A Dazzling Debut: How Far the Light Reaches by Sabrina Imbler

the cover of How Far the Light Reaches

Buy this from Bookshop.org to support local bookstores and the Lesbrary!

I first learned about Sabrina Imbler (they/them) last year when my girlfriend and I traveled to Seattle to watch the UConn Women’s Basketball team compete in the Sweet 16. Whenever I travel, I like to visit a local bookstore, which is how we ended up in the gorgeous Elliott Bay Book Company, a woman and queer owned business located in the heart of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. When I asked one of the booksellers what LGBT books she recommended, she enthusiastically suggested Imbler’s gay volcano chapbook Dyke (geology) and a signed copy (Imbler’s name flanked by two cute goldfish) of How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures. Two gorgeous books by a queer person of color? I was elated.

Imbler is a writer and science journalist with a gift for storytelling. How Far the Light Reaches is organized into ten essays wherein Imbler masterfully weaves facts about sea creatures and phenomena with meditations on survival, identity, body image, family, relationships, and community. While the essays stand alone and can theoretically be read out of order, they have a clear throughline. As a reader who began How Far the Light Reaches with limited knowledge of marine biology, I was shocked by how many facts I retained from each essay. Imbler’s essays are crafted with care and intentionality. They don’t just state facts about each sea creature, they reflect on their essence, treating each with reverence.

In “My Mother and the Starving Octopus,” Imbler introduced readers to Graneledone boreopacifica and highlighted one of the most renowned of these purple octopuses: a mother who starved herself for 53 months (four and a half years) while she focused on the task of brooding her eggs. Imbler interspersed reflections on their mother’s sacrifices and on how Imbler learned to find their own body desirable through reveling in queer bodies.

In “Pure Life,” Imbler marveled at deep sea dwellers—vent bacteria, tube worms, and yeti crabs—which survive by using chemosynthesis for energy in the absence of sunlight.  Imbler likened hydrothermal vents in the ocean to queer spaces and communities—both representing oases providing rest, nourishment, and safety: “Life always finds a place to begin anew, and communities in need will always find one another and invent new ways to glitter, together, in the dark.”

In “Hybrids,” Imbler juxtaposed their biracial identity (half Chinese, half White) with a hybrid butterflyfish, the offspring of two different species. Imbler examined how The Question: “What are you?” is itself an act of taxonomy. They also reflected on the irony of their frustration with The Question, but also their endless curiosity about other mixed people.

In a word, How Far the Light Reaches is spectacular. The more I reflect upon it, the more I love it. I read it over the course of a few days, but Imbler’s writing is so thought-provoking, you may want to savor the book over time. I really hope Imbler will write another book, but in the meantime, you can check them out at Defector, an employee-owned sports and culture website, where they cover creatures.

Trigger warnings for sexual assault, lack of consent, rape, body mutilation, racism, body image, disordered eating, and animal death/harm.

Raquel R. Rivera (she/her/ella) is a Latina lawyer and lady lover from New Jersey.  She is in a lifelong love affair with books and earned countless free personal pan pizzas from the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! program as a kid to prove it.

50+ New Sapphic Books Out in May 2023!

a collage of the covers listed

Would you believe that more than 50 sapphic books come out this month? It’s true! Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to find out which books have queer representation, or what kind of representation they have. So here’s a big list of bi and lesbian books out this month, sorted by genre. I’ve highlighted a few of the books I’m most interested in and included the publisher’s description of those, but click through to see the other titles’ blurbs!

As always, if you can get these through an indie bookstore, that is ideal, but if you can’t, the titles and covers are linked to my Amazon affiliate link. If you click through and buy something, I’ll get a small percentage. On to the books!

Adult

Fiction

the cover of Dykette

Dykette by Jenny Fran Davis (Queer Fiction)

An addictive, absurd, and darkly hilarious debut novel about a young woman who embarks on a ten-day getaway with her partner and two other queer couples

Sasha and Jesse are professionally creative, erotically adventurous, and passionately dysfunctional twentysomethings making a life together in Brooklyn. When a pair of older, richer lesbians―prominent news host Jules Todd and her psychotherapist partner, Miranda―invites Sasha and Jesse to their country home for the holidays, they’re quick to accept. Even if the trip includes a third couple―Jesse’s best friend, Lou, and their cool-girl flame, Darcy―whose It-queer clout Sasha ridicules yet desperately wants.

As the late December afternoons blur together in a haze of debaucherous homecooked feasts and sweaty sauna confessions, so too do the guests’ secret and shifting motivations. When Jesse and Darcy collaborate an ill-fated livestream performance, a complex web of infatuation and jealousy emerges, sending Sasha down a spiral of destructive rage that threatens each couple’s future.

Unfolding over ten heady days, Dykette is an unforgettable love story at the crossroads of queer nonconformity and seductive normativity. With propulsive plotting and sexy, wickedly entertaining prose, Jenny Fran Davis captures the vagaries of desire and the many devastating places in which we seek recognition.

the cover of The Adult
the cover of Homebodies
the cover of Wild Things

Romance

the cover of Love at First Set

Love at First Set by Jennifer Dugan (F/F Romance)

The gym is Lizzie’s life—it’s her passion, her job, and the only place that’s ever felt like home. Unfortunately, her bosses consider her a glorified check-in girl at best, and the gym punching bag at worst.

When their son, Lizzie’s best friend, James, begs her to be his plus one at his perfect sister Cara’s wedding, things go wrong immediately, and culminate in Lizzie giving a drunken pep talk to a hot stranger in the women’s bathroom—except that stranger is actually the bride-to-be, and Lizzie has accidentally convinced her to ditch her groom.

Now, newly directionless Cara is on a quest to find herself, and Lizzie—desperate to make sure her bosses never find out her role in this fiasco—gets strong-armed by James into “entertaining” her. Cara doesn’t have to know it’s a setup; it’ll just be a quick fling before she sobers up and goes back to her real life. After all, how could someone like Cara fall for someone like Lizzie, with no career and no future?

