Bad boys and good reads

After a brief dry spell in which I read a few things that didn't thrill me (and thus shall remain nameless, including a library book I couldn't finish because of exceedingly expository dialogue), I've been delighted by several pieces recently. Here's a sampling:

The Ellen Wittlinger novel Parrotfish, about a transgender teen with an awesome sense of humor. Includes minor characters that rise above stereotypes.

Tanya Lee Stone's A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl. This verse novel charts the hig...