It's cold and miserable out and I want nothing more than to be wrapped up in bed with a hot drink and a good book. Thankfully there's plenty of queer cosy fiction to choose from - from coffee shops to cottagecore, sci-fi, rom-coms and cosy mystery, here's our list of queer cosy fiction to keep you warm on those cold nights in: Someone You Can Build A Nest In John Wiswell Adult horror/monster romance Queer Rep: Queer Women, Asexual Reading Age: 18+ Shesheshen is a shapeshifter, who happily resides as an amorphous lump at the bottom of a ruined manor. When her rest is interrupted by hunters intent on murdering her, she constructs a body from the remains of past meals: a metal chain for a backbone, borrowed bones for limbs, and a bear trap as an extra mouth. However, the hunters chase Shesheshen out of her home and off a cliff. Badly hurt, she’s found and nursed back to health by Homily, a warm-hearted human, who has mistaken Shesheshen as a fellow human. Homily is kind and nurturing and would make an excellent co-parent: an ideal place to lay Shesheshen’s eggs so their young could devour Homily from the inside out. But as they grow close, she realizes humans don’t think about love that way. Legends & Lattes Travis Baldree Low stakes, high fantasy & coffee Queer Rep: Queer Women Reading Age: 17+ A queer and cosy high fantasy novel with low stakes, a double-shot of self-reinvention and sapphic romance. Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv the orc barbarian cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen. However, her dreams of a fresh start pulling shots instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners and a different kind of resolve. Under The Whispering Door TJ Klune Death, tea & the afterlife Queer Rep: Queer Men Reading Age: 18+ When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead. Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop's owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over. But Wallace isn't ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo's help he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life. Cubs & Campfires Dylan Drakes Bears, writing & lots of sex Queer Rep: Queer Men Reading Age: 18+ Struggling journalism graduate, Luca Torres, never meant to take a vow of celibacy. It was just a dumb idea from a job interview gone wrong. He never thought they’d approve the article. Or make his future career conditional on delivering it. Now, with no choice but to steer clear of temptation for the summer, he takes the most isolated job he can find: a fire lookout in the rural and picturesque mountains of Washington State. However, his goal becomes much harder with the arrival of the husky and flirtatious Artair Osmond, a musician and wilderness enthusiast who takes up camp nearby. Now he must decide what he really desires: the career at the prestigious newspaper, or the big, bearded bear he can’t get out of his head. Board To Death CJ Connor Murder, mystery & boardgames Queer Rep: Queer Men Reading Age: 18+ Back in his hometown of Sugar House running his family’s board game shop and cafe, Ben Rosencrantz just can’t seem to get his life to pass go, much less collect $200. At least the town has become more LGBTQ+ friendly than when Ben was a teenager—and that flower shop owner Ezra McCaslin enjoys flirting with him. But despite his usual clientele of gamers, Ben is barely earning enough to keep the store running and stay on top of his father’s medical bills. Then a local toy and game collector named Clive offers him a winning strategy - to purchase a turn-of-the-twentieth-century edition of The Landlord’s Game, the realty and taxation game that inspired Monopoly, at a tenth of the rare edition’s true value. Suspicious of Clive’s shady, low-priced deal, Ben turns the offer down. Then Clive turns up dead in the dumpster behind Ben’s shop and a backpack full of $100 bills appears on his doorstep. Now Ben is the #1 suspect in Clive’s death, and unless he and Ezra can prove his innocence and find the real killer, he’ll go to jail for murder—and no amount of double dice rolls will set him free . . . House Of Frank Kay Synclaire Grief, loss & magic Queer Rep: Queer Women Reading Age: 18+ Powerless witch Saika is ready to enact her sister’s final to plant her remains at the famed Ash Gardens. When Saika arrives at the always-stormy sanctuary, she is welcomed by its owner, an enormous, knit-cardiganed mythical beast named Frank, who offers her a role as one of the estate’s caretakers. Overcome with grief, Saika accepts, desperate to put off her final farewell to her sister. But the work requires a witch with intrinsic power, and Saika’s been disconnected from her magic since her sister’s death two years prior. Saika gets by at the sanctuary using a fragment of a fallen star to cast enchantments—while hiding the embarrassing truth about herself. As Saika works harder in avoidance of her pain, she learns more about Frank, the decaying house at Ash Gardens, and the lives of the motley staff, including bickering twin cherubs, a mute ghost, a cantankerous elf, and an irritating half witch, among others. Over time, she rediscovers what it means to love and be wholly loved and how to allow her joy and grief to coexist. The Restaurant At The Edge Of The World Oliver Gerlach Cooking, competition & friendship Queer Rep: Queer Women, Non-Binary Reading Age: 12+ At seventeen, Soup is at a crossroads, eager to make her mark on the world, yet reluctant to leave the restaurant she calls home. The last thing on her to-do list is to overthrow the patriarchy, but when her elven boss snaps at her she begins to see his pattern of abuse, starting in the kitchen. Something's got to give, and the answer is a bet for the restaurant. If Soup wins the cooking competition, she'll claim the business and protect her village. If she loses, she'll have to leave her home and stand by as the food community she loves is razed to the ground. With friends and chosen family rallying around her, Soup has a chance to win. Yet, everyone knows villains don't fight fair and this restaurateur is not going to give up his throne so easily . . . The Teller Of Small Fortunes Julie Leong Family, fortunes & adventure Queer Rep: Aro/Ace, Queer Cast Reading Age: 18+ Tao is an immigrant fortune teller, traveling between villages with just her trusty mule for company. She only tells "small" fortunes: whether it will hail next week; which boy the barmaid will kiss; when the cow will calve. She knows from bitter experience that big fortunes come with big consequences… Even if it’s a lonely life, it’s better than the one she left behind. But a small fortune unexpectedly becomes something more when a (semi) reformed thief and an ex-mercenary recruit her into their desperate search for a lost child. Soon, they’re joined by a baker with a knead for adventure, and - of course - a slightly magical cat. Tao sets down a new path with companions as big-hearted as her fortunes are small. But as she lowers her walls, the shadows of her past are closing in - and she’ll have to decide whether to risk everything to preserve the family she never thought she could have. The Honey Witch Sydney J. Shields Witches, magic &bees Queer Rep: Queer Women Reading Age: 18+ Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow to any of the suitors who’ve tried to woo her. So when her grandmother whisks her away to the family cottage on the tiny Isle of Innisfree with an offer to train her as the next Honey Witch, she accepts immediately. But her newfound magic and independence come with a No one can fall in love with the Honey Witch. When Lottie Burke, a notoriously grumpy skeptic who doesn’t believe in magic, shows up on her doorstep, Marigold can’t resist the challenge to prove to her that magic is real. But soon, Marigold begins to care for Lottie in ways she never expected. And when darker magic awakens and threatens to destroy her home, she must fight for much more than her new home—at the risk of losing her magic and her heart. Floating Hotel Grace Curtis Sci-fi, mystery & chosen family Queer Rep: Queer Cast Reading Age: 17+ Welcome to the Grand Abeona home of the finest food, the sweetest service, and the very best views the galaxy has to offer. All year round it moves from planet to planet, system to system, pampering guests across the furthest reaches of the milky way. The last word in sub-orbital luxury - and an absolute magnet for intrigue. Intrigues such as: Why are there love poems in the lobby inbox? How many Imperial spies are currently on board? What is the true purpose of the Problem Solver’s conference? And perhaps most pertinently— who is driving the ship? Each guest has a secret, every member of staff a universe unto themselves. At the center of these interweaving lives and interlocking mysteries stands Carl, one time stowaway, longtime manager, devoted caretaker to the hotel. It’s the love of his life and the only place he’s ever called home. But as forces beyond Carl’s comprehension converge on the Abeona, he has to face one final when is it time to let go? The Baker & The Bard Fern Haught Mushrooms, magic & adventure Queer Rep: Non-Binary Reading Age: 12+ Juniper and Hadley have a good thing going in Larkspur, spending their respective days apprenticing at a little bakery and performing at the local inn. But when a stranger makes an unusual order at the bakery, the two friends (and Hadley's pet snake, Fern) set out on a journey to forage the magical mushrooms needed to make the requested galette pastries. Along the way, Juniper and Hadley stumble across a mystery too compelling to ignore: Something has been coming out of the woods at night and eating the local farmers' crops, leaving only a trail of glowy goo behind. Intent on finally going on an adventure that could fuel their bardic craft, Hadley tows Juniper into the woods to investigate. Can't Spell Treason Without Tea Rebecca Thorne Mishap, mystery & murderous queens Queer Rep: Queer Women Reading Age: 18+ All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters… all complemented by love and good company. Thing is, Reyna works as one of the Queen’s private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she’s thoroughly done risking her life for a self-centered queen. Meanwhile, Kianthe has been waiting for a chance to flee responsibility–all the better that her girlfriend is on board. Together, they settle in Tawney, a town that boasts more dragons than people, and open the shop of their dreams. In a story brimming with hurt/comfort and quiet fireside conversations, these two women will discover just what they mean to each other… and the world. Think we've missed something great? Send us a message on Instagram @ProudGeek Bookshop  or email us at contact@proud-geek.co.uk  ✌

Everyone loves a night out, but sometimes it’s nice to hang out with people without being drunk in a club at 1am. Birmingham has some amazing queer clubs and bars, but there’s also plenty to do away from the nightlife. Whether you’re new to the city and looking for friends or just want something to do at the weekend (that doesn’t involve downing pints and flashing lights), here’s our list of queer events, clubs and socials that are currently going on in Birmingham right now. QUEER ARTS & CREATIVITY: QUEER AS JOKE (18+) QUEER COMEDY CLUB @QueerAsJoke Birmingham's only LGBTQIA+ Stand Up Comedy night showcases queer comedy from across the UK. Each month join hosts Cycki Brokat, Ellen Degenerate and Gareth Williams for a night of fun, joy and laugh-out-loud comedy Tickets are £10 on the door - Line Up changes monthly. SHOUT QUEER ARTS & CULTURE @Shout_Festival After almost 15 years as an annual festival, SHOUT has recently shifted to a year-round programme of events supporting queer art & culture in Birmingham. They run a bunch of projects that celebrate the work of LGBTQ+ artists and communities across the Midlands. There are parties, gallery exhibitions, historical archives and queer performances throughout the year, and they also offer artist development support through Work In Progress sharing, commissioning, and providing spaces for people to connect. Find out more about upcoming events at https://shoutfestival.co.uk BIRMINGHAM GAYMERS QUEER BOARD GAME CLUB @BirminghamGaymers Birmingham Gaymers is a safe space for LGBTQ+ folk and allies to meet new friends, connect with old ones, eat, drink and of course play board games. The meet-up is pretty informal. Turn up from 1pm, organisers will be on hand to make game suggestions and help you find a group if you need one. If you have something at home you're eager to play, bring it along. Entry is £4 per person to cover the table hire. JOURNEY FILM CLUB QUEER FILM CLUB @JourneyFilmClub Journey Film Club are a non-profit queer film club that prides itself on delivering the best in queer cinema. They meet once a month at Birmingham's LGBT Centre and show a variety of different types of films to suit all tastes. Tickets £1 - includes refreshments HOUSE OF ALLURE (18+) BURLESQUE AND CABARET GROUP @_houseofallure_ House of Allure is Birmingham's newest empowerment presence. Promoting sex appeal, confidence, and fitness through burlesque-based classes and performances, such as heels, burlesque fusion, and traditional burlesque in a safe environment. Follow House of Allure on Instagram for updates about upcoming shows. V.ENUS EVENTS (18+) OPEN MIC-NIGHT @v.enus.events V.enus Events regularly host open mic nights at The Nightingale, although they're currently looking for a new venue. You can expect a variety of performers, from drag to stand-up, burlesque, music and poetry, and they often collaborate with people like @thegaybourhoodevents to shift into more of a club night once the open mic is over. Tickets usually start at £7 - you can follow @ v.enus.events on Instagram for the latest updates. BARDS & BOOK (over 50s) QUEER BOOK CLUB @Birmingham_LGBT Bards & Books is a super-friendly LGBT book club based in Birmingham run by volunteers. Books are chosen by vote each month and meetings are held on the first Monday of the month from 11am to 1pm - with time to socialise too. Membership is available to those over 25 and most of the group are over 50. The group also has an ongoing podcasting project. QUEER ART CLUB BRUM QUEER ART CLUB @QueerArtClubBrum Held at Sons of Rest Building in Handsworth Park, Queer Art Club Brum invites you to bring your own art projects, make some art, meet new people and try out art materials and methods together. It's a community-based event and not-for-profit, so donations of new materials are always welcome. Coffee, tea and biscuits are provided too. LIMELIGHT OPEN MIC NIGHT @FruitPunchBrum Limelight Open Mic is a four-hour queer-friendly open mic night held once a month by @FruitPunchBrum  at Cherry Red's Cafe Bar. Showcase your skills, or to simply enjoy a night filled with creativity, laughter and joy - all whilst supporting Birmingham's local artists! The event runs from 6PM-10PM Tickets are £5 on the door. ACTING OUT BRUM (18+) QUEER THEATRE GROUP @Acting.Out.Brum Acting Out is a Birmingham-based acting group for the LGBTQ+ community that meets every Thursday at The Old Rep Theatre between 7pm-9pm. From complete newbies to seasoned professionals, they're a diverse and inclusive group who are always welcoming of new members interested in any aspects of production and performance. The team produce and perform at least one play a year, and also perform every month at Up to Scratch at The Old Rep. QUEER SPORTS CLUBS: GAY CITY BOWLERS (18+) QUEER BOWLING CLUB @GayCityBowlers Gay City Bowlers and an LGBTQ+ inclusive ten pin bowling group who host monthly events in Liverpool, Nottingham, Bristol, London, Birmingham and Cardiff. Tickets are £18 and covers 2 games. BIRMINGHAM SWIFTS (18+) QUEER RUNNING CLUB @BirminghamSwifts Birmingham’s LGBTQ+ inclusive running club hosts a main social run on Thursdays and joins a local park run on Saturdays. They also offer group coaching sessions, 121 coaching and wellbeing events throughout the year. The club is free to join with an optional supporter membership of £13. BIRMINGHAM UNICORNS (18+) QUEER CRICKET CLUB @BhamUnicorns Birmingham Unicorns are an LGBTQ+ inclusive cricket club based in south Birmingham, playing friendly fixtures. New players are always welcome and full equipment is available to borrow. Full membership is £35 with concessions at £10. BIRMINGHAM BULLS (18+) QUEER RUGBY CLUB @BrumBullsRFC The Birmingham Bulls are an LGBTQ+ inclusive rugby team that encourages new members to come along regardless of ability. Training is held on Wednesday evenings at Yardley & District Rugby Club. The club is FREE to join for the first month. DEPOT CLIMBING LGBTQ+ NIGHT (18+) QUEER BOULDERING CLUB @DepotBirmingham The Depot Climbing Centre in Birmingham is an indoor bouldering centre that has over 1000 square metres of climbing surfaces graded from V0 to V10. Their LGBTQ+ night is held on Fridays between 7-9pm. Member Entry is £10/Non-Member Entry is £11. BIRMINGHAM BLAZE (18+) QUEER FOOTBALL CLUB @BlazeFC Birmingham Blaze FC is an LGBTQ+ team competing in the local Birmingham leagues as well as nationally and internationally in tournaments. They train on Wednesday evenings and play 11-a-side matches on Sunday mornings in the Festival League . BICYCLE ADVENTURE CLUB QUEER CYCLING CLUB @BicycleAdventureClub The Bicycle Adventure Club is a cycling group that organises non-competitive group rides across Birmingham and the West Midlands. Explore, learn, camp, drink tea, eat cake and have a good time. You can find a list of their upcoming rides on their website here: Ride With Us MOSELEY SHOALS QUEER SWIMMING & WATER POLO CLUB @Moseley_Shoals Moseley Shoals host weekly evening and weekend LGBTQ+ inclusive swimming sessions throughout the year. They also run water polo sessions every fortnight at their Wednesday swim, where they play for fun - suitable both for those who have played before or are completely new to the sport. Your first session is FREE. QUEER SOCIALS & MEETUPS: FRUIT PUNCH QUEER BLACK & POC SOCIAL @FruitPunchBrum Fruit Punch is a Black & POC queer-led collective that hosts several events across Birmingham monthly - their queer black & POC social runs every first Wednesday of the month from 6pm. Join them at The Anchor in Digbeth for a night of fun and games in a space for queer black and POC people to exist. BIRMINGHAM BUTCH BAR BUTCH SOCIAL @BrumButchBar Birmingham Butch Bar is a monthly event (currently held in Digbeth & Stirchley) celebrating butch, dyke, transmasc and gender non-conforming people in Birmingham. They're trans, cis, and non-gender inclusive and put on events at fun and welcoming spaces where people can build connections and friendship, grow as a community and find solidarity through both sober and non-sober events. They also have a WhatsApp group. MIDSBEARS GBTQ+ BEAR SOCIAL @MidsBears MidsBears is a social and networking group whose aim is to provide members of the Bear Community with a wide range of social activities. They host several events throught the year across the Midlands including monthly meetups in Birmingham as well as an annual Bear Weekend usually held in October. THE TRANS TEAROOM TRANS & GENDER DIVERSE SOCIAL @TheTransTearoom The Trans Tearoom is a trans-led community space for gender diverse, non-binary and trans people across the West Midlands to enjoy some coffee, cake and community. Weekly drop-in sessio ns are held every Wednesday between 1pm-4pm, at Carrs Lane Church, not far from Birmingham Moore Street Station. SCSSR (18+) LESBIAN-FOCUSED FLINTA EVENTS & SOCIALS @ SCSSR.Events SCSSR is a social community for LGBTQ+ women, trans and non-binary people that organises regular group meet-ups including hikes, meals, sport events, and nightlife. Socials are held across the West Midlands with a focus on Birmingham and Coventry. You can also join their WhatsApp community here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GqV1VFMuqPtBGes8COMjH7 GOLDEN BABS LGBTQ+ 50s+ SOCIAL @Birmingham_LGBT Golden Babs is a vibrant LGBT+ community initiative held at Birmingham LGBT Centre every Tuesday for those aged 50 and over to gather, connect, and celebrate through enriching activities. They offer coffee mornings, arts and crafts, movies, dance, poetry, music, and engaging workshops. Pop in from 10.30am to 1pm for a weekly dose of joy, diversity, and shared experiences. RAINBOW CONNECTIONS QUEER COFFEE AND CAKE SOCIAL @Rainbow_Connections_Brum Rainbow Connections runs a monthly meetup for coffee and cake on the first Saturday of every month at Boston