Thursday, January 7, 2016

17 Totally Inspiring Books With Great LGBT Lead Characters

Here’s your queer reading shopping list.

I'll Give You The Sun, Jandy Nelson

I'll Give You The Sun, Jandy Nelson

What it's about: A story that follows the relationship between fraternal twins Jude and Noah, the latter of whom falls in love with the boy next door.

What readers say about it:

"Even as a lesbian myself, I’ve never been all that into LGBT books. However, I found myself drawn into the book immediately, and I ended up reading it in a weekend." — 20hannahmk

"It is written so beautifully and the main character struggles with his LGBT identity. It is my favorite book and I highly recommend it!!" — sydneys4a4c089c2

amazon.com

The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Emily M. Danforth

The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Emily M. Danforth

What it's about: Orphaned by a tragic car accident, Cameron Post moves in with her old-fashioned grandmother and aunt, falls in love with her (female) best friend, and is sent to a religious conversion camp meant to "cure" her homosexuality.

What readers say about it:

"Although there’s some romancey stuff, the book is mainly about her self discovery. It helped me a lot when I was coming out and is a fantastic read." — oneyellowumbrella

"I cried multiple times at work while reading it on my lunch break." — katelinr2

amazon.com

More Than This, Patrick Ness

More Than This, Patrick Ness

What it's about: A young man named Seth —who happens to be gay — drowns, but when he somehow wakes up again, the world around him is completely different from how he left it.

What readers say about it:

"It’s a really interesting story. The protagonist is gay but his orientation is far from his defining trait and only part of a well developed character and a deep, involving story." — Lamialamia

"It’s an incredibly though-provoking book and changed my view of the world as well as broke my heart." — astridscarlettredd

amazon.com


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What's Your Harry Potter Roller Derby Name?

Are you more Hermione Mangler or Professor RumbleMore?

Click to get your name. Re-roll it if you don't like what you got!

Have a better idea for a name? Let us know!

Have a better idea for a name? Let us know!

Warner Bros.

We Know How Long You'd Survive "The Hunger Games" Based On Your Zodiac

Let the games begin!

The House Points In "Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone" Are Bullshit

#NotAllSlytherin

I'm a Harry Potter fan, you're a Harry potter fan, we're all Harry Potter fans. The books-turned-movies are representations of our childhood and we cherish them dearly.

I'm a Harry Potter fan, you're a Harry potter fan, we're all Harry Potter fans. The books-turned-movies are representations of our childhood and we cherish them dearly.

Warner Bros. Pictures / Via giphy.com

Quick recap: the house points are an accumulation of each of the four houses' good behavior, good deeds, and academic accomplishments awarded in point form over the course of a school year.

Quick recap: the house points are an accumulation of each of the four houses' good behavior, good deeds, and academic accomplishments awarded in point form over the course of a school year.

Warner Bros. Pictures

And at the end of The Sorcerer's Stone, Slytherin House had the most points. They were the best house that year, as shown by the points.

And at the end of The Sorcerer's Stone, Slytherin House had the most points. They were the best house that year, as shown by the points.

4th place: Gryffindor with 312 points
3rd place: Hufflepuff with 352 points
2nd place: Ravenclaw with 426 points
1st place: Slytherin with 472 points

Warner Bros. Studios


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23 Things Only People Obsessed With Chapters/Indigo Will Understand

*grabs book and sits down for 5 hours*

Ahhh, Chapters/Indigo. Indigo? Chapters? Whatever it's called, it's perfection.

Ahhh, Chapters/Indigo. Indigo? Chapters? Whatever it's called, it's perfection.

BuzzFeed Canada

You walk in and feel your cheeks flush with excitement. You take off your coat so you don't get overheated, and then you know, it's time.

You walk in and feel your cheeks flush with excitement. You take off your coat so you don't get overheated, and then you know, it's time.

*whispers under breath* Honey, I'm home.

BuzzFeed Canada

You didn't even need a book, but here you are anyway. You just needed an escape.

You didn't even need a book, but here you are anyway. You just needed an escape.

BuzzFeed Canada

Your adrenaline starts pumping. What do you look at first? Books? Home decor? Stationery?

Your adrenaline starts pumping. What do you look at first? Books? Home decor? Stationery?

