Book Releases: 2023 Books With Non-Cis Protagonists

This post, like all the previous ones, only features books with trans rep in the form of a main character, a love interest, or a truly major side character. The goal is to give you something you can cherish, not just an afterthought. The term ‘non-cis’ in the title is used as a little umbrella. (And as always, if you catch any mistakes, please leave a comment!)

Also, a lot of those titles are (or will be) available on Scribd, so if you want to check out that service but don’t have an account yet, use my invite code to get 2 months for free! (This also gives me one free month.)

Related: trans books of 2022, trans books of 2021, trans books of 2020 & trans books of 2019

Tears in the Water by Margherita Scialla (nonbinary pan mc, transmasc demi li, Chinese lesbian character, Black aroace side character, bi side character)
Cool. Awkward. Black. ed. by Karen Strong (anthology; Black cast, transmasc mc, m/m relationship, f/f relationship)
Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed (Egyptian cast & setting, nonbinary mc)
Now She is Witch by Kirsty Logan (sapphic mc, nonbinary li, f/nb relationship)
The Path to Vihaan by Daniel J. Lyons (transmasc mc)
Wolfpack by Rem Wigmore (transmasc & genderqueer mcs)
Back in a Spell by Lana Harper (pan mc, pan genderfluid li, f/gf relationship)
A Fae’s Two Alphas by Jem Zero (transmasc mc, m/m/m relationship)
Child of the Crystal Planet by Ennis Rook Bashe (f/nb relationship)
Endpapers by Jennifer Savran Kelly (genderfluid mc)
Sweetlust by Asja Bakić, trans. by Jennifer Zoble (transfem mc)
Never Too Much by Sienna Eggler (Black asexual lesbian mc, Black transfem lesbian li, Black omnisexual li, nonbinary li, f/f relationship)
Always the Almost by Edward Underhill (transmasc gay mc, pan li, m/m relationship, lesbian side characters)

If I Can Give You That by Michael Gray Bulla (transmasc mc, m/m relationship)
No One Owns the Colors by Gianna Davy & Brenda Rodriguez (agender mc)
The Fox and the Dryad by Kellen Graves (gnc mc, achillean relationship)
Every Gift a Curse by Caroline O’Donoghue (bi genderfluid li, f/gf relationship, lesbian side characters)
The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa (Latine cast, transmasc nonbinary mc, achillean li, nb/m relationship, genderfluid character)
Adventure in the Floating Mountains by L. D. Lapinski (lesbian mc, transmasc mc, nonbinary side character)
The House That Whispers by Lin Thompson (transmasc mc)
The Curse at Witch Camp by Madeline McGrane (nonbinary mc, side f/f relationship)
Station Six by S.J. Klapecki (nonbinary mc, lgbt cast)
Sterling Karat Gold by Isabel Waidner (nonbinary mc; reprint)
Project Nought by Chelsey Furedi (gay mcs, m/m relationship, nonbinary mc, sapphic mc, nonbinary & sapphic side characters)
An Epic Construct by Dawn Cutler-Tran (pan nonbinary mc, genderfluid li, ace lesbian side character, gay side characters, transmasc side character)
The Fifth Wound by Aurora Mattia (transfem mc, transmasc mc)
Mimosa by Archie Bongiovanni (nonbinary mc, sapphic mcs)

Wild Geese by Soula Emmanuel (sapphic transfem mc)
Trash by Sylvia Aguilar-Zéleny, trans. J.D. Pluecker (transfem mc)
The Human Origins of Beatrice Porter and Other Essential Ghosts by Soraya Palmer (nonbinary lesbian mc)
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty (Hindu gay character, Jewish gay li, Yemeni trans character)
Sotto Voce by Suzanne Clay (queer mcs, queer transmasc mc, m/m/f relationship)
Camp QUILTBAG* by Nicole Melleby & A.J. Sass (lesbian mc, nonbinary mc)
Dear Mothman by Robin Gow (transmasc mc)
Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai (demi bi mc, gay character, lesbian character, nonbinary character, side pan polycule)
Tina, Mafia Soldier by Maria Rosa Cutrufelli (gnc sapphic mc)
The Jump by Brittney Morris (Korean American transmasc mc, Pakistani American lesbian mc)
Pack of Her Own by Elena Abbott (sapphic transfem mc, f/f relationship)
World Running Down by Al Hess (transmasc mc, gay mc, m/m relationship)
Loki’s Ring by Stina Leicht (nonbinary mcs)
City of Secrets by Alex London (nonbinary characters)
Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans (nonbinary lesbian mc, nb/f relationship)
This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham (bi mc, transfem bi li, f/f relationship)
Promises Stronger Than Darkness by Charlie Jane Anders (bi/pan mc, Black Brazilian transfem bi/pan mc, nonbinary characters)
Sizzle Reel by Carlyn Greenwald (bi mc, lesbian li, nonbinary lesbian li)

