such an underrated YA sci-fi gem!! The Lost Girl takes place in the future when scientists (the Weavers) have perfected a way to make an “echo” or copy of somebody that would take the place of the original human being, or the “other” as they are referred to, in the event that the “Other” died. The practice is not widely accepted in some countries and is against the law in many others so the echos have to be hidden. The echo’s life is devoted to studying their Others life so intently that, if something happened, they’d be able to take their place seamlessly. The main character gets to fulfill her duty when her Other dies and well…you can imagine it’s not that easy for her or the family/friends to accept.

You may also like: the best bookstagrammers to follow for book recommendations

Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Keuhnert: A really fantastic book– raw, gritty and powerful in both its story and the emotional impact it had on me as it weaved together this story of family, heartbreak, losing control and then making the choice to regain control amidst the chaos. If you don’t mind a gritty and darker book, this one is for you!

The Walled City by Ryan Graudin: I was so fascinated with this premise especially once I learned it was based on a real thing! I was absolutely transported to the dark, dangerous streets of the walled city and the fear and the danger the characters were experiencing were also mine to bear as I was reading. I could feel the danger lurking, the hopeless/despair and the suffocating nature of the city. Really vivid setting and quite a page-turner!

A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty: SUCH AN UNDERRATED FANTASY. Very quirky, imaginative and different from most of the fantasy I see out/read! It’s so WEIRD and strange…but like in a good way? Step into the Kingdom of Cello, y’all!

Speechless by Hannah Harrington: Speechless breathes new life into the “mean girl fall from grace” plot with the way it seamlessly explores the many facets of high school experience — the fickle nature of popularity and social status, the damage of gossip, the beginnings of finding yourself in an atmosphere that wants everyone to be the same, etc. –and tackles it at a level that goes beyond the superficial surface of it all. Really loved watching the main character, Chelsea, grow after her sharing of a secret really harmed someone.

The Book Of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler: I’m obsessed with Sarah Ockler’s books and think she truly should be more popular and I always make sure people who love Sarah Dessen read her! This one really stuck with me. It is a beautifully bittersweet story full of unforgettable characters, a sweet romance and passages that begged to be dogeared. I’ve read a lot of books that deal with families in the midst of a crisis like an ill parent but none have been as poignant or special to me as Jude and Papi’s story. It was undoubtedly such an authentic look, through the eyes of a teenager who has to watch her dad fade away, at how a tragedy like that affects the whole family.

Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland: If you are looking for a good beach read, DO NOT LET THIS ESCAPE YOUR BEACH BAG THIS YEAR! It has a GREAT summer/beach vibe and I always do love that in a beach read but it also has a great romance along with good family and friend dynamics. It was a quick read that explored a few relationships — romance, a fractured friendship and a strained mother-daughter relationship — in a really great setting that will have you thirsting for your own summer romance in Nantucket.

Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGinnis: This one was pretty popular in the YA community when it came out but wish it gained even more traction! This gritty, bare bones survival story  really captivated me!! It’s set in a world where water is a scarce commodity and if you have it…you protect it. I just loved how gritty it was and how it really delves into some grey morality issues when one is in survival mode. Really fantastic read!!

Where The Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller: Oh man do I love Trish’s books! In this one Trish Doller wrote a story that made my heart explode into pieces so small they shouldn’t have been able to been able to be put back together — but somehow she managed to put them back together with a moving story of family, second chances, love and facing your future despite your past. Callie’s whole childhood has been on the road with her mother after she left her father. After 10 years Callie is sent to live with her dad and his new family after Callie’s mom gets arrested for kidnapping. Callie is thrust back into this town she doesn’t remember, a dad she barely knows and a big Greek family she never got to know and she struggles to fit into it all, have a relationship with her dad and let herself love.

What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton: This was such a hard read about a girl who endures something terrible at the hand of seemingly charming guy she meets that she can’t fully remember and explores how she processes and deals with this life-altering event that makes her shut down, withdraw from her previous life and not tell anyone. (TW for sexual assault/rape)

Friday Never Leaving by Vikki Wakefield: Friday Never Leaving was such a gem and I wish it got more love here in the States when it got published (I think it’s way more popular in Australia where it was first published). Oh man. You need to meet Friday Brown and the street kids she meets on her way to finding where she belongs after the death of her mother and learns how family/home/belonging can mean different things.

