Luckily we’ve found some great nerdy gifts for a bookworm that they would be sure to love! Included below are some products from sites such as Society6 and Redbubble where people can upload images and illustrations, which are then printed on almost anything from clothing to iPhone cases or bags!

P.S – The Nerd Daily only endorses products that we personally love! We may make a few dollars here and there (rarely), but that money goes back into running giveaways for our fans!

Read on to discover some great gifts for a bookworm and tell us in the comments if you will be buying one or have any more suggestions!

Bookstore Soy Candle

Lose yourself on a lazy afternoon, cup of coffee in hand, while wandering endless aisles of bookshelves. This sweet, cozy blend of earthy fragrances will have you feeling like home is where the bookstore is. Found at FrostBeard Studio.

When In Doubt Tote Bag

Hermione knows all with her wise words of “When in doubt, go to the library”. This canvas tote bag is perfect for bookworms to transport all their books whether it be for holidays or to school. Plus the purchase of this bag sends one book to a community in need. Found at Out of Print.

OwlCrate Subscription Box

OwlCrate is a subscription box for people who love Young Adult fiction and contains a newly published hardcover book, 3-5 other bookish goodies, as well as exclusive items from publishers and authors. Each box has a fun and unique theme too! Found on CrateJoy.

Professional Bookworm Mug

Know a bookworm who loves their tea, coffee, or a delicious hot chocolate? Then this mug will be the perfect accompaniment when curling up with a book, or perhaps letting everyone know that you love your books! Found at Society6.

Foldable Book Light

There’s nothing like flicking through the pages of a good book, so why not have an open book on display as a light? This book can open up to 360 degrees and it can be charged via USB for up to 5 hours of on time. Found on Amazon.

Supergirl Bookends

Add a feature to your bookshelves with these amazing bookends! From Supergirl to Superman, these black metal silhouettes will certainly add some character to your shelves. Found on Etsy.

Bookopoly Board Game

Everyone loves a good game of Monopoly (especially if you’re someone who always wins), so why not mix it up and purchase a book edition?! Travel around the board, collect classic books and build libraries, or get stuck in jail, a.k.a watching TV! Found on Amazon.

Olde Book Messenger Bag

Bookworms often carry a book with them so turn your handbag into a bookbag! This classic looking book bag can fit up to a 15″ Mac or perhaps just carry many books to your next location. Found on Think Geek.

Book Embosser

Make sure everyone knows whose book you are reading with the book embosser, which can be customised to feature your very own name! Found on Etsy.

Love Books Top

Wear your love of books loud and proud with this Love Books Top! This top also comes a range of styles to suit anyone and everyone. Found on RedBubble.

Writer’s Loose Leaf Tea

Make a delicious cup of tea to accompany you when you’re reading with the Literary Tea Co’s range of book-related teas. From William Shakespeare to C.S Lewis, go by one of these classic writers or search for a delicious sounding tea. Found on Etsy.

100 Books Scratch Off Poster

Need to read more but can’t decide? The scratch off poster is great to help you find something new to read or perhaps challenge yourself to read 100 books over the next year! Found on Uncommon Goods.

Personal Library Kit

The Personal Library Kit is perfect for when you’re loaning out your books, or even a cute way to keep track of when you’re rereading Harry Potter for the twentieth time! Found on Amazon.

Hot Dudes Reading 2018 Calendar

With a new year approaching, get organised with the Hot Dudes Reading 2018 Calendar, because why not? Featuring guys from the popular Instagram account, this calendar showcases various men with share the same passion of words just like you! Found on Hot Dudes Reading.

Just One More Chapter Pillow

Add a comfy pillow to a bookworm’s reading nook! Featuring the words uttered by a bookworm all too often, Just One More Chapter will definitely be the case with this in their cosy spot. Found on Society6.

Custom Covered Book Series Sets

A bookworm takes pride in their shelves, and it’s nice to have amazing looking covers all neat. Mix up your books with these special editions of covers where you can purchase a series or just the covers on their own to go over your copies. From Harry Potter to Game of Thrones, there’s plenty of books to discover! Found on Juniper Books.

The Booklovers Journal

Keep track of what you read with the Booklovers Journal! With pages to keep track of what you’ve read, what you want to read, and who you’ve lent your books to, this handy journal is a must for every avid bookworm. Found on Amazon.

Read ‘Em and Weep Duffle Bag

There’s got to be enough space in a bookworm’s bag, so this duffle would come in handy! Featuring a bookshelf print, this bag is perfect for a weekend away, or perhaps a bag just to carry all your books in for that weekend trip. Found on Society6.

