Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

I adored George by Alex Gino, This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel, and Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin. That third one is especially interesting.

I know there are many more...

Listopia is here

I am happy to report that the first book on your list has been retitled!

Melissa


I met Alex at a book signing and then a library event some time ago, and they felt bad about deadnaming her in the title. I'm so glad to see that the publisher agreed to change the title of a very popular book.

Going with If I Was Your Girl

Would Billy Porters memoir count?

I loved Middlesex

Janet Mock is a wonderful writer. Surpassing Certainty: What My Twenties Taught Me was very moving, so I think I'll probably go with Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

This is basically historical fiction with a little bit of magic thrown in. This very much deals with gender identity, while being a really great story.

Orlando probably fits this, The Walking Boy might, and I'm currently reading An Unsuitable Heir which definitely has a gender fluid MC.

On the non fiction front there is probably & coming to mind.

Light from Uncommon Stars works here!

I'm hoping to read Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith for this one. It's an OwnVoices story about a trans boy starting at a new school--lots of trigger warnings from the reviews of people I follow!

I think an OwnVoices story is important to consider here, as opposed to something like This is How It Always Is, since it doesn't really depict gender identity from the protagonist, but rather an observation from someone on the outside. Just my initial thought!

If you're looking for non-fiction, I recently read Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More and simply adored it

is really good for anyone who likes graphic novels

I'll probably be reading Felix Ever After. That should fit, right?

I read Birthday by Meredith Russo last year (can’t remember now) and loved it

Conny wrote: "I'll probably be reading Felix Ever After. That should fit, right?"

Definitely. And it's a fantastic novel.

So I was looking at this for something else but then a line on the back cover about how she's explicitly struggling with whether or not to reveal her true identity led me to wonder, can this work for this prompt?

Lauren wrote: "So I was looking at this for something else but then a line on the back cover about how she's explicitly struggling with whether or not to reveal her true identity led me to wonder, can this work f..."

My guess is that because Mulan would be revealing her identity as a cis woman, I don’t think it quite fits what the prompt is looking for. I think the prompt is meant to provide an opportunity to read a book about trans, nonbinary, intersex, gender fluid, or other genderqueer idenitites.

Sarina wrote: "Lauren wrote: "So I was looking at this for something else but then a line on the back cover about how she's explicitly struggling with whether or not to reveal her true identity led me to wonder, ..."

That's why I paused and thought I'd ask for opinions. Thanks :)

I think this book is non-binary characters by a non-binary author: And Then The Gray Heaven - has anyone read it?

I'm leaning towards XOXY, A Memoir: Intersex Woman, Mother, Activist, about being intersex. but also considering Non-Binary Lives - An Anthology of Intersecting Identities or Becoming a Man: The Story of a Transition or As a Woman: What I Learned about Power, Sex, and the Patriarchy after I Transitioned.

If you wanted fiction/ romance, I HIGHLY recommend For the Love of April French, which is about and by a trans woman.

I'm eager to read Female Husbands: A Trans History by Jen Manion. It's a historical look at at folks assigned female at birth who went on to live as men and marry women.

Any poetry recommendations? I'm trying to expand my reading horizons in 2022 and read more poetry and nonfiction and this seems like the perfect prompt!

Leanna wrote: "Any poetry recommendations? I'm trying to expand my reading horizons in 2022 and read more poetry and nonfiction and this seems like the perfect prompt!"

I don't have any specific recommendations, but Lamda Literary is an organization that recognizes and nominates/awards queer literature every year, and one of the categories they cover is Transgender Poetry. It may be worth checking out their nominees/winners for something that fits. https://lambdaliterary.org/awards/pre...


This one jumped out when I quickly scanned the list: Impersonation by Joy Ladin

ETA: They have a category for Transgender NF, too, along with fiction.

The Danish Girl

I read The Thirty Names of Night this year and loved it.

Leanna wrote: "Any poetry recommendations? I'm trying to expand my reading horizons in 2022 and read more poetry and nonfiction and this seems like the perfect prompt!"

