Book picks similar to
Likely Story by David Van Etten


young-adult
realistic-fiction
ebooks
ya

Prom Impossible


Laura Pauling - 2014
     Cassidy decides her senior year, including prom, will be about Michael, the boy destined to be her soul mate. One problem. He hasn't figured that out yet. But certain events meant as innocent pranks (that weren't completely her fault) introduce her to Zeke, the reformed bad boy. And cutting deals in the boys' bathroom with Jasper, the hottest guy in school, lands her in a complicated web of half-truths. At the end of the year, she's dateless the day before the big night and risks losing the real thing right in front of her if she can't fix her mistakes.

16 Reasons Why My Life Sucks


Sara Walker - 2005
    Her mother has recently lost her job and has now resorted to bus driving. Her best friend is a midget and the hottest junior in school lives right next door (Kate hates him). And to top it all off, her sister Erica is PERFECT and has recently gotten the lead role in the school play. But then Erica suddenly gets sick and Kate has to fill in for her. Can Kate cope with all of this? It might take the help of the guy she meets in New York City...

Love on Cue


Catherine Hapka - 2009
     Maggie Tannery is a true theater girl and a total shoo-in for the lead in this year's school production of Romeo and Juliet. She's seriously psyched because it looks like her crush, Daniel, might be playing her Romeo both on- and offstage -- if all goes as planned. But when her school decides to perform a musical instead, Maggie catches a major case of stage fright -- because she can't sing! With her lead role in jeopardy, as well as her chance of winning her leading man, Maggie turns to the musically talented Nico to give her voice lessons. But their voices aren't the only things that seem to be harmonizing. As Maggie tries to break a leg -- and not her heart -- she wonders who the music man of her dreams really is....

Fake Boyfriend


Kate Brian - 2007
    If only he were real. Lane and Vivi have had it with Isabelle Hunter's boyfriend, Shawn Littig (a.k.a. Sluttig). He is the only person who can turn their smart, confident best friend into a complete mess. When Shawn Sluttig cheats on and dumps Izzy just months before the prom she's been planning since the ninth grade, Lane and Vivi decide to take action. With a few quick keystrokes, they create a MySpace page for "Brandon," the perfect guy to get Izzy out of her revolving-door relationship with Shawn. Too bad he's totally fake. Vivi's younger brother, Marshall, who they hire to be the "man" behind the profile, is way too into being Izzy's fake boyfriend. So they turn to cute, prep-school Jonathan to be the face of Brandon. But when Vivi falls for Jonathan, and Sluttig tries to wedge his way back into Izzy's prom picture, the whole plan starts to go south faster than you can say "fake boyfriend."

My Double Life


Janette Rallison - 2010
    This would seem like the opportunity of a lifetime, but Alexia's mother has always warned her against celebrities. Rebelliously, Alexia flies off to L.A. and gets immersed in a celebrity life. Not only does she have to get used to getting anything she wants, she romances the hottest lead singer on the charts, and finds out that her own father is a singing legend. Through it all, Alexia must stay true to herself, which is hard to do when you are pretending to be somebody else!

High School Boys


Melanie Marks - 2012
    Sure Nicole has always fantasized about being more than friends, but Matt goes through girlfriends like lightening. So, Nicole figures her heart is safer if they just stay buds. But then—gasp!—one night Matt kisses her. And it’s everything Nicole dreamed it would be—everything—hot, tender, perfect, everything … except now it seems their friendship is ruined. Nicole desperately wants things to go back to the way they were. But the kiss changed everything. (This novel is based off Melanie's short story, The Kiss, found in the teen anthology, Kissing.)This book also includes the short story, “More of His Kisses.” The story follows-up on Griffin and Ally from Melanie’s book, HIS KISS.*Note: Melanie’s teen paranormal novel, A Demon’s Kiss, is loosely based off this novel (High School Boys). So is her short story, The One, found in the teen paranormal anthology, So Hot For You. Both, A Demon’s Kiss and The One, are paranormal stories. However, this novel is not.

That Time I Joined the Circus


J.J. Howard - 2013
    After making a huge mistake--and facing a terrible tragedy--Lexi has no choice but to track down her long-absent mother. Rumor has it that Lexi's mom is somewhere in Florida with a traveling circus.When Lexi arrives at her new, three-ring reality, her mom isn't there . . . but her destiny might be. Surrounded by tigers, elephants, and trapeze artists, Lexi finds some surprising friends and an even more surprising chance at true love. She even lucks into a spot as the circus's fortune teller, reading tarot cards and making predictions.But then Lexi's ex-best friend from home shows up, and suddenly it's Lexi's own future that's thrown into question.With humor, wisdom, and a dazzlingly fresh voice, this debut reminds us of the magic of circus tents, city lights, first kisses, and the importance of an excellent playlist.

