Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and the cover for Malevolent Souls by Delilah S. Dawson, which releases on September 1st 2026 and is now available for preorder.

Her story begins once upon a nightmare . . . Maleficent believes she is destined for great things. In her hometown, only fairies who sprout wings at age sixteen can learn magic—and though her family looks down on her, she knows that once her wings appear, they will finally recognize her potential. 

But when the unthinkable happens and Maleficent is denied her destiny, she joins up with four other teens bent on defying their fates to venture beyond the town’s borders. 

A mysterious force pulls at Maleficent, leading the group to an abandoned castle perched on a mountain. This strange place seems straight out of a dream, providing everything they need to survive and creating new rooms at will. 

But something sinister is afoot, too: all exits are blocked, and shadows haunt the halls. As fear and paranoia tear the group apart, Maleficent is more determined than ever to be the mistress of her own destiny. In exchange for the magic she has long desired, she’ll do anything.

Anything.

From New York Times bestselling author Deliah S. Dawson comes a sinister novel positioning one of Disney’s darkest villains, that shows the power of desire and the importance of sacrifice.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Delilah S. Dawson is the New York Times and USA Today-best-selling and Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Bloom, House of Idyll, The Violence, Ride or Die, Mine, Camp Scare, the Hit series, Midnight at the Houdini, and multiple books for Star Wars and Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft. She lives in Georgia with her family.

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Hi, Delilah! Welcome back! How has the past year been for you since we last spoke?

Busy and beautiful! Since Camp Scare launched last year, I’ve had several books out, including Star Wars Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade, Disney Mirrorverse: Pure of Heart, and the paperbacks of The Violence and Minecraft Mob Squad: Don’t Fear the Reaper. I’ve gotten back into comic cons, continued my Olympic lifting, and somehow ended up with more houseplants, although that’s totally not my fault.

Your latest novel, Midnight at the Houdini, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Magical hotel romance; rogue bunnies!

What can readers expect?

Magic and mystery! Twists and turns! A hotel with a mind of its own! A ball that never ends! A bartender who makes (non-alcoholic) drinks personally tailored to you! And, randomly, some very prudish parrots.

Where did the inspiration for Midnight at the Houdini come from?

I wrote MATH (can you believe that’s the acronym?!) during that utterly unique part of the Covid pandemic when we all stayed home and did online school and clapped for hospitals every night. I wanted a magical escape, and the thought of being in a beautiful hotel that’s constantly changing was intoxicating. The biggest influences are the immersive theater experience of Sleep No More in New York, Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and what I thought Las Vegas would be like instead of what it actually is.

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

Most of my books are issues books, where I work through past trauma. I’ve covered bullying (Camp Scare), having a parent who doesn’t like you (Mine), and growing up in a house with domestic violence (The Violence). But Midnight at the Houdini is all about exploration and magic, so I wrote about the boy I would’ve swooned for when I was in high school—and a girl who is as dedicated to being valedictorian as I was and needs to learn to let go of expectation.

What’s your process when it comes to worldbuilding?

Lots of dreaming! It often happens while driving and listening to carefully chosen playlists, or while being near water or in the bath. But for MATH in particular, I spent a lot of time in my outside office in Florida with the screen windows open, flopped in a papasan chair and thinking about what would be the most interesting and beautiful thing that could possibly happen.

What are some of the key lessons you’ve learnt as a writer over the years?

1. That you need to think of writing as an escape, not drudgery.
2. That the magic happens in revisions.
3. That the best idea is the one that you’re passionate about, the one that feels audacious and a little scary. Instead of chasing trends, listen to your heart.

What’s next for you?

My next book is out in October, a cottagecore horror story called Bloom that was inspired by my teen daughter getting into the show Hannibal and asking me why all the cool serial killers are dudes. I have a few books out next year, but they haven’t been announced yet! And I’ll be at New York Comic Con… where I’ll probably make time for my seventh trip to Sleep No More.

Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?

If you like Midnight at the Houdini, you’ll probably enjoy The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern, Caraval by Stephanie Garber, and the YA Romance books by Jenn Bennett.

