Anticipated Reads of 2017 | Part One

I can already feel that 2017 is going to be the year of books; both Young Adult and New Adult. 2016 was pretty much a lacklustre year for myself and reading but this year I am opening myself to new journeys. This post will be split up into two different posts. This post will feature books published from January to the end of June. Part Two will then feature books from July to the end of December. The reason I've split the posts up are because I didn't want to have a post that's too long, also most of
the books published after June don't really have covers so waiting to post Part Two in June will mean the books on the list should have had their covers revealed by then.

So here are my most anticipated releases from January- June....


LONG WAY HOME BY KATIE MCGARRY
Harlequin Teen - 31st January

I'm saddened that Long Way Home is due to be the last book in the thunder road series. It was confirmed to me by Katie McGarry herself on twitter. Originally this was going to be a four book series but Ha
rlequin Teen had changed their mind and only wanted three books. Violet and Chevy have been the vocal point of the series with every reader wanting to know whether or not they'll put their differences aside and give a relationship a try? We also get a sneak peek back into the world of the Pushing the Limit series as Violet and Chevy meet Isaiah and Rachel along the way.



HISTORY IS ALL YOU LEFT ME BY ADAM SILVERA
Simon & Schuster Children - 9th February

A story of grief, heartache and love. History is All You Left Me follows Griffin whose ex-boyfriend, Theo has passed away. With all the hurt Griffin is going through he ends up connecting to Jackson, Theo's boyfriend who is the only person who understands his heartache. However, Griffin's OCD is getting worse and the only way he can find himself is by opening up and fronting his past.


LIKE A MEMORY BY ABBI GLINES
Self-published - 14th February

It was only recent when Abbi announced that Seabreeze would be meeting Rosemary Beach and I was a little shook. Having only finished both series last year and now being able to read Bliss and Nate's story so soon after is possibly the best thing to happen in 2017. Bliss and Nate met when they were teenagers, fell in love for the first time. But now 10 years have passed and they're reuniting again. The only word I can think of right now for this book is heartbreak because I'm sure I'm either going to be crying or laughing and crying while wanting more.



THE HATE U GIVE BY ANGIE THOMAS
Balzer & Bray - 28th February

Inspired by the #blacklivesmatter movement, Angie Thomas had written a novel so at the heart of America that it's become a must on anyone's 2017 TBR's. The book follows 16 year old Starr who's the only witness to the murder of her friend Khalil by a police officer. When it becomes a media phenomenon, Starr's life is threatened. What she says could ruin a community, what she says could get her killed.


A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN BY SARAH J MAAS
Bloomsbury Children's - 2nd May

I'm not sure what to say about ACOWAR as I've still yet to read A Court of Mist and Fury, however, I absolutely loved A Court of Thorns and Roses. It was one of my favourite books of 2015 and I'm super excited to continue on with Feyre's journey and also get to know Rhysand more. From what I've heard the ending of A Court of Mist and Fury left everyone's jaw dropping and eyes popped in shock so that does intrigue me to get reading it. As of now there is no cover or synopsis for book three in this retelling series.



FLAME IN THE MIST BY RENEE AHDIEH
Putnam and Juvenile - 16th May

Described and Mulan meets Ronin 47 set in Rural Japan. That was all it took to have me hooked. Mulan is one of my absolute favourite movies and it's about time we saw some more retellings surrounding the baddest Disney Heroine. From the synopsis, our main character Mariko is forced into an arranged marriage for political power, however, while on the way there they get hijacked so she pretends to be a guy and joins the Black Clan who were hired to kill her. While getting closer and closer with the Clan she discovers things that make her question everything she's ever known.


LORD OF SHADOWS BY CASSANDRA CLARE
Simon and Schuster Children's - 23rd May

I will read anything Cassandra Clare writes, including her weekly shopping lists. Who am I kidding, she probably has people who do her shopping for her. Now while I've not read Lady Midnight I am super excited for the release of Lord of Shadows. First of all the cover is absolutely gorgeous but the series also has a character named Kieran (Same as my own) and has a character that happens to be Bisexual. I'm all about diversity and Cassandra Clare just knows how to write diverse characters who happen to go through the biggest battles of their lives.


ONCE AND FOR ALL BY SARAH DESSEN
Penguin Books - June 8th

I never grew up with Sarah Dessen. In fact I never even heard of her until 2015 when people started mentioning her on Booktube. I read 'Along For the Ride' and next thing you know I was hooked on her books. Once and For All follows a girl whose life surrounds weddings since her mother is a wedding planner. She also doesn't believe in true love, not since her first love broke her heart. After meeting Ambrose, a serial dater, she starts to question whether true love does exist.



Now I know there are a lot more fantastic books coming out this year, but like I said, this will be a 2 part series with the second part being posted in June. At the minute I have my list all saved for that post but I'm just waiting on covers and some synopsis' to be revealed. Anyway, not that this post is up why don't you let me know what books you guys are excited for?

Gay in YA

Should Gay in YA be allowed?

 

There's always been a lot of controversy whether or not authors should write LGBT characters. Some authors are known for their LGBT niche, where some are not and that's not always up to them, sometimes the publishers will only sign on the book if the LGBT character is written as a straight character as well.

