It's Pride Month in June (hurrah) and whilst it is wonderful that this month we shine a light on, and celebrate, all things LGBTQIA+, here at LoveReading we celebrate diversity all year round.

Our Diverse Voices section celebrates a wide range of inclusive narratives. It's about empowering people by respecting and appreciating what makes them different, in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, education, and national origin. As a team, we read widely and make sure that we offer intersectional representation in our book recommendations.

This collection of books below by gay, lesbian, trans and LGBTQ+ authors and books which feature a rainbow of characters all shows us that our literary worlds can be as wonderfully diverse as the one we live in.

Ordering a book from LoveReading this Pride Month means that you can be a part of helping schools add much-needed books to their libraries. With every order, 25% of the cost can be donated to a school of your choice, or help a school in need to get books into the hands of their pupils with our funding scheme. 

Fiction to read this Pride Month

No matter what your genre of choice, we have something for everyone. If you're looking for funny fiction, what better than our very own editorial expert Billy Lindon. Billy wowed us with their debut Double Booked: a book with a great hook; this debut's set-up is comedy gold. And they've done it again with book number two My Own Worst Enemy which has been described as an uproarious read-in-one-sitting romcom which reels with personal angst, professional rivalry between two “mid-twenties, short-haired lesbian” actors, and a feast of feelgood fun and joy.

If you love a heartwarming read, you must read Arthur & Teddy Are Coming Out by Ryan Love. Super-cute, super-accessible, and suffused in the cheering truth that there’s no age limit to finding love and living free, this is a heart-warming story of a grandfather and grandson who decide to come out. 

Afterglow by Lily Easton is a sapphic romance that oozes summer love and the joy of second chances. A perfect pick to dive into for your summer reading. Ada Barumé's Romp! is steeped in 80s nostalgia as is delivers a humourous romance that's full of heart and plenty of LGBT representation, perfect for fans of Jilly Cooper and Jackie Collins. 

If literary fiction is your bag, you must must must read Young Mungo by Douglas Stewart. Shuggie Bain, his first novel, won the Booker Prize, Debut of the Year and Book of the Year at the British Book Awards. Powerful, thought-provoking, and stunningly eloquent, this remarkable novel is a deserved LoveReading Star Book. Two young men meet, under normal circumstances they would battle on different sides of the Glaswegian Catholic and Protestant divide, instead they fall in love. We recommend it with our heart and soul.

Also highly recommended comes Bryan Washington's Memorial: a dazzlingly profound and un-put-down-able exploration of family, memory and love centred around the unexpected transformations of two gay young men.

Set in modern-day New York, Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters is a detailed portrayal of the multiplicity of motherhood and queer relationships, analysed through the lens of three trans and cis women. It's about the messiness and scope of gender identity in a gender limiting world, the complexity of trans modes of being, as it explores the murky depths of taboo and humanity. It's a transgressive and irresistible read, unafraid to push boundaries, to be distinctively unconventional and to hope for more.

Looking for more recommendations, check out our 20 Exceptional Books by Transgender and Non-Binary Writers – Novels and Non-Fiction That’ll Enthral You, Entertain You, Move You and Mend You.

Lover of sci-fi? Then please check out The Circus Infinite by Khan Wong. Infinitely inventive, this sweeping space fantasy love story explores spectrums of gender and sexuality with dazzling verve.

Princweaver by Elian J. Morgan combines court intrigue and slow-burn yearning with folkloric grounding and lore. Our Editorial Expert Liz Robinson declares it is a "heart-beatingly romantic fantasy novel is a retelling of Welsh folklore and filled with magic, political intrigue, and revenge of the deepest darkest kind". For those seeking a darker narrative, Season of Fear by Emily Cooper is a "beautifully composed fantastical blend of nightmare, folklore, feminism and realisation of the importance of self belief and worth."

If you love getting swept off your feet by historical tales then we must recommend The Binding by Bridget Collins and The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins - both of which are spellbinding reads.

A fan of a YA read? Patrick Ness’ Different for Boys is an honest, empathetic, engaging novella that explores complexities around sex, sexuality, friendship, homophobia, and the courage of boys who like boys. Boy Friends by Kai Spellmeier was described by our Editorial Expert, Joanne Owen says this "multi-layered LBGTQ+ romance is a paradigm of page-turning “will they, won’t they?” YA fiction.

Non-Fiction Reads for Pride Month

If you are more of a non-fiction reader then you have to pick up Lesbian Love Story by Amelia Possanza: this celebration of lesbians through history blends memoir, archive, and invention to (re)define how their love stories are told. we hope generations of lesbians buy this for their lovers – and continue to add to the archives. 

Looking for queer-friendly travel destinations this Pride Month? The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide offers more than 50 places to discover, guided by the communities that live there. This colourful, easy to browse book is packed with personal anecdotes, travel tips, inspiration, itineries off-the beaten path destinations that are inclusive and welcoming. 

All of us deserve to see ourselves reflected in the pages of a great book. We've got something for everyone here so dive in and enjoy and let us know which are your faves.

You may also wish to take a look at our LGBT+ Reads That Deserve to Be on Everyone's Bookshelf This LGBT+ History Month for more non-fiction picks. 

In addition, on our sister website LoveReading4Kids, we have gathered together a collection of books which inspire and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, raise awareness and educate society. There we take you on a journey from picture books that reflect LGBTQIA+ family life to YA novels and non-fiction titles that explore sexuality, gender issues and romance. Take a look at the collection

If there's a book that you've enjoyed and you believe should be on this list, let us know in the comments below!