Today’s post is a collaboration with a group of bloggers. The idea came from Mols and she reached out to a number of trans and nonbinary bloggers, in hopes of creating a truly giant rec list of books. So here we are, with over 100 titles!
To see the full list, though, and not just my contribution, you have to check out everyone’s posts! So head over to those lovely people: Mols @ Mols by Moonlight, Artie @ ArtieCarden, Ocean @ Oceans of Novels, Anniek @ Anniek’s Library, Bertie @ Luminosity Library, Andee @ Mouse Reads, Danni @ The Rush of a Book, Vee @ Vee_Bookish!
Please keep in mind, all the books are written by trans and/or nonbinary authors, but not every single one of them features such rep.
A Dark and Hollow Star
Ashley Shuttleworth
Goodreads
Rep: lesbian mc with depression, pan mc, gay mc, bi mc, genderfluid side character
TW: blood, gore, body horror, death, drugs, past suicide, suicide ideation, toxic relationship
Why Should I Read It?
There are only like three thoughts in my head when it comes to this book: 1) there is no plot, only Nausicaä being super extremely gay for Arlo; 2) this is like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood but make it extra gay and also with less war crimes; 3) y’all have no clue how gay this title actually is.
The Wolf and the Woodsman
Ava Reid
Goodreads
Rep: Hungarian-coded setting & cast, sapphic side characters
TW: magic requiring self harm, blood, body horror, eye horror, gore, dismemberment, torture, antisemitism, ethnic cleansing, child abuse, animal death
Why Should I Read It?
First of all, take a shot every time Gáspár kneels. It’s very sexy of him, if I do say so myself. Second of all, the world in this book can only be described as lush and intricate. The Hungarian mythology in all the stories they tell, in the creatures they encounter and hunt, it’s truly delicious! And then of course there’s another layer of the main character discovering her Jewish heritage.
You can read our full review, and listen to the music mix i created!
The Scapegracers
Hannah Abigail Clarke
Goodreads
Rep: lesbian mc, sapphic li, Black sapphic mc, Chinese American bi mc, achillean side characters
Why Should I Read It?
So you were lucky enough to make friends with The Popular Girls? That’s this book. Only… The reason you were invited into the clique is because you’re also a witch. And ya’ll are all incredibly gay, like as a bonus.
Convinced you to read this yet? No? So, listen, there are also very supportive gay dads!
The Passing Playbook
Isaac Fitzsimons
Goodreads
Rep: biracial Black achillean trans mc, gay li, bi side character, nonbinary side character, achillean side character
TW: mentions of past transphobic violence, religious homophobia, mentions of past overdose
Why Should I Read It?
The trans book of the summer! Gays, and specifically sport gays, have won with this one. It’s basically a lot of love & care packed into one little book. It’s very clearly a book for LGBT youth, and especially for trans kids. A book showing them with every page that they are loved and deserve every ounce of that love. And it’s not even just romantic love but every possible shade of the emotion, with all its highs and lows.
Confessions of the Fox
Jordy Rosenberg
Goodreads
Rep: trans male mcs
Why Should I Read It?
It’s a slow kind of book. Not a lot of adventures, explosions, death traps in this one! Which is not to say it’s boring, quite the opposite! It offers instead great characters, and a very interesting plot, as a concept. It’s actually a re-imagining of the legend of Jack Sheppard, a thief and gaolbreaker of the early 18th century in London, in which Jack is a trans man. It is told in the form of an authentic manuscript, found by Professor Voth, whose annotations of the manuscript in themselves tell a parallel story.
Taproot
Keezy Young
Goodreads
Rep: poc achillean mc, achillean li
Why Should I Read It?
This a story about a gardener who sings to his plants at night so they would grow better and who can see ghosts. There’s a delicate romance between him and one of said ghosts. But there’s also a Reaper that appears suddenly with a deal. Because it is a story about ghosts, what you’re probably expecting must happen – the balance must be restored in the world.
And it’s a graphic novel, so a word about that. The art is all warm colors and round lines, with no sharp edges & it somehow makes you feel safe. It also makes it seem like you’ve already known the characters for ages, like they’re your childhood friends.
The Strangeworlds Travel Agency
L.D. Lapinski
Goodreads
Rep: gay trans mc, sapphic mc, nonbinary side character
Why Should I Read It?
A magical middle grade book in which one can step into a suitcase and walk out into any number of places. Frankly, the travel agency of our dreams. Packed (haha, see what I did there?) with adventures and fun, but also danger, it’s an incredible start to a new series. Who needs magic schools when you have suitcases? And what better guide to a wholly new magical world than a slightly pretentious eighteen-year-old?
Nevada
Imogen Binnie
Goodreads
Rep: sapphic trans mc, trans side character
Why Should I Read It?
If you want to felt seen and understood as a trans person, this is probably the book for you. It doesn’t just focus on the most obvious aspects, the only ones that are somehow exciting for the cis audience. Instead, it talks about all the emotions, the messiness & the beautiful parts. It talks about the pain & struggle, and working hard to move past those. It actually shows a character navigating the world as a trans woman.
Avi Cantor Has Six Months to Live
Sacha Lamb
Goodreads
Rep: gay trans Jewish mc, gay trans li, sapphic trans mother, sapphic mother
Why Should I Read It?
There are a lot of selling points for his short story (which you can read for free here), but let’s focus on how simply very sweet and soft, and makes the reader feel safe & sound (& loved). It shows in the main romance, but it also shows in the maternal love. And because there are three moms here, there’s a lot of opportunities to bask in the warmth of it.
Iron Widow
Xiran Jay Zhao
Goodreads
Rep: Chinese-coded cast & setting, bi mcs
TW: gore, murder, torture, mentions of rape, threats of rape, misogyny, femicide, suicide ideation, abuse, alcohol addiction
Why Should I Read It?
This is the feminist agenda, actually. You will be enraged a number of times, but you will leave feeling empowered. And frankly, the way this book talks about misogyny? About taking control of your body & your destiny? About vengeance? The way it incorporates Chinese history into the story? A masterpiece.
Also Iron Widow looked at the tired jealousy-ridden love triangle trope & said “hold my beer, i’ll make ALL THREE of them fall in love with EACH OTHER”.
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