YA LGBT Books discussion
Book Related Banter
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What YA Friendly Book Are You Currently Reading?
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. Funny story about a group of beauty pageant contestants that get stuck on an island, feminist parody, with a bunch of queer characters. There's a lesbian girl, a bisexual girl, and also an MTF girl. I thought her story was the most interesting out of the three. She (like the girls in Freakboy and The Coldest Girl in Coldtown) also gets a nice, cute romance with a cis guy. I think that's pretty awesome, to have 3 YA books where MTF characters get happy love stories.
I considered suggesting BQ for April's book of the month, but I wasn't sure if as wide a cast of characters as it has and such broad foci made it a good candidate for that.
I want to put in a pitch for a new YA/LGBT novel I'm reading now by Chris O'Guinn...only halfway through, but I'm loving it: "Arrival/Hybrids," which is a sci-fi novel set in New Mexico. As Chris has been known to do, he takes one of my constant questions in YA books "Where are the parents?" and gives an answer. Of course, you also have a gay teenaged alien with parent issues as well...really good read.
Chris is one of my favorite YA authors at this point. Thanks for the heads up.
I added it to our group shelves, with just a few tags.
Hi. First time posting. I just finished Children Of The Knight by Michael Bowler and The Red Sheet by Mia Kerick. Both are fantastic!
Kari wrote: "Hi. First time posting. I just finished Children Of The Knight by Michael Bowler and The Red Sheet by Mia Kerick. Both are fantastic!"Cool - I'm glad you liked those, since both authors sometimes come by the group too :) The Red Sheet is our book of the month read, and I've bought it but haven't started it yet.
Kim, yeah, I thought about suggesting Beauty Queens too. Even though there is a lot of focus on the queer characters, the straight ones probably have more page time overall. So maybe not the best choice for BOTM, but still an awesome read!
I think it was nominated at least once, but didn't win the vote.
I've been told The Red Sheet by Mia Kerick is a must-read, so it's on my Kindle.
I'm not sure if this is the right thread to post this but Mia Kerick is hosting a Facebook chat about Michael Bowler's Children of the Knight . Details are on her blog. Here is the link. I do have Mia's permission to post this. http://miakerick.com/2014/03/10/my-re...
I’m new to this group and goodreads groups in general but I’ve been following a few threads so thought I’d say hi^^I’ve just finished your book of the month The Red Sheet by Mai Kerick and I’d definitely recommend it. I loved it. The plot is very satisfying and I loved the way it all came together.
I have a YA novel, my first ever publication, coming out in May/June with Dreamspinner/Harmony Ink. It’s called This is Not a Love Story. So I’m very nervously excited to be here, especially with so many great authors in this group.
Suki^^
I just finished Vivaldi in the Dark and loved it. Now I need to find time to read the sequel, The Devil's Trill Sonata.Children of the Knight is a great book and while it is a YA adventure, I would actually also make it required reading for adults. Michael Bowler offers a lot of thought provoking ideas in that book.
And thanks for the head's up about the new Chris O'Guinn book, Ulysses. I don't know how I'll ever find the time to read all the great books from your rec list :)
the author of Geography Club has started a project called: The Real Story Safe Sex Project. http://brenthartinger.com/therealstory/ "The Real Story Safe Sex Project is a new way to encourage safe sex among gay and bi male teenagers and twentysomethings.
HIV/AIDS is still a really serious disease, and gay and bi guys are at a very high (and rising) risk of catching it. But a lot of people don’t seem interested in talking about it anymore.
So the Real Story Safe Sex Project takes a new, hopefully more entertaining approach: remind people about HIV and safe sex using entertainment and popular culture, especially projects involving your favorite fictional gay and bi characters."
So far there are 6 stories out in support of the project and links or downloads can be found at the above link. Most are YA I've not made way through all of them, but I have read the one by Jeff Erno and the one by Zoe Lynne
Cam wrote: "Brent Hartinger the author of Geography Club has started a project called: The Real Story Safe Sex Project. http://brenthartinger.com/therealstory/ "The Real Story Safe Sex Pr..."
That's great! I'd heard a little about it, but not much. I appreciate the link, and I'm going to add it to our ★★★★ LGBTQ Resources and Helplines ★★★★ thread.
I ran across that project a while back and kept meaning to post to the group about it; thanks for sharing, Cam! =)
Read A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger. Basically about the relationship between a girl and her soon to be stepbrother. Slight queer content, since the MC's friend Harrison is gay. He's part of the story, but just as a supporting character. He doesn't have a storyline of his own. About the safe sex project, I read the story by Brent Hartinger. He was always so vague about sex in his books. It was seriously hard to tell if people even had sex because he seemed so skittish about mentioning it. But if you read the story you get a lot more detailed info about what went down between Russel and Web during their nighttime encounter at the lake in The Order of the Poison Oak. And there’s also a sex scene between Kevin and Russel which I’m guessing happens during Geography Club, since they’re in the woods. And then a detailed sex scene between Russel and Otto, which takes place during the Thanksgiving visit in the third book Double Feature.
