Books like 'Picture Us in the Light'
Readers who enjoyed Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery north-america usa california lgbtq realistic family coming-of-age friendship
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This Place of Wonder by Barbara O'Neal
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsIn the wake of a personal tragedy, four women face the past, their futures, and each other in a novel of broken ties and healing by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids... -
![Sin and Tonic by Rhys Ford]()
Sin and Tonic by Rhys Ford
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMiki St. John believed happy endings only existed in fairy tales until his life took a few unexpected turns… and now he’s found his own. His best friend, Damien, is back from the dead, and their new band, Crossroads Gin, is soaring up the charts... -
![Night Road by Kristin Hannah]()
Night Road by Kristin Hannah
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsJude Farraday is a happily married, stay-at-home mom who puts everyone’s needs above her own. Her twins, Mia and Zach, are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill enters their lives, no one is more supportive than Jude. A former foster child with a dark past, Lexi quickly becomes Mia’s best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable... -
![Looks Over by Rose Christo]()
Looks Over by Rose Christo
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratings"There's nothing wrong with trying to get to know my son's boyfriend." Skylar knows he's lucky to have an open-minded father. It's not just that Skylar and Rafael are both boys. Between their families exists a dark and turbulent past: Rafael's father was the first serial killer in the history of the Nettlebush Indian Reserve, and Skylar's mother was his last victim... -
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![A Scarcity of Condors by Suanne Laqueur]()
A Scarcity of Condors by Suanne Laqueur
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJuleón "Jude" Tholet has survival in his DNA. His father, Cleón, lived through imprisonment and torture during Pinochet's military coup in Chile. His mother, Penny, risked everything to gain her husband's freedom and flee the country with their newborn son... -
![We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds]()
We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhat’s more important? Knowing the truth or keeping the peace?Seventeen-year-old Avery Anderson is convinced her senior year is ruined when she's uprooted from her life in DC and forced into the hostile home of her terminally ill grandmother, Mama Letty. The tension between Avery’s mom and Mama Letty makes for a frosty arrival and unearths past drama they refuse to talk about... -
![A True Fit by Michele Notaro]()
A True Fit by Michele Notaro
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTrent~ My life has been great the past few years and I have zero intention of screwing anything up. I’m certainly not going to let some guy ruin things for me, especially not my boss’s ex. But for some reason, every time I run into Declan, I become more and more intrigued by him... -
![Justice by Kindle Alexander]()
Justice by Kindle Alexander
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe toughest journeys lead to the most amazing adventures… Let’s ride. Special Agent Cash Ryan broke the cardinal rule of undercover work: he fell hard for his federal informant. The sexy, hardheaded, foul-mouthed outlaw biker who regularly takes matters into his own hands, leaving Cash scrambling to pick up the pieces. Anarchy is more than a way of life for Devin Fox, it’s fused into his DNA... -
![The Walk On by John Feinstein]()
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... -
![Stryke First by Sandrine Gasq-Dion]()
Stryke First by Sandrine Gasq-Dion
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis book is part of a series. It contains homosexual relations, violence and coarse language. It is preceded by Falcon's Fox. Rebel Stryker has had to fight to survive from the moment he was born to a heroin-addicted mother. Raised by his grandparents, his only mission in life was to succeed where his mother had failed... -
![On Shadow Beach by Barbara Freethy]()
On Shadow Beach by Barbara Freethy
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe California town of Angel’s Bay has had its share of troubles: from the long-unsolved murder of a teenage girl to the young police officer recently left in a coma after being shot. But miracles also have a way of happening . . . as if angels really do keep a watchful eye there... -
![The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks]()
The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsWhen confronted by raging fires or deadly accidents, volunteer fireman Taylor McAden feels compelled to take terrifying risks; but there is one leap of faith Taylor can't bring himself to make: He can't fall in love... -
![Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher]()
Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsSparks fly between two teens as they grapple with grief, love, and the future.Eighteen-year-old Amelia Griffin is obsessed with the famous Orman Chronicles, written by the young and reclusive prodigy N. E. Endsley. They’re the books that brought her and her best friend Jenna together after Amelia’s father left and her family imploded... -
![Gives Light by Rose Christo]()
Gives Light by Rose Christo
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratings"Skylar is my name, tragically."Sixteen-year-old Skylar is witty, empathetic, sensitive--and mute. Skylar hasn't uttered a single word since his mother died eleven years ago, a senseless tragedy he's grateful he doesn't have to talk about... -
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![The How & the Why by Cynthia Hand]()
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... -
![Moonrise by Sarah Crossan]()
Moonrise by Sarah Crossan
