Get your pumpkin spice latte ready. Here are 15 spooky LGBTQ+ Fantasy books for Halloween.
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Spooky season is here. And there is nothing better to celebrate the start of Autumn, than curling up with Halloween book.
But what if you're looking for spooky Halloween reads but you also want LGBTQ+ representation? How do you know which books have LGBTQ+ characters?#
I've got you. Whether you're after cosy Halloween vibes or Horror, I've rounded up the best LGBTQ+ Fantasy books for Halloween.
Read on for the best LGBTQ+ Fantasy books for Halloween
The Best LGBTQ+ Fantasy Books for Halloween
1. Gideon The Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Gideon the Ninth is an awesome LGBTQ+ Fantasy book. It features lesbian necomancers in space. The messy characters and hilarious dialogue make this an incredible listen.
It follows Gideon. Unfriendly nuns brought her up. And Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude. She packs up her sword and prepares to launch her daring escape.
But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service.
The Emperor invites the heirs of each of his loyal Houses into a deadly trial. And in doing so, he summons Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House, into action.
If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection. But no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier.
Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.
For me, the humour and dialogue between Gideon and Harrowhark sets this book apart. The hilarious conversations between the pair made me laugh out loud.
It's also an addictive binge read. The pace also keeps moving quickly. And you keep reading to learn what will happen next. If you're after LGBTQ+ Fantasy Books for Halloween, you'll love this book.
Good reads Rating:
4.22
Representation:
lesbian main character, chronically ill side character
Content warnings:
graphic violence, gore, murder, mass murder, human sacrifice, many conversations about suicide, death, death of children, talk of depression, grief depiction, trauma depiction, loss of a loved one, lots of blood depiction, self-harm to get blood, and mentions of cancer
2. 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. A Great choice if you're after LGBTQ+ Fantasy books for Halloween.
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 fantasy book about witches.
If you're looking for books with witches, I have tons of recommendations. Check out my article on fantasy books with witches here.
Good reads Rating:
3.75
Representation:
lesbian main character, bisexual love interest
Content warnings:
Parental death, fire, violence (moderate), car crash, and animal death
3. Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker
If you're looking for fantasy books about witches with cute. light-hearted romance then you need to 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. It also deals with serious topics like loss and difficult family relationships really well.
I love a cozy fantasy book in Autumn. If you're after queer cozy fantasy books, I have tons of recommendations. Check out my article on queer cozy fantasy books here.
Good reads Rating:
3.75
Representation:
Sapphic main character, hearing impaired character, non-binary main character
Content warnings:
Abuse (parental, mentioned), Adoption., Betrayal., Body horror., Captivity., Cultist rituals., Dead parents Expand. One of the main character's parents appear as spirits and speak with her regularly., Kidnapping.
4. The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska
The Dark tide is seriously underrated. 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:
3.83
Representation:
Sapphic main character, bisexual main character
Content warnings:
Alcohol, Attempted murder., Death (mentioned), Murder (mentioned), Poisoning., Profanity., Snakes.
5. The Grimrose Girls by Laura Pohl
This is another seriously underrated book! You definitely need to read this. It features a diverse cast, plenty of fairy tale references and dark academia world-building.
The Grimrose Girls is a modern take on classic fairytales such as The Little Mermaid, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.
The heroines of the stories are re-imagined as friends attending an elite boarding school. After their friend dies, the police rule the death as suicide. But they decide to investigate to find out the truth.
Grimrose Girls is a unique concept and fantasy retelling. The mystery was gripping and well-paced. And the story keeps mentioning tantalizing details that keep you engaged.
The story also uses the darker versions of the fairy tales. And this added to the dark academia, mysterious tone of the book. Some reviews do mention the lack of world-building, but I preferred this because it kept the plot fast-paced.
If you're after Sapphic retellings, then you should check out this unique take on classic fairytales.