Brazen by Katherine Longshore: Brazen was an addictive romp through King Henry VIII’s court during the time of Anne Boleyn’s reign as Queen told through the eyes of Mary Howard. Scandal, romance and drama! If you loved Reign, you need this book in your life!

Something Real by Heather Demetrios: I’ll be honest, my FAVE book from this author is I’ll Meet You There but I really LOVED this one so much. Like, so much. I thought it would be a fun story about a family who is a famous reality show family but it was SO MUCH MORE.

 

You may also like: Best books for Sarah Dessen fans (some real hidden gem contemporaries on there!)

Have you read any of these? What are some YA books published pre-2014 that you think *I* might have missed and would love?

P.S. My favorite Aussie YA books // YA Books Set Outside the US

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About Jamie

Jamie is a 32 year old married lady (with a new baby!!) who is in denial that she's actually that old to be a married lady and a mom. When she's not reading you can find her doing Pilates followed by eating ice cream, belting out Hamilton (loud and offkey) and having adventures with her husband, daughter and rescue dog.

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Comments

  1. Annemieke says

    May 2, 2018 at 2:33 am

    I haven’t read any of these but I am a big fantasy addict so I guess that isn’t too strange. I have heard of Illusions of Fate and have had it on my radar for a while. 🙂

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      May 2, 2018 at 8:46 am

      Oh you should read it! It’s a quick fantasy read that would be perfect when you are in between humongous fantasy tomes haha

      Reply
  2. Morgane @ Bookworms Eat Brains says

    May 2, 2018 at 4:55 am

    I basically missed all of these. 😅 They were released into the wild at the time of my long-lasting reading slump, so that’s surely why. But! I read The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting, though. It’s a fun read.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      May 2, 2018 at 8:45 am

      UGH I had one of those long lasting reading slumps too from high school to college! I feel like I missed ALL THE THINGS.

      Reply
  3. Laura @BlueEyeBooks says

    May 2, 2018 at 8:57 am

    I remember reading The Body Finder series in 2014 and loving it! I feel like it did kind of fade into obscurity but it’s such an interesting idea (I’ve never read another book even remotely like it and that’s saying something). Now I really want to do a reread 🙂 I’ll definitely be checking out the rest of these as well!

    Laura @BlueEyeBooks

    Reply
  4. Susan (Bloggin' 'bout Books) says

    May 2, 2018 at 10:16 am

    I’ve read a few of these. I really liked THE BODY FINDER but not really the subsequent books in the series. I also liked the NOT A DROP TO DRINK series, VIRTUOSITY (as well as other books by the author), and THE WALLED CITY (although I didn’t care for WOLF BY WOLF). I’ve also read SOMETHING REAL and SPEECHLESS, which were okay.

    I totally forgot about some of these books (the definition of “under the radar” I guess), so thanks for the reminder!

    Reply
  5. Leanna says

    May 2, 2018 at 11:28 am

    Some great picks here! Wanderlove and Nantucket Blue are two of my faves! <3 Oh, and I love the Body Finder series. Especially the very cute romance!

    Reply
  6. Laura says

    May 2, 2018 at 3:41 pm

    I just read Not A Drop to Drink and its sequel In a Handful of Dust last month – very good!

    I’ve owned In the After since it came out and have it on my 2018 TBR. I loved Wolf by Wolf and just read Blood for Blood, so I’m excited to read The Walled City. I’m also adding The Lost Girl to my list!

    Reply
  7. La La in the Library says

    May 2, 2018 at 10:21 pm

    I read The Walled City and I loved it. I have Let’s Get Lost, but I read a short story by the author in an anthology and I hated his writing style, ha ha, but I still might give it a try. ☺

    Reply
  8. Rachel @ Never Enough Novels says

    May 3, 2018 at 7:42 am

    I always think to myself that I want to read more young adult novels, but the sheer volume of them (and sometimes more prevalent terrible plots/writing) makes me give up before even trying. This is a fabulous list to keep in my back pocket when I’m browsing the library. Thanks!

