Book cover of The Weight of Our Sky

Book description

A music loving teen with OCD does everything she can to find her way back to her mother during the historic race riots in 1969 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in this heart-pounding literary debut.

Melati Ahmad looks like your typical movie-going, Beatles-obsessed sixteen-year-old. Unlike most other sixteen-year-olds though, Mel also believes…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Weight of Our Sky as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This book reads more like a thriller with heart than a historical novel, which makes it the perfect historical fiction for those just dipping a toe into the genre. 

Set in 1969 in Malaysia, during the historic race riots, the story follows a Beatles-obsessed teenage girl with OCD as she struggles to survive and get back to her family. I devoured this story over a couple of nail-biting days – and I bet you will too.

If you love The Weight of Our Sky...

Book cover of Sonnets and Serpents

Sonnets and Serpents by Elizabeth Lowham,

A cynical shapeshifter. A hopeful princess. A love they never saw coming.

Far from home, Princess Eliza searches for her shipwrecked love and is waylaid by Silas, a grumpy university student who's been hired by her sister to return her to the castle. Eliza and Silas are opposites in every…

Want books like The Weight of Our Sky?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 53 books like The Weight of Our Sky.

Browse books like The Weight of Our Sky

Book cover of The Poisonwood Bible
Book cover of The Story That Cannot Be Told
Book cover of The Downstairs Girl

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,337

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like The Weight of Our Sky, you might also like...

Book cover of The Time-Jinx Twins

The Time-Jinx Twins by Carol Fisher Saller,

Twelve-year-old identical twins Ellie and Kat accidentally trigger their physicist mom’s unfinished time machine, launching themselves into a high-stakes adventure in 1970 Chicago. If they learn how to join forces and keep time travel out of the wrong hands, they might be able find a way home. Ellie’s gymnastics and…

Book cover of Cinderelliot: A Scrumptious Fairytale

Cinderelliot by Mark Ceilley,

A gay retelling of the classic fairy tale--a scrumptious love story featuring ungrateful stepsiblings, a bake-off, and a fairy godfather.

Cinderelliot is stuck at home taking care of his ungrateful stepsister and stepbrother. When Prince Samuel announces a kingdom-wide competition to join the royal staff as his baker, the stepsiblings…

5 book lists we think you will like!