But the more Lizzie gets to know Cara, the more she likes her, and the bigger the potential disaster if any of her rapidly multiplying secrets get out. Because now it’s not just Lizzie’s job and entire future on the line, but also the girl of her dreams.

the cover of Stars Collide

Stars Collide by Rachel Lacey (F/F Romance)

Eden Sands has been a star for twenty years, but it’s lonely at the top. Her mediocre marriage just ended, and her inner circle is smaller than ever. The stage is the only place she’s ever felt like she truly belonged, and yet, her last album flopped, and her upcoming tour hasn’t sold out. Eden’s desperate for her star to shine bright again, but when her team suggests a collaboration with an up-and-coming young star to give her a boost, she balks.

Anna Moss is pop music’s rising star. She’s idolized Eden Sands for most of her life—so it’s a dream come true when she’s invited to perform with her at the Grammys. Anna’s tired of being defined by her bubbly persona. She wants to be taken seriously as an artist, and a duet with Eden could be just what she needs.

As Anna and Eden rehearse, they soon realize they have more in common than their musical talents. Now they just have to decide if what is between them is a one-hit wonder or the making of a romance worthy of one of the greatest love songs of all time.

the cover of That Summer Feeling

That Summer Feeling by Bridget Morrissey (Bisexual F/F Romance)

When a divorced woman attends a sleepaway camp for adults, she reconnects with a man from her past—only to fall head over heels for his sister instead. 
 
Garland Moore used to believe in magic, the power of optimism, and signs from the universe. Then her husband surprised her with divorce papers over Valentine’s Day dinner. Now Garland isn’t sure what to believe anymore, except that she’s clearly never meant to love again. When new friends invite her to spend a week at their reopened sleepaway camp, she and her sister decide it’s an opportunity to enjoy the kind of summer getaway they never had as kids. If Garland still believed in signs, this would sure seem like one. Summer camp is a chance to let go of her past and start fresh.
 
Nestled into the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, Camp Carl Cove provides the exact escape Garland always dreamed of, until she runs into Mason—the man she had a premonition about after one brief meeting years ago. No matter how she tries to run, the universe appears determined to bring love back into Garland’s life. She even ends up rooming with Mason’s sister Stevie, a vibrant former park ranger who is as charming as she is competitive. The more time Garland spends with Stevie, the more the signs confuse her. The stars are aligning in a way Garland never could have predicted.
 
Amid camp tournaments and moonlit dances, Garland continues to be pulled toward the beautiful blonde outdoorswoman who makes her laugh and swoon. Summer camp doesn’t last forever, but if Garland can learn to trust her heart, the love she finds there just might.

the cover of Changing Spaces
the cover of The Accidental Bride

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Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror

the cover of Graveyard of Lost Children

Graveyard of Lost Children by Katrina Monroe (Sapphic Horror)

ONCE SHE HAS HER GRIP ON YOU, SHE’LL NEVER LET YOU GO.

At four months old, Olivia Dahl was almost murdered. Driven by haunting visions, her mother became obsessed with the idea that Olivia was a changeling, and that the only way to get her real baby back was to make a trade with the “dead women” living at the bottom of the well. Now Olivia is ready to give birth to a daughter of her own…and for the first time, she hears the women whispering.

Everyone tells Olivia she should be happy. She should be glowing, but the birth of her daughter only fills Olivia with dread. As Olivia’s body starts giving out, slowly deteriorating as the baby eats and eats and eats, she begins to fear that the baby isn’t her daughter at all and, despite her best efforts, history is repeating itself.

Soon images of a black-haired woman plague Olivia’s nightmares, drawing her back to the well that almost claimed her life—tying mother and daughter together in a desperate cycle of fear and violence that must be broken if Olivia has any hope of saving her child…or herself.

[Olivia is married to a woman.]

the cover of To Shape a Dragon's Breath

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose (Bisexual Fantasy)

The remote island of Masquapaug has not seen a dragon in many generations—until fifteen-year-old Anequs finds a dragon’s egg and bonds with its hatchling. Her people are delighted, for all remember the tales of the days when dragons lived among them and danced away the storms of autumn, enabling the people to thrive. To them, Anequs is revered as Nampeshiweisit—a person in a unique relationship with a dragon.

Unfortunately for Anequs, the Anglish conquerors of her land have different opinions. They have a very specific idea of how a dragon should be raised, and who should be doing the raising—and Anequs does not meet any of their requirements. Only with great reluctance do they allow Anequs to enroll in a proper Anglish dragon school on the mainland. If she cannot succeed there, her dragon will be killed.

For a girl with no formal schooling, a non-Anglish upbringing, and a very different understanding of the history of her land, challenges abound—both socially and academically. But Anequs is smart, determined, and resolved to learn what she needs to help her dragon, even if it means teaching herself. The one thing she refuses to do, however, is become the meek Anglish miss that everyone expects.

Anequs and her dragon may be coming of age, but they’re also coming to power, and that brings an important realization: the world needs changing—and they might just be the ones to do it.

[Anequs is bisexual.]

the cover of Our Hideous Progeny
the cover of A Long Time Dead
the cover of A Shadow Crown
the cover of The Battle Drum

Comics, Graphic Novels, and Manga

the cover of Grand Slam Romance

Grand Slam Romance by Oliva Hicks and Emma Oosterhous (Queer Graphic Novel)

A queer graphic novel where the balls are fast, the smooches are spicy, and the girls . . . magical

In this queer graphic novel that’s equal parts romance, softball, and magical girl drama, Mickey Monsoon is the hotshot pitcher for the Belle City Broads, and their team is poised to sweep the league this season. But Micky is thrown off their game when Astra Maxima shows up to catch for the Gaiety Gals, the Broads’ fiercest rival. Years ago Mickey and Astra were best friends . . . and maybe more. That was, until Astra unceremoniously dumped Mickey to become a softball wunderkind at a private girl’s school in Switzerland. Now, Astra is flirty, arrogant, and reckless on the field—everything the rule-abiding Mickey hates.
   
