Isabel Greenberg
[isbn]
One of my all-time favorite books! Interwoven short stories about sisterhood and community. The art is absolutely gorgeous too!
Recommended by madmythandy
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Anna Burke
[isbn]
I discovered Anna Burke this year with Compass Rose and immediately got my hands on every book of hers I could. Roses of Pieria was an absolute delight. Dark academia! Urban fantasy! Vampires! Greek (alternate) history! Mushroom fae! Shapeshifters! I know it sounds like an impossible mishmash, but it does everything with a clear purpose and a skillful execution. The characters were stunning and the sapphic dynamics were so... (read more)
Recommended by Carlee B
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Edward Cahill
[isbn]
This historical novel captures the complexities of life as a gay man living in New York City in the early 1960s. In part a romance, in part a mystery, Disorderly Men is a thrilling and infuriating, but ultimately hopeful, read.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Oksana Vasyakina and Elina Alter
[isbn]
This book absolutely delivers on the promise of its simple title: it is a bruising, beautiful book that I couldn’t put down, even as each page pulsed with the heartache of existing in an unforgiving world. The narrator, Oksana, is a queer, Russian poet whose mother has recently passed. As she travels to their former home of Siberia, she thinks about her past with her mom and her mom’s tumultuous relationships; Oksana’s own complicated romantic... (read more)
Recommended by Kelsey F.
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Anna Burke
[isbn]
Compass Rose gave me the story I didn’t know I was looking for. I’m always interested in narratives where being queer isn’t the focal point, but is still intrinsic to the characters. This was exactly what I wanted. Rose is a complex protagonist with character growth that surprised me in the best ways. Her relationship with Miranda (the hot pirate captain) is an important part of the plot, but it’s not the entire plot. The supporting... (read more)
Recommended by Carlee B
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TJ Klune
[isbn]
It is very possible that I am making TJ Klune books my entire personality, but when you're gifted with characters like Ox, a loyal, fierce, strong, passionate, protective pack member, how can you blame me? I've never been more invested in the well being of characters like Ox and the rest of his packpackpack.
Recommended by Chris P.
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Alexandra Rowland
[isbn]
I read A Taste of Gold and Iron in 2022 and loved it more each time. It’s a beautiful, character-driven fantasy romance. The fantasy world is interesting, the sprinkle of magic is just enough, and the secondary characters are wonderfully fleshed out. But the draw for me, and what brought me back again, was the two main characters: Kadou and Evemer. They both shine so brightly in this narrative; as they stumble through their (wrong) first... (read more)
Recommended by Anna B.
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Justin Torres
[isbn]
Blackouts, the long-awaited second book from Justin Torres, uses words and images to attempt to recover and illuminate stories of queer people living in the 20th century. Blackouts doesn't give its secrets away easily, or for free. Torres demands your time and focus, and earns your respect and awe. This is an experimental and moving book, sure to be read and reread in the years to come.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Anita Kelly
[isbn]
This book is perfect if you love: reality TV cooking competitions, non-binary and bisexual representation, and a good spicy romance!
Recommended by Jessica M.
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Christian Cooper
[isbn]
This book is a delight! Christian Cooper came into the national spotlight in 2020 for having the audacity to 'bird while black' in Central Park. A queer, pagan, Black nerd, Cooper's memoir chronicles birdwatching throughout his life. He has a unique and amusing voice that comes through his writing, even as he speaks of coming out, his sometimes difficult family history, and the time a white woman called the police on him when he reminded her that... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Stephanie Schroeder, Teresa Theophano
[isbn]
This is an important book that works to destigmatize so many elements about mental illness experienced by those in the LGBTQ+ community. The voices in this anthology are diverse and creative. The comic on page 88 by JR Sullivan Voss is my favorite and I love the poetry from Gabriella M. Belfiglio. But the most important part of this book is the list of mental health resources I can turn to when existing becomes too painful.
Recommended by Rose H.
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Deena Mohamed
[isbn]
Set in a world where wishes exist, but are a resource to be extracted and commoditized, Deena Mohamed’s Shubeik Lubeik is the most sophisticated work of literature that I have read so far this year. Her linework is every bit as clear and expressive as her writing. Focusing in on a few individuals navigating their wish-fueled society, Mohamed has crafted a smart, engaging, and moving masterpiece.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Olivia Gatwood
[isbn]
This collection is probably one of the most beautiful yet heartbreaking poetry collections I’ve had the pleasure of reading. From the very first poem, Gatwood begins to question what it really means and how it feels to be a girl, never holding back or shying away from the scariness or sadness of the truth. Far too often in this world, being a girl is about your body — how it looks, how it feels, and what you’re willing to do with it. Gatwood... (read more)
Recommended by Aster A.
