Pride is traditionally marked each June to honor the Stonewall Uprising in 1969. We asked 20 LGBTQ+ bookstagrammers to recommend a book that holds meaning for them. Many of them are also involved in #BookstaPride, a project donating funds to Lambda Literary and the LGBTQ Freedom Fund. And we also included 10 queer reads that we’ve loved and 10 books that are on our TBRs this month!
- Allison Reads DC: Nobody actually reads those intimidating books that everyone talks about and loves to reference, right? Allison does! Her picks often center on social justice and equality. She’s smart and funny, and frequent appearances of her “Bae” in her stories are always a highlight. She recommends Fire Shut Up in My Bones by Charles M. Blow: “It is one of the most moving nuanced portrayals of the complexity of sexuality I have ever read, not to mention the other topics he covers — trauma, brotherhood, poverty, race, and coming of age. Blow is a phenomenal writer, and the writing in how he relayed his coming-of-age affected me deeply.”
- Shelf By Shelf: We are missing Hunter’s #yogadrama stories while in quarantine but not to worry — the whisper stories he films from his office are just as entertaining. Bonus, he’s a talented writer and artist and sometimes shares his work. He recommends The Light Years by Chris Rush: “It’s a memoir about being a young gay artist in the ’60s, and it’s filled with drugs and unusual coming-of-age experiences, told in sharp prose. I couldn’t put it down!”
- Bowties & Books: Jesse is the founder of the Enby Book Club, which seeks to highlight nonbinary books and readers. They’ve also recently been on the front lines in Minneapolis, amplifying the voices of the protestors. They recommend Pet by Akwaeke Emezi: “This dazzling showcase of imagination where a trans girl awakens a monster was a much welcome escape.”
- Read Molly Read: Molly started the #queerliteverymonth hashtag to encourage allies to remember that queer books aren’t just relevant in June. She recommends Mean by Myriam Gurba: “This is a collection of sharply-written essays about coming of age in the ’90s as a queer Mexican-American woman. Gurba’s writing doesn’t shy away from her experiences with misogyny, homophobia, racism, and sexual assault but rather attacks them head-on with brutal, biting humor.”
- Paris Perusing: Paris is open, honest and kind, and his reviews are incredibly well-thought out and descriptive. He recommends The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels: “It is a poignantly urgent novel that depicts the ways homophobia and ignorance can turn a family — and a town — against each other in cruel ways. How Sickels renders a gay man’s tragic fall from grace did nothing but leave me trembling with tears.”
- What’s Jenna Reading: An avid reader of romance, SFF, and everything in between, Jenna is a warm presence on Bookstagram who will (gently) try to make you read ALL the books. She recommends The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon: “Queer representation is still relatively uncommon in genre fiction like science-fiction and fantasy. I love seeing characters like me in any stories, but it is especially delightful when they’re wielding magic or leading an intergalactic heist. The Priory of the Orange Tree is an epic fantasy full of magic, intrigue, assassins, and dragons and it features a beautiful love story between two courageous heroines. It’s one of my all time favorites, and I cannot recommend it enough.”
- Case Bounder: You know those people whose posts you just look forward to? Casey is one of those people — his genuine good nature and well-written reviews keep us coming back for more. He recommends The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne: “It is one of my all-time favorite reads — it’s clever, heartbreaking, and hilarious. Spanning 70 years, the story covers a lot of recent history through one gay Irish man’s life. I love what this book has to say about biological family vs. found family, and I still think about some of these characters years after reading.”
- Books Tea n Henny: Come for the books, stay for the tea. Oscar is hilarious and not afraid to get real. He can also teach you the best way to find your light for book photos. He recommends We The Animals by Justin Torres: “This book, while tackling many different themes, captures perfectly what it means to be queer during childhood. There aren’t many books out there that talk about queerness and childhood so Justin Torres’ book with breathtaking language instantly pulls you in to illustrate what it feels like growing up feeling different from the rest. This is a heartbreaking story yet at the same time so gentle and beautiful.”
- Eloise Reads: Her #readingitqueer readathon incorporates nine wonderful prompts to help readers incorporate different stories into their June TBRs. She recommends Everything Leads to You by Nina Lacour: “Everything about it is just pure magic — from the description to the characters, it’s a book that always fills my heart with joy and the sapphic relationship is portrayed so beautifully too.”
- Scared Straight Reads: His profile kind of says it all: “The NYC HBIC.” Dennis’ stories never fail to make us laugh, and he truly is the king of memes. He recommends A Beautiful Crime by Christopher Bollen: “… A Beautiful Crime is not only a thriller, but it also is a great character study; infused with love, romance, and deception. This may be the first time ever that I’ve fallen in love with all the characters. Everyone was so multifaceted and deep — it was hard to hate on anybody! … It’s 2020, and I want to see more mainstream novels feature homosexuality in a ‘nonchalant’ and ‘matter of fact’ type of way. I loved that A Beautiful Crime was centered around a gay couple, and it wasn’t portrayed in a taboo fashion. … I really appreciated how the author portrayed the gay community with respect and gave readers a voyeuristic opportunity into that reality. Overall, A Beautiful Crime is a beautiful story about love, conflict, sexuality, and desperation. Go into the story with an open mind and an open heart.”
