Intrigued? Well we are delighted to be sharing an excerpt from The Wretched Divine by Adalyn Grace, which releases on September 22nd 2026 and is available for preorder through Hachette UK. For further purchase links, including for other countries, exclusive editions, and more, please visit Adalyn’s website here.

Now, read on to discover the synopsis and the excerpt!

Aurelie Chantelune was born to serve. Raised as a knight in a kingdom ravaged by demons, she’s spent her life honing her blade, driven by the memory of the monsters who tore her family apart and by the knowledge that she’s one of the few who can stop them.

If Aurelie can claim her first kill, she’ll inherit a legacy passed down through the Chantelune bloodline: a soulbond with Yuriel, an angel whose power is vital to her kingdom’s survival. But when those she loves begin turning into the very monsters she’s sworn to destroy, Aurelie is forced to seek help from the last place she ever imagined. Desperate, she forges a second and far more dangerous bond with Severin, a demon she can hardly trust, but who claims to know how to end the war for good.

With their lives and fates entwined, Aurelie, Yuriel, and Severin must team up to hunt down a cure capable of turning demons back into humans. But the more they learn about one another and the deeper their relationships grow, the more Aurelie begins to question the war and her place in it. With both of her bonded on opposing sides, she’ll have to make a choice: continue to stand with the angels, or risk everything by trusting a demon.

The post Exclusive: Read An Excerpt From ‘The Wretched Divine’ by Adalyn Grace appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Holly is a mysterious and magical holiday novella set in the romantic, Gothic-infused world of Belladonna, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Adalyn Grace. Releasing on September 30th in the US and UK, be sure to preorder your copy here and learn more about Adalyn’s UK book tour here. Now read on to discover the synopsis and sneak peek!

Synopsis
Something strange is happening at Wisteria Gardens, the magical manor that Blythe and Aris call home. All they want is a peaceful holiday season with their family, but a group of restless spirits is determined to threaten their festivities. With a new mystery to solve, Signa, Death, Blythe, and Fate must uncover what happened to Wisteria’s ghostly inhabitants and help the spirits move on before it’s too late.

ONE
Blythe

It’s said that the holly sprig has long been used to ward off evil spirits.

As Blythe Dryden stood with her hands on her hips, assessing the foyer of Wisteria  Gardens, she pondered how much of the plant she’d need to decorate with to ensure the most magnificent holiday season. Then she added another bough over the entryway, just for good  measure.

It was fortunate that she’d mastered her powers since learning she was the reincarnation of Life, as Blythe could now grow as much holly as it took to repel demons, spirits, or any other mischievous deities that decided to take a sudden interest in her family. She’d shove every bough down their throats if necessary, because this year, they were all going to have a perfect Christmas.

Wisteria had transformed since Aris’s return. For years Blythe had missed the magic that once pulsed through the home’s very essence. Now, with its owner returned, Wisteria’s heart had resumed its proud beating. Giant statues of fantastical beasts loomed near the grand oak doors, welcoming all who entered into a spacious foyer adorned with intricately carved nutcrackers taller than she was, and well-decorated snowmen that never seemed to melt. The gold-trimmed ceiling showcased a perfect wintry sky, painted with stars and snowflakes.

The hearth burned bright, its flames matching the warm pink glow of strange sconces that lit the room. One of them was shaped like a boar and matched the handle of Blythe’s old bedroom from when she’d first arrived at the palace, betrothed to a man she despised. The memory had her smiling as she draped another bough of holly over its tusks, her heels clicking a familiar echo across the marble floors. Withdrawing several paces to admire her work, Blythe startled when she backed into a firm chest. Strong arms slipped around her, embracing her from behind, and Blythe relaxed into the warmth of the familiar touch. Into a comfort that she wished she could bottle up and carry with her forever.

“You’ve outdone yourself,” Aris noted, pulling her closer. She folded into him, tipping her  head to the side as he bent to kiss it. Her eyes fluttered shut as he peppered kisses down her neck, and she squealed when he ended one of them with a gentle nip.

“It’s not too much?” she asked, forced to finally take stock of her hard work. It was,  admittedly, very green. But that was nothing some well-placed ornaments couldn’t fix.

“Nothing you do will ever be too much.” His lips curled devilishly as they sank down to her bodice.

“Liar.” Blythe snorted, slipping her fingers into his blond locks to keep him close.

It’d been only four months since her husband had returned to her, and Blythe was still  familiarizing herself with this new body of  his—broader chested and a few inches taller than his previous form. His jawline was squarer and more pronounced, his skin a shade darker, and while the changes were just enough to feel jarring, there was enough about Aris that had felt familiar from the moment she’d laid eyes on him. One look and she’d known that the missing piece of her soul had finally made its way home to her.

His eyes were the same, as were the deftness of his clever hands and the way that light always seemed to pull toward him. There were a few other differences as well, though certainly none that Blythe could complain about. In fact, she’d probably be continuing to familiarize herself with those differences now, if not for the fact that it was just days before Christmas and their family was in town to celebrate.

Family who did not seem to understand when to make themselves scarce.

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Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Adalyn Grace’s Wisteria, which is out August 20th 2024.

Blythe Hawthorne has never let anyone tell her what to do—not society, not her overprotective father, and certainly not the man she’s bound herself to, no matter how rude and insufferable he is. In fact, she’s determined to be a thorn in his side for the rest of her days, even as he ensures that her life in his palace is anything but a fairytale. But as Blythe discovers a new side of herself linked to his past, she’ll have to decide if she’s willing to let an unexpected spark ignite…and to discover the truth about who she really is.

Most days, Blythe found solace in the act of slipping into her favorite ball gown. Yet on the day of her wedding she couldn’t stop fidgeting, claustrophobic in the mountains of taffeta that’d been piled upon her. Her feet, too, were positively freezing, the morning dew sinking into the fabric and dampening the velvet soles. Had she not fought so hard to aggravate Aris, she would have long since changed into something warmer.

She reminded herself how sweet that small victory had tasted as the slippers squished beneath her toes and a perpetual chill settled into her bones. Yet all the while she kept a grin plastered to her lips as she stood beneath a wisteria awning, stuck beside Aris as they were forced to greet their guests. Surrounding her was a blur of faces she’d known all her life. Too many of them, in fact. This was no small ceremony, but a celebration worthy of a prince, where delicate chocolates and miniature cakes decorated with golden leaves were ceremoniously displayed on gilded trays and everyone’s wrists and throats glittered with their finest jewels.

Charlotte and Everett Wakefield greeted the newlyweds with smiles and words of encouragement. The duke and duchess leaned into each other, a sparkle in their eyes that had Blythe wondering what it must feel like to be so in love. She likely would never know.

There were faces in the crowd that Blythe didn’t recognize, too. Arrogant ones that waltzed about the reception as if in constant assessment. As Blythe scrutinized them more closely, however, she noticed their eyes were glassy and that they never uttered a word to anyone but one another. They must have been Aris’s guests, as it would have drawn attention if he didn’t have any in attendance.

The townsfolk never let these new guests stray far from sight. From the corner of her eye, Blythe watched as Diana Blackwater slid closer to one of Aris’s enchanted puppets—a man who could be no older than thirty, who claimed a pretentious air and was neatly styled in imported fabrics. Diana positioned herself in an effort to capture his attention, though the man could spare her no notice even if he wanted to as he looped slow circles around the garden, inspecting the decor. After several moments of following after him, Diana gave up with a hiss, fanning herself in a fluster. The moment she noticed Blythe watching, her spine stiffened. Ever so slowly—as if doing so physically pained her—Diana curtsied.

It was then, as satisfaction warmed her from head to foot, that Blythe realized how irredeemable her own soul truly was. That curtsy alone almost made her soggy slippers worth it.

Almost.

“Can you not simply magic this day to its end?” Blythe asked after she and Aris were congratulated by a woman who ran a modest apothecary shop in town. Blythe had never properly met her before, yet she smiled and accepted the woman’s profuse congratulations all the same. “Must we see this charade through in its entirety?”

“You’re the one who insisted on a proper wedding,” Aris reminded her. “I wouldn’t dream of taking such an experience away from a blushing bride.”

Blythe swallowed the foul words that threatened to sear holes in her tongue. It wasn’t worth getting into another bickering match with him. Especially not when her father stood in the near distance, observing the newlyweds with a cautious eye.

It wasn’t that Blythe had wanted a wedding, exactly. Rather, she’d hoped to delay her inevitable fate for as long as possible, and had wanted something that Elijah could bear witness to. She’d wanted her father to see that she was well and that he needn’t worry, which was why she now smiled so wide that her cheeks were beginning to ache. She even wound herself around Aris’s arm when she wished for nothing more than to recoil. His hand snaked around her waist, gripping so tight that pinpricks shot along her skin and all she could think was how she would have to burn this gown and scrub his touch from her body the second she had an opportunity.

It wasn’t until Signa approached that Aris eased his hold, his steely demeanor cracking. If Signa noticed—and Blythe assumed she would have, given that Signa tended to notice most things—she said nothing. Instead, Signa took Blythe’s hands in her own. “You are the finest bride I have ever seen,” she told her, and Blythe smiled despite knowing she was one of the only brides Signa had ever seen. Blythe couldn’t believe that only a few short months ago she’d been uncertain whether she’d ever speak to her cousin again, just as she couldn’t believe that she’d only known Signa for the span of a single year. After all they’d survived, it felt as though they’d shared a lifetime together.

Signa looked to Aris next, whose jaw ticked. Only Blythe could feel how greatly he deflated in Signa’s presence, and while she did not favor Aris, she did pity him. Aris believed Signa to be the reincarnation of the woman he’d spent centuries searching for; he believed her to be Life, the only person Aris had ever loved. And Signa would never be his.

“Miss Farrow,” Aris greeted coolly, though every part of him turned predatory as Death’s shadows loomed closer. “Brother.”

“A shame that my invitation was lost in the mail.” Death’s voice was the shock of an eclipse, or the danger of seawater filling one’s throat. It suffocated Blythe, so different from Fate’s rich exuberance that she at once felt ensnared in an icy current and at a loss for breath.

“Have you plans for the honeymoon?” Signa asked. Despite the fact that the honeymoon was meant to be a surprise to the bride, that hadn’t stopped half of everyone who’d greeted them from asking about it. Still, from Signa the question was odd, for surely she could not be hopeful about this sham of a marriage. She was the only one who knew just how preposterous it truly was, though Blythe suspected that Elijah was also leery. And yet the warmth in Signa’s eyes was so genuine that Blythe’s stomach curled. Leave it to the girl in love with Death to be optimistic about Blythe being bound to Fate.