Astra thinks Mickey’s cute and wants to fool around, despite their rocky history and the trail of jilted softballers that Astra leaves in her wake. Too bad the only thing Mickey wants is vengeance for their broken heart and wounded pride! But even they have to admit—Astra is a certified babe. And that’s not all: Astra isn’t just a softball superstar, she’s a full-fledged magical girl.
     
The only way for Mickey to defeat Astra is to betray the Broads and join the Danger Dames, a secret elite team, and start dating Astra’s ex! OK, that last bit wasn’t part of the plan . . . Mickey’s rapidly getting in too deep, but are they just in trouble or are they actually in love? Full of wet mitts, hard hits, and a bevy of softball-playing babes, Grand Slam Romance: Book 1 is a flawless home run that is sure to knock readers out of the park.

the cover of Girl Juice

Girl Juice by Benji Nate (Sapphic Graphic Novel)

A hilarious slice of twentysomething life in the twenty-first century

Welcome to the Girl Juice House, home of only the hottest gang in town. Benji Nate’s stylish and rambunctious sense of humor lovingly takes digs at the young and tragically hip–reserved and introspective Nana, comically hypersexual Bunny, fledgling U-tuber Tula, and Designated Mom™ Sadie–as they navigate life, love, and the pursuit of a good time.

Girl Juice flaunts the gloriously messy and hilariously self-indulgent day-to-day hijinks of four young women doing the most. Watch them bicker over making rent and come up with creative solutions for getting there! Cringe as they attend an adult prom! Split your sides as they try their hand at camping! Cower as they confront their mommy issues, and cheer as they battle inner demons that feed off attention-seeking behavior!

Nate’s colorful attention to detail and gift balancing for graphic hyperbole with subtle comedy are a deep, much-needed breath of fresh air. With front-facing cameras ever at the ready, Girl Juice is a snappy reminder that the time of your life is always just a text away.

[Tula is queer.]

Young Adult

the cover of Imogen, Obviously

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli (Bisexual YA Contemporary)

With humor and insight, #1 New York Times bestseller Becky Albertalli explores the nuances of sexuality, identity, and friendship in this timely new novel.

Imogen Scott may be hopelessly heterosexual, but she’s got the World’s Greatest Ally title locked down.

She’s never missed a Pride Alliance meeting. She knows more about queer media discourse than her very queer little sister. She even has two queer best friends. There’s Gretchen, a fellow high school senior, who helps keep Imogen’s biases in check. And then there’s Lili—newly out and newly thriving with a cool new squad of queer college friends.

Imogen’s thrilled for Lili. Any ally would be. And now that she’s finally visiting Lili on campus, she’s bringing her ally A game. Any support Lili needs, Imogen’s all in.

Even if that means bending the truth, just a little.

Like when Lili drops a tiny queer bombshell: she’s told all her college friends that Imogen and Lili used to date. And none of them know that Imogen is a raging hetero—not even Lili’s best friend, Tessa.

Of course, the more time Imogen spends with chaotic, freckle-faced Tessa, the more she starts to wonder if her truth was ever all that straight to begin with. . .

the cover of Girls Like Girls

Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko (F/F YA Contemporary)

Trailblazing pop star, actor and director, Hayley Kiyoko debuts her first novel, a coming-of-age romance based on her breakthrough hit song and viral video, GIRLS LIKE GIRLS.

It’s summertime and 17-year-old Coley has found herself alone, again. Forced to move to rural Oregon after just losing her mother, she is in no position to risk her already fragile heart. But when she meets Sonya, the attraction is immediate.

Coley worries she isn’t worthy of love. Up until now, everyone she’s loved has left her. And Sonya’s never been with a girl before. What if she’s too afraid to show up for Coley? What if by opening her heart, Coley’s risking it all?

They both realize that when things are pushed down, and feelings are forced to shrivel away, Coley and Sonya will be the ones to shrink. It’s not until they accept the love they fear and deserve most, that suddenly the song makes sense.

Based on the billboard-charting smash hit song and viral music video GIRLS LIKE GIRLS, Hayley Kiyoko’s debut novel is about embracing your truth and realizing we are all worthy of being loved back.

the cover of You Don't Have a Shot

You Don’t Have a Shot by Racquel Marie (F/F YA Contemporary)

Valentina “Vale” Castillo-Green’s life revolves around soccer. Her friends, her future, and her father’s intense expectations are all wrapped up in the beautiful game. But after she incites a fight during playoffs with her long-time rival, Leticia Ortiz, everything she’s been working toward seems to disappear.

Embarrassed and desperate to be anywhere but home, Vale escapes to her beloved childhood soccer camp for a summer of relaxation and redemption…only to find out that she and the endlessly aggravating Leticia will be co-captaining a team that could play in front of college scouts. But the competition might be stiffer than expected, so unless they can get their rookie team’s act together, this second chance―and any hope of playing college soccer―will slip through Vale’s fingers. When the growing pressure, friendship friction, and her overbearing father push Vale to turn to Leticia for help, what starts off as a shaky alliance of necessity begins to blossom into something more through a shared love of soccer. . . and maybe each other.

Sharp, romantic, and deeply emotional, You Don’t Have a Shot is a rivals-to-lovers romance about rediscovering your love of the game and yourself, from the author of Ophelia After All.

the cover of The Luis Ortega Survival Club

The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes (Bisexual YA Contemporary)

Ariana Ruiz wants to be noticed. But as an autistic girl who never talks, she goes largely ignored by her peers—despite her bold fashion choices. So when cute, popular Luis starts to pay attention to her, Ari finally feels seen.

