Boy meets boy. 

They have:

~ an instant connection that leads to long term love 

~ a sometimes messy but fiercely loyal friend circle

~ families who each love their son’s chosen partner

What happens when one comes out as transgender? 

This is BELLIES by Nicola Dinan. The story of Ming and Tom. A story about queer love, coming-of-age, family, friendship and transitioning. A transgender story written by a transgender woman. A story that has my whole heart. 

I was deeply moved by the way Dinan illustrates Ming’s transition as well as Tom’s experience of witnessing his partner transition. I read books to enter worlds that are different from my own and I’m grateful to have entered theirs. 

Dinan also really nails writing about transitions in general- graduating from college, starting new jobs, facing changes in friendships and families, coping with loss, breakups, moving to a new city. The universal feelings of heartache, hope, fear and fervor one can experience all at once during periods of change in our lives. 

This is an easy fave of the year for me.

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No spoilers but a note about the ending: In a year of several books that I’ve mostly loved while reading but then it dropped at the end (I’m looking at you, Rootless), I just have to acknowledge how much I appreciated the ending of Bellies. Possibly the most perfectly written closing lines I’ve read all year.