6 Trans Books Out in Fall 2026 to Preorder Now

Transgender History Month is almost over, and this is a great time to learn about trans history, donate to trans causes and mutual aid, and support trans artists/creators. On that last note, I have six upcoming books by and about trans and nonbinary people that you should know about.

This isn’t a complete list, but it does offer a peek at some of the most anticipated new trans books out soon. Just in time for Halloween season, many of these are horror or horror-adjacent, so place your preorders now! Preordering is the best way to signal to publishers that we want more books like this, and that they’re worth investing in marketing. Plus, it’s a gift to future you!

Espíritu (Cemetery Boys #2) by Aiden Thomas (September 8)

One of the most-anticipated queer books of 2026 is almost here! This is the sequel to the fan favorite Cemetery Boys, a YA paranormal M/M romance novel about a trans brujo who accidentally summons a ghost. I won’t spoil book one, but I will say that in the sequel, there’s more danger and chaos for Julian and Yadriel. They also meet a nonbinary bruje named Angel who has their own ruthless methods for dealing with restless spirits.

Carrying by Samantha Josephs (October 6)

This debut is getting a ton of buzz. It follows Martha, a stealth trans woman—even her husband doesn’t know she’s trans. When she develops a mysterious chronic illness and insatiable cravings, she tries an experimental treatment. But the most surprising change her body goes through is that she’s inexplicably, undeniably pregnant. This body horror novel is being pitched as Rosemary’s Detransition, Baby.

You’re No Better by Andrew Joseph White (October 20)

From the author of Hell Followed With Us and Compound Fracture, this YA thriller follows a 17-year-old autistic trans boy who was raised by a serial killer father. Morgan is determined to prove he’s not like his father, so he starts to investigate his father’s last, unidentified victim. But he’s being followed by a documentary crew, and his classmate, Felicity, demands to join the investigation. If he refuses, they’ll reveal Morgan’s secret—that he was an accomplice. This is a coming-of-age story about clawing towards adulthood and an exploration of exploitation in the true crime industry.

Public Access Afterworld by Jane Schoenbrun (October 27)

The filmmaker of I Saw the TV Glow and Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma has a genre-blending, 600-page horror novel coming out! It takes place across timelines—the 1980s, 2000s, and the present—as several point of view characters get pulled into a conspiracy about a pirate TV network called Public Access Afterworld. In the current timeline, Bethany is a trans content moderator who learns about Public Access Afterworld through a series of videos from a streamer that have her searching for answers.

Sun Chasers by Kacen Callender (October 27)

Kacen Callender is the author of Felix Ever After, among many others. Sun Chasers is about Gabriel, a trans teen living on the island of St. Thomas. He’s haunted by his past and faces frequent threats and misgendering comments. Kole is trying to stay in the closet and hide what’s going on in his homelife, but he can’t help being drawn to Gabriel. As they begin to let each other in, they find a refuge in each other—but can they make it last when it feels like everything is against them?

And If I Die Before I Wake: A Memoir by George M. Johnson (November 10)

Finally, we have the debut adult memoir from the author of All Boys Aren’t Blue. In And If I Die Before I Wake, they discuss their HIV diagnosis and their struggles with alcoholism, as well as becoming the author of the #1 most banned book in the country. “Drawing inspiration from Toni Morrison, Jesmyn Ward, and Ta-Nehisi Coates, And If I Die Before I Wake explores grief, trauma, sexuality, and the Black family through the lens of transformation, healing, and hope.”