When I began working on the outline for Everyone’s Thinking It, I knew that I wanted Iyanu and Kitan’s journey back to each other to be at the heart of the narrative. They each have their own ways of navigating through Wodebury Hall, and I found that the best way for me to approach a journey like theirs was by delving into a variety of themes and exploring them through their individual arcs and that of the other characters. This required a lot of moving parts but that was the exciting part! Five of those themes are community, identity, found family/friendship, love and sisterhood.

Here are some great pieces of media that explore these themes…

Community: Pride by Ibi Zoboi

It’s hard to put into words how much I loved this book. I’m a huge Pride and Prejudice fan and this is such a gorgeous retelling. It just felt so familiar, leaning so beautifully into the importance of community- especially Black community- in all its shades. It’s hard to put Black girlhood into words, but Ibi Zoboi articulated it wonderfully with the exploration of community in this novel: the celebration of your individuality and that of everyone else around you and how that makes you one. This book will make you feel so seen.

Identity: Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

The graphic novels are so stunning and seeing them brought to life in the TV show was heart-stopping (I’ll see myself out). But in all seriousness, the exploration of identity in Heartstopper is gorgeous. The story is impactful for many reasons but one of my favourite aspects is how it shows the importance of holding space for someone. No matter who you are or how you identify, everyone knows what it’s like to not know who you are yet or to know who you are but don’t think you can be yourself. Understanding that sometimes you don’t need to have it all figured out, that you can simply hold that truth for someone, make space for them to breathe so they can feel safe and seen.

Found Family/Friendship: Our Flag Means Death

As “The Great Birate TikTok Takeover of 2020” taught us, everyone loves queer pirates. If you’re one of the few people out there who still hasn’t watched Our Flag Means Death, I urge you to drop everything and do it now. The warm heart of this show is the found family of pirates at its centre. They bicker, they laugh, they cry, they protect, and most importantly, they understand each other. Family in blood or not are the people that see you, meet you where you are and hold you there.

What are you still doing here? Go and watch the queer pirates!

Love: This Is Us

If you look up the word “cathartic” in the dictionary, you’ll see a picture of This Is Us. This show will make you cry but it will be the warmest hug of a cry you’ve ever had. Love in all its forms absolutely spills out of this programme. Familial love, platonic love, romantic love, love for your passions, love across generations, time and space. I heard somewhere once that life is about how people change each other. I always felt like I understood that idea, how people leave their mark on each other or don’t, how they change the course of their future or leave them waiting in the liminal past. I feel like This Is Us embodies that concept in its beautiful exploration of love.

Sisterhood: Lilo and Stitch

The beauty of Lilo and Stich is the relationship between Lilo and Nani. Yes, it’s called Lilo and Stitch (the Stitch stuffie sat next to me as I type this is evidence enough of my love for Stitch), but Lilo and Nani’s relationship is the anchor. Nani loves her sister, Nani is raising her sister, Nani lets her sister be herself unapologetically. Lilio loves her sister, Lilo learned loved from her sister, Lilo will do anything to protect her sister. I feel like the entire story falls apart without this relationship, and it’s so beautifully executed.

The post The Inspiration Behind Aleema Omotoni’s ‘Everyone’s Thinking It’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Coffee Boy by Austin Chant

After graduation, Kieran expected to go straight into a career of flipping burgers—only to be offered the internship of his dreams at a political campaign. But the pressure of being an out trans man in the workplace quickly sucks the joy out of things, as does Seth, the humorless campaign strategist who watches his every move.

Soon, the only upside to the job is that Seth has a painful crush on their painfully straight boss, and Kieran has a front row seat to the drama. But when Seth proves to be as respectful and supportive as he is prickly, Kieran develops an awkward crush of his own—one which Seth is far too prim and proper to ever reciprocate.

GEORGE by Alex Gino

When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she’s not a boy. She knows she’s a girl.

George thinks she’ll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte’s Web. George really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can’t even try out for the part . . . because she’s a boy.
With the help of her best friend, Kelly, George comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte — but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all.

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

Felix Love has never been in love—and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many—Black, queer, and transgender—to ever get his own happily ever after. But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

A trans boy determined to prove his gender to his traditional Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave. When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

When the Moon was Ours by Anne Marie McLemore

To everyone who knows them, best friends Miel and Sam are as strange as they are inseparable. But as odd as everyone considers Miel and Sam, even they stay away from the Bonner girls, four beautiful sisters rumored to be witches. Now they want the roses that grow from Miel’s skin, convinced that their scent can make anyone fall in love. And they’re willing to use every secret Miel has fought to protect to make sure she gives them up.

I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman

For Angel Rahimi, life is only about one thing: The Ark – a pop-rock trio of teenage boys who are currently taking the world by storm. Being part of The Ark’s fandom has given her everything – her friendships, her dreams, her place in the world. Jimmy Kaga-Ricci owes everything to The Ark too. He’s their frontman – and playing in a band is all he’s ever dreamed of doing. It’s just a shame that recently everything in his life seems to have turned into a bit of a nightmare. When Angel and Jimmy are unexpectedly thrust together, they will discover just how strange and surprising facing up to reality can be.

May the Best Man Win by ZR Ellor

A trans boy enters a throw-down battle for the title of Homecoming King with the boy he dumped last summer in ZR Ellor’s contemporary YA debut.

All Kinds of Other by James Sie

In this tender, nuanced coming-of-age love story, two boys—one who is cis and one who is trans—have been guarding their hearts to protect themselves, until their feelings for each other give them a reason to stand up to their fears.

Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

Felix Ever After meets Becky Albertalli in this swoon-worthy, heartfelt rom-com about how a transgender teen’s first love challenges his ideas about perfect relationships.

The (Un)Popular Vote by Jasper Sanchez

Red, White, and Royal Blue meets The West Wing in Jasper Sanchez’s electric and insightful #ownvoices YA debut, chronicling a transmasculine student’s foray into a no-holds-barred student body president election against the wishes of his politician father.

Between Perfect and Real by Ray Stoeve

Dean Foster knows he’s a trans guy. He’s watched enough YouTube videos and done enough questioning to be sure. But everyone at his high school thinks he’s a lesbian—including his girlfriend Zoe, and his theater director, who just cast him as a “nontraditional” Romeo. He wonders if maybe it would be easier to wait until college to come out. But as he plays Romeo every day in rehearsals, Dean realizes he wants everyone to see him as he really is now––not just on the stage, but everywhere in his life. Dean knows what he needs to do. Can playing a role help Dean be his true self?

