Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Wayfarers by Jeff Zentner & Brittany Cavallaro, which is out now.

What do you do
when there’s nothing
in this world you want
more than to spend two
more hours with someone
and nothing in the world
you want less than to only
spend two more hours
with someone?

Sylvie said she wanted to live the van life after high school, but all she really wanted was to escape. With unlimited resources and an escape-artist golden retriever by her side, she keeps her eyes on the road to distract her from everything she left behind.
Knox grew up on the edge of society, without a phone, a school, or a real name. He’s never felt like he had a firm place to stand, but he’s done writing his story in vanishing ink.
On one of the worst days of Sylvie’s life, Knox helps rescue her dog and breaks his arm in the process. To apologize, Sylvie offers him a ride. But Knox is keeping some big secrets, and so is Sylvie. They must decide: If the other person knew the whole story, would they take a chance on—and maybe even fall for—a wayfaring stranger?

EXCERPT

SYLVIE
BRAVE

Out here alone, afraid of the two steps
that would take me out of my van and into

whatever landscape I’d once thought
would transform me into someone else. Do you know
about the dunes huddled against Lake Michigan

like bears bedding down for winter? I’d looked
them up on Google Images and thought about
how this looking would be different,

how it would be to stand here,
dog by my side, sand in my eyes, riot
of hair in the high July wind,

perfected. Like a girl from a story, not a girl
from Springfield, Illinois, town of strip malls,
Sally Beauty Supplies, no portals to Narnia

or anywhere else. I don’t know if I would’ve been brave
enough to leave on my own. I was a girl
who made straight A’s, flew under the radar, wing

to wing with the boy I loved, waiting.
Right after graduation, Cal and I would be gone.
And in the meantime we marked up our maps, got the travel

apps, studied TikToks about dumping black water
(don’t ask). I kept waiting for someone to tell us no
but no one did. My mom, my stepdad, Dr. O,

they all kept nodding. I was so responsible, had a budget,
backup plans B through Z, had my Northwestern acceptance letter
printed and stored in a waterproof sleeve, and if Cal

ever went off course, I’d correct. That’s what
they said. My mom, marveling: my Sylvie, off to see the world.
By May, we’d reached escape velocity. Or

I had. I had. Anymore I feel like
a paper plane in a rainstorm.

KNOX
PULL THE LID OFF

Do you know the meaning of Apocalypse
in the original Greek? I looked it up once
at the library in Fairview, Tennessee,
while passing through:

to pull the lid off. To reveal things
for what they are.

People talk about The Apocalypse
like it’s one event, a fixed point
in the sky around which satellites orbit,
drawing nearer with each pass
until eventually they’ll be consumed.

I know different. That it’s Apocalypses.
A chronic disease that haunts
your life and flares up every so often,
usually when you’re most comfortable.

Say when you’re seven, and your mom rouses you
at 2:36 a.m. and tells you to be very quiet;
that you’re leaving
but your father isn’t coming and the stillness
at that hour is too impossible to be
anything but a dream, so you go without complaint

but then you awake in a nest
of musky blankets at the back of a rattling school bus
with most of the seats removed and filled
with strangers, the road reek of diesel prickling
your nose as the herald of the end of your old life
and beginning of your unmoored new.

Or when you finally turn eighteen in a KOA campsite
in northern Michigan, which you celebrated
with a yellow cake salvaged from a Meijer dumpster that said
in blue frosting, Happy Retirement, Penis!
(I hope you got a corrected cake, Denis, and happy retirement)

and you can suddenly appear back in society
without too many questions and so you go, go in the night
like you did once, go like a ghost, go like a thought
leaving your mind, end your old life
like someone once did for you.

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Wayfarers’ by Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Dahlia Adler’s introduction serves a great way to set the scene for the magical menageries of tales that are to follow. It reminds us of Shakespeare’s enduring influence and in our everyday language, but also acknowledges how the canon only represents certain groups, therefore through reimaginings, we can open our stories to be more diverse and inclusive. The timelessness of Shakespeare’s themes should be reflected in every reader being able to see themselves in his vast range of characters.

Kicking off the anthology is Severe Weather Warning by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, which is inspired by The Tempest. This was a cute, romantic tale with believable tensions and subplots worthy of Shakespeare’s romantic comedies. It’s such a human tale of miscommunication and squandered opportunities. Shipwrecked by Mark Oshiro then follows on and it’s inspired by Twelfth Night. I really loved the representation in this story and how Oshiro deftly wove the different narrators together. Yet again, the wish for communication and romantic entanglements were pulled off so well. This is a really funny, sweet and casually queer story. Next up was Taming of the Soul Mate by K. Ancrum, which was inspired by Taming of the Shrew. Ancrum had such a strong concept and unique way of reimagining the story. You’re left feeling like this is just the beginning of a new tale that would be amazing to see fully expanded in its own books someday.

Continuing this extremely strong anthology was King of the Fairies by Anna-Marie McLemore, which was inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As ever, their writing is just so gorgeous and ethereal. The discussion around colonialism, racism, and finding your own community was so impactful too. When the anthology was first announced, I was intrigued to see how The Merchant of Venice would be reinterpreted and I Bleed by Dahlia Adler is such a well-written reclamation of a tale that has roots in strong anti-Semitic ideology and Adler flips the tale on its head, allowing for more three-dimensional and nuanced Jewish representation. We Have Seen Better Days by Lily Anderson (inspired by As You Like It) was an interesting, entertaining, and moving coming-of-age story, while Some Other Metal by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy (inspired by Much Ado About Nothing) was both brilliantly cosmic and hopelessly human at the same time. Both perfectly captured the essence of the original story.

