This 12 months, I fell in love with genres I’ve solely dabbled in earlier than. By way of new releases, that was the romance style. However in backlist, I noticed simply how nice a fantasy e-book may be and at last admitted that regardless of being a scaredycat, I really actually get pleasure from horror books.

Listed here are my ten favorite queer books I learn in 2024 that didn’t come out this 12 months, from literary fiction to epic fantasy to swamp horror to historical past and extra.

All This Might Be Totally different by Sarah Thankam Mathews

This was a e-book membership choose, and I feel I might have DNFed it in any other case. Sneha is a troublesome major character to examine at the start of the e-book: she’s a queer girl of color with plenty of internalized racism and homophobia that she initiatives onto different individuals. I’m glad I caught with it, although, as a result of it ended up being one in every of my most memorable reads of the 12 months. I loved seeing the journey Sneha goes on to just accept herself, and the messy discovered household dynamic is compelling.

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

This sapphic fantasy trilogy is one I’ve solely heard wonderful issues about, however I used to be intimidated by the thought of beginning a brand new epic fantasy collection—particularly when the primary quantity is 500+ pages. Regardless of the size and the various characters’ factors of view, I used to be fully absorbed by this story. Have you ever ever learn a e-book so good it makes you offended? Such as you need to simply shove it at individuals and say, “Why aren’t you studying and speaking about this??” That’s how I felt after ending The Jasmine Throne. The characters and the world are so vivid; it actually confirmed me what a fantasy novel can do.

Can’t Spell Treason With out Tea by Rebecca Thorne

Cozy fantasy is nearer to my studying consolation zone, so I knew this one can be a brand new favorite. What actually shone was the 2 major characters, Kianthe and Reyna, and their relationship to one another. They’re each flawed and three-dimensional, and I loved seeing how they be taught to dwell collectively and deepen their relationship. Additionally, I used to be all the time going to like a sapphic cozy fantasy about beginning a bookshop/teashop. That’s nearly unfair. If you happen to’re a fan of Legends and Lattes, you must choose this one up. I can’t wait to proceed with the collection!

Finna by Nino Cipri

This sci-fi novella with a nonbinary major character is about two minimal wage staff at an Ikea-like retailer who must observe an aged buyer by way of a wormhole to get her again safely—a death-defying rescue that company will reward with reward playing cards. Making the entire scenario extra awkward, the 2 staff—Ava and Jules—simply broke up per week in the past. The juxtaposition between the wacky sci-fi journey and the difficult friendship between the 2 major characters labored very well for me.

Inexperienced Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris

Inexperienced Fuse Burning is a novella about Rita, an artist mourning her estranged father—and regretting she didn’t get the chance to be taught extra about their Mi’kmaq tradition from him. When Rita’s girlfriend reveals that she signed her up for an artist’s residency in an remoted cabin, she’s livid, however as a result of it’s near the place her father grew up, she decides to go anyway. There, she begins listening to unusual sounds within the woods and seeing visions within the surrounding swamp. This can be a stunning, haunting story by a poet, and regardless of its scant web page rely, it’s one you’ll need to savor each web page of.

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

I didn’t know what to anticipate when selecting up the primary horror e-book from Chuck Tingle, however I actually loved it. I favored seeing the world by way of Rose’s eyes. She’s been raised in an especially spiritual sect, so she has that perspective, however she’s additionally autistic and has a scientific curiosity on the planet round her, inserting details every time attainable. She describes even the bloodiest scenes in a refreshingly matter-of-fact manner. This homosexual conversion horror story combines gore with coronary heart and emotion, which I believed Chuck Tingle was capable of pull off. Love is actual!

Final Night time on the Telegraph Membership by Malinda Lo

I’m embarrassed that it took me this lengthy to choose up Final Night time on the Telegraph Membership, particularly as a result of I paid further for a signed copy that’s been sitting on my cabinets for years. I do know it would come as a shock to you, however this award-winning historic YA novel is sweet. It’s onerous to overstate how nicely this was obtained critically when it got here out, and it completely deserved it. I all the time get pleasure from Malinda Lo’s writing, however this can be an ideal novel. This Nineteen Fifties lesbian historic YA learn is immersive, bittersweet, and superbly written.

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea

One other favorite sapphic YA learn of this 12 months was this one, the primary in a horror duology. It follows a Black ballerina in Paris who makes a take care of a river of blood to achieve energy after being shut out of success due to racism within the establishment. I beloved studying about Laure as a result of she’s unapologetically offended and bold—traits girls, particularly Black girls, are punished for. She does some horrific issues, however I couldn’t assist nonetheless having sympathy for her. I’m actually trying ahead to the second and closing e-book on this collection!

The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

Right here is one other instance of a e-book I’ve heard nice issues about for years that ended up exceeding my excessive expectations. The paintings is gorgeous, and I beloved that this wasn’t nearly Tien attempting to return out to his mom, but in addition about his mom’s experiences as an immigrant from Vietnam. The embedded fairy story tales all have their very own visible type, together with the style, that displays one thing in regards to the storyteller. That is such a murals.

The Memoirs of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle Vols. 1 & 2 by Kent Monkman and Gisele Gordon

This e-book, in two volumes, is a queer Cree telling of the historical past of Turtle Island, notably “Canada.” It’s humorous, heartbreaking, and academic, packed filled with citations however advised by way of the fictional determine of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, a shapeshifting queer kind who guides us by way of this historical past. Interspersed are attractive work by Kent Monkman, just like the one on the quilt. This can be a new all-time favourite.

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