Books like 'Just Another Hero'
Readers who enjoyed Just Another Hero by Sharon M. Draper also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance realistic high-school drama coming-of-age friendship season-winter poc-mc
-
Drama High: Second Chance by L. Divine
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBack for another dose of high drama, Compton’s sassiest, Jayd Jackson, is about to discover it really is a different world when she starts dating South Bay High's finest white boy…All Jayd Jackson wants is a drama-free year at South Bay High, a.k.a. Drama High. But it doesn't seem she's going to get it... -
Looking for Alaska / An Abundance of Katherines / Paper Towns / The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFour critically acclaimed, award-winning modern classics from #1 New York Times-bestselling author John GreenThis John Green deluxe box set includes Printz Award–winning Looking for Alaska, Printz Honor book An Abundance of Katherines, Edgar Award–winning Paper Towns, and #1 New York Times–bestselling The Fault in Our Stars... -
Drama High: Pushin' by L. Divine
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIf only there was a potion to make all Jayd Jackson's troubles disappear. . . Even though Jayd's finished with the AP exams and finally has some space of her own at her mother's house, she's got to deal with the drama all around her... -
No Mercy by L. Divine
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMisty and the rest of Esmeralda's evil brood are busy concocting a sinister plan to not only destroy Jayd and the rest of her powerful lineage, but Esmeralda and Rousseau are also using their powers to take over G's drug business. Mama's in and out of a dangerous dream state due to Esmeralda's wicked manipulation and unable to properly shut her evil neighbor down... -
-
November Blues by Sharon M. Draper
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhen November Nelson loses her boyfriend, Josh, to a pledge stunt gone horribly wrong, she thinks her life can't possibly get any worse. But Josh left something behind that will change November's life forever, and now she's faced with the biggest decision she could ever imagine. How in the world will she tell her mom? And how will Josh's parents take the news? She's never needed a friend more... -
Darkness Before Dawn by Sharon M. Draper
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsHope shines in the face of fear in this conclusion to Sharon M. Draper’s award-winning Hazelwood High trilogy.In her senior year, things are finally looking a little brighter for Keisha. Still haunted by the suicide of her ex-boyfriend, Andy, she finds comfort in the attentions of the new track coach, twenty-three-year-old Jonathan Hathaway, the principal’s son... -
Bronxwood by Coe Booth
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe acclaimed author of TYRELL and KENDRA returns to PUSH to continue Tyrell's astonishing story. Tyrell's father is just out of jail, and Tyrell doesn't know how to deal with that. It's bad enough that his brother Troy is in foster care and that his mother is no help whatsoever. Now there's another thing up in his face, just when he's trying to settle down... -
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...Categorized as:
coming-of-age drama high-school realistic bildungsroman book contemporary epistolary -
Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made by Virginia DeBerry, Donna Grant
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom the time they were young, Gayle and Patricia were raised like sisters, as close as two friends could be. But they each had dreams that would take them far away - and far away from each other. Gayle was the beauty who believed that a man could make her world complete. Patricia was the intellectual who thought that rising to the top of her career would make her happy... -
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... -
Somebody's Baby by Lurlene McDaniel
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEver since Sloan won a reality singing competition, her music career has taken off. Now she has a manager, a recording contract, and a tour in the works. Her manager warned her that strangers would ask her for all sorts of things, and that she must not respond. But one email stands out—from a young woman who claims to be Sloan’s half sister... -
Falling for Korea by Piper Jean
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAmerica meets K-drama in this rollercoaster plot with a fresh take on romance and what it means to be family.When Sydney is sent to Seoul to live with a family she’s never met, she encounters unexpected chemistry with their son, but must fight to unravel the mystery of why she was sent away... -
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... -
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 -
-
Too Young to Die by Lurlene McDaniel
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAt sixteen, Melissa Austin has always worked hard to make things go her way. As the school year begins, her grades are up and she's even landed a coveted spot on the high school Brain Bowl team. She and her best friend, Jory Delaney, are determined to have the best junior year ever.Then suddenly Melissa must face some devastating news about her health... -
Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFourteen-year-old Iranian-American Parvin Mohammadi sets out to win the ultimate date to homecoming in this heartfelt and outright hilarious debut.Parvin Mohammadi has just been dumped--only days after receiving official girlfriend status. Not only is she heartbroken, she's humiliated. Enter high school heartthrob Matty Fumero, who just might be the smoking-hot cure to all her boy problems... -
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... -
Surviving High School by M. Doty
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat's the secret to surviving your freshman year of high school? Emily Kessler thinks she has it all figured out. She eats, sleeps and trains for competitive swimming. All she has to do is keep her grades high and swim times short -- short enough to live up to her sister Sara's. But walking the crowded maze of unfamiliar high school hallways is like diving headfirst into shark-infested waters... -
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... -
Teenie by Christopher Grant
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHigh school freshman Martine (Teenie for short) is a good student, with a bright future ahead of her. She's desperate to be accepted into a prestigious study abroad program in Spain so that she can see what life is like beyond the streets of Brooklyn. She wouldn't mind escaping from her strict (though lovable) parents for awhile either... -
Dangerously Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAlice has always tried to be a decent person. She gets good grades, comes home on time, and has never really given her dad and her stepmom any reason to worry. But now that junior year of high school has started, Alice is a little sick of people assuming she's a goody-goody, so she decides to start shaking things up...Categorized as:
coming-of-age drama friendship high-school realistic book contemporary female-author -
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... -
The Brothers Torres by Coert Voorhees
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrankie Towers has always looked up to his older brother, Steve, and with good reason. Steve is a popular senior who always gets what he wants: girls, a soccer scholarship, and--lately--street cred. Frankie, on the other hand, spends his time shooting off fireworks with his best friend Zach, working at his parents' restaurant, and obsessing about his longtime crush, Rebecca Sanchez... -
-
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 -
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 -
No More Confessions by Louise Rozett
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsROSE ZARELLI is done confessing because confessions are for people who have done something wrong. And I haven't done anything wrong. Here, I'll prove it to you. 1) After my mother got that call, I “borrowed” her car. (Because you can’t steal your mother’s car, can you?) I don’t really remember driving downtown, but I do remember.. -
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... -
Finding Freia Lockhart by Aimee Said
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFreia Lockhart just wants to fit in at school but her best friend Kate is determined to get in with the popular Bs: Belinda, Bethanee and Brianna. Even Freia knows when she hangs out with the Bs she fits in like a turkey in a flock of flamingos. Kate convinces Freia to audition for the school play so they can 'all hang out together' and meet all the cute guys... -
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 Grass Is Always Greener by Jen Calonita
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHow many secrets can one family keep? Amid preparations for Emerald Cove's extravagant Founders Day celebration and their own shared sweet sixteen, Isabelle Scott and Mirabelle Monroe are longing to break free from the tight constraints that come with being the daughters of a prominent public figure... -
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... -
What's Your Status? by Katie Finn
Rated: 3.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis fabulous social-networking mystery, a sequel to TOP 8, is the perfect novel for the Facebook generation. Madison MacDonald thinks things are finally working out! Followers: 300 Status Updates: mad_mac Nate and I have been together for two months, and it's wonderful! Life is good! mad_mac Well, except for the fact that I still might be failing history... -
-
Brown Boy Nowhere: A Novel by Sheeryl Lim
Rated: 3.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWelcome to Nowhere, kid. Life starts here.What’s the problem? Sixteen-year-old Filipino American Angelo Rivera will tell you flat out. Life sucks. He’s been uprooted from his San Diego home to a boring landlocked town in the middle of nowhere. Behind him, ocean waves, his girlfriend, and the biggest skateboarding competition on the California coast... -
The First Stone by Don Aker
Rated: 3.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsREEF IS AN EMBITTERED YOUNG OFFENDER, hardly able to contain his anger at the world over the death of his grandmother, the only person who had shown him any love. Seventeen-year-old Leeza is mourning the death of her older sister. A stone hurled in rage shatters both their lives and throws them together in the most unexpected way―and offers them a chance at healing... -
Hollywood Hills by Aimee Friedman
Rated: 3.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGet your drama on as the girls from New York Times bestseller SOUTH BEACH and its sexy sequel, FRENCH KISS, strut back into the limelight in another sizzling tale of romance, friendship, and crushes.Celebrity sightings. Sizzling nightlife. Endless shopping.Hollywood, here they come...Alexa: She's stopped believing in love at first sight... -
