Get ready to look forward to some great fiction book releases in 2026! We’ve rounded up just a few fiction books releasing between January and June from thrillers and historical fiction, to stories of friendship and family, and more. With new releases from Jennifer Niven, Simone St. James, Claire Heywood, Catriona Ward, CG Drews, Natalie Haynes, Megan Lally, Xochitl Gonzalez, Emma Straub, Kylie Lee Baker, Nick Cutter, Catherine Adel West, Jennifer Saint, Rob Hart, and more, plus debut novels, you’ll be sure to find quite a few exciting new reads within this list!

Be sure to check out our other 2026 round-ups too, including our Most Anticipated, Romance, Fantasy and Sci-Fi, and Young Adult lists!

JANUARY 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Funny, big-hearted, and deeply moving, Meet the Newmans is a rich family story about the dual lives we lead. Because even when our lives aren’t televised weekly, we all have a behind-the-scenes.

Is This A Cry For Help? by Emily Austin

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A luminous new novel following a librarian who comes back to work after a mental breakdown only to confront book-banning crusaders in an empowering story of grief, love, and the power of libraries.

Women of a Promiscuous Nature by Donna Everhart

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Based on the long-buried history of the American Plan, this powerful and shockingly timely story of resistance and resilience exposes the real government program designed to regulate women’s bodies and sexuality throughout the first half of the 20th century.

Dandelion Is Dead by Rosie Storey

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
With sparkling wit and aching tenderness, debut author Rosie Storey gives us a modern love story about the courage it takes to live again after loss and finding hope in the most unexpected places.

Skylark by Paula McLain

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The New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife weaves a mesmerizing tale of Paris above and below—where a woman’s quest for artistic freedom in 1664 intertwines with a doctor’s dangerous mission during the German occupation in the 1940s, revealing a story of courage and resistance that transcends time.

You’ll Never Forget Me by Isha Raya

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In this captivating cat-and-mouse thriller, a struggling actress is only just beginning to enjoy the life sheʼs always wanted after inadvertently killing her rival—but now she must contend with the woman who threatens to take it all away.

Burn Down Master’s House by Clay Cane

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Inspired by long-buried true stories of enslaved people who dared to fight back, this powerful novel offers a searing portrayal of resistance. 

The Midnight Carousel by Fiza Saeed McLynn

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The Night Circus meets Water for Elephants in this enchanting, darkly glittering story of grief, obsession, revenge, and enduring love.

The Briars by Sarah Crouch

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The USA TODAY bestselling author of Middletide returns with a lush and atmospheric novel of suspense following a young woman whose job as a game warden puts her in the path of a murderer in a small town eager to protect its own.

Just Watch Me by Lior Torenberg

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Fleabag meets Big Swiss in this bold debut about a charismatic misfit who livestreams her life for seven days and nights to raise money to save her comatose sister—a poignant and darkly funny exploration of grief, forgiveness, and redemption.

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Simone St. James, the New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel, returns with her scariest, most shocking novel yet in this pulse-pounding story about siblings who return to the house they fled 18 years before, called back by the ghost of their long-missing brother and his haunting request: Come home.

The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams

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From the two-time Emmy Award–winning producer and host of the Black and Published podcast comes a sweeping multi-generational epic following seven generations of Dupree women as they navigate love, loss, and the unyielding ties of family in the tradition of Homegoing and The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois.

FEBRUARY 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

The Exes by Leodora Darlington

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Who hasn’t wanted to murder an ex—figuratively, at least? In this explosive debut thriller, a woman’s seemingly perfect romantic life is on the verge of collapse as she uncovers a hidden history surfacing dark secrets that have deadly consequences.

A Crown of Stars by Shana Abe

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A sumptuously vivid and poignant account of the Lusitania’s fateful last days, drawn from the true story of an extraordinary young actress who survived the unthinkable—for fans of Marie Benedict, Louis Bayard, Fiona Davis, Kate Quinn, and HBO’s The Gilded Age.

The Wandering Queen by Claire Heywood

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An epic and fiercely imaginative retelling of the story of queen Dido, the legendary founder of Carthage, from the author of the national bestseller Daughters of Sparta.

Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris

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From acclaimed author Terah Shelton Harris comes a poignant story of survival and redemption that questions what it means to stop existing and start living.

The Fourth Princess by Janie Chang

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From the internationally bestselling author of The Porcelain Moon comes a haunting Gothic novel set in 1911 China. Two young women living in a crumbling, once-grand Shanghai mansion face danger as secrets of their pasts come to light, even as the mansion’s own secret threatens the present.

Out of the Loop by Katie Siegel

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The Seven Year Slip meets Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers in this wholly original time loop mystery.

Superfan by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

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From National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree Jenny Tinghui Zhang, a novel about a pop idol and his superfan, whose stories shockingly collide

The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
When the last fare of the night turns up dead in her backseat, a Sri Lankan American taxi driver works off the clock to clear her name in this mystery novel by debut author Yosha Gunasekera.

Adrift by Will Dean

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A high-tension thriller about a family’s descent into darkness that is perfect for fans of Dennis Lehane and Lisa Jewell.

A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage by MK Oliver

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A whip-smart and darkly funny crime novel—perfect for fans of My Sister, the Serial Killer and The Maid—that follows a wife and mother with a deadly secret that she must suppress if she wants to maintain her picture-perfect façade.

Bad Asians by Lillian Li

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From the acclaimed author of Number One Chinese Restaurant comes an affecting novel about an unforgettable group of friends trying to make their way in the world without losing themselves, or one another.

Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward

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Nowhere Burning is a harrowing tale of survival that places the dark fairy tale of Peter Pan and the ruthless dangers of Lord of the Flies into the unforgiving maw of the Colorado Rockies.

MARCH 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

No Friend To This House by Natalie Haynes

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
No Friend to This House is an extraordinary reimagining of the myth of Medea from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Stone Blind, Natalie Haynes.

Wretch by Eric LaRocca

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From rising horror star and award-winning author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke comes a nightmarish, haunting, tech-Gothic thrill ride about sorrow, memory, and the unabashed complexity of love as a transgressive act.

You Did Nothing Wrong by C.G. Drews

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Domestic suspense meets haunted house horror in this adult debut from the New York Times bestselling author of Don’t Let the Forest In.