Drink Tea Read Books Spoon

Drink tea, read books—what a great mantra! This sweet looking vintage spoon is perfect for mixing up your tea or perhaps a nice little ornament to add to your bookshelves. Found on Etsy.

Papercuts Game

Think Cards of Humanity, but for book nerds! For example, if the question card reads “Studies show 90% of readers prefer print books to ______________,” Writers might submit answer cards that say “Dorian Gray’s rapidly aging face,” “‘death of the novel’ think piece,” or “adult colouring book.” Other question cards ask players to use their answer cards to complete famous literary quotes or provide alternative answers to bookish facts. Found on Amazon.

NOTE: Most of these products can be found on other websites so get Googling if you need to get it sooner or they don’t ship to your country.

The post 20 Gifts For The Bookworm In Your Life appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Check out our picks and tell us if you’ll be reading one of them in the comments below!

Midnight At The Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan | June 13 | Goodreads
Lydia Smith is a clerk at the Bright Ideas bookstore where she keeps a meticulously crafted existence among her beloved books, eccentric colleagues, and the BookFrogs—the lost and lonely regulars who spend every day marauding the store’s overwhelmed shelves. But when Joey McGinty, a young, beguiling BookFrog, kills himself in the bookstore’s back room, Lydia’s life comes unglued and she must unravel the puzzle he left behind and finds herself unearthing a long-buried memory from her own violent childhood.

Roar by Cora Carmack | June 13 | Goodreads
Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty to Aurora Pavan’s family in exchange for safe haven as their kingdom was sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir, Aurora’s been groomed to be the perfect queen, but she’s yet to show any trace of the magic to protect her people. To keep her secret and save her crown, she is arranged to marry a dark, brooding Stormling prince. With secrets kept by her betrothed, Aurora soon learns there’s a third option besides ruin or marriage: steal the magic, if she’s brave enough.

The Weight of Lies by Emily Carpenter | June 6 | Goodreads
Reformed party girl Meg Ashley leads a life of a privilege, thanks to a bestselling horror novel her mother wrote decades ago. Desperate to break free of her mother, Meg writes a scandalous, tell-all memoir and while digging into the past, and her mother’s cult classic, draws Meg to Bonny Island, Georgia and an unusual woman said to be the inspiration for the book. As Meg starts to ask tough questions, disturbing revelations come to light and soon, Meg’s search leads her to question the facts of a decades-old murder.

A Gathering of Ravens by Scott Oden | June 20 | Goodreads
From the Corpse-maker to the Brother of the Serpent, Grimnir has been called many names. As the last of his kind, he is the last in a long line of monsters who have plagued humanity. With a thirst for vengeance against the Dane who slew his brother, he emerges into a world that’s changed. Taking a young Christian hostage to be his guide, he embarks on a journey that takes him from the hinterlands of Denmark, where the wisdom of the ancient dwarves has given way to madness to the Viking stronghold of Dubhlinn, where his enemy awaits.

The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz | June 20 | Goodreads
“I very much need to be dead.”—These are the chilling words left behind by a man who had everything to live for but took his own life. In the aftermath, his widow, Jane Hawk, does what all her grief, fear, and fury demands: find the truth no matter what. With people of talent and accomplishment and sound of mind committing suicide in surprising numbers, Jane seeks to learn why. She soon becomes the most-wanted fugitive in America with powerful enemies protecting a secret so important they will exterminate anyone in their way.

The Black Elfstone by Terry Brooks | June 13 | Goodreads
The end of the Shannara novels are finally upon us! The Four Lands has been at peace for generations, but now a mysterious army of invaders is cutting a bloody swath across a remote region of the land and no one knows who they are. Most seem content to ignore these disturbing events but the only people who sense a greater threat and wish to uncover the truth are society’s outcasts: an exiled High Druid, a conflicted warrior, a teenage girl struggling to master a prodigious magic and a scrappy young orphan, improbably named Shea Ohmsford.

Murder Games by James Patterson and Howard Roughan | June 26 | Goodreads
A serial killer known as The Dealer is loose on the streets of Manhattan and his victims appear to be total strangers. The only clue uniting the crimes is the playing card left behind hinting at the next target. Elizabeth Needham, the gorgeous, tenacious cop in charge of the case turns to an unlikely ally—Dylan Reinhart, a handsome and brilliant professor whose book turned up in connection with the murders. The frenzy reaches a fever pitch so Dylan and Elizabeth must discover what the victims have in common before The Dealer runs through his entire deck.

