A few years ago, my TikTok algorithm decided to take me to LGBTQIA+ BookTok, where I was flooded with recommendations of books centered on or including queer characters. I bought and read so many books with LGBTQIA+ representation, they basically make up all of the books on my bookshelves now. Some of them were misses *cough* Carry On by Rainbow Rowell *cough* but most of them were absolutely spectacular reads! Everyone needs good books with good representation, which is why I’m here to recommend four of my favorite books featuring trans characters.
1. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Cemetery Boys is a YA, Mexican mythology-inspired mystery with some romance on the side. The story centers around Yadriel, a gay, trans Latinx, born into a family of brujxs, in which the women, also known as brujas, heal and the men, or brujos, deal with the spirits of the dead. His family postponed his coming-of-age ceremony due to him being transーthey didn’t think he would be accepted as a brujo by their deity, Lady Death, and so they wanted to carry out the ceremony as if he were a bruja. He decided to perform the ceremony only with his cousin and prove himself to his family as a real brujo. However, instead of summoning his recently deceased cousin’s spirit to release him, he summoned the spirit of Julian Diaz, making a mystery unraveled before their very eyes.
This book is an incredible representation of the less-represented reactions of families when LGBTQIA+ people come out. His family doesn’t throw him out or shun him, but their lack of understanding and knowledge stops them from fully and unconditionally accepting Yadriel for who he really is. The journey Yadriel takes as he unravels the mystery and sets out to prove he is a brujo to his family, accompanied by Julian and their budding romance, is beautiful and has made me cry every single time I read the book. The author has announced a second book and, although the book stands by itself perfectly, the love you develop for the characters and their world leaves you wanting more.
2. The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon
Where Cemetery Boys is lighthearted, The Witch King is raw queer rage. Wyatt is a trans, gay witch born to fae parents in a society where fae are the ruling class and witches are the oppressed minority. He had an accident where his untrained magic let loose, which had unfortunate consequences. He ran away from Asalin into the real world, where eventually he found a family who took him in. Years later, his fated mate, the royal fae prince, finally found him and asked Wyatt to come back and marry him to prevent his cousin from taking the throne of the kingdom that is rightfully his despite the fact that he was adopted. Wyatt returns to Asalin with Prince Emyr and begins to wreak havoc in an effort to be kicked out and prevent the marriage.
This book is not lighthearted in the same way as Cemetery Boys. Despite that there is comedy and sweet moments aplenty, there are many discussions and representations of anger, trauma, and violence. Along with the content warnings, the author specifically states that “this is not a queer pain narrative. It is a story about queer hope,” and I couldn’t have said it better myself. This book is raw but wonderful, and it has a sequel! It is just a duology and both books are out. I remember I pre-ordered the second one and haven’t been able to read it yet, but the author’s note at the beginning offers a similar warning to the second. These are not lighthearted books, but they carry the stories and the hope of every queer person; those who are here to see it and those who died trying to make a future for the ones who are.
3. In the Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland
In the Ravenous Dark is a dark fantasy story with a pansexual love triangle and a queer platonic relationship between the main throuple and their asexual, non-binary friend. In this world, people born with magic are bound to a dead spirit that controls and polices them and their magic. Rovan has been hiding her magic until she’s forced to reveal it to save a life and is forced to be bound to a spirit afterwards. She’s then introduced into the palace and soon unravels a mystery that could determine the fates of everyone in the kingdom.
Unlike the previous two books mentioned in this list, where the trans characters are also the story’s protagonist, Japha is one of the major supporting characters and non-binary. They are an absolutely wonderful, stylish, and funny character. Overall, the LGBTQIA+ representation of the book is absolutely wonderful. Unlike the previous two, this isn’t necessarily a queer story, but a fantasy story with queer characters and I absolutely adore that about this book.
4. Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Illustrated by Wendy Xu
Moncakes is an adorable graphic comic following Nova, a young witch who helps with her grandmothers’ bookshop and solves the occasional magical mystery. One day, Nova stumbles into Tam, a werewolf and childhood friend, fighting a horse demon in the woods. They set out to uncover the mystery while sharing some comfort and support.
This story explores a wide avenue of experiences with an engaging plot and a beautiful art style. We see Tam’s issues with their family and how they’re involved with the mysterious plot, and how Nova, who is deaf and wears hearing aids, lives with her grandmothers’ following her parents’ death. This mystery brings them together again, and they learn to face hardships together.
I hope I motivated you to buy at least one of these wonderful books and hope you enjoy reading them. Representation matters and more books like these are needed to inspire and give hope to LGBTQIA+ youth everywhere.