Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Ann Dávila Cardinal’s We Need No Wings, which is out September 10th 2024.

To be free, we must learn to fly.

Teresa Sanchez has always known who she a professor, a wife, a mother, and a friend. But when her husband dies unexpectedly, she finds herself completely broken. Taking a leave from the university, Teresa hopes that she can mourn her husband and get back on her feet, but instead, she spends a year consumed by grief.

Until the day she levitates.

Suddenly, Teresa’s life is thrown into disarray, and the repeated incidents of levitation not only make her question her sanity, but also put her in danger. She decides she will do anything to stop them. So when she’s reminded that her family is related to the renowned levitating mystic, Saint Teresa of Avila, she leaves the refuge of her home and travels to Spain, hoping to find answers. But Saints can be elusive, and not all answers are easily found. Teresa will soon have to decide whether to remain shrouded in her grief, or open her heart to a world where we need no wings to fly…

CHAPTER ONE

The first time Tere Sánchez levitated, she was in the garden.

She aimed the hose in an arc over the lush peony bushes, the stream of falling water glinting like diamonds in the sunlight. The blooms were releasing their clean, sweet scent in clouds, and she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, her mind and body slowing. Her husband had planted them for her since she found the scent of the many- petaled flowers intoxicating. She remembered the day she’d come home early from the university to find his muddy but fine jean- covered ass sticking out from between three young bushes. He was so excited for her to see the new additions to his immaculately mani-cured garden. The man wasn’t effusive, rarely expressing his emotions or complimenting her, but he demonstrated his affection in more tangible ways, in ways that lasted. They’d made love right there on the grass, next to the newly patted- down earth that still held imprints of his big-knuckled hands.

Now, ten years later, the peonies were wild and unrestrained, their bloom- laden branches breaching the careful mulch boundaries he’d laid for them, and in this state, the bushes were more like her. As she inhaled, a feeling of lightness spread through her body, not the dizziness that sometimes plagued her, no. More like the restraints of her day- to- day life released their hold, and Tere felt as if she had slipped outside her body, outside time, place. She let out an audible sigh in that moment of near ecstasy, then slowly opened her eyes to see the pink flowers getting farther away, the stream of water lengthening like a bartender lifting the bottle as he poured. She looked down and saw her green- stained sneakers hovering a foot above the grass.

“What the actual fuck?”

The familiar electric heat of panic flooded her body in a wave, and suddenly she no longer felt weightless but rather unbalanced, out of control. She pinwheeled her arms and kicked her legs, but all this did was upend her in the air, until she was horizontal to the ground, frantically swimming with her limbs and getting nowhere. She held tight to the bright green hose, the only thing tethering her to the earth. Her stomach lurched, and she wondered if she was going to vomit; meanwhile, all she could do was impotently flail about like a fish on a dock.

Then, ever so slowly, she lowered to the ground, until she lay grabbing at the grass with her fists, breathing heavily, her pulse racing. She tried to take mindful breaths in through her nose and out through her mouth, then flipped over onto her back putting her hands to her chest. She let go of the hose, and now it whipped around like a cobra, occasionally spraying cold water into her side and across her stomach, soaking her well- worn Ramones T- shirt.

Tere lay there, looking at the cloudless blue Vermont sky, occasionally glittering with drops of hose water, wondering what the hell had just happened.

Or if anything had happened.

Had she finally lost her mind?

It wasn’t the first time she’d questioned her sanity, though every-one else in her life thought her overly capable. She’d been told she came across as infinitely competent: always stayed organized, never missed an appointment, with all needed materials in hand. But there had been times over the past year, hours spent sitting in a chair staring off into space, wondering what the purpose of it all was— times when she felt as if the silence of the empty house had weight, like a pile of cinder blocks that pressed down on her.

But this? No, this was on an entirely new level, and she had to admit she was scared shitless. She was afraid to move, afraid she would float up again. She could picture grabbing on to the branches of the bushes, being left with fistfuls of scented petals as she floated off into oblivion. In the moment, though, before she’d opened her eyes and reality had come crashing back, she’d felt good. More than good. Better and freer than she’d ever felt. And with that realization came a crushing wave of guilt. She was a woman in mourning. There was no joy to be had in that.