Want by Cindy Pon | June 13 | Goodreads
Jason Zhou survives in a divided society where the elite use their wealth to buy longer lives. Frustrated by his city’s corruption and still grieving the loss of his mother who died as a result of it, Zhou is determined to change things. With the help of his friends, he infiltrates the lives of the wealthy in hopes of destroying the international Jin Corporation from within, yet the deeper Zhou delves into this new world, the more muddled his plans become. And against his better judgement, Zhou finds himself falling for Daiyu, the daughter of Jin Corp’s CEO.

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn | June 6 | Goodreads
1947. In the aftermath of World War II, Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family and concerned for her cousin who disappeared during the war. Banished to Europe, she breaks free determined to find out what happened. 1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans. She’s soon recruited to work as a spy and be trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the “Queen of Spies”, who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy’s nose. Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded until a young woman barges in uttering a name Eve hasn’t heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth …no matter where it leads.

Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau | June 6 | Goodreads
Twins Carys and Andreus were never destined to rule Eden. With their older brother next in line to inherit the throne, the future of the kingdom was secure until the king and crown prince are killed by assassins. Now with the line of succession no longer clear, Carys and Andreus are faced with only one option: to take part in a Trial of Succession that will determine which one of them is worthy of ruling the kingdom. With their country and their hearts divided, Carys and Andreus will discover exactly what each will do to win the crown. 

Dead Certain by Adam Mitzner | June 1st | Goodreads
Ella Broden lives a double life: By day, she’s a buttoned-up attorney working gruelling cases and by night, she secretly pursues her passion for singing in the darkest clubs of Manhattan. When Charlotte announces she’s sold her first novel, Ella couldn’t be more thrilled until she gets a call that her sister’s gone missing. With the help of Detective Gabriel Velasquez, an old flame in the NYPD, she learns if art imitates life, then her sister’s novel may contain details of her real-life affairs. And any one of her lovers could be involved in her disappearance.

The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss | June 20th | Goodreads
Mary Jekyll is alone and penniless when she discovers a clue that hints Edward Hyde, her father’s former friend and a murderer, may be nearby, and there is a reward for information leading to his capture…a reward that would solve all of her immediate financial woes. But her hunt leads her to Hyde’s daughter, Diana and with the assistance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Mary continues her search for the elusive Hyde, and soon befriends more women, all of whom have been created through terrifying experimentation: Beatrice Rappaccini, Catherin Moreau, and Justine Frankenstein.

The post June Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

We’ve all heard of conventions, whether it be the more traditional ones like science conventions or to the hyped-up life experience that is San Diego Comic Con and essentially a nerd dream come true. If only there were more con in my country, I would be attending each and every one of them! There’s something about entering a convention as it’s an entire building filled with people who love and are passionate about the same thing as you, where you can all celebrate it together. You also have the opportunity to meet people you may have met through the Internet, and not to mention meeting actors and authors!

For the past few years, we’ve seen a rise of “characters who read” in Young Adult books, which creates characters who seem even more relatable to us. With how ingrained and prevalent the convention culture is, it was only a matter of time before they started to use it as a theme. This year and last year we’ve seen many books which are set in a convention where it unites the characters and gives them a sense of belonging, just as it does in reality.

To celebrate the way conventions unite us, and to prepare you for the upcoming convention season, we’ve picked our four favourite books set in conventions!

Check them out and tell us if you will be reading one in the comments below!

The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak by Brian Katcher | Sci-fi Convention

It all begins when Ana Watson’s little brother, Clayton, secretly ditches the quiz bowl semifinals to go to the Washingcon sci-fi convention on what should have been a normal, résumé-building school trip. If slacker Zak Duquette hadn’t talked up the geek fan fest so much, maybe Clayton wouldn’t have broken nearly every school rule or jeopardized Ana’s last shot at freedom from her uptight parents.

Now, teaming up with Duquette is the only way for Ana to chase down Clayton in the sea of orcs, zombies, bikini-clad princesses, Trekkies, and Smurfs. After all, one does not simply walk into Washingcon. But in spite of Zak’s devil-may-care attitude, he has his own reasons for being as lost as Ana-and Ana may have more in common with him than she thinks. Ana and Zak certainly don’t expect the long crazy night, which begins as a nerdfighter manhunt, to transform into so much more…

The Geeks Guide to Unrequited Love by Sarvenaz Tash | New York Comic Con

Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy. Archie and Veronica. Althena and Noth.…Graham and Roxy?

Graham met his best friend, Roxy, when he moved into her neighborhood eight years ago and she asked him which Hogwarts house he’d be sorted into. Graham has been in love with her ever since. But now they’re sixteen, still neighbors, still best friends. And Graham and Roxy share more than ever—moving on from their Harry Potter obsession to a serious love of comic books.

