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Hey folks, our general recommendation threads have no posts newer than 2018, so it's time for an update.

What relatively new YA LGBTQ book (not picky - published sometime in the last few years) have you read and recommend to others (and if possible, tell us what you liked about it?)

(You can insert a ŷ������ link by clicking on "add book/author" above your comment box and searching for the right one; click "add")

I'm going to suggest The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

This is a coming out and self-discovery story, written in very easy-to-read free verse. The author is a celebrated poet and a black gay man of Greek Cypriot and Caribbean descent, much like the young man in this story. But this is fiction, not an autobiography. Although presented as a YA novel, it should have a wide appeal to anyone interested in the origin story of a young gay drag queen and a man of color finding his voice.

Has to be I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

Really simple but sensitive betrayal of being a non-binary teen and some of the trauma that involves - plus a little romance, obvs. I'd recommend looking it up on this group's bookshelf for content warnings. (Bookshelf > search 'I Wish You All the Best' > then click Edit)

I really loved All The Young Dudes on AO3. For fans of Harry Potter, it's a marauders era story with Remus as the MC from pre Hogwarts all the waaaay to the end. This book seriously changed my life. His relationship with Sirius is so real and convoluted, the look at what it was like to be queer during the 70's and 80's in England, and the original character Grant. It's just fantastic and I'll recommend it til I die and I doubt anything will ever top it for me.

Okay, this one isn’t out until December, but I can’t say enough good things about If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich. Two members of a boy band fall in love and it is everything you could want it to be.

I see you have received other excellent recommendations, but I will add mine anyway. I was very impressed with The Bridge by Bill Konigsberg. Not an eas or lighthearted read, it portrays the alienation so many young people feel when they realize that they are LGBTQ. The suicide rate for youth in that age range is horrendous and this book explores that issue from four angles.
Konigsberg is a master and I hope many people will read this terrific book. the artistry of its construction and plot design matches the intensity and importance of its topic.

Just adding links for folks:

All The Young Dudes - (I think this is right)

If This Gets Out

The Bridge

Tormenting me by making me pick a single title again, Kaje!

Okay, so Mason Deaver and Bill Konigsberg have already been mentioned, so I can take The Ghosts We Keep and The Music of What Happensout of the running... And the thread title says book, so I'm gonna be pedantic to help narrow down my list and exclude all the amazing graphic novels and manga since 2018... Which still leaves me with seven 4+ star books to choose from... And then let's exclude the ones that I would need to put a TW/CW label on because I'm feeling lazy... and then roll some dice and...

Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye

A cute story about two theater kids, one of whom has a policy of dating the first person to ask him out each Monday, only to breakup by the end of the week. The plot mechanic is ripped almost entirely from the manga Seven Days: Monday–Sunday so the book isn't without problems, but the novel diverges enough from the manga to make both worth reading.

My suggestion is Here the Whole Time by Vitor Martins. I found this charming and funny, a tale of two boys who are neighbors falling for each other during a sleepover that lasts two weeks. Set in Brazil, it touches on a number of issues while exploring the developing romance, including body image.

I would highly recommend Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender! It's about a queer, trans, black MC, Felix Love, in art school trying to find love and learn more about their identity. There's a catfishing plot line which I'm not usually a huge fan of, but I thought it was very well done here. The ending was super satisfying and sends a great message about friendship and relationships.

Gene wrote: "My suggestion is Here the Whole Time by Vitor Martins. I found this charming and funny, a tale of two boys who are neighbors falling for each other during a sleepover that lasts two weeks. Set in B..."

Adding a link - Here the Whole Time

Ifrah wrote: "I would highly recommend Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender!"

I loved this so much. It was actually my last 5-star read! (I don't have a lot of those)

Rez wrote: "Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye"

These guys were ADORABLE


I narrowed it down to two:

by Maia Kobabe

The execution of this graphic novel memoir is super impressive. It's not technically YA, but it's written in way that anyone could read it. It's the author's personal story about exploring eir gender expression from a young age and includes a little about eir asexuality as well.

by A. Aduma

So far, my favorite YA written in 2021. It's an m/m coming-of-age romance with likable characters that has a positive, uplifting feel even when they're dealing with some unpleasant stuff. The MC and his love interest (plus all the surrounding characters) are black, with the MC and his grandmother having immigrated from Africa when he was 8, and I really enjoyed all the cultural details that were woven into the background.

