Reverie - A YA Fantasy Where Dreams Become Reality (with a Gay Teen Main Character)

Reverie by Ryan La Sala

A few weeks ago, Kane Montgomery was in an accident that robbed him of his memory. The only thing he knows for certain is that the police found him half-dead in the river. The world as he knows it feels different—reality seems different. And when strange things start happening around him, Kane isn't sure where to turn.

And then three of his classmates show up, claiming to be his friends and the only people who can tell him what's truly going on. Kane doesn't know what to believe or who he can trust. But as he and the others are dragged into increasingly fantastical dream worlds drawn from imagination, it becomes clear that there is dark magic at work. Nothing in Kane's life is an accident, and only he can keep the world itself from unraveling.

Oh, and Kane is Gay and has a new boyfriend...

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The Fascinators - Teenage Sam Deals With Magic and Being Gay In His Small, Conservative Town

The Fascinators by Andrew Eliopulos

Living in a small town where magic is frowned upon, Sam needs his friends James and Delia—and their time together in their school's magic club—to see him through to graduation.

But as soon as senior year starts, little cracks in their group begin to show. Sam may or may not be in love with James. Delia is growing more frustrated with their amateur magic club. And James reveals that he got mixed up with some sketchy magickers over the summer, putting a target on all their backs.

With so many fault lines threatening to derail his hopes for the year, Sam is forced to face the fact that the very love of magic that brought his group together is now tearing them apart—and there are some problems that no amount of magic can fix.

Check out this Q&A with the Andrew in Publishers Weekly, where he speaks about what it was like to bring magic to a small town like the one he grew up in, and imagining, "what it would have looked like if a person was out, but still dealing with the pressures of a conservative, religious town."

Add your review of "The Fascinators" in comments!

The Red Scrolls of Magic (The Eldest Curses #1) - Fantasy, Adventure, and Gay Teen Romance Launch a New Series from Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu!

The Red Scrolls of Magic (The Eldest Curses #1) by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu

All Magnus Bane wanted was a vacation—a lavish trip across Europe with Alec Lightwood, the Shadowhunter who against all odds is finally his boyfriend. But as soon as the pair settles in Paris, an old friend arrives with news about a demon-worshipping cult called the Crimson Hand that is bent on causing chaos around the world. A cult that was apparently founded by Magnus himself. Years ago. As a joke.

Now Magnus and Alec must race across Europe to track down the Crimson Hand before the cult can cause any more damage. Demons are now dogging their every step, and it is becoming harder to tell friend from foe. As their quest for answers becomes increasingly dire, Magnus and Alec will have to trust each other more than ever—even if it means revealing the secrets they’ve both been keeping.

Add your review of "The Red Scrolls of Magic" in comments!

Last Bus to Everland - A Handsome Stranger Leads Brody to Magic, Adventure, and a place called "Everland"

Last Bus to Everland by Sophie Cameron

Brody Fair feels like nobody gets him: not his overworked parents, not his genius older brother, and definitely not the girls in the projects set on making his life miserable. Then he meets Nico, an art student who takes Brody to Everland, a “knock-off Narnia" that opens its door at 11:21pm each Thursday for Nico and his band of present-day misfits and miscreants.

Here Brody finds [community] and a weekly respite from a world where he feels out of place. But when the doors to Everland begin to disappear, Brody is forced to make a decision: He can say goodbye to Everland and to Nico, or stay there and risk never seeing his family again. Will Nico take the last bus to Everland?

Add your review of "Last Bus to Everland" in comments!

Monster of the Week - A Gay Teen Has to Save the World of Myths and Magic (Again)

Monster of the Week (The Rules) by F.T. Lukens

It's the sequel to the quite awesome The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic!

Spring semester of Bridger Whitt’s senior year of high school is looking great. He has the perfect boyfriend, a stellar best friend, and an acceptance letter to college. He also has this incredible job as an assistant to Pavel Chudinov, an intermediary tasked with helping cryptids navigate the modern world. His days are filled with kisses, laughs, pixies, and the occasional unicorn. Life is awesome.

But as graduation draws near, Bridger’s perfect life begins to unravel. Uncertainties about his future surface, his estranged dad shows up out of nowhere, and, perhaps worst of all, a monster-hunting television show arrives in town to investigate the series of strange events from last fall. The show’s intrepid host will not be deterred, and Bridger finds himself trapped in a game of cat and mouse that could very well put the myth world at risk. Again.

Add your review of "Monster of the Week" in comments!

