This is an annual feature that runs a little differently from the rest on LGBTQReads, as the post builds on itself each year and new titles/sections are added with asterisks. These books are all queer titles by Black authors, the vast majority of which star Black main characters. (Obviously this isn’t remotely exhaustive.)
Sites
Sistahs on the Shelf – SotS is run by Rena, a Black lesbian who reviews Black lesbian books. You can also follow on Twitter at @SotS!
WoC in Romance – this is a site highlighting all Romance written by WoC, but there’s a page just for LGBTQ Romances. It’s run by Rebekah Weatherspoon, whose name you may recognize as being a prolific author of LGBTQ lit herself! You can follow on Twitter at @WOCInRomance, and make sure you check out their Patreon; link is in the pinned tweet!
Black Lesbian Literary Collective – To nab from their site, “The Black Lesbian Literary Collective creates a nurturing and sustainable environment for Black lesbian and queer women of color writers.” Looking for more reviews of Black lesbian fic? Ta da! The site is new, so it’s not packed with posts just yet, but there is already an active radio show linked to it. Find them on Twitter at @LezWriters.
The Brown Bookshelf – this is a site dedicated to Black kidlit; here are the posts that come up if you search LGBT.
Books
*=new additions this year
Picture Books
- My Rainbow by DeShanna and Trinity Neal*
Middle-Grade
- Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender (Stonewall Award Winner)
- King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender (National Book Award finalist, CSK Award Nominee)
- Meow or Never by Jazz Taylor*
- In the Key of Us by Mariama Lockington*
- The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson
Young Adult
- Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo* (New York Times and Indie bestseller)
- The Wicker King by K. Ancrum
- The Weight of the Stars by K. Ancrum
- Darling by K. Ancrum*
- The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta (Stonewall Award winner)
- This is What it Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow
- Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow*
- Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
- The Inevitability of Home by Ciera Burch*
- A Phoenix First Must Burn ed. by Patrice Caldwell
- Where Shadows Reign by Patrice Caldwell*
- This is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender
- Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
- Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert (Stonewall Award winner)
- Things We Couldn’t Say by Jay Coles*
- The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass
- Pet by Akwaeke Emezi (National Book Award finalist)
- The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons
- Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett
- The Secrets of Eden by Brandon Goode
- We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds*
- Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (New York Times bestseller)
- Yesterday is History by Kosoko Jackson
- You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (Indie bestseller, Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club inaugural YA pick)
- Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson
- Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann
- If it Makes You Happy by Claire Kann
- The Marvelous by Claire Kann*
- Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee*
- Forever is Now by Mariama J. Lockington*
- 37 Things I Love (in No Particular Order) by Kekla Magoon
- A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney
- Escaping Mr. Rochester by L.L. McKinney*
- Home and Away by Candice Montgomery (Bi LI)
- By Any Means Necessary by Candice Montgomery
- The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus (CSK Nominee)
- Odd One Out by Nic Stone
- Running with Lions by Julian Winters
- How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters
- The Summer of Everything by Julian Winters
- Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters*
- The Beauty that Remains by Ashley Woodfolk
- Nothing Burns as Bright as You by Ashley Woodfolk*
- Black Enough ed. by Ibi Zoboi
NA/Adult (Realistic)
- Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia*
- The Way Back List by Lily Anderson
- The Unfortunates by J K Chukwu
- Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole
- A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole
- How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole*
- Hamilton’s Battalion by Alyssa Cole, Courtney Milan, and Rose Lerner
- A Hundred Thousand Words by Nyrae Dawn
- Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn
- Patsy by Nicole Dennis-Benn
- Jeremiah by Jayce Ellis*
- Learned Behaviors by Jayce Ellis*
- Learned Reactions by Jayce Ellis*
- For Sizakele by Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene
- Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
- The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings*
- Work For It by Talia Hibbert
- Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert*
- Things Hoped For by Chencia C. Higgins
- Ready, Set, Wed! by Chencia C. Higgins*
- Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala
- The Spies Who Loved Her series by Katrina Jackson
- The Welcome to Seaport series by Katrina Jackson
- Neighborly by Katrina Jackson
- I’m (So) Not Over You by Kosoko Jackson*
- Being Merry by Meka James*
