Riot Headline The Best Books of 2024
LGBTQ

7 of the Most Exciting New Queer Books Out This Week

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Danika Ellis

Associate Editor

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

Today is one of the biggest release dates of the year, and I had such a hard time narrowing down which books to feature! I’m saving the children’s and YA releases for Thursday, but even still, I had to leave off 20 new releases, many of which I’m also excited about. It’s an embarrassment of new LGBTQ book riches.

Cinema Love cover

Cinema Love by Jiaming Tang (Gay Fiction

This literary fiction title follows gay men and the women they marry from 1980s China to 2020s Chinatown in New York City. Bao Mei used to sell tickets to closeted gay men like Old Second at the Workers’ Cinema, where the men met up in secret. She was having her own affair at the cinema with the projectionist. When the safety of the theater collapses, though, Old Second and Bao Mei agree to get married and immigrate to the U.S. together.

cover of You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian

You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian (M/M Historical Romance)

This is one of the most-anticipated queer releases of May. Mark is a reporter in the 1960s who’s stuck interviewing the obnoxious New York shortstop for his whole first season. Eddie is having a tough enough time on the team, so he’s also reluctant, but neither of them is exactly given a choice. Mark is still mourning the death of his partner, the one no one knew about. He’s vowed never to have a secret relationship again — but now Mark and Eddie are falling for each other…

cover of Lavash at First Sight

Lavash at First Sight by Taleen Voskuni (F/F Romance)

Ellie is attending PakCon, a food packaging conference, on behalf of her parents’ business — and for the chance to land them a Superbowl ad spot. There, she meets Vanya, and they immediately hit it off. They have so much in common, including both being Armenian and living in the Bay area. But then they discover another connection they share: their parents, with their competing businesses, are sworn enemies.

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea Book Cover

Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne (F/F Fantasy)

This sapphic fantasy was originally self-published, and now it’s being republished by Tor (specifically, Bramble, the romance imprint of Tor). This new edition has sprayed edges, if that tempts you! It’s about Reyna and Kianthe, who just want to run a tea shop together. But Kianthe is a powerful mage, and Reyna is one of the Queen’s guards, so they’re reluctantly pulled into adventures. Opinions differ on whether this counts as cozy fantasy since there’s a lot of action and adventure, but either way, there are plenty of cozy moments between the dragon fights!

The Brides of High Hill cover

The Brides of High Hill (The Singing Hills Cycle #5) by Nghi Vo (Nonbinary Fantasy)

This is the newest in the Singing Hills Cycle, which follows a nonbinary scribe as they record stories from across this fantasy world. The Brides of High Hill is a gothic mystery, where Cleric Chih and a bride-to-be explore the mystery of Lord Guo’s previous wives and search the halls of this possibly haunted estate.

a graphic of the cover of Coming Home by Brittney Griner with Michelle Burford

Coming Home by Brittney Griner with Michelle Burford (Lesbian Memoir)

Here’s another book I named as one of the biggest new LGBTQ titles of the month! I’ll just quote myself: “There are a ton of great queer books coming out in May, but this is the biggest and most-anticipated new release. For the first time, WNBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Griner opens up about her time in a Russian penal colony and how she finally came home. She also discusses how her wife, friends, and family kept her hopeful during a terrifying time.”

The Jellyfish cover

The Jellyfish by Boum, translated by Robin Lang and Helge Dascher (Nonbinary Graphic Novel)

Odette’s life is going pretty well: they enjoy their job at the bookstore — including getting a crush on a customer — and they even have an adorable pet rabbit. There’s just one problem: there’s a jellyfish in front of one of their eyes that no one else can see. Then, the jellyfish starts multiplying. Reviews say this graphic novel effectively portrays the experience of losing your sight.

✨ Paid subscribers can find 20 more LGBTQ books out this week at the end of this post!

Queer Bookish Goodies

a blanket with an Audre Lorde quote and plants and a silhouette of a woman

This woven throw blanket features a quote by Black lesbian feminist author Audre Lorde: “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” $85

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

Membership Required

Already a member? Log in here

The comments section is moderated according to our community guidelines. Please check them out so we can maintain a safe and supportive community of readers!

Leave a comment

Join All Access to add comments.