Happy Pride Month! June is always one of my favorite months to plan a TBR because there is always several queer books I want to get to as soon as possible. The more diverse the better. I tend to gravitate more towards the queer sci-fi and fantasy books than I do contemporary and other genres and my list will reflect. And as much as I love Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, I'm going to try and include books that aren't by Becky Albertalli. Or Adam Silvera. As delightful as their books are, they are so well known and I want to highlight some less talked about books.
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Okay. Maybe this isn't the best one to start with after saying I want to talk about less talked about books. But I love this book so much! It has all the queerness that I wanted in Harry Potter while being it's own thing entirely. I loved Simon and Baz so much! I can't wait to get my hands on Wayward Son this fall!
I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver
This is one of those books that will make you cry but you'll be happy about it. It was heartbreaking to read Ben's story and how they come to live with their sister but it was also heartwarming to watch Ben find their place and be happy. I'm calling it now. I Wish You All the Best is going to be one of those books that is a game changer in YA. It makes my heart so happy to think of the teens who are going to read this book and see themselves. I'm so glad that this little enby love story is out in the world.
Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
The Supernatural Society Novellas by Gail Carriger
This is probably going to be the first of many Gail Carriger recs on this list because that woman writes some amazingly diverse fiction. These novellas are so delightfully queer and I love that they are about some of my favorite characters. One is a f/f romance and the other is m/m and they are both quick and wonderful reads.
This is one of those books that will make you cry but you'll be happy about it. It was heartbreaking to read Ben's story and how they come to live with their sister but it was also heartwarming to watch Ben find their place and be happy. I'm calling it now. I Wish You All the Best is going to be one of those books that is a game changer in YA. It makes my heart so happy to think of the teens who are going to read this book and see themselves. I'm so glad that this little enby love story is out in the world.
Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
Like I Wish You All the Best, Autoboyography fills a niche in the queer YA community. I loved how it discussed being queer in a close-knit conservative religious community. And I can't put into words how important a book like this exists for the kids who are questioning their sexuality/identity in those communities. Also, it was so great watching Tanner and Sebastian's relationship evolve throughout the whole book.
The Supernatural Society Novellas by Gail Carriger
This is probably going to be the first of many Gail Carriger recs on this list because that woman writes some amazingly diverse fiction. These novellas are so delightfully queer and I love that they are about some of my favorite characters. One is a f/f romance and the other is m/m and they are both quick and wonderful reads.
Badlands by Morgan Brice
Badlands is the gay UF/PNR book I've been looking for for years and it just checked all the boxes for me. It's one of the few romance books in recent years that I was more engaged with the plot than I was the romance. The romance was great but the mystery and supernatural aspects are better. It made for an intriguing and fast read.
The Whyborne & Griffin Series by Jordan L Hawk
I want to go back and kick past me for sitting on Widdershins for years and never reading it. I adore the Whyborne & Griffin series so much! I never knew I needed an academic wallflower meets private investigator romance in my life. Add in the magic, supernatural, and horror elements and is there any doubt why I love this series? The last book comes out this year and I'm not ready to say goodbye.
Competence by Gail Carriger
So you need to read seven books across two series to get to this one but it is completely worth it! Competence is the story of Prim, the organizer of all the chaos on the Spotted Custard, and it was perfect! Plus, it's a diverse read and the main romance is a f/f romance.
Running with Lions by Julian Winters
This book was like reading a sports anime and I loved it! Besides it being about soccer, it so gave me Haikyuu! and Fence vibes and was amazingly diverse! I need more books and soft soccer boys in my life!
Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Are you guys sick of me yelling my adoration of this book yet? This new adult romance between the First Son of the United States and the Prince of Wales was everything I wanted it to be and more! I can't even express adequately my love for this book. Just go read it and thank me later.
Witchmark by C.L. Polk
If you're looking for queer tropey goodness with bicycle chases, then Witchmark is the book for you! I loved this book so much! The worldbuilding is intriguing as is the politics and the magic system. And did I mention there were bicycle chases? Because that is definitely not something I've read in a fantasy book before this.
