LGBTQ

12 Queer Bookstagram Accounts to Follow for Fabulous LGBTQ+ Recs

Laura Sackton

Senior Contributor

Laura Sackton is a queer book nerd and freelance writer, known on the internet for loving winter, despising summer, and going overboard with extravagant baking projects. In addition to her work at Book Riot, she reviews for BookPage and AudioFile, and writes a weekly newsletter, Books & Bakes, celebrating queer lit and tasty treats. You can catch her on Instagram shouting about the queer books she loves and sharing photos of the walks she takes in the hills of Western Mass (while listening to audiobooks, of course).

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Bookstagram might just be my favorite corner of the internet. Sure, it’s not perfect. But for the most part, it’s a whole bunch of bookish folk talking about the books they love. People are kind, excited, delightfully nerdy, and genuinely interested in having meaningful conversations about books. It’s dreamy. And queer Bookstagram is even dreamier.

I don’t know if queer Bookstagram is an official thing. I do know that there are lots of queer (and some non-queer) Bookstagrammers out there who run fantastic accounts highlighting queer literature. I’ve discovered many fantastic queer books across all genres thanks to these fabulous people who read a lot and talk about it.

If you’re new to queer Bookstagram, here are 12 of my favorite accounts to get you started.

Lupita.reads

Lupita writes thoughtful, detailed reviews across many genres, with a focus on memoir and literary fiction. She highlights Latinx lit, queer lit, and authors of color. Her pics are often accompanied by tasty-looking beer, and her baby son makes occasional (adorable) cameos. I especially appreciate her exuberance: after reading one of her reviews, I always want to read the book, even if it’s not something I’d usually pick up.

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Wishing one of my all-time favorite Latinx queer books a HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY! It’s available in all bookstores today in this extremely beautiful bright yellow edition & I hope everyone picks it up either in-store or at your local libraries!.. . I first read it when I was going through my first anxiety attack. I thought to myself that there was no way I could focus on printed words because my mind wouldn’t stop shifting into panic mode. But these words managed to silence the panic for a few hours. I will deeply enthralled in Juliet in her struggles but mainly in her ability to be vulnerable, which wasn’t something I was familiar with especially displayed by someone that shared my ethnicity. For me, this book was life-changing because it helped me see I couldn’t do this thing alone. I could not be myself & only keep the parts that felt “good” to myself. I needed help and that acceptance I definitely learned in these pages. I loved it so much I passed it on to a family member that was in the stages of coming out & I loved it so much I thoroughly embarrassed myself & almost cried thanking Gabby Rivera for writing this book. As you can see, I have a lot of feelings about this book & it’s definitely one I recommend everyone to read!.. . Do you have a favorite queer book?! If so I want to hear about it in the comments!

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bowtiesandbooks

On their profile, Jesse describes their style as “bow ties and cozy vibes.” They review books of all kinds, including a lot of queer YA and SFF. They also founded the Enby Book Club, a monthly Instagram book club dedicated to reading stories with nonbinary protagonists.

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🔱🔥🔱 #currentread We are officially done with Week one of Blackathon! How are your reads going? I’m reading PET for the Janelle Monae challenge AND for the “Twinning” TBR card; I am loving @azemezi’s latest as I knew I would. Below are some quotes from the book I’ve adored. PS: Are you joining in on the #blackathon2020 watchalong of Coming To America tonight? 6pm CST! . . . 🔱🔥🔱 “you shouldn’t use a nation as a basis to choose which deaths you mourn; nations aren’t even real.” . 🔱🔥🔱 “She loved being in the library, the almost sacred silence you could find there. The way it felt like another home.” . . 🔱🔥🔱 “You think you see everything, so you think everything you see is all there is to be seen.”

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queerbookbox

If you live in the UK, you’re in luck, because you can subscribe to this awesome monthly queer book box! If (like me), you’re eagerly waiting for them to start shipping internationally, you can still follow their account for great queer book recs.

