If you’re an avid reader and you’re looking for more LGBTQ+ representation in your books, this article will tell you all about it. Here are the top 5 LGBTQ+ books you just need to read.
Finding books that are gripping can be difficult, and sometimes finding that one book that will spark a fire within you as you read can be hard, and the next thing you know, your pile of unread books has stacked up.
When trying to find LGBTQ+ representation in books that feels right to you, it can be difficult to find a book that resonates with you or gives you warm and fuzzy feelings. However, those books absolutely do exist! They can be a bit hard to find sometimes, but when you do find them it’s like gold dust.
Here are the top 5 LGBTQ+ books you need to read.
5 LGBTQ+ Books You Need To Read
You can scour through tonnes of books and read a million synopsis’ and none of them sound interesting. These are five books hand-picked by me that I’ve personally read. I’m a pretty fussy reader. These books are from a variety of genres, so there will hopefully be something for everyone!
Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield
This book was a one-day read for me. I read it from cover to cover in one sitting because I was just completely enthralled. You follow the story of two wives, Miri and Leah. Miri is a grant writer, whilst her wife Leah is a deep sea researcher, who has just returned from an expedition marked as a catastrophic failure. Things start to go wrong and Leah changes as a result of the expedition and experiences a physical metamorphosis.
This book is a gay horror and is so worth the read. It’s quite a short book, but it will leave you with so many questions and wanting more. It was so beautifully written and as Armfield’s debut novel, it was fantastic. The horror of the book creeps in slowly and overwhelms you at points when you aren’t expecting it. It makes you comfortable and calm and then rips the comfort away from you when you’re settled in, leaving you with an intense feeling of disquiet as you watch a bleak, grotesque horror play out on the page.
The Song Of Achilles by Madeline Miller
In a completely different genre, we have The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. This is based on the Greek Mythology tale of Homer’s Iliad. In this book, you will learn about the relationship between Patroclus and Achilles, written from the perspective of Patroclus. It is a heartwarming book of friendship that blossoms into love, but it ends in heartache.
It is such a beautiful book that will have you eagerly turning the pages reading more, and could possibly have you in tears by the end of the book. I know for me, it was heartwrenching and made me cry. However, if you are someone who loves Greek Mythology, or would like a gateway into it, this is a great way to get into it! The storytelling is so rich and full of life and colorful description, it makes imagining it so vivid in your mind. Madeline Miller did a wonderful job with this novel.
The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Upon reading the title, you wouldn’t assume that it is LGBTQ+ fiction in any aspect, but there is a lot of queer representation within the novel, and it does it very well. This book shows unrequited love, questioning your sexuality, and also staying in a relationship for comfort. There are massive plot twists within this book that you would never see coming, and by the end of the book, you are sure to be in tears and wanting more.
It starts off as a slow burn but gets very dramatic and juicy right when you want it to. The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo is a must-read for anyone.
Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
This book is great for younger readers and older readers alike. It’s a coming-of-age tale of two teenagers discovering their sexuality in 1987, whilst discussing important topics such as racial identity, family relationships, and self-discovery. It is a book that will grow on you the more you progress through the pages, and it is so worth the read. If you haven’t got enough of the characters by the end of the book, you will equally be pleased to know that there is a sequel, too!
Overall this book is heartwarming and can be relatable for those who have ever struggled with finding their place in society, and struggled with the roles of societal norms, as well as knowing what their sexuality is. It is a very relatable book, and you are able to find a way to relate to these innocent characters trying to find their place in the world.
Fire Becomes Her by Rosiee Thor
If you like fantasy mixed in with historical fiction, this is the book for you. Set in the Jazz Age, you follow the story of a demiromantic bisexual Ingrid who doesn’t exactly have the wealth that her classmates do, but she is incredibly savvy with her wits. She dates a wealthy political heir and agrees to spy on his father’s opponent. In doing so, she realizes that she may have fallen a bit too deep into the mess she put herself in.
It’s perfectly explosive and have you wanting more at every corner, waiting for Ingrid to make her next move as she has to decide what she really wants in a relationship, and whether spying on his father’s opponent is worth it for her.
These are my top 5 LGBTQ+ reads that you just have to sink your teeth into in 2023. Of course, some of them are a bit older than others, but that doesn’t make them any less worthy of your time! We hope you enjoy them.
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