facebook icon facebook icon facebook icon
  • About
  • ADS
  • Masthead
    • Editorial Board
  • Submission
  • Subscribe
The Wellesley News -
  • News
    • Contract ratified by Wellesley’s Maintenance and Service Employees Union
      Contract ratified by Wellesley’s Maintenance and Service Employees Union
    • News in Brief
      News in Brief
    • Wellesley adapts to end of race conscious admissions
      Wellesley adapts to end of race conscious admissions
    • Senate Report
    • News in Brief
  • Features
    • Professor Spotlight: Dr. Faisal Ahmed
      Professor Spotlight: Dr. Faisal Ahmed
    • Spotlight: New Professor Kathryn Winner
      Spotlight: New Professor Kathryn Winner
    • Spotlight: New Professor Lucia Nhamo ’11
      Spotlight: New Professor Lucia Nhamo ’11
    • Humans of Wellesley
    • Archives
  • Opinions
    • France’s Abaya Ban Unveils Its Own Misogyny
      France’s Abaya Ban Unveils Its Own Misogyny
    • Editorial: In defense of affirmative action
      Editorial: In defense of affirmative action
    • I am an NCAA champion: we should end college recruiting
      I am an NCAA champion: we should end college recruiting
    • Editorials
    • Letters to Editors
  • Arts
    • The SAG-AFTRA and WGA Strikes: What’s happening in Hollywood?
      The SAG-AFTRA and WGA Strikes: What’s happening in Hollywood?
    • Digging into Hozier’s Unreal Unearth: “De Selby (Part 1)” and the Population of Loss
      Digging into Hozier’s Unreal Unearth: “De Selby (Part 1)” and the Population of Loss
    • Summer Releases to Help Usher in Fall
      Summer Releases to Help Usher in Fall
  • Sports
    • Gauff and Richardson Shatter Expectations
      Gauff and Richardson Shatter Expectations
    • Student Athlete of the Month: Kennedy Mayo
      Student Athlete of the Month: Kennedy Mayo
    • No image
      What even is a BORG and why does it matter?
  • Multimedia
    • Photo of the Week
      Photo of the Week
    • “Stronger Together” Rally with Chelsea Clinton
      “Stronger Together” Rally with Chelsea Clinton
    • College Government Vice President 2016 End of the Year Report
      College Government Vice President 2016 End of the Year Report
    • Podcasts
    • The Wellesley Snooze
  • Projects
      • The News in Conversation
    • About
      • Contact
      • Join the News
      • Masthead
      • Editorial Board
    By Delaney Morgan ArtsOctober 13, 2021

    Celebrate #biweek with Bisexual Books

    image courtesy of GLAAD

    Thursday, Sept. 23, was Bisexual Visibility Day. To keep the celebration going, I wanted to share five books featuring bisexual characters. It should go without saying that this is a very slim list of my favorites out of a wide range of bisexual books; and if these don’t sound interesting to you, there are plenty more to choose from!

    “I’ll Be the One” by Lyla Lee

    I recommend this joyful, empowering young adult book to anyone and everyone. “I’ll Be the One” follows the formidable Skye Shin as she takes the K-pop world by storm. After nailing the audition for a new K-pop reality competition show, Skye is thrust into the spotlight. But while her singing and dancing dreams are coming true, she is forced to confront the fat-phobic standards of the industry. While this novel tackles important issues like fatphobia and queerphobia, it is ultimately a celebration of being proud of who you are. Skye identifies as bi on-page, as do other characters.

    Trigger warnings: fatphobia, queerphobia, mentions of diet culture, mentions of racism

    “One Last Stop” by Casey McQuiston

    “One Last Stop” follows a twenty-three year old bisexual woman named August. August is awkward, messy and has no idea what she’s doing with her life. She’s struggling to finish school and break away from her consuming relationship with her mom — all while waiting on tables at the 24-hour diner to make rent. When August discovers that her subway crush, Jane, is actually stuck in time on the Q train, she resolves to get her unstuck. But as the two become closer, they must confront a heartbreaking conclusion: sending Jane back to her own time means never seeing each other again. “One Last Stop” perfectly captures the messiness of being in your twenties while functioning as a love letter to queer communities, both past and present.

