Lucy
Gonzalez and Dietrich deliver the perfect combination of sweetness and angst with this queer boy band romance. After catapulting to fame as teens, the members of Saturday are starting to realize that international pop stardom is not all it's cracked up to be. Over the course of a whirlwind European tour, these four best friends are forced to reevaluate their relationships with their controlling management, their obsessive fans, and even one another -- especially when bandmates Ruben and Zach realize they are falling in love, and that if management has its way, the world will never know. I was rooting for all four boys to stick it to the industry that wants to put them into neatly labeled boxes, and to share their authentic selves with the public! If you've ever found yourself spending way too much time speculating about the personal lives of your favorite celebrities (and maybe even shipping them...) this one is for you.
Pacific Rim meets The Hunger Games in this bada**, feminist sci-fi epic about a rage-fueled, morally gray heroine seeking vengeance against a brutally patriarchal society. The story is loosely inspired by China’s only female Emperor, and Zhao fuses Chinese history and futuristic technology in the coolest way. This book is truly a wild ride, and worth every second — you will be rooting for Zetian as she sets out to destroy everything in her path, and you will never look at a love triangle the same way again…
Easily one of my favorite books of the year! When his best friend Eddie dies under suspicious circumstances, Andrew follows in his footsteps to Vanderbilt, determined to uncover the truth of Eddie's final days. There, he finds himself thrust into a world of cutthroat academic competition by day and liquor-fueled street-racing by night -- all the while haunted by the gruesome specter of the man he loved. This stunning debut functions as both a mind-bending Southern Gothic and a visceral exploration of loss and grief, served up with a healthy dose of queer longing. I was captivated from start to finish.
A swoon-worthy gay romance set behind-the-scenes of a Bachelor-style dating show; what more could you ask for! I would have loved this book based on the romance and the reality TV intrigue alone, but Cochrun's authentic and nuanced portrayal of mental illness and queerness in their various forms really took it to the next level. I tore through it in two days, and immediately recommended it to my friends. Perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston, or anyone who (like me) started watching The Bachelor semi-ironically and now can't stop.
An atmospheric, character-driven noir set against the backdrop of the Mexican Dirty War on leftist activists in the 1970s. I loved that Moreno-Garcia wasn't afraid to give her protagonists flaws: secretary Maite lives for acts of petty theft and lying to her coworkers about her love life, and government thug Elvis doesn't let his sensitive, cultured side get in the way of doing his bloody job. Even so, as these two circle the same mystery, you can't help but root for them to find each other. Weaving these two storylines together, Moreno-Garcia expertly sheds light on a dark period in Mexican history.
The darkness lurking at the edges of rural Snakebite, Oregon is alive, and it’s hungry. But when newcomer Logan rolls into town — along with her fathers, Snakebite natives who once swore never to return to their small-minded hometown — the Dark may have finally met its match. Teaming up with local Ashley to investigate the disappearances of several Snakebite teens, Logan finds herself dangerously close to uncovering the dark secret at the heart of Snakebite, and her own family history — and falling for Ashley in the process. Beautifully written and addictively scary; think Stephen King, but for queer girls. I could not put it down!
The final installment of Rowell's Simon Snow trilogy is just as inventive, engrossing, and romantic as the last two. Rowell wraps up Simon and Baz's relationship with so much care and depth, and gives every one of her characters a satisfying (if sometimes surprising) ending.
A must read for anyone who loves heist movies, found family, and morally gray protagonists. Bardugo’s entire Grishaverse is great, but this is her darkest and most sophisticated. Gritty and suspenseful, with a diverse cast of characters. You will fall in love with every single character!
A queer coming-of-age story that is moving, romantic, and a little bit spooky! Trans teen Yadriel just wants to prove to his community that he is a real brujo by summoning a spirit. But when the spirit he summons belongs to a recently deceased classmate, Yadriel agrees to investigate his mysterious death, and finds himself falling for a ghost…
A legendary Hollywood star reveals her life story to a no-name reporter, including the sordid details of her seven marriages, and the love of her life who was not among them. A gripping and unforgettable story about love, loss, and the price of fame.