Although I loved this series, I do think that Souls of Fire and Steel missed the mark only slightly in comparison to its predecessors, which is solely based on the readability as it approached the climax when everything was coming together. There were many moving parts and with the complicated lore and addition of a side quest, although it made sense, it still felt rushed and pieced in. The romance was a little lacking from our two leading characters, but the story’s direction made it impossible for Criswell to add anymore than she already did. If this story ran slightly longer to allow for a more slow, even pace near the end, I think it would have increased the flow and readability and have the reader understand all scenes as they unfolded.

Be warned, just like in most fantasy novels, some characters die and Criswell does not pull her punches. She makes the death of a character quick but meaningful and she does not spare anyone from the axe that would compromise the strength in her story. If it makes sense to kill a beloved character off, she does it and she makes it hurt for both the reader and character themselves. I love this quality to her writing, but I also hate it because you never see some of these deaths coming and they were devastating to read when they hit. But this is a respect I have for her as a reader because when authors make us feel for the characters, you know that they did their job right. Her writing is brilliant and cunning.

It was great to see the inclusion of more flashbacks showing Draki’s other side, as Reyker’s brother, Aldrik. It captured a vulnerability to this villain that could have the potential of a redemption arc. It also mixed up the writing style a bit by including dedicated chapters for his character which only increased Criswell’s dynamic storytelling.

This book opened with a banger as Lira is now thrust into Draki’s grip and she cannot escape it. She is his ultimate weapon. Similar to Lia and the Komizar in The Remnant Chronicles, she is forced to go against her beliefs and her friends. She is tasked to kill the very man she loves and to add even more stakes, this is the villain’s brother. Like I mean, come on, the drama there was palpable.

“How could beauty be so disturbing? His golden-green eyes were sharp, calculating. Silken silver hair fell over his broad shoulders. Draki was clad in a sleeveless fur vest that he’d left unbuttoned, revealing taut muscles and inked skin. The pier and everything around it wore a wispy gown of white, but the cold never affected Draki.”

And look at this, the way Criswell even describes Draki could have people choosing the bad boy villain over the loyal, soldier, Reyker. She made him irresistible, kind of like the Darkling in Shadow and Bone.

You can see her fighting him immediately which I loved but then you start to respect her even more after you read this, “My body was covered in scars. Behind both ears, where Draki had carved his dragon stars, though I couldn’t see them. I could, however, see the matching marks he’d carved on my calf. My hip. My wrist, where Reyker’s skoldar once was. And another, between my breasts, over my heart—as if the mark might sink through my skin into the pulsing muscle and persuade it to pound faster at the sight of him, to beat for no one but Draki.”

My jaw was on the floor when I read this description . First of all, he’s abusive and controlling and he’s put so many wounds and markings on her just to keep her under his influence, but that’s not even the zinger. Although very disturbing and graphic, Criswell included a scene where they become more than slave and master. It gets hot and heavy. She introduced a teaser of Lira and Draki romance and I didn’t know what I was reading. But if you like bad boys going with the main character, then this might be a book for you. I still can’t believe this happened. It’s surreal.

“Garreth’s fist slammed against the table. ‘Speak ill of my sister again and I will hang your from a rope as I did your brethren!” I loved the side characters in these books. Here we have Garreth, Lira’s brother, and I loved this line. He has very strong family values, love for the main character, and he has the balls to call out anyone for speaking against her. He’s protective and I love it.

Then we have Solvei and Sursha, two badass female warriors who become leaders in their own right based off of merit and skill. They are everything you want in a fantasy series that’s hellbent against women having power and leadership, they simply don’t care and they take what they deserve and I loved their scenes so much!

And then of course we have Brokk, I could never forget about him. He cares so much for both Reyker and Lira and he is hilarious to a fault. This sweet moment of bonding was an amazing scene between the main character and him that showcased his humour while still keeping the moment serious.

“This was the most cursed place in Iseneld, where covens had performed rituals and sacrifices inside a circle of god-touched stones. It was where many volvur died when Draki came to capture them, running straight into the blades of the Dragonmen, taking their own lives to keep their powerful spells out of the Dragon’s grasp. The Magiska Massacre many called it, whispering how the spirits of the volvur remained where they had fallen. Witches’ blood had soaked the soil and turned it fallow.”

This was my most anticipated part of the whole novel. Seeing the Haunted Isles come to life in this final book was everything. It was scary and it gave the story this rough and dark atmospheric immersion that only helped raise the stakes for the final battle, of both mind and soul.

And last but not least, a little bit of character development for our boy, Reyker. This little scene between them was great because it showed Reyker being able to receive forgiveness for his past, horrible actions. Showing he’s earned it for what he’s done since. It felt like his character was coming full circle and I loved that for his character.

All in all, the characters were still incredibly fleshed out, the plot was there, the villain was still ruthless (especially with his treatment of the main character, Lira—both physically and mentally), and overall this was a typical, well-written fantasy read. I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves Mary E. Pearson’s The Remnant Chronicles and Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone series since they both deal with similar themes, like magic, prophecies and lore. Definitely pick up this series if you’re looking for a new fantasy series because this one will not disappoint and they’re all out now, so go ahead and binge them!

Souls of Fire and Steel is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up Souls of Fire and Steel? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

To save her lover’s life, Lira of Stone swore allegiance to a demigod known as the Dragon. She’s transformed into his weapon—the Dragon’s deathbringer, using her gifts to conquer nations and unleash demons. Yet there’s a part of Lira not even the Dragon can stifle, and the soul-reader must find a way to free herself before he declares war against the gods.

After the warrior Reyker Lagorsson attempted to overthrow the Dragon, Reyker’s soul was fractured. Now, he’s a shadow of his former self, and his battle-madness grows stronger by the day. Reyker will stop at nothing to kill the Dragon and his mysterious death-bringer before his curse consumes him.

In the final installment of the Frozen Sun Saga, Lira and Reyker face off as enemies, confront their worst nightmares, and make their last stand against the Dragon. But can a god be killed? And if so, at what cost?

The post Review: Souls of Fire and Steel by Jill Criswell appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

This book would be perfect for fans of the Bridgerton novels by Julia Quinn as they also heavily feature society’s formal rules of the ‘ton’. I also respect and enjoy Jordan’s writing as a whole and although Sixteen Scandals wasn’t a hit for me, I loved her Reign of Shadows duology that features a Rapunzel without sight. This series is amazing and perfect for people who love unique fairytale retellings!

Our main character Primrose started off really likeable. She was stubborn when it came to her mother and her rules, she was an avid reader, and she was hilarious as hell to read! But I didn’t like how much she would lose her confidence and sneak back into her shy shell because it really set her character back and it made it harder for me to respect her and the growth that her character would achieve by the end of the story. There’s being shy and then there’s being too cautious and self-conscious. And I think that way of thinking stunted her growth too much.

“Her temper prickled at his clear insinuation. Prim let go of his arm, disliking his tone. He was no longer the only one annoyed now. He did not think her concerned with propriety? Well, on this night, she was not. True enough. But while she may have temporarily cast aside the trappings of decorum, she did not appreciate his judgment of her. He did not know anything about her. Excluding the facts that it was her birthday and she was acquainted with Mrs. Zaher, and that her hair was a rather unfortunate shade of red.”

