I’ll Give You The Sun by Andy Nelson was the Twenty Fourteen Prince Award winner and won the LJP award. This book is told from a dual perspective by Noah and Jude. Noah is the one who is telling the story. Then Jude tells these stories from the present day. It focuses on the twin’s relationship, but art leaves a major part of their lives. They are artists completely. It’s such a huge part of their lives. Their mother is an art professor, which is essential to the story.
Their relationship has a lot to do with the art that they make. Noah is almost always drawing, but it leaves Jude out of that. All of the artistic metaphors were amazing. The symbolism was so intense. It was exciting to see how they interacted between 13 and 16. To see the change from that was very interesting.
Books like I Will Give You The Sun show the complexities of human emotions and relationships, offering relatable characters that readers can connect with emotionally. They invite readers to reflect on their lives and values and offer valuable insights into the human condition.
7 Books Like I Will Give You The Sun (LGBT Romance & Contemporary Fiction)
As LGBT book readers, we like and respect the variety of relationships. But the reality is different and challenging because any relationship is not properly set up in the culture and world. So the author describes these situations in their writing, and the story usually indicates the true events.
I’ll Give You The Sun is a book that explains your feelings, and you want to read a similar book like that. So I am going to discuss seven similar books that are about LGBT romance and contemporary fiction. Let’s go!
1. The Sky is Everywhere
The Sky Is Everywhere beautifully captures the messiness and complexity of grief and the transformative power of love and self-discovery. The story’s main character is Lennie, and she has recently lost her sister to a tragic death. You find that she recently lost her sister two months ago at the very beginning, and she’s still reeling from it. She’s going through a grieving process. It follows her in the months after that happens and how she deals with her family relationships.
This book’s characters are so well done that I was completely blown away. Many things about Lennie are not easy to understand. The grieving process is exciting, and how we all grieve and others are explored well here between Lennie and her family members. Lennie also lives with her grandma and uncle; her mom is absent, and we don’t know who her father is. So watching them and their experiences of grief, too, are interesting because all the characters here are so different. The family is very eclectic, and you get a sense of that.
We have love interests before you go running. There’s technically a love triangle, and the synopsis even talks about there being a love triangle. Like I Will Give You The Sun, It is a situation where there are technically two romantic love interests. There are two guys in the book, and they do have to do with Lennie’s grieving process and what is going on. The whole situation is exciting with a love triangle.
Author: Jandy Nelson
Average Rating: 4.7/5
Category: Teen & Young Adult Music Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Audio CD
2. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is about a boy named Henry Montague. It’s set in the seventeen hundreds, and he is deeply in love with his childhood best friend, Percy. The thing about it is that his father knows about this, and he knows that Henry is a partier. He likes to drink and have fun and let loose. After the Europe tour, their lives will change forever as they move into adulthood.
Henry believes that Percy will go off to school to become a lawyer. These things quickly go south, and the overall story of these characters getting up was fun. So obviously, with the gentleman’s guide, people who are going through these types of experiences and have this type of perspective, it might connect to you a little more.
Henry doesn’t want his life to change as he grows and sees things differently. The end of the book was fantastic to see. Felicity is the main character of the lady’s guide. We don’t get to be in her head, so she is standoffish. The author wanted to explore her and go more in-depth into it.
You could probably say that for Montague as well as the LGBT community. I cannot speak to that, but I know Felicity is very much an asexual stereotype. So I like that she gets her book, which is explored more there, similar to I Will Give You The Sun.
Author: Mackenzi Lee
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: LGBTQ+ Romance, Historical Fantasy
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | MP3 CD
3. All The Bright Places
All The Bright Places is about Theodore Finch and a girl named Violet. They meet on top of the school bell tower. Violet is coming to terms with her sister’s death in an accident that happened, and she’s still trying to process this and grieve over it. In contrast, Theodore is suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts. They manage to help each other with what they’re dealing with. This book is a trigger warning for depression or mental illnesses.
So in this book, they get assigned a school project. They have to explore the different areas in their state where they’re either unique places or unusual places. They have to document their experience when they go to this place. Also, it makes you think that you need to go out there and explore where you live. There are places that people don’t talk about that are hidden. It’s such an inspiring book in that sense. I love Theodore because Finch is such a likable, funny character, and his humor is so funny. Then we have Violet, the popular girl, but she’s gone quiet since her sister’s accident.
