Books That Make You Feel Less Alone 💚
To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month, our community at I read YA has compiled some of our favorite books from this year that make us feel less alone. This list includes important and moving novels that speak honestly and powerfully about mental health. We recognize that sometimes all it takes is just a few words to make us feel like we are not alone, so we encourage you to spend some extra time with these special reads this month.
What are some books that make you feel less alone? 💚
One Last Chance to Live by Francisco X. Stork
What would you do if you had one last chance to live?
Nico has always believed in his dreams. Especially the dream he has of becoming a writer; it's the reason why he started taking a creative writing class his senior year of high school. But then Nico has a dream about his own funeral. A dream that feels too real to ignore.
In it, Rosario is beckoning to him. Rosario was Nico's neighbor, his best friend's girlfriend, and his inspiration. She was also the girl that Nico was in love with. And Rosario died last year.
Nico becomes obsessed with figuring out what Rosario was trying to say to him, and how she died. Surely if he can make sense of her death, he can find a way to prevent his own?
But at the same time, Nico's mom is sick, and his brother is falling down a bad path with a local gang. Nico knows it's on him to step up and take care of his family -- but how can he keep it together when, like Rosario, he sees how easy it might be to just let go of it all.
Start reading One Last Chance to Live now!
I Was Born for This by Alice Oseman
For Angel Rahimi life is about one thing: The Ark -- a boy band that's taking the world by storm. Being part of The Ark's fandom has given her everything she loves -- her friend Juliet, her dreams, her place in the world. Her Muslim family doesn't understand the band's allure -- but Angel feels there are things about her they'll never understand.
Jimmy Kaga-Ricci owes everything to The Ark. He's their frontman -- and playing in a band with his mates is all he ever dreamed of doing, even if it only amplifies his anxiety. The fans are very accepting that he's trans -- but they also keep shipping him with his longtime friend and bandmate, Rowan. But Jimmy and Rowan are just friends -- and Rowan has a secret girlfriend the fans can never know about. Dreams don't always turn out the way you think and when Jimmy and Angel are unexpectedly thrust together, they find out how strange and surprising facing up to reality can be.
Start reading I Was Born for This now!
Rainbow! Volume 1 by Sunny & Gloomy
Teenager Boo Meadows has pink hair and a very vivid imagination -- she has trouble separating from the real world. In her daydreams, she dances beautifully at balls or fights monsters as a magical girl. In reality, she has a complicated home life, work stress, school stress, and a wicked crush on the girl of her dreams. When a new student, Mimi, arrives at school, Boo starts exploring a side of herself that she never considered before. As she grows closer with Mimi, it may finally be time for Boo to face reality . . . Who is the real Mimi? The one in her dreams? Or the one in real life?
Start reading Rainbow! Volume 1 now!
Rainbow! Volume 2 by Sunny & Gloomy
Teenager Boo Meadows's story continues in this second volume! With pink hair and a very vivid imagination, Boo has trouble separating from the real world. In her daydreams, she dances beautifully at balls or fights monsters as a magical girl. In reality, she has a complicated home life, work stress, school stress, and a wicked crush on the girl of her dreams.
After life became too toxic to endure, Boo has moved out of her alcoholic mother's house. Can Boo and Mimi stick together? And is dealing with Mimi's unapproving mother any better than Boo's mom?
Start reading Rainbow! Volume 2 now!
Your Final Moments by Jay Coles
Hakeem goes to Narcotics Anonymous meetings to keep his addictions in check. But when his best friend Miles kills himself, Hakeem finds the days harder and harder to get through. He loved Miles -- maybe even loved loved him -- and he's haunted by the fact that there might have been something he could have done to ease his friend's pain. He meets a girl named Eliza in his NA meetings, and she is there for him when something truly out-there happens... Hakeem calls Miles's old phone number. And Miles not only calls back from beyond the grave, but has news to share: He didn’t kill himself. He was murdered.
Finding out the truth about Miles might end up helping Hakeem find his way to his own truth... and further strength to stay alive himself. But as his relationship with Eliza grows, other cracks begin to show... and holding his world together may be even harder than he thought it would be.
Pre-order Your Final Moments now!
