Roar Cat Reads

Tag: YA

  • 6 Queer Books I Read While Wedding Planning

    6 Queer Books I Read While Wedding Planning

    Wedding planning really took the wind out of my blogging sails, but I’m back, and I want to talk about the queer books that I read during those months that I was MIA. From memoirs to graphic novels to YA to historical nonfiction, I’ve got a book recommendation for you!

    6 Queer Books I Read While Wedding Planning

    Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies

    by Michael Ausiello

    This is the only book that directly relates to getting married, and WOW was it a good but hard book to read in the run up to committing my life to someone else’s in a world that is chaotic and impossible to control! A memoir about a gay couple’s relationship when one of them develops terminal cancer, I wound up loving it because it avoids trauma porn vibes by including a wicked sense of humor that rang really authentically to me. It’s devastating (look at that title) and uplifting in a “this is the human condition” sort of way.\

    Goodreads

    Strong Female Protagonist: Book One

    by Brennan Lee Mulligan and Molly Ostertag

    I have recently fallen down the Dimension 20 hole, and I’m now obsessed with everything that Brennan Lee Mulligan has created. When I learned that he had created a graphic novel with Molly Ostertag, it was the easiest decision in the world to check it out. Although the drawings start out a little rough around the edges, in true webcomic fashion, the style crystalizes as the book progresses. As for the story itself, it’s a great character study on the weight of superheroism and what it means to do good in a morally and systemically complicated world. Why is it reviewed by RCR? Because the best side character is a lesbian!

    Goodreads

    Bad Gays: A Homosexual History

    by Huw Lemmey and Ben Miller

    One of the evidences that queerness is becoming more culturally accepted is the growing genre of allowing gay people to be complicated, messy, and bad (see also: Detransition, Baby and The Ultimatum: Queer Love). This historical nonfiction covers the lives of (predominantly) gay men throughout history who have made the world worse, sometimes to a truly enormous extent. At the same time, Lemmey and Miller explore what “gay” has meant throughout history and how an evolving sense of identity has shaped people’s lives and actions.

    Goodreads

    The Terraformers

    by Annalee Newitz

    Covering three points in time spanning over a thousand years, Newitz explores themes of personhood and capitalism on a planet being terraformed in the far distant future. It’s very much a theme-heavy book rather than plot-heavy, and my favorite part of the book is how detailed and nuanced her vision of future relationships (familial, friendly, and romantic) might look like. When I tell you that I found myself shipping a train and a cat (yes, you read that right) and feeling like it was the most obvious thing in the world, I hope that conveys the depth of Newitz’s skills. If you like Becky Chambers’ books, there’s a high likelihood that you’ll enjoy this too!

    Goodreads

    Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place

    by Neema Avashia

    Originally a book club pick, I highly recommend this short memoir of essays that reveals universal experiences through extremely specific life events. I loved reading about the intersection between Indian and Appalachian cultures and how the dynamic has shifted in the last couple decades. The author has such a love for her hometown while also feeling desperate to move on from it in a way that I think a lot of queer folks from rural spaces can relate to.

    Goodreads

    Like a Love Story

    by Abdi Nazemian

    I put this beside Aristotle and Dante’s Discover the Secrets of the Universe in terms of being one of my favorite queer YA novels. It’s a story of friendship, young love, and community set in late 1980s New York City. That timeline means that the AIDS epidemic is front and center here, and reading this made me realize how rarely I see this time period reflected in YA novels. It’s such a necessary part of queer history to be told and retold, and this book really highlights how hard and scary it would be to explore and understand your sexuality in the midst of the crisis. While the context is necessarily dark, the story itself is uplifting, sweet, and moving.

    Goodreads

    Alright, that’s me done playing catch up! From now on I should be able to get back into individual reviews.

  • 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!

  • 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!

  • The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

    The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

    Genre | YA Contemporary Fiction
    Page #s | 400
    Publishing Date | May 2022

    Sixteen-year-old Yamilet Flores prefers to be known for her killer eyeliner, not for being one of the only Mexican kids at her new, mostly white, very rich Catholic school. But at least here no one knows she’s gay, and Yami intends to keep it that way.

    After being outed by her crush and ex-best friend before transferring to Slayton Catholic, Yami has new priorities: keep her brother out of trouble, make her mom proud, and, most importantly, don’t fall in love. Granted, she’s never been great at any of those things, but that’s a problem for Future Yami.

