Popular LGBTQ Books to Read in 2024

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

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.

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. If you have not read this contemporary fiction book yet, what are you waiting for?

This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

October 2018 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Wow! There are so many things that I loved about this contemporary fiction book.  Rosie and Penn have five boys.  The youngest, Claude wants to be a girl when he grows up.  As this family navigates life with secrets, 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 in which not everybody is open-minded.  This family drama book is poignant and all too realistic.  It captures the innocence of youth and the struggles of an entire family. This is one of the best book club books on this list and a powerful book about motherhood. It is one of the feel-good novels you won’t want to put down.

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 by Chloe Benjamin

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 magical realism book.

Beautifully written, the Immortalists follows Simon, Klara, Daniel, and Varya through their lives.  Ms. Benjamin does a superb job of creating different voices for each of these characters. They are so vivid and unique.  This family saga book about grief is un-putdownable and stays with you long after you have finished reading the last page.

If you want to host an Immortalists book club, we have a post that will help you make it spectacular.

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.

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

This retelling of Homer’s the Iliad is filled with adventure and an epic love story that will not soon be forgotten.  This winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction is not to be missed.

We adored Miller’s other book, Circe, as well. It made our list of best magical historical fiction books and is an absolute must-read if you love greek mythology retellings.

House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J Klune

Linus Baker works as 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.

Why I Love 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 / Cozy Reads / Books With Color in the Title

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.

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

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.

My son read it twice because “I 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.

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 by Alison Cochrun

I loved this celebrity romance book that seems loosely based on the TV series The Bachelor.  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.  This LGBTQ book is such a great romance. It will leave you smiling.

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 by Casey McQuiston

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?) 

Why We Love It: The LGBTQ romance is charming but add in a female president and we are all in.
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

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alice Sáenz

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.

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.

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