Luis’s attention soon turns to something more, and they have sex at a party—while Ari didn’t say no, she definitely didn’t say yes. Before she has a chance to process what happened and decide if she even has the right to be mad at Luis, the rumor mill begins churning—thanks, she’s sure, to Luis’s ex-girlfriend, Shawni. Boys at school now see Ari as an easy target, someone who won’t say no. 

Then Ari finds a mysterious note in her locker that eventually leads her to a group of students determined to expose Luis for the predator he is. To her surprise, she finds genuine friendship among the group, including her growing feelings for the very last girl she expected to fall for. But in order to take Luis down, she’ll have to come to terms with the truth of what he did to her that night—and risk everything to see justice done. 

the cover of If You Still Recognize Me

If You Still Recognize Me by Cynthia So (Sapphic YA Contemporary)

This summer, Elsie is finally going to confess her feelings to her longtime—and long-distance—crush. Ada’s fanfics are to die for, and she just gets Elsie like no one else. That is, until Joan, Elsie’s childhood best friend, literally walks back into her life and slots in like she never left. Like she never moved away to Hong Kong and never ignored Elsie’s dozens of emails and letters.

Then Ada mentions her grandmother’s own long-lost pen pal (and maybe love?), a woman who once lived only a train ride away from Elsie’s Oxford home, and Elsie gets the idea for the perfect grand gesture. But as her plan to reunite the two older women ignites a summer of repairing broken bonds, Elsie starts to wonder if she, too, can recover the things she’s lost…

With a beautifully earnest voice and a dash of fandom, this wistful and delightful novel is a love letter to queer coming-of-age, finding community, and finding yourself.

the cover of The Unstoppable Bridget Bloom
the cover of Forever Is Now
the cover of The Rules of Us
the cover of Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl
the cover of If Tomorrow Doesn't Come
the cover of The Girl Next Door
the cover of We Don't Swim Here
the cover of This is the Way the World Ends
the cover of Court of the Undying Seasons

YA Comics, Graphic Novels, and Manga

the cover of the Tegan and Sara Junior High graphic novel

Junior High by Tegan Quin, Sara Quin, and Tillie Walden (Lesbian YA Graphic Novel)

From indie-pop twin-sister duo Tegan and Sara comes a contemporary middle grade graphic novel that explores growing up, coming out, and finding yourself through music and sisterhood, perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier’s Sisters.

Before Tegan and Sara took the music world by storm, the Quins were just two identical twins trying to find their place in a new home and new school. From first crushes to the perils of puberty, surviving junior high is something the sisters plan to face side by side, just like they’ve always faced things. But growing up also means growing apart, as Tegan and Sara make different friends and take separate paths to understanding their queerness. For the first time ever, they ask who one sister is without the other.

Set in the present day, this effervescent blend of fiction and autobiography, with artwork from Eisner Award–winner Tillie Walden, offers a glimpse at the two sisters before they became icons, exploring their shifting relationship, their own experiences coming out, and the first steps of their musical journey.

A prequel of sorts to the authors’ bestselling adult memoir High School, now an 8-episode Freevee television series!

the cover of The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz (Sapphic YA Graphic Novel)

A nobleman with a secret and a princess on a mission find love—and lots of grilled cheese sandwiches—when they least expect it, in this funny, heartfelt graphic novel rom-com.

Lady Camembert wants to live life on her own terms, without marriage. Well, without marrying a man, that is. But the law of the land is that women cannot inherit. So when her father passes away, she does the only thing she can: She disguises herself as a man and moves to the capital city of the Kingdom of Fromage to start over as Count Camembert.
 
But it’s hard to keep a low profile when the beautiful Princess Brie, with her fierce activism and great sense of fashion, catches her attention. Camembert can’t resist getting to know the princess, but as the two grow closer, will she able to keep her secret?
 
A romantic comedy about mistaken identity, true love, and lots of grilled cheese.

the cover of Hana and Hina After School Vol. 1
the cover of Chasing After Aoi Koshiba, Vol. 4

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Children

Middle Grade

the cover of Ellie Engle Saves Herself

Ellie Engle Saves Herself by Leah Johnson (Sapphic Middle Grade Fantasy)

Ellie Engle doesn’t stand out. Not at home, where she’s alone with her pet fish since her dad moved away and her mom has to work around the clock . Not at the bakery, where she helps out old Mr. Walker on the weekends. And definitely not at school, where her best friend Abby—the coolest, boldest, most talented girl in the world—drags Ellie along on her never-ending quest to “make her mark.” To someone else, a life in the shadows might seem boring, or lonely. But not to Ellie. As long as she has Abby by her side and a comic book in her hand, she’s quite content.

Too bad life didn’t bother checking in with Ellie. Because when a freak earthquake hits her small town, Ellie wakes up with the power to bring anything back to life with just her touch. And when a video of her using her powers suddenly goes viral, Ellie’s life goes somewhere she never imagined—or wanted: straight into the spotlight. 

Surviving middle school is hard enough. Surviving middle school when paparazzi are camped out on your front lawn and an international pop singer wants you to use your powers on live tv and you might be in love with your best friend but she doesn’t know it? Absolutely impossible.

the wishing flower cover

The Wishing Flower by A.J. Irving and Kip Alizadeh (Sapphic Picture Book)

An LGBTQ-inclusive story about understanding your peers, your feelings, and yourself, The Wishing Flower is a love letter to longing, belonging, and longing to belong.

Birdie finds comfort in nature and books, but more than anything she longs for connection, to be understood. At school, Birdie feels like an outsider. Quiet and shy, she prefers to read by herself, rather than jump rope or swing with the other kids. That all changes when Sunny, the new girl, comes along. Like Birdie, Sunny has a nature name. She also likes to read, and loves to rescue bugs. And when Sunny smiles at her, Birdie’s heart balloons like a parachute. 

