A. L. Graziadei writes young adult fiction about finding connection while navigating pressure, identity, and mental health. Their hockey novel Icebreaker received a Printz Honor; In Repair explores friendship and healing in college. Graziadei also works as an editor, bringing a love of revision to other writers’ manuscripts.
A. L. Graziadei's Icebreaker is an irresistible YA debut about two hockey players fighting to be the best—and the romance that catches them by surprise along the way. Seventeen-year-old Mickey James III is a college freshman, a brother to five sisters, and a hockey legacy. With a father and a grandfather who have gone down in NHL history, Mickey is almost guaranteed the league's top draft spot. The only person standing in his way is Jaysen Caulfield, a contender for the #1 spot and Mickey's infuriating (and infuriatingly attractive) teammate. When rivalry turns to something more, Mickey will have to decide what he really wants, and what he's willing to risk for it. This is a story about falling in love, finding your team (on and off the ice), and choosing your own path.
Nathaniel Conti wants a fresh start in college, but he is used to keeping people’s attention through trouble. New friendships and a photographer’s interest offer another way to be seen. When a former friend returns, Nathaniel must confront the hurt and habits he has tried to leave behind.
Print · Godwin Books · 2024-05-14 · English ISBN 9781250777133
Print · Square Fish · 2025-05-27 · English ISBN 9781250377906
Audiobook · Macmillan Young Listeners · 2024-05-14 · English ISBN 9781250343963
Listen to the opening of In Repair in the audiobook preview from Google Play Books.
Google Play Books · Audiobook preview
More About A. L. Graziadei
A. L. Graziadei grew up in Buffalo with Sabres hockey and video games ↗, two interests that fed an early habit of writing stories. Hockey became the setting for Icebreaker ↗, a debut about college teammates caught between competition and attraction. The novel follows Mickey James III as he weighs a family sporting legacy against his own hopes, relationships, and mental health.
Icebreaker received a 2023 Michael L. Printz Honor ↗. With In Repair ↗, published in 2024, Graziadei returned to college life through Nathaniel Conti, whose search for attention gives way to the harder work of friendship and confronting old hurt. The New York Public Library included the novel among its Best Books for Teens of 2024 ↗.
Revision is a source of energy for Graziadei, who also works as an editor ↗. Feedback can renew the excitement of a manuscript, even when the first response is difficult to absorb. Their editing practice centers on plot, pacing, character, and structure, with a particular interest in queer stories and mental health.
Quotes From the Writer and Contributors
“Feedback from editors has a way of sparking such a rush of inspiration and renewed excitement for a project.”