Brittany Cavallaro took a different approach with His Invention, which was inspired by Sonnet 147. This was a truly dark and disturbing story, reminiscent of an encased gem attempting to escape from the narrative. Kiersten White’s use of multimedia to convey her retelling of Romeo and Juliet, with an inspired title of Partying is Such Sweet Sorrow, was so interesting and really brought a modern feel to a timeless tale of forbidden love. Personally, Dreaming of the Dark by Lindsay Smith (inspired by Julius Caesar) was a blood-drenched, enthralling ,and dark story that left an indelible mark on my heart. It delved into death, magic, and vengeance in really unexpected and twisted ways.

The Tragedy of Cory Lanez: An Oral History by Tochi Onyebuchi, which was inspired by Coriolanus, was a powerful, timely story that sadly we’ve heard echoed over and over again in the media. The way we saw fragments of Cory through the narratives of others was thought-provoking and left the reader responsible for piecing it together.

Out of the Storm by Joy McCullough, inspired by King Lear, changes the entire narrative of the play from pitting women against each other to slowly exposing Lear as the abusive and controlling tyrant he was. There’s this bond of sisterhood that emerges slowly and cautiously, but it is undeniably there. From there, we dived into Hamlet in Elsinore by Patrice Caldwell, which was an epic, Gothic and empowering tale, complete with supernatural touches and even some vampiric creatures. Continuing the dark theme was We Fail by Samantha Mabry, inspired by Macbeth, which added a completely new dynamic to a story you know so well. Finally, Lost Girl by Melissa Bashardoust, inspired by The Winter’s Tale, was just a gorgeously written story that was beautiful in every way.

Overall, That Way Madness Lies exemplifies the brilliance of modern reimaginings of classic stories. Each tale is a gem in the glittering crown of this anthology, which is one of the best anthologies I’ve read.

That Way Madness Lies is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up That Way Madness Lies? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Fifteen acclaimed YA writers put their modern spin on William Shakespeare’s celebrated classics!

West Side Story. 10 Things I Hate About You. Kiss Me, Kate. Contemporary audiences have always craved reimaginings of Shakespeare’s most beloved works. Now, some of today’s best writers for teens take on the Bard in these 15 whip-smart and original retellings!

Contributors include Dahlia Adler (reimagining The Merchant of Venice), Kayla Ancrum (The Taming of the Shrew), Lily Anderson (As You Like It), Patrice Caldwell (Hamlet), Melissa Bashardoust (A Winter’s Tale), Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy (Much Ado About Nothing), Brittany Cavallaro (Sonnet 147), Joy McCullough (King Lear), Anna-Marie McLemore (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Samantha Mabry (Macbeth), Tochi Onyebuchi (Coriolanus), Mark Oshiro (Twelfth Night), Lindsay Smith (Julius Caesar), Kiersten White (Romeo and Juliet), and Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka (The Tempest).

The post Review: ‘That Way Madness Lies’ Anthology, Edited by Dahlia Adler appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

When you think of Victorian England, you probably think of Queen Victoria first. Then you might think of extravagant dresses and fancy suits, of a time long past that has nothing at all to do with you living in the 21^st century. Maybe you will even think about the industrial revolution that made most of the iconic fashion styles happen, as well as inventions such as steam engines and railways.

And when you think of literature during this time, the Brontё sisters, Charles Dickens, and Mary Shelley are bound to be some of the first names to pop up. Nevertheless, just like the fashion going out of style, the language in which books like Oliver Twist, Wuthering Heights, and Frankenstein have been originally written in, has become old-fashioned.  

In an attempt to make these classics accessible for a young and modern audience, writers and especially YA writers, have been adapting Victorian classics. This can be achieved by simply putting the characters into a modern setting, by making one of the background characters from the original work the protagonist, to change the gender, age, or sexuality of a character or, to change the course of the story completely!

Nowadays, there are so many amazing retellings of Victorian novels that it can be difficult to decide where to start. If you’re one of the intimidated readers, don’t fret because here are five great young adult adaptions of Victorian novels to start your Victorian reading binge with (which, incidentally, mostly focus on girl power!)

My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand (A retelling of Charlotte Brontё’s Jane Eyre)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

While this is the second book in the The Lady Janies series, this is a stand-alone novel and is only connected to its forerunner because both feature a protagonist named ‘Jane’ and both are retellings of older tales.

You may think you know the story. After a miserable childhood, penniless orphan Jane Eyre embarks on a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester. Despite their significant age gap (!) and his uneven temper (!!), they fall in love—and, Reader, she marries him. (!!!) Or does she?

Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights.

Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon (A retelling of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Olivia Brownlow is no damsel in distress. Born in a workhouse and raised as a boy among thieving London street gangs, she is as tough and cunning as they come. When she is taken in by her uncle after a caper gone wrong, her life goes from fighting and stealing on the streets to lavish dinners and soirees as a debutante in high society. But she can’t seem to escape her past … or forget the teeming slums where children just like her still scrabble to survive.

Jack MacCarron rose from his place in London’s East End to become the adopted “nephew” of a society matron. Little does society know that MacCarron is a false name for a boy once known among London gangs as the Artful Dodger, and that he and his “aunt” are robbing them blind every chance they get. When Jack encounters Olivia Brownlow in places he least expects, his curiosity is piqued. Why is a society girl helping a bunch of homeless orphan thieves? Even more intriguing, why does she remind him so much of someone he once knew? Jack finds himself wondering if going legit and risking it all might be worth it for love.

Olivia Twist is an innovative reimagining of Charles Dickens’ classic tale Oliver Twist, in which Olivia was forced to live as a boy for her own safety until she was rescued from the streets. Now eighteen, Olivia finds herself at a crossroads: revealed secrets threaten to destroy the “proper” life she has built for her herself, while newfound feelings for an arrogant young man she shouldn’t like could derail her carefully laid plans for the future.

