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More Happy Than Not
Adam Silvera
On the streets of the Bronx, Aaron Soto has learned that proving his masculinity is essential to survival. But then he meets Thomas, who challenges everything Aaron thought he knew about himself. All the while, an organization called the Leteo Institute appears in the neighborhood, promising to erase the memories of those who wish to forget their traumatic pasts. Fans of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind will love this part-queer love story, part-science fiction fantasy that gets at the core of race, class, and sexuality in modern America.
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Every Day Movie Tie-In Edition
David Levithan
Told from the perspective of a character named A, this young adult novel contemplates gender fluidity in all its complexity, with a fantastical twist. Every morning, A wakes up in a different body, with no control over this phenomenon and no warning of whose body it will be. A makes sure never to be noticed or get too involved with the host body’s life, until A wakes up in a boy named Justin’s body and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. Now that A feels affection for someone, the quest of finding one body to inhabit becomes A’s only wish.
October is LGBTQ+ History Month, a time for us to honor and celebrate the many queer voices that have impacted our society. Historically, stories of LGBTQ+ individuals have often been erased or swept under the rug, and this is especially true when it comes to the literature of the past few centuries. Although we still have a long way to go, we’ve certainly made progress in amplifying LGBTQ+ voices, and the desire to see more queer characters in all forms of media is clearly resonant.
To celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month, here’s a list of books that tell stories of LGBTQ+ main characters and narrators. Each book highlights either a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or gender nonconforming figure at the helm of the story, and offers a varying perspective on the struggles of coming out and the importance of owning one’s sexual and gender identity in past and present-day society.
Featured image: Elsa Jenna
