House in the Cerulean Sea

House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is an absolute gem of a novel! Linus Baker works as a type of social worker who examines orphanages for magical youth. When he is given a unique assignment that challenges his internal biases, he finds himself outgrowing the world he left behind. The sweet, clean romance takes a back seat to the themes of racism and found family. I listen to this book every time I need a pick-me-up.

Don't Call Us Dead

Don't Call Us Dead by Danez Smith is the type of poetry that you read over and over again, line by line, taking your time and savoring every word. Smith examines the afterlife, mortality, desire, and testing positive for HIV. There's a lot of great queer poetry out there but this manuscript was so touching and heart-wrenching that I always look for a chance to recommend it.

Delilah Green Doesn't Care

Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake is the beginning of the Bright Falls series, four books that follow four friends as they each find their happily ever afters. As lesbian readers, we started with Annie on My Mind, then got Sarah Waters, then Emma Donoghue (sneaky shout out to Frog Music!), so it's with a bit of joy that I can add your typical romance written by and for lesbians. It's a steamy, grumpy-meets-sunshine beach read full of queer characters and I'm currently finishing my second read-through of the entire series.

Baking Yesteryear

Baking Yesteryear by B Dylan Thomas is a great cookbook, even if you hadn't already fallen in love with Thomas on TikTok. It's full of old, forgotten recipes that Thomas has found and tested. While some of the recipes are a little strange, every cookie recipe I've tried has been fantastic.

Sister Outsider

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde is a collection of essays written between 1976 and 1984 by a Black, lesbian feminist. In it, she tackles racism, sexism, homophobia, and classism. Sister Outsider should be required reading for everyone.