Boy Queen by George Lester

Robin hopes to be a performer, it's his dream and as a proud gay teen when his life plans fall off course, it's his friend Natalie who helps his realise his new way of life, drag!

With a supportive group of friends and his mum despite her worries over homophobes who could cause trouble for Robin, he sets out on discovering his passion for drag after his birthday at a gay club inspired him.

There's also the matter of Connor, his kind of yes kind of not boyfriend who is known as Secret Boyfriend due to not being outly gay but with some terrible friends.

So when a kind, cute shy new guy starts at their school he and Robin grow closer as Robin's drag act gets planned and showtime looms imminently!

This was such a great book I love that YA is branching out showing young teens that drag is a great expressive thing for them and that it's fun! Robin was a great character and I wish this was a series to see what action came from starting drag for him!

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Noah Goes Nuclear by Simon James Green

In this short fun story we see Noah and Harry along with their other school friends head off on a school trip.

Of course only Noah could get into a situation where he's in a compromising position!

Full of drama and hilarious antics as per the usual Noah and co group tend to get into this mini book is a great little adventure into the wild life of Noah!

Love, Frankie by Jacqueline Wilson

In this book Frankie is enemies for a start with Sally a girl who's mean to her after assuming her mum is a drunk after an incident at their school.

However as the book goes on, Sally befriends Frankie after seeing her out with Sammy her best boy friend from next door who evidently likes Frankie a lot more...

As Frankie learns about her feelings she's dealing with, coping with the drama of her sister's, her mum's MS worsening and their dad's new life situation everything feels out of control for her to cope with.

It was a refreshing read to have a chronic illness as a central issue and a girl struggling to come to terms with her sexuality too probably the most relevant Jacqueline Wilson book about right now and I just know this will help many girl comes to terms with their feelings and accept them too I do wish that we saw more of the alcoholic storyline from Sally's mum though as many kids are also effected by that however maybe we can have a follow up book as the ending left one to be desired...

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

My Brother's Name Is Jessica by John Boyne

In this book Sam idolizes his older brother Jason a talented footballer and the two have a close sibling bond as their parents don't have a lot of time for them as they work for the government in parliament.

However, growing up Jason comes out one day to the family with his secret. His parents react badly thinking it's a silly phase while
Sam is curious and doesn't care just wanting Jason to be happy again especially as Jason gets bullied at school for his girly longer hair, scrunchie and scarf he wears despite comments and bullying.

Can the family survive the truth from Jessica?

Showing bravely how coming out can make it break a family and the stress and upset it can initially cause this was a brave and bold read which I hope will open people's eyes to how coming out is a massive huge deal to admit who they really truly are.

Split by Muhammad Khan

Salma wants to be an actress more than anything more than her communities judgmental eyes and her hard working mother's wishes

Salma has a huge audition to possibly get to play Cinderella only after things go wrong a ripped dress and a non binary fairy godmother in the form of Billie later can she finally get her chance to be her full non split in two self and get closer to her dream?

I really enjoyed this book as Salma is feisty and doesn't give up on her dream despite fearing judgement. She was a fabulous character and the LGBTQIA rep was the best I've read in any book as well as the tone of language I really felt the terror Salma must have felt when the gangster lads were about. The aspect of a modern Cinderella and a Pakistani one was a modern twist and I wish we could really see the play happen, I just wish this was a full length novel it was so good!

Letting Go by Cat Clarke

In this book Astrid goes on a hike with her ex girlfriend Ellie and her new boyfriend Steve.

As they say goodbye to Ellies mum, they realise their unfinished romantic history needs closure, but when trouble strikes and Steve gets injured suddenly their solemn day becomes one filled with panic and worry.

This book delved into multiple issues in one go, death and loss, sexuality, relationships, friendship and facing a tough situation too. I highly reckon this for quick thrilling read.

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

Michael is a gay guy and he's known he was since he was a child and wanted to be friends with girls and play with Barbies.

However as he grows up, he faces bullying, first crushes, finding his best friend Daisy and how she too comes to terms with her sexuality and also heading off to university and discovering drag blossoming into his true self.

A bold fabulous story about becoming the real you despite the bumps along the road this was a powerful novel told in verse and a moving unique story.

