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CoverDescriptionAuthor(s)Publication DateTitlePublisherISBN-13Reading Age Min.Main GenreGenres/Themes other than LGBTQAuthor(s) IdentitiesMain Character(s) Identities (sex, gender; race; nationality; religion; and more)Awards / Nominations / Starred Reviews / Lists
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"Told in two voices, when Arthur, a summer intern from Georgia, and Ben, a native New Yorker, meet it seems like fate, but after three attempts at dating fail they wonder if the universe is pushing them together or apart."Albertalli, Becky; Silvera, Adam2018, October 9What If It's UsHarperCollins Publishers / HarperTeen978006279525012romance fictionrealistic fiction; parallel narratives; own voices; conversational; romantic; amusing; dating; summer; self-discoveryJewish; American; she/her; Puerto Rican; gay; person with depression; American; he/himmale; gay; Jewish; Puerto Rican; AmericanSchool Library Journal starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review; Kirkus starred review; Rainbow Book List; Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee; New York Times bestseller; USA Today bestseller; Indie bestseller
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"A boy comes to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen - then at university he finds his wings as a drag artist, The Black Flamingo. A bold story about the power of embracing your uniqueness. Sometimes, we need to take charge, to stand up wearing pink feathers - to show ourselves to the world in bold colour."Atta, Dean2019, August 6Black Flamingo, TheHarperCollins Publishers / Balzer + Bray978006299029712realistic fictioncoming-of-age stories;
lyrical;
novels in verse; own voices		British; Greek Cypriot, Caribbean, and Jamaican; gay; he/himbiracial; Greek Cypriot and Jamaican; British; gay; drag queenStonewall Book Award Winner; Novelist Recommended Reads: LGBTQIA Lives (Teens)
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"When Mara's twin brother Owen is accused of rape by her friend Hannah, Mara is forced to confront her feelings about her family, her sense of right and wrong, a trauma from her past, and the future with her girlfriend, Charlie."Blake, Ashley Herring2018, May 15Girl Made of StarsHMH Books / HMH Books for Young Readers978132877823912realistic fictionsurviving sexual violence; authentic; fast-paced; emotionally intense; compelling; best friends; date rape; secrets; twin brothers and sistersbisexual; American; she/herbisexual; female; male; straight; genderqueer; nonbinary Rainbow Book List; Booklist starred review; School Library Journal starred review
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"A small town pianist ponders a new life away from her embarassing mother when a beautiful girl shows up and changes everything."Blake, Ashley Herring2017, May 2How to Make a WishHMH Books / HMH Books for Young Readers978054481519313realistic fictiontrouble at home; emotionally intense; romance; teenage relations; children of alcoholic mothers; friendship; small towns bisexual; American; she/herwhite; black; biracial; bisexual; straight; lesbianYALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults
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"Rumi Seto plans to spend her life writing music with her younger sister, Lea. When Lea dies in a car accident, her mother sends Rumi to live with her aunt in Hawaii. Struggling with the loss of her sister, abandoned by her mother, and without music in her life, Rumi turns to the friendship of a teenage surfer named Kai, and an eighty-year-old named George Watanabe. And Rumi is determined to write the song she and Lea never had the chance to finish."Bowman, Akemi Dawn2018, September 11Summer Bird BlueSimon & Schuster / Simon Pulse978148148775711realistic fictioncoming-of-age stories; coping with death; authentic; issue-oriented; own voices; emotionally intense; richly detailed; resilience; survivor guilt; intergenerational friendshipmultiracial; Asian; American; she/herfemale; straight; multiracial; Japanese; Hawaiian; white; American; gayRainbow Book List; Booklist starred review; Kirkus Reviews starred review; School Library Journal starred review
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"Resets the Arthurian legend in outer space, with King Arthur reincarnated as seventeen-year-old Ari, a female king whose quest is to stop a tyrannical corporate government, aided by a teenaged Merlin."Capetta, Amy Rose; McCarthy, Cori2019, March 26Once & FutureLittle, Brown and Company978031644927412fantasy fictionfairy tale and folklore inspired fiction; science fiction; evil corporations; action-packed; amusing; suspensefulnonbinary; queer; American; she/her; Irish; Lebanese; they/themqueer; nonbinary; pansexual; bisexual; Arabic; refugee; gay; adopted; gender fluid; asexual; ace; differently abledKirkus starred review; Publisher's Weekly starred review; School Library Journal starred review; Novelist Recommended Reads: LGBTQIA Lives (Teens); 2020 Rainbow Book List
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"In the early 1990s, when gay teenager Cameron Post rebels against her conservative Montana ranch town and her family decides she needs to change her ways, she is sent to a gay conversion therapy center."Danforth, Emily M.2012, February 7; 2013, May 28 (reprint)Miseducation of Cameron Post, TheHarperCollins / Balzer + Bray978006202057415historical fictionbooks to movies; issue-oriented; own voices; angst-filled; conversion therapy; orphans; psychotherapy; secretsAmerican; lesbian; gay; she/herfemale; lesbian; whiteMontana Book Award; William C. Morris YA Debut Award Nominee; Rainbow Book List; School Library Journal Best Books; YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults; Booklist Editors' Choice; Booklist starred review; School Library Journal starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review; Kirkus starred review
