Coming-Out-Series (P5): 18 Must-Read Recommendations For Pride Month + All The Reminiscing(!!) and Pretty Covers & My Pride Month TBR!

If you didn’t know, it’s PRIDE month. And, If you didn’t know, I am lgbtq+. 

PRIDE MONTH. YAY. 

I’m actually so happy right now.

And, why not just blab about some of the books that I’ve read and adored that share a great message about LGBTQ+ness? I don’t see a reason why not to either. 1) They’re books, this is a book blog, 2) they’re lgbtq+, and its lgbtq+ Pride Month, 3) I’m queer, so like, yeah, 4) LGBTQ+ books/ships make my still, dry, and shrivelled heart beat again, 5) they need to be shared!! the rep needs to be shared!! 6) They’re just amazing books too, not just LGBTQ+ books!!

(this is basically a huge excuse for me to just scream about books that I loved)

Asaksaksasaksasalsasalsaljdsafnsdngkfsdngdjhbkftruht5tbrugbkg. Whatamidoingggg.

This is also a COLLAB post with some of ma faves (and this reject elm that we all HATE, jk ily) (you’re all my faves) and guysss it’s been so long since I did a collab.

The amazing people involved: Haadiya, May, Ilsa, Elm, Ruby, Rhea and Lia.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

by David Levithan and John Green

> if I remember correctly, this is one of the first LGBTQ books that I read, and also one of the first YA books that I read! I remember being d e s t r o y e d by this book and that it was also hilarious!! I’ve always wanted to read more from David Levithan! It has two main characters who are both gay and I think that there is also ace rep! I think that I might just HAVE to reread this book. You know,,, to be polite…

 

The Upside of Unrequited

by Becky Albertalli

> this was the first book that I read by Becky Albertalli and!! Oh!! My!! Gosh!!

Two twins, one of which is a lesbian with two Mums, (also Jewish rep!!) one of which is a POC. COULD THIS HAVE BETTER REP? The story focussed mainly on the straight twin and her love story, but there was so much focus on her sister’s relationship (which was so cute!!) and the marriage of her mums!!

I think that this was so well balanced and I love how the LGBTQ+ characters are already established as being LGBTQ+ and the plot doesn’t revolve around how they’re lgbtq and struggling to come to terms with that! It shows them leading happy, normal family lives filled with love and it SO FAMILY ORIENTATED GUYS.

>Gah this was all so beautiful I want to cryyyyyy all over again!!

Release by

Patrick Ness

> djdksksidiss. This book. SUCH A PURE RELATIONSHIP. Honestly,it was so cute my heart exploded out of my chest. And there was just fantasy WHACKED in there and a MYSTERIOUS DEATH as well as dealing with attitudes of the CHURCH since the MCs dad leads the congregation and oh my the heartbreak!!! Oh gosh, I’m hyperventilating and flailing all over again. Moving on before I die.

I want to read this all overrrrr againnnnn.

> I just love the MC, Adam, and his relationship with Linus, and his character!! I didn’t love the book straight away as I was really unsure of where it was going, but then about 100 pages in (yes I know, a bit of a build up) it really gets going and OMG. The rest did not disappoint!!

More Than This

by Patrick Ness

> gosh this book was scary and fast and I COULDN’T STOP READING IT. This was purelyterrifying, but also amazing. The main character was so lovable, and omgggggggg his dreams of the previous life acndkdkssjss the relationshippppp I’m dying I’m dying I’m dying. It was so l o v e l y while this book was so heartbreaking and terrifying and OUT THERE. Probably one of the most unique stories out there. And!! It wasn’t!! Just!! About the mc!! Being gay!! I don’t think that I’d ever read fantasy/dystopian/sci-fi with a lgbtq character!!

All For The Game Trilogy

by Nora Sakavic

> Has a demisexual MC (TOTALLY UNDERREPRESENTED!!!!!!) and multiple gay and bi characters. It is so emotional guys and also discusses self-harm + accepting your sexuality, and also talks about rape and IT JUST TEARS OUT YOUR SOUL OK? You need it, it’s a great experience, 12/10 recommend it.