BuzzFeed Canada


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9 Times Rocket Scientists Failed Harder Than You

They might be rocket scientists, but they had some pretty epic fails.

NASA / Alex Kasprak / BuzzFeed / Via drewexmachina.com

Once, a prestigious German rocket club accidentally blew up a police station.

Once, a prestigious German rocket club accidentally blew up a police station.

In 1931, a film crew arrived to shoot some footage of a German rocket club for a newsreel. Excited to show off their skills, they quickly set up a launch. The small rocket flew off the launch pad and reached its peak altitude, but then the parachute ripped off. The rocket, still flaming from the remaining gasoline in the fuel tank, landed on a shack that belonged to the local police, who arrived on the scene. The party was over.

Sony Pictures / Via youtube.com

While preparing rockets for a Hollywood movie premiere, a rocket scientist practically blew his face off instead.

While preparing rockets for a Hollywood movie premiere, a rocket scientist practically blew his face off instead.

In 1929, Austrian rocket scientist Hermann Oberth (a man with shit named after him) was the technical advisor for a German film called Frau im Mond. He saw this as an opportunity to get some of that sweet movie money into his research program and also get some notoriety at the big movie premiere. Before the premiere, he was experimenting with the perfect liquid fuel mixture to be used and practically blew his face off. The studio covered his ass and said that "weather" prevented the launch. At least he didn't trip in front of everyone?

Oscars / Via youtube.com

Rocketman Max Valier once gathered a big crowd to watch his rocket-propelled car move at lightning fast speed. It ended up moving an awe-inspiring 500 feet.

Rocketman Max Valier once gathered a big crowd to watch his rocket-propelled car move at lightning fast speed. It ended up moving an awe-inspiring 500 feet.

In 1928, Max Valier was pretty stoked to show off his first rocket-propelled car — the Rak 1 — in front of a crowd just hurting for some action. The car, loaded with a cluster of black powder rockets and placed on a track, hit a top speed of just five miles per hour.

Aziz Maachi / Via youtube.com


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This May Just Be The Saddest Brag Tweet Ever

Not exactly something for the United Nations to be proud of…

If you're an organization that's almost constantly under fire for being a place where dictators and war criminals are represented equally with democratically elected leaders, having a book on avoiding prosecution is kind of a bad look.

If you're an organization that's almost constantly under fire for being a place where dictators and war criminals are represented equally with democratically elected leaders, having a book on avoiding prosecution is kind of a bad look.

Sony Pictures

When BuzzFeed News reached out to the UN, a spokesperson was unable to say just why the book was so popular. Anyone within the UN system — from the lawyers in the Secretary-General's office to the various countries' delegates can access the library.

When BuzzFeed News reached out to the UN, a spokesperson was unable to say just why the book was so popular. Anyone within the UN system — from the lawyers in the Secretary-General's office to the various countries' delegates can access the library.

WBUR / PBS

The UN was, however, able to let BuzzFeed News know one of the most popular books at the Hammaskjold Library in 2014: it turns out diplomats couldn't get enough of I Am Malala, the book from education activist Malala Youssef.

The UN was, however, able to let BuzzFeed News know one of the most popular books at the Hammaskjold Library in 2014: it turns out diplomats couldn't get enough of I Am Malala, the book from education activist Malala Youssef.

Little, Brown and Company


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Emma Watson Is Starting A Feminist Book Club And Wants You To Name It

Are you ready for the “fEMMAnist book club”?

Emma Watson, Goodwill Ambassador For UN Women and all-around ~magical~ lady, is starting a feminist book club.

Emma Watson, Goodwill Ambassador For UN Women and all-around ~magical~ lady, is starting a feminist book club.

Emma Watson / Via Twitter: @EmWatson

For the record, Bell Hooks will of course be on the reading list.

For the record, Bell Hooks will of course be on the reading list.

Emma Watson / Via Twitter: @EmWatson

But, team, she needs help naming it. "Emma Watson's Book Club" or "Feminist Book Club" simply will not do.

But, team, she needs help naming it. "Emma Watson's Book Club" or "Feminist Book Club" simply will not do.

AFP / Getty Images / Via Twitter: @EmWatson


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