If you’re looking for books with asexual representation I recommend, you’ve come to the right place! The Asexual and Aromantic Database contains hundreds of entries for characters in prose fiction, and while that is a great tool to discover new books and have an overview of what’s out there, it also doesn’t distinguish between awesome stories and terrible ones. This list is a record of asexual books I’ve read, and how much I personally enjoyed them.
* = author is ownvoices for asexual representation (an absence of star could only mean that I do not have the information)
(C) = asexual representation is canon within the text
The Favs
These are books featured in the database I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed. Books on the list are both excellent stories and contain great examples of asexual and/or aromantic representation, while containing only minor aggressions (if any). These books are not perfect, but they contribute significantly to a better and more varied landscape of aromantic and/or asexual representation.
If a book is on this list and you have strong issues with regards to the rep it contains, especially if it pertains to area I am not marginalized in, please feel free contact me with the info so that it can be removed.
A Promise Broken – LYNN E. O’CONNACHT*
Arèn, aromantic and asexual (C) [Entry #188]
Four-year-old Eiryn tries to grieve her mother while her uncle and caretaker, Arèn, fights accusations of her upsetting the world’s balance with a song.
Archivist Wasp / Latchkey – NICOLE KORNHER-STACE*
Wasp, aromantic and asexual [Entry to come]
Text to be added.
Baker Thief – CLAUDIE ARSENEAULT*
Adèle Duclos, demisexual and biromantic (C) [Entry #395]
Denise Jalbert (the Spinster), asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #400]
Emmanuelle, demisexual and demiromantic [Entry #397]
Livia, grayasexual and grayromantic [Entry #396]
Captain Koyani, graysexual and homoromantic [Entry #398]
Yuri, autochorrissexual and aromantic [Entry #399]
Baker by day, thief by night, Claire must find her disappeared twin while dodging the investigator on her case… a woman who just happens to be her new, favourite customer.
“Birthday Landscapes” – E. H. TIMMS*
Cavallan Kee (Val), grey-asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #352]
A disabled and aromantic warrior-mage and legend returns home on leave in time to celebrate his twin children’s birthday with his family.
Chameleon Moon [CM]/The Lifeline Signal [TLS] – ROANNA SYLVER*
Regan, demisexual and biromantic (C) [Entry #115]
Zilch, asexual and biromantic (C) [Entry #126]
Rowan, asexual and biromantic [Entry #124]
Anh “Annie” Minh Le, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #216]
Lisette, asexual and aromantic [Entry #215]
Wren, asexual and aromantic [Entry #214]
Jenny Strings, grey-asexual and demiromantic [Entry #218]
The quarantined city of Parole is burning, sinking into lava. Inside [CM], superhero bar singer Evelyn Calliope tries to help Regan, an anxious lizardman, regain his memory and save the city. Outside [TLS], three teens race across a haunted desert to bring invaluable information for those inside Parole’s shield. And through it all, queer disabled heroes fight for their found families.
The Cybernetic Tea Shop – MEREDITH KATZ
Clara, homoromantic asexual (C) [Entry #99]
Sal, homoromantic asexual (C) [Entry #100]
Cybernetic engineer Sal is always on the move, but when she stops at a local tea shop, she doesn’t expect it to be run by Clara, a humanoid robot in need of repairs. As she lends a help, the two women learn to know and trust each other.
City of Strife/City of Betrayal – CLAUDIE ARSENEAULT*
Cal, aromantic and asexual (C) [Entry #159]
Nevian, sex-repulsed asexual and demiromantic (C) [Entry #33]
Larryn, grey-asexual and biromantic [Entry #35]
Yultes, grey-asexual and greyromantic [Entry #160]
Brune, aromantic and asexual [Entry #161]
In the City of Spires, bickering merchant families still vie for power through eccentric shows of wealth. An idealistic noble triggers a war against the cruel Myrian Empire and an assassin tries to escape hanging for the one crime he didn’t commit, upturning the lives of many in a clash of magic and betrayals.
Cucumber – PENNY STIRLING*
Two asexual spectrum aromantic MCs (C) [Entry to Come]
Two queerplatonic partners in a sword & sorcery duo push back against the hierarchy of relationships and the idea of “just friends” in this striking poem.
Daybreak Rising – KIRAN OLIVER*
Ianthe, demisexual and homoromantic (C) [Entry #74]
What happens when the Chosen One has failed? Celosia was supposed to save everyone from the Council, and her failure cost many lives. Years later, she has a second chance… if her new teammates dare trust her with it.
Elatsoe – DARCIE LITTLE BADGER*
Elatsoe, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #346]
To be added.
Fourth World/New World – LYSSA CHIAVARI*
Isaak, demisexual and heteroromantic (C) [Entry #93]
Nadin, sex-repulsed asexual and heteroromantic (C) [Entry #92]
Scylla, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #191]
When Isaak finds traces of a coin that dates back to an impossibly ancient history on Mars, his life turns into an archeology mystery … one that sends government officials trailing his every move.
From The Dark We Came – J. EMERY*
Belar, demisexual, queer romantic orientation [Entry #373]
Text to come.