I absolutely need to rec Can't Take That Away Its a beautiful story about Carey, a high school genderqueer MC with an amazing voice. Told in alternating pronouns, corresponding to Carey's gender identity of that chapter, it takes you on a journey of rediscovering his voice/talent, finding romance, and strengthening friendships with an incredible range of diverse characters. Strong women, supportive gay and straight males, and all through a story that tackles sensitive subjects with sincerity and care.
All Carey wants is to be seen, to be known, and to play Elpheba in the school production of Wicked. And would get that dream, if not for a class bully/blackmailer prone to violence, and a queerphobic, racist, sexist teacher hellbent on making everyones life a misery.
Blending a gorgeous story, amazing characters and a homage to Stonewall, in a love letter to Mariah Carey, this is a stunning book!

Warnings for: suicide ideation, bullying, discrimination, misgendering, loss of a family member, racism, alzheimers, panic attacks, queerphobia.

Elaine wrote: "I absolutely need to rec Can't Take That Away Its a beautiful story about Carey, a high school genderqueer MC with an amazing voice. Told i..."

Added to my TBRs thank you.

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell came out recently. Features a gay vampire and magician couple, and a lesbian magical veterinarian couple. Part of a trilogy, really amazing series.

The darkness outside us by Eliot Schrefer
This book has such an amazing concept and had my emotions all over the place. I loved this book, just finished it the other day. Omg if you love Syfi type enemies to lovers. Then you would love this book 🥰🥰.

Kaje wrote: "Elaine wrote: "I absolutely need to rec Can't Take That Away Its a beautiful story about Carey, a high school genderqueer MC with an amazin..."

NP. It's a really beautiful book. I was an emotional wreck, needing tissues before the end of Chapter 1, which is so rare for me!

Thanks to everyone contributing.

Adding book links for posts above:

Any Way the Wind Blows
The Darkness Outside Us

And my own suggestions of newer titles:

Jay's Gay Agenda (2021) by Jason June is a fun story about a messy, horny, high school senior who moves from a small town in rural Washington (state) and the only out gay teen within 50 miles to the gay paradise of Seattle. While still safely YA, the MC's desire to have sex and his misadventures in that quest are central to the story and a good portrayal of the reality of so many hormonal teenagers.


Cemetery Boys (2020) by Aiden Thomas is a unique paranormal mystery set in present-day Los Angeles and Latinx culture. The main character, Yadriel, a trans boy, is not struggling to come out or for self-acceptance, but is trying to find out what happened to his cousin and help the ghost of another classmate on to the afterlife.

My favorite book of the year is Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.

This book literally blew my mind. I read it in a day, I could not put it down. It's a story of 2 African-American students in an all white boarding school. They are being targeted by this hacker. You think you have figured out the plot but then the author throws something at you that will make you have a heart attack and your world is changed. I recommend to anyone who loves drama and romance.

Just recently read & reviewed the newest release of One Little Word by F.N. Manning. While it was first released in 2017 it was re-released this year and I understand that it was revised a bit and is actually now a bit longer than the original release. I don't give that many 5 star ratings but this one got one. You can see my full review here /review/show...

I'd also recommend The Suicidal Peanut by Matthew J. Metzger which is available as a free-loan e-read on HOOPLA. It's an interesting take on the whole crushing on a straight boy trope in that there's also a gay guy vying for the protagonist's affections as well.

You're The One For Me by Zelda French is also worth checking out. Think of it as Anna and the French Kiss meets Call Me by Your Name without the age difference thing. Some may find it too slow but others will find it leisurely.

Tracker Hacker by Jeff Adams is not at all leisurely. Its a YA tale of a "high school James Bond" of sorts who just happens to be gay. One of the best parts of this tale is the way that main character Theo's gayness is just accepted. It clearly effects the story but it isn't what the story revolves around. There's an audio-book version of this narrated by Kirt Graves available free on HOOPLA Warning though... this is the first in a series of four and while it can stand alone it's addictive.

Stephen wrote: "Just recently read & reviewed the newest release of One Little Word by F.N. Manning. While it was first released in 2017 it was re-released this year and I underst..."

I didn't know The Suicidal Peanut was available free anywhere; I really like Metzger's YA.

Kaje wrote: "...I didn't know The Suicidal Peanut was available free anywhere" It's available for loan as an e-book on Hoopla if you're lucky enough to have a good library in your area. As I understand it, Hoopla subscriptions are available to libraries on a tiered basis so not every library has them all. I'm in St. Petersburg Florida and ours has pretty a pretty good selection.