 

Publishers Weekly published a blog where two authors wrote an article about trying to publish their book with a major company, but were told that the one gay character had to be written straight and if it was successful enough then they could write him as gay later on in the series. (Click here to read the article)

 

In the blog post they state that they didn't feel the need to change the Gay character because that's who he was and sometimes the teenagers they spoke to who were Gay always spoke about wanting a Gay character who could be shown as being strong.

 

“Making a gay character straight is a line in the sand which I will not cross. That is a moral issue. I work with teenagers, and some of them are gay. They never get to read fantasy novels where people like them are the heroes, and that’s not right.”

 

I completely agree with what Rachel had to say: Gay characters are never shown as being strong and it's not fair because there are people in the army and police force who happen to be Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender. They're courageous people who show strength, not weakness.

 

Rachel then went on to continue her argument as to why her character should remain Gay.

 

When you refuse to allow major characters in YA novels to be gay, you are telling gay teenagers that they are so utterly horrible that people like them can’t even be allowed to exist in fiction.

 

After coming out as LGBT we immediately get targeted, next thing you know you're being pushed into lockers, being beaten up and having people tell you to kill yourselves and it shouldn't be like that in the publishing world. We can't help being gay anymore than people can help being straight or being born with blonde hair. It's a normal thing and for it to become a normal thing in society then people have to accept it and use what they can to advertise an acceptance towards LGBT.

 

LGBT teenagers are four times more likely than straight teenagers to commit suicide.

 

LGBT teenagers don't commit suicide because there aren't LGBT characters in Young Adult books, but it's more about the prejudice. If a boy and girl were making out in public nothing would be said, but as soon as people see two boys (or girls) holding hands in public then it's rubbing their sexuality down their throats.

 

WE. ARE. NOT. DIFFERENT!

 

Rachel and Sherwood wrote the novel so that the teenagers we know—some of whom are gay, and many of whom are not white—would be able, for once, to read a fun post-apocalyptic adventure in which they are the heroes. And we were told that such a thing could not be allowed.

 

I love their reply!

 

After we thanked the agent for their time, declined the offer, and hung up, Sherwood broke the silence. “Do you think the agent missed that Becky and Brisa [supporting characters] are a couple, too? Do they ever actually kiss on-page? No? I’M ADDING A LESBIAN KISS NOW!”

 

I love that Rachel and Sherwood wanted to show that being LGBT was normal and that two boys (or girls) kissing is okay. (Sex is also okay). Being a gay teenager is hard, but sometimes you just want to read a book with a LGBT protagonist and there's only a small list of books we can choose from. But what I love even more about Rachel and Sherwood is that they wanted to write it for the gay people they knew, not because it was different in Young Adult fiction.

 

Not every publisher are against publishing books with LGBT characters, Agents can decline because of sexuality and so can Editors and we can't change their minds about that, it's up to them. But I'm also missing out a big factor: Authors. Yes, there are authors who are known Homophobes and by reading their work it looks like we're supporting them and their opinions.  

 

Orson Scott Card is a known Homophobe. In fact he's the biggest homophobe ever. I will never read a book by him because I'm gay myself and he is hating on people just like me, which is disgusting. In 2004, he said gays were the victims of self-loathing and child abuse. But Card’s most notorious anti-gay screed was his 2008 article in the Mormon Times, in which he wrote, “No matter how sexually attracted a man might be toward other men, or a woman toward other women, and no matter how close the bonds of affection and friendship might be within same-sex couples, there is no act of court or Congress that can make these relationships the same as the coupling between a man and a woman. This is a permanent fact of nature.”

 

John C Wright is another Homophobic author. After the SyFy Channel promised to be diverse in its portrayal of gay people, Wright took to LiveJournal with a shockingly homophobic post: “Why are you willing to tolerate sexual perversion but not racism? In a world with no standards, what makes a malfunction of love higher on your standard than a malfunction of hate? Is an irrational lust and longing to mimic the mating act with a sex with which one cannot mate, at its root, any more or less disconnected to reality than an irrational fear and hatred of a Negro?” He also compared being gay to bestiality, necrophilia, and the sexual abuse of children.

 

Another Homophobe is Kingsley Amis. The basis for Kingsley Amis’ bigotry is in his letters, which include slurs aimed at gays and Jews. He referred to gay men as “queers,” “poofters,” and “queens.”

 

To be honest the "queens" thing doesn't bother me because I am an aspiring Drag Queen, but there are so many gay men out there who aren't and it's offensive. I have a lot to say about all three men but I'd rather be a mature adult about it all and accept their point of view for what it is. But I will say I completely disagree with everything they stated.

 

The Young Adult genre's aren't that bad though, guys. There are a few well known authors who write LGBT characters and I think a lot of you will be surprised by one of them. She's massively known in the Young Adult genre and her first book City of Bones was also turned into a movie and has now been optioned for a TV Series.

 

Yes, Cassandra Clare, writes LGBT characters. In The Mortal Instruments there are two main gay characters: Alec and Magnus, but that's not her only LGBT characters. She is planning to write a Transgendered character and is set to appear in The Dark Artifices.

 

Here are five books that feature LGBT characters (James Dawson normally writes diverse characters) :

 

 

25 Must read YA books featuring LGBT characters

 

What are your opinions on having LGBT characters in Young Adult fiction? Do you agree or disagree with it? Let me know and comment down below.