Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

What are your favorite books with LGBTQ+ characters or themes?

I am a sucker for young love. I adored

Red, White & Royal Blue
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and the sequel
Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World (both fabulously read by Lin-Manuel Miranda on audio)
Heartstopper: Volume One and sequels
and I just read Ready When You Are where the teen heroes are Aboriginal boys in Australia.

My favorite is The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne

Pam wrote: "My favorite is The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne"

That's excellent, there's a lot to it.

A coming-out story with an older hero is The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle. Many of these books remind us how recently homosexuality was a crime and/or how difficult the AIDS era was. (Of course, these are still big issues in some countries today.)

At the time I really enjoyed the Tales of the City series, but they might seem dated today.

A Little Life. Yes, it was tragic and terrible things happened to Jude. But it was so well written and the characters so amazing that even after 800 pages I didn’t want it to end
I’m starting the authors To Paradise this week and hope for another great read

I loved The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai.

Denise - I plan to read To Paradise also, later this year. My daughter won a copy last year and it’s not a book she will ever read so it’s mine. It looks really interesting but long!

There is a fictional mystery series written by Nicola Upson in which the three main characters are the Scottish writer Josephine Tey, her dear friend Archie who is a police inspector, and her partner Marta. Of course, this is 1930's-1940's England and Scotland, so the relationship between Josephine and Marta is a pretend "friendship". And Marta actually doesn't show up until around Book 4. But it is a relationship built slowly and well. The first book in the series is An Expert in Murder.

Cemetery Boys
The House in the Cerulean Sea
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
The Charm Offensive
and every book by Seanan McGuire

Ones that haven't been mentioned yet:

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
House of Hunger
Nightcrawling
In the Dream House
Less
This is How You Lose the Time War
The Song of Achilles

And you guys...I just finished Chain-Gang All-Stars and I cannot stop thinking about it. It's not a happy read, but it's a good one. Definitely in my top 10 of the year.

So many good books mentioned!

I also love Last Night at the Telegraph Club
The Once and Future Witches
All of Craig Schaefer's books
and so many of the Feiwel & Friends Remixed Classics books are queer too <33

I loved Fingersmith! So twisty and atmospheric.

One that isn't well known that I really liked was The Wild Swans. It's a retelling of Hans Christian Anderson's The Wild Swans with a story of a young, homeless gay man with AIDS.

K.J. Charles writes M/M romances set in the Regency, the Victorian era and the 1920's in England. I have enjoyed several of them.

Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta is absolutely fabulous. It was one of the best books, maybe the best book that I read last year, and I highly recommend it. I also thoroughly enjoyed The Guncle by Steven Rowley. I was at Target a few days ago, and I found this kid's book:

My youngest is now 14, but I bought it anyway! We were so excited to find it. I was reading it out loud at Target, and I finally looked at my husband (who had already checked out) and said, "I'm buying this!" He just laughed. :)

I enjoy series that have M/M characters.

Two Rivers series by Ann Cleeves : The Long Call

Detective Heath Barringtom series by David S. Pederson
Death Comes Darkly

Colin Pendragon Series by Gregory Harris
The Bellingham Bloodbath

Dave Brandstetter series by Joseph Hansen
Fadeout

Kendra wrote: "and every book by Seanan McGuire"

Me, too! I love Seanan McGuire. All of her books written under Mira Grant, as well.

I'd add T.J. Klune to my favorites list, too. Especially loved The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door.

My two favorites are:
The Hours by Michael Cunningham - to get the full experience, make sure to read Mrs. Dalloway first.

and

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Anything by Steven Rowley! The Guncle, Lily and the Octopus, The Editor. I am presently listening to The Celebrants.

Robin P wrote: "K.J. Charles writes M/M romances set in the Regency, the Victorian era and the 1920's in England. I have enjoyed several of them."

I was just coming to recommend KJ Charles! Other authors I like that write majority LGBT romance are Cat Sebastian, Garrett Leigh and Jordan L. Hawk

I just read The Black Flamingo and I have to add it to the list.

Joy D wrote: "My two favorites are:
The Hours by Michael Cunningham - to get the full experience, make sure to read Mrs. Dalloway first.

and

Middlesex by [au..."

I loved Middlesex!