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Blythe Baird
[isbn]
Blythe Baird is one of the first modern poets that truly got to me in the ways that so many classic poets did. The way she writes about struggle and recovery is simultaneously heartbreaking and healing. You can feel the moments behind each and every line, and no matter the content of any individual collection or poem, she shows you there is still hope and beauty, and for each moment out there that hurts you, there is another on the way that will... (read more)
Recommended by Aster A.
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Cameron Chiovitti
[isbn]
There is a quiet but powerful way that rejection, love, loss, and memory tangle themselves into our actions and our bodies and the poems within these pages showcase that in a way few other collections could. These poems also beautifully exemplify how we can often feel powerful memories as if those moments and those people are still with us.
Recommended by Aster A.
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Camonghne Felix
[isbn]
This book is like nothing else, both in its radical formal innovation and its bone-deep commitment to being as raw and honest as possible. I don't think I've read anything this open, this real, this unsparing about love and family and desire and pain in a very long time. If you've ever beaten yourself up after a breakup, if you've ever questioned why you gave parts of yourself away to someone or whether it was worth it, this book is for you.
Recommended by Tim B.
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Nathan Tavares
[isbn]
This is one of those books where you can tell the author's whole heart was in every single word. Kaleidoscopic in scale and with an infatuating cast of characters you can root for, A Fractured Infinity erupts in the same heart-tugging way Everything Everywhere All at Once did when it broke you in half. Remember?
Recommended by Stacy W.
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TJ Klune
[isbn]
Klune does it again! In the Lives of Puppets is a story about the power of found family, the lengths we go to for the people we love most, and how everyone is deserving of love and happiness. Featuring an anxious vacuum cleaner, a sociopathic robotic nurse, and lessons on what it means to be human, this book is not to be missed. And yes, you will need tissues!
Recommended by Chris P.
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Jen Wang
[isbn]
A cute wholesome fairytale! The Prince and the Dressmaker will charm its way into your heart and restore your faith in humanity. Jen Wang created a world of wholesome growth that I wish we lived in.
Recommended by Lindsay P
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Rivers Solomon
[isbn]
An Unkindness of Ghosts is a beautiful and visceral story about Aster, a neurodivergent queer person aboard the low decks of the HSS Matilda. She and the other residents of the ship fly towards the supposed Promised Land. While this novel is hard sci-fi among the stars, it is also an analysis of racism, classism, and ableism. Aster is definitely one of my favorite neurodivergent characters.
Recommended by Rin S.
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Imogen Binnie
[isbn]
A hilarious and often achingly uncomfortable book about a trans woman who decides to go on an ill-advised road trip after her life in New York falls apart. Incisive and smart and only occasionally wise — a great book.
Recommended by Kelsey F.
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Aaron Smith
[isbn]
Simultaneously campy and serious, Aaron Smith's poems capture his experiences and perspective as a gay man. Stop Lying, his fifth collection, is perhaps his best yet — a tender and nuanced revisiting of his relationship with his dying mother, especially his complicated response to her lifelong rejection of his queerness.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Jayme Ringleb
[isbn]
A thoroughly wonderful debut collection. Tender and viny, these poems sprout from places loved and lost, intimate and estranged, but all grow towards the light.
Recommended by Kai B.
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Billy Ray Belcourt
[isbn]
This powerful, poetic memoir-in-essays lives at the intersection of queerness and "other"-ness. Belcourt basks in vulnerability in such a beautiful way, while exploring sexuality, trauma, colonialism, and love. Really great!
Recommended by Carrie K.
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Alice Winn
[isbn]
More a bayonet wound than a book: In Memoriam disemboweled me, left me glassy eyed and in shock, indelibly marked me when I was done.
I cried five separate times. I highlighted entire pages. I loved —loved — loved it.
Recommended by Nicole S
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Jinwoo Chong
[isbn]
In trying to describe Flux, I felt myself reaching for comparisons. In no particular order, I landed on: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow; the photo of Elizabeth Holmes holding a tiny vial of blood; Interior Chinatown; Inception; the bittersweet experience of aging; Glass Onion... Flux is a little bit of all these things, and yet totally unique. You will gasp, and cheer, and cry, and you... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle C.