From the acclaimed author of Dance Like a Leaf, with stunning illustrations by Kip Alizadeh, this book will inspire readers to honor their wishes and show the world their truest selves.

the cover of Sweet & Bitter Rivals
the cover of The Song of Us
the cover of Second Chance Summer
the cover of pride and joy

Nonfiction

the cover of The DC Book of Pride

The DC Book of Pride: A Celebration of DC’s LGBTQIA+ Characters by Jadzia Axelrod (LGBTQ Nonfiction)

Discover the rich history of DC’s LGBTQIA+ Superheroes in this inspiring gift-title featuring detailed character profiles and comic book artwork

Celebrate Pride with DC’s LGBTQIA+ Superheroes.

Written and curated by DC expert Jadzia Axelrod, The DC Book of Pride profiles more than 50 LGBTQIA+ characters in detail, including Harley Quinn, Superman, Nubia, Robin, Batwoman, Aqualad, Dreamer, Green Lantern, and many more. Discover their fascinating origins, amazing superpowers, and key storylines. This title is an indispensable and celebratory companion to the DC Pride comic books. 

With stunning comic book artwork and an exclusive cover artwork by renowned DC comics illustrator Paulina Ganucheau, this book is a perfect addition to the collection of any DC fan. 

the cover of The LGBTQ + History Book: Big Ideas

The LGBTQ + History Book: Big Ideas by DK and Willow Heath (LGBTQ Nonfiction)

Discover the rich and complex history of LGBTQ+ people around the world – their struggles, triumphs, and cultural contributions.

Exploring and explaining the most important ideas and events in LGBTQ+ history and culture, this book showcases the breadth of the LGBTQ+ experience. This diverse, global account explores the most important moments, movements, and phenomena, from the first known lesbian love poetry of Sappho to Kinsey’s modern sexuality studies, and features biographies of key figures from Anne Lister to Audre Lorde.

The LGBTQ+ History Book celebrates the victories and untold triumphs of LGBTQ+ people throughout history, such as the Stonewall Riots and first gender affirmation surgeries, as well as commemorating moments of tragedy and persecution, from the Renaissance Italian “Night Police” to the 20th century “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. The book also includes major cultural cornerstones – the secret language of polari, Black and Latine ballroom culture, and the many flags of the community – and the history of LGBTQ+ spaces, from 18th-century “molly houses” to modern “gaybourhoods”. 

The LGBTQ+ History Book celebrates the long, proud – and often hidden – history of LGBTQ+ people, cultures, and places from around the world.

the cover of The Pride Atlas

The Pride Atlas: 500 Iconic Destinations for Queer Travelers by Maartje Hensen (Queer Travel Book)

Combining immersive photography with expertly researched travel writing, this is the ultimate guidebook for LGBTQ+ travelers—whether you’re planning your next getaway, daydreaming from the comfort of your armchair, or seeking to learn about queer culture in other parts of the world.

This swoon-worthy guide to the best places and events the queer world has to offer spans the globe, taking you from metropolitan must-sees, like the birthplace of Pride in New York or the world’s first gayborhood in Berlin, to lesser-known gems, like a trans designer’s clothing store in São Paulo or the first LGBTQ+ bar in Nepal.

Maartje Hensen and a diverse team of international travel writers have put together information on the best drag shows, Pride parades, and film festivals all around the world, as well as resources regarding laws, restrictions, and cultural attitudes—ensuring that travelers can safely enjoy their sojourns and find community wherever they go. Whether you’re looking for relaxation, romance, or adventure, The Pride Atlas will help you plan your next gaycation.  

the cover of Lesbian Love Story

Lesbian Love Story by Amelia Possanza (Lesbian Nonfiction)

When Amelia Possanza moved to Brooklyn to build a life of her own, she found herself surrounded by queer stories: she read them on landmark placards, overheard them on the pool deck when she joined the world’s largest LGBTQ swim team, and even watched them on TV in her cockroach-infested apartment. These stories inspired her to seek out lesbians throughout history who could become her role models, in romance and in life.

Centered around seven love stories for the ages, this is Possanza’s journey into the archives to recover the personal histories of lesbians in the twentieth century: who they were, how they loved, why their stories were destroyed, and where their memories echo and live on. Possanza’s hunt takes readers from a drag king show in Bushwick to the home of activists in Harlem and then across the ocean to Hadrian’s Library, where she searches for traces of Sappho in the ruins. Along the way, she discovers her own love—for swimming, for community, for New York City—and adds her record to the archive.

At the heart of this riveting, inventive history, Possanza asks: How could lesbian love help us reimagine care and community? What would our world look like if we replaced its foundation of misogyny with something new, with something distinctly lesbian?

the cover of Young Queer America

Young Queer America: Real Stories and Faces of LGBTQ+ Youth by Maxwell Poth and Isis King (LGBTQ Nonfiction)

Get to know real queer kids from all over the country—these inspiring stories of LGBTQ+ youth, written in their own words, provide crucial snapshots of what it’s really like to grow up trans or queer in America.

Photographer and activist Maxwell Poth has traveled all over the United States, inviting LGBTQ+ youth to share their stories as part of Project Contrast, a nonprofit that amplifies these voices and connects kids and families with the resources they need to survive and thrive.

This book collects the stories and portraits of seventy-three queer kids and teenagers from fifteen different states. In their own words, these young people share the challenges they’ve faced coming out or coming to terms with their own identities; they write about their families, their schoolmates, their teachers, and the queer community they’ve found throughout their journeys; and they offer messages of love and support to their LGBTQ+ peers. Featuring a foreword by trans actress and model Isis King, this book sends a powerful message to the many LGBTQ+ kids growing up in small towns who feel isolated: We see you, we love you, you are not alone.

the cover of I am the Most Dangerous Thing
the cover of Journal of a Black Queer Nurse
the cover of From Here
the cover of I Thought You Loved Me
the cover of Rainbow Parenting

Check out more LGBTQ new releases by signing up for Our Queerest Shelves, my LGBTQ book newsletter at Book Riot!

