Coming-Out-Series (P2): LGBT+ Themed Books of 2018 And Recent LBGT+ Reads (I.E. I Flail And Break All Our TBRs)

If you somehow missed my recent screamings, I’m queer. 

And here’s [finally] the second part of the queer-series thing I’ve stared (there may be more). 

Are you ready for your TBRs to be broken? Are you ready for me to yell about all the books that I have ZERO time to read*, yet DESPERATELY need to? Well, buckle in because it’s happening whether you’re ready or not. Like a tsunami, just less death (we would hope)**

(If you didn’t see Part One of this series, you can read it here)

So, I’m going to be talking about THIRTEEN books (there are so many more!!) that have LGBTQ+ themes, and that I desperately need to read!! Going through some lists on the internet of all the LGBTQ+ books being released/that had been released this year made me so happy!! It’s so great to see the rep : )))))

Just seeing that many books made me smile SO much ajrgnksg and I just want to own them all and hug them all!!

It’s a shame that I can’t read them because of THESE STUPID EXAMS that are going to consume the next month and a half of my life, but oh well??

I think that 2018 is going to be SUCH a great year for diversity releases, and I wish that I could talk about ALL of them on here, but if I did you’d be reading for HOURS.

*since starting this post, I’ve read two books (in the dead of night) and I’m really not sure how I’ve done that!! **probably not tbh, let’s be real.

ALREADY RELEASED THIS YEAR: 

Let’s Talk About Love, by Claire Kann (January 23rd) —> Bi-romantic Alice had her whole summer planned. The only thing missing from her perfect plan? Her girlfriend (who ended things when Alice confessed she’s asexual). But then Alice meets Takumi and she can’t stop thinking about him or the rom com-grade romance feels she did not ask for. When her summer takes an unexpected turn, and Takumi becomes her knight with a shiny library employee badge (close enough), Alice has to decide if she’s willing to risk their friendship for a love that might not be reciprocated, or understood.

I NEED this book. I think that there needs to be WAY more rep for asexuality because,, honestly??? I don’t know if I’ve ever read a book with that rep?? And that’s just?? Not okay! This book sounds so CUTE and I just want to get my hands on it already!! AND THE GUY WORKS IN A LIBRARY??!?! YES!?!?! GIMME!!!!

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera (January 27th) —> Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving the Bronx and headed to Portland, Oregon. She just came out to her family and isn’t sure if her mom will ever speak to her again. But Juliet has a plan, sort of, one that’s going to help her figure out this whole “Puerto Rican lesbian” thing. She’s interning with the author of her favourite book: Harlowe Brisbane, the ultimate authority on feminism, women’s bodies, and other gay-sounding stuff.

OMG, this book. I’ve had my eyes on it since THE DAWN OF TIME (yes, I was there) and there’s cultural rep too!! This sounds like a perfect story about acceptance, and learning about your sexuality and coming to terms with who you are!

Reign of the Fallen, by Sarah Glenn Marsh (January 23) —> Odessa is one of Karthia’s master necromancers, catering to the kingdom’s ruling Dead. Whenever a noble dies, it’s Odessa’s job to raise them by retrieving their souls from a dreamy and dangerous shadow world called the Deadlands. But there is a cost to being raised–the Dead must remain shrouded, or risk transforming into zombie-like monsters known as Shades. If even a hint of flesh is exposed, the grotesque transformation will begin.

Okay, well this sounds magnificent. Fantasy, necromancers, and it doesn’t say in the description, but there’s a bi main character!! JUST. THIS BOOK SOUNDS AMAZING.

The Dangerous Art of Blending In, by Angelo Surmelis (January 30) —> Tired, isolated, scared—Evan’s only escape is drawing in an abandoned church that feels as lonely as he is. And, yes, he kissed one guy over the summer. But it’s his best friend Henry who’s now proving to be irresistible. It’s Henry who suddenly seems interested in being more than friends. And it’s Henry who makes him believe that he’s more than his mother’s harsh words and terrifying abuse. But as things with Henry heat up, and his mother’s abuse escalates, Evan has to decide how to find his voice in a world where he has survived so long by avoiding attention at all costs.

THIS BOOK. IS GOING. TO BREAK. MY POOR. HEART. I WANT IT NOW. I WANT A BROKEN HEART OKAY. I WANT MY HEART TO BE BROKEN BY THIS BOOK. This book is breaking my heart just at the premise!! Doesn’t this sound so heartbreaking?? I just,,, am a sucker for books like this!!!

