32 Great LGBTQ+ Young Adult Novels To Warm Up Your Winter
1.Murder of Crows by K. Ancrum
Release date: January 4
What it's about: Based on the Lethal Lit podcast, this mystery novel by the always brilliant Ancrum (The Wicker King) stars Hollow Falls resident and queer teen detective Tig Torres, who may have just put away the "Lit Killer" but finds that her work still isn't done when one of her classmates disappears. While she searches for Oly, she gets wrapped up in the town's armchair detective group, the Murder of Crows, which is obsessed with finding the missing body of the town's founder. When the group's search turns deadly, Tig and her friends will have to get to the bottom of things before she becomes the next victim.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
2.Spin Me Right Round by David Valdes
Release date: January 4
What it's about: Back to the Future goes gay in this funny, voice-y, hopeful debut. When Luis Gonzales gets hit on the head and travels back in time to 1985, he lands right where closeted teen Chaz Wilson needs him. It's all a little bonkers, but Luis is determined to give Chaz a better experience than the one he had, including a first kiss; after all, if it weren't for his misery back in the '80s, Luis and his queer friends might be able to go to prom with their partners now. But Luis isn't prepared for the homophobia of the times, and especially not the fact that his own estranged dad is leading the charge. Now fixing things is looking like far more of a challenge, and he still needs to figure out how to get back to his own prom...
Buy it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
3.The Kindred by Alechia Dow
Release date: January 4
What it's about: The newest from your go-to author for queer Black teens is space stars commoner Joy and Duke Felix, a Kindred pair who have little in common except for the fact that they've been bonded in order to create some semblance of equality in the kingdom. When the royal family is murdered and Felix moves all the way up in line for the throne, all eyes are on him as the top suspect, meaning both Felix and Joy have to watch their backs. They've never met in person before, but now they'll have to work together to escape, find the real killer, and save the galaxy. And if they happen to fall in love, too? Well, that's just icing.
Buy it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
4.The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder
Release date: January 11
What it's about: Billed as Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones, this fantasy debut follows best friends Fi and Shane – a treasure hunter and warrior, respectively – on their adventure to break a prince's curse so his spirit will stop haunting Fi. It's not an easy journey, but it does come with some perks, including a hot witch who just might steal Shane's heart.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
5.Love Somebody by Rachel Roasek
Release date: January 11
What it's about: Sam is a popular girl. Her best friend (and ex-boyfriend), Christian, is a popular boy. Loner Ros Shew should be the last person on either of their minds, but somehow, Christian falls hard, and Sam promises to help him get the girl. But what's a girl to do when she falls for the very same girl she's promised to set up with someone else? If you know exactly that center of the Venn diagram where "careful" and "messy" meet in a shaded area of "disaster bi," this debut is for you.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
6.Icebreaker by A.L. Graziadei
Release date: January 18
What it's about: Mickey's used to absolutely dominating in hockey and comes from a family notorious for doing the same. Now that he's starting college, he fully plans on keeping it up. But he's got competition for the top spot in the form of Jaysen, his teammate who's both annoyingly talented and annoyingly hot. Can he still fight his way to the top when there are two conflicting goals on the line?
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
7.Coming Back by Jessi Zabarsky
Release date: January 18
What it's about: Preet's the most magically powerful resident of the village, while Valissa's...magic-deficient. That doesn't stop her from loving Preet, but it does make her struggle with how to be worthy of her. When their village is attacked, it sends each of them on a different path, but will they someday find their way back to each other?