Even more disturbing, there was something achingly familiar about the…experience. She couldn’t call it what it was in those first moments, not even in her mind. But familiar to what? She struggled to remember, but in the past decade, the card catalog of her brain had grown disordered, inaccessible, rusty. Unlike the brains of her young colleagues, it did not respond with the cerebral equivalent of a Google search; instead she was often left groping blindly for a term or memory in the cobwebbed corners of her mind. Was that why she hadn’t gone back yet from bereavement leave? That she felt inadequate? Old?

She had to admit that for much of the year since Carl’s death, Tere felt as if it were she who haunted their home, walking around aimlessly, as if she had lost something but didn’t remember what it was. But in the past few months, she’d started to feel a stirring in her chest, at her core. Almost like when she’d felt that first butterfly-wing flutter of a baby in her womb. Was the new stirring related to the…incident she’d just experienced?

She couldn’t have actually done that, she told herself. People don’t hover above the ground. Everything looked the same. How could everything be the same? With shaking hands, she wrangled the hose and twisted the tip to turn it off, then got to her feet to find she was exhausted, like just-finished- a- marathon exhausted. She stood, adjusted to being upright, and started walking back to the house. She had to step over a rake and then accidentally kicked an empty pot onto its side. She could almost hear Carl’s bitching from beyond: the abandoned yard implements scattered about the lawn would have made him insane. He liked everything in his garden just so, in its proper place. As she closed the sliding glass door, she looked back at the long green snake of a hose and the puddles of water around the peonies, then shrugged. She missed him desperately, but part of her appreciated this small rebellion even though there was no one to notice.

Now safe inside, she was suddenly so very tired, but still the anxiety wasn’t receding. It felt as though a swarm of bees were buzzing around inside her head, their furry bodies bashing against the inside of her skull in panic and impotence. “No,” she said aloud. She would not freak out. Tere would handle this as she did any other problem; she was a scholar after all. She walked over to the desk and sat in front of her sleeping laptop. As she faced the blinking cursor of the search engine, she typed out the word “levitation” for the first time, though seeing it on the screen in black and white disturbed her. She scanned through the initial results that included a music festival, magnetic fields, and architectural projects. It was just too broad a subject; she had to focus the query.

Before she could type a new search, her leg started buzzing, and she leapt in the chair, almost upending it. “Christ, get ahold of your-self, Tere!” Hands shaking again, she pulled her phone from her pocket, and water dripped off it. She did a cursory wipe on her pants and saw the handsome bearded face of her son, Rowan.

She whipped up what she hoped was a smile and pressed Connect. “Good morning, honey! You’re up early for a Sunday!”

He paused at that, his eyes narrowed. “Mom, it’s Tuesday.”

Her hand went to her throat in an old- lady gesture her mother used to do, reminiscent of ancestral pearl clutching. “Oh, it is?” She forced a laugh. “Yes, of course it is!” There was nothing convincing about her response, nothing at all.

He stared at her through the glowing rectangular screen. “You’re really starting to worry me.”

She waved her hand in dismissal. “Oh, I’m fine, Rowan. How are the kids?”

“They’re fine, and you’re changing the subject.” He regarded her for a beat more. “You feeling okay? You haven’t had any more of those dizziness episodes, have you?”

Tere could see that she had actually scared him. She’d been look-ing at that face for thirty- two years, and she could read it like a book. Hell, she was scaring herself that morning, but Son, I levitated in the garden was not something you dropped on someone over FaceTime. “No, no, nothing like that. I’m really fine. It’s just, when you don’t go to an office every day, weekday, weekends, they become all the same. It’s a good thing, right?” Her falsely cheery voice was fooling no one.

“I guess…but you are checking in with the doctor regularly, right? Uncle Richard said that fainting spell when you were hiking really freaked him out.”

She waved her hand in dismissal. “I did not faint! And Richard gets freaked out when they’re out of his favorite brand of kombucha.”

“Still…someone has to watch out for you.”

She sighed. “Honey, I appreciate the concern, but trust me, I can take care of myself just fine.”

Rowan let it go. “Doesn’t that summer course you’re teaching start in a few weeks?”

