Libro.fm's Bestselling LGBTQIA+ Audiobooks

If you enjoyed 1984, then you’ll love The House in the Cerulean Sea.

“This was a wholesome squeal of a novel that I ADORED! It had so much hype around it so I was wary but it immediately drew me in and wouldn't let me go until I finished. I opted for audio since it seemed that was the only way I was going to squeeze it in with my giant TBR list. Once I started, I literally changed my activities to better fit the listening of this book—more knitting, less TV, longer walks, and antisocial behavior. The narrator, Daniel Henning, perfectly encapsulated the whimsical nature of Linus Baker and his mysterious Level 4 security assignment to the island of Marysas. Though this book is entirely its own, it had vibes that reminded me of 1984 meets The Umbrella Academy meets Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Klune imbues so much life into all his characters. The kids are so cute and sassy and I love this quasi-magical world that they exist in, despite the fact that it keeps them locked away in an orphanage. I love that themes of our own world are examined and questioned and that it has a happy ending. I highly recommend this fantastical novel to everyone! Any book that steals all my attention from start to finish is pure magic and should be cherished!”

Kimi, Buttonwood Books and Toys

Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing

“Lauren Hough has led a more interesting life than you, but no need to be jealous: this life includes growing up traveling the world in a sex cult, getting kicked out of the Air Force under Don't Ask Don't Tell, and a 7 day stint in the SHU without even having her arrest processed. And as a former cable guy and gay bar bouncer, she has seen more of the weird, wild, and insufferable parts of human nature than most of us ever will. The essays in this book are Hough processing the terror of being gay in the South and in the military in the 90s, the trauma and shame of her childhood (it took her longer to come out as a cult survivor than it did to come out as a lesbian) and learning, through all of the noise and violence, to stop trying to fit in for the sake of love and belonging and instead finding the liberation in just being herself. Hough does all of this with essays as poignant as they are laugh-out-loud funny, with a singular voice that is ready to call out the bulls***. (CW: rape, child sexual assault, violence against LGBT folk.)”

Rachel, The Book Table

One Last Stop

“Chubby femme bisexual from Louisiana meets effortlessly cool butch Chinese American, except the latter is from the 1970s and is stuck on the subway. Both August and Jane have bounced around the country looking for a home (and an identity), only to meet in New York in what should have been impossible circumstances. August had an unconventional childhood surrounded by a never ending investigation into a missing relative, and Jane survived the violence against queer people as a revolutionary in the gay liberation movement. Of course they fall in love. With a very diverse cast of characters and a race to save a neighborhood landmark, One Last Stop explores community and queer magic in more ways than one. ”

Mary, Raven Book Store

Winner of a 2012 Stonewall Book Award in nonfiction

The first book to cover the entirety of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history, from pre-1492 to the present.

In the 1620s, Thomas Morton broke from Plymouth Colony and founded Merrymount, which celebrated same-sex desire, atheism, and interracial marriage. Transgender evangelist Jemima... Read more »

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

“This is the funnest, tenderest, most lovable space romp you’ll ever take. There’s a fun plot but the real reason to read this book is the crew of the Wayfarer. Fair warning: You’ll want to follow them anywhere! With inter-species romance, plenty of pronouns, and space-age wisdom, this book made us feel more tender to our own young species of Homo Sapiens and to ourselves. Highly recommend for fun, for fans of science-fiction, and for self-care.”

Megan & Josh, Underground Books

This program includes an introduction read by the author.

One of O, the Oprah Magazine's 32 LGBTQ Books That Will Change the Literary Landscape in 2021, one of Vogue's 9 LGBTQ+ Books We're Looking Forward to This Spring, one of and Cosmopolitan's LGBTQ+ Books to Add to Your Reading List in 2021, one of The Observer's Spring Books You Don't Want... Read more »

This program is read by the author.

In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson's All Boys Aren't Blue explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia.

A New York Times Bestseller!
Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News, Today Show, and MSNBC feature stories

... Read more »

Cemetery Boys

“"Listening to Cemetery Boys made me smile. A lot. Aiden Thomas presents a story of persistence, mystery, and finding one’s place in the world. Yadriel, a trans, teenage, latinx boy, lives in a family of brujos and brujas. After coming out as trans his family does not know where he fits within their traditions. With the help of his opinionated cousin Maritza, Yadriel completes the ceremony to become a brujo in secret and accidentally summons the wrong ghost: Julian, a high energy boy from his school. Yadriel, Julian and Maritza set out to solve the mystery of Julian’s death, and to release his spirit. Of course, to make things more awkward, Yadriel develops a crush on the spirit boy. What more could one ask for? Thomas creates a magical but real world highlighting family dynamics surrounding trans identity within a gendered society, the need to prove oneself, and the importance of connecting to family. This book may sound spooky, but instead the story is feel-good, heartwarming, and silly at times; it’s all about celebrating life and being who you are."”

