#martin writing gay poetry about his boss WHILE STILL AT WORK

[somany-fandoms-solittle-time]

Martin Blackwood's debilitating crush on his boss v. Eldritch gods of Fear trying to kill one twink insomnia that won't stop asking questions (because GODDAMMIT they just wanna take over the world 🫠)

[rosencrantzsguildenstern]

everything i know about tma

-jon is the mc

-he’s named after the podcast maker so his last name is sims but like half the fandom refers to him as jon jarchivist which is wonderful but also i thought he didn’t have a last name bc of that

-he gay

-used to be an asshole but then a lot of trauma happened to him so he became less of an asshole

-really oblivious

-also denies all supernatural things WHILE working in an institute that literally categorized and dealt with them

-*jon voice* there is no war in ba sing se

-gets attacked by worms maybe

-raised by his grandma :)

-had a supernatural encounter of his very own while he was like 6 or something

-STILL denies everything

-is an avatar of the eye but unwillingly

-oh yeah also there are these like,,, entities or fears or whatever. they might all be the same being? idk. some historical white dude who thought he knew pyschology came up with em and the only good that came out of it was this gay podcast.

1. the buried

2. the vast

3. the stranger

4. the spiral

5. the eye

6. the corruption

7. the hunt

8. the flesh

9. the gay

10. fuck if i know

-the spiral’s avatars were michael (who was unwilling maybe????) and helen and they are both lil bastards whom cause problems on purpose

-gertrude exists??? idk who she is. the head achivist before jon? she’s dead.

-there are tim and sasha whom i love and subsequently after deciding that i found out they died so like. fuck it time to read fix it fic.

-martin!!!!!

-gay

-shaped like a friend

-writes poetry

-i think he messes stuff up a lot but that could just be s1!jon whom is an asshole’s opinion

-btw please know that i love season 1 jon

-oh also there’s daisy who is a cop and a bad person and avatar for the hunt but also a lesbian so it balances out i guess

-basira is also a cop and also muslim and possibly in love with daisy? i know jonmartin is canon but idk about other ships being canon. i ship it tho. jon is fucking oblivious so like will we ever know? probably not

-oh also tea turns into snakes.

-the fandom treats this like a sitcom when it is in fact a frame horror story

-oh also there is elias who is jon’s boss and an asshole. he killed someone or smth. might be an avatar of some sort but also possibly he’s just a dick. idk man.

-ratner and penny are created by the archivistbot not actual characters. i knew this abt penny but only recently discovered it about ratner. that’s the consequence of only engaging with the fandom and not the actual podcast ig.

-also there’s someone named gerry.

-martin gets trapped in someone named jane prentiss’ flat and gets traumatized

-they’re all british

-also there’s a new fear called extinction which will probably not be a fun time

-its real gay and i cannot state this enough

[news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog]

18 very gay and very good books you should read this Pride Month

Pride Month is officially here and that can only mean one thing: time to load up your reading list with stellar queer stories.

Of course, you should be mixing gay books into your to-be-read pile no matter what time of year, but this month, as you celebrate Pride, queer books can be the perfect way to explore the breadth and diversity of the LGBTQ community.

SEE ALSO: 9 meaningful ways to become part of Pride this year

Fortunately for anybody looking for a great gay read, the book world is filled with a bevy of queer stories of all genres.

Whether you're looking for a meditative poetry collection about queer identity and mental health, a deep dive into the New York City's ballroom culture in the '80s and '90s, a comic about a group scouts who find themselves plagued by supernatural creatures at camp, or a coming-of-age story about a shapeshifter who is navigating life and dating, there is a queer book out there for you.

Here are 18 very gay and very good books you should read this Pride Month.

Image: Rescue Press

Paul Takes The Form of a Mortal Girl

Andrea Lawlor

You've never read a coming-of-age story like this. Paul Takes The Form of a Mortal Girl details the adventures of Paul Polydoris, a student in Iowa City who studies queer theory. Oh, and did we mention that Paul is a shapeshifter who can change from Paul to Polly at will. On the surface, it's an absurd sci-fi premise, but Lawlor uses it to deftly explore gender, identity, and the way we form relationships with other people as well as with ourselves. 

Image: Harper Collins

The House of Impossible Beauties

Joseph Cassara

Joseph Cassara's The House of Impossible Beauties takes a deep dive into New York City's ballroom culture in the '80s and '90s by following a group of characters, each who enter the scene for a different reason. But what stands out about the book isn't just the novel's vivid portrait of the past, but also Cassara's breathtaking and unforgettable characters who are all trying to find their way.

Image: Lee Boudreaux Book

Less

Andrew Greer

Andrew Greer's 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Less starts off with a character in crisis: our protagonist Arthur is a struggling novelist, feeling existential as he approaches his 50th birthday, and, to make matters worse, he's just received an invitation to his ex-boyfriend's wedding. Instead of despairing, Arthur says "NOPE" and instead embarks on a haphazard literary world tour. But what sells the book is Greer's resounding heart and humor, making this tale of romantic misadventures as funny as it is earnest.

