Books like 'Names Will Never Hurt Me'
Readers who enjoyed Names Will Never Hurt Me by Jaime Adoff also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary high-school realistic friendship survival bullying family dark
-
Your Name Is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrustrated by a day full of teachers and classmates mispronouncing her beautiful name, a little girl tells her mother she never wants to come back to school. In response, the girl's mother teaches her about the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern names on their lyrical walk home through the city... -
The Good, The Bad, And The Bullied by Rubix Cube 89201
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratings"It's quite simple really," Bennett told me."You'll be our good girl," Declan said.Jordan smiled. "And we'll be your bad boys."I was silent for a moment. I looked at them, at the contract, and back at them. Then I calmly put the papers back on the table. I looked at the three of them and slowly rose from my seat... -
Hidden Creek Darkness by Jaxson Kidman
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMOST HATED GIRL IN HCH? #check MOST FEARED GIRL IN HCH? #check TURNING FRIENDS INTO ENEMIES ON A DAILY BASIS? #check REALZING EVERYTHING I THOUGHT I KNEW AND LOVED IS A F*CKING LIE? #triplecheck Someone is after me. And in typical Hidden Creek High fashion, the list of ‘suspects’ is deeper than my feelings for Wes. Oh, he’s on that list too, trust me... -
In Little Stars by Linda Green
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn a divided northern England, love and hate are about to collide . . .Sylvie and Donna travel on the same train to work each day but have never spoken. Their families are on different sides of the bitter Brexit divide, although the tensions and arguments at home give them much in common... -
-
Hidden Creek Kiss by Jaxson Kidman
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe quiet, surfer girl pissed off at the world? #check The loud, summer boy refusing to leave? #check Falling in love all over again? #check More secrets, more lies, and now heartache? #triplecheck Elijah is officially the one I can’t forget. He knows everything about me now. And he tells me that’s how it wants it. Fate has us back together. Excuse me while I throw up. It’s not fate... -
Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsWhere You See Yourself combines an unforgettable coming-of-age tale, a swoon-worthy romance, and much-needed disability representation in this story about a girl who's determined to follow her dreams... -
Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse by Marcy Campbell
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAdrian Simcox tells anyone who will listen that he has a horse--the best and most beautiful horse anywhere.But Chloe does NOT believe him. Adrian Simcox lives in a tiny house. Where would he keep a horse? He has holes in his shoes. How would he pay for a horse?The more Adrian talks about his horse, the angrier Chloe gets... -
Pieces of You by Tablo
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEpik High leader Tablo's short stories weave together the secrets and anxieties of youth, whispering words of solace to a lost generation... -
The Underdogs by Mike Lupica
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsNew York Times bestseller Mike Lupica tackles football! Will Tyler may not be the biggest running back around, but no one can touch him when it comes to hitting the hole and finding the end zone. And no one can match his love of the game. When Will has a football in his hand, life can't touch him--his dad isn't so defeated, his town isn't so poor, and everyone has something to cheer for...Categorized as:
family friendship high-school realistic children children-books contemporary fiction -
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... -
3 stepbrothers by Animallover55
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTori lived with her dad and little sister. She never expected to have a stepmother, much less a stepbrother. But whats worse is not only one stepbrother, not two either. No three stepbrothers. But it gets worse, the three boys just happen to be the three triplet sport stars of the school. The same three boys that have gone out with nearly all those girls that wear short short skirts... -
Discord by Drethi Anis
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsBrandon: The unthinkable happened; a possibility I had been avoiding my entire life. I should give her up but leaving her behind was no longer an option. Mia: Brandon Cooper was bad news; plain and simple. I should have been scared straight and sworn off my previous obsession. Instead, I turned to him during a vulnerable moment, only to spark his sinful ways all over again... -
All of Me by Chris Baron
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratings"Beautifully written, brilliant, and neccesary." --Matt de la Pena, Newbery MedalistAri has body-image issues. After a move across the country, his parents work selling and promoting his mother's paintings and sculptures. Ari's bohemian mother needs space to create, and his father is gone for long stretches of time on "sales" trips...Categorized as:
bullying family friendship realistic children-books coming-of-age contemporary fiction -
Breaking Walls by Tracie Puckett
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt’s not about the rules anymore. It’s about the sacrifice. She’s already given up too much to lose faith now. Gabe has walked away, and Mandy’s fate with the Raddick Initiative is hanging in the balance. Media attention has the whole town talking. Friends are making wild assumptions, and one of her own teammates has turned on her... -
-
Stronger Than You Know by Jolene Perry
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAfter police intervention, fifteen-year-old Joy has finally escaped the trailer where she once lived with her mother and survived years of confinement and abuse. Now living with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in a comfortable house, she’s sure she’ll never belong. Wracked by panic attacks, afraid to talk to anyone at her new school, Joy’s got a whole list of reasons why she’s crazy... -
Completely Normal by Biffy James
