Do you know any books that have a lesbian main character, but aren't necessarily all about being gay?
Why yes, yes we do! It isn’t a super long list and they are not all perfect matches but hopefully you will find something to your taste. We’ve added a short summary and any comments under each book for your convenience.
Remember that you can always look through the tags page and sort for books by lesbian main or side characters, and that Goodreads is your friend. Try lists like this one for more suggestions.
Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld
This is a book about the afterlife and novel writing and writing a novel about the afterlife. It is also a book about moving to New York City and falling in love with a cool older girl. I spent the first few chapters of this book thinking ‘if only this was gonna turn out gay’ and then it did. Well played, Mr. Westerfeld.
Lies My Girlfriend Told Me by Julie Anne Peters
Turns out, death and love and friendship and lies are things everybody deals with, including gay teenagers. If you want ‘just another YA romance novel’ but gay, this is a pretty good pick.
Calling Dr. Laura by Nicole Georges
I know, I know, you said you wanted something that wasn’t about being gay, and this book/graphic autobiographical story is in many ways about being gay. But it is also about a great many other things, and in my opinion is well rounded enough to make this list.
Fires of the Faithful by Naomi Kritzer
This book is a fantasy novel that draws on music and faith as central to the major themes of war and revolution that build the backbone of the story. In amongst this is our 16 year old protagonist who is finding her place in the world, and her queerness is only one aspect of that. Well worth a read if you enjoy fantasy.
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flag
This book is like spun sugar - it’s just plain sweet. Historical, romantic and just a tiny bit mysterious, this book is often forgotten or overlooked which is sad because it is a real gem.
Ash by Malinda Lo
Fair warning, this book only has 3.5 stars on Goodreads, and it is not one of my all time favourites. But if the phrase ‘lesbian retelling of Cinderella’ peaks your interest then check out this book for some angsty dark fairytale YA with a side of gay. There is also a sequel/prequel book set in the same universe that also features lesbian characters.
The Rules for Hearts by Sara Ryan
This book is technically a sequel but it works well on its own. The man character Battle is a lesbian but that isn’t the main story of the book, which explores family, friendships and the overlap between those two things. Another coming of age YA novel but still a worthwhile read.
The Thousand Names by Django
This is a military fantasy novel, and one of the two protagonists is a lesbian (she also cross dresses and masquerades as a man so she can lead a freaking army). If you are looking for some proper genre with only minor references to gayness this is a perfect choice.
Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey
Werewolf superhero lesbian fights injustice and squares up against the joint stigma of racism and sexism. Only much more interesting than I just made it sound.
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova
A fantasy book about magic with a Latin America mythos. The lesbian relationship is treated as a non-issue amongst the action of the story. For YA fantasy with a unique twist and a lesbian protagonist, go no further than this book.