All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Kick-Ass Queer Teens, by Multiple Authors. (February 27) —> Take a journey through time and genres and discover a past where queer figures live, love and shape the world around them. Seventeen of the best young adult authors across the queer spectrum have come together to create a collection of beautifully written diverse historical fiction for teens. 

HISTORICAL FICTION? YES PLEASE. LGBTQ+ REP? YES PLEASE. ALL OF IT, PLEASE. I will gobble up this book faster than an entire cake (0.017 seconds).

Leah on the Offbeat, by Becky Albertalli (April 24) —> Simon’s best friend, Leah, is at the center, and despite seeing the reception of Simon’s coming out, she still hasn’t quite figured out how to tell everyone beyond her mom that she’s bisexual; it’s hard enough being the least privileged member of her clique, insecure in her skills, and, now, watching her friend group fracture. And of course, just to make things trickier, she’s falling for someone she never expected.

Okay, I didn’t like Leah in Simon Vs. BUT, I’ve always had my heart set on reading this since I saw it so that maybe?? I can actually understand her character?? And I didn’t even know it was an f/f book until recently. I don’t have mega high expectations for this book, but I’d like to give it a go!

RELEASED THIS MONTH:

Ship It, by Britta Lundin (May 1st) —> Claire is obsessed with the show Demon Heart. Forest is an actor on Demon Heart who dreams of bigger roles. At the Q&A, when Forest laughs off Claire’s assertion that his character is gay. She can’t believe her hero turned out to be closed-minded. Forest is mostly confused that anyone would think his character is gay. Because he’s not. Definitely not. When the video of the disastrous Q&A goes viral, the producers have a PR nightmare on their hands. In order to help bolster their image within the LGBTQ+ community – as well as with their fans – they hire Claire to join the cast for the rest of their publicity tour. Comic-Con clashes between the fans and the show that lead Forest to question his assumptions about sexuality and help Claire come out of her shell. And will Claire ever get the guts to make a move on Tess, the very cute, extremely cool fanartist she keeps running into?

This is giving me Geekerella vibes?!? I think that this one will be cute, but also pack a punch?? Tho, that guy, Forest, sounds like a complete idiot that I want to whack in the fact with all my hardbacks.

I Was Born For This, by Alice Oseman (May 3rd) —> For Angel Rahimi, life is only about one thing: The Ark – a pop-rock trio of teenage boys who are currently taking the world by storm. Being part of The Ark’s fandom has given her everything – her friendships, her dreams, her place in the world. Jimmy Kaga-Ricci owes everything to The Ark too. He’s their frontman – and playing in a band is all he’s ever dreamed of doing. It’s just a shame that recently everything in his life seems to have turned into a bit of a nightmare. When Angel and Jimmy are unexpectedly thrust together, they will discover just how strange and surprising facing up to reality can be.

sjgbsejg A L I C E  O S E M A N. As soon as I heard of her new release, it was going on my TBR! There’s a Muslim character, and there are gender fluid characters and different sexualities and omg the reviews are already praising this book and I NEED IT NOW.

Girl Made of Stars, by Ashley Herring Blake (May 15) —> Mara and Owen are about as close as twins can get. So when Mara’s friend Hannah accuses Owen of rape, Mara doesn’t know what to think. Can the brother she loves really be guilty of such a violent crime? Torn between the family she loves and her own sense of right and wrong, Mara is feeling lost, and it doesn’t help that things have been strained with her ex and best friend since childhood, Charlie. Mara must face a trauma from her own past and decide where Charlie fits in her future. With sensitivity and openness, this novel confronts the difficult questions consent, victim blaming, and sexual assault.

SO THIS BOOK. OKAY, CAN I JUST. SCREAM FOR A MINUTE??? THANKS. JDGHBSDJGEWLJSFSJGBSJDFD49T39. So,,, rjgbslgneslignlemfpoq3q;owezp this is just going to tear me to pieces and I WANT IT NOW.

Anger is a Gift, by Mark Oshiro (May 22) —> Six years ago, Moss Jefferies’ father was murdered by an Oakland police officer. Along with losing a parent, the media’s vilification of his father and lack of accountability has left Moss with near-crippling panic attacks. Now, in his sophomore year of high school, Moss and his fellow classmates find themselves increasingly treated like criminals by their own school. New rules. Random locker searches. Constant intimidation and Oakland Police Department stationed in their halls. Despite their youth, the students decide to organize and push back against the administration.

