Cute gay romance books

Contents

• first priority: priorities book 1: a gay romance novel with an a-list actor and cute nerd kindle edition
• 40 fantastic lgbt books to read this pride month
• 10 gay romance books we recommend
• by emily m. danforth
• by julie anne peters
• Jesse cuts her own hair with a swiss army knife. she wears big green fisherman’s boots. she’s the founding (and only) member of nolaw, the national organization to liberate all weirdos. emily wears sweaters with faux pearl buttons. she’s vice president of the student council. she has a boyfriend.
• By gabby rivera
• by david levithan
• Proxy by alex londo
• Simon vs. the homo sapiens agenda by becky albertalli
• by kenneth logan
• Release by patrick ness
• Cut both ways by carrie mesrobian
• The gentleman’s guide to vice and virtue by mackenzi lee
• by ashley herring blake
• by julie anne peters
• by kristin clark
• The art of being normal by lisa williamson
• Openly straight by bill konigsburg
• by sarah prager
• None of the above by i.w. gregorio
• Let’s talk about love by claire kann
• Beast by brie spangler
• Ramona blue by julie murphy
• by laura nowlin
• We awaken by calista lynne
• Alex as well by alyssa brugman
• The love interest by cale dietrich
• by adam silvera
• Dress codes for small towns by courtney c. stevens
• More happy than not by adam silvera

To celebrate pride month we have LOTS of LGBTQ+ reading recommendations for you! A few weeks ago, we asked the community what books they’d recommend using the hashtag #YAPride. We had an amazing conversation about why LGBTQ+ rep is important, books that prominently feature LGBTQ+ characters, and which YA books have positively affected the LGBTQ+ community. We were so inspired by all your responses and decided to compile this list of must-read YA books featuring LGBTQ+ characters. We hope this list continues to grow each year so let us know which other books you’d like to see featured on this list!Keep scrolling for a written out list with descriptions for each book! 

first priority: priorities book 1: a gay romance novel with an a-list actor and cute nerd kindle edition

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40 fantastic lgbt books to read this pride month

Celebrate Pride with inspiring picks from a variety of genres.

During Pride month every June, a lot of attention turns to LGBTQ culture, including its artists, creators and authors. For 30 days, every product from T-shirts to bagels come in a rainbow motif to trumpet the LGBTQ community. But increased visibility during Pride month shouldn’t serve as an annual check-in — it’s a starting point to expand our media consumption all year long.

These books by gay authors and LGBTQ writers, as well as books with queer characters show us that our literary worlds can (and should!) be as beautifully diverse as the one we live in. All of us deserve to see our lived experiences reflected in the pages of a great book. And just like the rest of the literary canon, LGBTQ books come in all genres. We’ve got something for fans of thrillersromance novels, humor, favorite classics, new releases and of course, literary fiction and memoir. Pick up one of these or add them all to your own tbr or pick up a few as a great gift for the book-lover in your life. And once you’re done here, head on over to the GH Book Club to find other bookworms — and even more feel-good reads.

In a novel that has resonated with the queer community since it was first published decades ago, a young man finds himself caught between desire and morality in 1950s expat Paris. While much has changed since Baldwin wrote it, many aspects of life, love and heartbreak remain the same. 

Molly Bolt is the adoptive daughter of a poor Southern couple who makes her own way across America, finding love of all stripes in between.. It’s a true, slightly steamy celebration of being true to yourself, whoever that may be. 

This sexy novel was written in 1913, but not published until after Forster’s death in 1971. The title character meets and falls for Clive while at school — though Clive eventually leaves his lover and gets married to a woman. But then, Maurice falls in love with another man. You’ll have to read it to find out if everyone lives happily ever after. 

This hysterical read is all about self-discovery, sexual awakening and how a bad relationship can push you to learn about yourself. It’s honest, revelatory and definitely NSFW so maybe don’t share it with the kids. 

Reese wants to be a mom so badly, she’ll do almost anything. So when her former partner Ames has an affair with his coworker Katrina that results in her pregnancy, they see an opportunity to create a new kind of family. It’s a story of queer community, complicated relationships and creating the kind of world we want to live in. 

