YA LGBT Books discussion

@Kaje - anything works except horror. The more varied the better.
Thank you. :)

A few favorites in that size range:

Shut Your Face, Anthony Pace!
Jordan vs. All the Boys
The Thunder in His Head
Of The Bauble
Private
Love Spell
Fearless
Empress of the World
Girls Like Me

Laura wrote: "@Kaje - anything works except horror. The more varied the better.
Thank you. :)"

Junior Hero Blues in the paperback edition is the right size. I haven't read it yet; it's sitting on my to-read pile. So I can't speak to its quality, because it's as yet unread by me, but it's the right length!

I was going to rec Long Macchiatos and Monsters or Avi Cantor Has Six Months to Live but they're both too short. Worth checking out, though, if short fiction is your thing.

EDIT: Oh, I had a thought - Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: A Graphic Novel: A Modern Retelling of Little Women is over your page count specified, but it's a graphic novel format, so it's mostly pictures, I don't know if that makes it work for you. You should be able to read it really quickly. The Prince and the Dressmaker is also a graphic novel format slightly over 200 pages.

Otherwise, there are some middle grade books that could do the trick - there are books like Star-Crossed that are over 200 pages, but because they're middle grade, the font should be bigger than adult sized books, so, lower word count.

Hi Laura,

I will put in a selfless plug for my book "Paradormancy" which is just over 200 pages. It is a dystopian, post-apocalyptic YA LGTBQ story! Pretty specific genre! :)

Paradormancy

Thank you so much everyone! 💕❤ I'll add them all. 😊

Does anyone know any books where the MC is cheated on by his boyfriend and catches him in the act?
I really like seeing how the MC’s handle the situation and grow from it.
For example see “deep is the heart” books one and two, and “honeymoon for one”..
Thanks.

Stephen wrote: "Does anyone know any books where the MC is cheated on by his boyfriend and catches him in the act?
I really like seeing how the MC’s handle the situation and grow from it.
For example see “deep is ..."

I can come up with a lot of adult titles with cheating, but I'm having a hard time thinking of a YA one. I'll give it some thought...

Stephen wrote: "Does anyone know any books where the MC is cheated on by his boyfriend and catches him in the act?"

I don't know about catching him in the act, but Hold My Hand has cheating.

Hello,

I recently finished reading Lies We Tell Ourselves and I'm on the hunt for more F/F Enemies to Lovers books. Any recs? Please and thank you. :)

Rainbowheart wrote: "Stephen wrote: "Does anyone know any books where the MC is cheated on by his boyfriend and catches him in the act?"

I don't know about catching him in the act, but Hold My Hand has..."
I actually read this book, and It really ticked me off.. It really boils down to the character of Becky...ugh what kind of friend thinks some cheating is ok, and that a second chance is owed to the cheater.... i almost threw my kindle across the room i was so mad...

OK so, I have a new book question... I really wish Amazon’s search was more thorough, but anyway.. does anyone have any recommendations for books where the MC struggles with coming out to friends, and his best friend doesn’t take it well and turns into a bully(or someone who turns his back on the MC),, i hope this doesn’t sound too complicated. I don’t even need an HEA.. thanks in advance.

Stephen wrote: "OK so, I have a new book question... I really wish Amazon’s search was more thorough, but anyway.. does anyone have any recommendations for books where the MC struggles with coming out to friends, ..."

Good question...

Maybe With a Chance of Certainty - Tales of Foster High - one of the boys is a star athlete and his friends are not supportive when he comes out as part of a couple, but that's not quite the same dynamic
The Battle for Jericho - the MC has a homophobic best friend, but it's his own internal homophobia he's fighting, and I don't recall if the friend becomes much of a factor
The Zero Knot also has some friends who make coming out harder, but again has a couple at the heart of the story, and not that two-best-friends-pushed-apart that you're looking for..

The dynamic you suggest is interesting, and I'd enjoy that kind of story too, if anyone knows one.

Maybe Heartstopper: Volume One? It's not really the friends, it's more of the school that doesn't like the main character coming out, but the other main character has a "friend" who isn't supportive at all. Hope this counts!

