Books like Sugar rush

A dizzying plunge into the intoxicating, all-consuming rush of a first queer crush. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Sugar rush.

yearning
dizzying
emotionally charged
tender

01
Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel
Sara Farizan
A warm, witty exploration of the sheer panic and ultimate joy of a high school queer awakening.
Shares:
- earnest
02
Cherry Crush Cathy Cassidy
Cathy Cassidy
A sun-drenched, chocolate-scented exploration of the messy, bittersweet thrill of first love and finding your place in a brand-new family.
Shares:
- earnest
03
It's Not Like It's a Secret
Misa Sugiura
A tender, tangled exploration of first love, family fractures, and the courage it takes to stop hiding.
Shares:
- tender
- earnest
04
Queens of Geek
Jen Wilde
A warm, fandom-fueled hug of a book that celebrates queer joy, neurodiversity, and the magic of finding your people.
Shares:
- earnest
05
Her Royal Highness
Rachel Hawkins
A cozy, banter-filled sapphic fairy tale set against the misty backdrop of an elite Scottish boarding school.
Feels:
- cozy
- escapist
- misty
06
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
Jeanette Winterson · 1991
A fiercely witty, myth-infused rebellion against the suffocating confines of religious fundamentalism and compulsory heterosexuality.
Shares:
- earnest
- queer awakening
07
Openly straight
Bill Konigsberg
A funny, heartfelt exploration of what happens when the desire to shed labels accidentally means shedding your true self.
Shares:
- earnest
08
Some Girls Do
Jennifer Dugan
A tender, emotionally charged exploration of what it costs to hide who you are, and the swoony thrill of finally being seen.
Shares:
- emotionally charged
- tender
- earnest
09
Rubyfruit Jungle
Rita Mae Brown · 1987
A fiercely funny, unapologetic romp through mid-century America that celebrates living loudly and loving women without an ounce of shame.
Feels:
- energetic
- rebellious
- triumphant
10
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me
Mariko Tamaki
A tender, beautifully illustrated exploration of the messy line between the love we crave and the love we actually deserve.
Shares:
- tender
- earnest
11
On a sunbeam
Tillie Walden
A breathtakingly gorgeous, slow-burn journey through space that feels like a warm hug from a found family.
Shares:
- tender
- earnest
- first love
12
Our own private universe
Robin Talley
A tender, sun-warmed summer romance about stepping out of your own head and into the messy, beautiful reality of first love.
Shares:
- tender
- earnest
- first love

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