Books like 'This Place Is Still Beautiful'
Readers who enjoyed This Place Is Still Beautiful by XiXi Tian also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance realistic family poc-mc asian-mc social-commentary coming-of-age
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All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
Rated: 4.64 of 5 stars · 14 ratings"Contains the following content: drug and alcohol addiction, physical abuse, Islamophobia, mentions of repressed sexual assault, tense exchange with law enforcement, death."--Preliminaries... -
![Pretty Beach Posies by Polly Babbington]()
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![The Silence that Binds Us by Joanna Ho]()
The Silence that Binds Us by Joanna Ho
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMaybelline Chen isn't the Chinese Taiwanese American daughter her mother expects her to be. May prefers hoodies over dresses and wants to become a writer. When asked, her mom can't come up with one specific reason for why she's proud of her only daughter. May's beloved brother, Danny, on the other hand, has just been admitted to Princeton...Categorized as:
realistic family coming-of-age social-commentary asian-mc poc-mc romance young-adult -
![A Dash of Christmas by Samantha Chase]()
A Dash of Christmas by Samantha Chase
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"The perfect blend of heart and sass."—Publishers Weekly for Holiday Spice With a dash of Christmas magic... Two people who have spent most of their lives being rivals...Learn a little something about following their hearts... Carter Montgomery broke the family mold when he went to culinary school... -
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![Bronxwood by Coe Booth]()
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... -
![Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle]()
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... -
![Essence of Desire by Brenda Jackson]()
Essence of Desire by Brenda Jackson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTHE MAKEOVER Before becoming a strait-laced wealthy businessman, Robert Noble was considered a bad boy and sexy rogue inside out, while breaking hearts, right and left. No one knows it better than Roxanne Miller since Robert was her brother's best friend in high school... -
![Today. Tomorrow. Always by Raven St. Pierre]()
Today. Tomorrow. Always by Raven St. Pierre
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEvents and decisions of the past almost cost her everything, but she was given a second chance. He marvels at the beautiful life he almost missed out on, vowing never to let anything come between them again. The memory of being apart lingers with both Sam and AJ, but those days are long gone... -
![A Merry Little Christmas by Melanie Schuster]()
A Merry Little Christmas by Melanie Schuster
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMerry Little Christmas, A, by Schuster,... -
![Awaken Me by Farrah Rochon]()
Awaken Me by Farrah Rochon
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAs the baby of his family, Reid Holmes has happily played the role of the Charming, Irresponsible One. But as his 30th birthday approaches, Reid wonders whether he should be doing more with his life than working as a plumber for Holmes Construction... -
![Tell Me How to Be by Neel Patel]()
Tell Me How to Be by Neel Patel
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsRenu Amin always seemed perfect: doting husband, beautiful house, healthy sons. But as the one-year anniversary of her husband's death approaches, Renu is binge-watching soap operas and simmering with old resentments. She can't stop wondering if, thirty-five years ago, she chose the wrong life... -
![The Boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough]()
The Boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA funny and heart-warming queer Indigenous YA novel, set in a rural Australian community, about seventeen-year-old Jackson finding the courage to explore who he is, even if it scares him.'I don't paint so much anymore,' I say, looking to my feet.'Oh. Well, I got a boy who needs to do some art... -
![Ready When You Are by Gary Lonesborough]()
Ready When You Are by Gary Lonesborough
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA remarkable YA love story between two Aboriginal boys -- one who doesn’t want to accept he’s gay, and the boy who comes to live in his house who makes him realize who he is.It's a hot summer, and life's going all right for Jackson and his family on the Mish. It's almost Christmas, school's out, and he's hanging with his mates, teasing the visiting tourists, avoiding the racist boys in town... -
![Indivisible by Daniel Aleman]()
Indivisible by Daniel Aleman