Heartstopper Volume 3 by Alice Oseman

In this next part of Nick and Charlie's story we see them embark on a trip to Paris with their classmates where they try to keep their relationship under wraps while their friends also get into relationships and their teachers get close too, there's also matters of bullies and eating disorders which crop up too, this trip isn't short on drama at all.

I love this series full of the usual teen drama mental health, lgbtqia themes and characters it's such a cute modern romance and I root for these guys I can't wait for more more more!

Birthday by Meredith Russo

Eric and Morgan have known each other since they were born and always spend their brithday toegther.

However when Morgan loses her mum, she shuts off from the word after trying and failing to come out to her friend about really being a girl, trapped in seemingly a boy's body and tha she's actually transgender.

As they grown up, we see how they both question their sexuality over thoughts they have for the other, how they feel attracted to each other and especially how they deal with girls who they encounter.

There's a heavy aspect of homophobia bought up too as in their small town, many of the football players speak horrifically about gay people and especially Eric's dad is a very cruel man pushing his family away and seemingly only caring about how rich he can be, a fickle bitter man indeed.

Morgan was a brave and strong character throughout even if I was screaming when little young Morgan wasn't heard coming out about her true self when she was with Eric for their first birthday mentioned in the book!

I really enjoyed this book, not only for the transgender topic being handled and executed so well but the eighteen year development of a loving relationship, the pair truly were made for each other and this book's ending is movie style for sure this should be adapted and be a Netflix craze for all to see!

Alex In Wonderland by Simon James Green

In this book Alex gets a summer job at Wonderland an arcade in his town on the seafront after his best friends Will and Anna become a couple and make plans together just the two of them leaving out Alex.

However at Wonderland he meets Ben and Efia after a bit of embarrassment ensues, as well as Caleb who runs the seafront lemonade stand too and another hilariously awkward moment again!

We see how Wonderland is under fire from an anonymous source and that property developers want to get their hands on the seafront to sell it for building accommodation on but how the group try and come up with ideas to refurbish the arcade and bring back customers to make a profit again.

This book was brilliant for showing how loneliness is a very real thing people fear and how love can come from unexpected people. It really makes you laugh as there's some great jokes and innuendos as usual Simon James Green style. The story being set in an arcade was truly brilliant I haven't come across a teen fiction set in one until this book and I'm sure we all love the arcade when we go on holiday. Alex was a wonderful character being sure of his sexuality but also having an unrequited crush on his best friend makes for relatable reading for teens too. Overall this book is outstanding and a perfect summer read, I loved the police interview,  quirky flamingo and the scene in the chemist particularly, now I hope you're intrigued enough to go pick this book up!

Yay You're Gay Now What? by Riyadh Khalaf

In this book by popular LGBTQ+ activist and member, Riyadh, he takes us through everything to do with being gay or otherwise from coming out and how to manage any and every situation possible to find yourself in.

From coming out and all the reactions you could be faced with, bullying, first time sex and masturbation, dealing with anxiety and worries as well as having famous faces and their stories also featured in this handy little book he !makes sure to cover whatever topic could be effecting the person choosing to read his book.

As a supporter of the community and having friends who've come out over time, this book sums up everything a gay, trans, any type of person at all could need to know and handy information for others who are LGBTQ+ too as many issues can be relevant to others as well.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams

Nadia catches the London tube train on which she notices handsome model like Daniel.

Daniel is in love, he thinks, with Nadia. Having a hard time after losing his dad he puts an advert in the paper asking the cute girl from the train for a drink.

Emma and Gaby, her best friends encourage Nadia assuming it's got to be her, she matches the description perfectly she also has her friend Naomi whom also encourage her to write back.

After some back and forth across the Missed Connection page, the pair arrange to meet up never giving names or numbers just agreeing times and places only of course things don't go to plan!

After a revelation about her best friends, Nadia comes to terms with her feelings about Eddie a guy she meets while Daniel has to stand up Nadia as his mum breaks down about the loss of her husband.

After chance near meetings throughout the novel its at a Romeo and Juliet event they finally feel a spark...

The ending is so romantic and lovely, a dream for a couple to meet just imagine!

