Welcome to my list of the most anticipated LGBTQ+ fantasy novels of 2023! As a lover of both LGBTQ+ literature and fantasy, I couldn’t be more excited to share with you the incredible works of art that will be gracing bookshelves this year.
Representation matters, and this is especially true in fantasy literature. As a genre, fantasy often centers on themes of power, identity, and belonging, which are all relevant to LGBTQ+ experiences. For years, LGBTQ+ characters were often sidelined, written as stereotypes or tropes, or excluded altogether. However, with the rise of diverse voices and representation, this is slowly changing. More and more authors are bringing their unique perspectives and stories to the forefront, creating rich and complex LGBTQ+ characters who challenge norms and redefine what it means to be a hero. By embracing LGBTQ+ characters, we are creating a more inclusive and accepting world, both in literature and in real life.
In this article, I want to share with you the most anticipated LGBTQ+ fantasy novels of 2023. My list includes novels from both well-known authors and new voices, all of whom offer their unique perspectives and experiences. My goal is to celebrate and uplift these diverse voices and to showcase the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in fantasy literature.
Let’s support these amazing LGBTQ+ authors and their work. Let’s celebrate diversity in literature and continue to push for more representation in all genres.
I hope this list piques your interest and inspires you to add some of these books to your reading list, and i also created some art for you to enjoy while choosing your next read. Happy reading!
LGBTQ+ Fantasy Novels of 2023
The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai
Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed
The Sapphire Altar by David Dalglish
Now She is Witch by Kirsty Logan
Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
Beautiful Undone by Melissa Polk
The King’s Delight by Sarah Honey
The Path to Vihaan by Daniel J. Lyons
A Deception of Courts by Ben Alderson
Demands by Cheyenne Browning
Wolfpack by Rem Wigmore
Ink Stains and Ill-Fated Lies by Kellie Doherty
The Second Marriage by Corey Kerr
The Bloodstained Shade by Cass Morris
Back in a Spell by Lana Harper
Shadowfall by Iris Foxglove
Tides of Magic by Andi R. Christopher
A Draught of Ash and Wine by Kristin Jacques
A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith
Hex You by P. C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare
The Buried and the Bound by Rochelle Hassan
Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson
The Hidden Crystals by R. Dawnraven
The Ever Storms by Amanda Foody
A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
The Jaguar Path by Anna Stephens
Emperor of Ruin by Django Wexler
Liar City by Allie Therin
The Game of 100 Candles by Marie Brennan
Saffron Wilds by Kai Butler
Give a Witch a Chance by Colette Rivera
Hermes by B. J. Irons
The Delve by Dan Fitzgerald
Sins of the Black Flamingo by Andrew Wheeler, Travis Moore & Tara Bonvillain
Black Ice by Bradford D. Smith II
Dangerous Flames by Stephanie Burgis
The Price You Pay by Cheyenne Browning
Songs of Vice by Nicole Bailey
The Fox and the Dryad by Kellen Graves
The Witch of Tin Mountains by Paulette Kennedy
A Necessary Chaos by Brent Lambert
The Eidolon by K. D. Edwards
The Prince of Daybreak by Lou Wilham
Testing Faith by A.C. Adams
The Hells of Notre Dame by R.L. Davennor
A Game of Hearts and Heists by Ruby Roe
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
A Novel Arrangement by Arden Powell
Tale of the Hidden Village by Riley Rookhouse & K.C. Norton
The Sea in You by Jessi Sheron
Every Gift a Curse by Caroline O’Donoghue
Seven Faceless Saints by M.K. Lobb
The Severed Thread by Leslie Vedder
The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa
Nightbirds by Kate J. Armstrong
Cameron Battle and the Escape Trials by Jamar J. Perry
Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom by Nina Varela
Adventure in the Floating Mountains by L. D. Lapinski
Ring of Solomon by Aden Polydoros
The Faithless by C. L. Clark
Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai
Thorns of Chaos by Jeremiah Cain
Arca by G. R. Macallister
The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield
Blackheart Ghosts by Laure Eve
The Heavy Bright by Cathy Malkasian
Furies by Margaret Atwood et al.
The Keep Within by J.L. Worrad
The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten
Outcast by K. J.
