1. “I Kissed Shara Wheeler” by Casey McQuiston
This is a perfect high school book about a bisexual lead named Chloe that is investigating the disappearance of Shara Wheeler, whom she has a homoerotic rivalry with over which one of them will be valedictorian. Not that either Chloe or Shara would admit it.
This is one of my favorite books with LGBTQ+ representation in it. The characters all feel so real, and the relationships are extremely well-developed, platonically and romantically.
2. “She Drives Me Crazy” by Kelly Quindlen
A girl’s basketball player hits her cheerleader nemesis’ car and has to drive her to school while it’s being repaired. It’s the perfect setup for a sapphic enemies to lovers storyline with forced proximity and two opposite ends of the social spectrum.
3. “Her Royal Highness” by Rachel Hawkins
What if Scotland still had a royal family? What if one of those royals was a bratty closeted lesbian with behavioral problems and was forced to room with an American transfer student? Millie and Flora’s romance is one for the Scottish history books.
4. “Cemetery Boys” by Aiden Thomas
In this paranormal novel, Yadriel’s traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender and, therefore, won’t let him perform a ritual to prove himself a real “brujo.” With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself and hopes to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.
However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened to him and tie off some loose ends before he leaves.
The only problem is that Yadriel starts to have feelings for Julian and doesn’t want to set his soul free.
5. “Red, White & Royal Blue” by Casey McQuiston
This is an obvious pick, as it’s been popular for years, but Casey McQuiston knows how to deliver on all fronts. This debut novel of McQuiston’s is getting a movie adaptation on Prime Video that releases August 11th.
Alex Claremont-Diaz is the son of the President of the United States, Ellen Claremont. He and Prince Henry of England have always had their differences, but when their confrontation makes its way into the tabloids, they’re forced to fake a friendship to smooth things over.
However, this fake friendship and real rivalry turn into something completely different as feelings emerge between them.