Sapphic Books – A Year in Review

Reading plays a huge part in my everyday life so it’s wild to think that I was not a big reader until about one year ago. I was halfway through my freshman year of college, I had just come out to my parents, and I realized how little exposure to sapphic stories I had. It’s not as though my middle or high school required reading held much queer representation. I had to search for it on my own. And though I wish I had been exposed to lesbian characters in novels sooner, it is never too late to get started. Now, one year later, I have put together a list of sapphic books that I feel compelled to discuss. Most are incredibly wholesome, some are not so great, and the best have smut because mama didn’t raise no bitch.

Let me preface by saying: I am not as widely educated on literature as most avid readers, but I’m a little gay girl with big dreams and big opinions so take a seat. *All photos are taken from my dorm bed last year because I can’t help being so iconic*

Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie was the first queer book I was introduced to. I remember reading multiple articles online about sapphic stories, desperate for some sort of guidance, and this one kept coming up. It also happened to be available for loan at my college library, and I heart free stuff. <3

I requested Ophelia After All online, put a cute outfit on and strutted into the library ready to pick it up. They then told me my request had not been processed yet, and I had to come back once receiving an email. Slight damper in my strut, but nevertheless: She persisted. I returned a few days later and remember developing a mysterious-hot-cool girl complex walking back to my dorm book in-hand. I also recall my student ID requiring just one swipe before the library door opened, meaning I was truly hot shit that day.

This book was so wholesome. Everyone online was right: It was the perfect first queer novel for me to read. The story follows high schooler Ophelia as she uncovers her sexuality. At first I wished the book incorporated more romance, but looking back now I recognize the sweet simplicity in a coming of age queer narrative. Without giving much away, the ending reiterates the title: After All, Ophelia.

It reminded me that the discovery of one’s sexuality is not for the criticism of outside parties. It is not definitive or clean cut. It doesn’t have to be about anyone else. It can be confusing and amazing and fluctuating, but it’s all for you to decide.

I don’t remember much about this book other than a feeling of being TARGETED. Like when did an inexperienced 17 year old hold the label of being late to the party??? Stop . Like actually. This was also my first Kelly Quindlen book, her being mostly known for Her Name in the Sky (that’s next don’t worry). Her writing is definitely for a slightly younger audience than me, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t finish this book in a day. Not every novel HAS to be the holy grail. Promise. There’s nothing wrong with a little YA love story.

Before reading, I had only heard good things about this Kelly Quindlen novel, so my hopes were definitely really high. Her Name in the Sky is about two young girls, Hannah & Baker (13RW ik), grappling with their love for one another in a heavily-conservative Louisiana town. This book is so beautiful in the way it showcases young wlw love, and it literally made me CRY bitch I tell you it HITS.

Like Baker and Hannah, I went to a little catholic school growing up, and can confirm that the internalized homophobia goes crazy. My tears are forever on the pages of this book, smudging the words as proof of how heartbreaking it was. Just yesterday I considered re-reading this novel, but girl now: No shot. I choose to not go into a depressive episode probably 🙂 Also slight plug – I wrote a song about this book once and Kelly Quindlen said it was beautiful. I think that makes me at least slightly better than most?

A film-adaptation of this book would EAT. Please make this happen, and please let me be in it. Not as that one bitch Michele though.

Two books in two days. The story of Crier and Ayla. I remember not leaving my bed for the longest time, just so captivated by Nina Varella’s writing. I inadvertently trained my hair due to the refusal of getting up to wash it in fears of mentally leaving the fictional world of Zulla. This was also around the time that I watched Willow for the first time, so basically I casted every novel’s love interest in my head as Ruby Cruz. In this case: She took the role of Crier, an artificial being who falls in love with a human (Ayla) when she shouldn’t be able to feel anything at all. This is of course after a slow burn that originates with the two girls as enemies.

These books are the absolute epitome of sapphic culture. Like yes, I did read two novels just for the looks of longing, constant pining without any actual flirting in sight, and the continuous state of two girls in denial of their obvious love for one another. Well, all that plus the fantasy genre and layered world building. I live for that shit.

This duology forced me to fall back into my Wattpad phase and consume every piece of storyline created about Crier and Ayla that I could find. Let me tell you, those middle schoolers can WRITE.

