Lgbtq Books - Blog Posts

Underrated LGBTQ+ Books That I Highly Recommend

I’ve researched queer books many times, and most of the time, I see the same selection. While I understand why these same books come up (because they are really good books), I would like to take the time to recommend some less popular LGBTQ+ books.

Anger Is A Gift, by Mark Oshiro

Where do I begin with this book? Everything about it is fantastic: the writing, the characters, the story, and the way it all comes together into one big novel sandwich! I had an amazing time reading this book, and there were a few times where I was nearly pushed to tears. This book doesn’t just deal with queer identities. It also covers racism, police brutality, and much more. If you like books that feel very real, then this is definitely a good one to look up.

Orpheus Girl by Brynne Rebele-Henry

This book is just....amazing. I wholeheartedly believe that this book has no flaws. Once again, everything about this novel just comes together so well, and it all combines into this beautifully written creation. This book also deals with some very heavy topics, such as conversion therapy, and I recommend reading the synopsis thoroughly before reading it. However, if you are able to, I highly suggest reading this novel!

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

This book took everything that I love about scary stories and made it gay, and I love it. The way that the story flows in this particular novel is just fantastic, and when I first read it, I breezed through it in about a day. From what I can remember, I do believe that there are some triggering topics in this book, so do read the synopsis and any triggers listed. If you do get the chance to read this amazing book, I guarantee that you will love it!

Pretty much any Alice Oseman book

I wholeheartedly love all of the books that I have read by Alice Oseman, and while I haven’t read all of them, I have read a few. The two that I decided to mention on this list are Radio Silence and I Was Born For This, since I don’t see them actually being recommended anywhere. Honestly, though, any book by Alice Oseman is worth reading, as her writing is amazing. I have also read Heartstopper, and I am planning to read both Solitaire and Loveless. If you have never heard of Alice Oseman, I highly recommend checking out any of her books!

Darius The Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

This series has brought me to the brink of tears too many times. The first time I read this book, I was not expecting this many feels, but I am not complaining. Honestly, everything about this duology is just so comforting, in a weird way. The way it’s written, paired with the relatable protagonist and a gripping story was just so great, and I would sell my soul to read this book for the first time again. I can distinctly remember the feelings I felt during specific moments of this novel, and it reminds me how much I loved it. If you’ve never read the Darius The Great duology, I highly recommend doing so!

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

Ah yes, I’m ending it off on the beloved Mo Dao Zu Shi. To be honest, I have only just read the first volume of this novel, since the other two volumes have not been released in English where I live. However, I do plan to purchase the other two volumes when I get the chance, because this novel was just so good! The characters, the beautiful artwork, and especially the gorgeous writing, all of it was amazing. This book is absolutely worth reading at least the first volume of, since that’s all I have to speak on at the moment. 

Thanks so much for reading! I hope this list was helpful to anyone who wanted some new LGBTQ+ book recs!

THEY PUT MXMTOON AND CAVETOWN IN HEARTSTOPPER IM LOSING IT 🗣️😭🫶💕💕

Fantasy LGBTQ books besides six of crows (these descriptions are bare minimal, go check out the actual summaries)

The Smoke Thieves

Demons exist and are killed for their highly-prized smoke. Political turmoil with plots for thrones and for war, all with demon smoke somewhere woven in.

Wicked as you Wish

An alternate reality where magic is an important part of life, with the tales of King Arthur at the center.

Timekeeper

When time is dependent on clock towers, it is up to mechanics to keep them up and running.

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street

Set in the 19th century, this story is about a supposedly ordinary man and a clairvoyant.

May you burn with the monster that plagues your soul; may you lay in the ashes of your very sins and damnation. May the devil do with you as he sees fit and throw you deep into the pits of the eternal hellfire, and may you reap what you have sown.

Cole, Tacita Corvus (my book)

Book’s on my tbr

*more will be added when I get more/books will get removed when I read them and make a post about them*

Coven by Jennifer Dugan (currently reading) 

A Danger to Herself and Others by Alyssa Sheinmel 

Frightmares by Eva V. Gibson 

Three Truths and A Lie by Brent Hartinger

This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp 

Autoboyography by Christina Lauren

If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio 

Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan 

Mooncakes by Xu Walker Gil 

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust 

Clown in A Cornfield by Adam Cesare

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

I match my book :)

SACRIFICIO by ERNESTO MESTRE-REED (AFTERTHOUGTS)

quickly: a young afro-cuban discovers an underground revolution while investigating the last days of his dead boyfriend ('la revolucion!' won’t die / tourists who won’t leave / sex on the beach / bonfire orgies / little explosions everywhere / the ghost of che guevara / fidel castro as the voice of god / the body is the battleground / the oppressed becoming the oppressor / little brothers following big brothers / individuals finding community / families split by politics / quarantined confinement / dark liquor / kitchens turned into restaurants / HIV as radicalism / radicalism as an artform / queer people in love / men who are afraid to die / cities in the sky).

This is not a review, but I wish it was. Just thoughts as I recollect on the books I've read this year.

This is a book that transformed my views on sex, partnership, and revolution. I read this book in March of 2023 and it is now December. This story (along with THE BOOKS OF JACOB and BELOVED and PIRANESI) has sat with me all year, challenging me to think about who I am in relation to my community, my government, and my body. It has made me think more about what I require (or desire) in a partner, and what I want for the people around me. While reading THE BOOKS OF JACOB, watching LOVE HAS WON: THE CULT OF MOTHER GOD, and simply watching the news, I kept asking myself the same question the book provokes… when do movements become cults? is the oppressed always doomed to become the oppressor? how do you disrupt a negative feedback loop? is it possible to start over and build something totally new?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★