I’m Not Done With You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto
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Some friends–and friendships–are worth killing for in this dark, twisty suspense novel by national bestselling author Jesse Q. Sutanto.

The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman
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From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Marriage of Opposites and the Practical Magic series comes an enchanting novel about love, heartbreak, self-discovery, and the enduring magic of books.

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
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Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.

The Hurricane Blonde by Halley Sutton
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A former child starlet is plunged back into the dangerous glitter of Hollywood after discovering a young actress’s body in this scorching thriller about the deadly sides of both fame and family.

Oh God, The Sun Goes By David Connor
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Oh God, the Sun Goes is a hallucinatory and deadpan picaresque that suddenly swerves into a love story of soaring poignance. Truly “the stuff that dreams are made of” – or maybe nightmares?

Under the Tamarind Tree by Nigar Alam
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A compellingly heartbreaking debut novel about the echoes of Partition and four friends whose dark secrets lead to a life-changing night that comes back to haunt them decades later.

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

Learned by Heart by Emma Donoghue
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A heartbreakingly gorgeous novel based on the true story of two girls who fall secretly, deeply, and dangerously in love at boarding school in 19th century York, from the bestselling author of Room and The Wonder.

The Continental Affair by Christine Mangan
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With gorgeous prose, European glamour, and an expansive wanderlust, Christine Mangan’s The Continental Affair is a daring literary caper that is quick on its feet and delightfully surprising.

After That Night by Karin Slaughter
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Will Trent and Sara Linton are back in an electrifying thriller featuring GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton from New York Times bestselling author Karin Slaughter.

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin
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Rachel Krall, the true crime podcaster star of Megan Goldin’s acclaimed The Night Swim, returns to search for a popular influencer who disappears after visiting a suspected serial killer.

Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney
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Our Queen of Twists, bestselling author of Daisy Darker and Rock Paper Scissors Alice Feeney, returns with another thrilling mystery filled with drama and her trademark surprises.

Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo
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From the bestselling, National Book Award–winning author Elizabeth Acevedo comes her first novel for adults, the story of one Dominican American family told through the voices of its women as they await a gathering that will forever change their lives.

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
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From James McBride, author of the bestselling Oprah’s Book Club pick Deacon King Kong and the National Book Award–winning The Good Lord Bird, a novel about small-town secrets and the people who keep them

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
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In this beautiful and moving novel about family, love, and growing up, Ann Patchett once again proves herself one of America’s finest writers.

Mister Magic by Kiersten White
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Who is Mister Magic? Former child stars reunite to uncover the tragedy that ended their show—and discover the secret of its enigmatic host—in this dark supernatural thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hide.

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

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

The post Listen To An Excerpt From ‘A Mi Orden’ by Elizabeth Acevedo appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore
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Summer, 1518. A strange sickness sweeps through Strasbourg: women dance in the streets, some until they fall down dead. As rumors of witchcraft spread, suspicion turns toward Lavinia and her family, and Lavinia may have to do the unimaginable to save herself and everyone she loves.

Five centuries later, a pair of red shoes seal to Rosella Oliva’s feet, making her dance uncontrollably. They draw her toward a boy who knows the dancing fever’s history better than anyone: Emil, whose family was blamed for the fever five hundred years ago. But there’s more to what happened in 1518 than even Emil knows, and discovering the truth may decide whether Rosella survives the red shoes.

Wranglestone by Darren Charlton
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In a post-apocalyptic America, a community survives in a national park, surrounded by water that keeps the Dead at bay. But when winter comes, there’s nothing to stop them from crossing the ice.

Then homebody Peter puts the camp in danger by naively allowing a stranger to come ashore and he’s forced to leave the community of Wranglestone. Now he must help rancher Cooper, the boy he’s always watched from afar, herd the Dead from their shores before the lake freezes over.

But as love blossoms, a dark discovery reveals the sanctuary’s secret past. One that forces the pair to question everything they’ve ever known.

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski
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Where Nirrim lives, crime abounds, a harsh tribunal rules, and society’s pleasures are reserved for the High Kith. Life in the Ward is grim and punishing. People of her low status are forbidden from sampling sweets or wearing colors. You either follow the rules, or pay a tithe and suffer the consequences.