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Eric LaRocca
[isbn]
If there's anything I've learned from LaRocca's work, it's that nothing is ever what it seems. In a spine-tingling subversion of the smalltown-with-secrets trope, Everything The Darkness Eats gives us a ruthless villain, a sympathetic yet disturbing main character, and more of its creator's signature writing style, which feels like it should be narrated by the late Tony Jay or Boris Karloff. You will be unnerved.
Recommended by Stacy W.
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David R Slayton
[isbn]
White Trash Warlock begins the story of Adam Binder, a self-trained practitioner whose estranged family never acknowledged magic. His quest to find cursed objects leads him straight to his family and the man he falls in love with. The plot thickens! WTW is such a good example of inclusive urban fantasy. It reminded me a little bit of The Raven Cycle, one of my all-time favorites. The trilogy’s overall arc of solving mysteries... (read more)
Recommended by Carlee B
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Casey McQuiston
[isbn]
One Last Stop is every bit as "magical, sexy, and big-hearted" as it claims to be. The setting is delightful, the queer found family is heartwarming, and the romance is off the charts. The protagonists are lovely. August made me feel so seen as a world-weary young person, Jane made me believe in everything bigger than ourselves (family, community, time travel) and their romance reminded me to keep hoping, trusting, and loving in only the... (read more)
Recommended by Carlee B
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K. J. Charles
[isbn]
If you like M/M historical romance and haven't discovered the wonder that is K. J. Charles, The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen is a great place to dive in. Joss Doomsday, head of a smuggling clan, meets Gareth Inglis, newly minted baronet. Gareth is a newcomer to Romney Marsh and discovers that life on the marsh is a whole different ball of wax than living in a city. Full of adventure, intrigue, and delicious banter, The Secret... (read more)
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Richard Siken
[isbn]
Siken's poetry gives me words for emotions I didn't know other folks felt. His artistic mastery of language, imagery, and visceral detail lends itself to hard-hitting, beautiful verse. Flip through, even if you're not a poetry person. You might like it!
Recommended by Carlee B
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Antonia Angress
[isbn]
A poignant debut that examines art and wealth from the perspectives of several unsure but ambitious artists.
Recommended by Kyra R
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Jean Kyoung Frazier
[isbn]
Tender and messy, this coming-of-age story will slice right to the center of your heart. It's a quirky tale sprinkled through with loneliness and obsession — one you dough-n't want to miss! Order a pizza (you'll need one!) and settle in for the ride.
Recommended by Carrie K.
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Maggie Millner
[isbn]
In Couplets, Maggie Millner has written a highly structured, accessible book about the fluidity and restraint of relationships and sexuality. These rhyming couplets interspersed with prose meditations thrilled me. I've never read a book quite like this one before.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Becky Chambers
[isbn]
Becky Chambers' vision of a time when humanity takes its place among a bustling galactic diaspora is so hopeful and funny and gentle that it makes the future look good. Far and away from the technology-and-politics hard scifi of my youth, I was tripping over myself to get to the next book in the series just to keep spending time with her characters. A world worth getting lost in!
Recommended by SitaraG
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Mackenzi Lee
[isbn]
This book is SO much fun — narrated by a lovable, bisexual disaster, it's full of action, adventure, historical intrigue, queer romance, pirates, alchemy, and more. Fast-paced and hard to put down!
Recommended by Claire A.
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Nicola Griffith
[isbn]
A fascinating and lush retelling of Arthurian legend that feels as true and strange, as lofty and immediate, as queer (in every sense of the word) as a myth should be — I devoured this book and it haunted me wonderfully.
Recommended by Claire A.
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Nina Maclaughlin
[isbn]
This book is written with beautiful prose, its stories giving us the other side of Ovid's Metamorphoses. It's not an "easy" read — these women are full of fury and rage and sorrow. How could they not be? Their physical transformations are the outcome of actions not their own. Wake, Siren is one of my favorite mythology retellings. I highly recommend it.
Recommended by Charlotte S.
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Adrienne Rich
[isbn]
Rich's poems make me feel so seen, so enlivened, so empowered to pay better attention to the world and my place in it. They are simultaneously lush and spare — exact — and so lucid both in terms of their clear-eyed perception and the brilliant light they give to gender, sexuality, power, and so much else. Winner of the 1974 National Book Award for Poetry, this is a collection that rewards rereading year after year.
