Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour
Under Threat by Robin Stevenson
Bleeding Earth by Kaitlin Ward
You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan
Winning by Lara Deloza
Bonus: Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown and Without Annette by Jane B. Mason both feature lesbian MCs who are out but then have to go back in for their new schools
We Are Okay (February 14)
Author: Nina LaCour
Genre/Category: Contemporary YA
Rainbow details: lesbian MC, major bi secondary
Why put it on your radar? Because everything Nina LaCour touches turns to gold and this isn’t remotely an exception. I cried like a freaking baby after reading this one.
Wanted: A Gentleman (January 9)
Author: KJ Charles
Genre/Category: Historical Romance
Rainbow details: Gay MC
Why put it on your radar? Let’s be real: if you’re into queer historical romance at all, anything by KJ Charles is already on your radar.
A Good Idea (February 28)
Author: Cristina Moracho
Genre/Category: Contemporary YA
Rainbow details: Bi MC
Why put it on your radar? Those looking for more queer YA in which sexuality/coming out aren’t “issues” will find a perfect match in this twisty noir about friendship and betrayal
Perfect Ten (June 6)
Author: L. Philips
Genre/Category: Contemporary YA
Rainbow details: Gay MC
Why put it on your radar? Because it’s cute as helllll but also does a really nice job capturing why monogamy can feel especially difficult for queer kids who suddenly have options for the first time in their lives
Meg & Linus (April 18)
Author: Hanna Nowinski
Genre/Category: Contemporary YA
Rainbow details: Gay MC, Lesbian MC
Why put it on your radar? Gay and lesbian MCs who are BFFs? Two main characters who are already out? Relatively low angst? Nerds? Come on.
These are all dual-POV books in which at least one POV belongs to a queer character and the other belongs to a close friend, not a love interest.
Run by Kody Keplinger
You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan
Under the Lights by Dahlia Adler
Meg & Linus by Hanna Nowinski
Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde
Bonus: Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa is tri-POV, and two of those POVs belong to BFFs who are a gay guy and a straight girl;
Bonus #2: Radio Silence by Alice Oseman is single POV, but the BFFship is the core relationship of the story, and both BFFs are queer (bi and demi, respectively)
I’ve been doing a lot of hunting for cheap LGBTQ YA lately, as one of the easiest things for people in book world with some disposable income to do is donate. And if you don’t already have on hand to do so, here’s where you can stock up!
Every Day by David Levithan – $2.49, BookOutlet
Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan – $2.99, BookOutlet
Adaptation by Malinda Lo – $2.99, BookOutlet
Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle – $2.99, BookOutlet
Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour – $3.49, BookOutlet
Proxy by Alex London – $3.99, BookOutlet
Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden – $5.62, Amazon
The Miseducation of Cameron Post by emily m. danforth – $6.24, B&N
Openly Straight by Bill Konigsburg – $6.24, B&N
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray – $6.24, Amazon
Hero by Perry Moore – $6.24, Amazon
Ask the Passengers by A.S. King – $6.44, Amazon
The Great American Whatever by Tim Federle – $6.49, BookOutlet
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan – $6.57, B&N
One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva – $6.52, Amazon
Been Here All Along by Sandy Hall – $6.67, Amazon
I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson – $6.70, Amazon
Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour – $6.71, Amazon
Far From You by Tess Sharpe – $6.73, Amazon
Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan – $6.84, B&N
Ash by Malinda Lo – $6.87, B&N
Five Stages of Andrew Brawley by Shaun David Hutchinson – $6.91, Amazon
Today is a huge day in LGBTQ YA releases, so without further ado, here are all the new rainbow reads you can finally find on shelves!
Teen activist and trailblazer Jazz Jennings named one of The 25 Most Influential Teens of the year by Time shares her very public transgender journey, as she inspires people to accept the differences in others while they embrace their own truths.
