15+ Enthralling ya wlw Books That Will Make You Swoon

Searching for ya wlw books? As a lesbian, I love reading books with Sapphic representation.  In this post, I’ve compiled the best  Sapphic ya books.

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So you’re searching for wlw books. But you’re also looking for young adult book recommendations. And you’re not sure which books are worth reading.

 I’ve got you. I've compiled the absolute best ya wlw books. 

Whether you’re after ya wlw fantasy books, ya wlw enemies to lovers or ya sapphic contemporary books. I’ve got you covered.

Plus for every book, I’ve included the trigger warnings, representation, positives/negatives and my personal thoughts.

For even more recommendations, I have a whole blog post dedicated to wlw books. I surveyed about 500 book lovers and compiled a list of the most recommended wlw books. You can check it out here:

54 Insanely Heartwarming wlw books you should definitely read

Here are the best ya wlw books.

Best ya wlw books

ya wlw fantasy books

For even more wlw fantasy book recommendations, check out the following posts:

15 Insanely thrilling ya wlw fantasy books  that are impossible to put down

The 11 absolute best LGBTQ+ Fantasy books for adults

1. 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 unique. 

The romance is a bit insta-lovey. Normally I prefer a slow burn romance as I find it more realistic. However,  romance isn't the focus on the book. 

The plot will keep you on the edge of your seat.  Women overthrowing a dystopian patriarchy. 

The cottagecore and woodland imagery is enchanting. Kalynn Bayron writes the most incredible cottagecore imagery. This book will 100% make you want to live in the forest. 

I also LOVE that it's a standalone. Sometimes, you don't want to commit to a long fantasy book series.   And having the plot wrapped up in one book is refreshing.

 Standalone ya fantasy books are hard to find. Let alone with wlw representation. If you're looking for ya wlw books then I highly recommend Cinderella is Dead.

2. Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

When it comes to ya wlw books, you should definitely read Girls of Paper and Fire.

 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 must 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 worldbuilding is vivid and beautiful.  It stands apart from other ya fantasy books.

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 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 ya wlw fantasy books then this is definitely worth reading.

3. Crier’s War by Nina Varela

Crier’s War is an epic urban fantasy novel with a sapphic romance.

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 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 was Made to be beautiful, to be flawless. And to take over the work of her father.

 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

Criers War is an incredible wlw ya fantasy book.

 It features a dual pov. The plot focuses on the battle between humans and automae. And the book benefits hugely from the dual pov. Reading from both perspectives is interesting and gives you a unique insight. 

The start of the book does feature a chunk of world building. Something typical of fantasy books. But after the initial worldbuilding, the plot is engaging and the writing style is easy to read. 

If you're searching for ya wlw books then you need to read this fantasy romance.

4. This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

Kalynn Bayron writes some of the best contemporary fantasy books! This Poison Heart is an Urban Fantasy book. It opens in the city before the main characters move to a small town. The book also features captivating cottagecore and plant imagery throughout.

This Poison Heart follows Briseis. Thanks to a magic gift, she can grow tiny seeds into rich blooms with a single touch.

Her aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York. And at this estate, she must uncover her family’s heritage and secrets.

 This is a quick, fast-paced and easy read. You could easily pick this up and binge read it in one setting.

Kalynn Bayron writes plant imagery beautifully. And I  adored the plant and forest imagery.   It balances urban fantasy  with nature perfectly. Something about the nature imagery relaxes you so much. And it makes this book such a cozy read.

My only complaint with this book is that the romance was very insta-lovey. I found it difficult to be invested in the romance as the characters fell for each other so quickly.

I LOVE the supportive same-sex parents int his book. Ya books often feature absent or unsupportive parents. Therefore reading a book with supportive parents  is refreshing. I love reading LGBTQ+ Books with parents supporting their child no matter what. 

If you're after ya wlw books then you HAVE to read this book.

5. We set the dark on fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

You need to read this book if you're after ya wlw fantasy books. An urban fantasy book with dark academia worldbuilding and  Latine representation. And it features one of the best wlw enemies to lovers romances.

We Set The Dark On Fire follows  Daniela Vargas. She lives in a dystopian world where each man is entitled to 2 wives.

A Primera and a Segunda. The Primera is intelligent, calm and analytical. The Segunda is the mother figure.

Outside the wall, the people go hungry. Dani started life outside of the wall. And she must use her wits to survive illegally in the capital.

But she is also married to one of the most powerful men in the kingdom.

The premise was intriguing. Young women trained to become perfect wives. And a resistance group asking Dani to spy for them. It touches on many issues in today's society, particularly around feminism and marriage. If you enjoy A Handmaid's Tale then you will love the setup of this book.

But the romance is what makes this so perfect.

Two badass women marry a  Straight man but fall in love with each other.

The tension between the two characters in the first part of the book is vivid.  And the setup allows for  a lot of character growth. With both characters learning to trust each other through the book.

The world-building is also excellent. And the book has such dark academia vibes. It opens in a prep school for girls. But it discusses so many important issues such as immigration politics and forced marriage.