White Cat, Black Dog by Kelly Link
We Dream of Gods by Devin Madson
Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu, Vol. 1 by Meng Xi Shi
The Dragon Eater by J. Scott Coatsworth
Nicky Faces Catastrophe… and Survives?! by Matti McLean
The Memory Eater by Rebecca Mahoney
Ravensong by Cayla Fay
The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores
The Blood Hours by Ann H. Fox
Lucha of the Night Forest by Tehlor Kay Mejia
Clash of Fate and Fury by Rachel Menard
The Future King by Robyn Schneider
Spin by Rebecca Caprara
The Shattered Lands by Brenna Nation
The Moth Keeper by Kay O’Neill
Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai
Curse of the Gorgon by Tanai Walker
The Grief Nurse by Angie Spoto
The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart
Unleashed by Alli Temple
The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher by E. M. Anderson
The Warden by Daniel M. Ford
Ice Upon a Pier by Ladz
The Winter Knight by Jes Battis
The Herlequin by Danielle K. Girl
The Emperor’s Bone Palace by Hailey Turner
The Legend of Korra: Ruins of the Empire Omnibus by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, Michelle Wong
Under Kingdom by Christof Bogacs & Marie Enger
The Stars of Mount Quixx by S. M. Beiko
That Self-Same Metal by Brittany N. Williams
Remnants of Atonement by G. P. McKenna
Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker
Tell Me How It Ends by Quinton Li
Spell Bound by F. T. Lukens
The First Shadowdragon by Lee Newbery
He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
Alecto the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Trials of the Innermost by Jonathan Fuller
Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon
Dragonfall by L.R. Lam
All the Hidden Paths by Foz Meadows
Orphia and Eurydicius by Elyse John
Teach the Torches to Burn by Caleb Roehrig
In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune
A Power Unbound by Freya Marske
The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon
Venom & Vow by Anna-Marie McLemore
Solomon’s Crown by Natasha Siegel
Of Knights and Books and Falling In Love by Rita A. Rubin
The Surviving Sky by Kritika H. Rao
Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire
The Midnight Kingdom by Tara Sim
Heartstopper: Volume Five by Alice Oseman
Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo
The Marble Queen by Anna Kopp
The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera
Dark Moon, Shallow Sea by David R. Slayton
World Running Down by Al Hess
Stronger Still by D.N. Bryn
The Moonshine Heart by Eule Grey
To Kill a Shadow by Katherine Quinn
Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire by Erica Hollis
How to Sell Your Blood & Fall in Love by D.N. Bryn
The Death I Gave Him by Em X. Liu
The Tomb of Dragons by Katherine Addison
The Third Daughter by Adrienne Tooley
A Market of Dreams and Destiny by Trip Galey
The Grief Nurse by Angie Spoto
And the World Crumbled by Aldrea Alien
No Strings on Her by Eule Grey
A Song for Octaven by R.C. Ballad
One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny
Hawkmere by Marcus Attwater
The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan
Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
The Queen’s Price by Anne Bishop
Court of the Undying Seasons by A.M. Strickland
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao
The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa
Traitor of Redwinter by Ed McDonald
https://ajhackwith.com/The Infinite by Ada Hoffmann
Untitled by E.J. Beaton
Hollow Road Home by A.J. Hackwith
The Gilded Crown by Marianne Gordon
Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher
Apocrypha by Anthony Oliveira
No One Left but You by Tash McAdam
The Alchemy of Moonlight by David Ferraro
Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens
These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs
Bitterthorn by Kat Dunn
Thick as Thieves by M.J. Kuhn
The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Ann Older
Daughter of Winter and Twilight by Helen Corcoran
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White
Unholy Terrors by Lyndall Clipstone
Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall
Hunt on Dark Waters by Katee Robert
Well, that’s a wrap! I hope you enjoyed my article on Beyond the Cis-Tem: LGBTQ+ Fantasy Novels of 2023. It’s been quite the journey compiling this list of 182 amazing books featuring LGBTQ+ characters and their stories.
As a bonus, I even got inspired and created some art to celebrate these wonderful stories. Did you enjoy them? Let me know in the comments below!
But wait, there’s more! Don’t forget to hit that follow button on my social media and turn on notifications on for more exciting updates on the latest and greatest in fantasy. And if you have any more recommendations, drop them in the comments and let’s keep this conversation going. Let’s continue to uplift and celebrate diverse voices in the world of fantasy fiction!
And with that, I bid you adieu. Happy reading, and until next time!
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