- Booked By Tim: Tim’s inventive photos will draw you in immediately, and he’s a total artist with matching makeup with a book cover. He recommends Tinderbox by Robert Fieseler: “It’s nonfiction and tells the story of the largest mass killing of gay people in the U.S. before the Pulse nightclub shooting: an arson in New Orleans. These people have had their names erased from history; most queer people aren’t even familiar with this event. Together, we can honor their legacy and eliminate their erasure by reading their story.”
- Casey the Reader: Her clean feed is a thing of beauty and is often filled with cute cats and cozy spots. She recommends Magic For Liars by Sarah Gailey: “Their books effortlessly incorporate a wide spectrum of queer identities. Magic For Liars is their magical murder mystery, blending tropes from noir and YA fantasy into an entirely unique novel.”
- BKLN Books: Larissa is a midwife who provides wonderful info on women’s health, and she just had her own baby! Look no further for any rec you may need on literary fiction. She recommends Cantoras by Carolina De Robertis: “It is a beautifully written ode to chosen family and the importance of finding your people.”
- Stax on Stax: She lives in a treehouse! She champions body positivity and loving yourself, and will make you laugh at least once a day. She recommends Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera: “It is about a queer Latinx from the Bronx who is faced with white privilege, love in its many possible ways, and what feminism truly is. Loved loved loved this book.”
- It’s A Bookish World: Jimalion has somehow mastered the art of taking a good ebook picture — teach us your ways! She’s also a total ray of sunshine who wears her emotions on her sleeve, and we just want to give her a hug. She recommends Like A Love Story by Abdi Nazemian: “It covers being gay during the height of the AIDS crisis, and it highlights the fact that love while feared during an uncertain could still be beautiful.”
- Books N Blazers: The blazers have been alternating with pajama pants during quarantine, but Megan rocks both looks. She also shares some fun behind-the-scenes looks at what it’s like to work as a social media associate for Penguin Random House. She recommends Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett: “I love this book because it is so unabashedly queer, but it’s a complicated, messy, icky kind of queer that feels so much organic and true than other queer narratives. The blend of complex family dynamics, the main character’s emotional unavailability, queer unrequited love and taxidermy (yes, taxidermy) somehow makes for a perfect queer slice-of-life book.”
- Read Run Sea: A talented writer, Sarah often provides reviews that make you stop and think, and she highlights books beyond popular frontlist titles. She recommends Abandon Me by Melissa Febos. “Febos is a north-star writer for me; her work is intricate, rich with imagery, cerebral and yet so smooth to read. I love how queerness informs her worldview in her writing, even when she’s not explicitly writing about it. Abandon Me is one of those books that changed my reading and writing DNA, one of very few books I re-read every year. It’s so complicated and gorgeous.”
- The Book Advocate: We always look forward to Alex’s reviews, especially when they come with a photo of the book in front of her gorgeous library. She reads a diverse selection across genres, so everyone will find a recommendation here! She recommends How to Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake: “This was the first book I read with diverse queer representation that made me feel seen. It helped me on my own coming out journey and will always hold a special place in my heart.”
- _perpetualpages_: Adri’s bright and colorful feed is truly a joy, and their emphasis on so many different and wonderful queer voices is a bright spot in Bookstagram. They recommend You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson: “This is a triumphant and joyful queer YA book that is set to deliver readers the queer prom rom-com of their dreams! It’s a realistic look at the deeply systemic disadvantages that a poor, Black, queer girl in a small town might face, but it’s also about family, friendship, and realizing who has always been there and who will always be there to pull you through when you need it most. Liz Lighty is determined to succeed in her own way, on her own terms, which is exactly what young readers need to see right now.”
- Esoterica Reads: Erica is the QUEEN of thrifting books — you won’t believe the awesome finds she comes across! She even has a shop where you can browse through her discoveries. She recommends High School by Sara Quin and Tegan Quin: “It is an autobiographical look at the famous musician duo Tegan & Sara and their experiences coming of age in the ’90s. The queer twin sisters came together through music even while they were fighting to distance themselves from each other.”
And in case that didn’t provide you with enough books to read, here are 10 of our favorite queer reads that would be perfect for June (and beyond!), and 10 more we’ll be tackling this month.
- Real Life by Brandon Taylor
- The House In the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
- Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu
- To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers
- Here For It by R. Eric Thomas
- Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
- Tin Man by Sarah Winman
- Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
- This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
- Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
- We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samatha Irby
- Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevado
- American Dreamers by Adriana Herrera
- All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
- Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden
- How We Fight For Our Lives by Saeed Jones
- How to Write An Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee
- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
- Kings, Queens and In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju
- Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Ellen Whitfield is senior publicist at Books Forward, an author publicity and book marketing firm committed to promoting voices from a diverse variety of communities. From book reviews and author events, to social media and digital marketing, we help authors find success and connect with readers.
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