PinkNews Book Club: Nine essential queer reads for March
PinkNews’ March Book Club is here (Canva)
For March’s PinkNews Book Club we asked the team what they’ve loved reading this month. Whether you’re in the mood for a heartwarming rom-com, a gripping dystopian thriller or thought-provoking reflections on queerness and identity, there’s something for every kind of reader in this month’s selection.
We’re also very excited to announce the new PinkNews Book Club Instagram channel, where you’ll find author interviews, book offers, access to exclusive content and even more LGBTQ+ book recommendations!
Isaac by Curtis Garner
Isaac has just lost his virginity through a dating app. It was disappointing but addictive.
Isaac follows the titular character over a life-changing summer. It explores masculinity and queerness in the modern age and is a breath of fresh air. Think back to that all consuming first love, the adolescent obsession with desire and intimacy.
The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn
‘Heartstopper meets Derry Girls.’
Need we say more?
This YA rom-com about finding your first love will have you laughing from cover to cover. Trevaldwyn writes with wit, humour and honesty. It’s a story about staying true to yourself, sticking to your guns and never losing sight of who has your back.
Mr Loverman by Bernadine Evaristo
Speaking to PinkNews last year, Evaristo said she originally wrote Mr Loverman because a story like it had yet to be told.
Barry, a gregarious Antiguan gent living in Hackney, loves his family, his status in the tight-knit community, and being suited and booted – even for breakfast. But he’s harbouring a long-kept secret: he’s having an affair with his best friend. As he approaches his 75th birthday, Barry has a choice to make: commit to his true love and lose his family, or keep up appearances and lose Morris.
Vagabonds! By Eloghosa Osunde
“We’re ghosts because we have to be, because our lives depend on passing and being passed by.
There’s no main character in Vagabonds! No main story. Instead, we journey through the streets and homes of Lagos, meet an eclectic cast of characters and explore their dangers, demons and loves. Vagabonds! is teeming with life and full of diverse, complex characters.
Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth
Lucy doesn’t feel like she fits in. It’s the early 90s in a small Irish village and, even though she has strong friendships, she has always felt like the other. The conventional route of marriage and motherhood doesn’t appeal to her. But then she finds a spark with her school friend, Susannah, and quickly becomes enamoured.
Sunburn is a perfect portrayal of adolescent anxiety, self-discovery and the realities of growing up in a small town where tradition is imperative even if you don’t fit the mould.
The Marriage Act by John Marrs
What if it was written into law that you had to get married? Would you obey?
Britain. The not-so-distant future. A right-wing government introduces the Sanctity of Marriage Act as a solution to society’s issues. If you remain single, you’re punished.
The Marriage Act has very Black Mirror vibes. Full of suspense, this dystopian novel is tricky, clever and, perhaps the scariest of all adjectives – plausible.
Gay Bar by Jeremy Atherton Lin
A fusion of cultural criticism, history and memoir, Gay Bar offers up an engaging history of the gay bar. In the era of Grindr and same-sex marriage, gay bars are closing down at an alarming rate.
Set between Los Angeles, San Francisco and London, Gay Bar transports us through time through pulsing nightclubs, dive bars, cafes and saunas and asks what they meant to their original clientele, what they mean to the author and what they mean to us now.
How To Leave The House by Nathan Newman
Natwest (yes, the main character of this book is named after a bank) is moving to university tomorrow. And he’s expecting a package. But where is it? Where is the post man?
If Natwest’s mum finds out what’s inside the package, his life is over.
How To Leave The House is an honest, unfiltered portrayal of identity, family and self. Set in a non-descript small Midlands town, you’ll get to know Natwest and his neighbours as he tracks down his package.
This book reads like a classic 00’s ensemble movie. Valentine’s Day, Love Actually. But replace all the fluffy-duffy love with petty arguments, internet hookups and a lot of penis talk.
Tea You At The Altar by Rebecca Thorne
The latest instalment of Rebecca Thorne’s Tomes and Tea series, Tea You At The Altar is full of cosy fun, low-stakes chaos and cute queer romance – plus it has dragons. The penultimate book in the series expands on the world that has captured imaginations and sets everything up perfectly for what is sure to be a magical ending.
Earlier this month, we spoke to Rebecca about the latest book in the series, Tea You At The Altar.
Which book will you choose this month? Click here to grab your copy and don’t forget to join the new PinkNews Book Club Instagram Channel to tell us how you’re getting on!
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