At last, it’s October, the month that often brings my favorite lineup of queer and trans books because of all the horror offerings! The top picks this month are looking especially enticing, so let’s dive right in, shall we? As always, if there’s anything we didn’t shout out that you think deserves our anticipation, let us know in the comments!

Autostraddle’s Top Most Anticipated LGBTQ Books for October 2025

Uncanny Valley Girls: Essays on Horror, Survival, and Love, by Zefyr Lisowski (October 7, Essays)

So these first two on the list —both out today —are hands down the books I’m most excited about this month! From Zefyr Lisowski comes this collection of essays that mix theory, memoir, and cultural criticism in their exploration of intimate personal narrative and horror cinema. Absolutely for fans of Horror Is So Gay! I can’t wait to devour this one. Let’s go, horror queers!

Herculine, by Grace Byron (October 7, Horror)

But I’m equally excited for this trans horror novel featuring a trans girl narrator haunted by sleep paralysis demons and shitty exes. To escape a malevolent force, she runs away to rural Indiana, where her ex-girlfriend runs an all-trans girl commune in the woods named after 19th-century intersex memoirist Herculine Barbin. Spend horror month with this novel! I certainly will be doing so.

The Natural Order of Things, by Donika Kelly (October 7, Poetry)

AND we get new Donika Kelly poetry this month?! I loved The Renunciations, and I can’t wait for more from one of my favorite living queer poets.

All Girls Be Mine Alone, by Sophie Strohmeier (October 14, Literary Fiction, Novella)

Set in Vienna, this novella features an unnamed lesbian narrator whose friendship with her high school classmate Joachim deteriorates over their rivalry over his girlfriend. The book is about a group of opera-obsessed music students who accidentally summon the spirit of an excommunicated monk. It sounds like an ideal mix of erotics and horror — in other words, extremely up my alley.

Little F, by Michelle Tea (October 14, Memoir)

New Michelle Tea?! New Michelle Tea! From the iconic queer author —whose Valencia remains a standout fixture in the lesbian literary canon —comes this new Feminist Press novel about a queer runaway on a cross-country journey of self-discovery. It’ll definitely be a welcome addition to our queer road trip book list.

Veal, by Mackenzie Nolan (October 14, Horror)

The publisher copy describes this as a mix of Twin Peaks and Dykes To Watch Out For, and I am INTRIGUED. The novel is about Delores “Lawrence” Franklin, who has a meltdown at her corporate job and then moves to Mistaken Point, a place known for murdered girls. While at her part-time arcade job, Lawrence meets Francesca “Franky” Delores (are you catching the name mirroring?!), who convinces Lawrence there’s a monster in town and that they should link up to hunt it down.

Local Heavens, by K.M. Fajardo (October 14, Fantasy, Horror)

An anti-capitalist, dystopian, cyberpunk, queer retelling of The Great Gatsby? Sign me the hell up!

This Is the Only Kingdom, by Jaquira Díaz (October 21, Literary Fiction)

Brilliant memoirist Jaquira Díaz puts out her debut novel, about Maricarmen, who encisions a life beyond her small community and many jobs in Caserío, Puerto Rico after meeting Rey El Cantante, a musician on the rise. The novel time-jumps ahead 15 years to when Maricarmen and her daughter Nena find themselves swept up in a murder investigation. The sweeping novel covers family, sexual identity, generational grief, mother/daughter dynamics, and more.

Girl Dinner, by Olivie Blake (October 21, Horror)

There are multiple queer characters at the heart of this campus-set sorority horror with a touch of cannibalism.

And now enjoy the rest of our most anticipated LGBTQ books for October 2025!

October 7

Her Wicked Roots, by Tanya Pell (Horror)

This horror-fantasy novel presents a queer retelling of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “Rappaccini’s Daughter.” In it, protagonist Cordelia is on the run following the disappearance of her brother Edward and eventually seeks employment at the estate of a botanist named Lady Evangeline.