If anyone wants to give us their impression of The Red Sheet which is the Book of the Month, the discussion thread is here: (And the author, Mia Kerick, is willing to answer questions there too :)The Red Sheet discussion: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Inventive, exciting, heartfelt. A splendid new YA novel. Full disclosure: I am a Chris O'Guinn fan. "Arrival: Hybrids (1)" is an auspicious start to what promises to be a great series. This is a page-turning adventure, but it is also a psychological study of teenage boys, teenage friends, loners and outsiders. It is somewhat in the mold of Rick Riordon's "Percy Jackson" novels, but full of inventive and imaginative world-building driven by our national fascination with the possibility of alien life in the universe.
I put a full review on the book's page here on Goodreads.
Read The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider. Interesting book, lots of similarities to John Green, about a high school guy falling in love. Some queer content, since the MC has a gay best friend who's a big part of the story.
The recommendation for Chris O'Guinn's latest work reminded me that I still had to read Exiled to Iowa. Send Help. And Couture. What a wonderful book. I absolutely loved it, possibly even more than I loved Fearless. Now I'm really looking forward to his new sci-fi book :)
Read Cycler by Lauren McLaughlin. It's a fantasy story about a girl who morphs into a boy for four days each month. Aside from the queerness of the gender switch, there is also a bisexual character in the book. The MC has a crush on Tommy, who comes out to her as bisexual. She is at first freaked out and listens to people who tell her that he must secretly be gay, but eventually she accepts that he is actually bi and they start dating each other.
A quicki plug for my YA novel, Twisted, available from Regal Crest and on Amazon. It's a gender switch novel with a slight lesbian twist, and it's more gay-friendly as opposed to having a gay main character.Lindsay Versus the Marauders does have a lesbian as the MC and it promises to be a slam-bang action/adventure (and even romance) novel from start to finish.
BTW, Rainbowheart, I read Cycler. Pretty solid. Very offbeat, but cleverly done. Recommended.
I liked it too! There's also a sequel called (Re)cycler but I haven't gotten a chance to read it yet.
Read From Alice to Zen and Everyone in Between by Elizabeth Atkinson. This is middle grade, not YA. The characters are starting middle school and the MC is a tomboy and her friend Zen is gender variant. He is not ever specifically identified as gay but it's kinda obvious that's how he's supposed to be interpreted. The main part of the story is about individuality and conformity. It's a cute book, probably best for the younger age range, maybe 4th to 6th grade.
I love seeing more middle-age and childrens' books appearing - the idea that LGBT is not just about sex but about identity
Kaje wrote: "If anyone wants to give us their impression of The Red Sheet which is the Book of the Month, the discussion thread is here: (And the author, Mia Kerick, is willing..."I need to read this---oh where is the time!!!! sob! LOL!
Sammy Goode wrote: "I need to read this---oh where is the time!!!! sob! LOL! ..."
(((hugs))) - read what keeps you sane right now, hon. It will all work out.
Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz. This is a fantasy book set way in the future in like a Waterworld type scenario with paranormal abilities and honestly the story did not make much sense to me. But for those looking for queer content, there's a gay male couple. Brendon and Roark are part of a race of people (I guess dwarves?) called Smallmen. They are not in the book that much, just as side characters.
The Perfect Familyby Kathryn Shay. Though not specifically labeled a YA novel this most definitely is appropriate for Young Adults who have an open mind. It also is quite enjoyable for those of us way, way past being classified as Young Adults. 3/22 Finished this last night. Not great but good. It was somewhat clichéd but quite enjoyable nonetheless.
I just finished The Clockwork Scarab. I'm goning to start reading Love in the Time of Global Warming next.
Sammy Goode wrote: I need to read this---oh where is the time!"The Red Sheet is a very quick read ...
I wonder if that's the same author as Mark Richard Zubro who does the Tom & Scott mystery series. (Which are adult but not explicit gay mysteries.)
Kyle wrote: "I. I just finished "Something Like Summer" by Jay Bell. Excellent book."
I recently finished reading this also, about 12 days ago. I wouldn't quite rate it excellent but would rate it very good, 4 out of 5 stars on the goodreads rating system. I'm looking forward now to reading Something Like Winter which is Tim's perspective of his & Ben's relationship. Without having read the latter I can't help but be reminded of Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire & The Vampire Lestat not because of the subject matter but because of the similarity of seeing a relationship through a different set of eyes. By the way those 2 books remain my all-time favorite novels.