Image: Harper Collins

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit

Jaye Robin Brown

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit follows Joanna "Jo" Gordon, an out teen who is suddenly pushed back into the closet when her evangelical father remarries, moves their family from Atlanta to Rome, Georgia, and asks Jo to hide her queer identity for her senior year. The only problem is Mary Carlson, the sister of Jo's new friend in Rome, who Jo is falling for. The result is a heartfelt novel about coming out and discovering young love. Also, shout out to the infinitely charming title of this book!

Image: Picador

Call Me By Your Name

André Aciman

You've probably seen Call Me By Your Name, the movie, but if you haven't read the book that it's based on, you're missing out. The novel tracks the love story of Oliver and Elio, but where the movie offers a third person look at both characters as they navigate their burgeoning romance, the novel places you solely in Elio's mind as his feelings develop from from mild crush to complete obsession. The details of the book are incredibly specific — it's a brief romance over one summer in Italy — and yet, and it's a testament to Aciman's beautiful prose that the love that Call Me By Your Name explores feels universal and extremely relatable.

Image: Mariner Books

Under the Udala Trees

Chinelo Okparanta

Under the Udala Trees is a book about star-crossed love. The novel follows the life of Ijeoma, a young girl who, at the start of the book, is sent away from her family in order to stay safe during the Nigerian civil war. While away, Ijeoma meets Amina, another girl also separated from her family. The two begin a brief relationship... only to find out that their love is forbidden. What follows is a beautiful novel about love and hardship as Ijeoma is sent home, forced into an unhappy marriage with a man, all the while grappling with her attraction to women.

Image: Penguin Books

madness

sam sax

Don't forget to add a bit of poetry to your reading list this Pride Month! If you're looking for a collection to start with, check out sam sax's collection madness. The poems in this collection cover everything from sexuality to mental health to culture and heritage, but what shines through and connects each of these threads is sax's incredibly thoughtful and evocative prose.

Image: Harper Collins

Release

Patrick Ness

If there is a hidden gem of queer lit, it's Release by Patrick Ness. The book is basically the gay YA version of Mrs. Dalloway (it even starts with "Adam would have to get the flowers himself," invoking Virginia Woolf's iconic opening line). In it we follow Adam Thorn, a 17-year-old student who finds himself having one of the most challenging days of his life. His boss at work is sexually harassing him, the ex he thought he was over suddenly makes a reappearance, and a big blowout is building between himself and his preacher father. (There's also a subplot about a ghost that's haunting the town.) But despite the impossible hurdles Adam faces, Release somehow feels nostalgic and charming as Patrick Ness outlines one teen's struggle to define himself.

Image: Square Fish

Last Seen Leaving

Caleb Roehrig

If the Babadook has taught us anything, it's that Pride is not complete without a little noir. To that end, if you are looking for a darker read this month, make sure you check out Caleb Roehrig's Last Seen Leaving. The book is a coming out story masked as a mystery thriller about Flynn, the primary suspect in an investigation when his girlfriend January disappears. Flynn's answers about his life with January don't quite add up... but maybe that has less to do about January and more about the secret that Flynn is keeping.

Image: Topside Press

Nevada

Imogen Binnie

Nevada follows Maria, a young trans woman living in New York City, trying to navigate the punk scene while also working in retail. When Maria's girlfriend breaks up with her by revealing that she's been cheating, Maria's world is turned upside down. On a quest to escape it all, Melanie embarks on a cross country road trip where she meets James, a stoner living in Nevada who is just as lost as Maria. As the book jumps between both James and Maria's perspectives, Nevada offers a thoughtful look at identity and the trans experience.

Image: BOOM! Box

Lumberjanes

Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, and Brooke A. Allen

If you're looking for some comics to check out this Pride month, be sure to check out Lumberjanes. The series documents the adventures of a group of scouts — Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley— as they spend a summer together. The only thing is, their camp is plagued by supernatural creatures including yetis, three-eyed wolves, and giant falcons. In addition to featuring stunning art, the book is also incredibly inclusive as the story delves into each diverse character, making Lumberjanes the perfect Pride Month read. 

Image: Mariner Books

Fun Home

Alison Bechdel

Fun Home is a graphic memoir about coming out and finding love, centered around two people. The book documents Alison Bechdel (who also came up with the Bechdel test), her experience exploring her attraction to women, and the way that her father resisted her identity. But, after Alison's father is hit by a car and killed, she reflects on his past and realizes that he may have had his own struggles with his sexual identity.

Image: Mariner Books

How To Write An Autobiographical Novel

Alexander Chee

To read Alexander Chee's essay collection How To Write An Autobiographical Novel is to stand in a hall of mirrors, watching as a single person, and all of the identites that compose them, is reflected from all angles. The essay collection is a deep dive into Chee's past as he documents his expereinces as a gay rights and HIV/AIDS activist, a rose gardener, a writer, and more. But at the core, the book explores how we use writing to shape who we are and how who we are shapes our writing.

Image: Harper Collins

They Both Die At The End

Adam Silvera

As the title probably suggests, They Both Die At The End is not what we could a "happy" book. The novel follows a day in the life of two boys, Mateo and Rufus, who get early morning calls from Death-Cast telling them that today is the day that they're going to die. Though initially strangers, Mateo and Rufus are soon brought together through the Last Friend app, a social network that connects people on their last day alive. But as Mateo and Rufus embark on a quest to check items off their bucket list while they still have time, their friendship grows into something more, ultimately exploring what happens when we fall in love with someone we know we only will have a very limited time with.