Walker’s masterpiece about the love between women isn’t just an LGBT classic, it’s a must-read book in just about every way. Made into a major motion picture, this National Book and Pulitzer Prize-winner follows the story of two sisters living very different lives and the unbreakable bond between them, even through impossible circumstances. 

Take a trip into the underground world of gay hustlers, drag queens, and sex workers in this book that scandalized the literary world when it first came out but went on to become a must-read. It’s inspired musicians like the Doors and earned the author comparisons to authors like Kerouac, so if you like either of those, pick this one up. 

This stunning memoir plays with structure and form as it takes us through an abusive relationship and what that does to a person. In a world where many people still believe abuse only occurs when a man is involved, Machado’s work is essential. 

The introduction to this amazing novel reads, "I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day of January 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of 1974." This coming-of-age story has received some criticism as society has evolved, but it’s undoubtedly one of the landmarks of queer literature. 

A delightfully strange, atmospheric novel about a gay couple who takes a honeymoon trip of sorts on a sleeper train that turns out to be far more than it appears. As they embark on their journey, they discover a secretive fellow passenger and clues that connect the two of them, and their past, begin to emerge. 

A chance meeting, an illicit romance, and the freedom of the open road — this classic has it all. That is, until one of the women is forced to choose between her lover and her child. Grab the tissues before picking up this suspenseful LGBTQ book. If you didn’t think a thrilling story could also make your heart sing, let this one change your mind.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, this poetic exploration of fatherhood, blackness, identity and what freedom really costs cuts right to the core of a national reckoning that’s long past due. Even if you don’t generally read poetry, Brown’s is an excellent place to start.

Seventeen-year-old Leda arrives in Bueno Aires in 1913 with just a suitcase and her father’s cherished violin. But when she arrives, she discovers the husband she traveled there to reach is dead. What follows is a love story with tango and with an authenticity she discovers through it all. 

This young adult book has won several awards for good reason: It’s a breathtaking account of two young boys of color who fall in love, despite the many cards stacked against them. This star-crossed lover story is great for middle school kids and teens, but adults will find lots to love here, too. 

Parenting is hard. Queer parenting is hard. Queer parenting when you feel like you aren’t in sync with your partner? Even harder. This gorgeous, starkly honest novel pulses with struggle as well as the raw beauty of finding your way through it. 

Madden grew up the only child of parents who were too involved in their own struggles to give her the support she needed, so she created the family she needed with a group of girls in her hometown of Boca Raton, Florida. This story grapples with the dichotomies of privilege and isolation, coming to her own queerness and biracial identity, and how friendship can mean salvation. 

The first in a series that sparked a hugely popular TV show (and a remake!) this is the story of the goings-on in an apartment at San Francisco’s 28 Barbary Lane. If you missed the series the first time around, check out the book to acquaint yourself or fall back in love by giving it a read. 

For anyone who has ever grappled with the complexities of sexual orientation within a religious context, this coming-out novel will feel all too familiar. The evangelical Jeanette considers herself one of God’s children, but when she discovers her sexuality, it throws a wrench into her family’s plans for her. 

After Maggie’s mother dies unexpectedly, she returns home to California to deal with the aftermath. But what she finds is a collection of sealed letters her homophobic mom wrote to her apparent lovers. When Maggie sets out to deliver them, she learns a lot about her parents’ relationship, her late mom and her own misconceptions. 

So many of us swap one religion for another, and that’s exactly what happens in this erotic, hilarious, devastating book. Rachel is a lapsed Jew who restricts her food to exert some control. That is, until she meets Miriam, an Orthodox Jewish woman who revels in excess. As their relationship blossoms, so does Rachel’s sense of self. 

If you read this classic about a man who doesn’t age while his hidden portrait gets older and older and missed the gay subtext, it’s time to give Wilde’s story another read. Maybe one of the most subtly LGBT books on this list, you’ll catch the references the second time around. 

A searing indictment of sexual harassment in tech and gamer culture, this story follows star coder Eliza Bright who speaks out against misogyny in her industry. After she’s fired, doxxed and fears for her safety, she’s taken in by the underground collective the Sixsterhood, who tries to protect her as cyberthreats invade her real life. 