Kaje wrote: "Stephen wrote: "OK so, I have a new book question... I really wish Amazon’s search was more thorough, but anyway.. does anyone have any recommendations for books where the MC struggles with coming ..."
Hey so I came across two books that fit my description the first is your standard, gay guy has to come out to straight best friendNever Do a Wrong Thing.
The other is a little more nuanced, straight guy is afraid to come out as bisexual to his gay best friend(I Knew Him.
I liked them both... any one have any more recommendations?

Hey! I'm looking for more YA fantasy books with great LGBT characters...I've read most I can get my hands on, but I'm still looking for a fun, exciting book with magic and kickass girls where the LGBT characters just are and it's okay and everyone loves them! I love a good coming out story, too, but sometimes I just want a HEA. : )

Dannika wrote: "Hey! I'm looking for more YA fantasy books with great LGBT characters...I've read most I can get my hands on, but I'm still looking for a fun, exciting book with magic and kickass girls where the L..."

If you're looking for girl MCs they're a little bit scarce compared to the guys. Have you read Dreadnought - trans girl, cis girl, and a super-hero fantasy.

Kaje wrote: "Dannika wrote: "Hey! I'm looking for more YA fantasy books with great LGBT characters...I've read most I can get my hands on, but I'm still looking for a fun, exciting book with magic and kickass g..."

I haven't, but that sounds great! Thanks! I'm putting it in my TBR stack.

The House in the Cerulean Sea has a wide range of young (mostly 14 and under) characters that elude standard sexual norms and are all cool kids. It's more of a dreamy fairytale and not a kick-ass teen kind of book, but something to keep in mind.

The only one I can think of that might fit all those qualifiers is Mackenzi Lee's The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy , although it has less a romantic HEA than just a general HEA.

Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan series has queer supporting characters, and the lead character spends much of the series pretending to be a boy, although she always internally identifies as a girl.

I don't know how much these qualify, but this is what I could think of:

Six of Crows (by Leigh Bardugo)- It's YA, definitely has kickass girls, has two gay characters although it's not the main point in the series, has magic in it.

Heart of Iron (by Ashley Poston) - It's YA, also has kickass girls, also has two gay characters who are mentioned more in the 2nd book, I guess it has magic, just a different type.

Looking for a young adult book about a male gay relationship, with an unambiguously HAPPY ending!! I've read Aristotle&Dante, SimonVs, What if its us, Autoboyography, SongOfAchiles, OpenlyStraight, BoyMeetsBoy, TwoBoysKissing, OneManGuy.... Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

"Looking for a young adult book about a male gay relationship, with an unambiguously HAPPY ending!"

Answer:,The Archangel Academy trilogy by Michael Griffo is fairly good, from what I remember. And it has a happy ending for the main couple.

Chas wrote: "Looking for a young adult book about a male gay relationship, with an unambiguously HAPPY ending!! I've read Aristotle&Dante, SimonVs, What if its us, Autoboyography, SongOfAchiles, OpenlyStraight,..."

Heartstopper: Volume One
Double Bluff
Mostly Void, Partially Stars
Alex in Wonderland

Some ideas!!

Chas wrote: "Looking for a young adult book about a male gay relationship, with an unambiguously HAPPY ending!! I've read Aristotle&Dante, SimonVs, What if its us, Autoboyography, SongOfAchiles, OpenlyStraight,..."

The Student Prince
Up!
Nobody's Butterfly
Looking for Group
Elephant Shoe
The Suicidal Peanut (light despite the title)
Love Spell
Know Not Why
The Decisions We Make
The God Box (Also his Rainbow Boys series)

Vivaldi in the Dark Box Set (It takes all 3 books to settle into the happy, and one MC's depression is always a reality)
Red, White & Royal Blue - this hovers on the edge of YA for sex content, but it has a lovely romance ending.

If you're okay with a loving HEA but some family pain
Shut Your Face, Anthony Pace!
The Music of What Happens

The Quarterback's Crush -- very G-rated
Super-Heros -- fairly sexy for YA

If you're okay with some fantasy elements:
The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic

Chas wrote: "Looking for a young adult book about a male gay relationship, with an unambiguously HAPPY ending!! I've read Aristotle&Dante, SimonVs, What if its us, Autoboyography, SongOfAchiles, OpenlyStraight,..."