Image: St. Martin's Press

You Know Me Well

David Levithan and Nina LaCour

Sometimes all you need is a good friend. And that's where You Know Me Well comes in. The book is about Mark and Kate, two students who have remained total strangers even though they've sat next to each other in class for an entire year. When the they run into each other unexpectedly at a bar in San Francisco, each dealing with a small crisis (Kate has just run away from love while Mark is dealing with the fact that the boy he loves is interested in someone else), they become fast friends. Documenting Mark and Kate's adventures with love, relationships, and growing up, You Know Me Well reveals how our friends can become our greatest lifeline.

Image: graywolf press

The Argonauts

Maggie Nelson

The Argonauts defies categorization in the best way. The book is a poetic memoir about Maggie Nelson's relationship with Harry, a gender-fluid artist with whom Nelson falls in love and begins a family. But in addition to the incredible story, The Argonauts radiates with stunning observations about being queer and in love, making the memoir feel less like a book and more like the perfect rendering of a person's heart on a page.

Image: graywolf

Don't Call Us Dead

Danez Smith

Fair warning up front: Don't Call Us Dead is a devastating poetry collection. But this book is as beautiful as it is painfully raw. Throughout the collection, Smith writes about race, queer identity, and AIDS, with an electrifying amount of passion and care, making this book a must-read for Pride Month.

Image: Harper Collins

Leah on the Offbeat

Becky Albertalli

You may know Becky Albertalli for her novel Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda (which was turned into a fantastic movie Love, Simon). But now Albertalli is back with a new book: Leah on the Offbeat. Where Sapiens outlines Simon's adventures in coming out, Leah on the Offbeat reveals that Leah is struggling with her identity too: she's bisexual and working to muster the courage to come out to her friends. But as Leah navigates her senior year of high school, she realizes that she may love one her friends more than anyone else might expect.

WATCH: The history of Pride

[news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog]

18 very gay and very good books you should read this Pride Month

Pride Month is officially here and that can only mean one thing: time to load up your reading list with stellar queer stories.

Of course, you should be mixing gay books into your to-be-read pile no matter what time of year, but this month, as you celebrate Pride, queer books can be the perfect way to explore the breadth and diversity of the LGBTQ community.

SEE ALSO: 9 meaningful ways to become part of Pride this year

Fortunately for anybody looking for a great gay read, the book world is filled with a bevy of queer stories of all genres.

Whether you're looking for a meditative poetry collection about queer identity and mental health, a deep dive into the New York City's ballroom culture in the '80s and '90s, a comic about a group scouts who find themselves plagued by supernatural creatures at camp, or a coming-of-age story about a shapeshifter who is navigating life and dating, there is a queer book out there for you.

Here are 18 very gay and very good books you should read this Pride Month.

Image: Rescue Press

Paul Takes The Form of a Mortal Girl

Andrea Lawlor

You've never read a coming-of-age story like this. Paul Takes The Form of a Mortal Girl details the adventures of Paul Polydoris, a student in Iowa City who studies queer theory. Oh, and did we mention that Paul is a shapeshifter who can change from Paul to Polly at will. On the surface, it's an absurd sci-fi premise, but Lawlor uses it to deftly explore gender, identity, and the way we form relationships with other people as well as with ourselves. 

Image: Harper Collins

The House of Impossible Beauties

Joseph Cassara

Joseph Cassara's The House of Impossible Beauties takes a deep dive into New York City's ballroom culture in the '80s and '90s by following a group of characters, each who enter the scene for a different reason. But what stands out about the book isn't just the novel's vivid portrait of the past, but also Cassara's breathtaking and unforgettable characters who are all trying to find their way.

Image: Lee Boudreaux Book

Less

Andrew Greer

Andrew Greer's 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Less starts off with a character in crisis: our protagonist Arthur is a struggling novelist, feeling existential as he approaches his 50th birthday, and, to make matters worse, he's just received an invitation to his ex-boyfriend's wedding. Instead of despairing, Arthur says "NOPE" and instead embarks on a haphazard literary world tour. But what sells the book is Greer's resounding heart and humor, making this tale of romantic misadventures as funny as it is earnest.

Image: Harper Collins

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit

Jaye Robin Brown

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit follows Joanna "Jo" Gordon, an out teen who is suddenly pushed back into the closet when her evangelical father remarries, moves their family from Atlanta to Rome, Georgia, and asks Jo to hide her queer identity for her senior year. The only problem is Mary Carlson, the sister of Jo's new friend in Rome, who Jo is falling for. The result is a heartfelt novel about coming out and discovering young love. Also, shout out to the infinitely charming title of this book!

Image: Picador

Call Me By Your Name

André Aciman

You've probably seen Call Me By Your Name, the movie, but if you haven't read the book that it's based on, you're missing out. The novel tracks the love story of Oliver and Elio, but where the movie offers a third person look at both characters as they navigate their burgeoning romance, the novel places you solely in Elio's mind as his feelings develop from from mild crush to complete obsession. The details of the book are incredibly specific — it's a brief romance over one summer in Italy — and yet, and it's a testament to Aciman's beautiful prose that the love that Call Me By Your Name explores feels universal and extremely relatable.

