It is Pride Month in New Zealand, so for today’s post I have a collection of book recommendations for you with LGBTQ+ themes and characters, some of which are also written by authors who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. With so many perspectives, experiences, and voices to listen to from this community, I thought I would do my bit and share with you all some of the many books that are out there ready for you to read.

Now, there are several books I have no included as I have not read them yet. There are also a lot of popular titles missing from this list, again because I have not read them – think Red, White, and Royal Blue, One Last Stop, Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, The Charm Offensive, Boyfriend Material, Last Night at the Telegraph Club, and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Universe. If you are a romance reader or just want a couple great reads then you should check out the titles above. I’m sure you will find something you enjoy.

Book Recs:

The Evander Mills Series by Lev. A.C. Rosen

This historical fiction murder mystery is set in 1950s San Fransisco and follows ex-SFPD officer Evader “Andy” Mills as he uses his detective skills to help those in the community that have no one else to turn to. With a focus on LGBTQ+ characters and their struggles living in 1950s America, this series brings the hardships of life into the picture and shows how difficult and different life was as a homosexual simply because of the prejudice and hate directed towards them. What this series also does is showcase the strength of the LGBTQ+ community and how they support each other, withstanding the continuous raids and brute actions towards them, and finding family among each other. I highly recommend reading Lavender House, The Bell in the Fog, and Rough Pages for your historical fiction murder mystery kick.

This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladwell

This sapphic sci-fi is full of poetic prose that is emotive, lush and descriptive. This Is How You Lose The Time War is well known on bookish social media and highly recommended by not only me but many across Bookstagram and BookTok. It is a short read at around the 200 page but it will have you immersed and thinking abut it for days. The story follows two rival agents working to destroy the other side, however, the more these two pass by each other the less their war matters. It is beautiful, compelling, and expertly written and I loved reading this novel.

The Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo

There are several notable LGBTQ+ characters in the Grishaverse, but the most obvious are Jesper and Wylan from the Six of Crows Duology. Their friendship develops from the very start where they are strangers, Jesper admittedly unsure as to why Wylan is there. We get to see them grow as characters before the start a relationship and follow them as they navigate various internal and external conflicts in thier lives amid the very demanding plot they’ve become part of. I will give Nina a nod of acknowledgement here as she is our representative of either a bisexual or pansexual character – it has not been confirmed as to which one she identifies as, but she likes guys and girls. So, if you have time on your side, I would also add King of Scars and Rule of Wolves to your reading list.

The Eldest Curses Trilogy by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu

I could have put The Mortal Instruments series here for not just Alec and Magnus but Aline and Helen too, but I figured that their prominent feature and relationship development in The Red Scrolls of Magic provide a great reason it mention these books. Cassandra Clare has many characters across the Shadowhunter Chronicles who identify as LGBTQ+, and there are some that notably have not come out but could identify as LGBTQ+. This recommendation is for those who want to read YA fantasy and have characters who are out and expressing themselves. The reason I have split this rec from the next one is because of that identification factor.

The Last Hours Trilogy by Cassnadra Clare

Now here is a trilogy with characters who are also LGBTQ+, some of whom outwardly express themselves as such, while others do not. This is a historical ficiton fantasy series set after The Infernal Devices, putting these characters around the turn of the century in 1900s London. There is commentary on the fact that the characters don’t really show an accurate representation of being LGBTQ+ for the times, especialy consdering how they are supported by their families and do not seem to have troubles with traditional societal pressures and expectations. There are a few characters who have not come out – I won’t say as to encourage you to read the trilogy and find out for yourselves – so there is interesting character interactions regarding that dynamic (being outwardly or at least known by loved ones as being LGBTQ+ vs. not making that step yet).

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is quite popular on bookish social media given the success of TJR’s books. What makes this one stand out is its representation and the romantic imagery the setting exudes Old Hollywood glamour and the dazzling lights of stardom. Under the surface, or perhaps behind the curtain, the truth tells a different story. There are multiple characters who identify within the LGBTQ+ community in this book and the character development and interactions certainly makes for a memorable novel.

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

Out of all the books on this list, If We Were Villains is the one I want you to read before any other. It is my favourite for multiple reasons, though I will admit that the scope of relationships and LGBTQ+ characters is not as vast as other titles previously mentioned. You may have seen this in my photo gallery on annafromuni’s landing page. It is an exquisite tale of Shakespearean tragedy and a novel I highly recommend. Oliver and James are really interesting character given they are only just acknowledging and exploring the idea of liking the same sex, while Alexander is the outwardly gay character among the main characters. Love and power are themes explored in the book, and it is interesting to see how that translates to actions off stage.