Reading With Pride - Young Adult, Rainbow Female Character

Need a hand finding pukapuka for the Reading With Pride challenge? Look no further!

This is a list of books that will help you complete the first section of the challenge - reading a book with a rainbow female character.

This is the Young Adult list.

Updated May 11, 2026
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Tonight, I bleed
Adams, Katharine J.
Paper Book
Tonight, I burn
Adams, Katharine J.
Paper Book
From one of the most exciting new voices in romantasy comes the tale of a thorn witch with the power to walk between the realms of Life and Death who finds herself at the center of a magical rebellion--and a dangerous romance--that could destroy her coven and her soul in this dark and decadent...
Going bicoastal
Adler, Dahlia
Paper Book
A SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD MEDALIST "This is what it looks like when a brilliant high concept is executed to perfection. It's got all the Dahlia Adler trademarks--romance, wry humor, specificity, and genuine emotional depth." - Becky Albertalli, New York Times...
Amelia, if only
Albertalli, Becky
Paper Book
The beautiful and heartwarming new romance from Becky Albertalli, best-selling author of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda. Amelia Applebaum isn't in love with Walter Holland. He just happens to be her favorite moderately famous, chaotically bisexual YouTuber. Who she just...
Leah on the offbeat
Albertalli, Becky
Paper Book
When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat - but real life isn't always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she's the only child of a young, single mum, and her life is decidedly less privileged. And even though her mom knows she's bisexual, she hasn't mustered the courage to...
The guy she was interested in wasn't a guy at all. 1
Arai, Sumiko
Paper Book
Fashionable and upbeat high schooler Aya loves listening to rock, but no one else seems to share her interest...until she meets a cool, stylish employee at a CD shop. Dressed in black from head to toe, he has this air of mystery about him, and his taste in music is impeccable. Aya falls hard for him...
Bad things happen here
Barrow, Rebecca
Paper Book
A tense, emotional and addictive murder mystery thriller that uncovers the ugly side of paradise, the dark truths of privilege and what it means to lose the ones you love over and over again.
The good girls
Bartlett, Claire Eliza
Paper Book
One of Us Is Lying meets Sadie in this twisty, feminist thriller for the Me Too era. The troublemaker. The overachiever. The cheer captain. The dead girl. Like every high school in America, Jefferson-Lorne High contains all of the above. After the...
Cinderella is dead
Bayron, Kalynn
Paper Book
_______________ 'Kalynn Bayron does more than re-write a fairytale ... She breaks it apart and rebuilds it into a wholly original and captivating story where girls finally decide for themselves who lives happily ever after' - New York Times bestselling author...
You're not supposed to die tonight
Bayron, Kalynn
Paper Book
This heart-pounding slasher by New York Times bestselling author and TikTok sensation Kalynn Bayron is perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson's White Smoke, Friday the 13th, The Haunting of Bly Manor and Get Out. Charity Curtis has the summer...
A good kind of trouble
Blurton, Brooke
Paper Book
A brilliantly warm-hearted NEW series from Brooke Blurton and Melanie Saward, full of high school longing, friendship, footy matches, and dreams to change the world! It's funny how your life changes. I used to worry about playing footy and whether my first kiss would...
The last bookstore on Earth
Braun-Arnold, Lily
Paper Book
The instant New York Times bestseller. A heartbreaking and high-stakes story of queer love and survival set against the backdrop of a climate change apocalypse, this book is Station Eleven and The Last of Us meets All That's Left in the World by Erik J. Brown.
Out of step, into you
Burch, Ciera
Paper Book
"A perfectly angsty second-chance romance." --Dahlia Adler, award-winning author of Cool for the Summer and Home Field Advantage Out of Step, into You is a sapphic contemporary romance following childhood friends turned cross-country team rivals who are...
So let them burn
Cole, Kamilah
Paper Book
'Clever and utterly fresh. So Let Them Burn takes the fantasy genre and soars into brilliant new heights' Chloe Gong, author of These Violent Delights 'With fierce protagonists and compelling conflicts, So Let Them Burn is a YA fantasy to root for!'...
This ends in embers
Cole, Kamilah
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of Raybearer and Fourth Wing, this astonishing sequel to the bestselling novel So Let Them Burn doesn't hold back. After all, there are no easy endings in war-especially when sisters are forced to fight on opposite sides. Faron Vincent was...
Daughter of winter and twilight
Corcoran, Helen
Paper Book
The exciting sequel to Queen of Coin and Whispers! Magic was dormant - never deadTo some, Emri - the adopted heir and daughter of two queens - is a living reminder that her birth father tried to usurp the Edaran throne. But as she grapples with a diplomatic visit from her...