A Safe Girl to Love by Casey Plett (transfem & sapphic mcs; reprint)
Any Other City by Hazel Jane Plante (transfem mcs)
Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa (Mexican American nonbinary mc, Mexican achillean li, nb/m relationship)
Baby Drag Queen by C.A. Tanaka (transmasc mc)
Changelings ed. by Ryan Vale & Ocean Riley (anthology; autistic trans mcs)
The Love That Binds Us by Phoenix Blackwood (nonbinary transmasc li, f/nb relationship, transfem character, gay character)
Jamie by L.D. Lapinski (nonbinary mc)
Jude Saves the World by Ronnie Riley (nonbinary bi mc, Black gay side character, bi side character)
The Stars of Mount Quixx by S. M. Beiko (genderfluid li, f/gf relationship)
Tell Me How It Ends by Quinton Li (lesbian mc, nonbinary ace mc)
Spell Bound by F. T. Lukens (achillean mc, nonbinary li, m/nb relationship)
Something Spectacular by Alexis Hall (genderfluid mc, agender mc)
Tale of the Hidden Village: World of Heavenfall by Riley Rookhouse & K.C. Norton (genderfluid mc)
Roux for Two by Aurora Rey (transmasc mc, m/f relationship)
Chef’s Choice by T. J. Alexander (transfem mc, transmasc li, f/m relationship)
Cereus Blooms at Night by Shani Mootoo (gay mc, lesbian mc, transmasc mc, nonbinary characters; reprint)
Paper Planes by Jennie Wood, Dozerdraws & Micah Myers (nonbinary mc, ace mc)
Joy, to the World by Kai Shappley & Lisa Bunker (transfem mc)

Court of the Undying Seasons by A. M. Strickland (pan demigirl mc, pan li, pan, lesbian, bigender, agender, aroace side characters)
The Dog Knight by Jeremy Whitley & Bre Indigo (nonbinary mc)
They Ain’t Proper by M.B. Guel (Latine genderqueer mc, bi mc, gq/f relationship )
Grave Expectations by Alice Bell (nonbinary character)
Remain Silent by Robyn Gigl (transfem mc)
Ava’s Demon, Book One: Reborn by Michelle Fus (nonbinary bi mc)
The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw (nonbinary mc)
DeadEndia: The Watcher’s Test by Hamish Steele (transmasc mc, m/m relationship, nonbinary mc)
DeadEndia: The Broken Halo by Hamish Steele (transmasc mc, m/m relationship, nonbinary mc)
Bang Bang Bodhisattva by Aubrey Wood (transfem mc)
The Chatelaine by Kate Heartfield (transmasc gay mc; reprint)
The Scandalous Letters of V and J by Felicia Davin (nb/nb relationship)
Venom & Vow by Anna-Marie McLemore & Elliot McLemore (transmasc mc, bigender mc)
Transmogrify! ed. by g. haron-davis (anthology; trans & gnc characters)

