Books like 'Children of the River'
Readers who enjoyed Children of the River by Linda Crew also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary young adult m-f multicultural southeast-asian-mc high-school forbidden love war survival shy heroine
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Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 10 by Bisco Hatori
Ever since the day he helped her up after a nasty tumble, Black Magic Club member Reiko Kanazuki has been obsessed with Hunny. She is devoting all her knowledge of the dark arts to curse him and steal his soul...Categorized as:
high-school m-f young adult humor contemporary length-short glimpses-kisses sunny hero -
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys, Ruta Sepetysová
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 70 ratingsWhile the Titanic and Lusitania are both well-documented disasters, the single greatest tragedy in maritime history is the little-known January 30, 1945 sinking in the Baltic Sea by a Soviet submarine of the Wilhelm Gustloff, a German cruise liner that was supposed to ferry wartime personnel and refugees to safety from the advancing Red Army... -
A Sign of Affection, Vol. 1 by Suu Morishita
Yuki is a typical college student, whose world revolves around her friends, social media, and the latest sales. But when a chance encounter on a train leads to her meeting friend-of-a-friend and fellow student Itsuomi-san, her world starts to widen. But even though Itsuomi-kun can speak three languages, sign language isn't one of them...Categorized as:
shy heroine m-f sweet-hero contemporary young adult new adult length-short sweet heroine -
My Dress-Up Darling, Vol. 6 by Shinichi Fukuda
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsA loner boy and a flashy girl find common ground via cosplay in this sweet and spicy romcom!Ever since he got roped into helping Marin, Wakana has had his world and perceptions expanded by cosplay. In fact, it's even helped him find peace with himself! And that seems to be one of cosplay's superpowers, as Wakana and Marin discover at an Ikebukuro event... -
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My Dress-Up Darling, Vol. 8 by Shinichi Fukuda
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsAt their high school’s cultural festival, Marin tackles her first crossplay! While struggling with projecting masculinity in character, she prepares for the festival with the rest of the class. But while Marin is a pro at group activities, Wakana has jitters about his very first time working together with his classmates...Categorized as:
m-f high-school sweet-hero contemporary humor young adult length-short strong heroine -
My Dress-Up Darling, Vol. 7 by Shinichi Fukuda
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsA loner boy and a flashy girl find common ground via cosplay in this sweet and spicy romcom!Marin's bestie and Wakana's classmate Nowa might seem a little flaky, but the girl has some serious instinct when love is in the air! When she tosses out a bombshell at karaoke by flatly asking Marin and Wakana if they're an item, it sends the two running!But before long, it's cosplay over love, as the...Categorized as:
m-f high-school sweet-hero contemporary humor young adult length-short cheerful heroine -
In the Clear Moonlit Dusk, Vol. 3 by Mika Yamamori
Yoi Takiguchi is a girl who's called a "prince" because of her beautiful appearance and the stylish way she carries herself. She meets Ichimura-sempai, who is also called a prince at her school and somehow they start a trial relationship... -
In the Clear Moonlit Dusk Vol. 5 by Mika Yamamori
After a tumultuous trial period, Yoi and Ichimura-sempai finally pour their hearts out at the summer festival, and the two officially start going out. It's uncharted waters now for both teenagers, and while Yoi insists on keeping things at a measured pace, Ichimura-sempai is about ready to dive in headfirst... -
Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 1 by Karuho Shiina, Tomo Kimura
Sawako Kuronuma is the perfect heroine... for a horror movie . With striking similarities to a haunting movie character--jet-black hair, sinister smile and silent demeanor--she's mistakenly called Sadako by those around her. But behind her scary façade is a very misunderstood teenager. Too shy to fit in, all she wants to do is make some friends...Categorized as:
shy heroine high-school sweet-hero young adult clean humor length-short contemporary -
In the Clear Moonlit Dusk Vol. 7 by Mika Yamamori
Swept up by the throes of summer vacation, Ohji finally finds the courage to tell Yoi how he feels. Yoi's affection for Kohaku remains firm in spite of this, but just as things seem to heat up between the young couple, an ill-timed miscommunication has them reeling... -
In the Clear Moonlit Dusk Vol. 4 by Mika Yamamori
Yoi and Ichimura-sempai's experimental dating relationship continues in full swing. Although hesitant at first, Yoi is flustered as she notices her feelings for him develop over time. Meanwhile, it seems Yoi holds a special place in Ichimura-sempai's heart as well, as he gets jealous over a new “prince” working at her part-time job... -
Say I Love You, Vol. 1 by Kanae Hazuki
