The 2022 Pride Reading List: 72 New Books to Read All Year

Posted by Cybil on June 1, 2022


It’s time for our annual celebration of Pride Month, in which we highlight some of the best new and upcoming books with LGBTQ+ authors and themes! All titles are on shelves now or will be soon, and we’ve sorted the list accordingly.
 
Bear in mind that this is necessarily an incomplete list, since queer literature is pretty much stitched into the very fabric of the mainstream these days, we’re happy to say. We’ve kept the focus on books for adults, across multiple genres, and you’ll find both established authors, exciting debut writers, and the occasional beloved celebrity. (Is that Harvey Fierstein? Yes! Yes, it is!)
 
Scroll over the covers below to learn more about each book, and keep track of any leads via your Want to Read shelf. Happy Pride Month, everybody!

 

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Do you have a great Pride Month reading recommendation? Share it with your fellow readers in the comments below!

Check out more recent articles:
New LGBTQ+ Romances to Read for Pride (and All Year Long)
A Mystery Expert Recommends Queer Crime Series
June's Most Anticipated New Books

Comments Showing 1-50 of 127 (127 new)


message 1: by Zoë (new)

Zoë So excited to read some amazing LGBTQ+ books this month! Also idk why but the cover of Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall gives me Mr Bingly and Mr Darcy energy


message 2: by Sara (new)

Sara Platero I haven't read any of them! Good selection :D
My to-read list has grown!


message 3: by Anna (new)

Anna Kļaviņa Moon Witch, Spider King was great.

Also was there a lack of authors that Hall is recommended twice? :)


message 4: by ✿ K.B (new)

✿ K.B ✿ Gorgeous book covers. Love 'em all.


message 5: by Luffy Sempai (new)

Luffy Sempai It's amazing the choices available to every taste out there.


Rashi (The Reading Platter) One Last Stop

I loved this too!!!
Happy Pride Month!


˙⋆✮ Anny ✮⋆˙ Loveless by Alice Oseman came out in Germany earlier this year and I'm recommending it to everyone :) It's about a lesser known queer identity and the author is part of that community herself.


message 8: by Empty (last edited Jun 01, 2022 05:25AM) (new)

Empty I'd love to see more fantasy/sci-fi, horror, detective books written by queer authors, tbh. The list has barely any.


message 9: by Sarah (new)

Sarah G Happy Pride Month!


message 10: by Ashley Marie (new)

Ashley Marie Looking forward to Malinda Lo's A Scatter of Light later this year!


message 11: by CdnBookLover (new)

CdnBookLover Books I return to again and again: K.A. Belle's Oz-Vegas trilogy for laughs and good feelings (Jaime and Lu are my fave characters). Diana McKinley's The Foundation about a young man who survives and goes on to get everything he ever wanted.


message 12: by Catherine (new)

Catherine not me adding all of these books to my to-read list


message 13: by Anne (new)

Anne Graham Hey ! you missed my autobiography. just published a few days ago.

Tall Annie: A Life in Two Genders

where else can you read about gender change, submarines, Vietnam War, China, Alimony, gemstones, Scotland, rattlesnakes, SRS / GRS, online dating, screaming around roundabouts, and the definition of love. Enjoy !


message 14: by [deleted user] (new)

Zoe wrote: "So excited to read some amazing LGBTQ+ books this month! Also idk why but the cover of Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall gives me Mr Bingly and Mr Darcy energy" me too!


message 15: by eedeeyuh (new)

eedeeyuh I would love one with wlw relationships but this list helped me find a lot of good ones


message 16: by boooks (new)

boooks Here and Queer: A Queer Girl's Guide to Life
also, all of Alice Oseman's books are great pride reads :))
Happy Pride Month!!


message 17: by eedeeyuh (new)

eedeeyuh Catherine wrote: "not me adding all of these books to my to-read list"

Same lmao


message 18: by Morëlle (new)

Morëlle Ilia wrote: "I'd love to see more fantasy/sci-fi, horror, detective books written by queer authors, tbh. The list has barely any."

Iron Widow fits the bill!!! I absolutely ADORED it!

Have you read that one???


message 19: by boooks (new)

boooks If anyone has any YA recommendations I'd really appreciate it! These books are a bit above my age group. Preferably books without sexual content or anything too violent. Or if there are any books on here that a teen could read - please recommend :) Thanks!


message 20: by Empty (new)

Empty Morëlle, Cora, thank you for recommendations! Definatley will check them out.


message 21: by Amy (new)

Amy Sparks Iron Widow was my favorite read in 2021. Another 2021 book I enjoyed was Shadowlands by Rivers Solomon.


message 22: by Elizabeth (new)

Elizabeth Great list! Thank you!!!

Siren Queen is the book I'm most excited about that I havent read. And it is weird because I dont normally like Hollywood type books. Or books set in the early 20th century. But this sounds amazing.


message 23: by Rach (new)

Rach YAY PRIDE MONTH!

My ♥✿☼ gay recommendations ☼✿♥ would be Milk Fed, The 2000s Made Me Gay, Her Body and Other Parties, Too Much, In the Dream House, and Plain Bad Heroines.

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ♡


message 24: by Drakoulis (new)

Drakoulis I notice a lack of YA gay books in this list, so I will put my recommendations here (only 2022 releases):

All That's Left in the World by Erik J. Brown

So This Is Ever After by FT Lukens

Gay Club! by Simon James Green

Blaine for the Win by Robbie Couch

Golden Boys by Phil Stamper

If You Change Your Mind by Robby Weber

Endless Sky by Christopher Renna

Only Pieces by Edd Tello

Spin Me Right Round by David Valdes

Icebreaker by AL Graziadei

The Magic Between by Stephanie Hoyt

The Temperature of Me and You by Brian Zepka

Founder's Mercy by Owen Lach

And some Adult:

The Hourglass Throne by KD Edwards (Tarot Sequence #3)

The City of Dusk by Tara Sim

The Ballot Boy by Larry Mellman


message 25: by Ethan (new)

Ethan boooks wrote: "If anyone has any YA recommendations I'd really appreciate it! These books are a bit above my age group. Preferably books without sexual content or anything too violent. Or if there are any books o..."

