33 Must Have LGBTQ+ Books According To ELLE

So, I’m someone who prides myself on reading a ton of queer lit, so when I saw a post from Elle of 33 LGBTIQ+ books everyone should have in their library, I was like, I got this. In my mind, I was like, and I should have read at least 10 from 33, right? I was wrong, even if I came close with 9 books read. Let’s start with the 9 I have read:

Radical Hope by Carolina de Robertis – sadly, this was a non-fiction book I disliked which is rare for me. I found the way the essays were written was a bit too harsh, but again this is my opinion as a reader.

The Colour Purple by Alice Walker – Going into it, I thought there was no way this book would talk about being queer on top of heavy subjects like slavery and abuse. It wasn’t an easy read, and I can imagine how painful it was for the first African American women to be brought to America and then to be sold as enslaved people. I read this two years ago, and I don’t think I can handle rereading it any time soon.

Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson – I don’t remember it being a wow to me, which was weird because Jacqueline Woodson’s novels always have that fantastic factor for me, especially when they write in verse. Plus, in the other readers enjoyed section, I found The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste, which I marked on my list because it looks interesting.

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo- I read this year and gave it five stars; however, it’s one of those books that you need to sit down and just read or listen to absorb it fully.

Call Me by Your Name by Andre Aciman – I know this will sound upside down, but I enjoyed the movie adaptation more than the book for the first time in my life. They shot it in the most gorgeous places that Italy has to offer.

Tomorrow will be Different by Sarah McBride – I think by now you know my thoughts on this one since I posted both here and on Instagram about it. I read quite recently compared to some of the others here, but I don’t think my thoughts will change anytime soon.

Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Manns – My thought about it is simple; it is one of the best poetry collections I have ever read. So, if you haven’t checked out already, you should.

In Their Shoes by Jamie Windust – reading their story was so raw to me, so go into being aware that it might cause some heavy emotions; at least, it did that to me.

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters – For my mind, it was quite a concept leading to unbelieve when I tried to put myself in Reese’s shoes. Having lived as my true self for five years, and it has been two years today since I started hormones, I can’t even imagine reversing some of it back. Some of the physical changes are irreversible, which is why so much thinking and therapy are required.

This post ended up getting longer than I thought, so I’m leaving it here. Please comment below if you want a part 2 with my predictions on the books I haven’t read!

Alex

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