As the end of the year comes barrelling towards us at the speed of light, I'm sure many of us are starting to question the high expectations we had for our reading goals in 2024. I am always incredibly optimistic about all the free time I will have for myself over the following twelve months, only to look at my numbers in November and wonder what could have possibly been going through my mind all the way back in January. But all hope is not lost! From graphic novels, to novellas, to short and easygoing books, there are tons of ways to reach your reading goal, all while discovering some incredible new-to-you authors, genres, and stories. Here are eight short, quick reads that will help you end the year on a wonderfully queer high note.
Middle Grade
Number of pages: 256Although middle grade books are written for a specifically younger audience in mind, I truly believe that they can be a great reading experience for adults and older teens, and this fantasy graphic novel is a perfect example of that. It tells the story of Artie, a young girl who one day suddenly discovers that she comes from a long line of werewolves. After making this life-altering realization, Artie asks her mom to teach her everything she knows about her family and her community. With her mother's concern for her safety constantly looming over her, Artie must find the balance between discovering herself and connecting with every facet of her identity, without putting herself right in the path of danger.
This book is a generally fantastic story about family, community, love, and support. It feels like a much-needed hug. Artie is an incredibly realistic character: she distances herself from those around her because of all her internal struggles and her difficulty with reaching out to those who can give her the support she needs. Stephens does a great job of showing how important it is to communicate with those around you: a message that I believe is necessary for people of all ages. Stephens also doesn't shy away from dealing with some heavy topics and having some deeply honest conversations, which is another reason why the story works so well for all types of audiences. It's a very sweet graphic novel, featuring a beautiful, heart-warming sapphic romance that develops throughout the pages.
Young Adult
Number of pages: 104This YA graphic novel features two sapphic main characters-a Latinx outlaw and a transfemme runaway-who work together to take down a Confederate plot in the New Mexico Territory of the Wild West. Although they might start off on the wrong foot, as one attempts to kidnap the other and hold her hostage for ransom, both women slowly discover what it means to be honest with those around them, to live as their authentic selves, and maybe even, to fall in love.
This is a lighthearted pick, but that doesn't make it any less of an amazing read. The art itself will astound you. With Gillman's impressive colour palette, pencil crayon art style, and magnificent landscape shots, this might in fact not be such a quick read, as the talent showcased within its panels will make it impossible to flip the page. The footnotes at the end add a great insight into the way that Gillman wrote the plot and created their illustrations, while also providing a ton of great historical information to better understand the backdrop of the story. It's a great, fun read if you're looking for a little excitement and some trans sapphic love.
Adult
Number of pages: 160-210, eachSometimes, children disappear. Unbeknownst to the adults in their lives, these children find their way through doors into magical, bizarre lands. And sometimes, they slip back into reality. This return is never easy, as human society is often more confusing and unwelcoming than the fantasy worlds they fall into. Which is why Eleanor West always finds a place for them at her Home for Wayward Children. This series follows different characters as they experience the dangers of the various alternate realms they discover, the seemingly insurmountable task of having to readapt to the real world, and the impossible choice they all must face: to walk back through their door and return to the bleakness of our reality or to stay in their fantasy land and abandon their families... forever.
McGuire has a one-of-a-kind talent when it comes to writing about childhood. Every one of these novellas will take you through a journey of self-reflection towards understanding your own childhood and the way that your early experiences turned you into the adult that you are today. Each story presents a different character, many of whom are queer, and masterfully reflects their issues and their character development within the fantasy lands they fall into. I have never felt as much as I do when I read this series. The books are raw, authentic, heartbreaking, devastatingly beautiful, and will surely make you shed at least a few tears for the kid that you used to be. Bonus point: reading the entire series, as it currently stands, will get you 9 books closer to reaching your reading goal!
Number of pages: 176If you're interested in a sapphic western adventure, but are looking for something more adult, Sarah Gailey's Upright Women Wanted is a fantastic choice. The main character, Esther, is a stowaway, hiding in a book wagon to hopefully escape the loveless arranged marriage her parents set up for her. A marriage to a man who was, originally, engaged to the woman Ester fell in love with before she was murdered for owning what society considers "resistance propaganda". Ester hopes that by joining an infamous band of queer librarian spies on horseback, she will be able to escape a world that is hell-bent on breaking her down and stripping her of who she truly is.
If you've ever been faced with the sad reality that our world is not particularly kind to lesbians, bisexual women, and sapphics as a whole, this book will be the perfect balance of heartbreaking and cathartic. Gailey does an impressive job of writing their characters in a way that is realistic and relatable. You will become instantly attached to the story's entire cast, with its found family consisting of badass, anti-fascist lesbian cowboys: who doesn't love a woman with a revolver, riding on horseback, and shooting dudes in the desert of an apocalyptic U.S.?