    The thing is, it’s hard to fake being straight when Bo, the only openly queer girl at school, is so annoyingly perfect. And smart. And talented. And cute. So cute. Either way, Yami isn’t going to make the same mistake again. If word got back to her mom, she could face a lot worse than rejection. So she’ll have to start asking, WWSGD: What would a straight girl do?

    Told in a captivating voice that is by turns hilarious, vulnerable, and searingly honest, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School explores the joys and heartaches of living your full truth out loud.

    Goodreads

    The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School hit me with my exact preferred mix of YA lightness and drama. Yami is a teen who’s been burned by coming out to her best friend and has the chance to start over at a new school…only there’s a hot girl who’s out and making it really hard for Yami to pretend to be straight. Silly shenanigans! Yami’s brother is bisexual and dating a boy, and she pretends to date him so their parents won’t find out about either of their sexualities. More silly shenanigans!

    But there are also truly deep themes here of religious trauma, mental illness and self-harm, class comparisons, and a family’s homophobic conditional love. Each is handled seriously and deftly, creating a story that is truly multi-faceted and realistic. There are happy endings, but not A Happy Ending in which everything works out in every way for everyone.

    The romance at the center of the book is very good, but the true marker of a good YA book to me is if there are equally important relationships to the main character. This is definitely the case here, as Yami deals with a former best friend, her beloved brother, her overworked mother, her deported father, her new friends at a new school, and Bo, her new crush. Each relationship shapes Yami and has its own resolution. I loved it!

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School is the YA book to give to your friend who says they’re over YA books.

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

  • The Midnight Lie and The Hollow Heart by Marie Rutkoski

    The Midnight Lie and The Hollow Heart by Marie Rutkoski

    Genre | YA Fantasy
    Page #s | 358 and 384
    Publishing Date | March 2020 and September 2021

    Where Nirrim lives, crime abounds, a harsh tribunal rules, and society’s pleasures are reserved for the High Kith. Life in the Ward is grim and punishing. People of her low status are forbidden from sampling sweets or wearing colors. You either follow the rules, or pay a tithe and suffer the consequences.

    Nirrim keeps her head down and a dangerous secret close to her chest.

    But then she encounters Sid, a rakish traveler from far away who whispers rumors that the High Caste possesses magic. Sid tempts Nirrim to seek that magic for herself. But to do that, Nirrim must surrender her old life. She must place her trust in this sly stranger who asks, above all, not to be trusted.

    Set in the world of the New York Times–bestselling Winner’s Trilogy, beloved author Marie Rutkoski returns with an epic LGBTQ romantic fantasy about learning to free ourselves from the lies others tell us—and the lies we tell ourselves.

    Goodreads

    I fell in love with Rutkoski when I read The Kronos Chronicles years ago, and it was such a fun experience to rediscover her and find that her writing has become super queer! The Midnight Lie and The Hollow Heart are a fantasy duology about magic, oppression, and revenge with a lot to say about how people respond to abuse.

    I have very mixed feelings about these books. On one hand, I tore through them both; the dialogue sparkles (particularly in the first book), the worldbuilding is engaging, and the plot advances quickly (too quickly in the second book). On the other hand, plot twists hinge on my pet peeve, miscommunication, and the second book introduces an entirely new world that only gets half the book’s attention but was fully more interesting to me.

    Some of the broader strokes aren’t tight or clean enough, but it’s the details in which Rutkoski excels. Nirrim’s character development is compelling as she resists seeing and then realizes her abuse (both personally and systemically). Her reactions felt very human, by which I mean they are often messy and not “correct.” Sid has shades of manic pixie in the first book, but she is fully fleshed out in the second. Her rebellion against her parents without actually talking to them about what they want for her was excruciating but very teenager. And her parents! Where is THEIR story? I want it.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    The Midnight Lie and The Hollow Heart are perfect books to read if you want a quick, queer, fantasy palate cleanser.

    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!

  • Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi

    Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi

    Genre | YA Fantasy
    Page #s | 272
    Publishing Date | February 2022

    Bitter is thrilled to have been chosen to attend Eucalyptus, a special school where she can focus on her painting surrounded by other creative teens. But outside this haven, the streets are filled with protests against the deep injustices that grip the town of Lucille. Bitter’s instinct is to stay safe within the walls of Eucalyptus . . . but her friends aren’t willing to settle for a world that the adults say is “just the way things are.