Strangers In The Villa by Robyn Harding

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the international bestselling author of The Drowning Woman, a psychological thriller about a couple rocked by infidelity who moves to a villa in Spain’s Costa Brava to rebuild their relationship, only to welcome a pair of visitors who have no intention of leaving.  

How Simi Got Her Groom Back by Sonali Dev

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Two sisters face the real consequences of a fake marriage scheme in an emotional yet hilarious novel about immigration, healing, and family from USA Today bestselling author Sonali Dev.

Bloom by Robbie Couch

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From the New York Times bestselling author of If I See You Again Tomorrow comes a delightful and heartwarming novel about family, love, grief, and one precocious houseplant, that reminds us of the beauty of living a life in full Bloom.

Dig by J. H. Markert

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
J. H. Markert returns with a surreal horror novel, perfect for fans of Graveyard Shift and What Moves the Dead.

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

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Best friends Benny and Joy like to say they’ve been saving each other’s lives since the moment they met. Until the day Joy disappears and Benny is suspected of murder . . .

Turn Off the Light by Jacquie Walter

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Two women living centuries apart are bound by the same dark secret in this haunting novel that “upends everything you think you know about ghost stories” (Jennifer McMahon, author of The Winter People).

Sweetbitter Song by Rosie Hewlett

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Perfect for fans of The Song of Achilles and from the award-winning author of The Witch of Colchis comes a profoundly moving story of two women on the shores of Ithaca, in the shadows of a legendary war, who must face their own battle – one of sisterhood, survival, and a forbidden love that could destroy them both.

What We Did To Survive by Megan Lally

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A vacation in paradise turns deadly when four teens’ sailing charter hits stormy seas in this propulsive new thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Megan Lally!

Finlay Donovan Crosses The Line by Elle Cosimano

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From New York Times bestseller Elle Cosimano comes Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line—the highly anticipated next installment in the beloved Finlay Donovan series.

APRIL 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
New York Times bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez delivers a captivating story about a young woman whose life becomes ensnared in her glamorous neighbor’s secret past

A Murder Most Camp by Nicolas DiDomizio

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The Guncle meets Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies in this fun, twisty mystery following a spoiled nepo baby forced to work at a struggling summer camp who stumbles into a real-life murder mystery he has no choice but to solve.

We Would Never Tell by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A high-glamour, high-stakes thriller trailing three ambitious women as they navigate Hollywood’s secrets, sins, and scandals during 12 days at the Cannes Film Festival. 

American Fantasy by Emma Straub

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From New York Times bestselling author of This Time Tomorrow, an irresistible story about what happens when your teenage fantasy comes true after you’re already an adult.

The Girls Trip by Ally Condie

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the author of Reese’s Book Club Pick and instant USA Today bestseller The Unwedding, a novel of suspense and friendship about three friends who decide to disappear from their lives for a few days while on a trip to a national park—only to have one of them vanish.

The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Fans of Agatha Christie’s locked-room mysteries and modern tales like Knives Out will fall for The Ending Writes Itself, which masterfully blends classic mystery elements with genre-bending tropes. Crafted with razor-sharp wit and a meta twist, this satirical take on the publishing world ensures readers will hang on every word, right up to its breathtaking finale.

The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer

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Come along with the Book Witch in this magical and inspiring love letter to reading from the USA Today bestselling author of The Wishing Game.

The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer

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From Marcus Kliewer, a new “titan of the macabre and unsettling” (Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author), comes a supernatural horror about a young woman who accepts a caretaking job from Craigslist, only to discover the position has consequences far greater—and more dangerous—than she ever could have imagined.

Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
In this lyrical, wildly inventive horror novel interwoven with Japanese mythology, two people living centuries apart discover a door between their worlds.

The Island Club by Nicola Harrison

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Set against the sun-drenched beaches of Balboa Island, with its prim and proper 1950s facade, The Island Club is a story of love, loneliness and the lies we tell ourselves―and what can be gained when the truth is finally revealed.

Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A nearly divorced trophy wife enrolls in culinary school to win back her husband, only to find a fresh start in the unlikeliest of places in this new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.

Go Gentle by Maria Semple

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The New York Times bestselling author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette returns to form in her most exuberant and life-affirming novel yet with the story of one woman’s cheerful determination to live a life of the mind only to have the heart force its way in.

MAY 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

The Library After Dark by Ande Pliego

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A bookseller must escape the infamously haunted library that holds her darkest secrets, but with a murderer in her tour group, escaping alive is not as simple as it seems, in this twisty locked-room thriller from bestselling author of You Are Fatally Invited.

The Dorians by Nick Cutter

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The all-new novel of terror from “one of the hottest horror authors on the planet” (Paste) and writer of the #HorrorBookTok sensation The Troop!

Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
How far would you go to rescue your child? A mother races against the clock—and finds herself on the wrong side of the law—in a desperate fight to save her teenage daughter in this pulse-pounding thriller.

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The Calamity Club will make you laugh, cry, and cheer—an epic testament to underestimated women who know that calamity can be the spark of new beginnings. This is Kathryn Stockett at her most confident, heartfelt, and hilarious—the triumphant return of one of the most beloved storytellers of our time.

The Anniversary by Alex Finlay

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Twisty, high-concept, and emotionally charged, this novel is an utterly compelling story of the hunt for a serial killer. But it’s also a heartfelt―and heartrending―novel about fate, innocence lost, and two souls who find that sometimes being broken is the only way for the light to get in. 

The Young Will Remember by Eve J. Chung

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A sweeping novel about a correspondent trapped behind enemy lines during the Korean War, and the women who help her find her way home, from the national bestselling author of Daughters of Shandong.

Villain by Natalie Zina Walschots

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The Boys meets Assistant to the Villain in the electrifying, sharp, violent, and hilarious sequel to the highly acclaimed novel, Hench. Filled with a queer and neurodiverse cast, Villain asks the question: what happens when a diabolically brilliant henchperson looks back at their already storied career and thinks, I can be so much worse.

The One Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the New York Times–bestselling author of Ghosted and The Love of My Life comes an unmissable emotional thriller: an up-all-night, page-turning love story with a very dark secret at its heart.

Homebound by Portia Elan

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Five interlocking lives. One beloved story. A dazzling adventure across centuries and continents in search of the things that hold us together.

