A Million to One: An LGBTQIA+ Historical Heist and Romance Aboard the Titanic

Author: Adiba Jaigirdar

2024 Rainbow Book List. Adiba Jaigirdar, author of one of Time's Best YA books of all time, gives Titanic an Ocean’s 8 makeover in this nail-biting heist set onboard the infamous ship. Josefa is an unapologetic and charismatic thief who loves the thrill of the chase. She has her eye on her biggest mark yet—the RMS Titanic, the most luxurious ship in the world. But she isn’t interested in stealing from wealthy first-class passengers onboard. No, she’s out for the ultimate prize: the Rubiyat, a one-of-a-kind book encrusted with gems that’s worth millions. Josefa can’t score it alone, so she enlists a team of girls with unique talents: Hinnah, a daring acrobat and contortionist; Violet, an actress and expert dissembler; and Emilie, an artist who can replicate any drawing by hand.

They couldn’t be more different and yet they have one very important thing in common: their lives depend on breaking into the vault and capturing the Rubiyat. But careless mistakes, old grudges, and new romance threaten to jeopardize everything they’ve worked for and put them in incredible danger when tragedy strikes. While the odds of pulling off the heist are slim, the odds of survival are even slimmer… Perfect for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper and Girl in the Blue Coat, this high-seas heist from the author of The Henna Wars is an immersive story that makes readers forget one important detail—the ship sinks.

Recommended Reads for Pride Month

1. No Body No Crime by Tess Sharpe
   • An exhilarating thriller with cinematic adventure and a delightful sapphic romance.
2. The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder
   • An action-packed and heartfelt YA retelling of “Sleeping Beauty,” perfect for fans of Indiana Jones.
3. A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar
   • A simultaneously heartwarming and heart-wrenching YA historical novel set on the Titanic with a riveting heist and sapphic love.
4. Anderson in Bloom by Jennifer Dugan
   • A fun, sexy second-chance sapphic romance with a hilarious cast and vivid small-town setting.
5. The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
   • An atmospheric, enchanting dark academia fantasy with an addictive sapphic romance and captivating magic system.
6. Hell’s Heart by Alexis Hall
   • A creative, strange (complimentary), and fever dream-esque sci-fi retelling of Moby-Dick.
7. The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap
   • A gripping, gothic historical fiction novel with murder and a dark academia atmosphere set in Scotland, 1828.
8. To the Bone by Alena Bruzas
   • A heartbreaking and unsettling YA historical fiction novel with a tender sapphic romance and powerful portrayal of Colonial America.
9. An Arcane Study of Stars by Sydney J. Shields
   • A sweeping, irresistible dark academia fantasy set in a queer-normative world.
10. No Better Than Beasts by Z.R. Ellor

• A vicious, darkly mesmerizing retelling of "The Nutcracker."

11. Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood

• An achingly beautiful and wildly entertaining fantasy infused with Greek mythology, love, and tragedy.

12. This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings

• A sumptuous yet gritty YA historical fantasy set in Jazz Age Harlem with vampires, sapphic romance, and female rage.

13. The Marble Queen by Anna Kopp; illustrated by Gabrielle Kari

• A swoony, stunning YA fantasy graphic novel with gorgeous illustrations and sapphic romance.

14. Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald

• An empowering, romantic, and fierce YA retelling of Hades and Persephone.

What are you reading this Pride Month? 🫶