Kissing the Bee by Kathe Koja
Rated: 3.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSenior year is flying by, the prom is approaching, and Dana, her best friend, Avra, and Avra's boyfriend, Emil, are about to encounter the pains and pleasures of that intricate beehive called adult life. While Dana plans on college, Avra plots escape once school is over—and plans to take Emil along for the ride. What does Emil want? He's not saying... -
The Crushes by Pamela Wells
Rated: 3.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe girls from The Heartbreakers are back, and this time, they're looking to fall in love. Raven behaves as if it's okay for her to be applying the code to just anyone, but (not surprisingly), she finds it works best when directed at her kinda-sorta actual boyfriend, whether she's ready to commit to him or not... -
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... -
Next Summer by Hailey Abbott
Rated: 3.81 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThings are heating up again. Can you handle it?The SUMMER BOYS girls are back for another dose of sizzling drama... -
Changing My Wardrobe by Deb Hanrahan
Rated: 3.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsChanging My Wardrobe is a tragic high school drama about starting over, fitting in, and discovering the truth about what really matters. It's a story about friendship, first love, and soul-crushing loss. It's a story about a person's choices, good and bad, and the unexpected and far-reaching consequences of those choices. Lindsey’s first day of high school is her big chance to start over... -
Lily B. on the Brink of Love by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
Rated: 3.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDear Readers, How exciting that you chose to read this book! My book! I have so much to tell you! First, I have found myself on the brink of love with The Boy... -
Just Like the Movies by Kelly Fiore Stultz
Rated: 3.75 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsPretty and popular track star Marijke Monti is confident about almost everything – she’s got great friends, a great family, and she’s on her way to the State Track Championship. In fact, the only thing Marijke isn’t confident about is her relationship with Tommy Lawson... -
-
Teen Queens and Has-Beens by Cathy Hopkins
Rated: 3.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"Yeah but...," I started, "then I decided to confront what I thought was probably really bothering her. "Look, about Jonno. I didn't mean for anything to happen. He just kind of...""After a game of truth or dare, Lia manages to gain the interest of the school heartthrob, and alienates "teen queen" Kaylie, who was after Jonno for herself... -
Postcards for a Songbird by Rebekah Crane
Rated: 3.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEveryone eventually leaves Wren Plumley. First it was her mother, then her best friend, and then her sister. Now living with only her cop father and her upended dreams, Wren feels stranded, like a songbird falling in a storm.When Wilder, a sickly housebound teen, moves in next door, Wren finally finds what she’s always wanted—a person who can’t leave...Categorized as:
realistic coming-of-age high-school friendship romance young-adult contemporary fiction -
Kiss Collector by Wendy Higgins
Rated: 3.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen seventeen-year-old Zae Monroe gets cheated on by the only guy she’s ever loved, then watches her parents' marriage crumble, she decides to forget about relationships and turn the tables on the boys of the world. It’s time to take what she wants, and what she wants are kisses. Athletes, musicians, poets, and bad boys—their lips are all on her agenda, and it's time to collect...Categorized as:
realistic high-school coming-of-age friendship romance young-adult contemporary fiction -
The Alison Rules by Catherine Clark
Rated: 3.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat is It About Alison? For one thing, she has rules: When stealing a rowboat, ALWAYS check that the oars are the same length, so you don't go in circles. In reference to your best friend's crush, KEEP your feelings to yourself. NEVER use your locker if that's where you were standing when told the very worst news of all. But rules -- like hearts -- are meant to be broken... -
Prince in Disguise by Stephanie Kate Strohm
Rated: 3.71 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSomeday I want to live in a place where I never hear “You’re Dusty’s sister?” ever again.Life is real enough for Dylan—especially as the ordinary younger sister of Dusty, former Miss Mississippi and the most perfect, popular girl in Tupelo...Categorized as:
coming-of-age drama friendship high-school realistic season-winter book contemporary -
Violet on the Runway by Melissa C. Walker
Rated: 3.71 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA wallflower in the spotlight can do one of two things: wilt, or blossom... Violet Greenfield's life changes forever when a lady in giant Chanel shades tells her she could be IT, the next Kate Moss-but taller, and without the PR problems. That's how Violet winds up with a business card in the front pocket of her jeans on her first day as a senior in high school...
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.