Lesbian and sapphic literature has always pushed boundaries, with authors finding creative ways to portray the many facets of love between women despite adversity and prejudice.
Books about women loving women, gay books—and LGBTQ+ literature in general—are as diverse as the authors. They can be cathartic pieces that explore the tragedy of many queer women throughout history, sweet fairytales with happily ever afters, or anything in-between.
The following novels are exceptional works of literature worth reading throughout Pride Month and beyond.
Scattered through different genres and writing styles, these books depict the sapphic experience through artistry worth appreciating both inside and outside the community.
This is How You Lose the Time War
by Max Gladstone and Amal E-Mohtar
Red and Blue are rival agents working for their warring empires. However, this war is unlike others—it happens through time and space. As such, Red and Blue jump back and forth through timelines and universes, changing history and events to favor their factions and rivaling one another.
But then, they start to leave each other secret messages.
Initially published in 2019, This is How You Lose the Time War is an epistolary novella—a book comprised of letters exchanged between the characters in the story—that became an instant hit upon release, earning both a Nebula and a Hugo award.
The Priory of the Orange Tree 
In a world where dragons and magic exist, the kingdoms do not agree. One half of the planet believes dragons to be a menace, while the other worships and considers them forces of good. However, they agree on something—the Nameless One must not return.
Considered a modern epic, The Priory of the Orange Tree is a high fantasy novel described by its author as a “feminist retelling of Saint George and the Dragon” and deemed one of the best WLW books within the last decade by its fans.
Wilder Girls
Wilder Girls is a book that is a bit hard to describe. It’s dystopian with science fiction elements, some fantasy, a good dose of mystery, and plenty of body horror. But most of all, it’s a book about what makes us human and what happens when we lose it.
The Raxter School for Girls has been quarantined for over a year—every living being on the island is infected with the Tox, dying one by one. The ones that survive have turned into something strange. Mutated and almost inhuman.
While waiting for a cure, Hetty’s best friend, Byatt goes missing—and she is willing to break the rules to rescue her.
Gideon the Ninth
The Emperor is an immortal necromancer who rules over the nine planets, each controlled by a Great House. When he invites the heirs of the Nine Houses to a deadly trial, they must answer. They also need cavaliers to protect them.
Gideon wants to leave her miserable planet. Harrowhark, the heiress of the Ninth House, won’t let her. They are bitter rivals, but Harrowhark needs Gideon’s sword.
A novel that daringly combines genres, Gideon the Ninth is simultaneously fantasy and science-fiction, gothic horror and comedy, romance and violence. It is also unapologetically queer, featuring explicit WLW romances at the center of the story.
Her Name in the Sky
A bittersweet yet heartfelt story, Her Name in the Sky is one of the best WLW books for those who wish to see realistic coming-of-age sapphic love stories in the YA genre.
The story follows Hannah and Baker, two best friends who inadvertently fall in love with each other in a conservative Louisiana community. Denial and compulsive heterosexuality make it hard to come to terms with their feelings—even more so when they go against the religious rules they believe in.
A Memory Called Empire
As the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Novel winner, A Memory Called Empire is an exquisitely crafted space opera inspired by the Byzantine and Aztec empires. Likewise, the book explores imperialism, conquest, diplomacy, and politics.
The protagonist is Mahit Dzmare, the next Ambassador to the Teixcalaanli empire from the small Lsel Station. Upon her arrival, she discovers that her predecessor had been murdered and, worse of all, that her country might be next on the path of annexation.
What makes this book a sapphic must-read is its natural approach to queer relationships and, of course, Mahit’s romantic subplot with another woman.
I Kissed Shara Wheeler
Chloe Green is the only openly queer person in her new conservative high school in Alabama. But beyond that, she has a goal—win valedictorian. Her rival? Shara Wheeler, the principal’s daughter, and the girl who kissed her then mysteriously vanished.
It turns out Chloe wasn’t the only one. Shara also kissed her quarterback boyfriend, Smith, and delinquent neighbor Rory. Together, the three must decode the clues Shara left behind and find her once and for all.
A funny and clever read, I Kissed Shara Wheeler is one of the best WLW books. It is also rich with representation, self-discovery, and the importance of friendship in discovering oneself.
Payback’s A Witch
Described as “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina meets The L Word,” Payback’s A Witch is a paranormal sapphic romcom that is equal parts cozy and sultry.
Witch Emmy Harlow left her hometown of Thistle Grove several years ago to avoid Gareth Blackmoore, the jerk who broke her heart. Upon returning to fulfill a family tradition, she reconnects with her childhood best friend Linden and meets the alluring dark witch Talia Avramov.
But all three have something in common: they were betrayed by Gareth Blackmoore, and they want payback. Now, the three witches team up to seek revenge—while Emmy and Talia grow closer than they ever thought.
The Price of Salt, or Carol
Published in 1952, The Price of Salt, also known as Carol was a revolutionary novel and one of the best WLW books, as it marked a before and after in queer literature as a whole. While far from the first book depicting lesbian relationships, it was the first one that unapologetically allowed its protagonists to enjoy a happy ending together.
Therese is a 19-year-old trapped in a miserable job during Christmas until she meets the elegant Carol, an older woman seeking a toy for her daughter. Falling in love at first sight, Therese pursues her and strikes up a friendship and eventual romance with the lonely Carol, who is undergoing a bitter divorce.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club 
Last Night at the Telegraph Club is a historical fiction novel set in 1954 America, tackling the intersectionality between racism and homophobia by focusing on the discrimination derived from Red Scare paranoia and the lesbian culture of the era.
The plotline follows Lily Hu, a 17-year-old Chinese-American girl living in San Francisco’s Chinatown, and her fateful meeting with Kathleen Miller—who takes her for the first time to a lesbian bar, the eponymous Telegraph Club.
What follows is a tale of devoted romance between the two amidst racism, discrimination, and fear for the future.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Evelyn Hugo is a glamorous and elegant figure from Old Hollywood who became reclusive after her retirement. However, in the twilight of her life, she finally opens up about her mysterious life to Monique Grant, a virtually unknown reporter.
From then on, she tells it all: her beginnings in the 50s, her retirement in the 80s, her seven husbands—and the one true love of her life.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is historical fiction inspired by the glamour and darkness of Old Hollywood through the life of the devious and manipulative Evelyn.
Did You Find The Best WLW Book?
While there are certain objective measures to determine whether or not a book is a masterpiece, the truth is that the best WLW book is the one you like the most.
Whether it is because you see yourself reflected on the pages or because the world was immersive enough for you to disconnect for a while, any of these books have the potential to be the sapphic love story of your dreams—you just need to give it a shot.
