Ten years ago, Jason Reynolds released his first novel When I Was the Greatest, and immediately established himself as a major new voice in American literature. Winner of the Coretta Scott King and the John Steptoe Award for New Talent, When I Was the Greatest is a complex, realistic, and often hilarious character study of three Black teenagers in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. Since then, Reynolds has continued to explore the lives of young Black men through several more novels, delving into themes of friendship and family dynamics. However, he has never written a romance—until now.
Twenty-four months ago, Neon and Aria had a hilarious meet-cute (no spoilers here!). And twenty-four seconds from now, they will take the next step in their relationship. As Twenty-Four Seconds From Now . . .: A Love Story moves backward in time, Neon seeks relationship advice from his friends and family. With his trademark humor and knack for character development, Reynolds expertly portrays a refreshingly healthy teen romance.
Although Twenty-four Seconds from Now is Jason Reynolds' first romance novel, he is no stranger to genre bending. In 2022, he partnered with Jason Griffin to release Ain't Burned All the Bright, an electric fusion of poetry and art. Reynolds text, a stirring meditation on the COVID-19 pandemic and systemic racism from the perspective of a young Black boy, blends with mixed-media collage created by Griffin to create a powerful effect.
Sabaa Tahir first made a name for herself as an author with the phenomenal series An Ember in the Ashes, set in a world inspired by ancient Rome, which was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 best fantasy books of all time. With All My Rage, Tahir pivoted to contemporary realistic fiction. Noor and Sal are two former best friends in a small California desert town who both long to escape their families' difficult circumstances; Sal resorts to desperate measures to save his family's motel, and Noor secretly applies to college to escape her violent uncle. This moving and unforgettable novel won both the 2022 National Book Award for Young People's Literature and the Michael L. Printz Award.
After publishing the viral sensation They Both Die at the End, a dystopian romance, Adam Silvera proved he could also write fantasy with the release of Infinity Son. Brothers Emil and Brighton think they are ordinary until their 18th birthday, when Emil discovers he has phoenix fire inside him. Soon, they find themselves caught in a magical war between the vigilante Spell Walkers, and dangerous, power-hungry specters. Fans of magical worlds will enjoy this epic saga.
Different for Boys is an off-brand work for Patrick Ness for a few reasons. First, unlike his epic Chaos Walking trilogy, Different for Boys weighs in at a slim 104 pages, a condensed narrative exploring the sexuality of four teen boys in rural Eastern Washington. And unlike his other sci-fi and fantasy novels, Different for Boys leans more towards the surreal; black boxes float in the air around the boys, censoring their candid conversations both to each other and to the reader. But similarly to Ness' other novels, the result is an unforgettable story that will linger with the reader long after the last page.
Rainbow Rowell has long been beloved for her adorable romantic comedies, and Pumpkinheads is no exception. The difference? Pumpkinheads is a graphic novel! Artist Faith Erin Hicks' illustrations add a delightful layer to this autumnal love story, in which two coworkers at the best pumpkin patch in the world decide to have an epic Halloween night before (maybe?) parting ways forever.
Add a comment to: Off-Brand Books for Popular Authors