The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon

To save a fae kingdom, a trans witch must face his traumatic past and the royal fiancé he left behind.

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

The post #ReadWithPride: Trans Visibility Day Book Recommendations appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The world has truly plunged into a weird state and everything feels topsy-turvy right now. In such tough times, we surely do need something light and fun to keep us light-headed, and what better than graphic novels! Graphic novels are a true gem as they are so often quick and fun to read. Here are some really fun graphic novel recommendations that are sure to bring a smile to your face, and make you giddy with happiness!

Sheets by Brenna Thummler | Goodreads

A lonely girl? The cutest ghost? Messy decisions and funny little misunderstandings? SHEETS has it all and in the cutest way possible. Marjorie is over-burdened and sad and lonely, trying so hard to save her family laundromat business while her father grieves the loss of his wife. There is also the wicked neighbour to look out for, who is constantly trying to acquire the laundromat land for his own business. And then one day, a ghost suddenly appears in the laundromat – cute little Wendell – and it is one fun adventure that unravels! I loved this story so much and it had its fun as well as serious moments in a perfect balance. And the art, the colour palette was simply stunning, clad in pretty pastels. SHEETS is a fun little unique graphic novel that will surely bring a smile to your face.

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman | Goodreads

I fell in love with Nick and Charlie and I know you will too when you read Heartstopper. Charlie is openly gay, and he meets Nick, a soft-hearted rugby player on a fateful day. Friendship soon blooms between the two boys as they understand and support each other while Charlie finds himself falling for Nick. Heartstopper is so heartwarming and so adorable that you will want to read all the volumes in one sitting. Nick and Charlie’s story has made my heart melt and swoon. It is one of the cutest graphic novels I’ve come across and has all the right amount of fluff while also glancing at important topics.

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang | Goodreads

This graphic novel is going to give you all the feels! Prince Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret from the world, and especially his parents who are hellbent on finding him a wife. Sebastian, though, clad in gorgeous dresses, takes Paris by storm at night as the coveted Lady Crystallia, with his best friend Frances. Soon turning into a fashion icon, Sebastian finds his place but not Frances, who has to remain a secret. Frances, however, dreams of making it big in the industry, creating a name for herself. And she cannot do it if she wants to protect her friend. A colourful little story about finding yourself and not being afraid of who you are, The Prince and The Dressmaker is a hopeful and promising story about love without conditions. With a spectacular colourful palette, the story explores identity, art, young love, and family. And those beautiful dresses? Damn, I would love to own all of them!

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson | Goodreads

Nimona is the most adorable. Period. Nimona is an energetic and young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister, the villain in this story, takes in Nimona as his sidekick, and with their superpower they create havoc. But when a vicious battle erupts, Lord Ballister can only grasp how powerful and unpredictable Nimona and her past is. This story is full of love and hope and friendship, added with a dollop of villainy and mastery. Nimona is a goddamn precious bean and I loved the ending so much. It was simply beautiful and fun with all the needed wickedness and morally grey and notorious characters.

Fence by C. S. Pacat | Goodreads

One of my recent favourite books with the best set of characters is Fence. Illustrated by Johanna the Mad, Fence traces the story of Nicholas, a sloppy fencer with immense skills, who is also the illegitimate son of a retired fencing champion. Nicholas only dreams of getting a chance to prove himself as a worthy fencer, get the appropriate training to compete. As he is thrust into the world of fencing and Kings Row private school, he not only has to face his half-brother and #1 fencing champion, but also the mysterious Seiji. The Fencers are bound to give you all the #friendshipgoals, and I love Seiji and Nicholas so much. All the characters and players in the book play such important parts in the growth of each other, and I couldn’t help but be at amazed over each character arc. They made me laugh and giggle, Nicholas made me want to shake some sense into him, and Seiji simply made me swoon. When you read Fence, you will definitely fall in love with all these characters and go on a journey as they train and become better versions of themselves. Plus, the art is fun and the dialogues will simply crack you up!

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill | Goodreads

These little tea dragons are going to bring a wide smile to your faces. First in The Tea Dragon series, we meet Greta who discovers a lost tea dragon in the marketplace, and then ends up in a teashop where she discovers more of them. As she takes a liking to these little creatures and spends more time with the teashop owners, Greta leans more about the art of tea-dragon care and makes a few friends in the way. The second book, The Tea Dragon Festival, explores the story of Rinn and Aedhan, a real dragon, as she helps him come to terms with his feelings of being lost in time while saving the village from an enchanted sleep spell. The third book, The Tea Dragon Tapestry, is the concluding story of Greta. Steeped in diversity and inclusiveness, this series surely has a cute little story aimed at making everyone happy and find their calling, while enjoying the art of creating. Colourful and vibrant, the art is truly eye-catching!

Have you read any of these graphic novels? What are your recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 6 Feel Good Graphic Novels To Read appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Today, we are chatting with her about her latest novel, Loveless, which is out now! We talk to her about her writing process, her trajectory as an author, and the importance of including aromantic/asexual representation in the media. Not quite convinced about giving Loveless a go? Well, you definitely should, because we are sure it will become one of the most relevant #OwnVoices of the decade!

Hello, Alice! Congratulations on your new novel, Loveless. Could you please start by telling us a bit about yourself?

Hi! Thank you so much! I’m a twenty-five-year-old writer of four young adult novels: LOVELESS, I WAS BORN FOR THIS, RADIO SILENCE, and SOLITAIRE. I’m also the writer and illustrator of webcomic/graphic novel series HEARTSTOPPER!

If you could identify Loveless with a song that captures its essence, which one would it be and why?

I think it’s got to be ‘Love of the Loveless’ by Eels! Though I do have a whole Loveless playlist, which you can listen to here.

Loveless is a novel full of love in all of its forms, but its title is quite paradoxical? Why did you decide to establish this contrast?

It is! One of the most important messages of the story is that nobody is really as ‘loveless’ as they think. But ‘loveless’ is a feeling that all of the protagonists are struggling with in one way or another – particularly the narrator, Georgia. It’s a word that’s haunted her for a long, long time, and it’s a feeling that she fears so much that she can’t even identify that she isn’t ‘loveless’. But it’s ironic too, because romantically she is loveless, and that’s okay, and she can still be happy! It’s such a big part of her and other characters’ journeys, it felt like the right title for the book.