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"Thrown out of their parents' home and moving in with their estranged sister after coming out as nonbinary, Ben De Backer struggles to endure an anxiety disorder and the last half of senior year while bonding with a charismatic new friend."Deaver, Mason2019, May 14I Wish You All the BestPush978133830612512realistic fictioncoming-of-age stories; romance fiction; coming out experiences; falling for a friend; new to the neighborhood; own voices; thoughtful; parental rejectionnonbinary; queer; American; they/themnonbinary; queer; person with anxiety disorder; AmericanNovelist Recommended Reads: LGBTQIA Lives (Teens)
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"In a near-future society that claims to have gotten rid of all monstrous people, a creature emerges from a painting seventeen-year-old Jam's mother created, a hunter from another world seeking a real-life monster."Emezi, Akwaeke2019, September 10PetRandom House Children’s Books / Make Me A World978052564707212fantasy fictionmagical realism; allegories; own voices; through-provoking; child abuse; redemption; compelling; quests; monsters; monster hunters; injustice; utopiasNigerian; American; queer; nonbinary; they/themfemale; trans; nonbinary; male; blackRainbow Book List; Kirkus starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review; School Library Journal starred review; National Book Award Finalist Nominee for Young People's Literature; Walter Honor; Stonewall Honor Book
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"Liza puts aside her feelings for Annie after the disaster at school, but eventually she allows love to triumph over the ignorance of people."Garden, Nancy1982, July 1Annie on My MindFarrar, Straus and Giroux 978037440414711realistic fictionclassics; coming-of-age stories; romance fiction; issue-oriented; coming out experiences; homophobia; first loveslesbian; Americanlesbian; female; American; white
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"Simone, seventeen, HIV-positive and in love for the first time, decides that facing potential bullies head-on may be better than protecting her secret."Garrett, Camryn2019, October 29Full DisclosureKnopf Books for Young Readers978198482995513realistic fictionissue-oriented; bullying; dating; HIV; romance; candid; engagingshe/her; black; American; queer bisexual; female; queer; ace; asexual; lesbian; white; black; gaySchool Library Journal starred review
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"Daniel, a Chinese-American teen, must grapple with his plans for the future, his feelings for his best friend Harry, and his discovery of a family secret that could shatter everything."Gilbert, Kelly Loy2018, April 10Picture Us in the LightLittle, Brown Books for Young Readers978148472602013realistic fictiondealing with suicide; immigrant experiences; own voices; best-friends; questioning sexual identity; grief; artistsAsian; Chinese; American; biracial; she/hermale; questioning; Asian; Chinese; AmericanStonewall Honor Book; Los Angeles Times Book Prize Nominee for Young Adult Literature; Booklist starred review; School Library Journal starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review; Kirkus starred review; Rainbow Book List
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"Pen, who looks and acts like a boy, just wants is to be the kind of girl she is always been, but the people in her life have a problem with it? Old-world parents, faltering friendships, and strong feelings toward other girls lead Pen to see that in order to be who she truly wants to be, she'll have to man up."Girard, M-E2016, September 6Girl Mans UpHarperCollins978006240419013realistic fictionauthentic; own voices; children of immigrants; gender identity; friendship; loyalty; teenage relationsqueer; Canadianqueer; Canadian; first-generation Canadian; PortugueseLAMBDA Literary Award Winner; Entertainment Weekly Best YA Book; Children's Book Council Books Best Book; Kirkus Best Teen Coming-of-Age Novel; William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist; School Library Journal starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review; Kirkus starred review
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"Genderqueer teenager Nico handles conflicting family pressures, an urgent medical decision, and a growing friendship with Jess Tucker, who wants to become more than friends."Gold, Rachel2017, May 16Nico & TuckerBella Books978159493538113realistic fictionself-acceptance; gender identity; college students; friendship; healing; family problems; moving; thought-provoking; engaging nonbinary; genderqueer; queer; American; lesbian; she/herintersex; nonbinary; genderqueer; trans; lesbian; female
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"Every seven years, the people of Three Graces send a sacrifice to the woods. The death of their 'best boy' ensures seven years free from disease, blight, and pain. But this year, the Slaughter Moon has risen early, and three, not one, will run into the forest as a sacrifice"Gratton, Tessa2018, September 18Strange GraceMargaret K. McElderry Books978153440208913fantasy fictionromance fiction; horror; multiple perspectives; witchcraft and occult; action-packed; nonlinear; atmospheric; gruesome; compelling; cursues; devil; faith; Faustian bargains; human sacrifice; secrets; villagesqueer; she/her; Americanmale; female; nonbinary; white; black; polyamorousKirkus starred review
