If I Was Your Girl, by Meredith Russo

Amanda is the new girl in a small-town high school, and she comes in facing the same problems as

all new kids. Will she make friends? Will she fit in? Will she find love? But Amanda comes with an additional secret -- until recently, she was a boy named Andrew. As she lives her true self for the first time, finding a group of girls she connects to and starting to build a relationship with handsome Grant, Amanda also struggles with how much, if any, of her own story to reveal.
The structure and flow of this book is really engaging. It alternates between Amanda's current experiences at her new school and flashbacks to her past -- her struggle since childhood with her gender identity, her family's reaction, and her transition and challenges. One of the hardest parts of reading this story is how quickly and easily she fits in at her new school. When the reader gets Andrew's experience of always being on the outside, along with ominous foreshadowing of how quickly her new life could crumble in the face of intolerance, there's a bit of dread as we anticipate what's likely in store for Amanda. This is not a tragedy by any means, but there is definitely heartbreak along the way.
The author's note at the end is also valuable. Meredith Russo is also transgender, and speaks frankly about how Amanda's experience are her own and might be very different for other transgender teens and adults. Overall a moving and excellent read.

The Emperor of Any Place, by Tim Wynne-Jones

Evan's father dies unexpectedly with a hand-bound yellow book open on his desk, which starts a series of events that completely changes Evan's life. With no family left, Evan's grandfather, a former Marine and a lifelong military man comes to live with him after a lifetime of estrangement. Evan's dad skipped out on the draft for the Vietnam War and his father, Griff, never forgave him. Evan and Griff's relationship is rocky, and more so after Evan begins to read the mysterious book his father was reading when he died. The book is a diary of a Japanese soldier, marooned on an island during WWII, and Griff plays a role in mysterious circumstances.

The book alternates between present day (Evan's dad's death, conflicts with Griff) and the events taking place in the diary during WWII. Mysteries unfold in both storylines, which can make the book occasionally infuriating -- there are lots of cliffhangers between chapters that make you want to flip ahead -- but overall this book is totally engrossing and a quick, enjoyable, thought-provoking read.