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSeventeen-year-old Joe hasn't seen his brother in ten years. Ed didn't walk out on the family, not exactly. It's something more brutal.Ed's locked up -- on death row.Now his execution date has been set, and the clock is ticking. Joe is determined to spend those last weeks with his brother, no matter what other people think ... and no matter whether Ed committed the crime... -
![Lost and Found by Anne Schraff]()
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... -
![One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite, Maritza Moulite]()
One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite, Maritza Moulite
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe Hate U Give meets Get Out in this honest and powerful exploration of prejudice in the stunning novel from sister-writer duo Maika and Maritza Moulite, authors of Dear Haiti, Love Alaine... -
![Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner]()
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... -
![The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel]()
The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA woman embarks on an unexpected journey into her past in an engrossing novel about identity, family secrets, and rediscovering the need to belong.Meena Dave is a photojournalist and a nomad. She has no family, no permanent address, and no long-term attachments, preferring to observe the world at a distance through the lens of her camera... -
![Relentless Pursuit by Kathy Herman]()
Relentless Pursuit by Kathy Herman
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRich with the Cajun flavors of south Louisiana, this final book in the Secrets of Roux River Bayou Series is a story of what it means to find true peace in an uncertain world. Sax Landry left home at seventeen to escape his father’s abuse, leaving his mother and sister to fend for themselves... -
![Whisper My Name by Maureen Smith]()
Whisper My Name by Maureen Smith
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen a beautiful professor joins forces with a sexy detective to find a serial killer, shes caught in a web of danger and desire as she becomes the murderers next target. Original... -
![The Fairest Show by Gregory Ashe]()
The Fairest Show by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA murdered coach. His missing daughter. A sadistic killer.After a summer apart, Theo and Auggie reunite at the beginning of another school year, determined to make a relationship work in spite of their age difference—and other obstacles... -
![Lending Light by Rose Christo]()
Lending Light by Rose Christo
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratings"Sometimes my imagination bleeds into reality." Eleven years ago a serial killer menaced the Nettlebush Indian Reservation. Rafael Gives Light is his son. A loner, Rafael relies on his startlingly overactive imagination to escape the distrust and vitriol of his peers. In the summer of 2000 an exceptionally blond boy moves to Nettlebush... -
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![The Law of Inertia by Sophie Gonzales]()
The Law of Inertia by Sophie Gonzales
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen James’s boyfriend died by suicide, no one questioned what happened. A foster kid with a checkered past and a history of suicide attempts, Ash was just another number in a system that failed him. But to James, Ash was never just a number, and the facts around his death no longer stack up so neatly... -
![What They Don't Know by Nicole Maggi]()
What They Don't Know by Nicole Maggi
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThree secrets. One decision. A friendship that will change everything.Mellie has always been the reliable friend, the good student, the doting daughter. But when an unspeakable act leads her to withdraw from everyone she loves, she is faced with a life-altering choice―a choice she must face alone.Lise stands up―and speaks out―for what she believes in... -
![Thirst for You by Jaclyn Quinn]()
Thirst for You by Jaclyn Quinn
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhat happens when thirst becomes an obsession that can’t be quenched? Forty-year-old Zachariah Taylor prides himself on being the overprotective older brother of seven. He owns a successful bar, Zach’s Bar and Grill, in the quiet town of Riverside Falls and loves the life he’s built for himself... -
![Abandoned by J.P. Barnaby]()
Abandoned by J.P. Barnaby
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLittle Boy Lost, Book Two. Jamie is gone. Brian's secret has been revealed. Brian McAllister's story continues as he tries to cope with the loss of his best friend and soul mate amid the alienation and ridicule of his classmates. When hatred turns to violence, Brian narrows his focus to two goals: surviving and finding Jamie... -
![Tonight We Rule the World by Zack Smedley]()
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... -
![Tumble by Celia C. Pérez]()
Tumble by Celia C. Pérez
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom the award-winning author of The First Rule of Punk and Strange Birds, a dazzling novel about a young girl who collects the missing pieces of her origin story from the family of legendary luchadores she's never met.Twelve-year-old Adela "Addie" Ram�rez has a big decision to make when her stepfather proposes adoption... -
![Leave Myself Behind by Bart Yates]()
Leave Myself Behind by Bart Yates
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsNoah York is a closeted gay teenager with a foul mouth, a critical disposition, and plenty of material for his tirades. After his father dies, Noah's mother, a temperamental poet, takes a teaching job in a small New Hampshire town, far from Chicago and the only world Noah has known... -
![I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez]()
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsPerfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family. But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role... -
![After Elias by Eddy Boudel Tan]()