Arielle Twist is an Indigenous (Cree, IIRC) trans poet who identifies as Two-spirit, Disintegrate/Dissociate was intense, sometimes raw, and always compelling.

Gwen Benaway is an Anishinaabe trans poet.Holy Wild was very absorbing.

Alyssa wrote: "Going with If I Was Your Girl"

Ohhhh i loveeed that!

Emily wrote: "I'm hoping to read Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith for this one. It's an OwnVoices story about a trans boy starting at a new school--lots of trigger warnings from the reviews of people I..."

I really enjoyed this, and i loved tht it was a OwnVoices story too.

The heart’s invisible furies is a great option

I read a heartbreaking but incredible book a few years ago called Little Fish. The author and the main character are both transgender. It takes place in Manitoba, Canada.

I got this book a few months back which I started but never finished.

As a millennial, it got me curious which is what captured my attention in the first place.

The 2000s Made Me Gay: Essays on Pop Culture

I completely forgot I had this but M to (WT)F: Twenty-Six of the Funniest Moments from My Transgender Journey sounds absolutely spot on for this!

Would Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston work?

Maddie wrote: "Would Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston work?"


I don't think so, I don't remember any gender identity issues in that story.

Erica wrote: "She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

This is basically historical fiction with a little bit of magic thrown in. This very much deals with gender identity..."

ooh, thanks for the rec! This has been on my TBR for a while so I'm going to pencil it in for this prompt.

Sarina wrote: "I think the prompt is meant to provide an opportunity to read a book about trans, nonbinary, intersex, gender fluid, or other genderqueer idenitites."

I think that's certainly a great way to fulfill this prompt, but not necessarily the only way. For instance, you could have a cis man struggling with toxic masculinity and what it means to "be a man." Or you could have a cis woman burdened by societal expectations (which can take multiple forms depending on context; maybe she's pressured to act according to conventional feminine norms, or maybe she's pressured to eschew femininity. Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire is a great example of this).

As for Mulan, I don't know the story well enough to know if she struggles with gender identity, or if it's just a plot device/disguise (which I wouldn't count).

I just saw that The Left Hand of Darkness is on the Listopia for this prompt. And it's a perfect choice! I read this several years ago and loved it. It does make you contemplate how we view gender in our society, really challenges your perspective on gender, so I HIGHLY recommend choosing this book for the prompt. I might just read it again.

Susan wrote: "I just saw that The Left Hand of Darkness is on the Listopia for this prompt. And it's a perfect choice! I read this several years ago and loved it. It does make you contemplate how we..."

Yes! Such a good book. If I didn't have a couple of other books in mind for this category, I would read Left Hand of Darkness again just because it's that good.

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

This is how it always is would work well for this prompt. It’s a LOVELY READ!

I recommend As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl for this. Real-life story.

Drakeryn wrote: "Sarina wrote: "I think the prompt is meant to provide an opportunity to read a book about trans, nonbinary, intersex, gender fluid, or other genderqueer idenitites."

I think that's certainly a gre..."

I see it this way, too. I’m reading Women Don’t Owe You Pretty for this one. She is bisexual and cisgender. But the book is about expression of gender.

A GREAT option for someone looking for a great YA, magic-imbued, Latinx story is Cemetery Boys!

I'm currently finishing up For the Love of April French (which we read for our bookstore diverse romance book club) and it's lovely! For the Love of April French

Leanna wrote: "Any poetry recommendations? I'm trying to expand my reading horizons in 2022 and read more poetry and nonfiction and this seems like the perfect prompt!"

I would highly recommend the work of Danez Smith. I thought both Don't Call Us Dead and Homie were excellent.

I read Sula but Toni Morrison. It is a beautiful book about the myriad of gender identities available to black women and the consequences that each character faced due to their choices. This book is breathtakingly wonderful.

Finished Whiskey When We're Dry by John Larison

My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Heck, I read High School by Tegan and Sara last year but it was so good that I'll certainly do a re-read!

Just finished Honeybee by Craig Silvey - beautiful story about a young teenager discovering their gender identity.