Roar Cat Reads

Tag: Queer Books

  • My 6 Favorite LGBTQ+ Books Read in 2025 (so far)

    My 6 Favorite LGBTQ+ Books Read in 2025 (so far)

    Whether you’re a fan of romance, fantasy, contemporary fiction, or historical fiction, I’ve got a book recommendation for you! These are my six favorite queer books that I’ve read (not released) so far this year.

    My 6 Favorite LGBTQ+ Books Read in 2025 (so far)

    The Atlas Six

    by Olivie Blake
    Fantasy, 376 pages

    Set in a version of the present day where magic exists and is treated as interchangeable with science, this book’s plot (good) is vastly overshadowed by its worldbuilding (incredible) and character studies (phenomenal). With six protagonists offering chapters from their unique POVs, I was overwhelmed by Blake’s ability to create such morally complex and interesting characters. I would have read 1,000 pages of their inner lives and motivations, and am, in fact, off to read the sequel immediately!

    Book Outlet Canada

    Rough Trade

    by Katrina Carrasco
    Historical fiction, 384 pages

    Unlike anything I’ve read before, this historical novel centers oppressed narratives with working class smugglers in 1880 Tacoma, Washington who are female, or gay, or gender non-conforming. There are no “good” or “bad” characters here, only complicated people trying to get a little bit more than they have and realizing what they’ll do in order to accomplish their goals. Absolutely fascinating!

    Book Outlet Canada

    Here We Go Again

    by Alison Cochrun
    Contemporary romance, 368 pages

    I adore a romance novel with enough meat to make me cry, and this succeeds easily by circling the spicy romance of the childhood-friends-turned-rivals around their mutual love of their dying teacher and father-figure. This book is queer family at its absolute best, with a road trip that brings out the best and worst in each person. Logan and Rosemary are believably annoyed with each other AND in love with each other, and this is the exact dynamic I like in a romance.

    Book Outlet Canada

    Solomon’s Crown

    by Natasha Siegel
    Historical romance, 368 pages

    I am a huge fan of Eleanor of Aquitaine, and I long for historical romance novels set outside of the English Regency era, so this book was absolutely what I was looking for! Who wouldn’t want to read about feuding kings in the 1100s falling in love with each other? This is historical-lite, since Richard the Lionheart and King Philip of France did not actually fall in love (probably), but I loved the conflict between choosing between what is best for their countries and what is best for their hearts, swoon!

    Book Outlet Canada

    The Guncle Abroad

    by Steven Rowley
    Contemporary fiction, 320 pages

    Steven Rowley has quickly become a must-read author for me. This sequel (that can easily be read as a standalone) captures the same humor, depth, and care as its precursor, The Guncle. This time the focus is on the complications and joys of love rather than grief, and the addition of European travels and wedding hijinks makes this possibly even more fun to me!? Seems impossible, but there you go. If you love a feel-good story with real heart and depth, you’ve got to read Rowley’s novels!

    Book Outlet Canada

    Company of Liars

    by Karen Maitland
    Historical fiction, 576 pages

    This novel about a group of people traveling across England in the 1300s to avoid the plague is The Canterbury Tales meets And Then There Was One. It is a fascinating glimpse into the superstitions of the time, and most impressively, Maitland slowly draws you into the world so that by the end, I found myself as superstitious as the characters I had judged at the beginning. It is incredibly immersive, but that does include some pretty harrowing scenes as well, so take the content warnings seriously!

    CW: Anti-Semitism, homophobia, period-accurate violence

    Book Outlet Canada

    What are your favorite books that you’ve read so far in 2025? Share them in the comments and let me know if I should read them too!

  • My 9 Favorite Queer Books Read in 2023

    My 9 Favorite Queer Books Read in 2023

    From graphic novels to epic fantasies to novella memoirs, the LGBTQ+ books that I read and loved the most this year cover a fairly broad range of genre and emotional intensity.

