As a lesbian, I love reading books with lesbian protagonists. But sometimes I feel so starved for lesbian content. That’s why, I’ve decided to compile the absolute best lesbian fantasy books.
This post contains affiliate links. That said, I won’t ever recommend a book I haven’t read and loved myself.
Everywhere you see 'The song of Achilles' and ‘House on the Ceruleun Sea’. And don’t get me wrong – those are both incredible books. But sometimes I want a fantasy novel with main lesbian characters. Not just a cheesy fanfiction.
Whether you’re looking for high fantasy or urban fantasy, I’ve compiled the absolute best lesbian fantasy books. These books all features characters who are attracted to women but not men.
Quick disclaimer. The word 'lesbian' isn't always used in Fantasy books. However, I'm pretty certain the books mentioned all feature lesbian characters
. If you're looking for wlw or sapphic fantasy books (and not specifically lesbian) I have a whole blog post full of recommendations. You can check out my article on ya wlw fantasy books here. I also have a post on LGBTQ+ fantasy books.
What are the best lesbian fantasy books?
1. The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
This is another book that wasn't personally for me but is such a popular fantasy book that I had to include it in this post. It features a captive princess, forbidden magic and a sapphic love story.
Malini has been imprisoned by her dictator brother and spends her days isolated in Hirana, an ancient temple.
Priya is a maidservant who makes the treacherous journey to the top of Hirana every night to clean Malini's chambers. She is happy to be anonymous if it keeps her dangerous secret safe.
But Malini accidentally witnesses Priya's true nature. And their destinies become irrevocably tangled.
This book is full of epic worldbuilding, magic and morally grey lesbians (check out my glossary for any definitions). If you like an enemies to lovers fantasy books then you should definitely pick this up.
I'm OBSESSED with the enemies to lovers trope. If you're looking for wlw enemies to lovers books I have a ton of recommendations. You can check out my article on wlw enemies to lovers books here.
Good reads Rating:
4.19
Representation:
Indian main character, Sapphic wlw romance, Lesbian main characters
Content warnings:
Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Death, homophobia, misogyny, pregnancy
2. A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth
A Dark and Hollow Star is one of the top ya books to read! If you’re a fan of Crescent City you definitely need to read a Dark and Hollow Star. There are so many similarities. It's an urban fantasy with fae, queer main characters and an enticing mystery. It also has a seriously adorable wlw romance (check out my glossary for any definitions).
The cover is perfect if you're looking for lgbt books with discreet covers. The image of Nausicaä holding a sword looks like any other fantasy book.
A series of gruesome murders threatens to expose the faerie world to humans. Four queer teens – Nausicaä, Arlo, Vehan, and Aurelian – each hold a piece of the truth. And they must track down the mysterious killer.
There are not one but two romances in this book. And the characters are what make them so perfect. Arlo and Nausicaä have such amazing chemistry. Nausicaä is a grumpy, chaotic and sarcastic lesbian. Arlo and Nausicaä have a perfect grumpy/sunshine slow-burn vibe.
I listened to the audiobook version which you can find on audible. It features a full cast of narrators which made it really engrossing.
The voices of Vehan and Nausicaä are so spot on! And you can listen to it on Audible with a free trial. It's a great audiobook to put on if you're looking for some escapism while you're cleaning or relaxing before bedtime.
Good reads Rating:
3.83
Representation:
pansexual, lesbian, bisexual, gay, genderfluid characters
Content warnings:
blood/gore, body horror (minor), death of a child, depression, human trafficking, stalking, suicide (past, off-page), suicidal ideation, toxic relationship/manipulation, trauma/PTSD, racism, and violence/gun violence
3. Cinderella is dead by Kalynn Bayron
A Cinderella retelling with a sapphic romance. This is another twist on the classic story that features BIPOC characters and a wlw romance.
The premise is that teen girls are now required to appear at an annual ball where men select wives. But Sophia wants to marry her childhood best friend Erin. And isn’t a fan of the whole parade in front of suitors thing.
She decides to flee and decided to take down the king once and for all.
The dystopian twist on the classic Cinderella story makes this book so unique. The romance is a bit insta-lovey but it's so well developed that it's still engaging.
