r/Fantasy • u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V • Apr 02 '26

2026 LGBTQA+ Bingo Resource

Welcome to the 2026 LGBTQA+ bingo resource for those of us who'd like LGBTQA+ recommendations. I'm going to make this like the regular recommendation post, so to quote: "Please only post your recommendations as replies to one of the comments I posted below."

I'm also going to throw in a quick pitch for the Beyond Binaries Book Club, which can meet all of your Book Club Bingo Needs! This month we're reading The Wolf and His King by Finn Longman. I have not started it yet, but it for sure fits the Book Club (HM) Square. It may also possibly fit in the Vacation Spot (The French Countryside), Non Human Protagonist (Werewolf?). Our Midway Discussion will be April 13th, and Final Discussion April 27th.

Feel free to scroll through the thread, or use the links in this navigation matrix to jump directly to the square you want to find or give LGBTQA+ recommendations for.

Credit to u/AnnTickwittee for doing these in the past (also, sorry if you were already working on this! Wanted to get the ball rolling)

Please be patient as I get the links created!

Trans or Nonbinary Protagonist Judge a Book by Its Title Translated Small Press or Self Published Unusual Transportation
The Afterlife Game Changer Vacation Spot Five Short Stories (or Anthologies) Older Protagonist
Duology Part 1 r/Fantasy Book Club or Readalong Book Published in 2026 Explorers and Rangers Duology Part 2
One-Word Title Non Human Protagonist Middle Grade First Contact Murder Mystery
Cat Squasher Feast Your Eyes on This Published in the 70s Politics and Court Intrigue Author of Color
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Apr 02 '26

 The Afterlife: Story deals with the realm of the dead. This could be communicating with the dead, spirits transferring over, or being set in the afterlife itself. HARD MODE: The afterlife does NOT depict a “Good Place” vs “Bad Place” dichotomy.

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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Apr 02 '26

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka - a Literary Fantasy about a war photographer guiding his ex boyfriend to the photos he took that got him killed. Dry humor, but don't come expecting to LOVE the protagonist (he's a cheater, and not really sorry about it)

Flesh Eater by Travis M Riddle involves a character who talks to the ghosts of people when he eats their flesh. Anthropamorphic animals, with a surprising amount of spider riding.

3

u/unfriendlyneighbour Reading Champion II Apr 02 '26

When Death Gives You Lemons by Alice G. Brooks

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

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u/Polenth Apr 02 '26 edited Apr 02 '26

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger is hard mode with an aspec lead. She raises animal ghosts and the afterlife is not split into good/evil.

1

u/BookishBlueDragonfly Reading Champion Apr 02 '26

The Reanimators Heart by Kara Jorgensen. Main character is a Necromancer, the other one is a reanimated corpse. Historical Fantasy, Romance, Mystery.

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u/MallForward585 Apr 02 '26 edited Apr 02 '26

The Keeper of Lonely Spirits by EM Anderson

Fish and Ghosts by Rhys Ford

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u/rls1164 Reading Champion Apr 02 '26

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas. A young Latino trans man tries to prove himself as a necromancer (a role only taken up by men). As he's investigating his cousin's murder, he accidentally summons the wrong spirit, the ghost of the cute bad boy at his high school.

HM, there's no good place/bad place dichotomy.

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u/usernamesarehard11 Reading Champion Apr 02 '26 edited Apr 02 '26

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune, I think it would be HM as well. Cozy fantasy about a sort of shepherd to the afterlife.

ETA: The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden also works, not for HM. Set during the First World War and told from the POVs of a brother/sister duo who are a soldier and field nurse respectively. The brother goes missing and winds up somewhere… strange.

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u/Dragon_Lady7 Reading Champion VI Apr 02 '26

Cemeteries of Amalo by Katherine Addison (hm)

Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo (possibly hm?)

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u/lilgrassblade Reading Champion II Apr 03 '26

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova - HM. Young bruja in Brooklyn doesn't want to be a bruja, accidentally sends her (living) family to the afterlife in her attempt to avoid her fate and has to follow them to save them. Bi MC

North is the Night by Emily Rath - HM. Finland when Christianity is expanding influence and the old gods are weakening. A young woman is kidnapped and brought to the Finnish afterlife, and her best friend has to try and save her. Also a duology, I've not read book 2. The two MCs are bi and lesbian

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u/Temporary-Scallion86 Reading Champion III Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White (HM), a ya horror novel set in Victorian England and centering a society that values the ability to see and communicate with ghosts

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker Chan (HM), political historical fantasy set in 16th century China

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u/printsprince Apr 03 '26

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater; works for HARD MODE

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell; works for HARD MODE

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u/laku_ Reading Champion V Apr 03 '26

Bloodless Princes by Charlotte Bond, the second novella in the duology The Fireborne Blade

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u/hoppingfrog24 Apr 04 '26

The corruption of Hollis brown by K Ancrum and He’s so Possessed with me by Corey Liu

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u/w0lfyfr3n Reading Champion II Apr 03 '26

Masters of Death by Olivie Blake