Book picks similar to
Crossing with the Light by Dwight Okita


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The Night Listener


Armistead Maupin - 2000
    As Noone's friendship with the dying boy grows, he feels he can unlock his innermost feelings. But troubling questions arise, and he is forced to confront all his relationships - familial, romantic and erotic.

Because You'll Never Meet Me


Leah Thomas - 2015
    Ollie is allergic to electricity. Contact with it causes debilitating seizures. Moritz’s weak heart is kept pumping by an electronic pacemaker. If they ever did meet, Ollie would seize. But Moritz would die without his pacemaker. Both hermits from society, the boys develop a fierce bond through letters that become a lifeline during dark times—as Ollie loses his only friend, Liz, to the normalcy of high school and Moritz deals with a bully set on destroying him.A story of impossible friendship and hope under strange circumstances, this debut is powerful, dark and humorous in equal measure. These extraordinary voices bring readers into the hearts and minds of two special boys who, like many teens, are just waiting for their moment to shine.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe


Benjamin Alire Sáenz - 2012
    Ari can't. Dante is articulate and self-assured. Ari has a hard time with words and suffers from self-doubt. Dante gets lost in poetry and art. Ari gets lost in thoughts of his older brother who is in prison. Dante is fair skinned. Ari's features are much darker. It seems that a boy like Dante, with his open and unique perspective on life, would be the last person to break down the walls that Ari has built around himself.But against all odds, when Ari and Dante meet, they develop a special bond that will teach them the most important truths of their lives, and help define the people they want to be. But there are big hurdles in their way, and only by believing in each other―and the power of their friendship―can Ari and Dante emerge stronger on the other side.

Women


Chloe Caldwell - 2014
    The book is an urgent recall of heartbreak, a stark portrait of an identity in crisis.

You Know Me Well


Nina LaCour - 2016
    For whatever reason, their paths outside of class have never crossed.That is, until Kate spots Mark miles away from home, out in the city for a wild, unexpected night. Kate is lost, having just run away from a chance to finally meet the girl she has been in love with from afar. Mark, meanwhile, is in love with his best friend Ryan, who may or may not feel the same way.When Kate and Mark meet up, little do they know how important they will become to each other—and how, in a very short time, they will know each other better than any of the people who are supposed to know them more.Told in alternating points of view by Nina LaCour and David Levithan, You Know Me Well is a story about navigating the joys and heartaches of first love, one truth at a time.

Open Mind


Luna David - 2019
    After years of moving from place to place, he’s met so many new people but hasn’t formed any true connections. Jamie knows it’s time to stop avoiding his life, like he’s been doing since the death of his mother; his only family. Moving to the big city of Powell’s Point to share an apartment with his best friend is exactly what he needs. It feels like the best time to set down some roots and get into a routine...and maybe, just maybe find love. Ronan Kincaid comes from a long line of doctors. Not being one to conform to the desires of his parents or society, his small practice focuses on the people in the BDSM community of Powell’s Point. Often misunderstood, the community needs someone who knows and lives their lifestyle...someone who will take care of them the way they deserve. With his well-respected practice and exceptional bedside manner—coupled with afterhours scenes and kinky house calls—the nickname Dr. Kink takes hold, much to his dismay. Needing to replace his long-time nurse, he hires the best candidate for his growing practice, figuring his mild attraction is of no consequence. But as time passes, he finds it harder and harder to keep his thoughts and hands away from his new nurse. If only Jamie wasn’t so captivating, drawing Ronan to touch. As their mounting attraction becomes impossible to ignore, their secrets are revealed, changing everything between them. Heated glances turn into heated touches, and they find themselves wondering: Is what they have a passing phase of pleasure and kink, or can they both open their minds to the possibility of a forever love? Author’s Note: For those of you that prefer warnings use the “Look Inside” feature to find them within the first several pages. For those of you that prefer to be surprised, ignore them. . . Happy reading!

Sweater Weather


lumosinlove - 2017
    Read if you like cute nicknames, slow burn, and pining. Yep. That's it.

10 Smart Things Gay Men Can Do to Improve Their Lives


Joe Kort - 2003
    Joe Kort explores as he guides readers through the complex journey of becoming a gay man. Dr. Kort points out that the beginning of this journey is about taking responsibility for your own life, and reading this book shows you exactly how to do this. Readers will learn how to identify their own internalized homophobia that is preventing many of gay men from leading satisfying lives and keeping them from having healthy relationships.Gay men often say that after coming out they feel better at first, but for many it doesn't last. 10 Smart Things Gay Men Can Do to Improve Their Lives provides a thorough map for navigating through the difficult terrain of becoming the gay man you want to be in the context of your family, of your sexual health, and ultimately of a partnered relationship.* Discover how to find your authentic gay self* Learn the five biggest mistakes gay men make when seeking a relationship* Understand how to understand loved ones who disapprove of you being gay* Overcome damaging patterns that are holding you back from a healthy sex life