Don’t sleep on this fiercely funny, sharply poignant graphic novel of a dysfunctional family and a daughter who just wants her dad. Bechdel’s clan is led by a father who’s part funeral director, part English teacher, part historian and as it turns out, has some illicit partners. Once you read this powerful story, you’ll understand how it became a popular Broadway show. 

As a kid, Jacob was called "sissy" for being creative, sassy, and obsessed with glitter. But as they got older, they began to identify with different, more neutral words like "gay," "transgender" and "nonbinary." This story of gender revolution calls out the stereotypes that were probably rampant in many of our childhoods in a book that will make you laugh and cry, maybe even at the same time. 

Don’t try to drink any beverages while reading this laugh-out-loud novel about a mother and son duo who try to exact revenge on their lovers with disastrous results. It’s super voicey, entirely too much fun and full of love. 

After getting displaced by civil war in Nigeria, a young girl begins a love affair with a fellow refugee. The cards are stacked against them in a variety of ways: They’re from different cultures, different places, and they’re the same gender. The way this book reckons with both culture and sexuality is beautiful, and worth a read. 

In a collection of stories that introduce us to a selection of Sarahs as a means of self-exploration, we meet a cast of characters that will lodge themselves in your brain. From a reimagining of biblical times to decidedly modern takes involving college sororities, mall video games and even necrophilia, it’s a staggeringly original read.

Drawing on the life of Virginia Woolf, Cunningham weaves several stories together to paint a rich tapestry of characters struggling to meet the demands of friends, lovers and family. This extraordinary book will resonate with anyone who’s ever had to juggle multiple roles at once, especially when they conflict with one another. 

Fans of the popular advice column Hola Papi will recognize the unique voice in this hilarious coming-of-age memoir in essays about the "Chicano Carrie Bradshaw." You’ll find yourself chortling and nodding along as you follow JP’s journey, and you’ll probably even learn something along the way. 

This modern retelling of the Cinderella story explores what happens when a young girl must choose between dreams and reality, true love and the safety of solitude. While it was originally written for younger readers, it rings true to adults as well, in the same way we all return to our favorite bedtime stories. 

10 gay romance books we recommend

Whether we’re a part of the club or an ally, we’re all about PRIDE here at Shameless.

If gay romance has never been a part of your romance repertoire, now is the perfect time to dive head-first into the deep pool of LGBT romance books!

Here are 10 gay romance books we highly recommend (and if you need more, check out our huge list of gay romance book recommendations):

by emily m. danforth

Set in rural Montana in the early 1990s, emily m. danforth’s The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a powerful and widely acclaimed YA coming-of-age novel in the tradition of the classic Annie on My Mind.Cameron Post feels a mix of guilt and relief when her parents die in a car accident. Their deaths mean they will never learn the truth she eventually comes to—that she’s gay. Orphaned, Cameron comes to live with her old-fashioned grandmother and ultraconservative aunt Ruth. There she falls in love with her best friend, a beautiful cowgirl. When she’s eventually outed, her aunt sends her to God’s Promise, a religious conversion camp that is supposed to “cure” her homosexuality. At the camp, Cameron comes face to face with the cost of denying her true identity. 

by julie anne peters

With a steady boyfriend, the position of Student Council President, and a chance to go to an Ivy League college, high school life is just fine for Holland Jaeger. At least it seems to be. But when Cece Goddard comes to school, everything changes. Cece and Holland have undeniable feelings for each other, but how will others react to their developing relationship?This moving love story between two girls is a worthy successor to Nancy Garden’s classic young adult coming out novel, Annie on My Mind. With her characteristic humor and breezy style, Peters has captured the compelling emotions of young love. 

Jesse cuts her own hair with a swiss army knife. she wears big green fisherman’s boots. she’s the founding (and only) member of nolaw, the national organization to liberate all weirdos. emily wears sweaters with faux pearl buttons. she’s vice president of the student council. she has a boyfriend.

These two girls have nothing in common, except the passionate “private time” they share every Tuesday afternoon. Jesse wishes their relationship could be out in the open, but Emily feels she has too much to lose. When they find themselves on opposite sides of a heated school conflict, they each have to decide what’s more important: what you believe in, or the one you love? 