Nirrim keeps her head down and a dangerous secret close to her chest.

But then she encounters Sid, a rakish traveler from far away who whispers rumors that the High Caste possesses magic. Sid tempts Nirrim to seek that magic for herself. But to do that, Nirrim must surrender her old life. She must place her trust in this sly stranger who asks, above all, not to be trusted.

Wicked as You Wish by Rin Chupeco
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Many years ago, the magical Kingdom of Avalon was left encased in ice when the Snow Queen waged war. Its former citizens are now refugees in a world mostly devoid of magic. Which is why the crown prince and his protectors are stuck in…Arizona.

Prince Alexei, the sole survivor of the Avalon royal family, is hiding in a town so boring, magic doesn’t even work there. Few know his secret identity, but his friend Tala is one of them.

A new hope for their abandoned homeland reignites when a famous creature of legend, the Firebird, appears for the first time in decades. Alex and Tala must unite with a ragtag group of new friends to journey back to Avalon for a showdown that will change the world as they know it.

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M Johnson
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In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys.

Both a primer for teens eager to be allies as well as a reassuring testimony for young queer men of color, All Boys Aren’t Bluecovers topics such as gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, structural marginalization, consent, and Black joy. Johnson’s emotionally frank style of writing will appeal directly to young adults.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
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Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people…

In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash.

Separated by distance – and Papi’s secrets – the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered. And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.

Papi’s death uncovers all the painful truths he kept hidden, and the love he divided across an ocean. And now, Camino and Yahaira are both left to grapple with what this new sister means to them, and what it will now take to keep their dreams alive.

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
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Felix Love has never been in love—and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many—Black, queer, and transgender—to ever get his own happily-ever-after.

When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages—after publicly posting Felix’s deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned—Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn’t count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi–love triangle….

But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar
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When Nishat comes out to her parents, they say she can be anyone she wants—as long as she isn’t herself. Because Muslim girls aren’t lesbians. Nishat doesn’t want to hide who she is, but she also doesn’t want to lose her relationship with her family. And her life only gets harder once a childhood friend walks back into her life.

Flávia is beautiful and charismatic and Nishat falls for her instantly. But when a school competition invites students to create their own businesses, both Flávia and Nishat choose to do henna, even though Flávia is appropriating Nishat’s culture. Amidst sabotage and school stress, their lives get more tangled—but Nishat can’t quite get rid of her crush on Flávia, and realizes there might be more to her than she realized.

Hideous Beauty by William Hussey
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When Dylan and Ellis’s secret relationship is exposed on social media, Dylan is forced to come out. To Dylan’s surprise they are met with support and congratulations, and an amazing reception at their highschool dance. Perhaps people aren’t as narrow-minded as he thought?

But Dylan’s happiness is short-lived. Ellis suddenly becomes angry, withdrawn, and as they drive home from the dance, he loses control of the car, sending it plunging into Hunter’s Lake. Barely conscious, Dylan is pulled free of the wreck, while Ellis is left to drown.

Grief-stricken, Dylan vows to discover what happened to Ellis that night and piece together the last months of his boyfriend’s life – and realises just how little he knew about the boy he loved.

Wonderland by Juno Dawson
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Alice lives in a world of stifling privilege and luxury – but none of it means anything when your own head plays tricks on your reality. When her troubled friend Bunny goes missing, Alice becomes obsessed with finding her. On the trail of her last movements, Alice discovers a mysterious invitation to ‘Wonderland’: the party to end all parties – three days of hedonistic excess to which only the elite are welcome.

Will she find Bunny there? Or is this really a case of finding herself? Because Alice has secrets of her own, and ruthless socialite queen Paisley Hart is determined to uncover them, whatever it takes.

Alice is all alone, miles from home and without her essential medication. She can trust no-one, least of all herself, and now she has a new enemy who wants her head…

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
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Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay — Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.

But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down . . . until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.

The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She’s smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?

The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth
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Saoirse doesn’t believe in love at first sight or happy endings. If they were real, her mother would still be able to remember her name and not in a care home with early onset dementia. A condition that Saoirse may one day turn out to have inherited. So she’s not looking for a relationship. She doesn’t see the point in igniting any romantic sparks if she’s bound to burn out.