 We set the Dark on Fire features an intriguing dystopian premise and a likeable, strong-minded main character. This YA  LGBTQ+ Dystopian book explores immigration politics, toxic masculinity and feminism.  A great choice if you're looking for ya  wlw books.

6. Malice by Heather Walter

If you're looking ya wlw books then you need to pick up this duology. You will love the dystopian world building, morally grey main character and grumpy/sunshine romance. Plus the duology includes some fantastic mythical creatures.

Malice is a Maleficent retelling. The book is set in a Kingdom called Briar.

 Once upon a time, a wicked fairy cursed a line of princesses to die. Only true love’s kiss can break the curse.

The book follows Alyce – the dark grace.

She was left abandoned in Briar from a dark kingdom. The dark magic that runs in her veins abhors residents in Briar. Except for Princess Aurora.

Not only does Princess Aurora accept her. But she encourages Alyce to accept herself.

This book is almost a cross between Wicked and The Hunger Games. But with fae.

The world building is darkly magical. And the residents of Briar reminded me of the residents of the Capitol. Beautiful and excessive. In particular, how the characters take advantage of The Grace to fuel their own shallow obsession with beauty. 

 I  also LOVED the depiction of the Imps and goblins in Misrule. Plus both books reference fae.   A must-read for anyone after ya wlw Fantasy romance books

7. 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 sapphic 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.

 It's not hard hitting. But I'm a simple girl  and sometimes I want a warm, wlw 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

ya sapphic contemporary books

For even more wlw fantasy book recommendations, check out the following posts:

11 Must-Read Sapphic Contemporary Books To Lose Yourself In

8. The Falling In Love Montage by Ciara Smyth

Are you looking for the perfect Sapphic summer romance?

The Falling in Love Montage is the book for you.  

It plays on tropes found in 90s and 00s rom coms.  The title references the montage of clips showing the main characters  fall in love. 

The Falling In Love Montage follows Saoirse . She is struggling to cope because her mother is in a home with dementia.

Also, it’s a hereditary condition. One day she might inherit it.

 So she doesn’t see the point in a relationship. Until she meets Ruby at a party.  And they decide to have a relaxed summer fling.

Ciara Smyth wrote The Falling in Love Montage. And she previously worked as a mental health trainer. And this comes across in the book. And it deals with many mental health issues. It also deals with the consequences of early-onset dementia.

If you're looking for a ya wlw books that balance romance with mental health issues -then this is a great choice.

This hilarious romance is full of relatable lines. And it made me laugh so much. A great pick if you're looking for wlw books.

9. The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

The Henna Wars is incredible!  This own voices, ya contemporary features a Muslim, Bangladeshi, lesbian main character

The Henna Wars follows Nishat.  She comes out to her parents as a lesbian. They’re happy for her to be whoever she wants to be.

As long as she isn’t herself – because Muslim girls aren’t lesbians.

Her life becomes harder when she is reacquainted with a childhood friend – Flavia. Especially when in a school competition they both decide to start their own henna business.

This book includes an adorable wlw romance. But it’s also much more than a romance. 

 It navigates homophobia, bullying, racism and cultural appropriation. It also includes one of the best main characters in Nishat. Nishat bravely deals with many things being thrown at her. 

This book deals with some heavy topics. But it still manages to remain a cute, funny and romantic debut novel. If you're looking for wlw ya books, you need to read The Henna Wars.

10. I kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey Mcquiston

If you loved One Last Stop then you 100% need to read I kissed Shara Wheeler. A ya LGBTQ+ book featuring a capitating mystery. And it also has cute rom com vibes. This book is a sapphic version of a John Green novel. 

It follows Chloe Green. She attends a Christian high school in the Bible Belt in the USA. The only thing that's kept her going is winning Valedictorian. And the only thing stopping her is rival Shara Wheeler.

But a month before graduation, Shara Wheeler kisses her and then disappears.

This book  launches straight into the middle of the action. And this meant I was hooked almost straight away. If you liked the mystery elements of One Last Stop then you will definitely enjoy this one. 

Casey Mcquiston writes the most incredible friendship groups. The banter between the group is hilarious and chaotic.  And they are always diverse. If you like the friendship group in One Last Stop then you'll also love this.

 If you're looking for a ya wlw book then you should  check this one out.

11. Not my Problem by Ciara Smyth

Ciara Smyth writes hilarious wlw romance books. Not My problem is a funny coming of age novel full of heart and emotion. And I knew I'd love it from the first page. 

Not My Problem follows Aideen.  Aideen has plenty of problems she can’t fix...

 Her best (and only) friend is pulling away.

Her mother’s drinking problem is a constant concern.

She’s even running out of outlandish diseases to fake so she can skip PE.

But then Aideen stumbles on her nemesis, overachiever Meabh Kowalski, in a full-blown meltdown. She sees a problem that seems easy to solve.

Meabh is desperate to escape her crushing pile of extracurriculars. Aideen volunteers to help. By pushing Meabh down the stairs.

Problem? Solved. Meabh’s sprained ankle is the perfect excuse to ditch her overwhelming schedule.

But then another student learns about their little scheme. And they bring Aideen another "client" in need of her "help". It kicks of a term of traded favours,  ill-advised hijinks, and an unexpected chance at love. 