- Cinder Ella by S.T. Lynn
- The Summer We Got Free by Mia McKenzie
- She Called Me Woman ed. by Azeenarh Mohammed, Chitra Nagarajan, and Aisha Salau
- Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta
- When We Speak of Nothing by Olumide Popoola
- You Make Me Wanna by Nikki Rashan
- Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
- Real Life by Brandon Taylor (Booker Prize finalist)
- Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor*
- The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor*
- Group Show by Brandon Taylor*
- F*ths by G.L. Thomas
- Sugar and Ice by Brooklyn Wallace
- Tailor-Made by Yolanda Wallace
- Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon
- So Sweet by Rebekah Weatherspoon
- Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon
- Harbor by Rebekah Weatherspoon*
- Bliss by Fiona Zedde
- Femme Like Her by Fiona Zedde*
NA/Adult (Speculative)
- Stone and Steel by Eboni J. Dunbar
- Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
- To Terminator, With Love by Wes Kennedy
- Shatterproof by Xen Sanders
- An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
- The Deep by Rivers Solomon
- Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon*
- The Root by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun
- Better off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon
- Every Dark Desire by Fiona Zedde
Comics/Graphic Novels*
- Bingo Love by Tee Franklin
- Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu
Memoirs
- Mama: A Black, Queer Woman’s Journey to Motherhood by Nikkya Hargrove*
- All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson (YA)
- We Are Not Broken by George M. Johnson* (YA)
- How We Fight for Our Lives by Saeed Jones
- *Fat Off, Fat On by Clarkisha Kent
- Redefining Realness by Janet Mock
- Surpassing Certainty: What My Twenties Taught Me by Janet Mock
- *Fierce Love by
Poetry
- original kink by Jubi Arriola-Headley*
- The Tradition by Jericho Brown
- When the Only Light is Fire by Saeed Jones
- Black Queer Hoe by Britteney Black Rose Kapri
- Reacquainted With Life by KOKUMỌ
- The Black Unicorn by Audre Lord
- [insert] boy by Danez Smith
- Homie by Danez Smith
Featured Authors
- Katrina Jackson
- Candice Montgomery
- Julian Winters
- Kayla Ancrum
- Rebecca Barrow
- Kacen Callender
- Brandon L.G. Taylor
- Rebekah Weatherspoon
Posts
- Shop Queer Books From Black-Owned Bookstores, Part I and Part II
- Finding Queer Black Love in Literature: a Guest Post by Katrina Jackson
- Where is the Queer Black Male Voice in YA Lit?
Have more to share? Add them in the comments!
Valkyries have one great responsibility: to return immortals to the afterlife by slaying them. As a Valkyrie, Malin has always known that the balance of the world rests on her ability to carry out orders. But when Malin discovers that her mother spared the life of an immortal who was destined to die, her world is thrown into chaos.
Days before Corey is to return home to the snow and ice of Lost Creek, Alaska, to visit her best friend, Kyra dies. Corey is devastated―and confused. The entire Lost community speaks in hushed tones about the town’s lost daughter, saying her death was meant to be. And they push Corey away like she’s a stranger.
Is there such a thing as caring too much?
Simeon Boudreaux, the New York Barons’ golden-armed quarterback, is blessed with irresistible New Orleans charm and a face to melt your mama’s heart. He’s universally adored by fans and the media. Coming out as gay in solidarity with his teammate hasn’t harmed his reputation in the least—except for some social media taunting from rival linebacker Adrián Bravo.
Romance is not for Tara. Embittered after a college fling, she vows to never fall in love again–especially since she believes there’s no future for same-sex love in her home in urban India. Then, one rain-drenched evening, an insane decision brings the bubbly Sameen into her life and everything changes. Sameen is beautiful, a breath of fresh air…and almost certainly straight. All Tara’s carefully built-up defences start to crumble, one after the other. But is this relationship doomed before it can even start?
When widow Talia Wasserman applies for a job with the local police department, she’s shocked to discover she’ll be working for Lieutenant Eve Poe, an officer she’d met—and been attracted to—during a long-ago citizen’s police academy workshop. Fifteen years later, the spark is still there, and no one’s currently in Talia’s life or in her bed. But there’s just one teeny, tiny problem. Eve is her boss, so she’s completely off limits.
Alice had her whole summer planned. Non-stop all-you-can-eat buffets while marathoning her favorite TV shows (best friends totally included) with the smallest dash of adulting–working at the library to pay her share of the rent. The only thing missing from her perfect plan? Her girlfriend (who ended things when Alice confessed she’s asexual). Alice is done with dating–no thank you, do not pass go, stick a fork in her, done.
Odessa is one of Karthia’s master necromancers, catering to the kingdom’s ruling Dead. Whenever a noble dies, it’s Odessa’s job to raise them by retrieving their souls from a dreamy and dangerous shadow world called the Deadlands. But there is a cost to being raised–the Dead must remain shrouded, or risk transforming into zombie-like monsters known as Shades. If even a hint of flesh is exposed, the grotesque transformation will begin.