Signa, in part, had always reminded Blythe of an owl. Her eyes were unnervingly large, and whenever she was lost in her thoughts she often forgot to blink. Blythe had long since made up a game in which she would count how long it took Signa to remember, and Blythe played it then as her cousin stared Fate down with a pinch between the brows. It had been thirty seconds so far, and still Signa had not blinked. It was no wonder so many people found the girl odd; it was a wonder, too, that she never complained of dry eyes. Signa only stirred when Death steadied a gloved hand on her shoulder, and Blythe wondered whether he, too, counted the seconds. Or perhaps the couple filled their evenings staring into each other’s eyes and seeing who could be the most unnerving and go the longest without blinking.

“Why do you want to know, Miss Farrow?” Aris asked, the timbre of his voice earning the reaper’s attention. “Would you like to join me, instead?”

Death, to his credit, did not take the bait. Though his eyes were dark, fathomless things, Blythe got the distinct impression that the reaper was watching her. Every inch of her skin crawled, and the hair upon the back of her neck stood alert. As Blythe soothed it back down, Signa chided, “This situation is only as bad as the two of you make it. If you’re stuck with each other from here on out, I’d hope that at the very least you stop trying to kill each other.”

Blythe bit back her scoff. How easy that was for Signa to say. She wasn’t the one who had to spend the rest of her living years with this beast.

“I can’t kill her,” Fate corrected in a flat monotone. “You saw to that when you made me vow not to hurt her. It’s no matter, though, as her pathetic human life will soon pass and one day I shall build my bed atop her bones and sleep soundly for the rest of eternity.”

As silly as the imagery was, it sparked a fire in Blythe’s chest. “Don’t sound so eager, husband. I plan to live at least a century more, if only to spite you.”

Signa pressed her lips together, and Blythe knew her cousin well enough to recognize there was something on her mind as she took hold of Blythe’s gloved hands. “Let me know the moment you’ve returned home,” Signa whispered, an urgency in her tone. “There’s something I really must tell you.”

Blythe wanted to tell her that whatever it was, it needn’t wait. And yet Signa was already being pushed forward by the never-ending line of guests eager to congratulate the new couple on a happy marriage. The next time Aris decided to throw a soiree, they would need to discuss the list of attendees beforehand.

Quickly, Blythe promised, “I will, of course,” before Signa and Death were swept away.

Blythe hadn’t the faintest awareness of how long she stood there, lips frozen into a false smile and her tongue thick from repeating her thanks. It was a relief when the line ended and she was finally able to get her hands on a glass of champagne.

She watched as the others drank, then waited for Aris to try a sip before she cautiously took the flute from his hand and drank that. She ignored his scowl and waited five minutes to ensure nothing happened before taking another sip.

Across from her, a striking woman with deeply suntanned skin and a pompous man of fair complexion greeted fawning guests. They wore outfits adorned with gold, and the woman’s hair was nearly a perfect match. They had the glassy eyes of the other marionettes, though these two at least spoke to those around them with pleasant smiles.

“Who are they?” Blythe asked, squinting at the golden haze around the couple to distinguish the thousands of threads woven around their bodies.

Aris polished off his champagne. “They believe themselves to be my parents,” he said, as simply as if he was telling her that the month was November.

It was not the response she’d anticipated, and Blythe cleared her throat before she could choke on her drink. “What do you mean they believe themselves?”

Aris’s eyes shone for the briefest moment as one of the staff passed by. Blythe watched as his threads ensnared the maid, altering her path so that he could pluck two more flutes from her serving tray. Blythe reached out, expecting that one of them was for her until Aris made fists around both stems. “Someone had to play the part. It wasn’t as though a prince would be allowed to marry without his own family in attendance. Besides, they’ll forget everything that’s happened once their purpose has been fulfilled.”

“It’s not fair to turn these people into your puppets, Aris. You shouldn’t twist someone’s mind just to fit your agenda.”

“Why not?” He twirled a finger lazily along the rim of the crystal flutes. “I’ve done it to you thrice.”

It was fortunate that she’d not yet eaten, for Blythe’s stomach flipped. Vaguely, she remembered one of the times, back when Aris had tried to extract information about Signa and why she’d been banished to Foxglove. Blythe had a feeling that the second time had to do with the gap in her memory from her first night meeting Aris and visiting Wisteria Gardens. But as for the third…she hadn’t the faintest clue, which was all the more terrifying.

Trying to fight back the shakiness from her voice, Blythe told him, “You will never again use such powers on me.” She wasn’t sure what leverage she had or what she could offer to make such an agreement worth his while. Regardless, she spoke the words plainly, and with every ounce of fire that raged within her.

“Dear God, do you always screech when you talk?” He rubbed at his temples with a groan. “Your cousin already saw to it that I can bring you no harm.” Though Blythe had guessed something of the sort based on their earlier conversation with Signa, she was surprised by how easily Aris admitted to it. For someone as dangerous and as aggravating as he was, the man was certainly forthcoming.

Still, Blythe pressed, “Even if it’s not to hurt me, you must promise that you’ll never make me into one of your puppets. I will not live in a home with someone who manipulates me.”

She tipped her chin, defiant despite having no leg to stand on in this argument. Still, to her surprise, Aris did not taunt her. He only drank deeply from his champagne and said, “That was never my intention.”

The squeeze of her chest loosened. “I’m relieved to see that you can be reasonable.”

“Reasonable?” So bleak was his laugh that Blythe was immediately on edge. “It’s not worth the effort to manipulate you when I have no desire to even look at you for any longer than necessary. Though I do advise that you get comfortable with my powers, love. If you insist on keeping up our guise, know that there is a cost.”

Blythe set down her flute with such force that she had to double-check she hadn’t shattered the glass. “If you hadn’t pretended to be a prince in the first place, there would be no guise to keep up with.”

Aris shrugged. “Perhaps. But with a face like mine, what other role do you expect I might play?”

She couldn’t tell whether he was joking, but Blythe laughed at the ridiculousness all the same. She was about to inform Aris just how much of a fool he was when Blythe caught sight of her father. Though he’d been in conversation with Signa, it seemed that Blythe’s laughter had drawn his attention. Her spine snapped straight as Elijah descended on them. Quickly, she leaned toward her husband and commanded, “Pretend that I am the most brilliant person on this earth, or I will make every second of your life absolute misery.”

“Do you mean to say that you’re not already doing that?” Aris scrunched away from her, though there was no time for him to ask questions before Elijah stood across from them. Aris straightened. Powerful though he was, it seemed even a deity could become nervous in the presence of a father-in-law.

“Mr. Hawthorne,” Aris acknowledged with a dip of his blond head.

“Your Highness.” There was an iciness to Elijah as he greeted the prince, though it melted as his attention turned toward his daughter and he held out his hand. “Dance with me.”

There was no universe in which Blythe would ever refuse. Letting her hold on Aris slip, she took her father’s hand and wordlessly allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. Given Elijah’s lack of concealment over his distaste of society, Blythe had nearly forgotten just how refined her father could be, his chin high and his shoulders confident as he swept her into a waltz, each of his steps utterly precise. Even more surprising, however, were his words.

“I put a knife in your travel chest.” Elijah spoke easily, and Blythe was grateful for the swell of the music that swept his voice away from the other dancers. She gaped up at him, though there wasn’t so much as a furrow between Elijah’s brows.

“An unusual gift for a new bride,” Blythe admonished. “Do remember that I chose this, Father. Aris isn’t forcing me into anything—”

“Oh, come off it.” Though his words were blunt, they were not unkind. “I was set to hang. I have been in this world long enough to know not to look for coincidence where none can be found. You may bat your eyes at that man all you’d like, but do not take me for a fool.”

Blythe ground her teeth, knowing there was no choice but to choose her next words carefully. “Marriages of convenience happen every year.”

“They do,” he agreed, cutting cleaving glances in Aris’s direction. “But that was never meant to happen for my daughter. I would sooner have died a thousand deaths than have put that on you.”

“You’ve put nothing on me,” she whispered, breathing a little easier now that some truth of her and Aris’s arrangement was out in the open. “Perhaps you were ready to die, but should we have a million more lifetimes, I still would not be ready to let you go.” Blythe had lost too many people she loved in the past two years, and she’d be damned to let anything happen to her father. Something in her expression must have made him understand as much, for his hold on her softened.

“Very well,” Elijah whispered. “But know that you are my world, Blythe. You are my proudest accomplishment, my heart and my soul. Should anything happen to you—”

“It won’t,” she promised. “It’s marriage, Father, not murder.” Though she tried to say it jokingly, Elijah’s eyes held storm clouds.

“I put a knife in your travel chest,” he repeated, and it was an effort for Blythe to not roll her eyes. As perceptive as her father was, there was no way for him to ever know that a mere knife would never be enough to kill Aris. Still, if it made him feel better, she’d accept it.

“I’m glad you told me before I accidentally stabbed myself,” she said. “I’ll accept it, though I’ll have no need to use it.”

Elijah continued without pause. “I want you to write to me every week, at least for the first few months. End every letter with a random fact so I know it was written by your hand. And should something ever happen—should you need me, or if you’re hurt—mention your mother by name and I’ll know to come at once.”

“It’s not as if I’m going far,” Blythe said. “Wisteria Gardens is but a carriage ride away.”

“No doubt Aris will want to return to Verena,” Elijah challenged, and Blythe wished with everything in her that she could tell her father such a place was not even real. She’d tried to look for it on a map once, just to see, though every time she searched her vision would swim and her mind would grow hazy until she eventually forgot what she’d been searching for. Aris was nothing if not thorough.

“We’ll remain here in town once we return from our honeymoon.” Neither she nor Aris had actually spoken of their plans. In fact, they’d hardly spoken at all since the day she spilled her blood onto his tapestry. She hadn’t given thought to where they might live, for the answer seemed obvious—there was no Verena. Surely, they would remain at Wisteria Gardens. And yet her father’s eyelids drooped, and while he made no further argument, he seemed saddened by Blythe’s confidence.

“A letter,” he repeated, holding her tighter as the music quieted, the song coming to its end. “Every week, no matter where you are in this world. Promise me that.”

It seemed there would be no getting around it. “If I cannot take a carriage ride here myself, then fine, I will send you a letter. And you will send me one as well, so that I know neither you nor Thorn Grove has crumbled without me holding everything together.” She punctuated her jesting with a smile, though it wavered at the corners. Most young girls assumed they would one day leave their home to start a new phase of life, but Blythe had never seen the appeal. She loved Thorn Grove, just as she loved her family. The idea of leaving them behind—especially when her father had overcome so much these past years—was something Blythe never thought she’d have to face.

