13 Sweet, Sweet, LGBTQ+ RecS For Pride Month // many #own-voices (11) + you will be sobbing with me (+WHAT TO DO FOR BLACK LIVES MATTER).

IT’S THE BEST MONTH OF THE YEAR. PRIDE MONTH.

all of these will make you cry, and most of them will make you into a mess, but you should read them nonetheless.

these are some of my top TOP picks that I ADORE + my TBR (ish) for this month.

Some I’ve known about and loved for ages, some are new but I love just as much!! I’m so happy that over 1/2 of these books are #ownvoices!! I think there has been SO much positive change in representation in YA, but there’s still more that we’d all like to see. but, until then, we can rave about the books we DO have to make ourselves feel better.

all of these are smushy books that all need hugs. (and we’ll be needing hugs after we read them)

If you HAVE read these books.. EMBRACE THE REREAD!!

Also, can we just take a moment to realise that I wrote this post WEEKS in advance, and had like four scheduled posts? I’ve never been more organised!! BUT THIS HAS BEEN AN I-DONT-EVEN-HAVE-THE-WORDS-WEEK:

A HUGE NOTICE:

Please sign petitions

1. Justice for George Floyd
2. Raise the Degree Petition
3. Charge All Four Officers
4. Justice for Breonna Taylor
5. lots of tother petitions here.

Donate if you can to:

1. George Floyd Go Fund Me
2. Ahmaud Arbery go fund me
3. Minnesota freedom fund (and others near you)
4. if you can’t afford to donate, stream this youtube video where all ad revenue goes towards organisations

how to be a good ally:

1. acknowledge your white privilege.
2. don’t be silent — speak up — if you are not “comfortable” talking about it, educate yourself (plus you will NEVER feel comfortable talking about systemic racism) + call out racism that you see and hear!! confront family members + debunk ‘casual racism.’
3. educate yourself on the situation (in your country too if you’re not in the us! learn) – LOTS OF THINGS HERE on how to be an anti-racist. KEEP learning!!
4. read books about racism + the situation — lists here and here not just YA.
5. stand with Black people but don’t speak over them!! amplify their voices!!

… a historical fiction..

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.

#ownvoices!!!!!!!!!!! i frick-frackin love this book

an AMAZING BOOK about what it means to be parents of immigrants in America, and be gay, and being kids / friends all at the same time.

I???? love it???? so much???? always makes me sob like a baby. this book is so so so dear to my heart and I cannot wait to reread this for pride month…

see more in my review here

I’m buddy reading this!! anfjsgjksgksg it’s gonna kick off the month with a SOB but,, ,jgsrjkgnjsg oh well.

…a real heart-breaker that’ll put your heart back together again…

I wish you all the best

#OWNVOICES

this book is SO IMPORTANT. there are so FEW like this. this is a gem.

Honestly, i waited so long for this book and it did not disappoint at all. I love everything about this book.. from the representation.. to the characters, to the sibling relationship… the stuff about art.. all of it.

I think this book is SO important because a lot of people often look past (not even intentionally) ‘not-cis’ rep. We honestly need so much more of it.

…the fake-dating story that everyone needs…(such a fluff-fest)

date me, bryson keller

#ownvoices gay + POC

this book is soooo cute. it’s THE gay version of the Lara Jean books that we’ve always wanted and needed. BUT it’s a secret-fake-dating story??? it’s cute.

it’s a coming out story / being outed story and while there some really horrible characters that are extremely ignorant… that’s exactly how they’re shown and their actions are not condoned at all.

This book has AMAZING friendships (finally a book with no friends drama) and a great sibling relationship/solidarity. all-round hearts for this book.

WRITING THIS MAKES ME WANT TO REREAD IT!! I ONLY JUST READ IT!! GO READ IT!!

(AMENDMENT FROM FUTURE-ME: CONTAINS BI-ERASURE THAT WE DO NOT STAND FOR HERE)

… a book about internalised homophobia

/ religion+being gay…

Autoboyography

bi mc and gay love interest!

god this book makes me a MESS. I literally wrote a whole post about this book and internalised homophobia and why it’s so important we talk about it. We need books like this.

it’s so important that we have books about people learning to accept themselves so that we can do the same!! I know that this book helped me a lot,, and others too.

The internalised homophobia isn’t first pov, which makes the book a little more light-hearted but it still absolutely crushes you. this book would crush anyone. it’s so emotional and raw and angkrgnjkngjkgn.

go read it now. you have to. you must. I’ve already decided for you.

