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40 Best LGBTQ Books You Should Read This Month 2023

At the tender age of 14, Celie, an impoverished and uneducated African-American girl from rural Georgia, endures physical and sexual abuse from her father, Alphonso. He has already impregnated Celie once, taking their child, and tragically repeats this with their second child. Following the death of Celie's mother, Alphonso brings a new wife into their home, but his cruel treatment of Celie continues. Celie's life takes a turn when she becomes the wife of a man identified only as Mr. ______, who initially desired to marry Nettie, Celie's attractive, intelligent younger sister. However, Alphonso refuses the proposal, offering Celie instead. Following her marriage, Celie's life is devoid of joy, worsened when Nettie, who had sought refuge with her, escapes from the advances of Mr. ______, disappearing and leaving Celie to believe she is dead.

As Celie navigates her life, she finds solidarity with Mr. ______'s sister, Kate, who encourages her to resist his abuses. Further complexities arise when Mr. ______ brings his ill mistress, Shug Avery, a captivating lounge singer, into their home. Despite her initial hostility, Shug and Celie form a deep bond as Celie nurses her back to health, sparking romantic feelings in Celie. This is further complicated when Shug marries a man named Grady but continues her intimate relationship with Celie. Meanwhile, Sofia, the wife of Mr. ______'s son, Harpo, fiercely resists efforts to subjugate her, leading to a stint in jail after she physically retaliates against the town mayor. Her resilience inspires Celie, who harbors her own growing frustrations and feelings of confusion.

A major revelation occurs when Shug discovers hidden letters sent to Celie by Nettie, who is actually alive and has been living in Africa with a missionary couple, Samuel and Corrine, and Celie's two biological children, whom they adopted. The discovery leads to a series of shocking revelations, including the fact that Alphonso is not their biological father, but their stepfather who deceived them to inherit their mother's property. As Celie grapples with these truths and her evolving spirituality, she builds a successful tailoring business, eventually returning to Georgia to claim her inheritance after Alphonso's death. As the story concludes, Celie reconciles with Mr. ______ and Sofia, now an employee at her store, reunites with Harpo. The return of Nettie, Samuel, and Celie's children marks a happy ending, leaving Celie feeling rejuvenated despite her age.

The Color Purple

El Color Púrpura

22 Best LGBTQ Novels of All Time 2023 - The Literary Lifestyle

A Novel

Una novela

Call Me by Your Name

Llámame por tu nombre

The Guncle

El Tío con Pistola

The best LGBTQIA+ books: your essential reading list - Pan Macmillan

Giovanni's Room

La Habitación de Giovanni

The Great Believers

Los Grandes Creyentes

Following their college years, a tight-knit group of friends - Malcolm, JB, Jude, and Willem - find themselves navigating post-grad life in New York City. Malcolm is frustrated with his perceived lack of success, JB is confident in his artistic future, and Jude and Willem are just grateful for the chance to make their own way in the world. As time goes on, Jude, in particular, stands out among the group. Despite being cast as the “post-man,” someone beyond race, ethnicity, and perhaps even experience, Jude's narrative reveals a deeply troubled past that includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. To cope, he cuts himself, regularly visiting a doctor to have his wounds treated. His brilliance as a law student attracts mentors, including a professor named Harold.

Harold, taken aback by Jude's intellect and moral arguments, becomes a key figure in his life. Tragedy strikes when Harold's 6-year-old son dies, leading Harold and his wife Julia to make the unusual decision to adopt Jude, then a 30-year-old. The joy of the occasion is slightly marred by the absence of JB, who has upset the group by exploiting Jude's suffering for his art. Jude's past continues to haunt him as he grapples with health issues resulting from his childhood trauma. Eventually, he moves from working in the U.S. Attorney’s office to a wealthy private firm, but struggles to enjoy the financial benefits. His relationship with his friends becomes strained, especially when JB’s mocking of Jude’s disability lands him in the hospital due to drug use.

As the narrative progresses, Jude's life tumbles into further turmoil. He begins a relationship with Caleb Porter, a man who abuses him physically and emotionally. The abuses trigger memories from his past, especially of his time with Brother Luke, a man who abducted him as a child and forced him into prostitution. Overwhelmed by his traumatic past, Jude attempts suicide. Despite the outpouring of support from his friends, Jude's mental health continues to deteriorate, leading to self-harm and a strained romantic relationship with Willem. As his friends reach career heights, Jude grapples with the decision to amputate his legs. Tragedy strikes again when Willem, Malcolm, and others die in a car crash. Jude tries to cope by clinging onto memories of Willem and practicing kindness, but he struggles with restricting his food intake and eventually succeeds in a final suicide attempt.

A Little Life

Una Vida Pequeña

At the opulent residence of his aunt, Lady Brandon, esteemed painter Basil Hallward encounters the charming and handsome Dorian Gray. The youth's beauty and wealth fascinate Basil, inspiring him to portray Dorian in several paintings, often as a Greek hero or a mythological figure. However, Basil is dissatisfied with his first realistic portrait of Dorian, feeling it reveals too much of his sentiments towards his muse. Contrarily, his companion, Lord Henry Wotton, a notorious cynic who glorifies beauty, youth, and hedonism, declares it Basil's best work. Yet, Basil worries about introducing Dorian to Lord Henry, fearing his friend's corruptive influence. 