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsFRIENDSHIP? FORGET IT! Mei Tachibana has no friends-and she doesn't need them! Ever since her "friends" betrayed her in elementary school, she's sworn off friendship entirely. All it leads to is betrayal and heartbreak, and she's well enough on her own... -
In the Clear Moonlit Dusk, Vol. 1 by Mika Yamamori
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsYoi Takiguchi has long legs, a deep voice, and a handsome face... in other words, Yoi is such a good-looking guy that most people don't notice or care that she is, in fact, a girl. Indeed, she's had the nickname "Prince" as long as she can remember. That is, until she met Ichimura-senpai... the only person who's really seemed to see her for herself... -
Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry
Now a major motion picture starring Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson!Goodreads Choice Winner, Best Young Adult Fiction of 2019In this #1 New York Times bestselling novel that’s perfect for fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, two teens fall in love with just one minor complication—they can’t get within a few feet of each other without risking their lives...Categorized as:
high-school forbidden love m-f young adult contemporary death friends to lovers terminal-illness -
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Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
Lara Jean is having the best senior year. And there’s still so much to look forward to: a class trip to New York City, prom with her boyfriend Peter, Beach Week after graduation, and her dad’s wedding to Ms. Rothschild. Then she’ll be off to college with Peter, at a school close enough for her to come home and bake chocolate chip cookies on the weekends...Categorized as:
multicultural high-school m-f friends to lovers contemporary young adult new adult humor -
My Love Story!!, Vol. 1 by Kazune Kawahara, Aruko
Takeo Goda is a giant guy with a giant heart. Too bad the girls don’t want him! (They want his good-looking best friend, Sunakawa.) Used to being on the sidelines, Takeo simply stands tall and accepts his fate. But one day when he saves a girl named Yamato from a harasser on the train, his (love!) life suddenly takes an incredible turn! Takeo Goda is a GIANT guy with a GIANT heart... -
In the Clear Moonlit Dusk, Vol. 2 by Mika Yamamori
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsYoi Takiguchi is a girl who's called a "prince" because of her beautiful appearance and the stylish way she carries herself. She had mixed feelings about longing to be like a shojo manga hero. That's when she meets Ichimura-sempai, who is also called a "prince... -
A Condition Called Love, Vol. 7 by Megumi Morino
Hotaru and Hananoi-kun have been together for half a year now. With every passing day, they grow that much closer... and the first summer break of their relationship is right around the corner! Hotaru decides it's time to work on her appearance if she wants to be a good girlfriend for Hananoi-kun.. -
In the Clear Moonlit Dusk Vol. 6 by Mika Yamamori
Though the trial period is over, Yoi and Ichimura-sempai realize that navigating their new relationship will be no easy task. Their friend trip to Kobe reveals they still have a lot of work to do when it comes to being able to voice their own desires while being understanding of their partner's... -
Daytime Shooting Star, Vol. 1 by Mika Yamamori
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsAfter arriving in Tokyo to live with her uncle, Suzume collapses in a nearby park when she remembers once seeing a shooting star during the day. A handsome stranger brings her to her new home and tells her they’ll meet again. Suzume starts her first day at her new high school sitting next to a boy who blushes furiously at her touch...Categorized as:
high-school m-f young adult contemporary humor love triangle other-man-woman length-short -
A Condition Called Love, Vol. 4 by Megumi Morino
Hananoi-kun and Hotaru's trial run is over. They're officially boyfriend and girlfriend now! Their first official date leaves Hananoi-kun determined to tell Hotaru how he really feels.. -
A Condition Called Love, Vol. 3 by Megumi Morino
Hotaru finally realizes she loves Hananoi-kun. Now she's got to find a way to tell him how she feels! There's just one problem: she's got a new coworker…Yao-kun, her old friend from elementary school! Memories of childhood trauma come rushing back…and Hotaru knows that she's going to have to face them if she ever wants to know what it's like to be in love... -
Smile Like You Mean It by Willow Hadley
After Charlotte’s father died, her mother changed. She became cold and distant, and Charlotte slowly withdrew into herself. She spent years feeling lonely and insignificant, and rarely spoke more than a few words to anyone. One night, after a traumatic incident instigated by her mother, Charlotte is arrested and taken to juvie...Categorized as:
high-school shy heroine tortured heroine m-f forbidden love contemporary young adult reverse harem -
The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity 1 by Saka Mikami
Two rival schools stand next door to each one for elite ladies, one for good-for-nothing boys. But one of those boys might just be a naturally chivalrous diamond in the rough, and one of those girls might be a little more open-minded than is proper ..Categorized as:
high-school sweet-hero m-f forbidden love contemporary young adult length-short sweet heroine -
