80+ LGBTQ+ Books You Should Check Out

My Brother George by Kelly & Zoey Allen

The inspiration for My Brother George came from my son George, and his experience of misgendering and bullying. His strength and support from his little sister also played a part. My hope is that the story helps other families navigate similar experiences and focus on the joy of gender expression and smashing ‘gender norms’. Kelly

My Brother George has queer, gender expression rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and you can buy a copy here*.

My Momma Zo by Kelly & Zoey Allen

My Momma Zo came about from true events that I experienced and finding that there were not enough trans inclusive books in the world which were accessible for children and parents. It introduces the idea of trans people in families and some of the issues they have and how with love and support everyone can be happy. Zoey

My Momma Zo has transgender rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and you can buy a copy here*.

The Case of the French Fry Phantom by Erik Christopher Martin

I am the author of the book. The story is a supernatural mystery for kids aged 9 to 12, featuring a small group of LGBTQIA+ characters in which their blossoming identities are simple fact and the focus is the adventure. I believe it is important for kids to have access to stories where diversity is the norm and not the primary theme. Erik Martin

The Case of the French Fry Phantom has varied LGBTQ+ rep (the author explains that Dotty is a cis-girl with undefined enby characteristics that lead her to be misgendered, that she and Hannah decide to become girlfriends). You can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

The Deepest Breath by Meg Grehan

It’s a story in verse, told through the perspective of a young and anxious girl, who tries to understand why she has such strong feelings towards a girl in her class. It’s tender and beautiful! – Lou

The Deepest Breath has questioning and queer rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

A Surplus of Light by Chase Connor

An intense, beautiful YA novel about two gay teens who fall in love despite staggering odds against them. This is the story I wish I’d been able to read when I was 16. – Gordon

A Surplus of Light has gay rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Against the Stars by Christopher Hartland

It’s an emotional story with an intriguing speculative twist, but the romance at the heart of it is the most compelling element. I laughed, I cried, and was very satisfied with the ending. – Anonymous

Against the Stars has gay and bisexual rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden

It’s a story about a young girl running away from home after a traumatic incident (TW: mentions of SA) and finding solace in a woman from her hometown who is also leaving to see her aunt. They find a lost cat and attempt to return it. It’s a graphic novel, so it is a huge artistic inspiration to me, and the cross generational relationship between queer people that isn’t strictly a sort of maternal/paternal or mentor relationship is one that’s really important to me. I’d recommend it because it’s beautiful and easy to read, but still really makes you think about yourself. – Andy

Are You Listening? has lesbian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.*

As You Walk On By by Julian Winters

This is a very sweet, fun John Hughes-inspired coming of age rom-com about outgrowing toxic friendships and finding your place in the world. It is so much fun to read, and the relationships between the characters are excellently explored. Even better, it’s pretty heckin’ funny. – Chloe

As You Walk On By has lesbian, bisexual, questioning, queer, disabled, and chronic illness rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Behind The Frame by Gordon Bonnet

It’s my recently-released queer YA fantasy story — about two gay teenagers from parallel worlds, who have to simultaneously stop a mysterious force from destroying everything around them, and somehow preserve the blossoming relationship they’re finding with each other. It’s a wild fantasy with a touch of sweet first-love romance. – Gordon

Behind The Frame has gay rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Bruised by Tanya Boteju

CW: death, self-harm

Roller derby isn’t a sport for weak. Nor are bruises. But to face your own feelings—the bare truth behind them—demands even more courage than that. Everyone in this story finds their own way of discovering their strength in the least expected place: your heart. – Franka

Bruised has lesbian rep, you can buy a copy here.

Cosmoknights by Hannah Templer

It’s a very fun sci-fi story comic with big robot fights abut also a lot of heart. Also it has some really lovely art of butch women. And you can read it for free online. – Sharon

Cosmoknights has lesbian rep, you can add a copy to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

How They Met and Other Stories by David Levithan

It’s a book of short stories and not all of them are queer if i remember correctly but one short story deals with being ace or on the aro-ace spectrum and that was very monumental for me as a young kid discovering myself. – Anonymous

How They Met and Other Stories has aroace and queer rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.*

If tomorrow doesn’t come by Jen St. Jude

I’m reading this book now and its beautiful. Mental health rep and queer rep. – Sierra

If tomorrow doesn’t come has lesbian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