Transitioning Home by Heather K O’Malley (sapphic transfem mc)
Boys Weekend by Mattie Lubchansky (nonbinary mc)
Old Enough by Haley Jakobson (bi mc, f/nb relationship)
Us by Sara Soler & Joamette Gil, trans. Silvia Perea Labayen (sapphic transfem mc, sapphic mc, f/f relationship)
Ponyboy by Eliot Duncan (transmasc mc, lesbian character, achillean character)
JesusDevil: The Parables by Alexis De Veaux (Black queer agender mc)
Molly’s Tuxedo by Vicki Johnson (gnc mc)
Savage Crowns by Matt Wallace (nonbinary characters)
The Evergreen Heir by A.K. Mulford (nonbinary mc)
Tales From Beyond the Rainbow: Ten LGBTQ+ Fairy Tales Proudly Reclaimed by Pete Jordi Wood (anthology; trans, genderfluid & achillean characters)
The Ghosts of Trappist by K. B. Wagers (pan mc, bi mc, nonbinary mc)
Translation State by Ann Leckie (nonbinary mcs)
A Shot in the Dark by Victoria Lee (transmasc li)
All About Roman(ce) by Daniel Tawse (nonbinary mc)
Simply Skye by Pamela Morgan & Heather Bell (nonbinary mc)
The Beautiful Something Else by Ash van Otterloo (nonbinary mc)
Skating on Mars by Caroline Huntoon (nonbinary mc)
The Fairest in the Land by Lesléa Newman & Joshua Heinsz (gnc mc)
Dragonfall by L.R. Lam (genderfluid mc, achillean li, gf/m relationship)

The Sea Elephants by Shastri Akella (Indian cast, genderfluid mc, gay mc)
Bellies by Nicola Dinan (achillean mc, transmasc mc)
He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker Chan (nonbinary lesbian mc, lesbian mc, gay mc)
Emerging Selves by Mx. Nillin Lore (anthology; trans, nonbinary & gnc characters)
The Borrow a Boyfriend Club by Page Powars (transmasc mc, m/m relationship)
A Hundred Vicious Turns by Lee Paige O’Brien (nonbinary mc)
They Fade Away by Alex Armoredes (transmasc mc)
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White (autistic transmasc mc)
The Otherwoods by Justine Pucella Winans (nonbinary mc)
Elle Campbell Wins Their Weekend by Ben Kahn (nonbinary mc)
Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt (transfem mc, f/f relationship)
The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah (nonbinary character)
Warrior of the Wind by Suyi Davies Okungbowa (nonbinary li, f/nb relationship)
Godly Heathens by H. E. Edgmon (Seminole nonbinary mc)

Sir Callie and the Dragon’s Roost by Esme Symes-Smith (nonbinary mc)
Defiant by Brandon Sanderson (nonbinary characters)
Second Chances in New Port Stephen by TJ Alexander (achillean transmasc mc, m/m relationship)
Pluralities, or by Avi Silver (nonbinary mc)
Night of the Living Queers ed. by Shelly Page & Alex Brown (anthology; trans characters)
Him by Geoff Ryman (transmasc mc)
The Manor House Governess by C. A. Castle (nonbinary mc, nb/m)
Junker Seven by Olive J. Kelley (nonbinary mc, transfem li)
Salt the Water by Candice Iloh (genderfluid mc)
The Hells of Notre Dame by R.L. Davennor (nonbinary lesbian mc, f/f)
Confetti Realms by Nadia Shammas (nonbinary mc, nb/m)
Acing the Game by Carey P.W. (bi mc, transmasc bi ace mc)
Meru by S. B. Divya (f/nb)
Code Red by Joy McCullough (transmasc character)
A Milky Way Home by Hsinju Chen (transmasc mc, transmasc/f)

A Second Chance for Yesterday by R. A. Sinn (f/nb)
Almond, Quartz, and Finch by Lisa Bunker (nonbinary aroace mc, trans mcs)
Livingsky by Anthony Bidulka (transfem mc)
Constellations by Kate Glasheen (nonbinary mc)
The Book of Witches ed. by Jonathan Strahan (transmasc mc)
Being Ace ed. by Madeline Dyer (trans mcs)
Deephaven by Ethan M. Aldridge (nonbinary mc)
The Future by Naomi Alderman (nonbinary mc)
The Siren, the Song and the Spy by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (sapphic mc, genderfluid mc)
Brooms by Jasmine Walls & Teo (Chinese transfem mc, Black lesbian mc, Choctaw-Mexican lesbian mc)
Heartstopper, Vol. 5 by Alice Oseman (bi mc, gay mc, m/m, lesbian mcs, f/f, transfem mc, f/m)
Walking Practice by Dolki Min, trans. by Victoria Caudle (genderfluid mc)
Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo (nonbinary mc & side characters)
Fox Snare by Yoon Ha Lee (nonbinary mc)
No One Left But You by Tash McAdam (queer transmasc mc)