You started your writing career with Solitaire, when you were only seventeen, and since then, so much has happened to you career-wise. What aspect of your writing process or of yourself as a writer do you feel has changed the most?

Well, I think I have become a better writer generally! I love Solitaire dearly because it began my writing journey, but it has a lot of flaws that I find hard to look back on. More specifically, though, I think I’ve gotten a lot better at fleshing out the supporting characters in my stories. Particularly with Loveless I feel that I’ve gotten much better at giving all the main characters arcs of their own, not just the central two or three, without feeling like those arcs are ‘lessons’ for the narrator.

Writing and illustrating are the two sides of your literary production, but if you were to choose one particular scene from Loveless to illustrate, which one would it be and why?

There is a scene in Loveless in which two main characters have a battle on a gameshow-style contraption – it’s a bouncy castle with two raised platforms, upon which the two rivals have to try to push each other off using foam pool noodles. It would probably be a nightmare to draw but it’s one of my favourite scenes in the book!

Shakespeare and his plays have a great influence on the development of the story and the bond Georgia, Pip, Jason, Rooney, and Sunil develop. Why did you decide to make drama their common ground? And why Shakespeare in particular?

I wanted ‘found family’ to be a big part of the story, and I figured the best way to do this was to have Georgia join a university society! I also liked the idea of incorporating theatre into the story, on a sort of symbolic level. During a lot of the first half of the story, Georgia feels like she has to sort of ‘fake it until she makes it’ when it comes to romance – aka, she has to act. So I landed on a theatre society! I didn’t decide to focus on Shakespeare specifically until the second or third draft. Before then, I’d felt something was missing – I wanted to add something fun into the story, something I’m personally passionate about. And I’ve always loved Shakespeare’s comedies and tragedies, with all their dysfunctional and funny relationships. So Shakespeare became a big part of the book!

Sadly, aro/ace identities tend to be quite underrepresented in the media. Of course, you already started fighting this lack of representation with Aled —who is demi-sexual— in Radio Silence, back in 2016. But what was the turning point for you to decide to fully center a novel around asexuality and the emotional implications that society’s idea of love has on people who fall anywhere within the ace spectrum?

Honestly, it probably was Radio Silence that began that desire to tell this story! But I suppose the turning point was when I started to feel more comfortable with my own identity. I was still figuring things out while I was writing Radio Silence, and even while I was writing I Was Born for This. But once I felt comfortable enough with being aro-ace, and able to talk about it in depth, I knew I wanted to write a book about it, because I couldn’t find any books that I really felt represented in. We’re fortunate in young adult fiction that there is asexual and aromantic representation out there, but aro/ace experiences are so wide and varied that I couldn’t find anything that really felt like it was about me. So I decided to write it!

As a story of aro/ace self-acceptance, Loveless is already an endless source of help and support for those discovering their belonging to the a-spec, but if you could give them one extra piece of advice, which one would it be?

It’s okay to take time in figuring out your feelings. When people ask me about asexuality and aromanticism, I often get the sense that people feel pressured to find their ‘label’ very quickly. I understand why – people often find a lot of comfort in being able to label their sexuality, and in that find community too. But feeling pressured to ‘pick a label’ can cause a lot of stress. Sometimes it takes longer than an evening’s worth of Googling. And that’s okay. Take as much time as you need.

We couldn’t let the small yet meaningful references to your previous books you included in Loveless slip by. Since all of your novels coexist within the same universe, have you ever considered the possibility of writing a crossover? And if you were to include a character from each of your four novels in it, who would you choose and why?

I love the idea of a crossover! I think a crossover between Radio Silence and I Was Born for This would be such fun – perhaps Aled, Frances, and the Ark all meet at a YouTube event of some sort. I’m not sure how the Solitaire and Loveless kids would fit in, though!

Finally, if each member of the Shakespeare Soc could recommend a book, which one would it be and why?

That’s such a hard question! Being an English lit student, Georgia would probably recommend something classic, and almost certainly a romance – maybe Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. That’s definitely one of her fave classics.

Rooney would recommend Much Ado About Nothing, even though that doesn’t really qualify as a ‘book’, but she is a Shakespeare fanatic so she’d choose it anyway.

Pip would probably recommend The Secret History by Donna Tartt, because it fits her aesthetic.

Jason would recommend… well, is there any sort of Scooby-Doo novelisation out there?

Sunil would recommend something that features a lot of queer joy, so perhaps You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson!

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

The post Q&A: Alice Oseman, Author of ‘Loveless’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Since her last novel, I Was Born for This, which published in 2018, Alice Oseman has released three volumes of her heartwarming graphic novel, Heartstopper. Now, in 2020, the British author has done it again; she has written a fantastic and relatable novel capable of moving every single reader to their core. Loveless is, above all, a story about what it feels like to come to terms with being aro/ace in a world where romance and sex seem to be the ultimate goal in life.

For the first section of the novel, Georgia goes in circles, trying to convince herself of her need to find a partner and, therefore, love. She has never had a crush or kissed anyone, so she feels like university is her time to shine… until she comes to terms with her sexuality and her entire life begins to make sense. Despite its title, Loveless is a novel overflowing with love: self-love, platonic love, friendship, and romantic love, you name it. All of them are part of the novel, showing how much love surrounds asexual and aromantic people, even if society’s ideal of love might say otherwise. Georgia’s story demonstrates that you don’t have to be in a relationship to experience (or witness) love. Love is everywhere and all of its forms are equally important.

Radio Silence and I Was Born for This already showed us how powerfully compelling and intoxicating the friendships in Alice Oseman’s books are. However, Loveless is the cherry on top, officially crowning the British author as the queen of friendships. Her craftsmanship when portraying the love between friends is outstanding. Fun, realistic, heartwarming, bittersweet… the friendships and bonds that she establishes between her characters are truly alive between the pages of the novel. Friendships are hardly ever the centre of attention in literature, so her novels are always an oasis of endless kindness, care, and loving between friends.

In line with her previous works, each and every single character is given a differentiated voice that makes them stand out from the rest of the line-up. In the case of Loveless, even though the entire narration depends on Georgia’s first-person voice, her three best friends—Pip, Rooney, and Jason—have their very own lives, struggles, and relationships. You are definitely going to love Pip and Rooney’s banter, mutual pinning! Even Sunil, who is Georgia’s non-binary college parent and is more of a secondary character that the rest, has enough presence as a fully-fledged character to become one of the most lovable people on the novel.

