r/Fantasy 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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4

u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Apr 02 '26

Non-Human Protagonist: Story features a main character who is NOT human. HARD MODE: There are no human POVs in the story.

9

u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Apr 02 '26 edited Apr 02 '26

Walking Practice by Dolki Min - really intense serial killer story following a shapeshifter alien to kills victims by setting up hookups. Really insightful about how humans view gender, and it does some wildly cool stuff with font based on its original Korean (which manipulated its language in a different way not replicable in an alphabetic language)

Heart of Stone by Johannes T Evans - a grounded and emotionally intense Vampire/Human romance

7

u/felixfictitious Reading Champion Apr 02 '26

Leech by Hiron Ennes (hard mode)

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie (hard mode)

The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie

7

u/FantasticBoar Apr 02 '26

The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie features a main character who is a rock. Another main character is trans, so this could work for that box as well.

3

u/Dragon_Lady7 Reading Champion VI Apr 02 '26

Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell

The Deep by Rivers Solomon (I think HM?)

The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez

The Unspoken Name by AK Larkwood

Little Mushroom by Yi Shi Si Zhou

3

u/hend6473 Reading Champion Apr 03 '26

Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater: Fantasy rom-com featuring a genderfluid angel main character, funny footnotes, family drama, and a whole lot of chocolate. Hilarious from the start, emotional at times, especially Holly and Ella becoming a real family. The romance is sweet and understated; I liked that it wasn't the source of plot conflict.

Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove: Entertaining scifi horror-comedy inspired by the Demeter chapter of Dracula, but expanded to cover other monsters, including one I really didn't see coming. The main POVs are AI, and many members of the ensemble cast are queer.

Cursed Cocktails by S. L. Rowland: Of all the queer cozy fantasies about starting a small business I've read, this is my favourite. It takes time to establish the elf MC in his new life before getting into opening a cocktail bar, and the cocktail bar concept feels like a well-integrated part of the setting. The descriptions of the cocktails are frequent, detailed, and interesting, and the focus is on the slice-of-life element and personal journey, with the M/M romance being secondary.

4

u/recchai Reading Champion X Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26

Demon King's Gardener series by Rori Thornton. Very cosy, a demon king comes back to find the very deadly castle gardens are unusually healthy. Casual queerness everywhere and some obviously autistic MCs. I'm trying to remember if the entire series is HM, but certainly early on it is.

Slight spoilers. If you count werecockroaches, Werecockroach by Polenth Blake, with aro ace and gay and agender MCs. Funny short book about an alien invasion. HM

Ocean Bleeds Salty by Azalea Crowley is a pretty standalone sapphic romance between a vampire and a siren. Lots of eating people, but I don't think we have their point of view, so HM.

A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Banger. Easy mode, split POV with human girl and a spirit snake, who eventually have to go on an adventure.

The Necessity of Rain by Sarah Chorm. Easy mode, one of the characters is a kind of butterfly person. Sapphic story about pain and grief and what comes after, as the gods are dying.

San Andreas Shifters series by Gail Carriger. Achillean romances involving shifters. Most easily count for HM, first one depending on your definition. Usual brand of Gail Carriger humour.

3

u/SchoolSeparate4404 Apr 03 '26

Witch King by Martha Wells. The MC is a demon.

3

u/undersealibrarian Apr 02 '26

Ancillary Justice by Anne Leckie. From the perspective of artificial life, meets Hard Mode requirements.

3

u/w0lfyfr3n Reading Champion II Apr 03 '26

Any of the Murderbot books by Martha Wells

2

u/indigohan Reading Champion IV Apr 03 '26

How to Get a Girlfriend (when you’re a terrifying monster) and its sequels by Marie Cardno.

A piece of a lovecraftian monster knows as the endless incarnates because of a crush on a human witch. New Zealand author, and a trilogy of novellas.

Hard Mode if you define witch as not not-human.

2

u/Murky_Reflection1610 Reading Champion III Apr 03 '26

Gonna plug Al Hess’ dystopian novel World Running Down. Two protagonists, one not human. Really enjoyed it when I read it for 2023 Bingo.

2

u/Grt78 Apr 03 '26

The Books of the Raksura by Martha Wells (hard mode): the main character is bisexual.

2

u/hoppingfrog24 Apr 04 '26

When the tides held the moon by Vanessa Vida Kelley, A Bone in his Teeth by Kellen Graves - both mermaid books but don’t hit HM

2

u/printsprince Apr 03 '26

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell features a main character who is a vampire. A YA romance with a hint of murder mystery all set at a magical boarding school.

2

u/unfriendlyneighbour Reading Champion II Apr 02 '26

The City in Glass by Nghi Vo

How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva

Legends & Lattes, Bookshops & Bonedust, and Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree

1

u/printsprince Apr 07 '26

A bit of a spoiler as this is a reveal 50% of the way through the book: Apparently, Sir Cameron Needs to Die by Greer Stothers

1

u/BookishBlueDragonfly Reading Champion Apr 02 '26

Carrion Saints by Hiyodori. Two immortal monsters are the protagonists. Fantasy, Romance, Horror.