I liked her temper here, especially when it came to her first initial meetings with the “man-boy” Jacob. This gave her some cred because she shared her opinions and I like how she was bothered by the assumptions that he was making. It created the perfect amount of tension to start the romance off. You could sense the chemistry and the attraction that was going to come from this and I was excited for more!

“My hair is too…brazen.’ Mama had told her that plenty of times.
‘Your hair is beautiful.’ The rejoinder came quickly. Forcefully.”

The only part that I hated which she constantly brought up as an insecurity was the colour and vibrancy of her red hair. This is even after both her friend and love interest recognise it as a beautiful thing that she shouldn’t be ashamed of. It was interesting for the author to include this trait as a negative in the main character’s eyes because they don’t usually have this insecurity, it’s usually a distinctive feature that makes them extraordinary or a stand out to all the other characters.

“See there.’ Olympia nodded to the stage as they wove through the room, locating a vacant table. ‘You bemoan your hair while there are those desperate to replicate it.”

I get why she did it because Prim didn’t want all this attention and the red hair created a sort of beacon for it, which her mother obviously hated, but she should have embraced it from the beginning and that would have shown her character to be stronger. Building up her confidence just a bit more at the start would have helped her character shine and this could have been done through her bright hair.

“Why wear it, of course. I’ll look quite the lady, don’t you think?’
Simon jerked a thumb in Prim’s direction. ‘This one’s got more meat on ‘er than ye. It won’t even fit. The thing will hang off ye.’
Nell slapped his arm. ‘Watch yer tongue. I’ll not ‘ave ye insulting another female for the shape the good Lord saw fit to bless ‘er with.’
Simon sputtered, gesturing at Primrose. ‘I merely pointed out that ye and she do not–’
‘Enough.’ Nell waved a finger to silence him. ‘Next thing you’ll be insulting me.”

One thing I did really appreciate was the inclusion of this scene because although it was an altercation between a female thief and Prim, the message she gives to the main character and her male companion was beautiful! It was a body positive comment in an era that didn’t recognise it as so and it was great the direction and concept that Jordan wanted to give to readers. It didn’t matter that it didn’t fit with the society the story takes place in because this is an important message to all women and the body shaming that happened during this time was not okay. This woman calls it out straightaway and that made me like the story more.

The way Jordan depicted her female characters was great! She gave them scenes where they didn’t care if they had a healthy appetite and would eat their fill. No one should be ashamed for their diet and I know a woman’s diet is highly judged, especially when this takes place and despite it being that way she gave Aster and Primrose the confidence and defiance to strike back from that status quo. Having a healthy love of food with none of the shame made this reader happy!

“She suffered a quick stab of guilt at the memory of all the times she had joined Aster in poking fun at Violet when she returned from Bond Street with some ridiculous confection that she insisted was the height of fashion. Prim shoved the memory aside. Violet was a sister. Insults were their love language.”

‘Insults were their love language’ struck a chord with me. Being a middle child of four, I got this right away and it is 100% accurate. The bonds she has with her sisters were real and genuine, you will not get along with your siblings all the time and there are definitely personality clashes and this book represents them perfectly with Primrose and her sisters. It was a masterclass in sibling relationships.

“Matches were made for practicality, not because of things like flutters. Mama had lectured on that point too many times to count. Along with the warning not to expect emotion or sentimentality from a future husband. According to her mother, it was not in a man’s disposition, as they were far too concerned with masculine pursuits. And why was she thinking of matches anyway? She was not in one of the gothic romances she purchased from the local bookshop and then hid from Mama. Mama blamed such books for filling Prim’s head with rubbish. And it was not as though Jacob was a viable marital prospect.”

Once again I loved how much Prim loved to read. It made me relate to her easily. The use of the word ‘flutters’ stood out to me as ingenious, It’s a new take on butterflies that’s very similar and yet unused to convey the same emotions one has when attracted to another, it was brilliant! It was a refreshing take on an exhaustive cliché and I loved its use here! It’s just so clever and simple and yet reads so much better than it’s cliched other half.

Sixteen Scandals is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up Sixteen Scandals? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

In this irreverent regency romp by New York Times best-selling author Sophie Jordan, newly minted sixteen-year-old Primrose Ainsworth finds herself on a wayward birthday adventure through London with a mysterious hero—perfect for fans of My Lady Jane.

The youngest of four daughters, Primrose Ainsworth is used to getting lost in the shuffle. But when her parents decide to delay her debut into English society, Prim hatches a plan to go rogue on the night of her sixteenth birthday.

Donning a mask, Prim escapes to the infamous Vauxhall Gardens for one wild night. When her cover is nearly blown, a mysterious stranger intercedes, and Prim finds an unexpected partner in mischief . . . and romance. But when it’s revealed her new ally isn’t who he says he is, her one night of fun may last past dawn.

In this frothy regency romp perfect for fans of Austen-esque flirtation and Shakespearean hijinks, sometimes a little scandal can be a good thing.

The post Review: Sixteen Scandals by Sophie Jordan appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

“You need to stop staring at my ass,’ she said with her fists planted on her hips.

He smiled and turned to face her squarely, sliding a hand into his pants pocket. ‘On the contrary, I was studying all of you. Not just your stunning backside.’

‘Studying me?’ Did he say stunning? Huh. She was tempted to swivel her head for a peek at her ass.

‘I’m a photographer. It’s hard for me to ignore things of beauty,’ he said smoothly, his dark eyes holding her gaze. An involuntary trill shot down her spine.”

I don’t know how much interaction they had in Lee’s first book, A Sweet Mess, because their attraction spoke of a past history or relationship (like they’ve known each other longer than the book makes it out to be). Tara instantly dislikes him and calls him out for ogling her at the wedding despite his occupation as a wedding photographer, so it speaks that they have had prior scenes together from the previous book, which I am yet to read.

“He appreciated her honesty, intelligence, and loyalty. A conversation with her was an adventure—always interesting and often hilarious. And, God, she was so beautiful that she literally took his breath away. Seth wanted Tara to the point of distraction, but that wasn’t the driving force behind his proposition. It was about the fun and excitement of getting to know her better.”

I loved the idea of the Dating Dare, but it seemed like they liked each other way too quickly. It would have been great to see more animosity between them because of the tone set at Aubrey and Landon’s wedding. Tara seemed to really dislike him, but then after just the first date, she already seemed smitten. I can’t blame her completely because Seth was adorable especially when he played the useless prince for the little girls at the park. Lee started Seth’s dates off so strong that I can’t really blame her for falling for him.

Her cute little quirks on the night of the Dating Dare was adorable, including her want of tater tots, hilarious but then she followed suit with the fact that she hates peas and cooked carrots. These funny little details really brought the characters to life and added great chemistry between drunk Tara and relatively sober Seth.

