Releasing on August 22nd, Teach the Torches to Burn is a queer star-crossed love amid a centuries-old feud takes center stage in this Romeo & Juliet remix that knows sometimes, the best way is to make it gay.

When I sat down to the formidable task of retelling William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, I did so with the knowledge that I was treading an extremely well-beaten path. As English-language plays go, few are more famous, more performed, more adapted, or more influential—so how would I go about putting my own spin on it? What could I say that hadn’t been said? And what has already been said, when it comes down to it?

Well, I did my research, and browsed my way through countless interpretations of this story. Some were sublime, and some were forgettable, but every one of them made it clear that our cultural love affair with this timeless tragedy will likely never end. Its messages are too clear, and its rich language is simply too pleasurable to ever fade into obscurity. (Plus, it’s in the public domain, making it free for high school drama clubs to tackle year after year.)

But if you’re planning an evening with that special someone, and you’re thinking a little star-crossed love might be in order, here are five of my favorite R&J adaptations:

1. Romeo & Juliet (1968)

I tend to think of the 1968 Franco Zeffirelli film as the Granddaddy of all of Hollywood’s numerous renditions of this particular story, even though it was far from the first. (It wasn’t even the most prestigious of all the countless screen adaptations up to this point, an honor that probably goes to Irving Thalberg’s star-studded, no-expenses-spared 1936 version.) But what Zeffirelli’s R&J may have lacked in above-the-fold names, it more than made up for in opulence and sincerity. Part of its success lies in the fact that, for once, actual teenagers played the lead roles. It highlights the poignancy of the tragedy in a way that no seasoned veteran, no matter how talented, could truly replicate.

2. Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Zeffirelli’s film may be the definitive version in terms of its faithfulness to the source material, but to those of a certain generation, (*cough cough*) Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation is the only one that matters. It’s impossible to overstate the excitement caused by just the casting news alone, (a genuine who’s who of 1996’s current- and next-big-things,) but the soundtrack, the lead performances, and the decision to use Shakespeare’s original, unchanged prose in a defiantly modern setting made it instantly iconic. It’s this last choice that makes me love it, honestly, because it’s precisely what theatrical adaptations do all the time, and it proves the versatility, endurability, and—above all—the eternal relevance of this oft-told tale.

3. West Side Story (1961/2021)

No list of R&J retellings would be complete without what is arguably the most successful reimagining of the play in recent times. Out of all the adaptations, permutations, and transformations over the years, West Side Story is probably the one with the most lasting cultural legacy of its own. A Tony award-winning musical turned Oscar-winning film, (which just had its own Oscar-winning readaptation in 2021,) it produced a wealth of catchy songs and familiar references that exist wholly apart from the work that inspired it. Even if you’re not a fan of musicals, you probably know about the Sharks and the Jets, or the melody to “I Feel Pretty.” Even if you’re not a fan of musicals, you’ve got to acknowledge the impressiveness of that kind of impact.

4. & Juliet (2019)

Of course, if you’re not a fan of musicals, you may not be familiar with this particular choice: & Juliet, a jukebox musical featuring massive 90s/00s pop hits like “…Baby One More Time,” “Teenage Dream,” and “I Want it That Way.” The retelling is more of a meta revision, exploring what might have happened to Juliet after the play was over, if she had actually lived instead of died. In this version, William Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway, (no, not that one) become characters in the story as well, as they duel to write a new and more satisfying conclusion. It’s fun and irreverent, bursting with karaoke favorites, and even features a canonically non-binary character—not to mention a complicated love-quadrangle that would make the Bard proud.

5. Valley Girl (1983/2020)

 As a former Angeleno, I admit that stories set in LA just hit different; and this take on R&J—about a star-crossed love affair between a good girl from Sherman Oaks and a bad boy from Hollywood—has the right stuff. Sure, it’s a little dated, but for an 80s movie about teenagers in love, it takes its subject seriously in a way that a lot of contemporaneous fare didn’t. This is another riff on Shakespeare that got its own remake, by the way, in the form of another jukebox musical (trend alert!) featuring a brilliantly-cast Alicia Silverstone telling the story to her daughter in flashbacks. I’ll leave it to you to determine whether either film stands the test of time, but both prove that Shakespeare? Will always be famous. Like, totally, for sure.

The post Caleb Roehrig’s Favourite Romeo & Juliet Adaptations appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover just a few of our picks and let us know if you’ll be checking any of them out!