Crafting for Sinners, by Jenny Kiefer (Horror)

Protagonist Ruth is trapped in her tiny religious town in Kentucky. She’s living in the closet and paycheck-to-paycheck. When her queerness is discovered, she’s fired from the church-run craft store she works at called New Creations. And when she tries to get revenge, she’s brutally attacked and trapped in the store, where she has to use crafting supplies to fight her way out, all the while learning terrifying new secrets about the church that runs this town.

Cinder House, by Freya Marske (Fantasy, Novella)

A queer Gothic retelling of Cinderella, Cinder House tells the story of Ella, a girl murdered at 16 whose ghost is trapped in her father’s house. She’s only visible to her stepmother and stepsisters. Yes, it’s a queer twist on Cinderella AND a ghost twist on Cinderella!

The Hearth Witch’s Guide to Magic & Murder, by Kiri Callaghan (Fantasy)

Here’s a cozy supernatural fantasy-mystery about a world where Fey live among humanity in secret but a rise in supernatural crime threatens to reveal their secrets.

Vampires at Sea, by Lindsay Merbaum (Horror, Novella)

What if a vampire couple went on a queer cruise! In this novella, you’ll find out! Apparently the genre is more accurately horror-comedy.

The Salvage, by Anbara Salam (Historical Fiction)

In 1962, a Victorian shipwreck is uncovered, and marine archaeologist Marta is convinced she saw a ghostly figure among the wreckage. She forms a close relationship with a local woman on the small island of the coast of Scotland where she has been summoned to investigate the discovery. Things progressively get eerier.

All of Us Murderers, by KJ Charles (Mystery)

A Gothic drama with a murder mystery and a queer love story, All of Us Murderers takes place in a fancy remote manor where Zeb Wyckham has been summoned by family he’d prefer to remain estranged from.

QUEERS AT THE TABLE: An Illustrated Guide to Queer Food, edited by Alex D Ketchum and Megan J Elias (Nonfiction)

This anthology of essays, comics, and recipes combines queer food history and actual recipes for things you can make at your next queer dinner party. It would make a great hosting gift to the member of your friend group who throws the best soup nights. (Hint, hint —someone should give ME this book!)

Five Star White Trash: A Memoir of Fraud and Family, by Georgiann Davis (Memoir)

This intersex memoir sounds like the antidote to H*llbilly El*gy.

October 14

The Keeper of Magical Things, by Julie Leong (Fantasy)

Here’s a tale of many mages, some of them lesbians! I do prefer when mages are lesbians in literature. And this sounds like a sweet fantasy novel about friendship and more.

My Lips, Her Voice, by L.L. Madrid (Speculative Fiction)

Audrey and Mara inherit a haunting gift from their grandmother who was tormented by visions. One day, Mara’s body is found in the town’s old mine, and her spirit returns seeking vengeance and also reconciliation with her ex-girlfriend Zadie. Sounds like a wild and weird one, which is absolutely a compliment!

Minor Black Figures, by Brandon Taylor (Literary Fiction)

The author of novels The Late Americans and Real Life is BACK, this time with a novel about Wyeth, a painter tho meets Keating, a former seminarian. Set in the cutthroat art world and contending with spirituality, friendship, relationships, art and identity, and more, Minor Black Figures is sure to be another Brandon Taylor banger.

October 21

When They Burned the Butterfly, by Wen-Yi Lee (Fantasy)

Here’s a queer adult fantasy set in Singapore in 1972 and centered on loner schoolgirl Adeline Siow, who can summon flame in her fingertips.

The Isle in the Silver Sea, by Tasha Suri (Fantasy)

Stay tuned for an Autostraddle review of this standalone sapphic romantasy release that combines medieval folklore with adventure and romance.

Crawl: Stories, by Max Delsohn (Short Stories)

One thing about me? I’m always going to urge you to read more queer and trans short fiction. This story collection explores trans life in Seattle in the 2010s, featuring a cast of transmasc characters.

