I just got out of a slight reading-block, where I couldn’t bring myself to read even my favorite books. To try and get past it, I decided to list some of my favorite queer books that I truly believe any human person should read.
- The Great Believers — Rebecca Makkai
This just might be the best book I’ve ever read, and I know I will never read it again. The book follows to intertwined stories, and each chapter alters between them. The first starts in Chicago, 1985, and follows Yale and his friend group, relationships, work etc during the AIDS crisis. The second is set in Paris, with Fionna landing in the city of love to search for her estranged daughter, while staying with an old friend. This book has some of the most heartwarming moments I’ve read, alongside (many) heartbreaking ones. It’s a must read for any queer person, as it gives such a unique point of view for this crisis that shaped our community and our struggle. - Ophelia After All — Raquel Marie
I’ve read a few books with bisexual leads, but none of them put my experience with bisexuality into words as well as this one. One quote the hit close to home was “People confuse acceptance with erasure”, that was a lightbulb moment for me, really made me examine a lot of my relationships with my loved ones. The book follows Ophelia in the last few weeks of her senior year in high-school, navigating friendships, exes, new flames and her immigrant Cuban family. It’s been a while since I read a YA book, and after I’ve come to expect very little from them, I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this story. This book is a masterpiece and anyone who sleeps on YA books (which includes me) is a fool to skip this one. - A Marvelous Light — Freya Marske
I’m not that into historic fiction (Jane Austens novels obviously not included), and magic too? Not a book I would usually reach for. At first, I thought I was right to doubt it, and almost stopped reading after the first 50 pages. It took me a while to get into it, but I fell completely in love with this book. The book follows Robin and Edwin, as they uncover secrets and ploys in magical Edwardian London. Fun, sweet, exciting, sexy, this book is perfection. - One Last Stop — Casey McQuiston
I know everyone read this one, I know straight people love it, I just don’t care. Thanks to McQuistons fun writing style, and the always perfect setting — New York, this book succeeds in trapping you despite the somewhat weird (somewhat illogical?) plot. OLS follows August, who just moved to New York, and the mysterious girl she sees on the Q subway line every day. Without spoiling it, this story has time travel, the found-family trope, and about half of it is set during subway rides. I especially liked the discussion about unknown events in queer history, and for that I think it’s a great read for anyone trying to learn more about the community. Small caveat — like other books by Casey McQuiston, some may find the main character annoying. Still love it though! - The Song of Achilles — Madeline Miller
Similarly to One Last Stop, this book is peak mainstream, and considering I’ve discovered it through TikTok, I can’t be mad at that. I was a Percy Jackson kid, I love Greek Mythology, and this book was so hyped, I was excited to read it. TSOA is a retelling of The Iliad from Patroclus’ point of view, that captures key moments of Achilles’ life, starting from his childhood and ending in his heroic and tragic end in the Trojan War. I think it’s been about a year since I first read it, and since then I read it three more times, despite it being absolutely heartbreaking (I knew how The Iliad ends, and I still cried my eyes out at the end). Especially recommended for lovers of Greek Mythology and Homer’s epics, but this is such a universally loved story, anyone would enjoy it.
Honorary mentions- A ton of books by David Levithan, The House of Hades (where Nico goes through a terrible outing but at least he is canonically gay now? that was major for 13 year old me) by Rick Riordan, and the original ending of Simon vs. the Homo sapiens Agenda, Leah on the Off-Beat, Will Grayson, and Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss list. These books were amazing to read when I was a teenager and I will forever cherish them, regardless of their quality.