Image: Mariner Books

Under the Udala Trees

Chinelo Okparanta

Under the Udala Trees is a book about star-crossed love. The novel follows the life of Ijeoma, a young girl who, at the start of the book, is sent away from her family in order to stay safe during the Nigerian civil war. While away, Ijeoma meets Amina, another girl also separated from her family. The two begin a brief relationship... only to find out that their love is forbidden. What follows is a beautiful novel about love and hardship as Ijeoma is sent home, forced into an unhappy marriage with a man, all the while grappling with her attraction to women.

Image: Penguin Books

madness

sam sax

Don't forget to add a bit of poetry to your reading list this Pride Month! If you're looking for a collection to start with, check out sam sax's collection madness. The poems in this collection cover everything from sexuality to mental health to culture and heritage, but what shines through and connects each of these threads is sax's incredibly thoughtful and evocative prose.

Image: Harper Collins

Release

Patrick Ness

If there is a hidden gem of queer lit, it's Release by Patrick Ness. The book is basically the gay YA version of Mrs. Dalloway (it even starts with "Adam would have to get the flowers himself," invoking Virginia Woolf's iconic opening line). In it we follow Adam Thorn, a 17-year-old student who finds himself having one of the most challenging days of his life. His boss at work is sexually harassing him, the ex he thought he was over suddenly makes a reappearance, and a big blowout is building between himself and his preacher father. (There's also a subplot about a ghost that's haunting the town.) But despite the impossible hurdles Adam faces, Release somehow feels nostalgic and charming as Patrick Ness outlines one teen's struggle to define himself.

Image: Square Fish

Last Seen Leaving

Caleb Roehrig

If the Babadook has taught us anything, it's that Pride is not complete without a little noir. To that end, if you are looking for a darker read this month, make sure you check out Caleb Roehrig's Last Seen Leaving. The book is a coming out story masked as a mystery thriller about Flynn, the primary suspect in an investigation when his girlfriend January disappears. Flynn's answers about his life with January don't quite add up... but maybe that has less to do about January and more about the secret that Flynn is keeping.

Image: Topside Press

Nevada

Imogen Binnie

Nevada follows Maria, a young trans woman living in New York City, trying to navigate the punk scene while also working in retail. When Maria's girlfriend breaks up with her by revealing that she's been cheating, Maria's world is turned upside down. On a quest to escape it all, Melanie embarks on a cross country road trip where she meets James, a stoner living in Nevada who is just as lost as Maria. As the book jumps between both James and Maria's perspectives, Nevada offers a thoughtful look at identity and the trans experience.

Image: BOOM! Box

Lumberjanes

Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, and Brooke A. Allen

If you're looking for some comics to check out this Pride month, be sure to check out Lumberjanes. The series documents the adventures of a group of scouts — Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley— as they spend a summer together. The only thing is, their camp is plagued by supernatural creatures including yetis, three-eyed wolves, and giant falcons. In addition to featuring stunning art, the book is also incredibly inclusive as the story delves into each diverse character, making Lumberjanes the perfect Pride Month read. 

Image: Mariner Books

Fun Home

Alison Bechdel

Fun Home is a graphic memoir about coming out and finding love, centered around two people. The book documents Alison Bechdel (who also came up with the Bechdel test), her experience exploring her attraction to women, and the way that her father resisted her identity. But, after Alison's father is hit by a car and killed, she reflects on his past and realizes that he may have had his own struggles with his sexual identity.

Image: Mariner Books

How To Write An Autobiographical Novel

Alexander Chee

To read Alexander Chee's essay collection How To Write An Autobiographical Novel is to stand in a hall of mirrors, watching as a single person, and all of the identites that compose them, is reflected from all angles. The essay collection is a deep dive into Chee's past as he documents his expereinces as a gay rights and HIV/AIDS activist, a rose gardener, a writer, and more. But at the core, the book explores how we use writing to shape who we are and how who we are shapes our writing.

Image: Harper Collins

They Both Die At The End

Adam Silvera

As the title probably suggests, They Both Die At The End is not what we could a "happy" book. The novel follows a day in the life of two boys, Mateo and Rufus, who get early morning calls from Death-Cast telling them that today is the day that they're going to die. Though initially strangers, Mateo and Rufus are soon brought together through the Last Friend app, a social network that connects people on their last day alive. But as Mateo and Rufus embark on a quest to check items off their bucket list while they still have time, their friendship grows into something more, ultimately exploring what happens when we fall in love with someone we know we only will have a very limited time with.

Image: St. Martin's Press

You Know Me Well

David Levithan and Nina LaCour

Sometimes all you need is a good friend. And that's where You Know Me Well comes in. The book is about Mark and Kate, two students who have remained total strangers even though they've sat next to each other in class for an entire year. When the they run into each other unexpectedly at a bar in San Francisco, each dealing with a small crisis (Kate has just run away from love while Mark is dealing with the fact that the boy he loves is interested in someone else), they become fast friends. Documenting Mark and Kate's adventures with love, relationships, and growing up, You Know Me Well reveals how our friends can become our greatest lifeline.

