19 Must-Read LGBTQIA+ YA Books to Read During Pride Month

Heartbreaking and romantic, Ander & Santi Were Here is the perfect novel for fans of They Both Die at the End and You’ve Reached Sam. While preparing for art school, Ander meets Santi — the new waiter at their family’s taqueria. As the two grow closer, they start to fall for each other, but obstacles lie in their way and make it hard for their love to endure. Grab your tissues and prepare your hearts for this remarkable and tender story, and once you’ve fallen for Ander and Santi, we recommend checking out Jonny Garza Villa’s guest post on writing intersectional stories.  

This coming-of-age story about a basketball player who must rediscover who he is a great read for fans of Heartstopper and Check Please. When Barclay uses a pep rally to come out to his school, his life rapidly changes as his team and town become hostile towards him. As he reevaluates who he is without basketball, his best friend takes him to a voting rights group where he meets Christopher — an undeniably handsome and fearless boy — and the two discover that they might have more in common than they thought. Time Out is a slam dunk of a queer romance circling themes of grief, love and prejudice.   

Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. This sweet coming-of-age YA graphic novel series is just as heartwarming as the title suggests. Heartstopper explores fledgling love, friendship, coming out, and all the high school drama along the way. Emotional but uplifting, this series is all the rage and just got renewed for more seasons on Netflix! 

This novel is all about being queer in the public eye and follows Hunter, a boy band star who’s just had a very painful and public breakup with his first boyfriend. In the midst of his heartbreak, The Label still expects him to be the perfect queer role model for teens, and, unfortunately for him, The Label feels like the attraction he feels for Kavian, the new drummer for the opening band, might hinder the perfect gay boy Hunter plays for the camera as a member of his own band, Kiss & Tell. Full of heart and swoon, Kiss & Tell is a must-read about the pressures that come with being a celebrity.  

Perfect for fans of What If It’s Us and They Both Die at the End, this postapocalyptic debut YA novel will capture hearts with its adventure and romance. Andrew’s injured, starved, and has nothing left to lose when he meets Jamie. When they have to flee their shelter, they discover that they’re both holding secrets and the only way forward is to share them, knowing that it could mess up everything … including the connection that’s been growing between them. 

With Messy Roots, Laura Gao has crafted an engaging, relatable, and at times, laugh-out-loud funny graphic novel detailing her own experience immigrating from Wuhan, China to Texas at an early age. This timely and important read follows the author from childhood to young adulthood as she navigates the complex dynamics of both her cultural identity and sexuality.  

Becky Albertalli has brought us beloved books like Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, and Imogen, Obviously is certain to capture the hearts of her readers. When the World’s Greatest Ally, Imogen, goes to visit her best friend (and newly out) Lili on her college campus, she discovers that Lili’s told all her friends that they used to date. As Imogen goes along with the lie and gets to know one of Lili’s friends, she starts to question whether she really is all that straight. A striking story of identity exploration and change, Albertalli’s latest novel is full of humor and compassion that is sure to resonate with many readers.  

Swoon-worthy rom-coms and Casey McQuiston have become synonymous in our minds, and McQuiston’s YA debut I Kissed Shara Wheeler is no exception. From the bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue and One Last Stop comes another fresh and funny romance about first love and finding yourself, complete with a lively and loveable cast of characters. 

A book set in the summer with road trips and ice cream? Count us in for this delightful romance following Fallon and Chloe, former best friends with a series of misunderstandings that have left them not speaking to each other. When Chloe returns from school, Fallon tries to avoid her — a particularly difficult feat considering their moms own a business together where they both work. When their parents get called away at the last minute, the two team up to work some important food truck festivals across the country, and, along with some unexpected detours, they find that their attraction might just be so hot it could melt the ice cream.  

