LGBTQ+ Summer Reading Recs 2025
For the queer bookworms
Just before we felt the hot sunshine of summer kiss our skin last year, I compiled a list of LGBTQ+ summer reading recommendations. I’m a huge bookworm (though my wife’s reading pace puts mine to shame) and I find reading to be one of the most effective ways for me to stay abreast of new trends in queer theology, pastoral care, and other interests of mine. I also love to nerd out with things like fantasy and sci-fi.
With those things in mind, I’ve decided to make LGBTQ+ Summer Reading Recs an annual tradition, posted early enough for you to procure the books before you camp out by the pool in June. Here are some of my favorite things by queer authors I’ve read recently.
Reflective Theology: Queer & Christian: Reclaiming the Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place at the Table by Brandan Robertson
In Robertson’s newest book, he argues that queer people should not concede their faith or their understanding of God to non-affirming individuals. That is to say, he believes that we shouldn’t let them take those things from us. From this perspective, Robertson offers a framework for how queer people of faith can unashamedly bring their spirituality and their queerness together. Through personal narrative, biblical scholarship, and pastoral care, he provides one of the best resources for LGBTQ+ Christians I’ve come across in my work. I describe it as “reflective theology” because Robertson absolutely digs into theology, but expresses it in a way that’s incredibly accessible to people who don’t have a background in theology.
Queer & Christian will be available May 27th, but you can pre-order it wherever books are sold. You can also learn more about the book in the review of it I wrote for Good Faith Media.
Memoir: Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper
Cooper was birding in New York City’s Central Park one morning when he encountered a woman and her (illegally) unleashed dog. Since the dog was running amok and scaring away the birds, he offered the dog a treat (to keep it stationary) and kindly asked the woman to leash her dog. She became hostile and called the police, hysterically telling them a black man was threatening her in Central Park and demanded that they come arrest him. He recorded the whole incident and posted it online. It went viral overnight, reigniting a national conversation about racism, bias, and the weaponization of white women's tears.
Cooper used this opportunity to not only expand a national conversation, but to share about how the unsung hobby of birding changed his life for the better. In this memoir, he shares his experience growing up as a closeted black kid, finding spirituality outside the traditional confines of faith, his love of comic books, and how birding was a key component in all of those things. He ends each chapter by using principles of birding as a framework for how to get the most out of life.
Fiction: Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune
Last year I recommended the first book in this series and this sequel did not disappoint! Somewhere Beyond the Sea continues the story of Linus Baker and Arthur Parnassas as they learn what it means to love each other as they raise a group of magical children. This time, though, the story is told from Arthur’s perspective. We learn about his traumatic past growing up in DICOMY (Department In Charge of Magical Youth) orphanages, how he subverted their authority for the greater good, and transformed into the remarkable man he is today. Even still, DICOMY is looking for ways to remove Arthur from the picture so they can continue their practice of segregating the magical community from the non-magical one.
The story would be incomplete, though, without their magical children. In this book, Chauncy learns he has more abilities. Lucy becomes more compassionate (if no less mischievous). Sal becomes more confident and outspoken– a true leader. Phee discovers that she’s only touched the tip of the iceberg of her powers. Talia grows even more beautiful things. Theodore discovers his fiery breath. And they welcome a new child to the fold: a theater-loving yeti who loves to sing.
I like to call the first book a big, gay hug. Somewhere Beyond the Sea still fits that mold, but is unafraid to draw strong parallels between how the magical children are treated in this fictitious world to how trans children are treated in our very real one.
Social Justice: Baptized in Teargas: From White Moderate to Abolitionist by Elle Dowd
In this critical work, Dowd shares her first-hand experience of being a white woman involved in the Ferguson uprising after the murder of Michael Brown in 2014. She also invites white readers into her struggle of deconstructing White Supremacist notions of nicety, politeness, and “civility” that all too often keep people of color from obtaining justice. As a Christian minister herself, she frames this deconstruction through her faith in Jesus and calls us to follow in his footsteps of liberation.
If you’ve been doing antiracist work for a while then I’d suggest reading something girthier from a person of color (like Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow). But if you’re a white person new to the concepts of antiracism and abolition, I highly recommend Baptized in Teargas.
Bonus: The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee
As far as I can tell, this book series wasn’t written by a LGBTQ+ person (though I could be wrong!). That said, I couldn’t not include this masterpiece in my recommendations. The Green Bone Saga is a sci-fy trilogy that follows the Kaul family, leaders of the No Peak clan, one of the two ruling clans of the city of Janloon. The two clans are concerned with one thing: power. How does one gain power? Through money and jade– a stone that grants the Kekonese people with mystical, super-human abilities. Jade Warriors are considered the most ruthless fighters in the world– and both clans are chalk full of them. This saga is a masterpiece in plot, morally gray characters, deception, politics, cunning, and family.
There is also a gay character by the name of Anden whom I adore. While the series does cover some of his adolescent angst around being gay and coming out, the majority of his character development throughout the series is not dependent on those themes. He’s an incredibly compelling character throughout the saga because of his convictions around jade use, which adds depth to the family dynamics.
I’m deeply thankful to my friend Harrison Litzell for the recommendation!
Hopefully these reads keep you busy as we enter the summer months. What books would you add? I’d love to hear in the comments!