Quiz: Based on Your 2022 Reading, Which 2023 Queer Book Should You Preorder?
The end of 2022 is fast approaching. How was your reading life this year? Did you read a ton of amazing books? Did you struggle through reading slump after reading slump? Did you discover any amazing new authors, or stick to your tried-and-true favorites? Are you feeling satisfied with what you read, or do you wish you’d branched out a little more?
No matter how you answer these questions, 2023 is a clean slate. Whether you’ve just had the best or the worst reading year of your life, you get to make the rules about what comes next. But sometimes it’s hard to know exactly what you want to change about your reading, even if you know what’s currently working and what isn’t.
That’s where this quiz comes in! We could all use a little excitement and inspiration, right? There’s nothing better than having some rad preorders to look forward to, especially if you’re looking to shake up your reading in 2023. So tell us all about how your reading went in 2022, and we’ll come up with the perfect 2023 queer preorder for you! Think of it as a gift to your future self: whether you preorder from your local indie, put in a library hold, or just add the title to your TBR, it’ll hopefully become a reminder of all the good books to come in the new year.
All Results
I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself by Marisa Crane (January 17)
This powerful, introspective book is set in a version of the United States where, instead of being sent to prison, wrongdoers are given an extra shadow. It’s a complex character study of a grieving widow, a meditation on queer parenthood, and an exploration of state power, surveillance, and liberation.
My Dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron (March 7)
If you’re looking for an engrossing, thoughtful read, this YA novel has it all: magic, romance, and adventure! Set in London in 1885, it’s a queer, gothic retelling of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde featuring a teenager who’s trying to figure out why his best friend disappeared — and why the mysterious new stranger in town is so familiar.
The People Who Report More Stress by Alejandro Varela (April 4)
This collection of interconnected stories features a queer and Latine cast of parents, lovers, and friends, all trying to survive as best they can in New York City and the surrounding suburbs. The stories hone in on the everyday realities of long-term partnership, work, parenthood, racism, alienation, and more. If you’re looking for something that’s as funny as it is sharp, Varela should definitely be at the top of your list.
Endpapers by Jennifer Savran Kelly (February 7)
A journey of gender discovery! Messy queer relationships! Lesbian pulp! This book sounds like queer heaven. Dawn is a bookbinder living in New York in 2003, but she’s stuck: in her relationship, in her work, in her body, in her gender. Then she finds a love letter written on the back of the cover of a 1950s lesbian pulp novel, and her obsession with finding the author of the letter leads her somewhere she doesn’t expect.
Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni (January 31)
It’s time for a queer romcom! This charming romance is about Nar, a bisexual Armenian American woman who grudgingly allows her mother to convince her to attend a series of Armenian cultural events taking place in the city. The intended purpose, of course: to meet a nice man. But she meets a nice woman instead, a woman who makes her feel like she can be her whole self. The only problem: now she just has to tell her mom about it.
Choosing Family by Francesca Royster (February 7)
This memoir isn’t just about Royster’s journey to motherhood. It’s also about all the ways that queer people and Black people have been making families outside of white, heteronormative expectations for centuries. Royster shares stories of her African American family, her childhood in Chicago, and the winding road she and her partner traveled to become mothers. It’s a beautiful, moving, and insightful book.
Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H
In this memoir in essays, Lamya H shares the stories from the Quran that have shaped her understanding of herself as a queer Muslim person. Struggling to understand her identity and desires as a teenager and young adult, she turns to the Quran, and finds a wealth of stories that speak to her — stories about resistance and resilience, and about people who, like her, don’t fit into neat boxes.
Leg by Greg Marshall (June 13)
In this memoir, Greg Marshall blends a whole lot of hilarity with a poignant coming-of-age story. He writes about growing up gay in the 1990s, claiming his disabled identity as someone with cerebral palsy as a young man, and all the messes that unfold in between. It’s the perfect mix of heartfelt, observant, and just a little bit absurd — because who wants to take life too seriously?
Looking for more queer book recs? Take this quiz for great recs for 2022 queer books, or this one to find your next fun queer YA read. Looking for a queer YA thriller? We’ve got a quiz for that, too! You can even design your perfect dinner party and get an under-the-radar queer rec!
