Theresa Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 If you like fantasy, Mercedes Lackey's new book Eye Spy has an ace main character. The word asexuality isn't specifically mentioned, but there is a wonderful short interchange between two characters makes it quite clear. -Theresa Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ekbekah Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 I’ve searched high and low and haven’t found hardly any books with ace characters besides weird side characters. I’d love to see an asexual protagonist. Also most books that have asexual characters usually have the character as aromantic as well as asexual which in my opinion is just lazy writing. I wish more writers who wrote asexual characters knew about the split attraction model. It’s just frustrating trying to find good books with ace characters. Please give me recommendations, thanks! 🙂 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Piper Dragon Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 You could check Wattpad? I know it isn't really the same as getting a book from a library, but there might be some books on there you could read online People are really open about it on there, almost everyone I know on Wattpad is in the LGBTQ+ community Warning: Watch out for badly written stories, there might be some Sorry that this wasn't the best recommendation, but I also haven't read any good books with an asexual character 😕 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duke Memphis Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King has an important ace character: King Roland. It isn't very subtle about it, but he's not written as a token character. Roland is written as a full character, and his being ace has influence on the plot without overshadowing anything. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rynn Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 You might want to start here : 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mintteaa Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann (biromantic ace protagonist) I believe it's a love story The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee (aro/ace protagonist) Feminist historical fantasy. It's actually the sequel to The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue which can be summed up as a gay, historical European road trip novel. The narrator of the first book is far from asexual, but it largely features his aro/ace sister who is the narrator and protagonist of the second book. I really that book series, but there is some controversy around the author poorly representing trans people in a book that comes out this year. So I'm in a kind of weird place with my feelings about her at the moment, but I really love her other books. Those are the only good ones I can think of at the moment with ace main characters. Full Disclosure by Camryn Garret has an ace lesbian supporting character and Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro also has ace side characters. There's this book with a gay ace main character called Vanilla by Billy Merrell. I started reading it a while ago and then stopped because I wasn't in a good place with my identity to read it. The general opinion seems to be that the book itself is not aphobic and that it accurately represents asexuality. However, there are a lot of aphobic attitudes in the book, most of it is really not validating at all. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Acing It Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 Tintin? It's for all ages, but maybe not what you are looking for hahah. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fuzzipueo Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 8 hours ago, Ekbekah said: I’ve searched high and low and haven’t found hardly any books with ace characters besides weird side characters. I’d love to see an asexual protagonist. Also most books that have asexual characters usually have the character as aromantic as well as asexual which in my opinion is just lazy writing. I wish more writers who wrote asexual characters knew about the split attraction model. It’s just frustrating trying to find good books with ace characters. Please give me recommendations, thanks! 🙂 Moving away from YA, you'll find more books, if you don't mind gay or m/m romance novels. However, have you tried the Listopia lists on Goodreads? There's a lot of overlap in these lists, but I hope they help: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/61456.Asexuals_In_Fiction_ https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/44480.Asexuality_in_YA_Fiction https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/105434.Aro_and_Ace_Spectrum_Characters_in_SFF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Diana DeLuna Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 5 hours ago, mintteaa said: There's this book with a gay ace main character called Vanilla by Billy Merrell. I started reading it a while ago and then stopped because I wasn't in a good place with my identity to read it. The general opinion seems to be that the book itself is not aphobic and that it accurately represents asexuality. However, there are a lot of aphobic attitudes in the book, most of it is really not validating at all. Thanks for the warning. Personally going through a profound identity adjustment of my own, and everything is triggering. I'm a big YA fiction fan and never minded the girl getting the boy/girl in the end, but after a very upsetting experience, I now find myself **angry** at the all the amatonormative bullshit. I'm pining for more ace characters of any prominence, be they quirky side characters or not. Don't know about others, but I personally only want to read in stories that take place in the here and now. Fantasy, manga, and historical fiction is kind of out. Sorry to be an old fuddy-dud. To call it slim pickings is an understatement. But maybe that will change now in the next couple of years? I work in public library admin, and have an advantage being friends with all the librarians responsible for buying new titles for the collection. Maybe I'll put a bug in the ear of the J/YA librarian to keep a lookout. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CharCharChar Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 https://www.obvibase.com/p/N7SD6v1F4mrVBWzV#table/N7SD6v1F4mrVBWzV/* Here's the aro ace database. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mintteaa Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 6 minutes ago, IvoryBill said: I'm pining for more ace characters of any prominence, be they quirky side characters or not. Don't know about others, but I personally only want to read in stories that take place in the here and now Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann and Full Disclosure by Camryn Garret are both realistic/contemporary. They are both romance stories, though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CharCharChar Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 My favorite is "Carry On: The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow" by rainbow rowell. The word "asexual" isn't used, but he dates a girl because he feels like he's supposed to, then enjoys kissing a guy but doesn't want sex. It's a fantasy that makes fun of the chosen one archetype and a clever magic system based on sayings. