Ana on the Edge--"I don't want them to think girl, but I don't want them to think boy either"

Title: Ana on the Edge

Author: A.J. Sass


LGBTQ+ Representation: Main character is nonbinary, secondary characters are gay and transmasculine.


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Twelve-year-old Ana-Marie is a junior figure skating champion. Yet she does not feel comfortable when her new skating outfit has a skirt: she doesn’t feel girly. Ana meets Hayden, a transgender boy who assumes Ana is also a boy. Ana finds comfort in a boyish identity but isn’t sure it fits how she feels either. Will living her truth ruin her skating career?


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): What sticks with me a lot about this book is how super mature and responsible Ana is, especially for a twelve-year-old. She and her mother, who has sacrificed to help Ana become a successful skater, have a great relationship. 
    

The Best at It--"Being different is what makes us fun, remember?"

Title: The Best at It

Author: Maulik Pancholy


LGBTQ+ Representation: Main character is questioning/gay


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Rahul has a great family (even if his dad's Bollywood Supply band and his mom's excitement over the International bazaar are overwhelming) and, along with his bestie Chelsea, is excited to start seventh grade. Rahul's beloved grandfather, Bhai, advises Rahul to find one thing and "be the best at it." Rahul works to find his "best," deals with growing anxiety, avoids the neighborhood bully, and wills himself NOT to stare too much at cute Justin.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I tried super hard to write in a professional voice about the merits of this book: its sensitive portrayals of mental illnesses, questioning sexuality, celebrating Indian culture in majority white small-town Indiana (where I spent my childhood), inter-generational relationships, dealing with middle school bullies, and the correlation of athletic success to high self esteem in youth.

See? I could be a reference librarian.

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me--"I'm just willing what I'm feeling to be true. I'm willing myself to believe this is real."

Title: Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me

Author: Mariko Tamaki; Illustrations by Rosemary Valero-O'Connell


LGBTQ+ Representation: Main and supporting characters are lesbians and background characters are queer


Content Waring: Abortion


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Freddy is madly in love with her girlfriend, Laura, but Laura (who is popular, funny, cute, thoughtless, and MEAN) keeps breaking up with her. Freddy's friends can't understand why she keeps going back to Laura Dean, and their on-again, off-again relationship nearly causes Freddy to lose her best friend.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): Laura Dean is one of those books that I can see non-YA readers (or those who prefer their books to be moralistic in content) scoffing at. Teenage Freddy is besotted with Laura, who is just the WORST. I strongly identify with Rainbow Rowell's blurb on the back of the book:

How to Be Remy Cameron--"Discovery is in the journey, not the destination"

Title: How to Be Remy Cameron

Author: Julian Winters


LGBTQ+ Representation: Main character is gay.


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Remy Cameron is pretty well-known at school: he is out and proud, surrounded by friends, and is confident that he wants to attend Emory after he graduates. However, when he is asked to write an essay defining himself, Remy does not know where to start. Gay? Black? Adopted? Single? When he meets a surprising new person and starts a new romance, Remy is more confused than ever. How should he define himself?


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I read a lot of young adult literature--years of working with teenagers and happy memories of reading as a teenager fuel my love of books for teenagers. Every once in a while, I read a book in which the character's voice is extremely realistic: it hits that happy, confusing, hormonal, mature-yet-immature medium of teenage-hood.

How to Be Remy Cameron is that book.

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.

Black Wings Beating--"Birds of prey killed to eat, but only humans could choose to kill"

Title: Black Wings Beating (Skybound Saga Series #1)

Author: Alex London


LGBTQ+ Representation: One of the main characters is gay, as is at least one supporting character.


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Kylee can speak the ancient Hollow Tongue but wants nothing to do with falconry, the sport that's brought death, debt, and misery to her family. Brysen, to save the boy he loves, seeks the Ghost Eagle, a famed predator that has never been captured. To complete the quest, Kylee and Brysen climb the mountains, which are full of power-hungry tribes of people who do not hesitate to murder those who get in their way.