A beautiful tale of a complex relationship between multiple family members and a coming of age story. One of the main characters is queer and reading this as a queer pre-teen I was struck by how gracefully but realistically his identity was handled by his family and friends. I love everything about this book and can’t recommend it enough, to young adults and adults. – Anonymous

I’ll Give You The Sun has gay rep, you can add a copy to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.*

HART by C. A. Wood

This is one of the first blatantly LGBT+ works I’ve written. There’s a lot of myself in there (mainly in the relationship between the two MCs). It’s a story of young love, something I never got to have. I was raised in an incredibly fundamentalist Christian environment, which meant that I suppressed myself and my identity for years. I wrote this to heal myself. To me, this book means healing, acceptance, and being able to love myself and others. I hope it brings these same feelings to other people. – C. A. Wood

HART has gay rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

It’s a beautiful letter to closeted and questioning bisexuals. It fearlessly calls out gatekeeping from the queer community, it celebrates diversity and intersectionality of the queer community, and it has Becky’s trademark sparkling prose and passionate characters. – Lou

Imogen, Obviously has Jewish, ADHD, bisexual, lesbian, and a non-binary rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

In The Ring by Sierra Isley

I wrote IN THE RING and I’m recommending it because it features a Jewish, bisexual main character. – Sierra

In The Ring has Jewish, bisexual, and lesbian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Great poly representation and powerful fem lead! – Morgan

Iron Widow has disabled, mental health, bisexual and polyamorous rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

L.I.F.E by Felyx Lawson

This book is a slice of life (pun intended) that shows how difficult it is to come out even when you have a positive people in your life and how the feels teens have who are only just discovering themselves are completely valid, and they shouldn’t try and fit into a box just for the sake of everyone else . Over all it’s a love story between Rider who hasn’t fully accepted his sexuality and Cam who doesn’t even know he likes guys. The characters capture your soul and won’t let go til the very end. – Anonymous

L.I.F.E has gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Monstersona by Chloe Spencer

I wanted to write about the connections between trauma and female-rage, as well as how to find hope in the face of suffering. I also wanted to write a Jennifer’s Body inspired, action-packed horror book about monster girls biting the heads off of villains and recklessly falling in love. – Chloe

Monstersona has bisexual, neurodivergent, disability, and mental health rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

I’m recommending it because it’s a story of two boys falling in love and then fighting their circumstances to be together, without any of the cliche miscommunication drama and then not talking about it. It’s a love story that means the world to me. – Anonymous

Red, White & Royal Blue has gay and bisexual rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.*

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen

It’s sapphic enemies-to-lovers rom-com, plus fake dating, and a few broken hearts (of course). The story centers around a basketball player and a captain of the cheerleading team, who strike a bargain in order to achieve their own goals, but things don’t go as smoothly as planned. – Franka

She Drives Me Crazy has gender non-conforming and deaf rep, you can buy a copy here.*

Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass

Powerful, brutal, unflinching. This book highlights the very real and present danger of coming out or being outed when it’s not safe and sheds light on the horrors of conversion therapy. I recommend it because queer life is valuable and beautiful and this book shows just how endangered it is! – Lou

Surrender Your Sons has gay, bisexual, and trans rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Team Players by Deanna Grey

I never felt so represented by fmc before. – A

Team Players has bisexual rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

The Coldest Touch by Isabel Sterling

Okay, this book has quite a few flaws BUT I started to read it because it had vampires, supernatural powers, and lesbians. Also a cool friendship which always warms my heart to read. And a cat! – Franka

The Coldest Touch has lesbian and bisexual rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis

The world is fascinating. It’s essentially a dark fantasy Western about a group of girls who escape a brothel and flee for safety across the border of their kingdom. There is a lot of brutality in this story, but ultimately, it’s about found family and how they help you survive. It’s an emotional, moving work that is deeply entertaining. – Chloe

The Good Luck Girls has gay, non binary, queer, Black, Latino, and Asian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.*

The Paper Boy by James A Lyons

The Paper Boy is a comical story following closeted teen Tim who is trying to not be embarrassed by his mum’s business adventures. During one mission for his mum, involving a stolen tortoise, Tim meets a Swedish boy called Johann and they start getting closer to each other. Tim and his best friend Leo escape from their school prom and come out to each other. Tim as gay, and Leo as bisexual. – Anonymous

