592 ratings | 206 reviews | avg rating:4.45

A.’s Year In Books

A.’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at A.’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to A.’s 2025 Year in Books

A. J. Sass’s Followers (299)

A.’s Bookshelves

to-read (1985)
currently-reading (2)
read (890)
did-not-finish (0)
2019 (98)
2020 (118)
2021 (103)
2022 (97)
2023 (45)
2024 (33)
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A.’s Friends (234)

Stephanie Lucianovic

1,623 books | 208 friends

Ira

1,077 books | 61 friends

Aardvark Book Club

77 books | 2,803 friends

Lori

1,323 books | 95 friends

Nicole Melleby

993 books | 109 friends

Lewis Weinstein

4,859 books | 2,473 friends

Vicky

289 books | 7 friends

Amy

1,941 books | 106 friends

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A. J. Sass

Goodreads Author

Website

https://sassinsf.com

Twitter

matokah

Genre

Contemporary, Children's, Gay and Lesbian

Member Since

July 2007

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/matokah

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A. J. Sass (he/they) is an author whose narrative interests lie at the intersection of identity, neurodiversity, and allyship. He is the critically acclaimed author of Just Shy of Ordinary, a 2025 Sydney Taylor Book Award honoree, as well as the ALA Rainbow Book List Top 10 titles Ellen Outside the Lines, which was also a Sydney Taylor Honor Book in 2023, and Ana on the Edge, and also the co-author of Camp QUILTBAG (with Nicole Melleby). His picture book debut is Shabbat Is ..., illustrated by Noa Kelner.

When he’s not writing, Andrew figure skates, travels, and tinkers with his collection of typewriters as much as possible. He splits his time between the San Francisco Bay Area and northwestern Vermont with his husband, a dobrador, and a lit ...more

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Combine Editions
A. J. Sass’s books

Average rating: 4.24 · 5,561 ratings · 1,157 reviews · 8 distinct works • Similar authors

	Ana on the Edge 4.36 avg rating — 1,613 ratings — published 2020 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ellen Outside the Lines 4.31 avg rating — 1,447 ratings — published 2022 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us by Katherine Locke (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Nicole Melleby (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Eric Bell (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 4.13 avg rating — 1,077 ratings — published 2021 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Camp QUILTBAG by Nicole Melleby (Goodreads Author), A. J. Sass (Goodreads Author) 4.11 avg rating — 601 ratings — published 2023 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Allies: Real Talk About Showing Up, Screwing Up, And Trying Again by Shakirah Bourne (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Dana Alison Levy (Goodreads Author) (Editor), I.W. Gregorio (Goodreads Author) 4.32 avg rating — 423 ratings — published 2021 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Just Shy of Ordinary 4.08 avg rating — 437 ratings — published 2024 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Being an Ally by Shakirah Bourne (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Dana Alison Levy (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Derick Brooks (Contributor) 4.05 avg rating — 132 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Shabbat Is ... by A. J. Sass (Goodreads Author), Noa Kelner (Illustrator) 4.19 avg rating — 27 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by A. J. Sass…

A. is Currently Reading

A. is currently reading

Fellow Travelers

by Thomas Mallon

bookshelves: currently-reading, adult, audio, historical, lgbtqia, multi-pov, novel-research, owned, political

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Apr 27, 2026 06:56AM

A. is currently reading

Song of the Bull Rider

by Alex Singer

bookshelves: currently-reading, 2021, adult, fantasy, lgbtqia, owned, selfpub, transgender

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Feb 24, 2026 04:13PM

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A.’s Recent Updates

A. entered a giveaway The Dark in Her Veins by M.K. Lobb (Goodreads Author) 20 copies available, ends on May 31, 2026 Enter to win »
May 03, 2026 08:27PM · like · see giveaway
A. entered a giveaway The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel (Goodreads Author) 24 copies available, ends on June 01, 2026 Enter to win »
May 02, 2026 03:17PM · like · see giveaway
A. is 75% done with Fellow Travelers: This book is simultaneously so beautifully poignant and also ruining my life because the prologue literally signals that it will not end happily but at 3/4 of the way through now I'm so attached to these dang characters. Someone sedate me Fellow Travelers by Thomas Mallon progress:	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 01, 2026 07:10AM · 1 like · like · see status · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Fellow Travelers by Thomas Mallon. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Fellow Travelers by Thomas Mallon <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
A. liked Dante's review of Japanese Gothic: "- Multi-Timeline Mystery Family Horror - Haunted House of Leaves - Unreliable Narrator(s) - Man of the House (Eldest Daughter) - I Think I’m Gonna Die in This House - Bad Dads - Who and What We Belong To - You’ll Regret the Monster You Made of Me" Read more of this review »
Apr 27, 2026 09:20AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Apr 27, 2026 09:18AM
A. finished reading Forgotten Vows (Folk, #2) by Lily Mayne (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 27, 2026 07:05AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Forgotten Vows by Lily Mayne. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Forgotten Vows by Lily Mayne <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
A. is currently reading Fellow Travelers by Thomas Mallon	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 27, 2026 06:56AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Fellow Travelers by Thomas Mallon. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Fellow Travelers by Thomas Mallon <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
A. finished reading Mortal Skin (Folk, #1) by Lily Mayne (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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A. finished reading The Silent Prince (Sun and Moon, #1) by L. Eveland (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 26, 2026 11:59AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Silent Prince by L. Eveland. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Silent Prince by L. Eveland <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
A. finished reading Lor (Monstrous, #7) by Lily Mayne (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 26, 2026 11:32AM · like

More of A.'s books…

Quotes by A. J. Sass (?)

“A year might not feel like a long time, but years add up. Every single one has bought me closer to the person I am now.”
― A.J. Sass, Being an Ally

tags: ally, gender-euphoria, love, non-binary, sentimentalism, transgender, years

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“Not every person fits neatly into categories. Life doesn't always stick to a planned itinerary.”
― A.J. Sass, Ellen Outside the Lines

tags: categories, spontaneity

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“Pretty sure this is it,” Andy says. Isa takes it in. “It looks like…” “… a hot mess,” Gibs finishes. For once, I agree with Gibs. La Pedrera looks like someone threw clay onto a building that dried before it could be smoothed out. It’s the opposite of symmetrical.”
― A.J. Sass, Ellen Outside the Lines

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See all A. J. Sass's quotes »

Polls

What book should we read in March?

As always, you may write in titles, provided the book is a 2025 Newbery contender and already published.

The Misfits #1: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee

29 votes 25.0%

Enigma Girls by Candace Fleming (write-in)

19 votes 16.4%

Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston

18 votes 15.5%

Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell

17 votes 14.7%

The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival by Estelle Nadel and Bethany Strout Illustrated by Sammy Savos

8 votes 6.9%

Just Shy of Ordinary by A.J. Sass

6 votes 5.2%

Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renee Watson (write-in)

6 votes 5.2%

The Misfits (write-in)

4 votes 3.4%

Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell (write-in)

2 votes 1.7%

Black Girl You are Atlas (write-in)

2 votes 1.7%

Ligh and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell (write-in)

2 votes 1.7%

Misfits (write-in)

1 vote 0.9%

light and air (write-in)

1 vote 0.9%

Light and Aire by Mindy Nichols Wendell (write-in)

1 vote 0.9%

116 total votes

3 comments

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