because you can never have too many lgbtq+ rec lists right? here’s yet another one for your pleasure. i’ve tried for the most part to include books by lgbtq+ authors (there are some that aren’t, i realise, mostly because they were so good i had to include them), and i’ve also, to the best of my knowledge/memory, put trigger warnings alongside.
criteria for inclusion
- happy ending
- no bury your gays
- lgbtq+ character is the/a main and gets a pov
- not harmful representation
- lgbtq-ness is not the only plotline – tho there may be argued to be some exceptions to this included. i mean more like, the plot does not revolve around them realising they’re gay and having a terrible time of everything before someone (usually straight) tells them they’re allowed to be happy or whatever. you know what kind of book i mean.
- most importantly (lol) i liked it
p.s. there will be more parts to this, as i read more. if there’s one not on here that you think should be, feel free to ask about it. i’ll either have not read it or it’ll be excluded for one of the reasons above. equally, if there’s one on here with bad rep of any sort, let me know and i’ll take it off.
Tag: lgbt books
The Lesbrary Goodreads Project
So after running this tumblr and the Lesbrary for a couple years, I’ve gathered together a couple lists of specific lesbian (etc) books about specific topics, and I’ve stumbled on some similar lists other people have made. In order to keep them a little more organized, I’ve decided to put them all up on Goodreads. Here are the ones I have so far:
Specific identities:
- Books With Asexual Spectrum F/F Romances (also see Asexual Lesbians/ Asexual Women in Fiction)
- Bisexual Women Fiction and Memoirs
- Trans Lesbian (Bisexual, etc) Books
- Non-Binary (Genderqueer, Genderfluid, Gender-Unspecified, etc) Fiction and Memoirs
- Butch lesbian characters
- Butch women and female masculinity
- Butch/Femme couples (also check out the butch-femme shelf)
- Fiction about queer and lesbian women of color
- QPoC YA/NA (Queer People of Color Young Adult/New Adult)
- Interracial Lesbian Fiction
- Asian Lesbian and Queer Women Fiction
- Fiction Novels with Black Lesbian Characters
- Chicana/Latina Lesbian Books
- Lesbian Jewish Fiction
- Lesbian Jewish Sleuths
- Canadian Lesbian Fiction and Memoirs
- Italian Lesbian Books
- British Lesbian Fiction Books (Also check out UK Lesbian Fiction)
- Australian LGBTQ YA
- Faith-Positive LGBTQIA+ Fiction /
General:
- Best Lesbian Fiction
- Autostraddle’s 100 Best Lesbian Fiction & Memoir Books Of All Time
- Lesbian Canon
- Lesbian novels from before 1990
- Best Lesbian Novel Series
- Casually Queer Books
- Best Lesbian Books Available On Audible (see also Lesbian Audiobooks and the Lesbian Audiobooks Facebook group)
Speculative Fiction (SFF and Horror):
- Fantasy & Sci-Fi Featuring Lesbian Characters
- Bi WOC SFF
- Lesbian and Bisexual Women (etc) Sci Fi / Lesbian Sci-Fi
- Lesbian Fantasy
Lesbian & Bi Women Medieval Fantasy
- Lesbian and Bi Women Dystopians
- F/F Paranormal and Urban Fantasy
- Lesbian & Bi Women Fairy Books (Stories about fairies)
- Lesbian Steampunk Books
- Lesbian Horror
- Lesbian Zombie Books
- Lesbian Ghost Stories
- Lesbian Werewolf Books
- Lesbian Vampire Books
- Queer Mermaid Books
Young Adult/Teen/Children’s:
- Lesbian Teen Fiction
- QPoC YA/NA (Queer People of Color Young Adult/New Adult)
- YA LGBT Books – Not “Coming Out”
- Lesbian & Bi Women YA SFF
