The takeaway is that, as the saying goes, if one door closes, another one opens. There are plenty of fish in the sea, so cheer up! Set in London, it follows Tracey and an unnamed narrator who are both dancers (thus making them fast friends). However, there are a lot of differences in their personalities, and there’s animosity as well. As they reach adulthood, they eventually go their separate ways: the unnamed character becomes an assistant to a pop star while Tracey remains stuck in her life. Complex and sophisticated, I recommend Swing Time for those who lost their friends due to personal differences. Since You’ve Been Gone follows two friends named Emily and Sloane. When Sloane ghosts Emily one day — just vanishing without a trace — Emily is puzzled. A few weeks have passed when Emily receives a mysterious to-do list from Sloane, somewhat similar to this generation’s TikTok challenges. These are things that Sloane wants Emily to do like “kiss a stranger, “go skinny-dipping,” and “steal something.” Along the way, Emily meets Frank, who helps her tick off the items on the list during the summer. Those who were ghosted by their best friends should pick up this charming and delightful young adult novel. Set in a Black neighborhood called Bottom in Ohio during the early 1900s, it centers around two Black girls named Nel Wright and Sula Peace who have opposing personalities. As they grow up, Nel stays in the Bottom while Sula leaves for the city, parting ways with each other. As years pass, their relationship goes through ups and downs: they reconcile, argue, and then reconcile again. Dramatic and poignant, I recommended this book for those who lost their friends after a huge fight. Told in two perspectives, We Used to Be Friends focuses on the failed friendship of James and Kat, who met each other during kindergarten. Though they have different personality types, they still clicked with each other. During the start of their senior year, they are as thick as thieves. But at the end of the school year, things start to fall apart. This is a good read for those whose friendships slowly fizzled, and it may remind them that the only permanent thing in life is change. It follows an unnamed female character who loses her best friend and mentor, a novelist who dies by suicide. Said friend leaves a dog, a Great Dane named Apollo, but his wife is unable to look out for it. Still grieving, the female narrator takes care of Apollo instead as she starts the healing journey along with the dog. The book is introspective and unpretentious — perfect for those mending their broken hearts after a painful friendship breakup. Are the books above not enough? Well, here are “3 of the Best YA Books About Best Friend Breakups.”