    Reply
  9. Lefty @ The Left-Handed Book Lover says

    May 3, 2018 at 12:19 pm

    I love love love this post! I remember a lot of these being A Thing a while back but then completely disappeared. I have been advocating for Virtuosity and Speechless for YEARS so I loved seeing them on this list! I’d definitely forgotten about a few of these…I even have some of them on my shelf. What a nice little reminder to revisit them!

    – Lefty @ The Left-Handed Book Lover

    Reply
  10. Jenna @ Falling Letters says

    May 3, 2018 at 4:44 pm

    Wow, this post is a good reminder of the quick turnover of YA lit! I only recognize two of these books.

    Reply
  11. Jeanette says

    May 5, 2018 at 5:47 pm

    I actually not read any of these, but it sounds like I should add Nantucket Blue to my tbr 🙂

    Reply
  12. Linda says

    May 5, 2018 at 10:28 pm

    I read Summers at Castle Auburn after you suggested it, and I’ve also read I’ll Be There and The Walled City. All very different books, but they’re fantastic choices!

    Reply
  13. Jessica says

    May 8, 2018 at 6:01 pm

    I added a lot of these to my summer reading list! Thanks for the recommendations!

    Reply
  14. Wendy @ Book Scents says

    May 10, 2018 at 6:20 pm

    You know what? Reading through this list I keep thinking OH YEAH I wanted to read that so badly! …and they’re still just sitting on my shelf. Oops!! Sometimes it’s great to get a reminder of the things I wanted to read but new releases have kept pushing them down the list! I need to get some of these back up on my priorities list!

    Reply

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perpetualpageturner

“Why is it so hard to pick my next read?” — “Why is it so hard to pick my next read?” — she says as she is surrounded by piles on piles of books on the floor and desk and packed on her bookshelf and book cart. (Partner @berkleypub - thanks for the review copy).⁣
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I managed to pick my next read, as chronicled in these photos, but it was not easy with so many options! 

Decided to go with a most anticipated book of 2022 for me from an author who has written books I’ve really enjoyed.
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I am about halfway through and cruising along because I NEED to figure out if Joseph is the worst or what really is going on here in this story that starts with 3 women being stood up by the same guy on Valentine’s Day.  I feel like there is something more to this one but I can’t quite put my finger on it yet! ⁣
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Hoping to finish it this weekend! What are you reading this weekend? And do you have trouble picking your next read? How do you choose amongst all the options?
Sunshine on my face and a mass market fitting perf Sunshine on my face and a mass market fitting perfectly in my hands.⁣…
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Truly felt like there were zero things more joyful than the warm sun on my face after colder, dreary days and remembering how much I love the feel of reading a mass market paperback. It’s probably a very specific little joy of mine and I definitely reveled in it today.⁣
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But the real big joy has been rereading this book and experiencing it all over again before @bridgertonnetflix season 2 — especially the Pall Mall scene. And something to do with a 🐝 😅 iykyk⁣
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With all the joy I’m getting out of this reread it makes me wonder why I don’t prioritize rereading like I used to before I started blogging 10 years ago.⁣
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In my head I just want to experience all the new stories and try to make a dent in my TBR but I forget, until I do it, the genuine pleasure in revisiting old companions and how it’s a different side of reading one can experience — the nostalgia, the person I’ve become since reading the book and the way I approach a book already knowing what happens. Well the general sense of what happens because my memory is 💩!⁣
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Anyways that’s what I’m up to currently. Trying to finish this up so I can pack my books for a short trip I’m going on later this week. My first ✈️ since 2019!⁣
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Whatcha reading? Do you reread often? And tell me a little teeny tiny joy from your day.
If I was a person who made Reels I would somehow m If I was a person who made Reels I would somehow mash up the “screaming, crying”  Blank Space clip with the “emotional damage” refrain to the Bastille’s Pompeii to let you know how I feel after the last few chapters of #TheGildedCage !!⁣
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And if you don’t understand what that means, I’m sorry 😅⁣
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But woo boy do I need the third installment of this series!!! But I also think I’m going to be even more emotional damaged after that one soooo.⁣ 
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Seriously, one of the best simple joys of my life is the feeling of being so wholly and totally invested in a series that you have to remind yourself it’s fiction lest you spend all day in bed crying about the devastated look a character had on their face — a face you didn’t even see with your own two eyes but you are so invested that you feel nauseous and gutted like you sure did.⁣
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Just me orrrrrr?⁣
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No but for real. If you love YA fantasy, go start #theprisonhealer so you can be caught up when The Blood Traitor comes out in June (and be my emotional support person for the duration of reading it). I love these characters and I dying to see what happens next. 

