Book picks similar to
Night Kites by M.E. Kerr
young-adult
ya
fiction
lgbt
Wonders of the Invisible World
Christopher Barzak - 2015
But when Jarrod, his former best friend, suddenly moves back home, Aidan begins to see clearly for the first time—not only to feelings that go beyond mere friendship, but to a world that is haunted by the stories of his past. Visions from this invisible world come to him unbidden: a great-grandfather on the field of battle; his own father, stumbling upon an unspeakable tragedy; and a mysterious young boy, whose whispered words may be at the heart of the curse that holds Aidan’s family in its grip. Now, Aidan must find his way between the past and the present to protect those he loves, and to keep the invisible world at bay.
The Sidekicks
Will Kostakis - 2016
The Rebel. The Nerd.All Ryan, Harley and Miles had in common was Isaac. They lived different lives, had different interests and kept different secrets. But they shared the same best friend. They were sidekicks. And now that Isaac's gone, what does that make them?Will Kostakis, award-winning author of The First Third, perfectly depicts the pain and pleasure of this teenage world, piecing together three points of view with intricate splendour.
The World In The Evening
Christopher Isherwood - 1954
After his second marriage suddenly ends, Stephen finds himself living with a relative in a small Pennsylvania Quaker town, haunted by memories of his prewar affair with a younger man during a visit to the Canary Islands. The world traveler comes to a gradual understanding of himself and of his newly adopted homeland. When first published in 1953, The World in the Evening was notable for its clear-eyed depiction of European and American mores, sexuality, and religion. Today, readers herald Christopher Isherwood’s frank portrayal of bisexuality and his early appreciation of low and high camp
Equal Affections
David Leavitt - 1989
Louise, the indomitable matriarch, has had cancer for twenty years. Her son Danny, a lawyer, lives in a New Jersey suburb with his lover Walter, who is slowly growing obsessed with on-line sex; her daughter April is a lesbian activist and folk singer, who knows how to perform a do-it-yourself artificial insemination using basic kitchen utensils. As Louise battles the slow withdrawal of her husband and the ravages of her disease, and as the entire Cooper family struggles to come to terms with her illness, David Leavitt reveals the profound depth and compassion of his narrative command. "Leavitt has written from the point of view of a raging, self-dramatizing mother with clarity and with such compassion that we understand her bitterness and mourn her lost chances.” –– The New York Times Book Review
An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes
Randy Ribay - 2015
Archie's trying to cope with the lingering effects of his parents' divorce, Mari's considering an opportunity to contact her biological mother, Dante's working up the courage to come out to his friends, and Sam's clinging to a failing relationship. The four eventually embark on a cross-country road trip in an attempt to solve--or to avoid--their problems. Told in the narrative style of Akira Kurosawa's RASHOMAN, AN INFINITE NUMBER OF PARALLEL UNIVERSES is at turns geeky, funny, and lyrical as it tells a story about that time in life when friends need each other to become more than just people that hang out.
The Truth Is
NoNieqa Ramos - 2019
Fifteen-year-old Verdad doesn't think she has time for love. She's still struggling to process the recent death of her best friend, Blanca; dealing with the high expectations of her hardworking Puerto Rican mother and the absence of her remarried father; and keeping everyone at a distance. But when she meets Danny, a new guy at school--who happens to be trans--all bets are off. Verdad suddenly has to deal with her mother's disapproval of her relationship with Danny as well as her own prejudices and questions about her identity, and Danny himself, who is comfortable in his skin but keeping plenty of other secrets.
We Contain Multitudes
Sarah Henstra - 2019
With each letter, the two begin to develop a friendship that eventually grows into love. But with homophobia, bullying, and devastating family secrets, Jonathan and Kurl struggle to overcome their conflicts and hold onto their relationship...and each other.This rare and special novel celebrates love and life with engaging characters and stunning language, making it perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson, Nina LaCour, and David Levithan.