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"An American girl goes to an exclusive Scottish boarding school where she becomes the roommate, best friend, and girlfriend of a royal princess."Hawkins, Rachel2019, May 7Her Royal HighnessG.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers978152473826612romance fictionromance fiction; contemporary fiction; funny; studying abroad; princessesAmerican; she/herfemale; lesbian; bisexual; American; ScottishNovelist Recommended Reads: LGBTQIA Lives (Teens); 2020 Rainbow Book List
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"A teenage girl grapples with the suicide of a classmate and her mother's depression, while discovering her own gender fluidity and sexual identity."Herman, Aimee2019, May 7Everything GrowsThree Rooms Press978194111068312realistic fictioncoming-of-age stories; coming out experiences; bullies; suicide; own voices; reflective; engaging; name changingnonbinary; queer; American; they/themnonbinary; queer; AmericanNovelist Recommended Reads: LGBTQIA Lives (Teens)
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"Dino and July, seventeen, are granted time to resolve what was left unfinished between them after July's sudden death, one year after their friendship ended over Dino's new relationship."Hutchinson, Shaun David2019, February 19Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried, TheSimon & Schuster / Simon Pulse978148149857912fantasy fictionparanormal fiction; books for reluctant readers;
coping with death;
magical realism;
offbeat;
platonic friendships		gay; American; he/himgay; straight; American; male; femaleBooklist starred review; School Library Journal starred review; Novelist Recommended Reads: LGBTQIA Lives (Teens); YALSA 2020 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers; 2020 Rainbow Book List
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"In the aftermath of a successful quest, Apprentice Kalanthe and Olsa-the-thief-of-the-realm must cope with their newfound fame and find a way to overcome the forces that would drive them apart."Johnston, E.K.2019, February 1Afterward, ThePenguin / Dutton Books for Young Readers978073523189413fantasy fictionhigh fantasy; strong female; world building; leisurely paced; romantic; knights and knighthood; quests; thieves; gems; heroes and heroinesbiromantic; demisexual; queer; Canadian; she/herfemale; trans; bisexual; lesbian; asexual; demisexual; aromantic; male2020 Rainbow Book List; Booklist starred review; Kirkus starred review; School Library Journal starred review
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"After her conservative Muslim parents catch her kissing her girlfriend Ariana, Rukhsana Ali finds herself whisked off to Bangladesh and must find the courage to fight for the right to choose her own path."Khan, Sabina2019, January 29Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali, TheScholastic Press978133822701713realistic fictionbooks for reluctant readers; coming-of-age stories; coming out experiences; community; emotionally intense; families; own voices; sexual assaultBengali; Muslim; Canadian; she/herfemale; gay; Bengali; American; MuslimNovelist Recommended Reads: LGBTQIA Lives (Teens); School Library Journal starred review; 2020 Rainbow Book List
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"Clinically-depressed Darius Kellner, a high school sophomore, travels to Iran to meet his grandparents, but it is their next-door neighbor, Sohrab, who changes his life."Khorram, Adib2018, August 28Darius the Great Is Not OkayDial Books978052555296311realistic fictionbooks for reluctant readers; coming-of-age stories; dealing with mental illness; own voices; misfits; grandparentsgay; Iranian; Americanmale; gay; Iranian; Persian; biracial; American; person with depressionRainbow Book List; School Library Journal starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review; Kirkus starred review; William C. Morris Debut Award
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"A cool and popular gay teen who harbors a secret, intense crush and a poetic youth who is looking for Mr. Right in spite of his troubled family weigh what they are willing to risk while working together at an organic food truck during a blistering Arizona summer."Konigsberg, Bill2019, February 26Music of What Happens, TheArthur A. Levine Books978133821550214realistic fictionhomophobia; own voices; racism; secrets; surviving sexual violence; trouble at homegay; American; he/himmale; gay; American; Mexican; mixed raceBooklist starred review; The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starred review; Weekly starred review; School Library Journal starred review; Novelist Recommended Reads: LGBTQIA Lives (Teens); 2020 Rainbow Book List
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"After leaving her life behind to go to college in New York, Marin must face the truth about the tragedy that happened in the final weeks of summer when her friend Mabel comes to visit."LaCour, Nina2017, February 17We Are OkayPenguin / Dutton Books for Young Readers978052542589211realistic fictioncomplex; best friends; introspective; emotionally intense; spare; moving; college; grief; winter; moving queer; American; she/herfemale; queer; American; white; MexicanRainbow Book List; Booklist starred review; School Library Journal starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review; Michael L. Printz Award Winner; TODAY Show Must-Read Book; Boston Globe Best Book of the Year; Seventeen Best Book of the Year; News & Observer Best Book of the Year; Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year; Bustle Best Book of the Year; New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
