Books like 'Fade to Black'
Readers who enjoyed Fade to Black by Alex Flinn also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery realistic crime high-school coming-of-age bullying male-mc medical friendship
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Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsWhen Jack meets his new foster brother, he already knows three things about him:Joseph almost killed a teacher.He was incarcerated at a place called Stone Mountain.He has a daughter. Her name is Jupiter. And he has never seen her.What Jack doesn’t know, at first, is how desperate Joseph is to find his baby girl.Or how urgently he, Jack, will want to help.But the past can’t be shaken off... -
A List of Cages by Robin Roe
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsWhen Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he’s got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn’t easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can’t complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends... -
I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsFrom the New York Times bestselling author of One Last Stop and Red, White & Royal Blue comes a debut YA romantic comedy about chasing down what you want, only to find what you need...Chloe Green is so close to winning...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship high-school lgbtq realistic book contemporary enemies-to-lovers -
The Walk On by John Feinstein
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBestselling sportswriter John Feinstein kicks off a new series for middle grade featuring Alex Myers, a student athlete who tries to take on the sports establishment in his new town. Alex Myers is a quarterback, but from the first day of football practice, it’s clear that that position is very much filled by the coach’s son, Matt... -
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Bayward Street by Addison Jane
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe law called me a runaway. A criminal. But after a lifetime in hell, being abused and tortured by my father, I found my real family on the streets. A group of kids like me who society failed to protect. Together we survived day by day. And for me, that was enough. Until Heath showed up. Every wall I put up—he tore down. Every single touch had me searching for another... -
Sara and the Search for Normal by Wesley King
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratings“It’s the vivid, insightful depiction of Sara’s internal struggles that readers will remember.” — BooklistIn this prequel to the Edgar Award–winning OCDaniel , fan-favorite Sara quests for “normal” and finds something even better along the way.Sara’s Rules to Be Normal1. Stop taking your pills19. Make a friend137. Don’t put mayonnaise on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches...Categorized as:
realistic friendship bullying coming-of-age mental-illness middle-grade fiction young-adult -
The How & the Why by Cynthia Hand
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA poignant exploration of family and the ties that bind, perfect for fans of Far From the Tree, from New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand.Today Melly had us writing letters to our babies…Cassandra McMurtrey has the best parents a girl could ask for. They’ve given Cass a life she wouldn’t trade for the world. She has everything she needs—except maybe the one thing she wants... -
Lost and Found by Anne Schraff
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWelcome to Bluford High. This widely acclaimed teen series set in an urban high school features engaging, accessible writing and appealing, contemporary storylines.Darcy Wills is in big trouble. And she does not know where to turn for help. First there was the mysterious stranger who started following her. Then there was the threatening note left on her desk at Bluford High School... -
De onttoverden by Marie Vareille
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsNormandië, 1990. Wanneer de vijftienjarige Sarah Leroy verdwijnt, schijnbaar zonder enige aanleiding, gaat er een schokgolf door heel Frankrijk. In elk huis en in elke bistro worden de wildste theorieën gedeeld, maar niemand kan vertellen wat er werkelijk heeft plaatsgevonden. Twintig jaar later keert journalist Fanny terug naar de plaats van de tragedie die haar jeugd kenmerkte... -
Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWhat if you could spend one last day with someone you lost?One day Carver Briggs had it all—three best friends, a supportive family, and a reputation as a talented writer at his high school, Nashville Academy for the Arts.The next day he lost it all when he sent a simple text to his friend Mars, right before Mars, Eli, and Blake were killed in a car crash... -
Tonight We Rule the World by Zack Smedley
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIncludes an exclusive reader's guide from Zack SmedleyFrom the critically acclaimed author of Deposing Nathan comes an explosive examination of identity, voice, and the indelible ways our stories are rewritten by others.In the beginning, Owen’s story was blank . . . then he was befriended by Lily, the aspiring author who helped him find his voice... -