Emma, Content

How We Fight For Our Lives

“Saeed Jones is supremely talented, so I expected his memoir to be great. I did NOT expect, however, to be left immobile in my chair after reading that final paragraph, processing the beauty of his words and those indelible sentences he’s generous enough to share with us. How We Fight for Our Lives is a moving and intimate portrait of the writer growing up as a young, gay black man and trying to understand the complex realities of his identity. We also gain insight to Jones’ relationship with his mother, a story that left me in pieces by the end. How We Fight for Our Lives is raw, difficult, and truthful, and completely stuffed with love.”

Eugenia Vela, BookPeople

You Should See Me in a Crown

“I am a puddle of happy tears. If you're looking for Black joy, queer joy, this one's a must read. Cute and fun and real, Leah Johnson has written one for the underdogs, about rewriting the rules and getting to be yourself. I devoured it. I wish I'd slowed down. I loved Liz. I loved Mack. And I'd love a sequel please.”

Britt, Second Star to the Right

If you enjoyed You Should See Me in a Crown, then you’ll love Honey Girl.

“This was a highly enjoyable read in that it was both romance and yet totally different than your usual romance ilk. A sweet love story unfurls in a reverse while paralleling to Grace's late coming-of-age and self realization.Grace's whole character arc was spot on, learning how to discover what she actually wants vs what her father wants, learning to center that, and then learning to take care of her mental health. I also loved the love story between Yuki and Grace. Obviously, they got off to a kind of rocky start but I loved that they got to fall in love all over again after that first night. Yuki's fascination with monsters and the unknown was so fun and I loved their lyrical characterizations of each other. York Whitaker was the perfect narrator with a voice of pure silken magic. I loved hearing Yuki's radio snippets in the audiobook format as well. I honesty did not know what to expect with this book but was generally swept away by Rogers' writing, characterizations, and LAYERS! She does so much in this book and it was all SO GOOD. Perfect for those that like a little romance with a side of self discovery and that need some LGBTQIA+ stories in their lives.”

Kimi, Buttonwood Books and Toys

Covering American transgender history from the mid-twentieth century to today, Transgender History takes a chronological approach to the subject of transgender history, with each chapter covering major movements, writings, and events. Chapters cover the transsexual and transvestite communities in the years following World War II; trans... Read more »

Ace

“This book is an eye-opening collection of personal testimonies, research, and history about asexuality, and to a lesser extent, aromanticism. Whether you are new to learning about asexuality or are asexual yourself, by the end of the book you will have a richer and multifaceted understanding of ace identity and experience.”

Miriasha, Phoenix Books

Red, White & Royal Blue

“ To everyone who started telling me to read this book a year ago, I’m sorry. You were right - I loved it, unequivocally. The romance was sweet and gentle and real. But the humor put it over the top for me. I needed to laugh like that, desperately. And I did, a lot. A whole lot. But I also cried - because this book is pure, wholesome, and hopeful, even when it dipped into the darker places (with so much grace). Red, White, & Royal Blue gave my heart wings, and I'm still soaring. So to everyone who's still hesitant, don't be me - get on this train ASAP.”

Britt, Second Star to the Right

Written in the Stars

“This fake-dating, opposites-attract romance is simply perfect. A social media astrologer is set up with her new business partner’s actuary sister. While the date goes terribly, how helpful it would be for both of them to have a date for certain upcoming events. The two leads are wonderful, flawed women with their own baggage and hang-ups (hello, family drama!), and it’s a joy to watch them fall in love with each other in spite of everything.”

Lexi Beach, Astoria Bookshop

A Stonewall Honor Book * A Time Magazine Best YA Book of All TimeFrom Stonewall and Lambda Award–winning author Kacen Callender comes a revelatory YA novel about a transgender teen grappling with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time.Felix Love has never been in love—and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He... Read more »

If you enjoyed Shine, then you’ll love I'll Be the One.

“An uplifting, empowering and inclusive YA rom-com about a plus-size Korean-American girl competing in a K-Pop idol competition. She challenges toxic beauty standards with her refusal to change her body for the industry or her mother.”

Amy, Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers

"A gut-churning, heart-wrenching, blockbuster of a first novel . . . Parks-Ramage is an extraordinary new talent and Yes, Daddy is truly something special." —Kristen Arnett, author of Mostly Dead ThingsA propulsive, scorching modern gothic, Yes, Daddy follows an ambitious young man who is lured by an older, successful playwright into a dizzying... Read more »

The Heart's Invisible Furies

“This is the novel John Boyne was born to write: A brilliant book of identity and redemption, both heartbreaking and humorous, intimate and expansive. Cyril Avery has been constantly reminded he doesn't belong, first by his adopted parents, then by the church and his country. As we follow him on his journey to acceptance, we are shown the cruelty of fate and the surprising kindness of ordinary people. Boyne perfectly constructs every story told, unveiling the humor and hypocrisy of humanity in each character and illuminating how the arc of Cyril's story is also the arc of modern times. An amazing feat from the first page to the last.”

Luisa Smith, Book Passage

Finalist for the 2021 Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Nonfiction
 
"Talusan sails past the conventions of trans and immigrant memoirs." --The New York Times Book Review

"A ball of light hurled into the dark undertow of migration and survival." --Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous

A love story with the heart of Austen... Read more »