When Graham learns that the creator of their favorite comic, The Chronicles of Althena, is making a rare appearance at this year’s New York Comic Con, he knows he must score tickets. And the event inspires Graham to come up with the perfect plan to tell Roxy how he really feels about her. He’s got three days to woo his best friend at the coolest, kookiest con full of superheroes and supervillains. But no one at a comic book convention is who they appear to be…even Roxy. And Graham is starting to realize fictional love stories are way less complicated than real-life ones.

Geekerella by Ashley Poston | Starfield (Fictional TV Show) Convention

Anything can happen once upon a con…

When geek girl Elle Wittimer sees a cosplay contest sponsored by the producers of Starfield, she has to enter. First prize is an invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. Elle’s been scraping together tips from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck behind her stepmother’s back, and winning this contest could be her ticket out once and for all—not to mention a fangirl’s dream come true.

Teen actor Darien Freeman is less than thrilled about this year’s ExcelsiCon. He used to live for conventions, but now they’re nothing but jaw-aching photo sessions and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Federation Prince Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the diehard Starfield fandom has already dismissed him as just another heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, closet nerd Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde | TV Show Con

When BFFs Charlie, Taylor and Jamie go to SupaCon, they know it’s going to be a blast. What they don’t expect is for it to change their lives forever. Charlie likes to stand out. SupaCon is her chance to show fans she’s over her public breakup with co-star, Reese Ryan. When Alyssa Huntington arrives as a surprise guest, it seems Charlie’s long-time crush on her isn’t as one-sided as she thought.

While Charlie dodges questions about her personal life, Taylor starts asking questions about her own.

Taylor likes to blend in. Her brain is wired differently, making her fear change. And there’s one thing in her life she knows will never change: her friendship with Jamie—no matter how much she may secretly want it to. But when she hears about the Queen Firestone SupaFan Contest, she starts to rethink her rules on playing it safe.

The post Love Conventions? Check Out These Books Based at Cons! appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Get ready to be excited because Simon vs. The Homo-Sapiens Agenda is being adapted into a film!

There have been rumours circulating for quite some time and these were confirmed when the casting announcements started to be released back in January. 13 Reasons Why star Katherine Langford was cast as the female lead along with other talented actors over the past few months. Langford posted a photo of the novel a few weeks ago, and naturally, this only excited fans further!

The film is based on the debut novel by Becky Albertalli, who recently published yet another hit young adult novel titled The Upside of Unrequited. The story follows seventeen-year-old Simon as he comes out to his classmates after an email he sends falls into the wrong hands and becomes blackmailed by a classmate. Simon will be played by Nick Robinson, who will also be starring in another YA film adaption Everything, Everything which comes out later this month.

Greg Berlanti, producer of Supergirl and Arrow, will be directing and Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger (executive producers for This is Us) will be writing the screenplay.

Starring Katherine Langford and Miles Heizer (13 Reasons Why), Jennifer Garner (Dallas Buyers Club), Josh Duhamel (Safe Haven), Colton Haynes (Arrow), Nick Robinson (Jurassic World), Alexandra Shipp (X-Men: Apocalypse), Logan Miller (A Dog’s Purpose) and Mackenzie Lintz (Under The Dome).

The film is scheduled for release March next year.

Are you excited for the film adaption? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Learn More About The ‘Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda’ Film Adaption appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Written by Salima Bensalah

SYNOPSIS || GOODREADS
In The Power the world is a recognisable place: there’s a rich Nigerian kid who larks around the family pool; a foster girl whose religious parents hide their true nature; a local American politician; a tough London girl from a tricky family. But something vital has changed, causing their lives to converge with devastating effect. Teenage girls now have immense physical power – they can cause agonising pain and even death. And, with this small twist of nature, the world changes utterly.

This extraordinary novel by Naomi Alderman, a Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year and Granta Best of British writer, is not only a gripping story of how the world would change if power was in the hands of women but also exposes, with breath-taking daring, our contemporary world.

The Power is an intriguing historical novel with a male author attempting to chronicle the events occurring around him. To add a twist, the author submits the manuscript to a successful female writer by the name of Naomi Alderman, who suggests he acquires a female pseudonym. But The Power is much more than this as it delves into the reversal of gender dynamics on a global scale. But also imagine if, in an instant, teenage girls and some women all across the world start to develop the power to cause instant pain and death by harnessing the ability to exert electric shocks. Women are no longer physically inferior, and their developed power sets the possibility for a new world free of domestic violence and sexual assault.