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A Condition Called Love, Vol. 5 by Megumi Morino, 森野萌
Hotaru Hinase and her boyfriend, Hananoi-kun, prepare for the beginning of their second year of high school... and their feelings for each other grow stronger by the day. Just as Hananoi-kun begins to show signs that he's ready to come out of his shell, Yao-kun, his rival in love, discovers his secret... and he's determined to make him come clean to Hotaru... -
A Condition Called Love, Vol. 2 by Megumi Morino
Hotaru is a 16-year-old high school first-year who has always been ambivalent about love... but somehow or another, she's found herself going out with Hananoi-kun, the pretty boy from the class down the hall who, as it turns out, is a little too romantic for his own good... -
The Wind Blows Backward by Mary Downing Hahn
Although they share a love of poetry and problems with their parents, shy Lauren's attraction to popular Spencer is tempered by her fear of his moody, self-destructive side. "...hands down, Girl Book of the Year...Categorized as:
m-f high-school shy heroine contemporary young adult length-medium open-door 20th century -
Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 15 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...Categorized as:
high-school m-f young adult contemporary disabilities and marks length-medium audiobook -
My Dress-Up Darling 09 by Shinichi Fukuda
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsA loner boy and a flashy girl find common ground via cosplay in this sweet and spicy rom-com!To get the swanky DSLR camera of her dreams, Marin picks up more part-time work! And once she’s scraped up the cash to buy her shiny new gadget, she attends a cosplay event.. -
A Condition Called Love, Vol. 8 by Megumi Morino
As they begin their first summer break since getting together, Hotaru and Hananoi-kun vow to experience even more "firsts" together! But all their plans are derailed when Hananoi-kun's father suddenly returns from overseas! Then, Yao-kun finally admits to his feelings for Hotaru.. -
Runaways by Nicole Dykes
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsRunaways . . .You’ve heard about kids running away, but do we ever truly know why they run?Rae and Law had no choice. Forced to run when life let them down, when it was either leave or be subjected to an unimaginable fate.Can they survive?Two young people, completely alone on the streets with nothing but each other.This is their story... -
Arabian Nights by Simone Shirazi
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsBlair Bakhtiar always wanted to be royalty. Zayn al-Haydar wanted to be anything but. When one fateful summer brings them together, the two discover that maybe it's not that much better on the other side... but the journey there is always full of surprises, with love being the biggest surprise of them all. [Book #2 in the Fairytale Series, but can be read as a standalone...Categorized as:
high-school forbidden love young adult new adult contemporary super rich hero length-long -
Unafraid by Melody Grace
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 29 ratings"The first time I saw her, I knew this girl was wilder than any stallion I’d ever trained. She was headstrong, wounded, passionate and free. And I had to have her…" Brittany Ray doesn’t care about her bad reputation. Growing up in a sleepy beach town with a junkie mom and a runaway dad, Brit’s learned the hard way that the people you love will only let you down... -
Again for the First Time by Raven St. Pierre
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThey Said “I do” when everyone else said “don’t”. “Marry me” were the last words Luke thought he’d say to a perfect stranger. Then again, Lissy never dreamed she’d actually say “yes”. But she did… The odds are against them, but Luke and Lissy must decide whether their newfound love is worth fighting for... -
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The Art of Life by Sarah Kay Carter
Jeremy is a devastatingly attractive twenty-one-year-old guy with a secret, who just has to walk into a room and flash his winning smile to melt a girl’s heart. Isabelle,”Izzy”, is a barely noticeable artist, whose home life leaves much to be desired...Categorized as:
high-school m-f shy heroine sweet-hero new adult young adult virgin heroine friends to lovers -
Forgiven by J.B. McGee
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsEveryone has a past…good or bad, they are always there. They lurk and linger in the shadows, sometimes reappearing at the most inconvenient times. Gabby and Bradley thought that their pasts would remain dormant, that happiness was theirs for the taking. Still the strongest of relationships can be rocked by the ugliness from a previous life, even if it seems to be a world away... -
Wolf Girl and Black Prince, Vol. 4 by Ayuko Hatta
When Kyoya learns Erika gifted Kusakabe the same sweet she made for him, he loses it—and the pair’s days as a pretend couple are over! Complicating matters, Kusakabe asks Erika out for White Day...Categorized as:
m-f high-school length-short contemporary young adult from hate to love japan glimpses-kisses -
The Good Girl & the Bad Boy by M.L. Collins
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 15 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 m-f young adult contemporary from hate to love new adult humor length-short -
