"If He Had Been With Me" by Laura Nowlin

💬:   Autumn and Finn were best friends. For the longest time, they had been inseparable. Everything they did, they did together. Their relationship seemed like it would never break. Until it did. They grew up and apart for seemingly no reason at all. But that's just one of the harsh truths of life, right?

At the start of their freshman year, nobody remembers, or can tell, that the two of them had been good friends. Autumn has a boyfriend and a close group of unique friends. And Finn is that boy. The one that has people around him constantly. The one that lots of people want to be friends with. Naturally, all of Autumn's friends strongly dislike him because of this popularity and because of the people he chooses to hang out with. Despite their differences in friend groups, Autumn can't help but feel the growing and nauseating feelings of regret over their lost friendship. Why did they have to stop being friends?

As time passes, Autumn realizes that she must restore her friendship with Finny before it's too late. Because, after all, fate doesn't wait or anyone. 

A beautifully written coming-of-age/ love story,  If He Had Been with Me is a story that will stick with you for awhile. 

❤: Where do I even start about how much I loved this book? The harsh portrayal of growing up in this novel is fantastic. I usually look for relatable and realistic characters in the books I read and this one has so many. None of these characters are perfect, which makes them 100% more enjoyable. They each make tragic decisions, as do most teenagers do in their high school years. This is a heartbreaking tale of young love that I think all young adults should read. It teaches valuable lessons about time, love, friendships, and the miserable feelings that all teenagers feel while going through high school.  I will warn all who reads this book: make sure you don't read this in public because you will most likely cry. 

💘: My favorite character by far is Finny, who doesn't let his popularity change his kind heart or his caring nature. He is kind and respectful to everyone, especially Autumn. He is the ideal best friend- someone who is there when you need them the most (even if you haven't spoken in a long time). 

Second Chance Summer....a book to take a chance on!

                                                Are you looking for a beach read that will give you all the feels? Well, look no further! Check out Second Chance Summer written by Morgan Matson! 

Taylor Edwards never felt like she stood out—except for her history of running away when things get too complicated. Then her dad receives unexpected, terrible news, and the family makes the last-minute decision to spend the summer together in the cramped quarters at their old lake house.

Taylor hasn't been to the summerhouse since she was twelve, and she definitely never planned on going back. Up at the lake she is confronted with people she thought she had left behind, like her former best friend Lucy, and Henry Crosby, her first crush, who's all grown up...and a lot cuter. Suddenly Taylor is surrounded by memories she'd rather leave in the past—but she can't run away this time.

As the days lying on the beach pass into nights gazing at the stars, Taylor realizes she has a second chance—with friends, with family, maybe even with love. But she knows that once the summer ends, there is no way to recapture what she stands to lose.

                                                               Reserve a copy for curbside pickup or in-person checkout!

Pumpkin....don't be a drag, just be a queen!

   Calling all drag superstars....as well as lovers of rom coms,  LGBTQ+ fiction & high school dramas, boy have we got a book for you. The talented Julie Murphy returns for her final book in her Dumplin' trilogy with Pumpkin! Discover how a gay teen turns a bully's prank into an adventure full of laughs, tears, drama....and of course....drag. 

Reserve a copy for curbside pickup or in-person checkout or borrow a digital copy on Overdrive!

Hunted by the Sky... perfect for Fans of An Ember in the Ashes

Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bathena is a new series-opener that is full of magic, court intrigue, rebellions, and a tantalizing enemies to lovers trope. Gul was born with a star-shaped birthmark on her arm, the prophesied one to be the downfall of a tyrant king. Only she was one of many girls with star-shaped birthmarks, cut down by the king and his sky warriors. After her parents die protecting her from the same fate, she is taken in by a group of forced her into hiding. When a group of rebel women who train her in warrior magic. But Gul only wants one thing: revenge. Cavas, a lower-class non-mage, is ready to sign his life over to the king's army in exchange for money and medicine for his sick father. But when he meets Gul in the capital's bazaar, their chemistry grows, and he becomes entangled in her mission of vengeance--and discovers secrets of his past that change the course of his future. Hunted by the Sky is a gripping adventure set in a world inspired by medieval India.

Reserve a copy for curbside pickup or in-person checkout or borrow a digital copy on Overdrive!

Heartstopper... for fans of realism, comics, and romance

Just a friendly update that Heartstopper 2 is out in print and available to check out. But wait, what's the first one about? Originally a webcomic, Heartstopper is an adorkable story of coming out and first love. 

From the cover: Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. Shy and softhearted Charlie Spring sits next to rugby player Nick Nelson in class one morning. A warm and intimate friendship follows, and that soon develops into something more for Charlie, who doesn't think he has a chance. But Nick is struggling with feelings of his own, and as the two grow closer and take on the ups and downs of high school, they come to understand the surprising and delightful ways in which love works.

So get ready to binge because both Heartstopper and Heartstopper 2 are here for you, ready to give you all the feels.

The Gravity of Us... escape to an alternate 2020 with a Mars mission and young love

We just read The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper.

Seventeen-year-old Cal Lewis Jr. is a Brooklyn hipster and social media guru who wants to be a reporter after he graduates college. But then he moves with his family to Texas so his father become part of the 2020 NASA Mars mission. Cal is forced to rethink his plans as he adjusts to the Texas climate, gets thrown into the spotlight, and finds love. This is a story about finding your voice and finding yourself, and it offers a nice, alternative 2020 - a great read for fans of romance, realistic fiction, social media, and character-driven books.⁠
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Check it out on your Overdrive account today! Don't have a card? Register for an e-card while the physical library remains closed.