But after a chance encounter at an end-of-term house party, Saoirse is about to break her own rules. For a girl with one blue freckle, an irresistible sense of mischief, and a passion for rom-coms.

Unbothered by Saoirse’s no-relationships rulebook, Ruby proposes a loophole: They don’t need true love to have one summer of fun, complete with every cliché, rom-com montage-worthy date they can dream up—and a binding agreement to end their romance come fall. It would be the perfect plan, if they weren’t forgetting one thing about the Falling in Love Montage: when it’s over, the characters actually fall in love… for real.

I’ll Be The One by Lyla Lee
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Skye Shin has heard it all. Fat girls shouldn’t dance. Wear bright colors. Shouldn’t call attention to themselves. But Skye dreams of joining the glittering world of K-Pop, and to do that, she’s about to break all the rules that society, the media, and even her own mother, have set for girls like her.

She’ll challenge thousands of other performers in an internationally televised competition looking for the next K-pop star, and she’ll do it better than anyone else.

When Skye nails her audition, she’s immediately swept into a whirlwind of countless practices, shocking performances, and the drama that comes with reality TV. What she doesn’t count on are the highly fat-phobic beauty standards of the Korean pop entertainment industry, her sudden media fame and scrutiny, or the sparks that soon fly with her fellow competitor, Henry Cho.

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
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It’s 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the kingdom select wives based on a girl’s display of finery. If a suitable match is not found, the girls not chosen are never heard from again.

Sixteen-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia makes the desperate decision to flee, and finds herself hiding in Cinderella’s mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all–and in the process, they learn that there’s more to Cinderella’s story than they ever knew…

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
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There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.

As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.

Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming…human or demon. Princess or monster.

Loveless by Alice Oseman
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Georgia has never been in love, never kissed anyone, never even had a crush – but as a fanfic-obsessed romantic she’s sure she’ll find her person one day.

As she starts university with her best friends, Pip and Jason, in a whole new town far from home, Georgia’s ready to find romance, and with her outgoing roommate on her side and a place in the Shakespeare Society, her ‘teenage dream’ is in sight.

But when her romance plan wreaks havoc amongst her friends, Georgia ends up in her own comedy of errors, and she starts to question why love seems so easy for other people but not for her. With new terms thrown at her – asexual, aromantic – Georgia is more uncertain about her feelings than ever.

Is she destined to remain loveless? Or has she been looking for the wrong thing all along?

Boy Queen by George Lester
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Robin Cooper’s life is falling apart.

While his friends prepare to head off to university, Robin is looking at a pile of rejection letters from drama schools up and down the country, and facing a future without the people he loves the most. Everything seems like it’s ending, and Robin is scrabbling to find his feet.

Unsure about what to do next and whether he has the talent to follow his dreams, he and his best friends go and drown their sorrows at a local drag show, where Robin realises there might be a different, more sequinned path for him . . .

With a mother who won’t stop talking, a boyfriend who won’t acknowledge him and a best friend who is dying to cover him in glitter make up, there’s only one thing for Robin to do: bring it to the runway.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
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Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.

When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.

The Summer of Everything by Julian Winters
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Comic book geek Wesley Hudson excels at two things: slacking off at his job and pining after his best friend, Nico. Advice from his friends, ‘90s alt-rock songs, and online dating articles aren’t helping much with his secret crush. And his dream job at Once Upon a Page, the local used bookstore, is threatened when a coffeeshop franchise wants to buy the property. To top it off, his annoying brother needs wedding planning advice. When all three problems converge, Wes comes face-to-face with the one thing he’s been avoiding—adulthood.

Now, confronted with reality, can Wes balance saving the bookstore and his strained sibling relationship? Can he win the heart of his crush, too?

Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass
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Connor Major’s summer break is turning into a nightmare.

His SAT scores bombed, the old man he delivers meals to died, and when he came out to his religious zealot mother, she had him kidnapped and shipped off to a secluded island. His final destination: Nightlight Ministries, a conversion therapy camp that will be his new home until he “changes.”

