Happy Pride!
It makes me so happy to have seen in recent years the emergence of LGBTQ+ representation in fantasy. I mean, where were all these books when I was a romantasy-crazed teenager?!
For all my proud fantasy lovers out there who crave more queer romance, I’ve compiled a list of some swoon-worthy sapphic fantasies that will take your breath away.
Malice by Heather Walter
A princess isn’t supposed to fall for an evil sorceress. But in this bewitching retelling of Sleeping Beauty, true love is more than a simple fairy tale. The Oprah Magazine says this spellbinding tale is for “all the queer girls and women who’ve been told to keep their gifts hidden and for those yearning to defy gravity.”
The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry by C. M. Waggoner
Sparks fly in this enchanting fantasy novel when a down-and-out fire witch and a young gentlewoman join forces against a deadly conspiracy. Tor.com, which named the book as their Reviewers’ Choice Best Book of the Year, called it “Agatha Christie in design and Pratchett-esque in execution.”
Starlight and Shadows by Vera Winters
A scholar’s dream. A pirate’s curse. Only one can be saved in this cozy fantasy perfect for readers who love heartfelt adventures, new beginnings, and an engrossing F/F romance with a touch of heat. It’s the first in a stunning series of standalone cozy fantasy romances that predominantly feature queer characters of all kinds.
Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard
In a pre-colonial Vietnamese-esque world, Princess Thanh returns home to find her heart torn between duty to her imperial mother and her feelings for the first woman she ever loved. One New York Times reviewer says, “This book is elegant and hypnotic as the flame of a candle, and I’ll be thinking for some time about the shadows it throws into relief.”
Practical Rules for Cursed Witches by Kayla Cottingham
A cozy fantasy romance about a teen witch who must complete her magical training by breaking a powerful family’s curse. But her own affliction — to never find true love — gets in the way when she falls for the girl she’s trying to save. Heather Fawcett, the NYT bestselling author of the Emily Wilde series, says it’s “part cozy romance, part coming-of-age adventure (with airships!).”
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
In a world divided by colonialism and threaded with magic, a desperate orphan turned pirate and a rebellious imperial lady find a connection on the high seas. BookPage says the story “reads like an undiscovered classic with impressively modern flair.”
The Curse of the Goddess by C.C. González
In Oberon Castle, Maris comes face-to-face with the man she believes is responsible for her family’s demise. All she wants is to uncover the truth — but how can she do so when Princess Valda consumes her every breath? Perfect for fans of Greek mythology, forced proximity and fated mates.
The Unbroken by C.L. Clark
In an epic fantasy unlike any other, two women clash in a world full of rebellion, espionage, and military might on the far outreaches of a crumbling desert empire. Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter, says it “grabs you by the collar, breaks your heart over its knee and mends it.”
Spear by Nicola Griffith
A spellbinding and subversive queer recasting of Arthurian myth, this story follows a girl bound for Artos’ court on a journey of magic and mystery, love, lust and fights to the death. Alix E. Harrow, author of A Spindle Splintered, says, “If Le Guin wrote a Camelot story, I imagine it would feel like Spear: humane, intelligent, and deeply beautiful.”
Sweet & Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley
In this charming debut fantasy, a witch cursed to never love meets a girl hiding her own dangerous magic, and the two strike a dangerous bargain to save their queendom. Kirkus Reviews calls it “Thoughtful, ambitious, and unexpected.”