    Trigger warnings: drinking, marijuana use, depression and anxiety, memory loss and cognitive issues, semi-public sex, familiar estrangement, familial death, grief, missing persons, implied PTSD; as well as mentions of arson, hate crimes, the AIDS crisis, queerphobia, police violence and childhood neglect

    “In Other Lands” by Sarah Rees Brennan

    “In Other Lands” is a portal fantasy that is refreshingly self-aware. It’s an absolutely hilarious romp featuring three very loveable characters, including Elliot, a chaotic, snarky bisexual who is our real-world link to the magic. The plot follows Elliot and his friends, Luke and Serene, over many years as they grow up and progress through their schooling. One of the many perks of “In Other Lands” is seeing them explore their sexual orientations on page. It is also the only book on this list with a male/male endgame.

    Trigger warnings: biphobia, homophobia, bullying, child abuse and neglect, death, racism, sexism, violence, war

    “Take a Hint, Dani Brown” by Talia Hibbert

    Although it is the second installment in a trilogy, “Take a Hint, Dani Brown” can be read as a standalone. Danika is a Black, bisexual, pink-haired witch attempting to finish her PhD. She’s been burned before and doesn’t have time for love … until hot security guard Zaf saves her from an elevator and the whole campus thinks they’re dating. Zaf wants to keep up this charade to get good publicity for his charity, and Dani can’t say no. This book is steamy, it’s cute and it doesn’t erase Dani’s bisexuality even though she ends up with a man. And, ultimately, I loved seeing Dani achieve professional and personal success.

    Trigger warnings: grief, anxiety, death of close family member, car crash, panic attack

    “Perfect on Paper” by Sophie Gonzales

    If you’re looking for a book that discusses in detail both bisexuality and biphobia within the queer community, then this is the book for you. Darcy Phillips has been running an anonymous romance advice column out of locker 89 for years, but when Alexander Broughan discovers her identity, she has to help him win his girlfriend back so he won’t reveal her secret. This young adult book discusses what it means to be a young bisexual person with the aid of a great plot and charming characters. Gonzales’s “If This Gets Out,” co-authored with Cale Dietrich, features a male/male relationship and comes out in December 2021.

    Trigger warnings: underage drinking and drug use, external and internal biphobia, cheating, vomiting, toxic parents, divorce, emotional abuse.

    “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid

    If while reading this article you’ve thought, “Wow, all of these are great, but I don’t have that much time to read that much, only one book is feasible for me,” then I would say this is the book you should pick — which is saying something, because this list contains some of my absolute favorites. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” follows the formidable Evelyn Hugo, a fictional golden-age movie star who offers up her life’s story exclusively to unknown writer Monique Grant. Her story is sensational; it includes seven husbands, but only one true love of her life: fellow movie star Celia St. James. Evelyn is an amazing heroine, and her life interwoven with Monique’s results in a compelling and emotional story.

    Trigger warnings: mentions of abortion, abusive relationship, alcohol, biphobia, mentions of cancer, car accident, cheating, death, divorce, domestic abuse, physical abuse, racism, sexism, smoking, mentions of suicide, statutory rape

    Share on

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Google +
    • LinkedIn
    • Email
    Previous articleA haunting Jane Eyre retelling just in time for Halloween (Books Before Boys review)
    Next articleNew York Fashion Week’s Lasting Effects: Microtrends, Fast Fashion, and Influencer Culture

    You may also like

    The SAG-AFTRA and WGA Strikes: What’s happening in Hollywood?

    Digging into Hozier’s Unreal Unearth: “De Selby (Part 1)” and the Population of Loss

    Summer Releases to Help Usher in Fall

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    The Wellesley News

      SECTIONS

    • News
    • Features
    • Opinions
    • Arts
    • Sports
    • Multimedia
    • Projects
    • About

      ABOUT

    • Contact
    • Join the News
    • Masthead
    • Editorial Board

      RESOURCES

    • Advertising
    • Submission
    • Subscribe

      CONTACT US

    • Contact
    COPYRIGHT © 2023 THE WELLESLEY NEWS