> Has such a strong focus on family and consent and is literally so OUT THERE and dramatic and THE FREAKING MAFIA PEOPLE + sports.

Nick and Charlie

by Alice Oseman

> A short novella based off of Solitaire and oh gosh this packs a punch!! While also being adorable!! I think I cried through most of this, tbh. No regrets though, definitely worth it. I actually read this before Solitaire but omg guys,,, if you’ve read Solitaire, you need this even more. Gah, it was so nice to see Nick nad Charlie again (my smols) I want them to be realllllllll so I can huggggggg them. JUST. GO FALL IN LOVE WITH THEM TOO.

The Raven Cycle + Opal

by Maggie Stiefvater

> SMOL ANGRY TALL RONAN BBY. Gah I adore him. He’s so sassy and rude and SOMEONE HUG HIM FOREVER *eyes Adam*. Adam is so chsjaosissb and not my fave by gahhh he needs a hug so bad and they all care about each other so much and the slow burnS are just,,,, painful

> someone save me pls

> Opal made my queer heart so happy and just. Seeing their relationship blossom ❤️❤️🧡🧡💛💛💚💚💙💙💜💜  just made me SO FREAKING HAPPY.

Crooked Kingdom

by Leigh Bardugo:

> The PUREST GAY SHIP IN FANTASY FOR ME HONESTLY. Sorta just tore me apart but it’s fine. THEY’RE BOTH SO CHEEKY AND LIKE OH LET ME WHIP OUT SOME PISTOLS WHILE THE OTHER IS LIKE OH I SET OFF A BOMB? COOL.

> And they’re!! Adorable!! And!! You!! Need!! This!! Book!! Let’s just say, SOC book three better feature a hell of a lot of this ship because dndksksks MAKE MY HEART HAPPY PLS. Gah they’re so excepting of each other + really bantery at the same time AND SO PURE and they CARE SO MUCH. I’m gone.

> And if anything, just read it for the pure genius of the plot!!

Autoboyography

by Christina Lauren

> I’ve been raving about this book since... WHAT SEEMS LIKE FOREVER NOW BECAUSE THIS BOOK IS ALL THAT I KNOW. I CANNOT GET OVER IT. I genuinely think that I’ve mentioned this book in every post that I’ve done recently. Oh well. It’s worth it because this book is fabulous in every way.

> My feelings were smashed violently with a hammer.

> Internalised homophobia + LDS attitudes towards LGBTQ+ are mentioned, and while I cannot comment on the quality of the LDS rep, I can say that I think that the internalised homophobia was really well done and I think that it’s so so so important to talk about matters that so many people in the world go through (internalised homophobia)!!

A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue

by Mackenzi Lee

> The adventure!! The ship!! Everything!! GAAAAHH PERCYYYY. Percy is also biracial and has epilepsy anddd he’s bisexual (I think!! It’s never really disclosed??? If I remember correctly)!! Henry is also bisexual and a beautiful disaster.

> The romance is so cute and it’s a historical fiction so obviously everyone else is like,,, not happy about them being attracted to guys and they just. don’t. give. a. damn. and!! JUST YES!! THE BURN GUYS. THE BURN.

> You honestly all need this in your lives if you haven’t read it already!! It’s so exciting and the British humour is THE OPPOSITE OF A DISASTER, DARLING. *STRICTLY COME DANCING REFERENCE SOMEONE GET IT PLEASE*. IT’S BLOODY FANTASTIC.

Let’s Talk About Love

by Claire Kann

Haadiya @ The Starlit Reader recommends this one!!

 > Let’s talk about love by Claire Kann is a book that is very special to my heart. It deals with biromantic asexual rep, and I read this at a time when I was coming to terms with my identity.

> At that time reading this book, reading Alice accept her identity, helped me accept myself and my identity as a biromantic asexual. It has A+ asexual and biromantic rep respectively and I related to it a lot. It dealt with entering a relationship as an asexual, with others accepting your identity and the significance and strength of romantic love minus the lust.