They have about a dozen different Matthew J. Metzger titles on Hoopla in my area but I'm not sure how many of those are YA

I love Felix Ever After. It felt like I was able to learn my gender identity along with the mc, which was a truly special experience. It’s a book about allowing identities to grow and change as you discover more about yourself, something I think a lot of us experience.

I've been listening to the audiobook of Jay's Gay Agenda (somehow my library had a copy of it though it's NOT available on Hoopla (yet?)

I can strongly recommend the book but you should really AVOID the audio-book version if you're anything like me. Main character Jay is a mildly OCD level list maker and reviser. (Hence the name of the book) But that list gets read every time he revises it which is about once per chapter.

I'm guessing that in the print version it was an illustration with the odd revisions, strikeouts, and accomplishments, making it a charming addition to the work. BUT... Unless you're REALLY into hearing the same list read over and over, I think that you'd enjoy the print version more.

Mark Sanderlin does a pretty decent job with the basic narrative, and makes the dialogue voices distinctive enough that the listener is generally clear on who's speaking when, but that list was a bit like the Chinese Water torture after a while.

Stephen wrote: "I've been listening to the audiobook of Jay's Gay Agenda (somehow my library had a copy of it though it's NOT available on Hoopla (yet?)

I can strongly recommend the book but you ..."

Yeah, I read the hardback and it really does repeat a lot, but I have a terrible memory so seeing the list helped me remember the important points. But, it definitely became something even I had to "skim", though it was made easy-to-see when new additions or strike-outs were made.

I've also been listening to Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall and think it deserves mention here. (This one IS available via HOOPLA)

While the main character is 25 or so, he's a pretty immature 25. Luc was raised by his mother after his rock-legend father abandoned them and Luc still bears the insecurities engendered by that betrayal. Then at 20 he was betrayed by a boyfriend who sold his story to the tabloids and he's been in a downward spiral ever since. He's been "living down" to his press and he's emotionally incapable of carrying on anything like a normal romantic relationship. There is some small amount of sex in this but it's nothing one wouldn't see on TV (in the UK)

He and his "fake boyfriend" are both incredibly sympathetic characters and the vast majority of this book will speak to young adults... even if seeing them grow closer is a bit like watching the courtship of hedgehogs.

Stephen wrote: "I've been listening to the audiobook of Jay's Gay Agenda (somehow my library had a copy of it though it's NOT available on Hoopla (yet?)

I can strongly recommend the book but you ..."

Having read the (e)book edition and recalling the lists, I can definitely imagine how annoying they could become when repeated in the audio. The lists are simply set as text in the ebook with strike-throughs and additions so you can skim them easily.

Stephen wrote: "I've been listening to the audiobook of Jay's Gay Agenda (somehow my library had a copy of it though it's NOT available on Hoopla (yet?)

I can strongly recommend the book but you ..."

There were a few reasons I didn't wind up liking that book as much as I expected, myself, but the list repetition was definitely an issue for me with that audiobook as well.

I just finished and really enjoyed Jonny Garza Villa's new book, Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun . It was really engaging and realistic, with a well-developed cast of characters. Avi Roque, who also narrated Cemetery Boys among other audiobooks, did an excellent job with this audiobook. Folks who don't speak Spanish may want to have a language dictionary/the Internet at hand to look up interspersed terms and phrases.

I’m reading Cinderella is Dead right now and I LOVE it!

Sarina wrote: "I’m reading Cinderella is Dead right now and I LOVE it!"

Is this the right one? Cinderella Is Dead - marked it as TBR.

Kaje wrote: "Sarina wrote: "I’m reading Cinderella is Dead right now and I LOVE it!"

Is this the right one? Cinderella Is Dead - marked it as TBR."

Yup that’s the one. The author also has a new book This Poison Heart

Euphoria Kids


I'm recommending Euphoria Kids by Alison Evans. It's about three young adults in their final years of high school - a trans girl, a non-binary young person and a trans boy, who are involved with faeries and wiccan-style magic. The beauty of the story is that the transness of the kids is never questioned or challenged, they are all supported by family and teachers so the focus is on their forming friendship relationships and the dangers they face in the faerie realm. Their transness is clear and up-front but it's not the focus of the story.
I'm finding this a very positive representation of growing up where being trans is just part of who you are, rather than the emotionally draining struggle it can be for a lot of young people who don't get the support and acceptance they deserve.
I'm still reading it - only 69% of the way through it so far, but I only started it today...

