"Up till now, even kissing or holding hands has made me so nervous. But now..."
An unexpected mix-up leads to a year-end excursion for Nobuko and Hiroki, who find themselves sharing a hotel room rather suddenly. But as their night alone with each other begins, neither one feels quite prepared... A turning point approaches in the love story of these side characters, as feelings of affection begin to blossom into something more.

Tricey, Vic, and Lyric are three friends from the Southside of Chicago fighting in the tumultuous war between finding the one amongst the chaotic sea of Mr. Wrongs. After breaking up with her baby's father, Memphis, Vic is in the arms of one new beau after the next; turning her heartbreak into a life filled with bald-headed h*e shenanigans. Vic's new approach to love terribly clashes with Asa's uncontrollable need for being more than her next sneaky link. However, Vic's refusal to commit doesn't keep Asa's alpha male, street swag from trying desperately to blow up the wall that she has built around her terribly damaged heart. As Vic runs from Asa's attempts to woo her, Tricey has done the unthinkable: fallen in love with her friend-with-benefits. After the heart-rendering endings of her past relationships, Akbar was the ideal replacement. Everything was perfect about him... except for his pregnant wife. After fighting against it, she falls in love and realizes that she needs to walk away from the man that she can't imagine living without. Then enters "Blood" the dope boy ready to sweep her off of her feet. But can she find the courage to walk away from the explosive chemistry between she and Akbar in order to enjoy the life that Blood wants to give her? While Tricey is stuck between a dope boy and her married love, Lyric and Salem are approaching their wedding date. As they prepare to spend the rest of their lives together, Salem is under the impression that he has chosen the perfect wife-to-be. Lyric struggles with this cloak of perfection as she figures out a way to quietly end the affair she's had on the side since the day she met her soon-to-be-husband. This is only the beginning of this Urban Romance, which is filled with love that hurts, betrayals, and feels tragically unsustainable. Packed with a sea of characters that add their own two cents of drama and contribute to the shocking and heartrending end, this love story is of three homegirls, not only falling in love with the one, but also falling in love with themselves. * This is a re-release of the previously published book, Love, Sex, Lies. Since this book was written when I was very young, I wanted to give it the quality and attention that these characters deserve. This story has been revamped. Changes have been made, and many scenes have been added.

Stonewall Honor Book * A Time Magazine Best YA Book of All Time "A book for warriors, divas, artists, queens, individuals, activists, trend setters, and anyone searching for the courage to be themselves.”—Mackenzi Lee, New York Times bestselling author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue It’s 1989 in New York City, and for three teens, the world is changing. Reza is an Iranian boy who has just moved to the city with his mother to live with his stepfather and stepbrother. He’s terrified that someone will guess the truth he can barely acknowledge about himself. Reza knows he’s gay, but all he knows of gay life are the media’s images of men dying of AIDS. Judy is an aspiring fashion designer who worships her uncle Stephen, a gay man with AIDS who devotes his time to activism as a member of ACT UP. Judy has never imagined finding romance...until she falls for Reza and they start dating. Art is Judy’s best friend, their school’s only out and proud teen. He’ll never be who his conservative parents want him to be, so he rebels by documenting the AIDS crisis through his photographs. As Reza and Art grow closer, Reza struggles to find a way out of his deception that won’t break Judy’s heart—and destroy the most meaningful friendship he’s ever known. This is a bighearted, sprawling epic about friendship and love and the revolutionary act of living life to the fullest in the face of impossible odds.

Love comes in many forms. A magnificent bird comforts a struggling girl; a vampire waltzes with a young lady at night; a blind girl lives with a monster of whom there is more than meets the eye. This six-story manga collection by masterful manga creator Nagabe explores fascinating relationships that refuse to be confined.

“Will leave readers swooning.” —PopSugar ​When Dimple Met Rishi meets Ugly Delicious in this funny, smart romantic comedy, in which two Vietnamese American teens fall in love and must navigate their newfound relationship amid their families’ age-old feud about their competing, neighboring restaurants. If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal. If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and fire. She loves art and dreams pursuing a career in it. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant. For years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring pho restaurants. Bao and Linh, who’ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition. But then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao in the same vicinity despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. But then, of course, they immediately remember. Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?

