Diverse YA Reads for Summer 2021

Diverse YA Reads for Summer 2021

My friend, Laura Yamin from the What to Read Next Podcast has you covered with her recommendations for Diverse YA Reads for Summer 2021! We hope you’ll find some new favorites on this list!

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Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

A trans boy spends the summer in Colorado. He has spent the past couple of years writing  “Meet Cute Diary” for the Trans community. Circumstances led him to fake date a cute boy but guess what he meets another cute boy while working at summer camp. This was an adorable story of first love, meet-cutes, and coming to terms with who you are. We aren’t the only ones who think this is a fantastic choice for Diverse YA Reads for Summer 2021. This title is also a Reese Witherspoon pick! 

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean 

Love Princess Diaries and Crazy Rich Asians? Then this book is for you! Due to some fun stalking, Izumi discovers her dad is the Crown Prince of Japan. Over Spring Break, she decides to go to  Japan to meet her dad and her other side of the family. This book was a fun ride through the streets of Japan. 

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le 

Competing Pho restaurants and two high schoolers wanting to escape come together to work on a project. This is a Romeo and Juliet with a HEA. This book explores the role of community, first-generation immigrants, and what do you want to do with your life that may oppose what your parents want you to be.

Anna K and Anna K Away by Jenny Lee 

Anna K is a reimagining of Anna Karenina set with rich teens living in NYC. This book reads like Gossip Girl. Book 2 follows up the summer after the events in Book 1. There are scenes set in South Korea, the Hamptons, and LA. If you love audio, I would encourage you to listen to both books. 

Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales 

LGBTQIA+ romance where an entrepreneurial heroine works giving advice to her fellow classmates. One popular jock hires her to give him advice on how to get back with his ex. Well, there is a romance between the jock and the heroine. This book features a Bisexual heroine.  There is a fun scene set in Disneyland. If you have a chance, listen to this book. 

A Taste for Love by Jennifer Yen 

If you love baking competitions, then this book is for you. This book follows both hero and heroine as they take part in a multi-part baking competition.  The heroine is exploring what she wants to do when she goes to college. This book explores first love. The audio for this one is fantastic & should definitely be on your Diverse YA Reads for Summer 2021 TBR! 

Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant 

Romance writer gets accepted to a prestigious charter school for her writing. However, she is stuck with writer’s block.  Her BFF concocts a plan to seduce the cool guy so she can get her groove on. There is a love triangle but in the end, she ends up with the right guy. There is great disability representation in this book. The audio is excellent. 

Once Upon a Quinceanera by Monica Gomez-Hira 

A perfect beach read as this book is set in a Miami summer. The heroine spends the summer being a party entertainer as a Disney Princess. Her ex-boyfriend is hired by the same company. It’s hate at first sight. However, the company gets hired to be the dance crew/court of the heroine’s Quince/Sweet Sixteen. Well, there is a dysfunctional family, lots of meddlesome Latinx shenanigans. 

Please let us know if you read these and love them!

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Want more recs? Check out more book listicles here:

• Love Stories with Grief
• Enemies to Lovers Romances
• Holiday Romance Novellas
• Stories about Sisters
• Feel Good Books
• Under the Radar Book Club Picks