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro (an expansion of the Sherlock Holmes Universe by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The last thing Jamie Watson wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s great-great-great-granddaughter, who has inherited not only Sherlock’s genius but also his volatile temperament. From everything Jamie has heard about Charlotte, it seems safer to admire her from afar.

From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for murder, and only Charlotte can clear their names. But danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other.

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White (a retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Elizabeth Lavenza hasn’t had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered with bruises from her “caregiver,” and she is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything–except a friend.

Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable–and it works. She is taken in by the Frankenstein family and rewarded with a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. Soon she and Victor are inseparable.

But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth’s survival depends on managing Victor’s dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness.

This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee (another retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits.

His brother, Oliver—dead. His sweetheart, Mary—gone. His chance to break free of Geneva—lost. Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead.

But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship.

Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay…

I hope you love these picks as much as we do, because even if you adore the original classics, indulging in retellings is a lot of fun. You get to go on new adventures with some of your favourite characters, an author might explore a scenario of “what if” a tiny detail would be different or the retold plot focuses on friendship instead of romance! There are honestly no bounds when it comes to reimaginings. On the other hand, if Jane Eyre’s story has always appealed to you but the language has put you off or the pace, this is an ideal way to enjoy the story the way you will enjoy it most! 

Do you read retellings? Which ones are your favourites? Let us know in the comments!

The post 5 YA Victorian Retellings You Will Love appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Told through a collection of interview transcripts, emails, hacked military documents, chat logs, and more, The Illuminae Files is the epic story of a heartless (alleged) attack by a mega-corporation on a secret mining colony at the planet Kerenza and the group of teens who fight back for a life worth living for. Oh, and don’t forget the murderous AI who is only trying to help. While each book in the series clocks in at over 600 pages, the unique storytelling format makes for an accelerated and intense read that will have you reading at every chance you get. (FYI: read the book while listening to the audiobook! You’ll thank me, I promise!)

Jackaby by William Ritter

Abigail Rook has escaped the patriarchal grasp of her English life and found herself in New England, where she becomes the assistant to R.F. Jackaby, an eccentric investigator of the supernatural. Part Sherlock, part Buffy, with a dash of Doctor Who, the Jackaby series is a fantastic and fast read that will have you knocking out four books with ease.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

One of the most popular YA dystopian series around, The Hunger Games focuses on Katniss Everdeen as she battles through battle royale style arenas, horrifically tyrannical governments, and one of the most well-argued love triangles in recent memory. Come for the action and angst, stay for the political warfare! This trilogy has everything you need to keep you turning pages.

The Night World by L.J. Smith

The Night World is a secret society of vampires, werewolves, and witches with two strict rules: do not tell humans about the Night World and do not fall in love with a human. Each book tells the story of a different Night World member breaking these rules with spectacular abandon. Some may find these books a bit cheesy, but they are fast, snarky, addictively dramatic, and will quickly mark 9 books off your reading list.

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

Murderbot, a SecUnit who has bypassed its governor module, just wants to spend their time binge-watching TV series and ignoring the emotions of the humans it was hired to keep alive. But with its bloody history lurking and a corporate conspiracy constantly getting in the way, Murderbot finds itself doing the unthinkable: caring. The four novellas of the Murderbot Diaries are not only quick reads with each being under 200 pages, but they are also some of the most intriguing character driven stories of the past decade.

The Tortall Books by Tamora Pierce

Started all the way back in the 80s, The Tortall books span six series set in the fantasy world of Tortall. Though nearly 40 years old, these short novels focus on female empowerment in a male dominated society and each heroine is inspiring in their own way. Featuring wild magic, strong female main characters, and swoony love interests, The Tortall books are completely engrossing and can quickly add 18 books to your goal.

Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa

Half kitsune, Yumeko, is tasked with bringing an ancient scroll to a hidden temple without letting it fall into the hands of the Shadow Clan or the rising demon army threatening the world. With characters that pull on your heartstrings and make you laugh out loud in equal measure, this epic road trip story will keep you reading late into the night. While technically not a complete series yet, the third book, Night of the Dragon, releases March 31, 2020.

Charlotte Holmes by Brittany Cavallaro

Descendants of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson meet at a Connecticut prep school and immediately get drawn into solving murders and navigating their family’s sordid history. With twists and turns and plenty of drama, this four novel series is addictive and quick to read with no book over 350 pages in the series.

The Confectioner’s Chronicles by Claire Luana

Wren Confectioner starts her day as a humble bakery assistant and ends it as the prime suspect in the murder of the head of the Confectioner’s Guild. Teamed with a handsome inspector, a host of new friends, and her new-found magical baking powers, Wren fights to prove her innocence and uncover the magical culinary conspiracy threatening her world. This series is an absolute delight to read and will have you smiling with every page you read.

The Folk of the Air by Holly Black

Jude Durate, a mortal girl raised in the capricious land of Faerie with her sisters after her parents are murdered, entangles herself in court politics, deadly battles of wit, and the cruel prince himself, Carden Greenbriar. Holly Black is dubbed Queen of Faerie for good reason. She crafts fast paced and quick-witted Fae stories that will ensnare you faster than faerie wine.

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

The post 10 Series That’ll Jumpstart Your 2020 Reading Goals appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

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

All the Bad Apples by Moïra Fowley-Doyle
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Unflinching and gorgeously written, this feminist novel is important, timely, and a compulsive read. From the highly acclaimed author of the beloved The Accident Season comes an epic breakout novel examining the very topical and controversial issue of women’s sexual and reproductive rights, which has never been higher on the public’s radar.

