What YA' Reading: You can do hard things

Everyone has moments when things are difficult and you wonder if things will work out. Check out these engaging fiction reads where the main character learns they can do hard things.

Sunbolt by Intisar Khanani

Sunbolt is a fun read that challenges us to consider what it means to trust and how to determine who your friends are. Hitomi has a sharp sense of humor that gets her into trouble just as easily as it gets her out of it. She is able to insert humor into dark situations and gives the us a reason to root for her.

Fans of Robin McKinley and Tamora Pierce will love this action-packed story of one girl fighting monsters both human and not. Pick up Sunbolt now and set off on a high-stakes adventure through the gorgeously diverse world of Intisar Khanani's Sunbolt Chronicles.

If you like Sunbolt, check out Thorn by Intisar Khanani and Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz.

I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang

As the perfect student, Sadie Wen has a reputation to protect. No one can know when things go wrong, which is why she funnels all her frustrations into emails she will obviously never send. Until somehow the emails get out and Sadie’s not-perfect life is exposed to the world. How can she fix this? And why is it the boy she has always despised seems to be the only person willing to look past the “perfect” Sadie to see who she really is?

I Hope This Doesn’t Find You made me think about what it means to be who I really am, even if it means letting others see my faults. Sadie has always tried to be perfect but she learns it is better to be true to herself. She realizes sometimes it’s okay to let others see when she struggles and she doesn’t have to keep everything bottled up.

"In This Time It's Real, Liang's writing shines, weaving in cultural elements seamlessly while taking us through Beijing. A fun fake-dating romance to lose yourself in, filled with squeal-worthy moments." –Gloria Chao, author of When You Wish Upon a Lantern

If you like I Hope This Doesn’t Find You, check out I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang and Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce.

Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino

Lilah has hearing loss and a hard time communicating with others. She just wants to fit in, so she decides to make a change. Lilah becomes a counselor at a summer camp for the deaf and blind. She meets Isaac, who helps her learn more ASL. One thing she never counted on was falling for him.

Give Me a Sign is a beautiful friends-to-lovers story that explores what it means to have different abilities and the importance of community. Lilah and Isaac are utterly relatable as they experience summer camp and the insecurities that come with first love. This novel made me think about what it is like to live in a world made for the abled when you have different abilities.

"Sortino celebrates Deaf culture and identity in this endearingly funny slow-burn rom-com debut . . . . Sortino highlights a variety of Deaf experiences, exploring the community’s pride and culture, as well as the trauma some Deaf individuals face in interactions with strangers and loved ones alike." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

If you like Give Me a Sign, check out Lillie Lainoff’s One for All.