Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

It reminds me a little bit of Daughter of Smoke and Bone (maybe they share a base mythology?)
The concept. I love it. Just like. I can't. The magic system. Everything in the sky.

I love Jason. I will protect him. I love their relationship. I love his brain. I love his dedication. Chef's Kiss.
309 Pages

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

Ok but this book was so funny. Just. like... sfjkdl
The OCD rep. I just loved the characters...like...the level of teenage.
336 Pages

TS: ...I automatically think Lover because this title.

The Friend-Zone by Abby Jimenez

Just a heads-up, there is a character death, and head-trauma, and comas, and an accident involving a drunk driver
I'm gong to put all my feelings right here and then one day I'll die
Am I still confused why they send firemen to accidents, yes. Am I going to complain. Absolutely not. *looks up why...aha.
It's the little dog with the doggie stairs for me...because my dog is 16 pounds of zoom and leaping lizards
384 Pages

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

It's fluffy and it has all the fanfic vibes.
Also. We love great representation of mental illness. Especially the physical symptoms of depression and anxiety/panic attacks, and how it just generally make life difficult. The talking about the stigma around mental illness, in the workplace and in social settings.  
People caring about other people's mental health and just being supportive of it is my favorite. I'm just gonna go cry and think about my friends. 
Also the ace and demi rep is just. My favorite. 
I wish we would have had more of Charlie's backstory, because I love angst, but also like. I love him because he's awkward and adorable and trying his best. 
368 Pages

The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks by Mackenzi Lee

My baby is so anxious and I feel so seen. 

"I ain't going to no secondary location"
Percy again. for the win. 
"you'd apologize if someone poured soup in your lap" ...I know that reference

This book has the audacity to make me cry because it makes me feel seen. Like.... the tension of having conversations with people. Staaaaaap. Also like...Sibling relationships in relation to trauma and like...working on sibling relationships. 
It's the mental illness and anxiety representation for me. 
592 Pages

Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall

Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story is about Norah, who has agoraphobia (which keeps her inside), OCD (to extremes), and very severe anxiety, which leads to some self harm. Living inside Norah's skin and world for the duration of this story was both painful and eye opening.

I would probably lean towards 4.25 stars on this, and while I don't love it quite as much as Everything, Everything and/or OCD Love Story, I think it's a great YA read for helping people understanding these different disorders better, including how differently they manifest in each person.

Also, the voice is captivating, and it's well-written. I'd recommend this to anyone, as I think that not only is it an interesting read, it's also very informative. I especially appreciated the fact that Norah's mental illnesses were not spurred on by any specific tragedy or event. They just crept up on her unexpectedly in her early teens until they were unmanageable, and not being able to explain to people why she was so severely anxious (other than that's just how her mind functioned), was a real challenge for her.

I spent a large chunk of the book feeling incredibly sorry for Norah and wishing there was something someone could do to make life easier for her. I mean, her mom and therapist both helped with that, but the sad part is that there was no perfect solution or magic cure. If she was a real teenager, she'd probably struggle the rest of her life with these disorders, and I couldn't help wishing it didn't have to be that way for her. I wanted a better and faster solution, even though I was fully aware that doesn't exist.

Pages: 320

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fascinating look into the kind of OCD that impacts thoughts more than actions. It’s another pro-therapy YA contemporary novel with interesting but messy characters.

Pages: 368

Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern

Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This contemporary YA novel spotlights characters with disabilities and disorders, and I really enjoyed that. The main character has cerebral palsy and is wheelchair bound, and her new student helper has obsessive-compulsive disorder.

It's a good read that will put you through the full range of emotions. It makes some beautiful points and is a fantastic character study, though it lacks something in the area of plot, at least for me. It's more of a story that follows the characters through their day-to-day lives. Since their lives are different and fascinating, that kept me turning the pages, but I wouldn't have minded having just a bit more from the story. I really liked it, but I felt it lacked that little extra something that would have made it a 5 star book and had me shoving it on everyone I know.

Pages: 368

OCD, the Dude and Me by Lauren Vaughn

Danielle tells her story through the English papers, notes, e-mails and other correspondence. She writes with a very true and clear voice, which is quite refreshing. The way she sees and describes the world around her is striking, like "His girlfriend looked just like Juno, except she wasn't pregnant. Well, truthfully, I couldn't really know that. Maybe she was and that's why they were kissing the way I saw. I am sure making a baby together can inspire that kind of kissing." 

Danielle struggles with OCD and the repercussions of a traumatic incident in the 8th grade. She hates herself; for her weight and for her own very existence, as she feels guilty for living while others are not. I really enjoyed this book, and I love the way Danielle describes the inner-workings of her mind and the intimidating world around her.

My favorite quote of the entire book (an e-mail from Aunt Joyce to Danielle), which made me cry: 

"...then you wouldn't be with us at all. That is not an option any of us can accept. And so, it is you, your existence, your presence in my life that has helped to heal this situation for me. You mean so much to me, and now you know even more why. You are the child we are meant to have. Yours is the life that is meant to be here."  


234 pages