Popular LGBTQ Books to Read in 2024
In honor of Pride Month, we wanted to put together some of our favorite LGBTQ books by genre. Recently, because of the #diversereads and #ownvoices movement, there have been more LGBTQ characters in literature – particularly in the Historical Fiction and Fantasy segments. And LGBTQ romance novels are more and more common.
We are happy to see that mainstream literature is finally reflecting the world population. We wanted to highlight some of our favorite LGBTQ books, but there are so many amazing ones, we definitely couldn’t fit them all into one list.
*LGBTQ Books post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links will result in a small commission to us at no cost to you.
Best LGBTQ Books
The Guncle
Author: Steven Rowley
Year: 2021
Genre: Fiction
More info: National Bestseller • Wall Street Journal Bestseller • USA Today Bestseller
An NPR Book of the Year
Finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor
Finalist for the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Steven Rowley is a writer who has mastered the art of storytelling. With his signature wit and humor, this book tackles love, loss, and growth.
When Patrick’s sister-in-law dies and Patrick’s brother needs to go to rehab, Patrick takes custody of his niece and nephew for 90 days. Patrick is basically David from Schitt’s Creek with snark and sass. He treats the kids like mini-adults in the most delightful way.
Trigger Warnings
Death of a spouse/ mom
Why Kirsten loves it
I am such a fan of Steven Rowley and each book provides depth and insight into people at their best and worst. While this is a book about grief, you will find yourself laughing out loud multiple times throughout. It’s a poignant reminder of the importance of family.
Why Jackie loves it
There is humor and love in this book that is essentially about a family learning to deal with profound grief and loss. Rowley writes with sensitivity and humor.
Find this book in: Books About Grief / Best Beach Reads of All Time / Poolside Novels / Popular LGBTQ Novels
This is How It Always Is
Author: Laurie Frankel
Year: 2018
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
More info: October 2018 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Rosie and Penn have five boys. The youngest, Claude wants to be a girl when he grows up. The family begins to navigate life with secrets because there is never a good time to explain that your youngest daughter was born a male.
These loving and supportive parents try to navigate a world where not everybody is open-minded, all while trying to do right by each of their children.
Trigger Warnings
Transphobia, Homophobia
Why Kirsten loves it
This is one of the best book club books on this list and a powerful look at what motherhood is all about.
Why Jackie loves it
Wow! There are so many things that I love about this contemporary fiction book. The story is poignant and all too realistic. It captures the innocence of youth and the struggles of an entire family.
Find this book in: Coming-of-age Books for Adults / Books about Mothers / Family Drama Books / Best Contemporary Fiction / Best LGBTQ Books
Under the Whispering Door by T.J Klune
How many stars can I give? T.J Klune has done it again with the wonderful book. House on the Cerulean Sea was my favorite book last year and I am not sure that anything will top it. I read this paranormal book in a day and loved every minute of this wonderful family drama book that is truly about found family.
Wallace is dead. When the reaper collects him at his funeral and brings him to a strange tea shop, Hugo is waiting with the promise of helping him cross over. This light fantasy will make you smile until the last page.
Historical Fiction LGBTQ Books
The Parting Glass by Gina Marie Guadagnino
Easily one of the most unique historical fiction books I’ve read in a while. The Parting Glass takes us from the mansions of park avenue to the streets of Irish New York during the Gilded Age.
As the story unfolds Maire, a lady’s maid, hides her love for her employer, the debutant Charlotte, as Charlotte has an illicit affair with Maire’s brother who serves as the stableboy.
Class, religion, sexual orientation, and more were all explored. And can I just say thank goodness I didn’t have to wear one of those crazy gowns? We also included this on our list of best LGBTQ books.
The Immortalists
Author: Chloe Benjamin
Year: 2018
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: A “Best Book of the Year”: Washington Post
Instant New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
What would you do if you knew the day that you were going to die? Would want to know? The four Gold children find out the information that will shape their lives in this amazing family drama book. We follow the Gold children over the next 5 decades. Simon heads to the West Coast, Klara becomes a magician in Las Vegas, Daniel becomes an army doctor, and Varya seeks out the research of immortality.
Trigger Warnings
Suicide, Mental Illness
Why Jackie loves it
This book is beautifully written. Ms. Benjamin does a superb job of creating different voices for each of these characters. They are so vivid and unique.
Why Kirsten loves it
This family saga book about grief is un-putdownable and stays with you long after you have finished reading the last page.
