Books like 'Life is Funny'
Readers who enjoyed Life is Funny by E.R. Frank also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary realistic poc-mc high-school coming-of-age friendship
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Hustlin' by L. Divine
Rated: 4.64 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe holidays are coming, along with all the madness and materialism that comes with them. As usual, Jayd is just trying to stay sane while everyone around her is losing it. Mickey's got a major secret and Jayd's girl Nellie is trying to stir up trouble with her loose lips. Vengeful Laura is trying to undermine Jayd's performance in the school production of Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth... -
Brothers in Arms by Paul Langan
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMartin Luna, a new student at Bluford High, is at the center of this story. Haunted by the tragic death of his little brother, Martin seeks one thing: revenge. But his mother wants more for her only remaining child... -
Just Another Hero by Sharon M. Draper
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThis group of friends has been through so much after a deadly hazing ritual left friendships broken, hearts aching, and November pregnant with Josh’s baby. But senior year is going well, and when the fire alarm goes off, everyone assumes that crazy Jack is trying to get out of a quiz or a test... -
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...Categorized as:
friendship poc-mc high-school realistic coming-of-age romance young-adult contemporary -
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Jaded by Monica McKayhan
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat Jade Morgan wants: for her parents to get back together. Instead her dad proposes to his new girlfriend, who has the nerve to ask Jade to be a bridesmaid. Like that'll ever happen. Her new boyfriend, Terrence, thinks she should give her future stepmom a chance, try to get to know her. Yet Jade barely knows Terrence—who is cute and cool, but is seriously hiding something... -
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... -
Hollywood High by Ni-Ni Simone, Amir Abrams
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThey’re the daughters of celebrities—the kind all the teen mags gossip about! But the It Girls of Hollywood High are about to discover that fame has a price. And no friendship—or romance—is safe…. London Phillips will diet as her mother demands. She’ll even date the billionaire her mother has chosen for her. But she won’t give up her secret hottie, Justice Banks... -
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... -
Caitlin's Lucky Charm by Lisa Schroeder
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFour best friends, one lucky bracelet, and an utterly charming new middle-grade series!Caitlin would stay at summer camp forever if she could. Her new best friends in the world, Hannah, Mia, and Libby are there... -
Ana María Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle by Hilda Eunice Burgos
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHer last name may mean "kings," but Ana Maria Reyes REALLY does not live in a castle. Rather, she's stuck in a tiny apartment with two parents (way too lovey-dovey), three sisters (way too dramatic), everyone's friends (way too often), and a piano (which she never gets to practice). And when her parents announce a new baby is coming, that means they'll have even less time for Ana Maria...Categorized as:
realistic coming-of-age poc-mc friendship middle-grade family contemporary children-books -
Your Corner Dark by Desmond Hall
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAmerican Street meets Long Way Down in this searing and gritty debut novel that takes an unflinching look at the harsh realities of gang life in Jamaica and how far a teen is willing to go for family.Things can change in a second:The second Frankie Green gets that scholarship letter, he has his ticket out of Jamaica.The second his longtime crush, Leah, asks him on a date, he’s in trouble... -
Accidentally Fooled by Lisa Papademetriou
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSeventh grader Amy Flowers is finally making her mark at ultra-exclusive Allington Academy, but there's always one thing standing in her way: the League. They rule the school, and their queen is oh-so-mean Fiona, who doesn't exactly appreciate a new girl invading her turf. This time, Amy's stuck working on a service project with Fiona and preppie know-it-all Preston... -
Ethan Between Us by Anna Myers, Julia Laserna
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEthan is different. He is gorgeous, easy to talk to, and a uniquely gifted pianist. But his musical talent is both a gift and a curse. The doctors label him a schizophrenic, as he claims to have been taught by a long-dead, 19th-century composer... -
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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...Categorized as:
realistic coming-of-age poc-mc high-school friendship romance young-adult contemporary -
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 -
Emako Blue by Brenda Woods
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEmako Blue was supposed to be a star. She was beautiful and good-hearted. She was Monterey's best friend. She was the only girl Jamal cared about, the one who saw through his player act. She was the one who understood the burden of Eddie's family. She was the best singer anyone had ever heard, with a voice like vanilla incense, smoky and sweet... -
The Mission by Jason Myers
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWake up and do something! Kaden Norris's life is shattered when his older brother -- his best friend and hero -- is killed in Iraq. All Kaden has left of Kenny is a letter, urging him to break away from his sheltered life and to go to San Francisco to visit his cousin, James. Kaden is blown away, as James introduces him to a life filled with drugs, sex, and apathy...Categorized as:
