Diving into the kaleidoscope of queer stories, amplifying LGBTQ+ authors one narrative at a time.
Who doesn’t love fantasy fiction? It questions the status quo, breaks the rules, and pushes beyond what we accept as reality. What better way to celebrate queerness? It is no surprise that queer writers are abundant in fantasy fiction. The best best lesbian fantasy books have all the allure of a magical world along with cute, sizzling F/F romance.
Turns out love is not simple for anyone, anywhere. Even mighty shapeshifters and skilled necromancers are clueless regarding matters of the heart. Like the rest of us, these supernatural women are also figuring out their feelings.
If you, too, love lesbian fantasy and devour the genre as if your life depends on it, you are in the right place! We have collected the best lesbian fantasy books for you! The list includes sweet love stories that will pull at your heartstrings. But these books are more than that. They also show women as queens, swordswomen, villains and goddesses.
Breaking Legacies is the story of a steely huntress who falls in love with a Princess. The Dark Wife is a sapphic retelling of the legend of Persephone. Speaking of retellings, Roses and Thorns gives us a compelling lesbian version of Beauty and the Beast. If you are wondering what homosexuality would look like in a woman’s world, The Warriors Path is the book for you.
On the other hand, Huntress is not set in a woman’s world. The main characters must find their way through the obstacles life throws at them. If skeletons, necromancers and witches set in space excite you, Gideon the Ninth gives exactly that! Want a story about a lonely shapeshifter who falls in love with a precious avian?
Go for Aurora’s Angel. Witching Moon is the story of a mediocre witch who causes a magical accident with beautiful and dire repercussions. Sweet and Bitter Magic is the story of a woman who is cursed not to feel love and yet falls in love with another woman. Broken Wing is a fantastical depiction of love across class and cultural boundaries.
We had so much fun picking these titles out for you, and we are sure you will enjoy reading them just as much! Even though the stories are set in magical lands with mystical creatures, they are extremely relatable.
The character’s quirks, likes and dislikes, fears, guilty pleasures and secret desires seem very familiar. All the books portray homosexuality in a refreshing tone. Some do it subtly, and some loudly. But the message is clear- love is love no matter what.
These books are a must-read for all fans of the fantastical.
Don't have time to read them all? Why not try listening to them? Audible is a great platform for listening to audiobooks because it offers a wide selection of books, including bestsellers and exclusive content. With Audible, you can listen to your favorite books on-the-go, whether you're commuting, working out, or doing household chores.
The Audible app also has features like adjustable narration speed, a sleep timer, and the ability to create bookmarks, making it easy to customize your listening experience. Additionally, Audible offers a membership program that gives members access to a certain number of audiobooks per month, making it a cost-effective option for avid listeners.
A great resource for people who want to maximize their time and make the most out of their daily activities. Try a free 30-day trial from Audible today, and you'll get access to a selection of Audible Originals and audiobooks, along with a credit to purchase any title in their premium selection, regardless of price (including many of the books on this list!)
For ebook lovers, we also recommend Scribd, basically the Netflix for Books and the best and most convenient subscription for online reading. While they have a catalog comprising over half a million books including from many bestselling authors, for some of the books on this list, you'll still have to purchase individually - either as a paperback or eBook to load on your Kindle - due to publishing house restrictions.
In this article we will cover...
- Breaking Legacies by Zoe Reed
- The Warriors Path by Catherine M Wilson
- The Dark Wife by Sarah Diemer
- Huntress by Malinda Lo
- Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
- Aurora’s Angel by Emily Noon
- Sweet and Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley
- Broken Wings by L-J Baker
- Roses and Thorns by Chris Anne Wolfe
- Witching Moon by Poppy Woods
Breaking Legacies by Zoe Reed
One of the best lesbian fantasy books, this novel, written by Zoe Reed, follows Kiena, a huntress with no honorable family name. Her father was part of a rebel army against the king and therefore ostracised. However, Kiena is good at what she does. She is a top-notch archer and excellent under pressure. This makes the king seek her out when his daughter, Princess Ava, goes missing.
