Books like 'The Wind Blows Backward'
Readers who enjoyed The Wind Blows Backward by Mary Downing Hahn also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance realistic high-school sad classics coming-of-age teens
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Say Goodnight, Gracie by Julie Reece Deaver
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThere are friends we can't imagine living without. Morgan and Jimmy were kids together, whirling around the porch on hot summer days. They've been friends forever, and by now they know each other inside out. They do everything together--from cutting high school to go into the city to coaching each other at dance auditions and acting workshops. They even argue well. A perfect friendship... -
![She's Dating the Gangster by Bianca B. Bernardino, Boizei Malicdem]()
She's Dating the Gangster by Bianca B. Bernardino, Boizei Malicdem
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIt all started when 17-year-old Athena Dizon unwittingly plays a trick on resident heartthrob and bad boy, Kenji de los Reyes. All of a sudden, she finds herself pretending—unwillingly at that—to be his girlfriend to make his ex jealous... -
![Journey of Hope by Lurlene McDaniel]()
Journey of Hope by Lurlene McDaniel
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHEATHER BARLOW HAS always been idealistic, and now that she has finished high school, she’s ready to make a difference in the world. After graduation she joins a mission group on a hospital mercy ship sailing to Africa.Praise for Angel of Mercy:“There’s a huge audience for McDaniel’s romance fiction, and this one has all the features her readers look for... -
![Remember Me by Cheryl Lanham]()
Remember Me by Cheryl Lanham
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA new teen tearjerker in the heartwrenching Dear Diary series for young adults. Leeanne never thought she'd love working at the hospice so much, or that it would be so hard. Her new friend Gabriel isn't like other boys. He is dying. But in his final days, he has one last lesson to teach her... -
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![This is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn by Aidan Chambers]()
This is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn by Aidan Chambers
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSubtitled The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn this is the story of Cordelia from the time she is 15 until she is 20. She is pregnant and plans to give this account to her daughter on her 16th birthday so that they can share their youth together... -
![A Rose for Melinda by Lurlene McDaniel]()
A Rose for Melinda by Lurlene McDaniel
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTold in letters, journal entries, e-mails, doctors’ reports, and instant messages, the heartbreaking story of an aspiring ballet dancer battling leukemia. From: Melinda Skye To: Readers Subject: Jesse Hi! I can’t believe it. What a surprise from Jesse... -
![Don't Die, My Love by Lurlene McDaniel]()
Don't Die, My Love by Lurlene McDaniel
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsJulie Ellis and Luke Muldenhower have always been school sweethearts. Now both are in high school and deeply in love. Luke, a talented football player, is almost certain to receive an athletic scholarship to a top college. And no matter what her parents say, wherever Luke goes, Julie intends to follow. When Luke can't shake what he thinks is a virus, Julie persuades him to see a doctor... -
![A Hundred and One Reasons by Bianca Salindong]()
A Hundred and One Reasons by Bianca Salindong
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThere are still many things Ann needed to know, to explore and live the life she'd always imagined. But everything turned upside down when she learned that she is sick. Not cough and colds sick. No, something much complicated than that. Ann decides that she'd rather fight when she knows she had no chances of winning... -
![Saving Elliot by NorthByNorth]()
Saving Elliot by NorthByNorth
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratings“I keep trying to think of ways to make myself hate you.” “Kind of hard to do when you're in love with me, isn't it?” He said. * * * Meet Elliot Jensen; she’s stubborn, intelligent, sarcastic, short-tempered and ambitious. Meet Elliot Fintry, he’s impulsive, rude, cold, devious, and reckless...Categorized as:
coming-of-age high-school realistic book contemporary enemies-to-lovers fiction forced-proximity -
![The Sister Switch by Jane B. Mason, Sarah Hines Stephens]()
The Sister Switch by Jane B. Mason, Sarah Hines Stephens
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAndie and Caitlin are identical twins who couldn't be less alike. Fed up with being lumped together, the girls can't wait to start junior high. There, they'll finally be able to pave their own way. But it turns out that being mistaken for each other might work in their favor... -
![To Live Again by Lurlene McDaniel]()
To Live Again by Lurlene McDaniel
