This rec list highlights some of my favorite reads for stories focusing on a queer female main character. I also tried to get a good balance focusing on diversity among authors and their characters!!
Title: Bloodbath
Author: Stephanie Ahn
Why You Should Read This Hella Gay Book:
I adore Stephanie. ADORE. Stephanie is an up and coming urban fantasy writer who takes trope and genre subversion to a whole other level with her Harrietta Lee series. I’ve reviewed Bloodbath and Deadline before and a constant across both reviews is how much I can’t stop loving Harry’s ridiculous ass. I don’t know if I want to be her bossy friend or gently kiss her face (or both??).
Title: Once Ghosted, Twice Shy
Author: Alyssa Cole
Why You Should Read This Hella Gay Book:
Black lesbians in New York… I feel like that says it all. I think this book hooked me from the cover. I remember seeing it and not just going “oh shit, I want that” but feeling stunned to see two dark-skinned Black women in a relationship on the cover of a romance novel. Alyssa always delivers wonderful books, but seriously, this book left me weak. Honestly, it was just so satisfying!
Title: Iron & Velvet
Author: Alexis Hall
Why You Should Read This Hella Gay Book:
Kate Kane is a red-haired detective with a knack for getting into bad situations. I haven’t reread this book in a while – and the version I’m linking to is an updated version for preorder – but I remember just being in heaven at the queerness on the page. I love disaster gays a whole ton and Kate’s another good one in the urban fantasy genre. Queerwolves and babely vampires abound in this incredible novel!!
Title: The Fling
Author: Rebekah Weatherspoon
Why You Should Read This Hella Gay Book:
Rebekah Weatherspoon is one of my favorite romance authors. Hands down. She and Alyssa Cole could write anything, and I’d read it because I know they’re going to give me That Good Shit. And The Fling? Well, it’s that good shit for sure… with bonus queer lady loveliness.
Title: Let’s Talk About Love
Author: Claire Kann
Why You Should Read This Hella Gay Book:
The main character of Let’s Talk About Love is a dark-skinned, Black, biromantic, and asexual girl who’s healing from a breakup with her girlfriend and trying to figure out her path – especially when she starts to feel interested in her coworker Takumi. Alice is so so familiar to me and I think that’s why I clung to this book so hard when it came out, even though I’m definitely a bit older than the target audience. I’ve recced this book before, on here and on Twitter. While it has some rough spots, it’s an enjoyable read that left me feeling seen.
Title: Georgia Peaches & Other Forbidden Fruit
Author: Jaye Robin Brown
Why You Should Read This Hella Gay Book:
This book is deliciously complicated and incredibly familiar at parts to me, someone who grew up in the heart of the church and had to navigate my religious feelings with my queer ones. Joanna is an out and proud lesbian who happens to be the daughter of a popular radio evangelist. When the family moves from Atlanta to Rome, Joanna finds herself stuffed back in the closet for the rest of her senior year. When she finds herself falling for Mary Carlson, a girl at her school, she has to figure out what path to take. This book made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me gnaw off my nails with anxiety. It’s So Good.
Title: Anyone But You
Author: Chelsea M. Cameron
Why You Should Read This Hella Gay Book:
Aside from the musclebound babe on the front cover? Okay well, Chelsea Cameron is actually a writer I’ve liked for a while. Her stories are fluffy and sexy with characters that are kind of… instalovely. Sutton, the super sweet yoga instructor, and Tuesday, the buff babe who comes in as her landlord, are uh… pretty fucking easy to love. I think this is a really soft “semi-enemies to lovers” romance that leaves me feeling all kinds of goopy at the end.
Title: And Shall Machines Surrender
Author: Benjanun Sriduangkaew
Why You Should Read This Hella Gay Book:
Everything Bee writes is hella gay, but on top of that, her writing is also incredibly lush and luxurious. Her way with words is out of this world – pun partially intended because this story is set in another world, on Shenzhen – and I just feel like it’s a gift to be able to read her work. Orfea is… intricate.
Like I’m going over the novella as I work on this tiny review (and I swear, a longer one is on my lengthy review list) and I’m kind of… looking at all of her tiny ticky pieces and basking.
Honestly, I did a lot of basking across this novella. Like, reveling in Bee’s writing and in her worlds and just how her words drip deliciousness across the page. I love this novella honestly. I can’t wait until I get enough time to give it the semi-thirsty, semi-stressed review that it deserves because wow – this book… WOW
So these are just some of my favorite books centering queer female characters. What are y’all reading? Rec me some lovely queer ladies loving folks!! Please!!
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