Hello and welcome to the September edition of the Queer Lit Review! This month we have a Catholic teen sorting out her beliefs after catching feelings for her best friend, a "lazy bisexual stoner" solving the murder of his uncle, and an Autistic teen finding love at volleyball camp.
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Title: Her Name in the Sky by Kelly Quindlen
Reviewer: Tali
Summary: All Hannah wants to do is enjoy senior year at her Catholic high school with her tight-knit group of friends. But her beliefs and relationships are upended when she and her best friend, Baker, develop feelings for one another.
Year of Publication: 2014 original, 2025 reissue
Genre/Sub-Genre: Young adult fiction, coming-of-age
Book Format: Ebook & Physical book
Length: 407 pages
LGBTQ+ Orientation: Lesbian main character and love interest
Content Warnings: Homophobia (incl. internalized homophobia and religious homophobia), compulsory heterosexuality (incl. attempts to date and kiss a boy), scenes of physical violence and fighting
Ratio of Sex/Plot: There is one fairly explicit sex scene, but it’s tastefully written and an important emotional moment for the characters. There are also a couple of mentions and implications of off-page sex. Otherwise, most of the physical intimacy in the book is through kissing.
Well-Written/Editor Needed: The prose is sometimes a little purple, but the plotting and pacing are on point. The characters and their social dynamics feel fleshed out and real.
Would I Recommend?: Yes
Personal Thoughts: Her Name in the Sky was the author’s first book, originally self-published in 2014. Since Quindlen has now had a string of successful YA novels, this book was recently reissued in a new hardcover, with some tweaks and a new epilogue. However, I read the original 2014 edition, which I thought held up well even without these edits.
Her Name in the Sky does a great job of immersing the reader in Hannah’s thoughts and emotions. I really felt everything she felt as she prayed for guidance and help, wrestled with her magnetic attraction to Baker, and navigated the rifts in her friend group. This book was powerfully emotional and angsty, to the point that I would describe it as a tearjerker. That said, it does end happily, and it was ultimately a cathartic and uplifting read.
I particularly appreciated that the book took Hannah’s faith seriously and didn’t assume that she would totally discard her beliefs, culture, and upbringing to achieve a full-fledged gay identity. I felt that this spoke sensitively and honestly to readers who have struggled to balance their orientation and their religion without losing either.
This is an excellent read for teens and adults. I’d particularly recommend it for those from religious backgrounds, or those who want to lean into a melancholy mood with an emotional read.
Title/Author: Killer Vibes by Jack Friday
Reviewer: Ana
Summary: Peter, a self-described “lazy bisexual stoner,” unexpectedly inherits his estranged uncle’s entire estate—including a mountain of debt and a house that’s falling apart. But when he finds a bag full of cash and receives mysterious warnings, he starts suspecting his uncle’s death wasn’t an accident.
Series/Standalone: Standalone for now, planned to be part of a series!
Genre/Sub-Genre: Mystery
Book Format: Print
LGBTQ+ Orientation: Bisexual
Content Warnings: Fatal car crash, parental death (past), domestic abuse, suicide, child abuse (past), gun use, sexual violence, hospital scenes, stalking, murder, blood/injury descriptions, fire/explosions, debt, housing insecurity, cocaine and Adderall abuse, marijuana use, gambling. Brief mentions of sex, COVID, and past bi erasure.
Well-Written/Editor Needed: Well-written
Would I Recommend?: Yes!
Personal thoughts: I’m simultaneously thrilled that I get to follow a new series right from the start, and mad that there aren’t any sequels (yet) for me to devour! This is easily one of my favorite books of the year so far. It genuinely had me laughing out loud, but the humor is balanced with emotion, introspection, and excellent suspense. It has that classic “noir” feel without the misogyny and heteronormativity. Peter and his found family feel like real people that I would want as friends. I will be first in line to read the next book!
Title/Author: Smash or Pass by Birdie Schae
Reviewer: Laura B.
Summary: After years of heavily masking to fit in with her classmates, Autistic teen Ellie resolves to truly be herself while away at volleyball summer camp in an attempt to find love. She expects that love to be with her ex-boyfriend who is also attending the camp, but instead begins falling for her teammate, Sierra.
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre/Sub-Genre: Romance
Book Format: Physical book
Length: 249 pages
LGBTQ+ Orientation: Lesbian
Content Warnings: Bullying
Well-Written/Editor Needed: Well-written
Would I Recommend?: Yes, to teen readers
Personal thoughts: This is a short, fast-paced book that I think is a great option for more reluctant teen readers! Ellie is a great character who a lot of teens might see themselves in. I imagine that Ellie’s journey as a high-functioning Autistic teen who finally begins making real friends (and more) once she stops masking will be both relatable and affirming to a lot of Autistic teen girls in particular. I also think a lot of teens will relate to Ellie’s self-discovery regarding her sexuality. Ellie begins the book dating the “right guy” because she knows that is what will make her classmates like her, but eventually realizes that accepting that she is a lesbian and being in a real relationship with Sierra will make her happier than being popular for pretending to be someone she isn’t.
As an adult reading this book, I did wish that some of the side characters got more development. We see Ellie's twin, Noah, trying to support her and encouraging her to be herself, but we don't get much insight into his struggle with depression and how his place in the family impacts that, especially since this is a late reveal in the book. Similarly, we hear a lot about Sierra's difficult relationship with her father (who runs the camp) and her complex relationship with volleyball, but I felt like a lot of her growth happened off the page. I do generally think romance-heavy stories work better when they are dual POV, and I think Sierra's POV would have helped the characters and their relationships become more fully developed. Some of the more secondary characters, like Ellie's bunkmates, also had interesting backgrounds that could have been explored a little more.
Overall, I think this is probably a skip for adult readers unless they really love beach volleyball or are looking for lighthearted Autism representation. I do, however, recommend it to the intended teen audience!
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