Divided into five parts, Loveless maintains a steady pace that gives the author enough room to imbue the story with plenty of nuance and emotion. There is no doubt that Alice Oseman put extreme care into portraying this very particular coming-out story, not only for those readers who could identify with Georgia’s experience, but also for those who may have never heard about the asexual spectrum before. Oseman takes her time to explain what the asexual and aromantic experience is in detail, not only limiting herself to Georgia’s particular story. Through her relatable examples and her kind reassurance, she shows that all asexual experiences are completely normal and valid. Some may say that, at times, her explanations feel a bit info-dumpy. However, taking into account that many people still don’t know what asexuality is or have a mistaken conception of it, her explanations are very much needed. It is beyond question that Loveless is an essential #OwnVoices piece of writing for the further visibility of the LGBTQ+ community.

Apart from the exploration of asexuality, Loveless also deals with some of the main topics relating to going to university. The novel especially ponders on why certain behaviours are sometimes mindlessly accepted by society, such as drinking/clubbing culture or the pressure put into getting into relationships too soon or deeming someone as weird for never having kissed anyone or having had sex before university. The pressure of finding a partner makes everyone feel insecure, no matter their sexual orientation.

Finally, she also explores other ways to live your sexuality, no matter your orientation of gender identity, like casual sex, long-term relationship, and blooming affairs. This shows that there is not a single experience in the field of love and sex. We all have been conditioned that the right way to love is to fall in love, get married and be happy. Even if that is true for some, for others that is far from reality. First and foremost, the message at the core of Loveless is to appreciate the love we can offer our friends and the love they will offer us back, because it can be as strong —if not stronger— than romantic love. No matter the ups and downs, friends are a force to be reckoned with in all of our lives.

Loveless is a beautiful tale of self-discovery and self-acceptance, as well as a celebration of friendships. Alice Oseman offers one of her best works to date, unafraid to show the intricacies of human connection and the importance of valuing those around us to create a community of support and love in a world that always seems to go against us. We could write an entire essay about the many positive things Loveless adds to YA, but we will leave it to you to discover Georgia, her lovely friends and their beautiful relationships. And rest assured that they are all far from loveless.

Loveless is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of

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

Synopsis | Goodreads

The fourth novel from the phenomenally talented Alice Oseman – one of the most authentic and talked-about voices in contemporary YA.

It was all sinking in. I’d never had a crush on anyone. No boys, no girls, not a single person I had ever met. What did that mean?

Georgia has never been in love, never kissed anyone, never even had a crush – but as a fanfic-obsessed romantic she’s sure she’ll find her person one day.

As she starts university with her best friends, Pip and Jason, in a whole new town far from home, Georgia’s ready to find romance, and with her outgoing roommate on her side and a place in the Shakespeare Society, her ‘teenage dream’ is in sight.

But when her romance plan wreaks havoc amongst her friends, Georgia ends up in her own comedy of errors, and she starts to question why love seems so easy for other people but not for her. With new terms thrown at her – asexual, aromantic – Georgia is more uncertain about her feelings than ever.

Is she destined to remain loveless? Or has she been looking for the wrong thing all along?

This wise, warm and witty story of identity and self-acceptance sees Alice Oseman on towering form as Georgia and her friends discover that true love isn’t limited to romance.

The post Review: Loveless by Alice Oseman appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Loveless by Alice Oseman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

This wise, warm and witty story of identity and self-acceptance sees Alice Oseman on towering form as Georgia and her friends discover that true love isn’t limited to romance. 

B*WITCH by Paige McKenzie an d Nancy Ohlin
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

With an inclusive cast of teen witches who leap off the page with style, attitude, and charm, B*Witch is a singable read perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Mean Girls alike.

The Girl in the White Van by April Henry
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A teen is snatched after her kung fu class and must figure out how to escape—and rescue another kidnapped prisoner—in this chilling YA mystery.

Ever Cursed by Corey Ann Haydu
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Damsel meets A Heart in a Body in the World in this incisive and lyrical feminist fairy tale about a princess determined to save her sisters from a curse, even if it means allying herself with the very witch who cast it.

This Is My America by Kim Johnson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Dear Martin meets Just Mercy in this unflinching yet uplifting YA novel that explores the racist injustices in the American justice system.

10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The follow-up to When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something about Sweetie follows Pinky and Samir as they pretend to date—with disastrous and hilarious results.

Faith: Taking Flight by Julie Murphy
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’, comes the first in a two-book origin story of Faith, a groundbreaking, plus-sized superhero from the Valiant Entertainment comics.

Unravel the Dusk (The Blood of Stars #2) by Elizabeth Lim
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Maia Tamarin proved her skill as a tailor when she wove the dresses of the sun, the moon, and the stars, but it will take more than a beautiful gown to hide the darkness rising up within her. . . . The stakes are higher than ever in this breathtaking sequel to Spin the Dawn, perfect for fans of Six of Crows.

Gimme Everything You Got by Iva-Marie Palmer
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A feminist, sex-positive, and hilarious rom-com about a girl in 1970s Chicago trying everything she can to score—on and off the soccer field.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A captivating and utterly original fairy tale about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch, and who discovers what power might lie in such a curse…

The Extraordinaries by T.J. Klune
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Some people are extraordinary. Some are just extra. TJ Klune’s YA debut, The Extraordinaries, is a queer coming-of-age story about a fanboy with ADHD and the heroes he loves.

More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In More Than Maybe, Erin Hahn’s swooniest book yet, Luke and Vada must decide how deep their feelings run and what it would mean to give love a try.

Will you be picking up any of these releases? Tell us in the comments below!

The post July 2020 Book Releases: YA appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Guys, gals, and non-binary pals, we cannot believe that we’re already at the end of the acronym (since P for Pansexual was combined with B for Bisexual because a lot of books don’t explicitly state whether the characters identify with one or the other), but it’s been a fun ride! We hope you guys have found some new books to put onto your probably already too huge TBRs, and that you had the best time celebrating Pride! We know it’s a tough year to celebrate anything, but you know what? We deserve it because love is love. And in uncertain times, treating people with kindness will always be something worth celebrating!

Without further ado, let’s get into our recommendations for asexual fiction – these books cover everything from demisexuality to aromantic and asexual representation! Hopefully there’s a new favourite for you within this article!