But Connor’s troubles are only beginning. At Nightlight, everyone has something to hide from the campers to the “converted” staff and cagey camp director, and it quickly becomes clear that no one is safe. Connor plans to escape and bring the other kidnapped teens with him. But first, he’s exposing the camp’s horrible truths for what they are— and taking this place down.

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

The post 20 Fantastic YA LGBTQ+ Books appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

This book is just wonderful! It holds magic within its pages, and everyone that’s interested in diving into a contemporary fiction story featuring some of the most hard-working women should definitely pick this book up!

With the Fire on High tells the story of seventeen-year-old Emoni Santiago, a teen mother that lives with her grandmother (or ‘Buela, as Emoni calls her) and her two-year-old daughter, “Babygirl” Emma. Acevedo takes the reader on a journey, seeing Emoni finding the balance between school, job, family, and everything else while having her own dreams such as becoming a chef someday. But with money running short and the responsibilities she carries on her back, things might get a little hard (and oh, they do).

This is a book that hooks you right away. Emoni’s narrative voice is amazing and carries you smoothly through the story, making the reader instantly care about her life, her dreams, worries, and struggles. It takes you inside the Santiago home, which couldn’t be more filled with love and support from the family. As a Latina myself, I got to see bits and pieces from my own family and more people I love and care about in this book. The representation of the Latinx culture couldn’t been more perfectly executed, making it possible for Latinx readers to see themselves accurately portrayed in these pages.

It’s impossible not to comment on the strong family bonds in this book. The Santiago women are the kind to put a smile on their faces and deal with whatever life throws their way, no matter what. Emoni’s relationship with her ‘Buela is so full of love, support, and optimism, it made me emotional while reading it. With the Fire on High reminds those who read it that you don’t need to read a book with a girl slaying dragons to feel inspired by her or seeing her as a hero. The women portrayed in this book are the real-life heroes.

But the diverse representation doesn’t stop there. Emoni’s best friend is part of the LGBT+ community and her relationship with her girlfriend has a significant part in this book. It’s impossible not to admire the way Acevedo represents diversity in its many forms so effortlessly and accurately, something sadly we don’t get to see very often in literature (but we, as a society, need to).

Another strong point of this book is how it addresses some topics you don’t get to read in contemporary books very often, like racism, teenage motherhood and all its ups and downs. For one part, we see Emoni dealing with the racism that comes when you’re mixed raced, being half black and half Dominican and being told many times she doesn’t fit completely in any of the two cultures. Being a teen mother, we also see her being constantly judged by people in the street, not to mention the several issues she has with her daughter’s paternal family, and trying to come back to dating after having a baby. It gives you an insight on how a life like that might be, and what I liked the most about Emoni was how mature she behaved in the face of all those situations, and how she dealt with them very differently from some other teens that haven’t been through what she has.

Finally, the trip to Spain and the Culinary Arts class were a magical touch that gave this story life, the descriptions of the food they cooked, the places they visited, and the hard work that went into succeeding in the class had me so invested from start to finish. It made me want to eat all those dishes they were making and getting lost in the streets of Spain!

With the Fire on High will leave you with a smile on your face and if your Latinx or part of the LGBT+ community, you may see some bits of your life reflected in its pages, which inspires you to keep working towards your dreams and will remind you of the importance of family. I give this book a 10/10, because I think this is something everyone should read because of its many important, positive messages!

With The Fire On High is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.

Will you be picking up With The Fire On High? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

With her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, high school senior Emoni Santiago has to make the tough decisions, and do what must be done. The one place she can let her responsibilities go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness. Still, she knows she doesn’t have enough time for her school’s new culinary arts class, doesn’t have the money for the class’s trip to Spain — and shouldn’t still be dreaming of someday working in a real kitchen. But even with all the rules she has for her life — and all the rules everyone expects her to play by — once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free.

The post Review: With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye
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What If It’s Us meets To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before in this upbeat and heartfelt boy-meets-boy romance that feels like a modern twist on a ’90s rom-com!