The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsNo one wants me to tell you about the disappearance of Sloane Sullivan.Not the lawyers or the cops. Not her friends or family. Not even the boy who loved her more than anyone. And most certainly not the United States Marshals Service... -
Almost True by Keren David
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRuthless killers are hunting Ty so the police move him and his mum to a quiet seaside town. But a horrific attack and a bullet meant for Ty prove that he's not safe.On the road again, Ty's in hiding with complete strangers . . . who seem to know a lot about him. Meanwhile he's desperate to see his girlfriend Claire, and terrified that she may betray him... -
You Don't Even Know by Sue Lawson
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAlex Hudson is a good guy. He plays water polo. He has a part-time job. He’s doing okay at school.Then the thing that anchors Alex is ripped away and his life seems pointless... -
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Freeze Frame by Heidi Ayarbe
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNo matter how many times Kyle rewrites the scene, he can't get it right. He tries it in the style of Hitchcock, Tarantino, Eastwood, all of his favorite directors—but regardless of the style, he can't remember what happened that day in the shed. The day Jason died... -
Invisible by Jeff Erno
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsChase Devereaux is a fifteen year old boy under a great deal of stress. He has to give a speech today for his Oral Communications class, and he's terrified of public speaking. Worse yet, he's being bullied by one of the most popular kids at school. He just has to make it through his third-hour gym class and then give his speech, and everything will be all right... -
Alex in Wonderland by Simon James Green
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA novel that will have you laughing out loud one minute, and swooning the next!In the town of Newsands, painfully shy Alex is abandoned by his two best friends for the summer. But he unexpectedly lands a part-time job at Wonderland, a run-down amusement arcade on the seafront, where he gets to know the other teen misfits who work there... -
The Lying Woods by Ashley Elston
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsOwen Foster has never wanted for anything. Then his mother shows up at his elite New Orleans boarding school cradling a bombshell: his privileged life has been funded by stolen money... -
What I Lost by Alexandra Ballard
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsA searing yet ultimately uplifting young adult novel about a teenage girl's recovery from anorexia.Sixteen-year-old Elizabeth has honed a dangerous skill: starving herself. Even when her parents send her to a treatment center, she can't stop. Then she begins receiving packages from someone she doesn't know... -
Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer, Christopher Ragland
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsWhen his dad is caught embezzling funds from half the town, Rob goes from popular lacrosse player to social pariah. Even worse, his father’s failed suicide attempt leaves Rob and his mother responsible for his care.Everyone thinks of Maegan as a typical overachiever, but she has a secret of her own after the pressure got to her last year... -
The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik by David Arnold
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThis is Noah Oakman → sixteen, Bowie believer, concise historian, disillusioned swimmer, son, brother, friend. Then Noah → gets hypnotized. Now Noah → sees changes—inexplicable scars, odd behaviors, rewritten histories—in all those around him. All except his Strange Fascinations . . -
The First Third by Will Kostakis
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLife is made up of three parts: in the first third, you're embarrassed by your family; in the second, you make a family of your own; and in the end, you just embarrass the family you've made. That's how Billy's grandmother explains it, anyway. She's given him her bucket list (cue embarrassment), and now, it's his job to glue their family back together. No pressure or anything... -
Rape Girl by Alina Klein
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsValerie always wanted to be the smart girl. The pretty girl. The popular girl.But not the rape girl.That’s who she is now. Rape Girl. Because everyone seems to think they know the truth about what happened with Adam that day, and they don’t think Valerie’s telling it.Before, she had a best friend, a crush, and a close-knit family...Categorized as:
bullying coming-of-age crime friendship high-school realistic abuse action-adventure -
What I Want You to See by Catherine Linka
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWinning a scholarship to California’s most prestigious art school seems like a fairy tale ending to Sabine Reye’s awful senior year. After losing both her mother and her home, Sabine longs for a place where she belongs.But the cutthroat world of visual arts is nothing like what Sabine had imagined...Categorized as:
realistic coming-of-age high-school romance young-adult contemporary mystery 21st-century -
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Pritty by Keith F. Miller Jr.