Basil's apprehensions are justified when Lord Henry's discussion about the fleeting nature of beauty and youth perturbs Dorian. Terrified of losing his charm, Dorian wishes his portrait would age instead of him. In his angst, he offers his soul to ensure the painting bears the brunt of his aging and wrongdoings while he remains youthful forever. Soon, Dorian succumbs to Lord Henry's influence, embracing hedonism and focusing on pleasure-seeking. He falls for Sibyl Vane, an actress from a London slum theatre, who is equally smitten by him. When Sibyl renounces acting due to her strong feelings for Dorian, he cold-heartedly breaks off their engagement, leading to her tragic suicide. Meanwhile, Dorian notices a change in his portrait - it now reflects a scornful expression, confirming his fear that the canvas is mirroring his moral degradation.

As Dorian delves deeper into a life of sin, guided by a book Lord Henry gave him, his reputation in polite society dwindles. Despite rumors about his scandalous behavior, his peers continue to accept him, captivated by his undying youth and beauty. However, his portrait becomes increasingly grotesque, reflecting his moral decay. When Basil confronts him about the rumors, Dorian shows him the hideous portrait, leading to an argument that ends with Dorian murdering Basil. Afterward, Dorian indulges in various debaucheries, including visiting an opium den, but is haunted by his past wrongdoings. In a fit of rage, he decides to destroy the revealing portrait, which ironically leads to his demise. His servants find him dead, aged, and disfigured, while his portrait reverts to its original depiction of a handsome young man.


The Picture of Dorian Gray

El Retrato de Dorian Gray

Una Novela

The story revolves around Alex Claremont-Diaz, a 21-year-old college student and the son of America's first female president. Alex, driven by his ambition for a political career, is living in the White House with his family. The narrative begins with Alex and his sister June about to attend a British royal wedding. Alex harbors a deep-seated dislike for Prince Henry, the younger brother of the groom, due to a past unpleasant encounter. During the wedding, Alex's confrontational antics with Henry, fueled by alcohol, leads to a scandalous incident that forces him into a public display of friendship with Henry to maintain US-UK relations.

As Alex and Henry spend more time together, Alex begins to see a different side of Henry, particularly when Henry shows compassion towards a young cancer patient. An incident involving a loud noise and a forced retreat into a supply closet leads to an emotional confession from Henry about his past and a subsequent exchange of contact details between the two. Later, at their annual New Year's Eve party, a midnight kiss from Henry confuses Alex, who has had relationships with men but never identified as bisexual. This marks the beginning of a clandestine relationship between the two, full of secret meet-ups, flirtatious exchanges, and growing feelings.

However, given the high public profiles of both Alex and Henry, the relationship needs to remain secret. The political landscape is further complicated when Senator Rafael Luna, a close family friend and mentor to Alex, switches sides to join the opposition against Alex's mother's reelection campaign. Despite the turmoil, Alex comes out to his parents and admits his love for Henry. As their relationship intensifies, a leak exposing them to the press throws them into crisis. Following accusations, confrontations, and an emotional rollercoaster, they eventually manage to gain public support and acceptance. In the final scenes, Alex's mother wins the election, and Alex and Henry celebrate their love openly, marking a new chapter in their lives.

Red, White & Royal Blue

Rojo, Blanco y Azul Real

In the bustling heart of Berlin resides an intersex individual named Cal Stephanides, who embarks on a journey of self-exploration by penning down his life story. His tale commences with his grandparents, Lefty and Desdemona, who, in love and orphaned, emigrate from their small hamlet on Mount Olympus to the industrial city of Detroit. They manage to escape a horrific fire in Smyrna and journey to America with the pretense of being strangers, only to marry on their arrival. Settling with their cousin Sourmelina and her husband, Jimmy Zizmo, they face challenges and suspicions, especially when Lefty is dragged into Zizmo’s illicit liquor trade. 

Lefty and Desdemona’s progeny, Milton, harbors a deep affection for Tessie, Zizmo and Sourmelina’s daughter, ultimately leading to their marriage and the birth of their first child, Chapter Eleven. Yearning for a daughter, they conceive Calliope, who eventually grows up to become Cal. Post his Navy retirement, Milton inherits Lefty's bar and converts it into a diner, which is unfortunately destroyed during the Twelfth Street Riot of 1967. Nevertheless, the three insurance policies on the establishment provide them with enough finances to relocate to the well-to-do suburb of Grosse Pointe.

As a young girl, Callie is characterized by striking beauty and a yearning to fit in with her new neighbors. However, she grapples with issues relating to her physical development during her adolescence, further complicated by an intimate relationship with a classmate. After an altercation and a subsequent accident, it is revealed at the hospital that Callie is biologically male. This revelation leads her to a specialist in New York, Dr. Luce, who argues that gender is a societal construct. Upon discovering that a proposed surgery could rob her of sexual sensation, Callie identifies herself as Cal and flees to San Francisco. Here, he meets Zora, another intersex person, who reassures him of his uniqueness. An unfortunate incident leading to Milton’s death compels Cal to return home. He learns of his family's incestuous past and resolves to lead a fulfilling life in spite of the complexities of his existence. In his later years, Cal finds love with a woman named Julie Kikuchi in Berlin.


27 Best LGBTQ Books of All Time

The Color Purple

Call Me by Your Name

A Novel

The Guncle

Giovanni's Room

The Great Believers

A Little Life

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Red, White & Royal Blue

A Novel

Middlesex

A Novel

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

The Hours

A Novel

Shuggie Bain

A Novel

One Last Stop

Detransition, Baby

A Novel

Fun Home

A Family Tragicomic

The Price of Salt

Rubyfruit Jungle

A Novel

Under the Udala Trees

Juliet Takes a Breath

You Exist Too Much

A Novel

We Do What We Do in the Dark

A Novel

Mrs. Everything

I Wish You All the Best

I Kissed Shara Wheeler

A Novel

How We Fight for Our Lives

A Memoir

Here Comes the Sun

A Novel

Felix Ever After

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