Lady X by Molly Fader

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The search for a notorious vigilante exposes the secrets among three generations of women in this propulsive novel of female resistance and rage, sweeping from contemporary L.A. to gritty 1970s New York.

The Hope Keeper by Heather Webb

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Set in Jazz Age D.C., the story of possession and obsession, and the ever-looming curse of the legendary Hope Diamond, comes to life as the socialites scheme and the jewels glitter in the evening light. 

The Players Club by Rachel Mills

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
For fans of Lessons in Chemistry and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, a bold, big concept debut about a secret club of women who risk everything to ask the question: If you could be anyone…who would you dare to become?

JUNE 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

Tell Your Friends by Lauren Wilson

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A former child star and an envious fan collide in this cat-and-mouse psychological thriller about obsession, self-invention, and the dark side of internet fame.

There’s Only One Sin In Hollywood by Rasheed Newson

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A cinematic, razor-sharp novel following a backlot fixer’s daring investigation into the suspicious death of a closeted Black actor within the glamorous world of Hollywood, from the bestselling author of My Government Means to Kill Me.

A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A gripping novel about two trailblazing women on opposite sides of the law—a prosecutor and a madam—who team up to bring down notorious mob boss Lucky Luciano in 1930s New York, from the New York Times bestselling authors of the million-copy bestseller The Personal Librarian.

Strangers Behind Closed Doors by Catherine Adel West

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A twisty thriller about a woman who vanishes from a luxury hotel, and the detective who believes the case is tied to the unsolved disappearances of other Black women in the city.

The Break-Up Retreat by Camilla Sten

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
An undercover journalist goes to expose an exclusive psychological wellness clinic where women go to recover from heartbreak, with dire consequences, in this creepy thriller from The Bachelorette Party author Camilla Sten.

A Fortune of Sand by Ruta Sepetys

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The daughter of an automotive magnate escapes to an artistic retreat that holds more secrets—and more intrigue—than she could have ever imagined, in this Prohibition-era novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Salt to the Sea.

Girl’s Girl by Sonia Feldman

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From a dazzling new talent, a sensual and spellbinding novel about one summer that shatters the balance between three best friends, forcing them to confront the line between friendship and desire.

This Immortal Heart by Jennifer Saint

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The epic, captivating tale of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who must reconcile her mind and heart when she is drawn against all odds to Ares, the god of war, from the internationally bestselling author of Ariadne and Hera.

Our Sister’s Keeper by Jasmine Holmes

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A gripping blend of historical fiction and Southern gothic psychological horror, Our Sister’s Keeper is a fierce exploration of Black sisterhood, rage, and resistance.

Three Hitmen and a Baby by Rob Hart

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Welcome back to Assassins Anonymous, where family is everything and danger lurks around every corner.

Pool House by Mary H.K. Choi

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Bestselling young adult author Mary H.K. Choi debuts a brilliantly observed adult novel about mothers, daughters and the complexity of family set against the backdrop of Hollywood.

The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
An ambitious young woman insinuates herself into a tight-knit social set, shaking up friendships and marriages in a small seaside town.

What 2026 fiction book releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Fiction Book Releases To Check Out In 2026 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Catriona Ward’s Looking Glass Sound, which is out now!

In a lonely cottage overlooking the windswept Maine coast, Wilder Harlow begins the last book he will ever write. It is the story of his childhood summer companions and the killer that stalked the small New England town. Of the body they found, and the horror of that discovery echoing down the decades. And of Sky, Wilder’s one-time best friend, who stole his unfinished memoir and turned it into a lurid bestselling novel, Looking Glass Sound.

But as Wilder writes, the lines between memory and fiction blur. He fears he’s losing his grip on reality when he finds notes hidden around the cottage written in Sky’s signature green ink.

Catriona Ward delivers another mind-bending and cleverly crafted tale about one man’s struggle to come to terms with the terrors of his past… before it’s too late.

In the morning I wake before my parents. I realise as soon as I put them on that my swimming shorts are way too small. I’ve grown a lot since last summer. I didn’t think of it before we left New York. So I put on some underwear and flip flops, grab a towel and slip out the back door.

The red ball of the morning sun is burning off the last sea mist. I go down the path, gravel skittering from my sandalled feet, towel slung over my shoulder.

On the beach the pebbles are already warm from the sun. I take off my glasses and rest them gently on a rock. On an impulse I slip off my underwear too and go into the sea naked. The water takes me in its glassy grip. For a second I wonder, riptide? But the sea is still and cool. It’s a homecoming. I think, I’m a sea person and I never even knew it. Even underwater I can still hear the wind singing in the rocks. And I hear a voice, too, calling. I break the surface, coughing, water streaming from my head.

A girl and a boy stand on the shore. I think they’re about my age. She wears overalls and a big floppy hat. Her hair is a deep, almost unnatural red, like blood. She wears a man’s watch on her wrist, gold and clunky. It’s way too big and it makes her wrist look very slim. I think, frick that was fast, because I am in love with her right away.

I see what she holds: a stick, with my underwear hanging off the pointed end. She wrinkles her nose in an expression of disgust. ‘What kind of pervert leaves their underwear lying around on the beach?’ Her scorn mingles perfectly with her accent – she’s English. Not the sunburned kind who throng round Times Square, but the kind I thought existed only in movies. Classy.

The wind billows in the fabric of my shorts, filling them. For a second it looks like I am still in the shorts – invisible, struggling, impaled.

‘Hey,’ the boy says. ‘He didn’t know anyone else was here.’ Heah. Is he British, too? He’s tall with an easy, open look to him. I think, it’s boys like that who get the girls. As if to confirm this thought, he puts a hand on the girl’s back. ‘Give ’em, Harper.’

Harper – it seems an odd name for a British girl but it suits her.

Maybe her parents are big readers.

Reluctantly she swings the stick around at him. He takes off his shirt, plucks the underwear off the end of the stick and wades into the shallows. He doesn’t seem to mind his shorts getting wet. ‘Stay there,’ he calls. ‘I’ll come out.’ He swims out in long slow strokes to where I bob in the centre of the cove.

‘Here you go.’ Heah ya go. Not British. He hands me my shorts. Then he swims back towards the shore. I struggle into the underwear, catching my feet in the fabric. I begin the endless swim back.