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What's the last book you bought? I've just got Edinburgh by @cheemobile after reading what @readqueerbooks has to say about it:⠀ ⠀ "This book is proof that very specific stories often end up universal. the story of a queer korean american (tw) childhood sexual abuse survivor, it is a painful, beautiful demonstration of the power of fiction to allow us to imagine the unimaginable."⠀ ⠀ For great queer books like this check out the #linkinbio for the LGBT+ book subscription of your dreams.⠀ ⠀ #booksofinstagram #booklover #igreads #literature #instabooks #bookstagram #book #books #booklover #reading #love #instabook #bookworm #bookish #bookstagrammer #instagood #bibliophile #read #booknerd #bookphotography #bookaddict #bookaholic #reader #queerlit #queerbooks #lgbtbooks #queer #marinerbooks

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queerlesen

Janne is a nonbinary agender bookworm who posts almost exclusively queer book reviews, highlighting books by trans and nonbinary authors.

bankrupt_bookworm

Areeb posts book reviews across many genres, often highlighting queer lit. I like his aesthetic, which is simple and uncluttered: a book against a background.

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| REVIEW | . . "no need for geography now that we’re safe everywhere. point to whatever you please & call it church, home, or sweet love. paradise is a world where everything is a sanctuary & nothing is a gun. here, if it grows it knows its place in history. yesterday, a poplar told me of old forest heavy with fruits I’d call uncle bursting red pulp & set afire,  harvest of dark wind chimes. after I fell from its limb it kissed sap into my wound. do you know what it’s like to live someplace that loves you back?" . . SYNOPSIS: Don’t Call Us Dead opens with a heartrending sequence that imagines an afterlife for black men shot by police, a place where suspicion, violence, and grief are forgotten and replaced with the safety, love, and longevity they deserved here on earth. Smith turns then to desire, mortality – the dangers experienced in skin and body and blood – and a diagnosis of HIV positive. It's an astonishing and ambitious collection, one that confronts, praises, and rebukes America where every day is too often a funeral and not often enough a miracle. . . RATING: 5/5 Smith's poetry is highly impassioned, it has a raw vitality which remains unmatched so far in my experience of reading poetry. Their verses truly have the power to move you. They write evocatively about what it means to be young and black and gay in our world, that it takes your breath away. They are immensely skilled in the use of language, and a fiery rage hides behind the calm intensity of their poems. There is no naiveté here, only a solid resolve to make unknown, ignored truths heard. A lot of these pieces might make you uncomfortable. Smith is unflinching in their quest to depict troubled lives and does not shy away from portraying grim realities without making it gratuitous. Smith touches on a whole host of issues like race, violence, police brutality, sexuality, desire, AIDS and mortality. They look you straight in the eye and dare you to shift your gaze. Their words mesmerise, dazzle, leave you yearning for more even as they punch you in the gut with brutal force. Suffice is to say, you will not return from this experience unchanged. I cannot wait for their next collection. . .

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tianareadslgbt

Tiana reviews queer books across many genres. I love this account especially because she reviews adult, YA, middle grade, and children’s books! Her pics always have plants/gardens/flowers in the background, which makes it extra colorful and delightful.

readrunsea

If you’re into queer lit, sunlit wood, and clean, soothing lines, then this account is for you. Sarah reviews mostly queer lit and posts pictures that make me super jealous of their desk set-up.

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Happy Monday everyone! I’m taking a page out of @parisperusing’s book (ha) and not checking my email until this afternoon – my version of mental health Monday 😅 also, Paris’ review of this book is much better than mine so go read that one. Some of my thoughts are below. Can’t wait for this book to be born into the world on 2/18✨ • This debut novel is a gift to the world of novels. It is so quietly stirring that you won’t know what hit you by the end. Following an introverted PhD candidate named Wallace in close third person, Taylor skillfully weaves a story of friendship and superficiality, the subtle and ubiquitous ways in which white supremacy plays out in a white-dominant Midwestern friend group, queer love and queer infatuation. It’s also the best portrayal of an introvert’s inner and outer life I've ever read. It takes place over the course of a single weekend, but the emotional depths of Wallace's character unfold with such precision and nuance that the very scary violence taking place in both the past and the present almost feel distant. By that I mean, Wallace is very good at repression as a mechanism of survival, and the prose is written so smoothly as to put the reader in that exact place with him – a place where distance must be maintained from a myriad of violences. • Real Life is one of those timeless stories that also perfectly captures a generational moment. I highly recommend it. Thank you @riverheadbooks for the arc! 📚⚡️ PS that gorgeous wood pencil case was made by my lumberjack brother & basically-sister @beccaustin as a Christmas gift. The woodworking talent 😍🔥 #bookstagram #reallife #mondayreads

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thealchemyofbooks

Anthony Michael’s account is a combo of books and cats (often in tote bags). What more could you want? How about snappy one-sentence reviews and gorgeous pics of bookstores and libraries? This is a great account to follow if you don’t like reading long reviews on Instagram and would rather just look at pictures of fantastic queer books.