Personal Favourite

Rick by Alex Gino
Rick’s never questioned much. He’s gone along with his best friend Jeff even when Jeff’s acted like a bully and a jerk. He’s let his father joke with him about which hot girls he might want to date even though that kind of talk always makes him uncomfortable. And he hasn’t given his own identity much thought, because everyone else around him seemed to have figured it out. But now Rick’s gotten to middle school, and new doors are opening. One of them leads to the school’s Rainbow Spectrum club, where kids of many genders and identities congregate, including Melissa, the girl who sits in front of Rick in class and seems to have her life together. Rick wants his own life to be that … understood. Even if it means breaking some old friendships and making some new ones.

Fantasy & Sci-Fi

Tarnished Are the Stars by Rosiee Thor
A secret beats inside Anna Thatcher’s chest: an illegal clockwork heart. Anna works cog by cog — donning the moniker Technician — to supply black market medical technology to the sick and injured, against the Commissioner’s tyrannical laws. Nathaniel Fremont, the Commissioner’s son, has never had to fear the law. Determined to earn his father’s respect, Nathaniel sets out to capture the Technician. But the more he learns about the outlaw, the more he questions whether his father’s elusive affection is worth chasing at all. Their game of cat and mouse takes an abrupt turn when Eliza, a skilled assassin and spy, arrives. Her mission is to learn the Commissioner’s secrets at any cost — even if it means betraying her own heart.

Vicious by V.E. Schwab
Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

Beyond the Black Door by A.M. Strickland 
Kamai was warned never to open the black door, but she didn’t listen … Everyone has a soul. Some are beautiful gardens, others are frightening dungeons. Soulwalkers―like Kamai and her mother―can journey into other people’s souls while they sleep. But no matter where Kamai visits, she sees the black door. It follows her into every soul, and her mother has told her to never, ever open it. When Kamai touches the door, it is warm and beating, like it has a pulse. When she puts her ear to it, she hears her own name whispered from the other side. And when tragedy strikes, Kamai does the unthinkable: she opens the door.

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere… else. But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children. Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced… they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.

Young Adult Contemporary

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman
Frances has been a study machine with one goal. Nothing will stand in her way; not friends, not a guilty secret – not even the person she is on the inside. Then Frances meets Aled, and for the first time she’s unafraid to be herself. So when the fragile trust between them is broken, Frances is caught between who she was and who she longs to be. Now Frances knows that she has to confront her past. To confess why Carys disappeared…Frances is going to need every bit of courage she has.

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann
Alice had her whole summer planned. Non-stop all-you-can-eat buffets while marathoning her favorite TV shows (best friends totally included) with the smallest dash of adulting–working at the library to pay her share of the rent. The only thing missing from her perfect plan? Her girlfriend (who ended things when Alice confessed she’s asexual). Alice is done with dating–no thank you, do not pass go, stick a fork in her, done. But then Alice meets Takumi and she can’t stop thinking about him or the rom com-grade romance feels she did not ask for (uncertainty, butterflies, and swoons, oh my!).

Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee
After a shout-out from one of the Internet’s superstar vloggers, Natasha “Tash” Zelenka finds herself and her obscure, amateur web series, Unhappy Families, thrust into the limelight: She’s gone viral. And when Unhappy Families is nominated for a Golden Tuba award, Tash’s cyber-flirtation with Thom Causer, a fellow award nominee, suddenly has the potential to become something IRL—if she can figure out how to tell said crush that she’s romantic asexual.

Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Rumi Seto spends a lot of time worrying she doesn’t have the answers to everything. What to eat, where to go, whom to love. But there is one thing she is absolutely sure of—she wants to spend the rest of her life writing music with her younger sister, Lea. Then Lea dies in a car accident, and her mother sends her away to live with her aunt in Hawaii while she deals with her own grief. Now thousands of miles from home, Rumi struggles to navigate the loss of her sister, being abandoned by her mother, and the absence of music in her life.

Adult Fiction

How to Be a Normal Person by TJ Klune
Gustavo Tiberius is not normal. He knows this. Everyone in his small town of Abby, Oregon, knows this. He reads encyclopedias every night before bed. He has a pet ferret called Harry S. Truman. He owns a video rental store that no one goes to. Gus is not normal. And he’s fine with that. All he wants is to be left alone. Until Casey, an asexual stoner hipster and the newest employee at Lottie’s Lattes, enters his life. For some reason, Casey thinks Gus is the greatest thing ever. But Gus isn’t normal and Casey deserves someone who can be. Suddenly wanting to be that someone, Gus steps out of his comfort zone and plans to become the most normal person ever.

Upside Down by N.R. Walker
Jordan O’Neill isn’t a fan of labels, considering he has a few. Gay, geek, a librarian, socially awkward, a nervous rambler, an introvert, an outsider. The last thing he needs is one more. But when he realizes adding the label ‘asexual’ might explain a lot, it turns his world upside down.

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

The post LGBTQ+ Alphabet Recommendations: A for Asexual Fiction appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The world of YA literature has been getting progressively more and more diverse (*takes out a celebratory horn and blows on it excitedly*) – starting off with more gay, lesbian, and bisexual characters. But new releases over the last couple of years are also filled with better representation of other sexual identities and orientations, including trans , ace, and demi characters, to enby love stories! We still have a long way to go, but even these slight changes in representation in YA lit gives me hope!

And that’s why I decided to put together a short list of YA characters of different sexual orientations and identities and the books they come from, plus it’s a fantastic time to discover them with Pride Month!

Gay Characters

Jack from Jack of Hearts by L.C. Rosen

Jack is an out and proud gay guy who is through worrying about stereotypes! So what if he fits into one! He likes makeup, fancy clothes, and sex and is proud of that! Jack is a very iconic gay character because he is so unapologetic about being himself and he writes a very educational column about sex for his school. Jack of Hearts is not a coming out story – this is the story of everything that comes after that. If you are looking for a fresh and unique read with chilling twists, this one might be just perfect for you!

Ronan from Call Down the Hawk ­by Maggie Stiefvater

Now Ronan is a character you probably already heard about if you love YA as he is one of the most beloved characters in the subgenre of magical realism and his love story with a certain someone is one for the ages! There are many sides to Ronan, but one of the things I find most inspiring about his story is how he reconciles his faith with his sexuality. Pick this book up if you love lyrical writing, mind-blowing plot twists, and beautiful relationships. And a quick tip – read The Raven Cycle before jumping into Call Down the Hawk!