Have you read this series yet? Last book series that had you SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP because of the EMOTIONAL DAMAGE it inflicted?
A real life reading photo because I couldn’t be A real life reading photo because I couldn’t be bothered to make it pretty — mismatching fuzzy sucks, coffee almost gone and Christmas pajama pants that are super old.⁣
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But y’all Black Cake is so good!! I’m almost halfway through and I know it’s A Choice to declare it one of the best books I’ve read all year but I’m feeling bold based on how it’s going.⁣
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I love a good family story (especially one with a family secret!) and this is top notch. The writing is 👌🏻 and I know I’m going to be screaming when the pieces come together!⁣
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In other news, I’m 65% of the way through The Dry by Jane Harper and I’m enjoying it so much that I ended up staying on the treadmill twice this weekend after my allotted time was over just so I could keep listening.⁣
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Will and I FINALLY started Ted Lasso this weekend. It is a damn delight!! For all the hype and praise, it has overdelivered for me which is kind of shocking because normally hype is scary. I told Will that I feel like all the praise hasn’t even come close to how much I could love it. We are only 7 episodes in so no spoilers!⁣
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I’m kinda mad we sat on starting it for so long but at the same time I think the timing is right to help me see my way out of this February funk I have found myself in the past couple weeks.⁣
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Anyways, hope everyone is having a good weekend! Have you read Black Cake or The Dry? Where are my Ted Lasso fans at? I’m happy to join your ranks! Also please tell me your fave character bc I am finding it impossible to pick this far!
Ahhh some of my absolute OG young adult faves are Ahhh some of my absolute OG young adult faves are becoming movies/tv shows soon! And one of them is out TODAY!⁣
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The Sky is Everywhere — it’s out today on AppleTV+ and I can’t wait to sob my brains out. One of my absolute most favorite books ever by one of my all time favorite authors. It’s gorgeous and heartbreaking in its poignant depiction of grief, first love and healing — all woven together in Jandy’s signature gorgeous, lyrical writing.⁣
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Along For The Ride (out April 22) — one of a handful upcoming @sdessen books being adapted in the near future and I can’t wait! These books are so near and dear to my heart.⁣
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No release dates yet for The Summer I Turned Pretty tv series (the ultimate coming of age summertime story!) or The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight (the cutest meet cute of all meet cutes all set in 24 hours) but I am HYPED and have all my fingers crossed for 2022 🤞🤞

Have you read any of these? Anyone else hyped for these adaptations.

Also, for the past few years, I’ve kept a running list of books becoming movies/tv shows for the year. Head to my bio to check out the list! I try to update it weekly and keep on top of it all but life ya know 😆 but I try!
Is this a book club? I think we just started a boo Is this a book club? I think we just started a book club. Or maybe just a @jenniferesmith appreciation club?? (partner @randomhouse )⁣
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Either way, after loving Jennifer E. Smith's YA books for years, it's been a real treat to also read her debut picture book with Riley (we loved!!) as well as her adult debut out in 3 weeks!⁣
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⁣So let me tell you about that adult debut — The Unsinkable Great James!!

This one just was the perfect warm-hearted read for a cold and gloomy January.

A perfect setting to escape into (Alaska), a tender-hearted meet cute and a poignant look at the shared grieving experience of those left behind.

I was initially drawn, like I always am, to the daughter losing a mother storyline and an exploration of that grief but I was so taken by the father/daughter relationship between two people who were left untethered by losing the person who held their family together.

Greta and her father don't see eye-to-eye on basically anything when they are thrown together on this Alaskan cruise, a trip Greta's father and mother were supposed to take, and you can feel the tension of their long-standing tumultuous and fractured relationship -- a relationship that feels like its hanging in a balance and could not recover.

The two are both hurting so much from this loss  and it took my breath away at times in how true it rang to be in your own grief bubble and feeling like the loss is yours and yours alone while forgetting about the others shouldering their own piece of this loss. I loved watching them very slowly SEE one another.