I swooned when he said that she didn’t need shapewear as so many of us are worried to embrace our curves and do everything we can to try and hide them and here’s Seth saying she’s perfect without it. (DISCLAIMER: I’m not saying that men need to tell us that for women to feel comfortable, I just appreciate the recognition on his part that shapewear isn’t necessary to feel and be seen as beautiful). It was an ADORABLE moment! This is definitely something that I was so glad to see in a rom-com for 2021 because female body image suffers greatly in the romance category because they are stuck in one form of beauty (you know the one, slim and slender) but here The Dating Dare breaks that mould. It’s not the first to do so and I really hope it isn’t the last, but it was great to see. I also loved how Lee used Seth’s perspective to say that shapewear isn’t necessary because that is a huge insecurity for women! He also thinks it rather than saying it which is huge because that makes it genuine. He’s not saying it to impress her or get her in the sheets. He’s simply saying his opinion in his mind as he tries to help her. There was nothing for him to gain by it which only made me fall harder.

“If she gave into her attraction for Seth, would he begin demanding more of her? More of her time? More of her affection? If she fell for him, she would do anything to make him happy. Nausea churned in her stomach. She would be lost. But what if she was so badly broken that she turned into the one to confine him within her expectations—the one to constantly demand more until he believed he wasn’t good enough. For a moment, terror swept through her.”

It did get a little annoying near the end when rejections happened between Tara and Seth because you could tell that they were perfect for one another and being provided both perspectives told you that they really did love one another. I get that it throws a twist into the story and might provide a more realistic thought process for Tara especially, but trying to make her stay true to her principles regarding love actually made her slightly more unlikable.

So there is something that definitely needs to be addressed because it was right at the beginning of the romance in this romance novel and it was also very YIKES! You’ve been warned! The feeding each other thing was cringey to me because to me this isn’t a romantic thing to do so it bothered me, especially when they share their first kiss by tasting a salted caramel brownie… Like she’s mid eating it and then he lunges in for his “one bite” which was a cute concept until I realised that his one bite was basically mid chew for Tara. With all that said, the food references and comedic writing were enjoyable throughout despite this aspect to the romance. Seth is a guy who shares his fries, acts as a personal seatbelt, and remembers that she loves tater tots and hates peas and cooked carrots. This is definitely a guy who has fallen in love ahead of the girl (which I also I really liked because it’s usually the men with the commitment issues).

If you love romantic comedies like I do, definitely check this one out! They kind of reminded me of Jasmine Guillory’s third book, The Wedding Party, as these two seemed similar to Theo and Maddie.

The Dating Dare is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of August 3rd 2021.

Will you be picking up The Dating Dare? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Jayci Lee, author of A Sweet Mess, returns with The Dating Dare—her next witty, chemistry-filled romantic comedy.

Tara Park doesn’t do serious relationships. Neither does she hop into bed with virtual strangers. Especially when that particular stranger is her best friend’s new brother-in-law. It isn’t an easy decision, though. Seth Kim is temptation personified. His unreasonably handsome looks and charming personality makes him easy on the eyes and good for her ego.

When a friendly game of Truth or Dare leads to an uncomplicated four-date arrangement with Seth, Tara can’t say she minds. But their dates, while sweet and sexy, have a tendency to hit roadblocks. Thankfully, their non-dates and chance meetings get frequent and heated.

Seth is leaving for a new job in Paris in a month and a no-strings attached fling seemed like a nice little distraction for both… But soon Seth realizes that Tara Park doesn’t come in a “nice & little” package–she’s funny and bold, sweet and sexy, and everything he ever wanted and never expected to find. Neither of them are ready for something serious and both have past relationship baggage they’ve been ignoring, but with a shot at forever on the line will they follow their hearts and take a chance on happily-ever-after?

The post Review: The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

“Pan pulled me into a hug, wrapping his arms around me. And that’s all it was for a minute, neither of us saying anything, just content to hold one another. I couldn’t remember a single time in my life that someone had just held me like this, not pulling away or asking for anything more.

‘I missed you,’ I said quietly.

First, let’s talk about the constant teasing of romance between our leading lady, Ulla and researcher, Pan. I waited so long for these two to get together and guess what? It finally happens! They are nothing but adorable and I think it might have even been worth the wait! They had a relationship that slowly grew as the plot progressed and it felt natural. I’m not going to lie, I think Hocking took a little bit of pleasure with teasing us readers with the romance but I think that only made it more successful. It was clever! 

“Breathless and elated and warm and terrified and safe, but mostly I felt totally and completely in love with Pan. When I looked up into his eyes, so warm and dark like black tea on a winter morning, I knew that I loved him with every part of my being…Pan laughed warmly, and then he put a finger under my chin, gently forcing me to look up at him. ‘Ulla, I was falling for you when we went to Sweden, and the only thing that’s changed about my feelings is that I care about you more every day that I spend with you.”

It was everything I wanted between these two characters to happen and for that I am grateful.

I was glad to see Ulla’s lineage finally explained and I found the interwoven tragic love story between her parents as genius. It added another layer of depth that I wasn’t expecting but enjoyed immensely plus it also made so much sense that I can’t believe I didn’t call it earlier! The amount of mystery and the constant back and forth of who her parents were was at times exhausting so having added that background and history about her true parents made it better suited to the story and once again worth all of the confusion. It also explained some of the mystery behind Sumi and Jem-Kruk which tied their stories together making it more complete.

Another thing I loved was the interaction between Ulla and her other ties to the books that came before. In this case, her relationship with Bryn. Hocking used the 2016 feature film, Trolls, in a scene for the two to bond and critique the movie that’s essentially depicting their lives. I found it interesting and a great use of incorporating pop culture seamlessly with the story and its characters.

“Yeah, yeah.’ I was sitting on the stool, trying to pretend that I wasn’t scared by the sight of the monstrous needle. Honestly, I would’ve classified it as a small metal tube. Needles were thin, petite, less aggressive.  

Bryn was watching me with an amused gaze. When Dagny put on her gloves, snapping the latex against her wrist, I flinched, and Bryn laughed.

‘I didn’t know you were afraid of needles,’ she said.  I bristled. ‘I’m not afraid of them. I just don’t like them.”

Hocking also used Ulla’s particular feelings about needles as another way to incorporate humour while adding to Bryn’s involvement and interactions with Ulla and Dagny. This was both relatable and funny!

Now here comes the bad. So I had a few things that have stuck with me throughout this whole book and now that I’ve finished it knowing that there isn’t another one coming, I have a few comments.

First, the amount of foreign words that were present throughout the story in general. There were WAY too many and it affected the readability of the story. I think if there were fewer words or more explanation to each it might have worked better without impacting the plot. This might have also attributed to the overall length of the story which seemed to run too long and added confusion. Plus many of the words were very similar! Making it even harder to tell which was which.

Next, we have “The Lost Month”. This was the major plot point at the beginning of this book where Ulla and her friends couldn’t remember what happened at the end of book 2 when they were held captive. Ulla retrieved her memory back in scattered flashbacks triggered by events happening in the present which makes sense but the way it felt was exhaustive. It seemed to piggyback the original story of Ulla and her unknown parents. This lost month seemed to take the light away from her trying to figure out her family thinking it had something to do with this lost time. Her lineage plot point was already proving to be more complicated than she ever thought possible and then Hocking threw this broken memory twist into the mix. I was not a fan. I think with how complicated the blood relations were with Ulla and some of the other characters were more than enough for this trilogy and this lost memory only added more confusion where it wasn’t needed. I don’t think the way it was executed worked the way they wanted it to. It served to further Ulla’s story a little bit but not enough for all of the confusion it caused while I read it.

