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There are only a few more weeks left in 2024, and that has me looking backwards. Overall, I had a great reading year. I found myself falling in love with genres I’d only dabbled in before, like horror, romance, and fantasy. I’m starting to think of those not just as books I read sometimes, but as central pillars of my reading taste.
It will come as no surprise to you that I read a lot of queer books in 2024. Of the 121 books I’ve read so far this year, 70 were queer. So, I thought I’d highlight my favourite queer reads of 2024. Today, I’m focusing on the 2024 releases—I’ll do a separate list for my favourite queer backlist books I discovered this year. I read mostly sapphic books, so that’s reflected here. I’ve got picks in a few different genres: speculative literary fiction, romance, horror, fantasy, graphic novels, and essay collections.
There are so amazing queer books that came out this year that I didn’t get around to reading, like Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar, so this is definitely not representative of all of the best queer books of 2024. Make sure to also check out Book Riot’s Best Books of 2024—almost half the picks are queer! Now, let’s get into my personal favourite queer books of 2024.
Sister Snake by Amanda Lee Koe
This book is a perfect example of why I don’t like making “best of” lists before the end of the year: it came out in December, and it immediately became one of my favourite reads of the year. I loved this literary speculative story about two sisters who began their lives together as snakes in Tang Dynasty China. Now, they couldn’t be more different: Su is a conservative politician’s wife in Singapore while Emerald scrapes by as a queer sugar baby living in New York City with an artist friend. It’s a beautiful and bruising story about racism, assimilation, and the complexities of found family. I don’t know how to talk about this one succinctly, but you can read my full review at the Lesbrary.
Content warnings: Rape, transmisogyny (this is a significant plot, not just mentioned in passing), pregnancy trauma, misogyny, homophobia.
The Pairing by Casey McQuiston
Theo and Kit were childhood best friends who fell in love and were inseparable into their twenties…until a fight on the way to their dream vacation changed everything. Now, it’s four years later, and the voucher for this food and wine-tasting tour across Europe is about to expire, so Theo books the trip solo at the last possible moment—only to find that Kit had the same idea. Stuck on the same trip for weeks, they hesitantly begin to rebuild their friendship. Along the way, they make a bet about who can sleep with someone first in each of the cities they visit.
This may be my new favorite romance novel. The descriptions of food and drink, plus the beautiful locales, make this feel so decadent. It’s steamy and sweet at the same time, with a heavy dose of yearning. I also loved the nonbinary and bisexual representation.
Triple Sec by TJ Alexander
This is a fun, sexy queer romance about Mel, a bartender at a cocktail lounge. When Bebe walks in, they have immediate chemistry. Bebe is married and polyamorous, and Mel thinks this is the perfect opportunity to try casual dating—her divorce has left her jaded about love. But despite her best efforts, Mel finds herself falling for Bebe—and making things even more complicated, she might also have feelings for Bebe’s nonbinary wife, Kade. I really enjoyed the different relationship dynamics each of the combinations of these three people had, and it also has a snowed-in scene, which is a trope I can’t resist.
Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun
How does the pitch “lesbian romcom about death” sound to you? This is about two women, Logan and Rosemary, who used to be childhood best friends, but now they’re rival English teachers at the same school. When their shared mentor’s dying wish is to be driven to his cabin in Maine, they reluctantly agree to go on a road trip with him together. They’re total opposites: Logan is messy and out of control, Rosemary is the model teacher and is always in control. They soon learn they have a lot more in common than they thought, though, including that they both have ADHD. I loved every part of this. As a queer former English teacher with ADHD, it hit close to home.
An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson
Inspired by Carmilla, An Education in Malice is a dark academia gothic set at a 1960s women’s college, where Laura joins an exclusive and demanding poetry class. This gave me exactly the vibes I want from a dark academia vampire novel: angsty, erotic, and obsessive. It’s atmospheric and immersive, and it’s one I wish I could give my 19-year-old self, because she would be obsessed.
Model Home by Rivers Solomon
The author of genre-defying novels like An Unkindness of Ghosts and Sorrowland is back with a take on haunted houses like no other. The Maxwell siblings grew up the only Black family in their neighborhood, in a house haunted by unexplained phenomena. Their mother refused to give the house up, so they endured—but as adults, they avoid it at all costs. When their parents die, they’re forced to walk inside again to determine what led to their demise. This is a queer, trans haunted house story that is more about the aftermath of being haunted—and real-life horrors—than it is about the setting. Check out the content warnings, including child sexual abuse, before picking this one up, but it’s a powerfully written, unsettling, and unforgettable read that I cannot get out of my head.
The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag
When I picked up this 480-page graphic novel, I was not expecting to read it in one sitting and be left sobbing in the early hours of the morning. This is about queer teen Mags, who has a secret: she has her very own monster who lives in her basement and feeds on her every night. This keeps her from getting close to anyone—until her childhood friend Nessa reappears in her life. My heart broke for Mags, who is also taking care of her abuela and is buckling under the pressure. This is a story about accepting the darkest, angriest parts of yourself and allowing other people to love you in your entirety. It’s a beautiful, cathartic read, and I loved the queer, trans romance.
Bunt! Striking Out on Financial Aid by Ngozi Ukazu and Mad Rupert
Ngozi Ukazu is best known for her Check, Please! gay hockey graphic novel series, but I think this one has been criminally overlooked. It follows Molly, whose scholarship disappears overnight, and she is left scrambling for a solution. She finds it in an obscure scholarship that requires starting a softball team—and winning at least one game. The ragtag team she puts together at this art school is mostly queer and almost completely unathletic. The supporting cast made this such a fun read.
The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught
If you, like me, love The Tea Dragon Society series by K. O’Neill, you need to pick up this cozy fantasy graphic novel. Juniper is an apprentice baker, and Hadley is practicing their skills as a bard in the local inn. When an expensive rush order comes in at the bakery, the two friends set off to find some rare mushrooms. Along the way, they hear about something lurking in the woods that has been eating farmers’ crops, and Hadley jumps at the chance to charge into an adventure. This also has a cute romance subplot. It’s an absolutely adorable and comforting read.
Thunder Song: Essays by Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe
I loved this collection of essays so much that I put everything aside to immediately pick up her memoir, Red Paint, next. (That one is also great.) LaPointe weaves together the past and present, drawing on the stories of her family and community as well as the political movements of the moment, like Black Lives Matter. She discusses both traditional stories and pop culture. As the title suggests, music plays a big role in the collection, including her days as one of the only Indigenous people in the punk scene of Seattle. She also mentions her identity as a Two-Spirit and bisexual person, and how that affects her relationships. It’s a far-ranging and beautifully written collection that I can’t wait to reread.
8 New Queer Books Out This Week
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