LGBTQ+ YA Books

Try these YA titles featuring LGBTQ+ characters.
Updated September 19, 2022
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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Becky Albertalli
Now a major motion picture: Love, Simon, starring Nick Robinson and Katherine Langford! William C. Morris Award Winner: Best Young Adult Debut of the Year * National Book Award Longlist "A remarkable gift of a novel."--Andrew Smith, author of Grasshopper Jungle ...
What If It's Us
Becky Albertalli
A New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller! Critically acclaimed and bestselling authors Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera combine their talents in this smart, funny, heartfelt collaboration about two very different boys who can't decide if the universe is pushing them together--or...
Cemetery Boys
Aiden Thomas
A trans boy determined to prove his gender to his traditional Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave in Aiden Thomas's New York Times-bestselling paranormal YA debut Cemetery Boys, described by Entertainment Weekly as "groundbreaking." ...
Clap When You Land
Elizabeth Acevedo
In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives. Camino Rios lives for the...
Darius the Great Is Not Okay
Adib Khorram
Darius doesn't think he'll ever be enough, in America or in Iran. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this unforgettable debut introduces a brilliant new voice in contemporary YA. Winner of the William C. Morris Debut Award "Heartfelt, tender, and so utterly real. I'd live...
Last Night at the Telegraph Club
Malinda Lo
Winner of the National Book Award A New York Times Bestseller "The queer romance we've been waiting for."--Ms. Magazine Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can't remember exactly when the feeling took root--that desire to look, to move closer, to touch....
Heartstopper: Volume 4
Alice Oseman
The fourth volume in the wonderfully sweet Heartstopper series, featuring gorgeous two-color artwork. Now streaming on Netflix! Charlie and Nick's relationship has been going really well, and Charlie thinks he's ready to say those three little words: I love you. ...
Felix Ever After
Kacen Callender
A Stonewall Honor Book * A Time Magazine Best YA Book of All Time From Stonewall and Lambda Award-winning author Kacen Callender comes a revelatory YA novel about a transgender teen grappling with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time. Felix Love has...
You Should See Me in a Crown
Leah Johnson
A TIME Magazine Best YA Book of All Time A Stonewall Honor Book A Reese's Book Club YA Pick Liz Lighty has always believed she's too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it's okay -- Liz has a...
Juliet Takes a Breath
Gabby Rivera
"F***ing outstanding."--Roxane Gay, New York Times bestselling author Juliet Milagros Palante is a self-proclaimed closeted Puerto Rican baby dyke from the Bronx. Only, she's not so closeted anymore. Not after coming out to her family the night before flying to Portland,...
I Wish You All the Best
Mason Deaver
Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli, Mason Deaver's stunning debut will rip your heart out before showing you how to heal from tragedy and celebrate life in the process."Heartfelt, romantic, and quietly groundbreaking. This book will save lives." -- Becky Albertalli,...
All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto
George M. Johnson
In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson's All Boys Aren't Blue explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. A New York Times Bestseller! Good Morning America,...
The Black Flamingo
Dean Atta
Stonewall Book Award Winner * A Time Magazine Best YA Book Of All Time A fierce coming-of-age verse novel about identity and the power of drag, from acclaimed poet and performer Dean Atta. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, Jason Reynolds, and Kacen Callender. Michael is a mixed...
The Gravity of Us
Phil Stamper
"I'm so starry-eyed for this wise, romantic gem of a book." - Becky Albertalli, bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda In this smart, heart-warming YA debut perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera, two teens find love when their lives...
The Extraordinaries
TJ Klune
An Indie Bestseller! An Indie Next Pick! A Gold Nautilus Book Award Winner! Some people are extraordinary. Some are just extra. New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune's YA debut, The Extraordinaries, is a queer coming-of-age story about...
Malice
Heather Walter
A princess isn't supposed to fall for an evil sorceress. But in this "bewitching and fascinating" (Tamora Pierce) retelling of "Sleeping Beauty," true love is more than a simple fairy tale.   "Walter's spellbinding debut is for all the queer girls and women who've...
