My favorite books for heart-pounding will-they-won’t-they

Why am I passionate about this?

As a Young Adult writer, I’m, of course, a huge YA reader as well. And one of my favorite things in YA - and in all of fiction - is falling in love with a fantastic ship. A lifelong fangirl, fanfic reader, and fanfic writer, I’ll never get sick of reading about two people falling in love. We can learn so much about a character, and ourselves, by how they approach romantic relationships and romantic tension is my favorite kind of plot tension! I hope you enjoy clutching your face and pacing the room as you wait for these characters to get together - I know I did!


I wrote...

The Infinite Noise

By Lauren Shippen,

Book cover of The Infinite Noise

What is my book about?

The Infinite Noise follows Caleb Michaels as he learns to live with a supernatural ability - he’s Atypical and has an Empath power that means he can feel the feelings of everyone around him. When he starts to feel the emotions of a classmate, Adam Hayes, particularly strongly, his therapist encourages him to explore the connection. The story bounces between the two boys’ perspectives as they grow closer and learn what it means to be true to their feelings.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Tweet Cute

Lauren Shippen Why did I love this book?

This story of two high schoolers running social media accounts for their family’s businesses is a classic rival-to-lovers with a mix of good ole You’ve Got Mail secrecy. It is such a fun exploration of social media interactions and falling in love over text, and will have you screaming at the page for these two to get together!

By Emma Lord,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Tweet Cute as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic over achiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming - mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger's massive Twitter account.

Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper's side. When he isn't trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin's shadow, he's busy working in his family's deli. His relationship with the business that holds his future might be love/hate, but when Big League Burger steals his grandma's iconic grilled cheese recipe,…


Book cover of Today Tonight Tomorrow

Lauren Shippen Why did I love this book?

As a recent transplant to Seattle, I adored this all-in-one-night scavenger hunt through the magical Northwest city. Rowan and Neil have competed for the top spot throughout their high school years but on the final night of senior year, they team up to win the annual scavenger hunt for graduates. They explore Seattle over the course of one night, growing closer and learning more about each other. The tension is palpable and there are several twists that kept me guessing!

By Rachel Lynn Solomon,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Today Tonight Tomorrow as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

"Brilliant, hilarious, and oh-so-romantic." -BuzzFeed
"Swoony, steamy." -Entertainment Weekly

The Hating Game meets Booksmart by way of Morgan Matson in this unforgettable romantic comedy about two rival overachievers whose relationship completely transforms over the course of twenty-four hours.

Today, she hates him.

It's the last day of senior year. Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been bitter rivals for all of high school, clashing on test scores, student council elections, and even gym class pull-up contests. While Rowan, who secretly wants to write romance novels, is anxious about the future, she'd love to beat her infuriating nemesis one last time.…


Book cover of The Good Luck Girls

Lauren Shippen Why did I love this book?

While this story of rebellion and Black sisterhood is not first and foremost a romance, a central relationship in the book had me on the edge of my seat. I wondered if these two characters - who I’m not going to spoil for you - would ever realize how perfect they were for each other and ending up shouting out loud when all the tension finally snapped. Come for the slow burn romance and stay for the incredible commentary about power and politics.

By Charlotte Nicole Davis,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Good Luck Girls as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

The country of Arketta calls them Good Luck Girls - they know their luck is anything but.

Sold to a "welcome house" as children and branded with cursed markings.

Trapped in a life they would never have chosen.

When Clementine accidentally kills a man, the girls risk a dangerous escape and harrowing journey to find freedom, justice, and revenge in a country that wants them to have none of those things. Pursued by Arketta's most vicious and powerful forces, both human and inhuman, their only hope lies in a bedtime story passed from one Good Luck Girl to another, a…


Book cover of In Other Lands

Lauren Shippen Why did I love this book?

This screamingly funny fantasy epic has several queer characters and wonderful commentaries on gender, friendship, and pacifism. The main character is a classic example of a disaster bisexual and his love triangle - a triangle he’s unaware of for a long time - is so heart-warming and hilarious. When he finally gets together with the person who has been waiting in the wings (pun intended) all along, you’ll be fist-pumping the air in victory!

By Sarah Rees Brennan,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked In Other Lands as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Georgia Peach Award Nominee * Florida Teens Read Award Nominee * ABC Best Books for Young Readers * Bank Street College Best Children's Books of the Year * A Junior Library Guild Selection * Hugo & Locus award finalist

In Other Lands is an exhilarating novel from bestselling author Sarah Rees Brennan about surviving four years in the most unusual of schools - friendship, falling in love, diplomacy, and finding your own place in the world - even if it means giving up your phone.

Excerpt:

The Borderlands aren't like anywhere else. Don't try to smuggle a phone or any…


Book cover of The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

Lauren Shippen Why did I love this book?

Speaking of disaster bisexuals, Monty is one of my favorites in all of literature! He goes on a delightful romp through Europe in this first book of a fantastic trilogy, all while harboring a crush for his best friend. Will these two get together? Will they get into a lot of trouble as they go on their Grand Tour? The answers to these questions are so worth the incredible journey of this book.

By Mackenzi Lee,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

A Kirkus Prize nominee and Stonewall Honor winner with 5 starred reviews! A New York Times bestseller!

Named one of the best books of 2017 by NPR and the New York Public Library!

"The queer teen historical you didn't know was missing from your life."-Teen Vogue

"A stunning powerhouse of a story."-School Library Journal

"A gleeful romp through history."-ALA Booklist

A young bisexual British lord embarks on an unforgettable Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend/secret crush. An 18th-century romantic adventure for the modern age written by This Monstrous Thing author Mackenzi Lee-Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets…


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Lap Baby

By Amy Q. Barker,

Book cover of Lap Baby

Amy Q. Barker Author Of Lap Baby

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Avid reader Nature lover Park ranger wanna be Best Nana ever

Amy's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

A story you'll never forget about survival, forgiveness, healing, and love.

Twenty years ago. A plane crash. Three women survivors are inexorably connected by fate, destiny, and a cause. 

Julie Geiger, a flight attendant, told five sets of parents to place their babies on the floor of the plane when it was going down. Now, she must live with the consequences. Will changing the emergency rules bring her healing and forgiveness? And where does love fit into her life now?

Marie Stanley lost her baby boy on that flight. And she knows exactly who to blame. Julie. The problem is that vindictiveness festers. And eats into your soul. How will Marie learn to move past her hate and save her marriage in the process?

Paige Montgomery, the lap baby who survived the flight, would love to forget it ever happened. After all, she’s happy. And she’s on the cusp of a new relationship. How will she learn to forge her own path, one that integrates all the elements of her past, including the crash, the loss of her parents, and her subsequent adoption?

Lap Baby

By Amy Q. Barker,

What is this book about?

Twenty years ago. A plane crash. Three women survivors inexorably connected by fate, destiny, and a cause.

Did you know that lap babies (children under the age of two) are instructed to be placed on the floor of a plane during an emergency? Sounds crazy, but it’s true.

Julie Geiger, a flight attendant, told five sets of parents to do just that. Now she must live with the consequences. Will changing the rules bring her healing and forgiveness? And where does love fit into her life now?

Marie Stanley lost her baby boy on that flight. And she knows exactly…


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