Books with category 🔫 Realistic Fiction
Displaying 12 books

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass

2020

by Meg Medina

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass is a compelling novel by Meg Medina that delves into the life of Latina teen Piddy Sanchez, who finds herself the target of a school bully. The story begins when Piddy is told that Yaqui Delgado hates her and is out to get her, despite Piddy having no idea who Yaqui is or what she might have done to provoke such animosity.

Yaqui's gripe seems to be that Piddy comes across as stuck-up, flaunts her figure, and doesn't fit the stereotypical Latin image due to her white skin, academic achievements, and lack of an accent. Facing an increasingly threatening situation, Piddy's initial concerns about understanding her absent father and managing her studies and weekend job become secondary as she tries to evade Yaqui and her gang.

The escalation of harassment forces Piddy to navigate the challenges of her life while being pushed to the brink. The novel is a poignant exploration of identity and resilience, as Piddy must ultimately confront the question of who she wants to be, in the face of adversity.

Just One Year

2013

by Gayle Forman

Just One Year is the compelling companion title to the much-lauded Just One Day and follows Willem's transformative journey towards self-discovery and true love.

Picking up where Just One Day ended, Just One Year tells Willem's side of the story. After spending an amazing day and night with Allyson in Paris that ends in separation, Willem and Allyson are both searching for one another. His story of their year of quiet longing and near misses is a perfect counterpoint to Allyson's own as Willem undergoes a transformative journey, questioning his path, finding love, and ultimately, redefining himself.

The narrative takes readers on a global trek, from the Netherlands to Mexico, and then to India, crafting not only a star-crossed romance but also an inspiring tale of personal growth and adventure.

Life in Outer Space

2013

by Melissa Keil

Life in Outer Space is a heartwarming tale that follows Sam Kinnison, a geeky sixteen-year-old with a passion for movies, games, and all things horror. He's content in his world of nerdy pursuits until the arrival of Camilla Carter, a girl who's not just beautiful and friendly but also seemingly out of Sam's league.

Despite Sam's determination to stick to his movie-guided life plan and ignore Camilla, she has her own agenda that surprisingly includes him. As they grow closer, Sam discovers the joys of true friendship and begins to question if he's been learning from the right movies. Melissa Keil's debut young adult novel is a sweet and humorous exploration of high school life, love, and the confusion that comes with growing up.

On the Jellicoe Road

I'm dreaming of the boy in the tree. I tell him stories. About the Jellicoe School and the Townies and the Cadets from a school in Sydney. I tell him about the war between us for territory. And I tell him about Hannah, who lives in the unfinished house by the river. Hannah, who is too young to be hiding away from the world. Hannah, who found me on the Jellicoe Road six years ago.

Taylor is leader of the boarders at the Jellicoe School. She has to keep the upper hand in the territory wars and deal with Jonah Griggs—the enigmatic leader of the cadets, and someone she thought she would never see again.

And now Hannah, the person Taylor had come to rely on, has disappeared. Taylor's only clue is a manuscript about five kids who lived in Jellicoe eighteen years ago. She needs to find out more, but this means confronting her own story, making sense of her strange, recurring dream, and finding her mother—who abandoned her on the Jellicoe Road.

The moving, joyous and brilliantly compelling new novel from the best-selling, multi-award-winning author of Looking for Alibrandi and Saving Francesca.

Graffiti Moon

2012

by Cath Crowley

Graffiti Moon is an intense and exhilarating journey that unfolds over the course of a single night. It captures the story of four teenagers on the cusp of adulthood. Lucy is determined to find Shadow, a mysterious and elusive graffiti artist whose work she's fallen in love with. Ed, who Lucy has been avoiding since an awkward date that ended with a broken nose, might just know how to find him.

As the night progresses, Lucy and Ed embark on an all-night adventure through the city, searching for places where Shadow's art of heartbreak and escape reverberate on the walls. What Lucy doesn't realize is that the very thing she's looking for might be closer than she thinks.

Cath Crowley has woven a lyrical narrative that explores the themes of self-discovery, art, and the complexities of young love.

Slice

2011

by Steven Herrick

Darcy Walker, a 16-year-old boy, navigates the tumultuous waters of adolescence with a sharp wit and an unyielding spirit. He grapples with the typical challenges of teenage life, from social dynamics to the complexities of relationships. Darcy's journey is marked by his interactions with his parents, friends, and the enigmatic Audrey, for whom he harbors a deep infatuation.

