I am a rainbow fantasy author who has been writing and studying LBGTQIA+ fantasy for over a decade, most well known for being the author of YA fantasy epic The War of the North Saga. I have an absolute passion for healthy and positive queer representation in fiction, and even though I was only able to pick a mere 5 books I hope I have offered up a teeny varied buffet of options to get readers started in the #1 genre that makes my heart sing.
Welcome to the Inbetween is an LGBTQIA+ fantasy adventure that takes you on a ride of inspiring hopefulness. Genderfluid protagonist Chris Arrow falls into a brand new world where they discover that what makes them feel like an outsider back home is what makes them magical in the Inbetween. Chris’ coming of age journey is a satisfying dive into the joy of new-age queer YA fiction.
Good Omens has to be on this list simply because it’s my favorite book of all time and any list of books I was going to recommend had to include it. By now the story of Aziraphale and Crowley trying to save the world has become quite popular, and they are internationally recognized as a disaster couple of possibly asexual ethereal beings. Their entertaining shenanigans aside, this has to be one of the cleverest books I have ever read. Terry Pratchett is my favorite author and his wit and charm shine through beautifully, perfectly tempered by Gaiman’s creativity. Absolute masterpiece. I cannot rave about it enough. If you like hilarious satire that will somehow restore your faith in the universe, check it out.
THE BOOK BEHIND THE AMAZON PRIME/BBC SERIES STARRING DAVID TENNANT, MICHAEL SHEEN, JON HAMM AND BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH
'Ridiculously inventive and gloriously funny' Guardian
What if, for once, the predictions are right, and the Apocalypse really is due to arrive next Saturday, just after tea?
It's a predicament that Aziraphale, a somewhat fussy angel, and Crowley, a fast-living demon, now find themselves in. They've been living amongst Earth's mortals since The Beginning and, truth be told, have grown rather fond of the lifestyle and, in all honesty, are not actually looking forward to the coming Apocalypse.
A huge part of why I write is that I struggle to find books I like written by other people, yet this one came out of left field and bowled me over (Elliot would probably hate that I used a sports metaphor for that). Elliot is the protagonist of this book and he is a walking queer disaster. I love him, I hate him, and I became strangely, desperately invested in him. The book doesn’t have what I would describe as a conventional plot, but Brennan does a fantastic job studying her characters with a depth that got me obsessed. During the few days it took me to read this book (when I had to put it down and do life things) I would huff around the house muttering ‘FFS Elliot!’ under my breath. If you want to know why, I recommend giving it a go.
Georgia Peach Award Nominee * Florida Teens Read Award Nominee * ABC Best Books for Young Readers * Bank Street College Best Children's Books of the Year * A Junior Library Guild Selection * Hugo & Locus award finalist
In Other Lands is an exhilarating novel from bestselling author Sarah Rees Brennan about surviving four years in the most unusual of schools - friendship, falling in love, diplomacy, and finding your own place in the world - even if it means giving up your phone.
Excerpt:
The Borderlands aren't like anywhere else. Don't try to smuggle a phone or any…
Technically a trilogy, I know, but I can’t in good faith add the first book of the trilogy to this list, and it just seems wrong to recommend the third book without recommending the first two – especially when the third one is arguably the weakest. However, the third book also includes one of the greatest written scenes my eyes have ever perused. Drip. Drip. (If you know, you know. If you don’t, you oughtta). Also, Riordan warrants a mention for doing fun mainstream fantasy for kids that has really stepped up to try and include minority representation. If you’re into that kinda thing it is delightful cotton candy fluff for the brain.
All three books in the best-selling Magnus Chase trilogy, collected in a gift-worthy paperback boxed set. Magnus Chase, a once-homeless teen, is on a death-defying quest across the Norse realms, literally. As a resident of the Hotel Valhalla, this son of the god Frey is now one of Odin's chosen warriors. Magnus and his friends, Hearthstone the elf, Blitzen the dwarf, Samirah the Valkyrie, and other heroic characters must use all their wits and special talents in order to defeat fearsome giants, lethal creatures, and meddlesome gods in order stave off Ragnarok. "A whirlwind of myth, action, and wry sarcasm,…
This one feels like another ‘must mention’. As I’m writing this, it’s currently sitting in the #1 spot on Amazon’s LGBT fantasy list, so I feel like I’d get a direct talking to if I made a rainbow fantasy list and didn’t include it. It’s another interesting children’s tale in that while it has a perfectly formulaic plot, it’s middle-grade fiction with a middle-aged protagonist. An uncommon occurrence, but one I would argue shouldn’t be – especially given the message Klune is trying to push for normalizing portrayals of beautiful queer families. Mostly this book is worth it for Lucy, and it would seem I’m discovering I have a fondness for antichrists. They’re just such delightful people.
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.
When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not…
Erin Morgenstern is one of those authors who borrows words to create Art. Yes, that’s capitalized for a reason. She doesn’t so much construct prose as assemble a silent symphony that plays privately in the head of anyone who graces their eyes with her words. So, if you’re scrolling this list looking for the point where rainbow fantasy meets literature, congrats, you’ve found it. At some points, the story feels like it’s trying to be a bit too clever for its own good, but it does it so gracefully you might not mind. If you have a penchant for things as elegant and mysterious as a starless sea, grab a copy and find out why it made the list for yourself.
Discover the enchanting, magical bestseller from the author of The Night Circus, now in a stunning new edition.
We are all stardust and stories...
When Zachary Rawlins stumbles across a mysterious book containing details from his own life among its pages, it leads him on a quest unlike any other.
Following the clues inside, he is guided to a masquerade ball, a dangerous secret club, and finally to an ancient library hidden far beneath the surface of the earth. What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their…
I’m an avid reader of queer literary fiction not only because I write it but because I’m looking to see my life experience captured on the page. As a gay man, a father of two young boys, and one-half of an interracial married couple, I know the complexity of modern queer living firsthand. In recent years, I’ve been astounded by the breadth of great LGBTQ+ books that examine queerness fully and empathetically. I seek out these books, I read them feverishly, and I become a champion for the best ones. In an era of intense book banning, it’s so important to me to elevate these books and their authors.
The Birthright of Sons is a collection of stories centered around the experiences of marginalized people, namely Black and LGBTQ+ men. Although the stories borrow elements from various genres (horror, suspense, romance, magical realism, etc.), they are linked by an exploration of identity and the ways personhood is shaped through interactions with the people, places, and belief systems around us.
In each of these stories, the protagonists grapple with their understanding of who they are, who and how they love, and what is ultimately most important to them. In almost every case, however, the quest to know or protect oneself is challenged by an external force, resulting in violence, crisis, or confusion, among other outcomes.
The Birthright of Sons is a collection of stories centered around the experiences of marginalized people, namely Black and LGBTQ+ men. Though the stories borrow elements from various genres (horror, suspense, romance, magical realism, etc.), they're linked by an exploration of identity and the ways personhood is shaped through interactions with the people, places, and belief systems around us.
Underpinning the project is a core belief - self-definition is fluid, but conflict arises because society often fails to keep pace with personal evolution. In each of these stories, the protagonists grapple with their understanding of who they are, who and…
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