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"An intersex teen, Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, raised as the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Gene’s parents wish to force a decision on which gender Gene will spend the rest of Gene’s life as, so Gene runs away from home, assumes the identity of Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star."Lam, Laura2013, February 5; 2016, November 17 (reprint)PantomimeTor (reprint); Strange Chemistry (discontinued imprint)978150980777215fantasy fictioncircus; nobility; runaways; intricately plotted; speculative fictionexpatriate American; British; bisexual; she/herintersex; nonbinary; genderfluid; bisexualBritish Fantasy Award Nominee for Best Newcomer; North East Teenage Book Award Nominee; Catalyst Book Award Nominee; Cybils Award Nominee; Bisexual Book Award for Speculative Fiction
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"Two friends on a Grand Tour of 18th-century Europe stumble across a magical artifact that leads them from Paris to Venice in a dangerous manhunt shaped by pirates, highwaymen and their growing attraction to one another."Lee, Mackenzi2017, June 27Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, TheKatherine Tegen Books978006238280113historical fictionhistorical fantasy; fast-paced; engaging; romance fiction; adventure; alchemy; brothers an sisters; pirates; teenage relations; sarcasticAmerican; she/her; bisexualBritish; bisexual; white; male; gay; biracial; Caribbean; person who is epilepticStonewall Book Award Nominee; Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee; Booklist Editors' Choice; Rainbow Book List; Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award; YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults; Booklist starred review; School Library Journal starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review; Kirkus starred review
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"A lovelorn newcomer, a grief-stricken pariah and a privileged liar intersect on the island of Sawkill Rock, where they become unlikely defenders against an insidious monster that has been preying upon the girls in their community for decades."Legrand, Claire2018, October 2Sawkill GirlsKatherine Tegen Books978006269660113horror fictionfantasy fiction; fast-paced; disappearances; good and evil; islands; missing teenage girls; monsters; superhuman abilities; small towns; atmospheric; creature feature; final girls; complex; strong femaleAmerican; she/herqueer; bisexual; white; black; asexual; ace; female; AmericanBram Stoker Award Finalist; LAMBDA Literary Award Finalist; Dragon Award Nominee
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"When Paul falls hard for Noah, he thinks he has found his one true love, but when Noah walks out of his life, Paul has to find a way to get him back and make everything right once more."Levithan, David2003, September 9Boy Meets BoyKnopf Books for Young Readers978037582400513realistic fictionbooks for reluctant readers; coming-of-age stories; contemporary romances; funny; upbeat; offbeat; crushes; interpersonal relations; teenage relations; authentic; own voicesgay; American; he/him; Jewish backgroundmale; female; bisexual; gay; straight; drag queenLAMBDA Literary Award Winner; Lincoln Award Nominee; School Library Journal starred review; Booklist Editors' Choice; YALSA Best Books for Young Adults; YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
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"In the aftermath of a series of plane crashes caused by birds, seventeen-year-old Reese and her debate-team partner, David, receive medical treatment at a secret government facility and become tangled in a conspiracy that is, according to Reese's friend,Julian, connected with aliens and UFOs."Lo, Malinda2012, September 18AdaptationLittle, Brown Books for Young Readers978031619796013science fictionromance fiction; thriller; human 2.0; action-packed; own voices; aliens; conspiracies; genetic engineering; near future; teenage relations; traffic accident victimsshe/her; Asian; American; lesbianmale; female; Asian; American; white; polyamorous; bisexual; gayRainbow Book List Top 10; Bank Street College Best Children's Book; LAMBDA Literary Award Finalist
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"Syd’s life is not his own. As a proxy he must to pay for someone else's crimes. When his patron Knox crashes a car and kills someone, Syd is branded and sentenced to death. The boys realize the only way to beat the system is to save each other so they flee. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test the boys' resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay."London, Alex2013, June 18; 2014, May 1 (reprint)ProxySpeak; Philomel (original)978014751133112science fictiondystopian fiction; pandemic apocalypse; books for reluctant readers; action-packed; own voices; fast-paced; suspenseful; debt; escapes; rich; spoiled; orphans; physical abuse; slaverygay; Jewish; Americanqueer; pansexual; gay; male; black; whiteMissouri Gateway Readers Award Nominee
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"In the faux-documentary style of The Blair Witch Project comes the campfire story of a missing girl, a vengeful ghost, and the girl who is determined to find her sister--at all costs."Marshall, Kate Alice2019, September 24Rules for VanishingViking Book for Young Readers978198483701111horror fictionmystery fiction; paranormal fiction; ghost stories; multiple perspectives; found footage; unreliable narrator; forests; missing teenage girls; sisters; small towns; supernatural; urban legends; intesifying; creepy; suspenseful; compellingshe/her; Americanbisexual; female; male; straight; Deaf; lesbianPublishers Weekly starred review