Sarina wrote: "I love Felix Ever After. It felt like I was able to learn my gender identity along with the mc, which was a truly special experience. It’s a book about allowing identities to grow a..."

I really enjoyed this as well. I found it quite an emotional read.

Since it's Horror Week on ŷ������ I'd like to recommend

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

It's a gay young adult horror novel and most certainly not everyone's cup of tea. It's a debut novel released only a couple of months ago. I like this book very much. It's about a black gay boy who's also a medium aka. he sees ghosts. Beside the paranormal it's also about the very real horrors of racism and homophobia and also deals with the aftermath of a school shooting.

And I have a second recommendation for the Horror Week on ŷ������

Wranglestone by Darren Charlton

It is a dystopian novel set after a zombie apocalypse. A small group of survivors in the eponymous national park, among them two boys falling in love and, well, having to deal with the zombie threat.

Andreas wrote: "Since it's Horror Week on ŷ������ I'd like to recommend

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

It's a..."

Sounds interesting - horror is not my thing, but lots of folk like it, and there's not much out there. (Brent Hartinger's Three Truths and a Lie is another one.)

Kaje wrote: "... (Brent Hartinger's Three Truths and a Lie is another one.) "

Ya gotta mention Brent Hartinger's Grand & Humble too. While it's not scary in the traditional Halloween way. It is clearly an October read.

I really liked The [Un]Popular Vote, by Jasper Sanchez. Its transmasculine, pansexual main character has a wide variety of LGBTQ+ friends and digs into privilege, passing, performative activism, and more, but I found it very engaging, not preachy.

Kim wrote: "I really liked The [Un]Popular Vote, by Jasper Sanchez. Its transmasculine, pansexual main character has a wide variety of LGBTQ+ friends and digs into privilege, passing, performative activism, an..."

Thanks - adding to my TBRs

Just finished Jay Bell's Out of Time, Into You and while I'm still working on my release day review for 10 November, I gotta say that it's perhaps the best M/M YA novel I've read so far this year.

It's a time travel novel and is incredibly romantic while raising some important issues surrounding race relations in the USA, Women's Rights, and the Gay Rights movement. If you're looking for something to add to your Christmas lists...

Stephen wrote: "Just finished Jay Bell's Out of Time, Into You and while I'm still working on my release day review for 10 November, I gotta say that it's perhaps the best M/M YA n..."
Sounds like my kind of read. Adding this to my list. Thanks.

Not really one book but I love Alice Oseman's books. There is so much queer rep in her books so if you like comtemporary (I can't spell) books, you should try her books.

Eoin wrote: "Not really one book but I love Alice Oseman's books. There is so much queer rep in her books so if you like comtemporary (I can't spell) books, you should try her books."

I recommend her a lot. Heartstopper: Volume One is a good choice for younger teen readers too IMO

All That's Left in the World

Just finished reading this! Absolutely loved it, anyone else read it?

Just finished Hazel Hill Is Gonna Win This One and it was an excellent MG book.

It's centred on a 12 year old gay girl (self-described) who befriends a girl she goes to middle school with and finds out that she's been harassed by her ex. The rest of the book is basically them along with another friend figuring out if the boy in question has done this to anyone else who goes to their middle school and how to stop it from happening.

One of the best MG/YA books I've read.

abi wrote: "Just finished Hazel Hill Is Gonna Win This One and it was an excellent MG book.

It's centred on a 12 year old gay girl (self-described) who befriends a girl she goes to middle scho..."

Thanks for the rec! We definitely need more good books for that age range that doesn't treat middle-schoolers as little children, but addresses their lives.

Kaje wrote: "abi wrote: "Just finished Hazel Hill Is Gonna Win This One and it was an excellent MG book.

It's centred on a 12 year old gay girl (self-described) who befriends a girl she goes to..."

I don't want to give any spoilers but that's definitely one of the issues they tackle in the book.

Ian wrote: "All That's Left in the World

Just finished reading this! Absolutely loved it, anyone else read it?"

That was one of our books of the month now. I was surprised to see a dystopian described as "made me laugh" by a reader.

Add me if you like lgbtqia+, female soccer , YA and want to chat. Thanks! =) I like One Life: Young Readers Edition , Kicking Goals Journal and all the other Sam Kerr books.

Fairest, my ff fantasy fairytale is being reborn in an expanded novel form on December 12, 2023!

I really wanted to share the cover here, but dragging the image over into my comments isn't working. (sighs)