Infinity Son - YA Fantasy Where Two Brothers (One's Gay) Navigate an Alternate, Magical, and Violent New York

Infinity Son (Infinity Cycle #1) by Adam Silvera

Growing up in New York, brothers Emil and Brighton always idolized the Spell Walkers—a vigilante group sworn to rid the world of specters. While the Spell Walkers and other celestials are born with powers, specters take them, violently stealing the essence of endangered magical creatures.

Brighton wishes he had a power so he could join the fray. Emil just wants the fighting to stop. The cycle of violence has taken a toll, making it harder for anyone with a power to live peacefully and openly. In this climate of fear, a gang of specters has been growing bolder by the day.

Then, in a brawl after a protest, Emil manifests a power of his own—one that puts him right at the heart of the conflict and sets him up to be the heroic Spell Walker Brighton always wanted to be.

Brotherhood, love, and loyalty will be put to the test, and no one will escape the fight unscathed.

Check out the interview with Adam in Publishers Weekly where he spoke about this new series.

What's Queer about it? Emil is Gay, there are significant Bi characters, and a lesbian relationship in there, too.

Add your review of "Infinity Son" in comments!

Wayward Son - the follow-up to Rainbow Rowell's awesome answer to our 'Gay Harry Potter' wishes, "Carry On"

Wayward Son (Simon Snow Series #2) by Rainbow Rowell

The story is supposed to be over.

Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do. He beat the villain. He won the war. He even fell in love. Now comes the good part, right? Now comes the happily ever after… So why can’t Simon Snow get off the couch?

What he needs, according to his best friend, is a change of scenery. He just needs to see himself in a new light…

That’s how Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West.

They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost. They get so lost, they start to wonder whether they ever knew where they were headed in the first place…

With Wayward Son, Rainbow Rowell has written a book for everyone who ever wondered what happened to the Chosen One after he saved the day. And a book for everyone who was ever more curious about the second kiss than the first. It’s another helping of sour cherry scones with an absolutely decadent amount of butter.

Come on, Simon Snow. Your hero’s journey might be over – but your life has just begun.

I'm so excited about this sequel to Carry On! Add your review of "Wayward Son" in comments!

Me Myself & Him - A Gay Teen Lives Two Separate Futures

Me Myself & Him by Chris Tebbetts

When Chris Schweitzer takes a hit of whippets and passes out face first on the cement, his nose isn’t the only thing that changes forever. Instead of staying home with his friends for the last summer after high school, he’s shipped off to live with his famous physicist but royal jerk of a father to prove he can “play by the rules” before Dad will pay for college.

Or… not.

In an alternate time line, Chris’s parents remain blissfully ignorant about the accident, and life at home goes back to normal—until it doesn’t. A new spark between his two best (straight) friends quickly turns Chris into a (gay) third wheel, and even worse, the truth about the whippets incident starts to unravel. As his summer explodes into a million messy pieces, Chris wonders how else things might have gone. Is it possible to be jealous of another version of yourself in an alternate reality that doesn’t even exist?

With musings on fate, religion, parallel universes, and the best way to eat a cinnamon roll, Me Myself & Him examines how what we consider to be true is really just one part of the much (much) bigger picture.

What's queer about it?

Author Chris Tebbetts explains that the main character (also named Chris) is gay, ”and while the inciting incident of the book is autobiographical, the rest of the book splits into two parallel and fictional outcomes from that same incident (parallel realities, a la “Sliding Doors”).” Author Chris shared further that the story isn't about the main character being gay, but that fictional Chris ”does confront a somewhat autobiographical issue for me—becoming the gay third wheel to his two straight best friends who hook up in their last summer before college.” Author Chris also let us know that fictional Chris does get a romance of his own.

Add your review of "Me Myself & Him" in comments!

The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic - A Gay Teen Has To Keep The Real World From Finding The World of Myths and Magic

The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic by F. T. Lukens

Desperate to pay for college, Bridger Whitt is willing to overlook the peculiarities of his new job—entering via the roof, the weird stacks of old books and even older scrolls, the seemingly incorporeal voices he hears from time to time—but it's pretty hard to ignore being pulled under Lake Michigan by... mermaids? Worse yet, this happens in front of his new crush, Leo, the dreamy football star who just moved to town.

Fantastic.

When he discovers his eccentric employer Pavel Chudinov is an intermediary between the human world and its myths, Bridger is plunged into a world of pixies, werewolves, and Sasquatch. The realm of myths and magic is growing increasingly unstable, and it is up to Bridger to ascertain the cause of the chaos, eliminate the problem, and help his boss keep the real world from finding the world of myths.