Guardians of the Dawn: Zhara by S. Jae-Jones
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Sailor Moon meets Cinder in Guardians of Dawn: Zhara, the start of a new, richly imagined fantasy series from S. Jae-Jones, the New York Times bestselling author of Wintersong.

Accidentally in Love by Danielle Jackson
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A delightful rom-com where grumpy-meets-sunshine collides with enemies-to-lovers in this perfect summer novel, written for fans of Kate Stayman-London, Olivia Dade, and Denise Williams.

The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang
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Inspired by a classic of martial arts literature, S. L. Huang’s The Water Outlaws are bandits of devastating ruthlessness, unseemly femininity, dangerous philosophies, and ungovernable gender who are ready to make history—or tear it apart.

Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix by Caleb Roehrig
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In the Remixed Classics series, authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelming cishet, white, and male canon. Queer star-crossed love amid a centuries-old feud takes center stage in this Romeo & Juliet remix that knows sometimes, the best way is to make it gay.

The Trap by Catherine Ryan Howard
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From award-winning, internationally bestselling crime writer Catherine Ryan Howard comes The Trap: an unsettling mystery inspired by a series of still-unsolved disappearances in Ireland in the 90s, wherein one young woman risks everything to catch a faceless killer.

House of Odysseus by Claire North
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This “powerful, fresh, and unflinching” reimagining from the award-winning author of the Penelope trilogy breathes life into ancient myth and gives voice to the women who stand defiant in a world ruled by ruthless men (Jennifer Saint).

Night of the Living Queers: 13 Tales of Terror Delight
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Night of the Living Queers is a YA horror anthology that explores a night when anything is possible, exclusively featuring queer authors of color putting fresh spins on classic horror tropes and tales.

Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova
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A modern tale of unexpectedly falling in love and finding your voice, Kiss the Girl is the highly anticipated third installment in the acclaimed and best-selling Meant to Be collection.

The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter
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The New York Times bestselling YA author of the beloved Gallagher Girls series bursts onto the adult scene with a fast-paced, hilarious road trip rom-com about a woman with amnesia who discovers she’s the identical twin sister of a rogue spy… and must team up with a rugged, grumpy operative to stay alive.

More Perfect by Temi Oh
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A reimagining of the Greek myth of Eurydice and Orpheus, for fans of Becky Chambers and William Gibson by Alex Award–winning author Temi Oh.

Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine
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The Push meets The Silent Patient in a gripping thriller that follows a woman convinced a sinister figure is going to great lengths to make sure her pregnancy never happens—while the men in her life refuse to believe a word she says.

With Love, from Cold World by Alicia Thompson
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She has a to-do list a mile long and falling for her coworker isn’t on it–yet somehow he’s become her top priority in this romantic comedy from the national bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers.

What August book releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post August 2023 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be reading any!

Our Year of Maybe by Rachel Lynn Solomon
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Aspiring choreographer Sophie Orenstein would do anything for Peter Rosenthal-Porter, who’s been on the kidney transplant list as long as she’s known him. Peter, a gifted pianist, is everything to Sophie: best friend, musical collaborator, secret crush. When she learns she’s a match, donating a kidney is an easy, obvious choice. She can’t help wondering if after the transplant, he’ll love her back the way she’s always wanted.

Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday by Natalie C. Anderson
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Forced to become a child soldier, a sixteen-year-old Somali refugee must confront his painful past in this haunting, thrilling tale of loss and redemption for fans of A Long Way Gone and What is the What

Just For Clicks by Kara McDowell
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Mommy blogs are great . . . unless the blog happens to belong to your mom. Twin sisters Claire & Poppy are accidental social media stars thanks to Mom going viral when they were babies. Now, as teens, they’re expected to contribute by building their own brand. Attending a NY fashion week and receiving fan mail is a blast. Fending off internet trolls and would-be kidnappers? Not so much. Poppy embraces it. Claire hates it. Will anybody accept her as “just Claire”? And what should Claire do about Mom’s old journals? The handwritten entries definitely don’t sound like Mom’s perfect blog persona. Worse, one of them divulges a secret that leaves Claire wondering what else in her life might be nothing but a sham . . .

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
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In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer.

Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen M. McManus
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Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery’s never been there, but she’s heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows. The town is picture-perfect, but it’s hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone’s declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.