I Kissed Shara Wheeler
Casey McQuiston
*INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* *INSTANT #1 INDIE BESTSELLER* *INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER* From the New York Times bestselling author of One Last Stop and Red, White & Royal Blue comes a romantic comedy about chasing down what you...
The Music of What Happens
Bill Konigsberg
From the award-winning author of Openly Straight, a story about two teens falling in love over a summer that throws everything possible to keep them apart.* "Konigsberg demonstrates once again why he is one of the major voices in LGBTQ literature." -- Booklist, starred reviewMax...
Only Mostly Devastated
Sophie Gonzales
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets Clueless in this boy-meets-boy spin on Grease, from NATIONALLY and INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING author Sophie Gonzales A 2021 Rainbow Book List Selection A 2021 Southern Book Prize finalist A Goodreads...
The Stars and the Blackness Between Them
Junauda Petrus
A Coretta Scott King Honor Book Told in two distinct and irresistible voices, Junauda Petrus's bold and lyrical debut is the story of two black girls from very different backgrounds finding love and happiness in a world that seems determined to deny them both. ...
In Deeper Waters
F. T. Lukens
"A frothy confection of sea-foam, young love, and derring-do." --NPR From the New York Times bestselling author of So This Is Ever After, a young prince must rely on a mysterious stranger to save him when he is kidnapped during his coming-of-age tour in this...
The Darkness Outside Us
Eliot Schrefer
They Both Die at the End meets The Loneliest Girl in the Universe in this mind-bending sci-fi mystery and tender love story about two boys aboard a spaceship sent on a rescue mission, from two-time National Book Award finalist Eliot Schrefer. Stonewall Honor Award...
Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating
Adiba Jaigirdar
Everyone likes Humaira "Hani" Khan--she's easy going and one of the most popular girls at school. But when she comes out to her friends as bisexual, they invalidate her identity, saying she can't be bi if she's only dated guys. Panicked, Hani blurts out that she's in a relationship...with a girl...
A Dark and Hollow Star
Ashley Shuttleworth
"Beautifully written and deliciously complex...I couldn't get enough." --Nicki Pau Preto, author of the Crown of Feathers series The Cruel Prince meets City of Bones in this thrilling urban fantasy set in the magical underworld of Toronto that follows a queer...
Perfect on Paper
Sophie Gonzales
"Perfectly wonderful." --Becky Albertalli, New York Times-bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda "An electrifying love story." --Booklist FROM NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY-BESTSELLING AND INDIE NEXT PICK AUTHOR Sophie Gonzales...
She Drives Me Crazy
Kelly Quindlen
"A little sweet, a little sharp." --Booklist, starred review High school nemeses fall in love in Kelly Quindlen's She Drives Me Crazy, a queer YA rom com perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuiston. After an embarrassing loss to...
Some Girls Do
Jennifer Dugan
In this YA contemporary queer romance from the author of Hot Dog Girl, an openly gay track star falls for a closeted, bisexual teen beauty queen with a penchant for fixing up old cars. "Earnest, wistful, romantic, and real." -Casey McQuiston, New York Times...
She Gets the Girl
Rachael Lippincott
She's All That meets What If It's Us in this New York Times bestselling hate-to-love YA romantic comedy from the coauthor of Five Feet Apart Rachael Lippincott and debut writer Alyson Derrick. Alex Blackwood is a little bit headstrong, with a dash of...
Date Me, Bryson Keller
Kevin van Whye
"One of the most adorable, big-hearted, charming books in existence." --Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda What If It's Us meets To All the Boys I've Loved Before in this upbeat and heartfelt...
Meet Cute Diary
Emery Lee
Felix Ever After meets Becky Albertalli in this swoon-worthy, heartfelt rom-com about how a transgender teen's first love challenges his ideas about perfect relationships. * A 2022 ALA Rainbow Booklist Selection * A Junior Library Guild Selection * Noah Ramirez thinks...
