I’ve really missed doing Friday Favorites, and since no one was currently hosting it, Cait @ Functionally Fictional decided to jump into the gap. Each week, she provides a prompt, and I get to talk about my favorite books that fit the topic. Feel free to join in – the more the merrier!

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!

There have been some seriously amazing LGBTQ+ characters appearing in books all over the place, and I am HERE FOR IT! It’s so hard to narrow the list down to just a few, because I have so many favorites. But in no particular order, here are the ones I can think of off the top of my head:

1. Shane and Phillip (aka Shillip) from The Nihryst by Cait Marie. I absolutely love these two so damn much. They’re the cutest ever.
2. Hook and Darling from Hook by Gina L. Maxwell. This might just be the very first MM romance that I read, but I adore them even with all their complexity and baggage.
3. Kathleen from These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. Trans characters definitely don’t get enough of the spotlight, and she’s one of my favorites. 
4. Elle and Darcy from Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur. This romance had me all in from the start, especially since it starts out with the fake dating trope!
5. Alifair from Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore. Another historical fantasy featuring a trans character that was such a gorgeous story, and I couldn’t help but love everything about this book.
6. Alter from The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros. Yeah, I’m definitely seeing a trend. This is another historical fantasy centering a Jewish gay teen, and the representation was so beautiful, as was the story.
7. Tally from Once More With Chutzpah by Haley Neil. I feel like there’s a lot more representation for lesbian, gay, and bi characters, and less for trans or asexual characters, and this book gave me so much more insight into asexuality, since the MC is learning more about her own sexual identity.
8. Luli from Siren Queen by Nghi Vo. I loved her strong, unapologetic character who is willing to be herself no matter what. Plus, the story was absolutely fascinating!

What are some of your favorite LGBTQ+ characters?