I can't say enough good things about this one -- great setting, Greta's music, the meet-cute, the messy and imperfect nature of family and love. Definitely recommend!⁣
I was on a hot reading streak and now for the past I was on a hot reading streak and now for the past few days I get all cozy in bed to read at night and am asleep by 4 pages in. Will got a kick out of waking up to me basically spooning my kindle. Ebbs and flows, y’all.⁣
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Let’s do a little reading update with an edition of Last, Current & Next.⁣
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Last - The Girl With the Louding Voice: Adunni is by far one of the most memorable voices I’ve read in a book in a very long time. Her hope and resilience in the face of some awful situations kept me turning the pages and rooting for her. I can’t believe it took me so long to finally read it. Highly recommend!⁣
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Now - Deep in Providence (thank you @fiercereads ): I’m about halfway through after I carved out some time to read early this morning and I’m enjoying this story of grief, love and magic. I’m nervous about these girls trying to resurrect their dead friend though! When I put it down today I was getting a little creeped by some things happening.⁣
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Next - The Kiss of Deception: I’m rereading the first book in this YA fantasy series because it’s been forever and I really wanna finish the trilogy. I’ve been really wanting to go through series I’ve left unfinished for years (not for lack of interest but because I suck at juggling all the series I start) so this is one of them. I remember loving it so I’m excited to dive in and binge. 

Whatcha reading? Have you read any of these? Anyone else on the struggle train with reading at night right now?
Braved the downpour to get my library holds. I hop Braved the downpour to get my library holds. I hope they are worth it! Please tell me they are!⁣
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This is also, before I get to the stack,  an appreciation post for my tiny library and wonderful librarians.⁣
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They normally open at 9am during the week —except Fridays. Did I remember that? Nope. So I was I was SO proud of Riley and I for getting our butts in gear to be for around opening time to drop off a stack and get my new ones.⁣
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And alas, I go to open the door and it’s locked. Now I’m holding Riley’s hand, two tote bags full of books, an umbrella that I’m trying to keep over the both of us, mind you. I’m thoroughly confused until it hits me that it’s Friday.⁣
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So I’m like, welp, guess we are just dropping off in the bin so I try to grab my books out and put them in one-handed while juggling the umbrella and less than enthused Riley.⁣
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Mercifully the door opens and  our children’s librarian takes pity on us and lets us in to drop off and pick up the holds.⁣
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Is this what being a VIP as a celebrity feels like?? Sure feels like it to me 😆 for real though, it pays to be a regular and have a cute kid in tow who is being pelted with rain.⁣
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Anyways excited about this stack but especially Wahala, Daughter of the Moon Goddess and How High We Go In The Dark the most.⁣
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Also have been meaning to snag The World Gives Way after @jordys.book.club recommendation!⁣
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Have you read any of these? Any that you think were definitely worth the rain-soaked journey for??⁣
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Alright now I’m off to curl up and read on this rainy, dreary day which is really what I think a day like this is meant for.
Sometimes we get ~the shot~ and sometimes we get.. Sometimes we get ~the shot~ and sometimes we get...this. 😆⁣
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Taking this photo became a team sport today and I chose the path of least resistance as Riley and Finn decided they were very interested in what I was doing...the whole time. Well, actually, it started because Finn kept photo bombing my shot and I’m “come on, dude. Get out of my picture” and Riley decided to copy everything Finn was doing — down to pretending to pant like a dog. 🤪⁣
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I figure one day I’m going to be taking these photos in complete silence and miss the photo-bombing chaos when she’s at school or she find herself with zero interest in what I’m doing.⁣ So I’m leaning into where we are at today — like this in this minute and in this season in general. A thing I’m trying to do a lot more. 
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Anyways, I started this one over the weekend. I jumped into bed last night having only read about 40 pages and suddenly found myself 275 pages in and well past midnight. I made myself put it down to sleep but I fully intend to finish tonight! This one is heartbreaking at times but I love Adunni with my whole heart. ⁣
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Have you read this one?
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More about Jamie

Jamie is a 32 year old married lady (with a new baby!!) who is in denial that she's actually that old to be a married lady and a mom. When she's not reading you can find her doing Pilates followed by eating ice cream, belting out Hamilton (loud and offkey) and having adventures with her husband, daughter and rescue dog.

