Young Adult books that includes characters that are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning or asexual (LGBTQIA) are becoming ubiquitous in YA literature. Of note, the focus is not their coming out or disapproval from family and friends. They are merely characters in a story whose romantic involvements are not heterosexual. Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee takes the fake-dating rom/com trope and spins it into a tale of a gay aspiring chef entering a Mooncake-making contest in the hopes of winning and saving his aunt's Chinese takeout restaurant. Stars Hide Your Fires by Jessica Best is a sci-fi murder mystery set in outer space. Cass, a con artist who attends a galactic ball, hoping to steal enough jewels to retire, teams up with Amaris, a beautiful rebel leader who is trying to expose a political conspiracy. Unexpecting by Jen Bailey introduces a gay teen who finds himself an expectant father. In none of these books does the character's sexuality significantly impact the outcome of the conflict.
In Fake Dates and Mooncakes aspiring chef Dylan Tang hopes to save his Auntie Jade's Singaporean Chinese takeout, the Wok Warriors, from eviction by entering a mooncake-making contest. The prize is exposure on a famous Malaysian chef's cooking show. While he is preparing for the contest, Dylan meet the wealthy charming Theo Sommers whose friend is rude to Dylan during a food delivery. Theo shows up at Wok Warriors and raves over their xiao long bao and flirts with Dylan. When he finds out about the restaurant's financial woes, he sends $5,000 to Auntie Jade from a fake grant program. Dylan confronts him and Theo says he can repay him by being his fake date to a wedding in the Hamptons. The familiar fake-dating rom/com trope is developed in a delightfully unique setting as Dylan navigates first-love and family issues. Witty dialogue, Chinese cultural references and delicious cuisine make this a sweet read.
Stars Hide Your Fires, an intergalactic sci-fi murder mystery introduces Cass, a petty thief who lives on Sarn, an arid minor moon of the planet Danae. When she hears of the Ascension Ball, where the emperor's successor will be announced, she figures she can steal enough jewelry to support her ailing father and her crew for life. Things go suspiciously well when a prince gives her a ticket to the ball, and she meets the alluring rebel leader Amaris who enlists her aide in uncovering political conspiracy. Then the emperor is murdered, and Cass is the primary suspect. She and Amaris pose as a married lesbian couple as they search for the real culprit, all set in a world with clones, marital discord and political intrigue. The intricate plot in this fast-paced thriller will keep the reader enthralled until the satisfying ending, complete with a romantic denouement.
In Unexpecting Ben Morrison, who has come out as gay, finds himself an expectant father, after he and his good friend Maxie experiment to confirm his sexuality. Maxie's strict parents are determined to put the baby up for a closed adoption, but Ben, who has never had a stable father figure in his life, wants custody. His mother and Stepdad #3 support him, but also try to expose the challenges he will face. He has SATS, robotics team competitions, a job and an invitation to a summer internship to juggle, as well as a blossoming romance with a former stepbrother. As his grades and responsibilities start to suffer, Ben begins to realize that fatherhood will come with a lot of sacrifices. When the fetus appears to be in danger, Ben recognizes that he must do what's best for the baby. Refreshingly, this poignant portrait of family dynamics focuses on the difficulty of teen parenting rather than Ben's sexuality.