Will you be picking up Midnight at the Houdini? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Delilah S. Dawson, Author of ‘Midnight at the Houdini’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

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

Hi! I’m a writer who enjoys Olympic lifting, mountain biking, Star Wars, Transformers, vintage My Little Pony, gluten free cake, and having adventures. I have two kids and have been married for twenty years. I collect weird old taxidermy and love gaming on my Switch. If anyone ever has a question for me about writing, books, or anything else, I’m happy to answer at Twitter or Instagram, @delilahsdawson.

When did you first discover your love for writing?

Around third grade, we did a unit on poetry, and I wrote a poem about my family and entered it in the Patchwork competition. It received an honorable mention, and I was hooked. From then on, I kept poetry journals to express myself and did poetry slams in high school. I never thought it was possible I might become a novelist; I thought that writers, like surgeons or nuns, always knew exactly what they were meant to be from an early age. I wrote my first book because my baby stopped sleeping and my brain broke, and my husband suggested I find a hobby just for me. I was a visual artist, but art supplies are toxic, so instead, I wrote a book. Finishing that first book was one of the best feelings in the world.

Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!

First book: The Ewoks Join the Fight, a Read-Along book. Turn the page when R2-D2 beeps!

The book that made me want to become an author: I didn’t know I wanted to be an author until I was 31, but Stephen King’s On Writing made it feel possible. I also remember reading Dead After Dark by Charlaine Harris and thinking, “If we can have country vampires, then there really are no rules!”

The book I can’t stop thinking about: The one I’m working on, of course!

Your new novel, Camp Scare, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Bullied kid at creepy camp!

What can readers expect?

The school pariah goes to her first overnight camp dreaming of the perfect summer where no one knows her (or her shameful past) and she can make friends and have fun. Instead, things go very dark. Consider everything that could go wrong at sleepaway camp, and then add in a vengeful ghost!

Where did the inspiration for Camp Scare come from?

In fifth grade, my best friend was going to an overnight camp, so I signed up, too. Turns out she was actually going with her Girl Scout troop, so I was an awkward third (or tenth!) wheel. I was miserable and lonely and kept thinking that if I just had one friend, everything would’ve been perfect. Parker is definitely based on me at that age—a social misfit, bullied nerd, and overeager teacher’s pet who hates camp. Parker does find one friend who truly understands her, but unfortunately, that friend isn’t exactly who she claims to be…

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

The biggest challenge is that there were questions regarding whether the book was too dark for kids and whether bullying is really bad as it’s portrayed in the story. I ultimately chose not to soften things up because I’ve lived through bullying like that, and the adults really did ignore the problem and favor the bullies. Kids who know what it’s like to be bullied deserve to see it shown realistically on the page. As for whether it’s too dark, I read Pet Sematary and IT when I was still in elementary school, so I believe that some kids live for books that truly terrify them!

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

The big reveal, of course, is always super fun to write. And I loved envisioning this old, haunted camp and all the ways things could go wrong out in the forest. There’s this one scene in the lake that still gives me chills. There was a dark, murky water scene in my other middle grade Horror, MINE, so maybe that will be a recurring theme for me.

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

The best is that all first drafts are pretty terrible and the magic happens in the edits. Even Stephen King doesn’t write like Stephen King until he’s done plenty of refining himself and received editorial feedback.

The worst is when writers are told, “Stay in your lane!” The fun of writing is to see what idea bubbles up next and explore it. I don’t want to put myself in a box and only be allowed to write one genre for the rest of my career.

What’s next for you?

Well, the paperback of my other middle grade horror novel, MINE, came out on the same day as CAMP SCARE, so you can always make that a double feature. In November, we have the third book in my Minecraft Mob Squad trilogy, DON’T FEAR THE CREEPER, as well as the paperback of my latest adult novel, THE VIOLENCE. I also have a YA romance, a Stranger Things book, and a Star Wars book on the way next year!

Lastly, do you have any 2022 book recommendations for our readers?

If you’re looking for sweet YA romance, Jenn Bennett is my go-to, and I recently binged Chasing Lucky and Always Jane. If you want kids’ horror, Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White was super fun. For adult horror, I enjoyed The Book of Accidents by my pal Chuck Wendig and The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix.

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

The post Q&A: Delilah S. Dawson, Author of ‘Camp Scare’ 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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
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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
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The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
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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
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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
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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 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.

