Hi, Aamna! Welcome back! How have the past four years been since we last spoke for your debut?

Hi! I am so happy to be back. The past four years have been a whirlwind in the very best way! I am truly incredibly blessed to be living the dream. I’ve been having so much fun writing so many different books across different genres and age groups!

Your latest novel, A Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

cozy, sisters, romance, cottagecore, healing

What can readers expect?

Readers can expect a comforting tale of magic, sisterhood, and romance which is perfect for fans of the Emily Wilde series and Howl’s Moving Castle (both the book and the movie). It’s got garden-magic, bickering rivals, a found family of chaotic sisters, an enchanted forest, and a black cat gf x golden retriever bf pairing. I had so much fun writing this and I hope readers enjoy it as much as I did!

Where did the inspiration for A Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison come from?

I knew I wanted to write a cozy fantasy story that had elements of things I adored: magic, romance, sisters, an enchanted forest, and cottagecore vibes. However, the first spark for the actual story that came to me was the dynamic between Bisma and Xander. I wanted to write about a very prickly and overprotective eldest sister, who’s used to having the weight of the world on her shoulders, and juxtapose her with someone who was her opposite: a rich boy who’s never really had any troubles or responsibilities in his life. I wanted to explore how these two opposite characters could fall in love, and the rest of the story evolved around them.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I really enjoyed writing the scenes between all the sisters in the Enchanted Forest. I am very close with my own sister and my cousins, so I’m always inspired by my real life relationships when writing scenes such as those in a way that makes them so enjoyable. It feels like I’m capturing a small aspect of something I cherish deeply in my life and immortalizing it in my writing.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

I think the most difficult phase of writing for me is drafting the middle of books. I always know where to begin and where to end, but it’s that middle transitional phase that can be a bit difficult to get right. To overcome that, I honestly just have to push through and force myself to get something down on the paper, and then I can edit accordingly. It helps to have scenes that I’m really excited about writing – maybe a romantic scene or a funny scene between the sisters.

What a stunning cover! Can you tell us a bit about the vision and choices behind it?

Thank you! I am obsessed with it as well. The team did such a phenomenal job! We really wanted to maximize the cozy fantasy vibes, and the illustrator did an incredible job all around: all the little elements of the forest, plants, and creatures; the poison bottle; the lettering; the colors. Every bit is intentional and comes together perfectly, and the gold foil is truly amazing in person. It really feels magical

With this being your sixth novel over four years, what are some of the key lessons you’ve learned as an author?

As an author, it’s been important to challenge myself with different types of stories to stretch my creative muscles—that keeps me inspired and excited! For me, being enthusiastic is a vital part of being an author. You have to be your biggest champion. I think it’s also really important to first and foremost write a book that you are proud of and content with. Of course, not every book will be for everyone, but at the very least, you should be happy with your work.

What’s next for you?

The Baby Dragon Bakery is out on August 28 in the UK and September 2 in the US!

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?

There are so many! But I am particularly looking forward to: Behooved by M. Stevenson, Soulgazer by Maggie Rapier, Love Craves Cardamom by Aashna Avachat, and Cecily by Rebecca Carvalho (this isn’t out until 2026 but I’m hoping I can get an early copy hehe).

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Will you be picking up Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Aamna Qureshi, Author of ‘A Witch’s Guide To Love and Poison’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you’re looking forward to any!

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White
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New York Times bestselling author Andrew Joseph White returns with the transgressive gothic horror of our time! A blood-soaked and nauseating triumph that cuts like a scalpel and reads like your darkest nightmare.

This Dark Descent by Kalyn Josephson
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The Shadows Between Us meets Six of Crows in this spellbinding new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, and pulse-pounding action, where the eldest daughter of a renowned family on the verge of ruin joins forces with a mysterious, rogue enchanter and a handsome, ambitious heir to win a deadly race.

Foul Heart Huntsman by Chloe Gong
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends comes the second book in the captivating Foul Lady Fortune duology following an immortal assassin in 1930s Shanghai as she races to save her country and her love.

Into the Bright Open: A Secret Garden Remix by Cherie Dimaline
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This queer YA reimagining of The Secret Garden subverts the cishet and white status quo of the original in a tale of family secrets wonderful and horrifying.