By the Book: A Novel of Prose and Cons by Amanda Sellet
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In this clever YA rom-com debut perfect for fans of Kasie West and Ashley Poston, a teen obsessed with nineteenth-century literature tries to cull advice on life and love from her favourite classic heroines to disastrous results—especially when she falls for the school’s resident Lothario.

Parachutes by Kelly Yang
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Speak enters the world of Gossip Girl in this modern immigrant story from New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang about two girls navigating wealth, power, friendship, and trauma.

Forged in Fire and Stars by Andrea Robertson
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Games of Thrones meets An Ember in the Ashes in this action-packed fantasy from the internationally bestselling author of the Nightshade series.

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar
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When Dimple Met Rishi meets Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda in this rom com about two teen girls with rival henna businesses. Amidst sabotage and school stress, their lives get more tangled—but Nishat can’t quite get rid of her crush on Flávia, and realizes there might be more to her than she realized.

The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton
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Moxie meets A Knight’s Tale as Kit Sweetly slays sexism, bad bosses, and bad luck to become a knight at a medieval-themed restaurant.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
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In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.

Breath Like Water by Anna Jarzab
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Expansive, romantic, and powerful. Gayle Forman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay and I Have Lost My Way

The Fascinators by Andrew Eliopulos
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A magic-infused YA novel about friendship, first love, and feeling out of place that will bewitch fans of Rainbow Rowell and Maggie Stiefvater.

Four Days of You and Me by Miranda Kenneally
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A new swoon-worthy romance following a couple’s love story on the same date over four years.

Out Now: Queer We Go Again! by Saundra Mitchell
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A follow-up to the critically acclaimed All Out anthology, Out Now features seventeen new short stories from amazing queer YA authors. 

The Paper Girl of Paris by Jordyn Taylor
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Code Name Verity meets Jennifer Donnelly’s Revolution in this gripping debut novel.

Will you be picking up any of these young adult releases? Tell us in the comments below!

The post May 2020 Book Releases: YA appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Clap When You Land follows two girls – Camino and Yahaira. Camino lives in the Dominican Republic and Yahaira in New York. At first glance, these two girls don’t have that much in common, but then there is their father, who dies on flight AA587 which crashes on its way to Santa Domingo where he was supposed to visit Camino on his annual summer holiday. 265 lives are lost that day and yet one of those lives, brings two new ones together. Before that plane crash, neither of the girls had any idea about the other one. But when their father is killed, the both of them find out about each other and the grief they feel for the parent they have lost is intricately coupled with the anger and shock that they didn’t know their father, who has lived a double life for nearly two decades, all that well.

Acevedo paints a stunning picture of grief, rage, and broken family bonds with her fantastic prose in this novel. From addressing the darker sides of the struggles that come with an absentee parent and then diving into the impossible dreams of studying abroad when you don’t have the finances to support that dream, this book held a lot of pain and loss and disappointment – but also a lot of strength of facing those impossibilities and demands and make them disappear.

I also loved how it targeted the hero worship we sometimes have for our parents – it seems baffling that they had a life of their own before they became parents and it also showcased how we gloss over facts we don’t want to see because parents are supposed to be infallible. Both Camino and Yahaira have to come to terms with their father’s transgressions and the lies he has told – without ever having the opportunity to confront him about it. Grief is mixed with disappointment and even gratefulness because it brought the two girls together, if nothing else.

The only thing that confused me was that this was narrated from two POVs – both Camino and Yahaira. I honestly didn’t realise until way too late that it wasn’t just Camino talking. I bet if I listened to the audio (Acevedo usually narrates her own audiobooks and has very distinct voices for her characters), I wouldn’t have gotten confused as to who was speaking in the chapter, but reading the physical book, I had trouble following because the voices were very similar.

What I loved most about Clap When You Land is even though it deals with harrowing topics like assault and grief and the media’s short attention span, it also featured a lot of hope. Camino’s aunt is known as a bit of a miracle worker and that hope spread from Camino’s best friend Carline having a beautiful baby boy who isn’t supposed to make it squealing happily at the end of the book to Yahaira’s mother reaching out to Camino to offer her the safe life in the States her father always envisioned for her. Yahaira’s girlfriend Dre is also a beacon of hope as she grows plants in unlikely places and sows seeds of better days to come along with them.

