Roar Cat Reads

Tag: contemporary fiction

  • My 6 Favorite LGBTQ+ Books Read in 2025 (so far)

    My 6 Favorite LGBTQ+ Books Read in 2025 (so far)

    Whether you’re a fan of romance, fantasy, contemporary fiction, or historical fiction, I’ve got a book recommendation for you! These are my six favorite queer books that I’ve read (not released) so far this year.

    My 6 Favorite LGBTQ+ Books Read in 2025 (so far)

    The Atlas Six

    by Olivie Blake
    Fantasy, 376 pages

    Set in a version of the present day where magic exists and is treated as interchangeable with science, this book’s plot (good) is vastly overshadowed by its worldbuilding (incredible) and character studies (phenomenal). With six protagonists offering chapters from their unique POVs, I was overwhelmed by Blake’s ability to create such morally complex and interesting characters. I would have read 1,000 pages of their inner lives and motivations, and am, in fact, off to read the sequel immediately!

    Book Outlet Canada

    Rough Trade

    by Katrina Carrasco
    Historical fiction, 384 pages

    Unlike anything I’ve read before, this historical novel centers oppressed narratives with working class smugglers in 1880 Tacoma, Washington who are female, or gay, or gender non-conforming. There are no “good” or “bad” characters here, only complicated people trying to get a little bit more than they have and realizing what they’ll do in order to accomplish their goals. Absolutely fascinating!

    Book Outlet Canada

    Here We Go Again

    by Alison Cochrun
    Contemporary romance, 368 pages

    I adore a romance novel with enough meat to make me cry, and this succeeds easily by circling the spicy romance of the childhood-friends-turned-rivals around their mutual love of their dying teacher and father-figure. This book is queer family at its absolute best, with a road trip that brings out the best and worst in each person. Logan and Rosemary are believably annoyed with each other AND in love with each other, and this is the exact dynamic I like in a romance.

    Book Outlet Canada

    Solomon’s Crown

    by Natasha Siegel
    Historical romance, 368 pages

    I am a huge fan of Eleanor of Aquitaine, and I long for historical romance novels set outside of the English Regency era, so this book was absolutely what I was looking for! Who wouldn’t want to read about feuding kings in the 1100s falling in love with each other? This is historical-lite, since Richard the Lionheart and King Philip of France did not actually fall in love (probably), but I loved the conflict between choosing between what is best for their countries and what is best for their hearts, swoon!

    Book Outlet Canada

    The Guncle Abroad

    by Steven Rowley
    Contemporary fiction, 320 pages

    Steven Rowley has quickly become a must-read author for me. This sequel (that can easily be read as a standalone) captures the same humor, depth, and care as its precursor, The Guncle. This time the focus is on the complications and joys of love rather than grief, and the addition of European travels and wedding hijinks makes this possibly even more fun to me!? Seems impossible, but there you go. If you love a feel-good story with real heart and depth, you’ve got to read Rowley’s novels!

    Book Outlet Canada

    Company of Liars

    by Karen Maitland
    Historical fiction, 576 pages

    This novel about a group of people traveling across England in the 1300s to avoid the plague is The Canterbury Tales meets And Then There Was One. It is a fascinating glimpse into the superstitions of the time, and most impressively, Maitland slowly draws you into the world so that by the end, I found myself as superstitious as the characters I had judged at the beginning. It is incredibly immersive, but that does include some pretty harrowing scenes as well, so take the content warnings seriously!

    CW: Anti-Semitism, homophobia, period-accurate violence

    Book Outlet Canada

    What are your favorite books that you’ve read so far in 2025? Share them in the comments and let me know if I should read them too!

  • Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

    Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

    Genre | Contemporary YA Fiction
    Page #s | 391
    Publishing Date | May 2021

    Noah Ramirez thinks he’s an expert on romance. He has to be for his popular blog, the Meet Cute Diary, a collection of trans happily ever afters. There’s just one problem—all the stories are fake. What started as the fantasies of a trans boy afraid to step out of the closet has grown into a beacon of hope for trans readers across the globe.

    When a troll exposes the blog as fiction, Noah’s world unravels. The only way to save the Diary is to convince everyone that the stories are true, but he doesn’t have any proof. Then Drew walks into Noah’s life, and the pieces fall into place: Drew is willing to fake-date Noah to save the Diary. But when Noah’s feelings grow beyond their staged romance, he realizes that dating in real life isn’t quite the same as finding love on the page.

    In this charming novel by Emery Lee, Noah will have to choose between following his own rules for love or discovering that the most romantic endings are the ones that go off script.