This novel brilliantly blends a series of different narrative perspectives to gain a full understanding of those involved. There are four different viewpoints from those in the near-future who experience the effects firsthand, including a teenage girl named Roxy, who’s a tough Londoner with a difficult family dynamic. Then there’s a female American politician trying to secure a higher position over her male counterpart and her teenage daughter who acquires the power; another teenage girl suffers at the hands of her foster parents and becomes a martyr for other women, and a Nigerian boy who ends up broadcasting events as an insider to a revolution. There are also several cuts in the story which jump to the future and here editor’s notes and artefacts are added to give this book a sense of historic realism.

The story directly addresses some very important social issues in a unique and original way, combining experiences from across the world to really envision how the world would change if women no longer needed men. The very idea of gender is explored and gender-based behaviours are eventually reversed until today’s gender norms are considered fiction. This is a daring must-read feminist text that successfully fulfils on its promise to expose our contemporary world.

Will you be reading The Power or have you already read it? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Review: The Power by Naomi Alderman appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Will you be adding any of these new releases to your to-read list? Let us know in the comments below!

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence | Out Now | Goodreads
At the Convent of Sweet Mercy, young girls are raised to be killers. They hone their novices’ skills to deadly effect and takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist. When eight-year-old bloodstained Nona Grey is brought to the halls of Sweet Mercy, the mistresses don’t truly understand what they have purchased. Falsely accused of murder and guilty of worse, she is sought by powerful enemies. Nona must come to terms with her demons and learn to become a deadly assassin if she is to survive…

American War by Omar El Akkad | Out Now | Goodreads
Born in Louisiana, Sarat Chestnut is only six when the Second American Civil War breaks out in 2074. When her father is killed and her family is forced into Camp Patience, she begins to grow up shaped by her particular time and place. Not everyone at the camp is who they claim to be and eventually Sarat is befriended by a mysterious functionary and turned into a deadly instrument of war. The decisions she makes will have tremendous consequences, not just for Sarat, but her family and country.

Brimstone by Cherie Priest | Out Now | Goodreads
In the trenches of Europe during the Great War, Tomas Cordero operated a devastating weapon: a flame projector dousing the enemy in liquid fire. Having life the battlefield a shattered man, he comes home to find his wife has passed and soon finds himself dreaming of fire. Then there’s Alice Dartle, a talented clairvoyant living in present-day Florida. She also dreams of fire and knows her nightmares are connected to the war veteran and believes she can bring peace to him and his wife’s spirit.

Given to the Sea by Mindy McGinnis | Out Now | Goodreads
Khosa is Given to the Sea, a girl born to be to the water, her flesh preventing a wave-like the one that destroyed the Kingdom of Stille in days of old. But before she can, she must produce an heir, except the thought of human touch sends shudders down her spine. Vincent is third in line to inherit the throne and when Khosa arrives without an heir, he knows his father will ensure she fulfils her duty, at whatever cost. He soon becomes torn between protecting the throne and the girl whose fate is tied to its very existence.

Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray | Out Now | Goodreads
Noemi Vidal is a seventeen-year-old soldier sworn to protect her planet and willing to risk anything, including her life. Abandoned in space for years, Abel has advanced programming that’s begun to evolve and he only wants to protect his creator and to be free. The two are enemies in an interstellar war, forced by chance to work together and their efforts would end the fighting for good, but not without sacrifice. The stakes are higher than they realised and they are forced to question everything.

The Ship by Antonia Honeywell | April 25 | Goodreads
Lalla has grown up sheltered from the chaos amid the ruins of civilization. But things are getting more dangerous outside with people killing over husks of bread and police detaining anyone without an ID card. On her sixteenth birthday, her father decides it’s time to use their escape route—a ship he built only big enough to save five hundred people. But the utopia her father has created isn’t as it seems with plenty of food, but nothing grows; plenty of clothes, but no way to mend them; and no-one can tell her where they are going.

Void Star by Zachary Mason | Out Now | Goodreads
Not far in the future, the seas have risen but it’s still good to be rich in San Francisco, where weapon drones patrol the skies to keep out the poor. Irina isn’t rich, but an artificial memory gives her perfect recall and lets her act as a medium between employers and AIs. Kern, one of the many refugees, lives like a monk and trains in martial arts; Whereas Thales is from a different world entirely and flees to L.A. after an attack leaves him crippled and his father dead. The three are soon pushed together by subtle forces that stay just out of sight.

Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer | Out Now | Goodreads
Half sisters Isabelle and Aurora have always been close despite being polar opposites: Isabelle is the king’s headstrong illegitimate daughter whereas Aurora is beautiful and sheltered. Everything changes with a single drop of Aurora’s blood and a sleep so deep it cannot be broken. With the faerie queen and her army ready to march, Isabelle must find a prince who can awaken her sister with a kiss and create an alliance. But Aurora wakes in a strange enchanted world where a mysterious hunter may be the secret to her escape . . . or the reason for her to stay.

