Teen Book Match

In case you don’t know, it is the first in a series (Frogs and French Kisses; Spells and Sleeping Bags; and Parties and Potions). You mention liking books about growing up but that you also like fantasy. Since Bras and Broomsticks is about a modern teenage witch, it has a little fantasy and a lot of modern humor. So, I wasn’t sure if you wanted something modern and funny or something fantasy about growing up, so I’ve included both:

Modern/not fantasy:

Clique by Lisi Harrison.

If you enjoyed The Perks of Being a Wallflower, here are three titles I hope you might enjoy.

Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Choi.
A young Korean girl survives the oppressive Japanese and Russian occupation of North Korea during the 1940s, to later escape to freedom in South Korea.

If you like the V.C. Andrews books, you might try one of these:

Right Behind You by Gail Giles.

After spending over four years in a mental institution for murdering a friend in Alaska, fourteen-year-old Kip begins a completely new life in Indiana with his father and stepmother under a different name, but not only has trouble fitting in, he finds there are still problems to deal with from his childhood.

The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson.

Kirsten Miller has written another Kiki Strike novel called Kiki Strike: The Empress’s Tomb. Here are a few more titles you might enjoy:

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins.

When eleven-year-old Gregor and his two-year-old sister are pulled into a strange underground world, they trigger an epic battle involving men, bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders while on a quest foretold by ancient prophecy. The first book in the Underland Chronicles.

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy.

I hope you have a chance to read the other books in the Bloody Jack series:

Curse of the Blue Tattoo: being an account of the misadventures of Jacky Faber, midshipman and fine lady, by L.A. Meyer.

I selected a few titles that have some of the same elements as The Red Necklace…history, intrigue, a bit of the mystical and other interesting plot elements. I hope you enjoy reading some of these books!

Red Moon at Sharpsburg by Rosemary Wells.

As the Civil War breaks out, India, a young Southern girl, summons her sharp intelligence and the courage she didn't know she had to survive the war that threatens to destroy her family, her Virginia home, and the only life she has ever known.

Kindred by Octavia Butler.

Thank you for your Book Match request for I Can’t Tell You by Hilary Frank. As I don’t know your age or why you liked the book (other than the genre you selected as Romance) the books I am suggesting are based on the fact that I Can’t Tell You is a high school level book and an unconventional romance. Therefore, I chose books that have romance elements in them, but are also have other conflicts with friends, family, school, etc, since I Can’t Tell You also contains those themes. Here are some other books I hope you will like.

Here are some other fantasy stories with strong (mostly female) characters (some with a little romance) that I think you will like:

Stardust by Neil Gaiman.

The story of young Tristran Thorn and his adventures in the land of Faerie. He has fallen in love with beautiful Victoria Forester and in order to win her hand, he must retrieve a fallen star and deliver it to her.

Sabriel by Garth Nix.

Since you enjoyed Bloomability by Sharon Creech, and also books by Libba Bray, I have sent along a list of books that I hope you will enjoy just as much. Thank you for letting us know why you liked particular books as this helps us to make selections for you.

Did you know that A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray is the first in a series? The second book is Rebel Angels and the third is The Sweet Far Thing. You might want to check those books out as well.

The Ruby in the Smoke / by Philip Pullman.

This readalike is in response to a patron's book-match request. If you would like personalized reading recommendations, fill out the book-match form and a librarian will email suggested titles to you.