Queer Books I've Read/Am Reading
I want to give short & easy to read descriptions of these books I own that are about LGBTQIA+ characters. In my experience, when queer media is recommended to others, the person recommending it often only recommends it on the basis of the representation alone and doesn't actually say what the piece of media is actually about. I hope to see this change, so I won't be doing that here.
The book covers shown here will be based on the versions I have.
Hope you enjoy! :D
Only the elite are afforded the ability to study to become licensed alchemists, so Ash takes a job as a groundskeeper at Lancaster College after being denied entry, learning alchemy in secret.
When his secret is discovered by the condescending apprentice Ramsay Thorne, he's sure that he'll be reported, but Ramsay offers a deal instead: Ash's secret will be kept if he helps Ramsay find the lengendary Book of Source, a text that can grant its reader extraordinary power.
- Main character is black, queer, and transgender
- Multiple characters of color, recurring as well as main
- Multiple Perspectives
- Fantasy & Romance (Polyamorous)
- Multiple queer characters, recurring as well as main/multiple trans protagonists
- Own Voices
- First book in a series
- Content Note: Discussions of elitism, learned helplessness, and classism; abusive/negligent parents; sex scenes/scenes reflecting on sexual feelings
Yadriel is a transgender brujo looking to win his traditional community's acceptance by summoning the spirit of his cousin Miguel after a tragic incident befalls him. However, he accidentally ends up summoning the ghost of resident "bad boy" Julian Diaz.
- Latine characters/Latin American influence
- Fantasy & Romance
- Multiple queer characters, recurring as well as main/multiple trans characters
- Own Voices
- Content Note: Minor transphobia and misgendering; racism and talks of deportation/the impact it's had on the community
Alex is the most powerful bruja/witch in her generation, but she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, she performs a spell to try and get rid of it, but it backfires.
Her whole family vanishes and now all she has is Nova, a brujo she can't trust, but who could be the key to Alex saving her family.
- Latine characters/Latin American influence
- Fantasy & Romance
- First book in a series
Alice planned a happy summer full of all-you-can-eat buffets and tv watching with her best friends (with some adulting included), but Alice's girlfriend recently broke up with her after Alice confessed she's asexual.
Now Alice has decided that she's done with dating, but when she meets a guy named Takumi that she can't stop thinking about, she has to decide if she's willing to risk their friendship for a love that might not be reciprocated or understood.
- Main character is black, biromantic, and asexual
- Romance
- Found Family
- Content Note: Aphobia
Felix Love, who desperately wants to be in love but hasn't been able to find anyone, enacts a plan of revenge when an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages after they publicly posted his deadname and pictures of him pre-transition.
However, his catfishing scheme lands him in the middle of a quasi-love triangle with his former enemy and his best friend.
While navigating his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps him redefine how he feels about himself.
- Main character is black, queer, and transgender
- Multiple characters of color, recurring as well as main
- Romance - Love Triangle
- Multiple queer characters, recurring as well as main
- Own Voices
- Content Note: Transphobia
The sequel to Carry On, this book explores the lives of our heroes after their initial journey, complete with a roadtrip across America.
- Multiple Perspectives
- Romance
- Strong friendships
- Second in a trilogy of books
- Unreliable Narrators
Simon Snow is considered by his evil vampire roommate Baz to be the worst Chosen One ever, and despite their shared animosity, Simon may agree.
Through not being able to make his wand work, or causing accidents with it, his girlfriend breaking up with him, and a magic-eating monster wearing his face, Simon is determined to solve the mystery of why his infuriating nemesis didn't bother to show up to their last year at the Watford School of Magicks.
- Multiple Perspectives
- Romance
- Strong friendships
- First in a trilogy of books
- Unreliable Narrators
In the Christian Republic, homosexuals can either choose conversion therapy or exile to the distant islands populated by other queer people.
16 year old Jason, a trans boy, chooses exile and though he expects to face incredible hardship in the islands, he instead finds an incredible and supportive community.
However, the Christian Republic is planning a war against them, so the people of the Rainbow Islands have to stop them before they're exterminated.
- Adventure and fantasy based: Krakens, naval battles, flying islands built by asexuals, etc.
- Romance with bisexual bucaneer girl named Sky
- Own Voices
- Multiple queer characters, recurring as well as main
An aspiring radio DJ and trans boy named Gabe faces difficulties concerning being himself while also building a small community of supporters influenced by his shows.
- Partial romance
- Content Note: Transphobia/transphobic violence