The Paper Boy has gay and bisexual rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

One of my favorite books from adolescence, a classic to me for its portrayal of relationships. – Anonymous.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower has gay rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.*

Up by Al Stewart and Claire Davis

This book is unique. It features a bipolar character and an autistic character. Neither character are belittled. Their challenges are offered, as well as their victories. I wish we saw more of this in the LGBTQI writing world. – Anonymous

Up has gay, bipolar, and autistic rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Youngblood by Sasha Laurens

I just loved the vibe, how imperfect the world was, in so many different ways, the difference between the generation of old vamps (almost archaically old vamps with their crazy ideas about the world) and Youngbloods, basically today’s generation. I loved the romance, the drama, the academy full of spoiled rich youngbloods, and how they develop throughout the story. – Franka

Young Blood has lesbian and bisexual rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.*

A Bitter Drink by Azalea Forrest

A Bitter Drink is all about coming to terms with your Self, and working on becoming a better person. – Azalea

A Bitter Drink has gay, bisexual, and non binary rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

A Dance Towards Forever by Alyson Root

This is my first novel. My second book incorporates all the things I love. Travel, sun and Scuba Diving.- Alyson.

A Dance Towards Forever has lesbian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

The second and third books in the series – Diving Into Her, and Always Emilie, can be bought here and here.

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

It’s a regency romance with a trans female lead, complete with a Happy Ever After, and the conflict isn’t centred on the female lead’s transness. – Sharon

A Lady for a Duke has transgender rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

It was a gift from my partner, who predicted I’d love it and was spot on. Magic, queer romance, and an autistic-coded lead character. Once I started reading I couldn’t put it down! – Sarah A

A Marvellous Light has gay rep and an autistic-coded character, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

All Tomorrow’s Photos by S. S. Genesee

It is my own book I wrote. It’s a unique tale unlike anything I’ve ever heard, about a gay serial killer in the 1970s finding his true love! Dark, edgy, and unhinged. – S. S. Genesee

All Tomorrow’s Photos has gay and bisexual rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Beyond The Mist: Dark Messiah by Reed Logan Westgate

The author has built a will they won’t they romance between the two main characters Xlina and Amber. After the second book we are left with Xlina finding a way to resurrect Amber and get the second chance at happiness. Dark Messiah leaps right into the action letting us know that being resurrected has triggered revelations and the end of times. The two heroines discover that the one god religion is a dark plot by Jesus to banish the other gods and remake the world. The new messiah, the child growing in Amber, threatens a two thousand year scheme by the faithful. Amber and Xlina team up to bring down the one god and save the world from the Dark Messiah. Such a twist, turning the religion into the bad guys and having a lgbt pair usher in a new age. It was everything I wanted from the end of this series! – Anonymous

Beyond The Mist: Dark Messiah had lesbian, gay, and bisexual rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Blushing Muse by Stella Donato

Blushing Muse is a collection of poems centered around romance, sexuality, and queer identity. Many of these poems convey the intensity of love versus the fear of being queer in a world that’s still filled with judgement and prejudice. I was taken aback by the sheer heart-warming, stomach-twisting, all-encompassing emotion in each line, each stanza, and Donato is a poet I continue to admire with each new project. What was most refreshing for me was the romantic and sometimes erotic themes. I’m used to Sad Girl poetry, but in these pages I was given the chance to feel something new, something my own life lacks. In the same breath, I was glad to see that the difficulties of coming out were not glossed over. That along with a journey of self-love and acceptance made for a deeply moving read. Donato offers new perspectives and approaches to the poetry genre. – Rachel

Blushing Muse has lesbian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Fall by Maxime Jaz

When I finished reading, I felt like I had to say goodbye to friends, family. I still think about the main characters once in a while – I wish they were real people. – Luana Giunta

Fall has gay rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Falling For The Mark by Dominque Davis

I’m recommending it because it’s the first time I have ever read a romance between a con woman and her love interest (who is also a woman). It’s rare to find many books that feature women as con artist in general, let alone Black and sapphic. But Falling For the Mark is one of a kind because it does feature a main character who is all of those things. I have never read a romance like it before but I was hooked. – Anonymous

Falling For The Mark has pansexual, demisexual, and lesbian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Fire at her fingertips by Rebecca Crunden

