This June, we wanted to recognize LGBTQ+ communities by celebrating our own way—with scary books. Give us all the scary, spooky, creepy, and atmospheric books. Add some amazing books to your TBR list by reading books by and/or about LGBTQ+ people.
What is #PrideMonth? A little background…
Every June, Pride Month is celebrated across the United States to commemorate the Stonewall Riots and to celebrate and fight for equal rights for all people. The Stonewall Riots happened in June 1969 in New York City’s Greenwich Village.
Christopher Street Liberation Day on June 28, 1970 marked the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots with an assembly on Christopher Street and the first Gay Pride march in U.S. history.
In June 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Defense of Marriage Act, recognizing that DOMA was unconstitutional and a “deprivation of the liberty of the person protected by the Fifth Amendment.” On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down all state bans on same-sex marriage (FINALLY), legalized it in all fifty states, and required states to honor out-of-state same-sex marriage licenses.
But the battle isn’t over and the fight is still ongoing. So we band together to to embrace the progress made and stare straight on to confront the continued fight for full equality.
And so, what books do I recommend? For part one, here are some recommendations from me, the reading community, and my friend Victoria.
Get your Goodreads TBR lists ready for new additions!
Book: Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig
Flynn’s girlfriend has disappeared. How can he uncover her secrets without revealing his own?
Flynn’s girlfriend, January, is missing. The cops are asking questions he can’t answer, and her friends are telling stories that don’t add up. All eyes are on Flynn—as January’s boyfriend, he must know something.
But Flynn has a secret of his own. And as he struggles to uncover the truth about January’s disappearance, he must also face the truth about himself.
Awesome book reviewer Max Baker says: As someone who reads a lot of YA thrillers and gets really tried for the formula really fast, LSL is a breath of fresh air for me, because this book was genuinely engaging. The twists, the turns, the style, the characters, it was all so good people.
Amazon | Visit the Author on Amazon for full book listing
Author: Melissa A. Gibbo
Melissa is passionate about reading, poker, conventions, and her fandoms. She is LGBT, a cat person, geeky, and relishes in her minor addiction to Coke-Cola. Melissa grew up in Columbus, Georgia and has been living in Orlando, Florida since 2003. She has regular book signings at Universal’s Islands of Adventures Shop of Wonders in Lost Continent and loves meeting avid readers and aspiring writers.
Please contact Melissa at maeve8k@yahoo.com or @melissagibbo on Twitter for inquiries or events.
About After the End:
In the months following an outbreak of zombies, a young woman called Squirrel unites with the few living people she meets to survive. Not all of the people are human; a pair of vampires must join the budding community in light of the decimation of their source of nourishment. As time passes, the community must learn to function despite their differing species, beliefs, and personalities. Alliances are easily made, but trust is harder to maintain.
Amazon | Visit the Author on Amazon for full book listing
Book: The Raptor and the Wren by Chuck Wendig
In the fifth book of the “wildly entertaining” (Kirkus Reviews) Miriam Black series, Miriam continues her journey to find answers on how to change her fate and begin to make right some of what she’s done wrong.
Armed with new knowledge that suggests a great sacrifice must be made to change her fate, Miriam continues her quest and learns that she must undo the tragedies of her past to move forward.
One such tragedy is Wren, who is now a teen caught up in a bad relationship with the forces that haunt Miriam and has become a killer, just like Miriam. Black must try to save the girl, but what’s ahead is something she thought impossible…
Description from Chuck Wendig’s blog:
Miriam Black, in lockstep with death, continues on her quest to control her own fate in The Raptor and the Wren, the brand-new fifth book in the Miriam Black series.
Having been desperate to rid herself of her psychic powers, Miriam now finds herself armed with the solution — a seemingly impossible one. But Miriam’s past is catching up to her, just as she’s trying to leave it behind. A copy-cat killer has caught the public’s attention. An old nemesis is back from the dead. And Louis, the ex she still loves, will commit an unforgivable act if she doesn’t change the future.
