A while back, I wrote a post about the Top 10 LGBTQ in Urban Fantasy and I included TV shows and movies. In this past, I’m including 10 more great queer characters but only in books this time (beyond the first 10) in the urban fantasy / paranormal fantasy / magical realism space. I’m throwing in a mix: YA, adult, some with strong supernatural + city/modern elements. Some are series; some are standalone. I also added Bookshop.org links when available.
1. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
- Character(s): Yadriel, a trans Latinx boy (queer & trans), who summons a ghost. (Bookshop)
- Why it hits: It’s spooky, emotional, shows mostly queer relationships, family culture, identity. Feels like both adventure + self-discovery.
- Bookshop.org link: Cemetery Boys — Buy here (Bookshop)
2. Black Water Sister by Zen Cho
- Character(s): Jessamyn Teoh is closeted lesbian, wrestles with culture, ghostly grandmother, gods & revenge. (Bookshop)
- Why it hits: It blends ghosts, gods, family expectations, identity politics, and queer identity in a non-Western setting. That combination is so rich.
- Bookshop.org link: Black Water Sister — Buy here (Bookshop)
3. The Adam Binder Series by David R. Slayton (starts with White Trash Warlock)
- Character(s): Adam Binder, gay protagonist, with family issues, magic, spirits.
- Why it hits: Urban fantasy + social issues (poverty, class, mental health, LGBTQ+ identity) + powerful magical elements. Awesome combo.
- White Trash Warlock
4. The Last Sun (The Tarot Sequence #1) by K. D. Edwards
- Character(s): Has queer romance / queer main characters.
- Why it hits: The worldbuilding is wild, morally complicated characters, tarot / magic + political intrigue. It leans toward adult fantasy, but the urban or modern feel / contemporary elements are strongly present.
- The Last Sun
5. Among the Living (PsyCop #1) by Jordan Castillo Price
- Character(s): This one has paranormal / urban fantasy + queer elements; detective who handles supernatural cases, etc.
- Among the Living
6. The Soulbound Series by Hailey Turner (starts with A Ferry of Bones & Gold)
- Character(s): Includes queer protagonists, magical crime-solving, spirits/werewolves etc. (Goodreads)
- A Ferry of Bones and Gold
7. The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin
- Character(s): Several queer side characters; the setting is urban fantasy / cosmic fantasy (New York City embodied as living avatars) (FanFiAddict)
- Why it hits: Though queer characters aren’t always the main focus, the world itself is magical + alive + modern + political.
8. Six of Crows & Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
- Character(s): Multiple queer / bisexual characters in the ensemble. (A Blog of Books and Musicals)
- Why it hits: Dark fantasy + heists + magic + crime in an urban/fantasy city environment (hard to pin down “urban fantasy,” but the feel is close enough for many fans). Six of Crows
9. Ironside: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black
- Character(s): Corny is gay; Corny etc. There are romantic threads among fae, changelings etc.
- Why it hits: Fae in modern settings, magic intersecting with everyday life, queer relationships built in.
10. Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker & Wendy Xu
- Character(s): LGBTQ+ main characters; wolves, witches, magic + everyday emotion. (Though more graphic novel / illustrated fantasy)
- Why it hits: Because sometimes I want urban fantasy vibes but in illustrated form. It captures queer longing, found family, magic + monsters pretty beautifully.
Bonus Mentions / Honorable Mentions
These didn’t quite make 20 but deserve love:
- Witchmark by C. L. Polk — queer identity, mystery, magic, though set more in an alternate Edwardian-ish fantasy than “city magic.”
- The Tarot Sequence beyond The Last Sun — the sequels deepen queer relationships & politics.
- Also, series like The Dresden Files (TV / comics) do occasionally include queer characters in supporting roles.
What I Loved / What I’d Like More Of
- More non-Western urban fantasy with queer leads (like Black Water Sister) — great to see.
- More stories where the magic system itself interacts with queer identity (e.g. someone’s magic is tied up with gender or family expectations).
- More representation of nonbinary and trans main characters beyond YA, in adult urban fantasy.