It’s March and it’s time for another Quarterly Book Dump! This is a new library endeavor where we add even more books than usual once every three months to get more great LGBTQ+ content to you. We’ve managed to pull together 17 excellent new works for you to sink into, all of which are YA. We’ve split them into contemporary and speculative fiction categories to help you navigate your preferences. Read on to see what book you have to get your hands on!
Contemporary: Love a good story set in high school? How about teens navigating having to up and move someplace far away from where they’ve come to call home? Interested in stories on finding out where you belong or who you are? One of these may be just the book you’re looking for:
Confessions of a Teenage Hermaphrodite by Lianne Simon tells the story of Jamie, born intersex, trying to find a place in the world and a comfortable identity. Jamie must navigate parental expectations and societal demands to be true to herself, even at great personal risk. Can Jamie attain the life she’s always needed?
The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper revolves around a hectic time in main character Cal’s life. Cal’s forced to reassess his goals and plans when his family abruptly moves from Brooklyn to Houston for his father’s promotion to a NASA job. When Cal meets Leon, he thinks he’d found someone to confide in. But secrets surrounding the mission threaten everything, even as Cal goes searching for the truth.
Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram is a story about identity and self acceptance set in Iran. When Darius takes a trip to Iran with his family to be with his sick grandfather, he thinks he’ll fit in about as well there as he does at home—which is not at all. But then he meets Sohrab, the boy next door, and everything changes.
Grrrls on the Side by Carrie Pack is set in 1994 and involves punk and alternative scenes. When Tabitha, uninterested in boys, finds her way to a Riot Grrrl meetup, she finally feels like she belongs somewhere. Then Jackie walks into her life, and Tabitha has to question everything she thinks she knows, both about herself and about injustice.
Like Other Girls by Britta Lundin has everything from sports to rivalries to crushes. When Mara gets kicked off the basketball team, she decides she’s going to play football instead. But when more girls start joining the team, Mara’s just “one of the girls” again. Can Mara navigate a team which includes both her crush and her nemesis, and figure out how to truly be herself?
Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler is a story about a summer Larissa can’t escape from. When Larissa has a blast with Jasmine over the summer, she never expects to see her again. Now it’s senior year of school and Chase—the guy Larissa’s had a crush on forever—finally notices her, but unexpectedly Jasmine—who was supposed to still be in North Carolina—is at school, too. Now Larissa has the guy—but can’t stop thinking about the girl.
Jay’s Gay Agenda by Jason June offers humor, romance, and more. When Jay’s family moves to Seattle, he can finally work on his romance to-do list he calls his Gay Agenda. Despite finally finding someplace he truly belongs, Jay soon discovers life isn’t always as smooth as you hope.
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender is a story about love—both finding it, and finding what’s to be loved in yourself. Felix is both proud of his identities as Black, queer, and transgender, and fearful they may make him too far outside the reach of the traditional happily-ever-after story. But anonymous transphobic messages soon set Felix on a path to revenge that could end in a very unexpected outcome…
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson is a story of a Black queer girl learning to shine. When Liz’s plans to escape her Midwest town and attend Pennington College fall through, she turns to a backup scheme: secure the scholarship for prom king and queen, even if she hates doing it. The only thing she wasn’t expecting was falling for the competition, new girl Mack.
Darling by K. Ancrum is a thrilling ride of a tale. A modern retelling of Peter Pan with an all-diverse cast, this book will keep you glued all the way to the ending. When Wendy decides to follow mysterious stranger Peter on her first night in Chicago, she thinks she’s in for a party. What she discovers is so much more. With friends, enemies, and secrets all around her, can Wendy survive the night?
Speculative Fiction: Like your queer fiction set someplace unusual? Want your magic and mechs with a bit more LGBTQ content? Enjoy a bit of the supernatural in your reading? These books have adventure, found family, and more.
The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller is an aching story of hunger and desire. Matt believes the longer he goes without eating, the more powers he seems to have, from seeing things he shouldn’t see to maybe even warping time. When he tries to use these powers to find his sister, Maya, he doesn’t know what he’s gotten himself into.
This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria is another tale of finding a lost sibling. In the search for her brother, Karis awakens an automaton—one of many the ruling force called the Scriptorium hope to unlock and use as an army. But Alix is an automaton with a conscience, and now he and Karis are being hunted down. Can Karis find both her brother, and the secret that’s been wielded over her country for centuries?
Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta is an exciting sci fi romp revolving around Eris, a Gearbreaker. Eris’ job is to take down Windups—mechanized weapons of the Godolia forces—from the inside. When Eris meets Sona, an undercover Windup Pilot, in a Godolia prison, she finds someone she can team up with to end Godolia’s reign for good.
Victories Greater than Death by Charlie Jane Anders explores destiny and how it’s not always what you expect. Tina’s grown up with the knowledge she’s the keeper of the interplanetary rescue beacon, but when it activates, Tina finds more than she anticipated. People are expecting her to be someone else, everything’s way more dangerous than she thought, and worst of all, the Royal Fleet is losing the war. But Tina is determined, and has a faithful crew and best friend Rachael to rely on, regardless of what comes.
A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger tells a tale of spirits and people interacting over a catastrophic event. There are those who want to keep Nina, a Lipan girl who believes in the old stories, and Oli, a cottonmouth kid from the land of spirits and monsters, apart. But it’s possible no one can keep their worlds from colliding.
Pet by akwaeke emezi captures the feeling of monsters lurking around you while everyone else denies their presence. When Jam awakens Pet, a creature made of horns and colors and claws, a creature on a mission to hunt a monster, she realizes that the truth she’s been told—there are no monsters anymore—might not be so accurate after all.
Euphoria Kids by Alison Evans is a magical, surreal story offering a wonderful world to explore. Three friends find they have something in common: they’re connected to magic all around them. But that means they also know something’s happening in the other realm, something dangerous. And the three friends are determined to deal with whatever it is on their own terms.
And there it is, the second book dump! Hopefully you’ve found a book—or more!—that you can’t resist. Until next time, happy reading!
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