Reviews by Tag: lgbtq

Teen Review
Between Perfect and Real by Ray Stoeve

Between Perfect and Real

By Ray Stoeve
Star Rating
★★★

Rated by
Marium K.
Oct 6, 2021

June’s daily life revolves around her best friend, Jess. But when June gets sent away to Virginia because of underage drinking, it seems to be the start of a series of bad events for her. While living with her grandmother, she goes through growth, discovery, and learning to be independent.

Teen Review
The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon

The Witch King

By H.E. Edgmon
Star Rating
★★★

Rated by
Marium K.
Oct 6, 2021

In a world called Asalin, faes are in control of, and rule over witches. A 17-year-old transgender boy named Wyatt Croft is a witch destined to marry the prince of the fae kingdom, Emyr. No longer wanting to be oppressed by his family and the faes, he flees to the human world. When Prince Emyr wants Wyatt to continue the marriage and stop an uprising, Wyatt is hesitant. Wyatt soon becomes tangled in his feelings and desire to stop the revolution.  Will Wyatt fall for Emyr? Will they both stop the uprising? Read more to find out!

Teen Review
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

By Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Kendal A.
Oct 2, 2021

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, is a realistic fiction novel about Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza. Aristotle is a lonely, angry teenager. He wants to learn more about his brother, who is in prison. And his father, who has become quiet and closed off after returning from war. Once he meets his best friend, Dante, he starts questioning more things than he ever had before.

Teen Review
Camp

Camp

By Lev AC Rosen
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Palak
Mar 28, 2021

Camp is about Randy who wanted to make Hudson, a masculine gay guy, fall in love with him. However, Randy isn't what Hudson's type is, so he turns into "Del" for Hudson. Later on, things get complicated as they both realize that they are not who they really are.

 

I think the most compelling part is that it is an lgbtq+ book. I also liked it because it had diversity, with trans, non-binary, ace-spectrum, and POC representation. I also liked that it talked about toxic masculinity, gender norms. and other things too.

Teen Review
Illustrated: A young man is surrounded by fire while holding up his right hand in a scout's promise.

Flamer

By Mike Curato
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by
Lila S
Mar 20, 2021

This book is incredible. A kid struggles to find himself. In the end, he realizes that he just needs to be himself and not be afraid.

I think that the fact that the kid relates to so many people. The kid doesn't know what is happening to him because he grew up thing being gay is bad but in fact, it definitely isn't. When the kid finds who he is it's so peaceful and incredible. I read this in one sitting it was so good!

Teen Review
Four people stand at opposing corners of the book cover staring inward.

If We Were Us

By K.L. Walther
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by
Mallory G.
Mar 16, 2021

The gay love story was by far the most compelling. I would say that most of the novel circulates on the trials and tribulations of Charlie coming to terms with who he is and wanting to be in a relationship with a boy.

I signed up for a love story, and I was handed just that. It's everything I wanted without lots of annoying stuff to get in the way. When reading the back cover, this is what I hoped for, and it's exactly what I was given,

Teen Review
The Grief Keeper by Alexandra Villasante

The Grief Keeper

By Alexandra Villasante

Rated by
Varsha V. from BV YA Lit Council
Oct 17, 2019

The Grief Keeper tells the story of a young girl named Marisol who is trying to immigrate with her younger sister to America after the murder of their brother. She is caught crossing the border and told she must participate in an experimental study, or be sent back home to El Salvador. As part of the study, Marisol becomes a grief keeper, taking upon the grief of Rey, a young woman struggling with mental illness, to ensure she can stay in the country.

Teen Review
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking up With Me

By Mariko Tamaki

Rated by
Andrew G.
Aug 29, 2019

Freddy is a young teen who is struggling with her friends, her job, and most importantly her relationship. The book makes you feel a connection with these characters very quickly so from the start you’re rooting for your favorite character. I was not disappointed by anything. The art was outstanding and the story was impeccable. I was extremely satisfied by the ending. Hard to imagine a better book.

Teen Review
Starworld by Audrey Coulthurst

Starworld

By Audrey Coulthurst

Rated by
Molly J. from BV YA Lit Council
Jun 10, 2019

Do you ever find your self wanting to escape into a different world? Well, that is exactly what happens in this book. High school students Sam and Zoe have existed on two very different platforms, but find themselves more similar than they thought. It all starts with an unexpected encounter that leads the two girls to swap phone numbers, and in their text messages they build up the wonderful Starworld. In Starworld both girls feel free and they share things they never shared with other people. But will this amazing world last? Will feelings get in way of this unexpected friendship?

Teen Review
Kiss Number 8 by Colleen AF Venable and Ellen T. Crenshaw

Kiss Number 8

By Ellen T. Crenshaw

Rated by
Halie S. from Blue Valley YAAC
Mar 12, 2019

Kiss Number 8 tells us about all of the kisses that Mads (the main character) has had so far in her life. The book leads up to her kiss number eight. After that, the book continues to tell us how her life dramatically changed after kiss number eight. The most compelling aspect was how after she kissed one of her good friends that was a girl, and all her friends suddenly stopped hanging around her. I was never disappointed, and I thought this book was very good at connecting with teens.

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