Hi friends! I hope y’all are doing well and staying safe! I thought it’d be fun today to share some LGBTQIA+ recs that I think are underrated, or underappreciated! Grab a cup of tea and get cozy!
A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall
I meant to read A Lady for a Duke when it first came out, but I was all regency’ed out from my Bridgerton era that I never really got a chance to do that. I read it earlier this year, and I really don’t know why I waited this long to read it — it was everything I wanted in a regency romance.
When Viola Carroll was presumed dead at Waterloo she took the opportunity to live, at last, as herself. But freedom does not come without a price, and Viola paid for hers with the loss of her wealth, her title, and her closest companion, Justin de Vere, the Duke of Gracewood.
Only when their families reconnect, years after the war, does Viola learn how deep that loss truly was. Shattered without her, Gracewood has retreated so far into grief that Viola barely recognises her old friend in the lonely, brooding man he has become.
As Viola strives to bring Gracewood back to himself, fresh desires give new names to old feelings. Feelings that would have been impossible once and may be impossible still, but which Viola cannot deny. Even if they cost her everything, all over again.
Goodreads | TheStorygraph | Bookshop.org
Heavy Vinyl, Vol. 1: Riot on the Radio by Carly Usdin & Nina Vakueva
My friend Jamie recommended the Heavy Vinyl graphic novels, and I loved them! I read them both very quickly, and accessed them via Hoopla. The found family, the crime-solving, the art style — everything about Heavy Vinyl was so endearing.
When Chris joins the staff at her local record store, she’s surprised to find out that her co-workers share a secret: they’re all members of a secret fight club that take on the patriarchy and fight crime!
Starry-eyed Chris has just started the dream job every outcast kid in town wants: working at Vinyl Mayhem. It’s as rad as she imagined; her boss is BOSS, her co-workers spend their time arguing over music, pushing against the patriarchy, and endlessly trying to form a band. When Rosie Riot, the staff’s favorite singer, mysteriously vanishes the night before her band’s show, Chris discovers her co-workers are doing more than just sorting vinyl . . . Her local indie record store is also a front for a teen girl vigilante fight club!
Goodreads | TheStorygraph | Bookshop.org
Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
I haven’t done nearly enough shouting about how much I adore the Little Thieves trilogy (only the first two books are out right now) but trust me, it’s one of my go to recommendations for YA Fantasy. The first book in the series is inspired by The Goose Girl, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with Vanja, and the cast of characters in Little Thieves.
Vanja Schmidt knows that no gift is freely given, not even a mother’s love–and she’s on the hook for one hell of a debt. Vanja, the adopted goddaughter of Death and Fortune, was Princess Gisele’s dutiful servant up until a year ago. That was when Vanja’s otherworldly mothers demanded a terrible price for their care, and Vanja decided to steal her future back… by stealing Gisele’s life for herself.
The real Gisele is left a penniless nobody while Vanja uses an enchanted string of pearls to take her place. Now, Vanja leads a lonely but lucrative double life as princess and jewel thief, charming nobility while emptying their coffers to fund her great escape. Then, one heist away from freedom, Vanja crosses the wrong god and is cursed to an untimely end: turning into jewels, stone by stone, for her greed.
Vanja has just two weeks to figure out how to break her curse and make her getaway. And with a feral guardian half-god, Gisele’s sinister fiancé, and an overeager junior detective on Vanja’s tail, she’ll have to pull the biggest grift yet to save her own life.
Goodreads | TheStorygraph | Bookshop.org
Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield
I’m not much of a horror reader, but Our Wives Under the Sea was highly recommended to me by my friend Kate, and I loved it. I’m often drawn to grief storylines, and the way Our Wives Under the Sea depicts the slow trickle of loss, the beautifully eerie writing style was just heartbreaking in all the best ways.
Miri thinks she has got her wife back, when Leah finally returns after a deep-sea mission that ended in catastrophe. It soon becomes clear, though, that Leah is not the same. Whatever happened in that vessel, whatever it was they were supposed to be studying before they were stranded on the ocean floor, Leah has brought part of it back with her, onto dry land and into their home.
Moving through something that only resembles normal life, Miri comes to realize that the life that they had before might be gone. Though Leah is still there, Miri can feel the woman she loves slipping from her grasp.
Goodreads | TheStorygraph | Bookshop.org
Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales
Perfect on Paper is undoubtedly my favorite of Sophie Gonzales’ books, and I think it is just such a fun story. The premise is so fun, and I love how Gonzales (or well, Darcy), uses attachment theory to problem solve. But what I love most about Perfect on Paper is how it talks about biphobia, and how Darcy having a crush on a boy doesn’t invalidate her sexuality at all.
Darcy Phillips:
• Can give you the solution to any of your relationship woes―for a fee.
• Uses her power for good. Most of the time.
• Really cannot stand Alexander Brougham.
• Has maybe not the best judgement when it comes to her best friend, Brooke…who is in love with someone else.
• Does not appreciate being blackmailed.However, when Brougham catches her in the act of collecting letters from locker 89―out of which she’s been running her questionably legal, anonymous relationship advice service―that’s exactly what happens. In exchange for keeping her secret, Darcy begrudgingly agrees to become his personal dating coach―at a generous hourly rate, at least. The goal? To help him win his ex-girlfriend back.
Darcy has a good reason to keep her identity secret. If word gets out that she’s behind the locker, some things she’s not proud of will come to light, and there’s a good chance Brooke will never speak to her again.
Okay, so all she has to do is help an entitled, bratty, (annoyingly hot) guy win over a girl who’s already fallen for him once? What could go wrong?
