Book picks similar to
GoldenGirl by Micol Ostow


ya
young-adult
contemporary
ya-novels

Expelled


James Patterson - 2017
    No final grade. No future. No fair.Theo's resigned to a life of misery working at the local mini-mart when a miracle happens: Sasha Ellis speaks to him. Sasha Ellis knows his name. She was also expelled for a crime she didn't commit, and now he has the perfect way to get her attention: find out who set them up.To uncover the truth, Theo has to get close to the suspects: the hacker, the quarterback, the mean girl, the vice principal, and his own best friend. What secrets are they hiding? And how can Theo catch their confessions on camera?

The Assassin Game


Kirsty McKay - 2015
    when they come for me. I am already awake, strung out on the fear that they will come, and the fear that they won’t. When I finally hear the click of the latch on the dormitory door, I have only a second to brace myself before—At Cate's isolated boarding school, Killer is more than a game—it’s an elite secret society. Members must avoid being “Killed” during a series of thrilling pranks, and only the Game Master knows who the “Killer” is. When Cate’s finally invited to join the Assassins’ Guild, she know it’s her ticket to finally feeling like she belongs.But when the game becomes all too real, the school threatens to shut it down. Cate will do anything to keep playing and save the Guild. But can she find the real assassin before she’s the next target?

Girl, Hero


Carrie Jones - 2008
    But her mom's live-in boyfriend has a thing for booze, touching, and telling dark family secrets. And the other people in her world aren't exactly role-model material, either. Her unreliable father cries a lot, wears blue tights, and drives a little beige car. Her backstabbing best friend cares more about being popular than being real. And her older, married sister is showing up with big purple bruises on her face. Then there's Paolo, who's cute and nice and makes Lily want to recite romantic movie lines. To deal, Lily writes letters to John Wayne. Sure, he's a dead movie cowboy, but at least the Duke knew about doing the right thing, about being a hero. Now, Lily just needs to figure out how to be a hero herself. Praise for Tips on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend and Love (and other uses for duct tape): "Provocative . . . The author's poetic prose ably captures her heroine's emotional upheavals."--Publishers Weekly "...honest, earthy, and appealing." --KLIATT "An emotional story that's true at heart." --Kirkus

Something Like Fate


Susane Colasanti - 2010
    One thing that connects them is their fascination of fate. Lani wonders how much of our lives has already been decided and how much we can actually influence. Since the Unknown can unexpectedly change our lives forever, how much can we really control?From the minute Lani meets Jason, she can't deny the intense connection they share. It feels like she's known him forever. She's not sure if he feels it, too. But it doesn't matter. Because Jason is Erin's boyfriend. Lani is determined to ignore her feelings for Jason, no matter how powerful they are, rather than risk hurting her best friend.How long can Lani keep running from the boy who might be her destiny?

DupliKate


Cherry Cheva - 2009
    Getting into Yale has been her dream for years and being generally overworked and totally under-rested is the price of admission. But when she opens her eyes the next day, she comes face-to-face with, well, her face which is attached to her body, which is standing across the room. Wait, what?Meet Kate's computer-generated twin. Kate doesn't know why she's here or how to put her back where she belongs, but she's real. And she's the last thing Kate has time to deal with right now. Unless . . . Could having a double be the answer to Kate's prayers? After all, two Kates can do more work than one. Or will keeping her twin a secret turn her dream future into a living nightmare?

Summer in the City


Elizabeth Chandler - 2006
    But when she meets irresistible Josh, Jamie realizes she could probably use all the romance advice she can get!Lacrosse camp 9 a.m.–noon (can't be late! "Coach" Josh will freak out)Basketball camp 1:00–4:00 (so many screaming kids. . . )Shopping with Mona 4:30 (finally a break)Date with Andrew 7:30 (he's so perfect. . . isn't he?)

Love, Hollywood Style


Paul Ruditis - 2008
    Sure, she has a cool job as a tour guide at a real Hollywood movie studio, but when it comes to her personal life, she can barely get her crush, Connor, to notice her.Then Tracy gets a brilliant idea: Why not win Connor's heart with some help from the big screen? Taking her cues from her favorite chick flicks, Tracy puts Operation Rom Com into action, and it actually seems to work!But Tracy soon realizes that getting the leading man isn't the same as keeping him. Maybe things never work out like they do in the movies--or do they?

