I promised this post a few months ago, and here I am, finally delivering! Honestly, it’s just a list of books I’ve enjoyed that happen to have nonbinary characters. In some of these, it’s really discussed and a big part of things, in others it’s very casual and maybe just mentioned offhandedly or implied. (In real life, they/them pronouns do not automatically mean someone is nonbinary, but for the purposes of this list, I might be making some assumptions about characters. Many of these take place in worlds where the labels we use might not even exist.)

I have about twenty more books I’ve read that didn’t make the cut because I truly didn’t remember anything about them, or they weren’t right for me, or the nonbinary character didn’t have a big role, etc. But if people are interested, I can maybe make more posts with those books.

Anyway, I, a nonbinary, enjoyed these, but please remember that everyone is different! No single book represents every person’s experience, and that’s ok. These authors have created unique and nuanced characters with unique and nuanced feelings. Also, only recently have people really started openly talking about nonbinary gender, and some of these books were written before that, so they may not use the same labels or pronouns or talk about gender exactly the way we do now. But I have a lot of respect for authors in general who were putting in genuine effort to write genuine queer characters or characters who don’t fit cishet norms even before these things became as talked about and accepted as they are now. (Still a ways to go in terms of acceptance, but you get what I’m saying.)

So enough of my rambling, go forth and find some new books to try!

*If you’re considering buying any of these books from Amazon US, I’d appreciate it if you use my affiliate links! It will help support this blog at no additional cost to you!*

Sword Dance Series by A.J. Demas

I absolutely adored this series, and this character, and the representation! It’s a non-magical fantasy series set in a Mediterranean-inspired world. Both main characters are so sweet, but Varazda especially is so confident and perceptive and compassionate, and I just love him. He also talks about how he doesn’t really feel like a man or a woman, but is ok being perceived as either and it gives him balance. It was very relatable for me.
My Review // Amazon // Goodreads

Fire Spells Between Friends by Sarah Wallace & S.O. Callahan

This is the second book in a cozy historical fantasy romance series that I think you could read without reading the first book (though I enjoyed and also rec that one). This is much more casual rep, one of the characters just happens to be nonbinary and use they/them pronouns. But it is a lovely story with such a lovable character.
My Review // Amazon // Goodreads

Key Lime Sky by Al Hess

Personally, there were some things I liked about this book and other things I didn’t, but overall it was a surreal yet chill alien invasion story. And the MC is autistic and nonbinary (xe/xem preferred). I think gender is briefly mentioned, but mostly it’s just part of the character.
My Review // Amazon // Goodreads

Static by L.A. Witt

It has been a while since I’ve read this, I don’t remember it that well, but I do remember that I related to the MC in many ways, and I think it might’ve been the first time I felt sort of seen and understood in terms of gender. This is the oldest book on the list (originally published in 2011, I think). It’s about a character who can shift his/her body/presentation, until one day he/she gets stuck in one form. This book really explores gender and dysphoria and sexuality, it’s more feelings than plot, in a way I found refreshing and thought-provoking.
My Review // Amazon // Goodreads

The Dali Tamereia Missions Series by E.M. Hamill

This is a sci-fi series in which there are people who can shapeshift to change their body and gender presentation, and the MC is one of them. This is the second oldest book on the list, originally published in 2017 (as far as I can tell), and overall it was a great series with action, space adventure, romance, and an interesting exploration of gender. Dali even had some growth I loved about not having to be who others want them to be.
My Review // Amazon // Goodreads

Bad Romance by E.M. Jeanmougin & Jay Wright

This book is probably a lot better if you’ve read the rest of the series first, but good news! I do recommend the whole series! It’s a fantastic queer urban fantasy about a were-spider, but this book in particular is about one of the side characters who doesn’t use a label, but he doesn’t care how he’s referred to and changes how she presents sometimes. He’s also just an interesting character.
My Review // Amazon // Goodreads

Bloodlaced by Courtney Maguire

To be honest, I don’t remember this story, other than it’s historical fantasy about blood-drinking youkai. But I know I found the MC’s gender feelings relatable. They seemed comfortable enough with their birth gender but didn’t really feel like either gender and would change how they presented based on how they felt. Maybe I’ll give this one a reread and finish the series (though I can’t remember if the other books are about different characters).
My Review // Amazon // Goodreads

Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente

Ok, maybe this one is a bit of a stretch because the only indication of rep is one sentence in which the MC is described as “a leggy psychedelic ambidextrous omnisexual gendersplat glitterpunk financially punch-drunk ethnically ambitious glamrock messiah.” But rep doesn’t have to be paragraphs of explanation to count! Also, “gendersplat” is a great term that we should start using. It’s a weird, wild, wacky sci-fi that started slow and took me a while to get into, but I loved it by the end. (There’s a second book out now, but I haven’t read it yet.)
My Review // Amazon // Goodreads

The Mars House by Natasha Pulley

This book is set in the future on Mars where they have essentially removed gender by altering physical characteristics and using they/them pronouns, and the love interest is one of these people. The book is not about this though, this isn’t explored, it’s just the backdrop. But I loved this surprising, mysterious sci-fi book and its fascinating, imperfect characters.
My Review // Amazon // Goodreads

Spell Bound by FT Lukens

This is a cute, fun YA paranormal fantasy with magic and a bit of action and found family. The romance was frenemies-to-lovers with a grumpy/sunshine dynamic, and one of them just happens to be nonbinary (as well as their mentor). Another book by this author, Otherwordly, also has a nonbinary MC, so check that out too.
My Review // Amazon // Goodreads