Recommended by Claire A.
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Maria McCann
[isbn]
What a gut punch of a book. God how I loved it. As Meat Loves Salt is grimy and greasy and bloody; where love (lust?) and violence are written with the same amount of passion and dedication. This book is incredibly immersive — I could practically taste and smell 17th-century England while I was reading, and it totally swept me away. If you're looking for a book with a twisty and toxic queer relationship — or a psychological portrait of... (read more)
Recommended by Nicole S
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Neil Cochrane
[isbn]
A trans- and queer-centered homage to Beauty and the Beast! This book is wonderfully imaginative, lushly written, and just a downright joy.
Recommended by Gigi L.
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Tom Crewe
[isbn]
In his debut novel, Tom Crewe brings 19th century London to life through the story of two men collaborating on a book that defends homosexuality. The New Life documents a time of great social and sexual upheaval, and is a thrilling read!
Recommended by Adam P.
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Hailey Piper
[isbn]
A noxious blend of horror and romance through an unabashedly queer lens from the name in horror no one can stop screaming about, Hailey Piper. Themed around women's agency and its incessant overriding, Queen of Teeth speaks to those who see the delight in the disgusting, the fairness in ferocity, and the vaudeville in the villainous. And, of course, to the gays.
Recommended by Stacy W.
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Becky Chambers
[isbn]
Each of the four books in Chambers's Wayfarers series is remarkable, but Record of a Spaceborn Few is by far my favorite. This book is a deep reminder for me of what it means to be human, how small acts of deliberate kindness can make all the difference, and that everyone's story deserves to be told. I cried on the bus while reading this book about five different times, and there's no higher recommendation I can give.
Recommended by Anna B.
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Suzette Mayr
[isbn]
The Sleeping Car Porter is an engaging and illuminating novel about the costs of work, service, and secrets.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Carolyn Hays
[isbn]
I honestly have no idea how I would react to a surprise visit from a caseworker for child services, but I definitely hope I'd be as strong as Carolyn Hays. All her family was doing was loving her child enough to allow them to express their gender the way their child wanted and someone anonymously reported them to child services. Their story made me ugly cry. Every parent should read this book.
Recommended by Rose H.
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Travis Baldree
[isbn]
What happens when a road-weary barbarian decides to retire from her adventuring days and open a coffee shop? A charming, funny, and all-around lovely cozy fantasy with a splash of romance! I adored reading every moment of this book, and I am more than looking forward to reading it again (and again...and again)!
Recommended by Bee D.
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Katrina Monroe
[isbn]
I was on edge from the very moment I started reading. This book is deliciously eerie, twisty, and thrilling. Revolving around a line of cursed women — passed down mother to daughter — a crumbling lighthouse, and a skeptical woman determined to be different from her family, all set on the rocky shores of Cape Disappointment. I haven't been able to stop thinking about this book since putting it down!
Recommended by Bee D.
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Saeed Jones
[isbn]
When I read the opening poem in Saeed Jones’ new collection, I was so struck by his insight into our intractable problems that I felt I needed to set the book down and walk it off. I went back to it. I’ll keep coming back to it.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Margaret Killjoy
[isbn]
A fast-paced, compelling, and truly marvelous collection: Killjoy delivers the queer, anarchist, and (dare I say it) utopian science fiction I didn't realize I needed until I read this book.
Recommended by CJ H.
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Martin Duberman
[isbn]
I was looking for a book to "teach me my history" (and then some) and this book was it!
Expanding well beyond the famous event itself, author Duberman explores not only Stonewall and the pre-Stonewall queer rights movement, but also the day-to-day life of LGBTQ+ individuals in a pre-Stonewall world. The details of these events are shown through the eyes of six people who lived through it all. In making this work part-history and part-biography,... (read more)
Recommended by Nickolas J.
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ry downey
[isbn]
In The Dinosaurs Are Orange in Seattle, Ry Downey uses his poetic gift to do what poets do best: capturing those unspoken moods, drifting through contradictions of time and place, wandering around, absorbing everything he comes into contact with, and producing it into his own creative blend of words. He melds observations, nostalgia, and philosophical contemplations, into a natural, narrative, stream-of-consciousness style that is both... (read more)
Recommended by Nicholas Y.