Queen of coin and whispers : a kingdom of secrets and a game of lies
Corcoran, Helen
Paper Book
'She loved me as I loved her, fierce as a bloodied blade'When Lia, an idealistic queen, falls for Xania, her new spymaster--who took the job to avenge her murdered father--they realise all isn't fair in love and treason. Lia won't mourn her uncle: he's left her a bankrupt kingdom...
Black River
Cottle, Ruby Jean
Paper Book
The first book in a paranormal small-town mystery romance duology about a teenager who suddenly develops vampire tendencies and must do everything she can to keep her family and the boy she's falling for safe - for fans of The Vampire Diaries, Twilight <...
Gwen and Art Are Not in Love
Croucher, Lex.
Paper Book
'Exactly what I needed right now - a delightful, heartwarming, hilarious historical romp, overflowing with queer panic and terrible jokes. I loved it' - ALICE OSEMAN, bestselling author of HEARTSTOPPER 'Fun and genuinely funny, with lovely friendships and first-rate...
The miseducation of Cameron Post
Danforth, Emily M.
Paper Book
The night Cameron Post's parents died, her first emotion was relief. Relief they would never know that hours earlier, she'd been kissing a girl. Now living with her conservative Aunt in small-town Montana, hiding her sexuality and blending in becomes second nature to Cameron until she...
The last girls standing
Dugan, Jennifer
Paper Book
A queer YA psychological thriller from the author of Some Girls Do. "Shocking, captivating, and utterly chilling. A delicious thriller that will have you tearing through pages to get to the end, where you won't be disappointed." --Jessica Goodman, bestselling author of...
The Witch King
Edgmon, H. E.
Paper Book
A New York Public Library Best Book for Teens 2021 To save a fae kingdom, a trans witch must face his traumatic past and the royal fiancé he left behind. In Asalin, fae rule and witches like Wyatt Croft...don't. Wyatt's betrothal to fae prince...
The summer of bitter and sweet
Ferguson, Jenny
Paper Book
In this complex and emotionally resonant novel about a Métis girl living on the Canadian prairies, debut author Jen Ferguson serves up a powerful story about rage, secrets, and all the spectrums that make up a person--and the sweetness that can still live alongside the bitterest truth. A William...
The quiet and the loud
Fox, Helena
Paper Book
OUR HOPELESS, HOPEFUL WORLDA novel about the contours of friendship, family, forgiveness, trauma and love that explores the stories we suppress and the stories we speak - and the healing that comes when we voice the things we've kept quiet for so long.George's life is loud. On the water, though,...
When we were magic
Gailey, Sarah
Paper Book
"Profoundly thoughtful...An intimate portrait of female friendship laced with literal and metaphorical magic." --Kirkus Reviews "A laugh-out-loud, exciting ride...a darkly comedic coming-of-age story." --School Library Journal A moving, darkly funny...
These violent delights
Gong, Chloe
Paper Book
'Deliciously dark' Natasha Ngan, New York Times bestselling author of Girls of Paper and FireIn glittering Shanghai, a monster awakens . . .The brilliantly imaginative New York Times bestselling fantasy retelling of Romeo and Juliet set against the immersive backdrop of...
Nobody in particular
Gonzales, Sophie
Paper Book
Rose is a disgraced princess. Danni is a scholarship student. They're also secretly in love. A scandalous sapphic royal romance, from the bestselling co-author of If This Gets Out. Perfect for fans of Young Royals. 'So good. I'm breathless.' - Becky...
The wicked unseen
Griffis, Gigi
Paper Book
The new girl in town is having trouble fitting into a community that believes there's a secret Satanic cult conducting rituals in the woods. When her crush goes missing, she starts to wonder if the town's obsession with evil isn't covering up something far worse. Perfect for fans of Fear...
We deserve monuments
Hammonds, Jas
Paper Book
"An absolute must read." --Buzzfeed "A gripping portrayal of the South's inherent racism and a love story for queer Black girls." --Teen Vogue Family secrets, a swoon-worthy romance, and a slow-burn mystery...
The deathless girls
Hargrave, Kiran Millwood
Paper Book
Gothic, intoxicating, feminist, darkly provoking and deeply romantic - this is the breathtakingly imagined untold story of the brides of Dracula, by bestselling author Kiran Millwood Hargrave in her much-anticipated YA debut. 'A Chilling and breathlessly paced...
Moth dark
Hatzopoulou, Kika
Paper Book
From the bestselling author of Threads that Bind and Hearts that Cut comes a brand-new compulsive romantasy about a girl obsessed with the dark and the shadowy magical prince she falls in love with, perfect for fans of Holly Black and Laini Taylor. 'A world so...