> IT ALSO has this A++ ship THAT I LOVE SO MUCH, and it has so much fluff!! AND IT has a black MC and a Japanese LI, plus the MC Alice is so relatable and funny, and her relationship with her best friends (Ryan and Feenie) is shown SO POSITIVELY I just love this book so much I can’t deal with these emotions. Also, its character driven and is perfectly paced. This book is just perfect in every way I can’t stress how much y’all need to read this.

I’ll Give You The Sun

by Jandy Nelson

Ilsa @ A Whisper of Ink recommended this one, here’s what she says:

> I’ll Give You The Sun is AMAZING and beautiful. I fell in love with the writing style, the words on the page and the magicalness of it all. Noah and Brian are WONDERFUL SOULS and I SHIP THEM SO MUCH.

>Noah is a precious child and their relationship is SO DAMN BEAUTIFUL – I cry when I think about them. This book made my heart whole!!

Radio Silence

by Alice Oseman

This is recommended by Elm @ The Other Elm and here is what she has to say about it:

>I really LOVE this book because it presents people’s identities in such a relatable and flexible way. Books about characters struggling primarily within the LGBTQ+ community are really important but this book tackles identity within yourself but also who you are around others and the conflict between who you are and who others expect you to be.

> Romance, for Frances, isn’t the main focus either in that she doesn’t need it to find out who she is; the characters are three-dimensional and your perceptions of characters will change throughout the book. In the end, it gives the message that your sexuality – whatever that may be – is just another part of your identity, that each person is complex and what one person may feel is not the same as what another person may feel. People change and how you view yourself changes and THAT IS OKAY.

Girl Made of Stars

by Ashley Herring Blake

This is a book that May @ Forever and Everly cannot ever shut up about and I really don’t blame her because it sounds amazing. I NEED THIS B/C OF HOW MUCH MAY GOES ON ABOUT IT! Here’s what she says:

> Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake is an absolute masterpiece. It’s about a girl, Mara, whose twin brother Owen is accused of raping her best friend Hannah.

> It’s a story written so gorgeously it tugs at your heartstrings and makes you want to sob, whether it be because of the unfairness of the world or because of how beautiful Blake manages to write certain things. The relationships of these characters, their complexities, and how they grow is done so well. These characters and their dynamics are some of my favorites ever. This was the first book I’ve cried over since 2016. Two days after I first finished it, I reread it, because of how much the story affected me. This book has stuck with me ever since and is my favorite book of 2018; it’s flawless and heartwrenching and stunning.

> As for queer representation, Mara is a bisexual girl. She is in a bit of a love triangle, but as a bi person, I can promise that it’s written extremely well. Mara is not questioning her sexuality; it’s been established before the book and you get to see her living as an openly queer teen. (The bi rep is also own voices!) One of her love interests is a Korean boy, and the other is a sapphic genderqueer teen named Charlie. Charlie uses the pronouns she/her, and throughout the book, she talks with Mara about being genderqueer. It’s really really well-written and I think it’s relatable for a lot of genderqueer teens. This book is one of my favorites ever and it deserves all the love!! Please read it!!! Huge huge huge content warnings for rape, sexual assault/abuse, anxiety/panic attacks, biphobia (challenged)

Amanda Foody Books

(Because Ilsa couldn’t choose ONE)

Daughter of the Burning City features a bisexual main character, Sorina who is bad-ass and I love her. BUT I LOVE LUCA WHO IS DEMIROMANTIC ASEXUAL and he’s just amazing. The romance between these two are beautiful and the story has so any good plot twists. I ENJOYED IT SO MUCH JASFHHSAHG

Ace of Shades IS GREAT TOO. LEVI IS A BLACK BISEXUAL ICON AND I LOVE HIM SO MUCH BECAUSE HE IS A GENIUS AND HE’S A HE’S A SMOL SLYTHERPUFF AND I LOVE HIM!! Also, it’s a stabby perfect dark book with a wonderful mystery ❤

The Mortal Instruments

by Cassandra Clare

Ruby @ Ruby Rae Reads recommends this (as do I!) because this series is amazing!! Here’s what she says:

> I don’t know where you’ve been if you haven’t heard about these books yet but it’s about this kickass group of demon hunters and one of whom didn’t know she was one until she’s thrown into the world and meets some amazing people who are literally awesome and the humour is the best. There are MANY books throughout the world and you’ll truly laugh and cry at the same time with each time (so suffer but you’re happy about it — *insert Ron gif*).

