Best gay novels
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This is an enemies to lovers story about how, sometimes, opposites can attract. It was gruesome and well-written, creating a vivid world that kept me turning the pages, desperate to know what happens next.
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Dead in the Frame by Stephen Spotswood
When a wealthy crime-obsessed eccentric is killed in 1940s New York, suspicious eyes turn to detective Lillian Pentecost.
19. Two Boys Kissing
Author: David Leviathan
Release Date: August 27th, 2013
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This book holds a special place in my heart as one of the first queer books I ever read. That being said, there is something for everyone on this list, and I tried my best to make it as comprehensive as possible!
Below are my 40 favorite queer books, out of the 76 total I’ve read.
I will continue to update the list each year with all of the new stories I’ve read.
Come and Get It
Author: Kiley Reid
Release Date: January 30th, 2024
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If you’re someone who likes slow, character driven novels that actually do have a plot if you stick with it long enough (I am one of these people!) you’re going to love this book.
It’s so beautiful how being around other queer people can help you to find yourself, and that was captured really well in this story.
39. It’s adorable and well written and the perfect encompassment of being a kid while feeling like an adult.24. Imogen Binnie (Nevada) calls this a “heartfelt, funny, and moving” read.
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You are forced to root for the main characters by virtue of how likable they are, even when they’re doing things you hate.
12. As always, Emezi’s prose is beautifully constructed and manages to strike exactly the right balance between simplicity and elegance. All This Could Be Different
Author: Sarah Thankham Mathews
Release Date: August 2nd, 2022
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This book about a somewhat problematic early-20s woman trying to figure out her life, her friends, and her job during the recession was incredibly well done.
It lent an emotional gravitas to every single word that could not have been achieved any other way. There’s gay sex, gender bending, and identity building in this fabulous series that puts a magical spin on ancient Chinese warfare.
14. But when their uncles are imprisoned, Crow risks everything to enter the Tournament of the Gods to save them.
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Stag Dance by Torrey Peters
From the author of Detransition, Baby comes a collection of three short stories and a novella that explore gender, trans identity, and the way self-doubt can keep us from finding true happiness.
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Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter by Samantha Crewson
In this suspenseful debut, Providence returns home in the wake of her mother’s disappearance and must decide if she wants to break the family cycle of violence or seek revenge against her abusive father.
Mia Mckenzie did an incredible job of creating a dynamic, real protagonist that I could root for, cheer for, and bemoan when she made mistakes. We Could Be Rats
Author: Emily Austin
Release Date: January 28th, 2025
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I read this book in one day while sick and cried nearly the entire time.
Nonetheless, the writing was hauntingly beautiful and I couldn’t stop reading once I began.