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The Construction of Shadows by Dakota Jackson

In a world where 74% of the population possesses unique abilities passed down by the 16 Divinities of the Sun and Moon, it takes a miracle to stand out… Or a disaster. Meiling Katz is a nobody. With no Divine blood and a mysterious illness that’s plagued her since the Lunar Eclipse Massacre killed her parents thirteen years ago, she’s powerless. Nevertheless, Meiling is determined to attend the prestigious Zialitos Academy for Sun-Gifted Children and rise in the ranks of their country’s lawmakers. Suraya Zialitos is a living legend. As the heir to the most powerful lineage in the world—those descended from Ataru, Divinity of the Sun—Suraya is destined for greatness. But Suraya does not want greatness, she wants revenge for her family slaughtered by the notorious Miyako family in the Massacre. When the childhood best friends arrive at the Academy only to find a string of terrorist attacks linked to the Miyakos, their initial plans go up in flames. With their friendship unraveling and the country in terror, they realize there’s only one way to solve this: together. The Construction of Shadows is the first in a YA fantasy series for fans of Percy Jackson, My Hero Academia, and Avatar the Last Airbender!

The Other Side of the Looking-Glass by Dakota Jackson

Fifteen-year-old Naomi Nakano craves love and acceptance. She never knew her mother, her birth father is neglectful to say the least, and her guardian Matt isn’t exactly the traditional parent. So when she moves to a new town and finally makes a real friend, she can’t help but feel good about the attention her friend’s older brother, Wren, immediately gives her. He lavishes her with compliments and attention — and so what if he’s 25-years-old and she can’t tell anyone about him? At least she’s no longer an outsider. But as Naomi gets lulled into the intoxication of Wren’s attention, she fails to see how easy it is to lose her newfound sense of normalcy in all the lies. Now she must fight to maintain her secret at the same time she juggles hardship after hardship before she loses not only Wren, but herself, too. If you're a fan of compelling young adult fiction like Amber Smith's The Way I Used to Be, or thought-provoking literary fiction that dives deep into the complexities of love and identity like Kate Elizabeth Russell's My Dark Vanessa, then The Other Side of the Looking-Glass is a must-read for you.