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
8.Rebel Boys and Rescue Dogs, or Things That Kiss With Teeth by Brianna R. Shrum
Release date: January 25
What it's about: Bryn's exceptionally well behaved about 99% of the time, but of course the cops show up during that one exception, landing her in community service at a pit bull rescue alongside none other than Oliver West, a hot trans boy she screwed over for a scholarship earlier in the year. At the rescue, Oliver's in charge, and he agrees to keep her punishment a secret if she helps him get another shot at the scholarship. But the more time they spend together, the more it looks like they may not be finished once community service ends.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
9.At the End of Everything by Marieke Nijkamp
Release date: January 25
What it's about: You can always count on Nijkamp for queer thrillers that explore the extremely human sides of terrifying situations, and it doesn't get much more terrifying than being a group of teens abandoned in a juvenile detention facility during a deadly plague that's rapidly consuming the outside world. Among those teens are Emerson, whose relationship with their Catholic family crumbled when they came out as nonbinary, and Grace, an aroace girl who'll do anything for justice and the people she cares about. Together, they, third narrator Logan, and a handful of others will have to do the unthinkable to survive...and many won't.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
10.Into the Midnight Void by Mara Fitzgerald
Release date: January 25
What it's about: The sequel to the gloriously dark and morally questionable Beyond the Ruby Veil sees Emanuela with untold amounts of power, and more than a little uncertainty about how to handle its flaws. Forced to partner with her enemies (yes, including the hot archnemesis who also possesses blood magic), Emanuela must dig into the truth behind her power, no matter how deep it goes, and what she'll have to do in order to keep her realm safe.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
11.The Temperature of Me and You by Brian Zepka
Release date: January 25
What it's about: Dylan's always wanted a hot boyfriend, but 110 degrees is pushing it, even for him. Unfortunately, that's Jordan's temperature at all times, and when his heat seems to spread to Dylan, giving him dangerous symptoms, Dylan's gonna need some answers about who Jordan really is if they're going to figure whether and how they're going to make this work.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
12.Fire Becomes Her by Rosiee Thor
Release date: February 1
What it's about: This Jazz Age-inspired historical fantasy stars demiromantic bi Ingrid, who may not come from money like her classmates do, but has more than enough wits to make up for it. And Ingrid will make up for it, working her way up the social food chain by dating a wealthy political heir and agreeing to spy on his father's opposition. But to Ingrid's surprise, getting closer to the rich and famous shows her not the future she dreamed, but all the cracks in its veneer, forcing her to choose what and whom she really wants.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
13.No Filter and Other Lies by Crystal Maldonado
Release date: February 1
What it's about: On the internet, 16-year-old bi girl Kat is an absolute star. But internet Kat is also 21, named Max, and lying about everything. All of her photos come from someone else, and even Elena, the girl she's growing close to, has no idea. At least until the photos get back to their real subject, and Kat's carefully constructed world implodes, leaving her to figure out if there's any way to pick up the pieces that matter most.
Get it from Bookshop or a local bookstore through Indiebound here.
14.Golden Boys by Phil Stamper
Release date: February 8
What it's about: So rarely do we get to read about groups of male friends, especially queer ones, which makes Stamper's warmhearted multi-POV duology opener about four teens heading in very different directions for the summer all the more welcome. With Sal living out his political dreams (sort of) in DC, his friend-with-benefits Gabe up in Boston doing some tree hugging (at least, that was the plan), their artistic bestie Reese living his best life in Paris, and apple of Reese's eye (and the most socioeconomically disadvantaged of the group), Heath working on bonding with family while his life falls apart back home in Ohio, it's a summer of adventure, and it's clear none of them will return the same as when they left.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
15.From Dust, a Flame by Rebecca Podos
Release date: February 8
What it's about: Hannah's mom has always been a bit of a chaotic mystery, but she's been there. So when she disappears on Hannah's 17th birthday, just as a series of inexplicable body modifications start occurring to her daughter, Hannah and her brother are on their own to look for some answers. Following a clue that shows up at their door, Hannah discovers a family history she never expected, Jewish roots she never knew, and a girl who's willing to help her explore it all. But how much will she be willing to sacrifice to shed the curse that continues to afflict her? That's the question in this heartfelt page-turner about love, loss, family, tradition, and intergenerational trauma.
Get it from Bookshop or a local bookstore through Indiebound here.
16.Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie
Release date: February 8
What it's about: Ophelia's pretty set in who she is and what she loves, even as high school's nearing its end and everything's about to change, and one of the things she's always loved is crushing on boys... So why does she suddenly find Talia Sanchez so compelling? And is it worth throwing her life and sense of self into upheaval to figure it out?