After Elias by Eddy Boudel Tan
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA tragedy shatters Coen’s carefully constructed life.When the airplane piloted by Elias Santos crashes one week before their wedding day, Coen Caraway loses the man he loves and the illusion of happiness he has worked so hard to create. The only thing Elias leaves behind is a recording of his final words, and even Coen is baffled by the cryptic message... -
![Moving Mountains by Laura Harner]()
Moving Mountains by Laura Harner
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt’s easier to move a mountain than escape the past. After the ultimate betrayal results in the death of his lover, Jamie Mainwaring looks to the past for answers, and discovers his entire life is a lie. When uncovering the truth leads to a more devastating loss, there’s only one place he can turn for understanding... -
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![Mahu Vice by Neil S. Plakcy]()
Mahu Vice by Neil S. Plakcy
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMonths have passed since Honolulu homicide detective Kimo Kanapa’aka walked away from the blaze at Wa’ahila State Park—and from his partner Mike.Now, Kimo and Mike must work together to solve an arson-homicide while attempting to mend their relationship.Neil S. Plakcy is the author of the Mahu series... -
![Dirty Minds by Rhys Ford]()
Dirty Minds by Rhys Ford
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThis is a free Cole McGinnis short done for the Dirty Deeds Tour. I want to say thanks to all of the blogs who hosted me in this tour.This is a free story. Hope you enjoy a bit of Cole’s life... -
![You Don't Even Know by Sue Lawson]()
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... -
![Aftercare by Tanya Chris]()
Aftercare by Tanya Chris
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis is a previously-published alternate cover edition of ASIN B0722P9BQY. Aayan Denir knows Garrett Hillier was once a high-powered defense attorney, and—thanks to a leaked photograph—he knows Garrett is sexually submissive, which makes him ideally qualified to defend Aayan's brother from the charge of murdering his sub... -
![Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French]()
Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"Sibley Carter is a moron and a worldclass jerk." When Julian Carter-Li intercepts an angry e-mail message meant for his greedy, high-powered uncle, it sets him on the course to stop an environmental crime!His uncle’s company plans to cut down some of the oldest remaining California redwood trees, and it’s up to Julian and a ragtag group of friends to figure out a way to stop them... -
![Freeze Frame by Heidi Ayarbe]()
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]()
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... -
![Learning Not to Drown by Anna Shinoda]()
Learning Not to Drown by Anna Shinoda
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFamily secrets cut to the bone in this mesmerizing debut novel about a teen whose drug-addicted brother is the prodigal son one time too many.There is a pecking order to every family. Seventeen-year old Clare is the overprotected baby; Peter is the typical, rebellious middle child; and Luke is the oldest, the can’t-do-wrong favorite. To their mother, they are a normal, happy family... -
![This Golden State by Marit Weisenberg]()
This Golden State by Marit Weisenberg
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe Winslow family lives by five principles:1. No one can know your real name.2. Don’t stay in one place too long.3. If you sense anything is wrong, go immediately to the meeting spot.4. Keeping our family together is everything.5. We wish we could tell you who we are, but we can’t. Please—do not ask... -
![Alex in Wonderland by Simon James Green]()
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... -
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![Skin Deep by Laura Jarratt]()
Skin Deep by Laura Jarratt
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAn against-the-odds love story at the heart of a book for teens about prejudice, courage, and a dark, compelling mystery—shortlisted for a Romantic Novelists Association AwardUgly people don’t have feelings. They’re not like everyone else. They don’t notice if you stare at them and turn away. And if they did notice, it wouldn’t hurt them. They’re not like real people... -
![Paradise Lost by Kate Brian]()
Paradise Lost by Kate Brian
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsParadise awaits.... Now that Cheyenne's murderer has been revealed and Reed knows the truth about who's been stalking her, she's ready to leave the heartache and turmoil of last semester behind. And what better way to recover than a five-star Caribbean vacation? Reed is reunited with former Billings Girls Kiran and Taylor, and she and her friends take over the exclusive island... -
![What I Lost by Alexandra Ballard]()
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... -
![If Only I Could Tell You: A Novel by Hannah Beckerman]()
If Only I Could Tell You: A Novel by Hannah Beckerman
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsHannah Beckerman pens a life-affirming novel that tells the story of a family divided and the secret that can possibly unite them—a must for fans of This Is Us. “I loved it (even though it made me cry)... -
![The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan]()
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsLeigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird.Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird... -
![Mary Ann in Autumn by Armistead Maupin]()
Mary Ann in Autumn by Armistead Maupin
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA hilarious and touching new installment of Armistead Maupin's beloved Tales of the City seriesTwenty years have passed since Mary Ann Singleton left her husband and child in San Francisco to pursue her dream of a television career in New York...
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