Ultimately, Clap When You Land is filled with powerful, feminist vibes – every woman featured in this novel was fierce in her own way – whether that meant standing up to bullies, working yourself into the ground to make others’ dreams come true or simply loving your child more than anyone ever thought possible. At its core, this is a story about survivors and everything that comes with it – guilt, trauma, fear, and finally, hopefully, acceptance. A beautiful but heartbreaking novel that will make you call up your parents to ask them who they are…and maybe to tell them that you love them.

Clap When You Land is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of May 5th 2020.

Will you be picking up Clap When You Land? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, National Book Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.

Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people…

In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash.

Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered.

And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.

The post Review: Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

In the past ten years there’s been immense growth in race representation within mainstream media. While there’s always been a market for books with POC leads, the amount of POC books that can be found in the forefront of book media has grown spectacularly, alongside the growth of diversity as well. With Black History Month still fresh on everyone’s minds, here are some books with POC leads that everyone should read at least once in their lifetime.

Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America

Black Enough is an anthology that is filled with beautiful short stories about different, and often hidden, experiences of being a black teen in America. The anthology has well crafted stories that resonate deeply with black people around the world who have experienced or heard of similar situations within their lives. Black Enough is a unique book that everyone should invest in reading in order to gain understanding of black experiences and black communities, not only in America, but also worldwide. The anthology contains stories that are strong both by themselves and within the collection as a whole.

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

Binti is a sci-fi coming-of-age novella that explores the difficulties of balancing and not losing your heritage while going against traditions in order to fulfil your dreams. The book explores racism and segregation in a straightforward way that isn’t overwhelming for most readers. It’s an easily digestible book and can be read in one sitting, but yet it’s still packed with lessons and informative situations that can teach anyone something about race, gender, and the way different types of communities/tribes work.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 

A list about books with people of colour leads wouldn’t be complete without The Hate U Give being mentioned. The award winning young adult book created waves not only in literature, but in the world as well. The book tackles racism, police brutality and activism in a way that correlates closely to what many black people in America face in a daily basis. The Hate U Give was the start of an era of young adult POC literature being in the forefront of media and carving a permanent spot at the media table. The book was revolutionary and will go down in history as one of the biggest diverse books of the time period. One things for certain, the book is definitely worth the hype.

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before was a teen phenomenon when it was adapted into one of the biggest Netflix movies of 2018. The cute, romantic book had hearts full as we all got drawn in by a story with a POC lead that wasn’t necessarily focused on being a person of colour. The book takes romance and makes it accessible to a younger audience, which made the story huge within pop culture. There’s something refreshing about reading a sweet, and not heavily political book, that still has impact and makes waves in the POC community.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

The Poet X is one of the best books of the era, period. The book tells a story in such a unique way by using prose. Each page, no matter how minimal, feels like a poem with meaning inside it. The book was highly hyped around its release, and it deserved every bit of hype that it got. The book should be a really should be a staple on everyone’s bookshelf.

And here are a few extra recommendations for those avid readers out there:

Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday by Natalie C. Anderson

Forced to become a child soldier, a sixteen-year-old Somali refugee must confront his painful past in this haunting, thrilling tale of loss and redemption for fans of A Long Way Gone and What is the What

The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan

A gritty novel that doesn’t shy away from the darkest corners of ourselves, The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali provides a timely and achingly honest portrait of what it’s like to grow up feeling unwelcome in your own culture and proves that love, above all else, has the power to change the world.

I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

At turns heartbreaking and joyous, I Wish You All the Best is both a celebration of life, friendship, and love, and a shining example of hope in the face of adversity.

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

The post Five Books With Wonderful POC Lead Characters appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Providence by Max Barry
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the ingenious author of Jennifer Government and Lexicon: a brilliant work of science fiction that tells the intimate tale of four people facing their most desperate hour–alone, together, at the edge of the universe.

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Five New Yorkers must come together in order to defend their city in the first book of a stunning new series by Hugo award-winning and NYT bestselling author N. K. Jemisin.

