Hi friends! I hope you all are doing well ?
I’m excited today to introduce a new kind of recommendations post: the kind where I recommend books similar to other books. Hopefully, this will give you some new ideas of books to read, if you liked certain books!
Surprise, surprise, I am starting this “If you liked” series with some YA contemporary reads! You know me, once a marshmallow, forever a marshmallow.
It took me a little while to came up with all the comparisons, but I made it and I feel really happy about it, so I hope you’ll enjoy it!
? If you liked these YA contemporaries, you’ll love these!
If you liked American Royals, you’ll love The Luxe
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What they have in common ? If you enjoy stories with the rich and famous and all the drama, these two are absolutely perfect. American Royals is all about a fictional American royalty in the present, while The Luxe is all about a rich family at the heart of the Manhattan scene in the past. Both are filled with drama, forbidden relationships, questions of power and are thrilling and addictive to read!
? read my review of American royals
If you liked Fangirl, you’ll love 180 seconds
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What they have in common ? Both of these wonderful contemporary books are set in college and yes! to! these kind of reads! I think both books really fit together, because while Cath (Fangirl) is filled with anxiety and not socializing a lot, Allison (180 seconds) is experiencing the same thing. Both girls will get out of their comfort zone little by little, get a little romance, open up and both have really close relationships with their dad, so yay!
? read my review of 180 seconds
If you liked To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, you’ll love The Summer I Turned Pretty
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What they have in common ? If you enjoy Jenny Han’s books, well… The Summer I Turned Pretty is a good one. It’s old, yes, it’s frustrating at times, yes. Yet, I found this one, just like To All The Boys, to be such an endearing read filled with romance and adorable moments.
If you liked Heartstopper, you’ll love Bloom
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What they have in common ? Well, they’re both graphic novels, for starters and they will both have you melting into a puddle of warmth and feels. Both Heartstopper and Bloom have a m/m relationship at their heart and both are so sweet and endearing you’ll fall in love with them. Heartstopper has Nellie -the most adorable dog- and classes, while Bloom has cosy, summer feels and baking. Both have a delicious slow-burning, friends to more relationships you’ll love.
? read my review of heartstopper – ? read my review of bloom
If you liked Turtles all the way down, you’ll love Am I Normal Yet?
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What they have in common ? Okay so John Green is really popular everywhere, and Holly Bourne is more popular in the UK scene, but she deserves just as much hype. Both Turtles and Am I Normal Yet? have at their heart a protagonist dealing with their own mental health, OCD especially and it doesn’t shy away from being, well… real. I loved these books for it and they’re both incredible reads.
Beware of the triggers for these two books: anxiety, OCD, self-harm for both.
? read my review of turtles all the way down – ? read my review of am i normal yet?
If you liked The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, you’ll love Peaches
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What they have in common ? If you want something to read for the summer or something with ALL The summer feels, these two books are absolutely perfect. Both have friendships as a huge part of their storylines, while some are traveling (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, obviously), others are stuck for the summer peach picking (Peaches). Both have a great cast of characters and endearing friendships and romances.
If you liked Pretty Little Liars, you’ll love Little White Lies
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What they have in common ? ALL THE DRAMA, obviously! If you enjoy stories with all the drama and secrets and plot twists, rich families and big mansions, you should love both of these. If Pretty Little Liars is based on the mystery of a friend disappearing, Little White Lies tells the story of a girl discovering her real family and getting into this strange, rich world. Both books are filled with secrets, revelations and thrilling to read!
? read my review of little white lies
If you liked Alex, Approximately, you’ll love The Summer of Chasing Mermaids
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What they have in common ? If you like Alex, Approximately, or any other Jenn Bennett book for that matter, I’d recommend The Summer of Chasing Mermaids for sure. Both have the summer feels and the romance, both are also filled with great, well-developed characters and storylines about finding yourself and what you want to do and both are just so wholesome and soft and I love them okay.