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOn the verge of summer before his senior year, Jay is a soft soul in a world of concrete. While his older brother is everything people expect a man to be--tough, athletic, and in charge--Jay simply blends into the background to everyone, except when it comes to Leroy... -
Crushed by Sara Shepard
Rated: 3.96 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIt's springtime in suburban Rosewood, which means iced soy lattes, fresh manicures in shimmering pastels - and prom. But while everyone else is flipping through the racks at Saks in search of the perfect prom dress, Hanna, Spencer, Emily, and Aria are on a different kind of hunt: They're looking for A. . . -
What They Always Tell Us by Martin Wilson
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsJAMES AND ALEX have barely anything in common anymore—least of all their experiences in high school, where James is a popular senior and Alex is suddenly an outcast. But at home, there is Henry, the precocious 10-year-old across the street, who eagerly befriends them both. And when Alex takes up running, there is James's friend Nathen, who unites the brothers in moving and unexpected ways... -
Black and White by Paul Volponi
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMarcus and Eddie are best friends who found the strength to break through the racial barrier. Marcus is black; Eddie is white. Stars of their school basketball team, they are true leaders who look past the stereotypes and come out on top. They are inseparable, watching each other's backs, both on and off the basketball court. But one night—and one wrong decision—will change their lives forever... -
Don't Get Caught by Kurt Dinan
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratings10:00 tonight at the water tower. Tell no one. -Chaos ClubWhen Max receives a mysterious invite from the untraceable, epic prank-pulling Chaos Club, he has to ask: why him? After all, he's Mr. 2.5 GPA, Mr. No Social Life. He's Just Max. And his favorite heist movies have taught him this situation calls for Rule #4: Be suspicious. But it's also his one shot to leave Just Max in the dust..Categorized as:
bullying coming-of-age crime friendship high-school male-mc realistic action-adventure -
Dead Ends by Erin Jade Lange
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDane Washington is one suspension away from expulsion. In a high school full of “haves,” being a “have not” makes Dane feel like life is hurtling toward one big dead end. Billy D. spends his high school days in Special Ed and he’s not exactly a “have” himself. The biggest thing Billy’s missing? His dad...Categorized as:
bullying coming-of-age friendship high-school lgbtq realistic abuse action-adventure -
Send Me a Sign by Tiffany Schmidt
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMia is always looking for signs. A sign that she should get serious with her soccer-captain boyfriend. A sign that she’ll get the grades to make it into an Ivy-league school. One sign she didn’t expect to look for was: “Will I survive cancer?” It’s a question her friends would never understand, prompting Mia to keep her illness a secret... -
The Protected by Claire Zorn
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI have three months left to call Katie my older sister. Then the gap will close and I will pass her. I will get older. But Katie will always be fifteen, eleven months and twenty-one days old.Hannah's world is in pieces and she doesn't need the school counsellor to tell her she has deep-seated psychological issues... -
The Bully Book by Eric Kahn Gale
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThere is a book that teaches how to be a bully, and it will ruin Eric Haskins’ life. It all starts when his best friend, Donovan, ditches him and befriends Adrian Noble, the tallest kid in class, and a karate-kicking 10-year-old Eric calls Jason Crazy-Pants. The three boys systematically tease and humiliate Eric, eventually turning the entire class against him...Categorized as:
realistic bullying coming-of-age friendship young-adult middle-grade fiction mystery -
When I Was Joe by Keren David
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen Ty witnesses a stabbing, his own life is in danger from the criminals he's named, and he and his mum have to go into police protection. Ty has a new name, a new look and a cool new image - life as Joe is good, especially when he gets talent spotted as a potential athletics star, special training from an attractive local celebrity and a lot of female attention...Categorized as:
coming-of-age crime high-school male-mc realistic 21st-century action-adventure book -
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Twisted by Sara Shepard
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsIt’s been a year since the torturous notes from A stopped and the mystery of Alison DiLaurentis’s disappearance was finally put to rest. Now seniors in high school, Aria, Spencer, Hanna and Emily are older, but they’re not any wiser. The Pretty Little Liars have more secrets than ever - twisted secrets that could destroy the perfect lives they’ve worked so hard to rebuild... -
Yellow by Megan Jacobson
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIf fourteen-year-old Kirra is having a mid-life crisis now, then it doesn't bode well for her life expectancy. Her so-called friends bully her, whatever semblance of a mother she had has been drowned at the bottom of a gin bottle ever since her dad left them for another woman, and now a teenage ghost is speaking to her through a broken phone booth. Kirra and the ghost make a pact... -
Kiss of Death by Lauren Henderson
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsScarlett thought Dan McAndrew's murder was long behind her, but when she and her classmates arrive in Edinburgh for a weeklong field trip, she's startled to be joined by her old St. Tabby's cohorts--and enemies--who are visiting the area on a field trip as well... -
11 Paper Hearts by Kelsey Hartwell
