About the Author

Ream Shukairy is a Syrian American born and raised full-time in Orange County, California and part-time over summers in Syria. Whether in California or Syria, she feels at home where her family is and wherever there’s a beach. She has a talent for learning languages and is always on the search for the next place she can travel and flex her words. The daughter of immigrants, there isn’t a stereotype she won’t try her hardest to defy. She can be found reading at the beach, with her sisters watching anime, or playing volleyball really anywhere. She currently resides in Boston for graduate school. The Next New Syrian Girl is her debut novel.

Peek the Audiobook

From NOVL Nation

“Ahhhh this book broke me and then stitched me back up! The PLOT TWISTS oh em geeeeee I was gasping and crying! And the love, oh the halal love, it had me having goosebumps from the CHEMISTRY! Prepare to be shook!!!!”

—Shifa, @muslimmommyblog

“I loved how these girls learned from each other and saw that they were equals.”

—Melanie, Goodreads

“This was such a heart-wrenching and emotional read that absolutely consumed me.”

—Olivia, onemused

#TheNextNewSyrianGirl

Praise for THE NEXT NEW SYRIAN GIRL

About the Author

Daniel Aleman is the award-winning author of Indivisible. Born and raised in Mexico City, he has lived in various places across North America and is currently based in Toronto, where he is on a never-ending search for the best tacos in the city. Brighter Than the Sun is his second novel.

#BrighterThantheSun

Book Club Guide

Additional Resources

Additional Resources

Additional Resources

Additional Resources

Kelly McWilliams is a mixed-race writer who has always gravitated towards stories about crossing boundaries and forging new identities. For this and so many other reasons, young adult literature will always be close to her heart. Her novel, Agnes at the End of the World, benefitted from a We Need Diverse Books Mentorship.

She has loved crafting stories all her life, and her very first novel, Doormat, was published when she was just fifteen-years-old. Kelly has also worked as a staff writer for Romper, covering issues important to women and families. She lives in Colorado with her partner and young daughter. Visit her website at KellyMcWilliamsAuthor.com.

Peek the Audiobook

#YourPlantationPromIsNotOkay

Kelly McWilliams

About the Author

Kelly McWilliams is a mixed-race writer. Agnes at the End of the World was a finalist for the Golden Kite Award, and Mirror Girls is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and Target Book Club Pick. She’s written for Time, Bustle, and Publishers Weekly among other outlets. She lives in Seattle with her family.

Learn more about this author

About the Author

Kelly McWilliams is a mixed-race writer who has always gravitated towards stories about crossing boundaries and forging new identities. For this and so many other reasons, young adult literature will always be close to her heart. Her novel, Agnes at the End of the World, benefitted from a We Need Diverse Books Mentorship.

She has loved crafting stories all her life, and her very first novel, Doormat, was published when she was just fifteen-years-old. Kelly has also worked as a staff writer for Romper, covering issues important to women and families. She lives in Colorado with her partner and young daughter. Visit her website at KellyMcWilliamsAuthor.com.

Peek the Audiobook

#YourPlantationPromIsNotOkay

About the Author

Kelly McWilliams is a mixed-race writer who has always gravitated towards stories about crossing boundaries and forging new identities. For this and so many other reasons, young adult literature will always be close to her heart. Her novel, Agnes at the End of the World, benefitted from a We Need Diverse Books Mentorship.

She has loved crafting stories all her life, and her very first novel, Doormat, was published when she was just fifteen-years-old. Kelly has also worked as a staff writer for Romper, covering issues important to women and families. She lives in Colorado with her partner and young daughter. Visit her website at KellyMcWilliamsAuthor.com.

Peek the Audiobook

#YourPlantationPromIsNotOkay

About the Author

Ream Shukairy is a Syrian American born and raised full-time in Orange County, California and part-time over summers in Syria. Whether in California or Syria, she feels at home where her family is and wherever there’s a beach. She has a talent for learning languages and is always on the search for the next place she can travel and flex her words. The daughter of immigrants, there isn’t a stereotype she won’t try her hardest to defy. She can be found reading at the beach, with her sisters watching anime, or playing volleyball really anywhere. She currently resides in Boston for graduate school. The Next New Syrian Girl is her debut novel.

Peek the Audiobook

From NOVL Nation

“Ahhhh this book broke me and then stitched me back up! The PLOT TWISTS oh em geeeeee I was gasping and crying! And the love, oh the halal love, it had me having goosebumps from the CHEMISTRY! Prepare to be shook!!!!”

—Shifa, @muslimmommyblog

“I loved how these girls learned from each other and saw that they were equals.”