> Cassie Clare is a QUEEN and so clever with adding as much diversity as possible. But since we’re all about LGBTQ in this post there is one couple in particular in this series who are adorable and WE ALL LOVE THEM. I can go on and on but just so you know you’ll have the best time. This couple is not only adorable but they have this amazing development arc and it’s such a beautiful journey over the course of these books and I highly highly highly recommend you pick these ones yet if you haven’t… you won’t regret!

Simon Vs. The Homosapien’s Agenda

by Becky Albertalli 

Rhea @ Book Chanted Blog (ie the smol™) recommends this one!! And!! GUYS!! MY HEART!! Here’s what Rhea says:

 > Simon is such a great read for so many reasons including its cute asf, it’s smushy and gives you a lot of feels, but the main reason is it makes coming out NORMAL.

> Coming out shouldn’t be something awkward for anyone, because your sexuality doesn’t affect the person you are, and you can like whoever you want without it having to be an awkward situation. Simon address that so well and is just such a comforting and sweet book and just ASKSMANDJ THERE’S SO MUCH TO LOVE

I Was Born For This

by Alice Oseman

Lia from @ Lost In A Story recommended this one and omg I’m so envious of everyone who’s read it I WANT TO BE THEM. I want to flail about this book SO MUCH. Here’s what Lia has to say:

> I highly recommend I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman because it’s such an amazing book! It’s about the Persian Muslim Angel who is a fan of The Ark, a boy band, and the biracial (Indian/Italian) transgender Jimmy who is the frontman of that band.

> I absolutely loved the characters. They’re so pure!!

> It’s about how Jimmy and Angel meet and their lives intertwine. It’s also about mental health (Jimmy deals with anxiety and paranoia), fan culture and fame. It’s just such a relatable and realistic book about so many things that people deal with in this generation. I absolutely adored it and will most definitely be rereading it in the future.

My Pride TBR

So I don’t think that I’ll be able to read loads this month :((( again, because I have exams up until the 19th(!!) but I have a few books that I’ll be able to read after that. I hope to read:

1. Queens of Geek, by Jen Wilde, which sounds really cute and fluffy and it has an f/f ship, as I’m told, which I am ALL HERE FOR. GNFDJGJFD guys I hardly read f/f ships and bgdjkfgbjkxg I’m so excited to read this!! [present-me: I’ve finished this!! and!! I read it in an afternoon!! SO cute!! so many thoughts/screamings on the way!!]
2. Radio Silence, by Alice Oseman, which has been on my TBR for an absolute AGE and has been bumped up really recently because of 1) my love growing for Alice Oseman, 2) ACE REP which I didn’t know about before!! 3) THAT GORGEOUS NEW COVER 4) I realised that some books that were before this on my tbr??? weren’t??? really?? worth?? reading??? / don’t??? sound?? great?? to?? me?? anymore?? / i??? realised??? how??? amazing?? this ?? book?? sounds??
3. I Was Born For This, by Alice Oseman, FREAKING TRANS REP. TRANS REP. IT’S SO RARE AND I WANT IT. A BOOK THAT ISN’T ORIENTATED AROUND ROMANCE BUT HAS LGBTQ+ CHARACTERS? I WANT IT. MUSLIM REP? I WANT IT. I want it all, I want it all, and I want it noooowww!!!! (Queen reference someone get it please)

This is actually A VERY OPTIMISTIC TBR and I WILL NOT be reading all of these. Why am I getting my hopes up??? Maybe it’s just so that I can be salty later on. Who KNOWS.

Have you read any of these books? What books are on your Pride Month TBRs? Which books would you recommend for pride? Let me know!