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
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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.

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 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.

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.

If you love sci-fi, Alex Thomson’s Death of A Clone is an Agatha Christie-esque thriller in space, debut author T.J. Berry brings us a misfit crew who will race across the galaxy to prevent the genocide of magical creatures in Space Unicorn Blues, and Mary Robinette Kowal’s The Calculating Stars sees a race to space filled with women that fans of Hidden Figures will love.

Fantasy more your speed? We’ve got you covered! New York Times bestselling authors Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne team up in Kill The Farm Boy, which isn’t your usual Chosen One story. Then there’s Alcy Leyva’s urban fantasy where Amanda accidentally releases the six Shades of Hell and now she must recapture them with the aid of a demon and antisocial seraphim.

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

Fawkes by Nadine Brandes
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, and the only cure to the Stone Plague is to join his father’s plot to assassinate the king of England. Keepers think the Igniters caused the plague. Igniters think the Keepers did it. But all Thomas knows is that the Stone Plague infecting his eye is spreading. And if he doesn’t do something soon, he’ll be a lifeless statue. So when his Keeper father, Guy Fawkes, invites him to join the Gunpowder Plot—claiming it will put an end to the plague—Thomas is in. The plan: use 36 barrels of gunpowder to blow up the Igniter King.

Death Of A Clone by Alex Thomson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An Agatha Christie thriller in space! The Overseers may call it Hell, but for Leila and the other clones, the mining base on asteroid Mizushima-00109 is the only home they’ve ever known. But then Leila’s sister Lily is murdered, and the Overseers seem less interested in solving the crime than in making their mining quota and returning to Earth. Leila decides to find the murderer, just like the heroes of her old detective novels would. But Hell is a place of terrible secrets, and a love of cozy mysteries may not be enough to keep Leila from ending up like her sister.

European Travel For The Monstrous Gentlewoman by Theodora Goss
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In the sequel to the critically acclaimed The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter, Mary Jekyll and the rest of the daughters of literature’s mad scientists embark on a madcap adventure across Europe to rescue another monstrous girl and stop the Alchemical Society’s nefarious plans once and for all.

Kill The Farm Boy by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, a hero, the Chosen One, was born . . . and so begins every fairy tale ever told. This is not that fairy tale. There is a Chosen One, but he is unlike any One who has ever been Chosened. And there is a faraway kingdom, but you have never been to a magical world quite like the land of Pell. There, a plucky farm boy will find more than he’s bargained for on his quest to awaken the sleeping princess in her cursed tower. First there’s the Dark Lord who wishes for the boy’s untimely death . . . and also very fine cheese. Then there’s a bard without a song in her heart but with a very adorable and fuzzy tail, an assassin who fears not the night but is terrified of chickens, and a mighty fighter more frightened of her sword than of her chain-mail bikini.

Space Unicorn Blues by T.J. Berry
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Having magical powers makes you less than human, a resource to be exploited. Half-unicorn Gary Cobalt is sick of slavery, captivity, and his horn being ground down to power faster-than-light travel. When he’s finally free, all he wants is to run away in his ancestors’ stone ship. Instead, Captain Jenny Perata steals the ship out from under him, so she can make an urgent delivery. But Jenny held him captive for a decade, and then Gary murdered her best friend… who was also the wife of her co-pilot, Cowboy Jim. What could possibly go right?

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders… but her father isn’t a very good one. Free to lend and reluctant to collect, he has loaned out most of his wife’s dowry and left the family on the edge of poverty–until Miryem steps in. Hardening her heart against her fellow villagers’ pleas, she sets out to collect what is owed–and finds herself more than up to the task. When her grandfather loans her a pouch of silver pennies, she brings it back full of gold. But having the reputation of being able to change silver to gold can be more trouble than it’s worth–especially when her fate becomes tangled with the cold creatures that haunt the wood, and whose king has learned of her reputation and wants to exploit it for reasons Miryem cannot understand.