The post April Book Releases: Fantasy & Sci-Fi appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Book Cook Look Club is a small Australian based book club combining three much-loved activities: reading, cooking and films. Declan, a member of the club, will be recapping his experience each month right here on The Nerd Daily!

BOOK | One person selects a book for everyone to read over the next month.
COOK | The book selector hosts a dinner party with a themed meal related to the book.
LOOK | We compare the film adaptation to its source material.

The book for February was chosen by Cassie – probably one of the fastest readers I know. So naturally, she selected a book which most of the group struggled to get through in time: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, by Japanese author Haruki Murakami. Since there is no film adaptation for this book, we unfortunately had to skip this part of the discussion.

At around 600 pages long, it’s not an easy read for those who like to take books slowly and if I’m being completely honest, I was already absorbed in another one of Murakami’s books, 1Q84. Because of this, I reasoned that if I was able to turn the conversation into a comparison of the two then it wouldn’t matter if I didn’t completely commit to the set book.

DINNER
The night began with Cassie serving up a gorgeous meal of pork miso ramen soup, a traditional Japanese dish. As we tucked into dinner, Cassie launched us into an explanation of why she chose the book.

She started off with her undying love for Murakami’s writing, especially the recounts of World War II from Japan’s perspective decades after it ended; a perspective that Western audiences don’t hear about too often. She was also fascinated by Murakami’s knack for finding the meaning in routine activities.

Alec and Scott were less forgiving of this, blaming it for being the reason they lost interest in the book. For them, the plot was slow and confusing. To be fair, I don’t think either of them made it very far into the book before giving up.

During this back-and-forth, I was sitting quietly on the sidelines waiting to turn the conversation from The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle to Murakami’s writing style in general. And so from my bag, I withdrew 1Q84.

“Routine is what defines a lot of Murakami’s characters, but 1Q84 uses this to suggest that some strange mix of existentialism and fatalism exists. In this book some special few people can transcend the human experience, develop strange powers, and perceive hidden secrets of life. Meanwhile, everyone else is just a background character with no excitement or variation in their lives,” I said, trying to sound smart.

“It would appear that in instances such as this, some people are moving towards a fixed destiny, while others live day-to-day with no real purpose.”

DESSERT
This segue into surrealism and postmodernism arrived just in time for dessert – coffee jelly with cream (yes, this is apparently traditionally Japanese, to my surprise and ignorance). Some divisive opinions rose to the surface at this point.

With Alec arguing against surrealism’s lack of logical answers, and Scott hating on postmodernism’s ambiguity, they dominated the conversation for a little while. Alec revealed to us the deep frustration he feels when books don’t give clear-cut answers to the questions they throw at the reader.

Cassie and I managed to regain some ground in defence of contemporary literature. We argued that in reality, there are big questions in our life that we never figure out the answers to, and others where the only answers are imperfect. Postmodern literature aims to reflect this.

In Murakami’s 1Q84, do we ever find out who the Little People really are? Or the meaning of the two moons in the sky? Or what an air chrysalis really is? No, the book doesn’t give us these answers. It gives us half-answers, or tiny hints dropped every now and then. This might frustrate the Alec’s of the world, but if you don’t mind having a lot of questions left open-ended for you to think about in your own time, then I would certainly recommend adding Murakami to your reading list.

Do you enjoy reading works by Murakami? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Book Cook Look Club: Haruki Murakami appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

I don’t know about you, but I think television and books go really well together. Maybe not always book adaptions (because we all know they can sometimes be a disappointment), although the trailers for Anne and The Handmaid’s Tale may be a glimmer of hope for the growing world of book-to-screen adaptions.

If you fancy skipping your next Netflix binge, we’ve paired a few television shows with some YA books so you can still enjoy your favourite themes but read all about it instead!

Let us know if you’ll be reading one of these books in the comments below!

Agent Carter >>> Code Name Verity/Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
Agent Carter is one of my all-time favourite shows and Rose Under Fire is one of my all-time favourite books. These two go hand-in-hand as this duology written by Elizabeth Wein is about female spies and pilots in World War II, so naturally there’s a connection between these books and Agent Carter. Not to mention, the characters are as badass as Peggy and they have just as much heart to them.

Downton Abbey >>> The Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray
This one may be a little bit of a stretch as The Gemma Doyle trilogy is more Downton Abbey meets Merlin perhaps. It has all the historical, scandalous and intriguing elements of Downton Abbey, but with a touch of magic and witches. The first book, A Great and Terrible Beauty is set in a London boarding school for Victoria ladies. It’s a fun series, but it also explores and features some serious topics, great female friendships and some incredible world-building and magic. The main character Gemma could be considered as a cross between Mary and Sybil and not to mention, the author Libba Bray is incredibly talented so it’s worth checking out.

