A-List Seattle: The Top 5 Reads for Queer Youth

It’s back to school season across Seattle, time to crack open those books and, if you go to the high school in Glee, to break into song. So maybe the title of this post is a little misleading: it’s not about some new offshoot of Logo’s “The A-List New York.”

Although we would all love to have Austin and Reichen run off to the Emerald City, this post is “a list” for all the booqworms out there. Here are the top five hottest reads for queer youth this season, according to my humble opinion.

5. “Liquor: A Novel” by Poppy Z. Brite: A good read for foodies and all lovers of N’Awlens, “Liquor” is the story of two lovers/chefs as they launch a restaurant based entirely on, you guessed it, liquor. The story is a great read for lovers of food writing and good gay fiction.

4. Queer Attitude--Gay Youth Blogs: Okay, not so much a book but a collection of links to other blogs. If you prefer short streams-of-consciousness instead of books, scroll on through and find something that speaks to you. Some of these are great, others, not so much.

3.  “Drugs in Partyland”: Drugs and alcohol are all around and peer pressure is intense. Here is an easy to read guide to help you make the best decisions for you, as well as resources for more information or help if you need it.

2.  “Send Me” by Patrick Ryan: A tale of two gay brothers, one out and proud, and the other struggling to make sense of it all. Set in Florida, “Send Me” is a story of complex family issues and how sharing common roots does not necessarily mean families share common experiences (probably don’t need a book to know that now, do you?)

1. “Dream Boy” by Jim Grimsley: Recently reviewed by NPR, this story touches on homophobia, bullying, adolescent awkwardness, and finding gay love where you least expect it (namely in the South).

What are some of your favorite books, blogs, websites, comics, or other reads (queer or completely unrelated to sexuality)? Feel free to post your suggestions (or criticisms of my choices) in the comments section!