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Tamsyn Muir
[isbn]
Ever felt disappointed by God, your job, and your love life? Have I got the series for you. In preparation for Nona, Muir's third installment in the Locked Tomb series, I gotta recommend Harrow. This book is the epitome of getting what you want but not the way you want it, and the aftermath of that experience. A brutal reckoning with what has been, can be, and can't be, all woven together with sexy Catholic guilt, Muir's... (read more)
Recommended by SitaraG
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Prince Shakur
[isbn]
Prince Shakur’s riveting memoir about coming of age, coming out, and standing up to systematic oppression is a moving examination of the many ways we fail each other, and the strength required to recognize it and move forward.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Andrew Sean Greer
[isbn]
In this worthy follow-up to Andrew Sean Greer's Pulitzer Prize–winning Less, we again follow Arthur Less on a journey of self-discovery, this time on a road trip through the United States. Less is Lost is a witty, poignant, and often hilarious book.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Alison Cochrun
[isbn]
A Powell's meet-cute, snow days, and a queer love trapezoid is apparently the perfect equation for a holiday romance book because I stayed up until 3 a.m. reading this and wishing it was already winter. Ellie trying to make ends meet while struggling with her art career is so relatable to me, and I fell in love with Jack's quirky family. Not your typical holiday romance novel and that's what makes it so good.
Recommended by Rose H.
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Billy-Ray Belcourt
[isbn]
I can't wait to read Billy-Ray Belcourt's first novel, Minor Chorus, about a queer, indigenous scholar who goes back to his Northern Alberta reservation to write a novel and reconnect with his family and childhood friends. Belcourt has written poignantly of the queer, indigenous experience and the "Ministry of Historical Ignorance" in his prize-winning poetry collections, This Wound is a World and NDN Coping Mechanisms.... (read more)
Recommended by Jennifer K.
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Julia Armfield
[isbn]
A meandering but eloquent descent into bereavement and the instances where grieving precedes the loss itself. Our Wives Under the Sea is atmospheric horror at its finest, with each chapter a slow crescendo of desperation, of asking "how do you hold onto someone when they're actively slipping from your grasp?" Armfield masterfully leads us to what we perhaps knew all along — that sometimes you must let go.
Recommended by Charlotte S.
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Conner Habib
[isbn]
Hawk Mountain is a queer horror story as tender as a caress to the cheek before the snapping of a neck. It begins when two classmates, Todd and Jack, victim and bully, meet again after fifteen years. Todd, now a single father, is less than thrilled about this reunion — especially as "can we catch up" turns into "can I stay the week" and Jack begins to worm his way into Todd and his son's life. What happens next is as unexpected as it is... (read more)
Recommended by Nicole S
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Jarrett Melendez, Danica Brine
[isbn]
Utterly adorable. Ben's finished college and now he's the only one of his friend group who hasn't been able to land a job in his field (definitely relatable..). Deciding he just cannot move back in with his parents, Ben applies for a job at a restaurant. He immediately develops a crush on Liam, one of the chefs, and adorably awkward moments ensue. This story is so sweet and cute. I loved it.
Recommended by Rose H.
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Samantha Shannon
[isbn]
In this quasi-medieval world, East and West are at odds — the East reveres their water dragons and their dragon riders, while the West hates all dragons after one of the wretched, fire-breathing ones nearly destroyed the world. There’s a large cast of endearing characters, but the hearts of the story are Ead, lady-in-waiting to the queen, and Tané, dragon-rider in training, both harboring dangerous secrets. The Priory of the Orange Tree... (read more)
Recommended by Carly J.
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E M Forster
[isbn]
Maurice is groundbreaking for its earnest and heartfelt depiction of a gay man who gets a happy ending — something that was essentially forbidden and almost unheard of in its time. Written 100 years ago (but only published after his death in 1971), Forster dedicated this book to a happier year: it's a touching glimpse at how far we've come and how far we still need to go.
Recommended by Nicole S
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Joe Vallese, Carmen Maria Machado, Bruce Owens Grimm
[isbn]
Required reading for any queer horror enthusiasts. I can remember feeling very lonely in my adoration of horror as a queer man growing up. Sure, I had friends who loved horror movies like me.But when we'd reflect on our viewing experience, I couldn't help but feel a distinct sense of othering. It Came from the Closet holds the conversations I wish I'd had then. Haven't screamed, "YES, EXACTLY!" this many times in my whole life.
Recommended by Stacy W.