    Pulled between old friendships, her creative passion, and a new romance, Bitter isn’t sure where she belongs – in the art studio or in the streets. And if she does find a way to help the revolution while being true to who she is, she must also ask: at what cost?

    Goodreads

    The prequel to Pet (one of my favorite reads last year), I had high expectations for Bitter, and I would say they were mostly met. The world of Pet was one in which monsters were eradicated and people had stopped being vigilant. Bitter is the story of Pet’s mother and how she played a role in the eradication of monsters. It’s worth noting that here, monsters mean people, and this is the strongest facet of both books. Throughout the early chapters, we hear about billionaires who exploit their workers, police who shoot protesters, and they are described in such a way that I kept thinking, “MONSTERS! Oh, wait, whoa, these are everyday occurrences in real life… How have I become so desensitized to how terrible this is??”

    In opposition to the terrible (real) world, two factions have arisen. There is a group of protesters and a school of artists; Bitter is in the latter, and she feels real and self-imposed judgement for not wanting to join the protesters. I really enjoyed the way the book explored art as protest and how not everyone needs to take to the streets…but that also, maybe you should sometimes.

    All of this combined with a cast of queer characters living messy lives means I should have loved it from the start, but I found that the first half of the book read as a little slow to me. It wasn’t until Bitter raised an angel from her artwork that I was hooked. The way Emezi depicts angels is exactly the kind of terrifying Old Testament too-many-eyes creature that I am Here For! At one point an angel basically says, “Why do you think angels are always saying, ‘Do not be afraid’ when they appear?” and I nearly fell over from Oh Snap-ing so hard. This is liberal areligious theology nerdom at its best.

    In contrast to Pet‘s focus on the individual, Bitter focuses on group responsibility, asking questions like: What is allowable in a revolution? Is bloodshed necessary? If so, how much? There aren’t easy answers, but it’s asking the questions that matters most.

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Give Bitter alongside Pet; these books go together and will pack the most punch as a unit!

    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!

  • 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!

  • Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

    Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

    Genre | YA Fantasy/Science Fiction
    Page #s | 394
    Publishing Date | September 2021

    The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn’t matter that the girls often die from the mental strain.

    When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it’s to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister’s death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.​

    To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia​. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.

    Goodreads

    Iron Widow is an absolute page-turner with a propulsive plot, a mysteriously unique and totally awesome setting, and an amazing series of “Oh, this old trope? NOPE!” twists. Zhao is a very talented writer who knows how to immediately grab readers’ attention. Although I felt the middle section veered a little too close to other stories (notably, The Hunger Games), Zhao then dismantles all the things that feel familiar with feminism and queerness while ratcheting up the plot and leaving us desperate for a sequel. Um, YES PLEASE.

    The furious feminism that is embedded in every page is a breath of fresh air. No opportunity is missed to point out personal or systemic sexism. This is a story about a woman who sees how society has broken women in innumerable ways, through gender roles in marriage, through access to education, through foot bindings, through the propaganda told about what a woman is good for. Zetian is livid and determined to burn it all down, and she does not care a single bit if she looks like a villain for it. It. Is. AWESOME.

    The worldbuilding is immediately believable while also being a huge mystery. From the prologue describing a mech battle (how is it the third paragraph and I’m just now mentioning mech battles – THERE ARE MECH BATTLES!) with tech handed down by the gods, I was fully immersed. Most importantly, I also fully bought in, because there is enough here that maps onto our everyday experience (i.e. the sexism!) that the world feels very grounded despite the regular alien invasions.

    I don’t want to say too much about the storylines revolving around romances because some of the book’s best twists and turns are found here. I will just say that I loved that Zetian’s fierceness never dies just because she’s crushing on someone, and that I loved seeing two very different but equally healthy forms of masculinity portrayed. Beyond that…just read it for yourself!

    As far as I can see, there is no firm release date for the sequel, but I am going to read it as soon as it’s released!

    What Makes This Book Queer?

    Xiran Jay Zhao is a queer person who uses they/them pronouns. Queerness is sprinkled through the first half of the book and then comes into the second half in a big way. But I don’t want to say more – discover the details for yourself!

    Who Do I Recommend This Book To?

    Give Iron Widow to your feminist friends that you want to expose to genre and/or to your genre friends that you want to expose to feminism!

    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!