—Melanie, Goodreads

“This was such a heart-wrenching and emotional read that absolutely consumed me.”

—Olivia, onemused

#TheNextNewSyrianGirl

Praise for THE NEXT NEW SYRIAN GIRL

About the Author

Ream Shukairy is a Syrian American born and raised full-time in Orange County, California and part-time over summers in Syria. Whether in California or Syria, she feels at home where her family is and wherever there’s a beach. She has a talent for learning languages and is always on the search for the next place she can travel and flex her words. The daughter of immigrants, there isn’t a stereotype she won’t try her hardest to defy. She can be found reading at the beach, with her sisters watching anime, or playing volleyball really anywhere. She currently resides in Boston for graduate school. The Next New Syrian Girl is her debut novel.

Peek the Audiobook

From NOVL Nation

“Ahhhh this book broke me and then stitched me back up! The PLOT TWISTS oh em geeeeee I was gasping and crying! And the love, oh the halal love, it had me having goosebumps from the CHEMISTRY! Prepare to be shook!!!!”

—Shifa, @muslimmommyblog

“I loved how these girls learned from each other and saw that they were equals.”

—Melanie, Goodreads

“This was such a heart-wrenching and emotional read that absolutely consumed me.”

—Olivia, onemused

#TheNextNewSyrianGirl

Praise for THE NEXT NEW SYRIAN GIRL

About the Author

Ream Shukairy is a Syrian American born and raised full-time in Orange County, California and part-time over summers in Syria. Whether in California or Syria, she feels at home where her family is and wherever there’s a beach. She has a talent for learning languages and is always on the search for the next place she can travel and flex her words. The daughter of immigrants, there isn’t a stereotype she won’t try her hardest to defy. She can be found reading at the beach, with her sisters watching anime, or playing volleyball really anywhere. She currently resides in Boston for graduate school. The Next New Syrian Girl is her debut novel.

Peek the Audiobook

From NOVL Nation

“Ahhhh this book broke me and then stitched me back up! The PLOT TWISTS oh em geeeeee I was gasping and crying! And the love, oh the halal love, it had me having goosebumps from the CHEMISTRY! Prepare to be shook!!!!”

—Shifa, @muslimmommyblog

“I loved how these girls learned from each other and saw that they were equals.”

—Melanie, Goodreads

“This was such a heart-wrenching and emotional read that absolutely consumed me.”

—Olivia, onemused

#TheNextNewSyrianGirl

Praise for THE NEXT NEW SYRIAN GIRL

About the Author

Sara Saedi is the author of the memoir Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card and the Never Ever series. She is also a television writer, most recently working on the upcoming Green Lantern series for HBO Max. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two sons.

#IMissYouIHateThis

About the Author

Val Emmich is a writer, singer-songwriter, and actor. He has had recurring roles on Vinyl and Ugly Betty as well as a memorable guest role as Liz Lemon’s coffee-boy fling, Jamie, on 30 Rock. His debut novel, The Reminders, was a B&N Discover selection that Library Journal called “quirky, touching and addictive.” Emmich lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his wife and their two children.

Peek the Audiobook

FROM NOVL NATION

Book Club Guide

Playlist

#MAYBEWEREELECTRIC

About the Author

Katrina Leno was born on the East Coast and currently lives in Los Angeles. She is the author of seven critically acclaimed novels, including You Must Not Miss, Horrid, and Sometime in Summer. You can visit her online at katrinaleno.com.

#SometimeInSummer

About the Author

Natasha Friend is the author of several YA and middle-grade novels that tackle the truths of teen and tween lives. Her most recent YA novels are How We Roll and The Other F-Word (FSG), the latter received starred reviews from PW and Booklist and was named on the Rainbow List and ILA Young Adult's Choice Reading List. Natasha lives in Connecticut with her family and two crazy dogs. When she isn’t writing, she is reading, washing baseball pants, and wishing she was in a talent show.

From NOVL Nation

#TheWolvesAreWaiting

About the Author

Natasha Friend is the author of several YA and middle-grade novels that tackle the truths of teen and tween lives. Her most recent YA novels are How We Roll and The Other F-Word (FSG), the latter received starred reviews from PW and Booklist and was named on the Rainbow List and ILA Young Adult's Choice Reading List. Natasha lives in Connecticut with her family and two crazy dogs. When she isn’t writing, she is reading, washing baseball pants, and wishing she was in a talent show.

From NOVL Nation

#TheWolvesAreWaiting

About the Author

Olivia A. Cole is a writer from Louisville, Kentucky. Her essays, which often focus on race and womanhood, have been published in Bitch Media, Real Simple, The LA Times, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Gay Mag, and more. She teaches creative writing at the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts, where she guides her students through poetry and fiction, but also considerations of the world and who they are within it. She is the author of several books for children and adults. Learn more about Olivia and her work at oliviaacole.com and follow her on Twitter @RantingOwl.