Game of Thrones >>> Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
Although I personally am not much of a fan of Game of Thrones, the Falling Kingdoms series is fantastic read for those who are. Like Game of Thrones, there are quite a few characters that the story follows and they are all very intriguing in their own ways, just like how the characters greatly differ in the television series. Being a fantasy series, the world is complex and rich, which always makes for fascinating read.

Sherlock >>> Every Breath
Every Breath is an Australian YA trilogy by Ellie Marney which tells the story of Rachel Watts and her best friend, James Mycroft. You may have notices it’s loosely based around Sherlock Holmes, but the modern Melbourne setting sets it apart from the rest. James is very reminiscent of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock—absolutely brilliant, but slightly less knowledgeable when it comes to people and communicating. Rachel is not a sidekick to Mycroft at any point, and she has a bigger purpose than merely making him look smart since she’s brilliant in her own way, and I think many readers can appreciate that.

The post If You Like, You’ll Like: TV To Books appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Contributed by Gillion Machota

Thirteen Reasons Why can be considered to be one of the most read Young Adult books with it translated into over 35 languages. This year marks the tenth anniversary since its release in October 2007 and the popularity of the book has increased with the recent release of Netflix’s original series based on the novel. Since there has been so much hype about the series, I thought it was about time I got around to reading Thirteen Reasons Why.

The novel follows Hannah Baker, a teenager girl who commits suicide and leaves behind a series of tapes explaining the reasons and the people who contributed to her unfortunate end. In her first tape, she requests the tapes to be passed along to those mentioned in them and Clay Jensen ends up listening to them. Each tape represents a person, which means Clay is on them. On the tapes, each person is not only roasted by Hannah, but is also involved with several events that happened to her in the past year.

First of all, I don’t like Hannah Baker. Hannah could have been written better and the attitude she has throughout the book could have been altered or left out. Clay seemed to be the most realistic person written in the book and you feel quite sympathetic for him because he has no idea how or why Hannah has included him on these tapes. As for the other characters, they each portray the stereotypical students you see in high school.

From the creep to the jock and the popular girl, the book features all of these characters and they are all at fault for contributing to Hannah’s death. With each person having played a vital part in both Hannah’s life and death, they are all connected to Hannah in some way. From Justin to Courtney, and even the ‘Peeping Tom’, each character was captured perfectly, except for Hannah. The ending is probably one of the most heart-wrenching things to read, and for me, possibly the hardest thing I’ve read. The thing about topics like suicide is almost any person can play such an important role no matter how long they have known the person.

While it may not have been the best book overall, it was a decent representation of how an individual who has had or is currently having suicidal thoughts. However, the book is something everyone should read at some point in their lifetime.

A 10th anniversary edition of Thirteen Reasons Why was released in December last year, which features exclusive content including an alternate ending, notes and deleted scenes. Another version of the book has also been released to tie-in with the upcoming series. The Netflix tie-in edition features a 16-page full-colour photo insert displaying scenes from the show, and interviews with the cast and crew.

Whether you have or haven’t watched the Netflix series yet, we highly recommend you read the book as well. While the series has expanded on the book and differed slightly, both the book and series are excellent.

Have you read Thirteen Reasons Why? Let us know your thoughts on the book in the comments below!

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Will you be adding any of these books to your TBR? Let us know in the comments below!

The Inconceivable Life of Quinn by Marianna Baer | Out Now | Goodreads
Quinn Cutler is sixteen, the daughter of a high-profile Brooklyn politician and she’s also pregnant, which is more shocking since she has no memory of ever having sex. Before she can solve the mystery, her story becomes public and will jeopardize her reputation, relationship and her father’s campaign, especially since religious fanatics believe Quinn is a virgin, pregnant with the next messiah. Her search for answers uncovers lies and family secrets—strange, possibly supernatural ones. Might she, in fact, be a virgin?

The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares | April 25 | Goodreads
Summer for Sasha and Ray means the sprawling old house on Long Island. Since they were children, they’ve shared almost everything from reading the same books to laughing around the same dining table, except they’ve never met. Her dad was once married to Ray’s mom, but their marriage crumbled. Now with two new families, neither one will give up the beach house that holds so many memories. This summer, the lives of Sasha, Ray, and their siblings intersect in ways none of them ever dreamed.