Unbearable Girl
Julie Camper - 2013
Unfortunately, being the head cheerleader, on the honor roll and most popular girl in school isn't perfect enough to save Dianna from her from her father's belt, which is the only parenting tool he thinks he needs. With the start of 10th grade and his angry punishments increasing in frequency and intensity, she isn't sure she'll make it to 11th. That is, until she meets Laurie Burns. Laurie is the biggest nerd in school, wears ugly clothes and annoys everyone around her with her know-it-all attitude. She also has a warm, caring heart and opens up her life, and her family, to Dianna in a moment of crisis. Can this weird, unusual girl and her equally unusual family be the key to finally finding the love and security she needs?
Jack
A.M. Homes - 1989
But when Jack's father takes him out in a rowboat on Lake Watchmayoyo and tells his son that he's gay, nothing will ever be normal again.
The Drowning of Stephan Jones
Bette Greene - 1991
It's the farthest feeling from sixteen-year-old Carla Wayland's mind. She can't believe people would persecute others just because they are different. But she isn't about to worry about the injustice surrounding her because she's in love with handsome and popular Andy Harris. Although raised to act on her ethical beliefs, Carla finds that her enchantment with Andy makes her a silent partner in his hate campaign and harassment of gay couple Stephan Jones and Frank Montgomery. At first Carla manages to overlook and explain away Andy's atrocious behavior toward the men. But Stephan drowns as a direct result of what Andy and his friends do, and Carla can no longer deny the truth. Carla must decide before the trial which side she's on and what she stands for. Will justice prevail?
Lies We Tell Ourselves
Robin Talley - 2014
An honors student at her old school, she is put into remedial classes, spit on and tormented daily.Linda Hairston is the daughter of one of the town's most vocal opponents of school integration. She has been taught all her life that the races should be kept separate but equal.Forced to work together on a school project, Sarah and Linda must confront harsh truths about race, power and how they really feel about one another.Boldly realistic and emotionally compelling, Lies We Tell Ourselves is a brave and stunning novel about finding truth amid the lies, and finding your voice even when others are determined to silence it.
Myra Breckinridge/Myron
Gore Vidal - 1968
No one -- not aspiring actor Rusty Godowski, not his girlfriend, Mary-Ann Pringle, not powerful agent Letitia Van Allen -- remains untouched by Myra's quest. Her job teaching Empathy and Posture at the Academy of Drama and Modeling, owned by her uncle Buck Loner, gives her the perfect opportunity to vamp, scheme, and seduce her way into the undiscovered lives and passions of others -- while trying to keep a few secrets of her own.In the sequel, Myron, the Breckinridge saga takes an increasingly bizarre turn. Myron seems to be an inconspicuous man with a sweet wife and a Chinese catering business, and Myra, determined to become a megastar, wages an outrageous battle for hormonal supremacy over the body she shares with Myron. In a tale that combines time-travel with the ultimate Hollywood fantasy, Gore Vidal leads us through the movie-star world of the fabulous forties as Myra attempts to alter cinema history.When Myra Breckinridge first appeared in 1968, critics were delighted, baffled, and somewhat appalled by this comedy of sex change. (Readers made it the number-one best-seller.) Time magazine queried: Has literary decency fallen so low? Perhaps they should have asked, Has literature ever been so witty, so provoking, so intriguing? Thirty years later Myra has become literature's most famous transsexual. After all, this is her/his/their age.
The Illusionist
Françoise Mallet-Joris - 1951
Within days, she is captivated by Tamara, a Russian émigré whose arts of enchantment include lingering kisses, sudden dismissals, and savage, rapturous reunions. As long as she submits to Tamara, Hélène is permitted to stay near her: reading forbidden novels, meeting Tamara’s bohemian friends, and learning more 'refinements of depravity' than the gossiping matrons of her provincial French town could imagine existed.
Read Between the Lines
Jo Knowles - 2015
It won’t be the last time a middle finger is raised on this day. Dreamer Claire envisions herself sitting in an artsy café, filling a journal, but fate has other plans. One cheerleader dates a closeted basketball star; another questions just how, as a "big girl," she fits in. A group of boys scam drivers for beer money without remorse—or so it seems. Over the course of a single day, these voices and others speak loud and clear about the complex dance that is life in a small town. They resonate in a gritty and unflinching portrayal of a day like any other, with ordinary traumas, heartbreak, and revenge. But on any given day, the line where presentation and perception meet is a tenuous one, so hard to discern. Unless, of course, one looks a little closer—and reads between the lines.