A quick review of literally everything I read or listened to during June
Overall, I’d easily call this my best reading month ever! Obviously I believe in reading queer all year, but, during Pride, I explicitly banned myself from picking up anything that wasn’t written by a queer author and/or didn’t feature queer main characters. In total this month, I read 35 total books (including audiobooks and graphic memoirs), spent roughly 153 hours reading/listening, and averaged a 4.5 star rating!
Come Home to my heart
Author: Riley Redgate
Published: 2025
Format: Hardcover
I will scream it from the rooftops: this book deserves more attention! It’s a touching story of two teen girls falling in love in small town South Carolina. Gorgeous, raw, tender and heart-wrenching. It breaks my heart that these stories are all too real – that both these kids felt they had to choose between authenticity and safety (and I felt it right alongside them).
The Black Flamingo
Author: Dean Atta
Published: 2019
Format: Digital
A powerful novel in verse (VERSE!!!) about a gay mixed-race teen who finally finds himself through the power of drag. This book is an poignant love letter to the beauty we each have when we embrace what makes us unique.
Gender Queer
Author: Maia Kobabe
Published: 2019
Format: Digital
I admit, I picked this up because I was curious why it is such a frequently banned book (boo book bans!) and I was wildly delighted by all aspects of this little treasure of a book. The illustration style, narrative approach, and, honestly, the educational content are all top notch.
The Prospects
Author: KT Hoffman
Published: 2024
Format: Digital
In convincing me to finally pick this up, my friend described this book as “a warm hug” and, y’all, she was not wrong. It’s admittedly a LOT of baseball, but the romance between the two MCs does not play second fiddle in the least.
Marsha
Author: Tourmaline
Published: 2025
Format: Audio
The fact that this biography was written by someone who actually knew Marsha P. Johnson just makes it all the more special. I learned so much about her life and activism both before and after Stonewall. This woman was a true icon and inspiration.
the river has roots
Author: Amal El-Mohtar
Published: 2025
Format: Hardcover
This little novella REALLY packs a punch. Like, if you’re in need of an example of the truism “less is more,” look no further than this magical 99 page love letter to language and sisterhood.
All boys aren’t blue
Author: George M. Johnson
Published: 2020
Format: Digital
A lovely YA memoir-manifesto in a series of essays about the author’s experience growing up Black and queer. It deals, in refreshing frankness, with themes of bullying, family, sexuality, gender, abuse, consent, friendship, grief, joy and resilience.
No ashes in the fire
Author: Darnell L. Moore
Published: 2018
Format: Audio
There is not a doubt in my mind that this book deserves its spot on any list that exists ever. It is sooooooo good. Self-reflective and powerful, almost meditative at times on the ideas that really matter and unflinching about the hard stuff.
to name the bigger lie
Author: Sarah Viren
Published: 2023
Format: Audio
I’m not going to lie, I though this was going to be two separate stories that meet in the middle. Like read one from the front and then flip the book over and read it from the back. It is NOT that. It is so much cooler. Explores themes of truth, perception, reality, persuasion and memory through the lens of two major personal stories.
deaf utopia
Author: Nyle DiMarco
Published: 2022
Format: Audio
The ANTM and DWTS alum lets us in on his childhood, raucous teen and college years, the process of grappling with his sexual identity, and brings us behind the camera all while shining a spotlight on the beauty of Deaf culture and identity.
martyr!
Author: Kaveh Akbar
Published: 2024
Format: Paperback
I have to say, I’m really glad this was a book club pick this month because I doubt I’d have ever picked it up otherwise but I LOVED it! It’s complex and naval-gazing and moody but it’s also profound and moving and truly discussion-worthy.
they both die at the end
Author: Adam Silvera
Published: 2017
Format: Audio
This was really fun. Well, sad fun, but fun all the same. In a near future where a phone service tells you you have 24 hours left to live, how would you spend your last day on earth? What a premise! And oh boy, what a book!
me
Author: Elton John
Published: 2019
Format: Audio
Elton John can do no wrong. No notes. That’s the whole review. Also, he called Hanukah Matata “a song about a warthog farting” before he dropped that he was working on The Lion King and I died laughing.
the View from the top
Author: Rachel Lacey
Published: 2024
Format: Digital
A perfectly sweet, without veering into saccharine, sapphic romance between a hospitality career woman and the granddaughter of small town innkeepers. Compromise and vulnerability are hard, guys.
becoming Nicole
Author: Amy Ellis Nutt
Published: 2015
Format: Audio
I was way late to the party on this one considering it has been out for 10 years. Elegantly written by a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, this book is a tender portrait of a family with twins, one of whom happens to be a trans girl, and their eventual (winning!) fight with the State of Maine for bathroom access and equality.
it gets better … except when it gets worse
Author: Nicole Maines
Published: 2024
Format: Digital
So remember the family from Becoming Nicole (above)? This is Nicole’s own memoir in which she carries her story forward through her early adulthood and the start of her acting and writing career.
flamer
Author: Mike Curato
Published: 2020
Format: Digital
Another graphic memoir, this time written to be accessible and approachable for tweens who may be more interested in comic books than gender and sexuality theory. Personally, it was a little young for me, but then again, that is the point.
