By Rachel Abbott
Given the current state of the world, you’re probably spending a lot of time at home right now. With restaurants and bars closed, sporting events and concerts cancelled, and the world at large on pause, we’ve entered an unprecedented state of stillness. On the bright side (if there is such a thing), this is an excellent opportunity to catch up on any books, shows, or movies that you’ve been longing to experience. Whatever your social distancing mood is, we’ve got a good book recommendation to keep you entertained and inside. And of course, these books are all queer AF and by incredible LGBTQ+ authors.
So here’s what to read if you’re feeling…
…Gay and mad at the government
The Fever King by Victoria Lee (and its sequel, The Electric Heir)
Set a century in the future, after the collapse of the United States as we know it, Jewish-Latino teen Noam Álvaro contracts a deadly virus that kills most and leaves those who survive with magical powers. When his powers are discovered by a high-ranking government official, he’s sent to a military training camp for teenagers with extraordinary magical proficiencies. Noam has to learn both how to handle his newfound powers…and how to use those powers to bring his unjust government down from the inside out. This young adult fantasy novel features a m/m rivals-to-lovers romance and was written by a bigender author.
…Gay and full of plague-horror
Wilder Girls by Rory Power
The Raxter School for Girls has been put on quarantine and government lockdown, trapping the students and their teachers inside. Struggling for food, medicine, and safety on their isolated island, a plague called the Tox sweeps through the women trapped on Raxter, leaving those who survive with strange deformities. When their best friend gets taken into isolation and disappears, friends Hetty and Reese set off on a journey to save her—and learn dangerous truths about their quarantine on the island along the way. This young adult sci-fi/horror novel has a f/f romance and was written by a queer author.
…Gay and missing your long distance/self-isolated sweetheart
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
Top-ranking spies Red and Blue are on opposite sides of an intergalactic war that spans all of time and space. They weave up and down the threads of time, attempting to foil their nemeses (and each other) at every turn. Each time they make a particularly daring strike, Red and Blue write a letter to each other to gloat about their impending victory in the never-ending war. However, the more the two women grow to admire each other as adversaries, the closer they become—and there’s no one more dangerous to love than your empire’s sworn enemy. Clocking in at just over 200 pages, this bite-sized sci-fi novella redefines star-crossed lovers with a true enemies-to-lovers f/f romance. Amal El-Mohtar is a bisexual author.
…Gay and struggling while trapped at home
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
For people trapped inside with abusive family members or partners, social isolation presents an extraordinarily difficult challenge. Reading can’t fix that problem, but it can, perhaps, help you feel less alone and remind you of a better, safer future. Carmen Maria Machado’s memoir chronicles the years that she spent in an abusive lesbian relationship. The book also confronts the truth of abusive queer spaces and people, a reality that is too often ignored in the fight for queer equality. At once angry and hopeful, this stylized memoir will remind readers that, on the other side of trauma, there is something worth fighting for. Machado is a now-happily-married bisexual author.
…Gay and in need of a lighthearted escape
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
First Son of the United States Alex Claremont-Diaz is a media darling—handsome, charming, and brainy. The press loves to compare Alex to the youngest son of the British empire, the reserved and dashing Prince Henry. There’s just one problem: Alex can’t stand Henry. When the two get into an altercation at a royal event, the presidential and royal leaders team up for some damage control—an elaborate fake friendship with a series of press stops for the two young men. However, when the false friends blossom into romance, they face a far bigger international scandal than they ever anticipated. This feel-good rom-com features the sweetest m/m romance of our generation, and the book was written by a bisexual, genderqueer author.
…Gay and tired of rewatching ‘Game of Thrones’
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Full of political intrigue, magical ladies, and warring dragons, this brick of a book is sure to satisfy fans of Martin and Tolkein. Told in alternating points of view, The Priory of the Orange Tree is a high-fantasy novel that the author describes as “a feminist retelling of Saint George and the Dragon.” Evil dragons have awakened in the Western world, where heir-less Queen Sabran and her handmaiden Ead fight to protect their realm. They must join forces with the isolated East, particularly with dragon-trainer Tané and exiled alchemist Niclays, if they want to keep the world safe from total destruction. This book has a f/f power couple, multiple queer characters, and was written by a queer author.
Wondering where to get books? Find your local bookstore’s website! Many indie booksellers are still offering shipping to maintain business while they’re temporarily closed. The website indiebound.org can help you locate an independent bookseller near you. Alternatively, log onto your public library’s website. Even though most libraries have closed their doors, you can still check out ebooks and audiobooks for free with a public library card.