realistic coming-of-age high-school young-adult fiction contemporary substance-abuse teens -
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... -
Sealed with a Kiss by Sarra Manning
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWill a lengthy road trip test Edie and Dylan's hard-won couplehood to the breaking point?Edie and Dylan have been dreaming about their road trip across America forever, but nine weeks in a car together is going to be a huge test for them...Categorized as:
friendship high-school realistic book contemporary fiction womens-fiction young-adult -
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 realistic book contemporary female-author fiction -
Pulled Under by Michelle Dalton
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA shy teen befriends an attractive beach town tourist in this refreshing summertime romance, in the tradition of Sixteenth Summer and Seventeenth Summer . In the small town of Pearl Beach, Florida, Izzy Lucas needs only her surfboard and the water to be completely happy. She wants nothing to do with parties, popularity contests, or showing her face around the clichéd touristy hangouts... -
The Victoria in My Head by Janelle Milanes
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA shy, rule-following teen joins a local rock band and finds herself caught between staying on the path she’s always known and straying off-course to find love, adventure, and danger in this novel that’s perfect for fans of Rainbow Rowell.Victoria Cruz inhabits two worlds: In one, she is a rock star, thrashing the stage with her husky voice and purple-streaked hair... -
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 friendship high-school romance young-adult middle-grade contemporary -
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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 -
Outrunning The Darkness by Anne Schraff
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThemes: Hi-Lo, High school, neighborhoods, family, loyalty, friendship, urban teen fiction, self esteem, teen relationships, unrequited love. Written for young adults, the Urban Underground series confronts issues that are of great importance to teens, such as friendship, loyalty, drugs, gangs, abuse, urban blight, bullies, and self-esteem to name a few... -
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 Way The Light Bends by Cordelia Jensen
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsVirtual twins Linc and Holly were once extremely close. But while artistic, creative Linc is her parents' daughter biologically, it's smart, popular Holly, adopted from Ghana as a baby, who exemplifies the family's high-achieving model of academic success...Categorized as:
realistic high-school coming-of-age poc-mc friendship young-adult contemporary family -
The Breakable Vow by Kathryn Ann Clarke
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOne night will change her life . . . Annie McGowan is eighteen years old, smart, wisecracking, fun-loving . . . a typical teenager. Yet circumstances force Annie out of the security of high school and into a world of problems all her own. Faced with an unexpected pregnancy and a turbulent, violent relationship with her boyfriend, Kevin, Annie's life begins to spiral out of control... -
This Town is on Fire by Pamela N. Harris
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom the critically acclaimed author of When You Look Like Us comes a page-turning YA contemporary novel about what happens when the latest “Becky” on the internet is your best friend. A lot is up in the air in Naomi Henry’s her spot as a varsity cheer flier, her classmates’ reaction to the debut of her natural hair, and her crush on the guy who’s always been like a brother to her...Categorized as:
realistic high-school coming-of-age poc-mc friendship contemporary young-adult audiobook -
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...Categorized as:
realistic friendship poc-mc coming-of-age high-school romance young-adult contemporary -
The Together Tree by Aisha Saeed, LeUyen Pham
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAll Are Welcome meets Be Kind in this poignant and accessible picture book about the power every bystander—no matter how small—has to extend kindness and stand up in the face of intolerance.At his new school, quiet Rumi feels small and unwelcome, and a few kids bully him for being different and wearing bright shoes... -
Star-Crossed by Mimi McCoy
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA sweet new addition to the hit Candy Apple line! Will Abby's horoscope make her superstitious, or will she take fate into her own hands?A fabulous new title from Mimi McCoy, author of Candy Apple's debut title!Abby has it all together: she gets straight A's, she's a star on her junior high track team, and she's 7th grade class vice president... -
The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreu
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA Junior Library Guild Selection, 2014A Junior Library Guild Selection, 2014A School Library Journal Top 10 Latino Books of 2014As a straight-A student with a budding romance and loyal best friend, M.T.’s life seems as apple-pie American as her blondish hair and pale skin. But M.T. hides two facts to the contrary: her full name of Monserrat Thalia and her status as an undocumented immigrant... -
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Best Friends by Melissa J. Morgan
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGrace is a riot at camp - not afraid to do anything for a laugh, she's everyone's friend. But secretly she isn't as carefree as she seems, and wishes she had a best friend to confide in. So she starts hanging out with Gaby, a girl from a rival bunk. But when Gaby starts acting like a bully, Grace finally has to get serious...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship realistic children children-books contemporary fiction middle-grade -
