If your reading list needs an update, we’ve got your back.
By: Hannah Mercanti
(Edson Rosas/Unsplash)
With the summer coming to a close, it's easy to get caught up in the motions of our busy day-to day-lives. From a fresh school year to the exciting prospect of a new job, our responsibilities can force reading for fun to take a backseat in our lives.
Fortunately, Jade Falsetti, founder of Lavender Literature, has some of the best book recommendations in the game. Lavender Literature is a sapphic book club located in Toronto that focuses on LGBTQ+ literature, and together we’ve curated a list of books packed with queer characters and themes to make sure your reading list has never looked better.
She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
Featured as Lavender Literature’s January 2022 Book of the Month, She Who Became The Sun follows Zhu, a Chinese peasant desperate to escape her fated life of nothingness.
Following the death of her brother, Zhu decides to follow through with his fate of greatness. After taking on his identity, Zhu forges her own path to survival and eventual success.
This genderqueer retelling of a piece of Chinese history explores a uniquely nuanced perspective of the dynamics between gender and personal identity. For queer readers looking for historical fiction and fantasy novels, Falsetti recommends She Who Became The Sun.
The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe
Nora O’Malley swears she has left crime—and her con-artist mother—behind in favour of a normal, 17-year-old life. Even so, old habits die hard. When Nora, her girlfriend, and her ex-boyfriend find themselves in a hostage situation Nora has no choice but to break out her old skills to ensure they all get out alive.
For queer readers who aren’t exclusively looking for romance novels, Falsetti feels this title is perfect. This thriller is packed with queer characters and themes while also providing readers with twists and turns guaranteed to keep them on the edge of their seats until the very last page.
Her Name In The Sky by Kelly Quindlen
A classic best friends-to-lovers slowburn, Her Name In The Sky follows Hannah and Baker, best friends trying to navigate high school life in their religious, conservative community in Louisiana.
When Hannah starts to realize she has romantic feelings towards Baker, the two must work together to unlearn everything they’ve ever known about what love can look like if their relationship can ever come to fruition.
Quindlen is a favourite over at Lavender Literature, and her titles are frequently featured as books-of-the-month, or books-of-the-week, for shorter novels. If you're a reader looking for romantic LGBTQ+ stories, Falsetti recommends looking no further than Her Name in the Sky, or any other novels by Quindlen.
Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden
On a rainy day in New York City, 17-year-olds Liza and Annie meet for the first time. Quickly developing from fast friends to romantic partners, the two girls must rely on each other to help realize their identities understand the intricacies of their first queer relationship.
Named during a phone interview by Falsetti as a book every queer reader should have on their list, Annie on My Mind is a classic love story seen through an LGBTQ+ lens — similar to Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper comics. Queer characters are not always afforded happy endings in mainstream media, so readers on the lookout for something sweet need to look no further than Annie On My Mind.
The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar
Teenager Nishat is beyond sick of living life in the closet both at home and at her Catholic school. In Jaigirdar’s debut novel, the enemies-to-lovers trope is turned on its head after a charismatic and beautiful childhood friend re-enters Nishat’s life and sets up a rival henna stand at the school's entrepreneurial contest.
Jaigirdar does a beautiful job of exploring the intersections of sexual identity and cultural identity for South Asian youth, a topic not frequently explored in media. For readers looking for a fun, romantic novel with in depth themes of how race and sexuality can intersect, Falsetti recommends The Henna Wars.
The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A favourite of both TikTok's self-proclaimed 'booktok' community and the Lavender Literature team, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo follows the title character, an old Hollywood star who hires a young author to write her life story.
Dramatic and high-concept, this story follows Evelyn's whirlwind romance with co-star Celia St. James and her experiences with her aforementioned husbands.
For queer readers craving deep tales of romance and history, Falsetti suggests checking out The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo.
Last Night At The Telegraph Club by Melinda Lo
In 1950’s San Francisco, the Red Scare has the nation deep in anti-communist sentiments; civil liberties for Americans have never been stricter. This does not bode well for 17-year-old Chinese-American Lily Hu, who’s growing relationship with Kathleen, a girl she met at a lesbian bar, threatens to put both of them in immense danger.
Under the looming threat of deportation, Kathleen and Lily must risk everything they have if they ever want the chance to live out their authentic lives.
Back in May of 2021, Last Night At The Telegraph Club was the first ever featured Book of the Month at Lavender Literature. For readers on the lookout for historical fiction with a deep, emotional love story, Falsetti proposes Last Night At The Telegraph Club.
Lavender Literature can be found on Instagram, TikTok and on their website. They consistently post their Book of the Week and Book of the Month online, as well as a reading guide. Simply message the team on Instagram and you can join weekly or monthly sapphic book club meetings. It’s a perfect way to meet likeminded queer people in Toronto.