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Quick answer: These 12 books make strong June book club picks, from Red, White & Royal Blue, The Song of Achilles, Giovanni’s Room, Fun Home, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and Real Life to six more. Each has a short blurb, a reason it works for a group and a discussion prompt.
June is Pride Month and the start of summer, which makes it a joyful time for a book club to read LGBTQ+ stories. The twelve books below include romances, classics, memoirs, graphic novels and literary fiction, with voices from many identities. Some are lighthearted and funny, others are serious and heartbreaking. Each entry includes a brief summary, why it works for discussion and a question to start the conversation. Whether your club wants a sunny romance for the beach or a powerful memoir for a deeper conversation, there is a pick here. Reading these books is a way to celebrate, to learn and to see how many ways there are to love.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red, White & Royal Blue | Casey McQuiston | Romance | clubs who want a fun summer read |
| The Song of Achilles | Madeline Miller | Mythic retelling | clubs who like Greek myth |
| Giovanni’s Room | James Baldwin | Classic | clubs who want a short classic |
| Fun Home | Alison Bechdel | Graphic memoir | clubs who like graphic novels |
| Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Benjamin Alire Sáenz | Young adult | clubs who want a gentle coming-of-age |
| Real Life | Brandon Taylor | Literary fiction | clubs who like campus novels |
| Less | Andrew Sean Greer | Comic fiction | clubs who want laughs |
| Detransition, Baby | Torrey Peters | Fiction | clubs who like provocative novels |
| The Great Believers | Rebecca Makkai | Historical fiction | clubs who like heartbreaking stories |
| Call Me by Your Name | André Aciman | Romance | clubs who like lyrical prose |
| Last Night at the Telegraph Club | Malinda Lo | Historical young adult | clubs who like history |
| Cemetery Boys | Aiden Thomas | Fantasy young adult | clubs who like paranormal stories |
1. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
The son of the U.S. president and a British prince start as enemies and fall in love. Witty and warm, with political satire. Content note: explicit scenes and strong language.
Best for: clubs who want a fun summer read.
Talk about: Why does this romance work so well?
2. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Patroclus tells the story of his love for Achilles during the Trojan War. Lyrical and heartbreaking. Content note: war violence.
Best for: clubs who like Greek myth.
Talk about: How does narrating through Patroclus change the story?
3. Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
David, an American in Paris, struggles with his feelings for an Italian bartender. A powerful, concise novel about shame and love. Content note: some sexual content.
Best for: clubs who want a short classic.
Talk about: How does David’s fear shape his choices?
4. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
Bechdel explores her relationship with her closeted father and her own coming out. Intelligent, funny and moving. Content note: themes of suicide.
Best for: clubs who like graphic novels.
Talk about: How does the graphic form add to the story?
5. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Two Mexican American teens in 1980s Texas become friends and gradually realize what that friendship means. Tender and thoughtful.
Best for: clubs who want a gentle coming-of-age.
Talk about: What do they teach each other?
6. Real Life by Brandon Taylor
Wallace, a Black gay graduate student in the Midwest, navigates a difficult weekend. Quiet, observant and intense. Content note: sexual assault and racism.
Best for: clubs who like campus novels.
Talk about: How does race shape Wallace’s experience?
7. Less by Andrew Sean Greer
Arthur Less, a failing novelist about to turn fifty, travels the world to avoid his ex’s wedding. A Pulitzer Prize winner, witty and poignant.
Best for: clubs who want laughs.
Talk about: What does Less learn from running away?
8. Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
Three characters, a trans woman, her ex and his boss, consider forming an unconventional family. Sharp and sometimes shocking. Content note: explicit content.
Best for: clubs who like provocative novels.
Talk about: What does family mean to these characters?
9. The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
Set in 1980s Chicago and 2015 Paris, it follows friends dealing with the AIDS crisis. Moving and memorable. Content note: death and illness.
Best for: clubs who like heartbreaking stories.
Talk about: How do the two time lines speak to each other?
10. Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman
A summer romance between a teenager and an older scholar on the Italian Riviera. Sensual and wistful. Content note: explicit content and an age gap.
Best for: clubs who like lyrical prose.
Talk about: Is this a story about love or memory?
11. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
In 1950s San Francisco, a Chinese American teenager discovers a lesbian bar. Winner of the National Book Award, it shows the era’s fear and courage.
Best for: clubs who like history.
Talk about: How do race and sexuality intersect?
12. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Yadriel, a trans boy, summons the ghost of a classmate and must help him. Warm, funny and inclusive.
Best for: clubs who like paranormal stories.
Talk about: What does acceptance look like in Yadriel’s family?
Why June Is a Good Month for a Theme
Pride Month, observed in June, celebrates LGBTQ+ people and commemorates the 1969 Stonewall uprising. Book clubs can take part by reading stories that reflect a range of experiences, from joyful love stories to accounts of struggle. Because the books vary in tone, you can choose one that fits your group: a fun romance for casual clubs, a classic for literary ones or a graphic memoir for a change of pace. Include members in the choice, and be mindful that some members may have personal connections to the topics. Treat the discussion with respect, and focus on the books’ characters and ideas instead of debates.