Tere froze. Why did the question feel like a punch in the gut? She missed teaching, the give- and- take with the students, connecting with her colleagues…didn’t she? “Right. Yeah.”

“Well, what have you been up to?”

“Oh, I was just doing some gardening.”

“Ha! You? With the gangrene thumbs of death?”

Though she and Rowan had always had a teasing relationship, she was actually kind of hurt at that. “I’m trying! Besides, I like spending time in your father’s garden.”

“Yours.”

“What?”

“It’s your garden now, isn’t it?”

“No. It will always be your father’s.”

“Look, Mom, I miss him too. More than I can possibly express, but don’t you think it’s time you, you know, start moving on?”

“You working today?”

A long sigh. “Yeah, I was about to log on but thought I’d check in with you.”

“About something in particular?”

“No, I just worry about you, Ma. All by yourself in the house. Uncle Richard told me he never sees you anymore.”

So all this anxiety was being fed by Richard. Damn him. He was not actually Rowan’s uncle but rather her friend and colleague at the university, but since Carl had died, he and her son had been bonding. She was glad Rowan had the male mentorship but hated that they talked about her as if she were some grieving old lady. Well, she kind of was, but she still didn’t appreciate it. “Well, Richard can be a lot to take on a good day.”

He laughed at that. She loved his laugh; it was deep and reached down to his belly, much as his father’s had. “Speaking of the old blow-hard, didn’t you have some kind of presentation to give to Richard’s class this afternoon?”

Tere looked at her watch and read the date and time. “Holy shit! I’m supposed to be there in forty minutes to give a guest lecture!”

“See? This is what I’m worried about. It’s so unlike you, I— ”

“Gotta go, honey! Love you!”

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘We Need No Wings’ by Ann Dávila Cardinal appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

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

Sure! I’m a Latine writer based in Vermont. I write fiction, screenplays, and weird ass tweets. I also work for Vermont College of Fine Arts recruiting writers and designers for our MFA programs. I grew up in New Jersey and New York City, but have lived in rural Vermont for almost thirty years which has changed me. For instance, I discovered that I love the outdoors: I thought I was an indoor cat. And it seems that though half my blood is Puerto Rican, I kind of like the cold. Well, except in March and April. If you ask me then, I’ll whine at you about six months of snow and the ungodly cold where your nostrils freeze together.

When did you first discover your love for writing?

I was always a voracious reader. Like a read-in-the-bathroom-at-school, kind of reader. But I never thought being a writer was an option for me. I came to it in my late thirties while finally finishing my undergraduate program. I started writing so I could document family stories for my son Carlos who had never met my mother. I wanted him to understand who she was. The interesting thing is, my new book, The Storyteller’s Death is all about the power of family stories. I guess it’s come full circle with this novel.

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!

First book I remember was Charlotte’s Web. I was eight and I read it over and over. Thing is, my father was dying of ALS, and the book is essentially a manual of how to deal with death as a child. In some ways it saved my life.

The one that made me want to become a writer would be In The Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. The way it told such an important story to Dominican culture, the gorgeous language, and how she made you care for each character until you were completely invested in their lives, though you knew the ending was not happy. Julia is my favorite writer.

And the one I can’t stop thinking about? Gabino Iglesias’ new novel The Devil Takes You Home. I love his work, so dark and so gorgeous. But heads up, it is extremely dark. If you want to know about trigger warnings of any kind, this seriously is not your book. But he captures the dark side of the human condition in such a powerful way. But it’s still haunting the beejeezus out of me.

Wow, each book on this list is SO vastly different from the next! It about sums up my varied tastes, though.

Your new novel, The Storyteller’s Death, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Family, stories, trauma, grief and healing.

(Boy, this is an interesting exercise!)

What can readers expect?

A generational family story about grief, trauma, love, and truth. They can expect to be transported to Puerto Rico in the 1970s, and to be thrust into the life of a girl of mixed backround trying to live and thrive with a homelife that works against that. It shows the warmth and unconditional love of a Latine family and culture, but doesn’t shy away from dark truths of colonialism, classism, and racism.

Where did the inspiration for The Storyteller’s Death come from?