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"As their deep friendship turns to love, Latina teenager Miel, who grows roses from her wrist, and Italian-Pakistani Samir, a transgender boy, fear their secrets will be exposed by the beautiful Bonner girls, four sisters rumored to be witches."McLemore, Anna-Marie2018, February 13 (reprint)When the Moon Was OursMacmillan Publishers / St. Martin's Press / Wednesday Books978125016010213fantasy fictionmagical realism; own voices; friendship; gender identity; secrets; sisters; engaging; teenage relationsqueer; nonbinary; Mexican; American; Latinx; demi; person with disability; brujx; pansexualtrans boy; Pakistani; American; cisgender girl; queer; LatinaJames Tiptree Jr. Award; Stonewall Honor Award; Kirkus Best Book of the Year; Booklist Editor's Choice; Kirkus starred review; School Library Journal starred review; Booklist starred review; National Book Award Longlist; Rainbow Book List
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"On the day Torrey officially becomes a college freshman, he finds out the bank is foreclosing on the bee farm his uncle left him. Torrey’s worked hard to become the first member of his family to go to college, but, for years, it was just the two of them tending the farm. So Torrey can’t let someone erase his uncle’s legacy without a fight. Can he make a choice between his family and his future without sacrificing a part of himself?"Montgomery, Candice ("Cam")2019, October 8By Any Means NecessaryPage Street Publishing Co.978162414799915realistic fictionrealistic fiction; own voices; thought-provoking; college freshman; beekeeping; gentrification of cities; teenage relationsnonbinary; American; Muslim; black; they/themmale; gay; bisexual; black; latinx; Portuguese; biracialRainbow Book List; Kirkus starred review
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"An Iranian youth who hides his sexual orientation from his family, an openly gay photographer and an aspiring fashion designer with an HIV-positive uncle fall in love and find their voices as activists during the height of the AIDS crisis in New York City."Nazemian, Abdi2019, June 4Like A Love StoryHarperCollins / Balzer + Bray978006283936711historical fictionmultiple perspectives; coming out experiences; immigrant experiences; own voices; emotionally intensegay; American; Canadian; Iranian; he/himmale; female; gay; straight; Iranian; AmericanBooklist starred review; Kirkus starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review; Stonewall Honor Book; Rainbow Book List
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"Struggling with his family's religious beliefs, an employer's ultimatum and his unrequited love for his ex, Adam struggles to move on with a best friend and a new relationship while trying to find the courage to stay true to himself."Ness, Patrick2017, May 4ReleaseWalker Books978140637727913fantasy fictionmagical realism; multiple perspectives; 24 hour stories; introspective; sylistically complex; teenage relations; murder; unrequited love; revenge; ghosts; griefgay; American; he/himmale; gay; AmericanCarnegie Medal Nominee; Booklist starred review; School Library Journal starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review; Kirkus starred review; Rainbow Book List
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"Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It’s the highest honor they could hope for…and the most cruel. But this year, there’s a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she’s made of fire."Ngan, Natasha2018, November 6Girls of Paper and FireLittle, Brown and Company978031656135816fantasy fictioncourt intrigue; own voices; sexual violence; sexual servitude; caste systemsqueer; Malaysian; British; she/herfemale; lesbian; AsianNovelist Recommended Reads: LGBTQIA Lives (Teens); Publisher's Weekly starred review
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"A young adult debut by the popular social media personality and critic reflects the racial and economic struggles of today's teens in the story of high school junior Moss, who in the face of a racist school administration decides to organize a protest that escalates into violence."Oshiro, Mark2018, May 22Anger is a GiftTor Teen978125016702614realistic fictioncontemporary fiction; coping with death; police brutality; racism; own voices; courageous; issue-oriented; thought-provokingqueer; Lantinx; he/himmale; gay; African American; immigrant; LatinxAmerican Library Association Schneider Family Book Award Teen Winner; Kirkus starred review; Lambda Literary Award finalist; School Library Journal starred review; Novelist Recommended Reads: LGBTQIA Lives (Teens); Rainbow Book List
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"Told in two voices, sixteen-year-old Audre and Mabel, both young women of color from different backgrounds, fall in love and figure out how to care for each other as one of them faces a fatal illness."Petrus, Junauda2019, September 17Stars and the Blackness Between Them, ThePenguin / Dutton Books for Young Readers978052555548312romance fictionmagical realism; multiple perspectives; dealing with illness; nonlinear; own voices; bittersweet; lyrical; teenage relations; identity; astrologyqueer; black; she/herfemale; Trinidadian; American; black; African American2020 Rainbow Book List; Publishers Weekly starred review; Kirkus starred review
