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Just because Pride Month is coming to an end doesn’t mean our focus on Pride books should stop. There were books released in June 2026 that you do not want to sleep on.
In fact, it’s not just about the books that were released this month. There have been other books from 2026 and even before that are more than worth the investment of your time. They’re beautiful stories that help to build worlds, raise awareness, and offer engaging storytelling.
I have five that should be on your list of must-read Pride books.
There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood
I could not stop talking about this book after I finished the ARC at the end of May. There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood by Rasheed Newson* wasn’t the story I expected to go into. I was expecting some sort of murder mystery with the way the blurb told us it was about the unexpected death of a Black Hollywood star.
In the end, it read more like a biography. There was so much research into Hollywood in the 1950s and 1960s, and it brought to light the highs and lows, the secrets that needed to be hidden, and the stories that many wanted to be told at the time. In some cases, I had to keep checking that the main character wasn’t real, because he felt real.
This is one of those stories that will sit with you for days. I’m at the end of June, and it’s still stuck with me.
Wildflower
I knew I was going to enjoy Wildflower by Becky Jenkinson* when I first heard about it. It’s a fantasy about a woman who was cursed from birth and heads out on a mission to find a flower. Little does she realize that she ends up on a journey that uncovers secrets and lies.
Throughout the story are two LGBTQ+ relationships. We have the Prince and Fliss’s best friend, Card, who is getting married. Then there’s Fliss and Willoh, and it turns out that Will is not the person he initially comes across as — in such a brilliant way!
The focus on the romance doesn’t take over the world-building and the storytelling. There’s an intriguing plot, some beautiful hand-drawn sketches of flowers, and the possibility of much more to the tale. It became my favorite book of June, quickly going into a reread.
Seek the Traitor’s Son
If you love dystopian and want to add in Pride, then you’ll want to turn to Seek the Traitor’s Son by Veronica Roth*. It is the first in a series, so there is a cliffhanger at the end, but it brings some immersive world-building, engaging storylines, and a couple that you’ll find yourself rooting for.
Theran is a bisexual character, which we rarely see fully represented in books. After all, there seems to be this thought that once you’ve picked a long-term partner, you’re either straight or gay based on that choice. It doesn’t change the bisexuality element of it, and there are connections to that way of thinking throughout the story.
Seek the Traitor’s Son is more than a romance, though. There’s a prophecy, two kingdoms against each other, a virus, and more to break down and delve into.
Slasher Summer
If you want something that is one of the Pride books perfect for Summerween, then Slasher Summer by E.L. Chen* is a must. This is definitely a horror book, with a vibe that will make you think of Scream, Halloween, and other slasher movies. However, there is a gay character who has come out in the years from the before times and the current day.
In Cedar Lake Falls, a group of friends gathered together to make a campy ‘80s horror flick called Slasher. It was just a lot of fun, but then the group went off on their own adventures. Years later, they decide to reunite, and much has changed.
Patrick has come out, and Mikey bulked up. The only thing that hasn’t seemed to change is how Freddy is still a stoner, but they are all together for the first time in years. Things take a deadly turn when a masked killer is spotted, and the tires of their cars have been deflated. Someone is stalking them, and they need to remember how characters survive slasher movies if they want to get out.
Dearly Departed
Chris Pons is the last on my list with Dearly Departed*, a Hades-inspired gay rom-com. There’s even the god of the Underworld himself, who is no longer ruling that underworld. Instead, he is now a grumpy funeral director thanks to the Immortality Retirement Act that banished him to Earth. He wants to find a loophole in the contract, until a new florist moves in next door.
Levi Wilder is a florist with an artistic heart. He meets Hades, who is going by the name Hayden Harlow, when Hayden storms in to complain about a banquet of sunflowers, which is obviously an offensive choice for a funeral. Only, things take a turn as hearts flutter and they’re both hit with an undeniable spark.
But Hades wants to get back to the Underworld. He wants his godly powers back. Will love change everything? It’s a beautiful love story that is all focused on the romance with some cute plot points.
What have you been reading this Pride Month? Which Pride books are a must for the rest of the year? Let me know in the comments!