What I think:

EMCEE (off-camera): Welcome Theydies and Gentlethems to today's episode of Jen Reads the Rainbow--The Game Show version!

[Upbeat theme music plays; audience applauds uproariously]

EMCEE: Featuring Alex London's Black Wings Beating!


[Audience applauds as JEN makes entrance]

JEN: Thank you, thank you everyone! I'm thrilled to be here tonight. I just finished the book Black Wings Beating and y'all . . . I really enjoyed it!

[Applause and cheering]


JEN: However--there is ONE part of the book that I dislike.

Lily and Dunkin--"Words have the power to change the world. Use them carefully."

Title: Lily and Dunkin

Author: Donna Gephart


LGBTQ+ Representation: Main character is a trans girl.


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Lily knows she is a girl and wishes her father would stop calling her Tim and the bullies at school would leave her alone. Will she able to finally start hormone blockers? Dunkin is new in town and desperate to fit in, so why should it matter if he skips his bipolar medications occasionally if he becomes a better basketball player? Lily and Dunkin become friends despite the obstacles life throws at them.


What I think (contains spoilers): I checked out this book from the library and even before I finished reading it, I wanted to buy it for myself and said:

Last Seen Leaving--"Sweat prickled like a rash across my scalp, and my heart chugged like the engine of an ocean liner"

Title: Last Seen Leaving

Author: Caleb Roehrig


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Flynn's girlfriend, January, is missing. The police are certain Flynn knows something, especially when they discover that January was pregnant when she disappeared. Forced to come out the closet to clear his name, Flynn vows to find out what happened to January--did she run away, or was she murdered? And if she is dead, will her killer strike again?


What I think: Last Seen Leaving has been in my TBR pile for months, and I finally got around to it thanks to . . . Twitter.

The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles)--"You're a girl and you date girls. You have all the girl knowledge someone could possess"

Title: The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles)

Author: Amy Spalding


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Abby is super excited when she lands an internship at one of her favorite boutiques; finally, she can get her start working in fashion beyond writing a plus-sized-fashion themed blog. Abby does not plan on falling for her fellow intern, photographer Jordi; or becoming friends with Jax. But will Abby's insecurities cost her her relationship with Jordi and jeopardize a possible paid-position with the boutique?


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): When I was a junior high teacher, I would have my students write "a class constitution" together. The list of classroom rules and norms would always include something about behavior, and when I would ask a new class about behavior, one student would say "The Golden Rule!" and everyone would nod, knowing that the Golden Rule is the end-all of behavior rules, and then I would say "but the Golden Rule is actually extremely naive and selfish."

Lord of Shadows--"Lex malla, lex nulla" OR "I brought chocolate"

Title: Lord of Shadows, Book #2 of The Dark Artifices

Click here for Lady Midnight, Book #1 of The Dark Artifices
Book #3, Queen of Air and Darkness, coming out December 4! NEXT WEEK!

Author: Cassandra Clare


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): After the events of Lady Midnight, Emma begins fake-dating Julian's half-faerie brother Mark, in order to make Julian fall out-of-love with her so that they can escape the Parabatai curse. Meanwhile, the Unseelie King is tired of the cold peace and refuses to follow the Shadowhunters' demands, the Seelie Queen is trying to get the Black Volume for her own needs, and where is Annabel?  Is she alive?


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I've already talked about what I love about the Dark Artifices series, and even though I meant to only talk about Lady Midnight in that review, I actually mentioned quite a bit of Lord of Shadows also.  Oops.  So if you haven't read that review, you should read it first, and then we will (well, I, but you can virtually) geek out about what we want to see and don't want to see happen in Queen of Air and Darkness.

Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World--"Is this what a crush felt like? A constant stomachache, a bubbly feeling in your fingertips?"

