16 LGBTQIA+ Young Adult Novels To Devour This Fall

Grab yourself a pumpkin spice latte and get ready for thrills, chills, secrets, and a whole lot of feelings.

1. Tonight We Rule the World by Zack Smedley

Page Street Publishing / Via Publisher, James Ferry / Via zacksmedleyauthor.com

Release date: October 5

What it's about: Smedley (Deposing Nathan) returns to do what he does best with another powerful and nuanced YA about a bisexual boy who finds himself in a complicated legal battle he never wanted. But here, Owen is out and relatively comfortable in his queerness, and also unquestionably the victim: he was sexually assaulted on a school trip by a classmate. It was supposed to remain his secret, but when someone else goes to the cops, Owen's forced to live with both the truth and the fallout.

Buy it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

2. Just Ash by Sol Santana

Twitter: @solsantanaxy

Release date: October 5

What it's about: Ash knows he was born intersex, but while he may not look like every other guy under his clothes, he's never questioned his gender. So when he gets his period for the first time at school and suddenly starts needing to wear a bra, it's absolutely infuriating to him that people start questioning it for him. Then his parents take it too far and Ash has no choice but to run, forcing him to figure out how to hang on to the person he knows he is when it feels like everyone else is conspiring to tear him apart. A tough, powerful, necessary read, especially as Intersex Awareness Day approaches.

Buy it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

3. Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Lisa Sterle

Greenwillow Books, lisasterle.com / Via prettyokmaggie.com

Release date: October 5

What it's about: Becca isn't sure what to expect from her new school, but it isn't a squad of the school's coolest girls taking her under their wing...and it certainly isn't discovering that they're all werewolves who turn around and feast on the predators who come for them first. When Becca's given a choice to run with the pack for real, it isn't really a choice, but it is the beginning of a powerful new life, strong new friendships, and possibly even love. But, you know, there are also a lot of corpses, so, mixed bag.

Buy it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

4. The Heartbreak Bakery by A.R. Capetta

Candlewick / Via penguinrandomhouse.com, onceandfuturestories.com

Release date: October 12

What it's about: This sweet-as-sugar speculative romance about love, identity, and the pursuit of happiness stars agender (a first for traditionally published mainstream YA fiction) baker Syd, who's staring down the breakup of a four-year relationship and feeling a lot of feelings...all of which make their way into the newest round of confections at the extremely queer Proud Muffin bakery. When Syd realizes brownies are to blame for a whole lot of breakups, it's the beginning of a grand adventure with dashing demisexual transmasc bike messenger Harley...and maybe the beginning of something else scary and exciting, too.

Buy it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

5. Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers / Via simonandschuster.com, en.wikipedia.org

Release date: October 12

What it's about: Possibly the most anticipated sequel in queer YA history (and in fairness, it is over a decade in the making), this followup to Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe returns us to the titular pair as they're navigating their relationship having shifted from platonic to romantic in a town that has no interest in seeing them thrive. Still, loving Dante and being loved has mellowed Ari considerably, and he'd like to stay that way, which means fighting for his heart, even when tragedy strikes.

Buy it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

6. The Grimrose Girls by Laura Pohl

Sourcebooks Fire, onlybylaura.com

Release date: October 26

What it's about: This consuming boarding school-set page-turner follows four girls (one demi, one aroace, and two lesbians) at the prestigious Grimrose Academie, three of whom have just lost their best friend in what was either a terrible accident, unexpected suicide, or harrowing murder. When new girl Nani moves in to Ariane's old spot and chasing a mystery of her own, the four of them work together to shed light on the school's dark and deadly past, turning over unexpected ties to fairy tales, curses, and terrifying future.

Buy it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

7. The Ballad of Dinah Caldwell by Kate Brauning

Page Street Kids, jenniophotography.com / Via goodreads.com

Release date: November 2

What it's about: Dinah and her family are making it work since her father abandoned them and their farm, but when her mother is killed over the family well, her focus on survival turns to revenge. Armed with her best friend, Kara, and a bootlegger named Johnny who's got a target on the same back Dinah does, she aims to take him down and free not just herself and her brother but the entire county from the deadly man keeping them all under his thumb. But all three teens have secrets (and Feelings, because yes, this is a polyam YA), and even as they grow closer their pasts threaten to destroy them for good.