I was talking with some writer friends one day almost twenty years ago, and I said “there was always some old woman dying in the back room when I was a kid.” My friend said, “That’s it! That’s the first line of a story!” And when I started writing a story about those old women, I found myself wondering about their stories, the ones that died with them. As it grew into a novel I began exploring my own family stories, perceived truths, and how in addition to stories that we pass on from one generation to another, we also pass on trauma, and that the healing is in the truth telling.

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

Well, when my editor Christa Desir bought the manuscript, the first chapter was about Isla when she was eight, then it skipped to eighteen by the next. It was through her support and encouragement that I dove deeper into Isla’s challenging years in between with her alcoholic mother. I had to tap a very difficult time in my own life to write those four chapters. They’re fictional, but at their heart is the pain of growing up in a household with an addict. It was tough, but they came out almost fully formed because they’d been gestating for so long, waiting for when I was ready and for someone I trusted to bust them out. It was challenging, but I think it really fleshed out Isla’s story.

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

Oh, the trip she takes to Vieques, a small island off of the mainland of Puerto Rico. I’ve been in love with Vieques for decades, it’s stunning, even with the unexploded ordance left by the US Navy! Isla goes to there to visit a family friend named Chachu, in hopes of obtaining clues for the murder mystery she’s trying to solve before it kills her too. Chachu was based on someone from my childhood whom I adored. A big voiced, big presence—he was a great uncle, I think, but by marriage—who, for me, represented the best of Puerto Rican men. He was kind, made you feel seen and taken care of, and when he walked into a room every eye went to him and his big glowing personality. I had fun conjuring him since he died many years ago.

Were there any ‘must-haves’ you wanted to incorporate when it came to writing your novel, such as tropes, topics, characteristics etc?

I really, really wanted to capture the setting, the feeling of the land, the smells. I had a great aunt who lived on an acre of jungle in the middle of bustling Bayamón, and I spent hours running among the palm trees chasing lizards and eating fruit from the trees. It really was paradise for me, particularly given how bad it was at home. On the other end, I wanted to capture the racism within my family at the time, and examine what it’s like to love someone so deeply who has beliefs that go against everything you stand for. How do you still love them?

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

Best: When you finish something and submit it to a publication, agent, or editor, don’t sit around waiting to hear: start or switch to another project. If you want to try and make a living at this, you can’t afford to be precious and only work on one thing at a time while waiting for the publishing machine to make up its mind. Plus your craft grows with each piece.

Worst: Plotting will ruin your creativity. I boasted I didn’t plot for years, but it was just an excuse because I was afraid of it, thought my brain didn’t work that way. It took two years, but my friend and mentor Cory McCarthy helped me find a method of plotting that didn’t shut my brain down, and now I love it! But I can still pivot: my next novel is not plotted out, but I am SO much less likely to go off on tangents that don’t serve the story.

What’s next for you?

Oh, my next book for Sourcebooks, We Need No Wings. It’s about who we are at a certain age when society tells us we’re invisible, that we don’t have as much to offer. It’s about the actual power and freedom in that stage of life. The opening line is: “The first time I levitated I was in the garden.” This is a life changing book for me, and I cannot wait to see where it takes me. I’m also writing screenplays with my son Carlos, mainly horror-comedies, and having a great time with that.

Lastly, what have been some of your favourite reads this year? Are there any upcoming releases you’re looking forward to reading in 2023?

Oh, this is always SO hard, because I love so many books and authors! Okay, I LOVED The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas. It takes place in the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence, and has a young woman trying to do what society expects (but also pushing against those expectations), a massively haunted house, and a sexy priest. In other words, it has everything! But if I had to choose my favorite of this year it would be A Woman of Endurance by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa. A gorgeous sweeping novel that tells the story of a 19^th century enslaved African woman on a plantation in Puerto Rico . This is a narrative that has been missing from the canon of Puerto Rican literature, and it needed to be told.

Most anticipated releases of 2023? The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro. A Mexican woman—mother, wife, daughter—struggling with generational trauma while being haunted by the ghostly folk spirit of La Llorona. V. writes wonderful strong, badass characters and I cannot WAIT for this one!

The post Q&A: Ann Dávila Cardinal, Author of ‘The Storyteller’s Death’ 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.

