SJPL Picks: YA Debut FictionLike this list

45 items

• Till the Last Beat of My Heart

  Bou-Montes, Louangie,

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  Fantasy fiction. "When he accidentally reanimates the dead body of his once best friend and first crush, mortician's son Jaxton must exhume his late father's past to uncover the truth about his abilities if he wants to keep the boy he's…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Sticky Note Manifesto of Aisha Agarwal

  Vohra, Ambika,

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  Realistic fiction. ""How have you gotten out of your comfort zone?" That’s the Stanford admissions prompt that valedictorian shoo-in Aisha Agarwal can’t answer. So, when her crush, Brian, asks her to winter formal, Aisha thinks her fate is…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Loudest Silence

  Langford, Sydney,

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  Realistic fiction. "Two disabled queer teens, Casey, who's trying to conceal her hearing loss from her new classmates, and soccer captain Hayden, whose Generalized Anxiety Order stops him from telling his parents he wants to pursue a…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky

  Galarza, Josh,

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  Realistic fiction. "Fueling all his anxieties into his comic book series, Brett must face the painful truths of his real life and his escalating eating disorder when someone posts his journal--and his deepest insecurities--online."

• Lady of Steel and Straw

  Rodgers, Erica Ivy,

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  Romantasy. "When Captain Luc arrives to collect the magic hearts of every sleeping Guardian of the crown, Lady Charlotte refuses and triggers a faction war, and as the dead arise, a forbidden attraction rages between them, forcing them to…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Markless

  Malburi, C. G.,

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  Fantasy. "The most powerful witch in Somanchi despite being Markless, Ruti is forced to help Dekala, who has a Mark fit for a queen, ascend the throne and soon realizes that the fate of the kingdom -- and the survival of the Markless --…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Looking for Smoke

  Cobell, K. A.,

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  Thrillers and suspense. "Since moving to the Blackfeet Reservation with her parents, Mara Racette has felt like an outsider, taunted by her tight-knit classmates for growing up far away. So, when a local girl includes Mara in a traditional…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Lockjaw

  Cerilli, Matteo L.,

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  Horror. "Death is neither the beginning nor the end for the children of Bridlington in this debut trans YA horror book for fans of Rory Power and Danielle Vega. Chuck Warren died tragically at the old abandoned mill, but Paz Espino knows…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Blood at the Root

  Williams, Ladarrion,

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  Contemporary fantasy. "Ten years ago, Malik's life changed forever the night his mother mysteriously vanished and he discovered he had uncontrollable powers. Since then, he has kept his abilities hidden, looking out for himself and his…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Spin of Fate

  Vora, A. A.,

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  Fantasy fiction. "The world is governed by Toranic Law, an ancient magical force that segregates people into upper and lower realms based on their morality. It’s said that if the sinful lowers commit themselves to kindness, their souls…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Flyboy

  LeBlanc, Kasey,

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  Fantasy fiction. "After an incident at his school leaves closeted trans teenager Asher Sullivan needing stitches, his mother betrays him in the worst possible way—she sends him to Catholic school for his senior year. Now he has to contend…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Lamplighter

  Bell, Crystal J., 1988-

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  Historical fiction, Horror. "After the death of her father, Temperance assumes the lamplighter position in her coastal whaling village and drives away the unnatural fog that descends each night, but when two girls go missing and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Dear Wendy

  Zhao, Ann,

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  Realistic fiction. "A student at Wellesley College, aromantic and asexual Sophie Chi, aka "Dear Wendy," finds herself in an online feud with her relationship advice rival, "Sincerely Wanda," while unwittingly becoming friends in real life,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge

  Hubbard, Matthew, 1987-

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  Realistic fiction. "Ezra Hayes has always felt like a background character compared to BFFs Lucas and Finley. He would do anything to be seen as a romantic lead, even if it means keeping a secret summer boyfriend, Presley. But when he…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Notes

  Con Morse, Catherine,

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  Realistic fiction. "A reserved Chinese American teen at a Southern performing arts boarding school comes into her own under the tutelage of a glamorous new piano teacher. A moving coming-of-age-novel from a debut novelist about first love,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Hearts Still Beating

  Archer, Brooke,

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  Dystopian fiction, Paranormal romance. "Seventeen-year-old Mara is dead—mostly. Infected with a virus that brought the dead back to life and the world to its knees, she wakes up in a facility to learn a treatment for the disease has been…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Not Like Other Girls

  Adamo, Meredith,

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  Mysteries. "When Jo-Lynn Kirby's former best friend—pretty, nice Maddie Price—comes to her claiming to be in trouble, Jo assumes it's some kind of joke. After all, Jo has been an outcast ever since her nude photos were leaked—and since…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Chronically Dolores

  Van Wagenen, Maya,

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  Relationship fiction. "Dolores Mendoza is not thriving. She was recently diagnosed with a chronic bladder condition called interstitial cystitis. The painful disease isn't life-threatening, but it is threatening to ruin her life. Just…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Just Another Epic Love Poem

  Nothing Ruins a Friendship Like Falling in Love

  Akhbari, Parisa,

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  Contemporary romance, LGBTQIA+ romance. "Best friendship blossoms into something more in this gorgeously written queer literary romance. Over the past five years, Mitra Esfahani has known two constants: her best friend Bea Ortega and The…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Kill Call

  Wooten, Jeff,

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  Thrillers and suspense. "Born with the curse of prophetic nightmares, Jude sees violent murders through the eyes of the killer before they happen. His father, who shares Jude’s dark gift, has trained Jude since birth to save the innocent…Read moreRead more of this annotation