It’s time for some more reader’s advisory! This time I’m recommending books for the Heartstopper crew, those adorable queer Gen Zers. Lots of young adult fiction in here, for obvious reasons, but I snuck some adult in here as well. Maybe Isaac can convince the others to use their school library as an actual library for once and check some books out.
Charlie Spring should read… Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire
Clearly Charlie loves Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh (such a great novel), but at this point in his life, dense, opinionated classics aren’t going to break through all the noise in his head. I’d like to recommend Sarah Rees Brennan’s In Other Lands or Rachel Hartman’s Tess of the Road, but both are probably too chonky for a teenager who can barely remember to do his homework. Charlie has a lot going on, so he needs not just a novella but this specific one. What Antsy endures is not a strict parallel for Charlie’s travails further on in the comics and teased in the second season, but I think in this case it’s better that way. Charlie can read about a young person processing a traumatic event, making mistakes, and finding her way out the other end. It’s a hopeful novella without being overly sentimental.
Nick Nelson should read… Against the Stars by Christopher Hartland
Dear sweet cinnamon roll Nick Nelson would probably accept any book I recommended, but I think I could excite him with this one. Two queer British boys live in a near-future version of our world where it’s possible to see a glimpse of your future. Despite the emotionally devastating content, the story is fun and charming. Given what Nick is about to go through with Charlie next season (if it’s anything like the comics), he could use a sprinkling of reality to leaven out the fantasy he’s living in.
Tao Xu should read… How to Succeed in Witchcraft by Aislinn Brophy
Tao is a secret romantic, a slow burn expert, and a young man all too familiar with dreadful misunderstandings. That puts him in great company with Shay, the Darcy-like protagonist of Aislinn Brophy’s Pride & Prejudice-esque YA contemporary fantasy. He’s not all that concerned with getting high grades, going off to a prestigious college, or dealing with misbehaving faculty, but Shay’s rocky relationship with Ana will strike a chord. Plus, I think he’d just really enjoy a fantasy romcom.
Elle Argent should read… The Witch King by H. E. Edgmon
Elle is only now learning her strengths and how to stand in the spotlight and feel like she deserves it. In the novel, Wyatt is a trans boy who fled his homeland after being rejected. He found himself and his queerness in the human world, but is pulled back into the land of fairy by a giant conspiracy. I want Elle to have a book with a powerful trans character, a character who knows how to stand up for himself, who knows how to take what he wants, and who learns how to do the right thing even if it’s hard. Elle would have a great time with Wyatt, but I know she’ll love Prince Emyr, his queer and genderfluid love interest.
Isaac Henderson should read… The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow
I have a list a mile long of acespec and arospec books Isaac should read, but this is at the top. I saw so much of my own experiences in Isaac’s season two journey, particularly with how othering the queer community can feel for those of us who aren’t allosexual or alloromantic. Isaac has an eclectic taste in reading, so I want to give him something compelling and personal. Alechia Dow has three books set in this version of our world where evil Ilori aliens colonize Earth and ragtag crews of teens try to stop them, and each features main characters under the ace umbrella. He’d get to see a variety of ace experiences and hopefully realize his new identity is a door opening to a new world of endless possibilities. After that, I’d give him a non-speculative YA, Aces Wild: A Heist by Amanda DeWitt.
Imogen Heaney should read… The Scapegracers by H. A. Clarke
Imogen wants a friend group so badly, that I want to give her the chance to live vicariously through one in fiction. The Scapegracers is a vicious series opener that has The Craft vibes but queer. It’s about getting revenge on shitty dudes, punching back at the patriarchy, and discovering you’re even queerer than you thought. Imogen could use a little backbone when it comes to bad relationships, and Sideways Pike is the kind of sharp-edged, take-no-guff teen that Imogen would fall all over.