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

The Thaumas girls are cursed, or so everyone believes after four of the sisters die terrible, gruesome deaths. Annaleigh, plagued by tragedy and the loss of her sisters, begins to have visions of ghosts haunting Highmoor. At first, it feels like her grief is altering her view of reality. But what if the ghosts are real and the deaths weren’t accidental at all?

A retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses like you’ve never seen before filled with intrigue, horror, and more than enough spook to last you a lifetime.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-García

This book has been on everyone’s radar and within good reason. Noemí Taboada’s recently married cousin has sent some worrying letters, which means Noemí is tasked with visiting High Place and finding out exactly what is going on. The Doyles surely are an odd mix- mysterious, strict and highly secretive. Her cousin’s husband, even with all his good looks and charm, seems like the worst of them all. But Noemí doesn’t give up easily.

An unlikely heroine pushed forward by sheer stubbornness, will Noemí survive everything thrown her way? Grab a handful of mini candy bars, a cosy blanket, and pick this up to find out.

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

Motels tend to be excellent settings for creepy stories, just ask Norman Bates. The Sun Down Motel proves exactly how chilling this type of setting can be. In 1982, Viv Delaney disappears from Fell, New York without leaving a single trace. No one knows what happened to her, and those who might have a clue aren’t very willing to talk. Decades later, Carly, Viv’s niece, arrives in Fell and takes a job at The Sun Down Motel in hopes of finding both closure and clues about what happened to her aunt.

Both entertaining and completely chilling, this is the type of book that made me weary of closing my eyes at night out of fear that a ghost would try to pull my legs from under the covers.

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

A school hidden deep in the woods, completely isolated from the outside world. What could go wrong? Well, everything of course! Those students lucky enough to be admitted to Catherine House will get an education like no other. They promise power and prestige while completely taking care of tuition and boarding. Their students will want for nothing. The catch?  Complete and utter isolation from the outside world for the next three years – no contacting family or friends, no television and no music. Ines finds herself becoming accustomed to these rules, yet she soon finds out that Catherine House is hiding some ominous secrets.

This book is perfect for fans of dark academia and contemporary gothic! 

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier

Most know about Daphne Du Maurier thanks to her incredible novel, Rebecca, but what about the equally suspenseful My Cousin Rachel? Phillip Ashley, an orphan, lives an idyllic life in his cousin Ambrose’s estate. These men share a close bond, and Phillip is even named heir of his cousin’s fortune. But when Ambrose leaves on a trip to Florence, everything changes. He falls in love, he marries and, ultimately, he dies. Phillip is heartbroken, already starting to hate his cousin’s widow with every fibre of his being, and yet ends up being drawn to the mysterious Rachel.

With its eerie atmosphere, unreliable characters, and questionable morals, this book will surely entrance any lover of gothic fiction.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

After moving to a new house, Coraline decides to go exploring. There’s a certain door in the house, however, with only a brick wall behind it. It’s not long before that door shows an alternate version of Coraline’s life. The Other Mother is caring and attentive, the food is fantastic and there are enough toys to fill a store. But the Other Mother wants Coraline to stay forever, to sew buttons into her eyes to seal deal. Soon, Coraline discovers that this alternate reality isn’t as perfect as she initially thought, and the lost spirits of other children beg her to rescue them.

 A modern classic that will both spook and capture the hearts of children and adults.

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole

Sydney Green, a Brooklyn native, realises her neighbourhood is changing fast. Her neighbours are disappearing, their homes are going up for sale at an alarming rate and realtors constantly harass her to give up her home. In hopes of keeping the spirit of her community alive, Sydney embarks on creating a walking tour exposing the real history of each building and the streets surrounding them. The more she researches, however, the more she realises how deeply troubled things are becoming in Brooklyn.

A thriller centred around gentrification and the history of Black people, Alyssa Cole has crafted an absolute masterpiece that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  

Crimson Peak: The Official Novelisation by Nancy Holder

There’s a chance you’ve watched this movie already and dreamt about waltzing with Tom Hiddleston, or maybe exploring the rooms of Allerdale Hall with Edith Cushing. The book takes a deeper look into the lives of Edith, Alan, Thomas, and Lucille. Edith, an American heiress, becomes romantically interested in Thomas, although her father highly disapproves. After Edith’s father dies of unexpected circumstances, she decided to marry Thomas and move to his estate in England, locally known as Crimson Peak due to the fact that it’s currently sinking into red clay. Once there, Edith realises that married life isn’t as idyllic as she would have hoped. Both Thomas and Lucille are hiding terrible secrets, and there seems to be ghosts roaming around Allerdale Hall warning her of terrible dangers.