All-American Girl


Meg Cabot - 2002
    Her big sister is the most popular girl in school9. Her little sister is a certified genius8. She's in love with her big sister's boyfriend7. She got caught selling celebrity portraits in school6. And now she's being forced to take art classes5. She's just saved the president of the United States from an assassination attempt4. So the whole world thinks she is a hero3. Even though Sam knows she is far, far from being a hero2. And now she's been appointed teen ambassador to the UNAnd the number-one reason Sam's life is over?1. The president's son just might be in love with her

Tourist Trap


Emma Harrison - 2006
    . .See, the thing is, I almost have enough money, I have tons of riding students who pay me, but there's this guy, and every time he calls I have to see him, so I've kind of been skipping work lately . . . but I'll have the fee soon, I promise!

Top 8


Katie Finn - 2008
    I had my three best friends, a brand-new boyfriend, and the lead in the school play. Aside from that history paper I hadn't started, things felt perfect.Then I returned from spring break to find my Friendverse profile hacked. Someone clearly out to ruin me had spilled the most damaging secrets - AND posted the worst photos of me ever taken - online.

Anon.


Diamond McKinney - 2013
    She's smart, funny, witty and charming but there's one little problem. No one knows these things about Chelsea except for her blog readers. You see, Chelsea isn't exactly the Prom Queen or captain of the cheer leading team. In fact, she's just as relevant as the ten year old stale gum on the bottom of her desk. Well, at least that's what she thinks of herself. Join Chelsea as she blogs through three and a half weeks of torn friendships, betrayal, love interests and crumbling relationships.

Biggest Flirts


Jennifer Echols - 2014
    She’s worked hard to earn her reputation as the life of the party, and she’s ready for a carefree senior year of hanging out with friends and hooking up with cute boys. And her first order of business? New guy Will. She can’t get enough of his Midwestern accent and laidback swagger. As the sparks start to fly, Will wants to get serious. Tia’s seen how caring too much has left her sisters heartbroken, and she isn’t interested in commitment. But pushing Will away drives him into the arms of another girl. Tia tells herself it’s no big deal…until the yearbook elections are announced. Getting voted Biggest Flirts with Will is, well, awkward. They may just be friends, but their chemistry is beginning to jeopardize Will’s new relationship—and causing Tia to reconsider her true feelings. What started as a lighthearted fling is about to get very complicated…

None of the Regular Rules


Erin Soderberg Downing - 2012
    But this isn’t just any list; it’s a dead girl's bucket list.Sophie's beloved aunt Suzy died as a teenager in a fatal fall, leaving Sophie with an overly cautious family, a few fading photographs, and a bucket of bolts that barely passes for a car. But now, Sophie has Suzy’s list of the things she wanted to do in her last year of high school. Sophie can't help but wonder: What would happen if she tried to fulfill Suzy’s last wishes, to live out the longed-for life of her aunt, her hero?As Sophie and her friends attempt to knock off the things on Suzy's list of dares, love blossoms in unexpected places and Sophie begins to feel that her life is finally coming together...when in fact, everything is slowly unraveling around her. When the truth about a long-held family secret threatens to shatter everything she believed to be true, Sophie is forced to question everything she knew about the life and people she believed in, and ultimately herself.

Fault Line


Christa Desir - 2013
    Luckily for Ben, Ani wants him too. She’s everything Ben could ever imagine. Everything he could ever want.But that all changes after the party. The one Ben misses. The one Ani goes to alone. Now Ani isn’t the girl she used to be, and Ben can’t sort out the truth from the lies. What really happened, and who is to blame?Ben wants to help her, but she refuses to be helped. The more she pushes Ben away, the more he wonders if there’s anything he can do to save the girl he loves.

Instructions for a Broken Heart


Kim Culbertson - 2011
    Jessa is left with a care package from her best friend titled "Top Twenty Reasons He's a Slimy Jerk Bastard," instructing her to do one un-Jessa-like thing each day of the trip. At turns hilarious and heartwrenching, Instructions for a Broken Heart paints a magical Italy in which Jessa learns she must figure out life-and romance-for herself.