When tensions hit a fever pitch and tragedy strikes, Moss must face a difficult choice: give in to fear and hate or realize that anger can actually be a gift

DEAR MARTIN VIBES, THUG VIBES, AND LGBTQ+ REP? THANK YOU I’LL TAKE THIS ONE. THIS BOOK. IT’S GOING TO BE THE DEATH OF ME, I SWEAR!! I’ll have to wait to read all of these after my exams, BUT THIS ONE. THIS ONE IS A YES. THIS IS THE FIRST ONE THAT I WANT TO READ!! I can tell that this book is going to acutally kill me inside and my soul will be so happy about it because this book sounds amazing.

TO BE RELEASED LATER THIS YEAR: 

Sometime After Midnight, by L. Philips (June 12th) —> In a dingy Los Angeles club late one night, Cameron and Nate meet and find they have much more in common than their love of an obscure indie band. But when Nate learns that Cameron is the heir to a record label, the very one that destroyed his father’s life, he runs away as fast as he can. The only evidence of their brief but intense connection is a blurry photo Cameron snaps of Nate’s Sharpie-decorated Chuck Taylors as he flees.

This actually sounds really cute and dark at the same time, kind of like Turtles All The Way Down. It sounds fluffy, yet angst-y and I NEED SOME OF THAT IN MY LIFE. I AM BUSTING AT THE SEAMS TO READ THIS ONE!! This one sounds super mysterious and I just want to know more about it already!

What If It’s Us, by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera (October 9th) —> Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it. Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things. But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them? What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play? But what if it is?

COULD THIS BE ANY CUTER??? MY HEART WANTS TO EXPLODE?? THANK YOU BECKY ALBERTALLI AND ADAM SILVERA FOR NEVER FAILING TO BREAK MY HEART???

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy, by Mackenzi Lee —> Doctor Alexander Platt, an eccentric physician that Felicity idolizes, is looking for research assistants, and Felicity is sure that someone as forward thinking as her hero would be willing to take her on. However, Platt is in Germany, preparing to wed Felicity’s estranged childhood friend Johanna. Not only is Felicity reluctant to open old wounds, she also has no money to make the trip. Luckily, a mysterious young woman is willing to pay Felicity’s way, so long as she’s allowed to travel with Felicity disguised as her maid. In spite of her suspicions, Felicity agrees, but once the girl’s true motives are revealed, Felicity becomes part of a perilous quest that will lead her from the German countryside to the promenades of Zurich to secrets lurking beneath the Atlantic.

DO I EVEN NEED TO EXPLAIN MY REASONING FOR PICKING THIS ONE. NO. OK GOOD. BYE. I LOVED A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE AND THIS ONE IS GOING TO BE THE DEATH OF ME.

So, despite my… exam circumstances… I managed to find TWO books that I read AND ADORED. Both books were read in a day (one day per book) and sjgdskg.

Autoboyography was recommended to me by May and is it strange that this makes me love her more????? nah??? ok good. THANK YOU MAY, THIS WAS AMAZING. 

I’ve got to say, Autoboyography is FOR SURE my favourite out of the two because it was so excellently done, informative and I did have a few quibbles with The Dangerous Art of Blending In. SAYING THAT, it has heartbreaking parental abuse and Greek rep and is also an OWN VOICES book. IT BROKE ME. It was SO sad to read, and the relationship wasn’t one of those “let me fix you” “let me fix everything” kind of relationships!! SOESJGSEG

I loved Autoboyograhy that I REREAD IT JUST BECAUSE. Sebastian is my all time love ❤ ❤ ❤ and too pure for this world ❤ ❤ ❤ I just WANT TO HUG HIM FOREVER. It was so incredibly cute but HAD SUCH HARD-HITTING TOPICS.

You can read my gushy-gush review for Autoboyography here and you can read my short review for The Dangerous Art of Blending in here.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND BOTH BOOKS!!

What are some of your LGBTQ+ RECS?? Have you read any of these? Thoughts on Alice Oseman’s books?? I need to know, I really want to read them!! HAVE YOU READ AUTOBOYOGRAPHY??? SOMEONE SCREECH WITH ME!! Sebastiaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn ❤ Will you be reading any of these? JUST LET ME KNOW THOUGHTS YEAH? Byeeeeeeee ❤ (for now)