Hello and welcome to #Project14Lists! I’m so happy to be participating in it! This is an incredible project created by a fellow blogger Shealea @ Shut Up, Shealea.
The essence of it is to create bookish lists from December 18th to 31st. If you can’t do all days, that’s totally fine. You can do any number of days that you like! Also, each post you write is an entry for an amazing giveaway hosted by Shealea!
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Now, YA (young adult) is my favourite genre. Nearly all the books I’ve read are in this genre and I love recommending YA books too! So, my first list for #Project14Lists is about some of my favourite YA novels ever! I hope you like it and if you’ve read any of these books, do tell me what you think about them!
1. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Links: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
This book doesn’t need much of an introduction. It’s very popular (with good reason) and its movie adaptation made it even more popular!
The Hate You Give popularly known as THUG is a book that I encourage everyone to read. It’s about racism, hate and police brutality. The main character, Starr is a high schooler who witnesses the shooting of her unarmed black friend, Khalil by a police officer. The story follows the events after that horrifying murder; the attempted police cover-up, the smearing of Khalil’s name, the protests and lots more. Starr’s life is changed forever by the incident.
The Hate you Give is one of a kind. It’s a book that shines so much light on the problems that black people in America face; from the unwarranted hate to gang violence. And it’s all written from the perspective of a black woman.
This book was one of the first that really provided representation for black people and it has changed the mentalities of black and non-black people all over the world. If you haven’t read it yet, I encourage you to.
2. Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Links: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
Simon vs is more widely known by its movie adaptation Love, Simon but as a true bookworm, I prefer the book 😄
This book follows the life of Simon, a senior in high school whose life is irrevocably changed when he’s outed as being gay by a fellow student, Martin. The first time I read this book was months ago but I can never forget how happy I was reading this book. In fact, my Goodreads review is the gushiest I have ever written!
Simon vs depicts the homophobia in the world in all its ugliness but it also shows that true love and friendship can trump all that hate (yep, the pun is intentional).
Related: Best Sites to Read cheap (or totally free) Books Legally
3. The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed
**Trigger warning for sexual assault, rape, violence, bullying, slut-shaming, self-harm, suicide.
Links: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
The Nowhere Girls is not as popular as the first two but it’s just as important. It is about rape culture; the entitlement that men feel towards the bodies of women and the misogyny that runs deep in today’s society. It’s also very diverse featuring characters of different races and sexualities.
The Nowhere Girls follows 3 girls in high school (Grace, Rosina and Erin) who come together to get justice for a former classmate (Lucy) who was gang raped and then, slut-shamed and bullied for calling out the rapists. This story will make you feel everything; from heartbreak to anger to hate for the oppressors and horrible people who gain power by humiliating and degrading innocent girls and women.
If you have a sexist relative or acquaintance or a “not all men-er” in your life, this would make a perfect Christmas gift for them.
4. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Links: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
Achilles is a renowned figure in Greek mythology; the hero whose only weakness was his heel. Madeline Miller spins a gay retelling of his story through the eyes of Patroclus, his friend and lover. But the book isn’t just about Achilles. It’s also about Patroclus himself; his kindness, love and unwavering loyalty and his ability to make Achilles humane by simply existing.
So many of the heroes in stories are usually white-washed in an attempt to make them more palatable. Madeline Miller exposes their faults and flaws but also, much of what makes them heroes and leaves the decision (to love or not to love) to the readers.
This story is beautifully written, the characters are delightfully complex and it’s one of my best LGBTQ+ novels to date.
Related: 30 Most Anticipated Books of 2020!
5. The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven
**Trigger Warning: Mentions of suicide, rape
Links: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
This is an incredible book that’s so underrated! It deals with slut shaming, feminism and the sickening double standards that exist in the society.
Izzy is a senior in high school whose life is torn apart when details of her sex life and her nude picture are leaked in her school. Of course, the boys involved get off but Izzy faces constant harassment and abuse with some people even hoping she kills herself. Just for having a sex life!
Izzy deals with the negativity really well (apart from a terrible mistake she made) and in the end, friendship, family and girl power silences all the haters.
