YA LGBT Books discussion

The group decided to try going back to having Book of the Month readings and discussions. The vote indicated that we should try two BotM selections, one with gay cis-male main characters, and one with any other aspect of LBTQ Young Adult life.

In this thread please nominate books with gay, cis-male main character(s) that are suitable for an under-18 audience and not a previous selection.

Check our past Book of the Month shelf for books we have already read and discussed : https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...

We will close nominations when there are 8 books nominated or Midnight June 29th.

Nominations closed - poll up HERE

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

Vote through July 6

I'd nominate Gives Light since we have fresh interest in it from the group reads, but that's a previous BotM...
So, letting RNGeesus decide because I have three that I'm torn between...
I'll Give You the Sun

Blurb:
Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

Ooh, I've wanted to read that one.

We might open to previous BotM if the group so chooses, but let's try new books first...

I nominate The Star Host, by F.T. Lukens.



Blurb:

Ren grew up listening to his mother tell stories about the Star Hosts – a mythical group of people possessed by the power of the stars. The stories were the most exciting part of Ren’s life, and he often dreamed about leaving his backwater planet and finding his place among the neighboring drifts. When Ren is captured by soldiers and taken from his home, his dream slips further out of his grasp. Now a slave of a despotic Baron, Ren must remain inconspicuous while plotting his escape. It’s a challenge since the general of the Baron’s army is convinced Ren is something out of one of his mother’s stories.

Ren finds companionship in the occupant of the cell next to his, a drifter named Asher. A member of the Phoenix Corps, Asher is mysterious, charming, and exactly the person Ren needs to anchor him as his sudden technopathic ability threatens to consume him. Ren doesn’t mean to become attached, but after a daring escape, a trek across the planet, and an eventful ride on a merchant ship, Asher is the only thing that reminds Ren of home. Together, they must warn the drifts of the Baron’s plans, master Ren’s growing power, and try to save their friends while navigating the growing attraction between them.

I don't know if there is a list of past BotM somewhere to check, but I have this book and have been wanting to read it. If its already been a BotM, then let me know and will remove it.


Seidman by James Erich

In Viking Age Iceland, where boys are expected to grow into strong farmers and skilled warriors, there is little place for a sickly twelve-year-old boy like Kol until he catches the eye of a seið-woman—a sorceress—and becomes her apprentice. Kol travels to the sorceress’s home, where her grandson, Thorbrand, takes Kol under his wing. Before long Kol discovers something else about himself that is different—something else that sets him apart as unmanly: Kol has fallen in love with another boy.

But the world is changing in ways that threaten those who practice the ancient arts. As Kol’s new life takes him across the Norse lands, he finds that a new religion is sweeping through them, and King Olaf Tryggvason is hunting down and executing sorcerers. When a decades-old feud forces Thorbrand to choose between Kol and his duty to his kinsman, Kol finds himself cast adrift with only the cryptic messages of an ancient goddess to guide him to his destiny—and possibly to his death.

Jason wrote: "I nominate The Star Host, by F.T. Lukens.



Blurb:Ren grew up listening to his mother tell stories about the Star Hosts – a myth..."

OMG... I LOVED this book. It was awesome.

Oh yea Mel? I've heard good things, and it looks different.

You ever add books to your tbr and you maybe don't set it a priority but the whole time it's there, it's whispering to you "read me, read me"? That's what the star host has been doing to me since I added it, so I'll probably read it in July regardless.

Jason wrote: "Oh yea Mel? I've heard good things, and it looks different.

You ever add books to your tbr and you maybe don't set it a priority but the whole time it's there, it's whispering to you "read me, rea..."

My tbr list is scary long.

Jason wrote: "I nominate The Star Host, by F.T. Lukens."

That one is in that funny will-o'-the-wisp spot on my TBR pile. I want to read it, and it's calling to me, but is it strong enough to bump something else out of that coveted spot at the top of the list... maybe not without help from being BotM.

(And speaking of scary TBR lists... 666 items on mine... spoooky.)

Tully wrote: "I don't know if there is a list of past BotM somewhere to check, but I have this book and have been wanting to read it. If its already been a BotM, then let me know and will remove it."

That one was a BotM back in August 2012, but I think it was long enough ago that it's worth revisiting.