96 Words for Love by Rachel Roy and Ava Dash
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A modern retelling of a classic Indian legend of Shakuntala and Dushyanta, 96 Words for Love is a coming-of-age story.

Only A Breath Apart by Katie McGarry
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Bestselling author Katie McGarry’s trademark wrong-side-of-the-tracks romance is given a new twist in the gritty YA contemporary novel, Only a Breath Apart.

The Dead Queens Club by Hannah Capin
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Mean Girls meets The Tudors in Hannah Capin’s The Dead Queens Club, a clever contemporary YA retelling of Henry VIII and his wives (or, in this case, his high school girlfriends). Told from the perspective of Annie Marck (“Cleves”), a 17-year-old aspiring journalist from Cleveland who meets Henry at summer camp, The Dead Queens Club is a fun, snarky read that provides great historical detail in an accessible way for teens while giving the infamous tale of Henry VIII its own unique spin.

White Stag by Kara Barbieri
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The first book in a brutally stunning series where a young girl finds herself becoming more monster than human and must uncover dangerous truths about who she is and the place that has become her home.

The Similars by Rebecca Hanover
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When six clones join Emmaline’s prestigious boarding school, she must confront the heartbreak of seeing her dead best friend’s face each day in class.

Famous In Small Town by Emma Mills
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For Sophie, small-town life has never felt small. She has her beloved marching band, the pride and joy of Acadia High (even if the football team disagrees); and her four best friends, loving and infuriating, wonderfully weird and all she could ever ask for. Then August moves in next door. A quiet guy with a magnetic smile, August seems determined to keep everyone at arm’s length. Sophie in particular. Country stars, revenge plots, and a few fake kisses (along with some excellent real ones) await Sophie in this hilarious, heartfelt story.

Death Prefers Blondes by Caleb Roehrig
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Teenage socialite Margo Manning leads a dangerous double life. By day, she dodges the paparazzi while soaking up California sunshine. By night, however, she dodges security cameras and armed guards, pulling off high-stakes cat burglaries with a team of flamboyant young men. But then Margo’s personal life takes a sudden, dark turn, and a job to end all jobs lands her crew in deadly peril. Overnight, everything she’s ever counted on is put at risk. But can one rebel heiress and four kickboxing drag queens withstand the slings and arrows of truly outrageous fortune? Or will a mounting sea of troubles end them — for good?

Are there any other YA books that you are excited for? Tell us in the comments below!

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

If you’re looking to be transported into a different era, Suitors and Sabotage will take you to 19th century London or Melissa De La Cruz’s new instalment focusing Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler is set in 1780 New York.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be checking any of them out!

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland | Goodreads

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. Almost finished with her education, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home, but when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.

Isle of Blood and Stone by Makiia Lucier | Goodreads

Nineteen-year-old Elias is a royal explorer, a skilled mapmaker, and the new king of del Mar’s oldest friend. Embarking on the adventure of a lifetime, nothing stands in his way…until a long-ago tragedy creeps back into the light. Two boy princes were kidnapped eighteen years ago and presumed dead, but when two maps surface, troubling questions arise. What really happened to the young heirs? And why do the maps appear to be drawn by Lord Antoni, Elias’s father, who vanished on that same fateful day? With the king’s beautiful cousin by his side-whether he wants her there or not-Elias will race to solve the riddle of the princes. 

Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey | Goodreads

Shy aspiring artist Imogene Chively has just had a successful Season in London, complete with a suitor of her father’s approval. Imogene is ambivalent about the young gentleman until he comes to visit her at the Chively estate with his younger brother in tow. When her interest is piqued, however, it is for the wrong brother. Charming Ben Steeple has a secret: despite being an architectural apprentice, he has no drawing aptitude. When Imogene offers to teach him, Ben is soon smitten by the young lady he considers his brother’s intended. But hiding their true feelings becomes the least of their problems when, after a series of “accidents,” it becomes apparent that someone means Ben harm.

Black Chuck by Regan McDonell | Goodreads

Psycho. Sick. Dangerous. Real Dufresne’s reputation precedes him. When the mangled body of his best friend, Shaun, turns up in a field just east of town, tough-as-hell Real blames himself. But except for the nightmares, all Re remembers is beating the living crap out of Shaun the night of his death. Shaun’s girlfriend, sixteen-year-old Evie Hawley, keeps her feelings locked up tight. But now she’s pregnant, and the father of her baby is dead. And when Real looks to her to atone for his sins, everything goes sideways. Fast. The tighter Evie and Real get, the faster things seem to fall apart. And falling in love might just be the card that knocks the whole house down.

