Contemporary romance novels are realistic fiction that take place during (more-or-less) the time frame in which the book is being published that include a love story as a main focus of the plot.
The Crown of Embers by "Carson joins the ranks of writers like Kristin Cashore, Megan Whalen Turner, and Tamora Pierce as one of YA's best writers of high fantasy."--Locus Magazine The second book in Rae Carson's award-winning and New York Times-bestselling trilogy! Betrayal, love, and untold power fuel the heroic adventure of a seventeen-year-old princess turned warrior-queen. Fans of Kendare Blake and Sarah J. Maas will be riveted. She does not know what awaits her at the enemy's gate. Elisa led her people to victory over a terrifying, sorcerous army. Her place as queen should be secure. But it isn't. Her enemies come at her like ghosts in a dream, from foreign realms and even from within her own court. And her destiny as the chosen one remains uncertain. To conquer the power she bears, Elisa must journey from the hidden catacombs beneath her own city to treacherous seas and a long-forgotten island. With her go a one-eyed spy, a traitor, and the man with whom--despite everything--she is falling in love. If she's lucky, she'll return. But there will be a cost. Don't miss Empire of Dreams, Rae Carson's action-packed return to the world of The Girl of Fire and Thorns, coming in 2020!
The Birthday Storm by It's summer vacation, and Sassy and her family are headed to Florida to visit Grammy for her birthday. A huge celebration is planned at Grammy's beach house. Sassy can't wait! But the weatherman says a hurricane is swirling in the Atlantic, and could be coming right toward Grammy's town. So much for family fun- everyone's too busy boarding up their houses and stocking up on food. To make matters worse, the local sea turtles' lives are threatened, there's no electricity, stores are closed, and there's no birthday cake. Thanks to Sassy's sparkle sack, time spent in Florida turns into a unique celebration. Sassy learns that family is more important than decorations and ice cream- and that love is the best gift of all.
Can You Say Catastrophe? by April Sinclair just wants what any normal thirteen-year-old would want: to disown her parents and obnoxious little sisters; to escape to summer camp ASAP with her two best friends, Billy and Brynn; and to make a good impression on Matt Parker, the hot new boy next door. Unfortunately, Matt witnesses April's utter humiliation at her birthday party. Then Billy kisses her. Just as April is trying to figure things out, her parents cancel her camp plans in lieu of a family RV trip. A summer of babysitting her sisters and "re-bonding" with her family isn't how she imagined life as a teenager. And it certainly won't help her straighten out her feelings about Billy or Matt. Is there any silver lining to a road trip in The Clunker with her family of misfits?
Hannah by Bestselling author Kathryn Lasky plunges into the world of teen romance with a magical series about the newest supernatural phenomenon--mermaids! Hannah is not like other girls in the turn-of-the-century Boston orphanage where she grew up. Instead of seasickness, she gets land sickness. She leaves a ring of salt in the tub when she bathes, and sometimes she sees a faint tracing of scales on her feet. It's freakish, horrifying . . . and deeply thrilling. Hannah feels a change coming. But she is not the only one who senses it. A young painter recognizes something in Hannah--a connection with the sea that recalls a secret from his own past. A choice lies ahead, and Hannah must discover if she is a creature of the land--or of the sea.
The One for Me by Denique thought that if she wasn't so messed up in her head, she'd sort of like Trevor. But it would just end badly. So she focused on school. She wanted to graduate and get a job. College was now out of the question. Her family lived in the projects. Denique had to get a job as soon as possible after high school. With her and her mother bringing in money, the family could move to a better, safer place.
The School for Good and Evil by This year best friends Sophie and Agatha will discover what it is to be a student at the fabled School for Good and Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy-tale heroes and villains. With her pink dresses, glass slippers, and devotion to good deeds, Sophie knows she'll earn top marks at the School for Good and graduate a storybook princess. Meanwhile, Agatha, with her shape-less black frocks, wicked pet cat, and dislike of nearly everyone, seems a natural fit for the School for Evil. But when the two girls are swept into the Endless Woods, they find their fortunes reversed--Sophie's dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School for Good, among handsome princes and fair maidens in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication. But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are . . . ? The School for Good and Evil is an epic journey into a dazzling new world, where the only way out of a fairy tale . . . is to live through one.