Title: Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World

Author: Ashley Herring Blake


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Twelve-year-old Ivy and her family are displaced and devastated when a tornado destroys their home. Ivy is especially upset because she loses her notebook of secret drawings (some of which are of girls holding hands) and feels lost and ignored by her stressed-out parents. Meanwhile, Ivy becomes friends with and develops a crush on June, and then starts to receive mysterious notes from someone who has found her notebook.  Who's the keeper of Ivy's secrets?


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): This book is adorable; I felt so warm and fuzzy after reading it. Ivy is a realistic seventh-grader who expresses her feelings through her art and is just figuring out her sexuality.  The tornado is terrifying to read about; the Indiana girl that I am has been through several tornadoes but never one that destroyed my home. I would have been so very upset had that happened to me when I was twelve.

The 57 Bus--"I am not a thug, gangster, hoodlum, nor monster." OR "He's a sixteen-year-old kid and sixteen-year-old kids are kind of dumb."

Title: The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime that Changed Their Lives

Author:  Dashka Slater


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Sasha is an agender nonbinary teenager who attends a private school for academically gifted students. Richard attends Oakland High School, is turning his life around, and is determined to graduate. One day they are both on the bus, and Richard is joking around with a lighter and sets Sasha's skirt on fire. Sasha spends months in the hospital, and Richard is arrested, charged as an adult, and could face life in prison if convicted.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): When I was a teenager, I watched the movie Twelve Angry Men, a story of jurors serving on a murder trial. A lot of damning evidence is presented at the trial, and eleven of the jurors want to immediately come to a guilty verdict. But one juror decides that they need to reexamine the evidence, and in the process, they discover enough reasonable doubt that each juror eventually changes his vote to not guilty.

Where You Are--"Public school is a world unto itself. It's okay to be gay; you just don't talk about it. It's an unspoken rule."

Title: Where You Are

Author: J. H. Trumble


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer):  Robert is a high school senior who has never felt accepted by his dying father and feels lost in the shuffle of his demanding aunts and hospice care who have taken over the house.  Andrew is Robert's high school calculus teacher who bonds with Robert when Robert needs an adult role model.  However, student-teacher boundaries are crossed when their relationship turns from friendly to romantic.  If the truth gets out, Andrew will lose everything.


What I think:  ADHD is my superpower, at least, that's what I tell myself.  I am in the process of drafting four posts, reading six books, completing three class projects, and have four books on hold at the library, and this is in addition to raising three kids with special needs and acting in community theatre.  (If you are reading this and you live near Greensboro, NC, come see Shared Radiance's production of As You Like It!)

So how do I deal with so many projects at once?

My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins & Fenway Park--"& brothers, JFK, sign language, divas, & extreme fabulousness!"

Title: My Most Excellent Year:  A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins & Fenway Park

Author:  Steve Kluger

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): TC, Augie, and Alè tell stories of their freshman year in high school.  When TC was six, his mother died, and TC and Augie became close friends and "brothers."  Alè is new in school, the daughter of the US ambassador to Mexico, and secretly taking singing and dancing lessons. TC develops an instant crush on her. Meanwhile, Augie comes into his own as a fabulous, singer-dancer-actor, taking the school by storm in Kiss Me Kate.

What I think:  Wow, I am not sure I can adequately describe how much I loved this book.  I think I will just list some of the awesome parts of the book below:

The Art of Starving--"More authors need to write books like this: young adults should discuss addiction, sexuality, and bullying openly, without fear of judgment"

Title: The Art of Starving

Author: Sam J. Miller

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Matt a lonely, gay, high school student, finds that when he starves himself, his senses are heightened; and he can develop his superhuman powers (such as mind reading and control). Matt must befriend and then destroy Tariq because Tariq hurt Matt's older sister, Maya, causing her to run away.  Matt's mother, a closet alcoholic, is stressed because she is afraid she will lose her job at the slaughterhouse.

