Now, Sal scrambles to run the family motel as his mother Misbah’s health fails and his grieving father loses himself to alcoholism. Until The Fight, which destroys their bond with the swift fury of a star exploding. Growing up as outcasts in the small desert town of Juniper, California, they understand each other the way no one else does.

Salahudin and Noor are more than best friends they are family. After their young life is shaken by tragedy, they come to the United States and open the Clouds’ Rest Inn Motel, hoping for a new start. Misbah is a dreamer and storyteller, newly married to Toufiq in an arranged match. I’d actually probably only recommend it for grades 11+. Again, this is for mature high schoolers only. This is a tough read, but such an important story. I still highly recommend a parent letter any time an adult shares a book with a student in a school setting. I rounded up 20 titles that are true YA and appropriate for high school classroom libraries.

I got a TON of responses asking for more. So, one day I created an Instagram post just to share a few recommendations with teachers for alternative titles. (Of course, this is a generalization and parents can make their own decisions for their teenagers, but in my opinion, I don’t think it’s wise.) I once had a student tell me that Miles from Ugly Love was her book boyfriend. There are incredibly dark themes and examples of relationships that are not healthy for young people who probably can’t yet see the shades of gray in these areas. Let me say this loud and clear: Colleen Hoover’s novels are NOT for high schoolers. (I have LOTS of thoughts on keeping adult books in high school classroom libraries, but I think that’s another blog post for another time.) There are only two titles in her catalogue that I’d consider allowing a teenager to read ( Without Merit and Slammed), and even then, I wouldn’t keep them in my own classroom library.

They’re highly emotional and very entertaining, but most, if not all, are inappropriate for teenagers. Her books are gripping tales of love and loss. Colleen Hoover has been getting A LOT of attention in the book world, but if you have a teen or work with teens, you might be looking for books similar to Colleen Hoover instead.

Books similar to the midnight library