Blythe held tighter as the waltz came to an end. It was Elijah who slowly released hold of his daughter, though he waited a beat too long to do so.

“It is my hope that I’m only becoming more paranoid in my old age,” he told her softly. “It is also my hope that Aris is a good husband, and that you will one day share the kind of love that your mother and I once had. But if not—if anything should ever happen—there’s always the knife.”

Even Elijah cracked a smile when Blythe laughed, though it was short-lived as guests began to file toward the courtyard where four gray horses waited with an ivory carriage.

Gently, Elijah squeezed her hand. “Do not make yourself small. Do not change yourself to suit him. Teach him how to treat you, and remember that you deserve everything this life has to offer.”

Heat prickled Blythe’s eyes, and she looked away before her father could see the tears fall. She turned her face ahead, to where Aris waited, and nodded. “I will.”

Before she could change her mind, Blythe released her hold on her father and stepped toward Aris and into her new life, feeling her heart shatter with every step.

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Wisteria’ by Adalyn Grace appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Your TBR better watch out because there are so many spectacular YA books hitting shelves over the next few months! With new releases from Amie Kaufman, Lexi Ryan, Karen M. McManus, Maureen Johnson, Sarah Henning, Lynn Painter, Danielle Paige, Kalyn Josephson, and Courtney Gould, along with a few debut novels, there’s something for every reader to pick up and enjoy between July and December!

Read on to discover just a few of our picks and also be sure to check out our Most Anticipated and Swoonworthy Romance lists for more releases!

JULY 2024

The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman

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Magic and sacrifice will collide as lovers and gods, enemies and allies vie for the fate of the world in this heart-pounding sequel to THE ISLES OF THE GODS, which Stephanie Garber called “deliciously diabolical and full of heart.” (Now publishes in September 2024)

Our Wicked Histories by Amy Goldsmith

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A teen girl’s attempt to make amends with her former friend group takes a sinister turn during a weekend getaway at an ancestral Irish estate in this atmospheric, literary horror from the author of Those We Drown.

Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts by Adam Sass

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A swoony contemporary romance from Adam Sass following a boy who is cursed to doom any romantic relationship—and the summer that changes everything.

A Darker Mischief by Derek Milman

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The Honeys meets The Secret History in a work of dark academia like no other — a boarding school thriller about a queer teen from Mississippi who finds himself swept into a world of old money, privilege, and the secret society at the heart of it all.

A Magic Fierce and Bright by Hemant Nayak

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A young technomancer teams up with a handsome thief to save her sister in this propulsive, magic-filled young adult fantasy that is perfect for fans of Gearbreakers and Iron Widow.

The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington

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A group of friends fight to choose their own fates in this trope-savvy, self-referential young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games, about a demonic force that acts according to horror movie rules in the spirit of the Scream movies.

Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan

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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lexi Ryan comes a romantic fantasy in which a human princess armed with death’s kiss and a fae shifter on the run become unlikely allies when a mission to assassinate an evil king collides with a fatal prophecy.

Ready or Not by Andi Porretta

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An anxious teen hopes that a summer of adventure and offbeat dares will keep her friend group together after graduation in this luminous coming-of-age graphic novel with the feel-good vibes of Booksmart and Morgan Matson’s Since You’ve Been Gone.

Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus

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The newest mystery from the author One of Us Is Lying, the Queen of thrillers, Karen M. McManus! When mother-daughter grifters set out on their final job, the heist gets deadly and dangerously personal.

Break to You by Neal Shusterman, Debra Young and Michelle Knowlden

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Bestselling author of Scythe and Challenger Deep Neal Shusterman, here with coauthors Debra Young and Michelle Knowlden, tells an intense yet tender story of two teens, trapped in impossible circumstances and unjust systems, willing to risk everything for love—no matter the consequences.

So Witches We Became by Jill Baguchinsky

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A queer, feminist spin on Stephen King’s The Mist, this ode to female-rage is a perfect pick for fans of She Is a Haunting, and a reminder that if “boys will be boys”, girls will fight back.

Hearts Overboard by Becky Dean

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Set sail with this banter-filled rivals-to-lovers romance between a STEM-loving girl and a jock guy that will fill you with wanderlust…and have you rooting for love in the great outdoors!

AUGUST 2024

Ami by S. Jae-Jones

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Filled with adventure, romance and a race against time, Guardians of Dawn: Ami is the next book in the richly imagined Guardians of Dawn series.

The Dark We Know by Wen-yi Lee

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From Gillian Flynn Books, a lyrical young adult horror by debut author Wen-yi Lee that’s perfect for fans of She Is a Haunting, Stephen King’s IT, and The Haunting of Hill House.

Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson

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From the bestselling author of the Truly Devious books, Maureen Johnson, comes a new stand-alone YA about a teen who uncovers a mystery while working as a tour guide on an island and must solve it before history repeats itself.

This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings

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The first book in a decadent fantasy duology set in Jazz Age Harlem, where at night the dance halls come to life―and death waits in the dark.

A Banh Mi for Two by Trinity Nguyen

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In this sweet sapphic romance about two foodies in love, Vivi meets Lan while studying abroad in Vietnam and they spend the semester unraveling their families’ histories―and eating all the street food in Sài Gòn.

Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay

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From the author of the National Book Award finalist Patron Saints of Nothing comes an emotionally charged, moving novel about four generations of Filipino American boys grappling with identity, masculinity, and their fraught father-son relationships.

The Empire Wars by Akana Phenix

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The Empire Wars is a powerful new YA fantasy in which magic may be a young woman’s only hope for survival.

Wisteria by Adalyn Grace

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Adalyn Grace delivers a sensational conclusion to the deathly and decadent Belladonna trilogy, with dramatic twists and a seductive new romance that will set readers’ hearts ablaze.

Come Out, Come Out by Natalie C. Parker

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A spine-tingling LGBTQIA+ YA horror about queer teens who accidentally invoke a twisted spirit who promises help but delivers something sinister.

Silent Sister by Megan Davidhizar

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The must-read suspense novel of the summer about a mysterious sister’s disappearance, her biggest betrayal and a deadly truth screaming to come out.  

Practical Rules for Cursed Witches by Kayla Cottingham

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From the New York Times bestselling author of My Dearest Darkest comes a sapphic fantasy adventure about a teen witch who must complete her magical training by breaking a powerful family’s curse. But her own affliction—to never find true love—gets in the way when she falls for the girl she’s trying to save.

Under The Surface by Diana Urban

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An epic survival-thriller about four teens who get lost in the Paris catacombs for days—a gripping and propulsive story of love, danger, betrayal, and hope… even when all seems lost.

SEPTEMBER 2024

Payal Mehta’s Romance Revenge Plot by Preeti Chhibber

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This laugh-out-loud debut romance introduces perfectly imperfect Payal Mehta, whose plan to get her long-time crush to finally notice her is destined for success, but only if she ignores her budding feelings for her archnemesis…

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White

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A queer Appalachian thriller that pulls no punches—following a trans autistic teen who’s drawn into the generational struggle between the rural poor and those who exploit them.

The Lies We Conjure by Sarah Henning

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Knives Out meets The Inheritance Games with magic in this standalone supernatural thriller by Sarah Henning: thirteen witches, a locked-room murder, and two non-magical sisters trapped in a deadly whodunit.

The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig

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From the astonishing mind of Erin A. Craig comes the breathtaking fairy tale retelling readers have been waiting for— what does a life well-lived mean, and how do we justify the impossible choices we make for the ones we love?

Everything Glittered by Robin Talley

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In this queer historical thriller from a New York Times bestselling author, society girls try to find a murderer in a city filled with secrets and stunted by shame. Perfect for fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club.

When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao

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From the New York Times bestselling author Dustin Thao, We Are Okay meets Wandavision in this novel about loss, and learning to let go.

The Monstrous Kind by Lydia Gregovic

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An atmospheric, haunting, romantasy inspired by Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, set in a Regency England about two sisters fighting to hold on to their manor while deadly monsters prowl along its perimeters—perfect for fans of House of Salt and Sorrows and Anatomy: A Love Story.

The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette’s by Hanna Alkaf

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An all-girls school is struck with mysterious cases of screaming hysteria in this chilling dark academia thriller haunted by a deeply buried history clawing to the light.

Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter

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In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling Better than the Movies, Wes and Liz struggle to balance their feelings for each other with the growing pains of being a college student.

To The Bone by Alena Bruzas

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This moving and tragic love story is also a starkly honest look at Colonial America, set during the “Starving Time” in Jamestown.

Spells To Forget Us by Aislinn Brophy

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A witch and a non-magical girl get stuck in an endless cycle of meet-cutes and breakups in this heart-stopping romantic young adult fantasy.

Faeries Never Lie, Edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker

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Faeries Never Lie, the next young adult collection in the Untold Legends series edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker, is filled with fourteen short stories to revel in, that center faeries of varying genders and cultures!

OCTOBER 2024

Tangleroot by Kalela Williams

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In this debut novel, chosen by booksellers as an Indies Introduce selection, a girl must face hard truths about blood and family, history and mystery.

Inheritance of Scars by Crystal Seitz

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House of Roots and Ruin meets The Darkest Part of the Forest in this gorgeous dark fantasy debut steeped in Norse mythology that follows a teen who accidentally awakens an imprisoned draugr and must follow him into a deadly magical forest to rescue her grandmother.

Spell of the Sinister by Danielle Paige

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In New York Times bestselling author Danielle Paige’s wickedly fresh take on beloved tales, the fairy godmothers make the rules. Be careful what you wish for . . .

Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

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‘Tis the season for holiday hijinks in the newest sapphic rom-com about a rising star and a small town girl going on twelve fake holidates from the New York Times bestselling authors of She Gets the Girl, Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick!

The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones

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Dive into a lush, standalone fantasy, set in the same world as The Drowned Woods and The Bone Houses, about a deadly competition—perfect for fans of Holly Black and Erin A. Craig.

Twenty-Four Seconds from Now by Jason Reynolds

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds tackles it—you know…it—from the guy’s perspective in this unfiltered and undeniably sweet stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first.

Eleven Houses by Colleen Oakes

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Midnight Mass meets The Vampire Diaries in this epic romantic tale of a mysterious island and the houses who have stood for centuries to guard against the dreaded nightmare of beings waiting to strike from the ocean’s depths.

For She Is Wrath by Emily Varga

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A sweeping, Pakistani romantic fantasy retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, where one girl seeks revenge against those who betrayed her—including the boy she used to love.

The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew

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Serpent & Dove meets Arcane in this dystopian romance debut that follows a cunning memory merchant who deals a little extra happiness on the side and the handsome rookie officer on her tail!