By gabby rivera

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 favorite book: Harlowe Brisbane, the ultimate authority on feminism, women’s bodies, and other gay-sounding bear-magazine.com Juliet be able to figure out her life over the course of one magical summer? Is that even possible? Or is she running away from all the problems that seem too big to handle?With more questions than answers, Juliet takes on Portland, Harlowe, and most importantly, herself. 

by david levithan

bestselling author David Levithan tells the based-on-true-events story of Harry and Craig, two 17-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record—all of which is narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to bear-magazine.com the two increasingly dehydrated and sleep-deprived boys are locking lips, they become a focal point in the lives of other teen boys dealing with languishing long-term relationships, coming out, navigating gender identity, and falling deeper into the digital rabbit hole of gay hookup sites—all while the kissing former couple tries to figure out their own feelings for each other. 

Proxy by alex londo

Knox was born into one of the City’s wealthiest families. A Patron, he has everything a boy could possibly want—the latest tech, the coolest clothes, and a Proxy to take all his punishments. When Knox breaks a vase, Syd is beaten. When Knox plays a practical joke, Syd is forced to haul rocks. And when Knox crashes a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is branded and sentenced to bear-magazine.com is a Proxy. His life is not his bear-magazine.com again, neither is Knox’s. Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess. So when Knox and Syd realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee. Yet Knox’s father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test both boys’ resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay. Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid. 

Simon vs. the homo sapiens agenda by becky albertalli

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.Incredibly funny and poignant, this twenty-first-century coming-of-age, coming out story—wrapped in a geek romance—is a knockout of a debut novel by Becky Albertalli. 

by kenneth logan

If you asked anyone in his small Vermont town, they’d tell you the facts: James Liddell, star athlete, decent student, and sort-of boyfriend to cute, peppy Theresa, is a happy, funny, carefree bear-magazine.com whenever James sits down at his desk to write, he tells a different story. As he fills his drawers with letters to the people in his world—letters he never intends to send—he spills the truth: he’s trying hard, but he just isn’t into Theresa. It’s his friend, a boy, who lingers in his bear-magazine.com’s secret letters are his safe space—but his truth can’t stay hidden for long. Will he come clean to his parents, his teammates, and himself, or is he destined to live a life of fiction?This heartfelt debut novel explores the muddy landscape of truth and lies and lays bare the sometimes painful but often hopeful work of writing one’s own authentic story. 

Release by patrick ness

Adam Thorn doesn’t know it yet, but today will change his life.Between his religious family, a deeply unpleasant ultimatum from his boss, and his own unrequited love for his sort-of ex, Enzo, it seems as though Adam’s life is falling apart. At least he has two people to keep him sane: his new boyfriend (he does love Linus, doesn’t he?) and his best friend, bear-magazine.com all day long, old memories and new heartaches come crashing together, throwing Adam’s life into chaos. The bindings of his world are coming untied one by one; yet in spite of everything he has to let go, he may also find freedom in the bear-magazine.com the New York Times bestselling author of A Monster Calls comes a raw, darkly funny, and deeply affecting story about the courage it takes to live your truth. 

Cut both ways by carrie mesrobian

It took Will Caynes seventeen years to have his first kiss. He should be ecstatic…except that it was with his best friend, Angus, while they were both drunk and stoned. Will’s not gay, but he did sort of enjoy whatever it was he felt with Angus. Unsettled by his growing interest in Angus, Will avoids his friend and even starts dating a sophomore, Brandy. When he’s hooking up with her, he’s totally into it, so he must be straight, right? Then why does he secretly keep going back to Angus?Confusing as Will’s feelings are, they’re a welcome distraction from his complicated home life. His father has started drinking earlier each day when he should be working on never-ending house renovations. And his mom—divorced and living in a McMansion with her new husband—isn’t much help, unless she’s buying Will a bunch of stuff he doesn’t need. Between the two of them, neither feels like much of a parent—which leaves Will on his own in figuring things out with his girlfriend and best friend. He loves them both, but deciding who to be with will ultimately hurt someone. Himself, probably the most. 

The gentleman’s guide to vice and virtue by mackenzi lee

 A young bisexual British lord embarks on an unforgettable Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend/secret crush. An 18th-century romantic adventure for the modern age written by This Monstrous Thing author Mackenzi Lee—Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets the bear-magazine.com “Monty” Montague doesn’t care that his roguish passions are far from suitable for the gentleman he was born to be. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quests for pleasure and vice are in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, bear-magazine.com Monty vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he bear-magazine.com, dazzling, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is an irresistible romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love. 

by ashley herring blake

All seventeen year-old Grace Glasser wants is her own life. A normal life in which she sleeps in the same bed for longer than three months and doesn’t have to scrounge for spare change to make sure the electric bill is paid. Emotionally trapped by her unreliable mother, Maggie, and the tiny cape on which she lives, she focuses on her best friend, her upcoming audition for a top music school in New York, and surviving Maggie’s latest boyfriend—who happens to be Grace’s own ex-boyfriend’s bear-magazine.com attempts to lay low until she graduates are disrupted when she meets Eva, a girl with her own share of ghosts she’s trying to outrun. Grief-stricken and lonely, Eva pulls Grace into midnight adventures and feelings Grace never planned on. When Eva tells Grace she likes girls, both of their worlds open up. But, united by loss, Eva also shares a connection with Maggie. As Grace’s mother spirals downward, both girls must figure out how to love and how to move on. 

by julie anne peters

Regan’s brother Liam can’t stand the person he is during the day. Like the moon from whom Liam has chosen his female namesake, his true self, Luna, only reveals herself at night. In the secrecy of his basement bedroom Liam transforms himself into the beautiful girl he longs to be, with help from his sister’s clothes and makeup. Now, everything is about to change-Luna is preparing to emerge from her cocoon. But are Liam’s family and friends ready to welcome Luna into their lives?Compelling and provocative, this is an unforgettable novel about a transgender teen’s struggle for self-identity and acceptance. 

by kristin clark

From the outside, Brendan Chase seems to have it pretty easy. He’s a star wrestler, a video game aficionado, and a loving boyfriend to his seemingly perfect match, Vanessa. But on the inside, Brendan struggles to understand why his body feels so wrong—why he sometimes fantasizes having long hair, soft skin, and gentle curves. Is there even a name for guys like him? Guys who sometimes want to be girls? Or is Brendan just a freak?In razor-sharp verse, Kristin Clark folds three narratives into one powerful story: Brendan trying to understand his sexual identity, Vanessa fighting to keep her and Brendan’s relationship alive, and Angel struggling to confront her demons. 

The art of being normal by lisa williamson

Two boys. Two bear-magazine.com Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he’s gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth – David wants to be a bear-magazine.com the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal – to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in year eleven is definitely not part of that bear-magazine.com Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long… 

Openly straight by bill konigsburg

Rafe is a normal teenager from Boulder, Colorado. He plays soccer. He’s won skiing prizes. He likes to bear-magazine.com, oh yeah, he’s gay. He’s been out since 8th grade, and he isn’t teased, and he goes to other high schools and talks about tolerance and stuff. And while that’s important, all Rafe really wants is to just be a regular guy. Not that GAY guy. To have it be a part of who he is, but not the headline, every single bear-magazine.com when he transfers to an all-boys’ boarding school in New England, he decides to keep his sexuality a secret — not so much going back in the closet as starting over with a clean slate. But then he sees a classmate breaking down. He meets a teacher who challenges him to write his story. And most of all, he falls in love with Ben . . . who doesn’t even know that love is possible. 

by sarah prager

World history has been made by countless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals—and you’ve never heard of many of bear-magazine.com author and activist Sarah Prager delves deep into the lives of 23 people who fought, created, and loved on their own terms. From high-profile figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt to the trailblazing gender-ambiguous Queen of Sweden and a bisexual blues singer who didn’t make it into your history books, these astonishing true stories uncover a rich queer heritage that encompasses every culture, in every bear-magazine.com turns hilarious and inspiring, the beautifully illustrated Queer, There, and Everywhere is for anyone who wants the real story of the queer rights movement. 