Faceless by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsWhen Maisie Winters wakes up, she’s in the hospital.The last thing she remembers is running through the hills of her neighborhood one misty morning. Slowly, she puts the pieces together. Before she could make it home, a storm gathered. Lightning hit a power line and sparks rained down, the hot-burning electrical fire consuming her. Destroying her face... -
Played by Dana Davidson
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen one of Ian's boys dares him to get plain-faced Kylie Winship to sleep with him in just three weeks, he thinks it'll be a breeze. Tall and fine, with honey-colored skin and eyes, Ian is used to getting what he wants from girls. And if he succeeds in playing Kylie, he'll be down with the most popular crew in his high school...Categorized as:
m-f high-school contemporary african-american black-mc length-short young adult plain heroine -
Jack by Juliana Stone
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsOne night with the wrong woman can change your life…. Jack Simon’s road to the White House has been a smooth one until a night with the notorious Donovan James becomes a roadblock he can’t escape. Suddenly he’s America’s number one story and it has nothing to do with politics. Jack’s tangled with this woman before and knows they’re no good together... -
Unscripted by Nicole Kronzer
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA funny and timely debut YA about the toxic masculinity at a famous improv comedy campSeventeen-year-old Zelda Bailey-Cho has her future all planned out: improv camp, then Second City, and finally Saturday Night Live...Categorized as:
multicultural high-school young adult contemporary humor queer length-medium audiobook -
In the Clear Moonlit Dusk 7 by Mika Yamamori
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratings"Prince" meets prince in this offbeat high school romance, where two picture-perfect teens must see past appearances to understand what being in love really means. Don't miss out on another unique offering from the author of Daytime Shooting Star , perfect for fans of Horimiya and Ouran High School Host Club... -
The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen by Isaac Blum
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe Chosen meets Darius the Great in this irreverent and timely story of worlds colliding in friendship, betrayal, and hatred.Hoodie Rosen's life isn't that bad. Sure, his entire Orthodox Jewish community has just picked up and moved to the quiet, mostly non-Jewish town of Tregaron, but Hoodie's world hasn't changed that much...Categorized as:
multicultural high-school young adult contemporary humor racism length-short audiobook -
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The Impossibility of Us by Katy Upperman
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe last thing Elise wants is to start her senior year in a new town. But after her brother’s death in Afghanistan, she and her mother move from San Francisco to a sleepy coastal village.When Elise meets Mati, they quickly discover how much they have in common. Mati is new to town too, visiting the U.S. with his family... -
An Appetite for Miracles by Laekan Zea Kemp
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAward-winning author Laekan Zea Kemp’s heart-wrenching novel-in-verse follows two teens who must come together to heal the pain from their pasts, perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Nicola Yoon... -
Monkey High!, Vol. 2 by Shouko Akira
• Shouko Akira is also the author of Times Two (a collection of five love stories), published by VIZ Media. • Betsucomi style art (rosy cheeks, cute, clean art) will appeal to Betsucomi enthusiasts • Previewed and promoted in VIZ Media’s Shojo Beat magazine. • Parents will love this squeaky-clean romance story... -
Girl Got Game, Vol. 10 by Shizuru Seino
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsKyo's secret has been revealed to the entire basketball team! Now she has to step up to the line in the ultimate b-ball competitionâ€"Kyo must defeat the whole team single-handedly or leave forever! As she breaks past every member of the team, the only person left to beat is the captain...Categorized as:
m-f high-school contemporary young adult athletes length-short basketball heroine athlete -
The Beautiful Now by M. Leighton
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDane James worked my stepfather’s fields. He was the boy next door. Strong. Hardworking. Forbidden. From the moment we met, we were star-crossed lovers—always wanting, never having. We loved each other for most of our lives, but right from the beginning destiny had other plans. She knew we would fall in love. She knew we would fall apart...Categorized as:
forbidden love high-school contemporary abuse new adult second chances young adult length-long -
Path of Destruction by E. Lee, Caisey Quinn
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThey ignored the warning signs and it cost them everything... At the end of a life-changing summer a devastating tornado hit the small town of Hope’s Grove, Oklahoma.While the brick suburban mansions of Summit Bluffs saw very little damage, their occupants weren’t so lucky...
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