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Diana DeLuna Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 (edited) 9 minutes ago, mintteaa said: Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann and Full Disclosure by Camryn Garret are both realistic/contemporary. They are both romance stories, though. Yeah I read the Goodreads blurb with hope. Right up until the "swoony butterflies." Um, NOPE. That is *madly* triggering for me right now. *SIGH* 😔 Edited January 29, 2020 by IvoryBill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fuzzipueo Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 1 hour ago, IvoryBill said: Thanks for the warning. Personally going through a profound identity adjustment of my own, and everything is triggering. I'm a big YA fiction fan and never minded the girl getting the boy/girl in the end, but after a very upsetting experience, I now find myself **angry** at the all the amatonormative bullshit. I'm pining for more ace characters of any prominence, be they quirky side characters or not. Don't know about others, but I personally only want to read in stories that take place in the here and now. Fantasy, manga, and historical fiction is kind of out. Sorry to be an old fuddy-dud. To call it slim pickings is an understatement. But maybe that will change now in the next couple of years? I work in public library admin, and have an advantage being friends with all the librarians responsible for buying new titles for the collection. Maybe I'll put a bug in the ear of the J/YA librarian to keep a lookout. Sorry you're having a hard time. How about Finding Your Feet by Cass Lennox? Fair warning though, you'll have to deal with one of the worst tropes in m/f fiction (no one communicating with each other which leads to a ridiculous argument, etc. [I found it annoying and is one of the reasons I don't read m/f romance much]). https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31567740-finding-your-feet Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ConfusedTeen. Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 - we Awaken by Calista Lynne - Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire - Quicksliver (sequel to Ultreviolet) by R.J Anderson - Radio Silence by Alice Oseman - the kings name by Joe Walton - Before I let go by Marieke Mkjkamp - City of strife by Claudie - 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ConfusedTeen. Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 http://queerbooksforteens.com/ 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ekbekah Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 thanks so much y'all! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bakers_dozen Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 Have you come across Summer Bird Blue? I can't remember specifically if the protagonist was aromantic as well as asexual, she might have been... Anyway, I enjoyed it, it was the first book featuring an asexual character I read and it was refreshing and comforting to have her put some things into words. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aceghostcoast2coast Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 Seconding Let's Talk About Love, adding Claire Kann's second book, If It Makes You Happy, and adding: - Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee - Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand (more paranormal than contemporary, think Stranger Things with eldritch horror and queer girls, but the ace character is a main character and is in a healthy relationship) - The Spy with the Red Balloon by Katherine Locke (historical fiction in WWII told from the POVs of two siblings -- one sibling is a bi girl and the other is demiromantic and gay) This list from YALSA contains a lot more that I haven't read, too! http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2019/04/08/booklist-asexuality-aromanticism-young-adult-fiction/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Perpetual Geek Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 So this book hasn't come out yet, but there's this Childrens novel called Rick by Alex Gino about an asexual kid that's supposed to come out April 21st. I've actually read it myself. I know it's not Young Adult but I've read some really good LGBTQ novels for children under 12 and this feels like it could be one of them. Not exactly what you're looking for but I still hope you enjoy it if you decide to get it when it comes out. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JadeBat Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 I would recommend Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann I really enjoyed it and it was a really relatable and cute love story Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Karo Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 It's already been mentioned above, but I enjoyed the fact that Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire has LGBT characters but that's not the main plot point. I like fantasy and am always looking for stories that happen to have queer characters. And this one features an ace character. I haven't read the sequels, but want to. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
4Justus Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 Ace of Hearts: A Deadly Hand Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Iris08 Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 I'm pretty late to this haha, but I am very passionate about both YA books and ace rep, so I have contributions: Tarnished Are the Stars by Rosiee Thor (one of the three main characters is aroace - the words are used on page, and the fact that they are two separate things is acknowledged) Belle Révolte by Linsey Miller (one of the two main characters is ace and sapphic - the label isn't used on page, but it is discussed, and intentional rep) The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow (one of the two main characters is demisexual - the label is used on page and discussed) Also a few that I haven't read, but I've either heard great things about or are written by aspec authors (or both): Beyond the Black Door by A.M. Strickland (I believe this is about a bi ace character, although I may be wrong about bi) Immoral Code by Lillian Clark (I think this one has an aroace main character) Loveless by Alice Oseman (this one isn't out quite yet, but it's about a girl discovering she's aroace and I am almost certain it will have amazing rep) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaniBelUwU Posted June 1, 2020 Share Posted June 1, 2020 (edited) -Peridoto : v -Pidge (al menos yo la considero) -Rafael de cazadores de sombras -Charlie Weasley Edited June 1, 2020 by DaniBelUwU Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Madelyn Faith Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 Hey y'all! I love to read, particularly romance novels, but I have a hard time finding romance novels with asexual main characters. Most of the ones I find that do have asexual characters are M/M and not F/M which is what I'm looking for. I've already read "Tash Hearts Tolstoy" by Kathryn Ormsbee and "Let's Talk About Love" by Claire Kann which are some of the more popular ones that I get recommended. I know that there's a thread for asexual book recommendations but it hasn't been updated anytime recently. So, anybody have any recommendations for asexual F/M romance?? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 I can't think of any off the top of my head so I can't recommend anything. Sorry about that. You can give this a look: The Aromantic and Asexual Characters Database. You can sort by pairing (F/F, F/M, M/M...), character importance (lead, side), genre, and so on. Hopefully that's helpful. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AmusedSkeptic Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 This site could help: https://queerbooksforteens.com/ the only ace books I’ve read are the ones you mentioned. I’ve yet to find one that’s ohmygodsogood 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rosendust Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 Spoiler Have you read Let's Talk about Love by Alice Kann? It features an F\M romance. I highly recommend this book. @Madelyn Faith Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fuzzipueo Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 1 hour ago, Madelyn Faith said: Hey y'all! I love to read, particularly romance novels, but I have a hard time finding romance novels with asexual main characters. Most of the ones I find that do have asexual characters are M/M and not F/M which is what I'm looking for. I've already read "Tash Hearts Tolstoy" by Kathryn Ormsbee and "Let's Talk About Love" by Claire Kann which are some of the more popular ones that I get recommended. I know that there's a thread for asexual book recommendations but it hasn't been updated anytime recently. So, anybody have any recommendations for asexual F/M romance?? The only one I can think of is Finding Your Feet by Cass Lennox. It's not bad, but suffers from the 'big miscommunication' trope. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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