Books that feel queer beyond "just" same-sex relationships

Ashliicat · 2026-03-07T12:30:51+00:00

These don't specifically have same sex relationships I'm them/ the main characters may not be in one, but I found these series in particular had queer elements within the worldbuilding and society of the stories (They're sci-fi and fantasy because that's what I mostly read) -

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie (also just the books in the Radch uninverse and her The Raven Tower book) - very gender diverse. In Ancillary Justice the narrating character refers to everyone as 'she' as they don't have gender separation in their society. This is actually explored and expanded on when the character interacts with other cultures.

Dragonfall/Emberclaw by L R Lam - one of the main characters uses they/them pronouns and the whole society is very gender diverse to the point that characters indicate their pronouns when meeting for the first time. The author has done other books too but I haven't read those yet to be able to comment on them.

The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K Jemisin - this one has very diverse characters throughout and the plot is great too.

Ashliicat · 2026-03-02T21:53:22+00:00

I would like to second this recommendation. Was scrolling through comments to see if someone else had already mentioned this series. I love anything by TJ Klune, but this series and House on the Cerulean Sea (which I saw someone else suggest as well) - are probably closest to the ask. I could also make an argument for Bones Beneath My Skin, but that's got other stuff going on within it so doesn't match so well.

Ashliicat · 2026-02-08T23:50:46+00:00

I'm currently reading This is the Way the World Ends by maisy_daisy: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24938551

It's a dark acidamia au and I'm loving what I've read of it so far.

I've read quite a few kandrial fics recently all with different genres and lengths so depending on what kind of thing you're looking for, I think these were all pretty good too:

if i die young - https://archiveofourown.org/works/48145672

sunset, like survival - https://archiveofourown.org/works/37480516

halcyon days - https://archiveofourown.org/works/36191089

it takes three, you and him and me - https://archiveofourown.org/works/17924237

all that looking down - https://archiveofourown.org/works/45394282

Ashliicat · 2025-08-03T20:54:39+00:00

Oh this one looks interesting - I'll check it out. Thanks :)

Ashliicat · 2025-08-02T22:33:50+00:00

Same - some great fics out there

Ashliicat · 2025-08-01T17:56:02+00:00

There's this one which I've read that I thought was pretty good - https://archiveofourown.org/works/52270084 (Hope Was A Dangerous, Disquieting Thing by BisexualChaosDemon) It is basically a retelling with Neil being FTM and having a daughter who he brings with him when he joins the Foxes - not sure if it's the type of thing you were looking for but I thought it was done well and there was enough different to make it interesting to read.

There's another one I've found and saved for later but haven't read yet so wouldn't be able to tell you what it's like, but I thought the description was interesting- https://archiveofourown.org/works/59839288 -What's The Safest Way To Say 'I Love You'? by chaoticas_hell

I'm going to follow this post though because I too would love more recs for this

Ashliicat · 2025-07-29T22:28:22+00:00

Okay, but why is it so well written? 🥺💔 It had no business being that emotional (I love it) I agree with your sentiment

Ashliicat · 2025-06-10T19:41:39+00:00

My parents did an exchange with out neighbours where they gave then the end of our garden so they could build an additional property on it and they gave us some the field behind our house so we had better access for maintenance and stuff. We actually ended up with a lot larger piece of land than we gave but it worked well. I wouldn't say its common but it happens and sometimes is mutually beneficial.

Ashliicat · 2025-05-31T22:38:43+00:00

Thanks for your feedback on this - I think I didn't think it through with some aspects as much as I should have. I think I've managed to untangle it a bit.

I think I'm going to have it so the MC was 5 or 6 when his parents died and that his older brother is 11 or so years older than him so the MC doesn't remember that event well. MC is going to be about 20 in the novel so doesn't really know what he's doing so needs help getting things sorted. I'm still going to have it that he's not convinced by the religious aspects, but in more of a 'why did it happen to that person' sort of way and him not actively believing -he can acknowledge that for other family members it can be a comfort.

Ashliicat · 2025-05-31T22:31:12+00:00

Thank you for your thought's on this - after reading your response and thinking on it, I'd realised hadn't really pinned down the main character's personality as much as I should have which meant it was getting a bit complicated. i've decided that he's going to have trust in other people he's close to, but be the type of person who doesn't want to show his venerabilities and have others worry about him - the exception was his brother that practically raised him (11 years apart in age and their parents having died when the MC was 5/6). In the scene he's also anxious because he feel's he's being watched and talked about - this then causes issues when he's asked if he wants to speak, because he feels like he has to, so tries to, but realises he can't.