Leah On The Offbeat by Becky Albertalli | Goodreads

Leah Burke—girl-band drummer, master of deadpan, and Simon Spier’s best friend from the award-winning Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda—takes center stage. Only her mom knows Leah is bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon. So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high. It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting—especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody | Goodreads

Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne follows her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted. Her only lead is Levi Glaisyer—a street lord and a con man. Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi’s enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city… And she’ll need to play.

Neverland by Margot McGovern | Goodreads

When she was twelve, Kit Learmonth watched her parents drown in a storm. Now seventeen, Kit doesn’t remember the incident, and her only clear memories from before her parents’ death are of the fantastical stories of pirates and mermaids that she and her dad invented about the small island where she grew up, a place she calls Neverland. Following Kit’s parents’ deaths, her uncle and guardian, Doc, transformed the island into a boarding school for mentally ill teenagers and sent Kit away to school on the mainland. But when Kit tries and fails to end her life, Doc brings her home to the island and places her in the care of his colleague, Dr Hannah Ward. Resisting her treatment, Kit instead pulls her friends deeper into her world of make-believe. It’s only when Kit and her new boyfriend, Rohan, take the fantasy too far and land themselves in very real danger that her faith in Neverland is shaken, and Kit must find a way back to reality.

Love & War by Melissa De La Cruz | Goodreads

1780. Albany, New York. As the war for American Independence carries on, two newlyweds are settling into their new adventure: marriage. But the honeymoon’s over, and Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler are learning firsthand just how tricky wedded life can be. Alex is still General George Washington’s right-hand man and his attention these days is nothing if not divided–much like the colonies’ interests as the end of the Revolution draws near. Alex & Eliza’s relationship is tested further by lingering jealousies and family drama.

Inferno by Julie Kagawa | Goodreads

What if dragons walked among us in human form? Enter a modern fantasy of heroes, sacrifice, forbidden love and enemies turned allies who have no choice but to fight side by side… Don’t miss the epic conclusion as Ember, Riley and Garrett face off against Dante and the Talon dragon clones. Join them…or burn.

The Summer of Broken Things by Margaret Peterson Haddix | Goodreads

Fourteen-year-old Avery Armisted is athletic, rich, and pretty. Sixteen-year-old Kayla Butts is known as “butt-girl” at school. The two girls were friends as little kids, but that’s ancient history now. So it’s a huge surprise when Avery’s father offers to bring Kayla along on a summer trip to Spain. Avery is horrified that her father thinks he can choose her friends—and make her miss soccer camp. Kayla struggles just to imagine leaving the confines of her small town. But in Spain, the two uncover a secret their families had hidden from both of them their entire lives. Maybe the girls can put aside their differences and work through it together. Or maybe the lies and betrayal will only push them—and their families—farther apart.

White Rabbit by Caleb Roehrig | Goodreads

Rufus Holt is having the worst night of his life. It begins with the reappearance of his ex-boyfriend, Sebastian—the guy who stomped his heart out like a spent cigarette. Just as Rufus is getting ready to move on, Sebastian turns up out of the blue, saying they need to “talk.” But then Rufus gets a call from his sister April, begging for help. And then he and Sebastian find her, drenched in blood and holding a knife, beside the dead body of her boyfriend, Fox Whitney. April swears she didn’t kill Fox—but Rufus knows her too well to believe she’s telling him the whole truth. April has something he needs, though, and her price is his help. Now, with no one to trust but the boy he wants to hate yet can’t stop loving, Rufus has one night to prove his sister’s innocence…or die trying.

Lifeline by Abbey Lee Nash | Goodreads

Popular high school senior Eli Ross has the perfect life. He’s captain of the lacrosse team at LionsHeart Academy, and he’s dating Savannah, the hottest, most popular girl at school. But that life comes crashing down when he overdoses at a party and is sent to LakeShore Recovery Center, an inpatient substance abuse treatment program where he’ll spend the next twenty-eight days. It’s there that Eli meets Libby, the sharp-edged artist, whose freshly tattooed scars mirror the emotional scars Eli tries his best to ignore. Eli soon learns that if he’s to have any chance at a future, he’ll first have to confront his past.

Discover more April releases on our Goodreads list!

Any other April YA books you’re excited for? Tell us in the comments below!

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