The type of read that jumps directly into your heart, Ophelia After All is hilarious, heartfelt, and incredibly entertaining. Ophelia is a romantic at heart, and her family and friends make fun of her never-ending revolving door of crushes on boys. So, when she finds herself crushing on a girl, she begins to question the image she has of herself. Alongside tension in her friend group and the impending end of high school, Ophelia must decide whether she’s going to cling to the expectations everyone has of her or rediscover who she really is.  

Perfect for fans of Circe and Lore, Lies We Sing to the Sea is a sapphic fantasy with Greek mythological roots. As Ithaca condemns twelve maidens to hanging each spring, Leta’s execution reveals that death is not all that it seems. On the other side, she meets a girl with the power to command the sea who claims that one more murder could save them all. This tale of sacrifice and magic will wreck readers in the best of ways.  

One of our finalists for the 2023 Children’s and YA Book Awards, We Deserve Monuments is an unforgettable debut about intergenerational trauma, secrecy, and love. When Avery moves to Georgia to care for her terminally ill grandmother, the tension within her family and the town leads her to seek out answers. As she reckons with the town’s racist history and its impact on her family, she must decide whether it’s worth unburying the truth. Jas Hammonds has crafted a gripping and complex story of family and healing.  

Perhaps you recognize the name Hayley Kiyoko, the pop star, actor, and director who can now add author to her repertoire. This summery story introduces us to Coley — recently relocated and grieving — and the girl she’s willing to risk her heart for, even if she’s terrified of opening herself up to love. Inspired by Kiyoko’s breakthrough song and viral music video, Girls Like Girls will embolden you to embrace yourself and accept love.  

This sweet graphic novel follows Morgan, a 15-year-old girl living on a small island in Canada, who one day meets a mysterious selkie named Keltie. At first, Morgan is annoyed by Keltie, but as they spend more time together, she realizes her feelings may be stronger than she anticipated. This charming sapphic coming-of-age story is sure to pull at some heartstrings. 

If you love hate-to-love romcoms, college campuses, and love interests teaming up together to win over other people but falling for each other along the way, then this book is the perfect read for you! Alex is headstrong, chaotic, and flirtatious, and Molly is shy and awkward. When Alex offers to help Molly get her dream girl, the two team up despite Molly’s hesitance to trust Alex. With their five-step plans, the two might just find that falling in love isn’t something you can just plan out.  

Sixteen-year-old Noah runs a popular blog that highlights romantic meet-cutes between transgender people, but there’s one problem — he’s never actually had a meet-cute himself. Oh, and all of the meet-cutes are made up. With the help of his new crush, Drew, Noah tries to save the blog, and ends up with feelings for Drew as well. This delightfully charming read is full of trans joy and a diverse cast of characters that readers will love.  

If you’re looking for a perfectly horrifying summer read, look no further than The Honeys. When Mars’ sister suddenly dies, he sets out to learn all he can about her, even if that means attending a prestigious summer academy. With its picturesque location, old-fashioned gender roles, and a group of girls called the Honeys, it becomes clear that there’s something sinister lurking under the surface. Through this chilling tale of binaries and family bonds, Ryan La Sala explores themes of grief and reinvention.   

When Yadriel’s traditional Latinx family is unwilling to accept his gender, he takes it upon himself to prove that he is a true brujo by secretly performing the sacred rite ritual with his cousin, Maritza. However, what he doesn’t count on is summoning the ghost of his classmate who doesn’t even know he’s dead – or how he died. Part paranormal fantasy, part mystery, part slow-burn romance, Cemetery Boys is a must-read for lovers of all genres. Major bonus points for the rich, atmospheric setting and the mouth-watering descriptions of his abuelita’s Latin cooking. 

Felix Love wants nothing more than to experience his own love story but fears he may be undeserving. When an anonymous troll starts sending him hateful messages and exposes old photos and his deadname to his art school classmates, Felix sets out for revenge. On his quest to uncover the truth, Felix ultimately learns that love has been within his reach the whole time. Felix Ever After is a poignant, personal and deeply heartfelt story of self-discovery.