    Goodreads

    By now, y’all know I love a fake dating trope. What I love even more is a book that deconstructs and questions the fake dating trope, which is exactly what Meet Cute Diary does!

    Noah is a young trans man who has exacting ideas about how love works, and all of those ideas are simplified and hyper-romantic. It’s right on target with how my teenaged brain thought of relationships, and Noah has an extra level of empathy because he just wants to believe that love is possible for trans kids. However, you may not be surprised to learn that the point of this book is upending Noah’s ideas of a Perfect Romance in favor of something messier, more complicated, and ultimately, more fulfilling.

    There was a lot to like about this book. The central plot about falling in love while spending the summer with your older brother in a new city is always fun, especially when you throw a summer camp into the mix. But the reason this book hit a different level of appreciation for me is how it layered complexity into a traditional romantic romp.

    For instance, one of our supporting characters offers a surprisingly deep portrayal of gender identity exploration as complicated by anxiety and panic attacks. There was also a fairly nuanced portrayal of online cancel culture; Noah’s blog falsely portrays his fantasies as true stories. While his followers are technically right in their complaints, the way they abandon ship (with PITCH PERFECT comments) is excruciating, as is his desperation to save himself. I love a plot where no one is right, and the whole thing has to be thrown out so something new can begin.

    Where this book faltered a little for me is Noah himself. Similar to Neil in The Feeling of Falling in Love, Noah is self-absorbed and a little cruel. This especially comes to light in his long-distance friendship, and I couldn’t help wondering why so many people wanted to be friends with this kid! He does grow, but this is not a protagonist that I want to hang out with in real life. Maybe this is just teens – cynicism and egotism is often the way we are at that age.

    A fun twist on an old favorite, Meet Cute Diary is a good time with some interesting things to say.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Share Meet Cute Diary with someone who could use a primer in how to handle a person asking them to use new pronouns.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

    Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

    Genre | Contemporary Fiction Romance
    Page #s | 400
    Publishing Date | November 2022

    For Astrid Parker, failure is unacceptable. Ever since she broke up with her fiancé a year ago, she’s been focused on her career–her friends might say she’s obsessed, but she knows she’s just driven. When Pru Everwood asks her to be the designer for the Everwood Inn’s renovation, which will be featured on a popular HGTV show, Innside America, Astrid is thrilled. Not only will the project distract her from her failed engagement and help her struggling business, but her perpetually displeased mother might finally give her a nod of approval. 

    However, Astrid never planned on Jordan Everwood, Pru’s granddaughter and the lead carpenter for the renovation, who despises every modern design decision Astrid makes. Jordan is determined to preserve the history of her family’s inn, particularly as the rest of her life is in shambles. When that determination turns into some light sabotage to ruffle Astrid’s perfect little feathers, the showrunners ask them to play up the tension. But somewhere along the way, their dislike for each other evolves into something quite different, and Astrid must decide what success truly means. Is she going to pursue the life that she’s expected to lead or the one that she wants?

    Goodreads

    I am so glad that Blake turned her Delilah Green Doesn’t Care success into a romance novel series about a gaggle of queer friends finding love in the Pacific Northwest. Choosing Astrid (Delilah’s seemingly straight, uptight foil) as the protagonist for the second book was, in my opinion, inspired! So much about this book was designed especially for me:

    • A perfectly put together woman who is one bad day away from falling apart…and finding freedom in failure.
    • A late-in-life queer discovery
    • Enemies to lovers trope

    For someone else, the setting being an HGTV-equivalent project would also be on that list. Basically, this is a good time! I loved it!

    Astrid and Jordan have great chemistry throughout, whether they’re arguing about design choices or navigating their budding attraction toward each other. Blake does such a good job of creating fully realized characters, and showing how Astrid and Jordan’s past relationships affected their fears and insecurities going into a new one was handled really well.

    One of my biggest gripes with romance novels is that the Final Twist that attempts to break up the new lovers before Love Saves the Day often feels like a soulless plot device that’s only there because it’s “supposed” to be. Although I felt shades of that in the “villain” of this book, I mostly found the conflict believable and, most importantly, plot relevant! It developed the characters further and led to a reunion that actually felt earned and better than what had existed before.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    If you’re looking for a fun, light-hearted, spicy romance novel, you MUST put Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail on your TBR list.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • The Feeling of Falling in Love by Mason Deaver

    The Feeling of Falling in Love by Mason Deaver

    Genre | Contemporary YA Fiction
    Page #s | 343
    Publishing Date | August 2022

    Just days before spring break, Neil Kearney is set to fly across the country with his childhood friend (and current friend-with-benefits) Josh, to attend his brother’s wedding—until Josh tells Neil that he’s in love with him and Neil doesn’t return the sentiment.