Griffin from History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

Silvera is well known for his heart-wrenching stories and this one is no exception! But while Griffin has to battle grief at losing his first love, we also get a front-row seat at him confronting both his past and present in order to move on with his life. Despite it being a sorrowful story of loss and pain that comes with it, History Is All You Left Me is also filled with hope and all the best things of being young and in love for the first time.

Lesbian Characters

Aline Penhallow from Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare

Cassandra Clare is well known for diversity in her books, but one of her latest series, The Eldest Curses, follows a M/M and a F/F couple making it her first with LGBTQ+ main protagonists! And one of the girls in the book, Aline Penhallow, is a true firecracker and an epic heroine! We met her for the first time back in The Mortal Instruments, but this book really makes her shine!

Cameron Post from The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

Cameron’s story is basically a classic lesbian coming-of-age story at this point. When Cameron is shipped to a conversion therapy after being found with a girl, her life is turned upside down and she starts to dig deeper and question the expectations of life. This is not only a story of the damaging reality that is conversion therapy, but also an exploration of female sexuality and a hot-take on sex and sexuality in general.

Lei from Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

This series was one of the most hyped ones back in 2018 and rightfully so! Lei is a strong female protagonist that has to fight against injustice and tyranny of her world, but there is also a sweet component of forbidden love woven into this rather hard-hitting story. As you follow Lei on her journey and see as she slowly realises she has feelings for her fellow king’s consort, you won’t be able to not fall in love with their powerful love story!

Bisexual Characters

Levi from Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

Ace of Shades is a perfect read for any fans of epic plot twists and swoon-worthy characters! Levi is a leader of a notorious gang and the type of character you can’t help but adore! I sometimes jokingly say that he is basically Kaz Brekker and Jesper Fahey (both characters from Six of Crows) combined – witty, hella charming, but also cunning and ambitious. He is a joy to read about and he is a main, bisexual Black character.

Jesper Fahey and Nina Zenik from Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

This duology is super diverse in different ways and basically anyone is able to find themselves in one of the characters! Two of the most beloved ones are naturally the bisexual legends Nina and Jesper, who slay not only with their weapons of choice but also with their charm and flirtatious ways! One of the other characters pointed this out even in the book: “…he sometimes suspected they could forgo all of Kaz’s planning and simply let Jesper and Nina flirt the entirety of Ketterdam into submission.” – Crooked Kingdom, Leigh Bardugo

Noam from The Fever King by Victoria Lee

This epic dystopian duology follows a story of a techopath Noam as he tries to navigate the treacherous ways of his corrupt government and save his people. But of course there is also a beautiful queer love story in the heart of The Fever King – a love between two boys who learn to trust and love each other despite the horrid world they grew up in.

Leah from Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Did someone say an epic and fluffy book about two epic bisexual queens?! If that’s what you are looking for, search no more! This beautiful Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda spin-off concentrates on Leah, Simon’s best friend, that is trying to come out to her friends and go after the girl she loves. Leah on the Offbeat is filled with cuteness interwoven with more serious topics, a mix we’ve come to expect and love from Albertalli! A perfect summer read if there ever was one!

Asexual and Demisexual Characters

Rick from Rick by Alex Gino

While not technically YA (it’s a middle grade story), Rick is the kind of story that will leave you full of hope for the better tomorrow! This middle grade book about a young boy who already knows that he is just not interested in people in that way is a wonderful and poignant story about sexuality and how there is no ‘right’ age to figure out who you are (or are not) attracted to. And how you and your feelings are valid no matter what others say.

Alice from Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann

Alice is prepping for a perfect summer when her girlfriend dumps her after finding out Alice is asexual. No more romantic star-gazing or bingeing favourite TV shows together, but then Takumi comes along and Alice realises she might not be as done with dating as she anticipated. There is beautiful intersectionality in this book as Alice is asexual, biromantic, and Black! Prepare to swoon with this cute YA rom-com that explains it is perfectly okay to want love but not sex. 

Felicity Montague from The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

Felicity fights for and then owns her sexuality (and her desire to become a doctor) in times when women were expected to marry young and stay quiet about it. As we follow Felicity on an adventure of her lifetime (Pirates! Dragons! Dogs!), we learn about the lives of women in the 1700s in a realistic yet hopeful manner. This is a feminist book your heart longs for with great representation as Felicity is on the asexual/aromantic spectrum!

Aled from Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

Hands down one of the sweetest characters in modern YA lit is Aled Last, the secondary main characters of Radio Silence and the creator of the famous podcast Universe City. He explains in the book that he is demisexual and that that also makes sense in terms of his relationship. The author also said before that she believes that sometime in the future Aled will come to identify as non-binary.

Non-Binary, Trans, and Gender Fluid Characters

Ben from I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

Ben is a 17-year-old that gets thrown out of their house on Christmas day after they come out to their parents as non-binary. Ben is forced to move in with their estranged sister and finish their senior year at a new school, but everything is not as bleak as it seems. The main protagonists of I Wish You All the Best defy all the norms society forces on us, discovering a lot about themselves on the way, and coming out victorious! It is a realistic story of finding your voice and accepting it – sometimes sorrowful but with infinite possibilities for happiness and love.

Melissa from George by Alex Gino

Okay so I am cheating yet again by adding another gorgeous middle-grade book by Gino, but these stories of Rick and Melissa are too beautiful to pass up and perfect reads for anyone craving good asexual and trans rep! Melissa is a girl and she knows that despite what everyone else keeps telling her. And she will make other see her for who she really is… Melissa and not George! George is a truly stunning story that teaches about the power of friendship and acceptance that make even the hardest of situations bearable – especially when there are zoo and theatre and skirts involved!

Zee from The Disasters by M.K. England

The Disasters is a perfect read for all the fans of The Illumiane Files, a fast-paced space adventure with an amazing and diverse cast of characters (Bi rep! Trans rep! PoC characters! Muslim characters! Mental health rep!). I could go on and on about what a fun and adventurous book this is, but I’ll dedicate this time to screaming about the amazing trans girl medic called Zee. Her eyeliner is on point and she will kick you if you cross her. Hard.

Riley Cavanaugh from Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin

This beautiful story of coming to terms with yourself will introduce you to a snarky and rebellious teen you will inevitably fall for – without worrying about their gender! Riley is a gender fluid teen in a conservative town, finding their solace in an anonymous blog. But when the blog goes viral and Riley’s anonymity is compromised, Riley will have to decide between standing their ground or running away from everything they built with it.