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThis timely, moving debut novel follows a teen's efforts to keep his family together as his parents face deportation.Mateo Garcia and his younger sister, Sophie, have been taught to fear one word for as long as they can remember: deportation. Over the past few years, however, the fear that their undocumented immigrant parents could be sent back to Mexico started to fade...Categorized as:
realistic family poc-mc coming-of-age social-commentary urban new-york-state romance -
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![Denim Diaries 1: 16 Going on 21 by Darrien Lee]()
Denim Diaries 1: 16 Going on 21 by Darrien Lee
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAnother great book in the Denim Dairies... -
![Does My Body Offend You? by Mayra Cuevas, Marie Marquardt]()
Does My Body Offend You? by Mayra Cuevas, Marie Marquardt
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA timely story of two teenagers who discover the power of friendship, feminism, and standing up for what you believe in, no matter where you come from. A collaboration between two gifted authors writing from alternating perspectives, this compelling novel shines with authenticity, courage, and humor.Malena Rosario is starting to believe that catastrophes come in threes...Categorized as:
realistic social-commentary coming-of-age poc-mc family romance young-adult feminism -
![Salaam, with Love by Sara Sharaf Beg]()
Salaam, with Love by Sara Sharaf Beg
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThis heartfelt and humorous YA contemporary follows Dua, who spends the month of Ramadan making unexpected discoveries about family, faith, and first love.Being crammed into a house in Queens with her cousins is not how Dua envisions her trip to New York City. But here she is, spending the holy month of Ramadan with extended family she hasn’t seen in years... -
![Falling for Korea by Piper Jean]()
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... -
![Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee]()
Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHeartstopper meets Crazy Rich Asians in this heartfelt, joyful paperback original rom-com that follows an aspiring chef who discovers the recipe for love is more complicated than it seems when he starts fake-dating a handsome new customer... -
![Midnights with You by Clare Osongco]()
Midnights with You by Clare Osongco
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTwo high school seniors with family trauma keeping them up at night fall in love over a series of secret late-night driving lessons.“An achingly beautiful coming-of-age story…Midnights With You is everything I’ve ever wanted in a book.” —Ann Liang, New York Times best-selling author of I Hope This Doesn’t Find You***“Where were you thinking of going?”“Nowhere... -
![Kneel by Candace Buford]()
Kneel by Candace Buford
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe system is rigged.For guys like Russell Boudreaux, football is the only way out of their small town. As the team’s varsity tight end, Rus has a singular goal: to get a scholarship and play on the national stage. But when his best friend is unfairly arrested and kicked off the team, Rus faces an impossible choice: speak up or live in fear.“Please rise for the national anthem...Categorized as:
realistic social-commentary coming-of-age family poc-mc young-adult sports contemporary -
![On the Bright Side by Anna Sortino]()
On the Bright Side by Anna Sortino
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA hopeful novel about love, disability, and the inevitability of change by the author of Give Me a Sign.Ellie’s Deaf boarding school just shut down, forcing her to leave the place she considered home and return to her hearing family. Back in a mainstream school, Ellie quickly becomes the subject of hateful rumors... -
![Now I'll Tell You Everything by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor]()
Now I'll Tell You Everything by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt's Alice—for the rest of her life! Yes, the very last Alice book, and it reveals every last bit you'd want to know about Alice, including whether she spends the rest of her life with Patrick! "This is the book where Alice, every girl’s girl, turns into every lady’s lady" (VOYA).Alice McKinley is going to college! And everything, from her room to her classes to her friends, is about to change... -
![Troubled Waters by AnnaLisa Grant]()
Troubled Waters by AnnaLisa Grant
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsCollege life for Layla Weston isn’t starting the way she’d intended. She’s revisiting the plans she once had to be the reclusive girl she wanted to be at Heyward Prep, and Layla is more than confident in her ability to succeed this time. After all, she’s got a whole new bag of secrets to keep. Still reeling from Will’s disappearance, Layla is doing her best to adjust to life back in Florida... -
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![Down to the Bone by Mayra Lazara Dole]()