And cats in tote bags, obvi.

gaysthewordbookshop

Even if you don’t live in the UK, you’ve probably heard of Gay’s the Word, a queer London bookshop that opened in 1979. Though following this account will probably make you sad if you’re not a Londoner and can’t visit the shop regularly, you’ll still get lots of great book recs. I also appreciate all their author photos—one of my favorite ways to discover new queer authors is to check out who they’ve had in the store.

annas_sweets_and_stories

Treats and books? Yes, please! Anna posts pics of beautiful, mouthwatering cookies, as well as queer book reviews with a focus on YA.

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“Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, but it’s a good place to start.” –Jason Collins . . . Pride Unicorns! Also, just a gentle reminder that pride includes more than just LG, and if you don't support trans, intersex, bisexuals, nonbinary, pansexual, asexual, etc, you don't belong at pride. 🌈🌠 . . #cookie #bakedwithpride #bakestagram #baker #baking #bakersofinstagram #bakersgonnabake #cookielove #cookies #cookiesofinsta #cookiesofinstagram #cookiegram #royalicingcookies #unicorn #beaunicorn #proud #bewhoyouare #loveislove #pastry #lgbt #queer #lgbtq🌈 #pridecookies #pridemonth #foodie #foodiesofinstagram #whatsinyourpantry #thepeasantspantry #pridebakecollab

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half_book_and_co

Charlotte is a reader from Berlin, Germany. She posts reviews on books that center feminist thinking, and highlights queer authors, women authors, and authors of color.

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This year was incredible in regards to queer memoirs. The five in the picture might be my favourites – plus Tegan & Sara's High School which I forgot to put on the stack. I have read even more (and I am sure there are still some I haven't even considered but which are wonderful too). I think the memoirs I feature here are all incredibly well written, often playful with regards to form and/or language while diving into trauma, violence but also joy. Have you read any of these? Or any other great memoirs by queer writers? #bookstagram #igreads #goodreads #QueerLitEveryMonth #queerliterature #lgbtwriter #lgbtq #booklover #memoirs #reading #bookworm #tkiramadden #cherriemoraga #jaquiradiaz #saeedjones #carmenmariamachado

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thefeministreader

Elizabeth’s account has that classic Bookstagram vibe: lots of lovely photos of books and coffee. She posts reviews across many genres, highlighting diverse (and of course queer) voices.

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“spent the past twenty-nine years working on being the best version of myself, which means loving the worst versions of myself.” . . . 💖 This quote, from “tindr,” the first poem in this collection, I think sets the tone for this incredible collection. It’s about true self-love on multiple levels. Britteney Black Rose Kapri has written what the back cover calls “a refreshing, unapologetic look at the line between sexual freedom and sexual exploitation.” The forward aptly describes these poems as “alive somewhere between a monologue and confession” and “sometimes a sermon and sometimes a secret.” “reasons imma Hoe” and “shawty with the ass” deal with the author’s experiences of sexual harassment and rape culture; “bad feminist” describes the author’s experiences with BDSM; “pansexual” is a glorious embrace of “whatever the fuck my partner wants to call themselves.” I absolutely loved “real women have,” which embraces trans women and reiterates that they are real women, and “Queer enough,” which I could personally relate to in many ways. Some of the other poems, like “for Colored boys who considered gang banging when being black was too much,” I don’t even have words for. This collection wasn’t for me, and by that I mean, it’s not written for white people. And in fact, there’s “a reading guide: for white people reading my book” that reminds us not to assume that everything is centered on us (which is a reminder all white people need). This is an amazing collection of poems and I would definitely recommend it. 💕 . . . #blackqueerhoe #britteneyblackrosekapri #poetry #readblackwomen #readblackpoets #readqueerpoetry #readqueerlit #queerlit #queerliteverymonth #haymarketbooks #bookcommunity #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #booklover #booknerd #diversespines #weneeddiversebooks #thefeministreader #thefeministreaderreview

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Looking for more great Bookstagram accounts to follow? Some of my favorites are on this list of black women Bookstagrammers. And there are many wonderful accounts on this list of Bookstagrammers of color, too.