7 top picks of LGBTQ+ books to enjoy in 2023

New year, new literature. But the world is still struggling and there's a war surrounding us. However, in this state of chaos, one can have a look at the bright side and find joy in the present moment. Which can also mean that you read a satisfying book. And the best part is that 2023 comes with a bunch of new LGBTQ+ entertainment. There are movies (The Last Of Us, M3GAN) and so many others to watch.

In the meantime, if you are looking for a good book, no matter the genre, we've got some titles for you. There are tons of excellent new queer books releasing this year, whether you prefer something light or have you are a Goodreads fanatic.

So, here are 7 books you can read in the new year that are queer and treat LGBTQ+ themes, and you can pick your favorite as they are diverse and wonderful.

Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H

This is a pseudonymously written memoir and the title Hijab Butch Blues might put a special swirl on Leslie Feinberg's lesbian novel Stone Butch Blues. This is a proper name for a book all about the author's suggestive, optimistic coming-of-age tale as a queer hijabi Muslim. Lamya H talks about her adventures growing up in South Asia and the Middle East and then to New York City as a grown-up with well-known tales from the Quran. It all happens while she explores her sexuality, community, and faith.

Ander & Santi Were Here, Jonny Garza Villa

This is a novel that tells the story of a nonbinary Mexican American teenager who falls in love with Santi who is a waiter at their family’s taqueria. They start a relationship and Ander realizes who they want to be as an artist. Later on, they help Santi begin to feel at home in the US but the problems are also present as ICE agents reach Santi. A story that's soft but strong, an ode to the Latinx LGBTQ+ community. It's also a search for what it means to have a home.

Homebodies by Tembe Denton-Hurst

A debut novel where a young Black writer - Mickey Hayward - thinks that she is prepared to write stories that are important. She has a loving girlfriend and a good media job but the workplace often treats her wrong. She finds out she will be replaced, so she writes an open letter about the racism and sexism encountered at her job and not only - but in the whole industry. This letter goes viral and the story takes another turn, bringing Mickey into the spotlight. It will be interesting to see what is she doing with her new popularity and her platform and how this Black queer builds a story of her own.

Lesbian Love Story: A Memoir in Archives by Amelia Possanza

The book publicist Amelia Possanza moves to Brooklyn and she discovers that she is surrounded by queer history. This is a memoir focused on seven love stories. So, Lesbian Love Story pursues her into the archives to recover the individual histories of New York City lesbians. It will take you from a Bushwick drag king show to Harlem activists. Plus, Possanza’s writing bears tribute to the queer lives and stories that came before. It will definitely help the world chart a path forward.

Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt

If you love haunted houses, you will appreciate this novel that received good reviews when it came out in the U.K. The story confronts ethereal and real-world atrocities like TERFs and British fascism but it is all through a gothic lens. Tell Me I’m Worthless follows estranged friends Alice and Ila as they’re drawn back to the abandoned house that ripped their lives apart three years earlier.

Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy

Embrace this first book that will be part of a mystery series starring a queer punk rocker that becomes a witty detective. The novel follows its main character as she explores a New Orleans Catholic school, investigating a mystery after an arson. But there is more to the story, so hop on and uncover a complicated past with lots of questions (and answers as well).

Dykette by Jenny Fran Davis

A much-expected novel by Jenny Fran Davis is this amazing story of three queer couples of different ages, economic backgrounds, and world ideas who choose to spend their vacations at a country residence. The reader might ask, what on earth could go bad? Well, if you want to find out all about the trap of envy and desire and the way the characters' beliefs are challenged and their perceptions - you need to read this book. It promises funny intrigue but also a lot of drama.