The plot will keep you hooked throughout. Women overthrowing a dystopian patriarchy. There is also a lot of cottagecore and woodland imagery. Kalynn Bayron writes cottagecore imagery so well. This book will 100% make you want to live in the forest.
I also LOVE that it's a standalone. Standalone ya fantasy books are hard to find. Let alone with lesbian representation. If you're looking for a ya lesbian fantasy book then I highly recommend Cinderella is Dead.
Good reads Rating:
3.73
Representation:
Lesbian protagonist, Lesbian main characters, Indian side character, Black side characters, Bisexual side characte
Content warnings:
Alcoholism, Bullying, Cheating, Gaslighting, Toxic friendships
4. Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
When it comes to YA Fantasy, you should definitely read Girls of Paper and Fire. It's a dark ya fantasy featuring magic and a dystopian society. And Asian mythology is woven seamlessly throughout. It includes a wlw romance.
Girls of Paper and Fire follows Lei. She is a member of the Paper Caste. And the people of Ikhara persecute her.
She sees the royal guards take her mother. Afterwards, Lei suffers with trauma. But the guards return and try to take Lei. She has to learn skills fitting of a King’s Consort. But she falls in love.
The worldbuilding in this book is seriously beautiful. Natasha Ngan was inspired by her own experiences growing up in Malaysia - a country with a mix of cultures. And Ikhara was heavily inspired by this.
The character development is excellent. I loved the wlw romance in the book. The grumpy/sunshine trope was executed perfectly. The plot of the book is quite dark but it was handled really sensitively
The pacing did lapse a bit in the middle for me. But the character development was so good that I still enjoyed reading it. If you're looking for lesbian fantasy books then this is definitely worth reading.
Good reads Rating:
3.82
Representation:
Sapphic main characters
Asian main and side characters
Content warnings:
Genocide, Murder, Prostitution (forced), Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence
5. The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska
The Dark Tide is a seriously underrated book. It features a wlw romance, witches and a curse on a town.
It follows Lina. She lives on a small island where the dark tide could cause it to sink. So, every year the Witch Queen lures a boy back to her palace and sacrifices her on the full moon. And so keeps the island city from sinking.
Lina is convinced her brother is going to be taken. She asks Thomas Lin to help. Thomas is the only person to survive the sacrifice. But they draw the Queen’s attention. And instead, Thomas is taken.
Lina offers herself instead of Thomas. But the queen is nothing like Eva expected. And they must choose between saving the island or themselves.
The premise of this book hooked me in straight away. A girl goes to save a guy but instead falls for the 'villain'. If you're looking for a book with an enemies to lovers romance with a morally grey love interest - then this is the book for you.
It was such an angsty slow bur romance. And Lina and Eva had an amazing grumpy/sunshine dynamic. The cursed romance setup was so well executed and made the book so tragically romantic.
The worldbuilding is also really dark, moody and atmospheric. A sea wild tale. it was beautifully written and I fell in love with the world. Full of bitter witches, sea, salt, blood and sacrifice.
Good reads Rating:
3.51
Representation:
lesbian characters, bisexual characters
Content warnings:
loss of a loved one, human sacrifices, drowning, self-harm for blood for spells, blood depictions, violence, magical compulsion, grief depiction, brief mentions of abuse
6. These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling
I was sold on this book as soon as I heard Sapphic witches! These Witches Don't Burn contains lesbian witches, a mystery to solve and a the found family trope. Plus it's an urban fantasy book set in Salem.
These Witches Don’t Burn follows Hannah. She is a witch living in Salem. A dark blood ritual interrupts her end of school bonfire. And she investigates with her ex-girlfriend Veronica.
She also meets Morgan. But trying to date in the middle of a supernatural crisis is not easy and will test Hannah’s limits.
This is one of my favourite ya fantasy duologies. There are seriously not enough ya fantasy duologies. So this is an easy series to binge read and finish.
Don't get me wrong - it's not hard hitting. But I'm a simple girl and sometimes I want a warm, cozy lesbian book to read.
The LGBTQ+ characters are so well incorporated that they are just part of life. This makes it such a comforting ya wlw fantasy book.