Number of pages: 232This adult graphic novel is a satirical horror-comedy set during a bachelor party weekend filled with booze, partying, and hedonistic fun. However, our main character, Sammie, recently came out as transfemme, which is a bit of a "problem" for all the dude-bros on the trip who just don't really get it. Seeing that even the groom-to-be, Sammie's former best friend Adam, can't quite wrap his head around what it means for her to be trans feminine, she regrets accepting to participate in this celebration as his "best man". Not only is she stuck having to deal with the constant passive-aggressive transphobia and misogyny from everyone else in the group, but she also stumbles upon a mysterious cult staying at their hotel who may or may not be seeking out victims to sacrifice to their bloodthirsty god.
This is such a fun graphic novel, in the way that gruesome physical violence and emotional introspection about what you want in life and what you are willing to accept from others can be fun-just as long as you present it through comic panels filled with wonderfully colourful art! I really enjoyed this, and I think that even if you don't usually read horror or graphic novels you will deeply appreciate this. It's definitely created with a lot of humour, but Lubchansky successfully manages to have the emotional depth of the story pierce through that veil of jokes and reach the reader right at their core. It's the perfect balance of ridiculous and heartfelt moments, and it is the perfect way to spend an afternoon.
Number of pages: 128Another horror graphic novel recommendation, this one more eldritch horror than horror-comedy, Where Black Stars Rise follows Dr. Amal Robardin, a therapist who becomes suddenly deeply concerned about one of her newer clients' whereabouts. Yasmin, a young woman from Iran who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, has disappeared, and Amal feels a responsibility towards her-not only as a professional but as a fellow Middle Eastern woman trying to find her footing in a new country, far from her family, with little to no support system. Using the details she was able to collect throughout their sessions together, Amal follows these clues to retrace Yasmin's steps, all the way into an alternate dimension of eldritch horror. There, she must find her way through the confusion and chaos of this new world to save her patient and get them both back to the real world.
A fascinating look into mental health and the toll it can take on a person, this graphic novel is filled with fantastic horror elements to make the reader feel exactly the way the characters do throughout the story. The fear, the confusion, the desperation, the discomfort... it is all so perfectly expressed within the panels, which feature some truly unique art and designs. Putting their lived experiences together, Shammas and Enger created two incredibly compelling characters that you cannot help but immediately connect to. Within its 128 pages, it will turn you into an emotional wreck, and the entire reading experience will absolutely be worth the tears.
by Rivers Solomon with Jonathan Snipes, Daveed Diggs, and William Hutson
Number of pages: 166In this fantasy novella, Solomon imagines an underwater society of merfolk who are the descendants of pregnant enslaved African people who were thrown overboard from the trade ships they were kidnapped onto during the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. Although these women did not survive, their children did, leading to the creation of the wajinru. To ensure that they can live happy, idyllic lives, it is decided that one person must hold onto the memories of their traumatic history-Yetu, the Historian. For her people's well-being, she remembers all, and that responsibility is destroying her. Unable to handle this burden any longer, she flees to the surface and releases all of those memories back into everyone's minds. Upon discovering the world above water, Yetu eventually learns a lot more about her people's past and future and must ultimately decide how much she is willing to sacrifice for her community.
I'm a big fan of Solomon's work, which is always so incredibly unique, and this novella is no exception. From the plot, to the narrative style, to the character development, this will be a completely new reading experience for most people. The imagery that Solomon evokes is stunning, and the pain of the characters throughout all their life experiences is so palpable. If you're counting rereads in your yearly goal, this is the perfect book for that, not only because it's fast to get through but also because its messaging is so powerful: every time you pick it up to read it again, it will make you learn or realize something new.
Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith
Number of pages: 192Ending the list off with a contemporary read, this graphic novel highlights the lives of four young Black women from the Bronx, telling their stories specifically through the backdrop of their hair care routines and wash day experiences. These five interconnected short story comics showcase the beauty and endurance of Black sisterhood that persists throughout the ups and downs of daily life. Kim, Nisha, Davene and Cookie take turns caring for one another, for themselves, and for those around them. This easy-going, slice-of-life story packs an impressive emotional punch, and will make any reader see that their connection to those around them is so much more significant than we often realize.
Rowser and Smith are both incredibly talented, and although this is not a high stakes story, it is nonetheless a remarkable reading experience. Their ability to take this otherwise short, simple plot and present so much backstory and character development is impressive, and by the end of it, even though you'll have breezed through the whole graphic novel in one sitting, you'll feel as though you have known these characters their whole lives. It's healing, honest, loving, and a great way to enter 2025 with a greater appreciation for your friendships and the connections you've made throughout the years.
