Love stories for National First Love Day

It is National First Love Day! I've always had a habit of checking what the official holiday was each day - I have even announced to my students the holidays so they have something to celebrate! And while I feel like it's important to have something to celebrate every day, today's holiday is all about something we see frequently in fiction: first love. So in honor of National First Love Day, I chose three YA books I feel show off the magic of falling in love for the very first time.

1. I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

As a teenager, I read this book so many times my copy is falling apart. However, I reread it last year and it still is a delightful story about falling in love for the first time. I loved watching Cammie and Josh's first date and their first kiss. But most importantly - I love the shenanigans Cammie and her friends get up to as they try to keep Josh from figuring out they go to a school for spies. It's hilarious and a good reminder that high school is awkward for everyone, even those destined to save the world.

I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You is available through Hachette Book Group

2. Spells to Forget Us by Aislinn Brophy

Even though this book just came out yesterday, Spells to Forget Us is a modern and magical addition to this list. Aoife and Luna find themselves in a bit of a loop: they meet, they fall for each other, Luna does a spell that reveals the magical world to Aoife, and they both realize this isn't the first time they've dated. While the premise is funny, the book itself is full of heart as they realize exactly how hard it is to date in the modern world - and how hard it is to love someone when they don't even love themselves.

Spells to Forget Us is available through Penguin Random House

3. Serendipity edited by Marissa Meyer

Marissa Meyer is one of my all-time favorite authors, and one of my most prized possessions is my signed copy of Serendipity. This short story collection takes ten of the most common romance tropes and turns them on their head into something new. Each of the ten stories is a reminder of how magical first love can be and will help you relive the first time you fell in love.

Serendipity is available through Macmillan Publishers