Tea Party on Corporation Street in the heart of Birmingham. Join them from 2:30 - 4:30pm for a coffee, some cake, and a catch-up - just head past the till and into the lower seating area (you'll see the banner, you can't miss them!). It's free to attend and open to everyone. BIRMINGHAM NONBINARY GROUP NON-BINARY SOCIAL @BirminghamNonBinaryGroup The Birmingham Nonbinary Group is a monthly sober social for anyone who falls outside the gender binary. It's a three-hour hang-out held one Saturday a month at Moseley Hive on Moseley Highstreet. The Venue is fully accessible and has gender-neutral toilets. YARANA SOUTH ASIAN & MIDDLE EASTERN SOCIAL @Birmingham_LGBT Yarana face-to-face support group has been created to help bring South Asian & Middle Eastern LGBTQI+ people together. Events are held every three weeks at the Birmingham LGBT Center on a Saturday, 4pm–6pm. Q HIVE SOBER QUEER SOCIAL @Q_Hive_Bham Q Hive is a queer-led sober event that takes place at The Moseley Hive in Moseley - it's a fully accessible space and hosts a range of events from queer film nights to coffee mornings, as well as boardgame and craft events. Events usually take place on Saturday mornings once a month between 10am-12pm. TRANSMASCULINE BIRMINGHAM (18+) TRANS-MASC SOCIAL www.facebook.com/transmasculinebirmingham Trans Masculine Birmingham (TMB) is a support group for adults 18+ who identify as trans male, transmasculine, non-binary, and/or gender questioning. Meetings include social events and activities, as well as discussions and workshops (topics such as trans admin, healthcare, parenthood, employment, and relationship health). LGBT NATURE CONNECT QUEER NATURE SOCIAL @lgbtnatureconnect The aim of LGBT+ Nature Connect is to help you reconnect with nature through LGBTQ+ friendly guided walks, lessons about nature, and other fun social activities in various pubs and cafes local to the Lickey Hills and Waseley Hills area. Everyone is welcome, even if you’re not part of the LGBTQ+ community, all you need is an open mind and a love for nature! LBTQ+ WOMEN’S SOCIAL LBTQ+ WOMEN'S SOCIAL @Birmingham_LGBT The LBTQ+ Women's Social is a social group for all LBTQ+ women held monthly at the Birmingham LGBT Centre at 4pm. Pop in for refreshments and a chat, in a safe and friendly space. HANGOUT NAKED MIDLANDS (18+) QUEER MEN'S NUDIST SOCIAL @hangoutnakedmidlands Hang Out Naked Midlands is a new social event for GBTQ+ men, where they get together to chat, have a drink and connect socially whilst naked. They're a supportive and friendly group made up of all body types and hold regular hangouts once a month in a warm, friendly venue in the Gay Village. Entry is £7 on the door. Please note - HONM is a completely non-sexual environment at all times. KINK SOCIALS & EVENTS: CLUB SCRITCHES (18+) PET PLAY SOCIAL @ClubScritches Club Scritches is a friendly and inclusive social pet play event held every fourth Saturday of the month at the Eden in Birmingham. The event runs from 1pm-6pm - there are games, a raffle, and a soft play area with a ball pit. It's a safe and non-judgemental event for pet players of all gender expressions with no mandatory dress code; however, be respectful and cover your genitals. Entry is FREE. BIRMINGHAM FETISH MEN (18+) GBTQ+ LEATHER & FETISH SOCIAL @BirminghamFetishMen Birmingham Fetish Men is an inclusive quarterly fetish night for men, those who identify as men, transmasculine, and non-binary people who live in the West Midlands. Alongside their heavier nights focusing on play, they also hold social events featuring cabaret and comedy, as well as wine tastings, dinners and cigar socials during their Birmingham Fetishmen Weekend (held annually in November). Entry for the regular event is £10 in advance or £15 on the door. Please note that this event has a strict dress code, which you can find on their website here: https://birminghamfetish.com/#dress-code BIRMINGHAM BIZARRE BAZAAR (18+) FETISH SOCIAL & MARKET @BirminghamBizarre The Birmingham Bizarre Bazaar is a queer-inclusive monthly alternative market held every third Sunday of the month at The Village Inn and Nightingale Club. Attendees are encouraged to express themselves (particularly when it comes to their clothing) and it's a great place to socialise or do some shopping in the market area. Entry is £7 on the door. TEMPORARY CRUISING ZONE (18+) ALL-GENDER SEX PARTY @TemporaryCruisingZone Temporary Cruising Zone is a members-only, trans ran, all-gender queer sex party based in Birmingham that seeks to provide queer people with a space to express themselves and their desires, flaunt their sexuality and meet new friends and lovers in a welcoming environment. The party runs from 2pm-8pm (last entry 3.30pm) and the entry fee operates on a sliding scale. Pay on arrival: £10-£20 (plus £20 lifetime venue membership on your first visit) Want to add your event to our list? Ping us a message over on Instagram @ProudGeekBookshop  or email us at contact@proud-geek.co.uk  ✌

It's that time of year again: the Trans Rights Readathon is back for 2026. This year, it runs  from the 17th of March to the 31st of March, in the lead-up to Trans Day of Visibility 2026. The Trans Rights Readathon is an annual campaign for readers & book lovers to read more books written by and featuring trans, genderqueer, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, and 2Spirit authors and characters. Each year, they create a new Trans Rights Readathon bingo card to help readers read more diversely. This year's bingo card includes nine prompts and we thought it might be a good idea to give you some recommendations for each prompt. From books about trans elders to comics about trans joy, genderqueer adventure and non-binary memoirs, here are a few suggestions of trans books to help you get started on your reading journey this Trans Rights Readathon: If you're taking part in the Trans Rights Readathon this year, feel free to tag @transrightsreadathon  on socials or use the hashtags #trr26  and #transrightsreadathon .  Nonbinary and Gender Expansive Rep with Diverse Bodies Books by an author or featuring a main character who exists outside of the gender binary. Love, Misha by Askel Aden Genre: YA Fantasy Graphic Novel Reading age: 14+ Can this road trip get any worse? Yes, Mom (Audrey) wanted to spend time with Misha. And yes, she’s never around and they don’t even live together, so this is a rare opportunity. But Audrey still thinks of Misha as her daughter, despite Misha being non-binary and trying to talk to her openly about it. Misha even tries to write how they feel in a letter, but that isn’t going well either. Then a wrong turn down a forest road leads the mother-child duo straight into the Realm of Spirits! Suddenly in peril and without a clue how to return to their world, Misha and Audrey will have to work together to find their way back home. But can they find a way back to each other? It's a great little graphic novel ab out family schism and reconciliation that effortlessly enriches the complex dynamics of mother and child. My Best Friend's Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner Genre: Erotic Rom-Com Reading age: 18+ Elsie Hoffman has been engaged to her college boyfriend for a year and a half. Ginny Holtz has been in love with Elsie for almost a decade and a half. When Elsie discovers her fiancé already planned their wedding and honeymoon as a surprise and she’s expected to be in a white dress in seven days, she swiftly realizes she’s let herself become too comfortable with a future she never wanted. She breaks things off, and a week later is on a plane to the Caribbean for her non-refundable honeymoon with her best friend Ginny instead. Ginny thinks it’s high time Elise learned how to speak up for herself. So, they make a deal with her. For the next week, Elsie can have whatever she wants, wherever, however, and whenever she wants it, as long as she asks. They never expected Elsie to want them. Bad Queer by Gayathiri Kamalakanthan Genre: YA Coming-Of-Age Novel In Verse Reading age: 14+ Prema knows exactly who they are. Coming out as non-binary to their queer parents and best friend? A total non-event. Catching feelings for Blessing - the boy in drama club whose smile makes their heart race? That’s trickier. As their final year of school unfolds and the two of them grow closer, Prema starts to question: Does Blessing really see them? Or just a version of them that doesn’t exist? They’d ask their best friend for advice, but she’s busy falling in love too... With gorgeous illustrations throughout, Bad Queer draws us deeply into queer friendship, family secrets, and the necessary act of loving yourself. Perfect for fans of Alice Oseman, Dean Atta, and Sarah Crossan. A Book About Trans+ Youth or that Imagines the Future Books focusing on trans youth or imagining trans futures. Welcome To St Hell by Lewis Hancox Genre: YA Graphic Memoir Reading age: 14+ Lewis has a few things to say to his younger teen self. He knows she hates her body. He knows she's confused about who to snog. He knows she's really a he and will ultimately realize this... but she's going to go through a whole lot of mess (some of it funny, some of it not funny at all) to get to that point. Lewis is trying to tell her this... but she's refusing to listen. In Welcome To St. Hell, author-illustrator Lewis Hancox takes readers on the hilarious, heartbreaking, and healing path he took to make it past trauma, confusion, hurt, and dubious fashion choices in order to become the man he was meant to be. It's a remarkable, groundbreaking graphic memoir from an unmistakably bold new voice in comics. There's also a second volume for anyone interested in following up of Lewis's life called Escape From St Hell. Old Wounds by Logan-Ashley Kisner Genre: YA Paranormal Horror Reading age: 14+ Elsie Hoffman has been engaged to her college boyfriend for a year and a half. Ginny Holtz has been in love with Elsie for almost a decade and a half. When Elsie discovers her fiancé already planned their wedding and honeymoon as a surprise and she’s expected to be in a white dress in seven days, she swiftly realizes she’s let herself become too comfortable with a future she never wanted. She breaks things off, and a week later is on a plane to the Caribbean for her non-refundable honeymoon with her best friend Ginny instead. Ginny thinks it’s high time Elise learned how to speak up for herself. So, they make a deal with her. For the next week, Elsie can have whatever she wants, wherever, however, and whenever she wants it, as long as she asks. They never expected Elsie to want them. Another Kind by Cait May & Trevor Bream Genre: YA Fantasy Adventure Graphic Novel Reading age: 10+ Six kids search for a new place to call home in this middle-grade graphic novel. Tucked away in a government facility nicknamed the Playroom, six not-quite-human kids learn to control their strange and unpredictable abilities. Life is good - or safe, at least - hidden from the prying eyes of a judgmental world. That is, until a security breach forces them out of their home and into the path of the Collector, a mysterious being with leech-like powers. Can the group band together to thwart the Collector's devious plan, or will they wind up the newest addition to his collection? A Trans+ Book someone recommended to you Books by trans authors with trans main characters that I loved and would recommend to you. Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson Genre: Urban Fantasy Reading age: 18+ Her Majesty's Royal Coven follows a topsecret government department of witches and the deadly threat to the nation that they must confront. Hidden among us is a secret coven of witches. They are Her Majesty's Royal Coven. They protect crown and country from magical forces and otherworldly evil. But their greatest enemy will come from within. There are whisperings of a prophecy that will bring the coven to its knees, and five best friends are about to be caught at the centre. Life as a modern witch was never simple... but now it's about to get apocalyptic. Prepare to be bewitched by Juno Dawson's first adult series. A story of ancient prophecies and modern dating, of sacred sisterhood and demonic frenemies. Galaxy The Prettiest Star by Jadzia Axelrod & Jess Taylor Genre: YA Sci-Fi Graphic Novel Reading age: 13+ It takes strength to live as your true self, and one alien princess disguised as a human boy is about to test her power. A vibrant story about gender identity, romance, and shining as bright as the stars. Taylor Barzelay has the perfect life. Good looks, good grades, a starting position on the basketball team, a loving family, even an adorable corgi. Every day in Taylor’s life is perfect. And every day is torture. Taylor is actually the Galaxy Crowned, an alien princess from the planet Cyandii, and one of the few survivors of an intergalactic war. For six long, painful years, Taylor has accepted her duty to remain in hiding as a boy on Earth. That all changes when Taylor meets Metropolis girl Katherine “call me Kat” Silverberg, whose confidence is electrifying. Suddenly, Taylor no longer wants to hide, even if exposing her true identity could attract her greatest enemies. The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas Genre: YA Fantasy Adventure Reading age: 13+ As each new decade begins, the Sun’s power must be replenished so that Sol can keep traveling along the sky and keep the evil Obsidian gods at bay. Ten semidioses between the ages of thirteen and eighteen are selected by Sol as the most worthy to compete in The Sunbearer Trials. The winner carries light and life to all the temples of Reino del Sol, but the loser has the greatest honor of all - they will be sacrificed to Sol. Teo, a 17-year-old Jade semidiós and the trans son of Quetzal, goddess of birds, has never worried about the Trials… or rather, he’s only worried for others. His best friend Niya - daughter of Tierra, the god of earth - is one of the strongest heroes of their generation and is much too likely to be chosen this year. He also can’t help but worry (reluctantly, and under protest) for Aurelio, a powerful Gold semidiós and Teo’s friend-turned-rival who is a shoo-in for the Trials. But then, for the first time in over a century, Sol chooses a semidiós who isn’t a Gold. In fact, he chooses two: Xio, the 13-year-old child of Mala Suerte, god of bad luck, and… Teo. Now they must compete in five mysterious trials, against opponents who are both more powerful and better trained, for fame, glory, and their own survival. A Book About Trans Elders or Trans History Books by or about trans elders, like a memoir or biography, or a trans history book. Calling My Deadname Home by Avi Ben-Zeev Genre: Memoir - Non-Fiction Reading age: 18+ In this extraordinarily compelling trans memoir, Avi, a bearish trans man and Psychology Professor, navigates sex and dating in a phallic-centric universe of men who love men. But something is missing. To become the man he aspires to be, he needs to reconnect with Talia, his hyper-feminine straight female past, and invite her back in. This memoir explores what it means to come home to oneself with brutal honesty, humour, and self-compassion, going well beyond gender. From growing up in a working-class right-wing Israeli family and barely finishing high school to pro-Palestinian activism and escaping compulsory military service by faking madness, to attaining a PhD from Yale-a triumph after poor schooling. Told in three episodes, early transition, later transition and Talia's story, this memoir tackles contemporary gender and social issues. At its heart is a universal theme: to become who we already are, we must integrate the past into the present. Trans Britain edited by Christine Burns Genre: Trans History & Essays - Non-Fiction Reading age: 18+ Over the last five years, transgender people have seemed to burst into the public eye: Time declared 2014 a 'trans tipping point', while American Vogue named 2015 'the year of trans visibility'. From our television screens to the ballot box, transgender people have suddenly become part of the zeitgeist. This apparently overnight emergence, though, is just the latest stage in a long and varied history. The renown of Paris Lees and Hari Nef has its roots in the efforts of those who struggled for equality before them, but were met with indifference - and often outright hostility - from mainstream society. Trans Britain chronicles this journey in the words of those who were there to witness a marginalised community grow into the visible phenomenon we recognise today: activists, film-makers, broadcasters, parents, an actress, a rock musician and a priest, among many others. Here is everything you always wanted to know about the background of the trans community, but never knew how to ask. Before We Were Trans by Kit Heyam Genre: Trans History - Non-fiction Reading age: 18+ Today’s narratives about trans people tend to feature individuals with stable gender identities that fit neatly into the categories of male or female. Those stories, while important, fail to account for the complex realities of many trans people’s lives.   Before We Were Trans  illuminates the stories of people across the globe, from antiquity to the present, whose experiences of gender have defied binary categories. Blending historical analysis with sharp cultural criticism, trans historian and activist Kit Heyam offers a new, radically inclusive trans history, chronicling expressions of trans experience that are often overlooked, like gender-nonconforming fashion and wartime stage performance.  Before We Were Trans  transports us from Renaissance Venice to seventeenth-century Angola, from Edo Japan to early America, and looks to the past to uncover new horizons for possible trans futures.   Trans+ Book Featuring Joy/Love/Resistance Books focusing on trans joy, love or resistance by or about trans people. The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill Genre: Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy Reading age: 18+ A poignant and enchanting novel about a magical bookstore that transports a trans man through time and brings him face-to-face with his teenage self, offering him the chance of a lifetime to examine his life and identity to find a new beginning. When Darby finds himself unemployed and in need of a fresh start, he moves back to the small Illinois town he left behind. But Oak Falls has changed almost as much as he has since he left. One thing is familiar: In Between Books, Darby’s refuge growing up and eventual high school job. When he walks into the bookstore now, Darby feels an eerie sense of déjà vu - everything is exactly the same. Even the newspapers are dated 2009. And behind the register is a teen who looks a lot like Darby did at sixteen... who just might give Darby the opportunity to change his own present for the better—if he can figure out how before his connection to the past vanishes forever. Transmogrify edited by G Haron Davis Genre: YA Fantasy Anthology Reading age: 14+ Perfect for fans of All Out and Cemetery Boys, this anthology claims a seat at the table of fantasy literature for trans and gender-nonconforming stories. Transness is as varied and colorful as magic can be. In Transmogrify!, you’ll embark on fourteen different adventures alongside unforgettable characters who embody many different genders and expressions and experiences - because magic is for everyone, and that is cause for celebration. It's a great little collection of fourteen fantastical tales of trans magic. Featuring stories from people like AR Capetta and Cory McCarthy, G. Haron Davis, Mason Deaver, Jonathan Lenore Kastin, Emery Lee, Saundra Mitchell, Cam Montgomery, Ash Nouveau, Sonora Reyes, Renee Reynolds, Dove Salvatierra, Ayida Shonibar, Francesca Tacchi and Nik Traxler. A Lady For A Duke by Alexis Hall Genre: Adult Historical Romance Reading age: 18+ When Viola Caroll was presumed dead at Waterloo she took the opportunity to live, at last, as herself. But freedom does not come without a price, and Viola paid for hers with the loss of her wealth, her title, and her closest companion, Justin de Vere, the Duke of Gracewood. Only when their families reconnect, years after the war, does Viola learn how deep that loss truly was. Shattered without her, Gracewood has retreated so far into grief that Viola barely recognises her old friend in the lonely, brooding man he has become. As Viola strives to bring Gracewood back to himself, fresh desires give new names to old feelings. Feelings that would have been impossible once and may be impossible still, but which Viola cannot deny. Even if they cost her everything, all over again. Transfemme/Transwoman Rep with multiple trans characters Books with a trans author or main character who identifies as a trans woman or on the feminine side of the trans experience. Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin Genre: Adult Dystopian Horror Reading age: 18+ An explosive post-apocalyptic novel that follows trans women and men on a grotesque journey of survival. Beth and Fran spend their days travelling the ravaged New England coast, hunting feral men and harvesting their organs in a gruesome effort to ensure they'll never face the same fate. Robbie lives by his gun and one hard-learned motto: other people aren't safe. After a brutal accident entwines the three of them, this found family of survivors must navigate murderous TERFs, a sociopathic billionaire bunker brat, and awkward relationship dynamics - all while outrunning packs of feral men, and their own demons. Manhunt is a timely, powerful response to every gender-based apocalypse story that failed to consider the existence of transgender and non-binary people, from a powerful new voice in horror. A/S/L by Jeanne Thornton Genre: Adult Lit-Fic Reading age: 18+ It is 1998; Lilith, Sash, and Abraxa are teenagers, and they are making Saga of the Sorceress, a game that will change everything, if only for the three of them. 18 years later, Saga of the Sorceress still exists only on the scattered drives of its creators. Lilith might be the first trans woman to ever work as an Assistant Loan Underwriter at Dollarwise Investments in Brooklyn. Sash is in Brooklyn as well, working as a research assistant and part-time webcam dominatrix. Neither knows that the other is there, or that Abraxa, the third member of Invocation LLC, is just across the Hudson River, sleeping on the floor of a friend’s grandparents’ Jersey City home. They have never met in person, and have been out of touch for years, but none have forgotten the sorceress, or her quest, still far from finished. Herculine by Grace Byron Genre: Adult Horror Reading age: 18+ Herculine’s narrator has demons. Sure, her life includes several hallmarks of the typical trans girl sob story - conversion therapy, a string of shitty low-paying jobs, and even shittier exes - but she also regularly debates sleep paralysis demons that turn to mist soon after she wakes and carries vials of holy oil in her purse. Nothing, though, prepares her for the new malevolent force stalking her through the streets of New York City. Desperate to escape this ancient evil, she flees to rural Indiana, where her ex-girlfriend started an all-trans girl commune in the middle of the woods. The secluded camp, named after 19th-century intersex memoirist Herculine Barbin, is a scrappy operation, but the shared sense of community among the girls is a welcome balm to the narrator’s growing isolation and paranoia. Still, something isn’t quite right at Herculine. Girls stop talking as soon as she enters the room, everyone seems to share a common secret, and the books lining the walls of the library harbor strange cryptograms. Soon what once looked like an escape becomes a trap all its own. Transmasc/Trans Man Rep by a BIPOC Author Books with a trans author or main character who identifies as a trans man or on the masculine side of the trans experience. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy Reading age: 14+ A trans boy determined to prove his gender to his traditional Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free. However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school's resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He's determined to find out what happened and tie off some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave. Boys Run The Riot by Keito Gaku Genre: YA Slice-Of-Life Manga Reading age: 14+ A transgender teen named Ryuu finds an escape from the expectations and anxieties of his daily life in the world of street fashion. High schooler Ryuu knows he's transgender. But he doesn't have anyone to confide in about the confusion he feels. He can't tell his best friend, who he's secretly got a crush on, and he can't tell his mom, who's constantly asking why Ryuu is always dressing like a boy. He certainly can't tell Jin, the new transfer student who looks like just another bully. The only time Ryuu feels at ease is when he's wearing his favorite clothes. Then, and only then, the world melts away, and he can be his true self. One day, while out shopping, Ryuu sees an unexpected sight: Jin. The kid who looked so tough in class is shopping for the same clothes that Ryuu loves. And Jin offers Ryuu a proposal: to start their own brand and create apparel to help everyone feel comfortable in their skin. Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender Genre: YA Magical Fantasy Reading age: 13+ Only an elite few are legally permitted to study the science of magic - so when Ash is rejected by Lancaster College of Alchemic Science, he takes a job as the school’s groundskeeper instead, forced to learn alchemy in secret. When he’s discovered by the condescending and brilliant apprentice Ramsay Thorne, Ash is sure he's about to be arrested - but instead of calling the reds, Ramsay surprises Ash by making him an offer: Ramsay will keep Ash's secret if he helps her find the legendary Book of Source, a sacred text that gives its reader extraordinary power. As Ash and Ramsay work together and their feelings for each other grow, Ash discovers their mission is more dangerous than he imagined, pitting them against influential and powerful alchemists—Ash’s estranged father included. Ash’s journey takes him through the cities and wilds across New Anglia, forcing him to discover his own definition of true power and how far he and other alchemists will go to seize it. 2Spirit, Indigiqueer, and Indigenous Gender Expansive Rep Books by an author or featuring a main character who holds a gender identity outside of the gender binary, and which exists outside of Western definitions of transness and/or queerness. The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon Genre: YA Dystopian Adventure Reading age: 10+ One year ago, a solar flare scorched the Earth and destroyed life as we know it. With their parents gone and their supplies running low, grieving step-sisters Millie and Rose leave home with their infant half-brother in search of Millie’s grandma, a Seminole elder - who Millie knows in her gut is still alive, even if Rose isn't so sure. Along the way, they meet a group of other surviving kids calling themselves the Lost Boys and their lone adult leader, who reluctantly agree to help them brave the hostile wasteland to make it to Millie's grandma safely. But the landscape isn't the only threat - there's also the Hive, a villainous group that has spent the last year hoarding supplies and living in luxury... and will do anything to keep it that way. Expertly balancing heartbreak and hope, The Flicker is both a thrilling survival story and a tender exploration of Indigenous ideas of identity and found family. Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto Genre: Science Fiction/Crime Thriller Reading age: 16+ Edie is done with crime. Eight years behind bars changes a person - costs them too much time with too many of the people who need them most. And it's all Angel's fault. She sold Edie out in what should have been the greatest moment of their lives. Instead, Edie was shipped off to the icy prison planet spinning far below the soaring skybridges and neon catacombs of Kepler space station - of home - to spend the best part of a decade alone. But then a chance for early parole appears out of nowhere and Edie steps into the pallid sunlight to find none other than Angel waiting - and she has an offer. One last job. One last deal. One last target. The trillionaire tech god they failed to bring down last time. There's just one thing Edie needs to do - trust Angel again - which also happens to be the last thing Edie wants to do. What could possibly go all hammajang about this plan? Love After The End edited by Joshua Whitehead Genre: Speculative Fiction Anthology Reading age: 15+ This exciting and groundbreaking fiction anthology showcases a number of new and emerging 2SQ (Two-Spirit and queer Indigenous) writers from across Turtle Island. These visionary authors show how queer Indigenous communities can bloom and thrive through utopian narratives that detail the vivacity and strength of 2SQness throughout its plight in the maw of settler colonialism’s histories. Here, readers will discover bio-engineered AI rats, transplanted trees in space, the rise of a 2SQ resistance camp, a primer on how to survive Indigiqueerly, virtual reality applications, motherships at sea, and the very bending of space-time continuums queered through NDN time. Love after the End demonstrates the imaginatively queer Two-Spirit futurisms we have all been dreaming of since 1492. Intersectional Trans+ Rep Outside Your Own Experience Books by an author or featuring a main character who falls under the trans umbrella and also holds another intersectional identity. Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H Genre: Memoir - Non-Fiction Reading age: 16+ When Lamya is fourteen, she decides to disappear. It seems easier to ease herself out of sight than to grapple with the difficulty of taking shape in a world that doesn't fit. She is a queer teenager growing up in a Muslim household, a South Asian in a Middle Eastern country. But during her Quran class, she reads a passage about Maryam, and suddenly everything shifts: if Maryam was never touched by any man, could Maryam be... like Lamya? Written with deep intelligence and a fierce humour, Hijab Butch Blues follows Lamya as she travels to the United States, as she comes out, and as she navigates the complexities of the immigration system - and the queer dating scene. At each step, she turns to her faith to make sense of her life, weaving stories from the Quran together with her own experiences: Musa leading his people to freedom; Allah, who is neither male nor female; and Nuh, who built an ark, just as Lamya is finally able to become the architect of her own story. Lunar Boy by Jes & Cin Wibowo Genre: YA Science Fiction Graphic Novel Reading age: 10+ A heartwarming coming-of-age graphic novel about a young boy from the moon who discovers a home in the most unlikely places, from debut twin creators Jes and Cin Wibowo. Indu, a boy from the moon, feels like he doesn't belong. He hasn't since he and his adoptive mom disembarked from their spaceship - their home - to live on Earth with their new blended family. The kids at school think he's weird, he has a crush on his pen pal who might not like him back, and his stepfamily doesn't seem to know what to do with him. Worst of all, Indu can't even talk to his mom about how he's feeling because she's so busy. In a moment of loneliness, Indu calls out to the moon, begging them to take him back. None Of The Above by Travis Alabanza Genre: Memoir - Non-Fiction Reading age: 18+ In None of the Above, Travis Alabanza examines seven phrases people have directed at them about their gender identity. These phrases have stayed with them over the years. Some are deceptively innocuous, some deliberately loaded or offensive, some celebratory; sentences that have impacted them for better and for worse; sentences that speak to the broader issues raised by a world that insists that gender must be a binary. Through these seven phrases, which include some of their most transformative experiences as a Black, mixed race, non binary person, Travis Alabanza turns a mirror back on society, giving us reason to question the very framework in which we live and the ways we treat each other. ‘When you are someone that falls outside of categories in so many ways, a lot of things are said to you. And I have had a lot of things said to me.’ Hopefully there's something in this list that's new to you. If you're taking part in the Trans Rights Readathon this year, feel free to tag @transrightsreadathon on socials or use the hashtags #trr26 and #transrightsreadathon Happy reading!

It's #LGBTHistoryMonth here in the UK, so what better time to crack open a book and read up on some queer history? From books on queer literature to the history of Section 28, lesbian fashion through the ages and even a few queer graphic memoirs, here are 28 queer history books to read this LGBTQ+ History Month. Book: Outrage: How to Fight for LGBTQ+ Lives  Author: Ellen Jones About: Equality and the discrimination that a lot of queer people face . Outrage: How to Fight for LGBTQ+ Lives  by Ellen Jones focuses largely on equality and the discrimination that a lot of queer people face, with chapters on marriage, education, mental health, sport, ageing and gender affirming care. It’s full of personal stories and practical solutions. Book: Solemates Author: Adam Zmith About: A short history of foot fetishes Solemates by Adam Zmith is a short little history of foot fetishes published by 404 Ink. It looks at art, film, society, fetish and literature, with sections on medieval poetry, Victorian lesbians, online forums and Tarantino films. It's only 100 pages long and available on the Proud Geek website while stock lasts – the publisher is closing down later this year, so it may be a little tricky to get copies after June/July. Book: Forty Lies: A Work of IPSEDIXITISM Authors: David Shenton About: Queer history and memoir through cartoon strips and gay comics Forty Lies by   David Shenton is part history, part graphic memoir, following David’s life as a British cartoonist. This book is awesome, it’s so funny and so charming and full of comics about coming out, boyfriends, queer friendships, sex, love, marriage, grief and pride through the decades – perfect for anyone into queer history or queer comics... or knitting, there are some amazing knitting patterns included in this book too. Book: Shoulder To Shoulder Author: Jake Hall About: A love letter to the pioneers of queer solidarity and coalition Shoulder To Shoulder  by Jake Hall is queer history that focuses largely on the organisations and people who fought for queer rights and equality through the decades. There are sections of the Black Panthers, the Gay Liberation Front, Lesbians and Gays Support The Miners and queer solidarity groups all over the world. It’s a fairly candid approach to queer history and doesn’t feel like super academic, but more like you're having a passionate conversation with a friend. Book: Queer As Folklore Author: Sacha Coward About: The hidden queer history of myths and monsters Queer As Folklore  by Sacha Coward is perfect for queer nerds who love myths, monsters and legends. It covers everything from demon twinks to radical fairies, queer goddesses, lesbian pirates, curses, shapeshifters and so much more, spanning centuries of history and is a great look at queer heroes and villains in storytelling, folklore and fantasy. Book: Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion Author: Eleanor Madhurst About: The history and politics of lesbian clothing Unsuitable by Eleanor Medhurst looks at the history and politics of lesbian clothing through the ages. It talks about sooo much stuff, from Sappho to Gentleman Jack, top hats, violet tiaras, suffragettes, feminism, drag kings, female husbands, tiktok trends, politics, masculinity, butches, femmes, studs, gender nonconformity and so much more. Book: Museum Bums: A Cheeky Look at Butts in Art Author: Mark Small & Jack Shoulder About: A history of bums in fine art, museums and sculpture Museum Bums: A Cheeky Look at Butts in Art  by Mark Small & Jack Shoulder looks at the history of bums in fine art, museums and sculpture, from Venus de Milo to David Hockney. There are sections on classical art, history, photography, and ceramics, all with historical context and credits included. You can also find Museum Bums on Instagram and Bluesky , where they post daily. Book: Revolutionary Acts: Love & Brotherhood in Black Gay Britain Author: Jason Okundaye About: Queer British history told through interviews with black gay British men REVOLUTIONARY ACTS: Love and Brotherhood in Black Gay Britain by Jason Okundaye is black gay British history told through interviews with an older generation of black gay men - largely based in Brixton. It’s a nice mix of history and personal conversations about nightlife, romance, The BLGC, politics, Justin Fashanu, cruising, loss and resistance. Book: The Queer Bookshelf: A Reader's Guide Author: Layla McCay About: The past, present and future of queer literature The Queer Bookshelf: A Reader’s Guide by Layla McCay dives into the past, present and future of queer literature and the history of queer writers through the centuries. It spans from Ancient Mesopotamia, all the way to the present day and covers everything from lit-fic to scifi, pulp fiction, war, fantasy, queer YA and more. Book: Loving: A Photographic History of Men in Love, 1850s-1950s Author: Hugh Nini & Neal Treadwell About: A collection of photographs depicting love between M/M couples in a time when being gay was illegal. Loving: A Photographic History Of Men In Love , by Hugh Nini & Neal Treadwell, is more of a coffee table book than anything deeply academic. It's a truly lovely collection of vintage photographs of love and intimacy between men at a time when being gay was illegal. The book contains photos from the 1850s all the way to the 1950s, largely sourced from flea markets, family archives, estate sales and auctions and features couples from all over the world. There’s also a second volume of photographs, which came out in 2025. Book: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened Author: Tash Walker & Adam Zmith About: Forgotten logbooks for Britain's LGBTQ+ helpline, Switchboard The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened  by Tash Walker & Adam Zmith is queer history told through a collection of log books from Britain's LGBTQ+ helpline, Switchboard. The log books span from 1974, all the way up to 2003, giving readers a peek into the thoughts, concerns and collective history of everyday queer people at the time and combine real calls with personal stories from the authors growing up through Section 28. There’s also a podcast of the same name that recently started its fouth season to tie in with the book. Book: Bi: The Hidden Culture, History and Science of Bisexuality Author: Dr Julia Shaw About: History, politics and visibility in relation to bisexuality. Bi: The Hidden Culture, History and Science of Bisexuality by Julia Shaw looks at bisexuality across the decades. There are sections on politics, gay bars, coming out, religion, education, human rights, asylum seekers, culture, media, monogamy and so much more. It’s a great little resource filled with information. Book: Bad Gays: A Homosexual History Authors: Huw Lemmey & Ben Miller About: Queer villains and evil twinks. Bad Gays: A Homosexual History by Huw Lemmey & Ben Miller is all about queer villains and evil twinks. There are chapters on Frederick the Great, Lawrence of Arabia, Margaret Mead and Ronnie Kray, as well as further reading for each of the twelve chapters – plus there’s the Bad Gays podcast, which this stems from; they upload new episodes twice a week. If you enjoy the podcast, you’re bound to love this book. Book: Deep House: The Gayest Love Story Ever Told Author: Jeremy Atherton Lin About: Part memoir, part queer history surrounding marriage laws in the UK & USA Deep House: The Gayest Love Story Ever Told  by Jeremy Atherton Lin is part memoir, part queer history surrounding gay marriage laws in the UK & USA. It’s a sweaty, political, moving and intimate story that’s fairly explicit in some places, but genuinely really easy and enjoyable reading that reminds you just how recently marriage equality was achieved. Book: A Little Gay History of Wales Author: Daryl Leeworthy About: Welsh LGBTQ+ life and politics from the Middle Ages to the present A Little Gay History of Wales  by Daryl Leeworthy looks at the queer history of Wales, from the Medieval Ages through to the present day. It covers everything from poetry to politics, bookshops and media, Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM), education, identity, cottaging, the Gay Liberation Front (GLF), social attitudes, gay bars, and so much more. It covers a lot but doesn’t feel super dense, and if you wanted to learn more about any of the topics, there are plenty of endnotes at the end of each chapter, plus a big ol’ bibliography at