In lieu of board members, politicians and angry parents calling to ban LGBTQ+ books, we’ve identified five LGBTQ+ books that we are excited to read this month.

The Route of Ice and Salt by José Luis Zárate

Zárate’s book is a historical novel filled with sexual tension and vampires, Dracula, to be specific. Zárate is a Mexican fiction writer and raised to literary fame in the 1980s. The Route of Ice and Salt is the first of his books to be published in English.

High-Risk Homosexual by Edgar Gomez

This newly released book is Gomez’s memoir about embracing his sexual and Latinx identity. Gomez is native Floridian and Latinx writer and most excitedly, new on the literary scene.

White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi

This gothic horror novel follows the Silver family after a death and involves spirits and other worlds. Oyeyemi is a Black British novelist and short-story writer. She’s written books such as What is Not Yours is Not Yours; Boy, Snow, Bird; Peaces and others.

Dead Space by Kali Wallace

Wallace’s main character, Hester Marley, solves crimes but after her best friend is murdered, she’s catapulted into an uncomfortable situation surrounding her past. Wallace has written books for adults and children such as City of Islands, Shallow Graves and Salvation Day.

Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour

This book was literally released a few days ago (Jan. 25)! Yerba Buena is a lesbian love story and from what we hear, it is sure to climb the best seller list. LaCour is an American Author who has won a Printz Award for her book We Are Okay in 2017.