We Unleash the Merciless Storm
Tehlor Kay Mejia
In this nail-biting sequel to Tehlor Kay Mejia's critically acclaimed fantasy novel We Set the Dark on Fire, La Voz operative Carmen is forced to choose between the girl she loves and the success of the rebellion she's devoted her life to. Perfect for fans of The Handmaid...
She's Too Pretty to Burn
Wendy Heard
An electric romance set against a rebel art scene sparks lethal danger for two girls in She's Too Pretty to Burn, an expertly plotted YA thriller by Wendy Heard. The summer is winding down in San Diego. Veronica is bored, caustically charismatic, and uninspired in her...
Cool for the Summer
Dahlia Adler
"Witty, wise, and disarmingly tender. I am hopelessly devoted to this summer dream of a book." --Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda The guy of her dreams... or the girl in her heart? Lara's...
Between Perfect and Real
Ray Stoeve
Ray Stoeve's Between Perfect and Real is a moving YA debut about a trans boy finding his voice--and himself. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection Dean Foster knows he's a trans guy. He's watched...
As Far As You'll Take Me
Phil Stamper
"A beautiful tribute to every queer kid who's ever had to leave their home in order to find one." - Leah Johnson, bestselling author of You Should See Me in a Crown The author of The Gravity of Us crafts another heartfelt coming-of-age story about finding the...
I Think I Love You
Auriane Desombre
A YA contemporary rom com about two girls who start as rivals but after a twist of events, end up falling for one another--at least they think so. A pitch perfect queer romance--and it's a paperback original! Arch-nemeses Emma, a die-hard romantic, and more-practical minded...
May the Best Man Win
Z. R. Ellor
A trans boy enters a throw-down battle for the title of Homecoming King with the boy he dumped last summer in ZR Ellor's contemporary YA debut. Jeremy Harkiss, cheer captain and student body president, won't let coming out as a transgender boy ruin his senior year. Instead of...
The Sky Blues
Robbie Couch
Sky's small town turns absolutely claustrophobic when his secret promposal plans get leaked to the entire school in this witty, "earnest, heartfelt" (Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author), and ultimately hopeful debut novel for fans of What if it's Us? and To All...
Fifteen Hundred Miles From The Sun
Jonny Garza Villa
A poignant, funny, openhearted novel about coming out, first love, and being your one and only best and true self. Julián Luna has a plan for his life: Graduate. Get into UCLA. And have the chance to move away from Corpus Christi, Texas, and the suffocating expectations of others...
Indivisible
Daniel Aleman
This timely, moving debut novel follows a teen's efforts to keep his family together as his parents face deportation. Mateo Garcia and his younger sister, Sophie, have been taught to fear one word for as long as they can remember: deportation. Over the past few...
Hell Followed with Us
Andrew Joseph White
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A furious, queer debut novel about embracing the monster within and unleashing its power against your oppressors. "A long, sustained scream to the various strains of anti-transgender legislation multiplying around the world...
Zara Hossain Is Here
Sabina Khan
Zara's family has waited years for their visa process to be finalized so that they can officially become US citizens. But it only takes one moment for that dream to come crashing down around them. Seventeen-year-old Pakistani immigrant, Zara Hossain, has been leading a fairly typical life...
The (Un)Popular Vote
Jasper Sanchez
Red, White, & Royal Blue meets The West Wing in Jasper Sanchez's electric and insightful #ownvoices YA debut, chronicling a transmasculine student's foray into a no-holds-barred student body president election against the wishes of his politician father. Optics can make or...
Love and Other Natural Disasters
Misa Sugiura
This delightfully disastrous queer YA rom-com is a perfect read for fans of Jenny Han, Morgan Matson, and Sandhya Menon. When Nozomi Nagai pictured the ideal summer romance, a fake one wasn't what she had in mind. That was before she met the perfect girl. Willow is...