6. Love, Hate and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed
Links: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
This list would be incomplete without this amazing own-voices book about Islamophobia!
Maya is an Indian-American Muslim teen who dreams of going into photography, a career path that is totally different from what her parents want for her. Her life is changed totally after a horrible crime by someone who apparently shares her last name. Friends turn to enemies and she faces a lot of hate for being who she is.
When people are blatantly Islamophobic, they tend to forget the innocent lives and souls they condemn in their hate. Samira Ahmed writes this book from the POV of such an innocent person. It encourages people to open their hearts and minds and to accept all people regardless of differences.
Related: The Ultimate Gift Guide for Book Lovers
Have you read any of these books? What do you think of them? What books would you add to this list?
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A Song of Achilles have been on my radar ever since it was published but I never got around to buying it. And I really need to read Simon vs the homo sapiens agenda and the hate you give.
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A Song of Achilles is a super sweet and kinda sad book but I really love it! I hope you love Simon vs and THUG!
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i haven’t read any of these but i’ve watched love, simon movie and i love it so much! also i’ve heard great things about the song of achilles. definitely will read them when i have the time!
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The Love, Simon movie is really cute! I hope you love the song of achilles when you read it! 🤗
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YES YES YES to THuG! I can see it being a classic years down the road. I will check out “The Nowhere Girls.” there is a book that sounds similar called “I Stop Somewhere” that also has important messages about sexism. Let me know if you check it out!
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It deserves to be required reading in schools! I haven’t heard of I Stop Somewhere but I’ll definitely check it out! Thanks for the recommendation ❤
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I have read Simon Vs the homo sapiens agenda but i haven’t watched the movie yet. The song of Achilles is on my TbR . I’m reading Circe when i’m done with that i will read SoA. Nice list
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Thanks Nelo! The Simon vs movie is really cute but the book was better of course 😉 I hope you’re enjoying Circe ❤
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These are such inspiring and positive books that shed light on very important stuff! I had heard a lot about “The hate u give” and I didn’t actually know what it was about and I’m so happy there’s a movie because I’m way too impatient to read the book now!!!
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Thank you so much for reading Laura! I haven’t watched the hate u give movie but I’ve heard it’s heart-wrenching and so amazing! I hope you love it ❤
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I’m super guilty about not reading The Hate U Give despite receiving it months back. I don’t know, maybe I need to take a leave from this world for a day and just read that book ❤
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I just read The Hate U Give last month and it’s been out for nearly 2 years 😅😂 Don’t feel guilty about it Fanna. When the time is right, you WILL read it. Just read any other book you’re interested in ❤
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Haha, glad I’m not the only one 😀 Will do! I hope it happens soon though XD
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Ouhh the exact opposite of Okay has been one that’s been sitting on my virtual wanna read !
Nice list, saved ! xx
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Awww thank you so much! I hope you love The Exact Opposite of Okay!
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A lot of these are already on my TBR! They all seem like the type to punch you in the gut with emotions, so I have to be in the right frame of mind to read them, but I’m definitely going to!
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Don’t feel pressured to read them at all. When you’re ready, you can try them. These are really heavy reads ❤
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will love to read the hate you give to know the difference between the book and the movie. I was literally crying when watching the movie because being black means being careful and having to follow certain rules and behavior to survive.
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Thank you so much! I hope you love these books when you read them! ❤
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The Nowhere Girls sounds a lot like Asking for It by Lousie O’Neill, but with more support so it probably isn’t as bleak of a read. I’ll add it to my booklist!
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I’ll have to check out Asking for It! I hope it isn’t too bleak lol. Thanks for reading!
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I watched Love, Simon and thought it was such a cute film, I really enjoyed it. I would love to read the book as well at some point. I also like the sound of The Exact Opposite of Okay, it sounds like an interesting story that covers important topics and the book cover is actually amazing! Thanks for sharing your recommendations! ❤ xx
Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
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Love, Simon is a really cute movie! I hope you enjoy the book when you read it. The Exact Opposite of Okay is a very important novel that I hope more people would read. Thanks for reading Bexa!
