Tag Archives: Homophobia

Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore

New York City, 1922. Nicolás Caraveo, a 17-year-old transgender boy from Minnesota, has no interest in the city’s glamor. Going to New York is all about establishing himself as a young professional, which could set up his future—and his life as a man—and benefit his family. Nick rents a small house in West Egg from his 18-year-old cousin, Daisy Fabrega, who lives in fashionable East Egg near her wealthy fiancé, Tom—and Nick is shocked to find that his cousin now goes by Daisy Fay, has erased all signs of her Latina heritage, and now passes seamlessly as white. Nick’s neighbour in West Egg is a mysterious young man… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Period-typical racism & colourism
  • Period-typical transphobia & homophobia
  • Period-typical sexism
  • Coming out themes
  • Cheating mentioned
  • Alcohol consumption & gambling
  • Emesis
  • Gun violence
  • Boating accident
  • Mentions of soldier’s military experiences in WW2

Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada

Stonebridge High’s resident bad boy, Wesley “Big Mac” Mackenzie, is failing senior year—thanks to his unchecked anger, rowdy friends, and a tendency to ditch his homework for skateboarding and a secret photography obsession. So when his mom drags him to a production of The Nutcracker, Wes isn’t interested at all . . . until he sees Tristan Monroe. Mr. Nutcracker himself. Wes knows he shouldn’t like Tristan; after all, he’s a ballet dancer, and Wes is as closeted as they come. But when they start spending time together, Wes can’t seem to get Tristan out of his head… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Internalised homophobia & mentions of disownment by homophobic parents
  • Domestic violence & child abuse recounted
  • Alcoholism & alcohol abuse
  • Attempted murder

Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian

2019. Moud is an out gay teen living in Los Angeles with his distant father, Saeed. When Moud gets the news that his grandfather in Iran is dying, he accompanies his dad to Tehran, where the revelation of family secrets will force Moud into a new understanding of his history, his culture, and himself. 1978. Saeed is an engineering student with a promising future ahead of him in Tehran. But when his parents discover his involvement in the country’s burgeoning revolution, they send him to safety in America, a country Saeed despises. And even worse—he’s forced to live with the American grandmother he never knew existed… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Homophobia
  • Racism & colourism
  • Suicide (off-page)
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Death of a mother recounted
  • Death of a grandfather from cancer
  • Police brutality & abuse of force*

*Context: The military uses force and gun violence against unarmed protestors.

And There He Kept Her by Joshua Moehling

They thought he was a helpless old man. They were wrong. When two teenagers break into a house on a remote lake in search of prescription drugs, what starts as a simple burglary turns into a nightmare for all involved. Emmett Burr has secrets he’s been keeping in his basement for more than two decades, and he’ll do anything to keep his past from being revealed. As he gets the upper hand on his tormentors, the lines blur between victim, abuser, and protector. Personal tragedy has sent former police officer Ben Packard back to the small Minnesota town of Sandy Lake in search of a fresh start. Now a sheriff’s deputy, Packard is… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Homophobia
  • Rape
  • Child abuse & neglect
  • Substance addiction & alcoholism
  • Drug use
  • Kidnapping & captivity
  • Murder
  • Gun violence

As You Wish by Chelsea Sedoti

In the sandy Mojave Desert, Madison is a small town on the road between nothing and nowhere. But Eldon wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, because in Madison, everyone gets one wish—and that wish always comes true. Some people wish for money, some people wish for love, but Eldon has seen how wishes have broken the people around him. And with the lives of his family and friends in chaos, he’s left with more questions than answers. Can he make their lives better? How can he be happy if the people around him aren’t? And what hope is there for any of them if happiness isn’t an achievable dream? Doubts build… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Homophobia & slurs
  • Domestic violence mentioned
  • Attempted suicide
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Hospitalisation of a sibling
  • Death of a sibling in a car accident recounted

Adore by Ella James

For years, I’ve kept his secret. When he called, I answered. When he needed, I gave. Then he went dark. I tracked him on Instagram–like his sixteen million other followers. When being on the planet with him, separated by his secrets, felt like torture, I moved on. But Luke McDowell wouldn’t let me go. He says he doesn’t want me, but we both know that won’t hold. By the end of our story, he’ll have taken everything. The question is, what will he give?

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Homomisia
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Physical injury

Wrath by Ella James

Josh Miller. That’s his name, but I just call him DG for Do Gooder. This guy is relentless. All-American, baby-faced, blue-eyed band dork who’s not a band dork at all, because you can’t be a dork when you’re getting scouted to play college soccer. When he’s not doing music or sports, DG is counting up his Boy Scout badges or front-rowing it at the First Baptist church. DG is my new stepbrother. Little brother. I’m a whole year older, not that he knows. I don’t think he knows I’m starting senior year a whole year late. And he definitely doesn’t know why. I’ve got secrets I’m taking with me to the grave. Everyone thinks I came into… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Homomisia
  • Rape recounted, on-page
  • Conversion therapy recounted
  • Amnesia
  • Depression
  • Alcoholism
  • Attempted suicide
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Drug use & abuse
  • Overdose, on-page
  • Car accident

Finders Keepers by Stephen King

The genius is John Rothstein, an iconic author who created a famous character, Jimmy Gold, but who hasn’t published a book for decades. Morris Bellamy is livid, not just because Rothstein has stopped providing books, but because the nonconformist Jimmy Gold has sold out for a career in advertising. Morris kills Rothstein and empties his safe of cash, yes, but the real treasure is a trove of notebooks containing at least one more Gold novel. Morris hides the money and the notebooks, and then he is locked away for another crime. Decades later, a boy named Pete Saubers finds the treasure, and now it is Pete and his family that Bill Hodges, Holly Gibney, and Jerome Robin… Read more,

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Racism
  • Fatphobia & body-shaming
  • Homophobia
  • Rape
  • Suicide
  • Cancer
  • Murder & attempted murder
  • Knife, sword & axe violence

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

Five attendees are selected for a month-long writing retreat at the remote estate of Roza Vallo, the controversial high priestess of feminist horror. Alex, a struggling writer, is thrilled. Upon arrival, they discover they must complete an entire novel from scratch, and the best one will receive a seven-figure publishing deal. Alex’s long-extinguished dream now seems within reach. But then the women begin to die. Trapped, terrified yet still desperately writing, it is clear there is more than a publishing deal at stake at Blackbriar Estate. Alex must confront her own demons – and finish her novel – to save herself.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Nazism mentioned
  • Homomisia mentioned
  • Child abuse & neglect recounted
  • Domestic abuse recounted
  • Anxiety & panic attacks
  • Drugging
  • Gun violence
  • Bullying mentioned

Where We Go From Here by Lucas Rocha

Ian has just been diagnosed with HIV. Victor, to his great relief, has tested negative. Henrique has been living with HIV for the past three years. When Victor finds himself getting tested for HIV for the first time, he can’t help but question his entire relationship with Henrique, the guy he has-had-been dating. See, Henrique didn’t disclose his positive HIV status to Victor until after they had sex, and even though Henrique insisted on using every possible precaution, Victor is livid. That’s when Victor meets Ian, a guy who’s also getting tested for HIV. But Ian’s test comes back positive, and his world is about to change forever Though Victor is… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Homomisia & homomisic slurs
  • Public outing
  • Hate crime
  • HIV/AIDs
  • Cyberharassment