Do you have any other recommendations with queer characters? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 18 YA Books With Queer Characters appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hello and welcome to round two of our Pride-themed book recommendations! This time around, we’re on two the second letter in the acronym: G for Gay! Find below a wonderful mix of books and there’s something there for everyone! Whether you’d like to read something tasteful and try some classic poetry or you’d rather disappear into some heartwarming and tension-filled graphic novels, no worries, we got you covered!

Adult Fiction

Less by Andrew Sean Greer
A love story, a satire of the American abroad, a rumination on time and the human heart, by an author The New York Times has hailed as “inspired, lyrical,” “elegiac,” “ingenious,” as well as “too sappy by half,” Less shows a writer at the peak of his talents raising the curtain on our shared human comedy.

Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
What happens when America’s First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales?

Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski
Shifting from the intoxication of first love to the quiet melancholy of growing up and growing apart, Swimming in the Dark is a potent blend of romance, post-war politics, intrigue, and history. Lyrical and sensual, immersive and intense, Tomasz Jedrowski has crafted an indelible and thought-provoking literary debut that explores freedom and love in all its incarnations.

The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne
Cyril Avery is not a real Avery or at least that’s what his adoptive parents tell him. And he never will be. But if he isn’t a real Avery, then who is he?In this, Boyne’s most transcendent work to date, we are shown the story of Ireland from the 1940s to today through the eyes of one ordinary man. The Heart’s Invisible Furies is a novel to make you laugh and cry while reminding us all of the redemptive power of the human spirit. 

Young Adult Fiction

The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg

Over the course of one summer, two boys will have to face their biggest fears and decide what they’re willing to risk — to get the thing they want the most. 

Alex in Wonderland by Simon James Green

In the town of Newsands, painfully shy Alex is abandoned by his two best friends for the summer. But he unexpectedly lands a part-time job at Wonderland, a run-down amusement arcade on the seafront, where he gets to know the other teen misfits who work there. Alex starts to come out of his shell, and even starts to develop feelings for co-worker Ben… who, as Alex’s bad luck would have it, has a girlfriend. Then as debtors close in on Wonderland and mysterious, threatening notes start to appear, Alex and his new friends take it on themselves to save their declining employer. But, like everything in Wonderland, nothing is quite what it seems…

Jack of Hearts by Lev AC. Rosen

Meet Jack Rothman. He’s seventeen and loves partying, makeup and boys – sometimes all at the same time. His sex life makes him the hot topic for the high school gossip machine. But who cares? Like Jack always says, ‘it could be worse’. He doesn’t actually expect that to come true.

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

When Griffin’s first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him when the time was right. But now, the future he’s been imagining for himself has gone far off course.

If Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history, every last heartbreaking piece in the puzzle of his life.

Fantasy & Sci-Fi

Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

Damen is a warrior hero to his people, and the rightful heir to the throne of Akielos. But when his half brother seizes power, Damen is captured, stripped of his identity, and sent to serve the prince of an enemy nation as a pleasure slave. Beautiful, manipulative, and deadly, his new master, Prince Laurent, epitomizes the worst of the court at Vere. But in the lethal political web of the Veretian court, nothing is as it seems, and when Damen finds himself caught up in a play for the throne, he must work together with Laurent to survive and save his country.

Reverie by Ryan La Sala

All Kane Montgomery knows for certain is that the police found him half-dead in the river. He can’t remember how he got there, what happened after, and why his life seems so different now. And it’s not just Kane who’s different, the world feels off, reality itself seems different.

The Last Sun by K.D. Edwards

Rune Saint John, last child of the fallen Sun Court, is hired to search for Lady Judgment’s missing son, Addam, on New Atlantis, the island city where the Atlanteans moved after ordinary humans destroyed their original home. In looking for Addam, can Rune find the truth behind his family’s death and the torments of his past?

Plays, Classic, and Poetry

The Inheritance by Matthew Lopez

You have to wonder why there isn’t a word in the English language for the fireworks that go off in your brain when you finally kiss someone you’ve wanted for years. Or for the intimacy and tenderness you feel as you hold the hand of a suffering friend.

A generation after the height of the AIDS crisis, what is it like to be a young gay man in New York? How many words are there now for the different kinds of pain, the different kinds of love

Everybody’s Talking about Jamie by Tom MacRae

Jamie New is sixteen and lives on a council estate in Sheffield.
Jamie doesn’t quite fit in.
Jamie is terrified about the future.
Jamie is going to be a sensation.
Supported by his brilliant, loving mum and surrounded by his friends, Jamie overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies, and steps out of the darkness into the spotlight.
Sixteen: the edge of possibility. Time to make your dreams come true

Maurice by E.M. Forster

Maurice is heartbroken over unrequited love, which opened his heart and mind to his own sexual identity. In order to be true to himself, he goes against the grain of society’s often unspoken rules of class, wealth, and politics.

The Collected Poems of A.E. Housman

Housman’s melodic and memorable poems have been popular for over a century. He writes typically of lost love, of the brevity of happiness, of young soldiers doomed to die. Admirers have found his work elegant and resonant; detractors have thought much of it mannered and glib. But Housman speaks with two voices: the smooth texts conceal a dark sub-text. This tormented and secretive man wrote poems alive with indirect self-disclosure

Comics & Graphic Novels

Seven Days by by Venio Tachibana and Rihito Takarai

It is rumored that Touji Seryou, one of the more popular boys at school, would go out with anyone who asks him out on a Monday morning. But on this particular Monday morning, the first person he meets at the school gate is no other than Yuzuru Shino, Seryou’s senpai at the archery club. On a whim, and well-aware of Seryou’s reputation, Shino asks Seryou to go out with him. Thinking that it will be treated as a joke, they’re both guys after all, imagine Shino’s surprise when Seryou takes him up on the offer! There is a catch, though. While Seryou does go out with the first girl who asks him out on a Monday morning, the other side of the coin is – by the end of the week, he will break up with that person. In essence, Seryou is a lover with a one-week expiration date. But will Shino prove to be the exception to that rule?

Bloom by Kevin Panetta

Now that high school is over, Ari is dying to move to the big city with his ultra-hip band—if he can just persuade his dad to let him quit his job at their struggling family bakery. Though he loved working there as a kid, Ari cannot fathom a life wasting away over rising dough and hot ovens. But while interviewing candidates for his replacement, Ari meets Hector, an easygoing guy who loves baking as much as Ari wants to escape it. As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom . . . that is, if Ari doesn’t ruin everything.