Kiena is a professional and takes up the job, but little does she know that her life will be turned upside down because of it! Despite being a calculating, level-headed huntress, she falls in love with Ava. Kiena cannot resist the princess’ beauty and personality. But she never lets her feelings get the better of her. Kiena has a family to feed and knows she will lose her job if she follows her heart.
Ava also feels drawn to Kiena and loves to tease her! She is not a typical princess and is very down-to-earth. Who doesn’t like a strong, independent woman? The connection between the two main characters is apparent from their initial meetings. But what does their love mean? Not just for themselves but for the kingdom?
The story is told from Kiena’s perspective. Ms. Reed paints an enticing world with rival kingdoms, dragons, rebels, falcons, and lesbians. We also glimpse a young adult’s angst in the book. If Game of Thrones is your go-to series, pick up a copy of Breaking Legacies on your next trip to the bookstore. You will not regret it.
The Warriors Path by Catherine M Wilson
Set in a matriarchal society, The Warriors Path, by Catherine M Wilson, is the first of the trilogy When Women Were Warriors. Tamras, one of the two main characters, is a young woman sent to Lady Merin’s house to start her apprenticeship as a warrior. Tamras is from a small family, making everyone around her doubt if she will ever make a good warrior.
She struggles with self-doubt even as she is assigned as a companion to Maara. Maara is the most skilled warrior in the house, but no one knows her origins. She does not remember anything about her birth parents. She is regarded as a “stranger” in the house.
Maara is tall, strong, calm and stoic, while Tamras is emotional and proudly wears her heart on her sleeve. She is brave, speaks her mind and stands her ground. Tamras showers Maara with affection but only receives coldness in response.
She is convinced that Maara wants to get rid of her, but is that true? Maara has never experienced love or care in her life and does not know what to do with it now! Tamras realizes that her feelings for Maara have progressed from friendship into something more. How will Maara react?
The Warriors Path is told in the first-person perspective of Tamras. The story is less dramatic than typical lesbian fantasy books. The author focuses more on bringing this fantastical world to life and building the characters.
Ms. Wilson painstakingly crafted all the rituals, traditions, ceremonies and festivals that breathe life into this fictional world. She also depicts many types of relationships between women in a world not made for men. Like a taste (or a huge serving) of feminism in fantasy? Pick this one up!
The Dark Wife by Sarah Diemer
The Dark Wife is a contemporary retelling of the story of Persephone. According to Greek Mythology, Persephone is the daughter of Zeus, who is kidnapped and raped by Hades. The author Sarah Diemer rewrites the story as a lesbian romance. In this novel, Hades is a woman who rules the Underworld.
Hades do not exploit Persephone. She feels freer than ever with Hades. She chooses to live in the Underworld, which changes her life.
Away from the watchful eyes of the Olympian Gods, she finally discovers herself and finds love. Here the sexuality of the main characters is not the focus, though the chemistry is hard to miss! But lesbianism is not tackled as a topic- it just is. It is accepted and something normal, even.
We hear the story from Persephone’s point of view. Her confusion, love, fear, and bravery are well articulated and easy to relate to. The relationship between Persephone and her mother, Demeter, is redeemed too! Demeter is not a controlling mother but one who does what she thought was best for her daughter.
The author did a great job of retaining the integrity of all the characters and the setting. The Underworld, the Olympians, and the main characters are recognizable from Greek mythology. The prose describes the setting in great detail.
The writing is smooth, and you will turn pages without noticing! If you like splendid retellings of mythology, this book is definitely for you!
Huntress by Malinda Lo
The book opens to a world where nature is direly out of balance. There has been no Sun in years, and the crops are failing. Strange and hostile creatures stalk the land. The situation needs to be handled right away, or the entire humankind will be under threat. It already is! The oracle stones are cast, and two seventeen-year-old girls are picked to go on a quest to save the land.