Autumn's Wish by Autumn's Wish--book three in the AUTUMN FALLS series by FAMOUS IN LOVE star Bella Thorne--is perfect for fans of Girl Online, Liv and Maddie: Cali Style, Descendants, and anyone looking for a sweet, silly, and fun read with just a touch of magic! Senior year is here, and everyone has a plan--except Autumn Falls. So many crazy-important decisions lie ahead, and she's scared to make the wrong one. So when she receives a magical locket that enables her to travel through time (!!!), Autumn hopes she can correct all her past mistakes--with her friends, with boys--and maybe even prevent her dad from dying. But the locket doesn't work that way. Instead, Autumn discovers that she's only able to visit the future--and she doesn't like what she sees. Autumn can change her destiny . . . but what does she really want? Praise for book 1 in the AUTUMN FALLS series: "Sweetly adorkable Autumn is the best friend we've all been looking for . . . a fun, escapist read." --Justine "A brilliant debut from Bella Thorne!" --Girls' Life "You'll be obsessed with Autumn Falls. It has basically everything you could ever want: a lovable klutz for a main character, a total heartthrob, and just a touch of magic." --Seventeen.com "We personally loved the book. . . . The main character is a fiery, redheaded girl who captures your heart."--Latina.com
Vanguard by The Razorland saga continues. Since the war ended, Tegan has dreamed of an epic journey, sowhen she has the opportunity to sign on as ship's doctor, she can't wait. It'spast time to chart her course. Millie Faraday, the kindest girl in the freeterritories, also yearns to outrun her reputation, and warrior-poet JamesMorrow would follow Tegan to the ends of the earth. Their company seems set, but fate brings one more to theirnumber. Tegan will battle incredible odds while aiding Szarok, the Urochvanguard, who has ventured forth to save his people. Szarok is strange andbeautiful, like a flower that blooms only in the dark. She shouldn't allow himclose, as such a relationship is both alien and forbidden. But through stormyseas and strange lands, she will become stronger than she ever knew.
What Light by A holiday romance that will break your heart, but soon have you believing in love again. . . . "A beautiful story of love and forgiveness." --Stephen Chbosky, New York Times bestselling author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower Sierra's family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon--it's a bucolic setting for a girl to grow up in, except that every year, they pack up and move to California to set up their Christmas tree lot for the season. So Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas. And leaving one always means missing the other. Until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb, and one life eclipses the other. By reputation, Caleb is not your perfect guy: years ago, he made an enormous mistake and has been paying for it ever since. But Sierra sees beyond Caleb's past and becomes determined to help him find forgiveness and, maybe, redemption. As disapproval, misconceptions, and suspicions swirl around them, Caleb and Sierra discover the one thing that transcends all else: true love. What Light is a love story that's moving and life-affirming and completely unforgettable.
The One Memory of Flora Banks by It's not a lie if you can't remember the truth. "Mesmerizing, electric, and achingly lovely, The One Memory of Flora Banks is unforgettable. One of the best YA novels I've read in a very long time." --Jennifer Niven, New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places Seventeen-year-old Flora Banks has no short-term memory. Her mind resets itself several times a day, and has since the age of ten, when the tumor that was removed from Flora's brain took with it her ability to make new memories. That is, until she kisses Drake, her best friend's boyfriend, the night before he leaves town. Miraculously, this one memory breaks through Flora's fractured mind, and sticks. Flora is convinced that Drake is responsible for restoring her memory and making her whole again. So, when an encouraging email from Drake suggests she meet him on the other side of the world--in Svalbard, Norway--Flora knows with certainty that this is the first step toward reclaiming her life. But will following Drake be the key to unlocking Flora's memory? Or will the journey reveal that nothing is quite as it seems? Already a bestselling debut in the UK, this unforgettable novel is Memento meets We Were Liars and will have you racing through the pages to unravel the truth. Praise for The One Memory of Flora Banks: An EW Most Anticipated YA Novel of 2017 ★ "[A] remarkable odyssey...an enthralling story...a deftly, compassionately written mystery." --Booklist, starred review ★ "Barr's tale mingles Oliver Sacks-like scientific curiosity with Arctic adventure and YA novel in a way that's equally unsettling, winsome, and terrifying." --Horn Book, starred review "Perfect for fans of both young adult romance and psychological thrillers, The One Memory of Flora Banks is destined to become one of your favorite beach reads of 2017. Promise." --Bustle "Mesmerizing, electric, and achingly lovely, The One Memory of Flora Banks is unforgettable. One of the best