Fledgling: The Keeper’s Records of Revolution by S. K. Ali

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The first book in a gripping duology from acclaimed author S.K. Ali introduces a fractured world on the brink of either enlightenment or war.

Inferno’s Heir by Tiffany Wang

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Fearing for her life, an outcast princess joins the rebellion against her own kingdom and family. . . but when playing with fire, someone always gets burned. 

The Debutantes by Olivia Worley

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Jessica Goodman meets The Agathas in this taut, twisty YA thriller set in the glittering world of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, where secrets–and bodies–never stay buried.

NOVEMBER 2024

Heist Royale by Kayvion Lewis

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The new Gambit takes Ross and her crew into the intoxicating casinos of Monte Carlo and across treacherous snow-covered slopes in Antarctica as Ross competes against Devroe in a fight for her life. Loyalties will be tested, backs stabbed, hearts broken. May the best thief win.

Darkly by Marisha Pessl

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A seemingly ordinary high school student. A mysterious summer internship. And a legendary game designer, now dead, leaving a dark legacy. The New York Times bestselling author of Night Film spins a twisted web in this masterful YA psychological thriller.

I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea

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Jamison Shea’s sharp and unflinching voice will bring readers to terrifying new heights in this vicious sequel to the “relentlessly gory and almost euphoric in its embrace of the horrific” (NPR) I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me.

The Whispering Night by Susan Dennard

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The forest is more dangerous than ever in this highly-anticipated, pulse-pounding, and swoon-worthy conclusion to the bestselling Luminaries trilogy.

Rani Choudhury Must Die by Adiba Jaigirdar

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In this sapphic dual POV Young Adult romance by Adiba Jaigirdar, Meghna and Rani (ex-best-friends-turned-rivals) realize they’re dating the same guy, so they team up to beat and expose him at a big science competition!

When Mimi Went Missing by Suja Sukumar

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The splintered relationship between two Indian American cousins is at the center of this dark, twisty YA mystery—perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson, Karen McManus, and Angeline Boulley.

Midnights With You by Clare Osongco

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Fans of Susan Lee and Dustin Thao will be enchanted by this soulful YA romance about how we love, how we heal, and how we find the strength to go on.

Our Deadly Designs by Kalyn Josephson

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The Shadows Between Us meets The Scorpio Races in the epic conclusion to NYT bestselling Kalyn Josephson’s This Dark Descent, called “a fierce and darkly magical thrill ride” by acclaimed author Ava Reid.

Perfect Girl by Tracy Banghart

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Jessa has been raised to be the “perfect girl”, but things go south. A killer looking for the perfect girl has targeted Jessa, and she’ll have to reject everything she’s been taught if she wants to keep herself―and her friends―alive until sunrise.

If You Can Hear This by Faith Gardner

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The twisty, intricate mystery of I Killed Zoe Spanos meets the whip-smart sleuthing of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder in the newest novel from acclaimed author Faith Gardner, in which a club of misfits must come together to solve a dangerous mystery—and learn to lean on each other all the while.

Dead Girls Don’t Dream by Nino Cipri

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There are rules for Voynich Woods: Always carry a whistle. Never go alone. Always come home before dark. And if anyone calls your name, don’t answer. Because everyone who wanders from the path is never seen again.

Flopping in a Winter Wonderland by Jason June

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Sparks are flying in Winter Wonderland this Christmas in this LGBTQ+ young adult rom-com from Jason June, New York Times bestselling author of Out of the Blue, Jay’s Gay Agenda, and Riley Weaver Needs a Date to the Gaybutante Ball!

DECEMBER 2024

A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya

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A fledgling vampire and a headstrong vampire huntress must work together–against their better judgment–to rid the world of monsters in this irresistible romantic fantasy.

Dust by Alison Stine

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In this haunting, speculative coming-of-age novel about finding your place in an unforgiving environment, a partially deaf teen questions everything she knows about family, love, and her future.

Keep It in the Dark by Justin Arnold

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In this unashamedly queer, supernatural romance, Justin Arnold, author of Wicked Little Things, challenges the institutions that have sidelined queer love to the shadows, and brings it into the light.

We Are the Beasts by Gigi Griffis

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Deaths and disappearances pile up as a mysterious beast stalks the French countryside and two girls seize an unlikely opportunity that just might save them all—or serve them up on a platter.

What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould

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Yellowjackets meets Girl, Interrupted when a group of troubled teens in a wilderness therapy program find themselves stranded in a forest full of monsters eager to take their place.

You’re Dead to Me by Amy Christine Parker

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Gossip Girl meets Happy Death Day in this YA horror novel following high school outcast and anonymous social media gossip Ruby, who comes face-to-face with her own ghost dressed in a blood-splattered prom dress. With less than a week until the dance, Ruby must unmask her killer—or die trying.

What YA books are you looking forward to hitting shelves between July and December? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 66 YA Books Hitting Bookshelves Between July and December 2024 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Stephanie Garber is best known for her immersive storytelling, whimsical writing, and vibrant characters. The Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart series solidified Garber as a legendary young adult author, and with the release of A Curse for True Love nearing, it’s going to be difficult to say goodbye to the Caraval universe.

If you’re struggling to find books that give off the same magical feel of Garber’s novels, look no further than these recommendations.

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

Belladonna is the start of a gothic romantic fantasy trilogy told through the perspective of Signa Farrow. Orphaned since birth and thought to be cursed, Signa moves from relative to relative without a true home. That is until she receives a letter from the Hawthorne family inviting her to stay at the grim Thorn Grove manor. All is well until Signa discovers the dark secrets that lie within the walls of Thorn Grove and that the only person who can help her bring those secrets to light is Death.

Before the Devil Knows You’re Here by Autumn Krause (October 3)

Romance. Curses. Death. Poisoned apples. With a premise like that, it’s almost as if the Prince of Hearts wrote it himself. Catalina has been told the story of the Man of Sap since she was a child. When her father is killed and her brother is taken, Catalina embarks on a journey in the woods to find the truth behind the legend and rescue her brother. Along the way, she encounters a stranger who offers his assistance, but as Catalina soon realises, not everything is as it seems.

Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle (October 3)

If your favourite part of the Caraval series is the Fates, you’ll love the mythology surrounding the Tides of Fate and the fictional story, the Song of the Drowned Gods in Curious Tides. This dark academia debut centers on Emory Ainsleif, a Healer whose best friend was one of the eight students lost to the Dovermore Coves. Emory is convinced that there is more to the drownings than meets the eye, and she is determined to figure it out, even if that means putting herself in danger. With strong female bonds, lyrical writing, myths, and a love triangle, Stephanie Garber fans should keep an eye out for this upcoming release.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Divine Rivals is all the rage on social media, and for good reason. This fantasy romance duology opener follows journalist Iris Winnow as she navigates loss and hardship amid a war between gods. With her brother on the frontlines, her mother battling addiction, her position at the Oath Gazette hanging by a thread, and her rival, Roman Kitt, constantly challenging her, Iris finds solace in her grandmother’s magical typewriter. Iris believes her letters are being sent to her brother, and little does she know they are being received by Roman.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

A reimagining of Alice in Wonderland, Heartless tells the story of Catherine Pinkerton, a girl who dreams of opening her own bakery. In a society run by royalty, Catherine’s goals are frowned upon. Catherine is set to marry the King, but things don’t go as planned as she falls in love with the court joker, Jest. The novel takes a dark turn as Catherine’s decisions shape her into the infamous Queen of Hearts.

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

With its beautiful writing and electrifying romance, Sorcery of Thorns captures the same sense of whimsy and wonder you would expect in a Stephanie Garber novel. Magic, grimoires, and adventure drive a spellbinding tale where aspiring librarian Elisabeth Scrivener must team up with sorcerer Nathaniel and his demon servant Silas to stop an ancient evil destroying the Great Libraries.

Do you have any other book recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Six Books You’ll Love If You’re A Fan of Stephanie Garber appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Adalyn Grace’s Foxglove, which is out now and you can also check out our interview with Adalyn here where she chats about her new release!

A duke has been murdered. The lord of Thorn Grove has been framed. And Fate, the elusive brother of Death, has taken up residence in a sumptuous estate nearby. He’s hellbent on revenge after Death took the life of the woman he loved many years ago…and now he’s determined to have Signa for himself, no matter the cost.

Signa and her cousin Blythe are certain that Fate can save Elijah Hawthorne from prison if they will entertain his presence. But the more time the girls spend with Fate, the more frightening their reality becomes as Signa exhibits dramatic new powers that link her to Fate’s past. With mysteries and danger around every corner, the cousins must decide if they can trust one another as they navigate their futures in high society, unravel the murders that haunt their family, and play Fate’s unexpected games—all with their destinies hanging in the balance.

Dangerous, suspenseful, and seductive, this sequel to Signa and Death’s story is as utterly romantic as it is perfectly deadly.

FIVE

As well acquainted with death as Signa was, she’d met met very few murderers in her lifetime. There was Percy, of course. And she supposed herself, though she tried not to stew on that. Still, she didn’t need more experience to understand that Elijah Hawthorne was no murderer.

“What possible motive do they think he had?” Signa demanded as the puzzle pieces scattered in her mind’s eye. “He wanted to be done with Grey’s!”

“Lord Wakefield had already made a sizable payment to secure his future in the business.” Byron looked as though he’d aged twenty years overnight as he peeled off his gloves and tossed them onto the table. “They’re theorizing that Grey’s was bordering on financial ruin due to Elijah’s neglect and that he needed the money but didn’t want to give up full ownership.”

His forehead was perspiring, and Warwick was quick to fetch him a glass of water and a stool as Byron took a seat and propped up his bad knee.

“That’s preposterous!” As fair skinned as she was, Blythe’s face and neck were flushed with rage. Byron nodded at her, then did a double take when he noticed his niece’s state of dress.

“What in God’s name are you . . . Oh, never mind. Despite what the truth may be, it was Elijah who gave Lord Wakefield the drink. The fool admitted it himself.”

Blythe’s indignant huff was enough to suggest she thought her father was ridiculous for admitting to such a thing. Signa agreed, especially given the circumstances. She knew from experience how awful it was to have people believe you were the reason for someone’s death. But to have people believe you killed a duke? It would soon be in every paper throughout the country, ruining the Hawthornes’ reputation and that of Grey’s with it.

“If he was trying to save Grey’s from financial ruin,” Signa said, “then why would he kill a duke and soil its reputation? Where’s the logic in that?”