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDawn Rochelle looks like any other seventeen-year-old girt, but looks can be deceiving. At the age of thirteen, Dawn was diagnosed with leukemia. Now almost three years into remission, Dawn is a senior in high school and looking forward to college. But her plans are disrupted when she suffers another medical crisis that causes partial paralysis... -
![Gray by Pete Wentz, James Montgomery]()
Gray by Pete Wentz, James Montgomery
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSometimes, late at night in the hotel room, after the lights have gone out and the mistakes have already been made, when it is heavy and silent and still, I lie awake and listen to my pulse on the pillow… Imagine you are on a tour bus, the miles whistling away beneath you as you sleep. Tomorrow you will wake up in downtown Somewhere. It doesn’t matter. All the skylines look the same... -
![The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet by Stephanie Morrill]()
The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet by Stephanie Morrill
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEllie Sweet is a lot of things—good girl, novelist, silent adorer of the new boy at school, Palmer. But when “outcast” gets added to the list, she decides it’s time to take reality into her own hands … and tweak it as needed. In the pages of her book, she’s Lady Gabrielle, favorite of the medieval Italian court... -
![Love is Blind by Shayna B.]()
Love is Blind by Shayna B.
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHailey Baker was a normal teenager- friends, the occasional party and a great boyfriend. But that all changes one night when an accident kills her parents and leaves Hailey with a serious back injury. Seven months after the accident, Hailey has struggled to learn to walk again and is now about to start at a new school after moving in with her uncle...Categorized as:
coming-of-age high-school realistic book contemporary disability fiction womens-fiction -
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![Dare You to Date the Point Guard by Lacy Andersen]()
Dare You to Date the Point Guard by Lacy Andersen
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA little dare never hurt anybody...My whole life's been about following in my parents' footsteps: ace school and then get into med school. And that means that my dream to become a world-famous artist isn’t part of the plan. Neither is the game of spin-the-bottle that leads me to the second most humiliating moment of my life with Mason Finnick... -
![Last Dance by Lurlene McDaniel]()
Last Dance by Lurlene McDaniel
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsRachel Deering's dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer has to be put on hold when she finds out that she has diabetes, but the lessons she learns in managing her disease help her take control of her life... -
![Face the Music by Melody Carlson]()
Face the Music by Melody Carlson
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsRedemption has made it to the bestseller chart, but what Chloe and the girls need most is some downtime to sift through the usual high school stress with grades, friends, guys, and the prom. Chloe struggles to recover from a serious crush on the band leader of Iron Cross... -
![I Do by Elizabeth Chandler]()
I Do by Elizabeth Chandler
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWeddings are the perfect place to fall in love... Jane is not looking forward to being the maid of honor in her cousin Stacy's wedding. To make matters worse, Adam, the biggest jerk at Tilson High, is going to be the best man! The last thing Jane wants to do is walk down the aisle with him. But the more Jane gets to know Adam, the more she realizes that he's actually a very cool guy... -
![Ethan Between Us by Anna Myers, Julia Laserna]()
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... -
![The Princess Diaries Collection by Meg Cabot]()
The Princess Diaries Collection by Meg Cabot
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe set of books is noted for containing many popular culture references, which include singers, movies, and fads in modern culture. Many critics have taken unkindly to this form of storytelling. In response, Cabot wrote an English teacher into the book Princess In Training who criticizes Mia's writing, telling her that it relies too much on "slick pop culture references... -
![Somewhere Between Life and Death by Lurlene McDaniel]()
Somewhere Between Life and Death by Lurlene McDaniel
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe celebration isn't supposed to end in tragedy. The night of their high-school drama group's cast party starts out as fun for sisters Amy and Erin. Their lives come crashing down when Amy takes the car to get more food and has a horrible accident. Erin and her family pray for Amy to awaken from her coma... -
![Lucy in the Sky by Anonymous]()
Lucy in the Sky by Anonymous
