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What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Title: What If It’s Us Author: Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli Original Publication Date: October 9, 2018 Original Publisher: Harper Collins Queer Representation: 2 gay male protagonists, 1 gay male minor antagonist Page Length: 433 A Broadway musical-centric romantic comedy by two of the biggest names in the field of Queer Young Adult literature. Memorable Quote: “And by good, I mean great. I mean exquisitely perfect. I mean I’m living in a Broadway musical. THIS IS AN ACTUAL BROADWAY MUSICAL.” Review: When two of the biggest voices in queer young adult literature come together, the result is bound to be amazing. Becky Albertalli (author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and more)and Adam Silvera (author of They Both Die at…
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Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
Title: Two Boys Kissing Author: David Levithan Original Publication Date: 2013 Original Publisher: Ember Queer Representation: 7 gay male protagonists, 1 of whom is trans, and a chorus of gay men who died from AIDS Page Length: 200 A hauntingly beautiful tale of a community rallying behind two boys attempting to break the world record for the longest continuous kiss. Memorable Quote: “We always underestimate our own participation in magic. That is, we thought of magic as something that existed with or without us. But that’s not true. Things are not magical because they’ve been conjured for us by some outside force. They are magical because we create them, and then deem them so.” Review: After Craig…
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They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
Title: They Both Die at the End Author: Adam Silvera Original Publication Date: 2017 Original Publisher: Harper Teen Queer Representation: 1 gay and 1 bisexual protagonist Page Length: 384 How would you spend your last 24 hours? Memorable Quote: “Maybe it’s better to have gotten it right and been happy for one day instead of living a lifetime of wrongs.” Review: Nobody knows how Death-Cast gets its information, but they do know that it is always right. If Death-Cast calls you shortly after midnight, one thing is certain: some time in the next twenty-four hours you are going to die. The caller from Death-Cast does not tell you when or how, but you can be…
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History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
Title: History is All You Left Me Author: Adam Silvera Original Publication Date: 2017 Original Publisher: Soho Teen Queer Representation: 1 gay protagonist plus love interest Page Length: 292 A complex look at love and loss told from the perspective of a teenage boy grieving after the death of his first love. Memorable Quote: “People are complicated puzzles, always trying to piece together a complete picture, but sometimes we get it wrong and sometimes we’re left unfinished. Sometimes that’s for the best. Some pieces can’t be forced into a puzzle, or at least they shouldn’t be, because they won’t make sense.” Review: Griffin always thought that he and Theo were “endgame,” that no matter what happened they…
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More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
Title: More Happy Than Not Author: Adam Silvera Original Publication Date: 2015 Original Publisher: Soho Teen Queer Representation: 1 gay protagonist plus love interest Page Length: 300 A Science-fiction take on conversion therapy Memorable Quote:“Memories: some can be sucker punching, others carry you forward; some stay with you forever, others you forget on your own. You can’t really know which ones you’ll survive if you don’t stay on the battlefield, bad times shooting at you like bullets. But if you’re lucky, you’ll have plenty of good times to shield you.” Review: Aaron Soto lives in a small, one-bedroom apartment with his mother and brother and is trying to move on from his suicide attempt which came…
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Another Day by David Levithan
Title: Another Day Author: David Levithan Original Publication Date: 2015 Original Publisher:Knopf Books for Young Readers Queer Representation: A (queer/genderfluild?) love interest, multiple lesbian, gay, bi, trans embodied characters, one gay friend Page Length: 336 pages The companion novel to Every Day, told from the perspective of Rhiannon. Memorable Quote: “Part of the problem is words. The fact that there are separate words for HE and SHE, HIM and HER. I’ve never thought about it before, how divisive this is. Like maybe if there was just one pronoun for all of us, we wouldn’t get so caught on that difference.” REVIEW: Rhiannon thought that she was content with her life. Sure she and her boyfriend…
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Every Day by David Levithan
Title: Every Day Author: David Levithan Original Publication Date: August 28, 2012 Original Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers Queer Representation: A (queer/genderfluild?) protagonist, multiple lesbian, gay, bi, trans embodied characters Page Length: 352 pages A highly unique and experimental look and gender and sexual identity and embodiment that will leave you wanting more. Memorable Quote: “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: We all want everything to be okay. We don’t even wish so much for fantastic or marvelous or outstanding. We will happily settle for okay, because most of the time, okay is enough.” REVIEW: Every day of A’s life, A wakes up in a new body body. After 24 hours A…
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Kaleidoscope Song by Fox Benwell
Title: Kaleidoscope Song Author: Fox Benwell Original Publication Date: September 19, 2017 Original Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Queer Representation: 1 lesbian protagonist, several lesbian gay and trans minor and supporting characters Page Length: 416 Likely the first and only young adult book to address queerness and the practice of corrective rape in South Africa Memorable Quote: “But everyone has a voice, and everyone sings. Oh, we all do it differently … But everybody has a song to sing, their own personal story leaked into the world. And mine is one of love. REVIEW: Neo has loved music as long as she can remember, but living in the poor South African township…
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Dance on My Grave by Aidan Chambers
Title: Dance on My Grave Author: Aiden Chambers Original Publication Date: 1982 Original Publisher: Bodley Head Queer Representation: 1 teenage gay protagonist, 1 (bisexual/queer) love interest Page Length: 253 Hal, both in relation to Barry and on his own, is a psychologically rich character worthy of deeper thought and examination Memorable Quote: “Maybe I loved him. I thought I did. As much as I knew what the word means. How do you ever know? I used to think I would know when it happened. Know immediately, without having to wonder about it.” Review: When Hal Robinson capsizes in his classmate’s boat that he borrowed, he is rescued by Barry Gorman. Barry is a few years older than…
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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Title: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda Author: Becky Albertalli Original Publication Date: 2015 Original Publisher: Balzer +Bray Queer Representation: 1 teenage gay protagonist, 1 unknown gay character, 2 gay minor characters Page Length: 303 Simon is a lovable and witty character that we can all relate to, and his story is the first queer YA novel to be made into a major motion picture Memorable Quote: “Why is straight the default? Everyone should have to declare one way or another, and it shouldn’t be this big awkward thing whether you’re straight, gay, bi, or whatever. I’m just saying.” Review: Imagine being a gay teenager dealing with life in the closet. Imagine that the only person who knows…