I listened to Grimrose Girls as an audiobooks. As a huge audiobook fan, I have tons of recommendations for Sapphic audiobooks. Read my article on Sapphic audiobooks here
Good reads Rating:
3.59
Representation:
Biromantic and demisexual main character with anxiety and OCD,
Japanese AroAce main character. Lesbian main character, Half black Half Native Hawaiian lesbian plus size main character, Trans sapphic side character, Black sapphic main character, Nonbinary main character
Content warnings:
Anxiety, Bullying, Child death, Death of a parent (past), Emotional, abuse, Grief, OCD, Suicide (past)
6. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater
If you're looking for a book with great characters and dark academia vibes then you should check out The Raven Boys. It has a chaotic friendship group, fantasy and dark academia worldbuilding.
The Raven Boys follows Blue. Each year in the churchyard, Blue watches her psychic mother see those who are going to die that year. Blue never actually sees them herself. Until this year. When she speaks directly to a boy.
He is called Gansey and is a student at Aglionby school. The students there are known locally as Raven Boys.
Raven Boys has such dark academia vibes. It’s set in a local private school. Gansey is also obsessed with researching Welsh mythology. And it even references Latin.
The characters are what make this book. On the surface, it seems like a quirky loner meeting rich boys. But it’s so much more than that!
The characters are all fully developed with fleshed-out (and tragic) backstories. The relationships between them are some of the best I’ve read in YA Fiction
A captivating read if you're searching for LGBTQ+ Fantasy books for Halloween.
Good reads Rating:
4.05
Representation:
MLM romance
Content warnings:
Attempted murder, Alcohol (underage), Depression, Child abuse, Elitism, Murder, Ritual sacrifice, Suicide (referenced), Violence, Workplace harassment (brief)
7. A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
I was unsure about whether to include A Lesson in Vengeance. Honestly, this book is more of a mystery. However, it's the perfect halloween read. A Lesson in Vengeance in a LGBTQ+ Dark Academia Fantasy and Thriller. It's a great pick if you're after LGBTQ+ fantasy books for Halloween.
It follows Felicity Morrrow and is set at Dalloway School. Dalloway School is in the Catskill mountains and is a centuries-old campus.
And it was her home until the tragic death of her girlfriend.
But after a year away, she's returned to graduate. And she even has her old room back in Godwin House. An exclusive dormitory rumoured to be haunted by the spirits of five Dalloway students rumoured to be witches. The Dalloway Five all died mysteriously on Godwin Grounds.
Witchcraft is woven into Dalloway’s history. Before the death of her girlfriend, Felicity was drawn to the dark. But now she's determined to leave that behind and graduate.
But a new girl won't let her forget.
And when Ellis asks Felicity for help researching the Dalloway Five, Felicity can't say no.
I'm a huge fan of LGBTQ+ dark academia books. Check out my article on LGBTQ+ dark academia books for even more recommendations.
Good reads Rating:
3.58
Representation:
Sapphic main characters, Sapphic romance
Content warnings:
Alcoholism, Animal death, Drowning, Mental illness, Murder
8. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Cemetery Boys is a great pick if you're looking for LGBTQ+ Fantasy books for Halloween. It features a cute romance and a transgender main character.
Cemetery Boys follows Yadriel whose traditional Latine family has problems accepting his true gender.
Yadriel is determined to prove himself. So he performs a ritual to become a Brujo. He performs a ritual. And then he sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin.
But he actually summons Julian Diaz. The school’s resident bad boy. And he won’t go quietly. But the longer Julian stays, the less Yadriel wants him to leave.
This book is a really unique – it’s a great mix of mystery and magic. The mystery initially sells the book. But the characters are what really sells this book.
Good reads Rating:
4.30
Representation:
Mexican-Cuban-NorthAmerican gay, trans main character, Colombian-NorthAmerican gay love interest with ADHD, Puerto Rican-Mexican, Cuban-NorthAmerican side characters, Lesbian side character, Trans side character, Latine cast
Content warnings:
Blood, Blood magic (referenced), Character abuse (off-page), Deadnaming of a trans character, Death (parental), Deportation (off-page), Gender dysphoria, Homophobia, Misgendering of a trans character, Transphobia, Violence
9. Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldtree
Legends & Lattes is the most perfect cosy fantasy book. And it also features an adorable wlw romance.
This is the cosiest low stakes, slice of life fantasy book. And you can't beat an LGBTQ+ book with a happy ending.