Not one to shy away from adventure, Darcy's experiences range from engaging in intellectual battles over chess with his nerdy best friend Noah, to facing the unpredictable elements during a kayaking school excursion. His life is a series of misadventures and learning experiences, all while trying to maintain a sense of normalcy. Yet, Darcy's biggest obstacle may just be his inability to keep his mouth shut, a trait that leads to some of the most juicy moments in his impossible life.

The Piper's Son

Award-winning author Melina Marchetta reopens the story of the group of friends from her acclaimed novel Saving Francesca—but five years have passed, and now it's Thomas Mackee who needs saving. After his favorite uncle was blown to bits on his way to work in a foreign city, Tom watched his family implode. He quit school and turned his back on his music and everyone that mattered, including the girl he can't forget. Shooting for oblivion, he's hit rock bottom, forced to live with his single, pregnant aunt, work at the Union pub with his former friends, and reckon with his grieving, alcoholic father.

Tom's in no shape to mend what's broken. But what if no one else is either? An unflinching look at family, forgiveness, and the fierce inner workings of love and friendship, The Piper's Son redefines what it means to go home again. The award-winning author of Finnikin of the Rock and Jellicoe Road pens a raw, compelling novel about a family's hard-won healing on the other side of trauma.

Something, Maybe

Everyone thinks their parents are embarrassing, but Hannah knows she's got them all beat. Her dad made a fortune showcasing photos of pretty girls and his party lifestyle all over the Internet, and her mom was once one of her dad's girlfriends and is now the star of her own website. After getting the wrong kind of attention for way too long, Hannah has mastered the art of staying under the radar...and that's just how she likes it.

Of course, that doesn't help her get noticed by her crush. Hannah's sure that gorgeous, sensitive Josh is her soul mate. But trying to get him to notice her; wondering why she suddenly can't stop thinking about another guy, Finn; and dealing with her parents make Hannah feel like she's going crazy. Yet she's determined to make things work out the way she wants — only what she wants may not be what she needs...

Once again, Elizabeth Scott has created a world so painfully funny and a cast of characters so heartbreakingly real that you'll love being a part of it from unexpected start to triumphant finish.

Just Listen

2008

by Sarah Dessen

Last year, Annabel was the girl who has everything — at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store.

This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong.

Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help, maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

It all starts when Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for five minutes. He only needs five minutes to avoid his ex-girlfriend, who's just walked in to his band's show. With a new guy. And then, with one kiss, Nick and Norah are off on an adventure set against the backdrop of New York City—and smack in the middle of all the joy, anxiety, confusion, and excitement of a first date.

This he said/she said romance told by YA stars Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is a sexy, funny roller coaster of a story about one date over one very long night, with two teenagers, both recovering from broken hearts, who are just trying to figure out who they want to be—and where the next great band is playing.

Told in alternating chapters, teeming with music references, humor, angst, and endearing side characters, this is a love story you'll wish were your very own. Working together for the first time, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have combined forces to create a book that is sure to grab readers of all ages and never let them go.

This Lullaby

2004

by Sarah Dessen

When it comes to relationships, Remy Starr doesn't mess around. After all, she's learned all there is to know from her mother, who's currently working on husband number five. But there's something about Dexter that seems to defy all of Remy's rules. He certainly doesn't seem like Mr. Right. For some reason, however, Remy just can't seem to get him out of her head.

Could it be that Remy's starting to understand what those love songs are all about? From acclaimed author Sarah Dessen, this is a captivating novel about a tough-as-nails girl and the unexpectedly charming boy who's determined to soften her up, and be the man she wants.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

1999

by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a young adult coming-of-age novel by American writer Stephen Chbosky. Set in the early 1990s, the novel follows Charlie, an introverted observing teenager, through his freshman year of high school in a Pittsburgh suburb. The novel details Charlie's unconventional style of thinking as he navigates between the worlds of adolescence and adulthood, and attempts to deal with poignant questions spurred by his interactions with both his friends and family.

The story is presented in a series of letters that Charlie writes to an unnamed friend, and these documents chronicle his trials, tribulations, and triumphs as he goes through his first year of high school. Charlie's journey is one of self-discovery and growth, and the book deftly explores themes of mental health, romance, and the intense emotions associated with the teenage years. Through Charlie's experiences, the reader is drawn into the tumultuous world of first dates, family dramas, and new friendships, as well as the more serious issues of sex, drugs, and personal loss.

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