the back. Book: They Came to Slay: The Queer Culture of DnD Edited by: Thom James Carter About: A brief history of queerness within Dungeons and Dragons They Came to Slay: The Queer Culture of DnD  by Thom James Carter is a brief and fairly modern history of how Dungeons and Dragons allows people to explore queerness in a safe and friendly environment. It covers the history of D&D, roleplay, homebrews, gender and community, as well as how the game itself can be a powerful tool for many people to explore their own queerness on their own terms. It might not look at the wider landscape of TTRPGs in general, but it's a nice little read on queerness in the Dungeons & Dragons franchise. Book: Outrageous!: The Story of Section 28 and Britain's Battle for LGBT Education Author: Paul Baker About: Section 28 and a history of LGBTQ+ education. Outrageous! by Paul Baker is all about Section 28, there are sections on Section 28 itself, LGBTQ+ education in Britain, the Gay Liberation Front, Outrage, Stonewall and political climates both then and now. It’s full of further reading suggestions, and there are also a whole bunch of great photographs and images scattered throughout. Book: Deep Sniff: A History of Poppers and Queer Futures Author: Adam Zmith About: Poppers, their history and their use in society, art, medicine and culture. Deep Sniff by Adam Zmith is all about the history of amyl nitrite. It covers their use in society, art, medicine and queer culture. Not really a book that’s for or against them, more just informative and genuinely really interesting. It looks at advertising, masculinity, politics, sex and why they pop up so much in murder mystery novels. Book: The Transgender Issue: An Argument For Justice Author: Shon Faye About: An exploration of what it means to be trans in a transphobic society. The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye is a collection of interviews, essays and lived experiences about being trans in the modern world. There are sections on class, race, civil rights, politics and gender affirming care, as well as the media's modern-day obsession with trans people. I love the way Shon Faye writes; it’s really accessible while also being super informative. Book: Gay Bar: Why We Went Out Edited by: Jeremy Atherton Lin About: Part memoir, part social and cultural history of gay bars Gay Bar: Why We Went Out  by Jeremy Atherton Lin is part memoir, part social history and part cultural history surrounding gay bars through the ages. He covers everything from leather bars to nightclubs, discos to darkrooms with a focus on his own experiences in places like San Francisco, London and LA. I really like the way Jeremy Atherton Lin writes – it feels informal but informative, it’s explicit in places and emotional in others and full of great stories about love, joy, solidarity and expression. Book: How Queer Bookshops Changed The World Author: AJ West About: The history of LGBTQ+ bookshops around the world How Queer Bookshops Changed The World  by AJ West comes out in May and looks at the history of LGBTQ+ bookshops around the world - from Shakespeare and Company in Paris to Gay’s the Word in London. It looks at the connections these bookshops have to queer liberation, the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, the AIDS crisis, book bans and Section 28, as well as how these bookshops became spaces of sanctuary for so many through the ages. Book: Trans Britain: Our Journey From The Shadows Author: Christine Burns About: Trans history, rights and activism in Britain since the 1930s. Trans Britain: Our Journey from the Shadows , edited by Christine Burns, is a collection of 25 essays by a whole bunch of different people, from activists to film-makers, parents, musicians and priests, all sharing their own personal stories and experiences, surrounding trans history, rights and activism in Britain since the 1930s. It’s emotional and informative and very, very good reading. Book: Sensible Footwear: A Girl's Guide Author: Kate Charlesworth About: A graphic history of lesbian life from the 1950s to the present day. Sensible Footwear: A Girl's Guide  by Kate Charlesworth is a wonderful graphic novel that’s part memoir and part history, following Kate’s own life as a lesbian growing up from the 1950s to the present day. It’s full of comics and cartoons about coming out, Section 28, the Gay Liberation Front and gay rights through the years. So if you love graphic novels, queer history or lesbian memoirs, then this book is one to add to your bookshelf. Book: Queer X Design Author: Andy Campbell About: LGBTQ+ design, symbols, logos, and graphic art over the past 50 years. Queer X Design by Andy Campbell is full of queer symbols, banners, logos, and graphic art from the past 50 years and is a perfect book for any queer art nerd looking to discover some queer history. From Keith Harring to pink triangles, Diane DiMassa to rainbow flags, Gay Semiotics by Hal Fischer and the AIDS quilt, it’s a great starting point for anyone interested in queer history and design. Book: Queercore: How To Punk A Revolution Edited by: Liam Warfield, Walter Crasshole & Yony Leyser About: An oral history of the Queercore movement from the people who lived it. Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution is essentially a transcript of the Queercore documentary by Yony Leyser, and explores the history of the Queercore movement and the people who lived it. It’s full of interviews from people like John Waters, G.B. Jones and Bruce LaBruce, as well as posters, photos and zines and a whole bunch of film and music recommendations to sink your teeth into. Book: Fabulosa! The Story of Polari, Britain's Secret Gay Language Author: Paul Baker About: The history of Polari and the people who used it. Fabulosa! The Story of Polari, Britain's Secret Gay Language by Paul Baker is queer history about Polari (the secret gay language used in 1950s Britain) and the people who spoke it. The book covers everything from what Polari is, where it came from and its use in stuff like Round The Horne; there are sections on identity, rights, and liberation, as well as famous faces like Kenneth Williams and Quentin Crisp. Plus, there's a really lovely little glossary of Polari in the back for anyone interested in learning a few words or phrases. Book: Cruising: An Intimate History of a Radical Pastime Author: Alex Espinoza About: The history of cruising and the political/cultural forces behind it. Cruising: An Intimate History of a Radical Pastime by Alex Espinoza is part historical research, part oral history and part personal experience exploring the politics and culture of cruising. There are sections on the Greeks, Oscar Wilde, The Hankey Code, address books, Molly Houses, cruising in Russia and Grindr hookups – it’s a really fun and interesting book about a subject that honestly doesn’t get written about all that much. It’s not super dense, but it is fairly explicit in places. Book: Thank You For Calling the Lesbian Line Author: Elizabeth Lovatt About: Lesbian history, historical fiction and memoir from the 1990s to the modern day Thank You For Calling the Lesbian Line  by Elizabeth Lovatt is part lesbian history, part historical fiction and part memoir. It’s funny and warm and uses real logbook entries from London’s Lesbian Line to wonder what happened to the women who called the line back in the 90s. It covers everything from crushes, breakups, sex, marriage and loneliness and is a great look at the lives of queer women who called the lesbian like back 30 years ago. Think we've missed something great? Send us a message on Instagram @ProudGeek Bookshop  or email us at contact@proud-geek.co.uk  ✌

It's 2026 and comics are getting gayer and gayer every year!! As usual, we're taking a look at some of the incredible queer graphic novels being released later this year. From sapphic romance to trans superheroes and magical queer fantasy, here are 20 of our most anticipated LGBTQ+ graphic novels coming out in 2026. Note: some release dates of these books may be pushed back and covers may change. Buuza!! Vol. 1 Shazleen Khan Genre: YA Romance Queer Rep: Queer Men, Trans Men, Demisexual Men, Queer Cast 25 June 2026 On New Year's Eve 1997, in the bustling city of Salwa, Zach, a down-on-his-luck phone operator, receives a misdialed call from a distressed man named Zhen which sparks an undeniable connection. Zach is thrown into a search for his mystery man that stretches across multiple cities and a tangled web of exes, missed connections, and frenemies. Set in the vibrant, low-fantasy realm of Dawlat Al-Harir - an eclectic melting pot inspired by Silk Road history and rich Asian and African Islamic cultures - BUUZA!! is a queer YA romance that features a uniquely dynamic blend of magical realism and political drama, with a richly diverse cast and an intricate plot that explores themes of identity, family, and transformation. This story will take readers on a captivating journey through a world where the divine and mundane collide in the most unexpected ways. Punk’n Heads Dave Baker & Nicole Goux Genre: Coming-Of-Age Queer Rep: Queer Women 07 April 2026 Nicole Goux and Dave Baker join forces for a raucous and revealing new graphic novel about making music, making mistakes, facing your past, and choosing your future. This band plays together, lives together...and unfortunately two of them are sleeping together. Whatever, I'm sure it's fine. Now put on your punk'n mask and let's rock! Hannah Lipsky isn't sure what's happening. She dreamed of becoming a fine art painter, but after breaking up with her girlfriend, she's suddenly dropped out of art school, moved into a flophouse, and gotten roped into singing in a campy horror-punk band. With costumes. To make things even more complicated, she might be hooking up with her housemate/bandmate/high school crush, Jerry. Wherever this is leading, it's going to be messy. Encore! Miles Toriko Burks Genre: YA Romance Queer Rep: Trans Men, Queer Men, Queer Cast 18 June 2026 In this queer rom-com graphic novel for fans of  Heartstopper  and  Bloom,  two ex-best childhood friends reconnect again in high school only to discover they might be something more than friends.  Senior year is in full swing, and Clay’s determined to have a good year filled with friends, theater dreams, and newfound confidence. But when his ex–best friend, Aron, suddenly reappears in his life - and his theater class - it throws a wrench in all of Clay’s plans. Annoyingly, the two are paired up during an improv exercise, and being vulnerable together onstage swirls up all sorts of old, complicated feelings. Even more annoyingly, Aron is acting like there’s nothing weird or confusing about being back in each other’s orbits again. Which is ironic, since Aron was the one who ghosted Clay in the first place. As their class assignment continues and they spend more and more time together, Clay isn’t sure he can keep his old feelings buried. But can he trust Aron again, after everything they’ve been through? Leo Rising Archie Bongiovanni Genre: Adult Coming-Of-Age Comedy Queer Rep: Trans & Non-Binary, Queer Women 19 February 2026 Lesbian influencer. Lifelong Alaskan. Part-time owl researcher. Leo Rising follows self-proclaimed “celesbian” Laura on a hilarious and heart-wrenching exploration of queer spaces, sexuality, and fame. After years of struggling for acceptance, Laura knows exactly who she is - or does she? By day, Laura thrives as the Internet’s lesbian bestie, a role model for thousands of followers worldwide, while working part-time at the Alaska Bird Observatory. But when an old friend returns to town and introduces Laura to queer parties and sex apps she’s never experienced, she starts questioning her gender and sexuality simultaneously. Seeking answers, Laura creates Leo, a secret trans identity. As Leo’s encounters become more and more steamy, Laura’s divergent identities collapse with real-world consequences. The Demon of Beausoleil Mari Costa Genre: Adult Paranormal Adventure Queer Rep: Queer Men, Queer Cast 27 January 2026 A half-demon socialite-turned-exorcist and his disgruntled bodyguard have no trouble facing down the hordes of darkness - but facing their feelings for each other? Well, now that’s a whole different story... Helianthes is a Cambion - a child born touched by demons. Horned, clawed, and tailed, Helianthes - Hell for short - is a devil-may-care exorcist whose devil-may-care attitude has succeeded in alienating those closest to him - all save for his long-suffering bodyguard, Elias, who sees him as less a strange, mythical being and more just a... nuisance. Together, the two venture into the streets of this psuedo-remix of Victorian London to exorcise demons (and maybe cause a little mischief on the way). But as Hell becomes increasingly drawn to his enigmatic bodyguard - and as Elias becomes increasingly aware of his feelings for his trouble of a charge - the two find themselves faced with a growing, chaotic dark that might threaten everything they’ve been working toward... Worst Man Brandt&Stein Genre: Romantic Comedy Queer Rep: Queer Men 25 August 2026 White Lotus meets Glass Onion. Welcome to Paradise, prepare for trouble. On a remote island, far from the distractions of the internet and modern life, we gather here today to celebrate the union of Domino McElligott and Battista Lovely... unless Radcliffe Raleigh can stop it! A professional 'Worst Man', Rad is hired by the Mother of the Bride, the merciless tech mogul Valentina McElligott. With the price of failure being his life and less than 32 hours till "I do", Rad's ready to pull out every trick in his arsenal to stop the wedding and save his skin - until he meets Best Man and beef cake, Chris Kafka. Determined to keep the Best Man close for... uh... purely professional reasons, Rad quickly realizes he may be on the wrong side of the aisle and the only 'mistake' needing to be rectified is of his own making. But with sick guests, a ruined dress, and the smell of a conspiracy wafting from the vol-au-vents, is it too late for Radcliffe to get the ceremony back on track? The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All, Vol. 3 Sumiko Arai Genre: Yuri Manga Queer Rep: Queer Women 15 January 2026 Volume three of Sumino Arai's green uri manga - The Guy She Was Interested in Wan't A Guy At All - is finally out! With Aya’s encouragement and inspiration from a music festival they attend together, Mitsuki begins to pursue her passion for music in earnest! But when a certain video of her singing goes viral on social media, Mitsuki ends up becoming somewhat of a celebrity at school - and her newfound fame brings difficulties for both her and Aya... Harder Than It Looks: Real Hero Shit, Vol. 2  Kendra Wells Genre: Adult Fantasy Adventure Queer Rep: Queer Men, Non-Binary 14 July 2026 WANTED: Preferably alive! You miss a couple letters from your mom and suddenly there's a bounty on your friends' heads. Eugene needs to get back to the Kingdom of Marble,  fast , or else Michel, Hocus, and Ani are going to be facing the business end of a dungeon. Along the way, Hocus and Ani detour to the garrison where he grew up, and discover some skeletons don't stay buried forever, while Eugene takes Michel out for a night they won't soon remember that spirals dangerously out of control. The clock is ticking, and our heroes are realizing that this shit is a little more real than they thought. Dogs on Dates Luke Healy Genre: Romance Comic Queer Rep: Queer Men 18 June 2026 A shaggy-dog graphic novel love story to melt the coldest of hearts. If you can't believe in a cute, funny boy who was nice to you once... what can you believe in? Meet Bernie and Brad, two single dogs getting by in Dog City. Bernie has just dropped out of university and Brad, working for an environmental charity, is trying not to have a meltdown about the melting ice caps. When the pair crash into one another's lives, they em(bark) on a series of dates - new food spots, terrible films, nights in and mishaps a plenty - as they realise that maybe it's not just about meeting the right match, but whether you can then make it work. Funny, anxious, and heartwarming, this is the story of two dogs trying to find hope in love, and in each other. Love Me to Death, Volume 1 Toonimated Genre: YA Fantasy Romance Queer Rep: Bisexual Men, Polyamory 12 March 2026 A graphic novel romantasy about the love triangle between a necromancer, a resurrected bride, and her very-much-alive groom. In the city of San Guadario, necromancy has been banned for one hundred years. Every aspect of life, from buying food to getting married, requires a signature written in one's own blood. If a necromancer were to sign, their identity would be revealed by the magic that courses through their veins. As a necromancer, Victor and his cute one-eyed cat must live a discreet life, constantly on the run. Everything changes when the wealthiest patron in San Guadario hires Victor to resurrect his recently deceased, and impossibly beautiful, bride. The catch? Victor must perform an ancient ritual which eternally binds himself to this bride. After he brings her back to life, Victor finds himself magically entangled with the bride and groom and caught in the middle of more romance than he knows what to do with. Bytchcraft Aaron Reese & Lema Carril Genre: Witchy Urban Fantasy Queer rep: Queer Cast 20 January 2026 Adriyel of the All-Seeing Eye, a pretentious oracle who speaks with the gods. Michele of Mother Earth's Flesh, a nature wytch with a tender heart. Em of the Living Hellfire, an emo necromancer with a sharp tongue. These three friends are bound together through magick and blood as a queer coven in New York, each following their own magickal path under the watchful eye of their spectral coven matriarch, MTHR. When the coven accidentally sends all of New York into a supernatural eclipse and sends the magick of the city into imbalance, their presence is revealed to a religious zealot and their angelic beast of retribution. Not only that, they soon discover they are at the center of an ancient prophecy, and all of wytchkind hangs in the balance! Now, each of them must face the secrets of the past, present, and future in order to save the magick. Created by the late Aaron Reese, Bytchcraft is a love letter to queer friendship, Black Magick, and the found families that sustain us. Enter the magickal world of Bytchcraft and remember - God Save the Wytch. The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos Volume 3 James Tynion IV, Tate Brombal & Isaac Goodhart Genre: Supernatural Adventure Queer Rep: Queer Men 10 February 2026 A new school year begins for Christopher Chaos and his friends as he finds himself divided from his mentor, Adam Frankenstein, and searching for answers outside of any textbook. But when Dr. Henry Jekyll arrives in New Briar City with a mysterious hunter on his trail called "Helbound," a strange case develops that only Christopher can solve! Will the Monster Club survive their latest foe or will they be torn apart - piece by bloody piece? Tiny Onion Studios and Dark Horse Comics present a line of upcoming creator-owned work from the mind of James Tynion IV across a broad spectrum of his interests, from non-fiction supernatural encounters to high concept coming-of-age monster comics. Collects the Dark Horse Comics series The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos: Children of the Night #1–#4. Bitter Pill : Randy Shilts and the Dawn of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic Clement Xavier & Heloise Chochois Genre: Graphic Biography & Queer History Queer Rep: Queer Men 14 May 2026 A deadly mystery and one reporter’s fight to expose the truth during the earliest days of the AIDS epidemic. With hospital beds filling up, the clock was ticking... What would it take to wake up the nation? A masterful and eye-opening historical account San Francisco, 1980. Randy Shilts - biographer of Harvey Milk and the first openly gay journalist hired by the mainstream media - receives a disturbing call at the San Francisco Chronicle. The caller, a Los Angeles patient, is being treated for what seems to be a rare form of skin cancer. As Shilts investigates, he uncovers a troubling illness that appears to affect only homosexual men, with early cases linked to a Castro-district bathhouse. And a meeting with an infectious disease researcher confirms his worst fears - the so-called “gay cancer” is far more widespread and complex than anyone realizes. Forbidden from reporting on it directly, Shilts turns to sensationalist fake news to force action against the unfolding HIV/AIDS epidemic. Arcana: The Lost Heirs Sam Prentice-Jones Genre: YA Witchy Fantasy Queer Rep: Queer Cast 29 January 2026 James, Daphne, Koko, and Sonny have all grown up surrounded by magic in the Arcana, an organization of witches that protects the magical world, run by the mysterious and secretive Majors. Eli Jones, however, didn’t even know other witches existed... until he stumbled into James. As James introduces Eli to the world of the Arcana, he finds the family he never had, and a blossoming romance with James. The five new friends soon realize that sinister things are afoot and everything may not be what it seems at the Arcana. When the group delves deeper into the mystery surrounding the deaths of their parents and the Major’s rise to power, they discover that they’re at the center of a curse - one they’ve just unwittingly set into motion. As the friends search for answers, they’ll have to confront the cursed legacy that links them in hopes of freeing their futures. Red and the Wolves Cherry Zong Genre: Dark Fantasy Retelling Queer Rep: Queer Women 12 February 2026 Red , a fiercely loyal hunter, has dedicated her life to protecting her witch Grand Mother. Monsters have been roaming the forest that they call home, bringing forth a mysterious illness that has devastated the land and chased every living soul away. Until Red stumbles upon an injured wolf-girl named Sil. Red is cautiously optimistic to befriend someone new, but the more their relationship deepens, the more she begins to uncover the sinister truths behind everything she’s ever known. Red must make the difficult decision of who to defend, before catastrophe consumes them all. This graphic novel that's an apocalyptic fantasy meets queer love story turns the classic Little Red Riding Hood fairytale on its head. Les Normaux Volume 2 Janine Janssen & S. Al Sabado Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Romance Queer Rep: Queer Men, Demisexual Men 15 January 2026 Boy moves to new city. Boy meets vampire. They kiss, then become friends. But both would like something more… The second volume of LES NORMAUX - the global Webtoon phenomenon about friendship, love and magic.  