Fire at her Fingertips is a short story that held my hand through a lot of loneliness. It’s packed with stunning, enchanting prose, telling the story of a witch who finds acceptance and family after growing up with none, with so much love and hope and beauty tucked away in the smallest, quietest of places. The story is told in second person, which was unique and intimate and lovely, somehow making me feel seen though it was never truly about me. I already want to read it again. And again and again. – Rachel

Fire at her fingertips has LGBTQ+ rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Fyskar by Chapel Orahamm

Really positive LGBTQIA representation, excellent story and characters, really unique tone! – Craig Rathbone

Fysker contains LGBTQ+ rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Homebound by Hayley Anderton

Homebound is a gorgeously heart-wrenching young adult tale focused on grief and mental illness. The main character goes through a stunning journey throughout, and after lockdowns I think we can all relate to some aspect of her pain as an agoraphobic who feels trapped. It made me, a sufferer of chronic illness, feel seen and loved in ways most books do not explore, and the suffering was so authentic and undiluted that it took my breath away. – Rachel

Homebound has lesbian rep, you can add it to goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Gideon The Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Dark Science fantasy about necromancy. YA adjacent, but mature enough that I enjoyed it immensely. – Caspian

Gideon The Ninth has lesbian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

His Secret Illuminations by Scarlett Gale

It has a hot, buff, pansexual sword wielding lady. but also the writing is incredible and the pacing and joyful queerness really resonated with me. it also deals a lil with internalised shame regarding desire which was hard hitting for me personally. – Anonymous

His Secret Illuminations has pansexual and queer rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Ice Upon A Pier by Ladz

It’s unabashedly queer, messy, and entertaining. Plus, it’s an indie author! – Matt

Ice Upon A Pier has lesbian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Initiation by Alethea Faust

It’s very spicy, consent focused, and has great LGBTQ+ rep. – Anonymous

Initiation has lesbian, gay, pansexual, bisexual, and polyamorous rep (later books in the series have asexual and genderfluid rep), you can add it to you goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

I’ve Got A Time Bomb by Sybil Lamb

After surviving a hate crime, a trans woman meanders a strange Amerika as life just keeps on happening. It’s surreal, it’s punk, it’s conversation by queer people for queer people. – Holly

I’ve Got a Time Bomb has transgender, lesbian, bisexual, ambiguous attractions sans labels, and disabled rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Khirion by Maxime Jaz

Khirion is a dark, queer MMF polyam fantasy erotic romance, laced with elements of Hungarian folktales. It’s a story of self-discovery and building a new life on grief and a brutal past. – Maxime

Khirion has gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, polyamorous, and queer rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Miss Havisham Says Yes by Eule Grey

This book is a lesbian romance featuring a plus-sized main character. I’m recommending it because I am plus-sized, and although the lesbian world is supposed to be inclusive toward different-sized people, I have not seen much evidence of this in real life. It is awesome to find a good rep for the way ableism impacts people like me in a manner which is not belittling. – Anonymous

Miss Havisham Says Yes has lesbian, poverty, and plus sized rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Mother Dearest by Patrick Scattergood

It portrayed its lgbtq+ characters, and also mental health issues, brilliantly well while setting it in a world of gods and magic. – Golda

Mother Dearest has gay, lesbian, non binary, genderfluid, and transgender rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Not Quite Out by Louise Willingham

As a teacher, I see so many young people struggling with their identity and feeling ‘less than’ if they don’t know what to label themselves as. NQO is exactly the kind of book that those young people need – to see that they don’t have to know for certain and they don’t have to tell everyone for their identity to be valid. – Hannah

Not Quite Out has addiction, anxiety, bisexual and asexual rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and you can buy a copy here.