Image: graywolf press

The Argonauts

Maggie Nelson

The Argonauts defies categorization in the best way. The book is a poetic memoir about Maggie Nelson's relationship with Harry, a gender-fluid artist with whom Nelson falls in love and begins a family. But in addition to the incredible story, The Argonauts radiates with stunning observations about being queer and in love, making the memoir feel less like a book and more like the perfect rendering of a person's heart on a page.

Image: graywolf

Don't Call Us Dead

Danez Smith

Fair warning up front: Don't Call Us Dead is a devastating poetry collection. But this book is as beautiful as it is painfully raw. Throughout the collection, Smith writes about race, queer identity, and AIDS, with an electrifying amount of passion and care, making this book a must-read for Pride Month.

Image: Harper Collins

Leah on the Offbeat

Becky Albertalli

You may know Becky Albertalli for her novel Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda (which was turned into a fantastic movie Love, Simon). But now Albertalli is back with a new book: Leah on the Offbeat. Where Sapiens outlines Simon's adventures in coming out, Leah on the Offbeat reveals that Leah is struggling with her identity too: she's bisexual and working to muster the courage to come out to her friends. But as Leah navigates her senior year of high school, she realizes that she may love one her friends more than anyone else might expect.

WATCH: The history of Pride

[news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog]

18 very gay and very good books you should read this Pride Month

Pride Month is officially here and that can only mean one thing: time to load up your reading list with stellar queer stories.

Of course, you should be mixing gay books into your to-be-read pile no matter what time of year, but this month, as you celebrate Pride, queer books can be the perfect way to explore the breadth and diversity of the LGBTQ community.

SEE ALSO: 9 meaningful ways to become part of Pride this year

Fortunately for anybody looking for a great gay read, the book world is filled with a bevy of queer stories of all genres.

Whether you're looking for a meditative poetry collection about queer identity and mental health, a deep dive into the New York City's ballroom culture in the '80s and '90s, a comic about a group scouts who find themselves plagued by supernatural creatures at camp, or a coming-of-age story about a shapeshifter who is navigating life and dating, there is a queer book out there for you.

Here are 18 very gay and very good books you should read this Pride Month.

Image: Rescue Press

Paul Takes The Form of a Mortal Girl

Andrea Lawlor

You've never read a coming-of-age story like this. Paul Takes The Form of a Mortal Girl details the adventures of Paul Polydoris, a student in Iowa City who studies queer theory. Oh, and did we mention that Paul is a shapeshifter who can change from Paul to Polly at will. On the surface, it's an absurd sci-fi premise, but Lawlor uses it to deftly explore gender, identity, and the way we form relationships with other people as well as with ourselves. 

Image: Harper Collins

The House of Impossible Beauties

Joseph Cassara

Joseph Cassara's The House of Impossible Beauties takes a deep dive into New York City's ballroom culture in the '80s and '90s by following a group of characters, each who enter the scene for a different reason. But what stands out about the book isn't just the novel's vivid portrait of the past, but also Cassara's breathtaking and unforgettable characters who are all trying to find their way.

Image: Lee Boudreaux Book

Less

Andrew Greer

Andrew Greer's 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Less starts off with a character in crisis: our protagonist Arthur is a struggling novelist, feeling existential as he approaches his 50th birthday, and, to make matters worse, he's just received an invitation to his ex-boyfriend's wedding. Instead of despairing, Arthur says "NOPE" and instead embarks on a haphazard literary world tour. But what sells the book is Greer's resounding heart and humor, making this tale of romantic misadventures as funny as it is earnest.

Image: Harper Collins

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit

Jaye Robin Brown

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit follows Joanna "Jo" Gordon, an out teen who is suddenly pushed back into the closet when her evangelical father remarries, moves their family from Atlanta to Rome, Georgia, and asks Jo to hide her queer identity for her senior year. The only problem is Mary Carlson, the sister of Jo's new friend in Rome, who Jo is falling for. The result is a heartfelt novel about coming out and discovering young love. Also, shout out to the infinitely charming title of this book!

Image: Picador

Call Me By Your Name

André Aciman

You've probably seen Call Me By Your Name, the movie, but if you haven't read the book that it's based on, you're missing out. The novel tracks the love story of Oliver and Elio, but where the movie offers a third person look at both characters as they navigate their burgeoning romance, the novel places you solely in Elio's mind as his feelings develop from from mild crush to complete obsession. The details of the book are incredibly specific — it's a brief romance over one summer in Italy — and yet, and it's a testament to Aciman's beautiful prose that the love that Call Me By Your Name explores feels universal and extremely relatable.

Image: Mariner Books

Under the Udala Trees

Chinelo Okparanta

Under the Udala Trees is a book about star-crossed love. The novel follows the life of Ijeoma, a young girl who, at the start of the book, is sent away from her family in order to stay safe during the Nigerian civil war. While away, Ijeoma meets Amina, another girl also separated from her family. The two begin a brief relationship... only to find out that their love is forbidden. What follows is a beautiful novel about love and hardship as Ijeoma is sent home, forced into an unhappy marriage with a man, all the while grappling with her attraction to women.