When Life Gives You Demons by Jennifer Honeybourn
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Sixteen-year-old Shelby Black has spent the past year training to be an exorcist. Her great-uncle Roy—a Catholic priest and Shelby’s guardian—believes she has a gift for expelling demons, and he’s put her through exorcist boot camp hell, but he still doesn’t trust her to do an exorcism on her own. Secrets run in Shelby’s family, though: her mother has been missing ever since an exorcism went horribly wrong, and Uncle Roy is tight-lipped about it. But Shelby’s hell-bent on finding her mom, no matter what—even if what it ends up costing her her soul AND a date with Spencer.

Hullmetal Girls by Emily Skrutskie
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

When Aisha Un-Haad’s brother contracts a plague, she volunteers to become a Scela, a mechanically enhanced soldier sworn to protect and serve the governing body of the Fleet. If Aisha can survive the harrowing modifications and earn an elite place in the Scela ranks, she may be able to save her brother. Key Tanaka awakens in a Scela body with only hazy memories of her life before. She knows she’s from the privileged end of the Fleet, but she has no recollection of why she chose to give up a life of luxury to become a hulking cyborg soldier. In a unit of new recruits vying for top placement, Aisha’s and Key’s paths collide, and the two must learn to work together–a tall order for girls from opposite ends of the Fleet. But a rebellion is stirring, pitting those who yearn for independence from the Fleet against a government struggling to maintain unity.

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A meteor decimates the U.S. government and paves the way for a climate cataclysm that will eventually render the earth inhospitable to humanity. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated timeline in the earth’s efforts to colonize space, as well as an unprecedented opportunity for a much larger share of humanity to take part. One of these new entrants in the space race is Elma York, whose experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too—aside from some pesky barriers like thousands of years of history and a host of expectations about the proper place of the fairer sex. And yet, Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions may not stand a chance.

Annex by Rich Larson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

At first it is a nightmare. When the invaders arrive, the world as they know it is destroyed. Their friends are kidnapped. Their families are changed. Then it is a dream. With no adults left to run things, Violet and the others who have escaped capture are truly free for the first time. They can do whatever they want to do. They can be whoever they want to be. But the invaders won’t leave them alone for long…

Sanctuary by Caryn Lix
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Alien meets Alexandra Bracken’s The Darkest Minds in this thrilling debut novel about prison-guard-in-training, Kenzie, who is taken hostage by the superpowered criminal teens of the Sanctuary space station—only to have to band together with them when the station is attacked by mysterious creatures.

And Then There Were Crows by Alcy Leyva
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

When Amanda Grey inadvertently rents a room to a demon, Grey goes from a woman concentrated on her own personal demons to the woman responsible for recapturing the six Shades from Hell she’s unleashed upon the city. She manages to survive by accepting the help of Barnem, an antisocial seraphim who just happens to reside in an upstairs apartment and the demon she now shares her apartment with—and who oddly eager to help her vanquish the Shades, though she can’t be sure if he’s motivated by roommate loyalty or a secret plot to enslave humankind. Together the unlikely trio will have to face off with the (actual) devils of New York politics, break the curse of infomercial jingles, and figure out exactly how Grey has become the leader of a cult, all as Grey begins to realize that maybe the end of the world is exactly what her life needed. Now she just needs to figure out how to survive it.

Check out what other books are coming out this month on our Goodreads list!

What book are you most excited to read? Tell us in the comments below!

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

Phasma by Delilah S. Dawson | Goodreads

One of the most cunning and merciless officers of the First Order, Captain Phasma commands the favor of her superiors, the respect of her peers, and the terror of her enemies. But for all her renown, Phasma remains as virtually unknown as the impassive expression on her gleaming chrome helmet. Now, an adversary is bent on unearthing her mysterious origins—and exposing a secret she guards as zealously and ruthlessly as she serves her masters.

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff | Goodreads

Assassin Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church ministry think she’s far from earned it, and after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia begins to suspect the motives of the Red Church itself. When it’s announced that Scaeva and Duomo will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end them. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between loyalty and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.

The Uploaded by Ferrett Steinmetz | Goodreads

In the near future, the elderly have moved online and now live within the computer network. But that doesn’t stop them interfering in the lives of the living, whose sole real purpose now is to maintain the vast servers which support digital Heaven. For one orphan that just isn’t enough – he wants more for himself and his sister than a life slaving away for the dead. It turns out that he’s not the only one who wants to reset the world…

The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo | Goodreads

This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them lavishly illustrated with art. Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid’s voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy’s bidding but only for a terrible price.