Sea Witch Rising (Sea Witch #2) by Sarah Henning
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

“The Little Mermaid” takes a twisted turn in this thrilling sequel to villainess origin story Sea Witch, as the forces of land and sea clash in an epic battle for freedom, redemption, and true love.

A Dress for the Wicked by Autumn Krause
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The high-stakes fashion scene of a reimagined nineteenth century Europe takes center stage in this YA debut perfect for fans of The Belles and The Luxe.

Color Me In by Natasha Diaz
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Debut YA author Natasha Díaz pulls from her personal experience to inform this powerful coming-of-age novel about the meaning of friendship, the joyful beginnings of romance, and the racism and religious intolerance that can both strain a family to the breaking point and strengthen its bonds.

Ever Alice by H.J. Ramsay
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Alice’s stories of Wonderland did more than raise a few eyebrows—it landed her in an asylum. Now at 15 years of age, she’s willing to do anything to leave, which includes agreeing to an experimental procedure.

Let’s Call It a Doomsday by Katie Henry
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An engrossing and thoughtful contemporary tale that tackles faith, friendship, family, anxiety, and the potential apocalypse from Katie Henry, the acclaimed author of Heretics Anonymous.

Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Bérubé
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Blair Witch Project meets Imaginary Girls in this story of codependent sisterhood, the struggle to claim one’s own space, and the power of secrets

100 Days of Sunlight by Abbie Emmons
Goodreads | Amazon

When 16-year-old poetry blogger Tessa Dickinson is involved in a car accident and loses her eyesight for 100 days, she feels like her whole world has been turned upside-down.

Bright Star by Erin Swan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Erin Swan’s YA fantasy debut, Bright Star, is an action-packed adventure tale of rebellion, romance, and finding one’s voice in the heart of a storm.

As Many Nows as I Can Get by Shana Youngdahl
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Told in non-linear, vivid first-person chapters, As Many Nows As I Can Get is the story of a grounded girl who’s pulled into a lightning-strike romance with an electric-charged boy, and the enormity of the aftermath.

Hello Girls by Brittany Cavallaro and Emily Henry
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Thelma and Louise gets remade in this powerful, darkly funny teen novel from acclaimed authors Brittany Cavallaro and Emily Henry. Two teenage girls who have had enough of the controlling men in their lives take their rage on the road to make a new life for themselves.

A Song for the Road by Rayne Lacko
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

When a tornado destroys his Tulsa home, fifteen-year-old Carter Danforth is trapped in the pawnshop where his daddy hawked his custom, left-handed Martin guitar six years earlier―and then took off, leaving Carter with nothing but a hankering to pluck strings and enough heartache to sing the blues. Injured by the storm, Carter’s mother is laid up in the hospital. She wants Carter to fly out to Reno and stay with her sister. Too bad Carter already spent her hidden cash stash to buy his dad’s guitar. Rather than tell her the truth, he embarks on an epic road trip in search of his father in Santa Monica. But Carter isn’t a runaway. He reckons he’s a “running to.”

Are you looking forward to any of these YA releases? Tell us in the comments below!

The post August 2019 Book Releases: YA appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Telling the story of Winona and Lucille, two teenage best friends who end up on a road trip as they escape their respectively awful lives, the book looks at questions of female liberation, powerful women, the enduring bonds of friendship, and the transformative experience of a roadtrip.

Brittany and Emily were kind enough to answer a few questions for The Nerd Daily about Hello Girls, books, and friendship.

Hi Brittany and Emily! Can you tell us a little about yourselves?

EMILY:  I’m 5’7 and I once won nine consecutive cakewalks.

BRITTANY: When I was sixteen, I was a contestant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (the Regis Philbin one), and I won zero ($0) dollars. I am shorter than Emily but not by much.

Obviously, you guys coauthored the book; can you talk about your process for that?

EMILY: It was horrible. Just kidding, it was the most fun I’ve ever had writing a book, and that’s saying something because there’s actually nothing I love more than the act of writing. We hammered a synopsis out together in person, and then took turns writing chapters and sending them back and forth. Like pen-pals. Then, to finish the book, we rented a cabin in the woods in the dead of winter and did nothing but write until our wrists ached. We did a lot of our revision on a shared Google doc, often in real-time while the other watched, which led to a lot of fake, hilarious revisions solely for the benefit of whichever of us was watching. There was a lot of long-distance laughing until we were crying.

BRITTANY: I was completely terrified that we’d accidentally send the fake-bad version to our editors. I think it included lines like, “she said, boobily,” making fun of male authors who seem to include their female characters’ breasts in every sentence they write. To echo what Em said above – I have never had more fun writing anything than Hello Girls. Sometimes I would open up our shared Google doc while I knew Em was working and just watch her write things and I would be so intimidated and so inspired all at the same time. Basically it was a master class in writing, because I knew I wanted every sentence I wrote to be as good as the one she’d just written.

What prompted you to write this book together?

EMILY: We were on our very own road trip, and it was a perfect friendship pressure cooker, an intense and protracted period of time (with a lot of caffeine) during which we basically never stopped talking. We had that kind of rapid-release friendship, the kind that takes you from casual friends to you know all of my greatest fears and deepest dreams in a couple of days. And while we were bonding like this, we were also interrupting all these conversations (gut-wrenching ones, hilarious ones, and every other kind in between) to pump gas and pop into convenience stores for candy and chips.

We were struck by something odd: Over the course of a couple days, every single person greeted us the same way when we walked inside: Hello, girls! It was this bright, cheery greeting but there was something unsettling about it. We were having all these intense conversations about real stuff and every time we came up for air, resurfaced in the world, it felt like we were instantly being reduced to something simpler than we really were. Something cute and charming, and assumed to be pleasant. Something uncomplicated. Hello, girls!