This book is such a step out there a chance meeting at love on a train sounds so random but it actually happened for my auntie and uncle when they were sixteen which made me want to pick this book up after we just lost said auntie. I think she'd love this book like I did, the relationship that develops after so many near misses makes them even stronger in my opinion as it's like they were being pushed together from the world it was so funny that way. I liked the random LGBTQ relationship that develops though I figured it pretty quickly when the story progresses. I really did love the book, it captured my heart and you wouldn't regret picking this one up.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

George by Alex Gino

In this book we meet George whom knows he's in fact a girl and so is transgender wanting to be her true self Melissa.

As she struggles with how to tell her closet people, her mum, brother Scott, best friend Kelly etc she also wants to play Charlotte in the play their school is putting on of Charlotte's Web.

However dealing with school bullies and hiding her girl magazines at home mean that soon enough things come to a head with the help of Kelly opening show night could be the turning point of her life she craves...

A perfect short story about being your true self despite whatever you may be faced with you must be true to your heart and that point is made perfectly clear even when challenged by her mum.

We Are All Made Of Molecules by Susin Nielsen

Stuart and Ashley are forced together as their parents, Caroline and Leonard move in together.

For Stuart he lost his mum to ovarian cancer and used to want a sister as he recalls his childhood early on and Ashley's dad came out as gay and moves on with boyfriend, Michael where as Ashley wished he hadn't and can't face telling people.

Ashley soon warms to Stuart little by little after finding out he gets to be around and talk to Jared her crush. But soon enough after they get talking she realises Jared isn't as nice as she thought he was after an incident at her house where Stuart is to the rescue which also helps her opinion of him improve again.

I really loved the concept of Stewart keeping his mum's blanket and feeling closer to her as he has the idea her molecules are on it, it's a lovely comforting idea.

The book tackles homophobia, being in the LGBTQIA community, divorce, death, step parenting and acceptance. Each issue is pretty much set to one key character and played out through them with an overlap on divorce and parenting being for both Stuart and Ashley. At first Stuart seemed intriguing and Ashley vain and harsh in her attitude but we do soon seen her and Stuart's development character wise as they both change their opinions of each other and their newly combined lives together. I loved the dual perspective of how each now sibling was feeling and adapting to their lives colliding and it worked better than if it had just been from one perspective overall, great work Susin!

The Art Of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

David secretly dresses up as a girl, he knows he's not actually a he inside. He is a girl born that way in the wrong body. He endures torment from Harry the bully at school who calls her a freak show. Still, Essie and Felix her friends and a couple themselves are always there for her, whatever the issue.

Then David meets Leo, born a girl and now a boy he himself knows the challenges all round the issue of being transgender. The pair face off Harry bullying but Leo has his own issues of navigating the love life unbeknown to him before. Alicia his friend wants more than friendship and wants to go to the Christmas ball together.

But as the pair have found each other at crucial times of their lives who knows what may happen between them as they head off on a specific journey to find someone, together...

A beautiful read about both sides of transgender transitions which is a great twist and highlights this book to be a good influence on the teens hopefully picking it up and becoming more open and accepting towards the issues around the subject.
A book full of inspiring characters for sure.

180 Seconds by Jessica Park

Allison was adopted by Simon her gay adoptive dad at sixteen and a half but is now at college. However a chance meeting with Esben Baylor making a video of 180 seconds of eye contact with the help of his sister for his social media platforms makes a bond form between Allison and Esben.

Allison only knew of Esben as he is in her psychology class and she didn't know he was an internet sensation until Steffi her best friend whom she met in care tells her. The two are as close as sisters.

Esben and Kelly also have a lot of heavy discussions around parties and the rape/sex consent situation which often features in teen books. In this case, it also deals with guilt over a mistake.

As Esben, Kelly his sister and Allison all bond across country, Steffi finds out that her cancer is back and despite shutting out everyone, her foster parents and then Allison, social media gets them to her in time as she sees the error of her ways in being strong alone.

A very different book in terms of the story from the title but with a lot of usual storylines that are hard hitting and dramatic.

Baby Lost by Hannah Robert

Only two days after Christmas back in 2009, Hannah's life changed drastically after a car crashed into her car while she was eight months pregnant with her little baby 'Halloumi'.