Paradox Bound by Peter Clines | Goodreads

Eli’s willing to admit it: he’s more than a little obsessed with the mysterious woman he met years ago who’s driving a hundred-year-old car, clad in Revolutionary-War era clothes, and wielding an oddly modified flintlock rifle. When the traveller reappears in his life, Eli is determined that this time he’s not going to let her go without getting some answers. But his determination soon leads him into a strange, dangerous world and a chase not just across the country but through a hundred years of history.

An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard | Goodreads

In New York City, magic controls everything. But the power of magic is fading. No one knows what is happening, except for Sydney—a new, rare magician with incredible power that has been unmatched in decades, and she may be the only person who is able to stop the darkness that is weakening the magic. But Sydney doesn’t want to help the system, she wants to destroy it.

Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill | Goodreads

It’s been thirty years since the apocalypse and fifteen years since the murder of the last human being at the hands of robots. Most of the world is controlled by an OWI—One World Intelligence—the shared consciousness of millions of robots, but not all robots are willing to cede their individuality. These intrepid resisters are outcasts and have formed into an unruly civilisation of rogue AIs. Brittle, a scavenger robot, is haunted by the terrible crimes she perpetrated on humanity. As she roams the Sea of Rust, a large swath of territory that was once the Midwest, Brittle slowly comes to terms with her raw and vivid memories—and her guilt.

Stranger of Tempest by Tom Lloyd | Goodreads

Lynx is a mercenary with a sense of honour; a dying breed in the Shattered Kingdom. Failed by the nation he served and weary of the skirmishes that plague the continent’s principalities, he walks the land in search of purpose.Bodyguard work keeps his belly full and his mage-gun loaded, but he’s not forced to rely on others or kill without cause. Little could compel Lynx to join a mercenary company, but he won’t turn his back on a kidnapped girl. The job seems simple enough, so long as there are no surprises or hidden agendas along the way, it should work out fine.

An Excess Male by Maggie Shen King | Goodreads

Under the One Child Policy, everyone plotted to have a son. Now 40 million of them can’t find wives. Wei-guo finally saves up the dowry required to enter matchmaking talks at the lowest rung as a third husband, but a single family—one harbouring an illegal spouse—shows interest, yet with May-ling and her two husbands, Wei-guo feels seen, heard, and connected to like never before. But everyone and everything are listening, and men, excess or not, are dispensable to the State. Wei-guo must reach a new understanding of patriotism and test the limits of his love and his resolve in order to save himself and this family he has come to hold dear.

Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King and Owen King | Goodreads

In a future so real and near it might be now, something happens when women go to sleep; they become shrouded in a cocoon-like gauze. If they are awakened, if the gauze wrapping their bodies is disturbed or violated, the women become feral and spectacularly violent; and while they sleep they go to another place. The men of our world are abandoned, left to their increasingly primal devices. One woman, however, the mysterious Evie, is immune to the blessing or curse of the sleeping disease. Is Evie a medical anomaly to be studied, or is she a demon who must be slain?

Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett | Goodreads

Kamzin has always dreamed of becoming one of the Emperor’s royal explorers and she could be the best in the world, if only someone would give her a chance. Everything changes when the mysterious and eccentric River Shara, the greatest explorer ever known, arrives in her village and demands to hire Kamzin. She must retrieve a rare talisman for the emperor but to do so, she must climb the tallest and deadliest mountain, face avalanches, ice chasms, ghosts, and even worse at every turn.

Nyxia by Scott Reintgen | Goodreads

Emmett Atwater isn’t just leaving Detroit; he’s leaving Earth. Why the Babel Corporation recruited him is a mystery, but before long, Emmett discovers that he is one of ten recruits, all of whom have troubled pasts and are a long way from home. Now each recruit must earn the right to travel down to the planet of Eden—a planet that Babel has kept hidden—where they will mine a substance called Nyxia that has quietly become the most valuable material in the universe. But Babel’s ship is full of secrets. And Emmett will face the ultimate choice: win the fortune at any cost, or find a way to fight that won’t forever compromise what it means to be human.

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