Throughout this book, the character development of both characters is fantastic, like in the book I Will Give You The Sun. Finch suffers from depression and suicidal thoughts. His parents got divorced, and his father abused him. People tend to be more sympathetic when they see you are physically hurting. But no one is that sympathetic when it’s psychological or mental illness. That’s an inspiring quote because you won’t remember every single day. You’ll remember the happy moments and ensure you go out and get those happy moments.
Author: Jennifer Niven
Average Rating: 4.7/5
Category: Fiction on Mental Illness, Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Audio CD
4. They Both Die at the End
This book title tells you how it ends. Mateo and Rufus are two strangers who both receive a call from death, telling them they will die in the next 24 hours. They don’t know how and when. They only know that they have less than one day left to live. Mateo and Rufus decide to find a companion to spend their last day with, and they find each other through the Lost Friend app. This book chronicles the time that they spend together before the end.
They Both Die at the End talks a lot about death and being put in a position when you’re going to die. It forces you to reevaluate things and question some of your choices. But the main messages from this book were more about celebrating your life and living it to the fullest, knowing that you have less than 24 hours left to live such a short period. But there’s only so much the book can do to soften that blow, and the characters were lovable. They are flawed. They have their quirks, making them more accurate and relatable, like the book I Will Give You The Sun.
Their comparable personalities would result in the other taking risks or stepping out of their comfort zone and trying new things. I cherished the characters individually but together. There is a lot of mystery surrounding it and our main characters. They’re not in a position to reveal more about the company itself because a lot of that information isn’t open to the general public.
Author: Adam Silvera
Average Rating: 4.7/5
Category: Fiction on Friendship, LGBTQ+ Literature & Fiction (Best Seller)
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Audio CD
5. Will Grayson, Will Grayson
The story involves two boys, both called Will Grayson and John Green. David Levithan has written separate stories for each Will Grayson, so throughout the book, each chapter swaps between David Levithan, Will Grayson, and John Griswold Grayson.
In the first chapter, we are introduced to John Green’s Will Grayson and his friend Tiny, described as the world’s biggest gay person. Tony was one of my favorite characters in this novel. I found him to be so hilarious. John Green and Will Grayson struggle with friendships.
John wants to be under the radar at school constantly. He doesn’t want to be in the spotlight, whereas his friend Tony is the complete opposite of what his name suggests. He constantly throws himself about the school, making massive exclamations in the corridor and bringing unwanted attention to Grayson.
Tony is also creating a play about his life, which Will Grayson was a part of, and I don’t think Will Grayson is too keen on that. But throughout the novel, we see the progression of Chinese play and whether it will be about him. Grayson is a young boy, the same age as the other Will Grayson, and he has come to terms with the fact that he is gay, but he doesn’t feel the need to share that with anyone else.
Obviously, in the story of the two Will Grayson’s cross paths at some point, I won’t tell you. Otherwise, it will spoil the whole story. I will tell you that it is good when they meet, and once a story starts melding together, the characters cross over into each other chapters. If you like I Will Give You The Sun, You must read Will Grayson.
Author: John Green, David Levithan
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: LGBTQ+ Literature & Fiction
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle
6. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
We Were Liars is a suspenseful and haunting novel that revolves around a group of privileged teenagers and a dark secret that binds them. Lockhart’s gripping storytelling, atmospheric writing, and unexpected twists make it compelling. Like “I’ll Give You the Sun,” this book explores complex family dynamics and the impact of secrets on relationships.
7. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Set in the 1980s, “Eleanor & Park” follows two misfit teenagers who develop an unlikely love story. Rowell’s novel show first love, identity, and the challenges of navigating the complexities of family and society. With its authentic characters and heartfelt storytelling, this book will appeal to fans of “I’ll Give You the Sun.”
The books tackle significant themes such as family dynamics, personal growth, overcoming obstacles, and the power of human connection. By reading them, you’ll journey through diverse stories that touch on universal themes and offer profound insights into the human experience.
More LGBTQ Romance Books:
Books Like They Both Die At The End
Writing Tips:
5 Tips To Write A Gay Romance Novel
7 Tips To Write A Lesbian Love Story
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