Score

Removed The Queen of Air and Darkness. Release date seems to have been pushed to 2019.

Removed A Line in the Dark, which got an earlier 2017 release.

Removed Semper Augustus, which got pushed to 2019.

FYI -- Number 61 (P.S. I Miss You) is MG, not YA.

so ... 2018 is the year for lesbians I see ... I just hope they're as good as they sound

Thanks, Erin. I updated the list description to make it inclusive of middle grade books, too.

Could you please include asexuality in the description and tags (as asexual characters are neither gay/lesbian, nor bisexual) ? Otherwise it could be hard to understand, if asexual characters are not welcome here (doesn't look so) or there are no books with them in order to be recognized (there are at least some). Thanks.

I'll update the description and tags to be more inclusive now. Thanks for pointing it out.

I would appreciate not altering the description of my list without asking first, since I am the list creator. I don't mind including asexual characters, but the primary focus of this list should be LGBT.

For Kristine and others who are interested, there is a list just for asexual characters here....

Asexuality in YA Fiction

@rainbowheart: sorry for taking over but i guess i just couldn't fathom why a list celebrating lgbt releases would be exclusive of those also on the spectrum.

No worries. I do think it should be inclusive of all, but for example a straight asexual relationship with no mention of being a sexual minority perhaps wouldn't be quite appropriate. In any case, we do have Let's Talk About Love on the list, and it has an asexual MC. There may be a few others with side characters. too.

@rainbowheart: i kinda understand what you are saying - and it is your list so i apologise for interfering - but asexual/aromantic people are part of the lgbtqia+ spectrum, no matter their partners/lis gender or sexuality. saying the only get to be included if their partner is lgbt+ seems a little demeaning. but i am genuinely sorry that i responded on your behalf. i'll leave those sorts of things to the oc from now on.

Again, no worries. I didn't necessarily mean it had to be a same-sex relationship, but say there was a relationship between a boy and a girl that simply didn't mention sexual attraction, for example, many old school teen romances or younger middle grade books today. I don't think any of those would be appropriate for the list if they did not have self-identified asexual characters. There are many books without sex or romance. I just wanted to avoid muddying the waters there.

@rainbowheart: oh, okay. i see what you mean now! if there is no mention of asexuality or it isn't made abundantly clear in the text, it shouldn't be added. i thought you meant you weren't including asexual/pansexual/nonbinary or other not L.G.B.T. but still lgbt+ characters on the list and was confused why. sorry.

Removed Troublemakers, which was originally released in 2017, and The Cerulean, which got pushed to 2019.

Removed:

You're You. 2017.
Rise as One. 2019.
What She Does Next Will Astound You. 2016.
Jokes About Dead Girls. 2019.
The Disappearing Boy.2019.

Thanks for helping to keep the list in good shape!

Hi Rainbowheart - just finished The Parker Inheritance and although it doesn't focus on LGBT issues, it deals with homophobia and a character comes out. Thnx.

Thanks for the info, Todd. I added it to the list!

Hi again, I just finished Tattered Planet by Kate Blair and one of the supporting character's parents are men. This info is only mentioned or appears a few times, but it's integral to who that character is. I highly recommend the book - murder/mystery, sci-fi future, evolution, space travel! - Todd