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
17.Cold by Mariko Tamaki
Release date: February 8
What it's about: Georgia can't stop thinking about who might have killed her fellow queer outcast Todd Mayer, despite the fact that she never actually knew him. Or did she? Because she's pretty sure she saw him somewhere she wasn't supposed to, and that might be the key to everything. Alternating narration between Georgia's detective work and Todd's recounting the events as a ghost hovering over his own body, this mystery is sure to chill readers to the bone.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
18.The Chandler Legacies by Abdi Nazemian
Release date: February 15
What it's about: When five students (four of whom are queer) are selected for the prestigious Circle for writers at their illustrious boarding school, they find not just friendship with people they never expected, but a way to fight back against the abuse and injustice that fill its walls. But when they find they're not all on the same page, and that they're hiding more from one another than they initially realized, their friendships and the opportunity to make a real change hang in the balance.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
19.Extasia by Claire Legrand
Release date: February 22
What it's about: Legrand continues to hold down Sapphic YA horror with this creeptastic coming-of-age about a girl who becomes one of the saints charged with protecting her village against an unseen murderous power that's already killed a number of its citizens. But this girl has dangerous secrets, and her induction into the sainthood may spell the beginning of its end.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
20.The One True Me and You by Remi K. England
Release date: March 1
What it's about: In this warmhearted queer romance, Kaylee can't wait to hit up GreatCon and finally meet a whole bunch of fandom friends in person, especially since it'll be the first opportunity to really try out they/them pronouns and maybe even kiss a girl. But when a beauty pageant taking place at the same hotel brings her face to face with the last girl she wants around for any of those things, it puts a major damper on events. Thankfully, the pageant did bring with it one bright spot: Teagan, who's competing for the top prize but finds herself with an eye on Kaylee, too.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
21.All That's Left in the World by Erik J. Brown
Release date: March 8
What it's about: If The Road were gay, funny, and romantic, while still being utterly thrilling and page-turning, it'd be Brown's debut, which follows two boys who find each other and a path to survival as a deadly plague destroys the world around them. Jamie and Andrew have lost everyone they love, and they know they're in danger of following in their fatal path; between the other desperate survivors and the rampant disease, things are utterly terrifying. But finding someone to click with, be with, and trust is no small thing, and even if there are a million questions about how to move forward, one thing they do know is that they want to do it together.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
22.Forward March by Skye Quinlan
Release date: March 8
What it's about: Harper has no idea who made her a Tinder profile, or why they've been catfishing her classmate Margot, but she's determined to find out, especially with her father's presidential campaign on the line. Besides, Harper's not even sure how she feels about her sexuality. Does she even like girls? Is she asexual? And how is she supposed to figure it out when someone is out there trying to ruin her life?
Get it from Bookshop or a local bookstore through Indiebound here.
23.Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore
Release date: March 8
What it's about: McLemore does it again with another stunning novel steeped in magical realism and tackling identity and self-discovery. Bastián Silvano knows the legendary lake well, and when Lore Garcia stumbles upon it (and the world beneath it) for the first time, it forever changes their perception of what's possible. The two quickly bond over their both being nonbinary and neurodivergent, but when the world beneath the water becomes too much, they'll need to unpack their truths and traumas in order to stay above it.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
24.And They Lived... by Steven Salvatore
Release date: March 8
What it's about: College-set YA alert! Chase Arthur is an incoming freshman with a talent for animation and an eye on the prize: an exclusive mentorship in his dream field of animation. But he's also got some other stuff on his mind, like his struggles with weight and gender identity, the father who makes it all worse, and, most of all, Jack, the boy who's got him absolutely smitten but who struggles with his own internalized homophobia. It's a lot for Chase to navigate, who's learning he needs to come to love himself before he can love anybody else. Salvatore's sophomore is sweet, delightful, and painfully real, with the kind of protagonist you will absolutely love rooting for.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
25.Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters
Release date: March 15