Image: Penguin Books

madness

sam sax

Don't forget to add a bit of poetry to your reading list this Pride Month! If you're looking for a collection to start with, check out sam sax's collection madness. The poems in this collection cover everything from sexuality to mental health to culture and heritage, but what shines through and connects each of these threads is sax's incredibly thoughtful and evocative prose.

Image: Harper Collins

Release

Patrick Ness

If there is a hidden gem of queer lit, it's Release by Patrick Ness. The book is basically the gay YA version of Mrs. Dalloway (it even starts with "Adam would have to get the flowers himself," invoking Virginia Woolf's iconic opening line). In it we follow Adam Thorn, a 17-year-old student who finds himself having one of the most challenging days of his life. His boss at work is sexually harassing him, the ex he thought he was over suddenly makes a reappearance, and a big blowout is building between himself and his preacher father. (There's also a subplot about a ghost that's haunting the town.) But despite the impossible hurdles Adam faces, Release somehow feels nostalgic and charming as Patrick Ness outlines one teen's struggle to define himself.

Image: Square Fish

Last Seen Leaving

Caleb Roehrig

If the Babadook has taught us anything, it's that Pride is not complete without a little noir. To that end, if you are looking for a darker read this month, make sure you check out Caleb Roehrig's Last Seen Leaving. The book is a coming out story masked as a mystery thriller about Flynn, the primary suspect in an investigation when his girlfriend January disappears. Flynn's answers about his life with January don't quite add up... but maybe that has less to do about January and more about the secret that Flynn is keeping.

Image: Topside Press

Nevada

Imogen Binnie

Nevada follows Maria, a young trans woman living in New York City, trying to navigate the punk scene while also working in retail. When Maria's girlfriend breaks up with her by revealing that she's been cheating, Maria's world is turned upside down. On a quest to escape it all, Melanie embarks on a cross country road trip where she meets James, a stoner living in Nevada who is just as lost as Maria. As the book jumps between both James and Maria's perspectives, Nevada offers a thoughtful look at identity and the trans experience.

Image: BOOM! Box

Lumberjanes

Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, and Brooke A. Allen

If you're looking for some comics to check out this Pride month, be sure to check out Lumberjanes. The series documents the adventures of a group of scouts — Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley— as they spend a summer together. The only thing is, their camp is plagued by supernatural creatures including yetis, three-eyed wolves, and giant falcons. In addition to featuring stunning art, the book is also incredibly inclusive as the story delves into each diverse character, making Lumberjanes the perfect Pride Month read. 

Image: Mariner Books

Fun Home

Alison Bechdel

Fun Home is a graphic memoir about coming out and finding love, centered around two people. The book documents Alison Bechdel (who also came up with the Bechdel test), her experience exploring her attraction to women, and the way that her father resisted her identity. But, after Alison's father is hit by a car and killed, she reflects on his past and realizes that he may have had his own struggles with his sexual identity.

Image: Mariner Books

How To Write An Autobiographical Novel

Alexander Chee

To read Alexander Chee's essay collection How To Write An Autobiographical Novel is to stand in a hall of mirrors, watching as a single person, and all of the identites that compose them, is reflected from all angles. The essay collection is a deep dive into Chee's past as he documents his expereinces as a gay rights and HIV/AIDS activist, a rose gardener, a writer, and more. But at the core, the book explores how we use writing to shape who we are and how who we are shapes our writing.

Image: Harper Collins

They Both Die At The End

Adam Silvera

As the title probably suggests, They Both Die At The End is not what we could a "happy" book. The novel follows a day in the life of two boys, Mateo and Rufus, who get early morning calls from Death-Cast telling them that today is the day that they're going to die. Though initially strangers, Mateo and Rufus are soon brought together through the Last Friend app, a social network that connects people on their last day alive. But as Mateo and Rufus embark on a quest to check items off their bucket list while they still have time, their friendship grows into something more, ultimately exploring what happens when we fall in love with someone we know we only will have a very limited time with.

Image: St. Martin's Press

You Know Me Well

David Levithan and Nina LaCour

Sometimes all you need is a good friend. And that's where You Know Me Well comes in. The book is about Mark and Kate, two students who have remained total strangers even though they've sat next to each other in class for an entire year. When the they run into each other unexpectedly at a bar in San Francisco, each dealing with a small crisis (Kate has just run away from love while Mark is dealing with the fact that the boy he loves is interested in someone else), they become fast friends. Documenting Mark and Kate's adventures with love, relationships, and growing up, You Know Me Well reveals how our friends can become our greatest lifeline.

Image: graywolf press

The Argonauts

Maggie Nelson

The Argonauts defies categorization in the best way. The book is a poetic memoir about Maggie Nelson's relationship with Harry, a gender-fluid artist with whom Nelson falls in love and begins a family. But in addition to the incredible story, The Argonauts radiates with stunning observations about being queer and in love, making the memoir feel less like a book and more like the perfect rendering of a person's heart on a page.

Image: graywolf

Don't Call Us Dead

Danez Smith

Fair warning up front: Don't Call Us Dead is a devastating poetry collection. But this book is as beautiful as it is painfully raw. Throughout the collection, Smith writes about race, queer identity, and AIDS, with an electrifying amount of passion and care, making this book a must-read for Pride Month.

