The following post was written by our library assistant, Emily Torres.

The teenage years are some of the most interesting years of our lives. This population often has a hard time navigating all the changes that are happening. Young adults often face many adversities in different areas whether it’s their love lives, school expectations or society’s standards. When facing these struggles teens look for advice or guidance in various forms of media such as television shows, music, or books.

It’s the perfect season to get cozy and dive into a book that could make you feel like you are not facing these challenges alone! There are many new books for young adults or teens that do an excellent job of relating to topics that teens may be facing in their everyday lives. Our library has a great selection of new books for this population to enjoy!

Ryan and Avery by David Levithan: A story about two boys who meet at a queer prom, Ryan and Avery, experience first dates, meeting parents, falling in love, and at times heartbreaking moments.

The Way I Am Now by Amber Smith: Two young adults, Eden and Josh experience problems in the real world that make it a challenge to have a healthy relationship even with the deep connection that they feel towards each other. Josh had no idea that Eden was dealing with a devastating sexual assault burden and Josh was struggling with having an alcoholic father. Eden and two other girls publicly accuse their rapist and go to trial. Meanwhile Eden begins college, and both individuals reconnect at the seemingly perfect time where they could finally be in the right place for a relationship.

All You Have To Do by Autumn Allen: Kevin and Gibran are two Black students, decades apart, that introduce similar stories in which they face comparable forms of insidious racism. Both individuals are trying to discover themselves and who they want to be rather than conforming to society’s expectations of who they should be in the world.

I Loved You In Another Life by David Arnold: This love story brings two people together who are facing challenges in their separate lives. Both individuals have plans after their education but due to unexpected circumstances their plans begin to fade. Both characters, Evan Taft and Shosh, Bell are brought together by music. This story also goes back to the 19th century when two other strangers are brought together similar to Evan and Shosh. It digs deep into relationships and how some souls are meant to come together.

Wild Wishes and Windswept Kisses by Maya Prasad: The four Singh sisters navigate growing up, falling in love, and accomplishing their dreams after reuniting at their dad’s cozy bead-and-breakfast, the Songbird Inn.