Jazz Jennings is one of the youngest and most prominent voices in the national discussion about gender identity. At the age of five, Jazz transitioned to life as a girl, with the support of her parents. A year later, her parents allowed her to share her incredible journey in her first Barbara Walters interview, aired at a time when the public was much less knowledgeable or accepting of the transgender community. This groundbreaking interview was followed over the years by other high-profile interviews, a documentary, the launch of her YouTube channel, a picture book, and her own reality TV series “I Am Jazz” making her one of the most recognizable activists for transgender teens, children, and adults.
In her remarkable memoir, Jazz reflects on these very public experiences and how they have helped shape the mainstream attitude toward the transgender community. But it hasn’t all been easy. Jazz has faced many challenges, bullying, discrimination, and rejection, yet she perseveres as she educates others about her life as a transgender teen. Through it all, her family has been beside her on this journey, standing together against those who don’t understand the true meaning of tolerance and unconditional love. Now Jazz must learn to navigate the physical, social, and emotional upheavals of adolescence particularly high school complicated by the unique challenges of being a transgender teen. Making the journey from girl to woman is never easy especially when you began your life in a boy s body.
If you asked anyone in his small Vermont town, they’d tell you the facts: James Liddell, star athlete, decent student and sort-of boyfriend to cute, peppy Theresa, is a happy, funny, carefree guy.
But whenever James sits down at his desk to write, he tells a different story. As he fills his drawers with letters to the people in his world–letters he never intends to send–he spills the truth: he’s trying hard, but he just isn’t into Theresa. It’s a boy who lingers in his thoughts.
He feels trapped by his parents, his teammates, and the lies they’ve helped him tell, and he has no idea how to escape. Is he destined to live a life of fiction?
Work harder than anyone.
Be the most talented.
Sacrifice everything.
And if you’re lucky, maybe you will go to the Olympics.
Grace lives and breathes gymnastics—but no matter how hard she pushes herself, she can never be perfect enough.
Leigh, Grace’s best friend, has it all: a gymnastics career, a normal high-school life… and a secret that could ruin everything.
Camille wants to please her mom, wants to please her boyfriend, and most of all, wants to walk away.
Wilhelmina was denied her Olympic dream four years ago, and she won’t let anything stop her again. No matter what.
Monica is terrified. Nobody believes in her—and why should they?
By the end of the two days of the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials, some of these girls will be stars. Some will be going home with nothing. And all will have their lives changed forever
Mark and Kate have sat next to each other for an entire year, but have never spoken. For whatever reason, their paths outside of class have never crossed.
That is until Kate spots Mark miles away from home, out in the city for a wild, unexpected night. Kate is lost, having just run away from a chance to finally meet the girl she has been in love with from afar. Mark, meanwhile, is in love with his best friend Ryan, who may or may not feel the same way.
When Kate and Mark meet up, little do they know how important they will become to each other — and how, in a very short time, they will know each other better than any of the people who are supposed to know them more.
Buy it: B&N * Amazon * IndieBound
What new releases are you buying/borrowing/reading this week?
Not gonna lie, I really wanted to put my own book here (Out on Good Behavior! Contemporary f/f NA releasing June 14!), but when two powerhouses of LGBTQ YA get together, and release a super rare “great for teens that are already out” book, you kinda gotta give up top billing, even on your own site. So! Check out the deets on You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan, a co-authored dual-POV Contemporary YA about a gay teen and a lesbian teen who form a fast friendship as they figure out their respective love lives.
Mark and Kate have sat next to each other for an entire year, but have never spoken. For whatever reason, their paths outside of class have never crossed.
That is until Kate spots Mark miles away from home, out in the city for a wild, unexpected night. Kate is lost, having just run away from a chance to finally meet the girl she has been in love with from afar. Mark, meanwhile, is in love with his best friend Ryan, who may or may not feel the same way.
When Kate and Mark meet up, little do they know how important they will become to each other — and how, in a very short time, they will know each other better than any of the people who are supposed to know them more.
Buy it: B&N * Amazon * IndieBound
