Pride Month – Book Recommendation #4

Oh no! Pride Month is coming to an end so this is the last of my book recommendations. Sad times.

I have really enjoyed doing this little series and also reading some amazing pride month posts on other blogs! My lovely friend Emily over at ashortbooklover has been posting some amazing recommendations for Pride Month the last few days. Go and check them out!

Anyway for my last recommendation I have decided to feature a book which really captured my heart when I read it back in 2016. It is still one of my favourite pieces of LGBTQ+ YA Fiction and I am always telling people about it.

If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo

Published by: Usborne Publishing

Released: 1st June 2016

Page Count: 304

Genre: YA Contemporary

Goodreads / Amazon

Amanda Hardy is the new girl at school.

Like everyone else, all she wants is to make friends and fit in. But Amanda is holding back. Even from Grant, the guy she’s falling in love with.

Amanda has a secret.

At her old school, she used to be called Andrew. And secrets always have a way of getting out.

A book about loving yourself and being loved for who you really are.

What I loved about If I Was Your Girl was how honest and open it was about being who you are meant to be and how we really got inside Amanda’s head. Her feelings were very prominent and at times got me very emotional (although that isn’t hard to do). I also enjoyed how the story moves from her past to her present, meaning we got to learn so much about her and how she got to where she was. 

I found Amanda to be a modern day heroine. The way she handled her transition from man to woman and how she got through all her tough times really stood out to me. I also really enjoyed her relationships with certain characters throughout the book and how, despite learning who she really was stood by her.

If I Was Your Girl is a real eyeopening read about the life of a transgender teen. It will make you laugh, make you cry but ultimately help you learn to love yourself for who you really are.