Do your characters fail to bring your story to life? Are they flat, boring or have no depth? Is your story lacking a little cohesion or sparkle? In 8 Steps to Side Characters, you’ll discover: + A step-by-step guide for creating side characters that bring your story alive + The main types of side characters and what you should do with them + The key to crafting character depth that hooks readers + How to harness your character’s voice to deepen your reader's experience + Tips and tricks for using details to enhance characterization + Methods for killing characters that will help deepen plot, theme and story + Dozens of ideas for creating conflict with your side characters + Tactics for differentiating characters and making them feel real to your reader + Character archetypes and functions + The most common pitfalls and mistakes to avoid 8 Steps to Side Characters is a comprehensive writing guide that will help you create the side characters your story needs. This book is packed with tips and tricks for polishing characters for writers at any level. If you want to power up your characters, eliminate dull and lifeless archetypes, and perfect your characterization, this is the book for you. By the end of this book, you'll know how to strengthen your characters to give your story, prose and plot the extra something special it needs to capture a readers and fans for life. If you like dark humor, learning through examples and want to create better side characters, then you’ll love Sacha Black’s guide to crafting supporting roles with intention, purpose, and power. Read 8 Steps to Side Characters today and start creating kick-ass stories.

~Lambda Literary Award finalist for the best LGBT YA novel of 2018~ A fresh, charming rom-com perfect for fans of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Boy Meets Boy about Nathan Bird, who has sworn off happy endings but is sorely tested when his former best friend, Ollie, moves back to town. Nathan Bird doesn’t believe in happy endings. Although he’s the ultimate film buff and an aspiring screenwriter, Nate’s seen the demise of too many relationships to believe that happy endings exist in real life. Playing it safe to avoid a broken heart has been his MO ever since his father died and left his mom to unravel—but this strategy is not without fault. His best-friend-turned-girlfriend-turned-best-friend-again, Florence, is set on making sure Nate finds someone else. And in a twist that is rom-com-worthy, someone does come along: Oliver James Hernández, his childhood best friend. After a painful mix-up when they were little, Nate finally has the chance to tell Ollie the truth about his feelings. But can Nate find the courage to pursue his own happily ever after?

The BookTok sensation from debut author Melissa Blair—now with exclusive bonus content! "Gripping and fierce. This is much-needed fantasy with its fangs honed sharp by the power of resistance. Melissa Blair has built a tremendous world."—Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights My body is made of scars, some were done to me, but most I did to myself. Keera is a killer. As the King's Blade, she is the most talented spy in the kingdom. And the king’s favored assassin. When a mysterious figure moves against the Crown, Keera is called upon to hunt down the so-called Shadow. She tracks her target into the magical lands of the Fae, but Faeland is not what it seems . . . and neither is the Shadow. Keera is shocked by what she learns, and can't help but wonder who her enemy truly is: the King that destroyed her people or the Shadow that threatens the peace? As she searches for answers, Keera is haunted by a promise she made long ago, one that will test her in every way. To keep her word, Keera must not only save herself, but an entire kingdom. Fans of fast-paced high fantasy such as A Court of Thorns and Roses series, The Inadequate Heir, and From Blood and Ash author Jennifer L. Armentrout, will enjoy the fierce female characters, sapphic representation, and fantasy romance of A Broken Blade.

Growing up, Nobuko Tanaka was always a "side character" standing off in the corner. Now in her 20s, she's fallen in love for the first time. While she isn't any good at being assertive, she will muster her courage bit by bit as she tries her best to close the distance between herself and her crush - because even side characters fall in love. If you're tired of the same old romantic protagonists, this modest, refreshing love story is for you.

Davina Trent lives for work. She spends her days at her prestigious family law firm, ending her clients’ marriages in divorce court and negotiating their hefty payoffs. Marriage is destined to fail, and family can’t be trusted. But when Trent’s cousin dies unexpectedly, Trent is the only relative left to care for his two small children. She needs a nanny fast. All Wendy Darling ever wanted was a family. When her fiancée left her and cleared out her bank account, she didn’t think her heart would ever mend. After years abroad as a nanny, she returns to Britain to finish her degree and finally get her life back on track. Wendy falls in love with the children, but her heart aches at the distance between Trent and the kids. Wendy’s determined to show Trent how fulfilling family life can be, and soon love begins to blossom. But will Trent have the courage to embrace her desire for Wendy and her unexpected family?