    My 9 Favorite Queer Books Read in 2023

    At the Feet of the Sun by Victoria Goddard. A compulsive doorstopper of a novel that takes everything from the first book of this series (helpful to read first but not strictly necessary) and elevates it. Read if you would like to read a middle-aged m/m asexual romance in a fantasy setting that is squee-worthily cute.

    Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli. A sweet YA contemporary fiction for all my girlies who needed time to realize their queerness due to compulsive heterosexuality and an experience of attraction that doesn’t match what’s typically talked about. Read if you want to catch college feelings and enjoy a f/f romance bloom amongst amazing friendships.

    That Summer Feeling by Bridget Morrissey. If the above description sounded great but you’d rather read an adult romance, this is the book for you! Read if you want to relive summer camp experiences from an adult perspective with a f/f romance.

    Heathen by Natasha Alterici. A graphic novel with beautiful artwork telling a Viking story with a queer female lead? Um, obviously it’s very good. Read if you love Norse mythology and gender-swapped hero journeys.

    The Sun and the Star: A Nico di Angelo Adventure by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro. I will apparently never stop loving Nico di Angelo in any of the Percy Jackson books, and this YA novel that focuses on him and his boyfriend descending into Hades and Tartarus is no exception. Read if you love an established couple m/m romance combined with modernized Greek mythology.

    Babel by R. F. Kuang. A doorstopper for revolutionary word nerds, this gorgeously written alternate history novel addresses heavy themes of colonization, translation, and racism within an increasingly compelling plot. Read if you want to think deeply about nuanced forms of oppression.

    Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies by Michael Ausiello. A m/m romantic tragedy memoir that manages to be a story about a couple dealing with cancer that avoids trauma-porn sentimentality. Read if you want to laugh-cry your way through love, life, and death.

    Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian. A YA historical fiction set in late 1980s NYC, this novel follows three teens dealing with m/m love, the AIDS crisis, and activism. Read if you want to see the recent past with a fresh perspective.

    Peter Darling by Austin Chant. A sequel to Peter Pan that leans into deliciously fanfic-y territory by queerifying its characters (Peter is a trans man) and giving us the Pan/Hook romance I didn’t know I wanted. Read if you want to experience the magic of Peter Pan through a queer lens.

    What were some of your favorite books read in 2023? Leave a comment to let me know, and I’ll work on reading them in 2024!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • 6 Queer Books I Read While Wedding Planning

    6 Queer Books I Read While Wedding Planning

    Wedding planning really took the wind out of my blogging sails, but I’m back, and I want to talk about the queer books that I read during those months that I was MIA. From memoirs to graphic novels to YA to historical nonfiction, I’ve got a book recommendation for you!

    6 Queer Books I Read While Wedding Planning

    Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies

    by Michael Ausiello

    This is the only book that directly relates to getting married, and WOW was it a good but hard book to read in the run up to committing my life to someone else’s in a world that is chaotic and impossible to control! A memoir about a gay couple’s relationship when one of them develops terminal cancer, I wound up loving it because it avoids trauma porn vibes by including a wicked sense of humor that rang really authentically to me. It’s devastating (look at that title) and uplifting in a “this is the human condition” sort of way.\

    Goodreads

    Strong Female Protagonist: Book One

    by Brennan Lee Mulligan and Molly Ostertag

    I have recently fallen down the Dimension 20 hole, and I’m now obsessed with everything that Brennan Lee Mulligan has created. When I learned that he had created a graphic novel with Molly Ostertag, it was the easiest decision in the world to check it out. Although the drawings start out a little rough around the edges, in true webcomic fashion, the style crystalizes as the book progresses. As for the story itself, it’s a great character study on the weight of superheroism and what it means to do good in a morally and systemically complicated world. Why is it reviewed by RCR? Because the best side character is a lesbian!