Image: Harper Collins

Leah on the Offbeat

Becky Albertalli

You may know Becky Albertalli for her novel Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda (which was turned into a fantastic movie Love, Simon). But now Albertalli is back with a new book: Leah on the Offbeat. Where Sapiens outlines Simon's adventures in coming out, Leah on the Offbeat reveals that Leah is struggling with her identity too: she's bisexual and working to muster the courage to come out to her friends. But as Leah navigates her senior year of high school, she realizes that she may love one her friends more than anyone else might expect.

WATCH: The history of Pride

[news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog]

18 very gay and very good books you should read this Pride Month

Pride Month is officially here and that can only mean one thing: time to load up your reading list with stellar queer stories.

Of course, you should be mixing gay books into your to-be-read pile no matter what time of year, but this month, as you celebrate Pride, queer books can be the perfect way to explore the breadth and diversity of the LGBTQ community.

SEE ALSO: 9 meaningful ways to become part of Pride this year

Fortunately for anybody looking for a great gay read, the book world is filled with a bevy of queer stories of all genres.

Whether you're looking for a meditative poetry collection about queer identity and mental health, a deep dive into the New York City's ballroom culture in the '80s and '90s, a comic about a group scouts who find themselves plagued by supernatural creatures at camp, or a coming-of-age story about a shapeshifter who is navigating life and dating, there is a queer book out there for you.

Here are 18 very gay and very good books you should read this Pride Month.

Image: Rescue Press

Paul Takes The Form of a Mortal Girl

Andrea Lawlor

You've never read a coming-of-age story like this. Paul Takes The Form of a Mortal Girl details the adventures of Paul Polydoris, a student in Iowa City who studies queer theory. Oh, and did we mention that Paul is a shapeshifter who can change from Paul to Polly at will. On the surface, it's an absurd sci-fi premise, but Lawlor uses it to deftly explore gender, identity, and the way we form relationships with other people as well as with ourselves. 

Image: Harper Collins

The House of Impossible Beauties

Joseph Cassara

Joseph Cassara's The House of Impossible Beauties takes a deep dive into New York City's ballroom culture in the '80s and '90s by following a group of characters, each who enter the scene for a different reason. But what stands out about the book isn't just the novel's vivid portrait of the past, but also Cassara's breathtaking and unforgettable characters who are all trying to find their way.

Image: Lee Boudreaux Book

Less

Andrew Greer

Andrew Greer's 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Less starts off with a character in crisis: our protagonist Arthur is a struggling novelist, feeling existential as he approaches his 50th birthday, and, to make matters worse, he's just received an invitation to his ex-boyfriend's wedding. Instead of despairing, Arthur says "NOPE" and instead embarks on a haphazard literary world tour. But what sells the book is Greer's resounding heart and humor, making this tale of romantic misadventures as funny as it is earnest.

Image: Harper Collins

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit

Jaye Robin Brown

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit follows Joanna "Jo" Gordon, an out teen who is suddenly pushed back into the closet when her evangelical father remarries, moves their family from Atlanta to Rome, Georgia, and asks Jo to hide her queer identity for her senior year. The only problem is Mary Carlson, the sister of Jo's new friend in Rome, who Jo is falling for. The result is a heartfelt novel about coming out and discovering young love. Also, shout out to the infinitely charming title of this book!

Image: Picador

Call Me By Your Name

André Aciman

You've probably seen Call Me By Your Name, the movie, but if you haven't read the book that it's based on, you're missing out. The novel tracks the love story of Oliver and Elio, but where the movie offers a third person look at both characters as they navigate their burgeoning romance, the novel places you solely in Elio's mind as his feelings develop from from mild crush to complete obsession. The details of the book are incredibly specific — it's a brief romance over one summer in Italy — and yet, and it's a testament to Aciman's beautiful prose that the love that Call Me By Your Name explores feels universal and extremely relatable.

Image: Mariner Books

Under the Udala Trees

Chinelo Okparanta

Under the Udala Trees is a book about star-crossed love. The novel follows the life of Ijeoma, a young girl who, at the start of the book, is sent away from her family in order to stay safe during the Nigerian civil war. While away, Ijeoma meets Amina, another girl also separated from her family. The two begin a brief relationship... only to find out that their love is forbidden. What follows is a beautiful novel about love and hardship as Ijeoma is sent home, forced into an unhappy marriage with a man, all the while grappling with her attraction to women.

Image: Penguin Books

madness

sam sax

Don't forget to add a bit of poetry to your reading list this Pride Month! If you're looking for a collection to start with, check out sam sax's collection madness. The poems in this collection cover everything from sexuality to mental health to culture and heritage, but what shines through and connects each of these threads is sax's incredibly thoughtful and evocative prose.