Find this book in: Family Sagas / Carnival and Circus Books / Books About Mental Illness / Books Set in the 80s
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Year: 2017
Genre: Historical Fiction
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
A tell-all about a fictional Elizabeth Taylor-
Evelyn Hugo has asked an unknown reporter, Monique Grant, to write her life story in a no-holds-barred book. There is a bit of mystery around why Monique was chosen and Evelyn certainly has her fair share of hardships as she claws her way to the top.
The drama and suffering add dimension to the story that makes it so much more than fluff, though the inner workings of Hollywood were fun to read too. The story seems so candid that I forgot that Evelyn Hugo was not a real celebrity.
Trigger Warnings
Domestic Abuse, Homophobia
Why Kirsten loves it
Taylor Jenkins Reid slays with this story finding the perfect balance of glamour and grit. Evelyn seeks to change her life and in doing so, changes for the better. Every person who has read this book at my recommendation has loved it
Adaptation Information
Not much is yet known about the movie adaptation except that Leslye Headland is set to direct while Liz Tigelaar is working on the script.
Find this book in: Best Romance Novels of All Time / Books Like A Man Called Ove / Best Books to Read on Beach / Old Hollywood Books / Taylor Jenkins Reid Books / Epistolary Novels / Books Becoming Movies / Hollywood Novels
Find books similar to this in: Books like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Hearts Invisible Furies by John Boyne
Cyril Avery is not a real Avery- this is what his adoptive parents tell him. Cyril is born to a young woman out of wedlock and is adopted by a rich family in Dublin.
He spends his life coming to know himself and who he wants to be. This is a touching and heartfelt story from the first page to the last. Even though this book is well over 500 pages, it didn’t feel long while I was reading it. This is definitely one of my favorite long books that will emotionally wreck you. This is a beautiful LGBTQ book.
Naamah by Sarah Blake
This is one of the most imaginative stories I’ve ever read. A retelling of the story of Noah’s ark from the perspective of his wife Naamah. The writing was poetic and almost psychedelic in quality.
Naamah is questioning her faith, her choices, and what it means to be a woman. The dreams, hallucinations, and visits to the future were used in novel ways during the Ark’s journey. This story had me rethinking the classic biblical tale. This is a pick on our LGBTQ books that is unlike any other.
Best LGBTQ Books: Fantasy
Song of Achilles
Author: Madeline Miller
Year: 2011
Genre: Historical Fantasy
More info: Orange Prize Winner, New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
The story of Achilles and his heel is well-known across the globe, but Miller brings fresh light to the tale in this epic retelling. It examines the unlikely friendship between Achilles and Patroclus, the exiled Prince, and their role in the Trojan War. Epic in scale, well-researched, and immensely readable, this is one of the best Greek Mythology stories you’ll ever read.
Trigger Warnings
War
Why Kirsten loves it
This retelling of Homer’s The Iliad is filled with adventure and an epic love story that will not soon be forgotten.
Find this book in: Greek Mythology Retellings / Best Love Stories / LGBTQ Books
House in the Cerulean Sea
Author: T.J Klune
Year: 2020
Genre: Fantasy
More info: Cerulean Chronicles #1
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 14+
Plot
Linus Baker is a caseworker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He is sent on a mission to a secret orphanage isolated on an island where 6 of the world’s most dangerous youth live.
Linus is sent to determine if the children are being cared for properly. Linus, who lives his life by the book, will have to look deeper to try and find the real answers to his questions.
Trigger Warnings
Child abuse
Why Jackie loves it
This story was so much more than the sum of its parts. I felt like I had met each of the children in the story. Even though the story has magic, it somehow seems completely relevant to our society now. The magic and the orphan aspect are all reminiscent of Harry Potter.
Find this book in: Magical Realism Books / Feel-Good Books / Book for Book Club / Books About Friendship / Books With Color in the Title / Best Beach Reads / Adult Books Similar to Harry Potter
Best LGBTQ Books: Contemporary Fiction
Less by Andrew Greer
More about a writer than a book, specifically, this Pulitzer Prize-winning contemporary fiction LGBTQ book is full of heart. When Andrew Less gets an invitation to his ex-boyfriend’s wedding and his publisher drops his next book option, he decides to accept every literary event invitation for a year.
As he travels around the world, we are left rooting for him to sort out his life and begin again. This is a book about books you will not want to miss.
Milk Fed by Melissa Border
Rachel is a 24-year-old woman who has serious food issues stemming from her mother. She is obsessed with maintaining her body and her image while craving nurturing, unconditional love and food.
For Rachel, food and love are the same. When she starts a 90-day detox from her mother, Rachel meets Miriam, an overweight orthodox Jewish woman working is a yogurt shop.