    Goodreads

    Bad Gays: A Homosexual History

    by Huw Lemmey and Ben Miller

    One of the evidences that queerness is becoming more culturally accepted is the growing genre of allowing gay people to be complicated, messy, and bad (see also: Detransition, Baby and The Ultimatum: Queer Love). This historical nonfiction covers the lives of (predominantly) gay men throughout history who have made the world worse, sometimes to a truly enormous extent. At the same time, Lemmey and Miller explore what “gay” has meant throughout history and how an evolving sense of identity has shaped people’s lives and actions.

    Goodreads

    The Terraformers

    by Annalee Newitz

    Covering three points in time spanning over a thousand years, Newitz explores themes of personhood and capitalism on a planet being terraformed in the far distant future. It’s very much a theme-heavy book rather than plot-heavy, and my favorite part of the book is how detailed and nuanced her vision of future relationships (familial, friendly, and romantic) might look like. When I tell you that I found myself shipping a train and a cat (yes, you read that right) and feeling like it was the most obvious thing in the world, I hope that conveys the depth of Newitz’s skills. If you like Becky Chambers’ books, there’s a high likelihood that you’ll enjoy this too!

    Goodreads

    Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place

    by Neema Avashia

    Originally a book club pick, I highly recommend this short memoir of essays that reveals universal experiences through extremely specific life events. I loved reading about the intersection between Indian and Appalachian cultures and how the dynamic has shifted in the last couple decades. The author has such a love for her hometown while also feeling desperate to move on from it in a way that I think a lot of queer folks from rural spaces can relate to.

    Goodreads

    Like a Love Story

    by Abdi Nazemian

    I put this beside Aristotle and Dante’s Discover the Secrets of the Universe in terms of being one of my favorite queer YA novels. It’s a story of friendship, young love, and community set in late 1980s New York City. That timeline means that the AIDS epidemic is front and center here, and reading this made me realize how rarely I see this time period reflected in YA novels. It’s such a necessary part of queer history to be told and retold, and this book really highlights how hard and scary it would be to explore and understand your sexuality in the midst of the crisis. While the context is necessarily dark, the story itself is uplifting, sweet, and moving.

    Goodreads

    Alright, that’s me done playing catch up! From now on I should be able to get back into individual reviews.

  • Diversity Book Club List

    Diversity Book Club List

    When I moved to Vancouver in 2018, one of my ploys to make friends was to start a book club. Of the original group that got together, three of us have continued to meet for the last four years, every month without fail. Sometimes means meeting in a café for hot chocolate, and for a long time, that meant meeting on Zoom. Every time, it meant reading books that prioritized diversity in some way. Our goal has been to read books that are NOT by a cis, straight, white guy – the further we can get from this, the better! We also prioritized books written with a link to Vancouver or Canada.

    I love this list of books that we’ve read so far – we’ve covered fun reads that were already in my queue as well as heavy books I never would have picked up on my own (but which I’m grateful to have read). If you’re looking for some interesting books to read in 2023, I highly recommend finding something from these lists!

    Books Read from October 2018 – Present

    Non-Fiction

    The Ungrateful Refugee by Dina Nayeri (memoir, Iran)

    Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir by Akwaeke Emezi (memoir, Nigeria, trans, RCR review)

    They Called Me Number One: Secrets and Survival at an Indian Residential School by Bev Sellars (memoir, Indigenous, Canada)

    The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois (essays, Black, United States)

    The Right to be Cold: One Woman’s Story of Protecting Her Culture, the Arctic and the Whole Planet by Sheila Watt-Cloutier (memoir, Indigenous, Canada)

    Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Pérez (sociology, Brazil)

    The Witches are Coming by Lindy West (essays, United States)

    Red Lip Theology by Candice Marie Benbow (memoir, Black, United States)

    They Called Us Enemy by George Takei (graphic novel memoir, Japanese American, gay)

    Buffy Sainte-Marie: The Authorized Biography by Andrea Warner (biography, Indigenous, Canada)

    Sci-Fi and Fantasy

    Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson (magical realism, Canada)

    A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher (YA fantasy)

    A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers (sci-fi, non-binary, RCR review)