Help Wanted – J. EMERY*
Em, questioning asexual (C) [Entry #419]
Em’s new coworker might just be the perfect helper to keep her from failing her Alchemy class, if only he wasn’t so aggravating and endearingly awkward.
The Ice Princess’s Fair Illusion – LYNN E. O’CONNACHT*
Marian, asexual and homoromantic (C) [Entry #413]
Edel, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #414]
Gregor, demisexual and arospec (C) [Entry #415]
To ensure she will never be forced into marriage, Marian pushes back suitors with cold cruelty–under the day her father promises to marry her to the first beggar to come. Edel, who knows well the weight of society’s expectations, ensures she gets the hand, and they must learn to trust and respect each other to survive.
Learning Curves – CEILLIE SIMKISS*
Cora Moss, panromantic and demisexual (C) [Entry #431]
Two career-driven college girls meet when they start sharing notes, and through hours of study and plays in the snow, they learn to rely on each other and get through anything.
Let’s Talk About Love – CLAIRE KANN*
Alice, biromantic and asexual (C) [Entry #368]
After a difficult break-up with her acephobic ace, Alice thinks she’s done with dating–until she meets Takumi, one of her new colleague. He’s incredibly sweet, she’s smitten, and she must decide if her heart’s ready for another potentially-disastrous run.
The Midnight Bargain – C. L. POLK
Ysbeta, aromantic and asexual (C) [Entry to come]
Text to come.
The Mystic Marriage – HEATHER ROSE JONES*
Antuniet Chazillen, demisexual and homoromantic [Entry #64]
To restore her family’s legacy, Antuniet Chazillen relies on secret alchemical techniques and the patronage of a bored Vicomtesse. Between the experiments, the politics, and the dangerous man trying to rip the secret out of Antuniet’s hands, a relationships flourishes between the two women.
Nkásht íí – DARCIE LITTLE BADGER*
Josie, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #165]
Friends of misfortune, Josie and Annie investigate a man’s car crash after he insists a malevolent spirit drowned his baby girl. A brilliant short story steeped in Lipan Apache ghost lore.
Not Your Back Up – C. B. LEE
Emma, asexual and aromantic-spectrum (C) [Entry to come]
Text to be added.
Sea Foam and Silence/A Harmony of Water and Weald – LYNN E. O’CONNACHT*
Maris, asexual and demiromantic (C) [Entry #189]
Bernhard, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #190]
Maris has only a month before she turns into sea foam, and she has no voice to help her. Love comes in many form, however, and she is no closer to understanding which will earn her life among friends and family on land.
Summer Bird Blue – AKEMI DAWN BOWMAN
Rumi, asexual and questionning aromantic (C) [Entry #442]
Rumi’s life is music, and her music had always happened with her sister. When Lea dies in a car accident, Rumi is shipped to her aunt’s place in Hawaii to grieve, and find her way back to the music she always loved.
The Second Mango [SM] / Mangoverse – SHIRA GLASSMAN
Rivka, demisexual and heteroromantic (C) [Entry #133]
[SM] Grief-stricken jewish Queen Shulamit runs off with Rivka, a masked and assertive warrior pretending to be a man, to search for a woman who could become her potential partner. The first book of a rich queer jewish series and universe.
Stake Sauce Act 1: The Secret Ingredient is Love, No Really – ROANNA SYLVER*
Jude, graysexual and grayromantic (C) [Entry #353]
Eva, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #354]
IN WHICH: A cute punk-rock vampire and a disabled firefighter-turned-mall-cop with a dark past join forces to battle the forces of evil–vampires that hunt the streets of Portland.
The Traitor’s Tunnel – C. M. SPIVEY*
Theodore, asexual and panromantic (C) [Entry #28]
Two estranged siblings, an engineer-in-training and a thief, must reunite to unravel the cruel mystery behind street urchins’ disappearances.
Viral Airwaves – CLAUDIE ARSENEAULT*
Henry Schmitt, heteroromantic and asexual (C) [Entry #32]
Henry Schmitt loves nothing more than his noodles and his peace, but when rebels reveal the government’s deepest secret is embedded in his vanished father’s hot air balloon, he embarks on an air voyage to uncover it all.
We Go Forward – ALISON EVANS
Christie, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #364]
Two sad queer girls roadtrip around Europe (Germany, Austria and a little of Prague) while developing a deep and supportive friendship.
Werecockroach – POLENTH BLAKE*
Rin, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #378]
Pete, touch averse, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #379]
As aliens hover above London, three flatmates scuttle across the city to escape. They have more in common with coackroaches than hoarding cardboard and hissing at people, however.
The Recs
These are books I’ve read with asexual characters with good representation that either contain a significant flaw, or didn’t really capture me. These frequently include books when the character’s orientations are mentioned but not explored. To be very clear: I enjoyed these reads and recommend them. They might be one of your fav; they simply aren’t mine.
Among the Glimmering Flowers – LYNN E. O’CONNACHT*
Felicity, demisexual, romantic orientation unknown (C) [Entry #418]
When the crown princess tries to have an adventure, she meets Horse-Friend, a stable boy happy to have his job who winds up in her plans. Together they ran into unexpected trouble and stumble on a course that will drastically change their lives — and the kingdom’s.
