part 2 of the 2023 version of this post: young adult books!
part 1: middle grade books | part 3: adult books
this is a very incomplete list, as these are only books I've read and enjoyed. not all books are going to be for all readers, so I'd recommend looking up synopses and content warnings. feel free to message me with any questions about specific representation!
list of books under the cut ⬇️
aces wild by amanda dewitt
the chandler legacies by abdi nazemian
bruised by tanya boteju
juliet takes a breath by gabby rivera
picture us in the light by kelly loy gilbert
when we were magic by sarah gailey
iron widow by xiran jay zhao
the rise of kyoshi by f.c. yee
jane unlimited by kristin cashore
summer of salt by katrina leno
the wicker king by k. ancrum
the dead and the dark by courtney gould
wilder girls by rory power
i kissed shara wheeler by casey mcquiston
her royal highness by rachel hawkins
tell me how you really feel by aminah mae safi
the weight of the stars by k. ancrum
you should see me in a crown by leah johnson
last night at the telegraph club by malinda lo
the grief keeper by alexandra villasante
crier's war by nina varela
how to excavate a heart by jake maia arlow
imogen, obviously by becky albertalli
in other lands by sarah rees brennan
carry on by rainbow rowell
cemetery boys by aiden thomas
felix ever after by kacen callendar
i wish you all the best by mason deaver
little thieves by margaret owen
technically you started it by lana wood johnson
the gentleman's guide to vice and virtue by mackenzi lee
the infinite noise by lauren shippen
bonds of brass by emily skrutskie
the darkness outside us by eliot schrefer
simon vs. the homo sapiens agenda by becky albertalli
what if it's us by becky albertalli and adam silvera
aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe by benjamin alire sáenz
like a love story by abdi nazemian
different for boys by patrick ness
history is all you left me by adam silvera
twelfth grade night by molly horton booth, stephanie kate strohm, and jamie green
across a field of starlight by blue delliquanti
heartstopper by alice oseman
check, please! by ngozi ukazu
bloom by kevin panetta and savanna ganucheau
laura dean keeps breaking up with me by mariko tamaki and rosemary valero-o'connell
the princess and the grilled cheese sandwich by deya muniz
if you'll have me by eunnie
on a sunbeam by tillie walden
the girl from the sea by molly knox ostertag
always human by ari north
rust in the root by justina ireland
dread nation by justina ireland
pet by awkwaeke emezi
the darkest part of the forest by holly black
elatsoe by darcie little badger
i was born for this by alice oseman
loveless by alice oseman
i hate everyone but you by gaby dunn and allison raskin
you know me well by nina lacour and david levithan
the black flamingo by dean atta
spinning by tillie walden
dreadnought by april daniels
a lesson in vengeance by victoria lee
all the bad apples by moira fowley-doyle
clap when you land by elizabeth acevedo
summer bird blue by akemi dawn bowman
the miseducation of cameron post by emily m. danforth
we are okay by nina lacour
radio silence by alice oseman
we used to be friends by amy spalding
a neon darkness by lauren shippen
i hope you get this message by farah naz rishi
are you listening? by tillie walden
alone in space by tillie walden
all out edited by saundra mitchell
out now edited by saundra mitchell
out there edited by saundra mitchell
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*I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Image & summary from Goodreads*
London, 1812 . Oliver Bennet feels trapped—not just by the endless corsets, petticoats, and skirts he's forced to wear on a daily basis, but also by society's expectations. The world, and the vast majority of his family and friends, think Oliver is a girl named Elizabeth. He is therefore expected to mingle at balls wearing a pretty dress, entertain suitors regardless of his interest in them, and ultimately become someone's wife.
But Oliver can't bear the thought of such a fate. He finds solace in the few times he can sneak out of his family's home and explore the city rightfully dressed as a young gentleman. It's during one such excursion when Oliver becomes acquainted with Darcy, a sulky young man who had been rude to "Elizabeth" at a recent social function. But in the comfort of being out of the public eye, Oliver comes to find that Darcy is actually a sweet, intelligent boy with a warm heart, not to mention attractive.
As Oliver spends more time as his true self, often with Darcy, part of him dares to hope that his dream of love and life as a man can be possible. But suitors are growing bolder―and even threatening―and his mother is growing more desperate to see him settled into an engagement. Oliver will have to choose: settle for safety, security, and a life of pretending to be something he's not, or risk it all for a slim chance at freedom, love, and a life that can be truly his own.
I loved this! I've always enjoyed the story of Pride and Prejudice - and its film adaptations and reimaginings - so I was curious to see how the story would be remixed with the main character as a trans man. Personally, as a nonbinary person, this felt like the fluffiest wish fulfillment! Not only does Oliver Bennet have friends and allies who know his truth and support him, but he also easily passes when going out in public as his true self. It's during one of these outings that he's befriended by Darcy and Bingley, and forms an budding friendship with Darcy. Here it gets a bit Shakespearean, as Oliver is forced to hide his truth when later confronting Darcy as "Elizabeth." While the story stays mostly the same, many of the characters are queer - and younger - and it's interesting to see how motivations are shifted to suit the new spin on the story. (Yes, Wickham is still a villain!) All in all, I thought it was heartwarming and sweet! I've read many different takes on this story - from zombies to murder mysteries - but this is by far my favorite.
OUT NOW!
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The Beautiful dedications of Queer YA Books
“To all the queer brown boys still waiting for their chance to bloom.Quisieron enterrarnos, pero no sabían que eramos semillas.”
-Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun by Jonny Garza Villa.
“For kids who sharpen their teeth and bite”
-Hell Follow With Us by Andrew Joseph White
“ For trans and nonbinary youth: You’re beautiful. You’re important. You’re valid. You’re perfect .”
-Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
“For the boys who get called girls, the girls who get called boys, and those who lived outside these words.To those called names,and those searching for names of their own. To those who live on the edges, and in the spaces in between.I wish for you every light in the sky.”
-When The Moon was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore
“For trans people near, far, present and future.”
-A Million Quiet Revolutions by Robin Gow
“For everyone who's felt too mixed, too black, too queer or too trans to have a happily ever after- here's your permission to make one for yourself.”
-Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee
“For you (and me)”
-Nothing Burns As Bright As You by Ashley Woodfolk.
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