Byron’s eyes narrowed, and Signa tried not to show her offense at his surprise. Byron was by far the most traditional member of the Hawthorne family; in her months at Thorn Grove, she’d come to learn that when Elijah had initially taken over the family business, Byron was filled with such jealousy that, rather than working alongside Elijah, he went into the service to make himself scarce. According to Elijah, Byron had ascended high into the rankings before an injury sent him home with a bad knee. He had little choice but to partake in the family business soon after, though military training had made him more rigid than ever.

Byron operated under the belief that there was a proper order to all things—that women had their place and men had theirs. Signa was a little surprised he was even entertaining this conversation. Perhaps the past few months had had some positive influence on him after all.

“You’re right.” Byron set down his water glass. “It’s not logical at all. Unfortunately, after the past year, no one is expecting Elijah to think rationally.”

“He no longer indulges,” Blythe argued. “Not even a little.”

The thin skin around Byron’s eyes creased in genuine apology. “Once you earn a reputation for yourself, it’s difficult to change the way others perceive you. I’m afraid your father is facing a long and arduous uphill climb.”

“But you believe him,” Blythe pressed, “don’t you?” Signa’s belly churned when Byron looked away. She was glad that Blythe couldn’t see the shadows that darkened his expression. “It’s not for me to decide,” he said.

Signa thought of all the people who had shown up for the party the night prior. She thought of their painted-on grins and their pretty words, congratulating Elijah one moment only to condemn him the next. How quickly everyone had turned on him. How quickly they would turn on anyone. For too many years she’d been willing to fight tooth and nail for a place in society, and she hated herself for it. Hated how hard she had tried to mold and shape herself into something worse than any poison she’d ever tasted.

“Surely my father got the drink from the true killer,” Blythe suggested.

Byron’s seat gave a low creak as he leaned back, shut his eyes, and began to massage his temples. “He claims he got it off a serving tray and doesn’t remember who from.”

Signa went to take a sip of her tea only to find she’d already drunk it all. Her mind had been too busy processing this new information to notice, for it made little sense. No one else at the party had been sick, so how was it that someone had managed to poison a single drink on a serving tray and ensure it landed on its right mark. Unless, perhaps . . . “Do you think it possible that Lord Wakefield wasn’t the intended victim?” she asked, thinking of Percy and how the tea he’d poisoned had been meant for his birth mother, Marjorie.

Blythe went rigid. “You think the poison was for my father?” “It’s a possibility.” Signa drummed her fingers on the table as

she worked through the idea. “It could have been meant for anyone, really. If it had been meant for Elijah, the person behind this was unaware that he’s no longer drinking.”

“We can theorize all day.” Byron seemed ready to fall asleep in his seat, should they let him. “All that matters right now is that the authorities believe Elijah is the murderer. And if they don’t find a more obvious culprit by the time of his trial . . .”

He didn’t need to say the rest; the truth of it already hung heavy around them. The punishment for murder was execution. If they didn’t find the true culprit, Elijah would be hanged.

Blythe hadn’t taken a bite of food since Byron walked in, yet she still clutched her fork so tightly that her knuckles were bone white.

“We cannot leave this up to a constable,” Signa said. With Fate involved, that option would only end in loss. However, it wasn’t as though she could say that aloud, and Byron hadn’t changed enough to stop himself from fixing Signa with an incredulous stare.

“I know there’s something strange about you, Miss Farrow,” he began, not unkindly. Or at least not unkindly for him. “I know that, with this strangeness, you have helped my family once already. But you are no Hawthorne, and this is not something any young lady should get herself involved with. No one would fault you if you were to return to Foxglove early.” Signa hadn’t realized those words would feel like a bludgeon until they struck.

Beside her, Blythe threw her fork onto the table with a clatter. “To Foxglove?” she demanded. “Why on earth would she go there?”

“Because that is her home, Blythe. To be frank, the last thing we need is to give anyone another reason to scrutinize our family, and Signa is a beacon of unfavorable attention.”

There was no time for Signa to form her own thoughts before Blythe sat up straighter, fuming. “How do you think it would look if she left us now? People would think we frightened her off !”

As much as Signa could both hear and acknowledge the argument surrounding her, she could hardly pay it any mind. Her heart had lurched from her chest to her throat, hammering so fiercely that she worried she might be sick.

Foxglove.

For months that manor had been looming over her. When she’d turned twenty and inherited her parents’ fortune, Elijah had given her all the help she might need to pursue getting the manor set up for her arrival. He’d given her recommendations, contact information for a newspaper that would put out ads for staff, and had even offered to purchase her a ticket for the train. Eventually, though, as ledgers of his notes and advice began to pile up with dust in her sitting room, Elijah stopped discussing Foxglove altogether. Ages ago he’d told Signa that she could remain at Thorn Grove for as long as she liked, and it seemed he’d meant it.

Signa knew she’d be expected to leave eventually, but the thought of returning to Foxglove felt like stepping into a past that Signa had long since left behind. Here at Thorn Grove, she finally had a family. And as Blythe slid her hand into Signa’s beneath the table and squeezed tight, all Signa could think about was how much she wanted to keep that family close.

“She’s not leaving.” It was Blythe who decided, unfaltering beneath Byron’s glower.

Both girls ignored the way he pinched the bridge of his nose. “If she stays, she’ll need to help us.” His eyes were severe as they flicked to Signa, searching her face. He frowned, not seeming to favor what he saw. “Can you do that, Miss Farrow?”

Signa had to fight to find her voice as she asked, “What would I need to do?”

“You and Blythe will do what all ladies your age are meant to.” Signa’s skin prickled at his words. Still, when Byron leaned in, so did she. “Focus on bolstering the name of this family. Or, at the very least, maintaining our reputation. God knows Elijah could use the help. If you’re going to stay, we cannot have you sulking about inside. You must be out and about, proving that you are confident in this family’s innocence. It will only fan the flames if people believe that we have holed ourselves up out of fear.”

To her surprise, Signa had no argument. When she had first walked into the room, she’d thought about how silly it had seemed to have breakfast and to go on pretending that everything was normal. But perhaps putting on a good face and maintaining a charade that all was well would ease the gossip. Not to mention that if it meant remaining at Thorn Grove with Blythe and Elijah, Signa was willing to do anything.

Byron pried himself from his chair, ready to make his exit, when the dining room’s double doors swung open and a raven-haired maid Signa had seen only in passing hurried in with a letter set upon a silver tray. She curtsied—something Signa was still getting used to—then extended the tray to Signa, who took one look at the golden envelope and tasted acid.

She knew without looking who it was from, for the shade itself was too similar to Fate’s burnished eyes to be coincidence. Blythe’s curiosity prickled at Signa’s skin as she took the envelope from the tray.

“Open it,” Blythe urged, leaning in to catch a glimpse of the written words. Byron was observing them, too, and since there was no way out of it, Signa tore open the envelope. Inside there was no letter but an invitation written in gilded script.

To the ineffable Miss Signa Farrow,

She already wanted to burn Fate alive for his ridiculous greeting alone.

Your presence has been requested to join
His Majesty Prince Aris Dryden of Verena
at Wisteria Gardens
this Saturday evening at six o’clock
for a grand ball to celebrate his arrival to Celadon.

Signa barely managed to refrain from crumbling the invitation in her hands. A prince! How ridiculous this man was to think he could waltz in with such a grand facade. She had every intention of tearing the parchment apart until Blythe—reading over her shoulder with gleaming eyes—plucked the invitation from her fingers.

“Signa.” Her cousin’s voice was breathy with wonder, and Signa realized that whatever game Fate was playing, she’d already lost. “We must go! If we can impress a prince, perhaps he might help us clear my father’s name.”

The truth seared a hole in Signa’s tongue, though it wasn’t as though she could admit to knowing that this man was no prince.

“Blythe is right.” Byron plucked the invitation from his niece’s hands. Such a bad habit must have run in the family. “This is the perfect opportunity. At the very least, you must attend and demonstrate to everyone your confidence in this family. You may not be a Hawthorne by blood, but perhaps that’s to our benefit. Others may be more likely to believe you.”

Signa tried not to scrunch up her nose. She would do it, of course, even if the last thing she wanted was to throw herself back into society’s clutches during the season. She made it a point not to look too closely at Byron or Blythe, staring instead at the hands she folded against her lap.

As quiet as the night, Blythe whispered, “My father is innocent. I know he is. Please say that you’ll help him.”

Signa steeled herself, shoulders back, and gathered every ounce of courage within her. If she had to play Fate’s game, then so be it. She was a reaper—a shadow of the night with a lethal touch. She would protect her family. Her home. And when she was through with him, Signa would ensure that Fate regretted the day he’d ever challenged her.

“Of course I will,” Signa promised, staring firmly into her cousin’s eyes. “I’ll go to the party or woo the prince, or whatever it takes. We will save your father, Blythe. Of that, I’m certain.”

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Foxglove’ by Adalyn Grace appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Foxglove is available to pre-order from Hachette UK and Hachette US.

Hi, Adalyn! Welcome back! How has the past 12 months been since we last spoke?

Hello! Wow, has it been 12 months already? I truly don’t understand where the time goes these days, but I’m doing very well, thank you! I’ve been astounded by the support that Belladonna has received from readers over the past year and have been very hard at work on both Foxglove and the third book in the series, Wisteria! I actually just turned in the first draft, so I’m very ready for a writing break and to shift focus back to Foxglove now that it’s nearly here.

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!

Ah that’s so tough! The first book I remember reading was one of those books that teaches you how to read . . . But I don’t think that counts, so I’m going to say Flat Stanley, which was one of the books I remember we read as a class in elementary school, and I thought it was so fun! Group reading was always my favorite part of school while growing up.

As for the book that made me want to become an author, I was super into writing from a young age (probably from age 9 or so) and wrote thousands of words a day telling stories with friends. But Twilight released when I was 11, and I feel like that book changed everything for me. I grew up in the same city as Stephenie Meyer and went to some of her earliest events at Changing Hands before the series became the massive success that we know it to be now. I fell in love with those books, and seeing her career blossom from events at a small bookstore to massive amphitheaters really solidified that I could make telling stories into a career.

As for a book I can’t stop thinking about, these days it’s Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faerie. It’s such a fun, whimsy, magical tale that I had so much fun reading!

Foxglove is the sequel to Belladonna, which is out August 22^nd! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

A true test of relationships! Or, alternatively: Tense, twisty, shenanigan-filled, courting, croquet.

What can readers expect from the sequel?

Shenanigans from Fate, certainly! He’s Death’s estranged brother who has arrived with an agenda all his own and is here to liven things up. There are new locations, new characters, the development and testing of relationships, and a brand new mystery to solve!