    With Josh still attending the wedding, Neil needs to find a new date to bring along. And, almost against his will, roommate Wyatt is drafted.

    At first, Wyatt (correctly) thinks Neil is acting like a jerk. But when they get to LA, Wyatt sees a little more of where it’s coming from. Slowly, Neil and Wyatt begin to understand one another… and maybe, just maybe, fall in love for the first time…

    Goodreads

    I love a book with a fake dating trope, and there were elements of this story that really worked for me. Unfortunately, its extremely unlikeable protagonist, combined with some highly dubious personal development, made it impossible for me to sink fully into the joy of the trope.

    Neil is a classic self-hating teen who pushes people away when they get too close. He’s uncomfortably rude and selfish, but multiple people find him charming to the point of falling in love with him. I mean, this guy deliberately tracked mud into his dorm room when his roommate specifically asked him to be cleaner, and this roommate apparently is harboring a secret crush on Neil. WHY?

    Anyway, Neil wants to show his hookup Josh just how little he cares about him by pretending to date said roommate Wyatt. Despite JUST being terrified by relational intimacy, he falls in love with Wyatt while fake dating him for approximately three days. He does become marginally nicer, largely because Wyatt insists he be treated with kindness. His character growth also applies to his family, who he loudly complains about throughout his brother’s wedding week until realizing that perhaps they are complex human beings. BUT THEN! Neil attempts a supposedly romantic gesture that just made me think he was as selfish as he’s always been, resulting in an entirely unsatisfactory ending.

    I didn’t love this, if you couldn’t tell. But I did read it quickly, and it’s got some wonderful queer representation and themes in the form of Neil, a trans man, and Wyatt, a pansexual genderqueer kid. We also get some heartbreakingly accurate family dynamics between transphobic grandparents and parents who don’t do enough to defend their kid. That stuff was all great. The plot? Less so.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell

    Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell

    Genre | YA Contemporary Fiction Graphic Novel
    Page #s | 289
    Publishing Date | May 2019

    All Freddy Riley wants is for Laura Dean to stop breaking up with her.

    The day they got together was the best one of Freddy’s life, but nothing’s made sense since. Laura Dean is popular, funny, and SO CUTE … but she can be really thoughtless, even mean. Their on-again, off-again relationship has Freddy’s head spinning — and Freddy’s friends can’t understand why she keeps going back.

    When Freddy consults the services of a local mystic, the mysterious Seek-Her, she isn’t thrilled with the advice she receives. But something’s got to give: Freddy’s heart is breaking in slow motion, and she may be about to lose her very best friend as well as her last shred of self-respect. Fortunately for Freddy, there are new friends, and the insight of advice columnist Anna Vice, to help her through being a teenager in love.

    Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell bring to life a sweet and spirited tale of young love that asks us to consider what happens when we ditch the toxic relationships we crave to embrace the healthy ones we need.

    Goodreads

    The artwork in Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me is absolutely gorgeous; that is what kept me reading a story that I’m incredibly glad exists, but definitely feels like the kind of YA meant for high school students. It’s a story of young love, understanding when relationships are toxic, and learning not to neglect your friends even though you’re in love.

    Everything about Freddy is understandable, but Laura Dean’s red flags are so numerous and unthinkingly cruel that I just wanted to shake her until she realized she was better than this relationship of convenience. I was similarly annoyed by the very dramatic “You’re way too young for me; I’m 18 and you’re 17!” that is repeated. What??

    The highlight of this story is undoubtedly the crumbling friendship between Freddy and Doodle. The ways in which they miss each other’s bids for attention and care is heartbreaking and relatable. I was excited for the D&D shout out in this plot thread, but whoops, that turned out not so great.

    I might be underselling this book, because as I’m thinking about it, there is a lot of really wonderful stories here about abortion, queer progress, messy emotions, and no easy answers. And Freddy’s friend group is pretty much all varieties of queer, which is an accuracy that is great to see. You tell me – have you read Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me? What did you think?

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me is a great book to give to a queer teenager; bonus points if you use the book to actually discuss the themes within.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

    Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

    Genre | YA Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 276
    Publishing Date | January 2016

    Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving the Bronx and headed to Portland, Oregon. She just came out to her family and isn’t sure if her mom will ever speak to her again. But Juliet has a plan, sort of, one that’s going to help her figure out this whole “Puerto Rican lesbian” thing. She’s interning with the author of her favorite book: Harlowe Brisbane, the ultimate authority on feminism, women’s bodies, and other gay-sounding stuff.

    Will Juliet be able to figure out her life over the course of one magical summer? Is that even possible? Or is she running away from all the problems that seem too big to handle?