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“Why is it so hard to pick my next read?” — “Why is it so hard to pick my next read?” — she says as she is surrounded by piles on piles of books on the floor and desk and packed on her bookshelf and book cart. (Partner @berkleypub - thanks for the review copy).⁣
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I managed to pick my next read, as chronicled in these photos, but it was not easy with so many options! 

Decided to go with a most anticipated book of 2022 for me from an author who has written books I’ve really enjoyed.
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I am about halfway through and cruising along because I NEED to figure out if Joseph is the worst or what really is going on here in this story that starts with 3 women being stood up by the same guy on Valentine’s Day.  I feel like there is something more to this one but I can’t quite put my finger on it yet! ⁣
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Hoping to finish it this weekend! What are you reading this weekend? And do you have trouble picking your next read? How do you choose amongst all the options?
Sunshine on my face and a mass market fitting perf Sunshine on my face and a mass market fitting perfectly in my hands.⁣…
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Truly felt like there were zero things more joyful than the warm sun on my face after colder, dreary days and remembering how much I love the feel of reading a mass market paperback. It’s probably a very specific little joy of mine and I definitely reveled in it today.⁣
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But the real big joy has been rereading this book and experiencing it all over again before @bridgertonnetflix season 2 — especially the Pall Mall scene. And something to do with a 🐝 😅 iykyk⁣
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With all the joy I’m getting out of this reread it makes me wonder why I don’t prioritize rereading like I used to before I started blogging 10 years ago.⁣
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In my head I just want to experience all the new stories and try to make a dent in my TBR but I forget, until I do it, the genuine pleasure in revisiting old companions and how it’s a different side of reading one can experience — the nostalgia, the person I’ve become since reading the book and the way I approach a book already knowing what happens. Well the general sense of what happens because my memory is 💩!⁣
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Anyways that’s what I’m up to currently. Trying to finish this up so I can pack my books for a short trip I’m going on later this week. My first ✈️ since 2019!⁣
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Whatcha reading? Do you reread often? And tell me a little teeny tiny joy from your day.
If I was a person who made Reels I would somehow m If I was a person who made Reels I would somehow mash up the “screaming, crying”  Blank Space clip with the “emotional damage” refrain to the Bastille’s Pompeii to let you know how I feel after the last few chapters of #TheGildedCage !!⁣
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And if you don’t understand what that means, I’m sorry 😅⁣
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But woo boy do I need the third installment of this series!!! But I also think I’m going to be even more emotional damaged after that one soooo.⁣ 
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Seriously, one of the best simple joys of my life is the feeling of being so wholly and totally invested in a series that you have to remind yourself it’s fiction lest you spend all day in bed crying about the devastated look a character had on their face — a face you didn’t even see with your own two eyes but you are so invested that you feel nauseous and gutted like you sure did.⁣
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Just me orrrrrr?⁣
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No but for real. If you love YA fantasy, go start #theprisonhealer so you can be caught up when The Blood Traitor comes out in June (and be my emotional support person for the duration of reading it). I love these characters and I dying to see what happens next. 