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

Absolutely. In Foxglove, I had the opportunity to dive deeper into Blythe Hawthorne’s character. I really enjoyed her in Belladonna, but she spent much of the book fighting for her life. Now, in the sequel, Blythe actually has her own POV and has become a very central character to the overall story of the series. It’s been a lot of fun to get to explore her in more depth. I think she’s unintentionally the funniest character that I’ve written, and I have a lot of fun with her!

You mentioned you listened to Peter Grundy whilst writing Belladonna. What did you listen to for this one?

More Peter Gundry, honestly! It’s to the point where I just equate his music with working on these books. I heard one of his songs playing at Gideon’s Bakehouse in Disney Springs while on vacation once, and the entire time I was in line on what was meant to be my vacation I felt like I should be writing!

Apart from his music (which I primarily listen to while drafting) I listen to video game scores as I edit. Final Fantasy, Ender Lilies, and Zelda are particular favorites.

Did you face any particular challenges or fears of ‘second book syndrome’ whilst writing?

Oof. The short answer is yes, but the longer answer is that Foxglove was by far the most challenging book I’ve ever written. At one point there were three POVs which was narrowed down to two. Character personalities shifted from how I had initially conceived them, arcs changed, and there were all sorts of other big picture changes that made edits absolutely brutal. I was also in the thick of promoting Belladonna while working on this book and found myself really struggling to carve out time to work. There was, of course, also the pressure that comes with writing a follow up. I of course felt the pressure to create a sequel that readers would enjoy, and wanted to try and keep the familiar vibes of the first book while also offering something completely new and introducing fresh magic into this story world.

Foxglove was truly a beating on me creatively, and there were many points where I was convinced that I’d never finish it. All that hardship, however, has only made me prouder of the final product. I’m very eager to see it on shelves and to have the chance to chat with readers about it.

This is your fourth published novel! What are some of the key lessons you have learned when it comes to writing and the publishing world?

There are three key things that I’ve learned:

1) Friends who understand the publishing side of the world are invaluable. This is a very tough business, and I would lose my mind if I didn’t have very trusted friends who I could talk through publishing qualms and questions with, or who I could share excitement with!

2) The team you work with is also invaluable, and it’s so important to work with people you trust and can communicate openly with. I feel like I’ve won the publishing lottery with my agency, my publishing team at Little, Brown, and so many amazing foreign publishers who have done such incredible things for this series.

3) Get hobbies outside of publishing. This year I leaned in hard to this lesson and picked up volleyball, badminton, yoga, and tennis to try to get out of the house more, move more, and feel more like I’m a real person in a real world. I may have leaned into it a bit too hard (my knees are not what they used to be!) but it’s so nice to get out and do things and chat with people who have nothing to do with publishing.

Can you give us a little teaser about Wisteria, the third installment in the Belladonna series?

All I’ll say about Wisteria is that I’m very excited for it, I think it may end up being the most romantic book in the series by the time I’m done with it, and that I think people will have a much clearer idea of what it’s about once they read Foxglove.

What’s next for you?

A break! Writing this series has been a dream come true, and I really want to take all the time needed to get Wisteria right and to promote the series. Apart from that, I have a lot of different ideas that I’m dying to work on. But first, a vacation and a break are in order!

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

I mentioned Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faerie earlier, and I think that’s a great one for anyone looking for cottagecore whimsy vibes. Bring Me Your Midnight by Rachel Griffin is a beautiful new YA release about a young witch who must choose between duty and love when she meets and falls for a boy who is decidedly not the one she’s arranged to marry, and who has a magic that she’s been taught if forbidden. Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater is a lot of fun if you’re looking for more whimsy romance vibes. There’s also The Atlas of Us which is an upcoming release by Kristin Dwyer to look forward to. I’m convinced that Dwyer is going to just have an absolute boom like Colleen Hoover one day; her books are raw and poignant and she’s one of my favorite contemporary authors. Her books rip out your heart before stitching them back together again. Finally, Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend gets a permanent recommendation from me. It’s the most fun and fantastical Middle Grade fantasy, and I highly recommend the audiobook!

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

The post Q&A: Adalyn Grace, Author of ‘Foxglove’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

If you couldn’t get enough of Wednesday and need a fix of something dark and spooky then fear not! We’ve rounded some Wednesday approved reading recommendations that can fill the hole in your life until Season 2.

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth
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In 1902, at Brookhants School For Girls, Flo and Clara start The Plain Bad Heroine Society in Honour of notorious and scandalous young writer Mary MacLane. Before long, the girls are found dead, attacked by a swarm of yellowjackets, with MacLane’s book, the first a series of macabre deaths which plague the school until it’s closure. Over a century later, this tale inspires a book by literary prodigy Merritt Emmons. When her book is adapted into a film, starring ‘it girl’ Harper Harper’ and former child star Audrey Wells, the trio return to Brookhants, revisiting the past, and the curse.

A spooky dark academia with a mystery at its core, dual timelines and hint of the supernatural, Plain Bad Heroines is the perfect read for a Wednesday fan.

A Lesson In Vengeance by Victoria Lee
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Felicity Morrow has return to Dalloway School a year after her girlfriend’s death. She is determined to make a new start and not let the dark history of the school drag her down. However, when she is placed in her old dorm, Godwin House—said to be haunted by the spirits of five students who died, she is once again drawn to the witchcraft and occult lore that surrounds the school. Enter ‘it-girl’ Ellis Haley, a captivating young writer eager to delve into the schools mysteries for her second novel. For Ellis, Felicity is the perfect person to help her research her book and uncover the dark secrets at Dalloway.

From the dark academia vibes, to witchcraft and occult rituals, and dark secrets, Dalloway isn’t too far removed from Nevermore.

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean
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For centuries a number of families across Britain have lived secluded, hiding their true natures as ‘Book Eaters’—literally beings that consume the pages of books for sustenance. Once in a while a ‘Mind Eater’ is born, feeding instead on the minds of humans. When Devon Fairweather’s son is born a Mind Eater, she escapes in an attempt to protect him from those who would do him harm, or worse use him to do harm.

While not strictly ‘dark academia’ in that it’s not set in a school or university, The Book Eaters is very dark, all about books and secretive families with supernatural abilities, a little bit like the Addams, but much darker!

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
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Orphaned Signa Farrow has been passed from guardian to guardian as each of her relatives has met with an untimely death. When she is taken in by the Hawthornes—her only remaining relatives, and it seems her cousin is being poisoned, she is determined not to let it happen again. Not only can Signa can see ghosts, which Wednesday would appreciate, but she must solve the mystery of who is targeting her relatives, with the aid of Death himself.

A dark fantasy mystery in a gothic manor house, with a few balls and dancing in there too!

Triflers Need Not Apply by Camilla Bruce 
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A fictionalised account of the life of notorious female serial killer, Belle Gunness. The real life Gunness is thought to have killed at least 14 and as many as 40 people. Belle’s modus operandi involved inviting bachelors and widows to her rural farm under the pretence of looking for a husband, only to rob and kill them.

This historical fiction may not have the dark academia aspect but it is full of murder—which of course our favourite heroine has a keen interest in!

The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky
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As the new girl at Manchester prep Rachel Chavez is struggling to fit in. Sound like anyone we know? 

Until she attracts the attention of the Mary Shelley club—a secret society dedicated to orchestrating pranks that spread fear across the school. But when someone targets the club itself Rachel must help them get to the bottom of who is behind this.

Since we know Wednesday is a Shelley stan and loves invoking fear, I’m sure she would be Head of the Mary Shelley club and solving a good mystery is right up her street!

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
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An alternative and fantastical history of witches set in 1890’s ‘New Salem’. Witches and witchcraft exist but due to the persecution of witches, magic has been diminished to little more than charms and rhymes. The Eastwood sisters join the Suffragists, fighting for not just the right to claim their power, but their lives in the face of extremist forces who would see New Salem purged of witches for good. 

If you loved the historical storyline of Wednesday and enjoy a witchy read, The Once and Future Witches is perfect for you!

What other books would you recommend for fans of Wednesday? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Books To Read If You Can’t Wait For ‘Wednesday’ Season 2 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Thanks for taking the time to talk to us! First, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Of course, and hello! It’s so great to get to chat with you guys again. My name is Adalyn Grace, and I’m the New York Times bestselling author of the All the Stars and Teeth series, as well as Belladonna, which I’m here to chat with you guys about today! I’m local to San Diego, and a huge fan of anime and video games. You’ll often find me at local comic conventions, kayaking, or wandering around San Diego in search of the best sushi and California burrito. I’ve been writing since I was around 10 or 11, and got my start writing super embarrassing (but seriously fun) roleplays on Neopets!

Aside from your career as an author, you’ve previously worked in live theatre, newspaper editing and animation – do you see yourself going back to any of these fields? Are there any other areas you’d like to branch out into one day?

I’m very partial to fiction writing! That said, I find that screenwriting really scratches the same creative itch for me. I really love visual media as an art form, and am already branching into that world again. I have an unannounced animated project currently in development with a studio, and would love to continue adapting my projects as well as to create new ones specifically for film/tv.

You’ve mentioned before that doing online roleplays with girls your age and writing about wolves, vampires and other supernatural themes influenced you to become a writer – is this a hobby you’ve returned to as an adult? If so, could you share any details about what kind of themes were involved in the roleplay and if you found the experience to be the same or different to when you were younger?

Hah, I love this question! This was very much how I spent my childhood. I would spend hours upon hours every day creating stories with my friends, writing thousands of words without any awareness or ever being tired. It was so unbelievably fun. We wrote stories about wolves, vampires, gifted boarding schools, and it was such a tropey fabulous time. There were never any expectations to have the most gorgeous prose, and we were never concerned with someone judging us for whatever we were creating because it was just for us. We literally just wanted to watch our characters fall in love and throw some obstacles at them for them to conquer!

There was certainly a freedom back then that I no longer have now that I write professionally. Because of that, I have definitely thought about going back and trying this as an adult. I haven’t yet, but I’ve been talking to a friend I used to write with as a kid about giving it another try. I’d love to write just for fun again without any expectations, though I have to admit that the idea is a little intimidating. Now that I write as a job, I’m having trouble just doing it for fun. I’d definitely like to give it a try, though!

What do you enjoy about writing fantasy novels and what is a struggle you’ve faced while writing in this genre? Is there a possibility we’ll see you release books in a different genre in future?