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsA riveting first-person tale of addiction, in the tradition of Go Ask Alice and Jay’s Journal.The author of this diary began journaling on her sixteenth birthday. She lived in an upper middle class neighborhood in Santa Monica with her mom, dad, and Berkeley-bound older brother. She was a good girl, living a good life...but one party changed everything... -
![Float by Kate Marchant]()
Float by Kate Marchant
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA heartfelt summer read for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han about holding on and letting go.Waverly Lyons has been caught in the middle of her parents’ divorce for as long as she can remember. This summer, the battle rages over who she’ll spend her vacation with, and when Waverly’s options are shot down, it’s bye-bye Fairbanks, Alaska and hello Holden, Florida to stay with her aunt...Categorized as:
high-school realistic coming-of-age romance young-adult contemporary fiction season-summer -
![It's My Life by Melody Carlson]()
It's My Life by Melody Carlson
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn this emotional sequel to Diary of a Teenage Girl, Caitlin O'Conner faces new trials as she grows in her faith and strives to maintain the recent commitments she's made to God. As a new believer, Caitlin begins her summer job and makes preparations for a Mexico mission trip with her church youth group... -
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![A Time to Die by Lurlene McDaniel]()
A Time to Die by Lurlene McDaniel
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSixteen-year-old Kara Fischer hadn’t ever considered herself lucky. She doesn’t understand why she was born with cystic fibrosis. Each day she faces an uncertain future. But the close-knit bond she develops with Eric and Vince gives her the hope to live one day at a time... -
![All the Days of Her Life by Lurlene McDaniel]()
All the Days of Her Life by Lurlene McDaniel
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsOut of control - that's how Lacey Duval feels in almost every aspect of her life. There's nothing she can do about her parents divorce, there's nothing she can do about the death of her young friend, there's nothing she can do about having diabetes - that's what Lacey believes. After a special summer at Jenny House, Lacey is determined to put her problems behind her... -
![Guys Do Not Do Secret Santa by Miranda Kenneally]()
Guys Do Not Do Secret Santa by Miranda Kenneally
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA Catching Jordan short story (9 months before Catching Jordan... -
![A Year In Europe by Rachel Hawthorne]()
A Year In Europe by Rachel Hawthorne
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMEET THE GIRLS of "A Year in Europe, "a collection of three interconnecting novels about the adventures of traveling abroad. Robin: Her junior year abroad in London takes a surprising turn when she falls for British hottie Kit. Dana: Paris is the City of Love, and Dana's on a mission to find a gorgeous French boyfriend. Carrie: She's crazy about Antonio, her Italian dream guy... -
![The Summer of '98: A QB Bad Boy Novel by Tay Marley]()
The Summer of '98: A QB Bad Boy Novel by Tay Marley
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEvery passion has its price. Before Drayton and Dallas, there was Ellie and Leroy . . .With the prequel to her smash hit The QB Bad Boy and Me, rising star Tay Marley returns to tell the story of Drayton’s parents and the summer that changed everything . . .Sometimes home isn’t a place, it’s a person. From the moment their eyes met, Ellie knew he would be her destiny... -
![The Comeback by Marlene Perez]()
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 high-school realistic book contemporary fiction friendship womens-fiction -
![Outrunning The Darkness by Anne Schraff]()
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... -
![What I Want You to See by Catherine Linka]()
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 -
![Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison]()
Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsTHE TRANSFORMATION Beth has always been "The Beast", that's what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. Beth's only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is, until she's selected to be her choir's soprano soloist, and receives the makeover that will change her life forever... -
![Exit Here. by Jason Myers]()
Exit Here. by Jason Myers
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsEnter apathy. Travis is back from college for the summer, and he's just starting to settle in to the usual pattern at home: drinking, drugging, watching porn, and hooking up. But Travis isn't settling in like he used to; something isn't right. Maybe it's that deadly debauch in Hawaii, the memories of which Travis can't quite shake... -
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![I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler]()
