60. Persistence: All Ways Butch and Femme, by Ivan E. Coyote (2011)
[read our review of “persistence” here]
“It’s refreshing to see an anthology reflect a remarkable diversity of perspectives on these two loaded concepts and identities.”
-Caseythecanadianlesbrarian, Goodreads
59. The Creamsickle, by Rhiannon Argo (2009)
“It’s unusual to encounter literary lesbian fiction that’s also a guilty pleasure, but both terms apply fairly to this book…The novel is more about queer family–creating it and maintaining it–than about individual relationships…”
– Faith, Goodreads
58. Strangers in Paradise, Pocket Book 2, by Terry Moore (2001)
“Beautifully depicted characters that come alive and don’t leave your head even after you put the book down.”
– Cem, Goodreads
57. Dare Truth or Promise, by Paula Boock (1997)
[read our review of dare truth or promise here]
“Boock manages to capture the simplicity and yet the confusing complexity of the way that teens view the world creating a both enjoyable and occasionally uncomfortable read as you follow and empathise with the characters. This book also gives a great look at family interactions and cultural expectations.”
– Heather, Goodreads
56. The Dark Wife, by Sarah Diemer (2011)
“The Dark Wife was a beautiful, moving tale of a goddess finding herself in an unfair and cruel world, and reclaiming herself in the face of it. It’s definitely a must read for anyone interested in well done retellings, or a reader who’s looking for representation in a genre that only represents us a certain way.”
-Merle, Goodreads
55. The Bermudez Triangle, by Maureen Johnson (2004)
“This is a character-driven book. It deals with relationships, friendship, sexuality, loyalty, and love. It deals with what happens to people when they let the world know they’re gay (both the good and the bad). It deals with long distance relationships, with forgiveness and letting go, with heartbreak and joy, and the discovery of self.”
– Amanda, Goodreads
54. Cunt: A Declaration of Independence, by Inga Muscio (1998)
“If you let it, this book will bring a tremendous amount of enlightenment, empowerment, and freedom into your life, and hopefully a new sense of understanding and empathy towards women and what we have to deal with.”
– taryn, Goodreads
53. Sputnik Sweetheart, by Haruki Murakami (1999)
“A story of wistful beauty, love, and longing. A strange “through the looking glass” tale, told from a unique perspective.”
– Danger Kallisti, Goodreads
52. The Member of the Wedding, by Carson McCullers (1946)
“Reading The Member of the Wedding, I felt all over again the awkwardness, the unreasonableness, the misguided passion and the full-blown dreaminess of being 13.”
– Dominic, Goodreads
51. Pages for You, by Sylvia Brownrigg (2002)
[read our review of pages for you here]
“Poetic and euphoric. Intense. I think it’s the kind of book that makes you fall in love with love all over again.”
– kathane, Goodreads
50. Landing, by Emma Donoghue (2007)
“The dialogue is sharp and witty, the prose descriptive without being overly so, and the characters believable. It raises such questions as, how far are we willing to go for love? How much would we risk for love? And how much are we willing to give up?”
– Sandra, Goodreads
49. Skim, by Mariko Tamaki (2008)
“Transcendent storytelling meets dark and detailed illustration, all folded up into a Canadian suburban landscape. Skim captures the awkwardness, the isolation, and the crush of new feeling connected to adolescence and spins it into graphica gold.”
-Miz Moffatt, Goodreads
48. Mrs. Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf (1925)
“Woolf’s narrative voice careens through the streets of London, inhabiting various characters’ minds—their thoughts, anxieties, fears, physical sensations—and then gently guides us along, transitioning to another character, another series of images, another complex portrait.”
-Christina, Goodreads
47. Odd Girl Out, by Ann Bannon (1957)
[read our interview with ann bannon here]
“She’s able to present a lesbian college relationship without a) judging it or b) writing with an obvious agenda where the heterosexuals are straw-man hypocrites. Characters aren’t good or evil. They’re confused, manipulative, understanding, bitter, loving, hypocritical, empathizable. They mean well.”
– bup, Goodreads
46. Batwoman: Elegy, by Greg Rucka, J.H. Williams III (2010)
“Ideal for: Readers craving lush, groundbreaking artwork and a capable, complicated superheroine; Folks who’d like to see LGBTQ issues rendered in a thoughtful, action-packed story arc; DC fans and members of the Bat-clan.”
– Miz Moffatt, Goodreads
45. Always, by Nicola Griffith (2007)
“A great read, some troubling thought provoking themes and an exceptionally powerful narrative in this, the best of her magnificent trilogy to date.”
– Glen Fox, Goodreads
44. Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skin, by Emma Donoghue (1997)
“The plot twists and turns at a dizzying rate of speed, weaving an intricate and passionate tapestry that celebrates and empowers woman in her universal quest to know and befriend all of the complex voices within herself.”
– Jackikellum, Goodreads
43. The Funny Thing Is…, by Ellen DeGeneres (2003)
“When you need a laugh, this is a go to read. Cheers up even the dreariest of days!”
– Shannon, Goodreads
42. Missed Her, by Ivan E. Coyote (2010)
“Missed Her is a short, but moving, collection of personal stories focused on Coyote’s experiences as a queer, butch, storyteller living on Canada’s west coast. Each essay is succinct, powerful, and entertaining.”
– Trisha, Goodreads
41. Am I Blue?: Coming Out From the Silence, by Marion Dane Bauer Lois Lowry, Francesca Lia Block, Nancy Garden, James Cross Giblin, Ellen Howard, M.E. Kerr, Jonathan London , Jacqueline Woodson, Bruce Coville, Gregory Maguire, Lesléa Newman, Jane Yolen, Cristina Salat, William Sleator, C.S. Adler, Beck Underwood  (1994)
“Written in a style that will appeal to young adult and adult readers, this book is full of short stories that help gay teenagers understand that struggling is part of learning who you really are and that you’re not alone.”
– Duane Herendeen, Goodreads