    With more questions than answers, Juliet takes on Portland, Harlowe, and most importantly, herself. 

    Goodreads

    One of my friends said this is her favorite book, and I totally see why! Juliet Takes a Breath is an excellent novel/primer about queerness, West Coast liberalism, and the perils of white feminism. When a Puerto Rican young woman from New York moves to Portland to intern with a feminist author, she learns a lot about the world and herself.

    This is an educational book, in that Juliet is absorbing feminist and womanist culture with wide eyes and lots of details. But the lessons portrayed are wonderfully written with either poignancy or humor (or both). I laughed so much at Juliet listening with awe and confusion to the world’s most polite argument between polyamorous lesbians.

    For being a fairly overt book in terms of showcasing queer feminist ideas, it’s also wonderfully nuanced. Juliet’s friends and family urge her to be careful in idolizing a white woman, and they urge her to dig into black and brown queer feminist spaces. I won’t give away what happens, but I thought her experience was so honest. There aren’t easy answers given, and there are no villains, even if Juliet does realize that some changes are necessary moving forward.

    As a Great Plains kid who moved to Vancouver as an adult, I was delighted by the wonderful and wacky Pacific Northwest represented here. I can only imagine that a Latinx person in a similar situation would feel even more seen and understood, and for that I adore this book.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Juliet Takes a Breath is the book for you if you want to see intersectional feminism flawlessly portrayed within a sweet coming-of-age lesbian story.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • The Heartbreak Bakery by A.R. Capetta

    The Heartbreak Bakery by A.R. Capetta

    Genre | YA Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 352
    Publishing Date | October 2021

    Syd (no pronouns, please) has always dealt with big, hard-to-talk-about things by baking. Being dumped is no different, except now Syd is baking at the Proud Muffin, a queer bakery and community space in Austin. And everyone who eats Syd’s breakup brownies . . . breaks up. Even Vin and Alec, who own the Proud Muffin. And their breakup might take the bakery down with it. Being dumped is one thing; causing ripples of queer heartbreak through the community is another. But the cute bike delivery person, Harley (he or they, check the pronoun pin, it’s probably on the messenger bag), believes Syd about the magic baking. And Harley believes Syd’s magical baking can fix things, too—one recipe at a time.

    Goodreads

    I did not expect to be emotionally moved by magical baked goods, but here we are! The Heartbreak Bakery celebrates love, whether romantic, communal, or sugar, and it’s the perfect quick read to satisfy a readers’ sweet tooth.

    Syd works at a queer bakery in Austin, TX, and literally everything about this sentence makes me happy. Austin is one of my favorite cities, and its awesomeness (as well as it’s flaws) is captured here so personally. If this is based on an actual queer bakery in Austin, someone please let me know because I want to go there immediately. The Proud Muffin is the queer community we all long for – diverse, inclusive, and full of activities and free desserts.

    Anyway, Syd works there, and accidentally bakes a batch of breakup brownies by pouring heartbreak into them. The rest of the book is a falling-in-love montage while Syd and coworker Harley scramble to reunite couples through even more magical baked goods. I honestly thought this would all turn out to be a “we were reading too much into this and thought magic but it was mundane” situation, but instead the reveal at the end turned out to be thematic and poignant.

    This book does gender non-conforming so well! Syd is agender and wrestles with what this means throughout the book, while Harley is confidently gender fluid and signals their pronouns by pin on any given day. While there is some coming out themes where Syd is concerned, it’s very much about personal understanding rather than societal acceptance. I loved it.

    For a book about falling in and out of love, I only fell in! The Heartbreak Bakery is so much fun.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Want a fun summer read to read at a (literal or imaginative) coffee shop? The Heartbreak Bakery is for you!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth

    The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth

    Genre | YA Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 368
    Publishing Date | June 2020

    Saoirse doesn’t believe in love at first sight or happy endings. If they were real, her mother would still be able to remember her name and not in a care home with early onset dementia. A condition that Saoirse may one day turn out to have inherited. So she’s not looking for a relationship. She doesn’t see the point in igniting any romantic sparks if she’s bound to burn out.

    But after a chance encounter at an end-of-term house party, Saoirse is about to break her own rules. For a girl with one blue freckle, an irresistible sense of mischief, and a passion for rom-coms.

    Unbothered by Saoirse’s no-relationships rulebook, Ruby proposes a loophole: They don’t need true love to have one summer of fun, complete with every cliché, rom-com montage-worthy date they can dream up—and a binding agreement to end their romance come fall. It would be the perfect plan, if they weren’t forgetting one thing about the Falling in Love Montage: when it’s over, the characters actually fall in love… for real.

