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The Lambda Literary Awards (aka the Lammys) are the biggest awards in queer lit, and they have a long and complicated history. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to discover queer books, they’re a great resource. Every year, they recognize some of the biggest queer books of the moment as well as some titles I’ve never heard of. In all 26 categories, I’ve only read one of the winners this year, Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun (Lesbian Romance). I loved it!
Here are all the winners of the 2025 Lambda Literary Awards, as well as their special awards. How many have you read?
The Jim Duggins Outstanding Mid-Career Novelist Prize: R. O. Kwon (The Incendiaries and Exhibit) and Carter Sickels (The Prettiest Star and The Evening Hour)
Judith A. Markowitz Award for Exceptional New LGBTQ Writers: Emet North (In Universes) and Aaron H. Aceves (This Is Why They Hate Us)
The Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction: D/Annie Liontas (Sex with a Brain Injury: On Concussion and Recovery)
The Randall Kenan Prize for Black LGBTQ Fiction: Allen R. Wells (It’s Pride, Baby!)
The J. Michael Samuel Prize for Emerging Writers Over 50: Amy Beth Sisson
The Karla Jay Prize for Emerging Writers in Gender and Sexuality Studies: Nat Rivkin
The Pat Holt Prize for Critical Arts Writing: Tausif Noor
Denneny Prize for Editorial Excellence: Daniel Garcia
Lesbian Fiction: The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
Gay Fiction: Henry Henry by Allen Bratton
Bisexual Fiction: How to Fall in Love in a Time of Unnameable Disaster by Muriel Leung
Transgender Fiction: Firebugs by Nino Bulling
LGBTQ+ Mystery: Rough Trade by Katrina Carrasco
LGBTQ+ Anthology: Swagger: A Celebration of the Butch Experience by Rae Theodore & Nat Burns
LGBTQ+ Speculative Fiction: Metal From Heaven by August Clarke
Lesbian Romance: Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun
Gay Romance: The Spring before Obergefell by Ben Grossberg
LGBTQ+ Young Adult: Icarus by K. Ancrum
LGBTQ+ Middle Grade: Mallory in Full Color by Elisa Stone Leahy
LGBTQ+ Children’s Books: Glenn Burke, Game Changer by Phil Bildner, illustrated by Daniel J. O’Brien
LGBTQ+ Comics: Putty Pygmalion by Lonnie Garcia
Lesbian Memoir/Biography: My Withered Legs and Other Essays by Sandra Gail Lambert
Gay Memoir/Biography: Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring by Brad Gooch
Bisexual Nonfiction: You’re Embarrassing Yourself by Desiree Akhavan
Transgender Nonfiction: Pretty: A Memoir by KB Brookins
LGBTQ+ Nonfiction: The Other Olympians by Michael Waters
LGBTQ+ Studies: When Monsters Speak: A Susan Stryker Reader edited by McKenzie Wark
LGBTQ+ Drama: The Green Line | خطّ التماس by Makram Ayache
LGBTQ+ Poetry: Cowboy Park by Eduardo Martínez-Leyva
Lesbian Poetry: Song of My Softening by Omotara James
Gay Poetry: How to Kill a Goat and Other Monsters by Saúl Hernández
Bisexual Poetry: Interrogation Records by Jeddie Sophronius
Transgender Poetry: Girl Work by Zefyr Lisowski
For more about the awards, check out the Lambda Literary website.
How many have you read? Let’s chat in the comments!
