I recently had the pleasure of being asked to write about my favorite five sci-fi or fantasy books that has natural, authentic queer representation by Shepherd.com. For those unaware, Shepherd.com is a newish book website that is working to create a place that showcases indie books alongside mainstream ones in an equitable way. They also want to make it easier for readers to find their next favorite book. These top five lists are a part of that. Without any further ado, here is my list:
Carry On
By Rainbow Rowell
Why did I love this book?
It took me months to pick up Carry On after it initially caught my eye on the bookshelf. It was everything I could have wanted.
It is a less problematic Harry Potter, if Harry and Draco ended up getting together. It shows a really authentic representation of unrequited queer love and recognizing one’s own queer identity. It is character-driven, but also full of fun magic adventure. I love a book that knows how to give you exactly what you want.
This post is an excerpt from a list originally created for Shepherd.com. If you’d like to read the rest of my list, head over to Shepherd.com. If you’d like to check out even more great queer books, check out Shepherd’s list of The Best Queer Books, curated by over 150 authors!