Anthropocene Rag by Alex Irvine
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Anthropocene Rag is “a rare distillation of nanotech, apocalypse, and mythic Americana into a heady psychedelic brew.”—Nebula and World Fantasy award-winning author Jeffrey Ford

Witches of Ash and Ruin by E. Latimer
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Modern witchcraft blends with ancient Celtic mythology in an epic clash of witches and gods, perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic trilogy and A Discovery of Witches.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

With the heart of an Atwood tale and the visuals of a classic Asian period drama The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a tightly and lushly written narrative about empire, storytelling, and the anger of women.

Cries from the Lost Island by Kathleen O’Neal Gear
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This standalone fantasy brings an ancient Egyptian mystery to life against a modern background, in a tale expertly crafted by a seasoned anthropologist.

The Companions by Katie M. Flynn
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Station Eleven meets Never Let Me Go in this debut novel set in an unsettling near future where the dead can be uploaded to machines and kept in service by the living.

Bone ​Crier’s Moon by Kathryn Purdie
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathryn Purdie comes a high-stakes fantasy duology flush with doomed romance and macabre magic, perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber and Roshani Chokshi.

The Killing Fog by Jeff Wheeler
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Kingfountain series conjures an epic, adventurous world of ancient myth and magic as a young woman’s battle with infinite evil begins.

A Phoenix First Must Burn by Patrice Caldwell
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Sixteen tales by bestselling and award-winning authors that explore the Black experience through fantasy, science fiction, and magic. Authors include Elizabeth Acevedo, Amerie, Dhonielle Clayton, Jalissa Corrie, Somaiya Daud, Charlotte Davis, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Justina Ireland, Danny Lore, L.L. McKinney, Danielle Paige, Rebecca Roanhorse, Karen Strong, Ashley Woodfolk, and Ibi Zoboi.

The Last Human by Zack Jordan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The last human in the universe must battle unfathomable alien intelligences—and confront the truth about humanity—in this ambitious, galaxy-spanning debut

Hearts of Oak by Eddie Robson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Hearts of Oak is a delightful science fiction adventure from Eddie Robson, the creator of the acclaimed Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully.

What fantasy and sci-fi release are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post March 2020 Book Releases: Fantasy + Sci-Fi appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Perhaps you’re in need of some YA? Be on the look out for Leigh Bardugo’s King of Scars, Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Virtue and Vengeance, Christine Riccio’s Again, But Better, and Kasie West’s Maybe This Time.

If fantasy and sci-fi is more your speed, pick up Samantha Shannon’s The Priory of the Orange Tree, Marlon James’ Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Gods of Jade and Shadow, or Rick Riordan’s The Tyrant’s Tomb.

Or get drawn into a good mystery or thriller with Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen’s An Anonymous Girl, Samantha Downing’s My Lovely Wife, Wendy Walker’s The Night Before, and Megan Goldin’s The Escape Room.

Read on to discover just a few of the exciting 2019 new releases you can check out and tell us in the comments below if you will be adding them to your list!

JANUARY

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us comes an electrifying new novel about doubt, passion, and just how much you can trust someone.

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way.

99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An unforgettable romantic comedy about a woman who finally has a shot at her long time crush—if she dares.

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Set in a darkly glamorous world, The Gilded Wolves is full of mystery, decadence, and dangerous but thrilling adventure.

The Suspect by Fiona Barton
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The new must-read standalone crime thriller from the author of Sunday Times bestseller, The Widow, and the Richard & Judy No. 1 bestseller, The Child – featuring unforgettable journalist, Kate Waters.

Golden Child by Claire Adam
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A deeply affecting debut novel set in Trinidad, following the lives of a family as they navigate impossible choices about scarcity, loyalty, and love.

FEBRUARY

On The Come Up by Angie Thomas
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

On the Come Up is Angie Thomas’s homage to hip-hop, the art that sparked her passion for storytelling and continues to inspire her to this day.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the internationally bestselling author of The Bone Season, a trailblazing, epic high fantasy about a world on the brink of war with dragons – and the women who must lead the fight to save it.

