Kiss Number 8 by Colleen AF Venable and Ellen T. Crenshaw

Mads spends her time going to church, attending minor league baseball games with her dad, and hanging out with her wild best friend, Cat. But one day she overhears her dad--the parent she's always felt understood her the most--talking on the phone with another woman. Terrified that he's having an affair, Mads isn't sure who to trust anymore. Including herself: for months now, she's been struggling with an undeniable attraction to Cat. But in her early 2000s church community, being queer is not an option. Slowly, Mads branches out of her childhood community and meets other queer kids at an under-18 club, who slowly introduce her to the idea that there is more than one way of being. 

This graphic novel took me on a wild ride. A major page-turner, each character is so realistic and layered that I just had to find out what was going to happen to them next. With levels of mystery, coming-of-age, and romance, Kiss Number 8 is a sure tear-jerker and a story that's going to stay with me for a long time. The brutal honesty and realism of it all was enhanced by the beautiful black-and-white ink illustrations by Ellen T. Crenshaw. Mads is a flawed, relatable protagonist, and I loved going on a journey with her as she figures out her sexuality and sense of self.

Kiss Number 8 is a much more mature book than I normally read and review. I would recommend it for ages 13+, with trigger warnings for transphobia and homophobia.