Step 1: Choose a dream date. Step 2: Meet your perfect match read.
DIY-ing color coded mood boards: According To Plan by Christen Randall
Atheneum BFYR, $22
To ace senior year, all Mal had to do was stick to The Plan. But when budget cuts shut down the school’s literary mag, their college application takes a hit. Plan B? Joining forces with the extroverted Emerson (Mal’s total opposite) to create a zine of their own.
Competing at carnival games: The Boyfriend Launcher by Raechell Garrett
Little, Brown BFYR, $13
Dru is tired of turning her exes into perfect boyfriends—for other girls. So she decides to fake-date her longtime pal Winston to figure out what keeps going wrong in her relationships. But when she starts seeing him in a whole new light, Dru’s experiment just might go off the rails.
Stargazing at the planetarium: Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman
Knopf BFYR, $20
The year is 2067, and Mars has become a haven for the elite and powerful. Cut to an evacuation at HQ that leaves the richest guy in the galaxy and a sassy stowaway stranded together. As a deadly threat closes in, the unlikely duo must team up to save their planet.
Trying every ride at the amusement park: Carnival Fantástico by Angela Montoya
Random House CB, $20
Not even fortune teller Esmeralda could have predicted her ex, Ignacio, showing up at the enchanted Carnival Fantástico. Turns out her former flame is back to take down his corrupt father—and he’s prepared to strike a deal with Esmeralda to make it happen.
Holding hands during a horror movie: What We Did To Survive by Megan Lally
Sourcebooks Fire, $13
Hannah’s spring break takes a terrifying turn when Ben, her best friend’s charming and wealthy boyfriend, invites her whole crew on a private cruise. The vacay vibes fade fast as tensions rise onboard and a fierce storm starts to loom on the horizon…
Cozying up for a candlelit picnic: Sibylline by Melissa de la Cruz
G.P. Putnam’s Sons BFYR, $21
When Sibylline—a magical Ivy League school—rejects Raven, Atticus and Dorian, they take matters into their own hands. But their plan to crash lectures and steal textbooks backfires, unleashing dark forces across campus. Now, Sibylline’s only hope for survival lies with the trio it turned away.
Tag-teaming an escape room: The Wish Ring Cipher by Alexandra Ott
Norton Young Readers, $18
Emma’s never met a puzzle she couldn’t crack, but tackling seventh grade—plus navigating her new autism diagnosis—has been trickier than expected. That’s why joining the Codebreakers, a tight-knit group tracking down missing artifacts, feels like *exactly* the fresh start she needs.
Snagging cake pops from the bakery: 16 Forever by Lance Rubin
HarperCollins, $20
Today is Carter’s Sweet 16—again. Thanks to a time loop, he’s stuck reliving his not-so-special day over and over, with his memories completely wiped each time. His GF Maggie is heartbroken…but will that stop her from falling for him all over again?
Hey, girl! Just to let you know, this originally ran in our February/March 2026 issue. Read our print mag for *free* today when you click HERE!
Check out more rad reads here:
🎀 5 literary classics that *still* hit different
🎀 How to *actually* get back into reading this year
🎀 5 reads with peak Valentine’s Day energy
Top and slider image: @laurenbetweenlines
