Top 10 Queer Books You Should Read!

Representation in media is one of the biggest educators and encouragement for those who have historically not had much representation. I am a big fan of queer literature, as this is often one of the best and most accurate portrayals of queer characters and experiences. Here is my list of ten queer young-adult books that you should definitely read!

Forgive Me If I've Told You This Before

Karelia Stetz-Waters

Content warning: Sexual assault, Religious homophobia 

This book has been one of my favorites for several years. It is set in Oregon between 1989 and 1992, when Measure 9 was on the ballot in Oregon. The story follows Triinu, a church-going Estonian goth girl who tries to suppress her attraction to girls. This book deals with homophobia from the church, sexual harassment, peer pressure, bullying, the battle of equal rights for gay people in Oregon, and the struggle of discovering your sexuality in a rural, conservative state in the early 90s. One other thing that I really love about this book is the fact that the author included a small playlist to accompany the book!

Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe

Benjamin Sáez 

"Aristotle and Dante" is set in Texas in 1987, and follows two Mexican-American teenagers as they navigate their friendship, their struggles with their racial identity, sexuality, and their family relationships. This story also deals with incarcerated family members, hate crime, PTSD, internalized homophobia, and grief. Expect to cry when you read this book; there are so many feelings to be felt during this book, and I believe that it is an accurate representation of being a person of color in America, and of queer youth.

The Miseducation Of Cameron Post

Emily M. Danforth

Content warning: Religious homophobia, conversion camp, self harm

This is a story of discovering queer identity within an environment that does not accept it. This story is set in Montana in the 1990s, and is one of the best and most accurate portrayals of being queer that I've ever come across. It follows Cameron Post who's parents die when she is 12, and then at 16 gets outed to her very conservative aunt, whom she lives with at the time. Cameron's aunt sends her to a conversion camp, where Cameron has to learn survive in a new place that is trying to change her, and reflect on her parents death, as well as on her sexuality and gender. This book is such an intense wave of emotions throughout the entire story, up until the very end. 

Rubyfruit Jungle

Rita Mae Brown

Rubyfruit Jungle is a coming-of-age story based off of Rita Mae Brown's own life story. Published in 1973, this book was revolutionary with quite explicit portrayals of lesbianism. I love that this book follows the main character, Molly Bolt, through her various life experiences and sexual partners, from early childhood through her adult life. This story is a really amazing look at what it's like to be queer at every stage of life, and how Molly handles each situation. This is a really in-depth portrayal of real queer experiences and actual feelings, and is very relatable for a lot of people.

More Happy Than Not

Adam Silvera

Content warning: suicide, self harm, hate crime

Adam Silvera does an amazing job of bringing fiction to life with this story. Aaron, the main character, deals with grief, suicidal thoughts, internalized homophobia, hate crimes, and struggles with being a queer person of color in New York. Aaron discovers his attraction to boys, and has to learn how to navigate in a world surrounded by homophobic peers and a homophobic parent. Thankfully, he is able to find comfort with his mother, brother, and best friend Thomas. This book deals with some pretty heavy topics like suicide, abuse, self harm, and homophobia, and might be triggering for some.

Autoboyography

Christina Lauren

Content warning: Religious homophobia, Internalized homophobia

This book is set in Mormon Utah, and follows an out bisexual teen, Tanner, whose family moves to a Utah suburb from California, and is subsequently pushed back into the closet in an attempt to protect him from potentially dangerous encounters. I really appreciated the different perspectives that this book offers between the two main characters; Tanner is an openly proud bisexual teen, and Sebastian is a closeted gay Mormon. This book mostly focuses on Tanner and Sebastian's relationship, and their separate feelings about it. The book also explores themes like Sebastian's internalized homophobia, as well as homophobia perpetrated by the church. This book will probably make you cry from heartbreak, then sew your heart back up again and make you cry happy tears.

Two Boys Kissing

David Levithan

This story is told in a unique way, with one main story line, and three smaller stories that are all related. It is also told by the voices of gay men that have died of AIDS, which gives the book an extra powerful meaning. The story is based on true events, and follows Harry and Craig, who are former boyfriends, and are trying to set a new Guinness World Record for the longest kiss. The book also includes the stories of Peter and Neil, an established couple; Avery and Ryan, a new couple; and Cooper, who is not in a relationship and struggles with loneliness. This book also features a trans character, who we watch struggle with his identity, and how the world sees him.

Call Me By Your Name

Andre Aciman 

One of my favorite things about this book is the multi-lingualism of it; while it is mostly written in English, it also features lots of Italian, and some French. It is set in Italy in the 1980s, where an American research assistant, Oliver, comes to Italy for the summer and stays with Elio's family, while Oliver and Elio's Father work on a project. This book is so so beautifully written, and the descriptions in this book are beyond amazing. I really love the relatability of this book, as well as the almost fantasy feel of it, because of Elio's words of longing and love to Oliver. I love the curiosity that this book inspires, as well as the questioning and curiosity about his own sexuality that Elio seems to have throughout the entire story. 

I'll Give You The Sun

Jandy Nelson

This book is told in two different times, from the two different perspectives of two twins, Noah and Jude. Noah tells the earlier years, and Jude tells the later years. The book separates the stories at the beginning, but as the stories go on, we can easily see how they come together, and the end fits perfectly in place. This whole book is art. There are so many artistic references within this book, and I love the detail of Noah occasionally interjecting the story with ideas for paintings; this detail really made me love each character and cherish each moment in the story more. I feel like I learned from this book as well, by the way that the book perceives art. After I was finished with this book, I wanted to go out and make some art myself.

Vanilla

Billy Merell

"Vanilla" follows two boys, Hunter and Vanilla, on their journey coming out, dating, and navigating high school. One of the awesome things about this book is the way that it is written; in poems, where each character has their own font to represent their words. This book also features an asexual character who is struggling with the realization, and has to deal with those around him who are not asexual, as well as come out to those he had previously come out to as gay. There is also a genderqueer character who we get to follow in their discovery of their gender, and experience certain feelings alongside them. I did think this book was a bit campy, and not as realistically portrayed as other books I've read.