There are times where love can seem palpable and others, maybe a lot less so. When you identify as a queer person, that can add an extra layer of awkwardness that definitely takes some figuring out. Whether you are happily booed up or would prefer to hide behind the comfort of a book, this list will help you feel the love even after Valentine’s day has left you with a bad taste in your mouth. NOTE- This is just the tip of the iceberg and some of the more noteworthy ones i have read. Go explore what queer stories and authors have to offer on your own.
- Odd One Out By Nic Stone
Somewhere between the glam rock of Queen and the badassery of Halsey, lies Nic Stone’s incredible novel centering three teens figuring out what love is at a time where that doesn’t seem so simple. Courtney “Coop” Cooper, Rae Evelyn Chin, and Jupiter Charity-Sanchez are some the freshest voices to hit the YA book scene since Stone’s own racial opus debut Dear Martin back in 2017. The novel follows the trio as they each deal with the fact that, in one or another, they each have feelings for each other. The thing that I adore about this novel is that highlights the fact that love isn’t as easy or cut and dry as we make it out to be. Sexuality and gender are some of the most fluid things of our modern times that we continue to wrestle with. This novel forces us to contend with these thoughts and feelings that encompass diverging perspectives with heart, humor, and feeling.
2. Becky Albertalli’s Creekwood series/Simonverse
Allow me to be a bit loud on this one but “THE SIMONVERSE IS THE BEST UNIVERSE IN QUEER BOOK HISTORY”. There. I said it. Becky Albertalli burst on the scene in 2015 with Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda and set the YA book world on fire. Following closeted teen Simon Spier as he deals with an email-only relationship with a boy he seemingly doesn’t know, the book has spawned an adjacent novel, (The Upside Of Unrequited) a direct sequel, (Leah On The Offbeat) and a wildly successful movie adaptation. (Love, Simon) The characters in the Simonverse are lovable, witty, and relatable to a tee. Unflinchingly honest and heartfelt, this is a must-explore for any queer person still trying to figure life out.
3.They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera
Prepare to di-, uh, I mean, fall in love with the wonderful cast of characters in this amazing masterwork by Adam Silvera. Set in a speculative universe where people find their Last Friend on the day that they are to die, the book follows 2 Latinx characters, Mateo and Rufus, as they try to soak up every moment of their last days on earth while simultaneously falling in love each other. Totally chipper right? All jokes aside, this novel has a lot of heart with engrossing prose by an author who is grade A in his craft. With a movie adaption of a novel co-written by best bud Becky Albertalli, What If It’s Us, (#Callback) They Both Die At The End explores the fragility of life and never takes time for granted.
4. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe By Benjamin Alire Sáenz
I’m sorry, I just like books that make me cry. It’s a bit of a problem, I know, I’m working on it. (maybe) Set during the summer of 1987, the novel follows 2 Latinx teens, Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza, and Dante Quintana as they develop an unlikely friendship. The best way for me to describe this book is “The Latinx version of the 2nd part of the movie Moonlight” If you enjoy angsty romances with complex relationships, give this one a pickup.
5. If I Was Your Girl By Meredith Russo
Serving as a great addition to the oft-neglected transgender teen narrative, If I Was Your Girl follows Amanda Hardy as she navigates her gender identity while living in a small town and also falling in love with a boy. Not only is the book hella nerdy, but it’s also hella necessary to a point that becomes almost heartbreaking. If you’re looking for a wholly authentic trans identity narrative, this one is for you.
6. Not Otherwise Specified by Hannah Moskowitz
I’m such a sucker for anything having to do with the arts that I had to pick this one up and I wasn’t disappointed. Eta lives in a small town in Nebraska where she has to deal with the idea of labels (a la Odd One Out) put upon her by the community she thinks she’s OK with. That all changes when she meets a straight girl named Bianca who helps her turn her thought process of who she is meant to become on its head. It’s touching and understanding prose will make you want to beg for more amazing stories by Hannah Moskowitz
7. Anger Is A Gift by Mark Oshiro
I seem to have saved the best book for last so if you’re still here reading this, you are most definitely a real one. My god, this book. THIS. BOOK.
This book hits all the right notes in a profound and indescribable way that you just MUST read it. In the vein of books like The Hate U Give and Dear Martin, this book gives us queer romance with a side order of social justice, and I want to eat heaps of. Literally. Moss Jefferies is a Latinx teen living in Oakland when his school gets slashed by budget cuts and underfunded education. When Moss and his friends decide it’s better to do something about it then to just stay silent, push back from the local community is swift. Not only is there a poignant social justice tint in this novel, but it also includes an epic meet-cute involving Moss and Javier on a train. In a book that is as timely as it is intersectional, what more could one want? I’m not sure.
