The {C} Magazine is launching its own book club called The {C}BC, and given that it is June this first edition will be LGBTQ+ friendly must-reads. This list will include a genre for anyone, whether that be fantasy; a mythological retelling; a young adult coming of age story; nonfiction; or if you want something lighthearted and easy to read.
1. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller.
Many have probably heard of this one, especially those who enjoy twisting the knife of heartache just a little bit more than necessary. The Song of Achilles is centered in Greek mythology, following Achilles who is the son of the sea goddess Thetis and King Peleus, and his bond with Patroclus who is an exiled prince.
The two quickly form a fast friendship that ends up being something more as they train under a centaur named Chiron in the works of war and medicine.
However, war eventually does call on Achilles when Helena of Sparta gets kidnapped, and worried for his safety, Patroclus follows.
2. In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan.
In Other Lands was published in 2017 and won the Bisexual Book Award for Teen/Young Adult Fiction that same year. The book follows thirteen-year-old Elliot all the way up until he’s seventeen. Elliot is taken out of school one day, where he then is taxied to a place in the middle of nowhere with a few other children and asked if he can see the wall. Elliot is confused, because he can clearly see the wall, how can no one else?
As it turns out, the wall was the border between the world as we know it, and the magical realm. Just on the other side of it is a military school for those who are magical. Elliot’s given the choice, stay in the mundane world, or be a part of this school of magical creatures. He chooses to join the world of magical creatures when he sees a young elven girl named Serene, but he’s more than a little deflated when he realizes that she has a tag-along friend named Luke.
The three become friends, or rather Serene and Elliot are friends, and Elliot tolerates Luke and his annoyingly likeable personality. As Elliot grows up, he finds that his eyes which were once on Serene, begin to wander over to Luke as he realizes that Luke is not all that bad.
3. Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe.
This author’s memoir explores gender identity and sexuality and how Kobabe’s journey changed throughout adolescence and adulthood, ending in the realization that they identify outside of the binary.
The book even covers the hilarious confusion of crushes in adolescence, even dabbling in teen bonding over fanfiction. However, there are more serious moments such as discussing coming out to family, and facing the trauma of pap smears.
Gender Queer: A Memoir earned the 2020 ALA Alex Award Winner, and the 2020 Stonewall – Israel Fishman Non-fiction Award Honor Book.
4. Siren Queen by Nghi Vo.
Siren Queen follows up-and-coming Chinese Hollywood actress Luli Wei during the 1920s and ‘30s before the Hays Code. It’s no secret that early Hollywood was not favorable towards people who looked and acted differently during that time, so Luli would fight tooth and nail for her roles.
However, it appeared that the monsters weren’t on screen, rather they were in real life. They wanted to own everything Luli had, including the women and partners she cared about. But Luli was willing to do whatever it takes to get on the big screen.
This book received many rewards including Vulture’s #1 Fantasy Novel of 2022; an Amazon Best Book of 2022; one of NPR’s Best Book of 2022; and so on.
5. Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinburg.
Stone Butch Blues is a historical fiction following Jess Goldberg in 1940s Buffalo, New York. Jess’s parents institutionalize them for three weeks when Jess won’t commit to gender conformity. After they get out, Jess learns of a local gay bar, and is introduced to queer culture.
Jess’s life is far from easy, as every gay bar in town is being raided. At one point they get jailed and sexually assaulted. During this time, Jess struggles to keep a job and find a stable, loving relationship when they don’t understand themselves.
When they do finally settle down, Jess begins to take testosterone and gets top surgery, starting to feel more like themselves. After a few years, Jess moves in with a trans woman named Ruth and the two slowly start to fall in love as Jess comes to terms with the fact that they don’t feel like a man or a woman completely.
Written originally in 1933, some of the terminology may be a little outdated, and Stone Butch Blues is definitely a hard and emotional read.
6. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell.
Carry On follows an eighteen-year-old boy named Simon Snow who might just be the worst Chosen One out there. His powers are practically uncontrollable, even though he’s had nearly seven years to fix that problem.
The year started with trouble, and it ended with trouble. He starts off by being abducted; his mentor is avoiding him; then his girlfriend breaks up with him; then the bad guy who’s destroying magic as they know it is wearing his face.
And the cherry on top? He’s going through an identity crisis and might be falling for his roommate who is also his enemy.
Carry On is a #1 New York Times best seller, and Booklist Editors’ Choice 2015.
7. Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree.
Bookshops & Bonedust, the prequel to Baldree’s Legends & Lattes, is a cosy fantasy following a mercenary orc named Viv. Viv gets injured in a battle and has to take some time off in a sleepy seaside town named Murk to heal.
With nothing else to do, Viv helps a ratkin named Fern get her bookshop up and running after years of the building slowly withering away. While Viv helps rebuild the bookshop, she slowly falls for the dwarf baker down the street.
However, it appears that Murk is holding more secrets than meets the eye when a traveler in grey shows up, and skeletons start popping out of the sand like daisies.
Bookshops & Bonedust was an instant New York Times, USA Today, and Indie Bestseller. It was also named a Barnes & Noble Best Fantasy Book in 2023, and an Amazon Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Book of 2023.
8. The Stonewall Reader by New York Public Library and Jason Baumann.
With the approach of the 56th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, this is the perfect book if you want to know history from first-hand accounts. It includes diary entries, articles from magazines at the time, and so on. It covers what led up to the riots, and the years following.
The Stonewall Reader was a finalist for the Randy Shilts Award for Gay Nonfiction.
9. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera.
They Both Die at the End is a young adult book that follows two teens named Mateo and Rufus. In a world where people are told when they will die, but not how, Mateo and Rufus meet each other on an app called Last Friend.
Last Friend is designed to match people and send them on different adventures so people get the most out of their last day on Earth.
They Both Die at the End was a nominee for Readers’ Favorite Young Adult Fiction in 2017.
10. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong.
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is a letter written by a son to a mother that cannot read. The son, Little Dog is in his 20s, goes through the family history and opens up to his mother in ways he hasn’t before. It is a mix of poetry and prose that explores topics like masculinity, race, and class.
It is gritty and an extremely honest viewpoint of the world.
Vuong’s debut novel has hit it out of the park, being named Best Book of the Year by over twenty magazines. In addition, One Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous received The Publishing Triangle Award, and the Stonewall Book Award in 2020.