None of the above by i.w. gregorio

When Kristin Lattimer is voted homecoming queen, it seems like another piece of her ideal life has fallen into place. She’s a champion hurdler with a full scholarship to college and she’s madly in love with her boyfriend. In fact, she’s decided that she’s ready to take things to the next level with bear-magazine.com Kristin’s first time isn’t the perfect moment she’s planned—something is very wrong. A visit to the doctor reveals the truth: Kristin is intersex, which means that though she outwardly looks like a girl, she has male chromosomes, not to mention boy “parts.”Dealing with her body is difficult enough, but when her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school, Kristin’s entire identity is thrown into question. As her world unravels, can she come to terms with her new self?Incredibly compelling and sensitively told, None of the Above is a thought-provoking novel that explores what it means to be a boy, a girl, or something in between. 

Let’s talk about love by claire kann

Alice had her whole summer planned. Non-stop all-you-can-eat buffets while marathoning her favorite TV shows (best friends totally included) with the smallest dash of adulting–working at the library to pay her share of the rent. The only thing missing from her perfect plan? Her girlfriend (who ended things when Alice confessed she’s asexual). Alice is done with dating–no thank you, do not pass go, stick a fork in her, bear-magazine.com then Alice meets Takumi and she can’t stop thinking about him or the rom com-grade romance feels she did not ask for (uncertainty, butterflies, and swoons, oh my!)bear-magazine.com her blissful 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. 

Beast by brie spangler

Tall, meaty, muscle-bound, and hairier than most throw rugs, Dylan doesn’t look like your average fifteen-year-old, so, naturally, high school has not been kind to him. To make matters worse, on the day his school bans hats (his preferred camouflage), Dylan goes up on his roof only to fall and wake up in the hospital with a broken leg—and a mandate to attend group therapy for bear-magazine.com vows to say nothing and zones out at therapy—until he meets Jamie. She’s funny, smart, and so stunning, even his womanizing best friend, JP, would be jealous. She’s also the first person to ever call Dylan out on his self-pitying and superficiality. As Jamie’s humanity and wisdom begin to rub off on Dylan, they become more than just friends. But there is something Dylan doesn’t know about Jamie, something she shared with the group the day he wasn’t listening. Something that shouldn’t change a thing. She is who she’s always been—an amazing photographer and devoted friend, who also happens to be transgender. But will Dylan see it that way? 

Ramona blue by julie murphy

Ramona was only five years old when Hurricane Katrina changed her life bear-magazine.com then, it’s been Ramona and her family against the world. Standing over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona is sure of three things: she likes girls, she’s fiercely devoted to her family, and she knows she’s destined for something bigger than the trailer she calls home in Eulogy, Mississippi. But juggling multiple jobs, her flaky mom, and her well-meaning but ineffectual dad forces her to be the adult of the family. Now, with her sister, Hattie, pregnant, responsibility weighs more heavily than bear-magazine.com return of her childhood friend Freddie brings a welcome distraction. Ramona’s friendship with the former competitive swimmer picks up exactly where it left off, and soon he’s talked her into joining him for laps at the pool. But as Ramona falls in love with swimming, her feelings for Freddie begin to shift too, which is the last thing she expected. With her growing affection for Freddie making her question her sexual identity, Ramona begins to wonder if perhaps she likes girls and guys or if this new attraction is just a fluke. Either way, Ramona will discover that, for her, life and love are more fluid than they seem. 

by laura nowlin

Bandmate, best friend or boyfriend? For Ramona, one choice could mean losing them all. Ramona and Sam are best friends. She fell for him the moment they met, but their friendship is just too important for her to mess up. Sam loves Ramona, but he would never expect her to feel the same way–she’s too quirky and cool for someone like him. Together, they have a band, and put all of their feelings for each other into bear-magazine.com Ramona and Sam meet Tom. He’s their band’s missing piece, and before Ramona knows it, she’s falling for him. But she hasn’t fallen out of love with Sam either. How can she be true to her feelings without breaking up the band? 