And whatever happened to Pan finally resolving his own blood family? They wouldn’t let him confirm his theories of who it was and especially with it having to do with a royal blood line I found that to be a little farfetched considering royals always want to know their blood relations. This also proved to be slightly disappointing in the fact that this could have been explored and tied into the story as he also had a similar issue like Ulla. I just think it was a wasted opportunity because I was intrigued to know more about the cute and nerdy love interest but ended up not knowing that much about him.

There is an unforeseen death to be had in the final battle which I will not disclose but you have been warned. It is a SHOCK! And I am still reeling from it.

The last thing I want to mention is the presence of the Ogonen. These were higher beings said to have the ability to read minds and seem to resemble what you might call, extra-terrestrials. They were described WAY too much and every time they were mentioned I felt like I was reading about a government conspiracy. I think that was the negative side effect of trying to make them scary (because they were so unknown) and mysterious. I liked where they fit into the story at the end but I think the description and all of their mentions were a bit too much.

Near the end of the book we also get to see more of the final battle as it unfolded by the addition of chapters featuring Bryn and Wendy’s perspective. It opened the scope of the battle and once again showcased characters from her other books, including a scene with Loki running to Finn’s aid with genuine concern after finding out that he was trapped. It was adorable and appreciated! I love all of Hocking’s easter eggs from her other series but again this does not affect the reading experience if this is the first trilogy you’ve read by her. They all link together but can be read separately! I recommend starting with Switched and then the Frostfire trilogy before starting the Omte Origins but it doesn’t have to be read in that fashion. If you liked these books and haven’t read the others, do it and vice versa. Each trilogy has its own merit and you will fall in love with the world of Trylle no matter which one you start with!

The Ever After is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up The Ever After? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

New York Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking concludes the magical world of the Trylle with The Ever After, the final book in her last Trylle arc.

Nestled along the bluffs of the forested coast lies the secret kingdom of the Omte–a realm filled with wonder…and as many secrets.

The Ever After closes the last trilogy of the long-running Trylle series.

The post Review: The Ever After by Amanda Hocking appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

“And tonight he was drinking to get drunk. One hundred days had passed since he had begun searching for Orion. One hundred days since he had delivered Rose and a comatose Quinlan back to Eradore.”

Despite the title of the first book, I think there was way more shadow world incorporated in this sequel. Eion is the god of the shadow kingdom and when Orion was sent there, my heart shattered. He was one of my favourite characters from the first book and having no idea about his fate was unbearable, so I was glad when this was addressed early on. Orion suffers memory loss and is basically coerced into a relationship with Eion, having no idea that he had already fallen for Harry, another character from the same world. I feel like their relationship was only beginning in Shadow Frost and it really ramped up near the end which only made this so much harder to read because I for one wanted them together. Harry makes this book stand out and he was present throughout the entire book and he works so hard to fix things.

“Do not make me repeat myself,’ she spoke, cold ire lacing her voice. ‘I am no murderer.’ She stepped closer to her aunt, her fists trembling at her sides. ‘I am no fool, nor am I ignorant. I am no weapon to be forged by anyone’s hand.”

Luna is a very controversial character. She has a complicated relationship with Asterin due to her mother and this only made things worse between her and Asterin when she chose Quinlan’s life over hers. Betrayal was all she could think of over and over again as she was stuck at her father’s kingdom in book two. She already felt like an outcast before having never been as skilled as Asterin and it was obvious that she could never measure up. This held her back and I feel like being apart helped her to grow. First of all, she stands up to her aunt and then she negotiates with the fearsome Eion, a literal God, all the while playing a dangerous game with a shadow being called Killian who is as ruthless as they come. My favourite part was when she managed to negotiate out of a death sentence from Eoin and turned it around to profit from it which made her stronger and feel like more of herself.

She and Harry are the ones with the most development in God Storm and I loved seeing the morally obtuse characters fighting back and standing up for what they want, despite the very real harm to themselves. They took a gamble with every action and decision and it was a hard to put down book because of them. Luna was very ballsy in her actions in this book and this time, she wasn’t being compared to Asterin at every turn and that helped her character shine.

“Mortals are so fragile, she thought to herself. And yet, what I wouldn’t give to be one of them.”

God Storm introduced several new characters and one of them was Killian, another member of the Shadow Kingdom and one who knew Harry from before he met Asterin and the others, and before he fell for Orion. She’s a vicious and calculating character and yet here you see her underbelly, what she truly wants. This is someone you don’t want to cross and her relationship with Luna is interesting. I’m curious how things develop from here and I wonder if she will get what she really wants by the end of this story.

I loved how strong Quinlan’s familial bond was between his older brother, Taeron, and his cousin, Rose. His fight for survival was only possible with these two fighting alongside him and their relationship was genuinely written. You can feel their love for him and their teasing and constant criticism over him keeping important details to himself felt so real. Ma’s characters seem to carry this bond that unifies them together whether it be of blood or not and I really enjoy that feature to her story. Eadric and Asterin are still close in this book, which I loved, it’s subtle but undeniable. Orion still wants to be there for Luna despite everything she has done and that wasn’t just because she gifted him back his memories.

“The Queen of Axaria had crashed into his life like a meteorite—he had seen it all, right from the start, the attraction, the spark. He had expected her. Underestimated her. Braced himself for the collision, never guessing quite how much her impact would irrevocably change his world. It was the little things—the way she held herself, the way she fiddled with her hands when she paced, the way her eyes had sparkled after the first time they had kissed. And of course it was her strength, too. Her fierce loyalty, her bullheaded determination, and that stupid, irrational, unwavering bravery.”

This was such a tease! I wanted so badly to see more of this steamy romance that was so hot and heavy in Shadow Frost, but this passage really helped curb that opinion. This was so romantic and the fact that they were separated for most of this book made it devastating to read, but the emotional element was there, in full force. They liked to flirt and have witty banter which made their chemistry undeniable in book one and I missed that dialogue between them. I’m hopeful that things between them (as it did escalate but not in the way you guys are thinking!) will be fixed in a way that will make this hopeless romantic happy! I really hope these characters all get a happy ending in the conclusion!

Ma continues to bring humour and seriousness together and it has thrown her beloved characters through a hoop as there’s love and sadness, laughter and sorrow. I’m not sure which book I enjoyed more, but the plot is still going strong and I want to know what happens next. I hope we get to see more of Quinlan and hopefully his current situation is brief, but what I really want is to have them all okay in the end. Hopefully that isn’t asking too much! Harry and Orion are ENDGAME and I love them!

God Storm is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up God Storm? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Everything has a price.

In the kingdom of Axaria, a darkness has fallen. After defeating the evil mother who summoned an immortal demon to kill her, newly coronated Queen Asterin Faelenhart should have every reason to celebrate. Her kingdom is safe, forbidden magic eradicated, and her friends are alive. Except Asterin’s triumph has come at a devastating cost – forced to choose between a lifelong friend and true love, she’s lost both. But the shadows in Axaria have begun to stir once again, and no one is more starved for vengeance than Asterin….