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"When her father is diagnosed with Hungtington's disease, eighteen-year-old Vanni abandons her plan to flee her small New Mexico hometown after high school graduation and instead spends the summer keeping herself busy with part-time jobs and boys, but that changes after she meets Leigh, whose friendship dares Vanni to ask herself big questions and make new plans."Podos, Rebecca2017, October 17Like WaterHarperCollins / Balzer + Bray978006237337312realistic fictionown voices; life after high school; small towns; teenage relations; Huntington's diseaseAmerican; queer; she/herfemale; bisexual; genderqueer; nonbinary; Latinx; AmericanRainbow Book List; LAMBDA Literary Award Winner
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"Friends Hetty, Byatt, and Reece go to extremes trying to uncover the dark truth about the mysterious disease that has had them quarantined at their boarding school on a Maine island."Power, Rory2019, July 9Wilder GirlsDelacorte Press978052564558013science fictionthriller; suspenseful; gritty; boarding school; band of survivors; pandemic apocalypse; dystopias; quarantine; resilience; survival; female friendships; horrorqueer; she/her; Americanqueer; female; AmericanNew York Times Bestseller; Booklist starred review; Kirkus starred review; Shelf Awareness starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review
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"Hannah wants to spend her senior year of high school going to football games and Mardi Gras parties and spending every night making memories with her tight-knit group of friends. The last thing she wants is to fall in love with a girl--especially when that girl is her best friend, Baker. Hannah knows she should follow the rules of her conservative community, but she longs to be with Baker. And Baker might want to be with Hannah, too--if both girls can embrace that world-shaking, wondrous possibility."Quindlen, Kelly2014, FebruaryHer Name in the SkyCreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform978149533529716realistic fictioncoming-of-age-stories; high school; best friends; questioning; teenage relations; well-developed; angst-filled; faith; Christianityfemale; Catholic; American; she/herfemale; lesbian; Christian; AmericanLGBTQ Reads Religion book list
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"Feeling undervalued because of musical talents that place her outside the spotlight, Jordan disguises herself as a boy to gain entry into a competitive, all-male a cappella group that is looking for a singer with her vocal range."Redgate, Riley (Ríoghnach Robinson)2017, May 2NoteworthyHarry N. Abrams978141972373511realistic fictioncrossdressing; music makers; sarcastic; own voices; engaging; a cappella music; boarding schools; choirs; disguises; gender role; singers; scholarship; financial strugglesbisexual; American; mixed race; biracial; Irish; Chinese; she/herfemale; bisexual; Chinese; American; cisgenderBooklist starred review; Shelf Awareness starred review; Kirkus starred review
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"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 stuff."Rivera, Gabby2016, January 18; 2019, September 17 (reprint)Juliet Takes a BreathRiverdale Avenue Books; Penguin Books (reprint)978059310817814realistic fictionadult books for young adults; coming of age stories; introspective; own voices; heartwrenching; amusing; internship; self-acceptance; summerqueer; American; Puerto Rican; Latina; she/herqueer; female; American; Puerto Rican; Latina; lesbianSchool Library Journal starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review; Rainbow Book List
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"Teen celebrity socialite Margo leads a double life as a cat burglar with a crew of four kickboxing drag queens, but when a big job goes belly-up, each one of them must rely on their special skills to survive the night."Roehrig, Caleb2019, January 29Death Prefers BlondesFeiwel & Friends978125015582514mystery fictionthriller; suspense; action-packed; likeable; celebrities; drag queens; fathers and daughters; revenge; kickboxing; stealing; thievesgay; American; he/himfemale; male; drag queen; AmericanRainbow Book List
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"Targeted with ostracism and gossip for having openly gay relationships, a teen sex advice columnist begins to receive creepy and threatening love letters from someone who would force him back into the closet."Rosen, Lev A.C.2018, October 30Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts)Little, Brown Books for Young Readers978031648053614realistic fictiondealing with bullies; authentic; issue-oriented; own voices; high-drama; teenage relations; coming out experiences; friendshipqueer; Jewish; American; he/himmale; queer; Jewish; AmericanRainbow Book List; Novelist Recommended Reads: LGBTQIA Lives (Teens); School Library Journal starred review
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"After high school graduation, Mac focuses on finding the serial killer who murdered his best friend the previous summer, while working through his own feelings for the deceased."Ryan, Tom2019, May 21Keep This to YourselfAW Teen978080754151713mystery fictionbrooding; intricately plotted; own voices; atmospheric; suspenseful; compelling; coastal towns; murder investigation; serial murders; summer; teenage boy/boy relationshe/him; gay; Canadianmale; gay; CanadianRainbow Book List
