Male Protagonists - Are An Essential Part Of My Reading Diet

Most of the novels I've read recently feature female protagonist.  I love stories with female leads but I can not exist on that diet alone, and I am experiencing a bit of a burn out. In the beginning of the year I read a some excellent YA novels featuring male protagonist

In Darkness by Nick Lake

The Knife and the Butterfly by Ashley Hope Perez
Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz 
Boy21 by Matthew Quick

I loved all of the above, unfortunately the last one was published in March,  and I would very much like find more young adult or middle grade novels  with male protagonists to enjoy.  However there's just not a large selection especially when I disregard the ones I have no interest and the others that end up in my DNF pile because they couldn't keep my attention.

However I think my slump is finally ending. I recently read two good YA debuts, A Beautiful Lie by Irfan Master and Before You Go by James Preller.

A few more I am very much looking forward to reading
Nothing Special by Geoff Herbach - I loved the author's debut Stupid Fast, it was one of my favorite debuts of 2011
Thou Shall Not Road Trip by Antony John - The author's last novel Five Flavors of Dumb was made me break out my old Nirvana MTV unplugged CD  awesome. 
 Lucky Fools by Coert Voorhees - I loved the author's 2009 debut, The Brothers Torres and I have been impatiently waiting for a new novel by the author ever since. - (July)
The Quick Fix by Jack D. Ferraiolo  - This is the long awaited follow up (for me anyway)  to The Big Splash, the first and still the best, humorous middle grade mystery (Oct)
Street Dreams by Tama Wise - This one I found thanks to author Malinda Lo. I've never read a Maori author , and I like the cover so there's no way I could pass this one up
The Drowned Cities by Paolo Baciqalupi  - This is the companion to Ship Breaker, which I enjoyed but not as much as most people, but I liked it enough not to pass this one up

Alien on a Rampage by Clete Barrett Smith was also on this list but I finished it the other day. It really enjoyed it, it was as good as the first one.   And with that my slump is officially over.

In Darkness - Nick Lake

In Darkness by Nick Lake
Set in Haiti the story alternates between the present and the past. In the present Shorty is buried alive after the 2010 earthquake. Surrounded by darkness Shorty decides to share his story to pass what little time he has left. Shorty tells all including, his love for his Manman and twin sister, and what lead him to join a gang in his Site Soley neighborhood. In the past Toussaint L'Ouverture is about to become the oldest general to lead a revolution. There's an overlap between the two stories that Lake handles with a smooth hand.

In Darkness pulled me in hard from the beginning. Just two pages in I was reminded of Zusak's The Book Thief, partly because Lake was able to make the darkness feel like a real presence. And partly because Shorty was calmly telling his story and willing to accept what would come. I loved Shorty voice it felt real and honest. I truly appreciated the author's seamless inclusion of L'Ouverture and the revolution for freedom. I thought the author did an excellent job bringing Haiti and Shorty's Site Soley neighborhood to life. A 2012 favorite.

An excerpt of Now - Shorty's chapters

An excerpt of Then Toussaint L'Ouverture's chapters