Just finished The Perfect Familyby Kathryn Shay. Though not specifically labeled a YA novel this most definitely is appropriate for Young Adults who have an open mind. Not great but good. It was somewhat clichéd but quite enjoyable nonetheless.My next YA book will be Hero by Perry Moore but first want to tackle a darker book, Mysterious Skin by Scott Heim which deals with pedophilia, not exactly what I regard as YA material.
Kaje wrote: "I wonder if that's the same author as Mark Richard Zubro who does the Tom & Scott mystery series. (Which are adult but not explicit gay mysteries.)"Yes, Ed - one and the same; it's his latest release in between the most recent Paul Turner mystery, Pawn of Satan and his future Tom & Scott mystery;
Kaje wrote: "I'm reading Just Between Us 
and I think it's a very well done YA about a guy who is scared he might be HIV+, and what happens to between him and..."I've read all 3 of J.H. Trumble's books & loved each one. She has become a new favorite author of mine. Where You Are is my favorite of the 3. The author bravely tackles the taboo subject of teacher/student intimacy and in the process of telling a fascinating story does a superb job of showing the reader that this is not necessarily the black and white issue that the news media and our cultural mores are so quick to paint.
I like her writing style. Where You Are is on my TBR list.
Kaje wrote: "I like her writing style. Where You Are is on my TBR list."Hope you enjoy it. It was definitely one of the best books I read last year, which included some pretty impressive works.
Ashfall by Mike Mullin. Sci fi about the world being plunged into volcanic disaster. Slight queer content, since the MC's neighbors are a gay couple named Darren and Joe. They are pretty important in the first part of the book before the disaster takes the MC elsewhere.
Where You Are is a very solid read. Nicely done is all aspects. Moved very quickly. Worth buying.
Read Lord of the White Hell and the sequel by Ginn Hale. These were not pubbed as YA, but they have a very YA feel to them. The characters are the same age as they would be in a YA novel and the story would interest teens who enjoy fantasy. If I could think of the best way to describe them, I would say these books are a cross between Harry Potter and Kristin Cashore's Graceling Realm. I could see them getting a YA release. There's some sex that's described in detail, but more in a coming of age way, not a titillating way. It would be cool to see these books get a mainstream release and also be put out in a single volume! There was no need to split the story up into two books. If you want the full story, you can't just read the first one.
It really is one book, split in half. I'm not sure why, but there is really no ending to book 1. Together they are one of my favorite non-explicit M/M romances, and I agree, character ages and themes do make this fit YA. I put them on the group bookshelf, although it's been over a year since I read them, so they may need better shelf tags.
Good tags! Those are the exact ones I would have added. :)
I wasn't sure about adding "sexually explicit" - it kind of is, but not beyond what I feel is okay for YA.
Yeah, I wouldn't really describe it as sexually explicit. I suppose I would reserve that for books that get into the nitty gritty details of sex. In these books, it was clear what they were doing, but it wasn't lingered on for pages. And it wasn't written like the author meant for the reader to be getting aroused by the scenes. Not vague, but it wasn't over the top either. Plus there's way more explicit sex in a lot of straight YA, so I could easily see it being marketed to older teens.
I just finished The Devil's Trill Sonata
which is the sequel to
. A very well-written second book in the series, and an intense and absorbing read. I can't wait for the third one.The characters feel genuinely young, and make both good and bad choices, but believable ones. I was very invested in their story.
*These books deal with depression, in a very realistic and well-written way, and so could be triggering around topics of anxiety/depression/self-harm*
YA LGBT Books
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An early review: "I freaking LOVED this story. Really and truly. Every so often a really beautiful story like Ghost Songs comes along that is primarily about a gay young man but still does total justice to the other people in his life, especially women.
I once read a blog post that mentioned that fleshed-out female characters can exist in M/M novels but not be a primary focus of the book, and I feel like you just turned that right on its head. I’ve been waiting so long for something like this, I can’t even tell you. I LOVED how you wrote Jennifer and Todd’s relationship, how important it was to both of their development into adults and as fully fledged characters. Neither of them was primarily defined by a romantic interest and instead helped one another grow and come of age. The same can be said of Todd’s relationship with his mother, Eddie, which was both heartbreaking and moving. I was so touched by Eddie’s process of recovery and how she and her son came to understand each other by the end of the book. There was no stereotyping in this book at all, especially not of the female characters, and I appreciated that on such a fundamental level.
Thank you so much for letting me read this wonderful manuscript! I truly couldn’t put it down and was so excited by how believable and human your characters were. Just lovely. Congratulations on having written such a great book, and I sincerely look forward to reading more from you in future! - Nan"
Thanks!
-Andrew