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"Fifteen-year-old Ari Mendoza is an angry loner with a brother in prison, but when he meets Dante and they become friends, Ari starts to ask questions about himself, his parents, and his family that he has never asked before."Sáenz, Benjamin Alire2012, February 21Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the UniverseSimon & Schuster Books for Young Readers978144240892013historical fictionrealistic fiction; coming-of-age-stories; own voices; though-provoking; leisurely paced; lyrical; families; loners; broodingAmerican; gay; he/him; Latino; sexual abuse survivorAmerican; Mexican; gay; male; LatinoLAMBDA Literary Award Winner; Stonewall Book Award Winner; Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Honor; Pura Belpré Narrative Medal; Michael L. Printz Award honor; ALA Notable Children's Books; Rainbow Book List; Westchester Fiction Award; School Library Journal starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review; Kirkus starred review
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"Three high school seniors, a jock with a girlfriend and an alcoholic father, a closeted gay, and a flamboyant gay rights advocate, struggle with family issues, gay bashers, first sex, and conflicting feelings about each other."Sánchez, Alex2003, May 1Rainbow BoysSimon & Schuster Books for Young Readers978068985770613realistic fictioncoming-of-age stories; coming out experiences; issue-oriented; own voices; angst-filled; funny; first loves; teenage relations; new experiences; self-acceptance; HIV; bullyingMexican; American; he/him; American; male; bisexual; gayLAMBDA Award Finalist; Lincoln Award Nominee; ALA Best Book for Young Adult
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"When a local psychiatrist is murdered by what seems to be werewolves, a small town becomes even more hostile to "monsters," and Z, a genderqueer orphaned zombie, and Aysel, an unregistered werewolf, are driven together in an attempt to survive a place where most people wish that neither of them existed."Schrieve, Hal2019, March 5Out of SalemTriangle Square978160980901012fantasy fictionurban fantasy; allegories; small town horror; misfits united; intricately plotted; own voices; fast-paced; darkly humorous; gritty; thought-provokingnonbinary; trans; American; gay; xie/hirgenderqueer; nonbinary; Muslim; lesbian; AmericanRainbow Book List; Kirkus starred review; Publishers Weekly starred review; 2019 National Book Award Nominee for Young People's Literature
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"After Sophie Winters survives a brutal attack in which her best friend, Mina, is murdered, she sets out to find the killer. At the same time she must prove she is free of her past Oxy addiction and in no way to blame for Mina's death."Sharpe, Tess2014, March 27; 2014, April 8 (reprint)Far From YouLittle, Brown Books for Young Readers978142318462113mystery fictionthriller; emotionally intense; proving one's innocence; intricately plotted; nonlinear; compelling; best friends; bounty hunters; drug abuse; drug addiction; grief; murder; secrets; car accident; teenage relationsshe/her; Americanwhite; bisexual; person with chronic pain; person with disabilityRainbow Book List; Novelist Mystery Must-Reads (Teens); Kirkus starred review
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"On the surface, nerd Zeke, punk Charlie and footy wannabe Hammer look like they have nothing in common. But scratch that surface and you'd find three boys in the throes of coming to terms with their homosexuality in a town where it is invisible. Invisible Boys is a raw, confronting YA novel that explores the complexities and trauma of rural gay identity with painful honesty, devastating consequences and, ultimately, hope."Sheppard, Holden2019, October 1Invisible BoysFremantle Press978192581556611realistic fictionrealistic; emotionally intense; coming out experiences; dealing with suicide; authentic; gritty; homophobia; expectation; violence; physical abuse; peer pressure; rural life; small towns; hope; misfits; football (soccer)gay; Italian; Australian; he/himgay; Australian; maleCity of Fremantle Hungerford Award
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"Cassandra Leung--a seventeen-year-old trainer of Reckoners, sea beasts bred to defend ships--is kidnapped by the pirate queen Santa Elena and ordered to train a Reckoner pup to defend Santa Elena's ship."Skrutskie; Emily2016, February 8Abyss Surrounds Us, TheFlux978073874691313science fictionpiracy; sea monsters; ships; women of steel; authentic; strong female; world-buildingshe/her; Americanqueer; lesbian; Asian JLG Gold Standard; Kirkus starred review
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"When evidence of dark magic begins to appear all over Salem, Massachusetts, Elemental Witch Hannah and her ex-girlfriend Veronica are forced to team up to stop the deadly attacks."Sterling, Isabel2019, May 28These Witches Don't BurnPenguin Books / Razorbill978045148032312fantasy fictionparanormal fiction; mystery fiction; likeable; bittersweet; romantic; suspensefulbisexual; queer; she/her; Americanlesbian; queer; female; AmericanRainbow Book List
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"Seventeen-year-old Evan Panos doesn’t know where he fits in. His strict immigrant Greek mother refuses to see him as anything but a disappointment. His quiet, workaholic father is a staunch believer in avoiding any kind of conflict. And his best friend, Henry, has somehow become distractingly attractive over the summer."Surmelis, Angelo2018, January 30Dangerous Art of Blending In, TheHarperCollins / Balzer + Bray978006265900213realistic fictionsurviving abuse; moving; first generation American; authentic; own voices; mothers with mental illness; post traumatic stress disorder; artists; teenage relations; Christianityhe/him; gay; Greek; Americanmale; gay; Greek; AmericanRainbow Book List; School Library Journal starred review; LAMBDA Literary Award finalist