Down to the Bone by Mayra Lazara Dole
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhat if you don't follow the rules and it radically alters the course of your life?What if you get kicked out of the house and lose all your friends and everyone you love? Will you turn the corner into a world filled with unusual friends and create a new kind of family... -
![Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer, Karissa Vacker]()
Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer, Karissa Vacker
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratings"Heartbreaking, painfully romantic, and deeply human." --Stephanie Garber, #1 bestselling author of CaravalFrom bestselling authors to booksellers and librarians, early readers are obsessed with this debut YA romance pitched as Sarah Dessen meets Adam Silvera, told in alternate timelines and perfect for fans of messy, complicated relationships...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family realistic book contemporary fiction friends-to-lovers friendship -
![The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim]()
The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAn authentic novel about growing up in a migrant Asian family with a mother who is suffering from a debilitating mental illness.Anna Chiu has her hands full. When she's not looking after her brother and sister or helping out at her father's restaurant, she's taking care of her mother, whose debilitating mental illness keeps her in bed most days... -
![Twenty-Four Seconds from Now...A Love Story by Jason Reynolds]()
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... -
![How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters]()
How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEveryone on campus knows Remy Cameron. He's the out-and-proud, super-likable guy who friends, faculty, and fellow students alike admire for his cheerful confidence. The only person who isn't entirely sure about Remy Cameron is Remy himself... -
![Loving Donovan by Bernice L. McFadden]()
Loving Donovan by Bernice L. McFadden
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe first section of this unconventional love story belongs to Campbell. Despite being born to a broken-hearted mother and a faithless father, Campbell still believes in the power of love...if she can ever find it... -
![Whisper by Chrissie Perry]()
Whisper by Chrissie Perry
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI'm always trying to figure out what's really going on. Always having to fill in the gaps, but never getting all the details. It's like trying to do a jigsaw when I don't even know what the picture is, and I'm missing one of the vital middle pieces... -
![The Jasmine Project by Meredith Ireland]()
The Jasmine Project by Meredith Ireland
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsJenny Han meets The Bachelorette in this effervescent romantic comedy about a teen Korean American adoptee who unwittingly finds herself at the center of a competition for her heart, as orchestrated by her overbearing, loving family.Jasmine Yap’s life is great. Well, it’s okay... -
![Chloe and the Kaishao Boys by Mae Coyiuto]()
Chloe and the Kaishao Boys by Mae Coyiuto
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen Dimple Met Rishi meets Loveboat, Taipei in this hilarious YA rom-com about a Chinese-Filipina girl in Manila whose father sets her up on a marathon of arranged dates in hopes of convincing her to stay close to home for college.Chloe is officially off the waitlist at USC, and thus one step closer to realizing her dream of becoming an animator in the United States... -
![The Victoria in My Head by Janelle Milanes]()
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... -
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![Dancing in the Dark by Robyn Bavati]()
Dancing in the Dark by Robyn Bavati
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNorth American debut of the Australian award-winning drama. Ditty Cohen is passionate about ballet--she loves how it feels to stand en pointe, to rise and spin across the room. But her Orthodox Jewish parents want Ditty to focus on the teachings of the Torah and to marry at a young age according to their religious tradition... -
![The Knockout by S.A. Patel, Sajni Patel]()
The Knockout by S.A. Patel, Sajni Patel
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA rising star in Muay Thai figures out what (and who) is worth fighting for in this #ownvoices YA debut full of heart.If seventeen-year-old Kareena Thakkar is going to alienate herself from the entire Indian community, she might as well do it gloriously. She’s landed the chance of a lifetime, an invitation to the US Muay Thai Open, which could lead to a spot on the first-ever Olympic team... -
![Don't Forget Me by Victoria Stevens]()
Don't Forget Me by Victoria Stevens
