a mess of a depressed slytherin.

If you are on the search, you’ve come to the right place! First, have you seen my extensive tumblr post of queer books?  Check that out. Now, some faves. I will put a * next to the ones with POC leads, and feel free to message me about any titles! Are you looking for…

…Soft contemporary romance vibes?

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (gay mc, m/m)

Coffee Boy by Austin Chant (trans guy mc, m/m)

Knit One, Girl Two by Shira Glassman (lesbian mc, f/f)

Chord by Chelsea M. Cameron (queer girl mcs, f/f)

Style by Chelsea M. Cameron (lesbian mcs, f/f)

Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger (gay mcs, m/m)

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde (multiple POV, one half is a bisexual girl with f/f)*

Noteworthy by Riley Redgate (bisexual girl MC, m/f)*

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann (biromantic ace girl mc, m/f)*

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour (lesbian mc, f/f)*

The Summer of Jordi Perez (And the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding (lesbian mc, f/f)

…More intense/emotional contemporary vibes?

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera (lesbian mc)*

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan (all queer guy mcs, lots of m/m)

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz (gay mc, m/m)*

Nevada by Imogen Binnie (trans woman mc)

Autoboyography by Christina Lauren (bisexual guy mc, m/m)

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour (lesbian mc)

How To Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake (bisexual girl mc, f/f)

If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo (trans girl mc, m/f)

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by emily m. danforth (lesbian mc)

Radical by E.M. Kokie (lesbian mc)

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman (bisexual girl mc, gay demisexual side)*

…Sprawling historical fiction vibes?

The Color Purple by Alice Walker (lesbian mc, f/f)*

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (bisexual woman mc, f/f & m/f)*

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg (subtle f/f)

All Out: The No Longer Secret Stories of Queer Teens Through the Ages edited by Saundra Mitchell (every story is narrated by a queer teen!)

…Sci-Fi & fantasy vibes?

The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie (lesbian mc, f/f)*

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst (multiple POV both queer girls, f/f)

Caroline’s Heart by Austin Chant (multiple POV, both trans m/f)

Axiom: The Last Hope by R.M. Pearcy (lesbian mc, f/f)

Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee (bisexual girl mc, f/f)*

Not Your Villain by C.B. Lee (sequel to above, trans guy mc)*

More Than This by Patrick Ness (gay mc)

Spellbook of the Lost and Found by Moira Fowley-Doyle (multiple POV, more than half the cast are queer girls, f/f & m/f)*

…Fantastical retelling vibes?

Peter Darling by Austin Chant (trans guy mc, m/m)

Ash by Malinda Lo (lesbian mc, f/f)*

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust (multiple POV, one half is queer girl mc with f/f)

…Honestly just super bizarre vibes?

Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly (gay mc, m/m)*

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson (gay mc, m/m)

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (ace girl mc, trans guy side - and this whole series is full of other queer characters)

Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore (bisexual girl mc, f/f & m/f)

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater (multiple POV, multiple queer guy characters, m/m)

…Looking for graphic novels?

Goldie Vance by Hope Larson (queer girl mc, f/f)*

Spinning by Tillie Walden (memoir, lesbian mc)

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (memoir, lesbian mc)

Power & Magic:The Queer Witch Comics Anthology edited by Joamette Gil (all queer narrators)*

Here are some exciting and promising YA or New Adult books coming in 2021, all with LGBTQ+ characters and themes. There are so many more, but there aren’t covers yet or I’m waiting to include them in a follow-up post!

1. May the Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor (May 2021) - A trans boy enters a throw-down battle for the title of Homecoming King with the boy he dumped last summer.

2. Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee (May 2021) - A trans boy’s first love challenges the ideas of perfect relationships he writes about in his popular blog. 

3. Jay’s Gay Agenda by Jason June (June 2021) - After moving from his rural town to a big city, Jay makes a list of all the romantic things he will finally be able to do. 

4. In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens (April 2021) - A young prince must rely on a mysterious stranger to save him when he is kidnapped. 

5. One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (June 2021) - A 23-year-old realizes her subway crush is displaced from 1970’s Brooklyn, and she must do everything in her power to help her and try not to fall in love.

6. Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales (March 2021) - A bisexual girl who gives anonymous love advice to her classmates is hired by the hot guy to help him get his ex back.

7. The Girl from the Sea by Molly Ostertag (June 2021) - In this graphic novel, a girl can’t wait to escape the island where she lives. She has many secrets, as does the mysterious girl who saves her from drowning. 

8. Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas (May 2021) - A friendship forms between the popular boy and the boy prone to anxiety attacks. 

9. Bruised by Tanya Boteju (March 2021) - A teen girl navigates first love, identity, and grief when she immerses herself in the colorful, brutal, beautiful world of roller derby. 

10. As Far as You’ll Take Me by Phil Stamper (February 2021) - Marty is excited to be in London, exploring his sexuality, and finding the people he will call home. 

11. Infinity Reaper by Adam Silvera (March 2021) - The sequel to Infinity Son, Emil and Brighton try to navigate the ongoing war.  

12. When Tara Met Farah by Tara Pammi (January 2021) - Tara makes a deal with Farah to help her pass the math course in exchange for welcoming Farah into the local Bollywood Drama & Dance Society.

13. Between Perfect and Real by Ray Stoeve (April 2021) - A trans boy wants everyone to see who he truly is and thinks playing a role on stage will help. 

14. The Ghosts We Keep by Mason Deaver (June 2021) - After their older brother passes, Liam begins spending time with their brother’s best friend. 

15. Flash Fire by T.J. Klune (July 2021) - In this sequel to The Extraordinaries, Nick just wants to finish his self-insert bakery AU fanfic but can’t because new superheroes and villains keep showing up in his city. 

16. Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta (June 2021) - Two girls on opposite sides of a war discover they’re fighting for a common purpose and falling for each other.

17. Yesterday is History by Kosoko Jackson (February 2021) - After a liver transplant gives him the ability to time travel, a boy jumps back and forth between 1969 and the present, falling for another boy in the past along the way.