The concept behind this book worked perfectly. It allowed for hilarious antics and plenty of character development. The main character and side characters are all instantly likeable. Likewise, the writing style is easy to read. 

If you're after light-hearted wlw books, you need to read this adorable romance.

Ya wlw enemies to lovers books

For even more wlw  enemies to lovers book recommendations, check out the following posts:

The Absolute Best WLW enemies to lovers books you need to read

15 Insanely romantic LGBTQ+ Enemies to Lovers Books That You'll Love

12. She Get's The Girl by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

She Gets Girl is one of the best wlw books. It balances heartwarming romance with important topics such as alcoholism. 

It follows Alex and Molly. Alex is a headstrong flirt. She knows how to get the the girl. Keeping her on the other hand... not so much. 

Molly has everything in control. Except for her complete awkwardness with anyone other than her mum. She's in love with the impossibly cool Cora Myers. But she just hasn't talked to her yet.

Alex and Molly don't belong on the same planet. But when they cross paths, they realize they might have a common interest after all. 

 Because maybe if Alex volunteers to help Molly learn how to get her dream girl to fall for her, she can prove to her ex that she’s not a selfish flirt. That she’s ready for an actual commitment. 

The hate to love trope is executed brilliantly in this book. Both characters have excellent character development and come to understand each other better through the course of the book.

The discussions around alcoholism were incredibly well done and balanced perfectly with heartwarming romance.

If you're after Sapphic ya contemporary books, then I highly recommend  reading She Gets The Girl.

 13. Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins

Her Royal Highness features one of my favourite lesbian characters in Flora. Flora is intelligent, funny and sassy AF. It also features an amazing bisexual character. 

A light-hearted teen romance set in a school.

It follows Millie. Her kinda girlfriend kisses someone else. And Millie is heartbroken.  After getting into a super elusive boarding school, she moves to Scotland. And this is where she meets Princess Flora.

Not only does this book include the enemies-to-lovers trope. But it also features the room-mates trope, royalty, an ex-girlfriend and a posh boarding school.  All set in stunning Scottish highlands.

It did feel a little rushed towards the end of the book. But it's still a sweet and  irresistibly charming read.

You could easily binge-read this in one sitting. A great book to read on holiday or if you're in a reading slump

14. Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar

If you like the Fake Dating Trope then you have to read Hani and Ishu's guide to fake dating. A ya contemporary with a wlw romance with Muslim and Bengali main characters. And Adiba Jaigirdar nails the grumpy/sunshine trope.

Hani is bisexual but she is having trouble making her friends to believe her. Ishu wants to be Head Girl.  

They decide to fake date so that Hani’s friends believe she is bisexual. And to help Ishu in her Head girl campaign.

The bisexual representation is executed  incredibly in this book. Not enough books deal with biphobia. And this explicitly deals with biphobic bullying. 

The fake dating trope is executed perfectly – it leads to so many funny moments. And both characters learn from each other.

The writing is hilarious  and the grumpy/sunshine romance led to so many funny moments. It had me laughing out loud so many times.

An adorable read with the perfect grumpy/sunshine romance.

The combination of tropes is incredible.  And this book will never fail to cheer you up. If you're after books with bisexual main characters you need to read this.

 15. She drives me crazy by Kelly Quindlen

You can't go wrong with the enemies to lovers and fake dating tropes.  And She drives me crazy is a queer enemies to lovers romance with the fake dating trope. It also is a sports romance set in a high school. 

It follows Scottie Zajac. She loses spectacularly to her ex-girlfriend in their first game since their break up. So she finds herself in a minor car collision with the worst possible person. Her nemesis Irene Abraham.

Irene Abraham is incredibly beautiful but also incredible mean. And then their nosey, do-gooder moms get involved. And the girls are forced to carpool together.

And it only gets worse the more time they spend together. But then Scottie discovers an opportunity for revenge on her ex. And she bribes Irene into playing along.

This book is such a cute, light-hearted read. And it makes for such escapism. I often don't want to read books that deal with heavy issues. Or that teach you something.  If you're looking for a cozy, feel-good ya lesbian book or a cute wlw romance then this is a great choice.

16. Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee

Not Your Sidekick is a superhero-themed novel featuring a bisexual Chinese-Vietnamese protagonist, a trans character and a f/f romance. And  it’s written by an own voices author.

It follows Jessica Tran, a bisexual high school student who is resigned to a life without superpowers and decides to start an internship to improve her college applications. However, she quickly discovers it’s for a supervillain with her crush Abby.

Not Your Sidekick is another light, fluffy and fun read.

 It takes superhero tropes and gives a refreshing take on a superhero story. I love how the superheroes and supervillians storyline is woven into modern, everyday life.

It also manages to tackle a lot of issues while still staying fun. The book desconstructs heroes and villains. And what it means to become a villain. 

The representation in this book is fantastic.  Jess is an excellent example of a bisexual character. The book discusses bisexuality and bi-erasure incredibly well. An under-discussed topic. I also  her best friend Bells - an excellent example of a transgender character.

This post was all about ya wlw books