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSeventeen-year-old Hazel Clarke is no stranger to heartbreaks, and being sent to live with a father she’s never met is the latest in a string of them. Even the beauty of eastern Australia isn’t enough to take her mind off her mother and the life she had to leave behind in England... -
![She Loves Me, He Loves Me Not by Zeenat Mahal]()
She Loves Me, He Loves Me Not by Zeenat Mahal
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsZoella didn’t know whether she was devastatingly happy or happily devastated. Zoella has been in love with Fardeen Malik, her best friend’s gorgeous older brother, since she was ten, but he’s always seen her as a ‘good girl’—not his type—and he can barely remember her name... -
![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... -
![Rose by Diane Schwemm]()
Rose by Diane Schwemm
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThis is me and my three younger sisters. Being the oldest has never been easy, but it was especially hard the year I turned sixteen. That was the year that the things I thought would always be the same changed forever. After Dad died, Mom needed me to pitch in more--get a job and help take care of my sisters. I was working so hard to care for my family, I forgot to look out for myself... -
![Teenie by Christopher Grant]()
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... -
![How to Win a Breakup: A Novel by Farah Heron]()
How to Win a Breakup: A Novel by Farah Heron
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn “it” couple’s breakup becomes a sporting event in a deliciously charming novel about the games people play in the name of love. First, math genius and gamer-nerd Samaya gets dumped by her boyfriend. Then he sabotages her job and hooks up with her frenemy. What could be worse? Clearly, her golden-boy ex is winning the breakup. The only way Samaya can get some rebound cred is to find someone new... -
![Rubi Ramos's Recipe for Success by Jessica Parra]()
Rubi Ramos's Recipe for Success by Jessica Parra
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsGraduation is only a few months away, and so far Rubi Ramos’s recipe for success is on track.*Step 1: Get into the prestigious Alma University.*Step 2: Become incredibly successful lawyer.But when Alma waitlists Rubi’s application, her plan is in jeopardy. Her parents–especially her mom, AKA the boss–have wanted this for her for years... -
![Heartbreak Symphony by Laekan Zea Kemp]()
Heartbreak Symphony by Laekan Zea Kemp
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsClap When You Land meets On the Come Up in this heart-gripping story about navigating first love and overcoming grief through the power of music.Aarón Medrano has been haunted by the onstage persona of his favorite musician ever since his mother passed away... -
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![Alice on Her Way by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor]()
Alice on Her Way by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFreedom! It's the moment Alice has been looking forward to for years -- her sixteenth birthday is coming up, and that means getting her driver's licence, with the freedom that entails. And before that important milestone, there's another delicious taste of freedom awaiting Alice and her friends -- a class trip to New York City, promising some serious partying once chaperones have gone to bed... -
![American Betiya by Anuradha D. Rajurkar]()
American Betiya by Anuradha D. Rajurkar
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFans of Sandhya Menon, Erika Sanchez and Jandy Nelson will identify with this powerful story of a young artist grappling with first love, family boundaries, and the complications of a cross-cultural relationship.Rani Kelkar has never lied to her parents, until she meets Oliver... -
![The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreu]()
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]()
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... -
![Hate is Such a Strong Word by Sarah Ayoub]()
Hate is Such a Strong Word by Sarah Ayoub
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI hate being invisible. I hate that I still can′t fight my own battles. I hate that I can′t keep up with the demands of high school. Sophie Kazzi is in Year 12 at an all-Lebanese, all-Catholic school where she is invisible, uncool and bored out of her brain... -
![Friday I'm in Love by Camryn Garrett]()
Friday I'm in Love by Camryn Garrett
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt's too late for a Sweet Sixteen but what if Mahalia had a Coming Out Party? A love letter to romantic comedies, sweet sixteen blowouts, black joy and queer pride. Mahalia Harris wants.She wants a big Sweet Sixteen like her best friend Naomi. She wants the super cute new girl Siobhan to like her back...
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