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLove has rules. So does grief. And Stella Wilde’s about to break them all.Stella Wilde is secretly in love with the hottest guy in school, Isaac Calder. He seems to love her back, but there’s a problem – he already has a girlfriend, the gorgeous Grace Reyes. When Isaac is killed in a car accident, the entire school is turned upside down with grief... -
Jingga Dalam Elegi by Esti Kinasih
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSejak peristiwa pagi hari saat melihat mata Tari bengkak, Ari jadi penasaran. Benarkah itu hanya karena Ari menghapus nomor HP Ata dari HP Tari, ataukah karena Angga? Kalau memang karena Angga yang notabene musuh bebuyutan Ari, Ari ingin tahu apa yang telah dilakukan cowok itu terhadap Tari... -
Katie and the Cupcake War by Coco Simon
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSydney Whitman, leader of Popular Girls Club has moved away! Does that mean Callie will try to be friends with Katie again? Just when Katie thinks things might get back to normal, Callir announces that the Popular Girls Club is baking cupcakes for this year's school fund-raiser...Categorized as:
realistic family friendship middle-grade children-books fiction children contemporary -
Break Us by Jennifer Brown
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNikki Kill doesn’t see the world in black and white. Her synesthesia shades everything in view, transforming numbers, words, and emotions into colorful clues. Which means she’s a dangerous commodity to anyone with something to hide.Nikki has already taken on the Hollises—one of L.A.’s most powerful families—for murdering her half sister, Peyton... -
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... -
Everybody Bugs Out by Leslie Margolis
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAnnabelle has tamed the wild boys and catty girls of middle school. Now it's time for her first school dance! A couple of Annabelle's friends already have dates and she would like one, too. Better yet, she finally has a crush on someone-Oliver. The problem? Claire also likes him, and she's called dibs... -
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...Categorized as:
realistic family bullying high-school young-adult fiction contemporary coming-of-age -
Cinderella dan Empat Kesatria by Baek Myo
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEun Ha Won benar-benar seperti Cinderella. Sungguh tak disangka, kakek yang ditolong Ha Won di jalan ternyata Direktur Kang—pengusaha Korea yang sangat kaya. Dan dia bersedia membantu mewujudkan keinginan Ha Won: keluar dari rumah yang ditinggalinya bersama sang ibu tiri. Ha Won pun kemudian tinggal di rumah mewah bersama tiga cucu tampan sang direktur dan pengawal pribadi yang keren... -
How to Convince a Boy to Kiss You by Tara Eglington
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe course of true love never did run smooth. For a girl who shares her name with a princess (a.k.a Aurora from Sleeping Beauty) Aurora Skye’s life seem fathoms away from a fairytale. Sure, she’s landed Hayden Paris, Potential Prince extraordinaire. And she got her wish -- one first kiss with all the knee-trembling, butterfly-inducing gloriousness she’d hoped for... -
-
The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up for Others by Bob Sornson, Maria Dismondy
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHave you ever seen a bully in action and done nothing about it? The kids at Pete's new school get involved, instead of being bystanders. When Pete begins to behave badly, his classmates teach him about "The Promise"...Categorized as:
realistic bullying friendship children-books fiction children psychological contemporary -
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... -
The Good Girl & the Bad Boy by M.L. Collins
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhat happens when Jackson High’s Good Girl and Bad Boy are forced to work together? I’ll tell you:I destroy his guitar. (Accidentally!)He uses my guilt to trick me into doing his work.For three weeks!Until I find out he lied. Oh, heck no. This bad boy has crossed the wrong girl.I call him out on it. In front of the whole school.Check mate, bad boy. “It feels good to be bad,” he whispers...Categorized as:
high-school realistic friendship family romance young-adult contemporary enemies-to-lovers -
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 family young-adult contemporary coming-of-age poc-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... -
All The Things That Could Go Wrong by Stewart Foster
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe unforgettable new novel from the award-winning author of THE BUBBLE BOY.Dan is angry. Nothing has been the same since his big brother left, and he’s taking it out on the nearest and weakest target: Alex.Alex is struggling. His severe OCD makes it hard for him to leave the house, especially when Dan and his gang are waiting for him at school..Categorized as:
realistic bullying friendship family middle-grade fiction young-adult mental-illness -
Forget Me Not by Coleen Murtagh Paratore
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWilla returns in this new stand-alone novel in the WEDDING PLANNER'S DAUGHTER series. Willa returns in this new adventure for the tween set! It is summer on Cape Cod, where Willa Havisham and Joey Kennelly are enjoying their status as most compatible couple... -
My Last Best Friend by Julie Bowe
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAs Ida May begins fourth grade, she is determined never to make another best friend--because her last best friend moved away. This is a doable plan at first. Thanks to bratty, bossy Jenna Drews who hates Ida, no one in class has ever really noticed her before. It's when the sparkly Stacey Merriweather comes to her school that her plan goes awry...Categorized as:
realistic friendship family middle-grade children-books fiction contemporary children -
Jingga dan Senja by Esti Kinasih
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsTari dan Ari, dua remaja yang dipertemukan oleh takdir. Selain bernama mirip, mereka juga sama-sama lahir sewaktu matahari ter-benam.Namun, takdir mempertemukan mereka dalam suasana “perang”. Ari yang biang kerok sekolah baru kali ini bertemu cewek, adik kelas pula, yang berani melawannya. Kemarahan Ari timbul ketika tahu Tari diincar oleh Angga, pentolan SMA musuh... -
