At INCLUDED, we believe that inclusive reading opens up new perspectives. On this page, you’ll find dozens of book recommendations, organised by genre. Stories that help you discover something new or offer recognition.
This list is by no means complete. Do you know a book that would be a great fit here? Let us know, and we’ll be happy to expand the overview.
Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
A Nigerian woman moves to the United States and reflects on racism, migration, and love. The novel explores how identity shifts when living between cultures.
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Atmosphere – Taylor Jenkins Reid
Joan Goodwin joins the NASA Space Shuttle program and discovers ambition, friendship, and unexpected love during an intense period of training.
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Bellies – Nicola Dinan
Two queer men navigate their relationship through love, intimacy, and transition. The novel explores how identity and relationships evolve over time.
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Brown Girls – Daphne Palasi Andreades
A chorus of voices recounts growing up as daughters of immigrants in Queens, exploring background, friendship, and pursuing dreams.
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Detransition, Baby – Torrey Peters
A trans woman, a detransitioned man, and a cis woman form an unconventional family. The novel explores gender, parenthood, and relationships.
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Martyr! – Kaveh Akbar
An Iranian-American man searches for meaning after the death of his mother. The story weaves together grief, faith, art, and migration.
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Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit – Jeanette Winterson
A young person grows up in a strict religious household and discovers their queer identity. A classic about faith, resistance, and self-liberation.
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Our Wives Under the Sea – Julia Armfield
A woman returns from a failed deep-sea expedition and slowly begins to change. The novel explores queer love, grief, and loss.
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Push – Sapphire
The story of Precious, a young Black woman growing up in Harlem under conditions of violence and poverty. Education slowly helps her find her voice.
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Schillen – Thorn Vinyard
A poetic novel about trauma and healing, showing how old wounds continue to shape the present.
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The Vanishing Half – Brit Bennett
Two Black twin sisters choose radically different lives. The novel examines passing, family, and identity.
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You Exist Too Much – Zaina Arafat
A queer Palestinian-American woman struggles with desire, cultural expectations, and mental health.
A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini
The intertwined lives of two Afghan women unfold against the backdrop of war and oppression. A powerful novel about friendship and resilience.
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As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow – Zoulfa Katouh
A moving story about a young woman living in war‑torn Syria who must choose whether to stay or flee.
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Homegoing – Yaa Gyasi
Two half‑sisters grow up in eighteenth‑century Ghana, but slavery separates their lives. The novel follows their descendants across generations.
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Language of Limbs – Dylin Hardcastle
A novel set around the AIDS epidemic and the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, exploring love, loss, and queer community.
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Pachinko – Min Jin Lee
The story of a Korean family that migrates to Japan and struggles against discrimination and poverty across generations.
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The Safekeep – Yael van der Wouden
A novel in which the tension between two women is inseparable from family history, inheritance, and an unspoken past. History shapes power, intimacy, and guilt.
Children of Blood and Bone – Tomi Adeyemi
An epic fantasy inspired by West African mythology. Zélie fights oppression and seeks to restore magic to her people.
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The Liveship Traders – Robin Hobb
An epic fantasy series about living ships, family legacies, and political power, told through multiple perspectives.
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Six of Crows – Leigh Bardugo
A group of outsiders is offered the chance of a dangerous heist that could change their lives.
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Gideon the Ninth – Tamsyn Muir
A dark story of necromancers, rivalry, and survival, featuring strong sapphic representation.
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The Jasmine Throne – Tasha Suri
A politically charged fantasy inspired by Indian history and mythology.
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The Priory of the Orange Tree – Samantha Shannon
An epic fantasy involving dragons, magic, and political alliances.
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Crier’s War – Nina Varela
A forbidden relationship between a human and an artificial being.
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Blood Scion – Deborah Falaye
A young woman is forced to fight within a violent and oppressive system.
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Elatsoe – Darcie Little Badger
A young girl uses her powers to solve a murder mystery.
The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas
A teenage girl witnesses fatal police violence and must decide whether to remain silent or speak out.
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Turtles All the Way Down – John Green
A girl struggles with OCD while trying to navigate friendship and anxiety.
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Will Grayson, Will Grayson – John Green & David Levithan
Two boys with the same name unexpectedly cross paths.
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Cemetery Boys – Aiden Thomas
A trans boy accidentally summons a ghost and is drawn into magic and romance.
Gearbreakers – Zoe Hana Mikuta
Two women from opposing sides form an unexpected connection within a violent regime.
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City of Shattered Light – Claire Winn
A story of survival on a hostile planet, shaped by found family.
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This Is How You Lose the Time War – Amal El‑Mohtar & Max Gladstone
Two rival agents communicate through letters across time and space.
Boyfriend Material – Alexis Hall
A man enters a fake relationship to repair his public image.
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One Last Stop – Casey McQuiston
A student falls in love with a woman who is stuck in time.
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She Drives Me Crazy – Kelly Quindlen
Fake dating slowly turns into real feelings in a high school setting.
My Lesbian Relationship with Loneliness – Kabi Nagata
An autobiographical manga about loneliness, mental health, and sexuality.
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The Marble Queen – Anna Kopp & Gabrielle Kari
A graphic novel about rivalry and ambition in a magical world.
Antiboy – Valentijn Hoogenkamp
A personal and poetic essay about gender, freedom, and grief following a life‑changing medical intervention.
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De geschiedenis van mijn seksualiteit – Tobi Lakmaker
An honest and sharp exploration of gender, love, and identity.
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Dit is geen boek van een meisje zonder armen en benen – Eva Eikhout
A candid account of living with a disability, navigating work, love, and independence.
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Hijab Butch Blues – Lamya H
A search for identity as a queer Muslim migrant, blending memoir and religious reflection.
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In the Dream House – Carmen Maria Machado
An experimental memoir about a toxic queer relationship and its psychological aftermath.
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Veranderen: methode – Édouard Louis
A personal account of breaking free from a violent upbringing and social class.
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We Have Always Been Here – Samra Habib
A memoir about growing up queer and Muslim within a religious community.
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Welkom bij de club – Thomas van der Meer
A personal story about gender transition and navigating societal expectations.
The Queer Arab Glossary – Marwan Kaabour
A guide to Arabic words and expressions connected to queer life and identity.
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Girls Can Kiss Now – Jill Gutowitz
Essays on queer culture, pop culture, and online identity.
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies – Deesha Philyaw
Short stories about Black women navigating desire, religion, and self‑determination.
Wij slaven van Suriname – Anton de Kom
A powerful and personal account of slavery and colonialism in Suriname.
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Live to Tell – Robbert Blokland (with Matthijs le Loux)
An in‑depth history of the impact of HIV and AIDS on Dutch society, told through personal testimonies.