This Pride Month, indulge in books recommended by Casey McQuiston, author of bestselling queer romcom novels, such as "One Last Stop" and "Red, White & Royal Blue."
"One Last Stop" is about 23-year-old August, who is skeptical about love. She meets Jane on a train, a girl from the 1970s who is lost in time, challenging August's belief. "Red, White & Royal Blue" is about the romance between the First Son of America and the Prince of Wales, which can put the two nations in chaos. McQuiston's latest novel, "The Pairing," will be available on August 6.
Here are five queer novels recommended by McQuiston to add to your TBR list this month.
Elisheva Cohen returns to New York to study photography after leaving for a decade, leaving wounds in her past that have not healed yet. On her first night out in the city, she hooks up with a handsome man, who happens to be Wyatt Cole, her teacher. Wyatt, a talented but reclusive artist, hides a painful past. After getting dishonorably discharged from the military and disowned by his family after coming out as transgender, Wyatt turns his attention to getting sober and his booming career. Wyatt cannot fall in love with Ely despite his attraction to her.
As Wyatt's walls come down, Ely must confront the Orthodox community that shunned her because of her substance abuse, causing her to leave New York. The novel touches upon how Ely and Wyatt fight for their love against all odds.
This book - both a memoir and a manifesto- explores sex and relationship columnist Zachary Zane's experience coming out as a bisexual man and how he embraced his sex amidst societal scrutiny and shame.
Zane talks about his struggles with his sexuality as a young boy when naked images of his therapist popped into his mind. He felt a deep sense of shame, even after his therapist told him he should not be ashamed, especially because society tells him it is. This book is a collection of essays about how society shames people of different genders. Zane explores how the shame imparted by society affects sex and relationships and how to unlearn such messages.
Reassuring and painfully funny, the book tells stories from threesomes under drug influence to risky Grindr hookups. Zane also talks about living with his boyfriend and his boyfriend's wife. This book is a testimony that we can embrace our own sluttiness and live a happier life.
READ ALSO: 5 Must-Read Books About Transmasculinity for LGBT History Month
This book is a collection of poems by Frank O'Hara, one of the most creative and noteworthy American poets of the 20th century. Editor Mark Ford reacquaints us with one of the most joyous and innovative poets of the post-war period.
O'Hara became the most famous poet of mid-century Manhattan despite coming from Grafton, Massachusetts. Shortly after moving to the city in 1951, he created a brand-new genre of urban poetry that masterfully conveys the euphoric rush of the city's artistic life. O'Hara's poems have a carefree confidence that has remained fresh over the years, exuding an insistent, seductive glamour.
A 12-year-old Palestinian-American girl carries a sense of shame up to adolescence after a group of men yelled at her for exposing her legs. This shame is intensified when the girl admits to her mother that she is gay. Her mother tells her, "You exist too much."
Zaina Arafat's debut novel follows the protagonist's journey from a teen to a popular DJ and aspiring writer. The protagonist's deeply hidden desires from her teens lead her to engage in risky romantic relationships. Her self-destructive tendencies led her to The Ledge, a treatment center where she was identified to have a "love addiction." This book explores the two things we long for: love and a place to call home.
A much-awaited New York trip changes the dynamics of a long-term friendship when unexpected romantic feelings bloom between two casual acquaintances. Romantic tensions fill the air in the backdrop of the vibrant city, capturing a spontaneous queer love story.
The critically acclaimed duo behind "Skim" and "This One Summer," which won the Governor General's Literary Award, is now on their third collaboration with "Roaming." This comics duo's magic seeps through the pages with rich and gorgeous pen work, creating an atmosphere that is moody, atmospheric, and brimming with life.
RELATED ARTICLE: 8 Essential LGBTQ+ Kids Books to Celebrate Pride Month