    Goodreads

    The Falling in Love Montage is a YA contemporary fiction sapphic love story that offers a realistic message about the worthiness of love despite its ephemerality. I have to admit that it took me a minute to get into the story, because Saoirse is a brat. She’s a cranky, moody teen, and I felt myself related more to her father than to her for a good portion of the story. However, more than most moody teens, Saoirse has good reason for her outbursts. In addition to the typical angst that comes from transitioning out of secondary school and coping with a breakup, her mom has been placed into a care home due to early-onset dementia and her dad is dating someone new.

    All of this has led Saoirse to attempt the classic “Avoid pain by avoiding intimacy” gambit. When she meets Ruby, who is visiting for the summer, they agree that they just want a romance that is light, fun, and totally on the surface. But feelings take hold, and Saoirse has to wrestle with whether or not it’s worth opening your heart when you know there is an end date to the experience.

    I really appreciated the nuance of this book. Both Saorise and her father are coping with the tragedy of her mother’s condition, and they help and hurt each other in realistic ways as a result. Love is allowed to be complicated, and it’s Chosen Love rather than True Love that is the star here.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    If you want a quick read with a lot to say, The Falling in Love Montage is for you!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen

    She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen

    Genre | YA contemporary fiction
    Page #s | 288
    Publishing Date | April 2021

    High school nemeses fall in love in this queer YA rom com perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuiston.

    After losing spectacularly to her ex-girlfriend in their first game since their break up, Scottie Zajac gets into a fender bender with the worst possible person: her nemesis, the incredibly beautiful and incredibly mean Irene Abraham. Things only get worse when their nosey, do-gooder moms get involved and the girls are forced to carpool together until Irene’s car gets out of the shop.

    Their bumpy start only gets bumpier the more time they spend together. But when an opportunity presents itself for Scottie to get back at her toxic ex (and climb her school’s social ladder at the same time), she bribes Irene into playing along. Hijinks, heartbreak, and gay fake-dating scheme for the ages. From author Kelly Quindlen comes a new laugh-out-loud romp through the ups and downs of teen romance.

    Goodreads

    An enemies to lovers fake dating sapphic book, you say? She Drives Me Crazy was basically made for me! This is such a cute, fun read about a high school basketball player getting revenge on a toxic ex by pretending to date the cheerleader…until feelings develop. I will never get tired of this trope.

    In addition to the tropey fun, there are some slightly heavier themes that are handled well. Scottie is still hung up on her ex-girlfriend despite knowing she was unhealthy. It’s a realistic response to first love that I appreciated seeing represented, though I was also very glad when she finally gets over the relationship! Additionally, there is a lot of talk about assumptions, especially where Irene is concerned. As a Homecoming Queen cheerleader, she seems to have it all, but she is very aware of the stereotypes she faces as a Desi woman, a queer woman, and a cheerleader who believes in the skill and athleticism of her sport.

    This is a small thing, but I find it so nice that YA books are trending toward stories of “my family knows I’m queer, and they’re supportive.” The drama comes from more universal experiences of love, growth, and high school rather than coming out. I don’t want books where families struggle with a child coming out to disappear, but I’m glad we’re also normalizing healthy, supportive families!

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    She Drives Me Crazy is the sapphic high school rom com that you’ve been waiting for!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons

    The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons

    Genre | YA Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 304
    Publishing Date | June 2021

    Fifteen-year-old Spencer Harris is a proud nerd, an awesome big brother and a Messi-in-training. He’s also transgender. After transitioning at his old school leads to a year of bullying, Spencer gets a fresh start at Oakley, the most liberal private school in Ohio. 

    At Oakley, Spencer seems to have it all: more accepting classmates, a decent shot at a starting position on the boy’s soccer team, great new friends, and maybe even something more than friendship with one of his teammates. The problem is, no one at Oakley knows Spencer is trans – he’s passing. 

    So when a discriminatory law forces Spencer’s coach to bench him after he discovers the ‘F’ on Spencer’s birth certificate, Spencer has to make a choice: cheer his team on from the sidelines or publicly fight for his right to play, even if it means coming out to everyone – including the guy he’s falling for.

    Goodreads

    The Passing Playbook is a super cute story about a teen boy wrestling with the decision to pass or to live openly as trans in a high school regardless of consequences. He’s going to play soccer and fall in love along the way, so if that sounds fun to you, you’re probably going to love this sweet, quick read!

    This book wants to be an enemies-to-lovers romance, but the animosity between Spencer and Justice at the beginning feels forced and uncharacteristically rude. Once that is dropped and they’re allowed to play out a friends-to-lovers romance, it’s so much better. This is a relationship between a closeted trans boy and a closeted Christian boy – it doesn’t need the added drama. For the majority of the book, their relationship is sweet, tentative, and full of emotion…just what I love to see!