What I think (in 250 words or fewer): Matt, the (very unreliable!) narrator, is written so well, readers (or at least I) want to trust and believe him. I found myself wondering if your senses do heighten if you're hungry (they don't).

The fact, however, that I felt compelled to research it just shows you how believable Matt's voice is.

The Other F-Word--"Leaving the shire to face the dragon"

Title: The Other F-Word

Author: Natasha Friend

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Hollis and her mother, Leigh, are grieving the loss of Pam, Leigh's wife and Hollis's parent. Milo suffers from food allergies and wants to know his medical history. Hollis has never met her sperm-donor father, but when Milo, who has the same sperm donor, contacts Hollis, she agrees to help him connect with their biological father.  Together they meet two additional half-siblings, come to terms with their parentage, and learn to appreciate their families.

What I think (in 250 words or fewer): The concept for this story fascinated me so much that I did some Internet research.  The Donor Progeny Project described in this book does not exist--but a Donor Sibling Registry does, so a story like The Other F-Word is theoretically possible.

Perfect Ten--"Love can make you stupid. And crazy."

Title: Perfect Ten

Author: L. Philips

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Sam has been on a romantic dry-spell for a couple of years, ever since he broke up with the only eligible gay boy (and his best friend), Landon.  Sam is convinced to perform a Wiccan spell with his friend, Meg, to find the perfect boyfriend.  Could it be Gus, the French exchange student; Travis, the sexy musician; Jamie, the talented artist; or loyal Landon, who wants another chance?  Will Sam ever find his true love?

What I think (in 250 words or fewer): Perfect Ten is a fun summer beach read.  The slight angst is of the teenage romantic type, and everything turns out fabulous, in the fairy-tale style of Harlequin romance novels.

Little and Lion--"A good choice for a literature circle or book club"

Title: Little and Lion

Author:  Brandy Colbert


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Suzette returns to her LA home after spending the school year in a boarding school.  While she was there, she had a romantic relationship with her roommate and is now confused about her sexuality.  While home, Suzette develops a crush on her female coworker, Rafaela, and begins dating her childhood friend, Emil. Lionel, Suzette's bipolar stepbrother, begins dating Rafaela and stops taking his medication.  Suzette is very worried about Lionel, which affects her other relationships.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I just finished reading and am still trying to process all the issues and discussion-able topics in Little and Lion.  If I were still teaching high school, this would be a great choice for a small group discussion literature circle.

Far from the Tree--"A fantastic book, but a tear-jerker for sure"

Title: Far from the Tree

Author: Robin Benway


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Sixteen-year-old Grace has just given her baby up for adoption.  Desperate to connect with someone who knows how she feels, Grace decides to search for her birth mother and finds two half-siblings, Joaquin (who has spent his life in foster care) and Maya (whose volatile parents are getting divorced). Together, the newly-united siblings search for their mother but also learn about love, belonging, and what it means to be a family.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I downloaded this e-book to give me something happier to read while I took a break from the intense angst of Call Me by Your Name.  Ha, ha, ha, the joke was on me--I read Far from the Tree--and cried and cried and cried.  A fantastic book, but a tear-jerker.

The Other Boy--"Not that traumatic of a read"

Title: The Other Boy

Author: M. G. Hennessey with cool artwork by Sfé R.Monster


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Shane is a regular twelve-year-old boy: Josh is his best friend, graphic novels are his hobby, Madeline is his crush, and baseball is his favorite sport.  However, Shane has not told anyone at his new school his secret: he was born a biological female, although Shane has always lived as the boy he knows he truly is. When one of his baseball teammates finds out and tells the whole school Shane's secret, Shane experiences bullying.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I was nervous when I started reading this book because it is the one that mirrors my life the most out of the transgender-themed books I've reviewed so far.  Shane is a transgender boy who is completely stealth at school and a star on his baseball team.  He hasn't told anyone about his past, including his best friend, Josh.  Shane's father is not quite as understanding as Shane's mother, and I thought that would be a major conflict, but it was resolved pretty quickly.