Goodreads | TheStorygraph | Bookshop.org
The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould
The Dead and the Dark was one of my favorite reads of 2021, and I just found it so well-written. Courtney has a way of writing that makes you feel like you’re right there with the characters, and Logan and Beck have a special place in my heart.
Something is wrong in Snakebite, Oregon. Teenagers are disappearing, some turning up dead, the weather isn’t normal, and all fingers seem to point to TV’s most popular ghost hunters who have just returned to town. Logan Ortiz-Woodley, daughter of TV’s ParaSpectors, has never been to Snakebite before, but the moment she and her dads arrive, she starts to get the feeling that there’s more secrets buried here than they originally let on.
Ashley Barton’s boyfriend was the first teen to go missing, and she’s felt his presence ever since. But now that the Ortiz-Woodleys are in town, his ghost is following her and the only person Ashley can trust is the mysterious Logan. When Ashley and Logan team up to figure out who—or what—is haunting Snakebite, their investigation reveals truths about the town, their families, and themselves that neither of them are ready for. As the danger intensifies, they realize that their growing feelings for each other could be a light in the darkness.
Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | Bookshop
The Heartbreak Bakery by A.R. Capetta
I first read The Heartbreak Bakery after it was recommended by a friend on Bookstagram as a potential tea time reads pick, and I loved it! It reminds me of Waitress: The Musical, and the light fantasy elements were so innovative. Fair warning — this book will make you hungry!
“What’s done is done.”
Unless, of course, it was done by my brownies. Then it’s getting undone.
Syd (no pronouns, please) has always dealt with big, hard-to-talk-about things by baking. Being dumped is no different, except now Syd is baking at the Proud Muffin, a queer bakery and community space in Austin. And everyone who eats Syd’s breakup brownies . . . breaks up. Even Vin and Alec, who own the Proud Muffin. And their breakup might take the bakery down with it. Being dumped is one thing; causing ripples of queer heartbreak through the community is another. But the cute bike delivery person, Harley (he or they, check the pronoun pin, it’s probably on the messenger bag), believes Syd about the magic baking. And Harley believes Syd’s magical baking can fix things, too—one recipe at a time.
Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | Bookshop.org
The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes
I picked this one up last year and it was so validating and healing for me in all the right ways. It’s one of those books that I highly recommend to everyone, and I’m really excited to read Sonora Reyes’ next book, The Luis Ortega Survival Club.
Sixteen-year-old Yamilet Flores prefers to be known for her killer eyeliner, not for being one of the only Mexican kids at her new, mostly white, very rich Catholic school. But at least here no one knows she’s gay, and Yami intends to keep it that way.
After being outed by her crush and ex-best friend before transferring to Slayton Catholic, Yami has new priorities: keep her brother out of trouble, make her mom proud, and, most importantly, don’t fall in love. Granted, she’s never been great at any of those things, but that’s a problem for Future Yami.
The thing is, it’s hard to fake being straight when Bo, the only openly queer girl at school, is so annoyingly perfect. And smart. And talented. And cute. So cute. Either way, Yami isn’t going to make the same mistake again. If word got back to her mom, she could face a lot worse than rejection. So she’ll have to start asking, WWSGD: What would a straight girl do?
Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | Bookshop.org
The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kahn
My dear friend Ash recommended this one to me! It’s a perfect summer read, and as someone who adores the fake dating trope and the grump/sunshine dynamic, I just thought it was so cute. But more importantly, I loved how the friend groups and dynamics were explored in The Romantic Agenda.
Thirty, flirty, and asexual Joy is secretly in love with her best friend Malcolm, but she’s never been brave enough to say so. When he unexpectedly announces that he’s met the love of his life—and no, it’s not Joy—she’s heartbroken. Malcolm invites her on a weekend getaway, and Joy decides it’s her last chance to show him exactly what he’s overlooking. But maybe Joy is the one missing something…or someone…and his name is Fox.
Fox sees a kindred spirit in Joy—and decides to help her. He proposes they pretend to fall for each other on the weekend trip to make Malcolm jealous. But spending time with Fox shows Joy what it’s like to not be the third wheel, and there’s no mistaking the way he makes her feel. Could Fox be the romantic partner she’s always deserved?
Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | Bookshop.org
The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons
I actually won The Passing Playbook in a Goodreads giveaway (I was just as shocked to find out that real people do win Goodreads giveaways), but for some reason, it took me about two years to actually read it — despite knowing one of my friends loved this book with their entire heart. I loved The Passing Playbook, and couldn’t put it down — it’s so underrated, and I wish more people would read it!
Fifteen-year-old Spencer Harris is a proud nerd, an awesome big brother and a Messi-in-training. He’s also transgender. After transitioning at his old school leads to a year of bullying, Spencer gets a fresh start at Oakley, the most liberal private school in Ohio.
At Oakley, Spencer seems to have it all: more accepting classmates, a decent shot at a starting position on the boy’s soccer team, great new friends, and maybe even something more than friendship with one of his teammates. The problem is, no one at Oakley knows Spencer is trans—he’s passing.
So when a discriminatory law forces Spencer’s coach to bench him after he discovers the ‘F’ on Spencer’s birth certificate, Spencer has to make a choice: cheer his team on from the sidelines or publicly fight for his right to play, even if it means coming out to everyone—including the guy he’s falling for.
Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | Bookshop.org
Good choices! I have read about half of these and enjoyed all the ones I have read. The only one I hadn’t heard of is heavy vinyl, but I will definitely be checking that out with hoopla soon.