It’s the second week of Pride Month, and we’ve got a lot of great new queer books out to add to your June TBR! There’s an astrology-themed queer romance, a sapphic YA spin on The Fast and the Furious, a nonbinary picture book set at a roller skating rink, a queer historical true crime book, and much more! Also check out today’s sponsor, The Stars Too Fondly by Emily Hamilton, which is out today.
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Now, onto the new queer books!
New LGBTQ Releases This Week
Looking for a Sign by Susie Dumond (Lesbian Romance)
This is the second book from Susie Dumond, author of Queerly Beloved. She’s also a Book Rioter who is always recommending great queer books! After Gray is dumped by her long-term partner, she decides to take a radical approach to dating: she’s going to go out with someone from every zodiac sign before her 29th birthday. Meanwhile, she’s also trying to adjust to a new city and a new job. This looks like such a fun read!
Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland (Queer Pirate Fantasy)
A queer pirate fantasy novel! That’s enough to hook me, but in case you need more: Avra has accidentally stolen a political secret and flees to the open ocean to escape detection. There, he teams up with his ex, Captain Teveri az-Ḥaffār, to sell the information. There are just a few obstacles between them and wealth, like an ambassador who is already suspicious of Avra and the fact that they’re sailing through sea serpent territory during breeding season. Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light, says, “Come for the irrepressible gremlin of a narrator, stay for the plot-relevant cake competitions!”
Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin (Queer Horror)
If you’re looking for a darker read, pick up the newest queer horror novel from the author of Manhunt. In 1995, a group of queer kids barely survived Camp Resolution, a conversion camp in the middle of the desert. Sixteen years later, they return to take on an evil that threatens the world. This unsettling body horror novel is an “ode to queer survival.”
Furious by Jamie Pacton and Rebecca Podos (Sapphic YA Contemporary)
Jojo always planned to follow in the footsteps of her Nascar racing mother. But when her mother dies, her dad forbids her from even getting her license. Meanwhile, El has always looked up to her motocross star older sister, Max. When Max disappears, El is determined to track her down — which leads her to the auto shop where Jojo works. They quickly grow close, and Jojo helps El in her investigation, which leads them to street races, heists, and impromptu road trips.
Camp Prodigy by Caroline Palmer (Nonbinary Middle Grade Graphic Novel)
Tate is going to be a world-famous violinist. Ever since they saw an incredible concert, it’s been their dream. The problem is that so far, they’re really bad at playing. But that’s why they enrolled in Camp Prodigy. There, they meet up with Eli, another nonbinary kid who was the one to inspire them in the first place. Eli is struggling with severe performance anxiety — they had a panic attack after that concert. Together, they’ll help each other develop their skills.
A Song for Nolan written by Rushie Ellenwood and illustrated by Sally Chen (Nonbinary Picture Book)
Nolan is a nonbinary kid who attends a birthday party at a roller skating rink and is disappointed when a boys’ skate and then a girls’ skate is announced — they feel like they don’t belong. But they find the courage to request a song for everyone.
Love Offers No Safety: Nigeria’s Queer Men Speak edited by Olumide F. Makanjuola & Jude Dibia (Queer Men Nonfiction) (Audiobook Release)
This is a collection of first-person narratives of queer Nigerian men, sharing the pain and beauty of their lives in a country that legally discriminates against them. The book came out late last year, but the audiobook version came out today.
Shadow Men: The Tangled Story of Murder, Media, and Privilege That Scandalized Jazz Age America by James Polchin (Queer Nonfiction)
In 1922, a wealthy young man confessed to murder, claiming it was self-defense after being blackmailed by a network of “shadow men.” The media quickly ran with this story, speculating on what terrible secret Walter Ward could have that would motivate him to kill someone. This true crime book slowly reveals the underworlds of the 1920s, including what being queer in the Jazz Age was like.
✨ Paid subscribers can find 20 more LGBTQ books out this week at the end of this post! ✨
For more new releases, check out our New Books newsletter and the New Release Index — you can even filter by queer books!
That’s it for me! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog the Lesbrary. You can hear me on All the Books, and you can also read my Book Riot posts and subscribe to my other Book Riot newsletter, Read Harder.
Happy reading!
Danika
20 More LGBTQ Books Out This Week
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Which upcoming LGBTQ book release are you most excited to get your hands on? Let’s chat in the comments!
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