Books like 'Same Difference'
Readers who enjoyed Same Difference by Derek Kirk Kim also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary realistic humor friendship coming-of-age poc-mc high-school literary-fiction
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The Lost House of Ireland by Susanne O'Leary
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn enchanting story about forgotten family secrets that will transport you to the charming village of Sandy Cove on the beautiful Irish coast.Allegra Casey is searching for a new beginning. So when she discovers an engagement ring buried in the sand near her home in Cape Cod, the last place she expects it to lead her is to the west coast of Ireland... -
Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHitch meets The Sun Is Also a Star in this novel about a self-professed teen love doctor with a popular radio segment who believes he can get a girl who hates all things romance to fall in love with him in only three dates.Prince Jones is the guy with all the answers—or so it seems... -
Leonard and Hungry Paul by Ronan Hession, John Hopkins
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsLeonard and Hungry Paul are two friends who see the world differently. They use humour, board games and silence to steer their way through the maelstrom that is the 21st century.‘The figure in Munch’s painting isn’t actually screaming!’ Hungry Paul said. ‘Really, are you sure?’ Replied Leonard. ‘Absolutely. That’s the whole thing. The figure is actually closing his ears to block outa scream...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship humor literary-fiction realistic 21st-century adult anthologies -
My Lame Life: Queen of the Misfits by Jen Mann
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author Jen Mann has written a hilarious and heartwarming story for fans of Meg Cabot and Rainbow Rowell. My name is Plum Parrish, I'm fourteen, and I'm pretty sure I'm invisible. Not like super power invisible, more like loser invisible. There's a big difference... -
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On Herring Cove Road: Mr. Rosen and His 43Lb Anxiety by Michael Kroft
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOnce an amusing extrovert with a reputation as a prankster, Mr. Rosen is entering his retirement years as a stoic thirty-year converted introvert who has no interest in people, despises change, and is more than content to have his wife navigate his life... -
Battle of Jericho by Sharon M. Draper
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratings"Are you willing to do anything to help your slimy pledge brothers become Distinguished Gentlemen?" Sharp demanded. "Anything, sir," Jericho said. He just wanted it to be over."Then suck my big toe.""Sir?" Jericho wasn't sure if he had heard correctly....When Jericho is invited to pledge for the Warriors of Distinction, he thinks his life can't get any better... -
The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLeft quad. Right quad. Lunge. A girls indoor soccer team warms up. From the safety of their suburban stretch circle, the team navigates big questions and wages tiny battles with all the vim and vigor of a pack of adolescent warriors. A portrait of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for nine American girls who just want to score some goals... -
Turning the Page by Katrina Abbott
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCelia Thomas should be living a charmed life; as the niece of Hollywood's current it guy, whose whole family is on the payroll, she doesn't have to worry about money or future job prospects. Except maybe she doesn't want to go into the family business... -
Carter's Unfocused, One-Track Mind by Brent Crawford
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAfter an eventful freshman year and disastrous summer, fifteen-year-old Will Carter returns to Merrian High none the wiser. His sophomore year will present a host of new problems: the return of Scary Terry from juvie, the pregnant presence of Amber Lee, friends-with-benefits negotiations with Abby, prom night expectations, and the ever-constant harassment from his boys... -
Honeybees and Distant Thunder by Riku Onda
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTender and intense, Honeybees and Distant Thunder is the unflinching story of love, courage and rivalry as three young people come to understand what it means to truly be a friend.In a small coastal town just a stone's throw from Tokyo, a prestigious piano competition is underway...Categorized as:
literary-fiction realistic coming-of-age fiction contemporary 21st-century book adult -
Reggie and Delilah's Year of Falling by Elise Bryant
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDelilah always keeps her messy, gooey insides hidden behind a wall of shrugs and yeah, whatevers. She goes with the flow—which is how she ends up singing in her friends’ punk band as a favor, even though she’d prefer to hide at the merch table.Reggie is a D&D Dungeon Master and self-declared Blerd... -
Jumped In by Patrick Flores-Scott
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSam has the rules of slackerhood down: Don't be late to class. Don't ever look the teacher in the eye. Develop your blank stare. Since his mom left, he has become an expert in the art of slacking, especially since no one at his new school gets his intense passion for the music of the Pacific Northwest—Nirvana, Hole, Sleater-Kinney...Categorized as:
realistic high-school friendship coming-of-age poc-mc young-adult contemporary male-mc -
Alexis and the Perfect Recipe by Coco Simon, Elizabeth Doyle Carey
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe fourth book in Spotlight's fun and delicious tween series is told from the perspective of Alexis, the most organized member of the Cupcake Club...Categorized as:
