Malinda Lo is celebrated for young adult fiction that blends emotional depth with vivid worldbuilding, often centering LGBTQ+ characters and themes. In novels like Ash, she reimagines familiar stories through a fresh, inclusive lens.
If you love Malinda Lo’s books, these authors are well worth adding to your reading list:
Nina LaCour writes introspective, emotionally resonant stories about relationships, loss, and queer identity.
Her novel We Are Okay explores grief and friendship with quiet grace, offering the same kind of tenderness and emotional honesty that makes Malinda Lo’s work so memorable.
Becky Albertalli is known for warm, funny YA novels that capture the awkwardness, joy, and uncertainty of teenage life through LGBTQ+ perspectives.
That gift is on full display in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, a lively coming-of-age story about identity, friendship, and first love. If you enjoy Malinda Lo’s inclusive, character-focused storytelling, Albertalli is a natural next pick.
Adam Silvera writes with intensity and heart, often weaving together LGBTQ+ themes, loss, and the search for connection.
In They Both Die at the End, he builds a poignant premise into a moving meditation on mortality and human connection. Like Malinda Lo, Silvera delivers emotionally powerful stories that linger long after the final page.
Casey McQuiston writes witty, inviting novels centered on queer romance, identity, and the messiness of falling in love.
In their debut, Red, White & Royal Blue, McQuiston pairs sparkling banter with genuine emotional stakes, creating a rom-com that is both charming and thoughtful. Readers drawn to the warmth and inclusivity of Malinda Lo’s fiction will find a lot to enjoy here.
Mackenzi Lee brings together historical settings, queer characters, adventure, and sharp humor in a way that feels energetic and accessible.
Her novel The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue follows a reckless but charismatic young man across 18th-century Europe in a story packed with romance, danger, and wit.
If Malinda Lo’s blend of compelling storytelling and nuanced queer representation appeals to you, Lee is an easy recommendation.
Readers who like Malinda Lo’s imaginative settings and strong characters may want to try Kendare Blake, whose fantasy novels often have a darker edge.
Her book Three Dark Crowns centers on three royal sisters locked in a deadly struggle for power, combining magic, political tension, and fierce family conflict.
If Malinda Lo’s lyrical prose and thoughtful exploration of identity speak to you, Anna-Marie McLemore is a wonderful author to read next.
McLemore’s novels blend magical realism with richly drawn characters and themes of family, love, and self-discovery.
When the Moon Was Ours is a particularly memorable example, weaving magic and emotion into a story about friendship and becoming your true self.
C.B. Lee is a strong choice for readers who appreciate inclusive fantasy and science fiction shaped by diverse communities and authentic questions of identity.
Lee's Not Your Sidekick is a fast, funny superhero story filled with romance, humor, and smart twists on familiar genre tropes. Its lively energy and LGBTQ+ representation make it especially appealing for Malinda Lo fans.
Tehlor Kay Mejia writes bold YA fiction that engages with social justice, identity, and resistance while keeping readers immersed in vividly imagined worlds.
Her novel We Set the Dark on Fire takes place in a sharply divided society where women’s futures are tightly controlled, and follows a young heroine as she begins to challenge the system around her.
Adrienne Young writes fast-moving fantasy with a strong sense of atmosphere, high stakes, and emotionally driven conflict.
Her novel Sky in the Deep is a gripping Viking-inspired story about loyalty, survival, and confronting inherited hatred. Readers who enjoy the more adventurous side of Malinda Lo’s work may find Young especially appealing.
Adiba Jaigirdar writes thoughtful YA fiction that explores culture, family, friendship, and queer identity with warmth and care. Her book The Henna Wars follows Nishat, a Bengali-Irish teen navigating romance, rivalry, and family expectations.
Like Malinda Lo, Jaigirdar brings sensitivity and nuance to stories about belonging and identity.
Sarah Gailey creates inventive speculative fiction with sharp ideas, compelling tension, and an inclusive perspective.
Their novel The Echo Wife blends thriller and science fiction elements to examine identity, power, relationships, and morality. Much like Malinda Lo, Gailey uses genre storytelling to probe bigger questions about society and selfhood.
Aiden Thomas writes imaginative, heartfelt stories that bring together fantasy, identity, and deeply human emotion.
His debut novel, Cemetery Boys, combines Latinx culture, supernatural elements, and LGBTQ+ themes in a story that feels both magical and deeply personal. Readers who value Malinda Lo’s use of fantasy to explore identity will likely connect with Thomas’s work.
Kacen Callender writes insightful YA fiction that explores identity, belonging, and emotional complexity with clarity and compassion. Their novel Felix Ever After follows a young trans protagonist as he navigates love, friendship, and self-discovery.
Fans of Malinda Lo will likely appreciate Callender’s honesty, depth, and commitment to portraying a wide range of LGBTQ+ experiences.
Claire Kann writes contemporary fiction with a warm, reassuring tone and characters who feel genuine and easy to root for.
Her novel Let’s Talk About Love follows Alice, a biromantic asexual college student as she navigates identity, relationships, and the uncertainty of early adulthood. If you admire Malinda Lo’s thoughtful treatment of sexuality, belonging, and emotional growth, Kann is well worth reading.
