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LGBTQ Inclusive Book Recommendations

LGBTQ Book Recommendations Across Genres

Expanding our world view is one of the greatest benefits and joys of reading. We like to recommend LGBTQ inclusive books all year round but June is a great time to celebrate and amplify books and authors that have made an impact on the community.

Young Adult – The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

It’s time to spring clean your bookshelf! Here is how you can sort through your books to get rid of the ones you won’t read again (and will never reread), and have a beautiful shelf to look at every day.

heart of iron

Fantasy – Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston 

An Anastasia-type story set in space with heaps of action, romance and fun fluff. 

Historical Fiction – The Night Watch by Sarah Walters

A fascinating look at queer culture in 1940s London, The Night Watch follows four Londoners navigating bleak times during and after the war.

the night watch

Thriller – Lakewood by Megan Giddings

A provocative and terrifying thriller about class, race and medical experimentation.

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The Story Behind “the love that dare not speak its name”

The Story Behind “the love that dare not speak its name”

This quote is often attributed to Oscar Wilde although it’s actually from a poem called ‘Two Loves’ by Lord Alfred Douglas. The reason it is often thought Wilde wrote this quote is because during his trial for ‘gross indecency’ in reference to his sexuality.

Britain’s Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1885 had criminalized all sex acts between men as “gross indecency.” Homosexuality was illegal in the UK until the 1960s.

oscar wilde

Wilde denied in court that the line was about romantic love and claimed it described the kind of ‘Platonic love’ from the ancient Greek ideal. The phrase has since been coined as a euphemism for homosexual love, particularly between two men.

Wilde has been the source of many famous quotes like;

  • “I can resist everything except temptation.”
  • “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
  • “You can never be overdressed or overeducated.”
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Malibu Rising Book Review

The Perfect Beachy Read: Malibu Rising Book Review

After loving Daisy Jones and The Six I was excited to pick up Malibu Rising, even if I’m a bit late to it!

In Malibu Rising, 4 siblings get together to throw an infamous party each year, although this year it will end in a fire. The story follows the individual dramas each character is experiencing as well as family history that gives context to where they are now.

The eldest sibling Nina Riva has raised her younger siblings after being abandoned by their rockstar father and their mother passing. Jay Riva is a professional surfer, Hud Riva is a photographer, and the youngest sibling, Kit Riva, is in college. 

In this family drama Taylor Jenkin Reid brings to life a glamorous story about love, tragedy and family. 

As the cover suggests this makes a perfect beach read (or a rainy indoor read), it’s a fun drama with a few unexpected twists and turns. As much as I enjoyed Malibu Rising I would have to say it fell slightly short from Daisy Jones and the Six. Nevertheless I am keen to read more TJR, which would you recommend next?⁠