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

Charlie, a highly-strung, openly gay over-thinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, meet at a British all-boys grammar school. Friendship blooms quickly, but could there be something more…?

Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare, Vol. 1 by Yuhki Kamatani

Not only is high schooler Tasuku Kaname the new kid in town, he is also terrified that he has been outed as gay. Just as he’s contemplating doing the unthinkable, Tasuku meets a mysterious woman who leads him to a group of people dealing with problems not so different from his own. In this realistic, heartfelt depiction of LGBT+ characters from different backgrounds finding their place in the world, a search for inner peace proves to be the most universal experience of all

Middle-Grade

King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender

Twelve-year-old Kingston James is sure his brother Khalid has turned into a dragonfly. When Khalid unexpectedly passed away, he shed what was his first skin for another to live down by the bayou in their small Louisiana town. Khalid still visits in dreams, and King must keep these secrets to himself as he watches grief transform his family.

Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle

Nate Foster has big dreams. His whole life, he’s wanted to star in a Broadway show. (Heck, he’d settle for *seeing* a Broadway show.) But how is Nate supposed to make his dreams come true when he’s stuck in Jankburg, Pennsylvania, where no one (except his best pal Libby) appreciates a good show tune? With Libby’s help, Nate plans a daring overnight escape to New York. There’s an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical, and Nate knows this could be the difference between small-town blues and big-time stardom.

Marco Impossible by Hannah Moskowitz

Best friends Stephen and Marco know a thing or two about impossible missions. It’s thanks to them that cell phone thieves at school are apprehended, lost puppies are returned, and gym uniforms are lent out to the forgetful thirteen-year-old masses.

A High Five for Glenn Burke by Phil Bildner

A heartfelt and relatable novel from Phil Bildner, weaving the real history of Los Angeles Dodger and Oakland Athletic Glenn Burke–the first professional baseball player to come out as gay–into the story of a middle-school kid learning to be himself.

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

The post LGBTQ+ Alphabet Recommendations: G for Gay Fiction appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Everyone always needs a light, fluffy, funny, and enjoyable book every now and then, so we have compiled a list of some incredibly heartwarming, funny, and feel good books. Let’s start off with some feel good fantasy books!

Fantasy

Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson will make you laugh out loud. Percy is a demigod, has no idea what he is doing, and he attends Camp Half Blood where he meets teens just like him. Percy is sassy, sarcastic, and awkward, plus this one is getting a Disney+ adaptation so you have that to look forward to after finishing the book!

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows
Who doesn’t want to read a retelling of history? This book is based on the real monarch Lady Jean Grey, but takes some artistic liberties to give you a hilarious historical retelling. With characters turning into animals and witty banter, this book will have you giggling the entire way through.

Doon by Lorie Langdon & Carey Corp
This book is about two teen girls who take a vacation in Scotland and then travel to a small, magical village. The story is based on the musical Brigadoon, but it will make you want to travel to Scotland and find Doon. It has very relatable and funny characters and romances to swoon over. This book is great for people who loved Royals by Rachel Hawkins and/or Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
This is a story that is filled with such magic and warmth. In case you somehow don’t know what this one is about, it follows Harry Potter who learns he is a wizard and goes to a magical boarding school. This book is all about friendship and will fill your heart with love and you will want to pack your bags and attend Hogwarts once you’re done.

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
If you’re looking for a fun vampire series, this is for you! This book is filled with badass characters, a great storyline, and characters to root for. Vampire Academy has plenty of sass and moments that will make you laugh out loud. This book is about Rose who is the protector of her best friend, who just happens to be a vampire, and we follow these two at a boarding school and what happens when romance comes into play.

Contemporaries

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Simon is so fluffy and sweet! Simon Spier (the protagonist) is a very relatable nerdy character and this book is all about him coming out and how he connects with someone over email. The catch is he doesn’t know who he’s emailing and when will all these secrets become too much?

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
This is a graphic novel and a very short read, but this one will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. The story is all about two boys in England and how their friendship grows into something more. Charlie and Nick are both precious and you will want to wrap them both up in bubble wrap after reading this one and you will also want to curl up and watch movies with all of these characters.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Although this is a children’s book, it is a great book! Wonder follows August who has a facial difference and when he starts school, he has to deal with how people react. It will have you smiling through happy tears and you will be reminded about the innocence and purity of children. You will also see that humanity is not doomed and that children love so fiercely and will protect each other. 

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is a fluffy YA romance story, but it’s filled with romantic letters, great siblings, and just all around cuteness. This book follows Lara Jean and what ensues when all her love letters are sent out to their recipients. What follows is a fake relationship that could turn into more and lots and lots of drama. Once you’re done, you can also watch the Netflix film and it’s sequel!

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
This is an adult contemporary and will have you awwing out loud. Henry (the Prince of England) and Alex (America’s first son) have a long held rivalry, but what happens when their dislike grows into something else? This book is filled with great political discussions and a romance to scream about.

My Faire Lady by Laura Wetterstern
This book follows Rowena and how her summer job at the Renaissance fair is filled with romance and lots of medieval drama. This is an easy and cheesy contemporary, but it’s filled with some great romance and funny moments.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
This book is filled with a sweet romance, a Twitter war, and lots of baking. Pepper and Jack are rivals and start a heated Twitter war, but they also start falling for each other over an anonymous app. This book will make you laugh out loud and you will squeal at all the pop culture references. 

Classics & Poetry

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables is a classic, which follows orphan Anne and her life on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Anne has a big imagination and a heart overflowing with love. This book has gorgeous nature descriptions and characters to fill your heart.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery
This is a really sweet book with beautiful illustrations, which follows a little boy who travels around the universe and learns about adults and the world. It’s a really short read but will fill your heart with some warmth and love.

Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill
This poetry collection is filled with inspiring retellings of fairy tales. If you ever need a pep talk, this book will make you want to kick some butt and change the world.

The Princess Saves Herself In This One by Amanda Lovelace
This is another great feminist read which will make you pump your fist in the air and grin from ear to ear!

Hopefully one of these books will put a smile on your face. All of these books are magical in their own way.

What are some of your favourite feel good books? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 16 Feel Good Fictional Books To Read appeared first on The Nerd Daily.