Oh My Stars by S-Jay Hart

It’s the ultimate warm, fuzzy lesbian romance. It’s a story about found family, choosing love over negativity, knowing what’s best for yourself, and the most irresistible-sounding muffins and baked goods you ever did read about. This book also has some of the most intricate, poetic descriptions I’ve ever seen in this genre, and it’s hard to believe that this is S-Jay’s debut. – Katherine

Oh My Stars has lesbian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Our Darkest Hour by Gabriella E. Mari

“Our Darkest Hour” was originally inspired by my obsession with paranormal shows in the late 00s/early 10s and the thought, ‘What if Fandom became involved?’ What emerged was one part slow-burn romance between two men, one part paranormal thriller, and one part glorious internet chaos. – Gabriella

Our Darkest Hour has gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Paper Forests by Tegan Anderson

This book is a love letter to my dreams: to fish-shaped constellations, fairytales with unhappy endings, and soft boys with bloody knuckles. It’s a love letter to the child in my memories who is still made of magic and monsters and would read fairytales under a chestnut tree. And, most of all, this book is a love letter to the Forest. – Tegan

Paper Forests has gay and bisexual rep, you can add a copy to goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Phobetor’s Children by MG Mason

I am the author. Two characters who now (in retrospect) are heavily hinted as aspec, though those words are never used partly due to the time period setting, and my only unrealised ace identity. – Matt

Phobetor’s Children has ace rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Pyre at the Eyreholme Trust by Lin Darrow

A pulpy fantasy heist. It’s a romp! It’s the most I’ve related to a character’s gender ever. – Holly

Pyre at the Eyreholme Trust has bigender, bisexual, and pansexual rep, you can add it to your goodreads here. I cannot find a purchase link unfortunately, so I can only assume it is currently out of print.

Radiant Fugitives by Nawaaz Ahmed

A powerful story about identity, ideals, sexuality, faith, and what it really means to be family. The MC is sapphic, but so much of her story can be universally felt by any queer person, especially brown queer people. It gets very heavy (trigger warnings for pregnancy, miscarriage, characters deaths, and depictions of Islamophobia) but it is a stunning novel. – Zayn

Radiant Fugitives has sapphic bisexual rep, you can buy a copy here.

Ransom to Love by Chloe Keto

It really just doesn’t have enough hype. It shows how love can bring about forgiveness, demonstrates how love can change everything about a person (in a positive way!) and exemplifies how one small interaction, one small mistake, can be turned on its head and prove to be the best thing that could have happened. As well as this, it’s a healthy and realistic representation of being a trans woman. – Katherine

Ransom to Love has transgender and lesbian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Salmonweird by MG Mason

I am the author. The secondary character who turns out to be gay is one that readers seem to love because initial opinions change radically. The character has depth and lived in a time when it was (arguably) the most dangerous time in English history to be gay. – Matt

Salmonweird has gay rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

This book brings two very different universes and characters together in a very fulfilling and totally unexpected way. – Franka

She Gets the Girl has lesbian rep, you can buy a copy here.

Survey by Gina Pond

This was written by the author as the sci-fi/fantasy novel that her wife *should* have been able to read growing up, featuring more diverse characters and a more positive view of the future. – Sarah A

Survey has queer, transgender, non binary, polyamorous, and neurodivergent rep with characters from a range of different ethnicities, nationalities, and religions. You can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

The Binding of Bloom Mountain by Siggy Chambers

This is my debut novel. It’s about an autistic lesbian who loses her job and ends up in an alternate Appalachia where she has to bind the magic of a cursed mountain to save a town. – Siggy

The Binding of Bloom Mountain has lesbian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here and buy a copy here.

The Clothes Make The Man by Finnian Burnett

This novella follows Arthur, a trans man living in a fat, female body as he navigates academia, a complicated relationship with his mother, and the particular challenges that face fat-bodied trans folks. – Finn

The Cloths Make The Man has trans masculine rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

The Disinformation War by S. J. Groenewegen

It’s my first original spec fic novel. – S. J. Groenewegen

The Disinformation War has aroace, gay, lesbian, bisexual, questioning, and neurodivergent rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

The Kappa Child by Hiromi Goto

A dual timeline story about a woman, who may have had a romantic evening with a water imp, navigating the wounds her father inflicted on her family past and present. She searches desperately for connection with other women and grounding with her sisters. It’s just beautiful and harsh and speaks to familiar loneliness. – Holly

The Kappa Child has lesbian and Japanese Canadian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Optimistic sci-fi in a future where all LGBT+ identifies are fully respected and normalised. – Anonymous

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet has gay, lesbian, and transgender rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.*

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

Sci-fi horror, a woman is exploring a cave system alone, except for her handler over the radio. Absolutely gripping, tense, claustrophobic horror that I’ve read multiple times. – Caspian

The Luminous Dead has lesbian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.*