Notes of a Native Son
Author: James Baldwin
Published: 1955
Format: Audio
An undeniably important collection of essays from one of the most important voices in Black and queer literature.
a gentleman’s gentleman
Author: TJ Alexander
Published: 2025
Format: Paperback
So fun and frothy I read it in a single sitting! Regency romance shenanigans and machinations with wills and inheritances and titles and whatnot, but make it trans! A love story for the ages. And, bonus, the horse is sassy and likes to bite people.
Over The Top
Author: Jonathan Van Ness
Published: 2019
Format: Audio
I just adore JVN and loved getting this honest, unflinching and frankly surprising look behind the curtain at the people, places and experiences that formed the human we know and love today.
love that story
Author: Jonathan Van Ness
Published: 2022
Format: Audio
Whereas “Over the Top” was an unflinching memoir, this book is more of a collection of essays dealing with sometimes personal sometimes political often meandering topics. It reminded me a lot of their “Getting Curious” podcast.
Naturally Tan
Author: Tan France
Published: 2019
Format: Audio
Tan France is a treasure. Although, at times this did read a bit judgy of other peoples relationship styles, style choices (though that is his job) and general ways of being in the world. I still loved it, though. Bring it on!
Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert
Author: Bob the Drag Queen
Published: 2025
Format: Audio
Bob the Drag Queen is perfection in heels. I loved the premise of this book! My only critique is that some of the history lessons and social commentary felt a little heavy-handed, almost like when, in a fantasy novel, someone has to explain the world to a naïve character just to get the reader up to speed. Other than that, excellent.
pageboy
Author: Elliot Page
Published: 2023
Format: Audio
I learned a lot about Elliot Page’s childhood, family, career and personal life that I didn’t know before. Although, for someone who has been through so much, including trauma and assault on top of his eventual transition, I was a little surprised at the lack of real introspection.
go luck yourself
Author: Sara Raasch
Published: 2025
Format: Digital
This is the second in the Royals & Romance series after “The Nightmare Before Kissmas.” I recommend reading these in order and timing them so you read the first one during the holidays and this one in March. I did not do that (obviously). But, I still very much enjoyed myself.
and don’t f&%k it up
Author: Maria Elena Fernandez
Published: 2023
Format: Audio
Essential listening for a Drag Race fan, even if your only goal is to finally get answers about the infamous Season 1 vaseline filter.
How y’all doing
Author: Leslie Jordan
Published: 2021
Format: Audio
Guys! Leslie Jordan recorded the audiobook before his untimely death. It was so great to hear his voice again! Were there any wild revelations in here? Not really. Did he spend a lot of time talking about his instagram account? Yeah. But, I still loved listening to it.
calypso
Author: David Sedaris
Published: 2018
Format: Audio
I know people adore David Sedaris, but he has yet to really hit for me. I enjoy his writing, but I dunno, maybe I just need to read it closer to its release date? This came out in 2018 and already felt really dated.
one life
Author: Megan Rapinoe
Published: 2021
Format: Audio
Do I give two hoots about sports at all? No. Did I love this memoir about Megan’s coming of self and activism through the absolute machine that is US women’s soccer? You freaking bet.
icebreaker
Author: A. L. Graziadei
Published: 2024
Format: Audio
I really don’t know why I had so many sports books this month. Honestly I don’t. But this was an incredibly sweet YA MM romance about two rivals for the NHL top draft spot who have to learn to stop fighting long enough to help their college team win some games.
Teacher of the year
Author: M.A. Wardell
Published: 2023
Format: Digital
This was sweet but just fell a little short compared to the rest of my reads this month. Some of the themes felt shoehorned in and a little inauthentic. I also struggled with believability at the onset of the main romance. Ultimately I liked it, but I won’t say it’s without issues.
and they were roommates
Author: Page Powars
Published: 2025
Format: Digital
The main pairing was sweet but, man, did this stretch my powers of suspended disbelief. You actually want me to buy that this one elite boarding school has not one but two published celebrity teen poets and that “Sexiest Poet of the Year” is a prize that someone can really get?!
gender outlaws
Edited by Kate Bornstein & S. Bear Bergman
Published: 2010
Format: Digital
While this collection had some strong moments, it is an inherent weakness in collections from multiple authors that some pieces will be stronger than others.
Honey Girl
Author: Morgan Rogers
Published: 2021
Format: Audio
A sweet closed-door sapphic romance between an astronomy PhD and a waitress who also runs a supernatural-themed radio show. It deals with themes of burnout and parental pressure, anxiety and finally letting yourself be loved.
Lydia's Lovely Library 
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