… a weird book about a gay boy whose dad is a preacher

Release

#ownvoices! // m/m

Honestly, this book is strangeee. there’s some magical realism stuff in there too at the same time, but it’s mainly about this boy whose family is NOT accepting but!! it’s strange!! but good!!

but there’s this story along side it about a spirit-thing (precise, i know) that’s really interesting???

I hardly see it talked about and??? people need to knowwww. guyss,,,, add it to the tbrs.

… a book about sexual abuse (that’ll make you sob)…

Girl Made Of Stars.

f/nb romance

talks about abuse and really horrid stuff but is SUCH A GOOD BOOK. Honestly i don’t talk about this book enough. It took me a while to get through because it was so heavy (in topic) but it was absolutely worth it. 1000%.

I’m so glad that I got around to reading this book, i just. dgjnkggjk.

it was beautiful. i loved the writing so much. so so beaut.

[Also i totally need to read more sapphic novels!!]

another book that’ll make you SOB…

They Both Die At The End

#ownvoices (gay, latino)

stuff about depression and gayness and knowing when you’re gonna die and ajngsjkdngskngs trying to have the best day even when you know you’re gonna die at some point??? If this book doesn’t make you cry,, wut,,, teach me your ways.

Honestly I didn’t intend for these books to be sad ones but,,, here we are. it’s happened… no going back now.

just,,, go love this book.

enemies-to-secret-royal/president’s-son-romance

can i just scream about the book forever? yes i can? good, thanks.

this book is just great no wonder that guy tried to rewrite it and completely failed. I’ve reread this soooo many times, i bang on about it ALL THE TIME.

Honestly, if you’ve been following me for more than a minute you probably already know this.

LGBTQIAP+ AUTHOR: casey McQuiston goes by she/they pronouns!

a book where the MC needs a nap, the BOOK needs a nap and so will you…

You Asked for Perfect

jewish rep!! jewish author!!! i acc want to point out right now that there was a lot of jewish rep in this book, and it was wonderful. + muslim LI.

i mean, gosh.

this book. this book was like stress in book form. it was GREAT. The author knows what she’s doing. really. I’ve never related to a book so much about school pressure so much, and i love that this book exists.

QPOC AUTHOR BOOKS THAT I HAVEN’T READ BUT NEED TO — WHICH YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FOR PRIDE MONTH:

i.e books I’m going to try to read this month!!

The Stars and the Blackness Between Them

I’ve heard so many great things about this book!!

‘Told in two distinct and irresistible voices, Junauda Petrus’s bold and lyrical debut is the story of two black girls from very different backgrounds finding love and happiness in a world that seems determined to deny them both.‘

doesn’t that sound amazing? read more great things on the GR page here

Darius the Great is Not Okay

read more on the GR page here to see if this book is for you!!

I’ve heard too many good things about this book — honestly– sounds amazing and YES i will be reading it for pride. the author said that he wrote Darius gay but it’s not got a m/m romance. (BUT THE SEQUEL DEFINITELY DOES AND I CANNOT WAIT

‘Darius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He’s about to take his first-ever trip to Iran, and it’s pretty overwhelming–especially when he’s also dealing with clinical depression, a disapproving dad, and a chronically anemic social life. In Iran, he gets to know his ailing but still formidable grandfather, his loving grandmother, and the rest of his mom’s family for the first time. And he meets Sohrab, the boy next door who changes everything.‘

Anger is a Gift

+ anxiety rep!!

I’ve just started this and i really like it!! I’ve been meaning to read it since it first came out AND I BOUGHT IT WHEN IT CAME OUT AND I STILL HAVEN’T READ IT.

• Note from a few days after reading this book: OKAY, I’M IN LOVE

queer, Nonbinary, latinx writers!!!!!!!!!!

GOODREADS PAGE HERE BECAUSE HOW CAN I EVEN TRY TO SUM THIS BOOK UP

Like a Love Story

I really want to read this!! i was going to read it last month as part of my Asian Heritage Month TBR but,, i just didn’t??? it seemed really sad and i saw some people not liking it,,, but i really want to give it a shot.

GOODREADS PAGE HERE TO SEE IF IT’S YOUR KINDA THING.

Basically about a gang of friends (2 are gay-1 is Iranian) during the AIDS crisis and about how they’re all friends and stuff??

PSA: I will also be reading Fever King (bisexual and bigender author, not poc) Love, Creekwood (not diverse author — all proceeds going to lgbtq+ charities) and The Falling in Love Montage (not poc but LGBTQ+ author)

Have you read any of these books? are you planning to? what are some of your favourite LGBT+ reads? what are you planning to read for pride month? REC ME!