I For You by Orizuka
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsSuatu hari dalam hidupku, kau dan aku bertemu. Masih jelas di ingatanku sosokmu yang memukauku. Lidahku jadi kelu, mulutku terkatup rapat karena malu. Setiap malam, bayangmu menari-nari dalam benakku. Ada sejuta alasan mengapa aku begitu memujamu. Kau menyinari relung gelap hatiku. Kau satu-satunya orang yang ingin kurengkuh. Kau yang bertanggung jawab atas segala rindu... -
-
The Dirt Diary by Anna Staniszewski
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWANTED: Maid for the most popular kids in 8th grade. Cleaning up after the in-crowd gets Rachel all the best dirt. Rachel can't believe she has to give up her Saturdays to scrubbing other people's toilets. So. Gross. But she kinda, sorta stole $287.22 from her college fund that she's got to pay back ASAP or her mom will ground her for life... -
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 -
Love Me, Love Me Not by S.M. Koz
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSeventeen-year-old Hailey Brown never wanted to be popular or rich or even successful. All she ever wanted was to feel loved by someone, anyone. Eighteen-year-old Brad Campbell doesn't know anything but popularity, wealth, and success thanks to his affluent family and unmatched talent on the football field... -
Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell by Tobias Madden
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThere Are No Cheat Codes for ShowmanceSeventeen-year-old gaymer Noah Mitchell only has one friend the wonderful, funny, strictly online-only MagePants69. After years playing RPGs together, they know everything about each other, except anything that would give away their real life identities. And Noah is certain that if they could just meet in person, they would be soulmates... -
Girls Rule! by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSUMMER IS AROUND the corner, and the rivalry between the Malloys and the Hatfords is heating up! The kids have two weeks to earn money for a fundraising contest sponsored by the local hospital. Those who collect $20 or more for the new children’s wing can choose to be in the annual Strawberry Festival Parade or get all the strawberry treats they can eat... -
Roam by C.H. Armstrong
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSeventeen year-old Abby Lunde and her family are living on the streets. They had a normal life back in Omaha, but thanks to her mother’s awful mistake, they had to leave what little they had behind for a new start in Rochester. Abby tries to be an average teenager—fitting into school, buoyed by dreams of a boyfriend, college, and a career in music... -
Rape Girl by Alina Klein
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsValerie always wanted to be the smart girl. The pretty girl. The popular girl.But not the rape girl.That’s who she is now. Rape Girl. Because everyone seems to think they know the truth about what happened with Adam that day, and they don’t think Valerie’s telling it.Before, she had a best friend, a crush, and a close-knit family... -
Painting the Black by Carl Deuker
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen a hard ball is coming at you fast, and when it's dancing, too, every single nerve in your body is alert and ready. Your eyes are wide open, and the adrenaline is pumping. It's not a feeling you want to give up, any more than you want to get off a roller coaster...Categorized as:
family friendship high-school realistic action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
Who Won the War? by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWho will win as the curtain closes on the war between the girls and the boys?Summer vacation is almost over and after one year in Buckman it looks like the Malloy girls will be going home to Ohio. The Hatford boys are relieved to finally be rid of Eddie, Beth and Caroline, also known as the Womper, the Weirdo and the Crazy...Categorized as:
realistic friendship family children-books fiction middle-grade contemporary children -
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 friendship family high-school romance young-adult middle-grade contemporary -
-
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... -
September Surprises by Ann M. Martin
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt's back to school time for the kids of Camden Falls ... and for Flora, Olivia, and Nikki, that means a new school -- and new challenges.It's September in Camden Falls . . . and it's time for Flora, Nikki, and Olivia to move up to the Central School from their old elementary school. As seventh graders, they'll be sharing the halls with kids from other towns -- and from grades as high as twelfth...Categorized as:
friendship realistic bullying middle-grade children-books fiction contemporary children -
Jumpstart the World by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsElle is a loner. She doesn’t need people. Which is a good thing, because she’s on her own: she had to move into her own apartment so her mother’s boyfriend won’t have to deal with her. Then she meets Frank, the guy who lives next door. He’s older and has a girlfriend, but Elle can’t stop thinking about him. Frank isn’t like anyone Elle has ever met. He listens to her. He’s gentle... -
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... -
Just Call My Name by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe happily-ever-after of Holly Goldberg Sloan's acclaimed debut, I'll Be There, is turned on its head in this riveting, emotional sequel about friends, enemies, and how those roles can shift in a matter of moments. Emily Bell has it all. She's in love with a boy named Sam Border, and his little brother has become part of her family... -
The Pain Eater by Beth Goobie
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsShe hadn’t told anyone. Not a single soul. Not one word about that night and what had been done to her had ever passed Maddy Malone’s lips. She’d thought about it at first - had been desperate, even frantic, to tell. But then had come the shame, and the intimidation from the boys who raped her - and the one who held her down...
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.