Also in the car was her partner, Roma and their daughters, Jackie and Jazzie who all managed to escape the wreck along with Hannah but unfortunately, baby Zainab had just one tender day with her family due to the horrific accident. No amount of bruises or broken bones were as significant a side effect of the crash as an innocent newborn life being so cruelly taken. I feel anger towards the reckless driver for taking this poor family's precious baby away, reckless drivers need stopping and need punishment.

Hannah's writing during the time of being in hospital talks of her inability to face traveling in a car again so soon as the trauma caught up to her and all she was facing ahead of her felt too much, working with a physiotherapist to walk again properly as well as grief all taking a toll.

I was glad to know that the reckless student driver was caught but saddened to know that Hannah and Rims split. However, their grief was aided by Ali's arrival, a newborn baby boy joined their family and sent a new glimmer of life and hope to them.

I was so glad to read that Hannah's family escaped but the loss of a new baby is always a tender thing. In our family, my aunt suffered a lot to get pregnant and I have a friend trying multiple rounds of IVF to try and have a baby, it's an emotional toll to endure at any stage of pregnancy from conceiving to birth. Hannah's account is detailed and strong, the family is a powerful team and baby Z would be proud to have such a loving family.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

You Know Me Well by David Levithan and Nina LaCour

Mark and his best mate/wannabe boyfriend Ryan are two teens who go to gay pride together. While there Mark gets scouted for a modeling company but as he let's loose at the party full of strangers, he sees Kate from school.

Kate is there with Lehna, her best friend as well as June and Uma. Lehna wants to introduce Kate to her cousin Violet another lesbian whom Kate fancies but has never met.

Kate and Mark get talking at the pride and so starts a great friendship between the two as they try and get the love interests each so wants, successfully and unsuccessfully. We see how the two are there to support each other as Mark supports Kate when her artwork starts to get displayed and sold sharing in her joy despite his misery friendship rules.

It was a heart warming and affirming book showing how friendship can blossom unexpectedly and love can be tricky especially young, gay love too but shows how celebrated the gay community is.

Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman

Nick and Charlie are a young couple, two guys who have been together two years but now Nick is off to university and Charlie can't comprehend him not being there always.

One night at a party, Charlie gets drunk and finds out another strong couple have broken up before university and in a drunken fit of emotion breaks up with Nick regrettably for both of them.

After a break in communication, Charlie approaches Nick and they reconcile but can they get back together knowing the future?

It was a great little story and I did thoroughly enjoy it. Nick and Charlie seem like a great couple being together from I think, fifteen especially shows their connection was always there and not going to be easily broken!

Girlhood by Cat Clarke

I couldn't believe my eyes when I stopped this book available for review, the latest young adult fiction novel from Cat Clarke!

Having previously read and enjoyed all of Cat's books, I'm so excited to share a review and overview of this book with you all!

Set in Duncraggan Academy, an expensive boarding school, Harper is trying to get on with her life after the death of her twin sister, Jenna who died because of heart failure as a result of a post Christmas diet of Harper's suggestion.

Harper has a key group of friends at the Scottish boarding school, Ama, Lily and Rowan. Kirsty becomes a talked about 'legend' after surviving initiation which the four friends make her undertake as it's essential for new students.

Kirsty and Harper both bond over their shared loss of each one's sister, Kirsty's sister died as the result of a car crash in which Kirsty is now scarred on her body from.

The girls games, truth or dare and the like result in an awkward situation and Rowan and Harper become distanced over Kirsty. Harper really likes Kirsty whilst Rowan seems very off towards her and wary.

The title being Girlhood shows it's true of the novel as we see Harper becoming distanced from her core group of friends as she becomes closer to Kirsty.

However, the truth surrounding Kirsty and her past comes to light and the girls have to help Harper realise before anything can happen to her, after all Kirsty likes shooting at the Clay pigeon's, would she shoot Harper?

You'll have to read it to find out what happens!

In the book, Harper is bisexual and rowan is lesbian, the sexual themes are unique as in older boarding school books I can't recall a same situation where it has been pointed out. Also, the girls are accepted and not outcast for being their true selves. It also shows that death can be a bonding opportunity over recent losses at the same time even though it's a bittersweet deal.

Cat Clarke has written another stellar book and is sure to be an essential teen read this year, pick it up when it's released!