Miracle


Elizabeth Scott - 2012
    At least, that’s what everyone says. Having survived a plane crash that killed everyone else on board, Megan knows she should be grateful just to be alive. But the truth is, she doesn’t feel like a miracle. In fact, she doesn’t feel anything at all. Then memories from the crash start coming back.Scared and alone, Megan doesn’t know whom to turn to. Her entire community seems unable—or maybe unwilling—to see her as anything but Miracle Megan. Everyone except for Joe, the beautiful boy next door with a tragic past and secrets of his own. All Megan wants is for her life to get back to normal, but the harder she tries to live up to everyone’s expectations, the worse she feels. And this time, she may be falling too fast to be saved....

The Karma Club


Jessica Brody - 2010
    Do good things and you'll be rewarded, do something bad and Karma will make sure you get what you deserve. But when Maddy’s boyfriend  cheats on her, nothing bad comes his way. That’s why Maddy  starts the Karma Club,  to clean up the messes that the universe has left behind. Sometimes, though, it isn’t wise to meddle with the universe. It turns out Karma often has plans of its own.

Me, Him, Them, and It


Caela Carter - 2013
    HIM is Todd, Evelyn's secret un-boyfriend, who she thought she was just using for sex - until she accidentally fell in love with him. But before Evelyn gets a chance to tell Todd how she feels, something much more important comes up. IT. IT is a fetus. Evelyn is pregnant - and when Todd turns his back on her, Evelyn has no idea who to turn to. Can a cheating father, a stiff, cold mother, a pissed-off BFF, and a (thankfully!) loving aunt with adopted girls of her own help Evelyn make the heart-wrenching decisions that follow?

Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff That Made Me Famous


Kathryn Williams - 2012
    When her best friend, Alex, tries to convince her to audition for a new reality show, Teen Test Kitchen, Sophie is reluctant. But the prize includes a full scholarship to one of America's finest culinary schools and a summer in Napa, California, not to mention fame. Once on-set, Sophie immediately finds herself in the thick of the drama—including a secret burn book, cutthroat celebrity judges, and a very cute French chef. Sophie must figure out a way to survive all the heat and still stay true to herself. A terrific YA offering—fresh, fun, and sprinkled with romance.

The Perfect Boy


Hailey Abbott - 2007
    She wants a boyfriend. So she waves good-bye to her wild LA ways and heads to Santa Barbara for the summer. When she sees sexy AJ rapping at a local club, she's sure he's the one! But AJ is only devoted to his music career. So Ciara and her pal Kevin develop a sneaky little scheme to pull AJ out of the limelight and into her arms. But does AJ have what it takes to be Ciara's perfect boy?

Peaches


Jodi Lynn Anderson - 2005
    In a Ya-Ya Sisterhood for teens, Peaches combines three unforgettable heroines who have nothing in common but the troubles that have gotten them sentenced to a summer of peach picking at a Georgia orchard.Leeda is a debutante dating wrong-side-of-the-tracks Rex.Murphy, the wildest girl in Bridgewater, likes whichever side Rex is on.Birdie is a dreamer whose passion for Girl Scout cookies is matched only by her love for a boy named Enrico.When their worlds collide, The Breakfast Club meets The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in an entirely original and provocative story with a lush, captivating setting.

Pretty Amy


Lisa Burstein - 2012
    But you’d be wrong.No friends. My two besties, Cassie and Lila, are now officially parentally banned.No summer of freedom. Instead, I’ll be working at a convenience store, earning money just so I can cover bail.No future. Just a series of humiliating “rehabilitation techniques” designed to teach me a lesson.The only silver lining is Aaron—a mystery wrapped in a leather jacket and wielding car keys—who just happens to show up right when I need him. Now I only feel alive when we’re driving together, the wind in my hair.Maybe finally getting a life only happens once you think your life is over.

Pretty Crooked


Elisa Ludwig - 2012
    Bilking her “friends”-known to everyone as the Glitterati-without them suspecting a thing, is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and break into lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packages to the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong” side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected.The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’s most notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what matters most to her-evening the social playing field between the have and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys, especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan.But when the cops start investigating the string of burglaries at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could he wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?