October 28

Cry, Voidbringer, by Elaine Ho (Fantasy)

This is a high fantasy saga set in a dystopian world and featuring multiple main characters who are queer.

Hazelthorn, by C.G. Drews (YA Horror)

Encounter botanical body horror and murder in this queer YA horror-fantasy.

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For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to stories about sisters. For much of my youth, this meant the Olsen twins and the television series Charmed had me in a chokehold. I think about the connection between close sisters a lot, how there’s a magic to it. My sister and I used to have the same dreams. We live many states apart, but sometimes we unknowingly cook the exact same thing for dinner.

My sister and I are close, but I’m also drawn to stories of sinister sisters, sisters at odds or in competition with each other. It’s all kinds of sister narratives I’m interested in — the loving, the tender, the dysfunction, the estranged — and I recently realized many of my favorite queer novels of the past couple years (All-Night Pharmacy, We Were the Universe, and Smothermoss, all featured below) are connected by the throughline of complicated sisters. So I thought I’d put together a little curated list for anyone else interested in reading queer novels that prominently feature sisters and stories of sisterhood. Anything I missed? Definitely shout it out, because I want to read it!

This list was originally published in January 2025 and has been updated in August 2025.

Cassandra at the Wedding by Dorothy Baker

Originally published in 1962, here we have an early entry into the queer novels about sisters canon. (This was recommended by a commenter when this list was originally published, so I decided to add it with the update!) The novella has a delightful but also often sad (hey, it’s literary fiction after all) rom-com premise: Gay graduate student Cassandra Edwards returns to her family ranch determined to sabotage her twin sister Judith’s wedding.

Ghost Fish by Stuart Pennebaker

The most recent release on this list, Ghost Fish is about a woman named Alison grieving the tragic death by drowning of her young sister. Adrift, she uproots her life from Key West to NYC and eventually becomes convinced her sister has returned to her in the form of the titular ghost fish. Like a couple other entries on this list (We Were the Universe and Helen House), this novel deals specifically with the death of a sister.

Broughtupsy by Christina Cooke

Protagonis Akúa returns to her hometown of Kingston, Jamaica following the death of her brother and attempts to reconnect with her estranged older sister Tamika. Akúa struggles to reconcile her queerness and the strict, religious upbringing of her youth as she and Tamika take a winding trip down memory lane.

When We Were Sisters by Fatimah Asghar

Hey! It’s right there in the title! When We Were Sisters spins the story of three orphaned Muslim American siblings — Kausar, Aisha, and Noreen — in the aftermath of their parents’ deaths. Youngest sisters and eldest sisters will feel well represented by this novel of family, grief, trauma, and survival. Sisterhood is complex and varied and its dynamics can shift, and this is a novel that understands all that very well.

All-Night Pharmacy by Ruth Madievsky

I will jump at ANY excuse to write about this novel, which I adore. At its heart is a toxic dynamic between the protagonist and her older sister Debbie, a character who can never really be fully known. I’ve pitched this novel to many friends as one with mommy issues and sister issues. It’s a drug and booze-filled descent into grimy LA haunts, but it’s a fever dream you won’t want to wake up from. The complicated queer relationship the narrator ends up entangled in is a wild ride, but I’m especially endeared to the wild sister dynamics here.

We Were the Universe by Kimberly King Parsons

I adored this novel, one of my favorites from 2024. It’s very much about sisters, but specifically sisterloss, the sudden absence of a sister. Narrator Kit grapples with the death of her sister Julie and how her life has seismically changed since leaving the small Texas town where she grew up and becoming a mother. It’s a hilarious and delightfully horny book, despite being about such heavy topics as addiction, grief, and death. Parsons balances it all impeccably. And the novel also portrays the almost magical, supernatural bond that can exist between sisters — which I’ve experienced with my own sister — unlike any other I’ve ever read.

