“We struggle and fight for our joy — an unreserved and unapologetic joy that springs from our ability to live as we are. It’s a joy worth fighting for and it’s this joy that links all of our struggles together.” — Lady Phyll
Readers deserve all kinds of queer stories, but stories that center queer joy and queer thriving are vital for all sorts of reasons. Life is about more than struggle. Queer stories should also show queer people finding acceptance, support, and joy in their lives. And don’t we all want more joy in our lives and our reading?
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On this list you will find romance, memoirs, humor, graphic novels, YA and science fiction stories that center queer joy:
Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera, illustrated by Celia Moscote
This Portland, Oregon set novel by a Latinx author is now in a graphic novel form, with illustrations that get at the brilliant exuberance of Rivera’s original. 19-year-old Juliet Milagros Palante is a Bronx transplant who is learning to embrace her sexuality as she gets to know a new a new city. Sweet and sexy, this coming-of-age delivers on the feels.
Boys Come First by Aaron Foley delves into the lives, dreams, and friendships between a group of Black gay men in Detroit. Through group chats and chapters that shift point of view between Dominick, Troy, and Remy, the intimate and sometimes messy details of modern Black gay dating world and the personal ambitions and dreams of these men unfold alongside vivid depictions of gentrifying Detroit. Robert Jones Jr., author of The Prophets, called this debut “Uproarious, sharp, bruising, hip, and real.”
Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly
This debut introduces queer Māori-Russian siblings, Greta and Valdin, navigating their adult lives with some amount of insecurity and angst. Even when you are surrounded by loving family, adulting can be hard at times. Reilly has been compared to Sally Rooney and you can see why with the queer ambience of the book as well as the many literary and cultural allusions peppered throughout the conversations between characters. A clever and arch character-driven novel.
Want more Queer Joy reading suggestions? Check out our full list!
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