Top Five Wednesday ||| Favourite LGBTQ+ (TBR) Reads

It’s Wednesday and that means one thing, time for another top five Wednesday!

Top Five Wednesday was created back in November of 2013 by Lainey from gingerreadslainey on Youtube. It’s a weekly meme that revolves around various (usually bookish) topics.

This weeks topic is my five favourite LGBTQ+ Reads. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community I know that so many books that are a part of the mainstream media actually correctly represent our community and the numerous sexualities that there are. So I think it’s such an good idea to talk about good representations of these different sexualities. When I was I planning this topic I suddenly realised that I haven’t really read that many books that are solely about being LGBTQ+. I’ve read books, many books, that have characters of different sexualities but the books aren’t about there experience of being this. It’s just a part of who they are. If that makes any sense. So I’m going to talk about the five LGBTQ+ Books that are at the top of my tbr. If people have any more recommendations (or the books that I mention aren’t actually good representations) please let me.

Right, let’s get started.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Alire Sàenz

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison; Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When they two first meet, at their local swimming pool, they think they have nothing in common. But as the loners star spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship – the kind that changes lives and last a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Aristotle and Dante learn the most important things about themselves and the kind of people that they want to be.

History is All You Left Me, by Adam Silvera 

When Griffin’s first love – and ex-boyfriend -, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him when the time was right. But now, the future he’s been imagining for himself can never be.

To make matter’s worse, the only person who truly understands his heartache is Jackson. But no matter how much they open up to each other, Griffin’s downward spiral continues. He’s losing himself in his obsessive compulsions and destructive choices, and the secrets he’s been keeping are tearing him apart.

If Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history, every last heartbreaking piece in the puzzle of his life.

Our Own Private Universe, by Robin Talley

Ak Simon is fifteen and she already has a theory about sex. But it’s not the kind of theory you’d think. Aki already knows she’s bisexual – even if it’s mostly been in the hypothetical sense since she’s only dated guys so far, and her best friend, Lori, is the only person to know that she likes girls too.

Aki’s theory is that she’s got only on shot at living an interesting life – and that means she’s got to stop sitting around and thinking so much. It’s time for her to actually do something; or at least try.

And the opportunity arises when Aki and Lori sets off on a youth group with her church to a small Mexican town for the summer. There Aki meets Christa (someone who is slightly older, and who has a lot more experience) and it seems that she will finally discover the answer to her theory.

But it’s not going to be that simple. Because more than one new theory is going to arise, the most important of which is how to know if you’re in love.

Of Fire and Stars, by Audrey Coulthurst 

Princess Dennaleia has been betrothed to the prince of Mynaria since birth; a way to seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, to protect her people from other hostile lands. But Denna hides a secret that could end up getting her killed since she will one day be the Queen of a kingdom where magic is forbidden.

Now, Denna must learn the ways of her new home while trying to hide her growing magic. And her new teacher is Mare, the sister of her betrothed.

After an assassination, Mare and Denna find themselves, reluctantly, joining forces in search of the culprit. And Denna begins to learn that there is much to this princess than she first believed, threatening their newfound friendship to blossom into something more.

But with a war brewing, the alliance is needed now more than ever. Acting upon feelings can have deadly consequences. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms – and each other.

Ramona Blue, by Julie Murphy

Ramona was five years old when Hurricane Katrina hit and changed her life forever.

Since then, it’s been Ramona and her family against the world. Standing over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona is sure of three things: she likes girls, she is fiercely devoted to her family, and she knows that she’s destined for something so much more than the trailer she calls home. But juggling multiple jobs, her flaky mum, and her well-meaning but ineffectual dad forces her to be the adult of the family. And now, with her sister pregnant, responsibility weighs more heavily than ever.

The return of her childhood friend, Freddie, is exactly what Ramona needs. But it causes her to question something about herself when she finds herself falling in love with Freddie. And so she begins to question herself about whether she likes girls, or guys, or both, or if this new attraction is merely a fluke. Either way, Ramona will discover that, for her, life and love are more fluid than they seem.

 

And there we have it! Please feel free to recommend me any other LGBTQ+ reads and let me know if the above are any good (though without any spoilers, please) in the comments.

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!

Book Total of 2017 – 45

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