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Read These 10 New LGBTQ Books Out This Week

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Danika Ellis

Associate Editor

Danika spends most of her time talking about queer women books at the Lesbrary. Blog: The Lesbrary Twitter: @DanikaEllis

I am currently buried under a pile of new queer books I want to read. It’s insurmountable. I have ten queer books out this week to share with you today, but I easily could have included twice or even three times as many. It’s a wonderful problem to have, but I’m starting to seriously consider whether keeping a spreadsheet of all the traditionally published LGBTQ books is even possible anymore — it’s long been impossible to keep track of all the new indie and self-published queer books. But for now, let’s jump into the exciting new queer books out this week!

The Default World cover

The Default World by Naomi Kanakia (Trans Woman Fiction)

Jhanvi is a trans woman working at a grocery co-op to save for surgery when her friend-with-benefits Henry introduces her to his group of wealthy San Francisco friends. Jhanvi quickly realizes they have more money than sense and begins to plan on how to convince Henry to marry her to get his health care. But soon she is pulled into this group’s lavish lifestyle and promises of “found family” — even when she knows their love and approval is anything but unconditional.

The Paris Affair cover

The Paris Affair by Maureen Marshall (Queer Historical Fiction)

Fin Tighe is a gay French engineer working for Gustave Eiffel. When his boss starts looking for investors for a 300-meter tower, Fin jumps at the chance to get commissions. That’s how he meets Gilbert Duhais, who convinces him to pose as the heir to his father’s fortune — his father is an Earl, but Fin is his illegitimate son, and they haven’t spoken in a decade. Soon, Fin has plenty of connections in wealthy society, but the chances of discovery are only increasing…

A Little Kissing Between Friends cover

A Little Kissing Between Friends by Chencia C. Higgins (F/F Romance)

I wrote about this when I rounded up queer Black romances to read in 2024, so I’ll quote myself: Music producer Cyn Tha Starr and dancer Juleesa Jones are best friends…until one night makes Cyn see Jucee in a whole new way. Once they start kissing, they can’t seem to stop — but their friendship, Cyn’s career, and Jucee having a kid makes all of this very complicated. (Also check out D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding!)

Evocation cover

Evocation by S.T. Gibson (Queer Fantasy)

I loved S.T. Gibson’s A Dowry of Blood, so I’m really looking forward to her new fantasy series starting with Evocation! David is a psychic lawyer who has to team up with his ex-boyfriend and his ex-boyfriend’s wife to fight an ancestral deal with the Devil that is closing in on his soul. I feel like 2024 is the year of the queer polyamorous novel, and I am here for it!

Flawless Girls cover

Flawless Girls by Anna-Marie McLemore (Intersex YA Horror)

It’s still rare to find a book with an intersex main character, so I’m excited for this one. I wrote about this for the Biggest New LGBTQ Books Out in May, so I’ll quote myself: I couldn’t leave off a new Anna-Marie McLemore novel! The Soler sisters were both sent to the finishing school Alarie House, but Isla dropped out after a day. There’s something Stepford Wives about the girls at Alarie, and she won’t have that happen to her. When Renata comes home months later, she’s perfect and polite…and maybe homicidal? But then she disappears, and Isla re-enrolls to try to find out what happened to her there and where she might be now. (Flawless Girls has an intersex main character.)

Jamie cover

Jamie by L. D. Lapinski (Nonbinary Middle Grade Contemporary)

I was sure this book had already come out, but I guess it’s just been getting so much pre-publication buzz that I got confused! I wrote about it for International Non-Binary People’s Day: Jamie is an 11-year-old nonbinary kid with two best friends, Daisy and Ash. But when they start middle school, their group will be separated into schools for girls and boys — and no one seems to have considered where Jamie goes. Together, the three of them protest the binary rules of their school.

The Broken Heart cover

The Broken Heart written by Aaron Chan and illustrated by Josiane Vlitos (LGBTQ-Inclusive Picture Book)

This looks like such a sweet story on a topic I’ve never seen in a picture book before! Cody’s boyfriend just broke up with him, and he tells his little sister, Stephanie, that his heart is broken. So she sets off to visit all the places special to Cody and his ex to try to find the pieces of his broken heart to help put it back together.

My Favorite Thing Is Monsters Book Two cover

My Favorite Thing Is Monsters Book Two by Emil Ferris (Queer Graphic Novel)

I know so many people have been counting down the days to this sequel to My Favorite Thing Is Monsters — volume two has been delayed several times. But the wait is finally over! It follows 10-year-old Karen in 1968 Chicago as she investigates the murder of her neighbor, a Holocaust survivor. If you love B movie horror or pulp monster magazines, you need to pick this series up.

DC Pride: Brave and Bold cover

DC Pride: Brave and Bold by Christopher Cantwell et al. (LGBTQ Superhero Comics)

Like me, you might be wondering — didn’t DC’s Pride anthology come last week? That was DC Pride: Love and Justice, though, and this is DC Pride: Brave and Bold! It includes stories featuring Tim Drake and Connor Hawke; Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy; Midnighter, Apollo, and Alan Scott Green Lantern; and many more.

Pretty: A Memoir cover

Pretty: A Memoir by KB Brookins (Transmasculine Memoir)

This book mixes poetry and memoir to explain what it’s like to be a transmasculine Black person in the U.S. today. It draws on Black queer studies, cultural criticism, and firsthand experience to write a love letter to queer Black transmasculine people while critiquing expectations around masculinity — and Black masculinity in particular.

Queer Bookish Goodies

heart-shaped intersex pins
Photo by Irisidium on Etsy

In honor of Flawless Girls, here are some intersex enamel pins! You can get these pins in a ton of different pride flag designs. $11 each

That’s it for me! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog the Lesbrary. You can hear me on All the Books, and you can also read my Book Riot posts and subscribe to my other Book Riot newsletter, Read Harder.

Happy reading!
Danika

25 More LGBTQ Books Out This Week

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