Books of June–2026

The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez

Do you like queer vampires with angst? Baby, this is the book for you! Follow a Black girl’s journey as she escapes slavery, becomes a vampire, and finds her family. The book takes begins in the early 1800s and ends in the 2050s. We begin with an enslaved girl finding a vampire couple who take her in and raise her as their own. I cried early on in this book because I was not expecting death in a vampire story. When I think of vampires, I think of never-ending lives, but this story really lets you sit with grief. It also explores physical touch and sensuality. To me this book says that bodies are vessels and meant to be shared. In this case, the vampires literally share blood to create new vampires and use their powers of manipulation to give people hope. The book does a wonderful job of showing how oppressed people create their own family. There are beautiful relationships in this book. My favorite character (besides Gilda) was Sorrel. A truly touching read for pride month.

The Memory Librarian by Janelle Monáe

All the dirty computers to the front! This book is a collection of short stories by multiple authors. It is based on Janelle Monáe’s 2018 album and short film. All the stories are set in a fascist, surveillance area called New Dawn. Each story follows different Black queer people as they learn their place in this hostile environment and fight against the regime. As an Afrofuturist lover, this was a beautiful read. I listened to the audiobook, and the storytelling was great. My favorite story was Timebox because it felt so real and down-to-earth. All the stories were fun to experience. This book reinvigorated my passion for advocating that people read! Oh my gosh! One of the first things that corrupt governments do to suppress their citizens is limit reading because an illiterate society is an easily manipulated society. Also, this book is apt right now with the U.S. (among other governments) trying to criminalize gender-nonconforming people and activists. This book is helpful if you want to be reminded of why we need to keep fighting for equality.

The Chiffon Trenches by Andre Leon Talley

Let’s talk about one of my favorite style inspirations. Andre Leon Talley was a treasure to this world and to the fashion industry. This book walks you through his life and fashion journey. Talley grew up in the Jim Crow era South where he lived with his grandmother. The women in his life shaped his love of fashion and style. He was a lover of French fashion, literature, and culture. After earning both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, he worked his way up from an unpaid apprentice to a fashion journalist. He worked at various magazines, including Interview, Ebony, and Women Wears Daily. Eventually, he cemented himself as a staple at Vogue alongside Anna Wintour. Talley was a proud queer man, and he was open about his fluid sexuality. I read this book because one of my professor’s recommended it after we had a long conversation about sexuality and race. Reading this book felt like reading a friend’s diary (with their permission, of course). Andre Leon Talley was a kind man who saw such beauty in life. I think is a must-read for people who love fashion, Blackness, queerness, and self-love.