YA novels I've read in a very long time." --Jennifer Niven, New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places "Ultimately, this title will leave readers with a sense of hope and faith in the human spirit....A strong choice for YA shelves." --School Library Journal "Flora's situation may be singular, but her desire for autonomy should speak loudly to teens in the midst of their own journeys into adulthood." --Publishers Weekly "An affecting portrayal of living with amnesia and discovering one's own agency." --Kirkus "[T]his is [Barr's] first YA novel and it is a good one. It will not be forgotten by readers." --VOYA "An extraordinarily moving and original novel, a story of secrecy and lie, love and loss that manages to be both heart-breaking and life-affirming...Barr's first novel for teenagers...is as brave as Flora herself." --Daily Mail "An icily atmospheric story...captivating...[a] pacy page-turner that packs a significant emotional punch." --The Guardian
The Siren by Kahlen is a Siren, bound to serve the Ocean by luring humans to watery graves with her voice, which is deadly to any human who hears it. Akinli is human—a kind, handsome boy who's everything Kahlen ever dreamed of. Falling in love puts them both in danger . . . but Kahlen can't bear to stay away. Will she risk everything to follow her heart? The Siren was previously self-published; this brand-new edition has been completely rewritten and redesigned.
Along for the Ride by A New York Times bestseller Up all night. Nights have always been Auden's time, her chance to escape everything that's going on around her. Then she meets Eli, a fellow insomniac, and he becomes her nocturnal tour guide. Now, with an endless supply of summer nights between them, almost anything can happen. . . . "As with all Dessen's books, [this] is a must-have" --VOYA, starred review Also by Sarah Dessen: Dreamland Just Listen Keeping the Moon Lock and Key The Moon and More Someone Like You That Summer This Lullaby The Truth About Forever What Happened to Goodbye
Raymie Nightingale by Two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo returns to her roots with a moving, masterful story of an unforgettable summer friendship. Raymie Clarke has come to realize that everything, absolutely everything, depends on her. And she has a plan. If Raymie can win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition, then her father, who left town two days ago with a dental hygienist, will see Raymie's picture in the paper and (maybe) come home. To win, not only does Raymie have to do good deeds and learn how to twirl a baton; she also has to contend with the wispy, frequently fainting Louisiana Elefante, who has a show-business background, and the fiery, stubborn Beverly Tapinski, who’s determined to sabotage the contest. But as the competition approaches, loneliness, loss, and unanswerable questions draw the three girls into an unlikely friendship — and challenge each of them to come to the rescue in unexpected ways.
Phantom Limbs by How do you move on from an irreplaceable loss? In a poignant debut, a sixteen-year-old boy must learn to swim against an undercurrent of grief--or be swept away by it. Otis and Meg were inseparable until her family abruptly moved away after the terrible accident that left Otis's little brother dead and both of their families changed forever. Since then, it's been three years of radio silence, during which time Otis has become the unlikely protégé of eighteen-year-old Dara--part drill sergeant, part friend--who's hell-bent on transforming Otis into the Olympic swimmer she can no longer be. But when Otis learns that Meg is coming back to town, he must face some difficult truths about the girl he's never forgotten and the brother he's never stopped grieving. As it becomes achingly clear that he and Meg are not the same people they were, Otis must decide what to hold on to and what to leave behind. Quietly affecting, this compulsively readable debut novel captures all the confusion, heartbreak, and fragile hope of three teens struggling to accept profound absences in their lives.
The Forbidden Wish by She is the most powerful Jinni of all. He is a boy from the streets. Their love will shake the world . . . When Aladdin discovers Zahra's jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn't seen in hundreds of years-a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra's very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes. ?? But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity-only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all- is winning her freedom worth losing her heart? As time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of the Aladdin story from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury.
Karma by It is 1984, and fifteen-year-old Maya is on her way to India with her father. She carries with her the ashes of her mother, who recently committed suicide, and arrives in Delhi on the eve of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination. Maya is separated from her father and must rely upon the mysterious, kindhearted Sandeep to safely reunite them. As her love for Sandeep begins to blossom, Maya must face the truth about her painful adolescence...if she's ever to imagine her future.
