by Jennifer Chen

Wednesday Books, 2023. 277 pages. Young Adult Fiction

Sixteen-year-old Chloe and her family move from New York to Los Angeles to be with her Taiwanese grandmother who has dementia. Shortly thereafter, Chloe’s boyfriend Jake dumps her by sending her a breakup box full of things from their relationship. Chloe takes her heartbreak and curates a collaborative art exhibit inspired by other teens’ break ups. Then she meets the amazing teen filmmaker Daniel with whom she feels an instant connection. But Chloe's unresolved feelings from her former relationship and Daniel's fear of being a rebound (for the sixth time) hinder their romantic prospects and leads Chloe on a journey to rediscover love and prove to Daniel she is ready for a genuine connection.

This is a richly detailed, engaging debut that is really a love letter to Los Angeles and multi-generational families, and not just a delightful teen romance.  The city is a character all itself. There is really strong sense of place. Chloe’s talent at curating is an interesting layer in this multi-layered story. I love how she sees where the light falls, how spaces flow, and how objects relate to one another. I was also deeply touched by the family drama that was going on in the background of the story. Chloe and her parents love her Ammah (grandmother) fiercely and try to help her as she descends in to dementia. And, of course, there is the uncertain new love that Chloe and Danial must navigate in teenager fashion—full of insecurity and angst. This book is for you if you love Jenny Han’s To All the Boys series.

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Instead of going to prom, seventeen-year-old Elena Soo wants to spend her time saving the local community center, and she is determined to keep her priorities straight even when her childhood best friend--who is now a K-pop superstar--returns to make good on their old pact to go to prom together.

This Time It’s Real

by Ann Liang

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When seventeen-year-old Eliza Lin's entirely fictional essay about meeting her perfect boyfriend goes viral at her international school in Beijing, she has to make a deal with the handsome and charming Caz Song to play the part--but when the relationship starts to feel real all her career plans are suddenly threatened.

by Axie Oh

Harper Teen, 2021. 337 pages. Young Adult Fiction

Cello prodigy Jenny's goal is to get into a prestigious music conservatory. When she meets Jaewoo in her uncle's Los Angeles karaoke bar, it's clear he is the kind of boy who would uproot her careful plans. In a moment of spontaneity, she allows him to pull her out of her comfort zone for one unforgettable night of adventure-- before he disappears without a word. Three months later, when Jenny and her mother arrive in South Korea to take care of her ailing grandmother, she is shocked to discover that Jaewoo is a student at the same elite arts academy where she's enrolled for the semester. He is a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world-- and he is strictly forbidden from dating. Just how much is Jenny willing to risk for love?

AG