    A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers (sci-fi, non-binary, RCR review)

    Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey (Western, sapphic)

    General Fiction (Serious)

    A Map for the Missing by Belinda Huijuan Tang (historical fiction, China)

    Les Belles-Soeurs by Michel Tremblay (play, gay author)

    The Clothesline Swing by Danny Ramadan (contemporary fiction, Syria, Canada, gay, RCR review)

    The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr. (historical fiction, United States, gay, RCR review)

    Women Talking by Miriam Toews (contemporary fiction)

    The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy (historical fiction, Canada, gay)

    Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata (contemporary fiction, Japan)

    The Boat People by Sharon Bala (historical fiction, Sri Lanka, Canada)

    The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (historical fiction, United States)

    One Half from the East by Nadia Hashimi (contemporary fiction, Afghanistan)

    General Fiction (Fun)

    Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert (romance, bisexual, RCR review)

    The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe (YA)

    Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto (humorous mystery)

    Anna K: A Love Story by Jenny Lee (YA retelling)

    Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (romance)

    The Subtweet by Vivek Shraya (contemporary fiction, trans, RCR review)

    Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams (contemporary fiction)

    I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver (YA, trans, RCR review)

    Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin (contemporary fiction, retelling)

    My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite (thriller)

    Have you read any of these books? What did you think?

  • My Favorite Books Read in 2022

    My Favorite Books Read in 2022

    From graphic novels to epic fantasies to novella memoirs, the LGBTQ+ books that I read and loved the most this year cover a fairly broad range of genre and emotional intensity.

    My Favorite Books Read in 2022

    Snapdragon by Kat Leyh. This middle grade graphic novel became a fast favorite because of its intergenerational friendship, its love of the unlovable animals, and its sweet queer representation.

    People Change by Vivek Shraya. Everything Shraya writes gets right inside my head, and this novella about shifting identities over time, from a trans perspective but not only a trans perspective, has continued to pop up in my mind months later.

    She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. A decade-spanning epic historical fantasy set in China that explores gender and sexuality divorced from our modern understanding and labels, this is an absolute must read.

    The Heart-Break Bakery by A. R. Capetta. This one snuck up on me, but it’s a pure and sugary good time with a lot of diverse queer representation that I don’t often see in books.

    Thirsty Mermaids by Kat Leyh. With two recommendations on this list, you can bet that Leyh’s future works are on my radar; this one is a delightful “fish out of water” mermaid story that celebrates body positivity and found family.

    The Clothesline Swing by Danny Ramadan. A darkly hopeful book about war, trauma, refugees, and the love that can help us survive, this is a book that has fundamentally shaped my worldview.

    Loveless by Alice Oseman. While this is definitely a very fun read, it makes the list for its stellar representation of a young girl wrestling with understanding and accepting her aromantic asexual identity, which I don’t see enough of!

    A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers. The sequel to Chambers’ first Monk & Robot novella, I liked this one even more as the duo enter human civilization and I get to see Mosscap’s reaction to satchels and money and babies.

    Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters. We are entering the age of the Messy Queer, and this book is prime evidence of why it’s so important to show trans and queer people as fully realized humans.

    The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes. This is YA at its best, using the genre to explore the intersection of class, race, sexuality, immigration, and more.

    What were some of your favorite books read in 2022? Leave a comment to let me know, and I’ll work on reading them in 2023!

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • Christmas Gift Guide: Queer Book Edition

    Christmas Gift Guide: Queer Book Edition

    I love to give people books for the holidays, and it is a particular delight to try to match my favorite books to my favorite people. While I’m at it, I like to prioritize giving LGBTQ+ books for the holidays. There are so many excellent books to choose from, but here are some that I’m gifting to my friends and family this Christmas!