Image: Harper Collins

Release

Patrick Ness

If there is a hidden gem of queer lit, it's Release by Patrick Ness. The book is basically the gay YA version of Mrs. Dalloway (it even starts with "Adam would have to get the flowers himself," invoking Virginia Woolf's iconic opening line). In it we follow Adam Thorn, a 17-year-old student who finds himself having one of the most challenging days of his life. His boss at work is sexually harassing him, the ex he thought he was over suddenly makes a reappearance, and a big blowout is building between himself and his preacher father. (There's also a subplot about a ghost that's haunting the town.) But despite the impossible hurdles Adam faces, Release somehow feels nostalgic and charming as Patrick Ness outlines one teen's struggle to define himself.

Image: Square Fish

Last Seen Leaving

Caleb Roehrig

If the Babadook has taught us anything, it's that Pride is not complete without a little noir. To that end, if you are looking for a darker read this month, make sure you check out Caleb Roehrig's Last Seen Leaving. The book is a coming out story masked as a mystery thriller about Flynn, the primary suspect in an investigation when his girlfriend January disappears. Flynn's answers about his life with January don't quite add up... but maybe that has less to do about January and more about the secret that Flynn is keeping.

Image: Topside Press

Nevada

Imogen Binnie

Nevada follows Maria, a young trans woman living in New York City, trying to navigate the punk scene while also working in retail. When Maria's girlfriend breaks up with her by revealing that she's been cheating, Maria's world is turned upside down. On a quest to escape it all, Melanie embarks on a cross country road trip where she meets James, a stoner living in Nevada who is just as lost as Maria. As the book jumps between both James and Maria's perspectives, Nevada offers a thoughtful look at identity and the trans experience.

Image: BOOM! Box

Lumberjanes

Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, and Brooke A. Allen

If you're looking for some comics to check out this Pride month, be sure to check out Lumberjanes. The series documents the adventures of a group of scouts — Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley— as they spend a summer together. The only thing is, their camp is plagued by supernatural creatures including yetis, three-eyed wolves, and giant falcons. In addition to featuring stunning art, the book is also incredibly inclusive as the story delves into each diverse character, making Lumberjanes the perfect Pride Month read. 

Image: Mariner Books

Fun Home

Alison Bechdel

Fun Home is a graphic memoir about coming out and finding love, centered around two people. The book documents Alison Bechdel (who also came up with the Bechdel test), her experience exploring her attraction to women, and the way that her father resisted her identity. But, after Alison's father is hit by a car and killed, she reflects on his past and realizes that he may have had his own struggles with his sexual identity.

Image: Mariner Books

How To Write An Autobiographical Novel

Alexander Chee

To read Alexander Chee's essay collection How To Write An Autobiographical Novel is to stand in a hall of mirrors, watching as a single person, and all of the identites that compose them, is reflected from all angles. The essay collection is a deep dive into Chee's past as he documents his expereinces as a gay rights and HIV/AIDS activist, a rose gardener, a writer, and more. But at the core, the book explores how we use writing to shape who we are and how who we are shapes our writing.

Image: Harper Collins

They Both Die At The End

Adam Silvera

As the title probably suggests, They Both Die At The End is not what we could a "happy" book. The novel follows a day in the life of two boys, Mateo and Rufus, who get early morning calls from Death-Cast telling them that today is the day that they're going to die. Though initially strangers, Mateo and Rufus are soon brought together through the Last Friend app, a social network that connects people on their last day alive. But as Mateo and Rufus embark on a quest to check items off their bucket list while they still have time, their friendship grows into something more, ultimately exploring what happens when we fall in love with someone we know we only will have a very limited time with.

Image: St. Martin's Press

You Know Me Well

David Levithan and Nina LaCour

Sometimes all you need is a good friend. And that's where You Know Me Well comes in. The book is about Mark and Kate, two students who have remained total strangers even though they've sat next to each other in class for an entire year. When the they run into each other unexpectedly at a bar in San Francisco, each dealing with a small crisis (Kate has just run away from love while Mark is dealing with the fact that the boy he loves is interested in someone else), they become fast friends. Documenting Mark and Kate's adventures with love, relationships, and growing up, You Know Me Well reveals how our friends can become our greatest lifeline.

Image: graywolf press

The Argonauts

Maggie Nelson

The Argonauts defies categorization in the best way. The book is a poetic memoir about Maggie Nelson's relationship with Harry, a gender-fluid artist with whom Nelson falls in love and begins a family. But in addition to the incredible story, The Argonauts radiates with stunning observations about being queer and in love, making the memoir feel less like a book and more like the perfect rendering of a person's heart on a page.

Image: graywolf

Don't Call Us Dead

Danez Smith

Fair warning up front: Don't Call Us Dead is a devastating poetry collection. But this book is as beautiful as it is painfully raw. Throughout the collection, Smith writes about race, queer identity, and AIDS, with an electrifying amount of passion and care, making this book a must-read for Pride Month.

Image: Harper Collins

Leah on the Offbeat

Becky Albertalli

You may know Becky Albertalli for her novel Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda (which was turned into a fantastic movie Love, Simon). But now Albertalli is back with a new book: Leah on the Offbeat. Where Sapiens outlines Simon's adventures in coming out, Leah on the Offbeat reveals that Leah is struggling with her identity too: she's bisexual and working to muster the courage to come out to her friends. But as Leah navigates her senior year of high school, she realizes that she may love one her friends more than anyone else might expect.

WATCH: The history of Pride