Drag Teen is pure sunshine and fills this brief.

Hey all, I'm looking for an explicit young lesbian romance book. The only thing I read that comes close is https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... but I was a bit let down as it leaves too much to the imagination. It doesn't have to be a 100% porn novel, but I'd appreciate some steam. Setting doesn't matter I'm open to anything. Wouldn't venture too far though, so no BDSM or anything like that, just plain vanilla f-f romance :) Nothing else.

WhatIsItLike.to wrote: "Hey all, I'm looking for an explicit young lesbian romance book."

Our Own Private Universe has a romance with lesbian sex. It's YA, though, so not erotica.

WhatIsItLike.to wrote: "Hey all, I'm looking for an explicit young lesbian romance book. The only thing I read that comes close is https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... but I was a bit l..."

If it's really explicit then it's not going to be on this group, since we don't list books that are 18+ in content (on any axis.)

You might check the lists of best adult F/F - if you check GR lists under "Browse" and "Lists" for best lesbian and erotic lesbian novels there are a couple of different lists - you could see if they have younger characters. Or you could look under "LGBTQ New Adult" which usually has the younger characters with the heat, but I don't see a specifically lesbian only list for that. This list seems to have some lesbian MC books with several votes - https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...

One I read and enjoyed recently that has a few erotic scenes of moderate heat, but mostly character and plot, is "Proper English" by KJ Charles, but even that is more sex (and older characters) than appropriate for this group.

A friend asked for books for a 15 year old who just came out, and whose father and older brother are giving him a hard time. Fiction about dealing with parental rejection and other resources.

Kaje wrote: "A friend asked for books for a 15 year old who just came out, and whose father and older brother are giving him a hard time. Fiction about dealing with parental rejection and other resources."

Sarah Rees Brennan's In Other Lands. It doesn't have much in the way of actually dealing with the problem, but the MC has parental issues. Sometimes an escapist flight of fantasy is good medicine, especially when the parent may just need time.

<3 Thanks for the rec.

Iamshadow wrote: "Chas wrote: "Looking for a young adult book about a male gay relationship, with an unambiguously HAPPY ending!! I've read Aristotle&Dante, SimonVs, What if its us, Autoboyography, SongOfAchiles, Op..."

Wow! Such wonderful books :) Just finished Song of Achiles and Aristotle & Dante is high up on my to read list. I'd recommend Le Berceau by Julius Eks. It's a happy ending...maybe not entirely unambiguously, but you certainly get a feeling that all is now well.

Martin wrote: "Iamshadow wrote: "Chas wrote: "Looking for a young adult book about a male gay relationship, with an unambiguously HAPPY ending!! I've read Aristotle&Dante, SimonVs, What if its us, Autoboyography,..."

I can certainly second Julius Eks' Le Berceau! A really wonderful book. And yes, it ended just happy enough that I smiled when I put it down! :)

I'm looking for books similar to Two Boys Kissing that talks about the AIDS crisis. (would also be open to non YA recommendations) :)

Steven wrote: "I'm looking for books similar to Two Boys Kissing that talks about the AIDS crisis. (would also be open to non YA recommendations) :)"

I haven't read any of these yet, though a couple are on my TBR list.

We Are Lost and Found by Helene Dunbar is a YA novel set in New York City in the early 80's in the shadow of the emerging AIDS crisis.

Gay author Paul Monette lived and wrote contemporaneously with the emergence and height of the crisis. He has a memoir specifically about the loss of his partner Roger to AIDS, plus a couple of novels where the disease plays a role. Monette's novels are not YA.

Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir Amazon has a longer/better blurb than GR.

Afterlife

Halfway Home

Steven wrote: "I'm looking for books similar to Two Boys Kissing that talks about the AIDS crisis. (would also be open to non YA recommendations) :)"

Jay has some good suggestions there.

In YA fiction, there's Just Between Us - 2013 so pre-PrEP but about a teen finding out he's positive.