- Lesbian Historical YA
- Bisexual Fiction in YA
- Queer Girl YA with Happy Endings / Best Teen Lesbian Books with Happy Endings
Beyond Heather Has Two Mommies: Picture Books with LGBT Parents
- Australian LGBTQ YA
Romance and Erotica:
- Best F/F Romance Books / Lesbian Romance
- Erotic Lesbian Novels
- Funny Lesbian Romance books
- Best Femme/Femme Couples
- Lesbian Romantic Suspense
- Lesbian May/December Romance
- F/F Tearjerkers
- Romantic Lesbians In Uniform
- F/F Enemies/ Rivals/ Forbidden Love
- Angsty Lesbian Romance with a Happy Ending
- F/F BDSM
- F/F Bondage in Fiction
Non-YA lesbian/bi lady fiction without explicit sex scenes
(”Fade To Black” F/F)
Nonfiction:
- Lesbian-Feminist Nonfiction
- Lesbian Humor Books
- Lesbian Photography
- Lesbian Self Help
- Lesbian Memoirs
- Lesbian history
- Books On Femme Idenities
- Best Lesbian Poetry
- Best Lesbian Graphic Novels
- Yuri Manga in English
Specific genres/content:
- Lesbian Short Stories
- Historical Lesbian Fiction
- Lesbian Westerns
- Lesbian WWII Historical Fiction
- Regency, Victorian and Edwardian WLW
- Lesbian Pulp Fiction
- Lesbian Fairy Tales
Queer Princesses (see also Lesbian Princesses in Fiction)
- Lesbian Retellings
- Best Lesbian Mysteries
- Novels about Lesbian sleuths (Detectives & Mystery Novels)
- Lesbian Spy/Military/Cop
- Lesbian Spy Novels
- Lesbian Pirates
- Toxic Lesbian Relationships
- Lesbian Books Happy Ending
- Lesbian Feelgood Books
- Lesbian Fiction Set In New York City
- Lesbian Fiction Set In the American South
- Lesbian Fiction Trope: Childhood Friends Reunited
- Lesbian Romance: BFF turned lovers
- Lesbian Fiction with Sports Theme
- Lesbian Christmas Books / F/F Winter Holiday Books
- Lesbians In Cold Places
- A Lesbian Wilderness
- Queer Women Road Trip Books
- Lesbian Witch Books
- Lesbrarian (Lesbian Librarian) Books
- Lesbians and Cats
Sapphistry & Saddlery (Lesbian Horse/Equestrian Books)
- Lesbian Beach Reads
Good Lesbian Books’s lists that I haven’t put on Goodreads:
- Lesbian Historical Fiction
- Lesbian Knights in Fiction
- Lesbian Librarians in Fiction and Nonfiction
- Lesbians with Physical Disabilities
- Lesbian Shapeshifter Fiction
- Lesbians in Space: A Reading List
- Lesbian Steampunk Stories
- Lesbian Time Travel Fiction
- Lesbian YA With A Non-Lesbian Main Character
- Lesbian YA Historical Fiction
- Transgender Young Adult Fiction
- Good Lesbian Fantasy Novels
- Lesbian Lawyer Books
- Lesbian First Responder Romances
- Award-winning Graphic Novels
- Award-winning Romance and Erotica (unfinished)
- Award-winning Young Adult Fiction & Nonfiction
- Picture Books For Children With Lesbian Parents
- Depression in Lesbian Fiction
- Time Travel Lesbian Fiction
Other lists not yet on Goodreads:
- 50 Books by Lesbian Writers of Colour & 49 More Books by Lesbian Writers of Colour
- A complete, cumulative Checklist of lesbian, variant and homosexual fiction, in English or available in English translation, with supplements of related material, for the use of collectors, students and librarians (1960)
The good thing about the Goodreads lists is that you can add books and vote for your favorites!
Support the Lesbrary & FYLL on Patreon for $2 or more a month and be entered into monthly book giveaways!
Gay books you should READ
you over there! you want to read gay books? YA gay books? good, here’s the must must MUST read books, and when you read one let me know eh? any ways enjoy!