Support the Lesbrary on Patreon to get queer books in the mail throughout the year!

Danika reviews The Future is Disabled by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

the cover of The Future Is Disabled

Amazon Affiliate Link | Bookshop.org Affiliate Link

Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha is the author of two of my favourite books: Bodymap, a collection of poetry; and Care Work, a collection of essays about disability justice. So it’s no surprise that I loved their new essay collection about disability justice during the pandemic and in the future.

This book is written for a queer, BIPOC, neurodivergent, disabled audience, which is also the focus of disability justice. Not only does Piepzna-Samarasinha discuss their experiences as a queer femme disabled person of colour, but in this collection, she also writes about recently realizing they’re autistic and how that interweaves through those experiences.

The title of this collection is a reference to Alice Wong’s “Crip Oracle” (I just read Wong’s memoir, Year of the Tiger, and I also highly recommend it). The book explains that disabled people have been denied visions of the future. Not just the sci-fi future, but imaginings of adulthood, old age, and future possibilities. At the same time, we’re living through pandemics of COVID-19, racism, and a climate crisis that have become a mass-disabling event. With Long Covid and other consequences of these pandemics, it’s a real possibility that disabled people will be the majority in the near future, especially with more people embracing the labels of disabled and neurodivergent. Piepzna-Samarasinha asks, “Have we ever imagined this not just as a cautionary tale or scary story, but as a dream?”

These essays, written from 2020 to 2022, discuss what the pandemic has been like for disabled people. They talk about how many friends and role models in disability justice have died in such a short time span, and the grief they are holding. In one passage, an ICU nurse friend explained that she appreciated spending time with someone else who had been through a death Covid. Not a boredom Covid or an art Covid or a productivity Covid.

Piepzna-Samarasinha talks about ICU-genics, about disabled people keeping each other alive through the pandemic through networks of support and information. In one memorable passage, an organization recommended creating a one-pager about your life to hang around your neck when going into the hospital to try to convince doctors your life is worth saving. It would have a flattering picture of yourself and a few words about what you love about your life.

These essays also argue that disabled ways of thinking and working are crucial in addressing the enormous problems we have right now. Mutual aid saw new prominence during the pandemic, but some of the organizations that popped up in that time missed the mark and could learn from the disability justice groups that have been doing it for much longer.

Piepzna-Samarasinha isn’t afraid to wade into the real, messy process of creating care networks and working towards disability justice. They talk about the difficult questions and the problems that come up, as well as the variety of ways care and disability justice can look. She says that disabled community isn’t something you find, it’s something you build.

I took so many notes while reading this that I could keep spouting off bullet points of what I think is powerful and essential from The Future is Disabled, but it would be a very long review and would not be as good as just reading it. I always get so much out of Piepzna-Samarasinha’s books, and I’m looking forward to rereading it to get even more.

This book both faces the deadly ableism of the world we live in head on while also imagining a hopeful future, one partly made up of already existing spaces, like disability justice art performances.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Every book I’ve read about disability justice has expanded my mind and made me see new possibilities for the world and the way I live in it, and I know I’ve only scraped the surface of the wisdom and collective knowledge of this movement.

Sponsored Post: Massive Sapphic Book Sale!

An image of two women, one with her head resting on the other's lap while reading. The text is I Heart Lesfic's Sapphic Fiction 99 Cent Sale, February 11-15

Right now, there are over 75 sapphic books to choose from during the 99-cent Sapphic Ebook Sale at I Heart Lesfic, ranging from romance and rom-coms to science fiction and fantasy. How did this wondrous thing come to be? 

Well, the world was a different place a few years back, and we’re not talking about how no one had even heard of a KN95 mask, let alone contemplated buying them in different colors to match their outfits. Sapphic fiction—or what the cool kids were calling Lesfic, (okay, maybe not the actual cool kids, but that was what many were calling it)—was really taking off from its niche-publisher and fan fiction roots, especially as more authors discovered the exciting possibility of indie publishing.

Unfortunately, many traditional avenues were shut to these up-and-coming authors. A lot of the big book advertisers didn’t accept LGBTQ+ content at all. Many places that did, skewed heavily toward gay male romance. Reviews were hard to come by, especially without the backing of a publisher. And don’t get us started on how many bare-chested men graced the covers of books that had been mis-categorized as lesbian fiction on the Amazon bestseller charts.

It was out of this environment that TB Markinson came up with the idea for I Heart Lesfic in 2017, hoping to create a place for all sapphic fiction where the virtual doors wouldn’t slam in an author’s face because they didn’t know a secret handshake or belong to a special club. 2022 marks five years since IHL launched, and the website’s views, visitors, mailing list, and social media followers all keep growing. 

One of the best things about IHL is that all sapphic authors are welcome to join, and it doesn’t cost authors or readers a penny. This is why we’ve become one of the largest gatherings of both independent and traditionally published sapphic authors on the planet. Coming together like this drastically improves visibility for all authors, whether new to the business or seasoned pros. And it means readers get the chance to find the stories they crave in the rich diversity that makes up the modern sapphic fiction landscape without gatekeepers blocking their way.

Curious to check it out for yourself? Hop over to the 99-cent Sapphic Ebook Sale and find your next favorite read! Also, when it seems like doors keep getting slammed in your face, don’t give up. Keep fighting to be seen. Everyone has a voice and should be able to use it. If you are an author or reader of sapphic fiction and haven’t signed up for IHL’s newsletter, click here and become part of an incredible community where we raise everyone up.   

This is a sponsored post from I Heart Lesfic. For more information, check out the Lesbrary’s advertisement options.

Sponsored Post: Massive Sapphic Book Sale!

An image of two women, one with her head resting on the other's lap while reading. The text is I Heart Lesfic's Sapphic Fiction 99 Cent Sale, February 11-15

Right now, there are over 75 sapphic books to choose from during the 99-cent Sapphic Ebook Sale at I Heart Lesfic, ranging from romance and rom-coms to science fiction and fantasy. How did this wondrous thing come to be? 

