M/M romance
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is the epic, high-adventure novel starring a witty bisexual that we all need in our lives. Don't let the length intimidate you because it will fly by. Not only are Monty and Percy perfect for each other, but writing is fabulous and the plot never slows. I enjoyed every page, which is not something you can always say with a book that's 500+ pages.
If you haven't heard of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, then you've been living under a rock. Becky Albertalli has a gift for writing lovable, realistic characters and books that you want to devour in one sitting. If I ever need a cozy, fluffy, romantic book in order to destress or take my mind off of things, I will go back to this book (or "Love, Simon").
Carry On's protagonist, coincidentally enough, is also named Simon, though this book is nothing like the one above. This is the answer to every Harry/Draco fan's dreams. But while I don't ship Harry and Draco, I do love Simon and Baz. Full of magic and snark, you should pick up this novel when you're looking for something fun and imaginative (but only after reading Fangirl first!).
History Is All You Left Me was my first introduction to Adam Silvera and now I'm a full-fledged fan. This is not a fun or fluffy book like the ones I mentioned above. It is deep and depressing, but also raw and emotional. You care about the characters like you actually know them, which is one of the best marks of a good writer.
They Both Die at the End is another Adam Silvera book, and my favorite one so far. The concept is pretty eerie, but super fascinating to read about. I loved Mateo and Rufus and how even in the quieter moments of the book, I enjoyed spending time with the characters. This is also a really depressing book, so fair warning.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is such a mouthful, but the title fits the book so well, because the writing is poetic and beautiful. Ari and Dante are such sweet boys, you can't help but love them and their friendship. If you ask me, the perfect way to read it is to listen to the audiobook (narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda), outside, during summer, under a tree, with an ice-cold glass of lemonade beside you. It's that kind of book.
Trans/Intersex characters
I combined these two because clearly this category is lacking! If you've got recommendations for me, drop a comment or send me a message on Twitter.
If I Was Your Girl was the first book I read with a trans protagonist and I really enjoyed it. Clearly I'm no expert on how good the representation was, but it was nice reading the story from the POV of a trans person. It's just not something you see that often. It highlights the everyday struggles of being trans, but overall the tone was lovely and hopeful. (And a trans model is featured on the cover! How cool is that?)
Again, None of the Above was the first (and only) book I've read with an intersex protagonist. Being intersex was something I'd never heard of before picking this book up and not only did it help explain what it was, but there was also a plot outside of Kristin discovering that she's intersex. The author did a good job balancing those two things.
F/F romance
Queens of Geek is like cotton candy in book form. I mean, just look at that cover! I don't remember many specifics from the story, but what I do remember is that I had fun reading it. It was so positive and my spirits were high after I finished it. Not only does it feature an F/F romance, but it has fantastic representation all around. One character is autistic and another is bisexual and Asian.
Becky Albertalli does it again with Leah on the Offbeat! Don't want to give too many spoilers since it's technically a sequel to Simon, but boy did I love this one, too. It's a sweet, summery, fun read that both allows Simon fans to catch up with their favorite characters in the future and fall in love with a brand new romance at the same time. Highly recommended.
I've read a lot of A.S. King books, but Ask the Passengers was one of my favorites. It's both simple and philosophical, very character-driven, and has a writing style that captivates you, even with a slower-than-usual plot. It's not very long, but I enjoyed all of it.
Honor Girl is a graphic memoir by a very cool author (I met her at a book festival and she is the nicest person alsdfjilr). I loved the simplistic art style and the heartfelt story. The romance felt very sweet, innocent, and real. It was like getting a glimpse of Maggie Thrash's diary. You feel extremely connected to the people in the book.
How to Make a Wish is the beachy romance I didn't know I was craving until I read it. It's a little longer than usual for a contemporary, which caused it to drag sometimes, but addictive romance made up for it. It has bisexual/lesbian rep and an interracial couple. There's also a big focus on families and mother-daughter relationships (the good, the bad, and the ugly). It's a bittersweet slice of summer.
Currently reading . . .
Even though I haven't finished it yet, I knew I had to include Ramona Blue on this list, because I downloaded the audiobook on a whim and I am loving it. It's a simple story featuring a whole cast of diverse characters, including a protagonist who has always identified as a lesbian but starts to question her sexuality when she finds herself attracted to her male best friend. I love these characters already and find myself missing the story when I'm doing something else. It's been a great book to listen to on long drives and even during shopping trips.