The Modern Mythos Anomaly by Juniper Lake Fitzgerald

The two male mcs are absolute disasters and I love them with all my heart. This is the only book I’ve binge read this year. – Siggy

The Modern Mythos Anomaly has bisexual rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

The Queens of Crime by Sienna Waters

It’s a lesbian romance with no angst, it’s just a sweet, funny story with lovely characters. It’s a great cozy read (though there is a sex scene, so beware). – Anonymous

The Queens of Crime has lesbian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar

Joukhadar is a trans author who writes beautiful and compelling stories about history and identity. The main character in this book is trans, and there is other trans rep in the book as well. Joukhadar often writes two concurrent stories that thematically tie together. The prose is beautiful, and trans identity is so central to the plot. This book is a love letter to SWANA queer folks, especially in diaspora. – Zayn

The Thirty Names of Night has trans and gay rep, you can buy a copy here.

Too Like The Lightning by Travis Beaudoin

It’s a beautiful story about finding (and keeping) love. Some steamy scenes (if you’re sensitive to that). – Gordon

Too Like The Lightning has gay rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

(Un)bury Your Gays by Clinton W. Waters

My first horror book! It’s set in the late 00’s, when I was in high school, and deals with the fear I experienced then as well as the complicated nature of queer friendship. – Clinton

(Un)bury Your Gays has gay rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

We’re All Monsters Here by Amy Marsden

It is a sapphic vampire story that started life as a prompt and snowballed into a novella with a sequel on the way. It’s the first book I’m self-publishing, and I’m super proud of all the work I’ve put into it. – Amy

We’re All Monsters Here has lesbian rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher

I like the variety, because I don’t read romance or slice of life, but still want queer characters. This book actually goes quite in depth about the worlds nonbinary population, and has a variety of pronouns! – Caspian

What Moves The Dead has non binary rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

When You Least Expect It by Haley Cass

Amazing slow-burn friends to lovers. I’m not a huge contemporary romance fan, but this got me. – Anonymous

When You Least Expect It has lesbian and bisexual rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Why In Paris? by Harry F. Rey

Being gay and Jewish myself, I had never read a story where I had felt so represented as this story. It felt like it was telling the story of people who we know would have existed at this time, fighting through the difficulties they faced, but whose voices are lost in the layers of marginalisation that those kinds of people would face. But it’s not just a story about or for gay Jews, for me it shines a light on the challenges of survival, of the meaning of art and beauty and objective truth in a world still today trying to tear those things apart. I liked it a lot and would highly recommend it. – Zvi Mayo

Why In Paris? has Jewish, queer and gay rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and you can buy a copy here.

Widdershins by Jordan L Hawk

This book is everything to me. The whole series has become my comfort read, combining fantasy, horror and romance in a lovecraftian setting that feels so very real. The characters are both very damaged, but find love despite their different upbringings and own flaws. The character growth across the whole series is phenomenal, and no one comes out unchanged. – Sara

Widdershins has gay and bisexual rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat

A beautiful story about love, addiction, recovery, and family. A real depiction of bisexuality, offering a raw insight to life as a queer brown woman. It’s a really heavy book in terms of themes, but incredibly gripping. – Zayn

Radiant Fugitives has sapphic lesbian and gay rep, you can buy a copy here.

Brilliant Imperfection by Eli Clare

[This book covers] Environmental Justice, Trans Identity, Disability. – Haley Strassburger

You can add Brilliant Imperfection to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here*.

Carrie Kills A Man by Carrie Marshall

It’s a memoir about how a depressed suburban dad became a tattooed transgender rock singer, and it was shortlisted for the 2023 British Book Awards. It’s quite funny 🙂 – Carrie

Carrie Kills A Man has transgender, demisexual, and queer rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.*

Coming Out Stories edited by Emma Goswell and Sam Walker

Coming Out Stories is a fabulous collection of personal stories from a wide range of people with varying LGBTQ+ identities. These stories will lift you up, inspire you, make you feel less alone, and give you an insight into the experiences of others. – Amanda

Coming Out Stories has varied queer rep, you can add it to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.

Getting Simon by Kenneth B. Morgen

A memoir about two men trying to become dads in the 90s, a great piece of queer history that has a happy ending/isn’t 90s queer history that’s focused on the trauma of AIDS. – Anonymous

Getting Simon has gay rep, you can add a copy to your goodreads here, and buy a copy here.