Yet it soon becomes clear that the shadows plaguing her kingdom are just the beginning. Another realm coexists with the mortal world – the beautiful, nightmarish Immortal Realm ruled by the wicked God of Shadow, King Eoin. When their paths entwine, Asterin realizes that Eoin possesses exactly what – and who – she seeks most. And the fates of all those that she holds dear – Orion, her missing Guardian; Luna, the friend she could not save; Harry, the demon who saved them all; and Quinlan, her beloved broken prince – ultimately rest in the god’s hands.

But in a world of magic, not everyone is always as they seem. When shocking discoveries threaten everything and everyone Asterin has sworn her life to protect, she won’t be the only person forced to make a choice…a choice that will change the mortal world forever.

And maybe even destroy it.

The post Review: God Storm by Coco Ma appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Snow White’s nemesis is her stepmother in the original story and I loved this spin on the devious character. You can tell she doesn’t want Sophie hurt, which means she’s harsh to help her. She’s setting her up much like parents do with their kids, disciplining them so that they are ready for the real world. That’s kind of the way their relationship works. Countless times she sets out to harm Sophie on the orders of someone else and the true villain but manages to escape. It takes Sophie’s character a long time to learn Adelaide’s lesson, which goes perfectly with the theme of fairytales and they are there to teach us lessons. Yes, Adelaide tries to hurt her multiple times so her approach isn’t right, but at the core, you can tell she feels for the girl. I think she sees a bit of herself in her, which makes it harder. Donnelly didn’t paint Adelaide’s character with a vicious stroke and I enjoyed this slight creative change because it redeemed her character a bit, kind of like Regina in the earlier seasons of the TV show Once Upon A Time. These characters are more complex than the original texts and that helps to show that people aren’t just one thing, good or bad. They have gone through things that have influenced them to react the way that they do when situations present themselves. I can see multiple sides of Adelaide which weren’t present in the original story and I loved that!

I never thought I would be going into a fairytale retelling feeling sorry for the original bad guy, but for Adelaide, I kinda do. She’s trying to be held at a standard that befits her role in society as Queen, but can’t simply due to gender. Something she had no control over but has to deal with all the fall out because of it. Her constant connections to the gender divide just made me like her even more. Her evilness spins very well with her rage against this divide and she challenges it. This is such a true statement and this is why despite everything I still loved her character.

“The queen gave the glass a bitter smile. ‘I give them no actual cause to diminish me, so they must invent one. Nothing scares a weak man more than a strong woman.”

Reading her perspective was entertaining and had great observations throughout, like this one above! Every time I wanted to hate her for something she did to Sophie she would say something like this to point out her own grief and sadness. This story has you feeling for Adelaide almost as much as the heroine of the story. It’s incredible!

“Sophie smiled now, thinking of the brothers as she started her hunt. She was so grateful for their kindness and care, and she had already grown very fond of them. Schatzi, she’d learned was a sensitive soul. He had red hair and a round face that was very often flushed with emotion Jakob, a decisive man of action, was the eldest. He had gray in his hair and beard, lines in his face. Jeremias was salty-tongued and merry, though Sophie had the feeling his bluff good cheer was a defense, for she’d caught glimpses of a deep sadness in his eyes. Johann was quiet and deliberate, always lost in thought. Joosts was the peacemaker. Josef, who always had hay stuck to him, was happiest tending his chickens, cow, and pigs. Julius was gruff but smart and insightful, and kind, too, in his way. He was the one who’d read to Sophie at night as she’d convalesced, to keep her boredom at bay.” 

This snippet is a great description that breathes life into the seven dwarves from the story. Their names are different, but the range of personalities remain. With such a large cast, its hard to have a lot of characters shine, but reading this, told from Sophie’s perspective, was heartwarming. They don’t have much time on the page as Sophie is separated from them for large amounts of time, so with limited scenes, this was a brilliant way to incorporate them into the story and to showcase each one, even if it is brief. Clever writing!

Next stop, Arno. Arno is the man Sophie meets in the graveyard after a certain twist (which shall not be spoiled here) and he’s so brutally candid, it’s hilarious. Sophie has a righteousness that most royalty possess and that immediately clashes with Arno’s poverty stricken life. She again can’t see what he’s getting at, but every time he gets a chance, he teaches her a lesson about another divide, the rich vs the poor. It was infuriating how she couldn’t get it, but it only let his character shine and have more scenes because he was a voice of realisation for her. There’s a lot this naive main character needs to learn and at times, it was infuriating to read Sophie’s perspective, but the supporting characters helped her see it, even if it took them a long time to do it.

“She’d trusted Haakon, because he was beautiful and dazzling, because he’d spoken a few romantic words to her and made her believe that he loved her. Her heart had been her undoing. Yet again.” 

I have to give her a little break because she was working with an erratic clock for a heart, but it’s still a shock when you read it. She’s up and down constantly and that makes it hard to know where she’s at mentally, because you know her makeshift heart isn’t exactly functional. Looking back the scenes with her going off her rocker weren’t entirely bad. They did lend a whimsical humour that does fit with the fairytale theme, it’s just jarring to read so tread lightly.

Like I said, Arno was the voice of reason for Sophie and I loved his character! It’s like when you yell at the TV while watching a horror movie when the character opens that door or calls out to ask if anyone’s there. You know the moments that are so dumb you can’t believe they do it every time. It was kinda like that, but rooted once more is another valuable lesson.

“I love fairytales. They always give it to you straight. Nothing the maiden was afraid of killed her; fear itself did. There’s a lesson in that story.” 

This is how the new villain is tied in with this story and it was brilliant! This is yet another deduction by Arno, obviously! It was a very clever foreshadow that surprised me. It introduces a more complicated villain structure than first perceived in the original. This is a tale where the stepmother or the huntsman isn’t the main evil to snow white. Unexpected and fresh. They’re even portrayed as victims to an extent.

Let’s move on to romance. The initial love interest could have been Hans’s brother from Frozen sums it up pretty well. Sophie’s heart blinded her from seeing it until it was almost too late to save herself and that is when she meets Will. He’s a grumpy, irritated, and brooding archer and I loved him. I don’t usually fall for those types, but there was something about him that just played really well off of Sophie’s erratic emotions. There’s a scene where she mistakes him for a dog and his reaction is so good. This was a hardcore slow burn romance, but it was worth it! 

‘He is not your prince!’ Sophie shouted. ‘He cares nothing for you and will use you for cannon fodder to satisfy his own ambition. You will die for him, because that is the kind of ruler he is. I will die for you, because that is the kind of ruler I am.”

I had a lot of problems with Sophie and I can’t put it all on her messed up heart, however, as the story progressed, I found it was the characters she met along the way that helped her grow into the Queen she should be and I loved that. She grows tremendously by the end of this and I think that made all of her problematic and naive scenes worth it. Eventually, Sophie was actually standing up and embracing her destiny and it was all perfect. Everything I wanted her to do and was worried she wouldn’t she did. So I’m incredibly happy for how this whole story went!

“Love is a fearsome thing. It is braver than generals, stronger than fortresses. It opens graves and pulls rings off corpses. It sits up through the long, lonely night with a failing child. It fashions hearts out of scraps and bits and rusty things and makes them beat on, no matter how many times they break.”

Poisoned is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of October 20th 2020.

Will you be picking up Poisoned? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

From Jennifer Donnelly, author of the acclaimed New York Timesbestseller Stepsister, comes a fairytale retelling that’ll forever change the way you think about strength, power, and the real meaning of “happily ever after.”