Legends & Lattes follows Viv - an orc barbarian. She leaves her life as a warrior and opens the first coffee shop in Thune.
Cosy imagery, a wlw romance and the found family trope. Everything I love in a book. And as if that's not enough, Legends and Latte's has a compelling mystery to solve.
The hype for this book recently is insane. And for good reason. It's the bookish equivalent of a steaming hot mug of coffee. The perfect book to curl up on the sofa with in Autumn or Winter.
The way it depicts a slower lifestyle is captivating. The main character escapes a warrior life to live a slow life doing what she loves. Something I think many adults will relate to this book.
If you're a fan of a low stakes, cosy fantasy book then you will love this book.
If you enjoy cosy fantasy books - I have a whole article full of recommendations. You can check out my post on cosy fantasy books here.
If you're after cozy fantasy book recommendations, it's also worth checking out Meg's Tea Room on TikTok. She has the best cozy fantasy recs. You can check out Meg's Tea Room here.
Good reads Rating:
4.41
Representation:
wlw relationship
Content warnings:
fire/fire injury, sexual harrassment, mentions of violence/murder.
10. The Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand
Sawkill girls is perfect if you're looking for an atmospheric, spooky read. It's also full of badass, morally grey chaarcters.
This is a great choice if you're looking for subtle lgbt books with discreet covers. Nothing on the cover that suggests it has LGBTQ+ representation.
Sawkill island has never been safe for young girls. According to local legend a paranormal beast hunts young girls.
We are introduced to three girls: Zoey, Val and Marion. They have the power to save the island. If they are willing to come together and try.
Sawkill Girls is a dark fantasy audiobook. And it’s definitely not for everyone. The world-building is dark, moody and atmospheric. I love the idea of sapphic girls coming together and using magical powers to conquer evil.
Perfect if you're after LGBTQ+ Fantasy books for Halloween.
Good reads Rating:
3.67
Representation:
Asexual main character, Bisexual main characters, W/W romance (main characters), Black main character
Content warnings:
Assault, Blood, Child abuse, Cults, Fire
Gore, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexually explicit scenes, Spiders, Violence
11. Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters
Ghostwood Song is a spooky tale with Southern Forest imagery. It features an intriguing mystery and a bisexual main character.
Ghostwood song follows Shady Groves. She’s inherited her father’s ability to call ghosts from the grave with his fiddle. And she knows the tunes bring nothing but trouble. But her brother is accused of murder. And to clear his name she’s going to have to make the ghosts sing.
I listened to the audiobook version of this which I highly recommend. The narrator has the most charming Southern USA accent. This book is super atmospheric and full of creepy forest scenes.
It strikes a balance of home comforts and creepy scenes while also exploring the impact of loss on a family.
If you're after spooky LGBTQ+ Fantasy books for Halloween, you need to read this.
Good reads Rating:
3.67
Representation:
LGBTQ+ Characters, POC characters, wlw relationship.
Content warnings:
Abuse, Attempted sexual assault, Blood, Car accident, Cheating, Death, Grief, Murder
12. Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
I first remember reading this gothic vampire book at University, and quickly fell in love. If you're after classic literature with LGBTQ+ characters or a paranormal vibe then you need to read this book.
Before Dracula, there was Carmilla. The first seductive vampire to haunt readers’ imaginations
Carmilla follows Laura. She is haunted by a girlhood dream of a beautiful visitor to her bedroom. A decade later, Laura finds Carmilla on the side of the road after a carriage accident.
The two recognize each other from the same childhood dream and become fast friends. Soon after, Laura begins to experience mysterious feelings and is once again haunted by nightmares. She finds Carmilla strangely irresistible and longs to be with her.
But as the two friends grow closer, Laura’s health begins to fail. It becomes apparent that her enchanting companion is harboring a sinister secret. To free herself from Carmilla’s grasp, Laura and her family must fight for their lives.
If you're searching for classics or LGBTQ+ Fantasy books for Halloween, you need to read this.
Good reads Rating:
3.85
Representation:
Sapphic characters
Content warnings:
Blood depiction.
Decapitation.
This post was all about LGBTQ+ Fantasy books for Halloween
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