realistic friendship coming-of-age humor middle-grade fiction children-books contemporary -
Twenty-Four Seconds from Now...A Love Story by Jason Reynolds
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsJason Reynolds tackles it—you know…it—from the guy’s perspective in this stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first.Twenty-four months ago: Neon gets chased by a dog all around the parking lot of a church. Not his finest moment. And definitely one he would have loved to forget if it weren’t for the dog’s owner: Aria... -
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Almost Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIs it possible to be too good a friend -- too understanding, too always there, too much like a doormat? Alice has always been a good friend to Pamela and Liz, a best friend to Pamela and Liz...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship high-school humor realistic book contemporary female-author -
Access Denied: And Other Eighth Grade Error Messages by Denise Vega
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsComputer whiz Erin Swift is ready to start eighth grade. The Year of Humiliating Events (aka, seventh grade) is behind her and she's ready to rule the school. But eight grade comes with its own set of problems for Erin to navigate, including her first boyfriend, her first break-up, and the fact that her mom has been treating her more like an eight year old than an eighth grader...Categorized as:
realistic coming-of-age humor friendship high-school romance young-adult middle-grade -
The Comeback by Marlene Perez
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA novel about ruling high school, being exiled, and fighting your way back to your rightful throne.Sophie Donnelly is one half of the most popular and powerful couple in school, until new girl Angie Vogel shows up and compromises everything. Angie steals Sophie's starring role in the school play, and, worse, her super-popular boyfriend...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship high-school realistic book contemporary fiction womens-fiction -
16 & Pregnant by LaLa Thomas
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe bond between two best friends is put to the test when one of them gets pregnant in this contemporary teen novel inspired by MTV’s iconic reality show.Erykah was looking forward to junior year at East Prep High. She has a cute boyfriend, gets good grades, and has the best bestie. Money is tight, though that’s nothing new in her world. But everything changes when she gets pregnant...Categorized as:
realistic high-school friendship poc-mc coming-of-age young-adult contemporary fiction -
The Stand-In Boyfriend by Christina Benjamin
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSometimes the person you're meant to be with is standing right in front of you.Parker Reed has been in love with Beth Bennett since he was four years old. She grew up next door to him, holding his hand and now his heart. The problem is, Beth has no idea Parker is in love with her. He’s stuck in the friend zone, forced to stand by while Beth dates a parade of losers...Categorized as:
high-school realistic humor coming-of-age friendship romance young-adult contemporary -
Honey by Isabel Banta
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA coming-of-age story that follows the meteoric rise of singer Amber Young as she navigates fame in the late-1990s and early-2000s era of pop music superstardomIt is 1997, and Amber Young has received a life-changing call. It is a chance thousands of girls would die for: the opportunity to join girl group Cloud9 in Los Angeles and escape her small town...Categorized as:
literary-fiction coming-of-age friendship fiction contemporary young-adult historical-fiction book -
Unscripted by Nicole Kronzer
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA funny and timely debut YA about the toxic masculinity at a famous improv comedy campSeventeen-year-old Zelda Bailey-Cho has her future all planned out: improv camp, then Second City, and finally Saturday Night Live... -
Triple Shot Bettys in Love by Jody Gehrman
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGeena is freaking out. She's been going out with Ben for five months, their relationship is comfortable and perfect, and then Bam! he's suddenly putting the pressure on to be way more physical. She's not sure she's ready. Enter Mr... -
Carter's Big Break by Brent Crawford
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAfter surviving freshman year (just barely), Carter is craving his summer break. Unfortunately, when he and his girlfriend, Abby, part ways, it looks as though summer just might break him. Things start to look up when he's unexpectedly cast in an independent film opposite the world's biggest tween sensation, Hilary Idaho. With Hollywood knocking on his door, Carter gets a taste of the good life... -
Call the Shots by Don Calame
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAnd . . . action! As the uproarious trio returns, sensitive Sean takes the spotlight — scripting a low-low-budget film while fielding unexpected female fans. Coop is cooking up another sure-misfire scheme (big surprise), and this time the comedy plays out from Sean’s point of view... -
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A Matter of Heart by Amy Fellner Dominy
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratings“Will make your heart pound — anxiously, joyfully, triumphantly.” — New York Times bestselling author Lauren Myracle Readers will happily dive into this emotionally grounded, contemporary young adult novel about the sudden end of one girl’s Olympic swimming dreams and the struggles she endures before realizing there are many things that express who we are...Categorized as:
