Queer prose anthology filled with diverse characters, experiences, and identities.
Dedicated to “every queer kid out there,” this volume includes contributions from 17 writers, including editor Mitchell, who share stories starring LGBTQIAP teens. The authors are a varied group (both international and multicultural), and their fiction reflects this. The anthology covers a range of genres and narrative styles—from realistic fiction to paranormal to fantasy—and no two are quite the same. Standouts include a piece that balances the need for control in “Kick. Push. Coast.” by Candice Montgomery, about a skateboarder determined to land a new trick and talk to a pretty girl despite their label not feeling right; the hilarious and moving vampire saga about coming out, “What Happens in the Closet” by Caleb Roehrig; C.B. Lee’s pitch-perfect “Lumber Me Mine,” about a lesbian reclaiming herself post-breakup and falling for a classmate in woodshop who is ace; Mark Oshiro’s entry that tackles dating as a big, Latinx gay man in the catfishing-gone-wrong “Refresh”; and Julian Winters’ story tenderly exploring a father-son relationship, “Victory Lap.” Common themes emerge: questioning and exploring self, identities, and labels; family pressure; the desire to be seen and loved; and courage. This is a wonderful addition to queer lit for teens.
Readers will find affirmation and see themselves—maybe for the first time—in this collection. (contributor biographies) (Anthology. 14-18)Pub Date: May 26, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-335-01826-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020
Categories: TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE
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A summer trip helps break 18-year-old Meredith Fox out of a haze of mourning.
Her cousin’s wedding means a return to Martha’s Vineyard, a well-loved destination but one filled with bittersweet memories. It’s been a year and a half since the sudden loss of Meredith’s sister, Claire, and the grief remains strong. Meredith, though, resolves to take this time to celebrate family and bridge the rifts resulting from ghosting friends. She didn’t plan on a meet-cute/embarrassing encounter with the groom’s stepbrother, Wit. Nor did she expect a wedding-week game of Assassin, a water-gun–fueled family tradition. What starts off as a pact of sharing strategic information with Wit grows into something more as the flirting and feelings develop. Only one person can win, though, and any alliance has an expiration date. To win and honor Claire, who was a master of the game, Meredith must keep her eye on the prize. Taking place over the course of a week, the narrative is tight with well-paced reveals that disrupt predictability and keep the plot moving. Early details are picked back up, and many elements come satisfyingly full circle. The short time frame also heightens the tension of this summer romance: What will happen when they leave the bubble of the Vineyard? The mix of budding romance, competitive hijinks, a close-knit circle, as well as dealing with loss make for a satisfying read. The main cast is White.
Summery fun and games with feeling. (family tree) (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-72821-029-2
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: March 31, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
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BOOK REVIEW
Beautifully written historical fiction about giddy, queer first love.
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Finally, the intersectional, lesbian, historical teen novel so many readers have been waiting for.
Lily Hu has spent all her life in San Francisco’s Chinatown, keeping mostly to her Chinese American community both in and out of school. As she makes her way through her teen years in the 1950s, she starts growing apart from her childhood friends as her passion for rockets and space exploration grows—along with her curiosity about a few blocks in the city that her parents have warned her to avoid. A budding relationship develops with her first White friend, Kathleen, and together they sneak out to the Telegraph Club lesbian bar, where they begin to explore their sexuality as well as their relationship to each other. Lo’s lovely, realistic, and queer-positive tale is a slow burn, following Lily’s own gradual realization of her sexuality while she learns how to code-switch between being ostensibly heterosexual Chinatown Lily and lesbian Telegraph Bar Lily. In this meticulously researched title, Lo skillfully layers rich details, such as how Lily has to deal with microaggressions from gay and straight women alike and how all of Chinatown has to be careful of the insidious threat of McCarthyism. Actual events, such as Madame Chiang Kai-shek’s 1943 visit to San Francisco, form a backdrop to this story of a journey toward finding one’s authentic self.
Beautifully written historical fiction about giddy, queer first love. (author’s note) (Historical romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Jan. 19, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-525-55525-4
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: Nov. 12, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020
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