Buy it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

8. Spin Me Right Round by David Valdes

Bloomsbury YA, davidvaldeswrites.com

Release date: November 2

What it's about: Back to the Future goes gay when Luis Gonzales gets hit on the head and travels back in time to 1985, landing right where closeted teen Chaz Wilson needs him. It's all a little bonkers, but Luis is determined to give Chaz a better experience than the one he had, including a first kiss; after all, if it weren't for his misery back in the eighties, Luis and his queer friends might be able to go to prom with their partners now. But Luis isn't prepared for the homophobia of the times, and especially not the fact that his own estranged dad is leading the charge. Now fixing things is looking like far more of a challenge, and he still needs to figure out how to get back to his own prom...

Buy it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

9. The Reckless Kind by Carly Heath

Soho Teen, carlyheathauthor.com

Release date: November 2

What it's about: Found family vibes abound in this historical adventure starring three queer, disabled teens who set out to make a home of their own when one's mother tries pushing her into a marriage for which she has no desire. In fact, asexual Asta has no desire for any marriage, ever, but she does love her best friend, Gunnar, and his boyfriend, Erlend. And when their lives prove to be unsafe where they are, they cling to one another to make a life for them all. Unshockingly, the trio isn't exactly warmly welcomed into early 20th century Norwegian-adjacent society, but if they can just pull off one feat together, they'll be set...as long as they can stay together long enough to make it happen.

Buy it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

10. Briar Girls by Rebecca Kim Wells

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Carter Hasegawa / Via rebeccawellswrites.com

Release date: November 2

What it's about: Sleeping Beauty gets a lovely and magical Sapphic spin in Wells's standalone reimagining that places a curse upon Lena, a girl who's spent her life secluded near the deadly forest called the Silence. When a girl named Miranda emerges from those very woods and asks Lena's help to accompany her on a journey in exchange for breaking the curse, there's no way Lena can turn it down. But the further they travel, the more Lena learns about her family's past and the lies that have built her life...and may still be building it.

Buy it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

11. A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger

Levine Querido, darcielittlebadger.wordpress.com

Release date: November 9

What it's about: Little Badger continues to bring the indigenous ace rep with her National Book Award longlisted sophomore that brings together the worlds of humans (like Lipan girl Nina, who lives on Earth) and animal people (like cottonmouth kid Oli, of the Reflecting World). When Oli finds himself in need of a trip to Earth to help a friend, their paths cross, allowing them to help each other with both of their needs.

Buy it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

12. The Year I Stopped Trying by Katie Heaney

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, katieheaney.com

Release date: November 16

What it's about: Heaney's sophomore YA follows Mary on her journey of realization that life might actually be a lot less work than it's always seemed. It wasn't a journey she sought on purpose, but the more tasks she drops without consequence, the more she realizes high school hardship is...kind of a scam, forcing her to redefine herself in the context of her growing understanding about the world.

Buy it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

13. If This Gets Out by Cale Dietrich and Sophie Gonzales

Wednesday Books, goodreads.com / Via fiercereads.com

Release date: December 7

What it's about: Being in the public eye is challenge enough. Being in the public eye when you're two members of one of the world's biggest boy bands and all the pressure is getting to you so deeply that you spend your time bonding and ultimately falling in love even while you're obligated to remain in the closet? Yeah, that's a Lot, and it's exactly what's tearing at Zach and Ruben as they have to decide which to hold on to tighter: the lives of fame they've built together, or the relationship that could bring it crashing down?

Buy it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

14. The Midnight Girls by Alicia Jasinska

Sourcebooks Fire, aliciajasinska.com

Release date: December 7

What it's about: Chemistry quickly turns to rivalry when Zosia and Marynka discover they're both crashing the same festivities to land the prince's heart...literally. Consuming a pure heart grants incredible power, and both girls have their eyes on the prize, no matter the cost. But when their ambitious gazes can't help straying toward each other, they're forced with contend to just what they're willing to give up to win, especially when both of their lives are on the line.

Buy it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

15. Thronebreakers by Rebecca Coffindaffer

Harperteen, rebeccacoffindaffer.com

Release date: December 28

What it's about: The followup to the wildly fun Crownchasers sees pansexual pilot Alyssa determined to get revenge on the evil competitor who killed her friend and threw all her plans into upheaval. But battling another pilot isn't the same as battling the new king, and Alyssa will need everything and everyone she's got to set things right.

Get it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.

16. Here's to Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Quill Tree Books, Seth Abel Photography

Release date: December 28

What it's about: Arthur and Ben from What if it's Us? are back, but they aren't together; in fact, they're perfectly happy with their respective new boyfriends...aren't they? If the guys in their lives are giving them what they need, then why can't they seem to shake the chemistry that's just as strong now that they're back in the same city for the summer as it ever was? And what does it mean for them moving forward?

Buy it from Bookshop, Target, or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.