Pride Month Books from Oprah, Reese, Jenna & More

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June 11, 2025

June is a great time to reflect on the stories that help expand worldviews, connect others, and celebrate the beauty and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. Pride Month books offer more than great reading—they lift up voices that haven’t always been heard and invite us into queer stories that linger long after the final page.

This year, we’re spotlighting book picks that celebrate LGBTQ+ characters, authors, and themes—each chosen by a major book club. These are primarily based on their top genres on Goodreads. If we missed one, let us know in the comments below. Whether you’re in a book club or a solo reader looking for great Pride Month books, these selections are powerful, funny, heartbreaking, and above all, human.

Read with Jenna

Jenna Bush Hager’s picks are always brimming with compassion, and her queer-inclusive titles are no exception. So far, these mostly fall under the fiction category. Here are the LGBTQ+ picks to date from the Read with Jenna book list:

Patsy by Nicole Dennis-Benn – A rich, emotional immigration story centered on a Jamaican woman finding her way—and herself—in Brooklyn.
All Adults Here by Emma Straub – A warm, multigenerational family novel that includes a thoughtful coming-out storyline.
A Burning by Megha Majumdar – A searing debut with subtle but meaningful LGBTQ+ representation.
Here for It by R. Eric Thomas – Hilarious, honest essays from a Black gay writer navigating adulthood.
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah – Genre-defying and deeply moving, with queer love at its core.
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley – A queer-themed exploration of grief, friendship, and purpose.
A Family Matter by Claire Lynch – A sharp, queer domestic drama perfect for thoughtful discussion.

Reese’s Book Club

Reese Witherspoon’s club has a diverse lineup. These picks are a mix of fiction and nonfiction. Reese’s Book Club list LGBTQ+ picks include:

This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel – A tender novel about a family raising a transgender child.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle – Part memoir, part call to arms, Doyle’s journey into her truth is deeply moving.
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson – Pure joy in YA form, with a queer Black teen at the helm.
Outlawed by Anna North – A Wild West reimagining with bold queer undercurrents.
The Three Lives of Cate by Kate Fagan – A nuanced memoir about love, loss, and identity.

Oprah’s Book Club

Oprah’s picks often bring hard truths to light and a few that fall into the fiction and historical fiction categories center on LGBTQ+ lives and legacies. Here are the LBGTQ+ picks from Oprah’s Book Club list to date:

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides – An iconic coming-of-age novel spanning generations and gender identity.
The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris – A tender portrayal of post-Civil War America with a hidden queer love story.
Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley – Bold and raw, this debut includes complex themes of identity and survival.
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong – A lyrical, poetic reflection on love, queerness, and grief.

Our Shared Shelf

Started by Emma Watson, this feminist-minded club has featured a variety of queer reads. About half are fiction and half are non-fiction. The LGBTQ+ reads from the Our Shared Shelf book list to date include:

The Color Purple by Alice Walker – A must-read classic of queer love and resilience.
The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson – Intimate and intellectual, this memoir blurs gender, genre, and expectations.
Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde – Essential essays from a Black lesbian poet and activist.
Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars by Kai Cheng Thom – A thrilling, genre-bending memoir by a trans writer.
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo – A kaleidoscope of voices, many queer, all unforgettable.
Girls Will Be Girls by Emer O’Toole – A witty look at gender performance that’s both sharp and accessible.

Between Two Books

Florence Welch’s beautifully curated club picks often lean poetic and introspective. Here are the LGBTQ+ picks from the Between Two Books list to date:

Bone by Yrsa Daley-Ward – Raw, queer poetry that punches you in the heart.
The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson – Yes, again—it’s just that good.
Hera Lindsay Bird and Pamper Me to Hell & Back by Hera Lindsay Bird – Irreverent and unforgettable poetry by a queer New Zealand voice.
The Terrible by Yrsa Daley-Ward – A nonlinear memoir about queerness, trauma, and hope.
Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield – A haunting, sapphic story of love and transformation.

Bonus Pride Month Books from BCR

And of course, no list would be complete without a few BCR favorites that have sparked excellent discussions in our own book club circles. Here are fiction LGBTQ+ books to consider for your next read:

The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff – A historical novel inspired by one of the first recipients of gender-affirming surgery.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid – Glamour, secrets, and a deeply felt queer love story.
The Guncle by Steven Rowley – Heartfelt and funny, about a gay uncle stepping into a parenting role.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune – Whimsical and warm with a gentle queer romance at the center.

Whether you’re celebrating Pride Month with your book club or just looking for your next great read, we hope this list brings you stories that inspire, challenge, and affirm. Happy reading—and Happy Pride!

PS – A number of these Pride Month books are available on Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited service!