1. If We Shadows by D.E. Atwood
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press (March 6, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1627988203
ISBN-13: 978-1627988209
Amazon: If We Shadows
Amazon Kindle: If We Shadows
WOW! This author bravely tackled everything about being a trans* teen. The gender dysphoria, how to "pass", dating, hormone injections, transphobia, violence against trans* people.... All of the issues big and small were covered, brilliantly. Then it was packaged with Shakespeare and High School, and magic. I am so impressed right now. Certainly one of the best trans* books I've EVER read.
Perfect 40. This book was pure pleasure to read. The author hit every note perfectly, leaving me feeling like I was in the head of the main character, or whomever had pov control at that point. Flawless. The character growth was believable, the story arc enthralling, the writing style captivating. I am definitely a fan.
D.E. Atwood is a powerful voice, and this story should be in every high school library across the nation. The simple beauty with which the author presents this clever weaving of magic, ordinary teen angst, the alienation everyone struggles through in high school, and the pervasive dissonance of being born into a body whose bits and pieces don’t fit the person living inside it…astounds. Bravo, D.E. Atwood, bravo.
I don't know how this book could get any more perfect. An intricate plot told in accessible language that manages to come through in a very believable teenage voice. The characters are multi-layered and likeable. Most of all, the author addresses the difficulties of being a transgendered teen, as well as the mechanical details--therapies, "packers," balancing the opinions of parents/friends/school/potential love interests--rather than romantically glossing over them.
Runners Up:
2. Beloved Pilgrim by Christopher Hawthorne Moss
3. Cevin’s Deadly Sin by Sally Bosco
4. His Fair Lady by Kimberly Gardner
5. Collected by Solar Harris
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