Will Grayson and Will Grayson are two teen boys who live near one another, but their names are where their similarities end. Their lives overlap--and continue to overlap, thanks to the fabulously loud and flamboyant Tiny Cooper, one Will's best friend and the other's love interest. It's Tiny who really shines here, and this is one teen book that is less about finding love than it is about finding love in your friends, in yourself, and in the person you choose to be.

Ten-year-old Ian is a bookworm who young librarian Lucy Hull helps smuggle books past his overbearing mother. He also might be gay, much to the horror of his parents, who have sent him to anti-gay classes with Pastor Bob. When he shows up after hours at the library with a plan to run, Lucy suddenly finds herself an unwitting kidnapper, driving Ian halfway across the country with a half-formed plan to save him. Moral questions and gray areas abound and aren't always satisfactorily resolved, which may frustrate some readers, but the point here is less about moralizing (on either side) than it is about having the courage to save yourself. While many parts of the book are implausible, the bookish references and the belief in the power of books will delight avid readers.

Four friends move to New York after graduating from college with big dreams of successful careers. JB is an artist, Willem an aspiring actor, Malcolm an architect, and Jude a lawyer. The story brings the reader into the lives of each of the men, finally landing on Jude. It's at this point that it's clear that this is not just another post-collegiate New York story. Jude is insular and mysterious, and as the story progresses, the degree of his damage and suffering emerges.

A Little Life covers decades in the life of the men and it is one of the most devastating, riveting books I've ever read. Many readers count it among their favorites--just as many say they loved it but could never read it again. For more, also check out The Story of the Story: 15 Things You Didn't Know about A Little Life.

Rosie and Penn are raising a loud, unique family of five boys. From science to stories to knitting to costumes, the family is full of quirks that are embraced and nurtured.

So when 5-year-old Claude declares that he wants to be a girl, his parents support him. Soon Claude has become Poppy, a girl to all outside the family and accepted as one within his family. But secrets weigh heavy, time can't be slowed, and the safety of childhood and family can't shield Poppy from difficult future decisions and the outside world forever.

I loved this story of imperfect parents whose hardest lesson isn't accepting a child who is different, but accepting that facing the difficulties and fears is sometimes the best way to be supportive.

When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl.

George thinks she'll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte's Web. George really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can't even try out for the part . . . because she's a boy.

With the help of her best friend, Kelly, George comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte -- but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all.

Some friendships come and go, while others work their way inside of you and take hold. Tin Man is the story of one such friendship, begun between Ellis and Michael at 12 years old. Both sensitive and artistic, they avoid their fathers and are enchanted by Ellis's mother, who herself is enchanted by Van Gogh's Sunflowers.  What starts as intense companionship evolves into more, until the two boys find themselves at a decision point.

But this is also a story about loss. Ellis is a 45-year-old auto worker, living alone and nursing his flashes of memory. Annie. Michael. The friendship that expanded to enfold the third member, and then closed again, never to allow in a fourth. The story slowly unfolds to reveal the cycles of bonding and breaking that defined their relationships, and how Ellis came to be alone.

Tin Man is a lovely examination of intense friendships, with two characters who feel especially well-drawn and sympathetic and a third who could have used a little more backstory. Nonetheless, part of the charm of this story is in its brevity (and I say this as someone who loves a good long book). The range of emotions, years, and stories conveyed in such a short book is impressive and it manages to have moments of hope and beauty alongside the sadness.

Twenty-three-year-old August is ready to escape her past. After spending her life helping her mother investigate the disappearance of August’s uncle, August is now an ace detective—with little to show for it. She’s hoping for a new start in New York City. She soon falls into a community, with her welcoming and quirky new roommates and job at a beloved diner. But it’s the intriguing girl on the subway who really piques her interest. As she and Jane grow closer, August discovers a new mystery to solve: Jane is from the 1970s and forever stuck on the subway. Why, and how can they fix it?

McQuiston—best known for the wildly popular Red, White & Royal Blue—brings us this new LGBTQ romantic comedy, set in a slightly alternate universe and filled with their signature banter and diverse characters. The narration is excellent–I highly recommend this on audio.

A trans woman, her ex who has detransitioned, and his new lover try to build a new family after an unexpected pregnancy. An unflinching and thought-provoking dive into the trans community, with thoughtful examinations of identity, shame, womanhood, and–in many ways–motherhood.

Grace, a recent PhD graduate, wakes up married in Vegas, with dim memories of the night, the girl, and the magic. Thrown into crisis, she decides to take a break and find the girl–and maybe herself.

Stuart's Booker Prize-winning debut novel is a gut-punch of a book. Young Shuggie adores his mother, Agnes, and her beauty and glamour captivate those who meet her. But her alcoholism shapes the lives of Shuggie and his older siblings. Shuggie's philandering father eventually abandons them to a derelict public housing scheme outside of Glasgow, where the kids--and Shuggie most of all--try to manage their mother and her binges.

Filled with relentless, gritty poverty, brutality, and addiction, Shuggie Bain is a difficult read. There is hope and love here, but I think many readers found more of those elements than I did. Stuart is a talent, and the rawness of this reminded me of A Little Life. Recommended if a heavy read is right for you, but there are plenty of trigger warnings to be aware of.

In a fictional White House family, Alex is a golden boy with a quiet rivalry/fascination with Prince Henry of Wales that usually has little effect on his life–until a tense encounter forces them into a false PR campaign highlighting their "close friendship." The two grudgingly go along until their clever banter turns to real friendship–and then to more.

This was a fun audiobook listen with sweet romance (note: it's a little steamy), witty banter, and insider-y political maneuverings. A great choice if you're looking for an uplifting romance.

When Sarah Foster runs away from home at 16, she leaves behind her first girlfriend, found dead in a lake, and the understanding that people in her life may have been involved. Starting from nothing is hard, but she makes her way into bartending and soon becomes famous for her creative signature cocktails.

When she meets Emilie at a restaurant, their connection is instant. But both have complications from their pasts that make it difficult to fall into a relationship. As they ebb and flow toward and away from one another, they start to understand how they might fit together.

This was a lovely story, with complex, sensitive characters and relationships. This is LaCour’s debut adult novel (she usually writes YA) and I hope she continues to write for adults.