realistic high-school coming-of-age friendship romance young-adult sports contemporary -
Just Our Luck by Julia Walton
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom the author of Words on Bathroom Walls— now a major motion picture—comes a romance in the spirit of Dear Evan Hansen about overcoming anxiety—and about finding love and friendship in unlikely places.★ "A masterpiece" —Kirkus, starred review"Bad luck follows lies." That was the first rule for life that Leo's Greek grandmother, Yia Yia, gave him before she died...Categorized as:
realistic coming-of-age friendship high-school literary-fiction romance young-adult contemporary -
Audible Love by Maggie Dallen
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLove is blind? This starlet doesn't believe it. Then again...she's never been starstruck. As a child star turned teenage diva, Avery has played a lot of roles in her lifetime. Not one of them was as difficult as pretending to be an ordinary girl at a normal high school. Well, relatively normal. Trudale is a boarding school for the arts, catering to the elite... -
Circle in the Sand by Lia Fairchild
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFour life-long friends bound by two decades of laughter, love, promises, and secrets. Once inseparable, the four grow into independent adults pursuing very different paths. Sage, raised by career-driven parents, follows a carefully laid out future of success that leaves her wondering what she’s missed out on. Emily, the college drop-out, now has three children that have become her whole life... -
Girl, 16: Five Star Fiasco by Sue Limb
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe teenage world of Jess Jordon is looking characteristically chaotic: Mum has joined an online dating programme and has recruited Jess as advisor, while Jess's best friend Flora has a rich new boyfriend who Jess can't possibly keep up with. Then Jess's own boyfriend, Fred, does something unbelievably treacherous and spineless... -
The Infinite Pieces of Us by Rebekah Crane
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom the author of The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland comes a hilarious and heartbreaking novel about coming apart, getting it together--and moving on. It's just a two-hour drive--Pondering math problems is Esther Ainsworth's obsession. If only life's puzzles required logic. Her stepfather's solution? Avoidance...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship high-school humor literary-fiction realistic action-adventure audiobook -
Schooled by Ted Fox
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom a delightful new voice in fiction comes the story of a stay-at-home dad reclaiming his past and discovering a new future.Jack Parker didn’t set out to be a stay-at-home dad, but his professional dreams went up in smoke after he accidentally burned down his office building. Six years later, Jack’s got parenting his two kids down cold... -
Amazing Grace by Megan Shull
Rated: 3.86 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsGrace Ace Kincaid has it all. She's a teen sports sensation. Her face and body are on the cover of every magazine. She's front and center on the red carpet. She has the world at her feet, as long as she toes the line. But then she says three little words. Three words that take her out of the spotlight to Medicine Hat, Alaska. Population 272.Grace has the chance to start all over again... -
The Law of Tall Girls by Joanne Macgregor
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen you really stand out, can you ever fit in?Seventeen-year-old Peyton Lane is a tall girl. So tall, it’s the only thing most people notice about her. On impulse, she accepts a bet to prove she can be as attractive and desirable as other girls. Now she just needs to go on four dates (including the prom) with one of the guys on her very short list of very tall boys... -
A Shot at Normal by Marisa Reichardt
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDr. Villapando told me to get a good attorney. He wasn't serious. But I am. I'm going to sue my parents.Juniper Jade's parents are hippies. They didn’t attend the first Woodstock, but they were there for the second one. The Jade family lives an all-organic homeschool lifestyle that means no plastics, no cell phones, and no vaccines... -
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Unboxed by Non Pratt
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsUnboxed is about four teenagers who come together after several months apart. In previous years, they had put together a time capsule about their best summer with a friend who was dying. Now that their friend has passed, they reunite to open the box... -
Junger Mann by Wolf Haas
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"Rückwärts durch die Beine betrachtet ist die Welt immer am interessantesten." Dieses Lebensmotto beschert dem jungen Mann von Kindesbeinen an viele Probleme. Probleme in Form von Unfällen. Das Gute an Unfällen: Trostschokolade. Das Schlechte an zu viel Schokolade: Übergewicht.Mit 13 beschließt er, den Blick doch noch nach vorne zu richten und macht eine interessante Entdeckung... -
Life is Funny by E.R. Frank
Rated: 3.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom the outside, they're simply a group of urban teenagers. But from the inside, they're some of the most complex people you'll ever meet. There's Eric, fiercely protective of his brother Mickey-but he has a secret that holds together his past and future. Sonia, struggling to live the life of a good Muslim girl in a foreign America. Gingerbread and Keisha, who fall in love despite themselves...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship high-school poc-mc realistic contemporary fiction mental-illness -
