#ya pride

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Better Know an Author: Katherine Locke

I am so thrilled to have Katherine Locke on the site today, not only as one of my best friends and not only as one of my favorite authors, but as one of the editors of It’s a Whole Spiel, an anthology in which I happen to be a contributor and which releases on the 17th from Knopf! Here’s where I’ll mention that you can see us both at Books of Wonder in NYC on September 17th and Children’s Book…

Part 2 Part 3

I saw that YA Pride asked their twitter followers to respond with their dream LGBT books here and while yes, we need absolutely need more books and more diverse books, I don’t want people to miss out on some of the great books that already exist! (Going off a mix of books I’ve read and descriptions, anything marked by a * I haven’t personally read)

Physical Disability:

The Others by Seba Al-Herz (epilepsy)

Sheridan’s Fate by Gun Brooke (uses a wheelchair)*

Out of the Blue by Sophie Cameron (LI w/ cystic fibrosis)

Mean Deaf Little Queer by Terry Galloway (deaf)* 

All in the Family by Q. Kelly (deaf)*

Ascension by Jacqueline Koyanagi (chronic pain, prosthetic leg)

In the Silence by Jaimie Leigh McGovern (deaf)

Dirty River: A Queer Femme of Color Dreaming Her Way Home by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha (fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue)

Far From You by Tess Sharpe (physically handicapped after car accident)

Chameleon Moon by RoAnna Sylver (two prosthetic legs)

Neurodivergence:

Soft on Soft by Em Ali (anxiety)

Soul Unique by Gun Brooke (Asperger’s)*

Far From Home by Lorelie Brown (anorexia)

Vanished by E.E. Cooper (OCD)

Love & Other Carnivorous Plants by Florence Gonsalves (eating disorder, depression)

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Nagata Kabi (depression, anxiety, self-harm)

The IHOP Papers by Ali Liebegott (depression, self-harm, suicidal ideation)

The Rules of Love by Cara Malone (Asperger’s)*

Not Otherwise Specified by Hannah Moskowitz (anorexia)

Scars by Cheryl Rainfield (depression, self-harm, suicidal ideation)

Girls Hearts Girl by Lucy Sutcliffe (anxiety)

Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon (depression, ADHD)

Happy Gay Couple Going Through Life:

In the Silence by Jaimie Leigh McGovern

Gay Fairy Tales:

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins by Emma Donoghue

Robins in the Night by Dajo Jago

Ash by Malinda Lo

Cinder Ella by S. T. Lynn*

Marian by Ella Lyons*

Gretel: A Fairy Tale Retold by Niamh Murphy

Gay Vampires:

The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez

Mad House: Vengeful Vampires by Bria Lin

The Year of the Knife by G.D. Penman

Better Off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon*

Gay Witches:

Bluebell Hall by Kayla Bashe*

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova

The Witch Sea by Sarah Diemer

Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins by Emma Donoghue

Hocus Pocus & The All-New Sequel by A.W. Jantha

Gretel: A Fairy Tale Retold by Niamh Murphy

The Year of the Knife by G.D. Penman

Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft edited by Jessica Spotswood and Tess Sharpe

The Daylight Gate by Jeanette Winterson

Gay Superheros:

Dreadnought and Sovereign by April Daniels

Cinnamon Blade: Knife in Shining Armor by Shira Glassman

Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee

Chameleon Moon by RoAnna Sylver

Gay Superheros (in comics):

Bombshells by Marguerite Bennett

America by Gabby Rivera

Batwoman by Greg Rucka*

Runaways by Brian K. Vaughan*

Gay Fantasy (see above but also):

The Prince and Her Dreamer by Kayla Bashe

Love in the Time of Global Warming and The Island of Excess Love by Francesca Lia Block

Out of the Blue by Sophie Cameron

The Brilliant Death by Amy Rose Capetta

Of Fire and Stars and Inkmistress by Audrey Coulthurst

The Dark Wife by Sarah Diemer

Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis

Unicorn Tracks by Julia Ember

The Second Mango by Shira Glassman

The Shattering by Karen Healey 

The Weaver by Emmi Itäranta

The Afterward by E.K. Johnston

Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno

Huntress by Malinda Lo

About a Girl by Sarah McCarry

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Libyrinth by Pearl North

Time Travel:

Sappho’s Bar and Grill by Bonnie J. Morris

A Darkly Beating Heart by Lindsay Smith*

Gays in Space!:

Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Finding Hekate by Kellie Doherty

The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley*

This maaay be stemming from anger, as all my best ideas are, but I figured it might help someone find a really awesome book, and so I shall be your unofficial librarian for a sec. 