    I always find it necessary to point out when queer characters are already out to their supportive family, and this is one of those books. But there’s an added dimension here that I really liked where Spencer’s parents have fully supported his transition but are still very fearful of allowing him to live an out-and-proud life. This felt very realistic, and it was a nuanced familial dynamic that I appreciated seeing.

    Teen boys are hit or miss for me in YA books, so I was delighted to read a book about a soccer team full of boys who are very sweet and supportive of queer people. The fact that the GSA club at the school is less supportive of trans students was poignant and telling.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    The Passing Playbook is a cute YA romance with a healthy dose of soccer – read accordingly!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • With Teeth by Kristen Arnett

    With Teeth by Kristen Arnett

    Genre | Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 304
    Publishing Date | June 2021

    From the author of the New York Times-bestselling sensation Mostly Dead Things a surprising and moving story of two mothers, one difficult son, and the limitations of marriage, parenthood, and love

    If she’s being honest, Sammie Lucas is scared of her son. Working from home in the close quarters of their Florida house, she lives with one wary eye peeled on Samson, a sullen, unknowable boy who resists her every attempt to bond with him. Uncertain in her own feelings about motherhood, she tries her best–driving, cleaning, cooking, prodding him to finish projects for school–while growing increasingly resentful of Monika, her confident but absent wife. As Samson grows from feral toddler to surly teenager, Sammie’s life begins to deteriorate into a mess of unruly behavior, and her struggle to create a picture-perfect queer family unravels. When her son’s hostility finally spills over into physical aggression, Sammie must confront her role in the mess–and the possibility that it will never be clean again.

    Blending the warmth and wit of Arnett’s breakout hit, Mostly Dead Things, with a candid take on queer family dynamics, With Teeth is a thought-provoking portrait of the delicate fabric of family–and the many ways it can be torn apart.

    Goodreads

    With Teeth portrays motherhood from an almost horror novel perspective, and I don’t know about you, but I am here for it! There is such a sense of dread throughout, but – spoilers! – for any of my fellow hypersensitive scaredy cats out there….It doesn’t get as dark as I feared it was going to. It’s just deliciously head-twisty and absolutely f***ed.

    I love a book a with an unreliable narrator, and Sammie is unreliable to the extreme. Her POV is aggressively claustrophobic, which makes the short scenes from other characters that are sprinkled between chapters so valuable. We are primed to see the world through Sammie’s eyes, and it is a shock to see how wrong she is about how people see her or what is true about her son. It’s great storytelling and an indictment on how we all can view our own situation so inaccurately.

    This is a story about motherhood generally, but it’s also specifically about queer motherhood. Sammie and Monika feel pressure to be the queer parents with a model family, and ironically, it is this imposed pressure that creates many of the problems they seek to avoid. Relatable. Much like Detransition, Baby, I am so excited to see more books about queer people and relationships that are messy and unhealthy. And boy, are Sammie and Monika unhealthy. Their relationship is painfully realistic, from the small habits that grow increasingly intolerable over time to the solutions that are bandaids over unaddressed gaping wounds.

    This is a small thing, but another realistic plot that I really enjoyed was seeing Sammie date while going through a separation. Her affections are split, and she never knows what she really wants, but it is acknowledged that love can develop slowly even in these conditions.

    I’ve talked a lot about the queer relationship in the book rather than the mothering relationship between Sammie and Samson, which is pretty on brand for me. The thing is – it’s so twisted and earnest and painful and complicated! Sammie’s life is consumed by her son, and she hates him for it while being unwilling to make changes that could help. She’s a terrible mother, and he’s an ambiguous kid, but their story is incredibly compelling and distressingly recognizable.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Give With Teeth to someone who loves books that dissect culturally untouchable topics with honesty and incredible writing.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Loveless by Alice Oseman

    Loveless by Alice Oseman

    Genre | YA Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 433
    Publishing Date | July 2020

    The fourth novel from the phenomenally talented Alice Oseman – one of the most authentic and talked-about voices in contemporary YA.

    It was all sinking in. I’d never had a crush on anyone. No boys, no girls, not a single person I had ever met. What did that mean?

    Georgia has never been in love, never kissed anyone, never even had a crush – but as a fanfic-obsessed romantic she’s sure she’ll find her person one day.

    As she starts university with her best friends, Pip and Jason, in a whole new town far from home, Georgia’s ready to find romance, and with her outgoing roommate on her side and a place in the Shakespeare Society, her ‘teenage dream’ is in sight.

