It's pride month! I thought it'd be fun to kick off this month with a list of queer books I've read recently, in case anybody wants a fun, inclusive read! I'm not gonna spend too much time yammering on—let's just get into it. These are in no particular order. I have marked which books are indie published (and should DEFINITELY get some attention & support) with the ⭐ emoji.
Gideon the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir (F/F)
My rating: 5 stars
Lesbian necromancers in space… need I say more? This is one of those books with lore so densely packed you'll need to devote every single one of your brain cells to, but it's worth it, IMO. But it’s worth it!
Songs of Broken Bells - Lilly Lockwood ⭐ (F/F)
My rating: 4.5 stars
A charming fantasy adventure, full of found family vibes and a level of emotional honesty that is so rare in fantasy media. It's cozy, but there are high stakes at play as well, which FEELS contradictory, but is very well-executed.
You Weren't Meant to be Human - Andrew Joseph White (Transgender)
My rating: 5 stars
This book rewired my brain chemistry, in the best way possible. I’m not exaggerating when I say this book is one of my favorite reads from the past year or so. A trans man is a member of a parasitic worm cult that controls his daily life, and when he finds out he's pregnant, he finds his agency being stripped away, piece by piece. It's visceral and creepy, dives into the struggles of bodily autonomy trans people often face, and is definitely not for the faint of heart.
This is a HORROR book. The list of content warnings, directly from the author, is a long one, but a necessary list to consider before picking this book up:
"Infanticide involving cannibalism — Graphic depictions of pregnancy and childbirth as violence and body horror; on-page early stillbirth with subsequent desecration of corpse; on-page botched DIY abortion — Narrative focus on suicidality and planning suicide, with no attempt made; similar focus on self-harm, shown on-page (disfigurement via scalding) — Consistently unclear sexual boundaries and consent, up to and including rape, often involving confusion on behalf of the survivor — Sexual fantasies/intrusive thoughts involving abuse and bestiality — Domestic abuse — Graphic violence — Emetophobia warning — Weird parasitic bug shit, needles, general transphobia and ableism, etc."
Blood Price — Nicole Evans ⭐ (Queernorm World)
My rating: 4.5 stars
This book is what I would call "quietly queer." The majority of the book follows a solitary protagonist (okay, not quite solitary, she's got animal companions to keep her company). But Evans does not restrain from depictions of casual queerness in this novel during the exposition, where she makes very clear that queerness is just normal in this world. Nordic vibes. Female-centric, with very few named male characters and a social structure built off menstrual cycles. I've never read a book quite like this one!
What is the price you pay, when you can no longer pay in blood?
The Chronicles of Nerezia series — Claudie Arseneault ⭐ (Aromantic/Asexual)
My rating: 3 stars
I have to admit upfront that this series really wasn't for me. But that doesn't mean it's not for someone else! This is a cozy fantasy following a misfit group of travellers and their sentient Wagon. It's a series of novellas that are fairly quick to read and feature a whole slew of queer characters, including a main character who uses e/em neopronouns. This author focuses heavily on writing aromantic & asexual characters.
The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich — Deya Muniz (F/F)
My rating: 4.5 stars
Okay. This one's just an absolutely charming graphic novel about a woman who pretends to be a man so she can inherit her father's land. In her charade as Count Camembert, she ends up falling in love with the princess, and the secret slowly falls apart. This is one of those books I've read many times. It's a quick read, the art style is beautiful, and the story is just SO charming.
Blood of the Gods — Wren L. Rivers ⭐ (M/NB)
My rating: I can’t rate my own book, that’s cheating!
And, of course... I would be remiss if I didn't include my own Blood of the Gods in this list, though I'm a little biased, since, y'know, I wrote it. This queer seafaring fantasy series features a wide array of diverse characters, representing queerness, disability, neurodivergence, and characters of color.
I greatly encourage any reading enthusiasts out there to take some time to support queer authors (ESPECIALLY queer indie authors, the book market is rough out there, and every purchase and review means everything).
But, how can I find indie authors? It’s so much more difficult than finding mainstream media! Lots of ways!
Check out the hashtags #indieauthor, #indieapril, #queerauthor, among others.
Grab a book bundle like Power of Pride or Pride Book Fair, where you can buy hundreds of queer indie books for an affordable price—it’s a steal!
You’ll often find that indie authors make it their business to hype up other indie authors. If you find an indie author online, there will be more right around the corner!
I hope you find your next read among this list—or elsewhere. In a political climate like this, queer people need more support than ever, and buying & reviewing our books is a great place to start.
Catch ya later,
Wren L. Rivers
@corvidarcana [Bluesky, Tumblr]
@corvid.arcana [Instagram, TikTok]