The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School
Sonora Reyes
National Book Award Finalist * William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist * Goodreads Finalist for Best Teen Book of the Year * Walter Honor Award Winner * Pura Belpré Honor Book * Lambda Literary Award Winner for LGBTQ+ Young Adult A sharply funny and moving debut novel about a queer...
Spin Me Right Round
David Valdes
From lauded writer David Valdes, a sharp and funny YA novel that's Back to the Future with a twist, as a gay teen travels back to his parents' era to save a closeted classmate's life. All Luis Gonzalez wants is to go to prom with his boyfriend, something his...
Can't Take That Away
Steven Salvatore
"A charming, inspired story about being true to who you are." - Phil Stamper, bestselling author of The Gravity of Us An empowering and emotional debut about a genderqueer teen who finds the courage to stand up and speak out for equality when they are discriminated...
Like Other Girls
Britta Lundin
"What if I played football?" I ask. As soon as it's out of my mouth, I feel stupid. Even suggesting it feels like I've overstepped some kind of invisible line we've all agreed not to discuss. We don't talk about how Mara is different from other girls. We don't talk about how Mara is gay but no...
Nothing Burns as Bright as You
Ashley Woodfolk
Five starred reviews! From New York Times bestselling author Ashley Woodfolk, Nothing Burns as Bright as You is an impassioned stand-alone tale of queer love, grief, and the complexity of female friendship. Two girls. One wild and reckless day. Years of tumultuous...
Café Con Lychee
Emery Lee
From the author of Meet Cute Diary comes a delectable rom-com that's brimming with zest and a sprinkle of sweetness. A must-read for fans of Casey McQuiston and Julian Winters. Theo Mori and Gabriel Moreno have always been at odds. Their parents own rival businesses--an Asian American café...
Home Field Advantage
Dahlia Adler
"Home Field Advantage has it all. A swoony romance, characters you will be cheering for from start to finish, and a plot that sucks you in from the very first page. An instant favorite, perfectly capturing the power in being true to yourself and fighting for what is right." - Rachael...
Burn Down, Rise Up
Vincent Tirado
Mysterious disappearances. An urban legend rumored to be responsible. And one group of friends determined to save their city at any cost. Stranger Things meets Jordan Peele in this utterly original debut from an incredible new voice. For over a year, the Bronx has been plagued by...
This Rebel Heart
Katherine Locke
A tumultuous tale of the student-led 1956 Hungarian revolution--and an all too timely look at the impact of Communism and the USSR in Eastern Europe--set in a fabulist, colorless post-WWII Budapest from Sydney Taylor Honor winner Katherine Locke.   "A haunting, beautiful...
If You Change Your Mind
Robby Weber
"A romantic hero's journey with a happy ending that will leave you smiling and swooning... I loved it!" --Adam Silvera, #1 New York Times bestselling author of They Both Die at the End   In this hilarious and heartfelt debut novel, an aspiring screenwriter learns...
Flip the Script
Lyla Lee
In this simmering, joyous novel, I'll Be the One author Lyla Lee delivers a tender romance set between two brave teens who decide that when the script isn't working, it's time to rewrite it themselves. The first rule of watching K-dramas: Never fall in love with the second lead. As...
Sofi and the Bone Song
Adrienne Tooley
In this gorgeous standalone fantasy with a "sweet sapphic romance" (Booklist), a young musician sets out to expose her rival for illegal use of magic only to discover the deception goes deeper than she could have imagined--perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens!
Melt With You
Jennifer Dugan
From the author of Some Girls Do and Hot Dog Girl comes a sweet and salty queer YA rom-com about two girls on a summer road trip in an ice cream truck. Fallon is Type A, looks before she leaps, and always has a plan (and a backup plan).   Chloe is...
Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches
Kate Scelsa
A witchy, atmospheric lesbian contemporary romance set in Salem--from the acclaimed author of Fans of the Impossible Life. Perfect for fans of Nina LaCour and Becky Albertalli. Seventeen-year-old Eleanor is the last person in Salem to believe in witchcraft--or to think that her life...
