Rosemary and Rue (October Daye, #1)

Reach for this book when your teenager feels like an outsider or is struggling to rebuild their life after a significant loss or period of isolation. Rosemary and Rue follows October 'Toby' Daye, a half-fae woman who spent fourteen years transformed into a fish, only to return to a world that moved on without her. Now a private investigator in San Francisco, she must solve the murder of a former friend while navigating a hidden magical society that often rejects her for her mixed heritage. This urban fantasy is a poignant exploration of identity, grief, and the search for belonging. While it features magical creatures, it treats emotional scars with grounded realism. It is most appropriate for older teens (14+) due to its darker noir atmosphere and themes of trauma. Parents will appreciate how it models resilience and the difficult, messy process of rejoining a community when you feel you no longer fit in.