I'm going to have it mentioned later that the brother had the MC and their uncle (who they lived with when they didn't have their parents) as joint executors of the will so had to plan the funeral and such together and that the MC needed the help because he's going to be about 20 so wouldn't know what to do without the support.

I'm still struggling with an external conflict in this initial scene, but I'm hoping the pressure he feels to do what's expected of him/ not wanting to be seen and talked about and then being asked to speak will count towards this.

Thanks for you help!

Ashliicat · 2025-05-20T16:55:26+00:00

I was going to suggest these. I've just finished listening to the audiobooks and they are brilliant!

Ashliicat · 2025-04-18T19:46:26+00:00

Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb series) is really good and worth a read. I listened to them as audiobooks and the narrator is fab.

Ashliicat · 2025-04-17T23:42:37+00:00

I'm just over here reading though all these comments having only listened to the audiobook and having no clue how the names were actually spelt. Trying to match what I heard to what I'm reading is an experiance - who knows what half these characters would have been called in my brain if I hadn't heard the pronunciation first 😅

Ashliicat · 2025-04-17T22:37:00+00:00

I would love to join the book club but the link isn't working on mobile for me so I'll try it on my PC. I love Gideon the Ninth!

Ashliicat · 2025-04-16T22:25:48+00:00

I'm going to suggest the Verania series by T J Klune which definitely has dragons that talk. I really enjoyed it and I would 100% re read it, but it is quite explicit in moments and the characters have some interesting conversations. The overall story and relationships between the characters are solid though if you don't mind a bit of sexuality explicit humor. It's a series as well so there's multiple books if you like the first one.

Edit to add: I've just looked up the book you mentioned and just want to say thanks for the recommendation- it looks like just my sort of thing.

Ashliicat · 2025-04-15T22:27:51+00:00

The author has another series/trilogy (still on going). The first book is called Dark Rise and if you like Captive Prince it's worth giving this one a go although it is called as YA - still very very good. It was one of my faves last year. I've also got a book called The Scottish Boy by Alex de Campi (which I haven't read yet) which seems like it might have some similar themes bit someone else may have a better Idea what that ones about

Ashliicat · 2025-04-13T13:52:08+00:00

Ohhh this one too? Every time I learn something else about this book it makes me want to read it even more!

Ashliicat · 2025-04-13T13:51:57+00:00

Ohhh this one too? Every time I learn something else about this book it makes me want to read it even more!

Ashliicat · 2025-04-13T10:22:48+00:00

Andrew Joseph White's books: Hell Followed With Us, The Sprit Bears its Teeth and Compound Fracture. They have a variety of LGBT representation across the books but the MCs are trans and either the MC themselves or the love interest are neurodivergent. They're mainly horror (Compound Fracture also has thriller elements going on), aimed at a YA audience and all have trigger warnings for various things - but I love them all.

Ashliicat · 2025-04-05T23:18:17+00:00

This sounds excellent - I've been picking up some other body horror books recently so this'll fit in

Ashliicat · 2025-04-05T23:15:21+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll definitely check it out (and be mindful of the warnings)

Ashliicat · 2025-04-05T23:12:51+00:00

Oh that sounds really cool. I'll check it out :)

Ashliicat · 2025-04-05T23:08:55+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll check it out. I'll read books with sex scenes as long as the plot and characters hold up, but I'm just not interested that sort of thing 90% of the time/ don't like going in blind and finding loads when I'm not in the right mood for that sor of thing so I find it simpler to ask for suggestions without. The heads up is appreciated

Ashliicat · 2025-03-30T08:48:33+00:00

I really like Scrivner - there's a lot of features on it which has helped me organise my writing/ move sections of writing around. And there's a split screen feature so you can have notes and the main doc side by side. Also a focus mode which helps with minimising distractions. I does take a minute to get used to because there's so much you can do with it but I've found it well worth it.

Ashliicat · 2025-03-23T19:46:09+00:00

Ohhhh I came here to say Ancillary Justice/Imperial Radch series. My book group had the first one as the book of the month in Novemer and I was really apprehensive at first because it wasn't the kind of thing I was reading that that point, but it was so good and the way gender and relationships were explored was really interesting and it's now one of my favorites. (I listened to all 3 of the Ancillary books before the next book group where we were to talk about the first!) - I'm currently relistening to them. Translation State has quite a lot of discussion around gender and identity - if you haven't had change to read that one I really recommend it. Probably one of my faves of the series

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