At one point, we got back into the car after one of these encounters and looked at each other and were like, “We could’ve just robbed a bank for all they know.” That moment was the true starting point of the book. We were hooked by the idea of two girls, losing their innocence without anyone around them even noticing.

Would you consider writing another one together?

EMILY: The biggest and loudest “yes” ever.

BRITTANY: We are already making plans. We were in another cabin in northern Michigan (clearly our happy place) and we had another one of those moments where we yelled OH MY GOD WHAT IF WE… and then like an hour later we had a synopsis. I’m super excited to work on it with her!

I’ve seen comments that this is heavily influenced by Thelma and Louise. Is that the case, and if so, what inspired you to rework the story?

EMILY: There’s definitely a heavy dash of Thelma and Louise in Hello Girls, but I wouldn’t necessarily say that we were inspired to rework the story actually! We had the idea for the book, and then, as we were hammering out details, we started to see the parallels to T&L, and became excited about playing with some of the movie’s plot points. Ultimately, it’s a film about liberation and without spoilers (for this twenty-eight-year-old movie), it’s hard not to take the final scene of the movie as a comment on where exactly a liberated woman fits into the world, where she can be safe, where she can be free.

Women have been telling stories about women (and girls) breaking free from convention for a long time, and every one of those stories speaks to a particular time. We were excited to play with that tradition, but within the context of 2019 and the additional context of teenagedom—how much more complicated is liberation when you’re not even technically an adult?

BRITTANY: Exactly! There are definitely moments that are in homage to T&L, which we adore, and a few plot points (hellO, Brad Pitt) that echo that movie, but we really consider Winona and Lucille to be their own characters, in their own story.

Have both or either of you visited the places you mentioned in the book? I assume especially with regard to the motels, you only need to go to one…

EMILY: Well, I’ve definitely been to some 7/11s for slushies in my day, but most of the places in the book are fictionalized, though vaguely inspired by real places. We’ve both spent a fair amount of time in Michigan and done the drive west a handful of times, so it was more a case of trying to capture the spirit of that drive than any concrete places. There is something so uniquely terrible and yet awe-inspiring about this route. You see a lot of beautiful things, but you also go through long stretches of nothing, which made it the perfect fever-dream of a landscape for us to work with.

BRITTANY: So much nothing when you drive across the middle of the country (said with love by someone who grew up in the middle of the country). It is a perfect space to completely lose your mind. We wanted to capture some of that hysteria in HG, which is obviously amplified by Winona and Lucille knowing they have people chasing after them. I’ve spent time in the Quad Cities, in Michigan, in Illinois, in Vegas, in Denver—pretty much the only place in the book I haven’t been is the #5 Largest Truck Stop in America on the Indiana side of Chicago, though I did research it thoroughly online with Em looking over my shoulder. We were both super interested in the Dogomat.

I must admit, I had a bit of a giggle when Winona thought that On the Road was not a great book. I’ve repeatedly tried to read it and had male friends tell me “oh, it’s a bit of a boys’ book”. What do you think is behind those kinds of comments, and how do you perceive a counternarrative to that?

EMILY: Weirdly, I think Kerouac speaks to (some) people for the same reasons Thelma & Louise speaks to others. A lot of his work is arguably about breaking free from convention and expectation. That said, at seventeen (the age at which I was first assigned Kerouac’s books) the conventions of 1950s white masculinity were not something that spoke to me, even setting aside the fact that nearly all the books we were being assigned were dealing with the exact same thing, within their own respective decades.

Reading Kerouac as a teenage girl felt to me a lot like following around a group of teenage boys, who are very drunk, super high, fairly rude and positively bursting with self importance: I went up the mountain, I got super fucking high, and I realized…. I was the mountain… and the mountain was me!

I’m sure there’s all sorts of merit to Kerouac’s work for the right person but to Teenage Me, the experience was something along the lines of, oh great! More of this! In high school, that’s most of what you read. White boys and men dealing with the problems of white boys and men. And, teen girls, when you meet a teenage boy who likes Kerouac (shout out to all my high school bfs, I’m sure), it might not mean he’s, like, super deep. Boy might just love shrooms.

BRITTANY: Yeah, I used to super love Kerouac until I realized that most of the women in his books were very much beside the point. Reading a Jack Kerouac novel for me is like the fictional experience of sitting bored on a couch, watching the guys you’re with doing…something, and hoping you don’t get arrested alongside them for what is clearly their BS. I did enough of that as a teenager. Basically Em and I have the same take on it, I think. I can’t speak to the literary worthiness of Kerouac’s work (my work in my PhD was on poetry and detective fiction), but he’s definitely not my jam. We didn’t set out to write Hello Girls as a specific corrective to that kind of dudes-on-shrooms-road trip, but I’m totally fine if you read it as one.

What books are you both reading at the moment?

EMILY: I’m reading Roselle Lim’s Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck & Fortune, and it is divine! I’m also rereading an old favorite, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

BRITTANY: I’m reading a lot of memoirs right now. I just finished Vivian Gornick’s Fierce Attachments, which I loved.

AUTHOR BIOS

Brittany Cavallaro is the New York Times bestselling author of the Charlotte Holmes novels. She lives and writes in Michigan, where she teaches creative writing at the Interlochen Arts Academy. You can find Brittany on Twitter and Instagram.

Emily Henry writes stories about love and family for both teens and adults. She studied creative writing at Hope College and the New York Center for Art & Media Studies, and now spends most of her time in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the part of Kentucky just beneath it. You can find Emily on Instagram.