I can vouch for all of these books; yes, some are better than others (I mean, yes, Of Fire and Stars has an overly simple plot), but they are all very much enjoyable, especially if you’re not in constantly book-reviewer mode like I am whenever I read. 

Also, I’m focusing this specially on books with queer girls, because I feel like YA has a bit of a problem with wlw. They tend to fly majorly under the radar, while books like Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda and Carry On get majorly hyped. Don’t get me wrong, I love both those books to bits, but still. I want to read all the books about girls who love girls. 

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Radio Silence by Alice Oseman: I need to put on of my all-time fav books here, first, don’t I? But, seriously, this book is fucking fantastic, and I love it to bits. It’s got all the amazing things: podcasts, nerdy people being nerdy, geeking out over sci-fi, it’s fantastic. Bisexual female MC/narrator + demisexual male MC + gay male side character + gay female minor character. 

When The Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore: Guys. GUYS. This book is gorgeous. One of the most beautiful books I’ve read in a long time. Anna-Marie McLemore is already one of my top ten favorite writers and she’s only written two books, and this...I love this book and I want everyone to read this amazing book SO JUST GO READ IT, OKAY? AND it’s about QPOC, AND it very much respects and embraces true magical realism, AND the author is literally the sweetest person ever. Queer female MC + trans male MC.

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova: This book is like a mix of Alice in Wonderland and a crazy fever dream. BUT IN A GOOD WAY. And can I mention the worldbuilding??? I’m in love with it. Bisexual female MC + queer female MC

Everything Leads to You by Nina Lacour: THIS BOOK IS FREAKIN’ ADORABLE. I mean, it’s about romance and movies and mysteries and it has a beautifully built slowburn romance and everyone is adorable and the romance is adorable and just ALL THE YES. Gay female MC + Gay female MC

Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee: This book is all about the internet! I mean, if you exist on a creative plain of the internet, you’ll see yourself in this book. PLUS all the amazing and totally important conversations about asexuality. Asexual romantic female MC.

Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert: I am SO ANGRY about how much this book has flown under the radar, because it’s amazing and so important and it addresses so many amazing things, and I just...Brandy Colbert writes the most fantastically realistic, flawed characters and I love it. Bisexual female MC + queer female side character.

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst: I need to mention the cover of this book, first, because OH THE GORGEOUSNESS. Also, can I say NON-HOMOPHOBIC FANTASY WORLD??? Gay female MC + gay female MC

Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, and Brooke A. Allen: I shriek about this graphic novel/s every single time someone asks for a comic recommendation. It’s ridiculous in the best way and lighthearted and has the most lovable characters and can I mention the cast is ENTIRELY FEMALE? Gay female MC + Gay female MC + Trans female MC

As I Descended by Robin Talley: Gay modern day Macbeth retelling with ghosts. Want to hear that again? LESBIAN MACBETH. WHY HAVEN’T YOU READ THIS ALREADY? Gay female MC + Gay female MC

10 Things I Can See From Here by Carrie Mac: Okay, yes, this book has an awful cover but don’t let that sway you because I love this book to pieces. For one, it’s set in Vancouver, and I love Vancouver, and also it has probably one of the most realistic portrayals of anxiety I’ve ever read, AND THAT ANXIETY DOESN’T GET CURED WITH ROMANCE. Gay female MC + Gay female side character

The Cursed Queen by Sarah Fine: Okay, yes, this is a sequel, but I had to add it to the list because I’m in love with this series and this world and I LOVE IT SO MUCH. It’s gloriously stabby. Bisexual female MC + queer female MC

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde: This book is a love letter to fandom and nerd culture and everything, AND I LOVE IT TO PIECES. I’m so, so happy this book is getting so much hype because it stands up to the hype and crushes it and I just love it, okay?? Also, I love all the characters. ALL OF THEM. They’re so fantastically written and adorable and I REALLY, REALLY LOVE THEM. Bisexual female MC + Queer female side character.

Get It Together, Delilah/The Flywheel by Erin Gough: It’s set in a bakery/cafe, which is enough to get my heart beating, but this book is just straight-up adorable. Also, if you don’t think I’m making panna cotta gelato the first chance I get YOU ARE SADLY MISTAKEN. Gay female MC + Gay female MC.

BONUS: These books don’t have queer girls as MCs, but they do have queer girls and are just overall fantastic. The Upside of Unrequited has a sideplot about the MC’s gay sister and her pansexual girlfriend, plus the most adorable moms in YA, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue has a female character whom I’m like 99% sure is asexual, A Tyranny of Petticoats has a couple of stories that are about queer girls, as does Meet Cute. 

Celebrate YA Pride with a new read ❤️🌈

Struck by Lightning by Chris Colfer

I Am J by Cris Beam

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

Keeping You a Secret by Julie Anne Peters

Rapture Practice by Aaron Hartzler