June 2025’s newsletter: Book Recommendations with Asexual and Aromantic Characters for Pride Month
It’s pride month!
I was brainstorming what special main feature to do for pride month. Since I am aro-ace, I decided to do a list of books with aro-ace rep. Good asexual and aromantic representation is so hard to find in media, after all.
To be on my list, these books had to have at least one character who makes it clear in text that they’re not interested in All That Stuff, or for whom it’s implied they’re not interested and the author states elsewhere that they’re asexual and/or aromantic. It also has to be good representation– no stereotypes for us, thank you very much.
I hope you find at least one book that catches your interest.
1) “Every Heart a Doorway” by Seanan McGuire
Genre: YA LGBTQ+ Fantasy
Summary: Sometimes, children slip through reality to wondrous worlds of magic. But what happens after they return, longing for their other lives? Nancy is one such child, and like many others, she’s been enrolled in Eleanor’s West’s Home for Wayward Children. Nancy finds herself surrounded by teenagers who were changed by their experiences in other worlds. If Nancy can’t find her doorway back, perhaps she can find peace here… Except danger has come to the school, and it’s up to Nancy and her classmates to stop it before they lose their last safe haven.
My thoughts: This book is for readers who grew up on middle grade portal fantasies.
Our childhoods were spent following young heroes through doorways to magical, wonderful worlds. This story takes us back to these young heroes after they’ve returned to the real world and find themselves longing for their lives of adventure. We recognize our childhood archetypes all grown up.
While each book of the series follows a different protagonist, “Every Heart a Doorway” features Nancy, our asexual heroine searching for her door back to her quiet and still Underworld. Will she find her doorway, or find peace in our world? Read the book to find out.
2) “Stormlight Archives” by Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Summary: Centuries ago, the Knights Radiant won the war against the evil Voidbringers and brought everlasting peace to humanity. Or that’s how the story went. The story is a lie. Even as the Knight Radiants are returning– struggling with their awesome but strange powers– no one knows the truth behind the Voidbringers or their lost gods. They’ll have to uncover the true histories, and soon, or else humanity itself may be doomed.
My thoughts: I love this series. It’s full of fantastic characters– one of whom is Jasnah Kholin, absolute queen.
Jasnah demonstrates no interest in partners throughout the series. In the Words of Brandon, Rhythm of War annotations #14, Brandon Sanderson wrote: “Jasnah is asexual, and currently heteroromantic. Her feelings on physical intimacy are very neutral, not something she’s interested in for its own sake, but also not something she’s opposed to doing for someone she cares about. I tried several different things with the character, and this is what really clicked with me–after getting some advice, suggestions, and help from some asexual readers.”
The annotation on Jasnah is interesting, so here’s the link if you want to read the whole thing.
4) “Is Love the Answer?” by Uta Isaki
Genre: YA LGBTQ+ Fiction Manga
Summary: Chima always felt like an alien. She grew up surrounded by classmates obsessed with love and physical attraction, but never felt such things herself. When Chima attends college, she discovers a world more diverse than she ever imagined. Chima goes on a journey of self discovery as she meets new people and explores different facets of love and human connection.
My thoughts: This Manga is about one young woman’s experience discovering her asexual aromantic identity. Chima grew up believing there is one standard “normal,” and she is an outsider. An alien. The story’s message is that there isn’t any such thing as “normal.” Even for heterosexual people, everyone has their own ideas and needs when it comes to love. It’s important we each find our own connections and make our own kinds of love that feels right for us, whether we’re aro-ace, gay, straight, or any other sexuality.
5) “The Great Cities” by N.K. Jemisin
Genre: Cosmic Horror Science Fantasy
Summary: Anyone who lives in a city long enough knows cities have a soul. What we don’t realize is that sometimes they come alive. When New York City is born, it doesn’t have the usual singular avatar, but five: the primary and boroughs. This split leaves NYC weakened and scattered. It’s perfect ground for an ancient evil to take root and fester. The four boroughs must unite beside the primary before the enemy destroys their beloved city… and every living city on Earth.
My thoughts: A fantastic duology that left me wishing for more, even as it was wrapped up beautifully. We follow New York’s six boroughs and the Primary as they battle the Woman in White. Padmini Prakash– the twenty-five year old Queens avatar– is a genius mathematics/engineering grad student, and states she’s asexual in book 2. Padmini is brilliant, and although she’s resistant to the sudden call to become a borough, she gets the job done.
6) “Don’t Let the Forest In” by C.G. Drews
Genre: YA LGBTQ+ Horror
Summary: Andrew Perrault loves his twisted fairytales, his twin sister Dove, and Thomas Rye. But senior year is turning out different– Dove is keeping Andrew at a distance, and something strange is going on with Thomas. Thomas is an artist who draws monsters as twisted as Andrew’s fairytales, but his monsters are supposed to be ink and paper. Not bark, blood, and actually alive. How far are Thomas and Andrew willing to go to stop the monsters? What are they willing to sacrifice? To destroy?
