Non-Traditional Romance Recommendations by Genre Part 1: Queer Fiction


A selection of recs,
Click to enlarge for better quality

Happy Pride Month!!!

Thankfully, Queer Fiction is becoming more and more 'publishable' and less and less taboo. However, I still think it's enough of an underdog compared to cishet, monogamous romance within fiction for it to be worth featuring on my blog. Plus, I just want to. See some of my ratings of these on my Goodreads or Storygraph.

Here I will recommend one or more Queer Fiction novels by some popular genre categories! I have put some keywords for each rec, these are NOT replacements for reading the blurbs!! It's just some extra info with tropes etc for those who like that sort of thing. Anyway, onto the genres, starting with...


Young Adult: 


(Goodreads) (StoryGraph)

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Published: 2011

Keywords: humorous, satire, on the nose, survival, deserted island, pageant drama, WLW characters & relationships as well has hetero characters & relationships, still enjoyable for adults, multiple POVs




Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard

Published: 2006-2014

Keywords: series, mystery, danger, classism, WLW characters & relationships as well has hetero characters & relationships, high school drama, not particularly diverse, homophobia/lesbophobia and living as a queer teen


Literary Fiction: 



You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat

Published: 2020

Keywords: Palestinian-American author & FMC, romance not the main plot, mental health, complex family dynamics, mental health facilities, complex main characters, WLW characters & relationships




Boy Parts by Eliza Clark

Published: 2020

Keywords: very dark, mental illness, violence, complex narrator, WLW main character, photography



Mystery:


Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

Published: 2023

Keywords: literary, fiction inspired by non-fiction/true crime, feminism, victims of violence against women, 1970s, WLW characters & relations, multiple POV




Thriller / Horror: 

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

Published: 2017

Keywords: horror, scifi elements, scientists, ocean, WLW characters & relations, research trip, boats, submarines, deep sea creatures, sirens, suspense



Necessary Evils series by Onley James

Published: 2021-2023

Keywords: series of standalones, dark romance, heed trigger warnings, silly, humorous, morally ambiguous characters, murder, billionaires, MLM romance, each book in the series follows a new brother & MLM relationship


Gothic:

(Goodreads) (StoryGraph)

Tripping Arcadia by Kit Mayquist

Published: 2022

Keywords: modern gothic, gothic family, class, WLW relationships, poisonous plants


Historical: 



Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

Published: 1998

Keywords: lesbian erotica, Victorian




Romance / COA / Bildungsroman: 


(Goodreads) (StoryGraph)

Lost Boys series by Jessie Walker

Published: 2021 - 

Keywords: friends to enemies to lovers, addiction, mental illness, loss, grief, parental abuse, duet of one couple then another, both MLM, has a RH spin off



Tryst Six Venom by Penelope Douglas

Published: 2021

Keywords: new adult, enemies to lovers, kinda toxic, homophobia, class difference, WLW relationship





Euro Tripped by Sally Bryan

Published: 2018

Keywords: gay awakening, WLW relationship, infidelity, Italy, road trip




Sport:

Gravity by Tal Bauer

Published: 2022

Keywords: hockey, being gay and famous, dealing with homophobia, MLM relationship, written by a gay man




SciFi:

(Goodreads) (StoryGraph)

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

Published: 2020

Keywords: dystopian, great worldbuilding, discussions of marginalisation & racism, class difference, WLW enemies to lovers, main characters who are POC, past domestic abuse, multiple universe theory


Paranormal: 


Carmilla & Laura by S.D. Simper

Published: 2018

Keywords: historical, classic rewrite (that doesn't suck), vampires, lesbian relationship, lesbian author



Dystopian:


Hearing Red by Nicole Maser 

Published: 2024

Keywords: apocalypse, survival, disabled FMC, zombies, WLW relationship



Erotica (kinda):


    (Goodreads) (StoryGraph)

    Unexpected series by Cora Rose

    Published: 2022 -

    Keywords: kinda erotica but mostly romance, hilarious, love stories, series of standalones, different MLM relationships each book, so funny truly, first book is first-time-gay/gay awakening & grumpy/sunshine



    Poetry: 


    (Goodreads) (StoryGraph)

    Crush by Richard Siken

    Published: 2005

    Keywords: gay author, yearning, surrealist poetry







    (Goodreads) (StoryGraph)


    Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson

    Published: 1998

    Keywords: verse novel, Geryon, mythology, abuse, gay character, modern classic




    Classics:

    The Uncensored Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

    Published: 1890

    Keywords: historical, classical (gay) author, queer undertones, not explicitly queer however it was used in the prosecution of Oscar Wilde

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