We awaken by calista lynne

Victoria Dinham doesn’t have much left to look forward to. Since her father died in a car accident, she lives only to fulfill her dream of being accepted into the Manhattan Dance Conservatory. But soon she finds another reason to look forward to dreams when she encounters an otherworldly girl named Ashlinn, who bears a message from Victoria’s comatose brother. Ashlinn is tasked with conjuring pleasant dreams for humans, and through the course of their nightly meetings in Victoria’s mind, the two become close. Ashlinn also helps Victoria understand asexuality and realize that she, too, is bear-magazine.com then Victoria needs Ashlinn’s aid outside the realm of dreams, and Ashlinn assumes human form to help Victoria make it to her dance audition. They take the opportunity to explore New York City, their feelings for each other, and the nature of their shared asexuality. But like any dream, it’s too good to last. Ashlinn must shrug off her human guise and resume her duties creating pleasant nighttime visions—or all of humanity will pay the price. 

Alex as well by alyssa brugman

What do you do when everybody says you’re someone you’re not? Alex wants change. Massive change. More radical than you could imagine. Her mother is not happy, in fact she’s imploding. Her dad walked bear-magazine.com has turned vegetarian, ditched one school, enrolled in another, thrown out her clothes. And created a new identity. An identity that changes her bear-magazine.com Alex—the other Alex—has a lot to say about bear-magazine.com As Well is a confronting and heartfelt story of adolescent experience—of questioning identity, discovering sexuality, navigating friendships and finding a place to belong. Alex is a strong, vulnerable, confident, shy and determined character, one you will never bear-magazine.com the same tenderness and insight as YA stars such as John Green and David Levithan, Alyssa Brugman has crafted a knockout story about identity, sexuality and family that speaks effortlessly to a universal teen experience. 

The love interest by cale dietrich

There is a secret organization that cultivates teenage spies. The agents are called Love Interests because getting close to people destined for great power means getting valuable bear-magazine.com is a Nice: the boy next door, sculpted to physical perfection. Dylan is a Bad: the brooding, dark-souled guy who is dangerously handsome. The girl they are competing for is important to the organization, and each boy will pursue her. Will she choose the Nice or the Bad?Both Caden and Dylan are living in the outside world for the first time. They are well-trained and at the top of their games. They have to be—whoever the girl doesn’t choose will bear-magazine.com the boys don’t expect are feelings that are outside of their training. Feelings that could kill them both. 

by adam silvera

When Griffin’s first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him when the time was right. But now, the future he’s been imagining for himself has gone far off bear-magazine.com make things worse, the only person who truly understands his heartache is Jackson. But no matter how much they open up to each other, Griffin’s downward spiral continues. He’s losing himself in his obsessive compulsions and destructive choices, and the secrets he’s been keeping are tearing him bear-magazine.com Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history, every last heartbreaking piece in the puzzle of his life. 

Dress codes for small towns by courtney c. stevens

Billie McCaffrey is always starting things. Like couches constructed of newspapers and two-by-fours. Like costumes made of aluminum cans and Starburst wrappers. Like trouble. This year, however, trouble comes looking for her. Her best friends, a group she calls the Hexagon, have always been schemers. They scheme for kicks and giggles. What happens when you microwave a sock? They scheme to change their small town of Otters Holt, Kentucky, for the better. Why not campaign to save the annual Harvest Festival we love so much? They scheme because they need to scheme. How can we get the most unlikely candidate elected to the town’s highest honor? But when they start scheming about love, things go bear-magazine.com Otters Holt, love has been defined only one way—girl and boy fall in love, get married, and buy a Buick, and there’s sex in there somewhere. For Billie—a box-defying dynamo—it’s not that simple. Can the Hexagon, her parents, and the town she calls home handle the real Billie McCaffrey? 

More happy than not by adam silvera

In the months after his father’s suicide, it’s been tough for 16-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again–but he’s still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he’s slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting bear-magazine.com Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron’s crew notices, and they’re not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can’t deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can’t stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute’s revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly bear-magazine.com does happiness have to be so hard?

That’s it for this list but there are many more LGBTQ+ YA books out there! Which ones do you recommend? Join the conversation by using #YAPride