The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School

The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School follows sixteen-year-old Yamilet Flores, who transfers to a Catholic school in Phoenix after being outed at her previous school. She must navigate life at her new predominantly white institution while keeping her identity hidden from her religious mother and judgmental classmates. At school, Yamilet meets Bo, an openly gay classmate who challenges her perspective on secrecy and self-acceptance. Their connection grows as Yamilet wrestles with her fears of rejection and her desire to live authentically. Through her experiences at home and school, Yamilet confronts the complex intersections of sexuality, faith, family expectations, and cultural identity. Her story involves both moments of isolation and the discovery of unexpected allies. The novel explores themes of found family and the tension between religious beliefs and LGBTQ+ identity, offering a nuanced look at how young people forge their own paths while honoring their cultural and familial connections.

Readers praise the authentic portrayal of Mexican-American culture, queer identity, and Catholic school experiences. Many relate to the main character Yami's struggles with family acceptance and faith. The humor throughout helps balance heavier themes of homophobia and mental health. Liked: - Natural incorporation of Spanish language - Complex family dynamics and sibling relationships - Raw, honest depiction of anxiety and depression - Strong LGBTQ+ representation within religious context Disliked: - Some found the pacing slow in the middle sections - A few readers wanted more development of secondary characters - Catholic school setting felt stereotypical to some readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (6,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (280+ ratings) BookTok/BookTwitter: Frequently recommended in YA LGBTQ+ lists "The author captures perfectly what it feels like to be both queer and Catholic," notes one Goodreads reviewer. Another writes, "Finally a book that shows the messiness of coming out in a religious Latino family without being trauma-focused."

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth A teen navigates her queerness and identity at a religious conversion therapy center while grappling with family expectations and first love.

Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales A bisexual teen runs an anonymous relationship advice service at her school while wrestling with her own romantic complications and questions of identity.

Like Other Girls by Britta Lundin A queer athlete joins her high school's football team and confronts stereotypes, discrimination, and her feelings for another player.

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson A Black queer girl campaigns for prom queen at her conservative Midwest high school to win scholarship money while falling for her competition.

All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews A young Indian immigrant explores her sexuality, culture, and faith while building a life in Milwaukee and finding community among other queer people of color.

🌟 The novel was inspired by Reyes' own experiences attending Catholic school in Arizona as a queer Mexican-American teenager 🌟 "The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School" was chosen as a 2023 Stonewall Book Award Honor Book by the American Library Association 🌟 The book incorporates both English and Spanish dialogue, reflecting the authentic bilingual experience of many Mexican-American families 🌟 Phoenix, where the story is set, has one of the largest Catholic school systems in the western United States, with over 14,000 students 🌟 The author wrote the first draft of this debut novel during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), completing it in just 30 days