Families who loved Holding Smoke by Elle Cosimano often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your teen feels trapped by their circumstances, misunderstood by authority figures, or is struggling with the weight of past mistakes. It is an ideal choice for readers who feel powerless against a system that has already decided who they are. The story follows John Smoke Conlan, a teenager in a juvenile detention center who can leave his body to travel as a spirit. Through this supernatural lens, the book explores heavy themes of justice, redemption, and the search for truth in a corrupt world. It is a gritty, high-stakes thriller that addresses the harsh realities of the justice system and the possibility of a second chance. While the setting is dark, the emotional core focuses on the transformative power of being truly seen by another person and the courage it takes to fight for a future when all hope seems lost.