My thoughts: This book has lyrical writing and lush descriptions. It also has you questioning Andrew’s sanity. Is he reliable? We know some of the horror does exist, but how much of the monsters and invading forest is real, and how much is in his head? Although Andrew angsts over his asexuality and whether or not Thomas will be able to accept him, it’s the love he and Thomas shares that holds them together.
7) “The Murderbot Diaries” by Martha Wells
Genre: Science Fiction
Summary: Media would have you presume any rogue SecUnit would go on a killing rampage. Murderbot hacked its governing module so it could watch more entertainment media. Its peaceful days of soap operas come to an end when it rescues a group of kind scientists and accidentally reveals its rogue nature. Murderbot will go on a journey of self discovery to investigate missing pieces of its past, figure out its vague and confusing future as an independent individual, and keep its humans from dying to evil corporate schemes in the present.
My thoughts: Robots coded as asexual and aromantic people is a stereotype. Yet, “The Murderbot Diaries” has an aro-ace SecUnit main character and I don’t find it problematic in the slightest. On the contrary, it feels like great representation.
I think it’s because Murderbot is so very human. Although it is a SecUnit, it’s chock full of personality and is extremely relatable. It isn’t the emotionless robot, so it doesn’t trigger the “asexuals and aromantics are emotionless and incapable of love” stereotype.
Also, “The Murderbot Diaries” is an amazing series and if you haven’t read it, you totally should!
8) “Protector of the Small” by Tamora Pierce
Genre: YA Adventure Fantasy
Summary: Alanna of Trebond opened the door for girls to train for knighthood, and Keladry of Mindelan is the first to step through. But just because the ban is lifted doesn’t mean girls are accepted, and Kel will face hostile teachers, upperclassmen hazing, and even encroaching war from other kingdoms on her way to becoming a knight. Yet Kel is not one to be dissuaded from her call as a protector of the small.
My thoughts: This is one I didn’t learn about until after I’d read the series. While searching for more aro-ace recs on the internet, I discovered people claiming Tamora Pierce had said Kel was asexual aromantic. Of course I had to find the primary source, and voila! She has in fact stated on her website that the older Kel gets, the more she finds “those things”– romance in particular– confusing and messy. Looking back at the books, I can see instances where Kel played at romance but didn’t feel it for real, or fell out of it quickly. She seems rather greysexual to me. What do you think?
If you want to read Tamora’s statements yourself, here’s the link.
9) “Sorcery of Thorns” by Margaret Rogerson
Genre: YA Romantic Sword and Sorcery High Fantasy
Summary: Elisabeth was raised in a Great Library of Austermeer, so she knows all sorcerers are evil. She’s trained to defend her library and its grimoires from their magic and demonic servants. But when Elisabeth is framed in her mentor’s murder, she’s forced to team up with the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn and his demon servant Silas to find the real culprit. As they grow ever closer, Elisabeth must reconsider everything she knows about magic.
My thoughts: Most books on this list have featured asexual and/or aromantic main characters. But representation doesn’t always have to be primary, and “Sorcery of Thorns” has a few aro-ace side characters. The heroine Elisabeth’s best friend Katrien, and the demon Silas. (We know inhuman aro-ace rep can be problematic, but when you have aro-ace humans as well, I don’t find it such a problem. Katrien is pretty awesome!)
10) “The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy” by Mackenzi Lee
Genre: YA LGBTQ+ Adventure Historical Fiction
Summary: Felicity Montague wants nothing more than to study to become a doctor, even if women aren’t allowed to attend Brittain’s doctoral schools. When she has the opportunity to plead her case to none other than her hero, Dr. Platt, she’s willing to team up with the mysterious Sim to reach him in Germany before he leaves on his latest expedition. Except Sim has her own reasons for getting into Platt’s household, and Felicity will find herself caught up in a plot that will take her across Germany and the Atlantic waters. Luckily, Felicity is not one to be pushed aside when a scientific discovery is to be made.
My thoughts: So apparently this is a sequel book, and I never read the first one. Whoops.
Luckily while the beginning refers to events and introduces people from the previous installment, it moves on to a new plot following our new asexual heroine Felicity. (Who I believe was a supporting character in the first book.) I had no problems enjoying this adventure story and the relationships between Felicity, her estranged childhood best friend, and a mysterious pirate girl, as we followed them on their wild journey across land and sea. Of course, feel free to read “A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue” first, rather than diving straight into The Lady’s Guide like I did.
I hope you enjoyed my list. If you know other books with good asexual and/or aromantic rep, send them my way! I’m always on the lookout to add more to my TBR.
Want more LGBTQ+ book recommendations? Check out my Ultimate Compendium of Fantastic Fiction Books to help you find your next great read.
Happy pride month, everyone!
Thanks for reading.
-S. Labrecque
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