Once upon a time, a girl named Sophie rode into the forest with the queen’s huntsman. Her lips were the color of ripe cherries, her skin as soft as new-fallen snow, her hair as dark as midnight. When they stopped to rest, the huntsman took out his knife . . . and took Sophie’s heart.

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Sophie had heard the rumors, the whispers. They said she was too kind and foolish to rule — a waste of a princess. A disaster of a future queen. And Sophie believed them. She believed everything she’d heard about herself, the poisonous words people use to keep girls like Sophie from becoming too powerful, too strong . . .

With the help of seven mysterious strangers, Sophie manages to survive. But when she realizes that the jealous queen might not be to blame, Sophie must find the courage to face an even more terrifying enemy, proving that even the darkest magic can’t extinguish the fire burning inside every girl, and that kindness is the ultimate form of strength.

The post Review: Poisoned by Jennifer Donnelly appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Coco! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi, everyone! I was born on August 21st 2000 at 7:05 am in Toronto. At 7:06 am, I opened my eyes for the first time and immediately asked the nurse for a slice of cake. Just kidding, sorry. I would never ask for a mere slice of cake when I could ask for the whole thing! Anyway, I’m currently a third-year graduate student at Yale University, currently studying piano performance. Besides music, I enjoy longboarding,

Your latest novel, God Storm, is the sequel to Shadow Frost and it is set to release October 20th! Can you tell us about it?

For sure! God Storm picks up right after Shadow Frost. Just like the first book, we get different POV chapters from all of our favourite characters (as well as some new faces!), Six of-Crows style. Whereas Shadow Frost was very loosely based on Snow White, God Storm steals little bits of multiple fairytales here and there, so try and catch them all! As readers of the first book will know, most of the characters get separated at the end of Shadow Frost. I promise that they will be reunited in God Storm—just not in the ways that you might expect.

How was the writing process this time around? Was it similar to the first? Or different altogether?

It was quite different. Back when I was writing the first chapters of Shadow Frost, I had no idea where the story would eventually take me (i.e. a three-book publishing deal). So I went into God Storm with a very different, more organised approach. The biggest change was that I ended up making an outline for the book, which helped me plan the arc for the entire series. I definitely prefer the slightly more organised approach these days, since my life is already kind of crazy! Sometimes I don’t have time to write for a few days when university gets really busy, so having that outline helps me keep the pacing consistent throughout the book even when I feel like my life has veered off-track.

What was your favourite scene? Do you have a favourite character?

My favourite scenes to write involve our beloved Luna Evovich, who we discover possesses a secret identity in Shadow Frost, and her bodyguard, a brand new character by the name of Lady Eirene Killian. Lady Killian, too, hides a mysterious past and many dark secrets. She’s full of cunning, and her wits are sharper than the knives she wields. I’m sure her magical abilities will also interest a lot of readers—she’s got powers that we’ve never quite seen before.

What was the hardest part to write?

Honestly, I think it might have been the beginning. Between the querying and publishing process, it had been two years since I’d finished the first draft of Shadow Frost, and it took me a while to ease back into the swing of things. I usually don’t do a lot of rewriting, but I ended up cutting off a good chunk of the first few chapters and starting from scratch. On the other hand, I had spent the extra time between books envisioning the plot for God Storm so much so that the rest of the book practically wrote itself. I only wish I could say the same for the third book!

What’s in store for your beloved characters in the third and final book? Can you give us any hints?

God Storm explores the Immortal Realm quite a bit, but I’m thrilled to say that the characters in the third book will get to explore some of the other magical kingdoms in the Mortal Realm that we haven’t had a chance to visit yet, such as Volterra and Lethos, the kingdoms of earth and fire! Obviously, it’s kind of hard to talk about the third book without some major spoilers, but let’s just say that when Asterin and company must face the oncoming darkness, they will be joined by some very powerful allies—the most powerful beings, in fact, that this trilogy has ever seen.

What’s next for you? Are there any secret projects you’re working on?

Mwahaha, yes! I’m halfway through drafting my next big project. It’s a fantasy novel set in modern-day NYC and it’s filled with monsters and magic and kickass characters. I can’t wait to share more about it!!!

Do you have a favourite book? If so, what is it and why?

I recently read the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown and was absolutely floored by it. I cannot believe that man did not plot the first book out. It was so complex and intricate and fast-paced. That’s a superpower, if you ask me!

Since I last interviewed you, I took up your advice and watched Sex Education on Netflix and it was so good! Do you have any other TV recommendations for us?

UH, YEAH. FLEABAG. I binged both seasons in a single sitting. It’s fanTASTIC. Brilliant. Absolutely wicked. I wish I could say that I’ve found something like it since, but nothing has come close.

And of course, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?

I have a strange feeling that my recommendation is the same as last year, but the author had only just announced the book. Now it’s finally out—The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab!

Will you be picking up God Storm? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Coco Ma, Author of ‘God Storm’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

“Gwen’s blue eyes twinkled, in stark contrast to the acid spilling from the lips below, plump with fresh filler.”

Right away I was smacked with this glorious depiction of the main character’s mother and I knew at this moment that this was going to be good. This is a great example of incredible description written with few words, but loads of impact!

“I knew you were still reading those books. Getting lost and daydreaming about those ridiculous stories. All books do is cause problems. And they’re banned, Elodie.”

I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this main character because she seemed hell-bent on following all the rules, out of fear of the virus, but she wasn’t completely and I loved this rebellious nature, especially since she was pretty ballsy reading banned material out in public. She was dancing with danger and all she saw was a girl who loved to read. Then I realised how clever Cast was as she created books as a weapon and the threat they posed was rightly represented. Books are powerful because they contain ideas, ideas that some don’t want out. They actually take the time to rid these books and lock them up. This was a great connection to make and it only worked better with the story as it served as a great contrast to all of the new and growing technology that this society runs on. Sometimes the most dangerous things are the ones that seem the most harmless. This society was learning that lesson but for Elodie they weren’t quick enough in stopping her from thinking otherwise.

“This morning was turning to shit. But at least he hadn’t walked into a door.”

Talk about a great meet cute, am I right? Elodie is an introvert and Aiden, well he’s not. I loved his chapters and his voice possessed a brooding yet charismatic nature that I was loving. It’s hard to explain but his soft, dry-ish humour became addictive and Cast managed to sprinkle one liners in at just the right moment. Pure genius!  And to top it off, he resorts to handwritten notes as a way to communicate with Elodie and although there are other reasons for it, I found it cute and romantic. It was an ode to the days of old and this hopeless romantic was eating it up! They also bond over showers because apparently in this world they go back to baths, which I found really odd to bond over, but I guess it adds a quirky angle on their relationship. That whole scene was awkward! I’m still not sure how I felt about it but him and Elodie are perfect!

“Elodie was striking, noticeable. But her true beauty surfaced as her layers of protection flaked away and she unfurled, bloomed into herself.” 

This is how Aiden sees her! Enough said! But wait guys, Aiden isn’t who she is with. Cue the twist! In this society, people are matched and there’s no touching so everything is really detached and it’s kind of like an extreme arranged marriage. Rhett is matched with Elodie, and he is a soldier with a dumb, violent jock personality and 100 % believes in what the Key has told him about the Cerberus virus and what ways are the most effective in battling it. Throughout this entire book, it was clear these two were incredibly different and as he came into more and more scenes, he only proved that right.