Well, the world was a different place a few years back, and we’re not talking about how no one had even heard of a KN95 mask, let alone contemplated buying them in different colors to match their outfits. Sapphic fiction—or what the cool kids were calling Lesfic, (okay, maybe not the actual cool kids, but that was what many were calling it)—was really taking off from its niche-publisher and fan fiction roots, especially as more authors discovered the exciting possibility of indie publishing.

Unfortunately, many traditional avenues were shut to these up-and-coming authors. A lot of the big book advertisers didn’t accept LGBTQ+ content at all. Many places that did, skewed heavily toward gay male romance. Reviews were hard to come by, especially without the backing of a publisher. And don’t get us started on how many bare-chested men graced the covers of books that had been mis-categorized as lesbian fiction on the Amazon bestseller charts.

It was out of this environment that TB Markinson came up with the idea for I Heart Lesfic in 2017, hoping to create a place for all sapphic fiction where the virtual doors wouldn’t slam in an author’s face because they didn’t know a secret handshake or belong to a special club. 2022 marks five years since IHL launched, and the website’s views, visitors, mailing list, and social media followers all keep growing. 

One of the best things about IHL is that all sapphic authors are welcome to join, and it doesn’t cost authors or readers a penny. This is why we’ve become one of the largest gatherings of both independent and traditionally published sapphic authors on the planet. Coming together like this drastically improves visibility for all authors, whether new to the business or seasoned pros. And it means readers get the chance to find the stories they crave in the rich diversity that makes up the modern sapphic fiction landscape without gatekeepers blocking their way.

Curious to check it out for yourself? Hop over to the 99-cent Sapphic Ebook Sale and find your next favorite read! Also, when it seems like doors keep getting slammed in your face, don’t give up. Keep fighting to be seen. Everyone has a voice and should be able to use it. If you are an author or reader of sapphic fiction and haven’t signed up for IHL’s newsletter, click here and become part of an incredible community where we raise everyone up.   

Lesbrary Links: 2022 Queer Books By Black Authors, the LGBTQ Books Banned in Schools, and More

a collage of the covers listed below with the text Lesbrary LInks: Bi & Lesbian Lit News & Reviews

I follow hundreds of queer book blogs to scout out the best sapphic book news and reviews! Many of them get posted on Tumblr and Twitter as I discover them, but my favourites get saved for these link compilations. Here are some of the posts I’ve found interesting in the last few weeks.

the cover of The Black Veins
the cover of D'Vaughn and Kriss Plan a Wedding
the cover of Off the Record
the cover of Not Good for Maidens
Kenzie Kickstarts a Team by Kit Rosewater

For Black History Month and every other month of the year, LGBTQ Reads posted a long list of the queer books by Black authors out right now as well as some to preorder, with links to previous years.

Here are 18 LGBTQ+ Books That Are Banned In Schools in 2022.

A parent who tried to get LGBTQ books banned from schools for “sexual content” is facing several counts of child molestation.

Check out these Queer Retellings Coming Out in 2022.

Read these books about queer women in sports in honor of National Girls and Women In Sports Day!

In the Great Green Room cover
Letters from Tove by Tove Jansson
the cover of The Color Purple by Alice Walker
the cover of Codename Villanelle
The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister cover

Margaret Wise Brown, author of Goodnight Moon, was a queer woman who lead a fascinating life, and I highly recommend checking out this New Yorker biography of her.

This is the queer love story at the heart of Moomins and the important lessons they still teach us today.

Taraji P. Henson is staring as Shug Avery in new movie adaptation of the musical (based on the book) The Color Purple.

Here’s a new trailer for season 4 of Killing Eve, based on the Villanelle series.

And here’s a first look at season 2 of Gentleman Jack.

Michelle Tea wrote about how to read tarot cards at NPR. She has also published a book called Modern Tarot: Connecting with Your Higher Self Through the Wisdom of the Card.

Getting Clean with Stevie Green by Swan Huntley was reviewed at Autostraddle.

This post has the covers linked to their Amazon pages. If you click through and buy something, I might get a small referral fee. For even more links, check out the Lesbrary’s Twitter! We’re also on FacebookGoodreadsYoutube and Tumblr.

Support the Lesbrary on Patreon at $2 or more a month and be entered to win a queer women book every month, plus $10 and up patrons get guaranteed books throughout the year!

The Lesbrary Is Looking for More Reviewers!

Graphic reading "The Lesbrary is looking for more reviewers!"

Do you love reading queer women books? Feel like talking about them at least once a month? Want to be buried in an insurmountable pile of free bi & lesbian ebooks? Join the Lesbrary!

I am looking for more reviewers at the Lesbrary! You just have to commit to one review a month of any queer women book and in return you get forwarded all of the sapphic ebooks sent to us for possible review. You also get access to the Lesbrary Edelweiss and Netgalley accounts, where you can request not-yet-released queer titles.

I’m looking particularly for more reviewers of color, disabled reviewers, and trans reviewers, but anyone who regularly reads bi & lesbian books is welcome!

If you’re interested in joining the Lesbrary, send me an email at danikaellis at gmail with an example of a book review you’ve written. (It doesn’t have to have been published/posted anywhere before.) We’d love to have you on board!

Lesbrary Links: LGBTQ AAPI Books, Police & Pride Reads, and Queer Elders in Comics

I follow hundreds of queer book blogs to scout out the best sapphic book news and reviews! Many of them get posted on Tumblr and Twitter as I discover them, but my favourites get saved for these link compilations. Here are some of the posts I’ve found interesting in the last few weeks.

Juliet Takes a Breath Graphic Novel by Gabby Rivera
Ace of Spades cover
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo
Small Beauty cover

I wrote about Goodreads Charles last year on Book Riot, and since then, there has been no change in how marginalized authors on Goodreads are targeted with 1 star reviews.