How to Choose Your June Pick
Choosing a book for your club is easier when you start with the group, not the book. Ask how many people usually come, how much time members have to read, and whether the group prefers fiction, nonfiction or a mix. A 300-page novel with short chapters suits a busy month, while a longer or denser title works better when members can start early. Rotate genres so no taste is ignored for long, and let a different member choose each month. Look at the date: a June pick has the advantage of a built-in theme, which gives the conversation a spark. Finally, check the library for copies and audiobooks before you commit, because access decides whether people actually finish.
Hosting Ideas for June
Decorate with rainbow colors, flowers or a simple bunting. Serve summer foods such as fruit salad, cupcakes and lemonade or sparkling water. Ask members to share a favorite LGBTQ+ book, film or song. If you meet outdoors, bring blankets and string lights for evening. Consider donating to a local LGBTQ+ youth organization or library fund as a group. Keep the atmosphere warm and respectful, and remind everyone that stories belong to all of us.
How to Run the Meeting
A good meeting has a simple shape. Start with ten minutes of casual chat and food, then ask each person for a quick, spoiler-free reaction in one sentence. Move into two or three open questions, not a quiz, and let the conversation wander. Reserve the last fifteen minutes for picking the next book and a date. Designate a gentle facilitator who keeps time and invites quieter members to speak. If your group meets online, ask people to keep cameras on and use the chat for side thoughts. End with a rating from one to five, which often sparks a lively comparison, and note the scores so you can see which genres your group enjoys most.
Eight Questions That Work for Almost Any Book
- What did you expect from the book before you started, and how did it compare?
- Which character did you understand best, and which frustrated you?
- Was there a moment you wanted to stop reading or one you read twice?
- How did the setting shape the story?
- What did the ending leave you thinking about?
- Did the book change your opinion about anything?
- Which line or scene would you quote to a friend?
- Would you recommend it, and to whom?
A Reading Pace Plan
Here is a simple pace for a June meeting held at the end of the month. In week one, borrow or buy the book and read the first fifth, enough to meet the characters or the argument. In week two, read another third and jot down two questions. In week three, finish the book and write a single sentence about how it made you feel. In week four, skim your notes and bring one passage you want to discuss. A 300-page book needs about 15 pages a day, or roughly 25 minutes for an average reader. If you prefer audiobooks, a 9-hour recording fits a daily walk or commute. Members who start late can read on a weekend, and the club can agree that it is fine to attend even if you have not finished.
Book Club Etiquette
Every book club runs better with a few shared habits. Agree on a spoiler policy, such as saving endings for the second half of the meeting. Give everyone a chance to speak before anyone speaks twice. Disagree with ideas, not people, and remember that a book someone loves may be one another hates. If a member did not finish, welcome them anyway; they can listen and join the next one. Rotate hosting and picking duties so that no one carries the work. If your group grows, split into two smaller ones instead of letting a conversation turn into a lecture. These simple norms create a friendly space where honest opinions can be shared.
Meeting Online
If your June club meets online, a few tweaks keep the conversation lively. Use a video platform with a reliable connection, start on time and keep the group small enough that everyone can speak, ideally under ten. Ask members to mute when not talking and to use hand-raise or chat to signal a comment. Share the discussion questions in the invitation so people can think ahead. Break into pairs for five minutes if the group is large, then return to share highlights. Plan a shorter meeting, around an hour, since screen fatigue sets in quickly. And leave a few minutes at the end for casual chat, which online meetings often miss.
Planning the Next Month
Ending a long meeting without a plan can leave the next month wide open. Before everyone leaves, vote on the next book from a short list of three, and agree on a date and location. Share the selection by email or group chat the same day, with links to the library hold list and the audiobook. Ask one member to bring a conversation starter next time. If your group struggles with attendance, try meeting at the same time each month so it becomes a habit. Keep notes on which books worked and which did not; after a year, you will have a record of your club’s taste and can plan with confidence.
Tips for a Great June Meeting
- Include all voices. Let members share how the books connect to their lives.
- Mix tones. Pair a lighthearted pick with a more serious one.
- Set the date early. Announce the pick at the end of the previous meeting so members have time to read.
- Offer formats. Remind members that library copies, e-books and audiobooks all count.
- Keep spoilers in check. Agree to talk about endings only after everyone has had a chance to share first impressions.
Related: 12 Best Book Club Picks for May and 12 Best Book Club Picks for April.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best book club picks for June?
Strong June picks include Red, White & Royal Blue, The Song of Achilles and Giovanni’s Room. The list above gives twelve options with discussion prompts.
How long should a book club book be?
Most clubs do well with books between 250 and 400 pages. Choose shorter books for busy months and longer ones when members can start early.
Should a book club read fiction or nonfiction?
A mix works best. Rotate genres so every member gets a pick they enjoy, and use themed months like this one as a guide.