If you liked The Library of Lost Things, you’ll love Words in Deep Blue
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What they have in common ? ALL THE BOOKSHOP LOVE! Both of these books are mostly set in bookshops and we! stan! this! very! much! More seriously, both of these books are severely underrated and it’s too bad, because they are incredible. Under all the fluff appearances and soft romances slowly growing in both, they also deal with some deeper issues with their families (The Library of Lost Things) and grief (Words in Deep Blue). Both are incredible contemporaries!
? read my review of the library of lost things
If you liked This is What it Feels Like, you’ll love We Used to be Friends
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What they have in common ? FRIENDSHIPS! Both of these reads put friendships first in their storyline and we appreciate that SO VERY MUCH. This is What it Feels Like is such a wholesome read with a broken friendship and music. We Used To Be Friends is an incredible, heartbreaking read about friends growing apart. Both are also way too underrated for this world. Read them!
? read my review of this is what it feels like – ? read my review of we used to be friends
Do you want to read any of these books? Did you read them already?
What are some great contemporary reads you’ve discovered lately? Let me know in comments!
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Thanks for the recommendations. I’m definitely going to read Bloom now! 🙂
Ahhh yay! I hope you’ll enjoy it 🙂
I didn’t like Fangirl but I did like 180 Seconds! I really want to read the combo The Library of Lost Things and Words in Blue, they were already both on my list but it’s good to know that they’re great contemporaries involving bookshops, one of my fav places to be!
Ahhh yes! I hope you’ll love both, they’re so wonderful and you can feel all the bookish love in them for sure <3
Ohmygosh I’ve almost NEVER seen the Luxe mentioned in the blogisphere (one time someone mentioned ‘The Lux’ in a Booktube video & I got really excited but turns out they were actually talking about The Lux by J.L. Armentrout ?) – I think it’s so underrated! Yes it’s a little trashy but also it’s SO well written & I really loved the character development! ALSO THE COVERS ARE STUNNING ?
AH YES someone who has read The Luxe as well! Yes, I keep on hearing about The Lux, but I haven’t read that one haha. I really loved all the drama in The Luxe’s series so much and YES THESE COVERS are stunning!
Thank you!! <3
The Lux asideI haven’t read any of these Marie! I did want to read Little White Lies though…
Ahh I hope you’ll get a chance to read some of these, they’re amazing 🙂
Thank you! I’ll definitely try bloom then ?
Ahh yay, I hope you’ll love it! 😀
I really liked Fangirl, so I guess 180 seconds is going on my TBR!! Little white lies looks great as well!
I hope you’ll enjoy these! 🙂 Thank you so, so much for your comment <3
Incredible list!! There’s a lot here that I’ll add to my TBR and I agree about The Summer I Turned Pretty! I read the entire trilogy in one weekend, it’s super addicting! & now I really want to read Bloom ?✨??
Ahh thank you so much Sofi, so happy you enjoyed it!! <3 I hope you'll love Bloom <3
I just read Bloom yesterday and it was incredible! I’ll definitely check out these others. Great list!
Thankk you so much!! I hope you’ll love the other books 😀
There are so many books I want to read here! I’ve read maybe two off this whole list. Excited to have some more books to check out!
-alittlebiteoflife.com
Yay! I hope you’ll enjoy them 🙂
Thank you for stopping by! <3
I’m reading The Library of Lost Things right now, and I love it!! I’m so here for books about books and soft romances <3 Every book lover should check it out, and I'm definitely going to add Words in Deep Blue to my TBR pile 😀
AHH YAY! I’m happy you’re enjoying it, it’s such an underrated, amazing read <3 I hope you'll love words in deep blue as well 🙂
I remember seeing the cover of Luxe and adding it to my TBR- beautiful gowns were all the rage at that time and I certainly wasn’t immune to them! I love both PLL and Little White Lies, I gave up on the 8th book of PLL but sitll, I remember enjoying all the books before to the 8th one. I love Alex, Approximately, but unfortunately I couldn’t get into Summer of Chasing Mermaids.
Great reviews!
Whoops I mean post!
