When gay YA seek fun ways to engage one another, they might go with movie-watching, clubbing, fun luncheons, or cozy up at home by the fireplace. Books about gay teen love will suffice, whatever your cup of tea. Mix it up with movie-watching for calm evenings while staring into each other's eyes, enjoying quality time with your soulmate.
Not all young adult gay books revolve around sex, and most take on relatable narratives most teenagers can enjoy. For instance, books about gay boys might center on the struggles faced during early years, including the worst years for a coming-out teen, which is high school.
The best gay books for young adults always incorporate a theme revolving around the better side of coming out of the closet – which is self-acceptance and a liberating feeling. There are plenty of YA gay books with a young-adult theme and a select few more adult nature.
Gay YA Books worth Checking out
How about select gay YA books highlighting a coming-of-age story? These usually tell a tale of one troubled individual navigating middle or high school plus their struggles within non-accepting households. YA books with gay characters are the go-to option for many young adults because they resonate and are close to home. Some titles are fantasy-filled and explicit illustrations, primarily for eroticism.
However, the best titles have less to do with sexual deviance and plenty more to do with struggles and triumph. As a young adult, you probably encounter situations that don't make sense to most. Struggling with sexual identity is something many people ridicule, with some offering prayer sessions or therapy. Worst-case scenarios include family ostracizing you completely while fathers decide you no longer exist.
Thus, finding the right books about queer teenage love is important. The titles with the largest fan base are gay YA fiction stories. This literature offers youngsters some form of escapism, centering on utopian existences. However, the utopia per se isn't fantasy because much of this literature talks of possibilities.
Most of these have been achieved and remain possibilities if one is willing to step up and step out. Let's check out a few cute titles worthy of your time, be you a closeted gay teen who recently joined AroundMen, or a recently out and struggling YA.
Simon and the Homo Sapiens Agenda
A story about a teenager, sixteen at that, struggling with being gay; Does this sound familiar? It should and will resonate with most young adult boys in high school looking for a way out. This particular teenager decides to keep his secret at bay, preferring to come out during a high school musical performance. With a leaked email in place, it becomes remarkably harder to keep anything a secret. With blackmail in the air, Simon is at odds about what to do; either become partners with another dude (not his first choice), or his sexual identity becomes public knowledge.
All-Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories
Stories of several teenagers compiled into one book, meaning almost every struggle faced by YA will be covered. At least that was the idea when Saundra Michelle, Malinda Lo, Robin Talley, et al. put together fictional stories for other teenagers to enjoy. The characters may not be gay, neither will some stories fall under queer themes. However, the authors fall under different spheres of the queer spectrum, meaning something will undoubtedly resonate with homosexual teenagers. Nothing is more enjoyable than reading stories from similar-minded and oriented peers, regardless of the storyline.
Boy Meets Boy
This coming-of-age story centers on running into a new mate, finding a bond, and falling in love. More importantly, it focuses on what happens in between. It is exceedingly tough for many young adults or pre-teen boys to find love in a queer relationship and maintain the relationship without peer pressure et al. society. It takes a lot of work, emotionally, spiritually, and socially to overcome most relationship hurdles related to homosexual relationships. This book ought to be on top of your list of titles under gay books for teenage romance to check out. It is a fun title with no sexually explicit pics whatsoever, perfect for the coming of age and coming out scenario.
Looking for Gay Teen Books?
Gay teen books should almost always incorporate something of a struggle, but highlighting the triumphant soul is more important. When a teenager makes it out of the closet per se and finds some semblance of peace, it is important to share with others. Sharing is caring, more so when dealing with marginalized communities. Gay teen books sometimes incorporate humor to avoid the sadness encountered almost daily while in high school, neighborhoods, or family gatherings.
These books offer more than escapism – they give people hope. When a teenager is constantly harassed in school or generally within societal contexts, he or she becomes a hermit. They will usually stay indoors, lose all self-esteem and find it difficult to fit into society. Thus, gay teen books with coming-of-age stories make life bearable. Gay teen books with well-to-do protagonists are a favorite as well. Here's why.
Much like Scarface and other rags-to-riches stories, people love to hear about possibilities, all struggles notwithstanding. Thus, when a young adult gay male reads of a boy who made it in life or came from a rich family and still maintains their gay orientation, it is a blessing.
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue
It is the perfect title for anyone seeking a way out in the most fantasy-filled manner possible. This here protagonist, Montague, is to take over his father's estate at some point. However, his secret might be too much for anyone to bear, considering he is into men. Percy's crush happens to be his travel companion, and Henry, the main character, doesn't plan to be normal. This trip with Percy, and his sibling, is set to be one of debauchery as his final attempt at fun before straightening out. Whether any of this comes to pass remains to be seen, and one can only tell after checking out the book.