This novel won a 2018 Gold IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for best Teen Fiction from an Indie Publisher. Add your review of "The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic" in comments!

Witch Eyes - A Gay Teen is caught in a war between Witch Dynasties...

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

Braden was born with witch eyes: the ability to see the world as it truly is: a blinding explosion of memories, darkness, and magic. The power enables Braden to see through spells and lies, but at the cost of horrible pain.

After a terrifying vision reveals imminent danger for the uncle who raised and instructed him, Braden retreats to Belle Dam, an old city divided by two feuding witch dynasties. As rival family heads Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe desperately try to use Braden's powers to unlock Belle Dam's secrets, Braden vows never to become their sacrificial pawn. But everything changes when Braden learns that Jason is his father--and Trey, the enigmatic guy he's falling for, is Catherine's son.

To stop an insidious dark magic from consuming the town, Braden must master his gift—and risk losing the one he loves.

The first in a series, you can add your review of "Witch Eyes" in comments!

The Godsteed series - Epic Medieval Fantasy with Heroes, Horses, Swordfights, & a Gay Romance

Godsteed series by BJ Hobbsen

Book 1: Night of Wolves

In a kingdom brought to the brink of utter destruction, the unicorn slayer is close to completing his quest - to destroy the white stallion, Aurion, before it can transform into a Godsteed. Can the immortal Horse Lords of Senfar save the last unicorn and restore hope and magic to the world? And can they find the true bonded rider of the horse before all they have fought for is lost?

Book 2: Darkness Before Death

The Queen is dead, taking with her Areme’s one chance of redemption. In a world catapulted into war, he fights to find another way to save all he holds dear. Who is the true bonded rider for the Godsteed, the horse destined to transform into a unicorn and restore magic to the world? Can the immortal Horse Lord of Senfar keep the horse alive long enough to find out?

Book 3: Ascension

Will the true bonded rider of the horse finally be revealed?

Book 4: Dead Man's Race

Swept away by an avalanche, the Queen of Mirador fights to survive in a kingdom torn apart by war. Abducted, press-ganged, shipwrecked and sold into slavery, can Orlanda find a way to escape, reverse a life-threatening curse placed upon her by a sorceress long since dead, and reclaim her throne?

The author wrote me to say that books 5 and 6 are in the works, and that "the relationship between two of the main characters is far from straight :)." Add your review of any or all of the Godsteed series novels in comments!

Timekeeper - Steampunk YA With A Gay Romance!

Timekeeper by Tara Sim

"Two o’clock was missing.

In an alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, a damaged clock can fracture time—and a destroyed one can stop it completely.
It’s a truth that seventeen-year-old clock mechanic Danny Hart knows all too well; his father has been trapped in a Stopped town east of London for three years. Though Danny is a prodigy who can repair not only clockwork, but the very fabric of time, his fixation with staging a rescue is quickly becoming a concern to his superiors.
And so they assign him to Enfield, a town where the tower seems to be forever plagued with problems. Danny’s new apprentice both annoys and intrigues him, and though the boy is eager to work, he maintains a secretive distance. Danny soon discovers why: he is the tower’s clock spirit, a mythical being that oversees Enfield’s time. Though the boys are drawn together by their loneliness, Danny knows falling in love with a clock spirit is forbidden, and means risking everything he’s fought to achieve.
But when a series of bombings at nearby towers threaten to Stop more cities, Danny must race to prevent Enfield from becoming the next target or he’ll not only lose his father, but the boy he loves, forever."

You can read this interview with the author, where she talks about developing the magical systems of Timekeeper's world, and how few fantasy books have gay heroes. Add your review of "Timekeeper" - the first of a planned triology - in comments!

The House On Fremont Drive - Nate's A Gay Teen. With A Ghost Above His Room. A Boyfriend. And Parents Who Don't Have A Clue.

The House on Fremont Drive by Jere' M. Fishback

Eighteen year-old Nate Ziegler has problems. A dead boy's ghost dwells in the crawl space above Nate's walk-in closet; the ghost won't leave Nate alone. Nate's cross-country teammate is an astrology freak; he wants to recruit Nate as his disciple. Nate's new boyfriend is an emotional mess; he's a victim of physical and psychological abuse. And Nate's parents don't even know Nate is gay. How will he deal with it all?

Add your review of "The House on Fremont Drive" in comments!