Magic and mayhem collide in supernatural Paris as Sébastien, a young wizard, comes to terms with his demisexuality and explores his growing feelings for his neighbor Elia - a hot supermodel vampire. Join Elia, Sébastien and their assorted crew of wonderful friends, as they navigate the ins and outs of dating and relationships in this modern and para normal  love story. Galaxy 2: As The World Falls Down Jadzia Axelrod & Rye Hickman Genre: Action, Romance & Superheroes Queer Rep: Trans Women, Queer Women 05 May 2026 More romance, more action, and more queer joy as Taylor faces her biggest fear: the Vane. Taylor Barzelay is finally living as her authentic self, a purple alien space princess with blue hair and superpowers. With a loving girlfriend, Kat, and an adorable talking corgi that doubles as a bodyguard, Taylor should feel more at home on Earth than ever. So why doesn't she? As Kat plans for life after high school, Taylor begins to wonder what the future holds for her. Despite dealing with bigots in her hometown, protecting her friend Nia Nal from an evil alien aunt, and honing her powers more than ever before, Taylor still isn't sure she can claim her identity as the superhero Galaxy. When the Vane, an alien race that destroyed her home planet, finally arrive on Earth in search of Taylor, her biggest fear becomes reality. If Superman can't even handle this threat, what chance does Taylor have to save her best friend, the love of her life, and the entire world?! Will she cast aside any doubt in time to become the hero she was always destined to be? The Lost Daughter Of Sparta Felicia Day & Rowan McColl Genre: YA Historical Fiction Queer Rep: Queer Women 26 March 2026 Helen of Troy. Clytemnestra. Timandra. Three sisters, infamously cursed by the goddess Aphrodite to betray their husbands, are known the world over. But few know about the fourth sister: Philonoe. Lost to historical record, all we know from ancient texts is that she avoided the curse placed on her family, and was granted immortality by the goddess Artemis. But why and how did this happen? Now, Felicia Day is determined to bring Philonoe to vivid life and fill in the missing pieces with this graphic novel retelling. Her story is a traditional hero’s journey with a feminist twist. Born as both a Spartan princess and with a wine-stain birthmark on her face, Philonoe is destined for a different fate than her sisters. Her remarkable but overlooked life is finally revealed in this clever and engaging graphic novel that is perfect for fans of The Palace of Eros and Lore Olympus. Heartstopper Volume 6 Alice Oseman Genre: YA Romance Queer Rep: Queer Men, Queer Cast 02 July 2026 The final installment in the bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel series about life, love, and everything that happens in between. Everyone in school knows Nick and Charlie. Everyone knows they're going to be together forever. But Charlie's busy with his bid to become head boy. And while Nick is preparing to leave for uni, he's starting to wonder who he'll be... without Charlie. Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. Contains discussions around mental health and eating disorders, underage drinking, and sexual references. Ace of Hearts: Lessons in Love from an Asexual Girl Cooklin Genre: Graphic Memoir Queer Rep: Asexual Women 19 February 2026 What does love look like when you are not interested in sex? Growing up, Caitlin Cook knew the recipe for social success from watching television and reading books: two best friends, two enemies, and a boyfriend. So she arranged her life accordingly: making friends and dreaming of the boys she met in school. But she felt that inside, something was wrong with her. Because though she wanted to get close to people, every time she experimented with sex, she just felt bored. This graphic novel follows Caitlin Cook, who is asexual but does not yet fully realize it. From evangelical purity politics to the footloose college campus, Caitlin navigates different worlds each with their own sexual orthodoxies, and clumsily attempts to fit into each of them. A thoughtful and immersive coming-of-age memoir about one girl's struggle to figure out and then claim her asexual identity. Think we've missed something great? Send us a message on Instagram @ProudGeekBookshop  or email us at contact@proud-geek.co.uk  ✌

Read a sneak peek of Worst Man by Eisner and GLAAD award-nominated creators Brandt&Stein: White Lotus meets Glass Onion in this indulgent, razor-sharp romcom. Worst Man is all the best things about reading one more chapter of your favorite fanfiction, wrapped up in 228 pages of an entirely original story. No page or panel is wasted, with expressive artwork from a never-better creative duo.   Worst Man Brandt&Stein Genre: Romantic Comedy Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Queer Men 25 August 2026 Welcome to Paradise, prepare for trouble. On a remote island, far from the distractions of the internet and modern life, we gather here today to celebrate the union of Domino McElligott and Battista Lovely... unless Radcliffe Raleigh can stop it!   A professional 'Worst Man', Rad is hired by the Mother of the Bride, the merciless tech mogul Valentina McElligott. With the price of failure being his life and less than 32 hours till “I do”, Rad’s ready to pull out every trick in his arsenal to stop the wedding and save his skin - until he meets Best Man and beef cake, Chris Kafka.   Determined to keep the Best Man close for…. uh… purely professional reasons, Rad quickly realizes he may be on the wrong side of the aisle, and the only 'mistake' needing to be rectified is of his own making. But with sick guests, a ruined dress, and the smell of a conspiracy wafting from the vol-au-vents, is it too late for Radcliffe to get the ceremony back on track?   WORST MAN by Brandt&Stein comes out on 25th August 2026 from Titan Books Ltd. Read the first ten pages of Worst Man here: Interior preview page - Worst Man page 01 Interior preview page - Worst Man  page 02 Interior preview page - Worst Man  page 03 Interior preview page - Worst Man  page 04 Interior preview page - Worst Man  page 05 Interior preview page - Worst Man  page 06 Interior preview page - Worst Man  page 07 Interior preview page - Worst Man  page 08 Interior preview page - Worst Man  page 09 Interior preview page - Worst Man  page 10 Want to read more? You can pre-order yourself a copy of WORST MAN now from your favourite comic shop, or anywhere that books are sold. It's also available for pre-order from the Proud Geek bookshop here: Many thanks to Julia at Titan Comics for the preview pages.

Obsessed with Heated Rivalry? Love a queer sports romance and want to read more? Whether you're after erotic romance or sugar-sweet graphic novels, we've got you covered. From magical girl softball leagues to fast-paced graphic novels and rivals-to-lovers hockey romance, here are 15 queer and sporty books like Heated Rivalry. Game Changer Rachel Reid Hockey & Romance Queer Rep: Queer Men Reading age: 18+ New York Admirals captain Scott Hunter takes his pregame rituals very seriously. When a particular smoothie precedes Scott's breaking his on-ice slump, he’s desperate to recreate the magic… and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter. Kip Grady knew there was more to Scott’s frequent visits than blended fruit, but he never let himself imagine being invited back to Scott’s penthouse. Or kissed with reckless abandon - and more. What goes on between them is hot, incredible and frequent… but also only on Scott’s terms and always behind his closed apartment doors. Scott needs Kip in his life, but with playoff season approaching, the spotlight on him is suddenly brighter than ever. He can’t afford to do anything that might derail his career or the public’s image of what a hockey captain should be. Kip is ready to go all in with Scott - but how much longer will he have to remain a secret? Blades Of Furry Emily Erdos & Deya Munis Skating & Romance - Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Queer Men, Queer Cast Reading age: 14+ Enter the high-stakes world of battle skating in this rivals-to-lovers romance based on the spectacularly popular webcomic. Emile is an up-and-coming rookie in battle skating, a sport that combines the grace of figure skating with the high-impact sparring of martial arts. Just as he is gearing up to fight in his next duel at the championships, there’s a change in the lineup! To his horror, he’ll have to face off against reigning champion Radu, the best battle skater in the world (and Emile’s longtime skating idol). There’s no way he can win! During a pivotal moment in their match, however, Emile discovers Radu’s most closely guarded secret…and it’s a bloody one. This could destroy Radu’s career for good, but when feelings start to develop between them both on and off the rink, will this rivalry turn into something more...? Bunt!: Striking Out on Financial Aid Ngozi Ukazu & Mad Rupert Softball & Art School - Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Queer Women, Queer Cast Reading age: 14+ Molly Bauer loves her hometown of Peachtree, North Carolina. And her favourite part about her town is the prestigious art school, Peachtree Institute of Collegiate Arts. On the first day of attending this school of her dreams, the spunky freshman - buoyed on the native Peachtreeian Full Ride Scholarship - discovers her scholarship is defunct. Rather than take out loans her parents can't afford, she uncovers a lesser-known scholarship in the PICA financial-aid policy book. If she and a dozen other art students can win a single game at the varsity level, they'll all be retroactively qualified for a PICA athletic scholarship. It's a softball scheme for the ages.  It's A Love/Skate Relationship Carli J. Corson Hockey, Figure Skating & Romance Queer Rep: Queer Women Reading age: 14+ Charlie Porter is a force to be reckoned with, both on and off the hockey rink. When she accidentally starts a brawl after a game, she's suspended from school, meaning no hockey this season - and no chance to play in front of college scouts. Alexa Goldstein's pairs skating partner was hurt in the fight, and with only four months until their next competition, pickings for a replacement are slim. So she strikes a deal with Charlie - skate with her at the competition well enough to place, and her Olympian mother will use her formidable connections to get Charlie in front of scouts at D1 schools, even without her team. It seems impossible, and not just because Charlie has never figure skated before. Where Charlie is powerful, Alexa is elegant; where Charlie is quick to blow up, Alexa is cold as ice. But as the frostiness between them starts to thaw, they begin to wonder if they've found a partner for more than just skating. Grand Slam Romance Ollie Hicks & Emma Oosterhous Softball, Magical Girls & Romance - Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Queer Women, Non-Binary Reading age: 18+ A queer magical girl/sports romance where the balls are fast, the smooches are spicy, and the girls... well... magical. In this queer graphic novel that’s equal parts romance, softball, and magical girl drama, Mickey Monsoon and Astra Maxima are best friends... and maybe more. That is, until Astra unceremoniously dumps Mickey to become a softball wunderkind at a private girl’s school in Switzerland. Years later, Mickey is the hotshot pitcher for the Belle City Broads, and their team is poised to sweep the league this season. But Micky is thrown off their game when Astra shows up to catch for the Gaiety Gals, the Broads’ fiercest rival. Astra is flirty, arrogant, and reckless on the field - everything the rule-abiding Mickey hates. Hex Americana Bree D. Wolf Motorsport & Paranormal Romance - Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Queer Men Reading age: 10+ Ken Takamoto is a wannabe racer stuck at home for the summer, with only his mother for company. Dante Willow is a ghost stuck in the car he crashed while racing his rival twenty years ago. When they meet by chance, Ken has the answer to both their problems - enter the local racing league, Hex Americana, and win the annual Grand Prix. If they win, Dante can pass on to the afterlife and Ken can keep Dante's fixed-up car to go anywhere he wants. What starts as a simple plan becomes a wild summer full of witches, gnomes, feelings, magical chickens, and more as they prepare for the big race. Will Ken and Dante finish first? Can they even make it to the finish line? And more importantly, what happens when this racing duo blooms into something more?! Wake Up, Nat & Darcy Kate Cochrane Hockey & Romance Queer Rep: Queer Women Reading age: 18+ Cut from the US women’s hockey team right before her third chance at gold, Natalie Carpenter is scrambling for a plan that’ll help her avoid moving back home. The answer: a guest-hosting gig on Wake Up, USA’s winter games coverage. Her cohost: Darcy LaCroix, Nat’s ex-girlfriend, one-time college teammate turned adversary. Since leaving Team Canada, Darcy has worked hard to make a name in broadcasting. If her big break requires sharing screen time with the former cocky freshman who turned her world upside down, so be it. At this point, there’s nothing between them except history. But audiences disagree. #PuckingHotties is trending hard, and Nat and Darcy agree to lean into it - for ratings, obviously. It’s not like Nat can forget the way Darcy broke her heart or their bitter team rivalry. Between working, traveling together and that irresistible spark, it’s getting hard to separate what’s real and what’s for the camera. Because somewhere underneath everything that went wrong is the sneaking suspicion that nothing will ever feel quite this right again. Kickflip LD Lapinski & Logan Hanning Skateboarding & Self-Discovery - Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Non-Binary Reading age: 12+ A poignant LGBTQ+ graphic novel about self-discovery, skateboarding and finding your true community of friends, perfect for fans of Heartstopper. What happens when your two worlds collide . . . At school, Elliot gets bullied for being 'different to other girls', whereas at the skate park, everyone welcomes Elliot - presuming they're male - but neither label feels right. As Eliot's love of skateboarding and friendships grow, their worlds collide at a sports expo where the school netball team and skate crew are competing. Can Elliot find the courage to share what they've learned about non-binary identity? Will best friend Jess or the skateboarding crew accept Elliot for who they are? And what about Ryan, the skater who Elliot has been feeling increasingly close to? The Prospects KT Hoffman Baseball & Romance Queer Rep: Trans Men, Queer Men Reading age: 18+ The pressure cooker of minor league baseball leads to major chemistry in this exhilarating, sexy, and triumphant rivals-to-lovers debut romance. Hope is familiar territory for Gene Ionescu. He has always loved baseball, a sport made for underdogs and optimists like him. He also loves his team, the minor league Beaverton Beavers, and, for the most part, he loves the career he’s built. As the first openly trans player in professional baseball, Gene has nearly everything he’s ever let himself dream of - that is, until Luis Estrada, Gene’s former teammate and current rival, gets traded to the Beavers, destroying the careful equilibrium of Gene’s life. Gene and Luis can’t manage a civil conversation off the field or a competent play on it, but in the close confines of dugout benches and roadie buses, they begrudgingly rediscover a comfortable rhythm. As the two grow closer, the tension between them turns electric, and their chemistry spills past the confines of the stadium. I Heart Skull-Crusher! Josie Campbell & Alessio Zonno Dystopian Sports Leagues - Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Queer Cast Reading age: 14+ Mad Max meets dodgeball in this wild, dystopian sports graphic novel full of colour, violence and personal heroes set in a post-apocalyptic America. 18-year-old Trini will do anything to compete in her favourite sport, Screaming Pain Ball, alongside her longtime hero Skull-Crusher! But she can’t do it alone, and a gaggle of misfits is just what she needs to cross the American wastes and battle in Queen Mob’s deadly tournament. With Trini’s dreams of being just like Skull-Crusher on the line, do she and her friends have what it takes to win a coveted spot on their team? The Avant-Guards Carly Usdin & Noah Hayes Basketball & Friendship - Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Queer Women, Queer Cast Reading age: 14+ When Charlie transfers to the Georgia O’Keeffe College of Arts and Subtle Dramatics, she struggles to find her feet, but winds up exactly where she belongs... in the school’s (terrible) basketball team! Charlie was determined to leave sports behind when she transferred to the Georgia O’Keeffe College for Arts and Subtle Dramatics, but perky and very cute barely-a-basketball-team captain Liv has other ideas! With a ragtag crew, a persistent streak, and the future of the whole league on the line, Charlie and the Avant-Guards must come together to figure out who they are on-and-off the court! Charming and hilarious characters with a lot of heart shoot their shots until the final buzzer in this hit series about love, teamwork, and basketball! One Of The Boys Victoria Zeller American Football & High School Queer Rep: Trans Women Reading age: 14+ Grace Woodhouse has left a lot behind. She used to have a great friend group, an amazing girlfriend, and a right foot set to earn her a Division I football scholarship - before she came out as trans. As senior year begins, Grace is struggling to find her place in early transition, new social circles, and a life without football. But when her skills as the best kicker in the state prove to be vital, her old teammates beg her to come out of retirement, dragging her back into a sport - into a way of life - she thought had turned its back on her forever. When a chance meeting cracks the door to college football back open, she has to decide how much of herself she's willing to give up for the game she loves. Fence CS Pacat & Johanna The Mad Fencing, Rivals & Romance - Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Queer Men, Queer Cast Reading age: 12+ Nicholas Cox is determined to prove himself in the world of competitive fencing, and earn his place alongside fencing legends like the dad he never knew, but things get more complicated when he’s up against his golden-boy half-brother, as well as sullen fencing prodigy, Seiji Katayama. Nicholas, the illegitimate son of a retired fencing champion, is a scrappy fencing wunderkind, and dreams of getting the chance and the training to actually compete. After getting accepted to the prodigious Kings Row private school, Nicholas is thrust into a cut-throat world, and finds himself facing not only his golden-boy half-brother, but the unbeatable, mysterious Seiji Katayama... Through clashes, rivalries, and romance between teammates, Nicholas and the boys of Kings Row will discover there’s much more to fencing than just foils and lunges. S.I.R. Fell Hound Motorcycles, Jousting & Romance - Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Queer Women Reading age: 14+ Fight Club meets 90's yuri anime on motorbikes: to win back her girlfriend, Avery Sakai will need to compete in her school's violent underground extracurricular... a motorcycle jousting competition known as Seismic Ironclash Roulette! Fate brutally separated Avery Sakai from her girlfriend Nico Xing, but acceptance at Bridleham Academy might be just the thing to bring them back together. As it turns out though, Nico's extracurriculars are the last thing Avery expected… Now to win a chance at love, Avery will need to throw herself into the violent but captivating world of the motorcycle jousting fight club known as the Seismic Ironclash Roulette! Wuvable Oaf Ed Luce Ex-Wrestlers & Cats - Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Queer Men Reading age: 18+ Oaf is a large, hirsute, scary-looking ex-wrestler who lives in San Francisco with his adorable kitties and listens to a lot of Morrissey. The book follows Oaf's search for love in the big city, especially his pursuit of Eiffel, the lead singer of the black metal / queercore / progressive disco grindcore band Ejaculoid. Luce weaves between the friends, associates, enemies, ex-lovers and pasts of both men into the story of their courtship. A romantic comedy at its core, Wuvable Oaf recalls elements of comics as diverse as Scott Pilgrim, Love and Rockets, and Archie, set against the background of San Francisco's queer community and music scene. Think we've missed something great? Send us a message on Instagram @ProudGeek Bookshop  or email us at contact@proud-geek.co.uk  ✌