The Wayfarers Series by Becky Chambers
Becky Chambers' sci-fi books are diverse in the species found throughout the galaxy as well as in gender and sexuality. Just off the top of my head I can think of a f/f relationship, a romance between an AI and a human, and one species of alien that can switch gender almost as easily as we switch clothes. Add that to the epic worldbuilding and the Wayfarers is definitely a series to read during Pride month.
The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons
Like the Wayfarers series, The Ruin of Kings is full of diversity in species and sexuality. It might also feature one of my favorite disaster bisexual characters ever. The worldbuilding is epic and the characters are amazing! I need the next book to be out already so I can find out what happens next and if my ship will sail.
The San Andreas Shifters Series by G.L. Carriger
Badlands is the gay UF/PNR book I've been looking for for years and it just checked all the boxes for me. It's one of the few romance books in recent years that I was more engaged with the plot than I was the romance. The romance was great but the mystery and supernatural aspects are better. It made for an intriguing and fast read.
The Whyborne & Griffin Series by Jordan L Hawk
I want to go back and kick past me for sitting on Widdershins for years and never reading it. I adore the Whyborne & Griffin series so much! I never knew I needed an academic wallflower meets private investigator romance in my life. Add in the magic, supernatural, and horror elements and is there any doubt why I love this series? The last book comes out this year and I'm not ready to say goodbye.
So you need to read seven books across two series to get to this one but it is completely worth it! Competence is the story of Prim, the organizer of all the chaos on the Spotted Custard, and it was perfect! Plus, it's a diverse read and the main romance is a f/f romance.
Running with Lions by Julian Winters
This book was like reading a sports anime and I loved it! Besides it being about soccer, it so gave me Haikyuu! and Fence vibes and was amazingly diverse! I need more books and soft soccer boys in my life!
Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Are you guys sick of me yelling my adoration of this book yet? This new adult romance between the First Son of the United States and the Prince of Wales was everything I wanted it to be and more! I can't even express adequately my love for this book. Just go read it and thank me later.
Witchmark by C.L. Polk
If you're looking for queer tropey goodness with bicycle chases, then Witchmark is the book for you! I loved this book so much! The worldbuilding is intriguing as is the politics and the magic system. And did I mention there were bicycle chases? Because that is definitely not something I've read in a fantasy book before this.
The Wayfarers Series by Becky Chambers
Becky Chambers' sci-fi books are diverse in the species found throughout the galaxy as well as in gender and sexuality. Just off the top of my head I can think of a f/f relationship, a romance between an AI and a human, and one species of alien that can switch gender almost as easily as we switch clothes. Add that to the epic worldbuilding and the Wayfarers is definitely a series to read during Pride month.
The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons
Like the Wayfarers series, The Ruin of Kings is full of diversity in species and sexuality. It might also feature one of my favorite disaster bisexual characters ever. The worldbuilding is epic and the characters are amazing! I need the next book to be out already so I can find out what happens next and if my ship will sail.
The San Andreas Shifters Series by G.L. Carriger
Yes. Another Gail Carriger rec. I told you that she writes some amazingly diverse stuff. The San Andreas Shifters is her m/m paranormal romance series and it is freaking fantastic! There's shifters of all sorts, mages, merpeople, and other amazing supernatural creatures. The romances are adorable and the San Andreas pack will steal your heart in no time. I'm not so patiently waiting for the next book in the series to be released.
One of my favorite morally gray characters in all of fantasy is also one of my favorite ace characters. Vicious is still one of my top five favorite books of all time and one that I rec the most. It's an origin story and an anti-hero story. Seeing how things progress with Eli and Victor through both books was an experience. Plus, all of the other dysfunctional characters in this series are amazing!
All I needed to know when I picked this up was that it was a f/f Beauty and the Beast retelling but with a dragon! It was everything I never knew I wanted! I fell in love instantly with the world and the characters. It's a story about relationships and not just a romance and it was perfect! Plus, it was delightfully queer.
My last rec is also my Carriger rec. And it's gays in space! I loved this delightful sci-fi cozy mystery! It felt like I was reading excellent fanfic the whole time and I am here for it. I can't wait to see if we'll get another book in this series because I want more Tris and Detective Hastion investigations and to learn more about all the different species we were barely introduced to in this installment. The gender and sexuality diversity was seriously on point and I just need more sci-fi books like this!
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