The henna wars
Jaigirdar, Adiba
Paper Book
Nishat and Flávia are rivals at school, but Nishat can't help the secret crush burning in her heart - even though her parents disapprove of the fact she likes girls. Can she possibly find her happy ever after? A gorgeous, heart-warming, queer YA love story for fans of Becky Albertalli.<...
A million to one
Jaigirdar, Adiba
Paper Book
Adiba Jaigirdar, author of one of TIME's Best YA books of all time and winner of the YA Book Prize 2022, gives Titanic an Ocean's 8 makeover in this nail-biting heist set onboard the infamous ship. Four friends have stolen aboard the Titanic. They...
The dark tide
Jasinska, Alicia
Paper Book
Every year on St. Walpurga's Eve, Caldella's Witch Queen lures a boy back to her palace. An innocent life must be sacrificed on the full moon to keep the island city from sinking. Lina Kirk is convinced her brother is going to be taken this year. To save him, she enlists the help of the...
This fatal kiss
Jasinska, Alicia
Paper Book
An immersive fantasy, filled with dark magic, mystery and romance, from the author of The Dark Tide. Cursed to haunt the river running through the magical spa town where she drowned, water nymph Gisela dreams of returning to the living world and the family she...
You should see me in a crown
Johnson, Leah (Young adult author)
Paper Book
A TIME Magazine Best YA Book of All Time A Stonewall Honor Book A Reese's Book Club YA Pick Liz Lighty has always believed she's too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it's okay -- Liz has a...
Death at Morning House
Johnson, Maureen
Paper Book
An instant New York Times and Indie bestseller! From the bestselling author of the Truly Devious books, Maureen Johnson, comes a new stand-alone YA about a teen who uncovers a mystery while working as a tour guide on an island and must solve it before history repeats itself. The...
Lady's knight
Kaufman, Amie
Paper Book
A rollercoaster of a medieval romp and a sapphic love story, set in a world of dragons, witches and excellent snacks from NYT bestselling duo, Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. Perfect for fans of Gwen and Art are Not in Love, Twin Crowns and My Lady Jane.
I will never leave you
Kennedy, Kara A.
Paper Book
In this chilling sapphic ghost story, high-schooler Maya is haunted by her abusive ex-girlfriend, Alana, who sets her an impossible ultimatum: help Alana possess the body of another girl, or get framed for her murder.
Now, conjurers
Kölsch, Freddie
Paper Book
"This sensational YA debut blends tense, terrifying horror with dark humour, queer romance and hugely original storytelling." Guardian November 1999, North Dana, Massachusetts. The body of Bastion Attia - high school quarterback, secret witch, and Nesbit Nuñez's even-more...
I'll be the one
Lee, Lyla
Paper Book
Diverse book recommended by The Today Show * A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year * Bank Street Best Book of the Year * YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults * ALA's Rainbow Book List Top 10 for Teen Readers The world of K-Pop has never met a star like this. Debut author Lyla Lee delivers...
She gets the girl
Lippincott, Rachael
Paper Book
Read the instant New York Times bestseller and TikTok sensation -- THE new swoon-worthy hate-to-love rom com from #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of Five Feet Apart Rachael Lippincott and debut writer Alyson Derrick. The perfect summer read...
A snake falls to earth
Little Badger, Darcie
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER In this breathtaking work of Indigenous futurism, Darcie Little Badger weaves an unforgettable tale of monsters, magic, and family  Nina is a Lipan girl in our world. She's always felt there was something more out there. She still...
Last night at the Telegraph Club
Lo, Malinda
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE; THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR YOUTH LITERATURE; THE STONEWALL BOOK AWARD (YA); THE PRINTZ HONOR _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Flawless girls
McLemore, Anna-Marie
Paper Book
The Soler sisters are infamous in polite society--brazen, rebellious, and raised by their fashionable grandmother who couldn't care less about which fork goes where. But their grandmother also knows the standards that two Latina young ladies will be held to, so she secures them two coveted places...
I kissed Shara Wheeler
McQuiston, Casey
Paper Book
From the bestselling New York Times bestselling author of Red, White and Royal Blue and One Last Stop comes a debut YA romantic comedy about chasing down what you want, only to find what you need . . . '[A] razor-sharp, intensely compassionate, subversive,...
Summer's edge
Mele, Dana
Paper Book
"Absolutely enthralling and genuinely terrifying." --Kit Frick, author of I Killed Zoe Spanos and Very Bad People I Know What You Did Last Summer meets The Haunting of Hill House in this "psychologically chilling and unforgettable" (Kirkus...