I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 18 ratings“For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel envy…” Tess is the exact opposite of her beautiful, athletic sister. And that’s okay. Kristina is the sporty one, Tess is the smart one, and they each have their place. Until Kristina is diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly Tess is the center of the popular crowd, everyone eager for updates. There are senior boys flirting with her... -
![Devious: An It Girl Novel by Cecily von Ziegesar]()
Devious: An It Girl Novel by Cecily von Ziegesar
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsJenny Humphrey could have lost everything she'd worked so hard for when the reality show her adoring freshman fans were filming backfired on her in the most publicly humiliating way.. -
![Last Summer by Hailey Abbott]()
Last Summer by Hailey Abbott
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe sweet, smart, and sexy final installment in the New York Times bestselling series.It's the last summer at Pebble Beach before everyone goes off to college... -
![A Game Worth Watching by Samantha Gudger]()
A Game Worth Watching by Samantha Gudger
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAll her life, people have told 17-year-old tomboy Emma Wrangton that she’s not good enough, smart enough, or strong enough to succeed in life. Somewhere along the way, she started to believe them... -
![Out of Left Field by Kris Hui Lee]()
Out of Left Field by Kris Hui Lee
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThere’s no playing it safe in love or baseball in this sparkling debut, perfect for fans of Morgan Matson and Kasie West.Marnie has never had a hard time fitting in with the guys. It would take a lot more than their goofy antics to keep her from joining them at the neighborhood sandlot to do what she loves best: play ball...Categorized as:
realistic high-school coming-of-age romance young-adult sports contemporary friends-to-lovers -
![Forever Kinda Love by Clara Stone]()
Forever Kinda Love by Clara Stone
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTHE LOVELLY SERIES IS COMPLETE. EACH BOOK IN THIS SERIES CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE. No one told them falling in love would be so dangerous.The day Carrigan lost her mother, she gained a new best friend. But she never expected the charming boy-next-door from the wealthy family to become anything other than her confidant and strength. Ten years later, Heath's become exactly that-more... -
![A Really Nice Prom Mess by Brian Sloan]()
A Really Nice Prom Mess by Brian Sloan
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWell, in summary, your fake date's in the bathroom with a hangover and a crispy hairdo, while my fake date is out wandering the Willard, searching for his heterosexuality or something. High school senior Cameron Hayes gets coerced into going to the prom with a girl, even though he'd rather be with his boyfriend... -
![The Arrival of Someday by Jen Malone]()
The Arrival of Someday by Jen Malone
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn this heartfelt and emotionally candid contemporary YA, author Jen Malone delves into the life of a teen whose world is brought to an abrupt halt when she learns she’s in dire need of an organ transplant... -
![A Matter of Heart by Amy Fellner Dominy]()
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... -
![11 Paper Hearts by Kelsey Hartwell]()
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 -
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![Sometimes Love Isn't Enough by Lurlene McDaniel]()
Sometimes Love Isn't Enough by Lurlene McDaniel
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsJunior high will be a blast," promises Andrea Manetti's best friend. But while exciting things are happening at school-new friends, boys, and a chance to star in the musical-Andrea's home life is falling apart. Her parents are always fighting; her mom's new job means Andrea has to help more with the family. And then there's Andrea's brother... -
![Audible Love by Maggie Dallen]()
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...Categorized as:
high-school coming-of-age realistic romance young-adult contemporary fiction female-mc -
![I'll Tell You Mine by Pip Harry]()
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 high-school realistic boarding-school book contemporary fiction friendship -
![Revenge of the Geek by Piper Banks]()
Revenge of the Geek by Piper Banks
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSome people have to learn the hard way-don't mess with a geek. Miranda Bloom, girl genius, is totally psyched to start her junior year at Geek High. Too bad her boyfriend, lacrosse player Dex McConnell, is off to boarding school in Maine. Miranda thought she could count on her best friends, Finn and Charlie, to cheer her up, but they're caught up in their own issues..Categorized as:
coming-of-age high-school realistic book contemporary female-mc fiction womens-fiction -
![Pwned by Shannen Crane Camp]()
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]()
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...
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