Monstrous by Jessica Lewis
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Forced to spend her summer in her aunt’s strange small town, a teen girl discovers dark secrets hidden in the woods. From the author of Bad Witch Burning comes another pulse-pounding novel perfect for fans of Supernatural and Lovecraft Country.

Your Lonely Nights Are Over by Adam Sass
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Scream meets Clueless in this YA horror from Adam Sass in which two gay teen BFFs find their friendship tested when a serial killer starts targeting their school’s Queer Club.

A Prayer For Vengeance by Leanne Schwartz
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An orphan out to find the truth within a warped religion turns his poetry into prayer―a prayer that awakens a cursed girl hungry for revenge.

The Library of Shadows by Rachel Moore
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Funny, moving, and heart-achingly real, this romantic romp and paranormal romcom debut—through a haunted library with trapdoors, ghosts, and memories—is full of great love that triumphs over even death, perfect for fans of Ninth House and Cemetery Boys.

For Girls Who Walk Through Fire by Kim DeRose
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The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin
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A dark and thrilling vampire romance set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Serpent & Dove series.

If I Have to Be Haunted by Miranda Sun
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Cemetery Boys meets Legendborn in this thrillingly romantic, irresistibly fun YA contemporary fantasy debut following a teenage Chinese American ghost speaker who (reluctantly) makes a deal to raise her nemesis from the dead.

When a Brown Girl Flees by Aamna Qureshi
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In this searing contemporary YA novel from new voice Aamna Qureshi, a Muslim teen runs away from home only to find herself on a breathtaking journey of healing, self-love, and hope.​

Nightbreaker by Coco Ma
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Fifteen years ago, The Vanishing thrust Manhattan into darkness, forever changing the City That Never Sleeps. By day, resilient New Yorkers have adapted, clinging to the vestiges of their cosmopolitan lives. By night—well, you never go out at night unless you have a death wish.

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
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Bestselling author Ava Reidmakes her YA debut in this dark academic fantasy perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Elana K. Arnold.

How to Find a Missing Girl by Victoria Wlosok
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For fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and Veronica Mars, this whip-smart thriller follows a sapphic detective agency as they seek the truth behind a growing trail of missing girls in small-town Louisiana. 

Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For
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14 Young Adult short stories from bestselling and award-winning authors make a splash in Mermaids Never Drown – the second collection in the Untold Legends series edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker – exploring mermaids like we’ve never seen them before!

A Hundred Vicious Turns by Lee Paige O’Brien
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The heir to an arcane bloodline must outwit their ambitious rival to stop a ruthless magical adversary in Lee Paige O’Brien’s A Hundred Vicious Turns, a YA fantasy debut—first in The Broken Tower series—perfect for fans of A Lesson in Vengeance and Hell Followed With Us.

All the Fighting Parts by Hannah V. Sawyerr
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

In the vein of Grown and The Poet X, Hannah V. Sawyerr’s All the Fighting Parts is a searing and defiant young adult novel in verse about reclaiming agency after a sexual assault within the church community.

Everyone’s Thinking It by Aleema Omotoni
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Mean Girls meets Dear White People in this big-hearted, sharp-witted UK boarding school story about family, friendship, and belonging—with a propulsive mystery at its heart.

A British Girl’s Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak by Laura Taylor Namey
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

In this highly anticipated companion to the New York Times bestseller and Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club YA Pick A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, Flora Maxwell heads to Miami to find a path for her future…and finds her heart along the way.

The Society For Soulless Girls by Laura Steven
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A sapphic enemies-to-lovers retelling of Jekyll & Hyde, this dark academia thriller follows two roommates who must solve an infamous cold case of serial murders on their campus after an arcane ritual gone wrong prompts another death.

There’s No Way I’d Die First by Lisa Springer
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A spine-tingling contemporary horror-comedy novel that follows a scary-movie buff as she hosts an elaborate Halloween bash but soon finds the festivities upended when she and her guests are forced to test their survival skills in a deadly game, from debut author Lisa Springer.

Cage of Dreams by Rebecca Schaeffer
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

In this thrilling sequel and conclusion to the City of Nightmares duology, Ness is forced to make a twisted deal with the Nightmare Phantom—only to find herself embroiled in the explosive fallout of the agreement when a botched assassination attempt unleashes chaos into the City of Newham.