What it's about: When Isaac's crush, Davi, distracts him from the tiny purchase window for tickets to his and his best friend Diego's dream fandom convention, Isaac knows Diego's gonna be a little mad. But the bad feelings pile up when Isaac gets stuck spending the summer with Diego's gamer friends, and Diego finds out exactly why Isaac screwed up while buying the tickets. Not that it should matter that Davi was involved, but...it sure seems to, and Isaac's determined to find out why. Winters once again delivers on sweet nerdiness and delightful friendships for a romance that's sure to put some warmth into your winter.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
26.Take Her Down by Lauren Emily Whalen
Release date: March 15
What it's about: Whalen (Two Winters) returns for another spin on Shakespeare, this time taking on Julius Caesar with this story (appropriately releasing on the Ides of March!) of Bronwyn St. James, a bi girl whose life is turned upside down overnight when her father is convicted of a felony. Once the top of the food chain, Bronwyn's now facing total pariahdom, made worse by her best friend, Jude Cuthbert, icing her out of their queer clique for dating a boy. Still, she's determined to crush Jude in the race for student body president. But when she goes too far to regain her power and Jude disappears, Bronwyn will have to reckon with not just what she's done but who she's become.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
27.Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden
Release date: March 15
What it's about: Luca's life and future were perfectly set, until an injury sidelines his ballet career and everything else in his world. Now he has to build himself up from scratch and figure out who he is, and he's lucky to have two new people in his life helping him do just that, including the supposedly straight Jordan Tanaka-Jones. But with everything else being new and confusing, just how deep does Luca want to get in with a boy who may never get on board with one of the few parts of himself Luca still has left?
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
28.Kiss & Tell by Adib Khorram
Release date: March 22
What it's about: It's tough to nurse a broken heart when you're in the public eye, especially as an openly gay boy band member, but it's a whole lot harder when your ex splashes the more intimate details of your history all over the news. Now everyone has an opinion on Hunter and the right way for him to perform his queerness for the masses...everyone except maybe Kaivan, the drummer in his opening band and the one bright spot in all this. But even his new romance gets subject to both management and public opinion, and no matter what, Hunter's realizing he's never going to be able to make everyone happy. So maybe it's time he figures out what makes him happy. This thoughtful, nuanced romance touches on everything from sex, heartbreak, and slut-shaming to racism, predators, and exploitation for a well-rounded behind-the-scenes look at being marginalized and underage in the spotlight.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
29.A Million Quiet Revolutions by Robin Gow
Release date: March 22
What it's about: This love story in verse follows trans boys Aaron and Oliver, who share everything about their experience growing up in a small town, right down to falling in love with each other. So when Aaron's family moves away, it's as if each one has lost a piece of himself. They attempt to reclaim it by diving into research of American history, even naming themselves for Revolutionary War soldiers they believe to have also been trans men in love, and making their own mark, together.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
30.The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin by Kip Wilson
Release date: March 29
What it's about: This historical novel-in-verse stars Hilde, an orphan girl who stumbles into Café Lila, a queer Berlin cabaret, during the last days of the Weimar Republic in 1932, and finds herself drawn to the glamor, the warmth, and the waitress/performer Rosa. But while everything on the inside is falling into place, outside, the world around Hilde is crumbling amid protests and power struggles.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
31.So This Is Ever After by F.T. Lukens
Release date: March 29
What it's about: Lukens is becoming a fast fave for delightful m/m YA fantasy romance, and this newest promises to help her hold onto that crown. (Pun very much intended.) What happens after a Chosen One prophecy has been fulfilled? That's the question Arek and his buddies are wrestling with, now that their grand quest is behind them. When he takes the throne vacated by the heir they soon learn is dead, Arek finds himself stuck with a new problem: the fact that the position comes with a magical requirement that he partner up by 18 or become the next dead royal. Now Arek's stuck trying to find someone to marry whom he can actually stand, but the answer to his prayers might be closer than he thinks...
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
32.Survive the Dome by Kosoko Jackson
Release date: March 29
What it's about: Racial justice comes to The Hunger Games in Jackson's newest, about an aspiring journalist named Jamal who's planning to attend a rally against policy brutality in Baltimore when the mayor drops a dome over the entire city. With the continuing injustice now invisible to the outside world, and everyone under lockdown, Jamal's determined to find a way out and spread the truth. He finds potential partners in hacker Marco and Catherine, whose parents helped plan the Dome. But with corruption everywhere they turn, is there anyone in power who both can and will help?
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.