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I don’t even think I’ve heard of any of these?! Such a good selection by the sounds of it, I’ll be sure to pick a couple up. I love the sound of Love, Hate and Other Filters. That sounds so interesting! x
Sophie
http://www.glowsteady.co.uk
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Thank you so much Sophie! I hope you like Love, Hate and Other filters if you try it ❤ Thanks for reading 🤗
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I’ve had so many of these books on my tbr! I really want to read the exact opposite of okay! Lovely list! ❤️
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Thanks Kelly! Happy reading 💕
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I’ve only read 2 of these so I clearly have some work cut out for me, haha. But I’m definitely planning on picking up LHOF soon!
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2 is still really good! I hope you enjoy LHOF when you read it ❤
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I absolutely agree with this list! I’ve only read two so I definitely have to get moving on this!
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Thanks Kate! 🤗 I hope you’re able to try the rest!
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I’m finally prioritizing The Hate U Give on my to-buy list on January!
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Yayy! I hope you enjoy reading it!
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great list! i have the hate you give in my ibooks app and started reading it this past year but never got around to finishing it (i’m bad at finishing books) i was really enjoying it and found it was important for me to read, especially as a privileged white female. while i’ll never fully understand what racism and police brutality feel like on a personal level i do agree that it’s an important read for everyone. great post, i always love finding new books to add to my reading list x
mich / simplymich.com
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Thanks for reading Michelle! The hate u give is a really amazing book for everyone. I’m glad you liked it! ❤
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I seen both film adaptations of The Hate You Give and Love Simon, which were both incredible movies, never read the books of the two but really like the movies. I want to check out the Love Hate & Other Things book, I always enjoy other cultural perspectives. In University, I read Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi, which was a great read about Islamic teenage girls who came together in secret to read the book Lolita, super powerful novel. So I definitely wanna check out your suggestion Love Hate & Other Things
Natonya | https://www.justnatonya.wordpress.com
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I haven’t seen the movie adaptation of THUG yet but I hope I can watch it soon. Everyone says it’s amazing! Reading Lolita sounds great. I’ll check it out. Thanks for the recommendation and thanks for reading Natonya! 🤗
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Lovely post!
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Thank you!
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I loved the way you have described them. I have heard a lot about them but never got an opportunity to read. I hope I’ll read them this year.
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Awww thank you so much 💗 I hope you enjoy reading them if you try them out
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A lot of these are on my TBR. Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks for reading! 💗
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Oh a lot of the books in your list are on my wishlist and/or tbr;
– the hate u give
– Simon vs. the Homo sapiens
– song of achilles
– the exact opposite of okay
Really curious about those in particular!
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I really hope you get to read them soon! ❤
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I’ve not read any of these and only heard of a few! I’ll have to look into the others 🙂
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I hope you do. Thanks for reading!
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I agree with the first two. I’ve not read the others.
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Loved Simon vs and the btw you give need to check out medlineplus miller. Heard good things
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I’ll check it out. Thanks for the recommendation 🤗
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I’ve only read The Hate U Give and I really enjoyed it. I’ll have to check out the other novels!
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Thanks for visiting my blog!
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I got 4 of your list and I loved them. Others are on my TBR.
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Yayy! Happy reading 💗
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Simon vs is incredible! Happy reading 💕
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I wanted to pick up “The Hate You Give” so many many times before! Arg, why can’t I get myself to do. Defiantly the book I need to read next
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Great post.
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I’ve read THUG and Love, Hate and Other Filters and I totally agree with you. I’ve got a couple of these on my TBR too.
Gemma @ http://www.gemmasbooknook.blogspot.com
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All these are new to me!
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i really enjoyed the Love Simon movie so I would love to read the book!
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The hate u give is next on my TBR!
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Great post! I’ve only read The Hate U Give and I totally agree with you! I will check out the other novels.
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Great post and a great list of books I have some of these books on my tbr pile, thank you so much for sharing your awesome post.
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I really need to read THUG! I’ve heard so many great things. I’d also add Wild by Cheryl Strayed to this list 😌
Jenny 🧚🏻♀️
http://www.jennyinneverland.com
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I don’t YA, but these look divine and appeal to me
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I love these suggestions. The Hate U Give is one of my favorites.
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Thank you! I love THUG too. It’s such an amazing book
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