Peek the Audiobook

#TheTruthAboutWhiteLies

About the Author

Olivia A. Cole is a writer from Louisville, Kentucky. Her essays, which often focus on race and womanhood, have been published in Bitch Media, Real Simple, The LA Times, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Gay Mag, and more. She teaches creative writing at the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts, where she guides her students through poetry and fiction, but also considerations of the world and who they are within it. She is the author of several books for children and adults. Learn more about Olivia and her work at oliviaacole.com and follow her on Twitter @RantingOwl.

Peek the Audiobook

#TheTruthAboutWhiteLies

About the Author

Paige McKenzie is a millennial hyphenate: a New York Times bestselling author, YouTuber, actor, influencer, creator, artist, and producer. Her first book series, the Haunting of Sunshine Girl, was on the New York Times bestseller list for over a month. Paige is constantly creating. Her Etsy shop, the Homebody Guild, is full of her art and designs, and she is always updating it with new creations. Paige also interacts daily with her Sunshiners across a variety of media including YouTube (where she has over half a million subscribers), Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Paige is a founding member of Coat Tale Productions, with three projects in active development. Paige lives in Portland, Oregon, with the love of her life, a seven-pound Chihuahua named Pongo. She invites you to follow her on Twitter @hauntedsunshine.

Nancy Ohlin was born in Tokyo and moved to the United States when she was nine. She has written, ghostwritten, or collaborated on over one hundred fiction and nonfiction books for children, teens, and adults, including her YA novels Consent, Beauty, and Always, Forever (Simon & Schuster). Most recently, she collaborated with Paige on The Sacrifice of Sunshine Girl (Hachette Books), Quvenzhané Wallis on the Shai and Emmie chapter book series (Simon & Schuster), and Chloe Lukasiak on her memoir Girl on Pointe: Chloe’s Guide to Taking on the World (Bloomsbury). She invites you to follow her online at nancyohlin.com and on Twitter (@nancyohlin).

#BWitch

About the Author

Val Emmich is a writer, singer-songwriter, and actor. He has had recurring roles on Vinyl and Ugly Betty as well as a memorable guest role as Liz Lemon’s coffee-boy fling, Jamie, on 30 Rock. His debut novel, The Reminders, was a B&N Discover selection that Library Journal called “quirky, touching and addictive.” Emmich lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his wife and their two children.

Peek the Audiobook

FROM NOVL NATION

Book Club Guide

Playlist

#MAYBEWEREELECTRIC

About the Author

Val Emmich is a writer, singer-songwriter, and actor. He has had recurring roles on Vinyl and Ugly Betty as well as a memorable guest role as Liz Lemon’s coffee-boy fling, Jamie, on 30 Rock. His debut novel, The Reminders, was a B&N Discover selection that Library Journal called “quirky, touching and addictive.” Emmich lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his wife and their two children.

Peek the Audiobook

FROM NOVL NATION

Book Club Guide

Playlist

#MAYBEWEREELECTRIC

About the Author

Paige McKenzie is a millennial hyphenate: a New York Times bestselling author, YouTuber, actor, influencer, creator, artist, and producer. Her first book series, the Haunting of Sunshine Girl, was on the New York Times bestseller list for over a month. Paige is constantly creating. Her Etsy shop, the Homebody Guild, is full of her art and designs, and she is always updating it with new creations. Paige also interacts daily with her Sunshiners across a variety of media including YouTube (where she has over half a million subscribers), Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Paige is a founding member of Coat Tale Productions, with three projects in active development. Paige lives in Portland, Oregon, with the love of her life, a seven-pound Chihuahua named Pongo. She invites you to follow her on Twitter @hauntedsunshine.

Nancy Ohlin was born in Tokyo and moved to the United States when she was nine. She has written, ghostwritten, or collaborated on over one hundred fiction and nonfiction books for children, teens, and adults, including her YA novels Consent, Beauty, and Always, Forever (Simon & Schuster). Most recently, she collaborated with Paige on The Sacrifice of Sunshine Girl (Hachette Books), Quvenzhané Wallis on the Shai and Emmie chapter book series (Simon & Schuster), and Chloe Lukasiak on her memoir Girl on Pointe: Chloe’s Guide to Taking on the World (Bloomsbury). She invites you to follow her online at nancyohlin.com and on Twitter (@nancyohlin).