I would recommend the Simon Snow trilogy and the Darius the Great Is Not Okay series! Simon Snow is a Harry Potter adjacent with a lovely twist and Darius is realistic and slice of life oriented!


message 26: by Dahlia (new)

Dahlia Ilia wrote: "I'd love to see more fantasy/sci-fi, horror, detective books written by queer authors, tbh. The list has barely any."

If you haven't yet read Kristen Lepionka's Roxane Weary series, it's excellent - MC is a bi PI.


message 27: by Hoolia (new)

Hoolia The Old Place! by the delightful Bobby Finger!


message 28: by Lysander (new)

Lysander Grey The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is the first of a lovely YA trilogy with an emphasis on diversity and supportive relationships - romantic and platonic.


message 29: by boooks (new)

boooks Dang, I really love this. A bunch of people sharing awesome queer books recommendations- This is so cool :) I'd love some recommendations for YA books with wlw and/or gender queer characters! (thanks to everyone who's shared YA recs! I really appreciate it)


message 30: by Nicolás (new)

Nicolás Vindicate works, never authors.


message 32: by Phil (new)

Phil Morin New series full of queer characters and exciting adventures by author Bayla Dornon: The Jake Bennett Adventures.
Bayla Dornon
The Jake Bennett Adventures Vol. One: Jake Bennett: L.A.P.D. Rookie


message 33: by Sharon, Goodreads employee (new)

Sharon boooks wrote: "Dang, I really love this. A bunch of people sharing awesome queer books recommendations- This is so cool :) I'd love some recommendations for YA books with wlw and/or gender queer characters! (than..."

Here are some popular recent YA titles you might enjoy!:

I Kissed Shara Wheeler

She Gets the Girl

The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School

Ophelia After All

Last Night at the Telegraph Club

Loveless


message 34: by Monique (new)

Monique S. This looks so effing like what a perfectly straight person's idea of interesting Queer reads might be like (rolling eyes).


message 35: by Rebecca (new)

Rebecca Zoe wrote: "So excited to read some amazing LGBTQ+ books this month! Also idk why but the cover of Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall gives me Mr Bingly and Mr Darcy energy"

😍👍


message 36: by Vasyl (new)

Vasyl how to hide this top bar from my page? thanks!


message 37: by whichwaydidshego (new)

whichwaydidshego Ilia wrote: "I'd love to see more fantasy/sci-fi, horror, detective books written by queer authors, tbh. The list has barely any."

Definitely check out the Kate Kane series by Alexis Hall starting with Iron & Velvet. It is both Urban Fantasy & Noir detective, and is one of my favorite series!


message 38: by Scott (new)

Scott Vasyl wrote: "how to hide this top bar from my page? thanks!"

AdBlock takes care of it nicely.


message 39: by Denise (new)

Denise Cuesta boooks wrote: "If anyone has any YA recommendations I'd really appreciate it! These books are a bit above my age group. Preferably books without sexual content or anything too violent. Or if there are any books o..."

Have you read "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe?" by Benjamin Alire Saenz? Perfect for YA!


message 40: by Peyton (new)

Peyton boooks wrote: "If anyone has any YA recommendations I'd really appreciate it! These books are a bit above my age group. Preferably books without sexual content or anything too violent. Or if there are any books o..."

Check out Emily Victoria! This Golden Flame was released last year and her new book Silver in the Mist comes out November 1, 2022!!! Both these books are YA fantasy with Aro/Ace protagonists that have no sex and minimal violence.


message 41: by CJ (last edited Jun 01, 2022 07:00PM) (new)

CJ Have some suggestions! Here are a few of my LGBTQIA+ favorites:

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuistin
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
Better Than Good by Lane Hayes

*WARNING* A few of these books may not be appropriate for younger audiences


message 42: by Erin (new)

Erin Happy pride month!


message 44: by Vasyl (new)

Vasyl Scott wrote: "Vasyl wrote: "how to hide this top bar from my page? thanks!"

AdBlock takes care of it nicely."


thanks a lot!


message 45: by Mimiorphee (new)

Mimiorphee I read this book last year, The Other Side of Unhappy, and I must admit it will stay with me for a long time. It's a great lesson of forgiveness and acceptance. Both very entertaining and deep.
Happy Pride Month!


message 46: by Anna (new)

Anna Urbanek Ilia wrote: "I'd love to see more fantasy/sci-fi, horror, detective books written by queer authors, tbh. The list has barely any."

Here's one, freshly released: Incitatus
Sci-fi thriller / horror by a bi author, with a saphic romance right in the middle of the plot. Perfect read for the Pride Month.


message 47: by Kim (new)

Kim Ilia wrote: "I'd love to see more fantasy/sci-fi, horror, detective books written by queer authors, tbh. The list has barely any."

That's exactly what I was thinking!


message 48: by Willow (new)

Willow (Taylor's version) Catherine wrote: "not me adding all of these books to my to-read list"

Haha relatable


message 49: by Jademaid (new)

Jademaid My "Want to Read" pile just got a bit larger! I'm happy that I already had found one of the titles on my own.


message 50: by skylarꨄ︎ (new)

skylarꨄ︎ Happy Pride Month! :D


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