The Best LGBTQ+ YA Reads

Noah Ramirez is a trans boy in love with love, and he wants to keep the dream of a happily ever after open for other trans teens like him. So he starts a blog about cute trans relationships. But a troll insists that all the stories are fake — which they are. In swoops Drew with a fake-dating proposal to save Noah’s blog — and steal his heart. This is a meet cute story for the ages that’s been blurbed by pretty much every notable YA author in the LGBTQIA+ space (Kacen Callender, Aiden Thomas, and Becky Albertalli, to name just a few).

A perfectly executed rom-com starring a queer, black teen running for prom queen. Wallflower Liz Lighty is determined to be crowned prom queen and win the $10,000 scholarship prize associated with the honor so she can afford to go to an elite college. The biggest problem? Liz is in love with one of her prom queen competitors.

“Kate in Waiting” is Becky Albertalli’s first solo work outside of the Simonverse (“Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda”), and it’s a smash-hit that puts refreshing spins on queer love story tropes. The titular Kate and her best friend Anderson have a crush on the same boy from theater camp — and nothing goes as you would expect from that fraught premise. An uber-cute YA novel about the power of friendship.

Being openly gay in a small town is hard, and Sky’s certainly seen his fair share of hardship: His mom kicked him out and he’s constantly hiding burn scars from an accident. Still, Sky is determined to make his senior year great with an epic promposal, even when homophobic hackers try to ruin that, too. A book that’s overflowing with Pride.

“Pumpkin” is the final book in Julie Murphy’s “Dumplin’” universe following an all-new character, Waylon Russell Brewer. Almost every passage in this Pride-filled, fat-accepting book is highlight-worthy. Waylon is dipping his toes into the drag scene at the start of the book, and by the end, he’s the ultimate queen.

A cute, queer love story between a gay trans boy and a ghost. Yadriel is determined to prove his gender identity to his Latinx family by exhibiting powers of a brujo rather than a bruja. Yadriel means to summon the ghost of his recently deceased cousin, but instead ends up with the spirit of his school’s bad boy, Julian Diaz. A stunning #OwnVoices story that is breaking down several barriers.

Nonbinary author Mason Deaver’s debut novel tackles the adversity Ben De Backer faces when they come out as nonbinary to their parents and get thrown out of the house. Ben goes to live with their estranged sister and her husband, and meets a great new friend in Nathan. While YA novels have led the way in positive representation of the LGBTQ+ community, nonbinary stories are still few and far between.

Black, queer, and trans, 17-year-old artist Felix Love is having a complicated summer. Targeted by an anonymous transphobic bully, Felix catfishes his suspected tormentor, but his plan for revenge sends him on an adventure of love and self-discovery. With a fantastic (and diverse) cast, this feel-good novel is wonderfully messy, warm, and full of friendship and love.

Kristin Lattimer is riding high after being voted homecoming queen, but it all comes crashing down when the whole school finds out that she is intersex. “None of the Above” sensitively explores questions about gender and sexuality while shining light on a condition few people know about or understand.

Bill Konigsberg is a staple of YA LGBTQ+ literature, and this one may just be his best book yet. Opposites attract in this novel about two queer boys running a food truck during the summer in Arizona.

Rainbow Rowell’s series is basically “Harry Potter,” but gay. Simon Snow is the Chosen One who’s infuriated and infatuated with his openly gay vampire roommate, Baz. Do we really need to say more? Didn’t we have you at Rainbow Rowell + gay “Harry Potter”?

“I’ll Give You the Sun” is easily the most critically acclaimed and adored-by-the-masses novel on this list, with its literary prose and immensely touching narrative about two siblings that are torn apart by tragedy. A near-perfect story that contemplates everything from sexuality to family to the role of art.

“Let’s Talk About Love” stars an asexual and bi-romantic black lead who, in her first year of college, is grappling with her sexual identity, the expectations of her parents and friends, and her growing feelings for Takumi. An ace story full of #BlackGirlMagic.

This novel by Afro-Dominican author Elizabeth Acevedo explores a feeling shared by many immigrants: that of living double lives. “Clap When You Land” is the bittersweet story of two girls living in different countries who, in one tragic moment, lose a father but gain a sister. After Papi Rios perishes in a plane crash, his daughters Camino and Yahaira learn of each other’s existence for the very first time. Heartbreak leads to healing in this unforgettable YA triumph.

Adam Silvera’s debut is unforgettable, with its compelling characters, its deft depiction of class politics without relying on stereotypes and slang, and its message that hardship helps us find happiness.

This is a sweet #OwnVoices story about a transgender girl at the center of a tender teen romance. “If I Was Your Girl” powerfully captures the everyday slights endured by transgender people everywhere and the struggles with self-acceptance and beautifully balances it with a heartwarming love story. Meredith Russo’s debut won the Stonewall Book Award.

Ashley Shuttleworth takes some tried-and-true fae tropes and turns them on their head in this intricate urban fantasy full of queer characters. Fae live secretly among humans, but when a series of mysterious murders take place in Toronto, their existence becomes harder to hide. All four of the fae main characters trying to help each other find the murderer will vie to be your favorite.