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Inheritance Games meets Ocean’s Eleven in this cinematic heist thriller where a cutthroat competition brings together the world’s best thieves and one thief is playing for the highest stakes of all: her mother’s life.

What YA books are you looking forward to picking up this month? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 24 YA Books Releasing In September 2023 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

We chat with author Aamna Qureshi about her debut novel, as well as writing, book recommendations, and more!

Hi, Aamna! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hi everyone! I’m a Pakistani-American Muslim writer based in New York. I grew up in a very loud household, surrounded by English (for school), Urdu (for conversation), and Punjabi (for emotion). When I’m not writing, I love travelling to new places where I can explore different cultures or to Pakistan where I can revitalize my roots. I also love baking complicated desserts, drinking fancy teas and coffees, watching sappy rom-coms, and going for walks about the estate (my backyard).

Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!

The first book I recall reading was Room on the Broom, which I read in preschool. In kindergarten, I read all of the Junie B. Jones books, and as I grew older, I read anything I could lay my hands on. But I didn’t think about becoming an author until I was about thirteen, and that was only after I saw Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me novel. It wasn’t so much the content or the story but the author who inspired me. It was the first time I saw a hijabi author writing in the young adult and fantasy spheres, and I thought to myself, if she can do it, so can I!

When did you first discover your love for writing?

When I was 8 years old! I wrote a little story, printed it out, drew the cover, and passed the pamphlet around to all of my family members. But before I fell in love with writing stories, I fell in love with the act of physically writing. I still remember the first time I wrote my name. I was five years old, with a piece of paper and a pink crayon, standing on my tiptoes by my father’s desk as he worked. With great difficulty, I etched out the letters of my name, and even now, I still remember the incredible fascination and intense satisfaction I felt seeing what I had created. There is so much power in writing, in creating. Looking at my hand in wonder, I realized then that life was just beginning.

Your debut novel, The Lady or the Lion, is out July 20^th 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

spoiled princess meets forbidden romance

What can readers expect?

Readers can expect lots of angst, delicious food, fairy tale vibes, a lush setting, a dramatic princess, a love interest with hidden depths, lots and lots of emotions, and hopefully some laughs and some tears along the way.

Where did the inspiration for The Lady or the Lion come from?

I was inspired by the short story “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton, which I read in my high school AP Language class. But the heart of the story came from my cultural heritage and from my obsession with love stories.

Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?

I found difficulty with writing the political storylines. However, writing the romance was easy for me, so to combat the trouble I was having with the politics, I tried to make those two storylines interact as much as possible. I used the politics to set up good romantic scenes, then had the romantic scenes amplify the more political scenes. Interconnecting them really helped me tackle the initial difficulty.

Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I loved writing the side character of Gulalai. Because she is a bit removed from all the drama, she isn’t so tense, and as such, she was really fun to write. I also loved writing the protagonist, Durkhanai, as spoiled and petulant because she’s such a typical dramatic desi girl. I feel like a lot of times desi girls are shown as demure and shy, which is just not accurate at all. So many of my desi friends are loud and proud and vivacious and vibrant, and I absolutely adore that, so I infused those qualities into Durkhanai and the other female characters.

What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?

Long and brutal! I amassed hundreds of rejections (not an exaggeration) over many years and many projects, and it was an extremely disheartening and distressful process. But I always believed in myself and my work, and now I’m living the dream! So it was all worth it.

What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?

The best advice is that writing is a marathon, not a sprint. The worst advice is that you have to write every day. You definitely do not.

What’s next for you?

The sequel to The Lady or the Lion is out summer 2022 also from CamCat Books, and my first YA contemporary novel, When a Brown Girl Flees, is out spring 2023 with Tu Books!

Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?

I adore Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore; I read it three times in one month. I also recently read and loved Sally Rooney’s Conversations With Friends and Normal People. And I will always recommend anything by Melina Marchetta.

You can find Aamna on Instagram and Twitter, as well as at her website.

Will you be picking up The Lady or the Lion? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Aamna Qureshi, Author of ‘The Lady or the Lion’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.