Playing with Matches by Brian Katcher
Rated: 3.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD LEON SANDERS has a mug that looks like it should be hanging in a post office somewhere. If he didn’t have his twisted sense of humor, he’d have nothing at all. So it’s no wonder to Leon and his friends that the gorgeous Amy Green will never even look twice at him. However, there is one girl who might: Melody Hennon... -
Rock On by Denise Vega
Rated: 3.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOri Taylor is the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter of the Band To Be Named Later, a garage band he started with his friends. After years of being known only as the kid brother of sports star Del, Ori is looking forward to stepping out of his older brother's shadow, learning to perform in public, and rocking the Battle of the Bands contest... -
Kay's Lucky Coin Variety by Ann Y.K. Choi
Rated: 3.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA bittersweet coming-of-age debut novel set in the Korean community in Toronto in the 1980s.This haunting coming-of-age story, told through the eyes of a rebellious young girl, vividly captures the struggles of families caught between two cultures in the 1980s...Categorized as:
coming-of-age literary-fiction realistic friendship poc-mc fiction young-adult contemporary -
10 Things I Hate About Prom by Elle Gonzalez Rose
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA fun, fresh contemporary rom-com that covers all the ways in which prom is overrated, and the biggest ways to sabotage your lovable best friend’s promposals to the school’s most popular girl.The best things in life come in pairs. Peanut butter has jelly, Taylor has Selena, and Ivelisse Santos has Joaquin Romero. They are not only next-door neighbors; they’re platonic soulmates...Categorized as:
high-school realistic friendship humor coming-of-age romance young-adult contemporary -
The Toll Bridge by Aidan Chambers
Rated: 3.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTo escape the pressures of suffocating parents and a possessive girlfriend, seventeen-year-old Piers takes a job as a keeper of a toll bridge and its cottage. There he befriends Adam, a charismatic wayfarer who shows up one day and refuses to leave. He also befriends a girl named Tess, and soon he and Tess find themselves strangely attracted to Adam and falling under his spell... -
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I Can't Even Think Straight by Dean Atta
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBig decisions and messy relationships. It's all part of life for Kai. A must-read queer coming of age story for fans of Sarah Crossan and Sex Education, written in verse by Stonewall-Award-winning, Carnegie-shortlisted author Dean Atta.Kai is going into a new school year with some big decisions to when to come out as gay, what he wants to do in life and who he wants to date...Categorized as:
realistic coming-of-age poc-mc humor literary-fiction friendship romance young-adult -
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Francine's Spectacular Crash and Burn by Renee Swindle
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA heartwarming novel centered on Francine Stevenson’s accidental encounter with a peculiar ten-year-old boy who shows up at her doorstep after her mother's sudden deathFrancine's Spectacular Crash and Burn is a bighearted novel that will wiggle its way into the heart of every reader. It follows Francine Stevenson... -
On Again, Awkward Again by Erin Entrada Kelly, Kwame Mbalia
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe laugh-out-loud YA romance by two award-winning and bestselling authors, Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia, that’s perfect for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before or When Dimple Met Rishi When Pacy Mercado and Cecil Holloway spot each other during the first week of freshman year, it’s love at first sight... -
Geek Magnet by Kieran Scott
Rated: 3.81 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMean Girls meets High School Musical from the author of I Was a Non-Blonde Cheerleader! Everyone loves KJ Miller, especially the geeks. She's pretty, smart, and super nice to everyone, which has made her the geek pied piper of Washington High. If only Cameron, the star of the basketball team, would follow her around and worship her the way her dorky entourage does... -
Kissing Tennessee: and Other Stories from the Stardust Dance by Kathi Appelt
Rated: 3.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMason and Carrie Marie can't get up the courage to ask each other to dance. Russ's girlfriend has died, and now he's just trying to live without her...Categorized as:
coming-of-age high-school humor realistic anthologies contemporary fiction middle-grade -
Raincheck on Timbuktu by Kirsten Murphy
Rated: 3.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLucy has her life all planned out - * perfect job at 21 * engaged to ideal man at 26 * married at 27 and a half * building ideal home at 28 (fully equipped with a stereo surround-sound wide screen TV and a comfortable, yet stylish couch) * birth of perfect daughter at 30 What does not neatly fit into her organised life is a mother with a bombshell, an ex-best friend... -
Deadbeat by Amy Sparling
Rated: 3.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen seventeen-year-old Jeremy’s girlfriend agrees to do the deed, life can't possibly get better. And then the condom breaks. He loves Elisa as much as a popular teenage athlete can love a girl, but he doesn't want to be a dad. Her parents want a marriage - his parents want an abortion, and Elisa and Jeremy's once-perfect relationship has been reduced to fights and drama...
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