“That’s probably for the best. His chest puffed and he waggled his left brow. ‘You’ll want to watch the master at work for a little bit. Really get a feel for how it should be done.’ He picked up the gun and fit the curved box magazine into the receiver. ‘We might want to start you off with something a little smaller. You can’t handle this bad boy.”

I couldn’t believe Rhett said this to Elodie and she is definitely better off without him. With so little scenes with him actually present, it seemed like he got worse and worse as the story continued to progress. But this isn’t the worst of it as he likes to be condescending since he sees the male gender as superior.

“Aiden was a good person. Elodie knew that. She felt it in the way he spoke to her. The way he looked at her. The way he interacted with the world and the people around him. Kindness clung to him like skin. Not like Rhett and his pretentious, self-important ramblings, or the way he looked at her when she wasn’t wearing the exact right outfit, or how he spoke at her instead of with her. And then there was the way Rhett did nothing at all. Nothing at all when she needed him the most. Nothing at all when she needed a shield against the storm that was her mother. Rhett kept his career safe, his image safe, himself safe, but he never kept her safe.”

And this is why I hope she gets a happy ending in the romance department because unlike many other books, Elodie has realised that her current relationship isn’t a good one and she acknowledges it early! So let’s hope she can turn things around and with how things ended I’m really curious to see what she does.

There were a lot of zingers at the end of the book which I will not spoil because they will have you on the edge of your comfy seat begging for answers by the time you finish. The sequel, The Key to Fury, is set to release towards the end of 2021.

The Key To Fury is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up The Key To Fury? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

To Health. To Life. To the Future.

We are The Key.
‘No touching today for a healthy tomorrow.’

Elodie obeys The Key. Elodie obeys the rules. Elodie trusts in the system. At least, Elodie used to…

Aidan is a rebel. Aidan doesn’t do what he’s told. Aidan just wants to be free. Aidan is on his last chance…

After a pandemic wiped out most of the human race, The Key took power. The Key dictates the rules. They govern in order to keep people safe. But as Elodie and Aidan begin to discover there is another side to The Key, they realise not everything is as it seems.

Rather than playing protector, The Key are playing God.

The post Review: The Key To Fear by Kristin Cast appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi Jennifer! Can you tell us a bit about your latest novel, Poisoned, set to release October 20^th?

Poisoned is a retelling of Snow White – but in my version, the huntsman does exactly as the evil queen commands and cuts out the princess’s heart. This brutal act destroys him, but does it destroy the princess? Hmm, to not give too much away, I’ll just say that there are seven strangers in the forest with some pretty powerful magic who might take an interest in a poor, scared girl with a missing heart.

The idea of a lost heart, and the way the world often makes us feel as if our own hearts have been cut out, is a central theme in the story. I wanted to know why the queen gave that order. What happened to her to make her so cruel? What was driving her? Was it vanity, as the old tale tells us…or something darker?

What’s your favorite genre to read? And write?

For me, it’s really not about genre; it’s all about voice. I’ll read anything if that strong, beguiling voice is there. I’ll follow the author wherever she wants to go. I always know in the first few sentences if it is there, and I absolutely love falling under its spell.

What is your favorite fairytale and why? What made you want to write fairytale retellings? Do the stories hold a significance to you?

That is such a hard question! The Brothers Grimm are my favorite storytellers, but I don’t think I could ever pick just one favorite tale. I love Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, but I also love some lesser-known ones like The Fisherman and His Wife, The Companionship of the Cat and the Mouse, and The Little Mouse, the Little Bird and the Sausage that are quirky, ridiculous and darkly funny.

One of the biggest reasons I want to retell fairytales is that I have – I’ve always had – so many unanswered questions! Were the stepsister really ugly? Who said? And why do we believe them? Did the evil queen really ask her mirror “Who’s the fairest of them all?” or did she have a more important question to ask it? Why did the witch lock Rapunzel away? I need the answers. So I’m writing them.

With so many books about Snow White having been published before Poisoned, how did you make your spin on it different? Was it a challenge?

Honestly, I didn’t know there were so many! Clearly, I’m not as well read as I should be. The thing is, there could be a million other retellings, but each one would reflect its author – her unique perspective, her voice, her engagement with the characters, her years-long relationship with the story – and each one would be very different.

I don’t know that I made a conscious effort to put my spin on the classic tale; the story just unfurled. The need to write it came from many places. One of them was a plea for kindness that came from my main character, Sophie – the Snow White of my story. Sophie is kind and gentle, very good-hearted – but these qualities are not valued at her stepmother’s court—far from it. I wanted to understand how people defeat cruelty, how they face down ruthlessness. Sophie showed me that it isn’t done with more cruelty, with hateful behavior, or with violence; it’s done with kindness.

I know you write books in multiple genres like YA and historical fiction, have you ever thought of expanding to other genres? And with it being the spooky season, we have to ask, would you tackle horror?

I write historical fiction and fantasy for adults, young adults and middle graders, and I love moving between age groups and genres. It keeps things interesting. I don’t only read one genre and wouldn’t want to be limited to writing only one. I’ve never written a full-on horror novel, but I do incorporate elements of horror into my novels. Poisoned, Stepsister, Lost in a Book, and the Waterfire Saga all contain fantastical horrors like witches, ghosts, and monsters, and I really let my imagination run wild with them, always trying to up the ante and make them super creepy. My historical YA novels – A Northern Light, Revolution and These Shallow Graves – contain a different kind of horror: murder, oppression, rural and urban poverty. These horrors, real and shattering, need no embellishing.

What inspires you and your writing? What was the hardest part to write? Easiest part?

So many things! With The Tea Rose – my first novel – it was Jack the Ripper’s London; the streets of the East End took hold of me and wouldn’t let go. With A Northern Light, it was reading the letters of a nineteen-year-old murder victim. Nineteenth century New York inspired These Shallow Graves, and my lifelong love of the Grimms’ fairy tales inspired Stepsister and Poisoned.

For me, there is no hard or easy part with any of my books. They’re all really hard. Writing is not easy for me. I sometimes feel that I’m fighting for every word. I’m on my fourteenth novel now, so you would think I might know what I’m doing, but no – every new book is challenging in a new way, and the blank page still terrifies me.

What’s next for you? Is there another fairytale book on the horizons, one that can join Stepsister and Poisoned?

There is another fairy tale on the horizon.  The idea is very new, and I’m still getting my hands around it, so I can’t talk about it yet, but I’m super excited and can’t wait to share it with readers!

And lastly, do you have any book or author recommendations for us?

I’m currently reading The Night Country by Melissa Albert and Things in Jars by Jess Kidd, and loving them both.  I also loved Where the World Ends by Geraldine McLaughlin and A Map to the Sun by Sloane Leong. All very different books, but they have such strong, distinctive voices in common. Can’t wait to get my hands on Piranesi by Susannah Clarke, and Jack by Marilynne Robinson.

Will you be picking up Poisoned? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Jennifer Donnelly, Author of ‘Poisoned’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

I was ecstatic when I was given the opportunity to interview Kristin! We find out her inspiration for the story, behind the scenes to her writing style and much more!

