So if you follow me on Twitter, you've probably seen my thread looking for books with positive realistic representations of sex in YA books.
Representing any issue in YA books needs to be handled well. You can't breeze over and sugar coat a topic because that is inauthentic and unrealistic. Teenagers and young adults know about sex, they may be having sex. Therefore mis-representing it in books is not "sheltering" them its harming them as they need a realistic view of relationships.
In real life there is no "fade-to-black" movie moment and it really irritates me when a book or movie does that as they don't want to portray the real moment to teenagers or young adults.
Teenagers relationships are just as valid. Therefore I'm glad there are some books which represent sex, love and relationships in a realistic way for teenagers. Representation really matters.
1) The Classic: Forever by Judy Blume (REVIEW HERE)
The representation is not only realistic in this book but is probably one of the first books for many people that they read where sex was displayed.
This novel centres around first relationship between Katherine, the main character, and her boyfriend Michael. As they fall in love for the first time they begin having sex.
The way the relationship progresses is written so well and the sex scenes are realistic.
The book shows sex in a realistic light, bleeding when you lose your virginity, it hurting, it sometimes being disappointing and the fact that just because you fall in love doesn't mean it will last forever.
A must read (although I find the boyfriend Michael to not be great and it is a little dated because its 50+ years old)
2) Gay Rep: Release by Patrick Ness (REVIEW HERE)
This book centres around one crazy day for our protagonist Adam Thorn.
Adam is gay, but struggling to let his family know as they are extremely religious. The sex portrayed in this book between Adam and is boyfriend is realistic.
Ness doesn't shy away from writing the sex in a realistic way, he writes the emotion involved, the conflict Adam feels between feeling scared of his family being ashamed of him but also his love for his boyfriend.
The sex scenes are very realistic, but whats more is the love and relationship emotions Ness writes so well. This book really shows a happy, healthy sexual relationship between two teenagers in a realistic and positive light.
3) Bisexual Rep: All of the Above by Juno Dawson
This book is one of my all time favourite novels EVER! So much so, that I can't even formulate my thoughts as I keep writing a review and then deleting it because its too "JUST BUY THIS"
But the sexual representation in this book is so well written. Our main character Tori is a mixed race bisexual teenage girl.
Over the course of the novel she falls in love for the first time, has sex with both girls and boys and finds her happiness.
The sex scenes and the way the relationships are written and progress are just perfect. The sex scenes are equal parts awkward first time fumbles and realistic representations of being in love with your partner.
This book and its characters is just so well written, if you read only one book from this list - please make it this one!
4) Awkward Realistic First Time: Lobsters by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison
This book gets so many things right and is just JOYFUL
Lobsters centers around Sam and Hannah, two teenagers who want to spend their summer trying to lose their virginity before they go to college / university.
The misadventures of them meeting people, trying to lose their virginity is just so very entertaining.
The sex scenes and the relationships are so well written and three dimensional. The book covers all things from first times, premature ejaculation (the couch scene had me wetting myself), toxic friends, bad relationships and pressure teenagers feel to lose their virginity.
So well written and probably one of the funniest books I've ever read.
5) 1st Book I Read: Let's Get Lost by Sarra Manning
This was the first ever YA book I read that featured sex when I was a teenager.
The novel centres around Isabel, an angry teenager who drink, parties and has sex. Isabel was such a raw, realistic character you're immediately sucked in by her. She pretends to be 18 so she can begin a relationship with Smith an older guy.
The portrayal of sex and relationships in this novel is well written and very realistic.
This is a book that I will definitely need to re-read.
Part 2 of this post coming very soon! Please leave your sex-positive YA book recommendations in the comments because I want to see more positive representation.
Happy reading!
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