Not into fiction? No problem! There are loads of queer non-fiction books coming out in 2026 and we thought we'd put together a quick list of some of our most anticipated titles. From gay memoirs to queer self-help guides and even a few books about the history of queer literature, here are our ten most anticipated LGBTQ+ non-fiction books coming out in 2026. Note: some release dates of these books may be pushed back and covers may change. The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened Tash Walker & Adam Zmith 29 January 2026 In a crawlspace at the offices of Switchboard, a queer helpline in operation since 1974, lies dozens of log books kept by volunteers describing the phone calls they had taken: a teenager whose parents had kicked them out of home for dressing as the wrong gender; a lesbian terrified of having her baby taken away from her; a man arrested for chatting up another man in a public toilet; a young person wanting to know how to come out. These logs were traces of tens of thousands of queer lives, a bridge to a past hidden from people like Tash Walker and Adam Zmith in their youth, captured by people who lent an ear to those in need. Walker and Zmith came of age in the time of Section 28, a law which banned councils and schools ‘promoting the teaching of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship’. In recovering these logs, they encountered people grappling with feelings, questions and problems both familiar and different, and set out to learn from – and sometimes speak to – those on both sides of the calls. Kink Curious: A Guide to Exploring Your Kinks, Dispelling Shame, and Staying Safe Gigi Engle 21 January 2026 Kink has been around as long as humans have existed, but comes with an astonishing amount of myths and misunderstandings. This is a sex-positive, shame-free guide to kink for everyone from curious beginners to seasoned kinksters. This book delves deep in every corner of the kink sphere. It jumps headfirst into the foundations of powerplay, at the differences between kink and fetish, and gives you the low-down on all kinds of bondage and impact play styles, while putting mental and physical health at the forefront. Whether you want a 101 in flogging safely, to plan a roadmap for experimenting with different kinds of niche play, or learn how to explore what your desires and boundaries are in a fun, consensual and trauma-informed way - this is the guide for you. With kink exercises, journal prompts, worksheets and agony aunt letters, this has all the practical tools you'll need for a spicy, shame-free kink journey. The Queer Bookshelf: A Reader's Guide Layla McCay 04 June 2026 We have always been here, and so have our stories. Queer writers and writing about LGBTQ+ people have existed since the dawn of writing itself, from Ancient Mesopotamia through to the Victorians right up to to the present day, where we are currently experiencing a vibrant new era of queer writing. The Queer Bookshelf  is your ultimate guide to this rich history. Alongside the author’s own love affair with queer books, this book is packed with recommendations from prominent queer authors, booksellers, and readers and is an entertaining journey through the evolution of queer literature to discover the most important, fascinating, and fun queer classics from around the world. Literary classics, pulp fiction, war writing, crime thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, young adult all have a queer history and future.  The Queer Bookshelf  lights the way, making it the perfect companion for anyone beginning or continuing their queer reading journey. Ace Of Hearts: Lessons In Love From An Asexual Girl Cooklin 19 February 2026 Growing up, Caitlin Cook knew the recipe for social success from watching television and reading books: two best friends, two enemies, and a boyfriend. So she arranged her life accordingly: making friends and dreaming of the boys she met in school. But she felt that inside, something was wrong with her. Because though she wanted to get close to people, every time she experimented with sex, she just felt bored. This graphic novel follows Caitlin Cook, who is asexual but does not yet fully realize it. From evangelical purity politics to the footloose college campus, Caitlin navigates different worlds each with their own sexual orthodoxies, and clumsily attempts to fit into each of them. Manboobs: A Very Queer Memoir Komail Aijazuddin 25 June 2026 Even as a young child in Lahore, Komail Aijazuddin knew he was different. Other boys didn’t pirouette off their desks, get bullied for their ‘manboobs’ or spontaneously burst into songs from The Little Mermaid. Other boys didn’t play together like that. Starved of a crucial part of himself, he ate. And ate. Before long, his own body became another burden to carry everywhere and to hide. Komail began to believe his only chance at a happy, meaningful life would be found in America, land of the free, home of the gays. But he would soon learn that finding happiness takes a lot more than a plane ticket. This is Aijazuddin’s riotous, intelligent memoir of searching for his place between two worlds while navigating a minefield of expectations, prejudice and self-doubt. In Manboobs, Aijazuddin confidently announces himself as a sharp new voice in humour with his moving, wickedly funny search for love and the bravery required to be yourself. Say Nephew: On Boyhood, Unclehood, and Queer Mentorship Steven Pfau 26 May 2026 Blending memoir and criticism, Steven Pfau pays tribute to the gay uncles who have shaped his sense of queer identity, culture, and history. The most influential - the mentor who would set the standard for all of Steven’s future mentors - was his uncle Bruce. A charismatic storyteller with a Burt Reynolds–esque bravado (and a mustache, leather jacket, and pair of cowboy boots to match), Bruce came out in 1950s Memphis and lived in New York City through many of the defining events of the gay liberation era. Bruce was both a unique fixture in Steven’s upbringing and an archetypal figure within a much broader history - a link in a long lineage of uncles, literal and figurative, who have offered various forms of queer tutelage to younger men. But what role is the nephew supposed to play in these bonds? And who does he become once his uncles are no longer there to guide him? Both a coming-of-age story and a wide-ranging study, SAY NEPHEW is a wholly original and expansive consideration of queer mentorship. How Queer Bookshops Changed The World A.J. West 07 May 2026 Home not only to books but chaotic community noticeboards, vicious rescue cats and countless meet cutes, queer bookshops have always been more than just bookshops, offering friendship, solidarity and sanctuary. Travelling the world – Shakespeare and Company in Paris, Gay’s the Word in London, the Oscar Wilde Bookshop in New York – A. J. West explores the remarkable history of these bookstores. Tracing their evolution from under-the-counter operations to beloved out-and-proud institutions, West reveals how the queer bookshop stood at the vanguard of LGBTQ+ rights, offering support and vital information through the AIDS crisis and bringing the fight to Section 28 and book bans. A powerful testament not only to bookshops but to the courage of queer booksellers, from Sylvia Beach hiding books from the Nazis in laundry baskets to Craig Rodwell facing off against the police at the Stonewall riots, A. J. West celebrates the shops and booksellers that brought queer literature and lives into the mainstream. The Other A In LGBTQIA+: An Introduction to the Aromantic Community, in Our Own Words Aurea - The Aromantic-Spectrum Union for Recognition, Education, and Advocacy 21 May 2026 Do you ever feel alienated by the way society presents love? Maybe you find the idea of romantic relationships off-putting, or maybe it's just 'not your thing'. Sound familiar? Aromanticism is a spectrum of identities where people have little to no interest in romance, or only feel attraction under certain circumstances. This essential book weaves together insights and perspectives from aromantic people across the world, sharing their stories of self-discovery and community. Chapters explore how aromanticism interacts with mental health, dealing with stigma or dismissive attitudes, intersection with different cultural expectations, and more. Whether you're new to an aromantic identity, have been part of the community for years, or just want to know more, this book will help you understand what aromanticism is and what it means for you. Queer Comics: A Critical Guide Lecturer Tof Eklund & Sam Orchard 20 August 2026 An international and intersectional introduction mapping the history, impact, key critical issues and seminal texts of the genre,  Queer Comics  looks at queer creators and queer content in graphic narratives beyond. Not advocating for a canon but instead offering new avenues for exploration beyond what has thus far been very US-focused, this book surveys the queer experience, looks at the genre as a queering of an already queer medium and dives into how it can speak to all communities. Accessible and inclusive in the easy-to-navigate structure of the Bloomsbury Comics Studies series, the book covers manga, pornography, Tijuana Bibles, contemporary webcomics, zines, children's and YA comics and adult graphic memoirs beyond American underground comix. Includes key texts by creators such as Alison Bechdel, Howard Cruise, Yamaji Ebine, Crystal Frasier, Megan Rose Gedris, Kay O'Neill, Jem Yoshioka and Tab Kimpton, among many others. No Fats, No Fems: A Guide To Queer Empathy and Unpacking Prejudice Max Hovey 21 May 2026 From queer activist and sex educator Max Hovey, the essential modern guide for understanding what divides us and the path to building a better community - a revolutionary call to arms for embracing kindness and empathy. Exclusionary and derogatory rhetoric in online spaces like “no fats, no fems” is often an unfortunate reality for many queer people and speaks to a larger issue at hand - but it doesn’t have to be this way. Activist Max Hovey has gained thousands of supporters worldwide in his efforts to challenge stereotypes and unpack the problematic ideologies queer people can place on each other - and often on themselves.  Regardless of background or sexual orientation, our mutual goal is empathy, and Max gives us all the tools needed to get there. The Velvet Rage for a modern audience, No Fats, No Fems is an urgent call to action, offering a roadmap to building stronger community and a much kinder future. Think we've missed something great? Send us a message on Instagram @ProudGeekStore  or email us at contact@proud-geek.co.uk  ✌

This month we're focusing on all things geeky (not that that's much different from the other eleven months of the year). Think film festivals, comic conventions, fan fiction and tabletop games! So pack your favourite dice, open up AO3 and spend the next 72 hours frantically trying to finish that cosplay - these are 12 LGBTQ+ books about queer nerds that everyone should read: If You Still Recognise Me Comic Books & Fan Fiction YA Contemporary Romance Queer Rep: Queer Women. LGBTQ+ Cast Reading Age: 14+ Elsie has a crush on Ada. With a shared obsession with a queer-coded comic book series and the fan fiction that accompanies it, Ada is the only person in the world who truly understands her. Unfortunately, they've never met in real life and Ada lives an ocean away. But Elsie has decided it's now or never to tell Ada how she feels. That is, until her long-lost best friend Joan walks back into her life. In a summer of repairing broken connections and building surprising new ones, Elsie realises that she isn't nearly as alone as she thought. But now she has a choice to make... Broken Hearts And Zombie Parts Indie Films YA Contemporary Romance Queer Rep: Queer Men Reading Age: 14+ A Big Gay Rom-Zom-Com with Heart. Jesse Spark has a broken heart and in a few short weeks he'll require major surgery to repair it - which means he only has a month to accomplish two almost-impossible tasks. 1) Shoot his epic zombie movie on a shoestring budget if he has any hope of getting into film school. 2) Fall in love before this surgery lands him with a huge scar - because how will anyone ever fancy him after that? Sex Education meets Love, Simon - with fake zombies - in this savagely funny gay YA romance about body image, self-acceptance and falling in love, all while shooting a low-budget zombie flick! Breakup, Makeup ComicCon and Cosplay YA Contemporary Romance Queer Rep: Queer Men, Non-Binary Reading Age: 14+ Glow Up meets Comic Con in this bold, queer second chance romance where a special effects makeup artist must compete against their ex-boyfriend in a unique makeup and cosplay competition to win the scholarship of their dreams... and maybe their ex's heart. Eli Peterson is a self-taught, up-and-coming makeup artist in the cosplay scene who is just barely making ends meet. While they might be slaying it with their breath-taking, innovative looks, they're also trying to save up enough money for top surgery and convince their parents that taking a gap year to focus on their dream of being a makeup artist is worthwhile. During a convention, Eli hears about Makeup Wars, a cosplay makeup competition that could change everything. The problem is that they be going head-to-head with some of the most talented up-and-coming makeup artists - including rival influencer Zachary Miller, who also happens to be their ex-boyfriend. A Con Affair ComiCon & Comics Erotic Rom-Com Queer Rep: Queer Men Reading Age: 18+ Romance, sex and spandex all collide in this romantic drama that considers if love and career can co-exist, or are they always just a crisis waiting to happen. Arran Wilson is an aspiring comic book writer. Cameron Perkins is an avid cosplayer. When they meet at a London comic con, the pair hit it off immediately, in every sense. As they start hooking up at comic cons all over the country, what at first seemed like a bit of fun starts turning into something more. Then Arran gets his first major publishing contract. Suddenly, his noisy mind is filled with new concerns. As he gets swamped by all these questions and fears, Arran has to learn if he can have it the dream career, the hot lover and romance too. Or is that just as colourful a fiction as the superheroes he writes about… Stars In Their Eyes ComicCon YA Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Queer Women, Non-Binary Reading Age: 12+ In this lighthearted YA romance, Maisie and Ollie discover that nothing beats the feeling of falling in love for the first time. Maisie is on her way to Fancon! She's looking forward to meeting her idol, Kara Bufano, the action hero from her favorite TV show, who has a lower-leg amputation, just like Maisie. But when Maisie and her mom arrive at the convention center, she is stopped in her tracks by Ollie, a cute volunteer working the show. They are kind, charming, and geek out about nerd culture just as much as Maisie does. And as the day wears on, Maisie notices feelings for Ollie that she's never had before. Is this what it feels like to fall in love? I Think I Love You Film Festivals YA Contemporary Romance Queer Rep: Queer Women Reading Age: 12+ A sweet and funny debut novel about falling for someone when you least expect it... and finding out that real-life romance is better than anything onscreen. Emma is a die-hard romantic. She loves a meet-cute Netflix movie, her pet, Lady Catulet, and dreaming up the Gay Rom-Com of her heart for the film festival competition she and her friends are entering. If only they’d listen to her ideas. . . Sophia is pragmatic. She’s big into boycotts, namely 1) relationships, 2) teen boys and their BO (reason 2347683 she’s a lesbian), and 3) Emma’s nauseating ideas. Forget starry-eyed romance, Sophia knows what will win: an artistic film with a message. Cue the drama. They Came to Slay: Queer Culture of DnD Dungeons & Dragons Queer Culture - Non-Fiction Queer Rep: LGBTQ+ Reading Age: 17+ Queer people have always played Dungeons & Dragons. Since the mid-2010s, the queer dice-rolling magic and might-wielding contingent have been taking up more space. They Came to Slay is a queer non-fiction book about the history of Dungeons & Dragons within queer culture, and how the game became such a powerful mechanic for queer people. The book examines how DnD allows queer people to explore how they want to lead their lives in real and imagined worlds alike. Sarahland Fan Fiction Contemporary Short Stories Queer Rep: Queer Women Reading Age: 17+ In Sarahland, Sam Cohen brilliantly and often hilariously explores the ways in which traditional stories have failed us, both demanding and thrillingly providing for its cast of Sarahs new origin stories, new ways to love the planet and those inhabiting it, and new possibilities for life itself. Including one story, a Buffy-loving Sarah uses fan fiction to work through romantic obsession. As the collection progresses, Cohen explodes this search for self, insisting that we have more to resist and repair than our own personal narratives. Readers witness as the ever-evolving "Sarah" gets recast: as a bible-era trans woman, an aging lesbian literally growing roots, a being who transcends the earth as we know it. While Cohen presents a world that will clearly someday end, "Sarah" will continue. The Queer Games Avant-Guard Video Games Queer History - Non-Fiction Queer Rep: LGBTQ+ Reading Age: 17+ In The Queer Games Avant-Garde, Bonnie Ruberg presents twenty interviews with twenty-two queer video game developers whose radical, experimental, vibrant, and deeply queer work is driving a momentous shift in the medium of video games. Speaking with insight and candor about their creative practices as well as their politics and passions, these influential and innovative game makers tell stories about their lives and inspirations, the challenges they face, and the ways they understand their places within the wider terrain of video game culture. Their insights go beyond typical conversations about