We Are Made of Scars and Starlight by Nicole Zelniker

When twenty-five-year-old Kai Larssen agrees to pose as his best friend Mariah’s date at a family gathering, he doesn’t expect to fall—hard—for her twin brother, Ray. Anxious, magnetic, and achingly off-limits, Ray is everything Kai has ever wanted. But coming out to Ray means risking Mariah’s privacy—and their friendship. Back in New York, Kai and Ray grow closer, and Kai finds himself trapped in a tangle of half-truths and unspoken feelings. As the lies pile up, Kai must decide: is love worth the cost of betrayal? Told in luminous prose, We Are Made of Scars and Starlight is a tender, heartbreaking novella about mental health, disability, and queer desire in the heart of the modern city. Poignant and full of hope, it’s a story of self-discovery, chosen family, and the courage it takes to be seen.

Adult • Diversity Representation/LGBTQ+/Own Voices • Diversity Representation/Disability/Own Voices • Diversity Representation/Mental Health/Own Voices • Contemporary Fiction

Content Warning: Content in this book includes depictions of ableism, characters struggling with their mental health, chronic pain, grief, homophobia, and transphobia. There are also mentions of addiction, death, and medical trauma.