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Gavin Grimm and Kyle Lukoff and J Yang
[isbn]
If You’re a Kid Like Gavin is a tale of true courage told with a humble sensibility that really conveys to readers the idea that standing up to injustice may be daunting, but it is what dignity requires.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Eric Cervini
[isbn]
An incredibly moving and inspirational story about a veteran and government employee who was fired after being outed as gay. Follow Frank Kameny on his painstaking journey for justice as he fights for the rights of the marginalized. I really appreciated experiencing the Stonewall Uprising and legalization of gay marriage from this unique perspective.
Recommended by Parker W.
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Timothy Janovsky
[isbn]
The perfect summer romance read. This book is heartwarming and full of charm and a great read for any fans of queer romance, movies (particularly horror), and the summer drive-in. A journey of self discovery and how you will never forget your first love.
Recommended by Lauren M
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Andrew Joseph White
[isbn]
Blood, spit, innards, and bone brought to genesis by the religious nightmares of trans youth. An infernal Dies Irae for the gays. Queer horror at its most unholy and blasphemous. I could go on and on. This book is the dormant eruption that lies within every queer soul in existence. Be not afraid to let it burst from thee.
Recommended by Stacy W.
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New York Public Library, Edmund White
[isbn]
This anthology is so incredibly touching and inspiring. The New York Library has pulled together its extensive collection to bring us multiple first-hand accounts of what happened both inside and outside of the Stonewall, making you feel as if you were there. These are accounts of Stonewall that weren't a part of any documentaries that I'd seen, and I felt lucky to have stumbled upon all the different and unique points of view laid out in this... (read more)
Recommended by Parker W.
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Becky Chambers
[isbn]
A Prayer for the Crown Shy continues the story of Dex and Mosscap as they visit the villages and towns on the moon they call home. Many reviewers have called this series “a hug in book form” and I have to agree. This is a perfect and much-needed dose of Cozy Fantasy, sweet and delightful and lovely.
Recommended by Deana R.
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Syan Rose
[isbn]
Open this book to any page and you’re immediately immersed in drawings and conversations that are personal and captivating. From Nube F. Cruz mourning the passing of their Ama, to Kid Cudi sharing people who’ve inspired them, you’ll be touched by their heartfelt words and Syan Rose’s gorgeous art.
Recommended by Marianne T
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Monica Ojeda
[isbn]
This book is challenging in all of the right ways. Ojeda's experimental use of language is well-preserved in Booker's English translation. Jawbone straddles the line between horror and pure psychological fiction, playing with symbolism, psychoanalysis, and pop culture references to weave a fascinating meta take on the horror genre. It's often gross and unsettling, and it's not like anything else I've ever read before (which is one of the... (read more)
Recommended by Mar S.
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David Trinidad
[isbn]
In his newest book, David Trinidad uses his well-established (and gossipy) poetic style to revisit his childhood in southern California, his family history, and his decades-long career as a poet. Digging to Wonderland is highly indebted to Joe Brainard's I Remember, and is a worthy heir to it.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Gretchen Felker-Martin
[isbn]
Both a brutal fist to the teeth and a tender cry, Manhunt is unlike anything I've ever read. Fran and Beth are an insurmountable duo and I was locked in from the very first word. This book is a carbon-fiber arrow to the shoulder — it sticks with you and it hurts like a mother.
Recommended by Stacy W.
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Andrea Lawlor
[isbn]
A loving serenade — with echoes of Jeanette Winterson — to queer sensuality, vulnerability, and freedom in its truest sense. Paul is thrust out onto the smoldering embers of the AIDS epidemic and dances on “flickering feet” from The Village to Boystown to P-Town to San Fran, like some kind of national gay tour of the 90s. He belongs nowhere, yet everywhere — a genderless chameleon dusted in rainbow glitter. He is a sensualist with a soul, a child... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah W
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Casey McQuiston
[isbn]
Beloved queer romance author McQuiston (Red, White & Royal Blue, One Last Stop) has penned their first YA novel. I can’t recommend it enough! Reminiscent of Green’s Paper Towns with a fem romance twist, Chloe is on the hunt for answers when popular girl Shara kisses her and then vanishes.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Mark M Perry
[isbn]
There's a lot of story and depth packed into this small volume, striking an impeccable balance between a character-based coming-of-age story, a multicultural folklore exploration, and a dark fantasy. It also helps that this book is set in the Pacific Northwest, a region I live in and love, and is a perfect location, I'd imagine, for all kinds of fantastic happenings.
Deep within the woods, in a region called the Dark Divide (which is a... (read more)
Recommended by Nicholas Y.