I love the freedom of writing fantasy. I get to create whatever rules I’d like and am beholden to no one and nothing, and that’s a really wonderful feeling! That said, I think fantasy tends to be heavily scrutinized as a genre (at least on Goodreads, ha!) because of this very reason. For some fantasy (specifically high fantasy), you are making your own rules, which means that they have to make sense to readers who aren’t in your brain. You have to think not just about magic and setting, but how those influence the world. I always start with the magic and branch out from there—how does the magic  influence the world? The characters? Their jobs? The politics? The beliefs? There is so much that goes into fantasy, and while it can be a very taxing process, it’s also incredibly rewarding. I think my brain tends to gravitate toward the fantastical; I imagine most of my projects will always have elements of fantasy or paranormal, though it could also be fun to write a fun rom-com one day! But I make no promises that I won’t throw a vampire into it.

What is the strangest thing you’ve researched while writing?

For my first series I had to learn about what happens to limbs after they get dissected from the body. How long does it take for the blood to congeal, what does the anatomy look like when you cut through the skin . . . Things like that. For Belladonna I researched the Victorian era pretty extensively, and I also learned quite a bit about poison and poisonous plants. I’m certainly on an FBI watch list at this point.

I’m in love with the premise of the personification of Death becoming entangled with the heroine of Belladonna – what inspired you to write about this character?

Thank you! It’s funny because I’m such a baby when it comes to anything scary. I don’t watch horror movies or read scary books. I don’t like talking about real life ghost stories or aliens beause it all freaks me out. Yet, at the same time, I’ve always been drawn to the macabre. Think eerie rather than scary. I grew up listening to Sweeney Todd during beach vacations, and being obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twilight, and so many other stories with paranormal elements. I love the dark and the weird, especially when it’s paired with a beautiful and glittering world. I love the juxtaposition of those elements and find that I feel very at home in those stories.

Signa is fearless when confronting Death – if you were in her position, do you think you’d have the same bold attitude or would you approach him differently?

Hahaha. So as much as I hate talking about true ghost stories (and as much as I’m still on the fence about whether or not I actually believe in ghosts) I definitely have lived in a haunted house before. It was to the point where I’d walk out of the room, hear crashing, and open my door again to everything that had been on my desk now scattered all over the floor. I started talking out loud (maybe to the ghost or maybe I was just being a total weirdo and talking to myself, who knows) and would tell the ghost to chill out and leave me alone otherwise I wouldn’t sleep in the house anymore. On the days I confronted this ghost, he would leave my stuff alone and not make a mess. I say “he” here because, after moving out of the house, we found out that a man had died in the home. If there really was a ghost, I think he was just lonely and didn’t like when people left.

Belladonna features a popular (or should we say notorious) trope: the love triangle! Is this a trope you enjoy in the media you consume?

ABSOLUTELY! Yes! I think love triangles get such a bad reputation, even though they’re the best trope ever. A good love triangle keeps me turning the page more than any other trope. I loved it in Twilight when I was younger, and in True Beauty more recently. K dramas often do this trope fantastically. I will say though that my ship pretty much never wins (#TeamJacob), and yet it’s still my favorite trope.

If you were compiling a soundtrack for Belladonna, what song/s would you feature?

I listened exclusively to the composer Peter Gundry while drafting this book. I actually named one of the characters in the book after him, since his music was so helpful to me while I was crafting this world. His music is moody and atmospheric, and since I can’t listen to anything with lyrics while I write, it’s truly the perfect music to write to.

Belladonna and your previous All The Stars and Teeth duology are both classed as Young Adult – during the course of writing and editing, have you ever found that any scenes ended up being too ‘adult’ and needed to be dialled back or removed?

It’s interesting because All the Stars and Teeth is a fairly violent and gory book, and yet the overall consensus is that it feels very classically YA. On the other hand, Belladonna is far more romantic and does have some steamy scenes, which puts it on the side of upper YA/New Adult. I find it unfortunate that we have more of a problem with sex than we do with violence in America, but at the same time I really do think that an age category between YA and Adult would be remarkably beneficial. All the characters in Belladonna are around the ages of 20+, yet it deals with themes very common to YA, such as coming of age. I wouldn’t necessarily say that I removed anything from Belladonna, as I wanted to write the story that felt most true to the book. I was careful and mindful of the more romantic scenes and tried to do them in a way that felt far more tame than, say, a bodice ripper. But overall the book is very much on the border of Adult and YA.

If you were stuck on a desert island with the lead characters from your books, how helpful would they be?

Oh man, that’s tough. I feel like Death would be absolutely useless. He could easily get us all off the island, but only if he wanted to (which he would not). Signa would be great; she’d know what plants we could eat and would help everyone survive. I feel like her and Blythe would be the best options to help us find a way off the island or build a raft or something. Sylas could be there for the brute strength to help build a shelter, and he’d probably also be pretty helpful at gathering materials and assisting the girls at finding a way home.

If you were able to get one of your books adapted, which would you choose and would you rather that it was a movie, tv show or musical/stage show? Are there any actors you can visualize playing the main roles?

All of the above. Haha, in all seriousness I’d want whatever would stay the most true to the story. I’d definitely want a tv show or film, but musicals are my favorite and I would love to see what songs would be made for a Belladonna musical so that I can sing them around the house all day every day. I’m less picky about the actors; I don’t think I’d know if someone was perfect until I saw them audition. That said, I think there are a few actresses that I could visualize as Signa, like Anya Taylor-Joy, Emma Laird, or Elle Fanning. Elle could also be a great Blythe! As for Sylas, he’s really tough. I don’t think Jamie Campbell Bower quite fits the physical appearance of how I described Sylas in the book, but I’m not necessarily picky about that and I think that he definitely has the right demeanor and background for Sylas. Hair can be dyed, and contacts and makeup can be worn. For me, it would all come down to the acting.

And finally, what have you enjoyed reading or watching this year, can you give us some recommendations?

Absolutely. One of my favorite books this year has been Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer. I don’t usually gravitate toward contemporary stories unless they’re romance, yet this became one of my hands-down favorite books ever. It’s like a Taylor Swift album in book form, full of raw emotion and characters that feel so real. The book is Dwyer’s debut, and I’m already a fan for life. I’d recommend this book to literally everyone.

If you’re looking for something that’s just pure fun and escapism, I’d recommend Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend. I listened to the audiobook and it’s not read but performed. It’s excellent.

The post Q&A: Adalyn Grace, Author of ‘Belladonna’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hello second half of 2022 and hello to all the incredible upcoming book releases we can look forward to!

In this round up, we take a look at some of the most exciting titles to be released between the months of July and December with releases from the likes of Sarah Gailey, Ruth Ware, Alexis Hall, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Courtney Summers, and many more, along with delightful debuts from new authors you should keep on your radar!

Read on to discover just a few of our favourite July to December 2022 releases and tell us in the comments if you’re looking forward to any of them! 

JULY

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen
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A darkly enchanting fantasy debut about a morally gray witch, a cursed prince, and a prophecy that ignites their fate-twisted destinies—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove.

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey
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Just Like Home is a darkly gothic thriller from nationally bestselling author Sarah Gailey, perfect for fans of Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House as well as HBO’s true crime masterpiece I’ll Be Gone in the Dark.

The Accidental Pinup by Danielle Jackson
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Rival photographers are forced to collaborate on a body-positive lingerie campaign, but they might have to readjust their focus when sparks fly.

Fellowship Point by Alice Elliott Dark
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The masterful story of a lifelong friendship between two very different women with shared histories and buried secrets, tested in the twilight of their lives, set across the arc of the 20th century.

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows
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The It Girl by Ruth Ware
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The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the “claustrophobic spine-tingler” (People) One by One returns with an unputdownable mystery following a woman on the search for answers a decade after her friend’s murder.

Youngblood by Sasha Laurens
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For fans of Vampire Diaries and dark academia, two queer teen bloodsuckers at an elite vampire-only boarding school must go up against all of Vampirdom when they uncover a frightening conspiracy on campus.

Acts of Violet by Margarita Montimore
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From Margarita Montimore, the author of GMA Book Club pick and national bestseller Oona Out of Order, Acts of Violet is a dazzling and twisty new novel about a famous magician who disappears, leaving her sister to figure out what really happened.

The Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne
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Everyone knows the story of Rapunzel in the tower, but do you know the story of the witch who put her there? Told from her own perspective, The Book of Gothel is a lush, historical retelling filled with dark magic, crumbling towers, mysterious woods, and evil princes. This is the truth they never wanted you to know, as only a witch might tell it.

What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix by Tasha Suri
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What Souls Are Made Of, British Fantasy Award-winning author Tasha Suri’s masterful new take on Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and fourth book in the Remixed Classics, will leave readers breathless.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
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From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night comes a dreamy reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
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New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center’s The Bodyguard is unabashedly romantic, laugh-out-loud funny, and the perfect summer read.

AUGUST

Husband Material by Alexis Hall
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Luc and Oliver met, pretended to fall in love, fell in love for real, dealt with heartbreak and disappointment and family and friends…and somehow figured out a way to make it work. Now it seems like everyone around them is getting married, and Luc’s feeling the social pressure to propose. But it’ll take more than four weddings, a funeral, and a bowl full of special curry to get these two from I don’t know what I’m doing to I do.

These Fleeting Shadows by Kate Alice Marshall
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The Haunting of Hill House meets Knives Out in a bid for an inheritance that will leave Helen Vaughan either rich…or dead.

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
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New York Times bestselling author Adalyn Grace brings to life a highly romantic, Gothic-infused world of wealth, desire, and betrayal.

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean
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Sunyi Dean’s The Book Eaters is “a darkly sweet pastry of a book about family, betrayal, and the lengths we go to for the ones we love. A delicious modern fairy tale.”― Christopher Buehlman, Shirley Jackson Award-winning author

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
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In this powerful novel about the cost of greatness, a legendary athlete attempts a comeback when the world considers her past her prime—from the New York Times bestselling author of Malibu Rising.

Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club by Roselle Lim
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A new heartfelt novel about the power of loneliness and the strength of love that overcomes it by critically acclaimed author Roselle Lim.

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
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With a wicked wink to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, Daisy Darker’s unforgettable twists will leave readers reeling.

The Art of Prophecy by Wesley Chu
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A “superb fantasy saga” (Helene Wecker) of martial arts and magic, about what happens when a prophesied hero is not the chosen one after all—but has to work with a band of unlikely allies to save the kingdom anyway, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lives of Tao

You’re Invited by Amanda Jayatissa
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What could be worse than your ex-boyfriend marrying your childhood best friend? Getting accused of her murder… From the author of My Sweet Girl comes a dangerously addictive new thriller about a lavish Sri Lankan wedding celebration that not everyone will survive.

The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead
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From the author of the acclaimed In My Dreams I Hold a Knife comes a pitch-black thriller about a woman determined to destroy a powerful cult and avenge the deaths of the women taken in by it, no matter the cost.