    Christmas Gift Guide: Queer Book Edition

    A Psalm for the Wild-Built

    by Becky Chambers

    When I’m not quite sure of a person’s taste in books, I love to give A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers to people because of its broad appeal. It’s a novella, which is less intimidating to my friends and family who aren’t quite as vociferous readers as I am. It’s also a genre book that doesn’t go heavy on the sci-fi and a queer book that lets its gender utopia exist without much comment. And most important, it’s a hopeful, lovely book that is a quick antidote to the anxiety and hopelessness that many of us feel.

    Goodreads

    The Clothesline Swing

    by Danny Ramadan

    For those who are not into genre fiction, The Clothesline Swing by Danny Ramadan is a compelling contemporary fiction novel about love, death, and the stories we tell to stay alive. I am currently raising money for Rainbow Refugee to help a Moroccan woman immigrate to Vancouver, so this is also a great way to introduce the stories of refugees as I ask for donations!

    [If you would like to donate a few dollars to our cause, donate HERE and choose “PRISM COLLECTIVE” in the drop down!]

    Goodreads

    Snapdragon

    by Kat Leyh

    For younger kids or people who appreciate a witchy story about animals, Snapdragon by Kat Leyh is a graphic novel is at the top of my list. This is a book about outcasts, young and old, and the relationships that can bring joy and meaning to our lives no matter what stage of life we’re in. A joy to read in one satisfying sitting!

    Goodreads

    Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss and the Fight for Trans Equality

    by Sarah McBride

    For the non-fiction aficionado, Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss and the Fight for Trans Equality by Sarah McBride is a memoir about love and political activism by Delaware’s state senator. Putting a humanizing face to heated arguments about trans rights, this book is a must read.

    Goodreads

    The Unspoken Name

    by A. K. Larkwood

    The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood is a dense fantasy novel that isn’t for everyone…but the person it’s for is going to LOVE it. This fast paced novel is about a lesbian orc who abandons her fate as a sacrifice to the Unspoken god and decides instead to become a mercenary for an ambiguously aligned wizard. There’s a sequel, The Thousand Eyes, out too!

    Goodreads

    The Guncle

    by Steven Rowley

    For the family and friends who want their books to be warm-hearted and fun, The Guncle by Steven Rowley is a sure-fire hit! When the protagonist finds himself in charge of his niece and nephew for the summer, all three learn how to process grief and lean on the love of family with laugh-out-loud and sweet-but-not-sappy scenes.

    Goodreads

    Pet

    by Akwaeke Emezi

    For the person who likes a fantasy story that’s a bit more accessible à la A Wrinkle in Time, Pet by Akwaeke Emezi is one of my favorites. This is a story about appearances and the ability to differentiate between a monster and an angel (literally and metaphorically). I love when an otherworldly being that is both scary and comforting enters a child’s life and helps them grow up to be a little wiser than they started.

    Goodreads

    The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

    by Taylor Jenkins Reid

    I’ll end my list with another book with broad appeal. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a story about Old Hollywood, determined women, and the relationships (real and faked) that made a young woman a movie star. It’s a page-turner with a satisfying ending that everyone can enjoy.

    Goodreads

    More gift recommendations from the Roar Cat Reads’ Discord:

    • This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
    • Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mark Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell
    • She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
    • Babel by RF Kuang

    Want more recommendations? Tell me what kind of person you’re buying a present for, and I’ll recommend books for you!

  • Queer Book Recommendations from Authors, Librarians, Book Sellers, and Bloggers

    Queer Book Recommendations from Authors, Librarians, Book Sellers, and Bloggers

    On October 29th, 2022, we streamed a Queer Book Haul with guests Nicholas Eames, Chelsea, Sam McClean, and Tricia McGarrah to share our favorite LGBTQ+ book recommendations and raise money for Rainbow Refugee. The full video can be watched below.

    Click on each title to be taken to its Goodreads page; if the book has been reviewed by Roar Cat Reads, it is marked and linked as such.

    Nicholas Eames

    Author

    Chelsea

    Librarian

    Sam McClean

    Book Seller

    Tricia McGarrah

    Book Blogger