The 12 Best Books To Read This Pride Month

One in Four by Lucinda Berry

Queer author Lucinda Berry returns in this tense thriller — with the advent of a Big Brother-esque reality TV show focused on former child stars and their recovery from addiction, it’s no surprise that Dr. Laurel Hargrow is chosen as the show’s on-screen counselor given her past professional history as a chemical dependency counselor and her personal history with the show’s director. After one of the stars is found dead on camera, an investigation launches, but it proves complicated, as everyone is hiding something…including Laurel. Her past is forced into the spotlight as she helps the hunt for the killer, but she’ll stop at nothing to expose a murderer, even if it means risking everything she holds dear.

About Bliss: Fighting for My Trans Son's Life, Joy, and Fertility by Cristina Olivetti

The part memoir, part parenting guide About Bliss is the essential read families and allies need right now. Woven with personal insight and urgent advocacy, Cristina reflects on her journey as a mother navigating the complex and often overwhelming experience of supporting her trans child. Going beyond the typical memoir, this title also serves as a heartfelt guide for families with trans children navigating fertility access.

The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz

Themes of grief, identity, and romance emerge in this suspenseful thriller. Abby travels to the isolated island of Isla Colel in the Gulf of Mexico to determine answers surrounding her fiancée Eszter’s tragic death. What she’s met with instead, is secrets, lies, and a suspicious group of expats who Eszter spent her last days with. Things are evidently not what they seem in this atmospheric story of loss, paranoia, and trust.

All-Nighter by Cecilia Vinesse

Enemies to lovers? Check. Sapphic yearning? Check. It’s senior year of high school and brainy Autumn Povitsky and rule breaker Tara Esposito each have something the other wants: Autumn is high achieving (namely, valedictorian) and needs a fake ID before sundown, while Tara needs help completing an essay before sunrise, or else she won’t graduate. The only problem is that a years-long feud stands between them. Told in alternating POVs, the two must decide if working together is better than their worlds falling apart.

Leaving the Station by Jake Maia Arlow

Zoe wants to run from the mistakes she made during her first few months of college and avoid addressing her gender identity and sexuality. So, when Thanksgiving break rolls around, she decides to sit with her contemplations on a cross-country train from New York to her hometown of Seattle. There, she meets Oakley, an outwardly queer-presenting woman who is also trying to find herself. The two connect and share deep conversations over the journey, discovering just how similar their struggles are. If you’re looking for a queer romance that tackles religion, self-discovery, sexuality, and gender deconstruction, then this is the novel for you.

Don’t Let Me Go by Kevin Christopher Snipes

This epic romance is about two star-crossed boys who continue to find a way to each other across time and space. Riley Iverson is out and proud, and when Jackson Haines, notably straight, moves in next door, he feels an undeniable connection. Jumping between past and present, we follow Riley and Jackson as they consistently find themselves in each other’s dreams as lovers. Chosen as the June pick for Adam Silvera’s Book Club, this story of queer love and resilience is for fans of romantic, heartwarming, devastating, and timeless tales.

Nav’s Foolproof Guide to Falling in Love by Jessica Lewis

In this sweet YA rom-com, best friends Nav (lesbian) and Hallie (bisexual), have different views on love: Hallie continuously believes, despite getting her heart broken, while Nav stands firmly against it, claiming that love and relationships are messy. When the shy new girl Gia asks for Nav’s help in flirting with her friend, she believes that this could finally be the love that Hallie deserves. The thing is, it turns out Gia is terrible at flirting, and as they continue to get to know each other, Nav starts to develop feelings for her. Should she keep her promise to Gia or take a chance on love? Not just a romance, this is a story of friendship, family, change, and coming of age.

And They Were Roommates by Page Powars

What happens when you suddenly find yourself roommates with your ex-boyfriend? When Charlie arrives at his new all-boys boarding school, his plan is to hide his trans identity and keep a low profile. Then, he learns that his roommate is Jasper Grimes, the principal’s son, but more importantly, the boy who broke his heart the summer before he transitioned. Jasper doesn’t recognize him, but who knows how long until he realizes the truth, and Charlie’s plan is shattered. This second-chance romance is fun and hilarious!

For the Rest of Us: 13 Festive Holiday Stories to Celebrate All Seasons by Dahlia Adler, Sonora Reyes, Preeti Chhibber, Karuna Riazi, Laura Pohl, Katherine Locke, Abdi Nazemian, Kosoko Jackson, Aditi Khorana, Natasha Diaz, Candace Buford, A. R. Capetta, Cory McCarthy, Kelly Loy Gilbert

This festive anthology illustrates the great variety in celebrations across America — from Juneteenth to Diwali to Chrismukkah to Eid al-Fitr, fourteen acclaimed authors share their lived experiences in these stories for teens. Edited by anthology pro Dahlia Adler, For the Rest of Us teaches readers about different cultures and their holiday celebrations, encouraging the reclamation of the words “holiday story.”

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue returns in this highly anticipated novel about lesbian vampires. V.E. Schwab writes a story of immortality and hunger, and of toxicity and freedom. Three women are linked across centuries: María of 16th-century Spain, who desires to live a life different than the limiting one she has, Charlotte of Regency-era England, who longs for a freedom driven by forbidden love, and modern-day (2019) Alice, who longs for revenge and is filled with rage. Hunger. Rage. Love. Sink your teeth into this sapphic fantasy Pride Month release.

Aggregated Discontent: Confessions of the Last Normal Woman by Harron Walker

This razor-sharp essay collection from award-winning journalist Harron Walker is a journey into her experience with contemporary American womanhood. Transness, pop culture, and honesty shape these stories of perception, fertility, labor, visibility, community, and autonomy. Deeply rooted in trans sisterhood, a love of fellow trans women—from Greer Lankton to Torrey Peters to Río Sofia—permeates the book. Reflective, humorous, and original, these sixteen essays form a strong debut.

Lady’s Knight by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Unapologetically queer and feminist, Lady’s Knight is a historical fiction tale that has humor, a slow-burn sapphic romance, jousting, and dragons. Gwen, hiding her desire for women and working as a blacksmith, yearns to be a knight, while Lady Isobelle of Avington, distinguished noble lady of the castle, is the grand prize in a jousting tournament, and will win the hand of marriage in whichever knight can win — a fact she dreads. The two hatch a plan where Gwen, in disguise, will joust and work to win for their individual ambitions. With high stakes and secret identities, bestselling authors Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner deliver a cozy and delightful read.