Hi Kristin! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hello! I am an avid television consumer who feels like a really good person until driving in traffic. I have a love/hate relationship with carbs and just learned to change a car battery. I get very hot when I sleep but refuse to not cuddle up with at least two blankets, and spring is my favorite season.

Your latest novel, The Key to Fear, is out now! Can you tell us about it? 

The Key to Fear takes place 50 years after a virus that is spread by touch has decimated the population. The Key, a pharmaceutical company, is firmly in place as the world leader and has implemented a set of rules for its citizens to abide by, most importantly, no touching today for a healthy tomorrow.

We first meet Elodie, a seventeen-year-old nurse, who craves more than the structured plan The Key has made for her and wishes to make meaningful connections outside of virtual reality. Elodie’s life changes when she nearly bumps into Aiden, a free spirited, bad boy who has more secrets than he’s letting on.

Even though the story is focused around Elodie’s and Aiden’s relationship and how it propels them both toward a new life, this is not a love story. At least, not a love story between this girl and boy. The Key to Fear is a thrilling story of self-love and hope and the discovery of inner strength.

This book is very close to reality right now with the worldwide pandemic. Where did you find the inspiration behind this novel?

I started to create the world and change Portland, Oregon into Westfall, the city where The Key to Fear takes place, about six years ago when while on tour for the final House of Night novel.

I was in a cafe in Salt Lake, staring out the window thinking about what I wanted to do next in life when I glanced across the street at Key Bank and their giant, red logo. Because of how big my feelings were at the time, that image stuck with me.

A few months later, I was back home in Portland and in line at Mod Pizza behind several pairs of teens. It was obvious that each group was together, but they didn’t interact physically or even talk outside of showing the other what was on their phone. My writer brain started spinning and throwing out all of these questions like what would happen if all of our social meet ups were in virtual reality? Or, what if we weren’t even allowed to touch each other? I got my food and sat down and continued on this track, asking myself what would have to happen to create a world in which no one touched?

I’ve been interested in viruses and pandemics since eight grade when I read Richard Preston’s Hot Zone. Actually, I grew up thinking I’d be working in level four hot zones, so it wasn’t odd that my initial idea was that of a deadly virus spread by touch. Then, I started thinking about who would come to power if the population was nearly wiped out and everything fell apart. Well, my uncle works in the pharmaceutical industry doing something I don’t quite understand, but I had recently talked with him, so that was fresh in my mind. Boom, a pharmaceutical company in power.

While thinking about these different aspects, my stored memory of the Salt Lake City cafe and the Key Bank logo ran to the front of my brain, screaming and carrying this giant red sign that said, to health, to life, to the future, we are the Key. As I’m writing this, I now realize that I have some of my best ideas while eating. I guess that makes sense since I wrote the majority of The Key to Fear while eating pastries and breakfast burritos at the Stacks Coffeehouse. 

The main character Elodie is matched to Rhett. The whole time I read this I wanted to know more about this whole logical matchmaking, no touching algorithm. How does it work? And why were Rhett and Elodie matched?

The Key amasses information about all its citizens from the time they’re born. If a person, (who is eligible to be matched from the age of 17), has received multiple match requests, the Key can use this information, coupled with detailed psychological profiles, to pair the best suited individuals. The Key will also use this to match people who have not been requested.

However, that is not always what happens. In Elodie’s case, Rhett saw her at an event and went to the Key and requested her. Because this is a patriarchal society and Rhett is a male in a position of power, his request was granted. The Key then sent word to Elodie’s family that she had been matched. There are also special instances, like with Elodie’s best friend, in which the Key believes they will benefit from not proceeding with a match request.

The process is very political and doesn’t take into account either persons’ feelings or motivations. It’s all about what’s best for the Key.

Cerberus comes from Greek mythology, referring to Hades’ hound in the underworld. Why did you choose that name to identify the virus and pandemic in your novel?  Was there any significance or reasoning behind using this well-known name?

I chose to name the virus Cerberus because I was drawn to the thought of a virus that devours anyone who tries to escape. The imagery the name Cerberus evokes also played a part. Many are familiar with the three headed dog that has a serpent’s tail and snakes growing out of its back, and I wanted to use how well-known this mythological creature is to push the terrifying aspect of the virus that much further.

You’re well known for writing with P.C. Cast as an absolutely awesome mother/daughter writing duo. How does your writing process change writing solo, compared to as a duo?

My writing process with PC isn’t very different from my solo writing process. I am an extreme outliner. (I feel like that could be a show. Extreme Outliner – Writing Edition. No?) I usually write a page about the overall feel and plot of the story followed by a three to five act outline. After the acts outline is finished, I’ll break it down into a chapter by chapter outline. PC and I have adopted this method because it’s the best way we’ve found to keep us going in the right direction. It’s also easier to make changes when you can see each chapter and know how the rest of the story will be impacted if something is added or removed.

What challenges did you face when writing this dystopian?

I had a baby not too long after signing the contract for this series. I thought I would be out for a few months and then I’d get right back to it with no problem. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that simple. I had postpartum depression that lasted for more than a year.  Instead of being able to focus on writing The Key to Fear, I was overcome by anxiety and panic attacks and feelings of not being a good mother, hopelessness, worthlessness, and shame. I spent hours reading articles on how to be a better parent and all the possible things that could go wrong during infancy. It was a “good day” if I didn’t hide in the bathroom and cry. With time and hard work, I was able to inch my way out from under the crushing weight of postpartum depression and work during the few months I had left before my deadline.

Do you have a favourite scene? Favourite character?

The Key to Fear is told from three different points of view: Elodie, Aiden, and Blair. My absolute favorite character is Blair. Writing from her POV makes me feel strong and powerful. She’s an amazing young woman and I cannot wait to watch her evolution as the series continues.

I do have a favorite scene. It’s a very soft moment with Blair who has a very tough exterior. I can’t tell you exactly what happens because it’ll give away too much, but it’s a moment in which Blair blooms a little and we’re able to see even more of the bright, shining light within.

I loved how this book had a great debate on technology and Elodie’s reactions to Aiden’s old school methods of communication were funny and interesting in this pandemic setting. Which do you prefer, physical books or e-books? And why?

My love for physical books will never die. The smell of the pages and flipping through them, seeing how much of the book I have left to enjoy before it ends, they’re parts of the reading experience that I never want to give up.

Is the sequel already in the works? Can you give us any hints?

I am currently working on The Key to Fury, and I am not one for spoliers. My lips are sealed! But what happens to Elodie and Rhett—ohmygoodness! Okay, that’s it! Nothing more!

What’s next for you? Are there other projects on the go?

Besides The Key to Fury, which releases fall/winter 2021, I’m also excited about Spells Trouble. This first book in Sisters of Salem, the new YA trilogy I coauthored with PC Cast, releases May 25, 2021 and is all about twin witches in rural Illinois who must save their town and themselves.

And lastly, do you have any book recommendations or go to authors to check out?

Pintip Dunn, Karin Slaughter, Nic Stone, VE Schwab, Caleb Roehrig, Justin Cronin, and Emily Suvada are all authors whose books I will pick up without even knowing what they’re about. Check ‘em out!

Will you be picking up The Key To Fear? Tell us in the comments below!

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