Will you be checking out Hello Girls? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Brittany Cavallaro & Emily Henry, Authors of ‘Hello Girls’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hello Girls

When they both reach a breaking point and feel unable to trust the (male dominated) authorities to redress the injustices which trap them in their lives, they steal Winona’s grandfather’s car, and head out across the country.

The book is ostensibly a tribute to Thelma and Louisa. Having not seen the film, I felt as though I was missing out on a few things. I did look up the synopsis, and I was able to catch a couple of references, but I felt that my ability to appreciate what the book was paying homage to was somewhat diminished.

That being said, I know enough about Thelma and Louise to know that this was a good update to the film. Thelma and Louise was a groundbreaking film for its portrayal of the eponymous characters’ cathartic defiance of where society had placed them as women. Perhaps as a reflection of its time (or to really ram the point home), the two women are chased by male-dominated law enforcement to the point that they die rather than allow themselves to be captured. One could interpret it as the fact that the women ultimately would never have been allowed to escape without serious punishment for their refusal to meekly play by the rules set by men.

Hello Girls gives us more of a happy ending, perhaps in deference to the fact that its protagonists are teenagers, but I like to believe more optimistically that it’s because the place of bold women in society who refuse to do what the largely male figures tell them is far more accepted and indeed, even encouraged. Indeed, there are several passages throughout the book which explicitly explore this, often in a very poetic way. That’s reflected also in the way the two characters who we are definitely told are attractive, subvert their aesthetic appearance – cutting their hair, overapplying makeup to the point of the garish – in order to claim their bodies as their own rather than for anybody else’s enjoyment.

The story is compelling and easy to fall into. I was easily absorbed and curious to know what was about to unfold. With several twists and turns, there were various points where I couldn’t accurately guess what was about to happen. For this reason, the book is a (relatively) light read, and one that I would say is perfect to take away on holiday.

There is a very passing reference to a (unrequited) romantic interest from one of the characters towards the others. It’s never revisited, nor is it tied off, and I must confess, that left me a bit frustrated as a romantic dimension to their relationship would have changed the dynamic entirely.

Probably the biggest critique I had was that the ending felt a bit abrupt. It’s a pretty intense reveal, so to go from that to the ending without any significant discussion or reflection. The manner in which Cavallaro and Henry opt to end the book does make sense in that their emancipation has been a running theme through the entirety of the book, but that doesn’t mean that time to consider how the events of the novel – which will doubtless remain with the character for years to come in the form of new psychological scars – should not be at least acknowledged, however briefly.

The writing itself is reasonably strong, although there were times when I was thrown from the story because I was uncertain whose perspective was narrating the story. We are told that the girls often feel as though they are within one another’s heads (although there are large parts of the story in which they look at each other and specifically realise that they don’t know certain parts of each other), and this could be a manifestation of that. However, I did not feel that it quite worked out to the intended effect, given that it had me confused to the point that I had to stop reading and re-orient myself.

Hello Girls is an enjoyable read that is in parts really quite gripping. If you like stories about girls rebelling, the American roadtrip, and just general adventure, then this is the book for you!

Hello Girls is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.

Have you read Hello Girls? Or will you be checking it out? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Best friends are forged by fire. For Winona Olsen and Lucille Pryce, that fire happened the night they met outside the police station—both deciding whether to turn their families in.

Winona has been starving for life in the seemingly perfect home that she shares with her seemingly perfect father, celebrity weatherman Stormy Olsen. No one knows that he locks the pantry door to control her eating and leaves bruises where no one can see them.

Lucille has been suffocating beneath the needs of her mother and her drug-dealing brother, wondering if there’s more out there for her than disappearing waitress tips and generations of barely getting by.

One harrowing night, Winona and Lucille realize they can’t wait until graduation to start their new lives. They need out. Now. All they need is three grand, fast. And really, a stolen convertible to take them from Michigan to Las Vegas can’t hurt.

The post Review: Hello Girls by Brittany Cavallaro & Emily Henry appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

How do you read a book series, back-to-back or as they’re released? I love reading a series as it is released because I can participate in all of the hype and don’t have to worry about spoilers however, there is also a part of me that enjoys a good binge read. 

Reading a series back-to-back has its perks. You can get fully immersed in a world, no worrying about cliff-hangers, and you never forget the little details from one book to the next. If you are looking for your next series to binge read, I’ve compiled a list of YA five series that are wrapping up in 2019!

Five Dark Fates (Three Dark Crowns series) by Kendare Blake
Goodreads

If you love dark fantasy, Five Dark Fates, the final book in the Three Dark Crowns series by Kendare Blake, releases September 3rd. There is plenty of time to read the first three books and be ready to jump right into the end. Also, don’t forget, there are three prequel novellas in this series as well, giving you lots to explore.

A Question of Holmes (Charlotte Holmes series) by Brittany Cavallaro
Goodreads

If fantasy is not your thing, the Charlotte Holmes series by Brittany Cavallaro might be more your speed. It follows the great-great-great grandchildren of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson as they attend a boarding school and solve mysteries. There are four books to binge, and they are all published, so there is no waiting to jump in!

The Shadow Glass (The Bone Witch trilogy) by Rin Chupeco
Goodreads

There is more dark fantasy to be read with The Bone Witch trilogy by Rin Chupeco. It has necromancy, familiars, and lots of magic. The final book, The Shadow Glass was released in March of this year, so grab all three books and get ready to be fully immersed in a beautifully dark world.

Capturing The Devil (Stalking Jack The Ripper series) by Kerri Maniscalco
Goodreads

If you want a bit of historical fiction with your darkness, the Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco could be the one for you. The fourth book, Capturing the Devil, will be released in September, giving you time to read the first three books as well as the novella between books 3 & 4.