Kaede and Taisin had been in school together, but neither had paid much attention to the other. Taisin is a sage in the making, while Kaede does not have a single magical bone in her body. She is a huntress. They need to travel to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen, to rid humanity of the fate that has befallen it. While on this long and arduous journey, the main characters fall in love.
However, Kaede’s father has arranged a politically advantageous marriage for her. And it is not so simple for Taisin as well. To become a sage, which she desperately wants, she must remain celibate. But what of the love she now feels for her partner? We accompany the protagonists on their journey as they battle monsters and inner conflict.
What happens when they do reach the city of Tanlili? Well, you must read the book to find out! Huntress draws heavily on Chinese and Japanese mythology. The narrative is in the third person and the point of view alternates between the two protagonists.
This book is a loose prequel to Malinda Lo’s much-acclaimed book, Ash. A fan of Lord of the Rings? We have a feeling this is just the book for you!
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Gideon Nav is a dead swordswoman in the house of Ninth. She has spent her entire life(or should we say death?) in servitude and is sick of it. Ninth is a gloomy house, and its future looks bleak. Gideon is planning a daring escape even as she gets called to be the cavalier to Harrowhark, the heir of Ninth. Harrow is a necromancer who is unbelievably good with bones.
She gets to participate in a competition to become a Lyctor- an immortal, super-powerful necro saint. Who wouldn’t want that? Besides, Harrow sees this as the saving grace for her dying house. Harrow desperately wants to win, but she has one problem- her cavalier has fled the house! She cannot enter the competition alone.
So, she calls on the best swordswoman in Ninth, Gideon, to act as her cavalier. In turn, she promises to free Gideon if they win the competition. Gideon knows this is a better bet than her planned escape, so she agrees. However, Harrow and she never got along well, which is no different now.
Besides, the competition is proving to be a lot different than what they expected. They have to work together to save themselves. But what catches them unawares is the undeniable attraction they feel.
This book is the debut work of Tamsyn Muir and the first of the Locked Tomb Trilogy. We hear the story from Gideon’s point of view. Her heaven-may-care grumpy attitude adds an interesting touch to the events. The dialogue between Gideon and Harrow sizzles with chemistry and is a delight to read. If necromancers in space excite you, add this novel to your reading bucket list!
Aurora’s Angel by Emily Noon
Aurora is a beast shapeshifter. In a second, she can turn into a deadly, huge beast that destroys everything in its path. Many respect her, and even more are scared of her. Even she is scared of her beasts sometimes. Being a rare and powerful shapeshifter has its pitfalls. She is vigorously hunted and is always on the run.
Aurora had lived a lonely life since her father was killed by black market flesh smugglers when she was eleven. That’s when she vowed to hunt every one of her father’s killers and collect the parts of him that they took. Years later, she chances upon another flesh smuggler’s nest and goes in to free all the creatures. This is where she meets Evie, an Avian woman.
And their life is never the same again. Evie is friendly, outgoing and lives at the moment. Aurora is extremely introverted and guards her lonely heart fiercely. After the rescue, they travel together for a while and have their share of adventures.
Both of them are shapeshifters and therefore hunted relentlessly. Through their journey, they grow close but can Aurora love again? Evie realizes that Aurora is too powerful for her own good. But can Evie save her?
Aurora’s Angel is a slow-burn romance that never gets boring. It is also packed with enough action to keep you hanging on to every word. The author, Emily Noon, carefully builds the chemistry between the two main characters. The stolen glances, small touches and dropped hints are endearing. This book is a delightful combination of dark themes with light-hearted, sweet romance.
Sweet and Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley
Wren is a sweet and kind girl who tries to be brave. She is a Source- someone who is made of magic but cannot use it themselves. Sources are required to train with the ruling Coven. But Wren is the only caretaker of her ailing father and can’t leave him. So, she hides her true nature. She deeply loves her father, but she can’t help but resent him for being unable to live her life.