Even further back, Rainbow High has a poz character.

Both of those are more personal, not the kind of broad vision that's in Two Boys Kissing.

There is a listopia list here: YA Fiction with HIV or AIDS subject matter - https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...

In adult fiction, there are a lot of romances with an HIV+ charcter in them *note, many not appropriate for YA* . There's a list here: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Rick Reed's "Caregiver" might have the kind of perspective you're looking for.

There are also a couple of mystery series with gay main characters set in the era of the onset of AIDS that are excellent.

Michael Nava's "Henry Rios" series begins with The Little Death (which is fine for YA I think) or else the modern rewrite "Lay Your Sleeping Head" which is the same story edited, but I think also a bit more explicit. AIDS and HIV wind through all the books, and particularly the newest "Carved in Bone" which is a 1.5 novel set between 1 and 2.

Marshall Thornton's "Boystown" mystery series follows a Chicago PI of the era, and also moves through the stages of the plague and its development within the gay community. I think that series is too explicit for YA, as Nick Novak begins the first book open to any sexual adventure going.

Kaje wrote: Jay has some good suggestions there. In YA fiction, there's Just Between Us - 2013 so pre-PrEP but about a teen finding out he's positive.

I can't believe I forgot Just Between Us which is something I have read and enjoyed, and since Trumble's Don't Let Me Go was one of my first discoveries in modern LGBT YA.

I think the same caveat about personal story and tone applies to We Are Lost and Found in comparison to Two Boys Kissing. Levithan's skill and gift with language is special so that is high bar.

Steven wrote: "I'm looking for books similar to Two Boys Kissing that talks about the AIDS crisis. (would also be open to non YA recommendations) :)"

Like a Love Story and Where We Go From Here are newer releases.

thank you all so much for your suggestions, that's a lot more then I thought I would get. looking through them now :)

Is there any lgbtq+ manga (that is translated to english)?

Juuso wrote: "Is there any lgbtq+ manga (that is translated to english)?"

There's quite a lot of yaoi that is in English - also a variety of graphic novel LGBTQ that is not originally in Japanese. Are you looking for M/M, F/F, a mix of identities?

A fair bit of actual yaoi and manga is too erotic for this YA group, but it's out there

Fence, Vol. 1 is one graphic that is original English
Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy
our book of the month Heartstopper: Volume One - free on Tapas
(And if you like video versions check out Yuri on Ice.)

Incidentally Tapas is a good place to go look.

This is one list of LGBTQ graphic novels and comics - https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Another of webcomics with gay characters - https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

And a list of favorite yaoi/Shounen-Ai
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...

Kaje wrote: "Juuso wrote: "Is there any lgbtq+ manga (that is translated to english)?"

There's quite a lot of yaoi that is in English - also a variety of graphic novel LGBTQ that is not originally in Japanese...."

Thank you really much, this means a lot to me!

<3 I hope you find things you like.

For manga, I highly recommend Our Dreams at Dusk. It has a wide range of representation and ages of characters. It does need a trigger warning for suicide ideation, tho.

Also of note is That Blue Sky Feeling. It has gay and questioning characters and is even appropriate for middle-grade readers.

Rez wrote: "For manga, I highly recommend Our Dreams at Dusk. It has a wide range of representation and ages of characters. It does need a trigger warning for suicide ideation, tho.

Also of note is That Blue ..."

Thank you!! :)

Kaje wrote: "<3 I hope you find things you like."

:))

A member is looking for book recs that feature either chronically ill or bisexual/asexual characters.

If you have suggestions -
- This is their request thread : https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Need help finding title !!
Looking for a book that began with a high school boy who was on a school field trip at a museum, I think it was an art museum, and he goes to the gift shop to steal something for his best friend who if i remember correctly, he is in love with. I think he steals either a pen or an art book, because the friend is an artist. Anyway, while he is in the gift shop, something happens in the museum, I think a shooting? But he is able to escape because he was in the gift shop and not with the rest of the crowd. Anyway that's all I remember, I've been looking for the name of this for years.

Noxriver, try posting on this group....

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/list_...

It's dedicated to tracking down lost books. :)