When She Reigns (Fallen Isles trilogy) by Jodi Meadows
Goodreads

If you’re like me and have a slight obsession with dragons, you’ll want to read the Fallen Isles trilogy by Jodi Meadows, and now is the perfect time. Book 3, When She Reigns, will be published in September leaving plenty of time to dive into this world of dragons.

Are there other YA book series we should have on our radar? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Friday Five: 5 YA Series Wrapping Up in 2019 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The rest of 2019 sees new YA books from popular authors such as Kasie West, Kami Garcia, Katharine McGee, Jenn Bennett, Ruta Septys, Philip Pullman, Natasha Ngan, Tomi Adeyemi, and Kiersten White! Plus there’s debuts, tales of Sabrina, Mulan, and Camelot, and plenty more for you to enjoy!

Read on to discover a few of the YA books coming out between July and December! Tell us in the comments below which ones you’re excited to read!

JULY

Maybe This Time by Kasie West
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Beloved author Kasie West brings her signature witty banter and rom-com fun to a bold, fresh format. Think Four Weddings and a Funeral for YA.

Season of the Witch by Sarah Rees Brennan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the creator of Riverdale comes the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, a new Netflix series based on the classic Archie comic series. This prequel YA novel tells an all-new, original story.

Destroy All Monsters by Sam J. Miller
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A crucial, genre-bending tale, equal parts Ned Vizzini and Patrick Ness, about the life-saving power of friendship.

Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia and first-time graphic novel artist Gabriel Picolo comes this riveting tale of finding the strength to face who you are and learning to trust others–and yourself.

Before I Disappear by Danielle Stinson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Danielle Stinson’s Before I Disappear is an action-packed YA novel where a young woman has to find her little brother after her town disappears into thin air.

The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Told in alternating timelines, Thelma and Louise meets Gone Girl in this twisted psychological thriller about the dark side of obsessive friendship.

AUGUST

Swipe Right for Murder by Derek Milman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Ever Alice by H.J. Ramsay
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Alice’s stories of Wonderland did more than raise a few eyebrows—it landed her in an asylum. Now at 15 years of age, she’s willing to do anything to leave, which includes agreeing to an experimental procedure.

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the critically-acclaimed author of Under a Painted Skyand Outrun the Moon and founding member of We Need Diverse Books comes a powerful novel about identity, betrayal, and the meaning of family.

Bright Star by Erin Swan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Erin Swan’s YA fantasy debut, Bright Star, is an action-packed adventure tale of rebellion, romance, and finding one’s voice in the heart of a storm.

Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Bérubé
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Blair Witch Project meets Imaginary Girls in this story of codependent sisterhood, the struggle to claim one’s own space, and the power of secrets

Hello Girls by Brittany Cavallaro and Emily Henry
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Thelma and Louise gets remade in this powerful, darkly funny teen novel from acclaimed authors Brittany Cavallaro and Emily Henry. Two teenage girls who have had enough of the controlling men in their lives take their rage on the road to make a new life for themselves.

SEPTEMBER

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A speculative thriller in the vein of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Power. With sharp prose and gritty realism, The Grace Year examines the complex and sometimes twisted relationships between girls, the women they eventually become, and the difficult decisions they make in-between.

The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Inspired by wuxia martial-arts dramas as well as the centuries-old ballad of Mulan, The Magnolia Sword is perfect for fans of Renee Ahdieh, Marie Lu, or Kristin Cashore–a thrilling, romantic, and sharp-edged novel that lives up to its beloved heroine.

Six Goodbyes We Never Said by Candace Ganger
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Candace Ganger’s Six Goodbyes We Never Said is no love story. If you ask Naima, it’s not even a like story. But it is a story about love and fear and how sometimes you need a little help to be brave enough to say goodbye.

The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Last Magician meets A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue in this thrilling tale filled with magic and set in the mysterious Carpathian Mountains where a girl must hunt down Vlad the Impaler’s cursed ring in order to save her father.

American Royals by Katharine McGee
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

What if America had a royal family? If you can’t get enough of Harry and Meghan or Kate and William, meet American princesses Beatrice and Samantha.

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Sky in the Deep in this bewitching, historical horror novel, perfect for fans of Holly Black and V.E. Schwab.

OCTOBER

The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray comes a gripping, unforgettable portrait of love, silence, and secrets amidst a Spanish dictatorship.

The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Westworld meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this stunning fantasy adventure from debut author Charlotte Nicole Davis.

The Secret Commonwealth (The Book of Dust #2) by Philip Pullman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Return to the parallel world of His Dark Materials in the second volume of Philip Pullman’s new bestselling masterwork The Book of Dust, and discover what comes next for Lyra.

The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Frozen meets Mad Max in this epic teen fantasy duology bursting with star-crossed romance, immortal heroines, and elemental magic, perfect for fans of Furyborn.

Into the Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In a world thriving with black magic, four young crooks embark on a quest to take down their criminal leader after they discover the plot behind his dangerous new magic.

10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A light-hearted and romantic contemporary novel set during the holiday season and full of humor, heart and heartbreak.

NOVEMBER

Across A Broken Shore by Amy Trueblood
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The last thing eighteen-year-old Wilhelmina “Willa” MacCarthy wants is to be a nun. It’s 1936, and as the only daughter amongst four sons, her Irish–Catholic family is counting on her to take her vows—but Willa’s found another calling. Each day she sneaks away to help Doctor Katherine Winston in her medical clinic in San Francisco’s Richmond District.

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a new fantasy series reimagining the Arthurian legend, set in the magical world of Camelot.

All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

All-American Muslim Girl is a relevant, relatable story of being caught between two worlds, and the struggles and hard-won joys of finding your place.