Tara Jones should read… Miss Meteor by Tehlor-Kay Mejia & Anna-Marie McLemore
Tara has a lot on her shoulders, but she’s also fun and cheery and open. Miss Meteor is about two teen girls and a local beauty pageant. It’s delightfully queer, there’s a lovely romance subplot, and some very satisfying scenes of resisting oppression and bigotry. Tara seems like the kind of girl who would snuggle up to read a couple chapters of this before going to bed and then find herself still reading at 3 AM.
Darcy Olsson should read… Bad Witch Burning by Jessica Lewis
Katrell hates her life. Her mother has a terrible boyfriend and when she’s not ignoring her is stealing from her. All Katrell wants is a way out. When she discovers she can raise the dead, she starts charging people to bring back their loved ones. And things go terribly, terribly wrong. Which is precisely why I want to give this to Darcy. Darcy, like Katrell, pushes her friends away from the truth and tries (and fails) to solve her problems on her own. Both girls also have parents who cause way more harm than good. Darcy could find some solace in Katrell’s experiences and realize she’s not the only kid going through hell with their parents.
Ben Hope should read… More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
This might be a good option for Ben. I’ve seen so many students like him, teens who are terrified of going on a queer journey of self-discovery either because they’re afraid of what they might find at the end of it or because they’re afraid of what other people will have to say about it. Adam Silvera’s debut novel talks about coming out, class, and teenage conflict. It’s not an easy read, but if he were willing to try it I think Aaron’s story would resonate. But if that didn’t work, I’d offer him Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo and try and sneak the queer stuff in from the side.
Harry Greene should read… The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
I’m going to be honest here: Harry doesn’t seem like someone who reads much. I could be wrong, but I’ve seen a lot of teen boys like him and they tend to think they aren’t readers. Adults probably haven’t encouraged him to read, instead labeling him as a “reluctant reader.” To get over those obstacles, I need to pick something with a killer hook, lots of action, and fun dialogue. So I’m going with The Gilded Wolves. He’ll probably balk at it being historical fantasy, but I think he’ll dig the heist plot and all the twisty, dark secrets. The cast is broad enough that he shouldn’t struggle to find a POV he loves and diverse enough that hopefully his mind will continue to grow more open. I’m also very tempted to give him Aiden Thomas’ The Sunbearer Trials. He’d love the competition and high stakes.
Tori Spring should read… Aetherbound by E. K. Johnston
A quiet character needs a quiet book. Like Aetherbound, still waters run deep with Tori. She’s loyal and caring but doesn’t show it in grand gestures. The book is about a young woman who escapes her abusive family and finds refuge with two queer teens trying to protect their space station. Tori has a loving family, but she keeps herself back. Reading about Pendt stepping outside of the tiny box she’s spent her life in and fighting back against injustice might help Tori be a little braver, a little bolder, a little more willing to take risks.
Mr. Farouk and Mr. Ajayi should read… The Story of the Hundred Promises by Neil Cochrane
I’d love for these two to have their own mini book club with The Story of the Hundred Promises. A loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast, this novel features a trans sailor who is saved by and in turn saves a nonbinary enchanter. This novel is queer on every level, is soft but emotional, and is a beautiful love story about the power of identity and found family. Mr. Ajayi has been out for a while, but Mr. Farouk was a late bloomer, like me. There’s a lot here for both of them to connect to. Oh, to be a fly on the wall as they discuss it.
Coach Singh should read… Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Of course I’m giving Coach Singh Gideon the Ninth. It’s a frantic, chaotic novel about lesbian necromancers in space and sarcastic butches with long swords. Coach Singh isn’t as wild as Gideon or as cutting as Harrow, but I think she has a mischievous streak under all that sportswear that would get a kick out of this novel. The murder mystery element would lure her in, and the bonkers narrative style would seal the deal.
Alex Brown is a Hugo-nominated and Ignyte award-winning critic who writes about speculative fiction, librarianship, and Black history. Find them on twitter (@QueenOfRats), instagram (@bookjockeyalex), and their blog (bookjockeyalex.com).