    But when her romance plan wreaks havoc amongst her friends, Georgia ends up in her own comedy of errors, and she starts to question why love seems so easy for other people but not for her. With new terms thrown at her – asexual, aromantic – Georgia is more uncertain about her feelings than ever.

    Is she destined to remain loveless? Or has she been looking for the wrong thing all along?

    This wise, warm and witty story of identity and self-acceptance sees Alice Oseman on towering form as Georgia and her friends discover that true love isn’t limited to romance.

    Goodreads

    This book was recommended by Chelsea in her Queer Books, Queer Readers interview, and I’m so glad I checked it out! Loveless is a YA contemporary fiction novel about growing up, going to college for the first time, and figuring out who you are. This includes many things, including navigating shifting friendships, new roommates, and hobbies, but for Georgia it also means coming to terms with her sexuality.

    I have never read a book that so effortlessly portrays asexual representation. I’m on the asexual spectrum (nearer demisexual), and I resonated so much with some of the thoughts Georgia had and laughed at her belief that everyone shared them. I used to believe everyone had the same perspective on sex and relationships that I did, and was shocked to find out I was in the minority! I also used to think that my obsession with fanfic and romance meant I was experiencing life the same way my peers did and was annoyed to realize that wasn’t the case!

    There were other elements of Georgia’s experience that I did not relate to, and honestly, some aspects of asexuality that I hadn’t quite understood on an emotional level. This book helped embody those experiences and gave me even greater understanding and empathy for my aroace friends.

    The beauty of Loveless is that it’s beautifully queer in myriad ways. Georgia’s acceptance of her asexuality is the heartbeat of the book, but we also get side characters who identify as lesbian, bisexual, gay, and nuanced subcategories of each. And like any good queer book, it’s all about community. Georgia finds acceptance through her friends and through her school’s Pride society, and it is such a joy to watch her flourish because of and alongside her people.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Loveless is a heartwarming YA book that is a perfect comfort read with broad appeal.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

    The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

    Genre | Middle grade graphic novel
    Page #s | 256
    Publishing Date | November 2021

    From the author of The Deep & Dark Blue comes a tender graphic novel, perfect for our time, that gently explores themes of self-discovery, friendship, healing from tragedy, and hope for a better tomorrow.

    Struggling with anxiety after witnessing a harrowing instance of gun violence, Manuel Soto copes through photography, using his cell-phone camera to find anchors that keep him grounded. His days are a lonely, latchkey monotony until he’s teamed with his classmates, Sebastian and Caysha, for a group project.

    Sebastian lives on a grass-fed cattle farm outside of town, and Manuel finds solace in the open fields and in the antics of the newborn calf Sebastian is hand-raising. As Manuel aides his new friends in their preparations for the local county fair, he learns to open up, confronts his deepest fears, and even finds first love.

    Goodreads

    The Golden Hour is a gorgeously drawn graphic novel that visually captures the feeling of PTSD and anxiety perfectly. Manuel is a sweet boy who is struggling to readjust after witnessing a school shooting and the injury of his art teacher. The violence is implied and occasionally depicted in a roundabout way, but the instance itself is not this book’s focus; Manuel’s healing process is.

    Central to this healing process are his two friends. They are endlessly supportive, understanding, and simply the best. They draw Manuel into their world of farming and the Ag-Club. Their companionship combined with peaceful country living provides him with a safe space to re-enter the world. Additionally, his therapist suggests he use photography as a coping strategy. It is a way for him to see the world one step removed, which feels safer. It’s also a way for him to focus on one small thing (his screen) when his anxiety starts to take over. All of this is drawn effortlessly; it’s truly impressive how Smith manages to convey psychological and emotional experiences artistically.

    There is no explicit queer representation, unlike Smith’s earlier middle grade graphic novel The Deep & Dark Blue. However, there are soft boys exploring friendship with meaningful looks between them; they’re totally going to date.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    The Golden Hour has broad appeal; if you’re into sweet stories about young people growing up after tragedy with the help of nice people, you will enjoy this graphic novel!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju

    Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju

    Genre | YA Contemporary fiction
    Page #s | 374
    Publishing Date | May 2019

    Perpetually awkward Nima Kumara-Clark is bored with her insular community of Bridgeton, in love with her straight girlfriend, and trying to move past her mother’s unexpected departure. After a bewildering encounter at a local festival, Nima finds herself suddenly immersed in the drag scene on the other side of town.

    Macho drag kings, magical queens, new love interests, and surprising allies propel Nima both painfully and hilariously closer to a self she never knew she could be—one that can confidently express and accept love. But she’ll have to learn to accept lost love to get there.