Crown of Oblivion by Julie Eshbaugh
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this mesmerizing YA fantasy mash-up of The Road meets The Amazing Race, one girl chooses to risk her life in a cutthroat competition in order to win her freedom.

Eight Will Fall by Sarah Harian
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Lovers of dark, high-octane adventure will be enthralled by Sarah Harian’s Eight Will Fall, a genre-bending YA fantasy standalone, perfect for fans of Kendare Blake and Leigh Bardugo.

Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this mesmerizing sequel to the New York Times bestselling Girls of Paper and Fire, Lei and Wren have escaped their oppressive lives in the Hidden Palace, but soon learn that freedom comes with a terrible cost.

DECEMBER

Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Legacy of Orïsha #2) by Tomi Adeyemi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Children of Virtue and Vengeance is the stunning sequel to Tomi Adeyemi’s New York Times bestselling debut Children of Blood and Bone, the first title in her Legacy of Orïsha trilogy.

The Weight of A Soul by Elizabeth Tammi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

When Lena’s younger sister Fressa is found dead, their whole Viking clan mourns—but it is Lena alone who never recovers. Fressa is the sister that should’ve lived, and Lena cannot rest until she knows exactly what killed Fressa and why—and how to bring her back. She strikes a dark deal with Hela, the Norse goddess of death, and begins a new double life to save her sister.

Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things by Jacqueline Firkins
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this charming debut about first love and second chances, a young girl gets caught between the boy next door and a playboy. Perfect for fans of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.

Dangerous Alliance by Jennieke Cohen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Jane Austen in this witty, winking historical romance with a dash of mystery!

To Whatever End by Lindsey Frydman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Quinn Easterly is cursed. With one touch, she can see the end to someone’s life. Everyday deaths, and ones that haunt her in her daydreams. Ones that have always proven impossible to prevent. She has finally learned to go about life as usual until she meets Griffin.

Watch Over Me by Mila Gray
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of Come Back to Me comes a striking new novel about a young woman— desperately trying to protect her family from their violent father—who finds safety, and a passionate romance, with an ex-Marine.

Are there any YA books you’re excited for? Tell us in the comments below!

The post YA Books Releasing Between July & December 2019 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

While we wait for the much-anticipated limited series to make its appearance, here are a few great books that just might help you deal with the small, blond, detective-shaped void that we all have.

If you miss the camaraderie of Veronica and Wallace back at Neptune High, try Brittany Cavallaro’s series, A Study in Charlotte. This charming series (which can be read as stand-alone’s, as well) imagines the great-great-great grandson of Dr. Watson attends a private school in Connecticut with the great-great-great granddaughter of Sherlock Holmes.

Charlotte Holmes is treated by her classmates very similarly to how Veronica was treated as the series opened, but bonds with Jaime Watson when he is treated much the same way Wallace was originally.

Fans of Sherlock Holmes will recognise various elements from his famous exploits. In the universe Cavallaro has created, the characters were all real, the adventures really happened, Dr. Watson wrote them all own, and Arthur Conan Doyle was their literary agent.

If you miss the chance to sit and solve a great, old-fashioned, Agatha Christie-style mystery, try Shari Lapena’s An Unwanted Guest.  More of a traditional “who-done-it” than a thriller, this mystery sees several guests at a secluded Inn in the Catskill Mountains. The weather turns nasty, isolating them all further as the electricity goes out and outside communication is cut off. One of the guests turns up dead in what could be an accident. But then a second guest dies.

It is easy to picture an episode where Veronica happens to be one of the guests and is the one to start snooping around to solve the mystery.

If you miss the drama involved in working with family AND trying to solve a mystery, try The Undertaker’s Daughter (also published as The Daughter) by Sara Blaedel. In this novel, Ilka Jensen, a school portrait photographer in Copenhagen who works with her mother, is suddenly summoned to Racine, Wisconsin with news that her father has died and left her his funeral home. As her father had left the family decades earlier, Ilka is desperate to find whatever answers she can about this parent she knows so little about. Hoping to go to Wisconsin, wrap up his affairs, get some answers, and return home, Ilka instead stumbles into a local mystery involving murder.

The parents are switched, but there are definite similarities to Veronica’s search for information and details about her mother and Ilka’s need for answers about her father and his secrets. We also get the interplay of working with family, but seeking independence, and how it feels to be pulled in two different directions with loyalty to two very separate parents.

If you miss Veronica’s costume and wig changes, under cover work, and near-misses, try Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart. The “hero” of this book (and boy is it a stretch to call her that) has almost nothing in common with Veronica, except for the ability to think on their toes. With very different motivations for doing so, they each have the gift of coming up with a story, explanation, or scheme on the spot. They both can keep their cool when things start to go bad, and somehow squeak out safely. This character might be who Veronica would have been in a universe without the amazing fatherly love and guidance of Keith.

If you miss the unpredictable dynamics between Veronica and Logan, try Trouble Is A Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly. It doesn’t happen right away, but as you get into this story, you almost can’t help but feel the Veronica/Logan vibe with the interaction of Zoe and Digby. He is rude and annoying, but brilliant, and maybe attractive. No matter what he gets involved in, or what story he tells her, she doesn’t know why, but Zoe just can’t say no.

If what you are really missing is everything about the series, then you are in luck as Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham have written two Veronica Mars novels that will immerse you right back into Neptune, California. The Thousand Dollar Tan Line (which the new series will “very loosely” be based on, according to Rob Thomas’s own twitter comments) and Mr. Kiss and Tell both give us the town, the characters, and the stories that we have all been missing!

Any other suggestions? Are you excited for the reboot? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 5 Books To Read If You Love ‘Veronica Mars’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.