| All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie CourtneyWhat it’s about: Allie Abraham easily keeps her family's Muslim heritage under the radar, since her hazel eyes and pale skin don't "look Muslim" to most people in her Georgia town. Yet as she digs deeper into her faith -- and begins dating Wells, the son of an anti-Muslim TV personality -- Allie finds it more and more difficult to keep quiet.
You might also like: Sheba Karim’s That Thing We Call A Heart, another thoughtful, own voices look at faith, identity, and romance. |
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Five Dark Fates
by Kendare Blake
A conclusion to the best-selling series finds Arsinoe navigating the consequences of her realm’s power struggles when her sister, Mirabella, goes missing under suspicious circumstances. By the author of Anna Dressed in Blood.
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| Color Outside the Lines: Stories About Love by Sangu Mandanna, editorWhat it is: a wide-ranging collection of love stories starring interracial and LGTBQIA couples, featuring stories by authors such as Adam Silvera, Samira Ahmed, and Anna-Marie McLemore.
What’s inside: a black superheroine, a Chinese ghost pirate, a poison garden, a gender-bent twist on the myth of Persephone, and much more.
You might also like: Meet Cute and Hungry Hearts, two more anthologies that offer authentic characters and charming romance. |
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The Revolution of Birdie Randolph
by Brandy Colbert
What it’s about: High-achieving 16-year-old Birdie tries hard to live up to her strict parents’ expectations, even if it means hiding how close she’s getting with Booker (a sweet guy who spent time in juvie) and her Aunt Carlene (who just got out of rehab, again). As it turns out, though, Birdie’s not the only one keeping secrets.
For fans of: the authentic characters and complicated-yet-caring families in books by Angie Thomas and Elizabeth Acevedo.
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| Crying Laughing by Lance RubinStarring: 15-year-old Winnie, who quit comedy after an embarrassing stand-up fail at her own bat mitzvah.
What happens: Flirting with funny guy Ezra tempts Winnie to join an improv group at school; meanwhile, things at home get serious after Winnie’s dad (and comedy mentor) is diagnosed with ALS.
Why you might like it: Hilariously awkward and honest, this realistic read highlights the power of humor even in the most difficult situations. |
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If You Like: Legacy of Orisha
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| We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah FaizalFeaturing: Zafira, aka the Hunter, who disguises herself as a man and braves a cursed forest in order to feed her people; and Nasir, aka the Prince of Death, who assassinates anyone who threatens his ruthless father, the sultan.
What happens: When both begin a quest to restore the magic that could save their kingdom, these adversaries become uneasy allies.
Why Legacy of Orisha fans might like it: Like Legacy of Orisha, it's a captivating, detail-rich fantasy inspired by history and mythology. |
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| The Young Elites by Marie LuIntroducing: Adelina, a "malfetto" who’s marked by mutations (silver hair, a missing eye) and cruelly abused by her father.
What happens: After Adelina realizes that her mutations include unusual powers, she’s recruited by the Young Elites -- a group of similarly talented malfettos -- and targeted by the sinister Inquisitor.
Why Legacy of Orisha fans might like it: Both intense, captivating stories are told through multiple perspectives, and both feature heroines hoping to change an unjust world. |
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| Akata Warrior by Nnedi OkoraforWhat it’s about: While training with the magical Leopard Society, soccer-playing albino Sunny Nwazue is plunged into a world-saving quest featuring terrifying masquerades, tech-savvy spirits, and giant animals.
Why Legacy of Orisha fans might like it: Although Akata Warrior is funnier than the angsty Orisha series, and it takes place in modern Nigeria, both vivid tales will enchant Afrofantasy fans.
Series alert: For a deeper understanding of the intriguing magic in this sequel, start with the 1st book, Akata Witch. |
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| Beasts Made of Night by Tochi OnyebuchiWhat it’s about: In the city of Kos, sins take the form of monstrous beasts, and it’s the job of sin-eaters like Taj to slay the beasts and bear the guilt. But when Taj is summoned to eat the sins of the king, he’s forced to grapple not only with his conscience, but also with a treacherous conspiracy.
Why Legacy of Orisha fans might like it: Revolution threatens to upend the controlling monarchies in both of these imaginative, sweeping Afrofantasies. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 14 and up!
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