Our other protagonist is Tamsin, a skilled witch who worked for Coven. However, one magical sin has sent her into exile with a curse that she can never love again. One catch to the curse is that she can feel love by stealing or borrowing it from others.
A magical plague ravages the entire Queendom, and Wren’s frail father falls prey to it. Desperate to save her father, Wren strikes a bargain with Tamsin. If Tamsin finds the witch responsible for the plague, Wren will give Tamsin her love for her father. Bargaining love is a dangerous business, don’t you think?
Sweet and Bitter Magic is the love story of a woman who cannot love! The character development in the book is impeccable. Tamsin is a grey character who makes many questionable choices in her life. You might not like her at all in some places. But the author redeems her by the end of the book.
Wren is also depicted as a layered woman who has had to make tough choices. This book will surely stir up warm and fuzzy feelings in your heart!
Broken Wings by L-J Baker
In the world of Broken Wings, fairies are not mystical, sought-after creatures. They are despised and hunted down. Rye Woods is a fairy who escapes from Fairyland to give a better life to give her sister, Holly, a better life. But freedom has its own cost. Rye must adopt a new identity and hide that she is a fairy.
When Rye meets Flora Withe, a dryad, her life takes an unprecedented turn for the best, or is it? Flora is a rich artist who belongs to the top rungs of society. Can Rye reveal her secret identity to Flora? Can their love survive the class divisions and the gaping chasm that separates fairies from everyone else? Written by L-J Baker, the book shows relationships in a raw and relatable manner.
Holly is a teenager and has all the problems typical for her age. Her anger and confusion are apparent in the arguments she has with Rye. The author has used fairies and other creatures to beautifully depict some real problems humans face. She tackles the delicate issue of “outsiders” and even touches upon anti-immigration sentiment.
The writing casts a spell that will surely keep you bound to the book. The author does a great job of bringing this fantastical world of fairies, dryads, goblins, and more, to life. This is a charming lesbian romance with loads of supernatural. Sound like your thing?
Roses and Thorns by Chris Anne Wolfe
Roses and Thorns is a beautiful sapphic retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Angelique (Beauty) is born to her kind mother and her mother’s lover. Being a bastard, she is treated badly by her father and her brothers. Her mother is now invalid and cannot do anything when her father arranges a marriage for her with a wealthy stranger. So off she goes to live with her wife in a magnificent estate.
Drew, the wealthy owner of the estate and Angelique’s liege, is considered a monster because she prefers women to men. Drew has always lived as a recluse and continues to do so despite arranging her marriage. However, she cannot help but be drawn to Angelique. The romance between the two is torturously slow yet believable.
Drew keeps pulling herself back though Angelique is open to developing feelings for her. Will Angelique’s love save Drew from an old curse that will drive them apart? Or will it banish Drew to a life of loneliness?
Though you know exactly what will happen, Chris Anne Wolfe’s writing keeps you turning the pages. The characters are very well written. They are based on but not too similar to those in Beauty and the Beast. Engaging prose, strong female characters and a satisfying ending make this a perfect weekend read!
Witching Moon by Poppy Woods
Alandra is your average witch. She is not very accomplished; she is not an extraordinary witch. Her mother and sister are way better than her and more interesting. But Alandra has made her peace with it. Until she accidentally summons Luna, the moon, to her living room!
Luna is an enchanting woman, an embodiment of the moon. Celestial bodies have long closed their doors to the Earth- for a reason. Witches exploit the celestials for their power. But now Luna has been summoned to Earth. Can she make it back before she is sacrificed for her powers? What if she cannot? What if she does not want to?
Luna and Alandra fit together as two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The author gives a cute love story interlaced with darker themes. The romantic scenes between the two protagonists are sweet and spicy and surely will leave you wanting more!
The point of view keeps changing between the two main characters giving us a complete view of the story. The book is not only about romance, though. The relationship between Alandra and her sister is developed carefully and is crucial to the story. Lesbian witches, sapphic romance and sisterhood? This is your perfect Halloween pick!
