Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

“Harrow said, with some difficulty: ‘I cannot conceive of a universe without you in it.’ ‘Yes you can, it’s just less great and less hot,’ said Gideon. ‘F**k you, Nav—’”

Set in a dystopian future, there are nine houses that rule different planets, each one specializing in a different type of necromancy. Gideon Nav has spent her whole life trying to escape the Ninth House, but her childhood enemy Harrowhark Nongenisum (who, unfortunately for Gideon, is also the lady of the house) won’t let her go. When the emperor invites the necromancer heirs of each of the nine houses to compete to be his immortal servant, Harrow needs Gideon’s help. This book has so many skeletons and it’s set in a gothic palace, so it’s perfect if you’re a Halloween lover. If you need more persuading, the quote on the front of the book describes it as “Lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space! Decadent nobles vie to serve the deathless emperor! Skeletons!”