YES me too I gave up on the 8th PLL book aahh it was getting a little long haha 🙂
Thank you so much, Tasya <3
Aah thank you! And you’re welcome, you deserve it!! <3
You’re too sweet thank you so, so, so much! ?
I loooove Fangirl and have read it no less than three times now, so I’m all over a new contemporary that’s similar to it! Adding it to my Goodreads now, thank you! 🙂
Ahh yay! I hope you’ll love it 🙂
Thank you, Kate! 🙂
I think ALL of Jessica Park’s books are underrated. They’re all AMAZING reads. I would probably categorize them as NA instead of YA, though.
Yes I guess you’re right, for me the line is a little blurry for some titles ahah 🙂 Thank you!! 🙂
I will definitely have to check out Am I Normal Yet?! I’ve heard about it before, but I never picked it up. I ADORED Turtles, so this sounds like it would be perfect for me. Great post 🙂
Ahhh yes you should, it is such an incredible read. A little heavy at times, but so, so good.
Thank you, Jessica! 🙂
I looooved The Luxe growing up and now you’ve compared it to American Royals I’m dying to read it! I also can’t wait to read We Used To Be Friends!
AHH YES! I hope you’ll love American Royals 😀
Thank you so much for your comment! <3
I loved 180 Seconds by Jessica Park!!
Yes! It was such a good read 🙂
I love posts like this one! Especially because I’ve actually read most of the “if you liked this” books but almost none of the “then read this” ones. So of course, my wishlist just grew because of you yet again. So thank you!! <3
Ahh this makes me so, so happy, I hope you’ll find books you love there 😀
Thank you! <3
haha i’m definitely also always a marshmallow as well!! ? i’ve basically only been reading YA contemporary books this quarantine (it’s my comfort genre lol), so this came at the perfect time! i’ve only read We Used To Be Friends from your list, but all of these sound so fluffy and amazing.
i loved reading this, Marie! ??
YES to being marshmallows haha 🙂
I hope you’ll find some new reads to love here! Thank you so much <3
The lucky ones, avocado bliss, autoboyography were best contemporaries I read recently
Ahh I have The Lucky Ones on my TBR, excited to read it! 🙂
Ohhh, this is such a fantastic list! I love that you showcased underrated books ? I want more people to read Am I Normal Yet? as it’s an amazing book that deserves so much more love! Same with We Used to be Friends – I just recently read it and I’m still emotionally affected ? I’ll check out 180 seconds now, as I love Fangirl ?
Ahh thank you, Caro! I agree, I want everyone to read Am I Normal Yet, it’s such an incredible book <3
Thank you!! <3
This is a great list! I loved Alex Approximately and 180 seconds! I haven’t read To All the Boys Before but it’s on my TBR list.
Ah thank you, Raven! I hope you’ll love to all the boys 🙂
I loved Fangirl so I’ll have to check out 180 Seconds!
ahh yes you should! It’s such a good read 🙂
These are all such great comparisons and recs! I would love to see The Luxe back a comeback and take over the book blogging community. I agree that both The Library of Lost Things and Words in Deep Blue are completely underrated – both are so fantastic! Katharine McGee’s Thousandth Floor series is also a great fit for people who liked both American Royals and PLL.
Ahh yes, me too! It was such a fun read, I remember loving it so, so much 🙂
Ahh yes, I agree with you, the thousandth floor was an excellent series, I had so much fun with it 🙂
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Love this post! Fangirl was one of my favourite books when I started blogging, but I’ve never heard about ‘180 Seconds’, definitely going to check it on Goodreads now!
Ahh I hope you’ll enjoy it 🙂
Thank you!! <3
Is it weird that I’ve read most of the books that you’ve recommended, but hardly any of the ones that you’ve made your recommendations based on…? Well, I guess the recommendations go both ways so I’m super excited to check these newly-discovered novels out ASAP! Thanks for the recs!