Zenn Diagram by Wendy Brant | Out Now | Goodreads
Eva Walker is a seventeen-year-old math genius and if that doesn’t do wonders for her popularity, when she touches another person or their belongings, she sees a vision of their emotions. From fears and anxieties to discovering their secrets and love interests, Eva avoids touching people. But one day a new student named Zenn walks into her life and he gives off so much emotional trauma that it causes her to faint. She becomes drawn to him especially when she discovers the history which links them and the truth threatens to tear them apart.

Duels and Deception by Cindy Anstey | April 11 | Goodreads
Miss Lydia Whitfield, heiress to the family fortune, has her future entirely planned out. She will run the family estate until she marries the man of her late father’s choosing and be the devoted wife. With the marriage contracts being drawn up by Mr Newton, the two find themselves kidnapped. Someone is after her reputation and fortune so Lydia strives to keep her family’s name intact and expose whoever is behind it. But as the investigation delves deeper, their affections grow and she wonders whether her planned future is what she wants.

Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray | Out Now | Goodreads
Noemi Vidal is a seventeen-year-old soldier sworn to protect her planet and willing to risk anything, including her life. Abandoned in space for years, Abel has advanced programming that’s begun to evolve and he only wants to protect his creator and to be free. The two are enemies in an interstellar war, forced by chance to work together and their efforts would end the fighting for good, but not without sacrifice. The stakes are higher than they realised and they are forced to question everything.

Legion by Julie Kagawa (Book 4) | April 25 | Goodreads
Dragon hatchling Ember Hill was never prepared to find love at all, let alone the love from a human and a former dragonslayer. After ex-soldier Garret sacrificed his freedom and life to expose the deepest of betrayals and now Ember knows everything she was taught at Talon isn’t true. In the face of loss, she vows to stand with rogue dragon Riley against the dragon-slaying Order and her twin brother Dante–the heir apparent to all of Talon, and the boy who will soon unleash the greatest threat and terror dragonkind has ever known.

Grendel’s Guide to Love and War by A. E. Kaplan | April 18 | Goodreads
Tom Grendel lives a quiet life from writing in his notebooks to pining for Willow, the girl next-door. When Willow’s brother begins to throw wild parties, the idyllic senior citizens’ community is transformed into a war zone. Tom isn’t happy, especially with his dad’s PTSD triggered by the noise, so he comes up with a plan to end the parties. One retaliation leads to another, and things escalate causing Tom and Willow to drift, except the question isn’t so much whether Tom Grendel will win the day and get the girl, but whether he’ll survive intact

Pointe, Claw by Amber J. Keyser | Out Now | Goodreads
Jessie Vale dances in an elite ballet program that requires perfection to land a spot with the professional company. When she is cast in an animalistic avant-garde production, her careful composure cracks wide open. Nothing has felt more dangerous.

Serenade by Heather McKenzie | April 17 | Goodreads
Eighteen-year old Kaya Lowen dreams of living a normal life, but being heiress to a billion-dollar company comes with danger. Guarded by her powerful and corrupt father, she develops close bonds with those who protect her, especially Oliver who proves his devotion to her and wins her heart—until she has an encounter with a mysterious stranger. Her world is unravelled when she’s kidnapped and held captive in the wilderness, but the discovery of a dark family secret makes her wonder if staying with her abductor is a safer place to be.

Between Two Skies by Joanne O’Sullivan | April 25 | Goodreads
Bayou Perdu, a tiny fishing town in Louisiana is home to sixteen-year-old Evangeline Riley. She has her best friends, her beloved Mamere and back-to-back titles in the under-sixteen fishing rodeo, but she is most at peace when she takes her boat out to where there’s nothing but sky and air. It’s a small life until the storm comes and changes everything. Amid the chaos, pain and destruction comes Tru—a fellow refugee, a budding bluesman and a balm for Evangeline’s aching heart.

180 Seconds by Jessica Park | April 25 | Goodreads
Some people live their entire lives without changing their perspective. For Allison Dennis, all it takes is 180 seconds… After a life spent bouncing from one foster home to the next, she is determined to keep others at arm’s length. One unsuspecting afternoon, she is roped into a social experiment at college where she finds herself forced to interact with a complete stranger in front a crowd. Neither she, nor Esben Baylor, the dreamy social media star seated opposite her, is prepared for the outcome.

The Takedown by Corrie Wang | April 11 | Goodreads
Kyla Cheng doesn’t expect you to like her. She’s on track to be valedictorian, president of her community club, a debate team champ and she rules the school. But a week before college applications are due, a video of Kyla “doing it” with her English teacher is uploaded and goes viral. The issue is that it’s not Kyla and she soon finds herself in a world of hackers, haters and stalkers. Set in near-future Brooklyn, where privacy is a bygone luxury and every perfect profile masks damning secrets, Kyla attempts to do the impossible by taking something off the Internet.

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