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Silent by Sara Alva
One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva
Wonders of the Invisible World by Christopher Barzak
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
Gives Light by Rose Christo
Carry the Ocean by Heidi Cullinan
Tales from Foster High by John Goode
Half Bad Books (Half Bad, Half Wild, Half Lost) by Sally Green
Totally Joe by James Howe
After School Activities by Dirk Hunter
The Boy Who Couldn’t Fly Straight by Jeff Jacobson
Haffling by Caleb James
The Red Sheet by Mia Kerick
The Lightning-Struck Heart by T.J. Klune
Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg
Boy Meets Boy by David Leviathan
How to Repair a Mechanical Heart by J.C. Lillis
When Ryan Came Back by Devon McCormack
Hero by Perry Moore
Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz
I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Play Me, I’m Yours by Madison Parker
When Everything Feels Like the Movies by Raziel Reid
The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan
The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez
So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez
More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
Freak Show by James St. James
Ray of Sunlight by Brynn Stein
(In)visible by Anyta Sunday
366 Days by Kiyoshi Tanaka
Because You’ll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas
Fan Art by Sarah Tregay
Suicide Watch by Kelley York
if you have any questions need help picking something else, want to tell me about a book, really anything send me an ask I’m open 24/7 don’t be shy
DON’T READ HALF BAD. I can’t vouch for many of these, but guys, don’t waste your time and money on Half Bad.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. NOT HALF BAD. NO. NONONONO.
i don’t want to read lgbtq fiction i want to read genre fiction with lgbtq protags
alright friends i was thinking about this earlier and so i put together a list of some good genre fiction with lgbt main characters:
LESBIAN
- the abyss surrounds us by emily skrutskie (sci fi/dystopian, woc protag)
- ascension by jacqueline koyanagi (sci fi/space opera, disabled woc protag)
- serenity rose by aaron alexovich (paranormal graphic novel)
- everything leads to you by nina lacour (contemporary, but not “about” lgbt issues/coming out/anything like that)
- afterworlds by scott westerfeld (contemporary/paranormal, woc protag)
- beauty queens by libba bray (not sure on the genre; not sure how good this is, haven’t read it myself)
- sword of the guardian by merry shannon (fantasy; warning for attempted rape scene)
- huntress by malinda lo (fantasy, woc protag)
- the dark wife by sarah diemer (fantasy)
- seven by jennifer diemer (fantasy/fairy tale retelling)
- bleeding earth by kaitlin ward (horror/fantasy; haven’t read this either, not sure how it is)
GAY
- proxy by alex london (dystopian, moc protag)
- more than this by patrick ness (dystopian i guess? not sure how to describe the genre tbh)
- the star host by ft lukens (sci fi, haven’t read)
- hero by perry moore (superhero)
BISEXUAL
- god’s war by kameron hurley (post-apocalyptic/sci fi, bi woc protag)
- coda by emma trevayne (dystopian, bi guy protag)
- adaptation by malinda lo (sci fi, bi girl protag)
- beauty queens by libba bray (see above, major bi characters)
- ash by malinda lo (fantasy/fairy tale retelling, bi girl protag)
- the young elites by marie lu (fantasy, lots of bi characters all around)
- the scorpion rules by erin bow (dystopian, bi girl protag, haven’t read but i hear it’s awesome)
TRANS
- beauty queens by libba bray (see above, major trans woman characters (i think))
- the left hand of darkness by ursula k le guin (fantasy; haven’t read this either, not sure how it is)
- love in the time of global warming by libba bray (dystopian; haven’t read this one either yikes)
that’s all i’ve got right now! i’m a lesbian so the lesbian section has the most books in it lol, but if anyone else wants to add some more books for gbt people (especially trans because Yikes that section is small), that would be awesome!
The Rules of Ever After by Killian Brewer – gay main couple, fairy tale-based fantasy
Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee – bisexual main character, sci-fi superhero story, sequel coming out this year
wlws:
why are wlw books so angsty and deep all the time like where is my casual wlw romcom or my fantasy lesbians, space bis and trans princesses like not every wlw has some lost love in some town in the middle of nowhere
I live for posts like this, because there are soooo many good f/f books out there that don’t get the attention they deserve because of the way wlw are marginalized. So!
Here are some recs for casual/feel-good f/f representation! All links are to my reviews.
Good Enough to Eat – super cute lesbian vampire rom-com
Promises, Promises – parody of LotR/D&D starring three lesbians on a quest for magical stuff
Everything Leads to You – Hollywood f/f YA about a young set designer who falls for a girl she meets under mysterious circumstances
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet – ensemble-cast “crew of a spaceship” story. Mostly just random adventures, includes a f/f couple who survive the book.