Miriam knows that only a great sacrifice is enough to counter fate. Can she save Louis, stop the killer, and survive?
Hunted and haunted, Miriam is coming to a crossroads, and nothing is going to stand in her way, not even the Trespasser.
From Victoria Nations: Miriam Black, most recently of THE RAPTOR AND THE WREN by @ChuckWendig, is one broken cookie, but she loves Gabby and Louis fiercely. The series is scary, thrilling stuff.
Author: Le Perez
L.E. Perez is a lover of all genres; Romance, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Thriller, Sci-Fi, Steampunk; and loves stories with amazing fight scenes that make you cheer, scream and cry before they lift you up and dust you off.
Her mantra: STRONG WOMEN, STRONG STORIES.
About Lily’s Grace:
Reaper Alex Dante did her job, never letting the souls she collected become anything more than work. Until Lily. Lily Heatherton was full of life and had cheated death more than once. Now death wants her back and nothing will stand in its way, not even one of their own. The Hotel is the only place Alex can think of where she can keep Lily safe. But as forces conspire to claim their souls, the Hotel provides a haven for them to discover the love of a thousand lifetimes.
Amazon | Visit the Author on Amazon for complete book listing
Book: Island of Exiles by Erica Cameron
Okay, this one isn’t a normal horror but it’s a survival fantasy, so I’m including it because it’s on my TBR list!
In this diverse, gritty survival fantasy, a girl warrior turns against her island clan to find the brother they claim died, uncovering secrets. Perfect for fans of Graceling and Snow Like Ashes.
In Khya’s world, every breath is a battle.
On the isolated desert island of Shiara, dying young is inevitable. The clan comes before self, and protecting her home means Khya is a warrior above all else.
But when following the clan and obeying their leaders could cost her brother his life, Khya’s home becomes a deadly trap. The only person who can help is Tessen, her lifelong rival and the boy who challenges her at every turn. The council she hoped to join has betrayed her, and their secrets, hundreds of years deep, reach around a world she’s never seen.
To save her brother’s life and her island home, her only choice is to trust Tessen, turn against her clan, and go on the run—a betrayal and a death sentence.
Goodreads | Amazon | Learn more about author Erica Cameron
Book: Harrowed by Brian LeTendre and Jolene Haley
Okay, look, I know I am totally lame for including my own book BUT I co-wrote this and Brian is a literal genius and did all of the hard work so I had to acknowledge him. Also, Quinn is one of my favorite characters ever. I love her fierce nature and her love for Candace. Also, I confess that I cried a little writing the scene where they confess their true feelings.
Journalism Rule #1: Always report the story. Never become the story.
Avery Blair has accepted the fact that nothing exciting ever happens in her small town of Woodsview, Massachusetts. As the editor of the high school blog, she prays for something—anything—to come along that would make for a great headline.
When Beatrice Thompson’s body is found in the girls’ bathroom, Avery has her biggest story ever. The rumors circulating the school say that Beatrice took her own life, but Avery doesn’t believe it for a second. Her instincts prove true when the next day brings another body bag. The tiny community of Woodsview has become the hunting ground for a killer known as the Harvester. The killer targets Avery and her classmates, stalking their every move and terrorizing them with morbid messages.
With the help of her boyfriend Jason, her best friend Quinn, and an aging detective who can’t keep her off the case, Avery dives head-first into her own investigation. She discovers that the secret of the Woodsview Harvester is buried in the town’s history and its annual Harvest Festival celebration. With every clue she uncovers, Avery grows closer to unmasking the killer—and becoming the next victim.
Avery Blair has finally found a story to die for…if she can stay alive long enough to write it.
Goodreads | Amazon | Learn more about author Brian LeTendre & author Jolene Haley
What are your favorite scary books to add to this list? Who are your favorite authors?
Let me know in the comments below! I will compile the suggestions in part two, coming later this month. In the meantime, happy #PrideMonth!
