Right Where I Left You

Isaac Martin is counting down the days until OutsideCon, the fan convention he plans to attend with his best friend Diego. As a gay Black teen who prefers the comfort of online friendships and gaming, Isaac views the convention as his chance to experience a perfect summer before college begins. The sudden reappearance of Davi, Isaac's former crush from the previous summer, forces him to confront his anxieties about real-world relationships. Meanwhile, Diego becomes increasingly busy with his new boyfriend, leaving Isaac to navigate social situations and family dynamics on his own. Set in Atlanta during a vibrant summer, the story follows Isaac as he learns to balance his online and offline worlds while pursuing his interests in gaming, comics, and art. His journey involves stepping outside his comfort zone, dealing with complicated family expectations, and finding his place in multiple communities. The novel examines themes of friendship, first love, and self-acceptance through the lens of contemporary geek culture. It presents an authentic portrayal of Gen-Z experiences while exploring the intersection of queer identity, fandom communities, and coming-of-age challenges.

Readers highlight the authentic portrayal of geek culture, gaming, and comic conventions. The LGBTQ+ teenage romance resonates with many readers who note the realistic family dynamics and friend relationships. Multiple reviews point to strong representation of anxiety and mental health struggles. Likes: - Natural dialogue between characters - Positive Black and Latinx representation - Complex family relationships - Accurate depiction of fandom culture Dislikes: - Some found the pacing slow in the middle - Several readers wanted more development of side characters - A few noted repetitive internal monologues Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (150+ ratings) BookTok: Frequently recommended in YA LGBTQ+ lists "The gaming references felt authentic rather than forced" - Goodreads reviewer "Finally a queer story that doesn't center on coming out trauma" - Amazon review "Anxiety rep that actually gets it right" - BookTok comment

Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales This rom-com follows two high school boys navigating their summer romance into the school year while dealing with family expectations and self-discovery.

Here's to Us by Becky Albertalli, Adam Silvera Two ex-boyfriends reconnect in New York City during a summer of theater, pride events, and confronting past misunderstandings.

The Sky Blues by Robbie Couch A gay teen crafts the perfect promposal plan while uncovering who is behind a cyberbullying attack threatening to out him to his small town.

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson A Black queer girl competes for prom queen scholarship money while falling for her competition and learning to be herself in a small Midwestern town.

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender A Black transgender teen navigates art school, college applications, and first love while dealing with an anonymous harasser who questions his identity.

🌟 Author Julian Winters wrote this book while working as a full-time college financial aid advisor, often drafting chapters during his lunch breaks. 🎮 The book features detailed references to video games and comic cons, drawing from Winters' personal experiences as a lifelong gamer and comic book fan. 🏳️‍🌈 The story takes place during the summer before college and explores themes of friendship, first love, and coming out, particularly within Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ communities. 📚 The main character's favorite comic book series in the story, "Disaster Frontier," was created specifically for the novel and includes elements inspired by real comics like X-Men and Young Avengers. 🌟 The book's dedication reads "For the quiet Black queer kids," reflecting Winters' commitment to increasing diverse representation in young adult literature.