Pride Month 2023: 10 upcoming books to have on your radar

Pride Month may have ended yet the fun doesn’t have to end. If you’re a reader, technically the fun never ends.

While I focused on romance books already, I wanted to include some books that aren’t romance for those who don’t enjoy them. With that being said, this is a mix of books to get excited about if you’re looking for some queer reads.

No matter what you’re in the mood for, these books should hopefully fill that void left by Pride Month and keep you enjoying queer books for the rest of the year. Whether you’re looking for some middle-grade, YA, or even adult, these books will be great ones for your Summer, Fall, or Winter TBRs.

These books are all solid picks if you’re looking for some fun post-Pride Month stories.

These upcoming releases are all great for some post-Pride Month fun.

As with my previous list, these are in no particular order so the dates might jump around but trust me, you’ll be wanting to look these up after I mentioned them. With that being said, let’s get into some post-Pride Month reading.

1. The Meadows by Stephanie Oakes (September 12, 2023)

The first Pride Month read on my list is actually a September release. This is a YA story about Eleanor who ends up attending the prestigious, Meadows and she ends up meeting a girl there, Rose. Eleanor falls in love but loses the girl so fast-forward 4 years later and things are looking great yet it ends up being a tale of much more epic proportions.

2. The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall (August 1, 2023)

Moving onto an August read, we have The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall. Marshall has written some amazing YA horrors and this one looks to be another stunner. This time, we’re following Eden who witnesses something wild and then ends up trying to figure out the mystery of what happened to Delphine and trying to save herself.

Coupled with the cover, this one seems like it’s going to be creepy and fun which makes it perfect for beach reading.

3. The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet (August 1, 2023)

Moving on to another August 1st release, I have The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet. This is a middle-grade following Al who is dealing with Crohn’s disease which is a chronic illness along with the challenges of being a girl in middle school. She’s also dealing with feelings for another girl and just the general pains of being 12.

4. Wren Martin Ruins It All by Amanda Dewitt (November 7, 2023)

Going a few months ahead, there is Wren Martin Ruins It All by Amanda DeWitt. While I believe this is going to have a romance, it’s more about Wren deciding to put his foot down and try to get the school’s Valentine’s Day Dance abolished. I know that Wren is asexual and that’s a first for my list so I wanted to include this release.

5. Your Lonely Nights Are Over by Adam Sass (September 12, 2023)

Back in September, we have Your Lonely Nights Are Over by Adam Sass. This one is a YA horror and it follows two gay best friends who are trying to survive a serial killer. The caveat with this particular killer? They’re targeting people in the queer club. With comp titles of Scream meets Mean Girls, I’m sure this is bound to be on a lot of people’s lists for more Pride Month reading.

6. Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates by Katie Barnes (September 19, 2023)

Another September release, Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates might be an unlikely pick for my list. However, I’ve enjoyed Katie Barnes’ stories for years so I wanted to feature them on the list. This is a non-fiction book about women’s sports and trans athletes among much more within the scope of those two things.

Katie Barnes is such a talented writer and someone I’ve been reading for years so I’m excited to read their non-fiction debut.

7. The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan (August 15, 2023)

August and September are great months for queer reads especially queer horror which is one of my favorite types to read. The Last Girls Standing is about Sloan and Cherry who are girlfriends that survived a horrific massacre and are now trying to uncover the truth. Full of reveals, twists, and turns, this one sounds like it’s going to be a fun yet punchy read that you won’t want to put down.

8. Songs of Irie by Asha Ashanti Bromfield (October 10, 2023)

This October release not only has a great cover but an amazing concept, too. Songs of Irie is set amidst the backdrop of 1970s Jamacia and follows two friends: Irie and Jilly who are just trying to survive what’s going on. Coupled with a romance brewing between them, the two are stuck between two worlds and wartime. While it might seem impossible, I’m sure Bromfield will make sure it’s a story of epic proportions.

9. If You’ll Have Me by Eunnie (October 17, 2023)

Heading towards the end, we’ve got another Pride Month release in October. This time, it’s a graphic novel and honestly, I’ve been wanting to feature them more on Culturess. If You’ll Have Me is a graphic novel following Momo and PG who are reconnecting. While the two have a romance, things might not be as easy as they appear especially given the fact that the two have such different personalities. Regardless, the cute cover, fun art style, and great concept have me hooked.

10. Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree (November 7, 2023)

Last but certainly not least is a book I’m SO excited for. I adored Legends & Lattes so I’m excited to read the prequel which is Bookshops & Bonedust. This is Viv’s story before we get to L&L so I’m excited to see how the bookshop plays into it and if she ends up having a fling with someone. I just want to know more about her because this series is no doubt going to be a comfort read for me so I’m including it.

While those are just some of the queer reads that are coming out or have come out already, I wanted to include a few extras so let’s get into those.

• Falling Back In Love With Being Human by Kai Cheng Thom (August 1)
• Night Of the Living Queers: 13 Tales of Terror & Delight, Edited by Shelly Page and Alex Brown (August 29)

All in all, this list was a lot of fun to put together and focused on some awesome queer books that I hope you enjoy post-Pride Month. Of course, I’d love to know if there are any books we missed or any you’re looking forward to.