Weekly Book Recs 22-2025: Pride Month Reads

WEEKLY BOOK RECS: 6 book reviews and suggestions every week

June is here, which means it’s time to celebrate love, identity, queerness, and the stories that make us feel seen. Pride Month is about joy, resistance, and community, and books are one of the best ways to connect with all of that. Whether you’re out and proud, figuring things out, or just here to support the stories that matter, these reads are a whole spectrum of experiences.

This week, I’ve picked six books that hit different corners of the LGBTQ+ experience. Some are soft and romantic, others messy and emotional, and a couple will straight-up wreck you in the best way. They all have heart, and they all give space to characters living, loving, breaking, healing, and finding home.

1. “Darius” by Jake Zuurbier

⭐ 4.7/5

Tropes/Genre: Coming-of-age, secret romance, summer abroad

Description: Darius arrives in the French countryside hoping for a reset. What he gets is complicated family dynamics, intense friendships, a boy who’s not quite what he seems, and a summer that changes everything. With vibes that hit somewhere between Call Me by Your Name and The Song of Achilles, this is a story about identity, desire, and aching first love.

Review: There’s something magnetic about this one. Darius is messy, vulnerable, and deeply relatable in the way queer protagonists rarely get to be. The romance is intense and secretive, but what makes it stick is the tension between who you are and who you’re allowed to be. The writing is sharp and emotional without ever feeling too much. A perfect summer read that lingers after you put it down.

Darius

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2. “Young Mungo” by Douglas Stuart

⭐ 4.6/5

Tropes/Genre: Working-class queer romance, star-crossed love, gritty realism

Description: In 1990s Glasgow, Mungo falls for James, a Catholic boy who lives just streets away. But in their rough, sectarian neighborhood, love like theirs isn’t safe. This story dives deep into family, violence, masculinity, and the longing to escape.

Review: This one is heavy. Beautifully written but emotionally raw, it’s not a light read — but it’s worth every page. Stuart captures quiet moments of joy and crushing moments of fear with equal care. Mungo and James’s relationship is delicate and powerful. The prose is poetic, the pacing slow and deliberate. Read it when you’re ready to feel everything.

3. “She Gets the Girl” by Rachael Lippincott & Alyson Derrick

⭐ 4.3/5

Tropes/Genre: Opposites attract, sapphic rom-com, college setting

Description: Alex is chaotic and flirty, while Molly is shy and buttoned-up. They team up to help each other win their respective crushes, only to realize they may have been falling for each other all along.

Review: This is a feel-good sapphic romance with a great balance of humor and heart. It reads like a classic teen rom-com, but queer and way better dressed. Both leads have arcs that feel grounded and sweet. If you want something wholesome and cute, this delivers. Bonus points for the authors being a real-life married couple.

4. “The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School” by Sonora Reyes

⭐ 4.5/5

Tropes/Genre: Coming out, queer Latinx rep, found family

Description: Yamilet Flores is trying to keep a low profile at her new private Catholic school. She’s already outed at her old one, and she’s not trying to do that again. But then she meets Bo, who’s openly queer, and everything gets complicated.

Review: This book has so much heart. It balances humor, emotional weight, and cultural nuance with ease. Yamilet’s voice is strong, sarcastic, and real. The story is hopeful and funny while still touching on big themes like faith, family, and belonging. A must-read for teens and adults alike who want authentic queer Latinx stories.

5. “I Wish You All the Best” by Mason Deaver

⭐ 4.4/5

Tropes/Genre: Nonbinary rep, mental health, soft romance

Description: After coming out as nonbinary, Ben is kicked out of their home and moves in with a sister they barely know. Starting a new school and navigating anxiety, they slowly find connection and maybe even love with Nathan, a golden-retriever classmate with a heart of gold.

Review: This one is quiet but powerful. The romance is gentle and sweet, but the emotional core is about healing, self-worth, and creating space to be yourself. Ben’s voice is soft but clear, and their journey is beautifully told. A great read for anyone looking for a hopeful story about chosen family and queer identity.

6. “A Marvellous Light” by Freya Marske

⭐ 4.5/5

Tropes/Genre: Historical fantasy, queer magic, slow burn

Description: Set in an alternate Edwardian England where magic is real, this story follows Robin, a newly appointed bureaucrat who gets tangled in a conspiracy and a very prickly relationship with Edwin, a repressed magician. Magic, manners, and murder ensue.

Review: It’s giving Downton Abbey with spells and longing stares. The prose is lush, the world-building clever, and the romance deliciously slow-burn. The queer rep is front and center, and the pacing gives you time to fall in love with both the characters and the world. Great for fans of magic and slow, intelligent pining.

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