Independent Bookstore Day occurs on the last Saturday of April every year, and we love to celebrate here by highlighting some great indies and the opportunities and recommendations they give queer books! (Please note the below are only as guaranteed as they are by the store and are not guaranteed past April 26th. Also, I totally presumptuously gave some advice in a few places that I cannot guarantee will work, but should!)

While the below are all brick-and-mortar stores you should definitely visit if you can, check out the LGBTQIA collection at Scribbles Book Shop, an online shop consisting strictly of signed books.

Changing Hands, Phoenix/Tempe, AZ

• Every Sweet Thing is Bitter by Samantha Crewson
• Some Strange Music Draws Me In by Griffin Hansbury
• Accidentally on Purpose by Kristen Kish
• The Broposal by Sonora Reyes

The Ripped Bodice, Los Angeles, CA/Brooklyn, NY

• Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler
• Various books by Ashley Herring Blake (Personalized)
• A Lot Like Adios by Alexis Daria
• The Lovers and The Sun and the Moon by Rebekah Faubion
• An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera (Personalized)
• The Next Chapter by Camille Kellogg (Personalized)
• Love in Focus by Lyla Lee (Personalized)
• A Banh Mi for Two by Trinity Nguyen (Personalized)
• The Borrow a Boyfriend Club and And They Were Roommates by Page Powars (Personalized)
• The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid (Signed Bookplate)
• Various Books by Lev A.C. Rosen (Personalized)
• The Sins on Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin (Personalized)
• Various Books by Edward Underhill (Personalized)
• Rafe and Harbor by Rebekah Weatherspoon (Personalized)

Mysterious Galaxy, San Diego, CA

Specify “SIGNED”  in the comments when ordering

• Where Shadows Bloom by Catherine Bakewell (Signed)
• It Ends in Embers by Kamilah Cole (Signed)
• The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap (Signed)
• Brewed With Love by Shelly Page (Signed)
• Your Lonely Nights Are Over by Adam Sass (Signed)
• The Brightness Between Us by Eliot Schrefer (Signed)
• The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo (Signed)

RJ Julia, Madison, CT

• Academy of Unholy Boys by David Fitzpatrick (Signed)
• Family Week by Sarah Moon (Personalized)

Bank Square Books, Mystic, CT

• Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler
• Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli (Request Personalized Preorder)
• The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap
• Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales (Preorder)

Loyalty Bookstore, Washington, DC

• Check out this fantastic list of queer preorders!
• Shop Brittany N. Williams and Mia Tsai

Steamy Lit Romance Bookstore, Deerfield Beach/Tampa, FL

• Triple Sec by TJ Alexander (Special Edition Hardcover)
• Futbolista by Jonny Garza Villa (This was a preorder campaign – maybe Signed Bookplate and stickers are still available on request?)
• Autoboyography by Christina Lauren (Request Signature)
• Various Books by Sierra Simone (Signed)
• Mistletoe and Mishigas by M.A. Wardell (Special Edition)

Tombolo Books, St. Petersburg, FL

• Queer and Fearless by Rob Sanders and Harry Woodgate (guessing you can request it signed in the comments as RS is the store’s IBD guest of honor)
• Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab (Signed)
• With Love, From Cold World by Alicia Thompson
• Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle

Little Shop of Stories, Decatur, GA

• Amelia, if Only by Becky Albertalli (request in comments – event is upcoming)
• She Drive Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen (request in comments – event is upcoming)
• This Must Be the Place by Kelly Quindlen (preorder)
• She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran (Signed)
• It’s Pride, Baby! by Alan R. Wells and Dia Valle (Signed)
• Various Books by Julian Winters (Signed)

Loudmouth Books, Indianapolis, IN

Use the code SHOPINDIE for 25% off!

• Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory
• Various Books by Leah Johnson (Request Personalization)
• House of Rayne by Harley Laroux
• The Lamb by Lucy Rose
• Rules for Ghosting by Shelly Jay Shore
• Let Them Stare by Jonathan Van Ness and Julie Murphy (Try Requesting Personalization – they have an upcoming event)

Raven Bookstore, Lawrence, KS

The site is undergoing renovation, so check back soon. Also, check out their Perfectly Queer Little Library project!

• The Mercy Makers by Tessa Gratton (Personalized Preorder)

Porter Square Books, Boston/Cambridge, MA

Where linked to event pages, read sidebar instructions for how to obtain a signed copy. For other links, mention in comments that you’d like it signed at an upcoming event.

• Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler (Signed)
• Cross My Heart and Never Lie by Nora Dåsnes, trans. by Matt Bagguley (20% off)
• Summer Girls by Jennifer Dugan (Signed)
• Critical Role: Vox Machina—Kith+Kin by Marieke Nijkamp (20% off)
• The Thick and the Lean by Chana Porter (20% off)
• Kill Creatures by Rory Power (Signed)

Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, MA

• Wrath Goddess Sing by Maya Deane
• Don’t Let the Forest In by CG Drews (20% off at checkout)
• Hungerstone by Kat Dunn (20% off at checkout)
• Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H (20% off at checkout)
• The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann (20% off at checkout)
• In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (20% off at checkout)
• Sadie by Courtney Summers
• Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas (20% off at checkout)

