CORA Diversity Roll Call

This week, Ali over at Worducopia is hosting Diversity Roll Call. With June being Gay Pride Month, we are asked to recognize it how we see fit. I thought I would link to all my reviews this year featuring gay and lesbian characters. Also few books I loved preblog.

In Mike We Trust by P.E. Ryan - It's been awhile since I read this but I still remember the story and that's saying alot considering how much I read. 15yr old Garth is gay, his mom wants it to be their secret.

Project Sweet Life by Brent Hartinger This novel was so much fun and it gives the reader a little Tacoma, Washington history. Unlike Hartinger's previous novels, none of the main characters are gay (Dave's Uncle's are in a committed relationship). Kudos to the author, the stories a writer tells shouldn't be limited by gender, race, sexual orientation or any of the other boxes we are forced to check in life.

Say The Word by Jeannine Garsee - This is only Garsee's second novel but I am a fan. I had no idea what his book was going to be about but I knew I was going to read it.
Shawna's mother left her father for a woman when she was seven. Now 17, Shawna's estranged mother is dead. Shawna must decide if she'll have a relatiohship with her moms partner Fran and their two sons. Shawna's father is very spiteful, the book shows what can happen when a partner has no legal rights.

No Such Thing as the Real World by Various Authors - When I reviewed this collection of short stories by various authors I didn't get a chance to talk about Jacqueline Woodson's, and I felt bad about this omission- I loved this story. The Company. It's about a Black gay dancer in New York. The character and story Woodson's created are fully drawn and beautiful. There aren't many Black gay males in YA . Not every 15yr old is ready for James Baldwin, and if they are maybe they want to read about a character who is more of their times.

M+O 4EVR Tonya Hegamin Opal is in love with her best friend, Marianne and wants to save her from their small town.

It Chicks by Tia Williams Featuring four girls who attend a performing arts school in N.Y. I am a big fan of this series. Regina begins to question her sexuality in book one. She runs into Nick, a new student at a GLBT meeting for teens in the City. Regina gets a girlfriend in the sequel Sixteen Candles Has much as I enjoy this series thought the author had too many characters in the first book but she does a good job of making it work. Williams trims down the characters in the second book.

Touching Snow by M. Sindy Felin- I loved this novel, it was a National Book Award finalist. The language of this book reminded me of when I read the Bluest Eye in high school. Set in 80's Brookyln about a Haitian family that is abused by the father. The main character Karina finds some comfort with Rachael. Touching Snow one of the best opening lines. "The best way to avoid being picked on by high school bullies is to kill someone. Anyone will do. Accidental killings have the same effect as on- purpose murder. Of course, this is just my own theory. My sister Delta would say that my sample size isn't big enough to draw such a conclusion. But I bet I'm right."
If that doesn't make you want to Read the excerpt. there's nothing I can do for you.

Down to the Bone by Mayra Lazara Dole I am right there with Susan , when it comes to loving Down to the Bone.

Not YA

The Reapers by John Connolly- Connolly is the author of the best selling mystery series featuring Charlie Parker. In the Reapers, Louis a secondary character from this best selling series is the featured character. Louis gay and Black. Louis's partner in life and work is Angel. This is a great mystery, the action was perfect. The characters are well developed and believable. The author does well by Louis and Angel's relationship. This can be read and enjoyed without have read any of the other book in the series.