The Foxhole Court


Nora Sakavic - 2013
    He's short, he's fast, he's got a ton of potential—and he's the runaway son of the murderous crime lord known as The Butcher.Signing a contract with the PSU Foxes is the last thing a guy like Neil should do. The team is high profile and he doesn't need sports crews broadcasting pictures of his face around the nation. His lies will hold up only so long under this kind of scrutiny and the truth will get him killed.But Neil's not the only one with secrets on the team. One of Neil's new teammates is a friend from his old life, and Neil can't walk away from him a second time. Neil has survived the last eight years by running. Maybe he's finally found someone and something worth fighting for.

Changing Trains: One boy's journey of discovery across 1980s Europe


Mark Johnson - 2018
     Changing Trains is a fictionalised memoire that will transport you back to the glorious 1980s - that time just before mobile devices, the internet and social media changed the world - and one working class boy's journey of discovery and sexual self awareness.

The Perfect Family


Kathryn Shay - 2010
    Jamie, the gay son, just wants to live his life out of the shadows. Maggie, mother, teacher and psychologist, will do anything to protect her child, even side with him against her husband. Mike, a loving, giving father, can’t reconcile his beloved Catholic Church’s indictment of homosexuality with his deep unconditional love of his boy. And Brian longs for things to go back to the way they were before the jocks at school started to taunt his brother and turn against him. But when tragedy strikes Jamie’s new boyfriend, they all begin to look at their lives differently and work harder to save their perfect family.“After twenty years of educating on gay issues, I found THE PERFECT FAMILY a fresh, soulful and enlightening story.” Scott Fearing, Outreach Director, The Gay Alliance of Genesee Valley“I recommend this book highly. It is a must read for anyone dealing with coming out to their family, friends, and coworkers.” David Parker, PFLAG"THE PERFECT FAMILY is the perfect read…poignant…written with grace and sensitivity… celebrates the healing power of forgiveness and understanding." Susan Wiggs, NYT Bestselling Author“The book should be in school libraries, psychologists’ offices and on teachers’ book shelves!” Stacy B. Killings, Certified School Psychologist"It's been a long time since I've read a book that so comprehensively and compellingly speaks to a teenager's coming out experience." Reverend Lee Ann Bryce, United Church of Christ Minister“Warmly poignant, realistic, dramatic and honestly presented, Shay’s story is an engrossing family saga for the modern world.” RT Book Reviews

Swipe Right for Murder


Derek Milman - 2019
    But that lapse in judgement leads to him waking up next to a dead guy, which sparks an epic case of mistaken identity that puts Aidan on the run from everyone---faceless federal agents, his eccentric family, and, naturally, a cyber-terrorist group who will stop at nothing to find him.He soon realizes the only way to stop the chase is to deliver the object everyone wants, before he gets caught or killed. But for Aidan, the hardest part is knowing who he can trust not to betray him---including himself.

Wide Awake


David Levithan - 2006
    They were shocked, barely comprehending. Me? I sat there and beamed. Everything seems to be going right in Duncan's life: The candidate he's been supporting for president has just won the election. Duncan's boyfriend, Jimmy, is with him to celebrate. Love and kindness appear to have won the day.But all too quickly, things start to go wrong. The election is called into question... and Duncan and Jimmy's relationship is called into question, too. Suddenly Duncan has to decide what he's willing to risk for something he believes in... and how far he's willing to go to hold on to the people we hold dear.

Master of One


Jaida Jones - 2020
    Gallows humor. A queer romance.Rags is a thief—an excellent one. He's stolen into noble's coffers, picked soldier's pockets, and even liberated a ring or two off the fingers of passersby. Until he's caught by the Queensguard and forced to find an ancient fae relic for a sadistic royal sorcerer.But Rags could never have guessed this "relic" would actually be a fae himself—a distractingly handsome, annoyingly perfect, ancient fae prince called Shining Talon. Good thing Rags can think on his toes, because things just get stranger from there...

Precious


Roe Horvat - 2020
    Working from home, he routinely resists his brother’s attempts to lure him back to the city. Since his engagement failed, his life is on standby, but Travis likes it that way. Until one day, after a flood in the park, he finds an unconscious young man on the riverbank. Assuming he’s a hiker who got swept up by the river, Travis brings him to the chalet, intent on summoning help from there. Except Micah wasn’t hiking. He’s on the run, scared, and desperate. And he’s in heat. Maybe he can convince the kind, burly alpha who found him to help him. In every way.Precious is an erotic love story, inspired by MM omegaverse romance.