Private Rites by Julia Armfield

Weaver of some of my favorite sentences of all time Julia Armfield is back, following up the melancholic and haunting Our Wives Under the Sea with Private Rites, which offers a speculative reimagining of King Lear and follows three sisters amid fractured family and climate horror. Like her first novel, it’s atmospheric and unsettling while remaining sharp in its exploration of interpersonal conflict.

Smothermoss by Alisa Alering

This was easily my favorite novel of 2024. Set in the 1980s, it’s about two sisters growing up poor in an Appalachian mountain town whose methods of survival diverge greatly. Their lives and home are quaked by a disturbing act of gendered violence: the murder of two young women hiking the Appalachian trail. It’s a modern day and wholly original fairy tale that’s immersive, strange, and striking. Just trust me on this one and dive right into its pages, because once you start you won’t want to stop.

Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn

Set in 1994 Jamaica, Nicole Dennis-Benn’s debut novel is about sisters Thandi and Margot and their mother Delores. The novel tackles sex work, class stratification, tourism, and racism and colorism, Dennis-Benn’s dazzling prose bringing every page to life. Margot is also in a clandestine queer relationship with a woman, and the novel explores queerness in nuanced and complex ways that go way beyond mainstream narratives of coming out. It’s a gorgeous, gorgeous novel with a pair of sisters who are hard to forget.

Stone Fruit by Lee Lai

Stone Fruit looks at chosen and given family with equal depth and care, centering gay aunties Ray and Bron who have wild playdates with Ray’s young niece Nessie. But the graphic novel also explores the relationships between Ray and Bron and their respective sisters, who they each have complicated dynamics and loads of baggage with. It’s very much a book about the ties between siblings and how to repair those ties when they fray.

Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

I thought it would be fun to have some fantasy on the list, and Sarah Gailey’s Magic for Liars immediately came to mind. It features a magical school, minus the transphobic overlord. And it focuses on a pair of sisters — one who has the gift of magic and one who does not — who are estranged from one another but are thrust together to solve a murderous mystery at the magical academy where one of them works. It’s like a hardboiled mystery with touches of the supernatural, but what makes the novel truly compelling is the familial drama at its core.

A Reason To See You Again by Jami Attenberg

This novel is unique on this list in the sense that it isn’t either one of the sisters who is queer, but the Cohen sisters’ story is bolstered by queer side characters. Like many titles on this list, this is a matriarchal novel about multiple generations of women. Starting in the 1970s, it spans four decades and, amid its family drama, chronicles the creation of the mobile telephone. It’s about the ways we connect and don’t connect with one another, and it’s sharp, propulsive, and often humorous in its exploration of specific dynamics between female family members (mother/daughter, sister/sister, aunt/niece, etc).

Matrix by Lauren Groff

So, I’m being a little cheeky here as this is a novel about sisters in the ecclesiastical sense. Yes, I’m talking about nuns. If you somehow haven’t heard of this much accoladed book, it is THE lesbian nun novel. This original and intricately layered work of historical fiction is steeped in themes of sisterhood.

Spitting Gold, by Carmella Lowkis

If the historical fiction element of Matrix piques your interest, then perhaps you will enjoy this tale set in 1866 Paris about two estranged sisters who must come together for One Last Con. No one schemes sinisterly better than sisters!

Helen House by Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya

Yes, I am putting my own novel, which is actually a novelette — shorter than a novella! — on this list, because I am shameless. I do very much consider my book to be a sister book, even though the sisters in it are absent. It’s about two women in a relationship who both have lost sisters in very different circumstances but whose individual griefs nonetheless become entangled. It’s a sister ghost story, another story of sisterloss. The intimacy of sisterhood haunts the characters in different ways, leading to some nightmarish situations and psychosexual thrills. If you check it out, I hope you like it!!!! It’s short enough to be read in one sitting — perhaps even in the bath!

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