Hey everyone! So I’m going to be starting a new thing: book hauls! If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it basically means I’m going to be slightly self-absorbed and hope you care about my very interesting thoughts on all the books I just bought. Except because I’m poor I’ll probably mostly be doing library book hauls…where I talk about all the books I just checked out. So. Yay? Oh, and it’ll be all (or mostly) Gay YA.
Here we go!
I got:
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz on Audiobook
I’ve only tried an audiobook once before. It didn’t go so well. Hopefully this time will be better! I would’ve gotten a physical copy, but it was already checked out.
Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block
Just saw it on this list and knew I had to get it. (Unfortunately, it was also the only book on the list that was currently at the library, and some weren’t even in the database. Sort of disappointed by that. I requested them all though, so hopefully that will change!)
Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger
I know, I know, how can I co-run this blog and NOT have read this? To be quite honest, I have no idea. Looking forward to fixing this problem now!
My Co-Runner Kathleen and I also bought this beautiful beautiful stack of books at the Loft Literary Center’s Children’s and Young Adult Lit Con that Kathleen and I attended that had a fabulous panel of Gay YA authors. So these are all signed, and there may or may not be some giveaways coming up….
Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills
This is the only one that I had read already. I love it so so so much. It’s a contemporary novel about a transgender boy that’s actually super happy and not angst-ridden and shows that trans* kids are made up of more than their genitalia. Gabe’s story also helped me discover my own sexuality & gender identity, which I will forever be grateful for.
This book is going to be our June Book of the Month, so you should all pick it up now!
Silhouette of a Sparrow by Molly Beth Griffin
I’ve typed this title in several different settings, and EVERY TIME it takes me at least five tries to get the spelling right. Sigh. This book is historical fiction, and really is told in a lovely voice. And as the author said “I wanted to write a love story– not a coming out story, not an ‘issue’ story, not a book just for gay people– just a love story.” Can’t wait to start it!
Caught in the Crossfire by Juliann Rich
I started this one as soon as I got home, and finished it in two days. It was SO GOOD. It’s about a young gay guy named Jonathon, who is also a devout Christian, and is struggling to reconcile those two things. And also there’s some adorable romantic stuff. (It actually reminded me of a few fanfictions I’ve read– which is not a slam at all, because I hold fanfics in the highest esteem.) Anyways, I’m not going to say anything else, because I’m writing a whole review for this one, but it was REALLY GOOD and I can’t wait until the sequel, Searching for Grace, comes out in September!
The Cutting Room Floor by Dawn Klehr
This book looks like everything overprotective adults would want to keep out of my hands: murder, lesbians, lies, manipulation, teenage angst…which, as it turns out, are also my favorite things to read about. I can’t wait to start it.
Being Emily by Rachel Gold
This is about a transgender girl and is another one that I CANNOT believe I haven’t read since I co-run this site. I can’t wait to start reading it. At the con, Kathleen and I got to chat with Rachel for awhile, and she is just the coolest.
Asher’s Fault by Elizabeth Wheeler
It’ll probably be a little while until I read this one as it is at Kathleen’s house, but it looks tear-jerking and artsy and full of gayness and exploration. And Elizabeth gave us both hugs when we introduced ourselves!
So…that’s a lot of books. Probably won’t get to read them all this month, but I’m going to try to get to as many as possible! If any of you have read any of these, or plan to, please tweet me! I’d love to chat about them. Sorry our comments are still shut down…The Great Spam Purge is still in progress. We had over 100,000 spam comments and they can only be deleted 150 at a time. Through much sweat and tears, we got it down to 12,000…so they should be open soon!
In the next few months, you can look forward to guest posts by these last five authors. They’re all amazing writers and people, and have such great things to say!
That’s all for now,
Your Co-Webmistress, Victoria
