As an avid reader (and avid lesbian), I’ve come across a fair share of bland, heterosexual nonsense in books. However, which society’s upward climb towards the acceptance of the LGBTQ community, more and more novels including queer characters have been released. And suffice to say, I’ve read way too many and have way too many opinions.
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
50/50 Stars and 13/13 Stripes
Imagine if all of your political, gay fantasies came true. That’s what you get with McQuiston’s 2019 romance novel about Alex (the son of POTUS) and Henry (Prince of Wales). A classic enemies to lovers storyline with the added bonus of political corruption and sibling shenanigans makes you fall in love with the characters, the plot, and the world that the author creates. This is honestly one of the cutest books I’ve ever read, and I highly suggest it for anyone who needs a quick, fun read.
Crier’s War by Nina Varela
10/10 Lesbian War Crimes
Okay, so, this is the perfect book for anyone who loves high fantasy and fictional wars, but also maybe loves women. Despite being the author’s first published book, it has reached a huge success due to its popularity on TikTok, and for good reason. Beautiful prose meets dynamic characters meets incredible world building in this quick paced story. I highly recommend it for anyone who needs something to get them out of a reading slump.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
1000/1000 Tears Fallen
This historical retelling of the Trojan War features young Patrocles and Achilles meeting each other before the war, falling for and fighting with each other. This is one of the most amazing yet heartbreaking books that I’ve ever read. If you ever feel like you need a good, solid cry, I’d recommend pulling this off the shelf.
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
4/4 Spooky Kids
Perfect for Halloween, perfect for the LGBTQ’s, perfect for you if you’re into lore and maybe men. Thomas’s debut novel features a diverse cast, a great sense of humor, and tear jerking family moments. It follows a young transgender witch who must prove his worth to his family, but ends up summoning the wrong ghost! This fresh, new, 2020 novel is perfect for anyone looking for a fast, fun read. One of the best books for trans representation in my opinion, and also one of the best books for October!
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
1800/1800 Closeted Gay Men
So, while this has no explicit representation, I can’t help but plug one of the best classical writers of all time (who also happens to be a queer man) into this list, especially with spooky season approaching. This short novel is the perfect book for a bit of a creepy, off-putting vibe plus some blatant homoeroticism and a few questionable motives. Probably one of my favorites of all time.
Feature image by Tom Hermans via Unsplash