Good reads Rating:
3.75
Representation:
lesbian characters, bisexual characters, wlw relationship
Content warnings:
Parental death, fire, violence (moderate), car crash, and animal death
7. Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker
If you're looking for lesbian fantasy books or graphic novels then you should read Mooncakes. It's a YA Romance about a witch and a non-binary werewolf.
It follows teen witch Nova. She works at her Nana's magical bookshop. And she helps them loan out spell books. But she also investigates supernatural occurrences in her local town.
One day, she is tasked to investigate reports of a white wolf in a nearby forest. She then discovers her childhood best friend, Tam, fighting a demon werewolf. Together they investigate the demon and rekindle their feelings towards each other.
This is such a comfort read. The artwork is insanely beautiful. I really loved the illustrations of the magic and magical creatures living in the forest. The romance is also really adorable.
The story isn't fast-paced and action packed. We also don't find out much about the characters background. But it's such a quick, cute and light-hearted read that I don't think it matters.
The graphic novel format is perfect for anyone trying to get back into reading. Or if you're recovering from a reading slump. I have a ton of recommendations for LGBTQ+ Graphic novels. You can check out my article on LGBTQ+ Graphic novels here.
Good reads Rating:
3.85
Representation:
| Chinese-American main characters, queer, non-binary, disability (hearing impairment) |
Content warnings:
Kidnapping, Confinement, Violence, grief, death of a parent
8. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
I wasn't sure whether to include The Priory of the Orange Tree in this post. I personally found this difficult to get into - the size is quite intimidating. But without a doubt it's one of the most popular LGBTQ+ Fantasy books. And I couldn't write a post on fantasy books with LGBT Characters without mentioning it.
Queen Sabran the Ninth is still unwed but must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction. But assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead is an outsider who has risen to the position of lady in waiting.
Ead is loyal to a hidden society of mages and keeps a close eye on Sabran. She protects her using forbidden magic.
Across the sea, Tané has trained to be a dragonrider. She is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.
There is so much about this book that fantasy readers will love - an epic battle between good and evil, incredible world building and an amazing love story. Plus, dragons!
Good reads Rating:
4.23
Representation:
| wlw relationship, mlm relationship mental illness, PoC and varying cultures |
Content warnings:
Miscarriage, Death, Violence, Religious bigotry, Infertility, Sexual content
9. This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
This is how you lose tje Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
Again, I personally found this quite difficult to get into. But This is How You Lose the Time War is an insanely popular fantasy novella. And I had to include it.
This is How You Lose the Time War is set in the midst of a war. An agent of the Commandant finds a letter that reads burn before reading.
This letter sparks an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents. But what first begins as a taunt, grows into something more. Something romantic.
However, the discover of their bond would mean death for each of them. After all, there's still a war going on. A war that someone has to win.
While this book wasn't personally for me, I can understand why it's so popular. Plus it's a short read that you could easily binge in an afternoon.
Good reads Rating:
3.95
Representation:
| wlw relationship |
Content warnings:
discussions/depictions of animal killing, gore, self-harm, torture, war, violence, and mentions of self-harm and rape.
10. Crier’s War by Nina Varela
Criers War by Nina Varela
Crier’s War is an epic urban fantasy novel with a f/f romance. It’s set in the Kingdom of Rabu and follows Ayla.
A War has ravaged the kingdom of Rabu. The Automae took over the estates of their owners and bent the human race to their will.
Ayla is a human servant who is rising the ranks at the House of Soverign. She dreams of avenging the death of her family… by killing the Sovereign’s daughter – the beautiful Lady Crier.
Now, Ayla, a human servant rising the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging the death of her family… by killing the Sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier. Crier, who was Made to be beautiful, to be flawless. And to take over the work of her father.
Crier was Made to be beautiful, flawless, and to carry on her father’s legacy. But that was before her betrothal to the enigmatic Scyre Kinok, before she discovered her father isn’t the benevolent king she once admired, and most importantly, before she met Ayla.
Good reads Rating:
4.17
Representation:
| wlw relationship |
Content warnings:
blood, hunting, sex overheard, death, grief, humans killed, descriptions of dead bodies - burned and beheaded, and murder fantasies
This post was all about the best lesbian fantasy books