Netflix needs more queer content. Here are some LGBTQ books they should adapt.

Not sure which books to read for Pride? Take this quiz! Preorder Queer Books Out In June! And as June approaches, this is more necessary than ever: An Essential Reading List on Police and Pride.

Read these queer memoirs when you feel alone.

Read these 5 Contemporary Novels Featuring Queer Parents.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
Zara Hossain Is Here by Sabina Khan cover
Gearbreakers cover
Shadow Life cover
It Goes Like This cover

May was AAPI Heritage Month! Here are some Asian American queer books you should read–any time of year. Here are 60 queer adult books by Asian authors.

Take this quiz to decide which sapphic fantasy you should read next! Here are some queer standalone fantasy books.

Here are some books with pansexual main characters!

What job would you have in a lesbian romance novel? Take this quiz to find out!

Laura Sackton wrote about the power of seeing older queer role models: The Power of Portals: Seeing My Own Future in Graphic Novels About Queer Elders.

These Marvel comics have good LGBT representation. Still not sure which queer superhero to read? Design your own

At Okazu, Erica Friedman explored the tropes of early yuri and what yuri looks like now in a new video: Yuri: How it Began – How It’s Going.

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu,
The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel
In the Great Green Room cover
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
I'm in Love with the Villainess cover

I hope you already know about the lesbian vampire book that predates Dracula. If not, here’s some info. I recommend reading the edition edited by Carmen Maria Machado!

Alison Bechdel discussed her new graphic memoir about her lifelong obsession with exercise, The Secret to Superhuman Strength, at Time, The Washington Post, Autostraddle, and Vulture.

Did you know that Goodnight Moon was originally a love letter to another woman? It’s true! Here are 11 Facts About Margaret Wise Brown, Author of GOODNIGHT MOON.

Casey McQuiston talked about their new sapphic timeslip subway romance, One Last Stop (which I loved!), at Time, Insider, and Goodreads.

This post has the covers linked to their Amazon pages. If you click through and buy something, I might get a small referral fee. For even more links, check out the Lesbrary’s Twitter! We’re also on FacebookGoodreadsYoutube and Tumblr.

Support the Lesbrary on Patreon at $2 or more a month and be entered to win a queer women book every month! $10 and up patrons get guaranteed books throughout the year!

Shira Glassman reviews Wrong Number, Right Woman by Jae

Wrong Number, Right Woman by Jae

I’d read and enjoyed some fanfic pieces that use the trope of “romance that blossoms when a friendship starts after a wrong-number text responds to the sender,” including a cute “no powers” alternate-universe short with Steve and Bucky, so I was excited to hear that beloved lesfic author Jae had written a whole novel on this premise. Hers sounded even cooler than the other ones I’d read, because she also tossed in the trope of one of them being a “I thought I was straight until now!” So I was excited to read Wrong Number, Right Woman, and the book happily obliged my expectations.

Jae took full advantage of what I find most appealing about the wrong-number-text trope, namely, that without any of the weight of the other layers of human interaction–if you already know someone from work or because they’re a friend of a friend–you are starting from a completely blank slate. You’ve both been reduced to nothing beyond the content of your communication, the output of your brain, and that leads to an interesting type of correspondence. In some cases, you may not even know what the other looks like. Eliza, the “I thought I was straight, so what am I doing in this Jae novel?” character, thinks the other heroine Denny is a man at first, and you can tell there’s chemistry right off the bat. In other words, their souls already click through words before anything like “what you look like” or the social weight of newfound queerness shows up 15 minutes late with Starbucks.

This will be a good book, by the way, for those looking for a fluffy comfort read. Both heroines are charming with no sharp edges, Eliza works literally the coziest job I have ever read in one of these books (she works for an indie company that makes homemade BIRD TOYS, y’all), and both of them have close, affectionate relationships with family and friends. This is also a good book for those looking for representation for women who haven’t decided whether bi or lesbian fits them better. She has, in a lot of ways, the ideal coming out experience, with accepting and supportive family–except for one weird page with one sister, but it makes sense in context–and a trans lesbian bestie at her side. If this is something you want to witness, you will find it here. (Also, I relate ever so much to Eliza’s reaction to Denny’s breasts. Thank you for that. We can never get enough of women’s desire for other women presented as wholesome.)

I also liked the detail that, while Denny is not in touch with her parents, it’s because they kicked out her little sister for being pregnant 12 years ago, not because Denny likes girls. (However, that may be triggering for other readers, so I’m mentioning it up front. I also want to reassure other readers, with other triggers, that pregnancy is not a trope in this book. The “baby” is now a tween, having grown up raised by her mother and aunt, and there’s a moment you think the mom is pregnant again, but she’s not.) In any case, it was reassuring to me, because while queer conflict with parents is a very important theme and I am not at all advocating that it disappear from literature, it’s nice to be able to pick up something fluffy, too.

Denny and Eliza’s undeniable chemistry radiates off the page even when they’re just trying to get to know each other as friends without any other expectations on the table. They already feel like they’re dating when they meet up for the first time to go to the fair, which both of them notice, even though at this point both of them still think that Eliza is straight. It is so meant to be. And that, in my opinion, is what makes a romance novel worth reading–does the author make you want the characters to get together? Jae has succeeded. Their connection is magnetic, and very, very cute.

Shira Glassman is the author of fluffy contemporary and fantasy f/f fiction, including the superhero/damsel-in-distress romance Cinnamon Blade: Knife in Shining Armor which, like the book in this review, also features a love interest who isn’t sure whether she’s bi or lesbian.

February Wrap Up: All the Queer Books I Read Last Month!

All the books I read in February! Thank you to Rock n Roll Heretic for sponsoring this video.

Preorder links for Rock n Roll Heretic:

Sapphic books mentioned: