I’ve read a lot of books with queer protagonists. Check out this list for books by and about LGBTQ+ people.
The books that are bolded are my favorites!
A
All Systems Red by Martha Wells (science fiction, ace & agender mc)
The Adventure Zone: Petals to the Metal by the McElroys (fantasy graphic novel, f/f)
Alice Payne Arrives and Alice Payne Rides by Kate Heartfield (sci-fi novellas, bi mc, f/f)
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson (memoir)
Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell (YA fantasy, gay mc, m/m, f/f side couple)
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz (YA contemporary fiction, gay mc, m/m)
B
Band Sinister by K.J. Charles (romance)
Basically Queer edited by Claire Robson, Kelsey Blair, and Jen Marchbank (nonfiction essays)
Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames (fantasy, lesbian mc, f/f)
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall (contemporary romance, m/m)
Burning Roses by S.L. Huang (fantasy)
Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi (contemporary fiction, lesbian mc)
C
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman (contemporary fiction, gay mc, m/m)
Camp by L.C. Rosen (YA contemporary fiction, gay mc, m/m, demisexual sc)
Captive Prince series by C.S. Pacat (fantasy)
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (YA fantasy, gay mc, m/m)
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers (science fiction, nonbinary sc)
The Councillor by E.J. Beaton (fantasy, bisexual mc)
D
Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram (YA contemporary fiction)
The Deep & Dark Blue by Niki Smith (middle grade fantasy graphic novel, trans mc)
E
Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin (contemporary fiction, lesbian mc)
F
FINNA by Nino Cipri (science fiction novella, trans mc)
The Fire Never Goes Out: A Memoir in Pictures by Noelle Stevenson (memoir, graphic novel)
Fireheart Tiger by Alliete de Bodard (fantasy novella, sapphic mc, f/f)
Flamer by Mike Curato (YA graphic novel, gay mc)
G
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (sci-fi fantasy, lesbian mc)
The Girl from the Sea by Molly Ostertag (YA fantasy graphic novel, lesbian mc, f/f)
The Guncle by Steven Rowley (contemporary fiction, gay mc)
H
Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Abida Jaigirdar (YA contemporary romance, bi mc, lesbian mc, f/f)
Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (sci-fi fantasy, sapphic)
The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar (middle grade contemporary fiction)
A High Five for Glenn Burke by Phil Bildner (middle grade contemporary fiction gay mc, coming out)
¡Hola Papi!: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons by John Paul Brammer (memoir, gay mc)
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers (contemporary fiction, sapphic, f/f)
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (fantasy, gay mc, m/m)
I
I Think I Love You by Auriane Desombre (YA contemporary fiction, lesbian mc, f/f)
I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver (YA contemporary fiction, trans mc)
I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee (YA contemporary fiction, bisexual mc, lesbian sc, f/m)
J
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri (fantasy, sapphic, f/f)
K
Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear (steampunk, lesbian mc, f/f)
L
The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite (romance)
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo (YA historical novel, lesbian mc)
Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann (YA contemporary fiction)
Like Crazy: Life With My Mother and Her Invisible Friends by Dan Mathews (nonfiction memoir, gay mc, m/m)
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (science fiction, sapphic, f/f)
M
Miranda in Milan by Katharine Duckett (historical fantasy, f/f)
The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth (YA contemporary fiction)
More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera (YA sci-fi, m/m)
N
Naamah by Sarah Blake (biblical historical fantasy, bisexual mc, f/m, f/f)
Naturally Tan by Tan France (memoir)
O
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (contemporary fiction, bi mc, f/f)
Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love by Jonathan Van Ness (memoir, gay mc)
P
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi (YA fantasy, trans mc, f/m)
Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier (contemporary fiction, sapphic, f/f)
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (fantasy)
Proper English by K.J. Charles (romance)
The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr. (historical fiction, m/m)
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers (science fiction novella, trans mc)
R
Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (YA contemporary fiction)
Roadqueen: Eternal Roadtrip to Love by Mira Ong Chua (graphic novel, lesbian mc, f/f)
Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo (YA fantasy, bi mc, trans side character, f/m)
S
Save Yourself by Cameron Esposito (memoir)
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (historical fiction, bi mc, f/m, f/f)
Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women’s Love and Desire by Lisa Diamond (academic non-fiction)
Sharp Ends by Joe Abercrombie (fantasy, lesbian mc)
Ship It by Britta Lundin (YA contemporary fiction)
Something That May Shock and Discredit You by Daniel Mallory Ortberg (non-fiction memoir / essays, trans mc)
Sometimes You Have to Lie: The Life and Times of Louise Fitzhugh, Renegade Author of Harriet the Spy by Leslie Brody (non-fiction memoir, sapphic mc)
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (mythology, gay, m/m)
The Subtweet by Vivek Shraya (contemporary fiction, trans mc)
Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin (YA contemporary fiction)
T
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert (contemporary romance, bi mc, f/m)
They Both Die in the End by Adam Silvera (YA sci-fi)
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar (sci-fi)
This Town Sleeps by Dennis E. Staples (contemporary fiction, gay mc, m/m)
The Times I Knew I Was Gay by Eleanor Crewes (memoir, graphic novel)
Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality by Sarah McBride (memoir, trans mc, f/m)
Trans-Galactic Bike Ride edited by Lydia Rogue (sci-fi novella, anthology, trans stories)
U
Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott (sci-fi)
The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood (fantasy, lesbian mc, f/f)
Untamed by Glennon Doyle (non-fiction memoir, sapphic mc, f/f)
Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey (Future Western)
V
Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders (YA sci-fi, bi mc, trans side character, f/f)
W
Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell (YA fantasy, gay mc, m/m)
We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir by Samra Habib (non-fiction memoir, queer mc)
Y
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (YA contemporary fiction, sapphic, f/f)