Ahhhh well all the recommendations go both way for sure! I hope you’ll enjoy the books!! 😀
Surprisingly, I’ve heard of many of the underrated ones. I never really got into contemporaries until the last few years, so I haven’t read many. However, you have Fangirl on here which is the only on the list I’ve read, as well as a book I didn’t really like. I loved the fanfiction parts, the college setting, the family aspect, and Cath’s personality, but the relationship in the story really bugged me and felt extremely lacking and it kinda ruined the story for me. If 180 Seconds has the same kind of feel (minus the fanfiction, of course) I’ll have to pick it up and see if I enjoy it any better!
Ahhh well that’s great, these underrated books need to be talked about more, they’re lovely 🙂
I’m sorry you didn’t entirely love Fangirl. 180 seconds is set in college as well and is wonderful and I really, really liked the growing relationship in that one. I hope you’ll like it better 🙂
I love posts like this !!
I’ve been wanting to read some Holly Borne for a while, I just see her book being praised so much !! I just added 180 seconds onto my virtual tbr, where a few were already on there!
Hoping you’d do another one of thoses xx your recommendations is always gold with me !
Ahh thank you! I hope you’ll love Holly Bourne, especially if you like books dealing with mental health, she’s wonderful in that area 🙂
Thank you!! So happy you like these kind of posts 🙂
Oooh I read 180 seconds as an ARC several years ago. I loved it! I was honestly surprised at how much I enjoyed it, lol. I’ve also had the Lux on my TBR for years! I never see people talking about it so I’ve never gotten around to purchasing it. The covers are so gorgeous though. Wonderful post! 😀
-Amber
Ahh yes I was surprised by how much this book hit me, too. I loved it! 🙂
I agree, the book covers of The Luxe series are so lovely. I hope you’ll get a chance to read them 🙂
Thank you, Amber 🙂
Oh yay! Thanks for the recs! I have yet to read many of these, but they’re all on the list now haha. Though I read some of Luxe a long time ago. It may not have been my type of book, but it’s definitely perfect for those who love the drama.
Ahh I’m happy you could get some recommendations from this post and hope you’ll find some books to love 😀
This is such a great post Marie! I love how you shine a light on some underrated books! <3 Luckily for me, I read some of these books and others are already on my TBR, so I didn't have to add to it even more haha 🙂
Ahh thank you! <3 I hope you'll love the books you have on your TBR, when you can read them 🙂
the thing I like most about your posts, is that I have usually read most of the books. I read 14 of these, and I see some I really loved up there. I feel like 180 Seconds doesn’t get the attention it should, because it is new adult, and NA gets a bad rap. Parks’ books all have a lot of depth, and I thought that book was fantastic!
Ahhh yay! I so agree with you. I’m a little sad that this book isn’t appreciated more, it deserves all of the love. I need to read more of Park’s books! 🙂
It has been such a long time since I read The Luxe series or any of Anna Godbersen’s books ? I’ll definitely have to give 180 seconds a go! Thanks for the recs 🙂
You’re so welcome! I hope you’ll enjoy it 🙂
OMG BEST POST I THINK I HAVE READ ALL DAY!!!! I have been looking for someone who shares the same interest in books as I do. I would love it if you came and followed me on my blog and gave me some suggestions.
Thank you so much! 🙂
You already know me, and I have yet to read any of the original recs here, bUT that just means I have more YA to look forward to :’)
Ahhh YAY! I hope you’ll get a chance to read some of these! 🙂
– I really want to read 180 Seconds now! I’ve never heard of it before but it sounds like something I would love (especially since I enjoyed Fangirl).
– I’ve read and enjoyed both Turtles All The Way Down and Am I Normal Yet? and I can totally see the similarities there!
– I’ve also really got to get around to reading The Library of Lost Things and Words in Deep Blue. They’ve both been on my radar for a little while and I am so sure I will enjoy them, especially after seeing what you’ve said about them.
Awesome post, Marie 😀
Ahh I hope you’ll love 180 seconds, it is such a lovely book 🙂 and yes! If you love books about books and libraries and wonderful contemporaries with soft romances, you should love both of these 🙂
Thank you so much, Sabrina! 🙂
Ohh I love underrated books and I want to read more, it is like my personal goal !! So this is a great idea and it is always nice to be about to talk about them !! I’m glad to hear you loved Words in Deep Blue as I got gifted this book and I’m excited to read it !! The book love and the important themes make me very excited to read it !!
