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If you loved
Books like Breathing underwater
A raw, confessional descent into the mind of a teenage boy forced to confront the ugly truth of his own violent actions. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Breathing underwater.
- claustrophobic
- tense
- heavy
- introspective
- 01
Finding Katie
Beatrice Sparks
An intimate, diary-style exploration of a teenager's hidden trauma behind closed doors and her journey toward safety.
- 02
You Don't Know Me
David Klass · 2002
A darkly funny, surreal dive into the mind of a teenager using biting sarcasm and elaborate daydreams to survive the very real monsters in his own home.
- 03
Dreamland
Sarah Dessen
An intoxicating teenage romance rapidly dissolves into a claustrophobic struggle for survival and self-reclamation.
- 04
Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey
Margaret Peterson Haddix
An intimate, urgent descent into a teenager's private unraveling, told entirely through the raw confessions of a hidden journal.
- 05
Faking normal
Courtney C. Stevens
A raw and tender journey of two traumatized teenagers who become each other's safe harbor in the aftermath of unspeakable pain.
- 06
Lock and Key
Sarah Dessen · 2008
A tender, character-driven journey about a fiercely guarded girl discovering that letting people in is the bravest thing she can do.
- 07
Sweet Honey
Cathy Cassidy
A sun-drenched but emotionally turbulent journey of a rebellious teen searching for a safe harbor in all the wrong places.
- 08
A list of cages
Robin Roe
A devastating but ultimately radiant testament to how radical kindness can pierce through the darkest isolation.
- 09
Crank
Ellen Hopkins
A visceral, free-falling descent into addiction told through sharp, breathless verse that refuses to look away.
- 10
Breathless
Lurlene McDaniel
A devastating, tear-soaked exploration of bodily autonomy and the impossible burdens we place on those we love.
- 11
Beastly
Alex Flinn
A modern, angsty spin on a classic fairy tale that trades castle walls for a New York City brownstone and explores the painful, beautiful process of learning to look past the surface.
- 12
Diary of a teenage Girl
Melody Carlson
An intimate, faith-filled glimpse into the everyday struggles and spiritual awakenings of a high schooler finding her place in the world.