Footfree & Fancyloose by Elizabeth Craft, Sarah Fain
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBest friends Harper Waddle, Sophie Bushell, and Kate Foster committed the ultimate suburban sin: bailing on college to pursue their dreams. Middlebury-bound Becca Winsberg was convinced her friends had gone insane until they reminded her she just might have a dream of her own. Now the year is half-way through and their dreams seem within reach. Well, almost...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship high-school poc-mc realistic 21st-century book contemporary -
Zoey Fools Around by Katherine Applegate
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThey've all grown up together on a tiny island. They think they know everything about one another. . .but they're only just beginning to find out the truth,and it turns their world upside down. New couples are formed, friends become enemies, and secrets and unearthed. . . Katherine Applegate is the author of the hugely popular series as well as many other books for young readers...Categorized as:
friendship high-school realistic book contemporary female-author fiction young-adult -
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 romance young-adult contemporary fiction -
I'll Tell You Mine by Pip Harry
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKate Elliot isn't trying to fit in – that's the whole point of being a goth, isn't it?Everything about her – from her hair to her clothes – screams different and the girls at her school give her a wide berth. How can Kate be herself, really herself, when she's hiding her big secret? The one that landed her in boarding school in the first place...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship high-school realistic boarding-school book contemporary fiction -
Pwned by Shannen Crane Camp
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsReagan West has a perfect life. She’s at the top of the high school food chain as co-captain of the cheerleading squad and she’s best friends with the most evil girl in Albany, Tawny Perez, which means she’s never on the receiving end of her wrath... -
The Fifth Rule by Don Aker
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFormer young offender Reef Kennedy is back in Halifax for the funeral of his mentor, Frank Colville. He has no intention of staying long -- memories of Frank compete with memories of Leeza and the terrible way their relationship ended. And then there's the restraining order against him, which Leeza's mother has renewed.... Leeza, in the meantime, id feeling stifled by her mother's "concern... -
I Like This, You Like That: A Picture Book by Linda Ashman
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom acclaimed author Linda Ashman and illustrator Eve Coy comes I Like This, You Like That , a joyful picture book about making new friends and finding common ground.We’re opposites! / You’re right—we are.Like big and small. / Like near and far.But even when we disagree / I like you, and you like me... -
The Radius of Us by Marie Marquardt
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhat happens when you fall in love with someone everyone seems determined to fear? Ninety seconds can change a life — not just daily routine, but who you are as a person. Gretchen Asher knows this, because that’s how long a stranger held her body to the ground. When a car sped toward them and Gretchen’s attacker told her to run, she recognized a surprising terror in his eyes...Categorized as:
realistic friendship poc-mc high-school coming-of-age romance young-adult contemporary -
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Knights of the Hill Country by Tim Tharp
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIn a small Oklahoma town, one star linebacker must decide what kind of man he wants to be--both on and off the field.Welcome to Kennisaw--where Friday night high school football ranks right up there with God and country, and sometimes even comes in first... -
Incredibly Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsGet ready to start your own incredible, amazing life…right? Alice McKinley is standing on the edge of something new—and half afraid she might fall off. Graduation is a big deal—that gauntlet of growing up that requires everyone she’s known since forever to make huge decisions that will fling them here and there and far from home... -
The Language Inside by Holly Thompson
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA nuanced novel in verse that explores identity in a multicultural world. Emma Karas was raised in Japan; it's the country she calls home. But when her mother is diagnosed with breast cancer, Emma's family moves to a town outside Lowell, Massachusetts, to stay with Emma's grandmother while her mom undergoes treatment. Emma feels out of place in the United States...Categorized as:
coming-of-age friendship high-school poc-mc realistic 21st-century book contemporary -
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... -
What Can (t) Wait by Ashley Hope Pérez
Rated: 3.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMarissa has smarts and plenty of promise, but she's marooned in a broken-down Houston neighborhood--and in a Mexican immigrant family where making ends meet matters much more than making it to college. When her home life becomes unbearable, Marissa seeks comfort elsewhere--and suddenly neither her best friend or boyfriend can get through to her... -
Girl Stays in the Picture by Melissa de la Cruz
Rated: 3.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDevon (one name only) is the most famous singer/actress in the country, and she is on location filming her newest blockbuster in the South of France. While there, she forms a bond with the director’s daughter—the hottest thing in Hollywood since she has recently lost two hundred pounds—who is learning to enjoy being young, rich, and famous...
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