This novelisation is an excellent companion to the movie, and it’s also a perfect treat for those who haven’t watched Crimson Peak.

Category Five by Ann Dávila Cardinal

After the events of Hurricane María, Puerto Rico goes through a drastic change. The island of Vieques is trying to recover from the disaster while developers are taking advantage of the opportunity to buy their land for less than its worth. Just when it couldn’t get worse, a string of murders start to occur while the threats of supernatural attacks are hanging over everyone’s heads. Luper, Javier and Marisol, characters featured in Dávila’s previous novel Five Midnights, take matters into their own hands when it comes to investigating these strange happenings.

Not a lot of books take into the consideration the consequences of Hurricane María, so Category Five is both an educational read and an incredible take on the paranormal.

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

It’s not spooky season without zombies, and Justina Ireland definitely delivers. Dread Nation follows the story of Jane McKeene. She’s sent to study in Miss Preston’s School of Combat, due to the fact that Black and Native people are tasked with bringing down the dead and protecting the wealthy. This isn’t the type of life Jane wants, but when people start to disappear in Baltimore she’s caught in a conspiracy like no other.

Set after the events of the Civil War, this book not only an action-packed zombie adventure, but also reveals the harsh truths about racism and white supremacists.

Do you have any other spooky recommendations? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 10 Books To Get You Through The Spooky Season appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth
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Saoirse doesn’t believe in love at first sight or happy endings. But after a chance encounter at an end-of-term house party, Saoirse is about to break her own rules. For a girl with one blue freckle, an irresistible sense of mischief, and a passion for rom-coms.

Influence by Sara Shepard and Lilia Buckingham
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Get ready to delve into the world of teen influencers like you’ve never done before–from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of PRETTY LITTLE LIARS Sara Shepard and sixteen-year-old actress and social media personality Lilia Buckingham comes a twisty mystery that takes place in the fiercely competitive world of Internet stars. (Note: Influence has now been pushed back to January 2021)

Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi
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A reimagining of the story behind Agent 355–a New York society girl and spy for George Washington during the Revolutionary War–perfect for fans of Tatiana de Rosnay’s Sarah’s Key and the novels of Julie Berry.

I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee
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The world of K-Pop has never met a star like this. Debut author Lyla Lee delivers a deliciously fun, thoughtful rom-com celebrating confidence and body positivity—perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Julie Murphy.

You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson
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Liz’s plans to attend the uber-elite Pennington College come crashing down until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, and the only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?

Category Five by Ann Dávila Cardinal
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Category Five is a new supernatural YA thriller from Ann Dávila Cardinal, set against the backdrop of a post-hurricane Puerto Rico.

I Think I Love You by Auriane Desombre
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A YA contemporary rom com about arch-nemeses Emma, a die-hard romantic, and more-practical minded Sophia who find themselves competing against one another for a coveted first-prize trip to a film festival in Los Angeles . . . what happens if their rivalry turns into a romance?

Hood by Jenny Elder Moke
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In Hood, author Jenny Elder Moke reimagines the world of Robin Hood in lush, historical detail and imbues her story with more breathless action than has ever come out of Sherwood Forest before. This novel is a must-read for historical-fiction fans, adventure lovers, and reluctant readers alike!

The Damned by Renée Ahdieh
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New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with the second instalment of her new sumptuous, sultry and romantic series, The Beautiful.

I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick
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This gripping thriller follows two teens whose lives become inextricably linked when one confesses to murder and the other becomes determined to uncover the real truth no matter the cost.

The State of Us by Shaun David Hutchinson
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It’s a new modern-day, star-crossed romance about what it really means to love your country—and yourself—from the acclaimed author of We Are the Ants and Brave Face, Shaun David Hutchinson.

You Say It First by Katie Cotugno
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You Say It First is a propulsive, layered novel about how sometimes the person who has the least in common with us can be the one who changes us most.

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

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