#BWitch

About the Author

Val Emmich is a writer, singer-songwriter, and actor. He has had recurring roles on Vinyl and Ugly Betty as well as a memorable guest role as Liz Lemon’s coffee-boy fling, Jamie, on 30 Rock. His debut novel, The Reminders, was a B&N Discover selection that Library Journal called “quirky, touching and addictive.” Emmich lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his wife and their two children.

Peek the Audiobook

FROM NOVL NATION

Book Club Guide

Playlist

#MAYBEWEREELECTRIC

About the Author

Paige McKenzie is a millennial hyphenate: a New York Times bestselling author, YouTuber, actor, influencer, creator, artist, and producer. Her first book series, the Haunting of Sunshine Girl, was on the New York Times bestseller list for over a month. Paige is constantly creating. Her Etsy shop, the Homebody Guild, is full of her art and designs, and she is always updating it with new creations. Paige also interacts daily with her Sunshiners across a variety of media including YouTube (where she has over half a million subscribers), Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Paige is a founding member of Coat Tale Productions, with three projects in active development. Paige lives in Portland, Oregon, with the love of her life, a seven-pound Chihuahua named Pongo. She invites you to follow her on Twitter @hauntedsunshine.

Nancy Ohlin was born in Tokyo and moved to the United States when she was nine. She has written, ghostwritten, or collaborated on over one hundred fiction and nonfiction books for children, teens, and adults, including her YA novels Consent, Beauty, and Always, Forever (Simon & Schuster). Most recently, she collaborated with Paige on The Sacrifice of Sunshine Girl (Hachette Books), Quvenzhané Wallis on the Shai and Emmie chapter book series (Simon & Schuster), and Chloe Lukasiak on her memoir Girl on Pointe: Chloe’s Guide to Taking on the World (Bloomsbury). She invites you to follow her online at nancyohlin.com and on Twitter (@nancyohlin).

#BWitch

About the Author

J. Albert Mann is the author of middle grade and young adult novels. Her stories and poetry have appeared in Highlights for Children, once winning the magazine's annual Fiction Contest. Simon & Schuster's Atheneum Books for Young Readers is set to publish her next work of historical fiction about the early life of Margaret Sanger, and Bloomsbury published her early middle grade series Sunny Sweet, written under the name Jennifer Ann Mann. She has an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults, where she also obtained the Picture Book Intensive certificate. She is the author of Scar: A Revolutionary War Tale, What Every Girl Should Know, The Degenerates, and Fix.

Book Club Guide

#FixBook

About the Author

J. Albert Mann is the author of middle grade and young adult novels. Her stories and poetry have appeared in Highlights for Children, once winning the magazine's annual Fiction Contest. Simon & Schuster's Atheneum Books for Young Readers is set to publish her next work of historical fiction about the early life of Margaret Sanger, and Bloomsbury published her early middle grade series Sunny Sweet, written under the name Jennifer Ann Mann. She has an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults, where she also obtained the Picture Book Intensive certificate. She is the author of Scar: A Revolutionary War Tale, What Every Girl Should Know, The Degenerates, and Fix.

Book Club Guide

#FixBook

About the Author

Florence Gonsalves graduated from Dartmouth College in 2015, and after numerous jobs and internships, she finally decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an author. Love & Other Carnivorous Plants is her debut novel. She invites you to visit her online at florencegonsalves.com.

#LoveCarnivorousPlants

From NOVL Nation

“I was drawn in from the beginning and could not put this one down. The characters are relatable, real, and well-written. They face challenges that many deal with each day from heartbreak to homework. A heartfelt read that is sure to stay with you long after reading.”

—Patti, Lovely Loveday

“Though Chamomile guards her inner-thoughts from the rest of the world, each page is a record of her anxieties. Readers get to see her mind unrestrained as it grapples with family, friendship, love, growing up, and more... Essentially, Cham didn't feel like a character, she felt like a friend that was letting someone in for the first time, with as many emotions as that entails.”

—Madison, @spellbindingstories

About the Author

Tamara Ireland Stone is also the author of Time and Time Again, a collection of her two novels Time Between Us and Time After Time, as well as the New York Times best-seller Every Last Word. A former Silicon Valley marketing executive, she enjoys skiing, hiking, and spending time with her husband and two children. She lives just outside of San Francisco. Visit her at www.TamaraIrelandStone.com.

Peek the Audiobook

#EveryLastWord

About the Author

Robin Roe has a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a master’s from Harvard. She counseled adolescents in Boston before she moved to Dallas to become a high school special education teacher. Her debut novel A List of Cages was named one of the Best Young Adult Books of the Year by Goodreads, Chapters Indigo, EpicReads, BookPage, Powell’s Books, The Texas Library Association, News & Observer, and Buzzfeed.