LGBTQ representation in video games or how to improve “diversity” in digital media. Instead, they explore queer game-making practices, the politics of queer independent video games, how queerness can be expressed as an aesthetic practice, the influence of feminist art on their work, and the future of queer video games and technology. The Shadow Glass 80s Cult Films Supernatural Fantasy Queer Rep: Queer Men (side character) Reading Age: 17+ A thrilling race against the clock to save the world from fantasy creatures from a cult 80s film – perfect for fans of Henson Company puppet classics like Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, and The NeverEnding Story. Jack Corman is failing at life. Jobless, jaded and facing the threat of eviction, he’s also reeling from the death of his father, one-time film director Bob Corman. Back in the eighties, Bob poured his heart and soul into the creation of his 1986 puppet fantasy The Shadow Glass, but the film flopped on release and Bob was never the same again. In the wake of Bob’s death, Jack returns to his decaying childhood home, where he is confronted with the impossible - the puppet heroes from The Shadow Glass are alive, and they need his help. Renegade Rule Video Games YA Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Queer Women Reading Age: 14+ The Manhattan Mist have beaten the odds to land themselves in the national championships for Renegade Rule, one of the hottest virtual reality games in existence. But they're in for competition fiercer than they ever imagined, and one team member's entire future could be at stake. Four queer female friends will have to play harder than ever against self-doubt, infighting, romantic distraction, and a slew of other world-class teams if they hope to become champions. Both hilarious and heartwarming, this new graphic novel from Ignatz-nominated writer Ben Kahn, debut author Rachel Silverstein, and artist Sam Beck is a celebration of friendship, competition, queer identity, and the insane things we do for the things and people we love. Board To Death Board Games Contemporary Mystery Queer Rep: Queer Men Reading Age: 17+ Back in his hometown of Sugar House running his family's board game shop and cafe, Ben Rosencrantz just can't seem to get his life to pass go, much less collect $200. Once he was a happily married English professor in Seattle. Now he's a divorced caregiver, looking after his ill father and a chihuahua named Beans while still figuring out the rules of retail management. But despite his usual clientele of gamers, Ben is barely earning enough to keep the store running and stay on top of his father's medical bills. Then a local toy and game collector named Clive offers him a winning strategy--to purchase a turn-of-the-twentieth-century edition of The Landlord's Game , the realty and taxation game that inspired Monopoly , at a tenth of the rare edition's true value. Suspicious of Clive's shady, low-priced deal, Ben turns the offer down. Then Clive turns up dead in the dumpster behind Ben's shop and a backpack full of $100 bills appears on his doorstep. Now Ben is the number 1 suspect in Clive's death, and unless he and Ezra can prove his innocence and find the real killer, he'll go to jail for murder--and no amount of double dice rolls will set him free . . . Have we missed your favourite nerdy fiction? Send us a message on Instagram @ProudGeek Bookshop or email us at contact@proud-geek.co.uk ✌

It's #LGBTHistoryMonth here in the UK, so what better time to crack open a book and read up on some queer history? From essays about how queer media shaped the world, to Section 28, the aids epidemic and even the history of poppers, it's time to add some non-fiction to your TBR and get reading. Book: The End of Innocence: Britain In The Time Of AIDS Author: Simon Garfield About: HIV & the AIDS epidemic during 1980s/90s Britain. How does a country control a virus that is killing increasing numbers of people? How does a government contain an epidemic spread by sex, drug use and blood products? And how does a population react when told that everyone is at risk from infection? Book: Outrageous!: The Story of Section 28 and Britain’s Battle for LGBT Education Author: Paul Baker About: Section 28, LGBTQ+ education, OutRage! and Stonewall. Outrageous! tells the full story: the background to the Act, how the press fanned the flames and what politicians said during debates, how protestors fought back to bring about the repeal of the law in the 2000s, and its eventual legacy. Book: Bad Gays: A Homosexual History Authors: Huw Lemmey & Ben Miller About: Queer villains and evil twinks. From the Emperor Hadrian to notorious gangster Ronnie Kray, Bad Gays excavate the buried history of queer lives. This includes fascist thugs, famous artists, austere puritans and debauched bon viveurs, Imperialists, G-men and architects. Together, these amazing life stories expand and challenge the mainstream assumptions of sexual identity. Book: The Art of Drag Author: Jake Hall About: Kabuki theatre, Shakespeare, Stonewall and drag history. Take a peek into the cultural phenomenon that is Drag, in this lusciously illustrated guide to the history of the phenomenon, from ancient theatre to the queens of RuPaul's Drag Race. Book: All The Things She Said: Everything I Know About Modern Lesbian and Bi Culture Author: Daisy Jones About: Lesbian and bisexual culture in 21st century. Lesbian and bi culture is ever-changing and here, journalist Daisy Jones unpicks outdated stereotypes and shows how, over the past few years, the style and shared language of queer women has slowly infiltrated the mainstream. Book: The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice Author: Shon Faye About: An exploration of what it means to be trans in a transphobic society. Despite making up less than one percent of the country's population, they are the subjects of a toxic and increasingly polarized 'debate' which generates reliable controversy for newspapers and talk shows. This media frenzy conceals a simple fact: that we are having the wrong conversation, a conversation in which trans people themselves are reduced to a talking point and denied a meaningful voice. Book: The Glamour Boys: The Secret Story of the Rebels who Fought for Britain to Defeat Hitler Author: Chris Bryant About: A group of gay and bisexual British Conservative MPs who fought to defeat Hitler in the 1930s. We like to think we know the story of how Britain went to war with Germany in 1939, but there is one chapter that has never been told. In the early 1930s, a group of young, queer British MPs visited Berlin on a series of trips that would change the course of the Second World War. Book: Loving: A Photographic History Of Men In Love, 1850s - 1950s Author: Hugh Nini & Neal Treadwell About: A collection of photographs depicting love between M/M couples in a time when being gay was illegal. Loving: A Photographic History of Men in Love, 1850-1950 portrays the history of romantic love between men in hundreds of moving and tender vernacular photographs taken between the years 1850 and 1950. This visual narrative of astonishing sensitivity brings to light an until-now-unpublished collection of hundreds of snapshots, portraits, and group photos taken in the most varied of contexts, both private and public. Book: No Modernism Without Lesbians Author: Diana Souhaim About: Lesbians, modernism and early 1900s Paris. The extraordinary story of how a singular group of women in a pivotal time and place fostered the birth of the Modernist movement. Sylvia Beach, Bryher, Natalie Barney, and Gertrude Stein. A trailblazing publisher; a patron of artists; a society hostess; a groundbreaking writer. They were all women who loved women. They rejected the patriarchy and made lives of their own forming a community around them in Paris. Book: Our Work Is Everywhere: An Illustrated Oral History of Queer and Trans Resistance Author: Syan Rose About: An illustrated oral history of queer & trans resistance. In their own words, queer and trans organizers, artists, healers, comrades, and leaders speak honestly and authentically about their own experiences with power, love, pain, and magic to create a textured and nuanced portrait of queer and trans realities in America. The many themes include Black femme mental health, Pacific Islander authorship, fat queer performance art, disability and healthcare practice, sex worker activism, and much more. Accompanying the narratives are Rose's startling and sinuous images that brings these leaders' words to visual life. Book: Deep Sniff: A History of Poppers and Queer Futures Author: Adam Zmith About: Poppers, their history and their use in society, art, medicine and culture. This is the intriguing story of how poppers wafted out of the lab and into gay bars, corner shops, bedrooms and porn supercuts. Blending historical research with wry observation, Adam Zmith explores the cultural forces and improbable connections behind the power of poppers. What emerges is not just a history of pub raids, viral panics and pecs the size of dinner plates. Book: Queer London: A Guide to the City's LGBTQ+ Past and Present Author: Alim Kheraj About: London's vibrant LGBTQ+ scene and its history. Queer London is a timely and accessible introduction to the city through a LGBTQ+ lens, and will appeal to anyone with an interest in London's thriving queer landscape. Celebrating the diversity and innovation of queer individuals in London, both historically and today, Queer London features a range of bars, clubs, shops, Pride events, charities, community organisations, saunas and sex shops that cater to the LGBTQ community. Book: And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic Author: Randy Shilts About: Politics, people and the AIDS epidemic in America up to 1985. Randy Shilts was the first openly gay journalist dealing with gay issues for the San Francisco Chronicle. In 1981, the year when AIDS came to international attention, he quickly devoted himself to reporting on the developing epidemic, one which devastated his community and eventually took his life as well. Book: Bi: The Hidden Culture, History and Science of Bisexuality Author: Dr Julia Shaw About: History, politics and visibility in relation to bisexuality. Bi: The Hidden Culture, History and Science of Bisexuality explores all that we know about the world's largest sexual minority. From the hunt for a bi gene, to the relationship between bisexuality and consensual non-monogamy, to asylum seekers who need to prove their bisexuality in a court of law, there is more to explore than most have ever realised. Book: David Bowie Made Me Gay: 100 Years of LGBT Music Author: Darryl W. Bullock About: LGBTQ+ music and musicians in the last century. From Sia to Elton John, Dusty Springfield to Little Richard, LGBT voices have changed the course of modern music. But in a world before they gained understanding and a place in the mainstream, how did the queer musicians of yesteryear fight to build foundations for those who came after? Darryl W. Bullock reveals the inspiring and often heartbreaking stories of internationally renowned stars, as well as lesser-known names, who have led the revolution from all corners of the globe. Book: Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution Edited by: Lian Warfield, Walter Crasshole & Yony Leyser About: An oral history of the Queercore movement from the people who lived it. The movement that defied both the music underground and the LGBT mainstream community - queercore. Through exclusive interviews with protagonists like Bruce LaBruce, G.B. Jones, Jayne County, Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre, film director and author John Waters, Lynn Breedlove of Tribe 8, Jon Ginoli of Pansy Division, and many more, Queercore traces the history of a scene originally 'fabricated' in the bedrooms and coffee shops of Toronto and San Francisco by a few young, queer punks to its emergence as a relevant and real revolution. Book: Trans Britain: Our Journey from the Shadows Author: Christine Burns About: Trans history, rights and activism in Britain since the the 1930s. From our television screens to the ballot box, over the past decade transgender people have suddenly become part of the zeitgeist. This apparent overnight emergence, though, is just the latest stage in a long and varied history... Trans Britain chronicles this journey in the words of those who were there to witness a marginalised community grow into the visible phenomenon we recognise today: activists, film-makers, broadcasters, parents, an actress, a rock musician and a priest, among many others. Book: United Queerdom: From the Legends of the Gay Liberation Front to the Queers of Tomorrow Author: Dan Glass About: Queer activism and the Gay Liberation Front in the UK. Throughout the 1970s the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) initiated an anarchic campaign that permanently changed the face of Britain. Inspired by the Stonewall uprisings in the US, the GLF demanded a 'Absolute Freedom For All' worldwide. Yet half a century on, injustice is rife and LGBT+ inequality remains. Although many people believe queers are now free and should behave, assimilate and become palatable - Dan Glass shows that the fight is far from over. United Queerdom evocatively captures over five decades of LGBT+ culture and protest from the GLF to 2020s. Book: Fabulosa!: The Story of Polari, Britain's Secret Gay Language Author: Paul Baker About: The history of Polari and the people who used it. Polari is a language that was used chiefly by gay men in the first half of the twentieth century. It offered its speakers a degree of public camouflage and a means of identification. Paul Baker recounts the story of Polari with skill, humour and tenderness. He traces its historical origins and describes its linguistic nuts and bolts, explores the ways and the environments in which it was spoken, explains the reasons for its decline and tells of its unlikely re‐emergence in the twenty‐first century. Book: The Stonewall Reader Edited by: The New York Public Library About: A collection of first-hand accounts, diary entries and articles focusing on the Stonewall Riots. June 28, 2019 marked the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. This anthology focuses on the events of 1969, the five years before, and the five years after. Jason Baumann, the NYPL coordinator of humanities and LGBTQ collections, has edited and introduced the volume to coincide with the NYPL exhibition he has curated on the Stonewall uprising and gay liberation movement of 1969. Book: Cruising: An Intimate History of a Radical Pastime Author: Alex Espinoza About: The history of cruising and the political/cultural forces behind it. Combining historical research and oral history with his own personal experience, author Alex Espinoza examines the political and cultural forces behind this radical pastime. From Greek antiquity to the notorious Molly houses of 18th century England, the raucous 1970s to the algorithms of Grindr, Oscar Wilde to George Michael, cruising remains at once a reclamation of public space and the creation of its own unique locale―one in which men of all races and classes interact, even in the shadow of repressive governments. Book: Playing Gay in the Golden Age of British TV Author: Stephen Bourne About: A non-exhaustive look at gay male representation on British television. Playing Gay in the Golden Age of British TV looks at gay male representation on and off the small screen - from the programmes that hinted at homoeroticism to Mary Whitehouse's Clean Up TV campaign, and The Naked Civil Servant to the birth of Channel 4 as an exciting 'alternative' television channel. Here, acclaimed social historian Stephen Bourne tells the story of the innovation, experimentation, back-tracking and bravery that led British television to help change society for the better. Book: Female Husbands: A Trans History Author: Jen Manion About: The history of female husbands across the UK and US in the 18th and 19th Century. Long before people identified as transgender or lesbian, there were female husbands and the women who loved them. Female husbands - people assigned female who transed gender, lived as men, and married women - were true queer pioneers. Moving deftly from the colonial era to just before the First World War, Jen Manion uncovers the riveting and very personal stories of ordinary people who lived as men despite tremendous risk, danger, violence, and threat of punishment. Book: Queer X Design: 50 Years of Signs, Symbols, Banners, Logos, and Graphic Art of LGBTQ Author: Andy Campbell About: LGBTQ+ design, symbols, logos, and graphic art over the past 50 years. QUEER X DESIGN is an empowering, uplifting, and colorful celebration of the hundreds of graphics, symbols, flags and iconic posters that have stood for the powerful and ever-evolving LGBTQ movement over the last five-plus decades. The book includes work like Gilbert Baker's original rainbow flag, ACT-UP's Silence = Death poster, the AIDS quilt, and Keith Haring's "Heritage of Pride" logo, as well as the original Lavender Menace t-shirt design so much more. Book: A Little Gay History Of Wales Author: Daryl Leeworthy About: Welsh LGBT life and politics from the Middle Ages to the present A Little Gay History of Wales tells the compelling story of Welsh LGBT life from the Middle Ages to the present day. Drawing on a rich array of archival sources from across Britain, together with oral testimony and material culture, this pioneering study is the first to examine the experiences of ordinary LGBT men and women, and how they embarked on coming out, coming together and changing the world. Book: Queer Footprints: A Guide to Uncovering London's Fierce History Author: Dan Glass About: The modern guide to London's LGBTQ+ history and community. Follow in the footprints of veteran activists, such as those who marched in London's first Pride parade in 1972 or witnessed the 1999 bombing of the Admiral Duncan pub in Soho. Accompanied by a chorus of voices of both iconic and unsung legends of the movement, readers can walk through parts of East, West, South and North London, dipping into beautifully illustrated maps and extraordinary tales of LGBTQIA+ solidarity, protest and pride. Book: Before We Were Trans: A New History of Gender Author: Kit Heyam About: The global history of gender nonconformity from antiquity to the present. Before We Were Trans is a new and different story of gender, that seeks not to be comprehensive or definitive, but - by blending culture, feminism and politics - to widen the scope of what we think of as trans history by telling the stories of people across the globe whose experience of gender has been transgressive, or not characterised by stability or binary categories. Transporting us from Renaissance Venice to seventeenth-century Angola, from Edo Japan to North America, the stories this book tells leave questions and resist conclusions. Book: Hi Honey, I'm Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture Author: Matt Baume About: Queerness in American sitcoms, TV specials and series and its impact on American culture From flamboyant relatives on Bewitched to closely-guarded secrets on All in the Family, from network-censor fights over Soap to behind-the-scenes activism on the set of The Golden Girls, from Ellen's culture clash to Modern Family's primetime power-couple, Hi Honey, I'm Homo! is the story not only of how subversive queer comedy transformed the American sitcom, from its inception through today, but how our favourite sitcoms transformed, and continue to transform, America. Think we've missed something great? Send us a message on Instagram @ProudGeek Bookshop  or email us at contact@proud-geek.co.uk  ✌

