One Man Guy and Hold My Hand--"It's like all my life I was eating frozen yogurt. And kissing boys is ice cream."

Titles: One Man Guy and Hold My Hand

Author: Michael Barakiva


LGBTQ+ Representation: Main characters are gay


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer):
One Man Guy--Alek's excitement over summer break turns to dread when his parents enroll him in summer school. But there, he meets Ethan, a cool skater boy. Alek can't believe someone like Ethan would want to be his friend, let alone be more than friends. Besides, Alek isn't gay . . . is he? And what would his conservative Armenian-American parents think of Ethan? Are they too different to make it together?

Hold My Hand--Alek and Ethan's six-month anniversary is coming up, and Alek is wondering if he and Ethan should take their relationship to the next level--but then Alek finds out that Ethan has done something so terrible that Alek is not sure whether he should stay with Ethan anymore. Should he move on to the cute boy at Greek school (while working to change his church) or give Ethan another chance?


What I think: Between watching Greta Thunberg's speeches and reading some awesome girl-power books, I am ready to smash the patriarchy! But before the smashing occurs, I wanted to recommend this adorable book duo about Alek and Ethan.

If you enjoyed the suspense of Deposing Nathan, you should read All Eyes on Us OR "If you don't do what I say, blood will spill"

Title: All Eyes on Us

Author: Kit Frick


LGBTQ+ Representation: Two lesbian characters


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Amanda enjoys dating Carter, while keeping her mother's alcoholism and her family's debt a secret. Amanda pretends not to know that Carter is also dating Rosalie--who is using Carter so her parents won't find out about her girlfriend and send her back to conversion therapy. One day, Amanda and Rosalie both get threatening text messages. Can they figure out who is sending the messages before the sender gets violent?


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): If I had started reading this book in the bathtub, I would have frozen because I would not have been able to get out until I was finished! As it was, I stayed up entirely too late reading it because it was impossible for me to put it down.