The boy is talking to the girl – she’s laughing. I think with a bite of fear, they’re laughing at me. But he puts another gentle hand on Harper’s back and turns her away, pointing inland, towards something on the cliff. I realise he’s being kind to me again, making sure I can get out of the water in privacy.

I huddle, cold, in my towel. I’d thought there was something special about this place this morning but there isn’t. The world’s the same everywhere. It’s all like school.

‘See you around,’ I say and make my way back up the path. I feel their eyes on my back and I stumble on the incline. The rocks make their evil whistling and I hurry away from the kids’ gaze and the sound, which seem part of each other. I go straight indoors and stay there until long after I hear them come up from the beach and past the cottage, long after their footsteps have faded away down the hill, towards the road.

I wonder what the relationship between them is, if they’re dating, if maybe they’re doing it. I don’t know enough about it to tell. He touches her with a casual assurance but they didn’t behave romantically towards one another – not the way the movies have led me to expect.

I had planned to journal each day, here. But I don’t want to write down what happened this morning. I wash my face over and over again with cold water before breakfast, so Mom and Dad don’t see redness around my eyes or any other traces of tears.

I want to go home so badly I can taste it. I think of my usual seat at the library in the city, near the end of one of those long tables, the lamps with their green glass shades throwing circles of warm light. Everyone helps you understand things, there.

‘Come on, sport,’ my father says. ‘Good for you to get out. You can’t sit in your room all vacation.’ So I go with him to run errands in Castine. What else am I going to do?

Waiting for him to finish at the post office, I gaze glumly at the sacks of chickenfeed piled outside the general store, wander up the main street. It’s lonely being with family sometimes.

A pickup pulls up with a screech on the other side of the street, outside a cheerful white and blue shop. Fresh Fish, reads the sign overhead. The truck is battered and rusty with panels beaten out badly where they’ve been staved in by collisions. Probably a drinker, I say to myself, knowing. A line comes to me. Living by the sea is tough on paint, and just as hard on the mind. Maybe I’ll write it down later. A thin man in a vest gets out of the truck. He busies himself with coolers and crates, and a moment later, the rich smell of raw fish reaches me. I watch the man with interest. He’s so easy in himself, unloads the truck in quick, decisive movements, every now and then spitting a thin vein of brown juice into the gutter. A man of the sea, I think. He’s weather-beaten, skin as brown as shoe leather, but his eyes are a warm blue, striking in his worn face. I imagine him living in a board shack, bleached silver by the sun and salt, down by the water, going out in his boat every day before dawn. Some tragedy lies in his past, I’m sure of it. He has a rough, sad look like a cowboy in a western. But he’s a sea cowboy, which is even cooler. I back into the shadow of a little alley. I don’t want to be seen staring.

A bell jingles, and a young woman comes out of the blue and white store and greets him, friendly. He nods back. Her eyes are swollen, her nose red. She’s been crying, I realise, and I feel a spurt of hot sympathy for her. Or maybe she has a cold. She blows her nose heartily and stuffs the Kleenex back in her pocket. She takes the crates into the jingling doorway and brings them back empty, swinging from her hand. The bell announces her exits and her entrances, jaunty. It isn’t a cold; she’s been crying, for sure. In fact she’s still crying. Fresh tears shine on her face. She dabs them dry with tiny movements.

‘Sorry,’ I hear her say to the fisherman, as if she’s offending him somehow. The man nods gently. The world is full of sorrow, his silence seems to say. Maybe they were lovers, I think, excited. Maybe he left her.

When the contents of all twelve crates are inside, she hands him a wad of bills. He takes them and turns back to the truck. As she goes into the store for the last time the Kleenex she’d dried her tears with falls from her pocket. He must see it in the corner of his eye, because he turns quickly, and picks it up before the wind can take it. The man slips the tissue into his pocket. I feel how kind it is, his act of humility, to pick the tissue up for the crying girl and take it away, so it doesn’t blow down the street and out to sea.

As if feeling my eyes on him, the man looks around, slowly surveying the street. When his eyes light on me he smiles, amused. ‘Hey,’ he says. ‘Who you hiding from?’

I come out from behind the house, bashful.

‘You want to take a ride? Help me get the next load from the dock?’ He indicates the passenger seat in a careless, amiable way. People around here don’t seem to talk much but they like to do small

kindnesses.

‘I can’t,’ I say, regretful. ‘I have to wait for my dad.’

He nods slowly, and then he gets in the truck and it roars away, up the street, in the direction of the ocean. I wish I’d gone with him now. It would have been fun to see the dock.

Someone says ‘boo!’ and I jump.

The boy from the beach says, ‘You took off pretty quick the other day.’ He looks even more relaxed and golden than I remembered. ‘I’m Nat,’ he says. ‘Nathaniel.’

‘Like Hawthorne?’

‘My last name’s Pelletier.’

‘I meant, Nathaniel Hawthorne the writer.’ He looks uncomfortable. I go on quickly, ‘I’m Wilder. It’s a weird name. You can call me Will.’ I’ve been waiting to try ‘Will’ out for a while.

‘Nah, it’s cool. Like a wrestler or something. You’re wild, but I’m wilder!’ He bares white healthy teeth in a snarl. It sits oddly on his friendly features.

‘I’m Wildah,’ I repeat, and really it doesn’t sound so bad, the way he says it. Like something from a play.

He punches me on the arm, fake mad and I laugh and he grins. ‘Don’t worry about Harper,’ he says. ‘She’s rich so she doesn’t need manners.’

I laugh again because he seems to be joking, but I think, she really didn’t seem to have any.

‘You want to swim with us later? We’re going late this afternoon.

We’ll make a fire, sit out.’

I hesitate. I want to go but I’m scared too. I don’t really know how to talk to people.

I start to tell Nat no, just as my dad comes out of the post office and beckons to me.

‘I’ve got to go,’ I say.

‘We’ll come by the bay around five,’ he calls after me, and half of me is so happy that he seems to want to be friends, and the other is unnerved because it all seems to be settled without my doing anything at all.

I won’t hang out with them, I know better. I’ll pretend I’m busy when they arrive.

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Looking Glass Sound’ by Catriona Ward appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Sundial by Catriona Ward
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Sundial is a new, twisty psychological horror novel from Catriona Ward, internationally bestselling author of The Last House on Needless Street.

