A gay version of Narnia and other new LGBTQ books coming out this week

This is the latest book in the Birdverse: a queer fantasy series consisting of novellas, poems, and short stories. The first book was The Four Profound Weaves, but you can start anywhere. Stone Orphan is enrolled in the School of Assassins, awaiting her first murder to graduate. There they meet Ulín, but Ulín has no interest in being an Assassin: she is a linguist drawn to the school by the Orphan Star’s “song of despair,” which resembles her own. Stone Orphan agrees to help Ulín learn more about the language, in exchange for helping Ulín decide which of three men to kill. They swap stories and grow closer as they listen.

Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell disappeared in a forest as children and reappeared six months later. 15 years later, Jeremy works as a private investigator and was hired by Emilie to find her sister, who was lost in the same forest. He is the only one who remembers their time in a magical realm – and the romance he and Rafe had back then. Now he must tell Rafe the truth about the time he forgot so they can go to the other world with Emilie to save their sister. This is meant to be a heartwarming portal fantasy that pays homage to Narnia.

This novel focuses on the dark lady from Shakespeare’s sonnets. In England in 1591, Rose and her friend Cecely are accused of witchcraft and flee to the household of alchemists for protection. There, their friendship develops into a romantic relationship, and they begin selling magic spells and astrological readings to earn money for a new life together. This is how they meet the playwright Will Shakespeare and the noble Henry, and soon the four of them have a complicated, stormy (!) relationship.

When Laurel passes out on the street, he is rescued by a fox. Shigeru, a diplomat who is actually a fox spirit, is immediately taken with Laurel. Unfortunately, Laurel has the opposite first impression. Plus, he’s busy trying to make the benefactor who rescued him from the army proud, even if it means giving her his life. When they’re both assigned to investigate something plaguing the town, Shigeru is determined to win over this handsome and grumpy man. This is the first in a series.

The author of Surrender Your Sons and Your Lonely Nights Are Over is back with a new queer young adult book, but this time it’s a contemporary love story. Ever since Grant made a wish on his family’s Wishing Rose as a child, he’s been cursed in love. Now he’s back at the Wishing Rose to help renovate his aunt and uncle’s B&B, and he hopes he can break the curse there. Unfortunately, Ben has been hired to help with the repairs—the same Ben who broke his heart years ago. As they work together over the course of the summer, however, Grant can’t help but fall in love with him all over again.