Have you read this series yet? Last book series that had you SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP because of the EMOTIONAL DAMAGE it inflicted?
A real life reading photo because I couldn’t be A real life reading photo because I couldn’t be bothered to make it pretty — mismatching fuzzy sucks, coffee almost gone and Christmas pajama pants that are super old.⁣
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But y’all Black Cake is so good!! I’m almost halfway through and I know it’s A Choice to declare it one of the best books I’ve read all year but I’m feeling bold based on how it’s going.⁣
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I love a good family story (especially one with a family secret!) and this is top notch. The writing is 👌🏻 and I know I’m going to be screaming when the pieces come together!⁣
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In other news, I’m 65% of the way through The Dry by Jane Harper and I’m enjoying it so much that I ended up staying on the treadmill twice this weekend after my allotted time was over just so I could keep listening.⁣
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Will and I FINALLY started Ted Lasso this weekend. It is a damn delight!! For all the hype and praise, it has overdelivered for me which is kind of shocking because normally hype is scary. I told Will that I feel like all the praise hasn’t even come close to how much I could love it. We are only 7 episodes in so no spoilers!⁣
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I’m kinda mad we sat on starting it for so long but at the same time I think the timing is right to help me see my way out of this February funk I have found myself in the past couple weeks.⁣
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Anyways, hope everyone is having a good weekend! Have you read Black Cake or The Dry? Where are my Ted Lasso fans at? I’m happy to join your ranks! Also please tell me your fave character bc I am finding it impossible to pick this far!
Ahhh some of my absolute OG young adult faves are Ahhh some of my absolute OG young adult faves are becoming movies/tv shows soon! And one of them is out TODAY!⁣
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The Sky is Everywhere — it’s out today on AppleTV+ and I can’t wait to sob my brains out. One of my absolute most favorite books ever by one of my all time favorite authors. It’s gorgeous and heartbreaking in its poignant depiction of grief, first love and healing — all woven together in Jandy’s signature gorgeous, lyrical writing.⁣
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Along For The Ride (out April 22) — one of a handful upcoming @sdessen books being adapted in the near future and I can’t wait! These books are so near and dear to my heart.⁣
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No release dates yet for The Summer I Turned Pretty tv series (the ultimate coming of age summertime story!) or The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight (the cutest meet cute of all meet cutes all set in 24 hours) but I am HYPED and have all my fingers crossed for 2022 🤞🤞

Have you read any of these? Anyone else hyped for these adaptations.

Also, for the past few years, I’ve kept a running list of books becoming movies/tv shows for the year. Head to my bio to check out the list! I try to update it weekly and keep on top of it all but life ya know 😆 but I try!
Is this a book club? I think we just started a boo Is this a book club? I think we just started a book club. Or maybe just a @jenniferesmith appreciation club?? (partner @randomhouse )⁣
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Either way, after loving Jennifer E. Smith's YA books for years, it's been a real treat to also read her debut picture book with Riley (we loved!!) as well as her adult debut out in 3 weeks!⁣
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⁣So let me tell you about that adult debut — The Unsinkable Great James!!

This one just was the perfect warm-hearted read for a cold and gloomy January.

A perfect setting to escape into (Alaska), a tender-hearted meet cute and a poignant look at the shared grieving experience of those left behind.

I was initially drawn, like I always am, to the daughter losing a mother storyline and an exploration of that grief but I was so taken by the father/daughter relationship between two people who were left untethered by losing the person who held their family together.

Greta and her father don't see eye-to-eye on basically anything when they are thrown together on this Alaskan cruise, a trip Greta's father and mother were supposed to take, and you can feel the tension of their long-standing tumultuous and fractured relationship -- a relationship that feels like its hanging in a balance and could not recover.

The two are both hurting so much from this loss  and it took my breath away at times in how true it rang to be in your own grief bubble and feeling like the loss is yours and yours alone while forgetting about the others shouldering their own piece of this loss. I loved watching them very slowly SEE one another.

I can't say enough good things about this one -- great setting, Greta's music, the meet-cute, the messy and imperfect nature of family and love. Definitely recommend!⁣
I was on a hot reading streak and now for the past I was on a hot reading streak and now for the past few days I get all cozy in bed to read at night and am asleep by 4 pages in. Will got a kick out of waking up to me basically spooning my kindle. Ebbs and flows, y’all.⁣
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Let’s do a little reading update with an edition of Last, Current & Next.⁣
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Last - The Girl With the Louding Voice: Adunni is by far one of the most memorable voices I’ve read in a book in a very long time. Her hope and resilience in the face of some awful situations kept me turning the pages and rooting for her. I can’t believe it took me so long to finally read it. Highly recommend!⁣
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Now - Deep in Providence (thank you @fiercereads ): I’m about halfway through after I carved out some time to read early this morning and I’m enjoying this story of grief, love and magic. I’m nervous about these girls trying to resurrect their dead friend though! When I put it down today I was getting a little creeped by some things happening.⁣
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Next - The Kiss of Deception: I’m rereading the first book in this YA fantasy series because it’s been forever and I really wanna finish the trilogy. I’ve been really wanting to go through series I’ve left unfinished for years (not for lack of interest but because I suck at juggling all the series I start) so this is one of them. I remember loving it so I’m excited to dive in and binge. 

Whatcha reading? Have you read any of these? Anyone else on the struggle train with reading at night right now?

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