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H Melt
[isbn]
What I adore about this book is that it centers trans joy with such fierce intentionality and love for trans communities. H. Melt’s poetry is a soothing balm that carves out space for and insists to trans folks, you are here, you are seen, you are wanted, and you are loved.
Recommended by Alexis B.
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Jasmine Mans
[isbn]
Black Girl, Call Home is an utterly gorgeous collection from acclaimed poet Jasmine Mans, whose poetic voice lingers on the heart and can't — you won’t want it to — be set down. It is a beacon for the lost and wandering and a warm envelopment of home, healing, and the clarity that each of those lends to the soul. One of my favorite contemporary collections of poetry for its warmth, honesty, and undeniable artistry.
Recommended by Alexis B.
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Frank O'Hara
[isbn]
Lines of this collection from Frank O'Hara bubble up into my brain almost daily as I make my way around the city, visiting record stores, riding the MAX, and finding other reasons to not totally regret life. I can't really imagine living without these poems, and I'm glad I don't have to.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Carl Phillips
[isbn]
Every new collection from Carl Phillips is a reason to celebrate! Then the War is a hybrid book: both a complete collection of new poems, and selections from the past fifteen years of his work, including the entirety of his chapbook, Star Map with Action Figures, and an extended prose piece called "Among the Trees." If you've never read Carl Phillips, this book is an excellent entry point, and if you're a fan, well, you already... (read more)
Recommended by Adam P.
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Ocean Vuong
[isbn]
Ocean Vuong’s new collection centers on loss and mourning, but it is also filled with playful experimentation and wry humor. The central thesis of Vuong’s work, I think, is that pain makes us more human, but it doesn’t define us. These poems pay homage to both sides of that coin.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Ashley Herring Blake
[isbn]
I didn't expect to love Delilah Green Doesn't Care as much as I did, but whew, much like Delilah and Claire eventually discover, love finds you at unexpected times. This may sound cliché, but while reading this romance novel, I laughed, I cried, and frankly, I grew as a person and as a reader. With Delilah Green Doesn't Care, Ashley Herring Blake asks the reader "How much of our core memories are actually true? Do we always... (read more)
Recommended by Katherine M.
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Ari North, Ariella Adler
[isbn]
Starry-eyed, pure, queer love that'll break your heart and then mend it back together. The animation is similar to popular web comic turned phenomenon, 'Lore Olympus,' and seems painted with strokes of heartache and passion. So, so, beautiful.
Recommended by Stacy W.
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Jackie Wang
[isbn]
Wang's remarkable debut poetry collection comprises a frothy mixture of poems, prose, and illustrations inspired by her dream journal. Their brief microcosms are mutable, haunted, Dali-esque and darkly playful (see poem ft. an Evil Noodle) — all of them striking in their oblique confrontations with carceral logics, race, class, family, and transgenerational trauma. While I think there's plenty here to meet any reader's interest in the... (read more)
Recommended by Alexa W.
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Adib Khorram
[isbn]
New YA from Adib Khorram? Sign me up! New YA from Adib Khorram about boy bands, the pressures of being queer in the public eye, complex and supportive friendships, and existing on your own terms even under a spotlight? Sign me up an extra time somehow! A dazzling and delightful read. Queue up a playlist of your favorite boy band tracks and buckle up, you won’t want to leave this tour bus.
Recommended by Sarah R.
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Everina Maxwell
[isbn]
Swoon-worthy queer sci-fi romance, perfect if you want to yell at your book "just kiss already!" This isn't your sweeping space opera, but has plenty of political intrigue, a murder mystery, and the arranged marriage trope at its finest. This story will grab you until the very end.
Recommended by Carly J.
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Trung Le Nguyen
[isbn]
Every page of The Magic Fish is a feast for the eyes and heart. Smart, powerful, and lovingly done.
Recommended by Hannah W.
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Carl Phillips
[isbn]
What is the color of memory? With characteristic depth and lucidity, Phillips's poems bend their light through the prism of this speculation, inviting us to approach its crucial, political implications and contingencies through a quantum field of knowing, awestruck presence.
Recommended by Alexa W.
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Alexis Hall
[isbn]
Alexis Hall continues to blow my mind. I cannot wait to read his upcoming historical novel, A Lady for a Duke. I love and emphatically recommend Boyfriend Material and the appetite-provoking Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake while you wait with me for the reunion of Viola — a transgender woman who is finally able to live as herself — and her childhood companion, Justin — a lonely, grief-stricken duke. Without a doubt, it... (read more)
Recommended by McKenzie W.