Jay's Gay Agenda
This young fellow finds it hard mingling with straight teens, discussing their heterosexual fantasies, escapades, and everything relationship-related. He gets a breakthrough when his family moves to a different city, where he finally joins a high school, boasting of a cool LGBTQ community. That said, he soon finds out his to-do list isn't as easy to accomplish or cross out things as he thought. Essentially, it is a coming-of-age story. The protagonist is about to learn the difference between life and love matters and how they sometimes don't go hand in hand. Jay's gay plan might not be as viable, or is it?
The Witch King
Yes, a king who happens to be a transvestite. Earlier in his life, the protagonist faced tremendous challenges, now a thing of the past. He doesn't wish to ever return to any of those memories, and neither is he interested in anything reminding him of the same. Being a transgender, he also knows a thing or two about choosing between friends and ultimately his freedom. Being a tranny means sticking to what he wants and being true to himself. Going back to his former self helps his friends, but it might save many people or a community.
Gay Teenage Romance Books
As you approach the teenage years, it might become profoundly harder to fit into society. These challenges don't have to be sexually related. Most teenagers fight identity issues in terms of personalities, sports, hobbies, and dress or religion. A teenager might step up with time, letting it all hang out, even if only for one night. It means partying, beaches, friends, and of course, online dating offer platforms for teenagers to meet and flirt uninhibitedly. Therefore, gay teen romance books can be ice-breakers for those intimate afternoons with someone you met online or build rapport when you are STILL on a dating resource.
Dream Boy
Escapism and some redemption seem to be the theme in this book. It is also filled with plenty of spiritual stuff, for lack of a better description. However, young adult gay men will enjoy it as it boasts violence and hot-blooded gay love. These are experiences queers wish they could have without too much interference. Incidentally, this title won the Bisexual Book Award at some point. It might be worth checking if you are tired of fishing for stories only to find age-old fictional books that only remind you of days past – something you would rather forget.
Gay Teenage Romance Novels
It is where the heart meets hurt. Gay teen romance novels take everything one goes through and puts it in a storyline everyone can understand. Unlike comic books, the best teenage gay romance novels boast longer storylines, perhaps coming of age, including struggles growing up. Certain titles are close to home when a teenager meets a boy from the hood, or a gay YA navigates through school, not in a magical or spiritual form.
These titles are sometimes restricted in schools and more conservative bookshops, but they are available online to the pleasure of gay teens everywhere. Such titles reveal the true nature of queer relationships. When a boy meets a boy next door or runs into an eccentric gentleman who happens to be homosexual, overwhelming things happen. Thus, these books always bring out the real nature and struggle queer boys experience.
Some show the triumphs too, which is why gay teen romance novels might not always be acceptable in Christian/Catholic schools. The belief is that such books portray gay tendencies as okay, while the church and societal norms still see exceptional and perhaps abnormal.
It is next to impossible for a teen to relate to witches or supernatural beings in line with their homosexuality, but locker room scenarios and neighborhood bullies are as close to home as it gets. Let's dive into a few select titles worth perusing under the gay teen romance theme.
The Locker Room
Would you choose between a career or life and love? People in straight relationships do it daily; when a job requires relocating, you move with a loved one. However, when you are gay and the world seeks to bring down your entire career in the name of your rogue lifestyle, it is somewhat challenging. It is the dilemma facing Xander, a young man with a promising career in the NBA. This YA also happens to be gay, and his secret love affair has been ongoing for years, pretty much since high school. It is a tear-jerker because it reminds one of the (silly) hurdles that need to be overcome to find happiness.
Kamikaze Boys
It could be the best example of a gay teen romance novel yet. When the two meet, they form a bond only teenagers can understand. It revolves around mishaps for one and two individuals who are seemingly outcasts in their school. Between the crazy one and the gay dude, they find a way to use their struggles and possible weaknesses to their advantage. It is a story about working hand in hand with the one you love to overcome all obstacles – including the ones stopping you from being together. Between a high-school kid who eats alone and a possibly misjudged character, the storyline is a must-read.
Having made time to find a soul mate on AroundMen, you probably need something in the lines of gay YA novels to help with ice-breaking. Alternatively, you are probably madly in love already and simply seek something both of you can enjoy. It could also be that you remain closeted and have no way out, at least at the moment. Check out the titles above for fun matchmaking, a little inspiration, and hope as you plan the coming-out party.