My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle
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Bestselling author of Dear Wife and The Marriage Lie, Kimberly Belle returns with her most heart-pounding thriller to date, as a masked home invader reveals the cracks in a marriage.

Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye
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The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The much-acclaimed viral sensation from Olivie Blake, The Atlas Six—now newly revised and edited with additional content, is a dark academic debut fantasy with an established cult following that reads like The Secret History meets The Umbrella Academy.

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
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The Golden Couple is the next electrifying novel from Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, the #1 New York Times bestselling author duo behind You Are Not Alone, An Anonymous Girl, and The Wife Between Us.

Lakelore by Anna Marie McLemore
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In this young adult novel by award-winning author Anna-Marie McLemore, two non-binary teens are pulled into a magical world under a lake – but can they keep their worlds above water intact?

The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller
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Sara A. Mueller’s The Bone Orchard is a fascinating whodunit set in a lush, gothic world of secrets and magic–where a dying emperor charges his favorite concubine with solving his own murder, and preventing the culprit, which undoubtedly is one of his three terrible sons, from taking control of an empire.

A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch
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A wry and bold debut novel, which is at once an irresistible catastrophe waiting to happen and an unflinching exploration of how we narrate the stories of our lives, as an aspiring novelist finds herself stalking—and writing about—her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend.

The City of Dusk by Tara Sim
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Set in a gorgeous world of bone and shadow magic, of vengeful gods and defiant chosen ones, The City of Dusk is the first in a dark epic fantasy trilogy that follows the four heirs of four noble houses—each gifted with a divine power—as they form a tenuous alliance to keep their kingdom from descending into a realm-shattering war.

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St James
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A true crime blogger gets more than she bargained for while interviewing the woman acquitted of two cold case slayings in this chilling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel.

Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu, illustrated by Teny Issakhanian
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From bestselling author Marjorie Liu and debut illustrator Teny Issakhanian comes the first in an epic new middle grade graphic novel series featuring a young girl who must stop a threat to her magical world – perfect for fans of Amulet.

The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta
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A stunning YA fantasy inspired by ancient Mesoamerica, this gripping debut introduces us to a lineage of seers defiantly resisting the shifting patriarchal state that would see them destroyed―perfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi and Sabaa Tahir.

What March 2022 book releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post March 2022 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Welcome to 2022, but more importantly, welcome to a whole lot of new book releases to look forward to over the next year!

In this round up, we take a look at an array of highly anticipated books releasing between the months of January and June. From new releases from favourite authors such as Rachel Lynn Solomon, Sarah J. Maas, Tahereh Mafi, Marlon James, Emily St. John Mandel, Holly Black, Christina Lauren, Ryan Sager, and many more, to absolutely dazzling debuts, you’re sure to find quite a few exciting new reads within this list!

Stay tuned as we’ll be releasing more 2022 lists for several genres!

Read on to discover just a few of our favourite January to June 2022 releases and tell us in the comments if you’re looking forward to any of them! 

JANUARY

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon
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A TV meteorologist and a sports reporter scheme to reunite their divorced bosses with unforecasted results in this charming romantic comedy from the author of The Ex Talk.

Good Rich People by Eliza Jane Brazier
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A destitute woman deceives her way into the guesthouse of a Hollywood Hills mansion and inadvertently becomes a target in the twisted game of the wealthy family upstairs in the next intoxicating novel from Eliza Jane Brazier.

Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden
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Anything But Fine is a hilarious coming of age story about a gay ballerina who loses his dancing dreams, but finds his true self and his first love. 

The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
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Three years ago, Katrina Freeling and Nathan Van Huysen were the brightest literary stars on the horizon, their cowritten books topping bestseller lists. But on the heels of their greatest success, they ended their partnership on bad terms, for reasons neither would divulge to the public. They haven’t spoken since, and never planned to, except they have one final book due on contract.

Goliath by Tochi Onyebuchi
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In his adult novel debut, Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and NAACP Image Award finalist and ALA Alex and New England Book Award winner Tochi Onyebuchi delivers a sweeping science fiction epic in the vein of Samuel R. Delany and Station Eleven.

Echoes and Empires by Morgan Rhodes
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From the New York Times bestselling author of the Falling Kingdoms series comes the first book in a brand-new duology about forbidden magic and dangerous secrets, for readers of Victoria Aveyard and Margaret Rogerson.

Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
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A troubled young mother yearns for a shot at redemption in this heartbreaking yet hopeful story from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover.

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
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From Rachel Hawkins, the New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs, comes Reckless Girls, a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set on an isolated Pacific island with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

A Thousand Steps by T. Jefferson Parker
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A Thousand Steps is a beguiling thriller, an incisive coming-of-age story, and a vivid portrait of a turbulent time and place by three-time Edgar Award winner and New York Times bestselling author T. Jefferson Parker.

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
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Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly
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The first openly nonbinary contestant on America’s favorite cooking show falls for their clumsy competitor in this delicious romantic comedy debut “that is both fantastically fun and crack your heart wide open vulnerable.” (Rosie Danan, author of The Roommate).

The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman
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In this epic YA fantasy debut, magic, a prized resource, is the only thing between peace and war. When magic runs out, four estranged royal siblings must find a new source before their country is swallowed by invading forces. The first in an Indian-inspired duology that’s perfect for fans of There Will Come a Darkness, The Gilded Wolves, and We Hunt the Flame.

FEBRUARY

Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson
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When fate and tacos bring Ramón and Julieta together on the Day of the Dead, the star-crossed pair must make a choice: accept the bitter food rivalry that drives them apart or surrender to a love that consumes them—perfect for fans of Jane the Virgin!

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List comes a new locked room mystery, set in a Paris apartment building in which every resident has something to hide… 

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi
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Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.

Tripping Arcadia by Kit Mayquist
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From debut author Kit Mayquist, a propulsive and atmospheric modern Gothic with all the splendor of The Great Gatsby . . . and all the secrets, lies, and darkness that opulence can hide.

The Violence by Delilah S. Dawson
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Three generations of abused women must navigate their chilling new reality as a mysterious epidemic of violence sweeps the nation in this compelling novel of self-discovery, legacy, and hope.

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
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A gut-wrenching, startling historical thriller about communist Romania and the citizen spy network that devastated a nation, from the #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray.

