7 LGBTQ+ books to put on your reading list ahead of Pride
Pride Month is celebrated in June, providing an opportunity to learn more about the LGBTQ+ community.
Reading is a brilliant way to do so – and there are plenty of releases this year either from LGBTQ+ authors, or dealing with themes that might help you understand the community a bit better.
And for people who identify as LGBTQ+, these books might help you feel that bit less alone – or learn something more about someone else.
Here are some books to put on your reading list this Pride Month…
1. John Of John by Douglas Stuart
John Of John is set to be one of the biggest releases of 2026, as the follow-up to Douglas Stuart’s Booker Prize-winning novel Shuggie Bain. There are two Johns in his latest book: the religious father who lives on a fictional island in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, and his son, who goes by Cal, who has returned home from art school.
Cal hasn’t told anyone he’s gay, and his secret becomes increasingly oppressive – something which is put into even sharper focus early in the book, when the reader discovers that John is also secretly gay. It’s a fierce and tender novel about secrets and identity, and is an Oprah’s Book Club pick.
(Picador, May 21)
2. Do Ask, Do Tell: Queer Life, Love And Culture Laid Bare by Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley
Podcast hosts and writers Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley – who published The Queer Parent in 2023, which was billed as the ‘groundbreaking toolkit for LGBTQ+ parents’ – wrote Do Ask, Do Tell in 2025, and now the paperback version is being released with a sleek new look.
With humour and knowledge, Jeffs and Oakley answer a huge range of questions on the gamut of being LGBTQ+. Whether you’re already part of the community, or an ally looking to find out more, it’s a useful handbook for any questions people might not have been sure who to ask.
Oakley wrote on Instagram: "We called the book Do Ask, Do Tell because silence helps no one and we believe good faith questions are not an attack, they’re an opening."
(Bluebird, May 29)
3. Andromeda by E.S. McLeod
Andromeda is the first adult novel by E.S. McLeod, who pens YA books under the name Ella McLeod. It puts the spotlight on the story of Andromeda from Greek mythology in a retelling that is described as a ‘timeless Black, queer love story’.
Beautiful princess Andromeda lives a cushy life in Aethiopia, until her mother defies the gods and is given a deadly ultimatum. Poseidon, the god of the seas, sends his servant – shape-shifter Ceto – to deal with Andromeda, and what starts as a spiky relationship between the two women soon turns into something closer and more intimate.
(Bantam, out now)
4. First Summer by Ekin Oklap
First Summer is the debut novel from International Booker Prize-nominated translator Ekin Oklap – and as the title suggests, it’s set throughout one long, hot summer.
It’s a classic coming-of-age tale, as the teenage narrator watches a new girl, Clara, move in across the street. As the summer wears on, the two girls, who are on the cusp of adulthood, grow closer and closer. There’s another, dreamier storyline running alongside this one: of space explorer Nadia, who is the protagonist of a children’s book series loved by both girls, who travels around a distant fictional galaxy with her companion, Rosa – which helps the narrator understand what’s going on in her own life.
(Summit, May 21)
5. The Castle Of Stories by Matt Cain
Author and broadcaster Matt Cain returns with his latest novel, set in the rolling hills of Tuscany. It follows Adam, a 45-year-old from Manchester who moves to Italy with his boyfriend Theo, after unexpectedly inheriting a crumbling farmhouse and castle.
Things are soon complicated by the arrival of Adam’s kids, and the discovery of some long-buried family secrets. In 2025, Cain was awarded an MBE for services to LGBTQ+ culture – The Castle Of Secrets is the first book released by Pansy, an independent LGBTQ+ publisher founded by Cain and his husband, Harry Glasstone.
(Pansy, June 4)
6. Give Me Everything You’ve Got by Imogen Crimp
Give Me Everything You’ve Got is a tense and oppressive read that will have you on the edge of your seat. Budding filmmaker Ruby is thrilled to be invited to the country house of successful feminist filmmaker, Ellen, where she develops an intense relationship with Ellen’s 20-year-old daughter, Lara.
But things aren’t quite as they seem, and throughout an intense heatwave, Ruby wonders if she’s caught up in a strange and dangerous game between Ruby and Lara.
(Bloomsbury Publishing, out now)
7. Princess Pete by Zoey Allen, illustrated by Frenci Sanna
For a positive and uplifting picture book about the LGBTQ+ experience, look no further than Princess Pete. Written an illustrated by transgender creators Zoey Allen and Frenci Sanna, it’s perfect for readers age three and up.
It follows the adventures of Pete, a child who loves lots of different things – from making music with boys to having races with girls. Pete was born a boy, but doesn’t always feel like one, nor do they necessarily feel like all the girls: they’re just Pete. It’s a simple yet beautiful tale about self-acceptance, accompanied by joyful illustrations.
(Walker Books, out now)
