Homie by Danez Smith

Anyone who is familiar with Danez Smith’s work will know them as the president of black voices in poetry. Smith uses their new collection to explore the ideas of friendship, intimacy and comfort. Smith draws from the conflicts of their home country where they are born and bred— its xenophobia, violence, dichotomy; it renowned struggles. They introduce black, queer bodies trying to survive a violent system of oppression, clutching to friendship and family as a saving grace.

We Are Totally Normal by Rahul Kanakia

Kanakia’s queer contemporary young adult fiction tells the story of protagonist Nandan’s plans for his junior year of high school. Everything seems to go wrong when he hooks up with a guy for the first time. Nandan is willing to give everything up for the relationship but his anxiety grows in the process of trying to navigate unfamiliar territory while also juggling a complicated social life.

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

A phenomenal memoir from the number-one New York Times bestselling author. Doyle empathically tells us about coming out to her family after divorcing her husband. We learn about how she met her wife at a conference and with little more than three words - “There she is” - to go on. Doyle’s story is one of vulnerability as well as forwardness; it’s both heartfelt and galvanizing.

All My Mother’s Lovers by Ilana Masad

An awakening debut novel about intimacy, self-realisation and mystery. Protagonist Maggie returns to her hometown of California at 27-years-old after battling grief of her homophobic mother’s death. When she arrives in California, however, she discovers that her mother Iris’s will contains five sealed envelops, each addressed a man neither of them have never heard of. Leaving her brother and father behind, Maggie sets off on a journey to deliver the letters to uncover the truth her mother had been hiding.

10 brilliant LGBTQ+ books to add to your reading list right now