Moon Witch, Spider King by Marlon James
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Both a brilliant narrative device—seeing the story told in Black Leopard, Red Wolf from the perspective of an adversary and a woman—as well as a fascinating battle between different versions of empire, Moon Witch, Spider King delves into Sogolon’s world as she fights to tell her own story. Part adventure tale, part chronicle of an indomitable woman who bows to no man, it is a fascinating novel that explores power, personality, and the places where they overlap.

Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour
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The debut adult novel by the bestselling and award-winning YA author Nina LaCour, following two women on a star-crossed journey toward each other. (Edit: Yerba Buena will now publish on May 31st 2022)

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
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In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
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Axie Oh’s The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is an enthralling feminist retelling of the classic Korean folktale “The Tale of Shim Cheong,” perfect for fans of Wintersong, Uprooted, and Miyazaki’s SpiritedAway.

Lease On Love by Falon Ballard
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Beach Read meets The Flatshare in this warmly funny and delightfully sharp debut rom-com about a down-on-her-luck young woman who turns an innocent mix-up between a dating app and a roommate app into a new chance at love.

The Verifiers by Jane Pek
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Introducing a sharp-witted heroine for the 21st century: a new amateur sleuth exploring the landscape—both physical and virtual—of New York in a debut novel about love, technology, and murder.

MARCH

Sundial by Catriona Ward
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Sundial is a new, twisty psychological horror novel from Catriona Ward, internationally bestselling author of The Last House on Needless Street.

Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The much-acclaimed viral sensation from Olivie Blake, The Atlas Six—now newly revised and edited with additional content, is a dark academic debut fantasy with an established cult following that reads like The Secret History meets The Umbrella Academy.

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of the breakout thriller Every Last Fear, comes Alex Finlay’s electrifying next novel The Night Shift, about a pair of small-town murders fifteen years apart―and the ties that bind them.

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Sabaa Tahir comes a brilliant, unforgettable, and heart-wrenching contemporary YA novel about family and forgiveness, love and loss, in a sweeping story that crosses generations and continents.

Lakelore by Anna Marie McLemore
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this young adult novel by award-winning author Anna-Marie McLemore, two non-binary teens are pulled into a magical world under a lake – but can they keep their worlds above water intact?

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Golden Couple is the next electrifying novel from Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, the #1 New York Times bestselling author duo behind You Are Not Alone, An Anonymous Girl, and The Wife Between Us.

Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma
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Nisha Sharma’s hilarious new romantic comedy inspired by The Taming of the Shrew features a love-phobic TV doctor who must convince a love-obsessed homebody they are destined to be together.

When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo
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A mythic love story set in Trinidad and Tobago, Ayanna Lloyd Banwo’s radiant debut introduces two unforgettable outsiders brought together by their connection with the dead.

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St James
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A true crime blogger gets more than she bargained for while interviewing the woman acquitted of two cold case slayings in this chilling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel.

A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A wry and bold debut novel, which is at once an irresistible catastrophe waiting to happen and an unflinching exploration of how we narrate the stories of our lives, as an aspiring novelist finds herself stalking—and writing about—her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend.

The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A stunning YA fantasy inspired by ancient Mesoamerica, this gripping debut introduces us to a lineage of seers defiantly resisting the shifting patriarchal state that would see them destroyed―perfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi and Sabaa Tahir.

APRIL

An Arrow to the Moon by Emily X.R. Pan
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Romeo and Juliet meets Chinese mythology in this magical novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Astonishing Color of After.

Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough
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In this twisty, mind-bending thriller from the bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes, Emma Averell worries that her crippling insomnia is a sign that she’s slowly going insane—like the mother she’s worked so hard to leave in her past.

Reputation by Lex Croucher
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Bridgerton meets Gossip Girl with a dash of Jane Austen, in Reputation, a Regency-era historical romantic comedy with a deliciously feminist twist, from a hilarious new British voice, Lex Croucher.

Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor
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For fans of Caraval and The Night Circus, this decadent and darkly enchanting YA fantasy, set against the backdrop of a Belle Époque-inspired hotel, follows seventeen-year-old Jani as she uncovers the deeply disturbing secrets of the legendary Hotel Magnifique.

I Am the Ghost in Your House by Maria Romasco Moore
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From the author of Some Kind of Animal comes a wildly unique story about an invisible girl struggling to see herself in a world obsessed with appearances.

One of Us is Dead by Jeneva Rose
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Meet the women of Buckhead — a place of expensive cars, huge houses, and competitive friendships. Who amongst these women will be clever enough to survive Buckhead — and who will wind up dead? They say that friendships can be complex, but no one said it could ever be this deadly.

An Honest Lie by Tarryn Fisher
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This seething, gut-punch of a thriller can only have sprung from the fiendish brain of Tarryn Fisher, one of the most cunning writers of our time.

Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow
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A spellbinding debut novel tracing three generations of a Southern Black family and one daughter’s discovery that she has the power to change her family’s legacy.

Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
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A searing and compassionate new novel about a young Black nurse’s shocking discovery and burning quest for justice in post-segregation Alabama, from the New York Times bestselling author of Wench.

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
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The award-winning, best-selling author of Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel returns with a novel of art, time, love, and plague that takes the reader from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon five hundred years later, unfurling a story of humanity across centuries and space.

The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa
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The USA Today bestselling author of The Worst Best Man is back with a hilarious rom-com about two strangers who get trapped in a lie and have to fake date their way out of it…

The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann
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Thirty, flirty, and asexual Joy is secretly in love with her best friend Malcolm, but she’s never been brave enough to say so. When he unexpectedly announces that he’s met the love of his life—and no, it’s not Joy—she’s heartbroken. Malcolm invites her on a weekend getaway, and Joy decides it’s her last chance to show him exactly what he’s overlooking. But maybe Joy is the one missing something…or someone…and his name is Fox.

MAY

Book of Night by Holly Black
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black makes her stunning adult debut with Book of Night, a modern dark fantasy of shadowy thieves and secret societies in the vein of Ninth House and The Night Circus.

Hide by Kiersten White
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A high-stakes hide-and-seek competition turns deadly in this dark thriller from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
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The “reigning romance queens” (PopSugar) and New York Times bestselling authors of The Soulmate Equation and The Unhoneymooners present a charming and laugh-out-loud funny novel filled with adventure, treasure, and, of course, love.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
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From the New York Times bestselling author of One Last Stop and Red, White & Royal Blue comes a debut YA romantic comedy about chasing down what you want, only to find what you need…

Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer
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New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer expands the Cursebreaker world in an electrifying new series.