Red Balloon Bookshop, Minneapolis, MN

• The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Ancrum
• Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid

The Novel Neighbor, Webster Groves, MO

• Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan (Signed)
• The Stars Too Fondly by Emily Hamilton
• Thirsty by Jas Hammonds (Signed)
• Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh (Signed)
• New Adult by Timothy Janovsky (Signed)
• Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson (Signed)
• Thank You for Sharing by Rachel Runya Katz (Signed)
• I’ll Have What He’s Having by Adib Khorram (Signed)
• Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous by Mae Marvel
• The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag (Signed)
• Rebel in the Deep by Katee Robert (Stamp-signed Bookplates)
• Run Away With Me by Brian Selznick (Presumably signed will be coming)
• On Her Terms by Amy Spalding (Signed)
• Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith
• Murray Out of Water by Taylor Tracy (Signed)

Violet Valley Bookstore, Water Valley, MS

Check out their huge page of rare LGBTQ+ lit!

Books of Wonder, New York, NY

• Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler (Personalized – request in comments)
• At Midnight ed. by Dahlia Adler (Personalized – request in comments)
• So Witches We Became by Jill Baguchinsky (Signed Bookplate)
• So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole (Signed)
• Okay, Cupid by Mason Deaver (Signed Bookplate)
• A Song of Salvation by Alechia Dow (Signed Bookplate)
• Coven by Jennifer Dugan (on major sale)
• Summer Girls by Jennifer Dugan (Personalized)
• If We Were a Movie by Zakiya N. Jamal (Personalized)
• My Fair Brady and A Little Bit Country by Brian D. Kennedy (Personalized)
• Gender Rebels by Katherine Locke and Shanee Benjamin (Signed)
• Love at First Sight by F.T. Lukens (Personalized)
• A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff (Signed)
• Ink Girls by Marieke Nijkamp (Signed Bookplate + art)
• A Single Brutal Fate by Lee Paige O’Brien (Personalized)
• Winnie Nash is Not Your Sunshine by Nicole Melleby (Signed)
• The Survivor Wants to Die at the End by Adam Silvera (Personalized)
• Darker By Four by June Tan (Signed + swag)
• When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao (Signed)
• Prince of Fortune by Lisa Tirreno (Signed Bookplate)
• Iron Tongue of Midnight by Brittany N. Williams (Signed Bookplate)

The Village Bookstore, Pleasantville, NY

• When Love Gives You Lemons by Steven Salvatore (Request Personalization)

Malaprops, Asheville, NC

• Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings (Request personalization)
• Mothers and Sons by Adam Haslett (Signed)
• Various Books by F.T. Lukens (Request personalization)

White Whale Books, Pittsburgh, PA

• Backhanded Compliments by Katie Chandler (Personalized Preorder)
• Joy to the Girls by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick (Request Personalized Preorder)
• Stag Dance by Torrey Peters

Union Ave. Books, Knoxville, TN

• Isaac’s Song by Daniel Black
• Witchkiller by Ashlee Latimer (Request Personalization)

Whose Books, Dallas, TX

• Futbolista by Jonny Garza Villa (I think you can probably get this signed by request as they have an event coming)
• The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong (Signed)

Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX

Note: These listings have been copied from the website to ensure accuracy

• When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley (on sale April 29, 2025): Pre-order When the Tides Held the Moon with us to receive a copy of the book, an exclusive art print, a 3″ sticker, and a bookplate signed by Venessa.
• We Can Do Hard Things by Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle (on sale May 6, 2025): Pre-order We Can Do Hard Things with us to receive a copy of the book and a custom high-quality die-cut vinyl sticker, while supplies last!
• Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab (on sale June 10, 2025): ALL first edition copies of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil will be signed by the author! Available while supplies last.
• We are delighted to be considered bestselling author Alexis Hall’s “home” bookstore, so if you want to secure pre-order goodies (even before they’re announced), you can pre-order Alexis Hall books from us. Ordering information for all of his books can be found here.

Under the Umbrella, Salt Lake City, UT

Preorder campaign details have been copied from the site.

• The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
  • For every book preordered—regardless of format or retailer (US only)—Penguin Press will make a donation to Queer Liberation Library. Visit https://sites.prh.com/emperor-of-gladness/preorder/ and fill out the corresponding preorder form in order for a donation to count
• My Best Friend’s Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner
  • Submit your preorder receipt and receive a signed bookplate and an exclusive art print, plus the chance to win an exclusive themed towel! Submit your receipt here: My Best Friend’s Honeymoon Pre-order Campaign

Old Town Books, Alexandria, VA

• A Poisonous Silence by Jenny Adams (guessing you can request signed books in comments)
• Single Player by Tara Tai

Ballast Book Co., Bremerton, WA

• Freakslaw by Jane Flett
• The Prospects by KT Hoffman
• Various Books by Olivia Waite (Request Personalized)

Main St. Books, Monroe, WA

*Use code PREORDER2025 for 25% off these books

• Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab*
• The Beautiful Something Else by Ash Van Otterloo (Signed Bookplate)
• In Case You Read This by Edward Underhill*
• Wearing the Lion by John Wiswell*

A Room of One’s Own, Madison, WI

• Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin
• Future Feeling by Joss Lake
• A Game in Yellow by Hailey Piper
• Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly