6 LGBT Titles You Might Have Missed This Year

The Great Bravura by Jill Dearman

Since they were teens, Bravura and Susie have been best friends, business partners and occasional bedmates. But when the two women hire the mysterious Lena to be the third person in their magic act, Bravura can’t help but fall madly in love with the new, alluring addition to their group, leaving Susie confused and conflicted about odd Lena’s beliefs in real life magic. And then, when Susie actually disappears during the “Disappearing Box” act, Bravura will have to find her friend before it’s too late… even if it means incriminating herself and Lena along the way.

Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family by Amy Ellis Nutt

Kelly and Wayne Maines thought their lives were complete when they adopted identical twin boys Jonas and Wyatt. But before long, they noticed a difference in the brothers: Jonas wanted to play sports and with trucks, while Wyatt wanted to play dress-up, Little Mermaid and with princess dolls. As they grow up and Wyatt insists that he is female, the family struggles to confront their views on gender identity, and will ultimately become an advocate for gender identity and trans rights. At the same time emotionally wrenching and uplifting, Wyatt’s transition to Nicole is about one girl’s fighting to be herself with the love and support of her family and community.

Anything Could Happen by Will Walton

Tretch’s straight best friend, Matt, has no idea that Tretch is in love with him…and neither does anyone else in their tiny, everyone-knows-everyone town. But living with his feelings hidden is slowly taking control of Tretch’s life: his family doesn’t know the real him, and the remarks from the obnoxious guy at school are starting to hit really close to home. But Tretch can’t keep his feelings or his true self contained for much longer, and he knows that in order to feel whole again, things are going to get worse before they get better.

About a Girl by Sarah McCarry

Everything is going great for eighteen-year-old Tally: she has the unconditional love of her adoptive family, a loyal best friend and dreams of becoming a Nobel prize-winning astronomer. But when an unexpected discovery involving the mother that abandoned her soon after birth propels Tally on a journey to find the one person who can answer questions about her family and her past, Tally meets a girl named Maddy who turns her world upside down. Beautiful and enigmatic, Maddy shows Tally that life can be bigger and more complicated than she anticipated, and that the future is never set in stone.

This Book Is Gay by James Dawson and David Levithan

Regardless of sexual preference or gender, this book is the instruction manual with all the answers to the questions you’ve ever had about sex, politics, hooking up and more. It’s entertaining yet informative, and filled with advice, real-life stories and hilarious illustrations. It’s funny and candid compilation of what it means to grow up LGBT today, but most importantly, it’s a reminder that regardless of who you love or how you identify, you matter.

Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta

Ijeoma is just eleven when she’s sent away to safety following the outbreak of the Nigerian civil war, and when she meets and falls in love with another displaced child, they become inseparable and fall in love. But since they are of different ethnicities, and both girls, they must keep their feelings a secret for fear of being discovered. Over the course of Ijeoma’s life, she will find ways to build her life around love and truth while her country is torn apart by war and prejudice.