To celebrate the release of We Call Them Human by India-Rose Bower, we're taking a look at some of the best queer dystopian books out right now. From gay zombie survival books to sapphic Hunger Games and trans dystopian horror, here are 10 of our favorite queer dystopian books available at the Proud Geek bookshop: We Call Them Witches India-Rose Bower Adult Dystopian Horror Queer Rep: Queer Women, Non-Binary Reading age: 18+ We Call Them Witches is a fresh take on dystopian horror, brimming with eldritch creatures, love and desire, and examining how far we'll go to save our family from what hunts them. Sara and her family must keep moving. Every few months, they’re discovered, and they have to pack up and get out quick. For the twins, it’s all they’ve ever known, for Danny, Noah and Ma, it’s a reminder of all they’ve lost. For Sara, it’s just another day. In yet another abandoned house, one they surround with Pagan wards - the only thing that protects them - Sara and her family think they might be safe, for a while at least. Fable For The End Of The World Ava Reid YA Dystopian Fantasy Queer Rep: Queer Women Reading age: 14+ Inesa lives with her brother in a half-sunken town where they scrape by running a taxidermy shop. Unbeknownst to Inesa, their cruel and indolent mother has accrued an enormous debt—enough to qualify one of her children for Caerus’s livestreamed assassination spectacle: the Lamb’s Gauntlet. Melinoë is a Caerus assassin, trained to track and kill the sacrificial Lambs. The product of neural reconditioning and physiological alteration, she is a living weapon, known for her cold brutality and deadly beauty. She has never failed to assassinate one of her marks. When Inesa learns that her mother has offered her as a sacrifice, at first she despairs - the Gauntlet is always a bloodbath for the impoverished debtors. But she’s had years of practice surviving in the apocalyptic wastes, and with the help of her hunter brother, she might stand a chance of staying alive. For Melinoë, this is a game she can’t afford to lose. Despite her reputation for mercilessness, she is haunted by painful flashbacks. After her last Gauntlet, where she broke down on livestream, she desperately needs redemption. All That's Left In The World Erik J Brown YA Dystopian Romance Queer Rep: Queer Men Reading age: 15+ When Andrew stumbles upon Jamie’s house, he’s injured, starved, and has nothing left to lose. A deadly pathogen has killed off most of the world’s population, including everyone both boys have ever loved. And if this new world has taught them anything, it’s to be scared of what other desperate people will do... so why does it seem so easy for them to trust each other? After danger breaches their shelter, they flee south in search of civilization. But something isn’t adding up about Andrew’s story, and it could cost them everything. And Jamie has a secret, too. He’s starting to feel something more than friendship for Andrew, adding another layer of fear and confusion to an already tumultuous journey. The road ahead of them is long, and to survive, they’ll have to shed their secrets, face the consequences of their actions, and find the courage to fight for the future they desire, together. Only one thing feels certain: all that’s left in their world is the undeniable pull they have toward each other. Simplicity Mattie Lubchansky Dystopain Sci-Fi - Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Trans Men Reading age: 18+ In 1977, a group called The Spiritual Association of Peers decamps to the woods of the Catskills, taking over an abandoned summer camp. They name their new home Simplicity. In 2081, scholar Lucius Pasternak, a fastidiously organized trans man, tries to keep his head down living in the New York City Administrative and Security Territory, which was founded after the formal dissolution of the United States in 2041. Then, he's offered a job by the mayor, billionaire real estate developer Dennis Van Wervel, to complete an anthropological survey of the people of Simplicity for a history museum he's financing. A wary Lucius is nevertheless drawn in by the people of the small wooded community, intrigued by its strange rituals and in particular by the charming acolyte Amity Crown-Shy. Born and raised on the compound, Amity is comfortable in their own skin, a striking contrast to Lucius' repressed reserve. But Lucius' control starts to slip when he begins to suffer visions both terrifying and sensual - visits from beautiful but nightmarish creatures. World Running Down Al Hess Dystopian Science-Fiction Queer Rep: Trans Men Reading age: 17+ Valentine Weis is a salvager in the future wastelands of Utah. Wrestling with body dysphoria, he dreams of earning enough money to afford citizenship in Salt Lake City - a utopia where the testosterone and surgery he needs to transition is free, the food is plentiful, and folk are much less likely to be shot full of arrows by salt pirates. But earning that kind of money is a pipe dream, until he meets the exceptionally handsome Osric. Once a powerful AI in Salt Lake City, Osric has been forced into an android body against his will and sent into the wasteland to offer Valentine a job on behalf of his new employer - an escort service seeking to retrieve their stolen androids. The reward is a visa into the city, and a chance at the life Valentine's always dreamed of. But as they attempt to recover the "merchandise", they encounter a problem: the android ladies are becoming self-aware, and have no interest in returning to their old lives. Manhunt Gretchen Felker-Martin Adult Dystopian BodyHorror Queer Rep: Trans Women, Trans Men Reading age: 18+ The Last Man meets The Girl With All the Gifts in Gretchen Felker-Martin's Manhunt, an explosive post-apocalyptic novel that follows trans women and men on a grotesque journey of survival. Beth and Fran spend their days traveling the ravaged New England coast, hunting feral men and harvesting their organs in a gruesome effort to ensure they'll never face the same fate. Robbie lives by his gun and one hard-learned motto: other people aren't safe. After a brutal accident entwines the three of them, this found family of survivors must navigate murderous TERFs, a sociopathic billionaire bunker brat, and awkward relationship dynamics - all while outrunning packs of feral men, and their own demons. The Last Bookstore On Earth Lily Braun-Arnold YA Dystopian Fiction Queer Rep: Queer Women Reading age: 13+ Ever since the first Storm wreaked havoc on civilization as we know it, seventeen-year-old Liz Flannery has been holed up in an abandoned bookstore in suburban New Jersey where she used to work, trading books for supplies with the few remaining survivors. It’s the one place left that feels safe to her. Until she learns that another earth-shattering Storm is coming... and everything changes. Enter Maeve, a prickly and potentially dangerous out-of-towner who breaks into the bookstore looking for shelter one night. Though the two girls are immediately at odds, Maeve has what Liz needs - the skills to repair the dilapidated store before the next climate disaster strikes - and Liz reluctantly agrees to let her stay. As the girls grow closer and undeniable feelings spring up between them, they realize that they face greater threats than the impending Storm. And when Maeve’s secrets and Liz’s inner demons come back to haunt them both, they find themselves fighting for their lives as their world crumbles around them. Wranglestone Darren Charlton YA Dystopian Horror/Romance Queer Rep: Queer Men Reading age: 14+ Part zombie epic, part gay love story. Winter was the only season every Lake-Lander feared... In a post-apocalyptic America, a community survives in a national park, surrounded by water that keeps the Dead at bay. But when winter comes, there's nothing to stop them from crossing the ice. Then homebody Peter puts the camp in danger by naively allowing a stranger to come ashore and he's forced to leave the community of Wranglestone. Now he must help rancher Cooper, the boy he's always watched from afar, herd the Dead from their shores before the lake freezes over. But as love blossoms, a dark discovery reveals the sanctuary's secret past. One that forces the pair to question everything they've ever known. Hell Followed With Us Andrew Joseph White YA Dystopian Horror Queer Rep: Trans Men, Queer Cast Reading age: 15+ Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji is on the run from the cult that raised him - the fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and decimated the world’s population. Desperately, he searches for a place where the cult can’t get their hands on him, or more importantly, on the bioweapon they infected him with. But when cornered by monsters born from the destruction, Benji is rescued by a group of teens from the local Acheson LGBTQ+ Center, affectionately known as the ALC. The ALC’s leader, Nick, is gorgeous, autistic, and a deadly shot, and he knows Benji’s darkest secret: the cult’s bioweapon is mutating him into a monster deadly enough to wipe humanity from the earth once and for all. Still, Nick offers Benji shelter among his ragtag group of queer teens, as long as Benji can control the monster and use its power to defend the ALC. Eager to belong, Benji accepts Nick’s terms…until he discovers the ALC’s mysterious leader has a hidden agenda, and more than a few secrets of his own. Dreamland Rosa Rankin-Gee Dystopian Sci-Fi Queer Rep: Queer Women Reading age: 18+ In the coastal resort of Margate, hotels lie empty and sun-faded ‘For Sale’ signs line the streets. The sea is higher – it’s higher everywhere – and those who can are moving inland. A young girl called Chance, however, is just arriving. Chance’s family is one of many offered a cash grant to move out of London - and so she, her mother Jas and brother JD relocate to the seaside, just as the country edges towards vertiginous change.  In their new home, they find space and wide skies, a world away from the cramped bedsits they’ve lived in up until now. But challenges swiftly mount. JD’s business partner, Kole, has a violent, charismatic energy that whirlpools around him and threatens to draw in the whole family. And when Chance comes across Franky, a girl her age she has never seen before – well-spoken and wearing sunscreen – something catches in the air between them. Their fates are bound: a connection that is immediate, unshakeable, and, in a time when social divides have never cut sharper, dangerous. Think we've missed something great? Send us a message on Instagram @ProudGeekBookshop  or email us at contact@proud-geek.co.uk  ✌

It's time once again to look at some of the best queer books being released this year with characters on the asexual and aromantic spectrum. From asexual horror to demisexual romance and aromantic short story collections, here are our 10 most anticipated aro, ace & demisexual books coming out in 2026. Note: some release dates of these books may be pushed back and covers may change. I Love You Don't Die Jade Song Genre: Dark Adult Lit-Fic Queer Rep: Asexual Women, Queer Cast 19 March 2026 For as far back as she can remember, Vicky has been fascinated and obsessed with death as the only inevitable thing in life. From living above a Chinatown funeral parlor to working at a celebrity start-up for bespoke urns, she has surrounded herself with death - in her home, in her work, and in her ever-growing collection of zhizha, paper creations meant to be burned for the dead, adorning the walls of her apartment. Yet, though living in Manhattan and working her dream job is all she ever wanted, she still struggles to have meaningful connections in her life. Too often she spends the day in bed, only drawn out from time to time by her best (and only) friend, Jen. That changes when a dating app leads her into a throuple with an artist and a labor organizer, who offer exactly the kind of love she needs. For some time, it’s perfect, but no one understands better than Vicky that all things must end. As doubts grow over the love in her life, her friendship with Jen, and her professional success, the oddly comforting abstraction of death starts becoming something else altogether. Being Aro Edited by Madeline Dyer & Rosiee Thor Genre: Anthology & Short Stories Queer Rep: Arospec Cast 26 May 2026 Being Aro is a collection of short stories in genres like science fiction, fantasy, historical, and contemporary that shines a light on aromantic relationships and experiences, as well as the many other sub-identities under the aromantic umbrella. From high-school matchmaking mishaps to battling book banning with dragons, this anthology is rich in imagination and diverse in its perspectives, showcasing aro characters that go on adventures, form friendships, and rise against the status quo. Contributors include a mixture of established and emerging YA writers, such as Lammy Award-finalist Madeline Dyer, Lammy Award-nominated Rosiee Thor, USA Today bestselling Kemi Ashing-Giwa, and NYT bestselling authors Kalyn Josephson and Laura Pohl. Shake Out The Ghosts Al Hess Genre: Adult Fantasy Romance Queer Rep: Asexual Men, Queer Cast 10 March 2026 A brutal assault nine months ago left eccentric portrait artist Micah with facial scars and PTSD. He’s struggled to leave his apartment ever since, and he can’t let anyone in. Then his only sanctuary is disrupted by signs of a haunting. Between the 80s synth pop and motivation messages scrawled on his bathroom mirror, Micah finds himself more charmed than frightened by who he believes to be Cosmo, the deceased previous resident of his apartment. But when Cosmo’s ghostly visits suddenly stop, Micah is determined to lure him back. Meanwhile, sculpture artist Cosmo - dramatic, unconventional, and very much alive - is mourning his old self. His boyfriend’s a serial cheater, he’s continually passed over for a promotion at work, and he’s lost contact with his best friend. To make matters worse, his apartment is being haunted by the ghost of a bespectacled man with an eye socket of scars. It’s his last straw, and seeking a new start, Cosmo moves out. Scorpion Deep CG Drews Genre: YA Horror Queer Rep: Asexual Men 29 October 2026 The only thing Jonathan Covey wants from the gloomy, moldering isle of Kelcarrow is to leave it. Summer is ending, and his friends are looking forward to college on the mainland, unaware that Jonathan was not accepted to join them. He'll be left behind with nothing but the ocean's haunts and a rising dread of being abandoned. In an act of wild desperation, Jonathan pays a tithe to Scorpion Deep, an eldritch sea god who many of the locals have dismissed as myth. He wants to forget the past, he wants to follow his friends, and most of all he wants to finally escape. To his shock and horror, the ritual works - Scorpion Deep awakens. And despite his terror, Jonathan can't help but feel drawn toward the ageless entity that seems just as mutually obsessed with him. As scales start growing down his spine and Scorpion Deep's adoration of him turns bloody, Jonathan realizes the only way to end the nightmare is to destroy the monster one way or another. Les Normaux Volume 2 Janine Janssen & S. Al Sabado Genre: Fantasy Romance - Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Demisexual Men, Queer Cast 15 January 2026 Boy moves to new city. Boy meets vampire. They kiss, then become friends. But both would like something more… The second volume of LES NORMAUX - the global Webtoon phenomenon about friendship, love and magic.  Magic and mayhem collide in supernatural Paris as Sébastien, a young wizard, comes to terms with his demisexuality and explores his growing feelings for his neighbor Elia - a hot supermodel vampire. Join Elia, Sébastien and their assorted crew of wonderful friends, as they navigate the ins and outs of dating and relationships in this modern and para normal  love story. The Faithful Dark Cate Baumer Genre: Gothic Fantasy Queer Rep: Asexual Women, Queer Cast 13 February 2025 In a holy walled city where sin and sanctity are revealed through touch, Csilla - a girl born without a soul - is worth little to the Church that raised her. But when a series of murders corrodes the faithful magic that keep the city safe, the Church elders see a use for her she can assassinate their prime suspect, a heretic with divine heritage, without risking the stain of sin. The heretic, however, makes Csilla a clear his name by helping him catch the real killer, and he'll use his angelic gifts to grant her very own soul. Meanwhile, ruthless Ilan, desperate to earn back his position as Church Inquisitor, sees the case as his chance at he'll bring in the murderer - or, failing that, Csilla and the heretic - and regain his title. But as the death toll rises, and their hunt pits them against the all-powerful and callous Faith, Csilla finds herself torn. Will her salvation come at the cost of everything she believes in? Buuza!! Vol. 1 Shazleen Khan Gen re: YA Romance - Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Demisexual Trans Men, Queer Cast 25 June 2026 On New Year's Eve 1997, in the bustling city of Salwa, Zach, a down-on-his-luck phone operator, receives a misdialed call from a distressed man named Zhen which sparks an undeniable connection. Zach is thrown into a search for his mystery man that stretches across multiple cities and a tangled web of exes, missed connections, and frenemies. Set in the vibrant, low-fantasy realm of Dawlat Al-Harir - an eclectic melting pot inspired by Silk Road history and rich Asian and African Islamic cultures - BUUZA!! is a queer YA romance that features a uniquely dynamic blend of magical realism and political drama, with a richly diverse cast and an intricate plot that explores themes of identity, family, and transformation. This story will take readers on a captivating journey through a world where the divine and mundane collide in the most unexpected ways. Wonders Never Cease Lexy Hudson Genre: Adult Fantasy Romance Queer Rep: Asexual Women 26 May 2026 This propulsive, gorgeously-written fantasy romance will pull you into a dazzling world of dancing and danger, fae and fairytales, and a love that endures against all odds. Musical and immersive, this stunning debut is perfect for fans of The Night Circus and The Moonlight Market. London, 1986. Trix, a young dancer in the British Classical Ballet Company, has been striving for years to make a name for herself in the competitive and unforgiving world of elite ballet. Aleksander 'Sander' Sylvan is the company’s mysterious, meteoric rising star, whose talents are like nothing anyone has seen before. An eleventh-hour illness among the cast of The Sleeping Beauty changes everything; Trix and Sander are thrown together in the lead roles, surprising everyone with their chemistry. Soon the pair become the company’s star attraction, their sizzling on-stage partnership fuelling speculation about their private lives. Trix knows she’s falling for Sander, but relationships have always been difficult for her, and as they grow closer, she cannot help but wonder about his past. Who is Sander really? Ace of Hearts Cooklin Genre: Graphic Memoir - Graphic Novel Queer Rep: Asexual Women 19 February 2026 Growing up, Caitlin Cook knew the recipe for social success from watching television and reading books: two best friends, two enemies, and a boyfriend. So she arranged her life accordingly: making friends and dreaming of the boys she met in school. But she felt that inside, something was wrong with her. Because though she wanted to get close to people, every time she experimented with sex, she just felt bored. This graphic novel follows Caitlin Cook, who is asexual but does not yet fully realize it. From evangelical purity politics to the footloose college campus, Caitlin navigates different worlds each with their own sexual orthodoxies, and clumsily attempts to fit into each of them. A thoughtful and immersive coming-of-age memoir about one girl's struggle to figure out and then claim her asexual identity. Someone to Daydream About Sydney Langford Genre: YA Romance Queer Rep: Demisexual Women, Pansexual Men 20 April 2026 Every teenager in America knows eighteen-year-old Felix Song, the lead singer of the most popular boy band since One Direction. Unfortunately, Natalie Nielsen is no exception. Though she thinks of him more as an annoying rich kid from her hometown than a heartthrob. Uninterested in stardom, Natalie dreams of honoring her late dad’s legacy and making a positive impact on her beloved Deaf community by revamping her family’s run-down Deaf Center. The issue? She has no money. When Felix's little sister's hearing loss begins to accelerate, he gives Natalie a generous job offer that would help secure the Center’s future: but she must accompany him on tour this summer to teach him ASL. What begins as a professional arrangement soon morphs into stolen kisses and late-night rendezvous. But as their connection deepens, so do the risks - and when their relationship suddenly takes center stage, it’s not only their hearts, but Felix’s career on the line. Between relentless public scrutiny, contractual obligations, and meddling band members, Natalie must decide if their dreams can co-exist in the spotlight. Think we've missed something great? Send us a message on Instagram @ProudGeekBookshop  or email us at contact@proud-geek.co.uk  ✌