MARK OSHIRO is the Hugo-nominated writer of the online Mark Does Stuff universe (Mark Reads and Mark Watches), where he analyzes book and TV series. He was the nonfiction editor of Queers Destroy Science Fiction! and the co-editor of Speculative Fiction 2015, and is the President of the Con or Bust Board of Directors. When not writing/recording reviews or editing, Oshiro engages in social activism online and offline. Anger is a Gift is his debut YA contemporary fiction novel.
The Grimmer (2023) Naben Ruthnum "A harrowing - yet often hilarious - journey into chaos, The Grimmer is a gleefully bizarre nightmare unlike anything else in YA. In Vish, I found a fellow metalhead, a unique voice in horror, and a deeply felt story about realizing when you aren't in control of your life anymore - and what one kid does to regain his agency. An unforgettable experience."
Camp Damascus (2023) Chuck Tingle "Jaw-dropping... both frightening and utterly cathartic. A queer nightmare of demonic proportions!"
Abeni's Song (2023) (Abeni's Song, book 1) P Djèlí Clark "Abeni's Song is simply unlike anything else in the field. An astonishing adventure that managed to thrill, scare, and delight, all while telling a story that is beautifully complicated and moving. Middle grade readers, meet your new favorite author."
Blood Debts (2023) (Blood Debts, book 1) Terry J Benton-Walker "A stunningly complicated, delicious family drama that readers are going to devour. Clem and Cristina are beautifully nuanced, real characters, and the world they're in crackles with mystery and ferocity. The real magic is this book-don't let it slip through your fingers."
The Vanquishers (2022) (Vanquishers, book 1) Kalynn Bayron "Boog and her friends will capture your heart in an instant."
What's Coming to Me (2022) Francesca Padilla "If you're longing for a book that's gritty (but not exploitative), that's honest (but not cruel), and that will have you screaming as you turn each page . . . Francesca Padilla's What's Coming to Me is for you. This sharp, realistic noir illuminates the nuanced journey of Minerva, whose anger is always right on the surface. A masterful debut and one hell of a ride."
The Marvellers (2022) (Conjureverse, book 1) Dhonielle Clayton "This is the fantasy adventure the world needs. The Marvellers is a cultural reset, the kind of thorny, exciting, and magical story that I've needed my whole life. Clayton's detailed and heartfelt world--all seen through the eyes of the brilliant Ella Durand--is going to capture the imagination of readers in an instant. Where's book two? I already need it!"
Ophelia After All (2022) Racquel Marie "Look: The banter in this book alone is enough to develop a deep, life-affirming crush on Ophelia After All. But it is in the deep, loving characterization of Ophelia and her friends that Racquel Marie creates a memorable, boundary-breaking story about identity, friendship, and the messy complications between the two. Utterly remarkable."
Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun (2021) Jonny Garza Villa "This book is a revelation. It’s like Jonny Garza Villa wrote a book for seventeen-year-old me just as much as they wrote it for the person I am today. Told in a wildly entertaining, conversational style, it’s equal parts heartbreak and joy, and it centers queer people of color in all their brilliant glory. It’s the Whataburger to my In-N-Out, and I can’t wait for the world to lose their shit over it."
Counting Down with You (2021) Tashie Bhuiyan "I. Love. This. Book. I adore the emotional depth that Bhuiyan gives to Karina, and I am reminded of the power of contemporary fiction to both shine a light and uplift those of us who have been largely ignored."
Between Perfect and Real (2021) Ray Stoeve "An astounding debut overflowing with heart. Stoeve beautifully captures the world of high school theater as much as they also give teens a story about the pitfalls of holding others to impossible, unfair standards. I spent the whole book rooting for Dean and his incredible group of friends. This is exactly the kind of book I needed long, long ago."
Bump (2021) Matt Wallace "This book did a pile drive on my heart. I was so quickly captivated by MJ as she navigated grief and excitement, fear and joy. Reading Bump is having ringside seats to a touching, hilarious story that the world so desperately needs right now."
Never Look Back (2020) Lilliam Rivera "Haunting and richly detailed, this is a beautiful re-imagining that will hurt and heal, sometimes on the same page."
Cemetery Boys (2020) (Cemetery Boys, book 1) Aiden Thomas "This stunning debut novel from Thomas is detailed, heart-rending, and immensely romantic. I was bawling by the end of it, but not from sadness: I just felt so incredibly happy that this queer Latinx adventure will get to be read by other kids. Cemetery Boys is necessary: for trans kids, for queer kids, for those in the Latinx community who need to see themselves on the page. Don’t miss this book."
Darius the Great Deserves Better (2020) (Darius the Great, book 2) Adib Khorram "Khorram manages the impossible: A stunning follow-up to Darius the Great Is Not Okay that stands alone as a masterful exploration of love, grief, and desire. This isn't just a book I needed as a teenager; it's one I need right now."
When You Were Everything (2020) Ashley Woodfolk "Digs in to what makes a friend break-up feel life-shattering. Exquisite, intimate, and vulnerable, this story will surely stick with readers long after they finish it."
Ghost Squad (2019) Claribel A Ortega "Ghost Squad manages to be both creepy and heartwarming, fulfilling a need for stories that are both deeply relatable and culturally specific. Highly recommended for kids looking for a spooky read, a whole lot of feelings, and a story they'll not soon forget."
The Stars and the Blackness Between Them (2019) Junauda Petrus "The Stars and the Blackness Between Them is a sweeping, heartfelt, and engrossing debut, a story so expertly crafted and beautifully written that you’ll want to return to it again and again. I got lost in the poetic, infectious voices of Audre and Mabel, two teens struggling with their own identities in a world that wants them to be easily categorized. This is THE queer read of 2019, and its final pages will haunt you long afterward. If Petrus is the future of YA (and I sure hope she is), then we are in good hands."
How to Be Remy Cameron (2019) Julian Winters "Reading Remy is like gaining a best friend. Told with empathy, humor, and sincerity, this is an astounding follow-up for Julian Winters. The world needs Remy Cameron, and I, for one, am ready for everyone else to discover just how heartwarming this book is."
Empire of Sand (2018) (Books of Ambha, book 1) Tasha Suri "This is the future of fantasy: rich, complex, unflinching. Empire of Sand is a stunning achievement."