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA YA contemporary rom com about a girl who follows a trail of paper hearts from her mystery admirer--and it's a paperback original perfect for fans of To All the Boys I've Loved Before and the Kissing Booth. Ella's life was picture perfect. She had a circle of close friends, a jam-packed social life, and an amazing boyfriend...Categorized as:
high-school realistic coming-of-age romance young-adult contemporary mystery fiction -
Still Waters by Ash Parsons
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA gritty, powerful debut that evokes The Outsiders. You won't be able to look away. High school senior Jason knows how to take a punch. Living with an abusive father will teach a kid that. But he’s also learned how to hit back, earning a reputation at school that ensures no one will mess with him...Categorized as:
realistic high-school bullying crime friendship coming-of-age young-adult contemporary -
Solving Zoe by Barbara Dee
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsZoe Bennett feels lost at her fancy private school.She's not the star drama queen like her sister, or a brainiac math genius like her brother. Luckily her best friend, Dara, is just as content as Zoe is to stay in the shadows -- or is she? When Dara gets a part in the school musical, Zoe feels abandoned. What's worse, Zoe's practically being stalked by the weird new kid, Lucas...Categorized as:
realistic friendship coming-of-age middle-grade mystery children-books young-adult fiction -
My Own Worst Frenemy by Kimberly Reid
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Langdon Prep series for young adults features edgy characters with a multicultural twist, as 16-year-old Chanti Evans tries to balance prep school, boys, and solving mysteries. With barely a foot in the door, fifteen-year-old Chanti gets on the bad side of school queen bee Lissa and snobbish Headmistress Smythe...Categorized as:
coming-of-age crime friendship high-school realistic boarding-school book contemporary -
Kind of Sort of Fine by Spencer Hall
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSenior year changes everything for two teens in this coming-of-age story that looks at what happens when the image everyone has of us no longer matches who we really are.Senior year of high school is full of changes. For Hayley Mills, these changes aren’t exactly welcome...Categorized as:
coming-of-age realistic high-school romance young-adult contemporary mental-illness fiction -
Dooley Takes the Fall by Norah McClintock
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhite Pine nominee, 2009 Spinetingler Magazine Award Nominee, 2009 Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice, 2009 A boy maybe twelve years old, on a bike, stopped next to Dooley, looked at the kid sprawled on the pavement and said, "Is he dead?" "Yeah, I think so," Dooley said In fact, he was sure of it because there was no air going into or coming out of the lungs of the kid on the pavement... -
Vicious by Sara Shepard
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsVicious is the explosive conclusion to Sara Shepard's #1 New York Times bestselling Pretty Little Liars series, perfect for fans of the hit ABC Family original TV show based on the series.High school seniors Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer have been through a lot since their best friend, Alison DiLaurentis, disappeared five summers ago... -
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Gideon Green in Black and White by Katie Henry
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGideon's short-lived run as a locally-famous boy detective ended when middle school started, and everyone else--including his best friend, Lily--moved on while Gideon kept holding on to his trench coat, fedora, and his treasured film noir collection. Now, he's sixteen and officially retired. That is, until Lily shows up suddenly at Gideon's door, needing his help... -
Don't Hate the Player...Hate the Game by Katie Ashley
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFor Noah Sullivan being the best friend to a douchebag and player like Jake Nelson has never been easy. It's been a rocky road since kindergarten when Jake duct taped Noah to his chair before recess... -
Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen Marvin Johnson's twin, Tyler, goes to a party, Marvin decides to tag along to keep an eye on his brother. But what starts as harmless fun turns into a shooting, followed by a police raid.The next day, Tyler has gone missing, and it's up to Marvin to find him... -
The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie by Jaclyn Moriarty
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsBindy Mackenzie believes herself to be the smartest, kindest girl at Ashbury High. Unfortunately, she is alone in that belief. To prove her likeability, Bindy decides to document her life in transcripts, essays, and e-mails. What this reveals is a girl who's funny, passionate, hilariously self-righteous...and in danger. Someone wants to kill Bindy Mackenzie. The clues are in the documents... -
The Juvie Three by Gordon Korman
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGecko, Terence, and Ajay are serving time in juvenile detention centers until they get a second chance. Douglas Healy, a former juvenile delinquent himself, takes them into his halfway house, hoping to make a difference in their lives. One night there is a scuffle, and Healy is accidentally knocked unconscious. When he awakes in the hospital, he has no memory of them or of the halfway house...Categorized as:
bullying coming-of-age crime friendship high-school realistic action-adventure amnesia -
My Life in Black and White by Natasha Friend
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhat if you lost the thing that made you who you are? Lexi has always been stunning. Her butter-colored hair and perfect features have helped her attract friends, a boyfriend, and the attention of a modeling scout. But everything changes the night Lexi's face goes through a windshield...
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