The Honeys by Ryan La Sala
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From Ryan La Sala, the wildly popular author of Reverie, comes a twisted and tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer retreat.

City of Orange by David Yoon
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This imaginative and affecting new novel is beloved, bestselling, and award-winning author David Yoon at his finest: thought-provoking and heart-piercing, by turns funny and challenging, and at all times deeply human. 

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
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Mexican Gothic meets Rebecca in this debut supernatural suspense novel, set in the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence, about a remote house, a sinister haunting, and the woman pulled into their clutches…

Book Lovers by Emily Henry
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An insightful, delightful new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation.

My Summer Darlings by May Cobb
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Three lifelong friends plus a dangerous, sexy new stranger in town add up to a scorching summer of manipulation, obsession, and murder, from the acclaimed author of The Hunting Wives.

Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater
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Merida goes on an all-new, life-changing adventure in this original YA novel set several years after the close of Brave!

Boys, Beasts & Men by Sam J. Miller
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In Nebula Award-winning author Sam J. Miller’s devastating debut short-fiction collection, featuring an introduction by Amal El-Mohtar, queer infatuation, inevitable heartbreak, and brutal revenge seamlessly intertwine. Whether innocent, guilty, or not even human, the boys, beasts, and men roaming through Miller’s gorgeously crafted worlds can destroy readers, yet leave them wanting more.

JUNE

Daughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald
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From the author of the critically-acclaimed Blackwing trilogy comes Ed McDonald’s Daughter of Redwinter, the first of a brilliant fantasy series about how one choice can change a universe.

American Royalty by Tracey Livesay
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In this dangerously sexy rom-com that evokes the real-life romance between Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle, a prince who wants to live out of the spotlight falls for a daring American rapper who turns his life, and the palace, upside down.

Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
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A dazzling epic of betrayal, love, and fate that spans five generations of an Indigenous Chicano family in the American West, from the author of the National Book Award Finalist Sabrina & Corina.

This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron
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How much would you risk to save the ones you love? Would you tempt even the most dangerous fate?Bestselling author Kalynn Bayron continues the story of Briseis and her family’s deadly magic in the sequel to This Poison Heart.

Queerly Beloved by Susie Dumond
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A people-pleasing bridesmaid-for-hire falls for the crushable new lesbian in town. Will she finally find her happily ever after—and her own voice? 

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
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With his trademark blend of sharp characters, psychological suspense and gasp-worthy twists, Riley Sager’s The House Across the Lake will shock readers until the very last page.

Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson
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A Discovery of Witches meets The Craft in this the first installment of this epic fantasy trilogy about a group of childhood friends who are also witches.

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White
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A furious, queer debut novel about embracing the monster within and unleashing its power against your oppressors. Perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth and Annihilation.

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi
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In the first book of a visionary African and Arabian-inspired fantasy trilogy, three women band together against a cruel Empire that divides people by blood.

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
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Evvie Drake Starts Over meets Beach Read in this heartwarming and hilarious novel about a divorced romance channel screenwriter whose script about her marriage’s collapse just might help her reclaim her life and find love.

We All Fall Down by Rose Szabo
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The first book in a dark fantasy YA duology by the author of What Big Teeth, about the power and danger of stories and the untold costs of keeping magic alive, perfect for fans of Aiden Thomas and Marie Rutkoski.

Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert
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She was the face that launched a thousand ships, The fierce beauty at the heart of Olympus, And she was never ours to claim. A scorchingly hot modern retelling of Helen of Troy, Achilles, and Patroclus that’s as sinful as it is sweet.

What 2022 book releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Most Anticipated 2022 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Catriona Ward is no stranger to gothic fiction. She’s the only author to have won the August Derleth Prize for Best Horror Novel at the British Fantasy Awards twice—once in 2016 for her debut, Rawblood, and again in 2019 for her second, Little Eve—and has also been shortlisted for the Author’s Club Best First Novel Award, a WHSmith Fresh Talent title, and won the 2019 Shirley Jackson Award. The Last House on Needless Street moves away from the historical to the contemporary gothic, but deserves just as much praise and attention.

It’s a difficult book to review however, as the less you know about the plot going in, the better (though the title reminds me of the house on Neibolt street from IT, it’s not a spoiler for me to say that there aren’t any clowns hanging around in storm drains), but I’ll do my best.

The story is told from multiple points of view: Ted, Olivia (yes you heard that right, the cat), Dee—Ted’s new neighbour, and Lauren. None of them are reliable. They withhold information from the reader, from each other, and even from themselves, the mutability of memory—especially in regard to trauma—being a key theme. In her author’s note (which, again, don’t read before you finish the book as it gives away the major twist) Ward describes it as “ a story about survival, disguised as a book about horror.” This is a pretty good thumbnail description. Ward takes a well-worn horror device and portrays it in a way that’s much more sympathetic, less superficial, but without making it any less scary (because the survival itself and the things survived are pretty horrific).

The nerve-shredding tension and creeping unease comes with you having to work things out at the characters’ pace. Ted and Lauren’s voices are childlike, Lauren because she is a child; Ted, it becomes apparent, due to serious emotional and psychological trauma. This is achieved not through making the language overly simplistic but by highlighting his naivete and inability to express himself or his understanding in a complex way, as you’d expect an adult to be able to do, naming people by their physical characteristics, literal and figurative, or by associations—“Man with Orange Juice Hair”, “Chihuahua Lady”, “Bug-Man”—for example. Olivia is limited by her understanding as a cat and Dee is ruthlessly single-minded, her life essentially halting with her sister’s disappearance and the dissolution of her family. And then there is “Mommy”, Ted’s mother, a beautiful but slightly sinister figure, who we gather is no longer around but whose presence nevertheless looms over everything like the spider at the heart of a web. Ted frequently loses time, and what appear to be occasional inconsistencies and contradictions between the different narrators may frustrate at first, but gradually the clues begin to emerge and the puzzle pieces fall into place, revealing a chilling picture.

But even though the journey can be harrowing—seriously, this was a book shaped spoon that scooped out my emotions as if they were ice cream; little wonder that it’s been endorsed by Stephen King amongst others, or that it’s been selected as one of the titles for the second series of the BBC2 book programme Between the Covers—the story ultimately manages to end on a hopeful note: hope that after survival there’s living.