Gearbreakers
Mikuta, Zoe Hana
Paper Book
Two girls on opposite sides of a war discover they're fighting for a common purpose--and falling for each other--in Zoe Hana Mikuta's high-octane debut Gearbreakers, perfect for fans of Pacific Rim, Pierce Brown's Red Rising Saga, and Marie Lu's Legend series. ...
Girls of paper and fire
Ngan, Natasha
Paper Book
The mesmerising New York Times bestseller! An enthralling story of forbidden romance in the first instalment of this sapphic fantasy trilogy. 'AN ELEGANT AND HEART-RENDING ODE' SAMANTHA SHANNON 'QUEER GIRLS FALLING IN LOVE WHILE...
A bánh mì for two
Nguyen, Trinity
Paper Book
In this sweet sapphic romance about two foodies in love, Vivi meets Lan while studying abroad in Vietnam and they spend the semester unraveling their families' histories--and eating all the street food in Sài Gòn. In Sài Gòn, Lan is always trying to be the perfect...
The deep dark
Ostertag, Molly Knox
Paper Book
From Molly Knox Ostertag, writer-illustrator of the New York Times and ABA Indie bestselling The Witch Boy trilogy and The Girl from the Sea, comes a darkly beautiful story of identity, family, love, loss, and magic. Everyone has secrets. Mags's has teeth. Magdalena...
The girls I've been
Sharpe, Tess
Paper Book
Soon to be a Netflix film starring Stranger Things' Millie Bobby Brown - this must-read psychological thriller, perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying, will leave you guessing until the final page. 'Unlike anything I've read before... immediate,...
Cold
Tamaki, Mariko
Paper Book
A boy, a murder, a girl, a secret. From award-winning author Mariko Tamaki comes Cold, a haunting YA novel about a shocking crime, told by a boy who died--and a girl who wants to know why. Who was Todd Mayer, and why don't any of his fellow students at...
Celestial monsters
Thomas, Aiden
Paper Book
A heart-stopping duology finale, in which three young semidioses travel through a dark monster-infested world, facing down chaotic Obsidian gods, in a quest to save their friends and return the sun to the sky. Celestial Monsters is the sequel to mexican inspired YA fantasy The...
Cemetery boys
Thomas, Aiden
Paper Book
Cemetery Boys is an LGBTQIA+ ghost story about magic, acceptance and what it means to be your true self. From the instant New York Times-bestelling author Aiden Thomas. Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can't get rid of him. In an...
The Sunbearer Trials
Thomas, Aiden
Paper Book
Welcome to The Sunbearer Trials, where ten semidioses compete in a series of challenges with the highest of stakes, in this breathtaking, Mexican-inspired fantasy from Aiden Thomas, the author of the bestselling Cemetery Boys. Only the most powerful and honorable will be...
Squad
Tokuda-Hall, Maggie
Paper Book
An IndieBound Bestseller "Squad is a fast-paced and feminist horror story for every girl who's ever felt like prey, and asks how far a girl should go to hunt the hunters."--Laura Ruby, author of National Book Award Finalist Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All<...
They bloom at night
Tran, Trang Thanh
Paper Book
Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth NPR Books We Love Pick New York Public Library Best Book of the Year The author of the New York Times bestselling horror phenomenon She Is a Haunting is back with a novel...
Crier's war
Varela, Nina
Paper Book
From debut author Nina Varela comes the first book in a richly imagined epic fantasy duology about an impossible love between two girls--one human, one Made--whose romance could be the beginning of a revolution. Perfect for fans of Marie Rutkoski's The Winner's Curse as well as Game of...
Iron heart
Varela, Nina
Paper Book
Critically acclaimed author Nina Varela delivers a stunning sequel to the richly imagined queer epic fantasy Crier's War, which SLJ called "perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass." For too long, Automae have lorded over the kingdom of Rabu, oppressing its human citizens. But...
The river has teeth
Waters, Erica
Paper Book
Lush and chilling, with razor-sharp edges and an iron core of hope, this bewitching, powerhouse novel of two girls fighting back against the violence the world visits on them will stun and enchant readers. Girls have been going missing in the woods... When Natasha's sister...
Navigating with you
Whitley, Jeremy
Paper Book
Neesha Sparks is a disabled, vocal community activist with a passion for costume design. Gabby Graciana is an optimistic surfer - and, like Neesha, a new kid at school. When the two girls discover that they like the same manga series, Navigator Nozomi, they become more than just fellow new kids. But...
Where sleeping girls lie
Àbíké-Íyímídé, Faridah
Paper Book
The impossibly gripping new mystery thriller from international bestselling author of Ace of Spades, Faridah Abike-Iyimide, perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Maureen Johnson AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES bestseller. Where Sleeping Girls Lie is a haunting and compulsive new Dark Academia...

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