Tully wrote: "I don't know if there is a list of past BotM somewhere to check, but I have this book and have been wanting to read it. If its already been a BotM, then let me know and will remove it.

[bookcover:..."

I put a link in the first post to our "Book of the month" shelf- our past books should be on there. (https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...) - You can also scroll down through the topic threads in this folder - the book name is in each title

We actually have done Seidman - here's the discussion thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

We may make some rule about repeats being okay if they're over 2 years ago or something, but this first time round I'm looking for new choices, so I won't put this on the poll. You can leave the post up though, to promo it a bit. It's a cool book.

Play Me, I'm Yours by Madison Parker


Fairy Tate. Twinklefingers. Lucy Liu. Will the taunting ever end? Lucas Tate suffers ridicule because of his appearance and sensitive nature. When he’s not teased, he’s ignored, and he doesn’t know which is worse. He feels unloved by everyone, but the one comfort in life is his music. What he wants more than anything is to find a friend.

Much to his dismay, both his mom and a schoolmate are determined to find him a boyfriend, despite the fact Lucas hasn’t come out to them. His mom chooses a football player who redefines the term “heartthrob,” while Trish pushes him toward the only openly gay boy at Providence High. But Lucas is harboring a crush on another boy, one who writes such romantic poetry to his girlfriend that hearing it melts Lucas into a puddle of goo. All three prospects seem so far out of his league. Lucas is sure he doesn’t stand a chance with any of them—until sharing his gift for music brings him the courage to let people into his heart.

and even though I've already read it, I wouldn't mind lurking the discussion threads because it was so good:

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli


Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

Oh, I loved Simon!

Rez wrote: "I'd nominate Gives Light since we have fresh interest in it from the group reads, but that's a previous BotM...
So, letting RNGeesus decide because I have three that I'm torn between...

Gives Light does look like something I would like.

Jason wrote: "Rez wrote: "I'd nominate Gives Light since we have fresh interest in it from the group reads, but that's a previous BotM...
So, letting RNGeesus decide because I have three that I'm torn between......"

It's a great series, and you can read them free if you're an Amazon Prime or KU member.

Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "Jason wrote: "Rez wrote: "I'd nominate Gives Light since we have fresh interest in it from the group reads, but that's a previous BotM...
So, letting RNGeesus decide because I have three that I'm t..."

Good to know Linda thanks. I added it last week, Rez mentioned it during the Pukawiss BR, said it had similar themes.

Jason wrote: "Oh yea Mel? I've heard good things, and it looks different.

You ever add books to your tbr and you maybe don't set it a priority but the whole time it's there, it's whispering to you "read me, rea..."

Haha, you should read it already! I think it was great :)
I know that syndrome; TONS of books on my TBR shelf for ages, some years actually, and somehow I just don't get around to reading it - choosing others over them. Sometimes I grab an "old" one and regret not reading it earlier, but in the end, it was just right for the time so maybe it all has some sort of rhyme to it :)

I'd love to nominate one too.

While choosing the book I wanted to nominate

Banished Sons of Poseidon


I found out that it actually is part two, sort of, so maybe I better nominate the first one:
The Seventh Pleiade


I think you all would like Banished Sons of Poseidon! I've thought of re-reading it for a while now (something I don't often do). It feels like one of those overlooked books...

I've read it without having read the first book, because I had no idea they were connected at the time.

So, well, I guess I'm going to go with The Seventh Pleiade then. I so want to read it asap :)



Atlantis is besieged by violent storms, tremors, and a barbarian army. For sixteen-year-old Aerander, it’s a calamitous backdrop to his Panegyris, where boys are feted for their passage to manhood.

Amid a secret web of romances among the celebrants, Aerander's cousin Dam goes missing with two boys. With the kingdom in crisis, no one suspects the High Priest Zazamoukh, though Aerander uncovers a conspiracy to barter boys for dark spiritual power. Aerander's proof— an underground vault that disappears in the morning—brings shame on his family and charges of lunacy. The only way for Aerander to regain his honor is to prove what really happened to the missing boys.