Seventeen-year-old Evan Panos doesn’t know where he fits in. His strict Greek mother refuses to see him as anything but a disappointment. His quiet, workaholic father is a staunch believer in avoiding any kind of conflict. And his best friend Henry has somehow become distractingly attractive over the summer.
On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: they’re going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news is: there’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—an unforgettable day that will change both their lives forever.
Dear Best Friend,
Desperate to pay for college, Bridger Whitt is willing to overlook the peculiarities of his new job—entering via the roof, the weird stacks of old books and even older scrolls, the seemingly incorporeal voices he hears from time to time—but it’s pretty hard to ignore being pulled under Lake Michigan by… mermaids? Worse yet, this happens in front of his new crush, Leo, the dreamy football star who just moved to town.
Poignant and captivating, Ignatz Award winner Tillie Walden’s powerful graphic memoir, Spinning, captures what it’s like to come of age, come out, and come to terms with leaving behind everything you used to know.
Three years ago, Tanner Scott’s family relocated from California to Utah, a move that nudged the bisexual teen temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go, and no obstacles between him and out-of-state college freedom, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah.
Seventeen-year-old Jaya Mehta detests wealth, secrets, and privilege, though he has them all. His family is Indian, originally from Gujarat. Rasa Santos, like many in Hawaii, is of mixed ethnicity. All she has are siblings, three of them, plus a mother who controls men like a black widow spider and leaves her children whenever she wants to. Neither Jaya nor Rasa have ever known real love or close family―not until their chance meeting one sunny day on a mountain in Hau’ula.
Mira, a dom in New York City, is delighted when Clive, a one-time playmate, turns up at a BDSM party. When a fire breaks out, Mira frees Clive from captivity; they are rescued by a group of magic-workers calling themselves the Circle of Light. Skeptical, Mira must accept that magic is real when a ritual saves Clive’s life and ties his soul to hers.
Adam Thorn doesn’t know it yet, but today will change his life.
South Africa is loud. Listen. Do you hear the song and dance of it? The chorus of Khayelitsha life? Every voice is different, its pitch and tone and intonation as distinct as the words we choose and how we wrap our mouths around them. But everybody has a voice, and everybody sings…
After scientists stumbled across an anomalous human hormone present during moments of emotional intimacy, further research created the ability to harness the direction of living energy and pinpoint when two lines will merge. Personalized chips are now implanted beneath the thumbnails of every infant, where glowing numbers count down to the moment they will meet their soul mate.
Victoria “Vix” Vincent has only two weeks to find a replacement fiddle player for her band’s summer tour. When classically trained violinist Sawyer Bell shows up for an audition, Vix is thrilled. Sawyer is talented, gorgeous, funny, and excited about playing indie rock instead of Beethoven. Their friendship soon blossoms into romance, even though Vix tries to remember that Sawyer’s presence is only temporary.
Newly minted professor Evangeline “Van” Thompson’s academic dreams have turned into nightmares. She can’t wait to escape the pressure cooker of the university to spend the summer at Camp Firefly Falls with her bestie, Nate.
New York Barons tight end Gavin Brawley is suspended from the team and on house arrest after a video of him brawling goes viral. Gavin already has a reputation as a jerk with a temper on and off the field—which doesn’t help him once he finds himself on the wrong side of the law. And while he’s been successful professionally, he’s never been lucky when it comes to love.
For 55-year-old Phil Hutton, finding a new boyfriend is tough, especially since he’s still hurting from his ex leaving him for a younger man. Online dating has been a soul-crushing experience for the restaurant owner. Too many meat-haters interested in microbreweries or something called geocaching. His matches in the multiplayer for his favorite video game have been equally sucky too.
Tashi is a spy and killer—an elite warrior known as an inhabitor—taught from a young age to use their bond with the tiger Katala. When an enemy force captures the city, Tashi has no option but to escape. Their safety doesn’t last long, however. Soon the conquering army arrives at the secluded monastery where Tashi is hiding, needing a place to treat their wounded. It’s not long before their leader, Xian, takes an interest in Tashi.
As the tomboy daughter of the town’s preacher, Billie McCaffrey has always struggled with fitting the mold of what everyone says she should be. She’d rather wear sweats, build furniture, and get into trouble with her solid group of friends: Woods, Mash, Davey, Fifty, and Janie Lee.
When Suzette comes home to Los Angeles from her boarding school in New England, she isn’t sure if she’ll ever want to go back. L.A. is where her friends and family are (along with her crush, Emil). And her stepbrother, Lionel, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, needs her emotional support.