The Guardians of Illyria Series - Middle Grade Fantasy with a Gay Main Character

The Iron-Jawed Boy (Guardians of Illyria, #1) by Nikolas Lee

Year 2300
Protea: Capitol of the Eldanarian Isle

Two hundred years have passed since the lands of the Outerworld humans were destroyed, save but a handful of rebellious cities. In their ruin, the last gods of Earth, the Illyrians, rose victorious. And ever since, it's with a cruel iron fist they've ruled over their subjects--desperate to keep their thrones.

Fast approaching his teens, Ionikus Reaves knows the gods' malevolence all too well, orphaned by them after their call for a military draft on Eldanar, his home island. But when a power once dormant in Ion boils to the surface, he's whisked off to a hidden world of the island, where he comes face-to-face with the mighty Illyrians.

For Ion is a Guardian--a reincarnated god bound to serve and protect the pantheon he's so quickly learned to hate. Now torn between his obligations as a Guardian and his hatred of the gods he's to guard, Ion finds himself in the middle of a war within himself. A war that could uncover a dark secret of the gods'...and split the pantheon in two.

The Iron-Jawed Boy and the Hand of the Moon (Guardians of Illyria, #2)

Year 2301

One month has passed since the death of Lady Vinya. Since the night sky went black in the sudden disappearance of the Moon.

In the aftermath of the vanishing, the scales of the Balance have been disrupted and angered, the dark repercussions felt from the ruined lands of the Outerworld to the floating island home of the gods. Only now do the gods of Illyria stir, their period of mourning coming to a close as they call for a grand tournament. One that will decide the next Hand--a god worthy and powerful enough to pull the Moon back onto this plane. Of the contenders for the Throne, one is a malevolent prince of the Sun, another a twenty-armed inventor, and the third a disgraced father.

But when thirteen-year-old Ionikus Reaves--Guardian of the gods and one-third child of the late Lady Vinya--is forced to volunteer as a competitor, Ion discovers this tournament and the gods who called for it aren't what they seem. For as he battles his way through the abandoned cities of the Outerworld, forced to fight for a Throne he doesn't want, Ion soon realizes he's not just a contender. But a pawn in a vicious game of the gods', where at the end, victory could mean death. And the destruction of the Moon itself.

The Iron-Jawed Boy and the Siege of Sol (Guardians of Illyria, #3)

Year 2302
On the Continent of Origin, deep in the deserts of the High Heat, rises one of the last remaining Citadels of the humans. Defiant and well-defended, it is known as Sol. And in this epic third installment of the Guardians of Illyria series, it will be the stage for one of the greatest conflicts yet waged between the oppressive forces of Illyria and the rebel human race.

Now 14 years old, Ionikus Reaves, Thunder Lord of the Endari, is plagued by the darkness of his past and future. His powers grow stronger by the day, as do the doubts in his plans for revenge. But when the Endari scheme to forge an alliance with an unlikely foe—the humans of Sol—Ion must set aside his uncertainties. One misstep and his allies could become his enemies, his ultimate plan never come to fruition.

Lady Lillian of Illyria has only recently settled into her new position amongst the pantheon she long feared and respected. But soon, she finds her elven blood a problem for the pureblooded gods of Illyria. On top of navigating their foreign customs, backstabbing, and searing whispers, she must also endure their wrath…and the dark secrets behind the fall of the previous pantheon.

Add your review of any or all of the author-published Guardians of Illyria books in comments!

Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom - Fantasy with 6 main characters, 2 of whom are queer and crushing on each other!

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price--and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction if they don't kill each other first.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets - a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.

There's a great interview at gayya.org with Leigh about the books, how sexuality is perceived in the Grisha verse, and Leigh's choice to include queer characters and romance in her work. 

Add your review of "Six of Crows" and/or "Crooked Kingdom" in comments!

Mad About The Hatter - A Gay YA spin on Wonderland, starring Alice's brother Henry (who thinks the Hatter is rather handsome)

Mad About The Hatter by Dakota Chase

This trip down the rabbit hole will reveal a very different Wonderland.

Alice’s younger brother, Henry, is sent to a bizarre world he never really believed existed. His best chance to get home is the Mad Hatter, who is a remarkably stranger, if more handsome, fellow than Henry expects. Hatter’s only goal is to keep his head firmly attached to his body, and his best chance for doing it is to bring “Boy Alice” to the Red Queen as ordered. It’s dislike at first sight for Henry and Hatter, but since circumstances force them to remain together, they try to abide each other.

During their travels and adventures through Wonderland, they grudgingly forge a friendship that tests their values and established beliefs. Learning to tolerate each other and then to compromise, offers them a chance for something more when they reach the end of their journey—if they can survive the obstacles along the way.

Add your review of "Mad About The Hatter" in comments!

Havemercy - Steampunk YA with Magical Mechanical Dragons and 2 Main Gay Characters

Havemercy by Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett

Thanks to its elite Dragon Corps, the capital city of Volstov has all but won the hundred years’ war with its neighboring enemy, the Ke-Han. The renegade airmen who fly the corps’s mechanical, magic-fueled dragons are Volstov’s greatest weapon. But now one of its more unruly members is at the center of the city’s rumor mill, causing a distraction that may turn the tide of victory.

With Volstov immersed in a scandal that may have international repercussions, the Ke-Han devise an ingenious plan of attack. To counter the threat, four ill-assorted heroes must converge to save the kingdom they love: an exiled magician, a naive country boy, a young student—and the unpredictable ace airman who flies the city’s fiercest dragon, Havemercy.

But on the eve of battle, these courageous men will face something that could make the most formidable of warriors hesitate, the most powerful of magicians weak, and the most unlikely of men allies in their quest to rise against it....

My thanks to E H Timms for the heads-up on this one having two of its four POV characters be Gay, and also having a minor Trans character!

Add your review of "Havemercy" in comments!

The Darkest Part of the Forest – Hazel is a fighter, Ben is a gay artist, and Faeries "have come to exact their price"

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.

Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.

At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointy as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.

Until one day, he does…

As the world turns upside down and a hero is needed to save them all, Hazel tries to remember her years spent pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?

Check out the creepy–and quite awesome–book trailer:



Add your review of "The Darkest Part of the Forest" in comments!

The Kitsune Trilogy - A YA fantasy where the two male leads crush on each other and eventually figure out their feelings are mutual

The Fox's Mask (Book One of the Kitsune Trilogy) by Anna Frost

In feudal Japan, magic is dying. As a demon hunter, Akakiba finds this problematic. The evil he’s been trained to destroy is disappearing and, along with it, the shape-shifting abilities of the clan he left behind. With his only companion, a determined young human named Yuki, Akakiba traverses the country slaying demons and performing odd jobs.

But when an army of demon possessed humans masses to exterminate his clan, Akakiba must put aside old feuds and protect his family–all while hiding an important secret from Yuki. Will they find a way to defeat the demon possessed before it’s too late? With magic dwindling, will it matter either way?

The Fox's Quest (Book Two of the Kitsune Trilogy)

Akakiba’s clan is on the verge of extinction but all hope is not lost. They’ve found a mysterious object that seems to be draining magic from the world. If they can destroy this object, they might recover what has been lost and return strength to the clan.

The problem is, they don’t know who created this object or what those mysterious individuals might do to get it back.

The Fox's God (Book Three of the Kitsune Trilogy)

In the cold north, a cult attempts to wake an old god. Akakiba, Yuki, and their friends form an alliance with the Emperor’s men to stop this cult, but both sides have reasons not to trust the other. There may be betrayal in the end, but of a kind no one had foreseen.

Add your review of any or all of the books in the Kitsune Trilogy in comments!

Wollstone - A Gay Boarding School Story That's Also A Contemporary Fairy Tale Fantasy

Wollstone by Hayden Thorne

The moment Emil Gogean sets foot inside Wollstone Academy’s fairy tale-like campus, he realizes his freshman year in high school is bound to be a very strange one. The school itself, a uniquely romanticized boarding school for boys, boasts remarkable elements that appear to be deliberate -- as though a hidden power has chosen woodland details, a chapel ruin, and school masters who seem to hearken back to a long-gone age, with a clear purpose in mind.

When strange things begin to happen to Emil, an unnerving warning from his late grandmother returns to haunt him. A warning about Emil attracting the attention of the king of the dead.

Strange faces in wood patterns and mullioned windows. The apparition of a boy among the trees. The unfathomable feeling of sadness permeating the idyllic environment. Emil gradually learns that Wollstone is more than just a school, that the answers to a three-hundred-year-old mystery surrounding a tragic romance lie in the ruined stones of a small chapel and in Nature itself. And that Emil, whose appearance in school has set certain wheels in motion, will have to place himself at the mercy of three mysterious students if he wishes to learn the truth about Wollstone, the boy lost in the woods, and himself.

Add your review of "Wollstone" in comments!