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Nina LaCour
[isbn]
I’m a fan of Nina LaCour’s young adult fiction, so I was thrilled to learn that she has written her first novel for adults. I was not disappointed. The writing is beautiful and feels both dreamlike and matter of fact at the same time. This story follows Sara and Emilie and alternates between their two narratives. Exploring family dynamics, grief, and finding oneself, it is an ultimately hopeful love story.
Recommended by Jennifer H.
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Andrew Holleran
[isbn]
In his first book of fiction in 16 years, Andrew Holleran documents the life of an aging gay man, whom readers will recognize from his earlier novels. As the protagonist observes modern life continue around him, he imagines his future, and remembers his past. Holleran is a masterful novelist, and this book cements his place as one of the great writers of our time.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Maggie Tokuda Hall and Lisa Sterle
[isbn]
Clever as it is harrowing, Squad is a powerful, feminist thriller with enough bite to contend with adult works in the same genre. Though its tone bears some semblance to teen favorites Riverdale and Mean Girls, make no mistake. Squad is wholly unique and good-for-her horror at its best. Sink your teeth into this one!
Recommended by Stacy W.
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CA Conrad
[isbn]
Reading CAConrad’s poetry often feels like reading my way back into aliveness itself, and their latest collection, the eco-poetic AMANDA PARADISE: Resurrect Extinct Vibration, is no exception. Emanating from a series of (Soma)tic rituals based on the recorded sounds of extinct animals, its poems shape-shift in playful, creaturely forms, even as they broach complex (and interconnected) traumas, from state violence to the AIDS crisis. The... (read more)
Recommended by Alexa W.
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Brandon Taylor
[isbn]
Taking place over a hazy August weekend, Real Life is a pitch-perfect capture of so many things: a Midwestern university town, frustrations and uncertainty in academia, and emotionally charged 30-something dinner parties, to name a few. Biochem grad student Wallace takes a protective, guarded stance in his relationships, and the weekend holds multiple confrontations between and among his friends and labmates that challenge his ability to... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle C.
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Ruth Coker Burks, Kevin Carr OLeary
[isbn]
I had been looking forward to this memoir for ages, ever since I first heard the name Ruth Coker Burks. Yes, All the Young Men is about the AIDS epidemic, but it is also about kindness, compassion, and love for other people even when you're afraid or unsure of what it means to be afraid. This book is not for the faint of heart, but as Burks takes you on her journey as she cares for these young men — men exiled by their families — you... (read more)
Recommended by Katherine M.
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Torrey Peters
[isbn]
It's no surprise that there is a lack of diversity in publishing, which is why the #ownvoices movement is paramount in giving authors from underrepresented and marginalized groups a platform to stand on and, finally, some recognition. Enter Torrey Peters's debut novel Detransition, Baby, a beautiful and poignant book about identity, love, motherhood, and the heartbreaking realities of being trans. There is a reason this book is so... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle L.
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Becky Chambers
[isbn]
For days after I finished reading this, my heart was brimming with the gentle kindness Becky Chambers infuses into her stories. This little book about two very different souls has so much heart and humanity, and I recommend it to anyone who has ever felt a little lost.
Recommended by Anna B.
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Karelia Stetz-Waters
[isbn]
I’ve read a lot of romance books in the last two years. Like, embarrassingly a lot. Satisfaction Guaranteed is hands down my favorite. Equally steamy and sweet, it tells the story of Cade and Selena and the Portland, Oregon, sex toy shop they co-inherit. I loved it for how real the characters are, their incredible chemistry, and how local author Stetz-Waters makes Portland a tertiary character in this fun and very funny wlw romance.
Recommended by Deana R.
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K D Edwards
[isbn]
Hey, this is my favorite book. You should read it if you like queer urban fantasy, snark, characters who care very deeply about each other, cool magic systems, just dudes being bros, and good fight scenes.
Recommended by Anna B.
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Douglas Stuart
[isbn]
In Young Mungo, Douglas Stuart continues his project of documenting working-class Scottish life in the late 20th century. While alcoholism, homophobia, and violence are all very present in Mungo's world, so is the possibility of escape into a time and place where his developing attraction to other boys can be accepted. Young Mungo is suspenseful and heartbreaking, hopeful and tender, and a worthy follow-up to Shuggie... (read more)
Recommended by Adam P.
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