I am also excited to get to Bloom because it looks so soft and the colour theme is beautiful !! I’m so glad you enjoyed it !!
I’m also excited about We Used To Be Friends !! I love friendship being the focus so I need to get to This Is What It Feels Like too !!
Thank you for sharing this great list !! It makes me excited to learn and read about these books !! <3
Ahh thank you Sophie! Yes me too! I feel like I’m reading a lot of hyped books and certain there are so many little gems I’m missing out on!
I’m so eager for you to read Words in Deep Blue, it’s such a wonderful read ahhh I loved it so so much 🙂
Thank you so much! <3 <3
This is the perfect post for me! ? I’m crafting my contemporary-only summer TBR, so I’ll definitely be looking into some of these.
AHH thank you! I hope you’ll love all of these and always here if you need more contemporary recs!! <3
Marie!! This is amazing, you are absolutely the queen of contemporary reads and this post is perfection.?Thank you so much for all of these recommendations! This post is so creative and since I’ve read a few of these I got some new recommendations for my TBR- I especially am interested in We Used to Be Friends. Thank you for all of these recs! xx
AHHH Olivia thank you, you’re so sweet! I can’t wait for you to read these books. We Used to be friends was such an incredible read, I hope you’ll love it 🙂
I look forward to 180 Seconds then. Loved Fangirl!
Ahh hope you’ll enjoy it! 🙂
Adds 7 more books to my TBR… ?
AH YES my job here is done haha this makes me so happy, thank you!! <3
I love your recommendation posts; which I am sure I have said so many times. Haha 😛 I am looking forward to reading a lot of these books that you mentioned, especially because some of them I have read and reading books similar to them will be nice!
Ahh thank you Ashley! <3 I hope you'll love these books 😀
Ohh I didn’t know 180 seconds was set in college! I’ll definitely have to check that one out haha.
I haven’t read a lot of these, but let me just say the covers are all so beautiful and colorful! Thanks for this awesome list of recs Maria 😀
Ahh yes you should, it is a lovely book! 😀
Thank you! <3
I definitely want to read American Royals and The Luxe. I think that’s actually the first time I’ve seen the second of these mentioned but it sounds incredible and the covers are divine!! I can’t believe I haven’t read it yet as I brought the series second hand a couple of years ago feeling desperate to read it. Ooh Little White Lies is already on my TBR but I’ll definitely have to get on with it soon if it shares things in common with PLL. Books like that are so addictive and impossible to put down once started. And I do want to seriously get reading some Holly Bourne books; she has so many fantastic sounding ones.
AH YAY I hope you’ll love these, they’re so amazing <3
Holly Bourne is a wonderful writer and I hope you can discover her stories soon, they're all wonderful <3
Thank you, Charlotte! 🙂
Thank you ?
i need to read bloom so badly!! i’ve heard amazing things about it and i’ve been wanting to read it since it came out, but now you comparing it to heartstopper seals the deal <3 i haven't read many of the other books on your list, but i really do need to read this is what it feels like ? i think it's the type of contemporary that could be a favorite!!
ahhhh yes yes you should it is such a lovely book I adore it so much <3 <3
thank you!! <3
Okay okay Marie you always have the best YA contemporary recommendations and I need to check out a lot of these!!
aahhh this made my entire day. thank you so much! I hope you’ll love these 🙂
Looks like I have some new books to add to my TBR! Thanks for this list!
You’re so welcome, I hope you’ll love these 😀
Oh oh I loved Fangirl so that makes me need to read 180 Seconds. And Bloom AND Heartstopper are both the absolute best ?? the softness yessss. I recently loved Don’t Read The Comments by Eric Smith and also Camp by Lev Rosen!!
Ahh, I need to read Don’t Read the Comments, it sounds like such a great book! 🙂
Thank you! <3