Top Ten Tuesday: Valentines Reads

I’m not really one for Valentines Day (mainly because I’ve never celebrated it) and at the moment I just want to read books where the hero/heroines journey isn’t dictated by their dependence on a love interest. Save yourselves! I’ve been really struggling with this topic this week, hence why it’s so late, but I thought I’d do a Top Ten of good Valentines Reads. This doesn’t mean they’re romantic, necessarily, more uplifting.

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

1. Nimona, Noelle Stevenson – because it’s about a solid, if complex, friendship through testing times.
2. Fangirl, Rainbow Rowell – because even though it does have a romance, it’s mainly about learning to be ok with yourself and stepping out of your comfort zone.
3. I’ll Give You the Sun, Jandy Nelson – because it’s about familial love and while it may be complicated, the strength that lends you.
4. Emma, Jane Austen – because it’s my favourite Austen and it’s more about Emma’s development as a person than it’s about her romantic life. (Just, you know, everyone else’s.)
5. Just Listen, Sarah Dessen – despite having a focus on a traditional romantic relationship, for me Annabell and Owen’s relationship in Just Listen focuses more on how they both develop as people with each other’s guidance rather than their romance.
6. Graceling, Kristen Cashore – Most of the romantic conflict in Graceling stems from Katsa’s fear of dependence and losing a part of herself, and the novel goes on to develop her as a character that manages to retain her independence whilst being in a relationship.

Ok so 6 isn’t so bad. Do you have any you would recommend? I’d also really love to hear about any books you know of that has a central bisexual or lesbian relationship (I tried to think of any good ones that I’d read and only came up with the Colour Purple, which is a bit heavy to call an uplifiting book.)