The Last House On Needless Street is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up The Last House On Needless Street? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

This is the story of a serial killer. A stolen child. Revenge. Death. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.

All these things are true. And yet they are all lies…

You think you know what’s inside the last house on Needless Street. You think you’ve read this story before. That’s where you’re wrong.

In the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, lies something buried. But it’s not what you think…

The post Review: The Last House On Needless Street by Catriona Ward appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

You think you know Alice in Wonderland? Think again. The stories within these pages will take you on journey through all the different facets of Lewis Carroll’s famous creation, from the historical, the horrific, the contemporary to the spiritual. Get ready to fall down the rabbit hole – or step through the looking glass, whichever you prefer – and prepare to see Wonderland, and indeed Alice, as you’ve likely not seen them before.

Originally published in 1865, Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (known first as Alice’s Adventures Under Ground) and his follow-up, Through the Looking-Glass, and what Alice Found There (published 1871), has been inspiring people for over 150 years. The first literary spin-offs began appearing as early as 1895 and have carried on to this day with titles such as Christina Henry’s The Chronicles of Alice. And of course the works inspired by it aren’t confined just to literature. Film adaptations started with the silent films of the early 1900s and have grown to include Disney’s beloved 1951 animated adaptation, Jan Svankmajer’s surrealist masterpiece, Alice (1988), and, most recently, Tim Burton’s interpretations. Alice-inspired media has even moved beyond film and literature, with American McGee’s brilliantly dark and twisted video games, Alice and its sequel Madness Returns, and many other references across the spectrum of pop-culture.

Now Titan Books have released Wonderland, an anthology of 18 never before seen stories inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, brought together by award-winning writer and editors Paul Kane and Marie O’Regan, from some of the best names in fantasy and horror.

We begin with Robert Shearman’s ‘Wonders Never Cease’, a story about change, beginning with the idea that “If Alice wouldn’t change, then something else would have to change in her place” before linking Alice’s journey to the journey we all share. ‘There Were No Birds to Fly’ by M.R. Carey portrays a sci-fi/horror tinged look at two of Wonderland’s more famous residents. ‘The White Queen’s Pawn’ by Genevieve Cogman adds elements of the spy genre before revealing a supernatural sting in the tail. Cavan Scott’s occasionally gory ‘Dream Girl’ sees Wonderland and its residents slowly disappearing. The Dream Girl is apparently to blame, but is everything as it seems?

In Juliet Marillier’s tale, ‘Good Dog, Alice!’, Dorothea’s Great Uncle Bartholomew doesn’t want her to name her new dog Alice as, according to him, all those named Alice are prone to “all manner of wild escapades.” But, for Dorothea, Alice the dog’s curiosity may turn out to be a good thing. Jonathan Green’s ‘The Hunting of the Jabberwock’ sees a knight arrive to hunt the titular beast, only to uncover a nefarious scheme. In George Mann’s ‘About Time’, Lucy found Wonderland as a child and it became her haven. Now she’s a teenager however, she feels it’s time to put childish things behind her but soon finds that this is not as easy as it seems. In ‘Smoke ‘em if You Got ‘em’, Angela Slatter transports Alice to the Wild West.

Rio Youers’ ‘Vanished Summer Glory’ is a poignant tale that looks at grief and its effect on the imagination. Catriona Ward’s ‘Black Kitty’ is a wonderfully peculiar, and surprisingly emotional, “tail” of a pair of twin sisters, a magic mirror and a certain cat. Laura Mauro’s ‘Night Parade’ takes influence from Japanese folklore. L.L. McKinney has already released a contemporary Alice retelling in the form of her debut novel A Blade So Black, and her story, ‘What Makes a Monster’, is set within this same world, bringing an even darker twist to mythology surrounding Jack the Ripper. In ‘The White Queen’s Dictum’ by James Lovegrove, two strangers meet in a motorway service station, one of whom is an investigator of the paranormal, only the paranormal may turn out to be closer than he thinks.

‘Temp Work’ by Lilith Saintcrow adds flavours of science-fiction – particularly cyberpunk – and corporate intrigue. ‘Eat Me, Drink Me’ by Alison Littlewood is an unnervingly woozy tale of a young woman about to be married, who thinks how much easier it would be to be her pet rabbit. ‘How I Comes to be the Treacle Queen’ by Cat Rambo has prose as poetically viscous as the treacle being mined. And ‘Six Impossible Things’ by Mark Chadbourn looks at the creation of imaginary worlds and the effects this can have on those who inspire them. The collection is bookended by Jane Yolen’s two poems, ‘Alice in Armour’ and ‘Revolution in Wonder’, acting as an opening and closing curtain.

As with any short-story collection, particularly those where the stories are all written by different authors, there is a wide variety of genres and styles, and not all of them will have the same impact (though of course your mileage may vary as to which ones). But these are all written by solid names within the genre and the quality is consistently high. An interesting addition to the canon of Alice inspired literature as well as an appealing short story collection in its own right.

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

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

Synopsis | Goodreads

From the greatest names in fantasy and horror comes an anthology of stories inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Join Alice as she is thrown into the whirlwind of Wonderland, in an anthology that bends the traditional notions of Lewis Carroll’s classic novel. Contributors include the bestselling M.R. Carey, Genevieve Cogman, Catriona Ward, Rio Youers and L.L. McKinney.

Within these pages you’ll find myriad approaches to Alice, from horror to historical. There’s even a Wild West tale from Angela Slatter, poetry, and a story by Laura Mauro which presents us with a Japanese folklore-inspired Wonderland.

Alison Littlewood, Cavan Scott and Catriona Ward make the more outlandish elements their own, while James Lovegrove instead draws on the supernatural. Cat Rambo takes us to a part of Wonderland we haven’t seen before and Lilith Saintcrow gives the legend a science-fiction spin. The nightmarish reaches of the imagination are the breeding ground for M.R. Carey’s visions, while Robert Shearman, George Mann, Rio Youers and Mark Chadbourn’s tales have a deep-seated emotional core which will shock, surprise and tug on the heart-strings.

So, it’s time now to go down the rabbit hole, or through the looking-glass or… But no, wait. By picking up this book and starting to read it you’re already there, can’t you see?

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