Luck and Last Resorts by Sarah Grunder Ruiz
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They have a second chance at love, but there are some rough seas ahead in the new contemporary romance from the acclaimed author of Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships.

The First Binding by R.R. Virdi
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A thrilling new take on Epic Fantasy, inspired by the many culturally divergent stops along a fantastical Silk Road, that follows a storyteller and a singer on the run from their old lives and secrets. 

SEPTEMBER

I’m the Girl by Courtney Summers
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Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne
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From USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game Sally Thorne comes something a little unexpected… a historical rom-com that imagines Victor Frankenstein’s sheltered younger sister, and her attempts to create the perfect man.

Ithaca by Claire North
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This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before. Beyond Ithaca’s shores, the whims of gods dictate the wars of men. But on the isle, it is the choices of the abandoned women—and their goddesses—that will change the course of the world.

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander
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From New York Times Bestselling author Kwame Alexander comes the first book in a searing, breathtaking trilogy that tells the story of a boy, a village, and the epic odyssey of an African family.

Princess of Souls by Alexandra Christo
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From the author of To Kill a Kingdom comes Princess of Souls, a Rapunzel-inspired YA fantasy romance about a teen witch groomed to steal souls for an immortal king and the reckless, rebellious boy to whom her fate is tied.

Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
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Tamsyn Muir’s New York Times and USA Today bestselling Locked Tomb Series continues with Nona …the Ninth?

The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror
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Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young
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From New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young comes a deeply atmospheric story about ancestral magic, an unsolved murder, and a second chance at true love.

People Person by Candice Carty-Williams
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From an author with “a flair for storytelling that appears effortlessly authentic” (Time), People Person is a vibrant and charming celebration of discovering family as an adult.

Foul Lady Fortune 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 first book in a captivating new duology following an ill-matched pair of spies posing as a married couple to investigate a series of brutal murders in 1930s Shanghai.

Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco
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Full of court intrigue, queer romance, and terrifying monsters—this gothic epic fantasy will appeal to fans of Samantha Shannon’s The Priory of the Orange Tree and the adult animated series Castlevania.

Direwood by Catherine Yu
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In this velvet-clad 1990s gothic horror, Aja encounters a charming vampire who wants to lure her into the woods―just like her missing sister.

OCTOBER

Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by Rati Mehrotra
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In Rati Mehrotra’s Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove, a young guardswoman struggles with her unwitting role as a major pawn in the deadly games between two kingdoms in a monster-infested alternate medieval India.

Sign Here by Claudia Lux
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A darkly humorous, surprisingly poignant, and utterly gripping debut novel about a guy who works in Hell (literally) and is on the cusp of a big promotion if only he can get one more member of the wealthy Harrison family to sell their soul.

A Cosmic Kind of Love by Samantha Young
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Space is the last thing an event planner and an astronaut need in this charming new romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young.

Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle
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From the author of Twice Shy comes a sprightly Christmas novel, a rollicking romp through the absurdity of family holidays and the hope of new love.

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
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From the number one bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere, a deeply suspenseful and heartrending novel about the unbreakable love between a mother and child in a society consumed by fear.

The Storyteller’s Death by Ann Dávila Cardinal
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From International Latino Book Award-winning author Ann Dávila Cardinal comes a gorgeously written family saga about a Puerto Rican teenager who finds herself gifted (or cursed?) with a strange ability.

Dead Man’s Hand by James J. Butcher
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In the tradition of his renowned father, James J. Butcher’s debut novel is a brilliant urban fantasy about a young man who must throw out the magical rule book to solve the murder of his former mentor.

A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo
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Award-winning author Malinda Lo returns to the Bay Area with another masterful coming-of-queer-age story, this time set against the backdrop of the first major Supreme Court decisions legalizing gay marriage. And almost sixty years after the end of Last Night at the Telegraph Club, Lo’s new novel also offers a glimpse into Lily and Kath’s lives since 1955.

Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty
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Amateur detective Mallory Viridian’s talent for solving murders ruined her life on Earth and drove her to live on an alien space station, but her problems still follow her in this witty, self-aware novel that puts a speculative spin on murder mysteries, from the Hugo-nominated author of Six Wakes.

Jackal by Erin E. Adams
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A young Black girl goes missing in the woods outside her white Rust Belt town. But she’s not the first—and she may not be the last. . . .

Lavender House by Lev A.C. Rosen
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A delicious story from a new voice in suspense, Lev AC Rosen’s Lavender House is Knives Out with a queer historical twist.

Strike the Zither by Joan He
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A dazzling new fantasy from New York Times and Indie bestselling author Joan He, Strike the Zither is a powerful, inventive, and sweeping fantasy that reimagines the Chinese classic tale of the Three Kingdoms.

NOVEMBER

The Ones We Burn by Rebecca Mix
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Love and duty collide in this richly imagined, atmospheric young adult debut about a witch whose dark powers put her at the center of a brewing war between the only family she’s ever known and the enemy who makes her question everything.

She’s Gone by David Bell
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When 17-year-old Hunter Gifford wakes in the hospital on the night of homecoming, he’s shocked to learn he and his girlfriend, Chloe Summers, have been in a terrible car accident. Hunter has no memory of the crash, and his shock turns to horror when he is told Chloe’s blood has been found in the car—but she has disappeared.

Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade
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After All the Feels and Spoiler Alert, Olivia Dade once again delivers a warm and wonderful romantic comedy about two co-stars who once had an incredible one-night stand—and after years of filming on the same remote island, are finally ready to yield to temptation again…

The Luminaries by Susan Dennard
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From Susan Dennard, the New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series, comes a haunting and high-octane contemporary fantasy, about the magic it takes to face your fears in a nightmare-filled forest, and the mettle required to face the secrets hiding in the dark corners of your own family.

White Horse by Erika T. Wurth
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White Horse is a gritty, vibrant debut from Erika T. Wurth about an Indigenous woman who must face her past when she discovers a bracelet haunted by her mother’s spirit.

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun
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The author of the “swoon-worthy debut” (Harper’s Bazaar) The Charm Offensive returns with a festive romantic comedy about a woman who fakes an engagement with her landlord…only to fall for his sister.

Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga by Lindy Ryan and Christina Henry
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A collection of new and exclusive short stories inspired by the Baba Yaga. Featuring Gwendolyn Kiste, Stephanie M. Wytovich, Mercedes M. Yardley, Monique Snyman, Donna Lynch, Lisa Quigley, and R. J. Joseph, with a foreword by Christina Henry.

Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli
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A stunning and witty debut novel about a young woman’s emotional journey through unimaginable loss, pulled along by her tight-knit Nigerian family, a posse of new friends, and the love and laughter she shared with her husband. Onyi Nwabineli is a fresh new voice for fans of Yaa Gyasi, Queenie and I May Destroy You.

The Cloisters by Katy Hays
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The Secret History meets Ninth House in this sinister, atmospheric novel following a circle of researchers as they uncover a mysterious deck of tarot cards and shocking secrets in New York’s famed Met Cloisters.

Wait For Me by Sara Shepard
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Dating New York socialite Marcus Coleman, Casey has had trouble recognizing herself lately. But things only get stranger when she begins to hear a voice in her head: one that warns her of danger and leads her to the sleepy town of Avon, where she recognizes people and places she couldn’t possibly know, including a beguiling local boy who seems important to her past—and her present.

Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese
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Opposites become allies to fool their matchmaking friends in this swoony reimagining of Shakespeare’s beloved comedy, Much Ado About Nothing.

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman
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A rich, eccentric family. A time-honored tradition. Or a lethal game of survival? One woman is about to find out if she has what it takes to join her husband’s family in this riveting, must-read thriller from the author of Something in the Water, Mr. Nobody, and The Disappearing Act.

DECEMBER

Queen of Myth and Monsters by Scarlett St. Clair
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Queen becomes conqueror in this powerful follow-up to King of Battle and Blood where Queen Isolde de Lara has come into her own as the newly coronated queen of Cordova.  She and her mate, the vampire King Adrian, battle insurrection from the Nine Kingdoms…and a mysterious plague that turns humans to monsters. But hell hath no fury like Isolde’s wrath when she discovers that one of the vassal kings has enslaved her mother’s people.

A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar
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Adiba Jaigirdar, author of one of Time‘s Best YA books of all time, gives Titanic an Ocean’s 8 makeover in this nail-biting heist set onboard the infamous ship.

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales
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A girl enters a reality dating competition to get revenge on her cheating, royal-adjacent ex-boyfriend, and ends up falling for another girl on the show—in fact, the girl he cheated on her with.

The Widowmaker by Hannah Morrissey
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A wealthy family shrouded in scandal; a detective tasked with solving an impossible cold case; and a woman with a dark past collide in Hannah Morrissey’s stunning new Black Harbor mystery, The Widowmaker.

A Dash of Salt and Pepper by Kosoko Jackson
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Sometimes two cooks in the kitchen are better than one in this swoony romantic comedy from the author of I’m So (Not) Over You.

The Last Invitation by Darby Kane
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Darby Kane, the author of the critically acclaimed and #1 International Bestseller Pretty Little Wife, has crafted another gripping and twisty suspense about an invitation to an exclusive club that comes with deadly consequences.

Acting the Part by Z.R. Ellor
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This delightfully tropey teen romance perfect for fans of Ashley Poston and Lyla Lee follows a queer teen actor navigating their gender identity—while pretending to date their co-star.  

All the Dark Places by Terri Parlato
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A savage murder rocks a quiet Massachusetts suburb, revealing the dark secrets at the center of a group of friends and setting two women – one with a traumatic past, the other a Boston police detective – on a hunt for truth in this stylish debut thriller for fans of Megan Miranda and Shari Lapena…

The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton
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For readers of Station Eleven and Where the Crawdads Sing comes a hopeful, sweeping story of survival and resilience spanning one extraordinary woman’s lifetime as she navigates the uncertainty, brutality, and arresting beauty of a rapidly changing world.

The Key to My Heart: A Novel by Lia Louis
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A heartwarming novel about hope after loss as a young widow receives mysterious messages of love from the “must-buy author” (Jodi Picoult) of Eight Perfect Hours.

The Ingenue by Rachel Kapelke-Dale
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My Dark Vanessa meets The Queen’s Gambit in this new novel of suspense about the bonds of family, the limits of talent, the risks of ambition, and the rewards of revenge.

Witcha Gonna Do by Avery Flynn
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An unlucky witch and her know-it-all nemesis must team up in the first of a new, spicy romantic comedy series from USA Today bestselling author Avery Flynn.

What July to December releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Get Your Hands On These Anticipated July To December 2022 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.