Tracking Dam leads Aerander on a terrifying and fantastical journey. He spots a star that hasn’t been seen for centuries. He uncovers a legend about an ancient race of men who hid below the earth. And traveling to an underground world, he learns about matters even more urgent than the missing boys. The world aboveground is changing, and he will have to clear a path for the kingdom’s survival.

Riina wrote: "Jason wrote: "Oh yea Mel? I've heard good things, and it looks different.

You ever add books to your tbr and you maybe don't set it a priority but the whole time it's there, it's whispering to you..."

It's definitely been staring a whole through me from my shelf. It's funny, before I started using goodreads this year I never really had that happen. Having a virtual shelf in which to place hundreds of potential reads will do that I suppose. It's kind of weird, scheduling and prioritizing what I'm going to read a month in advance but kind of fun in itself too. I don't mind the "whispering books", but if my TBR got as long as Mel's or Rez's it would become maddening.

Anyways I have Star Host scheduled for July, regardless if it's picked for BotM. I remember how much you liked it and sure I will too. :)

Jason wrote: "Riina wrote: "Jason wrote: "Oh yea Mel? I've heard good things, and it looks different.

You ever add books to your tbr and you maybe don't set it a priority but the whole time it's there, it's whi..."

I might have a bookish problem. :)

Mel wrote: "Jason wrote: "Riina wrote: "Jason wrote: "Oh yea Mel? I've heard good things, and it looks different.

You ever add books to your tbr and you maybe don't set it a priority but the whole time it's t..."

Haha! :D

Not gonna lie Mel, when you said your tbr was "scary long", I took a peek and almost fainted! But also looks like some great titles in there.

Jason wrote: "Not gonna lie Mel, when you said your tbr was "scary long", I took a peek and almost fainted! But also looks like some great titles in there."

I read all kinds of stuff.

Brooklyn wrote: "and even though I've already read it, I wouldn't mind lurking the discussion threads because it was so good:

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli"

Simon Vs. was one of the three I wanted to nominate; glad I didn't have to wait until next month to bring it around.

Jason wrote: "Anyways I have Star Host scheduled for July, regardless if it's picked for BotM. I remember how much you liked it and sure I will too. :) "

If Star Host doesn't make to BotM, want to set up a buddy read?

Definitely!

I actually have Gives Light as next on my list.

Ooh, Mel , your TBR is actually longer than mine (I am over 1,000 though.) Goodreads does make it easy to just add books so as not to forget them. Although they get a bit buried.

Lots of good nominations already :)

I should maybe read Simon again because everyone seems to love it but I thought it was ok.

I think I just couldn't get past the attempt at using Tumblr but saying it weird (saying 'the Tumblr' in the same way as 'on-the-line' instead of 'online' in The Internship!) and explaining it wrong (the way people could add or delete stuff just seemed wrong and like Becky was trying to put in some cool hip thing that all the kids do but not have a clue how it works)

I wish it didn't bug me, but every time someone said 'the Tumblr' or described it in a way that doesn't work for what the site actually is it took me out of the story

Carrie-Anne wrote: "I should maybe read Simon again because everyone seems to love it but I thought it was ok.

I think I just couldn't get past the attempt at using Tumblr but saying it weird (saying 'the Tumblr' in..."

I thought they said 'the Tumblr' because they meant the specific school one that had been set up, not referring to the site in general! Thus why it didn't bug me. :)

Anna wrote: "Carrie-Anne wrote: "I should maybe read Simon again because everyone seems to love it but I thought it was ok.

I think I just couldn't get past the attempt at using Tumblr but saying it weird (sa..."

Yeah, that's how I read it too Anna. As in, The "dreaded" Tumblr.

I think if they said 'the Tumblr page' or 'on Tumblr' it wouldn't have bugged me, maybe it's just the way I say it, but you would never say 'on the Facebook' when refering to a specific group or page, you would say 'on the Facebook page' or 'on Facebook'!

Plus the way it seemed like anyone could post what they like \ had access to the page - if it were true that everyone was an admin the post could have been deleted straight away.

I don't know, maybe because I've had Tumblr for so many years it didn't seem authentic the way they spoke about it and used it

I really wanted to love the book but that took me out of the story every time. I was actually annoying myself every time my brain pointed out it was wrong! :P

Nominations closed - poll up HERE

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

Vote through July 6