A Word and A Bullet – RACHEL SHARP*
Janie, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #207]
When the real apocalypse hits, three zombie-LARPs friends discover their skills may not be enough to get them through the road trip to safer communities in Canada.
“Backgame” – LEV MIROV*
The Necromancer, asexual and aromantic [Entry #186]
A necromancer raises his fellow magician and best friend, a trans man, to give him a second chance at life without the interruptions of dysphoria.
Beneath the Citadel – DESTINY SORIA*
Alys, asexual with a romantic orientation unknown (C) [Entry #444]
While escaping a death sentence, four friends discover the secret behind the prophecies that rule life in the city of Eldra — but it may already be too late to save the city, or themselves.
Beyond the Black Door – A. M. STRICKLAND*
Kamai, asexual and demiromantic [Entry #370]
Kihan, asexual, romantic orientation unknown [Entry #446]
Vehyn, asexual, romantic orientation unknown [Entry #496]
Text to come.
The Black Veins – ASHIA MONET*
Caspian, asexual , romantic orientation unknown (C) [Entry #472]
Exit Plan For Teenage Freaks – ‘NATHAN BURGOINE
Alec, asexual and homoromantic (C) [Entry #466]
Text to be added.
Faerie Godmother’s Apprentice Wore Green – NICKY KYLE
Dea, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #201]
The village of Styesville has a dragon problem, but when Dea — a faerie godmother’s apprentice — comes to investigate, she discovers the problem runs much deeper than a simple creature.
From Under the Mountain – C. M. SPIVEY*
Guerline, demisexual and homoromantic [Entry #25]
Theodore, asexual and panromantic [Entry #28]
Aradia, asexual and aromantic [Entry #155]
Newly thrown into the role of Empress, Guerline must navigate the political machinations of her councilors as a much darker and older force brews war and devastation on her kingdom.
The Galloway Road – CATHERINE ADAMS
Renna, asexual and homoromantic (C) [Entry #31]
As a young mage travels the Galloway Road, she develops a tight friendship with the close-mouthed mercenary accompanying her and together they learn to move on from a difficult past.
Good Angel / Bad End – A. M. BLAUSHILD*
Iofiel, asexual and panromantic (C) [Entry #2]
Archie, asexual and demiromantic (C) [Entry #143]
As a new angel, Iofiel must attend the angel-demon university. When she meets Archie, an imp bullied by his peers, she decides to change major for demon classes… and might have inadvertently triggered the Apocalypse in the process.
His Quiet Agent / Merlin at the Library – ADA MARIA SOTO
Arthur, demisexual and homoromantic (C) [Entry #337]
Martin, asexual and homoromantic (C) [Entry #440]
Arthur Drams is a paper pusher at the secret agency, but his life takes a turn for the interesting as he begins befriending Martin Grove, a mysterious colleague no one has talked to in years, though meal offers and a short talks about sociology books.
No More Heroes – MICHELLE KAN*
Fang, asexual and greyromantic [Entry #196]
Would-be heroes with barely-mastered superpowers investigate numerous Vigilante deaths in this cinematic and action-packed story about camaraderie and persistence.
“Nothing Good to Say” – E. H. TIMMS*
Cuss, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #166]
Gruff aroace warrior travels around the world saving children while ignoring the aphobic rumours trailing him.
“Rainbow Ice Cream” – POLENTH BLAKE*
Tyler, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #204]
A vampire who really only wants to sell ice cream from his truck gets drafted into trouble when he tries to save his reckless friend.
Second Chance – CHELSEA M. CAMERON
Serena Nolan, demisexual and demiromantic (C) [Entry #347]
When Serena Nolan decides to spend the summer at her cousin’s house and queer café, she doesn’t expect to run into her ex, Fiona … or to discover she’s still very much in love.
Secondhand Origin Stories – LEE BLAUERSOUTH
Isaac, asexual and heteroromantic (C) [Entry #376]
Opal dreams of becoming a superhero to protect her people and uncover corruption, but when she travels to Chicago to join the Sentinels, a supervillain has just rammed a jet into their tower home. She finds a family on the brink of self-destruction and bonds with their teenagers as they unravel the family secrets.
The Sound of Stars – ALECHIA DOW
Janelle “Ellie” Baker, demisexual and biromantic (C) [Entry #352]
Text to add.
Summer of Salt – KATRINA LENO
Vira Montgommery, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #407]
In the isolated and magical island of By-the-Sea where a 300-year-old bird nests every summer, the lives of twin sisters from a magical family is thrown into chaos by sudden tragedy, leading to a summer of storm, salt, and love.
Tarnished Are The Stars – ROSIEE THOR*
Nathaniel Fremont, asexual and aromantic (C) [Entry #427]
Text to come.
“Walking the Wall of Papered Peaces” – PENNY STIRLING*
Florence, asexual and demiromantic (C) [Entry #372]
A asexual clockmaker pursues her non-binary plumber fiancé on a quest along a magical wall of origami animals to work out communication issues in their relationship.