On my TBR list
Talk to me! What are your favorite LGBTQ+ books? What gaps are you struggling to fill? Do you have any fantasies, F/F romances, or books with trans characters to recommend? Leave a comment!
9 comments:
I just finished Aristotle and Dante and it was such a beautiful, well written book. I loved the pacing, the characters, and the way Ari discovered himself.
They Both Die at the End is such a great title! I'd have to pick it up just for the author's creativity and directness. But I'm disappointed in myself that I haven't read a single book you listed, and when I opened your page, I'm so old that I half expected A Separate Peace to be on your list, and that only hints at a gay character. More like a gay undertone.
I have to put a pitch in for The Color Purple, which has a f/f subplot, but without ruining the ending, it doesn't last. And I'm always reluctant to recommend that book because when I have in the past, some people have found it offensive.
And that's the extent of my reading where gay characters are involved. Interesting that it seems to have become a genre. And almost an uncontroversial one. It's like we're in 2018 or something and we can handle the reality of gay people having thoughts and feelings that we care about.
@Ruth
My thoughts exactly! It was such a hyped book for so long, I knew I had to pick it up and see what all the fuss was about. I'm glad I did.
@Jimmy
Isn't it? I love his book titles. And with this one, especially, it kept me wondering, "Are they really going to both die at the end?" I definitely recommend it and every other book I listed.
I loved A Separate Peace! It's been a while since I've read it, but yeah, since it never expressly states that anyone in the book is gay, I wouldn't have considered it an LGBTQ+ read.
I've never read The Color Purple, but it's one I keep meaning to read. I'll have to pick up the book before I can watch the movie or listen to the musical soundtrack. I've heard all versions of the story are excellent!
It's great that not only is the genre (or subgenre--I'm not sure how we should classify it) pretty much uncontroversial, but it's also becoming more mainstream. With movies like "Love, Simon" drawing in huge, diverse crowds or books like The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue becoming bestsellers, the stories are reaching all kinds of audiences, not just the ones who have always been actively seeking these stories.
Peter Darling! Intriguing!!
And I really ought to read "The Color Purple."
Commenting again to subscribe to follow-up comments this time . . .
@Boquinha
Right? I was looking up Peter Pan retellings for some research I was doing and came across that one. It looked too interesting not to add to my TBR!
This is such an awesome list!! They Both Die at the End is so phenomenal, I love it! I also loved NOne of the Above. Such powerful books! I need to read History is All You Left Me still, and Gentleman's Guide and Simon (yes, I know, it's a HUGE fail hah) and What If It's Us? will be coming up VERY soon for me, yay!
Ahhh I LOVE Summer of Salt ajdfkslad it's so adorable. Adn also Queens of Geek, Simon Vs, Leah on the Offbeat, MONTY AND PERCY...omg. Your list is beyond wonderful. I also really want to read If I Was Your Girl! And recently I read I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman which has a trans character in it. (I actually adore all her books and highly recommend.😍Ace and bi characters in Radio Silence!)
Oh and I think The Girl From Everywhere (as far as I can remember) only had the tiniest f/f rep for background characters. Just so you know.)
And Romana Blue was really good.💛 I love it when they don't quite know their labels yet either because I think that's really important to talk about too!
@Shannon
Ahh, yes, you do need to read those others! If you liked TBDATE and None of the Above, you'll probably love the others. I can't WAIT for What If It's Us! It'll be out before I know it, but I'm still impatient. :P
@Cait
Summer of Salt seems like an underrated treasure, so I can't wait to pick up a copy! I've never heard of I Was Born For This until now, but I'm marking as "to-read" on Goodreads as we speak . . . Same with Radio Silence. Apparently I need to read all of Alice Oseman's books ASAP.
Ah, that is good to know, thank you! A lot of people had recommended it as an LGBTQ+ book, but I still wasn't clear as to what kind of representation it had.
I just finished Ramona Blue yesterday and I really, really enjoyed it! It was refreshing to read a book where the protagonist wasn't 100% sure about their label but could still have healthy relationships and experiences.
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