Homeroom Diaries by Margaret "Cuckoo" Clarke recently had a brief stay in a mental institution following an emotional breakdown, but she's turning over a new leaf with her "Operation Happiness". She's determined to beat down the bad vibes of the Haters, the Terror Teachers, and all of the trials and tribulations of high school by writing and drawing in her diary. And when life gets really tough, she works through her own moments of uncertainty through imaginary conversations with her favorite literary characters. Cuckoo's also got a nearly impossible mission: she, along with her misfit band of self-deprecating friends (who call themselves "the Freakshow") decide to bridge the gap between warring cliques and "bring the Nations together". Not everyone is so willing to join hands and get along, but Cuckoo never stops smiling... until one of her closest friends, pushed to desperation by a Hater prank, decides that enough is enough.
The Geography of You and Me by Lucy lives on the twenty-fourth floor. Owen lives in the basement. It's fitting, then, that they meet in the middle -- stuck between two floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they're rescued, Lucy and Owen spend the night wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is back, so is reality. Lucy soon moves abroad with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father. The brief time they spend together leaves a mark. And as their lives take them to Edinburgh and to San Francisco, to Prague and to Portland, Lucy and Owen stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and phone calls. But can they -- despite the odds -- find a way to reunite? Smartly observed and wonderfully romantic, Jennifer E. Smith's new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. Sometimes, it can be a person.
Well, That Was Awkward by Gracie has never felt like this before. One day, she suddenly can't breathe, can't walk,can't anything-and the reason is standing right there in front of her, all tall and weirdly good-looking- A.J. But it turns out A.J. likes not Gracie but Gracie's beautiful best friend, Sienna. Obviously Gracie is happy for Sienna. Super happy! She helps Sienna compose the best texts, responding to A.J.'s surprisingly funny and appealing texts, just as if she were Sienna. Because Gracie is fine. Always! She's had lots of practice being the sidekick, second-best. It's all good. Well, almost all. She's trying. Funny and tender, Well, That Was Awkward goes deep into the heart of middle school, and finds that even with all the heartbreak, there can be explosions of hope and moments of perfecthappiness.
Unfriended by In middle school, nothing is more important than friendship. When Truly is invited to sit at the Popular Table with the group she has dreamed of joining, she can hardly believe her luck. Everyone seems so nice, so kind to one another. But all is not as it seems with her new friends, and soon she's caught in a maelstrom of lies, misunderstandings, accusations and counter-accusations, all happening very publicly in the relentless, hyperconnected social media world from which there is no escape. Six eighth-graders, four girls and two boys, struggle to understand and process their fractured glimples into one another's lives as they find new ways to disconnect, but also to connect, in Rachel Vail's richest and most searching book.
Lucky in Love by Maddie's not impulsive. She's all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment -- She wins! In a flash, Maddie's life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she's talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun . . . until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now, Maddie isn't sure who she can trust. Except for Seth Nguyen, her funny, charming coworker at the local zoo. Seth doesn't seem aware of Maddie's big news. And, for some reason, she doesn't want to tell him. But what will happen if he learns her secret? With tons of humor and heart, Kasie West delivers a million-dollar tale of winning, losing, and falling in love.
By Your Side by An irresistible story from Kasie West that explores the timeless question: What do you do when you fall for the person you least expect? When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn't think things could get any worse. But that's before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn't know much about Dax except that he's trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he's not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her. Only he doesn't come. No one does. Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn at first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn's old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax's side?
Pivot Point by Perfect for fans of Sliding Doors, Kasie West's riveting novel Pivot Point follows a girl with the power to see her potential futures. Addison Coleman's life is one big "What if?" As a Searcher, a special type of clairvoyant, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she is able to look into the future and see both outcomes. So when her parents tell her they are getting a divorce and she has to pick who she wants to live with, a Search has never been more important. In one future Addie is living with her mom in the life she's always known and is being pursued by the most popular guy in school. In the other she is the new girl in school, where she falls for a cute, quiet artist. Then Addie finds herself drawn into a murder investigation, and her fate takes a darker turn. With so much to lose in either future, Addie must decide which reality she's willing to live through . . . and who she's willing to live without.