Trista Mateer threw me directly into my poetry era that I still find myself in now. I was skimming through the lesbian novels available on my college library page (free yay) and found this book of poems. It’s all about first loves: The beauty, the heartbreaks, and the what-could-have-beens. Honeybee made me look at colors differently, nature, people, smiles, even fabrics and flowers. Mateer’s book reminded me of the art that is always existing all around, and I still find myself drawing inspiration from it.

One Last Stop forever holds a spot in my top three favorite books of all time ranking. Oh my GOD it was so well done, and I read it at the beach so that automatically makes it better. This book somehow managed to make me laugh, cry (a lot), laugh while crying, and put the book down for a couple minutes while I lay down on the floor and rethink my entire life (multiple times). The lingo was spot-on, and the friendships/relationships were perfectly crafted. It never felt too slow or too fast. The few loose ends of the plot introduced in the beginning eventually, satisfyingly, come together in the end.

I always find it so funny how this is not Casey McQuiston’s most talked about book. Every person seems to want to bring up I Kissed Shara Wheeler, when One Last Stop is clearly superior. It follows aspiring city girl August as she attempts to help time-traveling Jane recover her lost memory. Loaded sentence. In the process, they discover their shared feelings for one another which includes a full 3 pages of “I don’t understand how someone as amazing as you could like someone like me” energy. Soooo f*cking gay.

This book includes a literal public sex scene and a first-time experience in a subway cart at 3AM during a power outage. (Hey mom who reads my posts!) Basically, it’s a must-read, and I will never stop shamelessly recommending it.

This book is TOO F*CKING LONG. Started it, read 200 pages, couldn’t tell you shit about it, put it down. Call me a quitter. It’s still on my bookshelf. It sits there every day collecting dust and laughs at me for spending 30 dollars that I’ll never be able to get back. Next.

Y’ALL. Y’all. Do yourself a favor and purchase these books: These two along with the third in the trilogy, Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date which I plan to read next, but I don’t need to in order to tell you it’s amazing. These were the novels that I am so glad I didn’t read first, as no others would ever measure up.

The amount of spice in these books is actually perfect. I cannot believe that is something I am sharing with the world, but someone has to. My mother would be PROUD to know how shamelessly I promote smut, and I’m an adult so everyone can stfu. The straights have Colleen Hoover. I have this.

Malinda Lo is the creator of the masterpiece that is: Last Night at the Telegraph Club. The guy that lent me this book over the counter at the library was so mean for absolutely no reason at all, but whatever. This was the first book I read that handled more historically mature themes, honing in on racism against Chinese Americans and homophobia.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club is absolutely heart wrenching and an undeniable poignant beauty. The feeling of young love thrives between main characters Lily and Kath, and it reminds me of the juvenile relationship complex between Baker and Hannah in Her Name in the Sky. 

There’s not a lot of spice in this one, but also the characters are in high school, so I approve 🙂 Taking place in 1950s San Francisco, the adult lesbian community that helps young Lily Hu understand her sexuality is what makes this novel so special. And with the lack of inclusive language that we luckily have now, most of the pining that goes on between Kath and Lily remains unspoken. In a way, that’s what makes it so captivating. It’s all about their attraction. No explanation needed when they’re alone together. There are no words or labels needed to validate their love. It’s true and right and real.

Forget Me Not is a more recent story by She Gets the Girl’s Alyson Derrick. And like She Gets the Girl, I was expecting a cute little story, but bitch NO. This one was BRUTAL.

Imagine having a secret relationship with a girl. It’s secret due to both of your unapproving families. You can’t tell any of your widely homophobic “friends”, and you’re stuck in a narrow-thinking town for the foreseeable future due to your family being reliant on your income. Then, when your girlfriend has a head injury, she forgets all about you and your 2-year relationship. All you can do is watch as she is brainwashed by her family and friends, dates boys, misunderstands why she feels off, acts as if she’s never heard your name, and hope she learns how to fall back in love with you.

This novel is so good. For anyone who reads it: You will love Stevie and Nora. You will scream at your book pages in frustration. You’ll cry. You’ll feel heartbroken. You’ll wonder why some people are so incredibly awful, and when you’re done, you’ll realize that this story is the harsh reality of so many queer people. And although I am making it out to be so tragic, do not underestimate Alyson Derrick’s ability to curate a beautiful love story. 

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