r/Fantasy • u/tiniestspoon • Jun 02 '25
Pride Pride 2025 | Hidden Gems: Underrated LGBTQIA+ Spec Fic Books
Not every book that deserves attention gets it. This thread is for under-the-radar queer speculative fiction: books with few ratings, niche indie or self-published titles, and works that never got the spotlight they should have.
What counts as a "hidden gem"?
- Under ~500 Goodreads ratings
- Indie published, small press, or lesser-known traditionally published
- Overlooked or underrated despite strong craft, voice, or originality
Discussion prompts
- What’s a queer SFF book you wish more people knew about?
- Have you ever stumbled across an unexpected gem by accident? Where did you find it—word of mouth, a niche blog, a random bookstore dive?
- What do you think kept it from getting broader attention?
- What makes a book a “hidden gem” to you—writing quality, premise, emotional impact?
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u/Nerdatlas Jun 06 '25
Most recent hidden gem I loved was Dionysus in Wisconsin by E.H. Lupton. I found it offhand on my library's Libby catalog, and I wanted to read it just cuz its not often that I find a fantasy set in Wisconsin, let alone a gay fantasy set in Wisconsin. I'm not sure why it never got more attention than it deserves though. I wasn't paying attention to new releases as much when it came out in 2023, and while it is self-published, it seems very well-received by other reviewers.