    Goodreads

    Kings, Queens and In-Betweens is a sweet coming-of-age story about a queer girl in a small town who discovers the drag scene and community. Nima is a painfully awkward person, and I laughed out loud at her panicked reactions multiple times (as well as almost needing to throw the book across the room in sympathy embarrassment at one particularly cringeworthy scene). She is totally endearing, and it is a joy to watch her gain confidence in her relationships and performances.

    I so appreciate books that don’t make coming out a huge deal, but at the same time, I know it’s important to acknowledge the real consequences some people face when sharing their identity with others. This book covers both experiences, with Nima’s friends and family being accepting and inclusive (in fact, she has parent drama that is NOT about coming out – a marvel!) and side character Gordon experiencing intense homophobia from his father. I think this approach is incredibly important, as it shows that negative expereinces do not have to be the norm by also modeling healthy familial love.

    I also loved that, although Nima’s friends and family accept her and her attraction to women, she still finds a special kind of relationship with the queer community that she becomes a part of. There is something about the power of being with people who share your identity to make you feel safe, seen, and powerful in a very unique way. These different kinds of relationships don’t have to be in competition, and I appreciated that Boteju purposefully merged the two worlds.

    While this book does capture the magic of queer community, I did find the character of Deidre leaned a little too far into the “drag queen fairy godmother” territory. She is constantly available to help Nima out of one scrape or another, and we don’t get a real sense of her personal friendship group or community. She’s over ten years older than Nima and co! I want her to have a vibrant social life with peers!

    Aside from that minor quibble, this book is just so enjoyable. Pick it up and give it a read!

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Gift Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens to your cousin from Rural Town for them to read on the way to the drag performance you take them to.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • The Clothesline Swing by Ahmed Danny Ramadan

    The Clothesline Swing by Ahmed Danny Ramadan

    Genre | Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 288
    Publishing Date | June 2017

    The Clothesline Swing is a journey through the troublesome aftermath of the Arab Spring. A former Syrian refugee himself, Ramadan unveils an enthralling tale of courage that weaves through the mountains of Syria, the valleys of Lebanon, the encircling seas of Turkey, the heat of Egypt and finally, the hope of a new home in Canada.

    Inspired by Arabian Tales of One Thousand and One Nights, The Clothesline Swing tells the epic story of two lovers anchored to the memory of a dying Syria. One is a Hakawati, a storyteller, keeping life in forward motion by relaying remembered fables to his dying partner. Each night he weaves stories of his childhood in Damascus, of the cruelty he has endured for his sexuality, of leaving home, of war, of his fated meeting with his lover. Meanwhile Death himself, in his dark cloak, shares the house with the two men, eavesdropping on their secrets as he awaits their final undoing.

    Goodreads

    The Clothesline Swing is a gorgeously written novel about love, death, and the stories we tell to stay alive. Written in overlapping and intersecting stories told by a gay man to his dying lover in their Vancouver home, we slowly learn more about their lives in perfectly timed revelations.

    This is a book about trauma, from being raised with abuse and neglect, to being a gay man in an oppressive culture, to surviving uprisings and war; most importantly, it is about the intersection of all of these things. It is a book about loss, but it is also a book about endurance, about finding pleasure in the midst of pain, and about accepting the things we have suffered.

    Although I found this book difficult to read sometimes because of its heavy subject matter, I was always drawn forward by the beauty and honesty with which Ramadan writes. The relationship at the center of the book is loving, tumultuous, and mundane (and I could equally be referring to Hakawati and his lover or Hakawati and Death here). There is no perfection here, only complex people trying to make sense of a world that has offered mostly pain and suffering.

    One of the most poignant relationships tracked throughout the book is Hakawati’s relationship to his mentally ill mother. We see her through stories, through flashbacks, and finally through her own perspective. She is a beautifully complicated woman, and her transition from villain to victim is stunning and heartbreaking. Without taking away from the very real consequences of being raised by an impulsive and violent woman, we are also invited to empathize with her as woman struggling with mental illness, misogyny, and isolation.

    I also greatly appreciated the complicated depictions of home from a refugee’s point of view. Syria is beautiful, Syria is terrifying, Syria is not what it was…and yet both men at the center of the book return again and again, either physically or mentally. Society often wants to flatten refugees’ experiences into a narrative of rescue, but the truth is far more complicated than that.

    That’s the theme of this book, apparently. Complicated and complex. I so appreciate Ramadan’s ability to guide readers into a world without easy answers, and to leave us there, equipped with a sense of peace and of meaning, if not certainty.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    If you appreciate an incredibly well-crafted book that deftly handles deep and dark themes, The Clothesline Swing is for you!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!