13 Best Books to Read During Pride Month

We adored Juno Dawson’s Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, a prior Monthly Pick, so we’re thrilled for the second book in the series to be gracing our shelves. While Ciara suffers from amnesia, she must rebuild her past, even if her past hasn’t forgotten her. With the fate of witches and humans hanging in the balance, the stakes have never been higher as the coven fights for what they believe in.   

Janelle Monae does it all: Singer-songwriter, actress, producer, fashion icon and now author, with the publication of The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer, based on the album of the same name. Building off of speculative writers like Octavia Butler, Ted Chiang, Becky Chambers, and Nnedi Okorafor, The Memory Librarian explores themes of queerness, race, gender plurality, and love as well as space, time and the power of memory. 

Named one of our best books of 2021, A Marvellous Light is the debut novel from Freya Marske, co-host of the Hugo Award-nominated podcast Be the Serpent. Marske’s world-building is captivating and magical, making this a perfect read for fans of The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Little Shop of Found Things and is the perfect Edwardian adventure to fill the Bridgerton void. It’s an astoundingly fun and beautifully written debut full of enchanted libraries and underground magicians. A gem. 

A queer retelling of “Sleeping Beauty” where the villain takes center stage? Yes, please! We all know the tale, the curse, the wicked fairy, the kiss … but there is always another version of happily ever after, and this wildly imaginative take on a classic fairy tale offers epic world-building, a rich history and an inventive magical hierarchy. Malice is more than just a retelling, it is a complex character-driven story with harrowing twists, action, political intrigue, betrayal, and a slow-burn romance you never want to end. Check out Misrule: Book Two of the Malice Duology when you’re done! 

Atmospheric and haunting, Wild and Wicked Things is the perfect speculative escape. This beautifully written tale of queer love in an alternative post-WWI England invokes the glittering world of Gatsby with a blend of blood magic and gothic mystique. Perfect for those hungry for twists on the classics. 

This stunning debut is a reimagining of the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana, and it follows Kaikeyi, a woman raised on the stories of the gods. When she finds that she has some magic of her own, she toes the line between duty and rebellion, doing what’s best for the women in her kingdom and what’s expected of her. This is the perfect read for fans of Circe.  

Let this cover of What Moves the Dead explode your eyes and brains. And to assure you, the read lives up to the cover.  If you like Edgar Allen Poe, horror, or speculative fiction, then this retelling of Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” is the spooky summer read you won’t want to miss. Alex, a retired soldier, races to the remote countryside of Ruritania where he finds possessed wildlife, creepy fungal growths, and their childhood friend on her deathbed. A must-read, What Moves the Dead will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you think twice before heading into the woods. We guarantee a one-sitting read that will make you back slowly away from fast approaching hares. Be careful not to tumble as the descent is fast, deep and scary. 

If you recognize the name Nina LaCour, it’s because she’s a huge name in YA, and Yerba Buena is her adult debut that you won’t want to miss! A stunning love story centering around two women with muddled pasts and the love they’ve found together, this devastatingly beautiful book will make a home in your heart. 

For an adult coming of age novel, you have to pick up Honey Girl. Grace Porter isn’t the type of woman for a crazy night in Vegas resulting in marrying a woman she doesn’t know, and yet, PhD wielding Grace does exactly that, leaving her reeling and wondering if all her hard work and appeasement of her parents’ expectations are worth it. So, she flees to New York to spend a summer with the wife she barely knows, and when reality comes crashing in on her, she must face what she’s been running from. 

A debut collection exploring friendship, sexuality, identity, and heartbreak, this book following the lives of two Taiwanese American women over two decades will linger in your mind long after you’ve finished it. Fiona and Jane have been best friends since second grade, and their friendship undergoes the ebbs and flows of life throughout the years. Interwoven yet separate, their story is about them coming to terms with themselves and each other.  

The Oscar-nominated star of Juno shares his truth in Pageboy, a memoir perfect for those who devour I’m Glad My Mom Died. With strength and courage, Elliot pulls back the curtain on his experience with fame, examining his journey to self-discovery in the face of the pressures and criticism of Hollywood. This is an intimate story of embracing oneself and escaping from the expectations of others. 

For a book on birding, identity, and race, pick up this part-memoir, part-travelogue from Christian Cooper — the man involved in the now-infamous incident with a dog walker in Central Park. Cooper’s reverence of the natural world has helped prepare him to claim space as a gay, Black man in America, and as he journeys the world of birds, he reveals all they can teach us. An uplifting book full of wonder, Better Living Through Birding is a candid reflection on his life and experiences.  

It only makes sense to round out this list of fantastic books with something to provide you with snacks and food to celebrate Pride month, or to fuel your insatiable reading habits! With 75 innovative recipes accompanied by inspiring stories from prominent LGBTQIA+ cooks and foodies, this cookbook is a must-own for anyone who wants both delicious and meaningful recipes!