Roller Girl – contemporary f/f romance about trans woman who joins a roller derby team
Not fluffy, but the angst is SFF-stress rather than “living under homophobia/biphobia” stress:
Ascension – queer disabled ladies fighting Big Pharma in space–you wanted space bi’s, come get your space bi’s (actually, if you want more space bi’s also check out the anthology Fierce Family.)
Chameleon Moon – review is of an earlier edition and I hear the new one has even more great representation. Trans woman superhero with two female partners living in a dystopian city that’s on lockdown from the government after everyone develops mutant powers in response to a wonderdrug.
Not Your Sidekick – in the future, what happens when your parents are superheroes but you never developed powers? You intern for the baddie, of course! MC is bi and ends up in a f/f relationship, and the sequel will star her trans bestie.
Hope this helps. Feel free to browse my “lesbian books” tag for more recs (there are bi/pan girls in some of those recs, too.)
*coughalsoeverythingshiraglassmanwritescough* *coughsuperfuntimescough*
I mean, this is basically true – f/f fluff is kinda the cornerstone of my body of writing 😛 (Thanks!)
All I Want For Christmas by Clare Lydon – Fluffy wlw romantic comedy (I know it’s not really in season at the moment but it’s so cute)
Gay Pride and Prejudice by Kate Christie – What it says on the tin. Elizabeth Bennett is a lesbian and the haughty Caroline Bingley is the last woman she could ever be prevailed upon to love.
Escape from B-Movie Hell by M.T. McGuire – Silly British sci-fi with a lesbian protagonist
Heart Trouble by Jae – A doctor gets shocked by a defibrillator while saving a woman’s life in the ER. Now they have a soul bond!
Finding Ms Write by Jae & Jove Belle – Collection of short stories about women who love women and also love books.
The Wind City by Summer Wigmore – Urban fantasy drawing on Maori mythology. Protagonist describes herself as “at least 60% gay” and falls in love with a monster girl.
Sword of the Guardian by Merry Shannon – Bi princess and lesbian bodyguard fall in love.
The Case of the Good-for-Nothing Girlfriend by Mabel Maney – Parody detective story about a gang of five lesbians who solve crimes.
A Woman Scorned by Rachel Frank about an assassin who falls in love with a noblewoman (lesbian)
Beauty & Cruelty by Meredith Katz about the evil with falling in love with sleeping beauty (lesbian)
High & Mighty by S.S. Skye – a princess stuck in a tower who is decidely Not Amused about it (lesbian)
Humanity for Beginners by Faith Mudge – Two friends and a halfway house for lesbian werewolves (lesbian)
Hunting a Lady by Cari Z. and Caitlin Ricci – a woman who needs money goes to rescue a kidnapped lady for the reward (lesbian)
Lies & Reverie by Camilla Quinn – A shopkeeper’s daughter who loves to day dream, and the beautiful woman who runs the town (lesbian)
Love Rampage by Alex Powell – a girl in love with her best friend, and the unicorn who helps her (lesbian, trans)
Modern Serpents Talk Things Through by Jamie Brindle – a modern dragon who falls in love with the human who invades her cave (lesbian)
Prom and Other Hazards by Jamie Sullivan – super cute story about a girl, her best friend, and the prom (lesbian, bisexual)
Slaying Dragons by Sasha L. Miller – a frustrated mage, some dragons, and the lovely new partner she’s stuck with (lesbian)
The Broken Forest by Megan Derr – a Huntress, and the beautiful witch she meets dealing with a troublesome forest (lesbian, bisexual, trans)
The Mercenary by Annabelle Kitch – a peasant girl, the princess she loves, a quest to win her princess’s hand in marriage (lesbian)
The Persephone Star by Jamie Sullivan- a proper lady working in the post office, a notorious criminal set on revenge, and a bit of kidnapping (lesbian)
The Secret of Mermaid Cove by Megan Derr – an improper lady, an unwanted engagement, and an island full of secrets
Witch, Cat, and Cobb by J.K. Pendragon – a princess fleeing an arranged marriage, a witch, and a cat (lesbian, trans)
Zombies in the East End by Roxanne Dent – steampunk, zombies, and two tough ladies
California Skies by Kalya Bashe – bandits in the wild west, a hunt for jewels, stubborn people (bisexual, genderqueer)
Green Toes by Avery Flanders – gardens, a hint of magic shoes, and people falling in love (bisexual, genderqueer)