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"Presenting themselves to the world as an effortlessly excellent family, successful criminal lawyer Karen, her Parliament candidate husband and her intelligent athlete son, Max, find their world crumbling in the wake of a friend's betrayal and the secret about Max's intersexual identity."Tarttelin, Abigail2013, May 21Golden BoyAtria Books978147670580416realistic fictionadult books for young adults; coming of age stories; reflexive; issue-oriented; family secrets; gender identity; rape; sexual violenceBritish; she/herintersex; male; white; femaleAmerican Library Association Alex Award; LAMBDA Literary Award Nominee for LGBT debut fiction; Booklist starred review
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"Kalyn, living under a pseudonym, and Gus, who has cerebral palsy, get caught in an uproar in Samsboro, Kentucky as the truth about the brutal murder of Gus's father by Kalyn's comes to light."Thomas, Leah2019, June 4Wild and CrookedBloomsbury / Bloomsbury YA978154760002113mystery fictionrealistic fiction; multiple perspectives; living with visible disability; misfits united; differently abled; thought-provoking; compelling; lyrical; child abuse; murder; homophobia; secrecy; teenagers with cerebral palsy; povertyAmerican; she/her; ace; queerpansexual; gay; male; female; queer; AmericanRainbow Book List; Booklist starred review; The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books starred review; School Library Journal starred review; Edgar Award Nominee for Best Young Adult
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"Chronicles the lives of Erik, who lives in San Francisco and has just learned he is Blooded, and Lil, who lives in San Francisco's mirror city from an alternate dimension, 'Zebub, as they fight against beings that wish to harm them."Tilahun, Na'amen Gobert2016, June 7Root, TheSkyhorse Publishing / Night Shade978159780863713fantasy fictionurban fantasy; adult books for young adults; afrofuturism; afrofantasy; gateway fantasy; authentic; own voices; world-building; atmospheric; actors; demons; parallel universes; secret societies; superhuman abilities; godshe/him; black; queermale; American; multiracial; gay; queer; bisexualRainbow Book List
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"An elite Automae who has discovered that she possesses a feared human emotion and a human girl seeking to avenge the death of her family forge an unexpected relationship that becomes a catalyst for war."Varela, Nina2019, October 1Crier's WarHarperCollins / Quill Tree Books978006282394614fantasy fictionromance fiction; speculative fiction; court intrigue; robots with emotions; own voices; world building; suspenseful; compelling; hating to dating; death of family; class differences; alchemy; teenage relations; political intrigue; enemies; posthumanism; revolutionsshe/her; American; queerfemale; bisexual; lesbian; queerNovelist Diverse Speculative Fiction
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"A compelling LGBTQ YA novel by LAMBDA award-winning author Julia Watts, that explores the unlikely friendship between Libby, the oldest child in a rural Tennessee family of strict evangelical Christians, and Zo, her gender fluid new neighbor."Watts, Julia2018, October 16QuiverThree Rooms Press978194111066911realistic fictionauthentic; issue-oriented; reflective; cultural differences; Evangelicalism; friendship; gender roles; home schooling; rural lifeshe/her; Americangender fluid; nonbinary; female; AmericanRainbow Book List
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"Maren, desperate to save her kidnapped girlfriend, plans to steal one of the emperor's dragons and storm the Aurati stronghold, but her success depends on becoming an apprentice to the emperor's mysterious dragon trainer, which proves to be a dangerous venture."Wells, Rebecca Kim2019, July 30Shatter the SkySimon & Schuster Books for Young Readers978153443790611fantasy fictionstrong female; well-developed; open-ended; worldbuilding; secrets; rescues; kidnapping; teenage relations; dragonsbiracial; queer; she/her; Americanbisexual; queer; female; biracialRainbow Book List; New England Book Award Finalist
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"Three friends, two love stories, one convention: this fun, feminist love letter to geek culture is all about fandom, friendship, and finding the courage to be yourself."Wilde, Jen2017, March 14Queens of GeekSwoon Reads978125011139513realistic fictionmultiple perspectives; fandemonium; engaging; fan conventions; friendship; self-fulfillment; actors; romance she/her; Australian; person with autism; bisexual; person with anxietyfemale; bisexual; black; Chinese; Australian; person with autism; person with anxietyRainbow Book List
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"Everyone on campus knows Remy Cameron. He's the out-and-proud, super-likable guy who friends, faculty, and fellow students alike admire for his cheerful confidence. The only person who isn't entirely sure about Remy Cameron is Remy himself. Under pressure to write an A+ essay defining who he is and who he wants to be, Remy embarks on an emotional journey toward reconciling the outward labels people attach to him with the real Remy Cameron within."Winters, Julian2019, September 10How to Be Remy CameronInterlude Press978194505380111realistic fictioncoming-of-age stories; authentic; own voices; engaging; thoughtfulhe/him; gay; African Americanmale; gay; adopted; African American; Korean; AmericanNovelist Recommended Reads: LGBTQIA Lives (Teens); Rainbow Book List
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