If it’s anything like this school year, summer 2021 will necessitate a wide range of entertainment to pass the time and imagine a different world. For some, coming-of-age romance would be the last genre to ap pear on that list, but for the sake of branching out and reconnecting with a deeper emotional truth, I implore you to consider adding these titles to your reading list this summer.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
A vivid book set in El Paso, Texas, Aristotle and Dante features a develop ing friendship and romance between two Mexican-American teenagers. It deals with themes of family relationships, ethnic identity, and sexuality in a touching, nuanced manner. (Content warnings: homophobia, transphobia, and drug and alcohol use)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky This novel deserves its notoriety. It is the story of a freshman in high school who forms an unlikely and impactful relationship with two seniors at his high school, who teach him valuable lessons about how to live and encourage him to confront the trauma in his past. The Perks of Being a Wallflower was made into a movie in 2012, written and directed by author Stephen Chbosky. (Content warnings: homophobia, sexual abuse, drug and alcohol use, and suicidal ideation)
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Natasha, a Jamaican immigrant facing deportation, happens to meet Charles, a Korean teenager preparing for an interview at Dartmouth to study medicine despite his passion for poetry. In one day in New York City, they fall in love and confront their respective families’ realities. (Con tent warnings: anti-Black racism and suicidal ideation)
A People’s History of Heaven by Mathangi Subramanian
Romance is not the focus of this novel. Rather, it is about the challenges and tri umphs of the female residents of a slum in India, from friendships to education to the struggle against a government that wants to bulldoze their homes. It is a beautiful coming-of-age story that focuses on the love shared by a community.
Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian
Set in 1980s New York City, this novel follows three teenagers: a Persian immigrant, a plus-sized fashion designer, and a gay activist fighting the AIDS crisis. All three are affected by the climate of fear and rage, and they are brought together by the
love of one character’s uncle, Stephen. (Content warnings: AIDS crisis, alcoholism, Islamophobia, and suicidal ideation)
Meet Cute by various authors
This book is a collection of short stories spanning genres and featuring a diverse range of characters, all starring a love story of some kind. Some are uplifting and joyful, and others deal with goodbyes as abrupt as the meet-cutes themselves. It’s an easy read to pick up one day and finish another. (Content warning: transphobia)
Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram This novel is the story of a Persian-American teenager who em barks on a sudden trip to Iran to visit his extended family. This proves even more daunting than his isolating day-to-day life, but he meets a friend who guides him through Persian culture and defends him against bullies. While not explicitly romantic, Dar ius the Great is Not Okay is certainly a love story. A sequel was published in 2020. (Content warnings: homophobia, Islamopho bia, mental illness, and bullying)
We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra
A Walt Whitman fanboy is paired with a jock to exchange letters for their English class. At first, their conversation is awkward, as they have little in common, but as the story progresses, their connection runs deeper and deeper. If you find yourself missing English class, this is the book to read—and after that, Leaves of Grass by Whitman. (Content warnings: bullying, drug and alcohol use, abuse, and homophobia)
Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon The end of senior year marks the conclusion of the years-long ri valry between Rowan and Neil, academic equals and candidates for valedictorian. As the senior game, a scavenger hunt across Seattle, begins, it becomes clear that the only option is to team up and confront their rivalry at the last moment. In the process, Rowan and Neil discover more about each other than they bar gained for. (Content warnings: antisemitism, drug use, and sex)
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Evelyn Hugo, an old-time Hollywood star, chooses an unknown magazine reporter to reveal the truth about her life. She re counts her unrelenting ambition, unexpected friendships, and great forbidden love story. While learning all of this, the journal ist recording Evelyn’s story begins to discover that their lives are deeply intertwined. (Content warnings: abuse, sexual assault, homophobia, and suicide) The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli A companion to the famed LGBTQ romance novel, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, this book follows Molly and her twin sister, Cassie. Molly has counted twenty-six unrequited crush es throughout her life, and she’s painfully used to falling for people she will never approach. When Cassie starts dating Mina, however, she’s introduced to a boy who’s just her type and even seems to like her. (Content warnings: racist microaggressions, fatphobia, and alcohol consumption)