Airlock by Tash McAdam (nonbinary mc)
BeatNikki’s Cafe by Renee James (transfem mc)
Boneless by Coyote J. M. Edwards (nonbinary mc)
The Stradivarius by Rae Knowles (genderqueer character)
Glassworks by Olivia Wolfgang-Smith (genderfluid character)
Speak of the Devil by Rose Wilding (lesbian mcs, Black lesbian mc, Brazilian transfem mc)
Through Verdant Mirrors by Ela Bamburst (transfem mc)
On Verdant Wings by Ela Bamburst (transfem mc)
Skip! by Sarah Burgess (nonbinary mc)
Nights Too Short to Dance by Marie-Claire Blais, trans. by Katia Grubisic (transmasc mc)
These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs (lesbian mc, Black lesbian amputee li, nonbinary mc, genderfluid side character)
Relentless Melt by Jeremy P. Bushell (gnc (nonbinary?) mc)
The Grimoire of Grave Fates by Hanna Alkaf & Margaret Owen (bi mc, lesbian mc, nonbinary mc, trans mc, gay mc)
Veil Us in Gold by Shepherd DiStasio (nonbinary mc)
Green by Alex Gino (nonbinary mc)

Truth of Crowns by Carl D. Albert (nonbinary mc, lesbian mcs, bi mc)
Girlfriends by Emily Zhou (transfem mcs)
Emergent Properties by Aimee Ogden (nonbinary mc)
Truth & Dare by So Mayer (gay mcs, lesbian mcs, trans mcs)
The Rage Letters by Valérie Bah, trans. by Kama La Mackerel (Black cast, sapphic, achillean & trans mcs)
Lessons in Lesbianism by Fern V. Bedek (transfem lesbian mc, f/f)
Natural Outlaws and Fractured Sovereignty by S. M. Pearce (nonbinary mc, sapphic mc)
The Prince’s Dearest Guards by Beau Van Dalen (transmasc achillean mc, m/m/m)
Driven to Protect by Renee Dahlia (gay mc, transmasc gay mc, m/m)
Aether by Molly J. Bragg (trans side characters)
Court of Magickers by Novae Caelum (nonbinary mcs)
The Long Game by Ann Leckie (nonbinary mc)
System Collapse by Martha Wells (agender mc)
The Chase Begins by Aimee Donnellan (nonbinary mc, queer, nonbinary & lesbian side characters)
The Lonely Book by Meg Grehan (nonbinary mc, f/f parents)

Corey Fah Does Social Mobility by Isabel Waidner (nonbinary mc, nb/m)
A River of Golden Bones by A. K. Mulford (nonbinary mc)
Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas (gay transmasc mc, lesbian character)
The Collectors ed. by A. S. King (nonbinary mc)
The Haunting of Oak Springs by Crin Claxton (transfem mc, f/f)
Ghost Girl by Brooke Carter & Alyssa Waterbury (nonbinary mc)
A Firecracker Wish by Ace Jamerson (achillean mc, nonbinary mc)
Not He or She, I’m Me by A.M. Wild & Kah Yangni (nonbinary mc)
Mate of Her Own by Elena Abbott (transfem mc, f/f)
Hands of the Morri by Heather K. O’Malley (transfem mc)
Valid by Chris Bergeron, trans. by Natalia Hero (transfem mc)
Be You Bravely by Jan Moore (transfem mc)
The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei (sapphic mcs, nonbinary mcs)
Lantern by Burgundy Athena Pendragon (nonbinary mc)
A Grim and Sunken Vow by Ashley Shuttleworth (lesbian mc with depression, pan mc, gay mc, bi mc, genderfluid mc)
Club Kick Out by Steph Mided (nonbinary character, side f/f parents)
The Queer Girl is Going to be Okay by Dale Walls (transfem mc, lesbian mc, f/f, queer mc, f/nb)
The Blighted Stars by Megan O’Keefe (bi transmasc mc, m/f)
The Fractured Dark by Megan O’Keefe (bi transmasc mc, m/f)

*Please note: It has come to our attention that A. J. Sass plans to partake in a trip to Isr*el, thus legitimising an apartheid state. We do not feel we can support someone who disregards Palestinian lives in such a manner, however we have kept this book on the list as Sass is not the sole author of it.

Please note: we have removed titles by Freydís Moon/Stacey Anthony after on discovering they’re pseudonyms for Taylor B. Barton/Taylor Brooke who was accused of racism, bullying, & pretending to be Latine a few years back.

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