There was so much about this contemporary fiction LGBTQ book that I really enjoyed but there were parts that I found so strange. Her fantasies about food were strange. Her sexual desires linked to mothering were disturbing to me. Overall, the book was well-written but not a favorite.
LGBTQ Graphic Novels
Plot
This is an LGBTQ graphic novel that I read in a few hours. Prince Sebastian is a prince by day and Princess Crystallia by night. The only one who knows his secret is his seamstress who hopes to make a name for herself with her fashion.
Trigger Warnings
Homophobia, Transphobia
Why Jackie loves it
My son read it twice because he “loved the message that it’s okay to be yourself”. I don’t normally read graphic novels, but, I loved it!!! What a wonderfully inclusive, feel-good story.
Find this book in: Novels About Fashion / Best Books for 13-year-olds / YA Historical Fiction Books
Best LGBTQ Romance Novels
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
This is the second fake dating book I read this month but this one hit all the right notes. This was such an adorable LGBTQ 🏳️🌈 romance.
When Luc, the son of two rock stars, needs a boyfriend who is respectable in order to keep his job, he is willing to fake a relationship. Oliver Blackwood is a barrister who needs a boyfriend to bring home to his family. The two could not be any more different.
It is a perfect situation until fake starts to feel real. Despite the fact that the two men could not be more different, they just might be the perfect Ying and Yang. This LGBTQ book is one of the enemies-to-lovers books that helped to take my mind off reality and it made me smile throughout the whole book. This is also a great fake dating book. I am always shocked by how many books are enemies to lovers and fake dating…who knew?
The Charm Offensive
Author: Alison Cochrun
Year: 2021
Genre: Romance
More info: Charm Offensive #1
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Dev is a producer on the long-running television show Ever After where he crafts love stories to get people to fall in love. When the show casts Charlie as the Prince Charming, Dev will have to put in more work than he bargained for.
Charlie is only on the show to restore his image so he can go back to work and he certainly does not believe in true love. As Dev tries to coach Charlie in ways to connect with the contestants, Dev and Charlie realize they might have more chemistry than any of the contestants.
Trigger Warnings
Mental Illness, Panic Attacks, Homophobia
Why Jackie loves it
I loved this celebrity romance book that seems loosely based on the TV series The Bachelor. If you are a fan of reality TV shows, you need to read this book!
Find this book in: Celebrity Romance Books / Books With Neurodivergent Characters
Best YA LGBTQ Books
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
I read this great LGBTQ book in only two days. It was such a great YA about Simon who is not openly gay and is looking for a way to tell his family.
He also must navigate the social complexities of high school. When his emails fall into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being exposed. I really liked this book. It was well-written and at its heart is a sweet romance.
Red, White & Royal Blue
Author: Casey McQuiston
Year: 2019
Genre: Romance
Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
We don’t think about royals and the LGBTQ community because we don’t usually see openly gay royals, which is so sad in today’s society. And to think it all starts with a NYE kiss!
This charming book is a fabulous pick from LGBTQ romance novels. I crushed hard for their romance and found myself smiling the entire time. (Also love the nod to a female president…where do I sign up for one of those?)
Trigger Warnings
Homophobia
Why Kirsten loves it
The LGBTQ romance is charming but add in a female president and I am all in.
Why Jackie loves it
Not only is the relationship between these two charming but a female president and a royal angle as well makes this a must-read!
Find this book in: Royal Romance Books / Enemies-to-Lovers Books / New Year’s Books / British Romance Novels/ Books With a Color in the Title / British Books / Best YA Romance Books
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Author: Benjamin Alice Sáenz
Year: 2012
Genre: YA Romance
More info: Stonewall Book Award, Lambda Literary Award, Printz Honor
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 12+
Plot
Aristotle and Dante seem to have nothing in common when they first meet other than the fact that they are both loners. But, as they start spending more time together, they learn truths about themselves and develop a friendship that will change them both forever.
Trigger Warnings
Homophobia, Hate crime
Why Jackie loves it
This award-winning LGBTQ book is such a fantastic YA coming-of-age story that is so well written. It has so much emotion that it had me in tears which is not a usual thing for me.
Find this book in: Coming-of-age Books for Teens / LGBTQ+ Books/ Books Set in the 80s / Best YA Romance Books
Stranger than Fanfiction by Chris Colfer
I love how Chris Colfer’s characters are completely relatable, not sensationalized. We love Chris Colfer’s two middle-grade fantasy series.
A famous actor ends up going on a road trip with 4 of his fans. As they travel around, secrets come to light and adventure ensues. This story is deeper than it appears. I really enjoyed it. This is such a fun LGBTQ book to add to your TBR
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