Only on the Weekends
Dean Atta
From the Stonewall Award-winning author of The Black Flamingo comes a romantic coming-of-age novel in verse about pursuing the love we know we deserve. The ideal next read for fans of Kacen Callender, Elizabeth Acevedo, and Becky Albertalli. Mack is a hopeless romantic--likely a hazard of...
Blaine for the Win
Robbie Couch
After being dumped so his boyfriend can pursue more "serious" guys, a teen boy decides to prove he can be serious, too, by running for senior class president in this "clever, fun, original" (BCCB) romp from the author of The Sky Blues. High school junior Blaine...
Primal Animals
Julia Lynn Rubin
"Like a queer version of The Wicker Man, Julia Lynn Rubin's Primal Animals is a wonderfully-creepy mystery set under sunshine and fresh air, where nothing is what it seems and no one is what you expect. Keep your eyes open, watch your back, and beware of the flies." --Emma Berquist,...
Harley Quinn: Reckoning
Rachael Allen
In this new launch of a trilogy within the DC Icons universe, experience the origin story of a Super-Villain. This is the Harley Quinn backstory fans have been waiting for. When Harleen Quinzel scores an internship in a psych lab at Gotham University, she's more than...
The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester
Maya MacGregor
"Look no further for your next favorite read, because The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester has it all- a gripping murder mystery that will keep you turning pages, ghosts, romance, and a treasure trove of queer characters with depth and heart. Here's something rare-a suspenseful story...
Howl
Shaun David Hutchinson
From critically acclaimed Shaun David Hutchinson comes a "gripping, dynamic" (Booklist, starred review) portrayal of the oftentimes traumatic experience of growing up. Virgil Knox was attacked by a monster. Of course, no one in Merritt believes him. Not even...
Milo and Marcos at the End of the World
Kevin Christopher Snipes
As natural disasters begin to befall them the closer they become, Milo and Marcos soon begin to wonder if the universe itself is plotting against them in this young adult debut by the playwright and creator of The Two Princes podcast, Kevin Christopher Snipes.  Milo Connolly has...
Dead End Girls
Wendy Heard
"A clever page-turner that I couldn't put down." --Natasha Preston, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author​ Determined to escape menacing families, two desperate teens fake their own deaths in this queer contemporary thriller perfect for fans of...
Arden Grey
Ray Stoeve
Ray Stoeve's Arden Grey is an insightful, raw YA novel about a young photographer navigating toxic relationships and how they influence her identity. Sixteen-year-old Arden Grey is struggling. Her mother has left their family, her father...
Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster
Andrea Mosqueda
In this voice-driven young adult debut by Andrea Mosqueda, Maggie Gonzalez needs a date to her sister's quinceañera - and fast. Growing up in Texas's Rio Grande Valley, Maggie Gonzalez has always been a little messy, but she's okay with that. After all, she has a great family,...
Nate Plus One
Kevin van Whye
Boy plus boy. Two weeks in Johannesburg. A summer of music, adventure, self-discovery . . . and definitely not love. What could go wrong?   Nate needs a date to his cousin's wedding. Jai is Nate's best friend and secret crush. Could Jai be Nate's plus-one--and only?<...
I Am the Ghost in Your House
Mar Romasco-Moore
From the author of Some Kind of Animal comes a wildly unique story about an invisible girl struggling to see herself in a world obsessed with appearances. Pie is the ghost in your house. She is not dead, she is invisible. The way she looks changes depending on...
The Queen of Junk Island
Alexandra Mae Jones
From debut author Alexandra Mae Jones comes a compelling, nuanced exploration of bi identity and body image with a ghostly backdrop--perfect for fans of Nina Lacour.  Still reeling from a recent trauma, sixteen-year-old Dell is relieved when her mom suggests a stay at the family cabin...

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