#AListOfCages

About the Author

Chandler Baker grew up in Florida, went to college at the University of Pennsylvania, and studied law at the University of Texas. She now lives in Austin with her husband, though her heart remains at the beach. She strongly believes that writing quality improves vastly if done while staring out at a large body of water and daydreaming. Chandler is the author of the young adult thriller Alive, as well as the High School Horror series. You can visit her online at www.chandlerbakerbooks.com.

#ThisIsNotTheEnd

About the Author

Kelly Loy Gilbert believes deeply in the power of stories to illuminate a shared humanity and give voice to complex, broken people. She is the author of Conviction, a William C. Morris Award finalist, and lives in the SF Bay Area. She would be thrilled to hear from you on Twitter @KellyLoyGilbert or at www.KellyLoyGilbert.com.

Peek the Audiobook

#PictureUsIntheLight

About the Author

Tamara Ireland Stone is also the author of Time and Time Again, a collection of her two novels Time Between Us and Time After Time, as well as the New York Times best-seller Every Last Word. A former Silicon Valley marketing executive, she enjoys skiing, hiking, and spending time with her husband and two children. She lives just outside of San Francisco. Visit her at www.TamaraIrelandStone.com.

#LittleDoWeKnow

About the Author

Preston Norton is bisexual, slightly genderqueer, and married. His partner, Erin, is trying to put him on a diet, and he's revolting (both contexts apply). He has taught seventh grade and ninth grade English, mentored drug addicts, and mowed lawns (in no particular order). He is obsessed with 2001: A Space Odyssey and Quentin Tarantino.

#NeanderthalLOpensTheDoor

About the Author

L. D. Crichton is the author of The Enchantment of Emma Fletcher, which received a starred review from School Library Journal. She’s a coffee devotee and lip gloss enthusiast whose infatuation with music is truly astonishing. If she’s not reading, writing, or checking her horoscope for signs from the universe, you can find her by the water in search of mermaids because they’re real. All Our Broken Pieces is her first young adult novel.

#AllOurBrokenPieces

About the Author

Paige McKenzie is a millennial hyphenate: a New York Times bestselling author, YouTuber, actor, influencer, creator, artist, and producer. Her first book series, the Haunting of Sunshine Girl, was on the New York Times bestseller list for over a month. Paige is constantly creating. Her Etsy shop, the Homebody Guild, is full of her art and designs, and she is always updating it with new creations. Paige also interacts daily with her Sunshiners across a variety of media including YouTube (where she has over half a million subscribers), Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Paige is a founding member of Coat Tale Productions, with three projects in active development. Paige lives in Portland, Oregon, with the love of her life, a seven-pound Chihuahua named Pongo. She invites you to follow her on Twitter @hauntedsunshine.

Nancy Ohlin was born in Tokyo and moved to the United States when she was nine. She has written, ghostwritten, or collaborated on over one hundred fiction and nonfiction books for children, teens, and adults, including her YA novels Consent, Beauty, and Always, Forever (Simon & Schuster). Most recently, she collaborated with Paige on The Sacrifice of Sunshine Girl (Hachette Books), Quvenzhané Wallis on the Shai and Emmie chapter book series (Simon & Schuster), and Chloe Lukasiak on her memoir Girl on Pointe: Chloe’s Guide to Taking on the World (Bloomsbury). She invites you to follow her online at nancyohlin.com and on Twitter (@nancyohlin).

#BWitch

About the Author

Preston Norton is bisexual, slightly genderqueer, and married. His partner, Erin, is trying to put him on a diet, and he's revolting (both contexts apply). He has taught seventh grade and ninth grade English, mentored drug addicts, and mowed lawns (in no particular order). He is obsessed with 2001: A Space Odyssey and Quentin Tarantino.

#NeanderthalLOpensTheDoor

About the High Queen of Faerie

Holly Black is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of fantasy novels, including the Novels of Elfhame, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, the Spiderwick Chronicles, and her adult debut, Book of Night.  She has been a finalist for an Eisner Award and the Lodestar Award, and the recipient of the Mythopoeic Award, a Nebula, and a Newbery Honor. Her books have been translated into 32 languages worldwide and adapted for film. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret library.

#FolkoftheAir

Bookclub Guides

Peek the Audiobook

About the Author

Nandini Bajpai grew up in New Delhi, India, before settling in the Boston area with her husband, kids, and a fluctuating number and variety of pets. She has published a YA novel, Red Turban White Horse, with Scholastic India. A Match Made in Mehendi would be her U.S. debut.

Peek the Audiobook

#AMATCHMADEINMEHENDI