A Scream-of-Consciousness, Cry-of-Love Manifesto
Plus 30 more of this week's most exciting LGBTQ new releases.
Today’s Our Queerest Shelves is brought to you by: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
This provocative novel from an award-winning author tells a story about friendship, family, and trans awakening in a working-class American town.
In 1984 in Swaffham, Massachusetts, Mel meets Sylvia, a trans woman whose swagger inspires Mel’s dawning self-awareness. But Sylvia’s presence throws Mel into conflict with her mother and best friend. In 2019, Max (formerly Mel) is on probation from his teaching job. Back in Swaffham, he must face his own role in the disasters of the past. This timely and captivating narrative illuminates the ways that difference can provide a ticket to liberation. Find out more about W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. here!
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Today, like last week, we have a cornucopia of new queer book releases. I’ve featured seven, but there’s an extra 23 listed as a bonus for paid subscribers at the end of the newsletter, plus today’s sponsor. I’m not sure why March is such a huge LGBTQ book release month, but I’m here for it!
New LGBTQ Releases This Week
Love the World or Get Killed Trying by Alvina Chamberland (Trans Woman Fiction)
In a work of autofiction the publisher description calls an “urgent wildfire scream-of-consciousness, cry-of-love-manifesto,” we follow Alvina, a 29-year-old trans woman, as she travels through Iceland, Berlin, and Paris while dealing with being a “ceaseless target of straight men's secret lust and open disgust.”
These Letters End in Tears by Musih Tedji Xaviere (Sapphic Fiction)
13 years ago, Bessem and Fatima fell in love. In Cameroon, though, same-sex relationships are illegal. When Fatima’s older brother discovers their relationship, he assaults them. Soon after, the town’s gay bar is raided by police. Fatima is jailed — and then disappears. Now, after encountering a new clue in the case, Bessem tries to find Fatima after all these years.
A Small Apocalypse: Stories by Laura Chow Reeve (Queer Short Stories)
These strange short stories, mostly set in Florida (of course), explore what it means to live out on the outskirts of society. They include people turning reptilian, queer ghosts haunting their friends, pickled memories, and more. This collection comes recommended by Kristin Arnett, author of With Teeth and Mostly Dead Things. Also, Book Rioter Laura Sackton reviewed this as “Perfect,” and that’s enough to add it to my TBR!
Really Cute People by Markus Harwood-Jones (Nonbinary Polyamorous Romance)
You might recognize this author from his TikTok, where he talks about gender neutral parenting in a three-parent family. In this romcom, Charlie is reeling from being burned by their biological family and then a queer collective. When they take a work trip, their rental turns out to be already occupied by a couple (Buffy and Hayden), their kid, and their pets. The family promises to leave first thing in the morning…but then they get snowed in together for a week. Charlie is developing feelings for both Buffy and Hayden, and it looks like they might both be open to that. But then Charlie is offered a promotion back in the city, and all three will have to choose what to do next.
Just Another Epic Love Poem by Parisa Akhbari (Sapphic YA Contemporary)
For five years, best friends Mitra and Bea have been co-writing The Book: an epic poem in a moleskin where they can vent and share absolutely everything on their minds. But there’s one thing Mitra hasn’t told Bea, in The Book or outside of it: she’s hopelessly in love with her. As the cover says, “Nothing ruins a friendship like falling in love.” This is told in both prose and excerpts of poetry from The Book.
Monster Crush by Ellie Franey (Sapphic YA Graphic Novel)
Ruby Reid is an outsider at Crestwood High, and she’s struggling to deal with her parents breaking up. When new girl Ella Mooney shows up at school, though, Ruby is immediately drawn to her. She’s a little different, too: she’s never even had an ice cream cone before. Oh, and she sometimes has a tail and fangs. Soon, the two of them find themselves on the run from a group that wants to experiment on Ella and her family.
Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix: Crushing Love by Ben Kahn, illustrated by Bayou Kun (M/M Sci-Fi Graphic Novel)
I recently watched a video essay about the homoeroticism between Snake and his nemesis Ocelot in Metal Gear Solid, and this cover immediately reminded me of them. (No, I haven’t played the game. This the nature of YouTube rabbit holes.) This is a prequel to Netflix’s Captain Laserhawk, which is inspired by the game Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon. Dolph Laserhawk is a supersoldier looking to break free from the mega-corporation Eden and join the rebels. But first, he has to relive his best and worst moments through VR, including his “passionate and tumultuous love affair” with criminal mastermind Alex Taylor.
✨ Paid subscribers can find 23 more LGBTQ books out this week at the end of this post! ✨
For more new releases, check out our New Books newsletter and the New Release Index — you can even filter by queer books!
Queer Bookish Goodies
There are a few different polyamorous queer romance novels coming out this year, including Really Cute People, so here’s a polyamorous pride bee pin! You can get this in many pride flag colors. $13
That's it for me! Until next time, you can find me at my sapphic book blog the Lesbrary. You can hear me on All the Books, and you can also read my Book Riot posts and subscribe to my other Book Riot newsletter, Read Harder.
Happy reading!
Danika
23 More LGBTQ Books Out This Week
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