The Huntress by Kate Quinn
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A fascinating historical novel about a battle-haunted English journalist and a Russian female bomber pilot who join forces to track the Huntress, a Nazi war criminal gone to ground in America.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Marlon James draws on a rich tradition of African mythology, fantasy and history to imagine an ancient world, a lost child, an extraordinary hunter, and a mystery with many answers…

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband—and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive…

Bowlaway by Elizabeth McCracken
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A sweeping and enchanting new novel from the widely beloved, award-winning author Elizabeth McCracken about three generations of an unconventional New England family who own and operate a candlepin bowling alley

MARCH

Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Pena
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Clark Kent has always been faster, stronger, better than everyone around him. But he wasn’t raised to show off, and drawing attention to himself could be dangerous. Plus, it’s not like he’s earned his powers . . . yet.

Run Away by Harlan Coben
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

She’s addicted to drugs and to an abusive boyfriend. You haven’t seen her in six months. Then you find her busking in New York’s Central Park. But she’s not the girl you remember. This woman is frail, filthy, terrified, and in more trouble than you ever imagined.

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi (Pushed back to June 2019)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Dexter meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith in this wildly compulsive debut thriller about a couple whose fifteen-year marriage has finally gotten too interesting…

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
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A thrilling story told in the form of an extended oral history, Daisy Jones and the Six transports the reader to the world of ’70’s rock ‘n roll; creative chaos, musical alchemy and an iconic sound.

Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Influenced by the mysterious place gingerbread holds in classic children’s stories from the tantalizing witch’s house in “Hansel and Gretel” to the man-shaped confection who one day decides to run as fast as he can. this is a delightful tale of a surprising family legacy, in which the inheritance is a recipe.

APRIL

Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, the paths of three individuals entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light

The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A twisty, compelling novel about one woman’s complicated relationship with her mother-in-law that ends in murder…

The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare
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From #1 New York Times bestseller Cassandra Clare and award-winner Wesley Chu comes the first book in a new series that follows High Warlock Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood as they tour the world after the Mortal War.

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this shimmering Chinese-inspired fantasy, debut author Joan He introduces a determined and vulnerable young heroine struggling to do right in a world brimming with deception.

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Compulsive, creepy, and inspired by some our darkest fairy tales, Little Darlings will have you checking―and rechecking―your own little ones. Just to be sure. Just to be safe.

Meet Cute by Helena Hunting
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The New York Times bestselling author of Pucked and The Good Luck Charm delivers a Hollywood happily-ever-after where a famous heartthrob falls for his ultimate fangirl in this sexy standalone romantic comedy.

MAY

Again, But Better by Christine Riccio
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Shane has been doing college all wrong. Her life has been dorm, dining hall, class, repeat. She needs a change — there’s nothing like moving to a new country to really mix things up. Shane signs up for a semester abroad in London. She’s going to right all her college mistakes: make friends, pursue boys, and find adventure! Easier said than done.

The Night Before by Wendy Walker
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Told in dual timelines—the night before and the day after—The Night Before is a riveting thriller about family loyalty, obsession, and what happens when the desire for love spins out of control.

Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman
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The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the academy would touch…

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the critically acclaimed author of The Kiss Quotient comes a romantic novel about love that crosses international borders and all boundaries of the heart…

We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah Faizal
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, We Hunt the Flame is a gripping debut of discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands.

With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the New York Times bestselling author of the National Book Award longlist title The Poet X comes a dazzling novel in prose about a girl with talent, pride, and a drive to feed the soul that keeps her fire burning bright.

JUNE

I’ll Never Tell by Catherine McKenzie
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From Catherine McKenzie, the instant bestselling author of The Good Liar, comes a riveting domestic suspense in the vein of Liane Moriarty that sees five siblings forced to confront a tragedy they thought was buried long ago.

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens comes an imaginative fantasy about an apprentice at a magical library who must battle a powerful sorcerer to save her kingdom.

The Beholder by Anna Bright
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Follow Brother Zachariah and see, against the backdrop of the Shadow Market’s dark dealings and festive celebrations, Anna Lightwood’s first romance, Matthew Fairchild’s great sin and Tessa Gray plunged into a world war. Valentine Morgenstern buys a soul at the Market and a young Jace Wayland’s soul finds safe harbor.

The Long Flight Home by Alan Hlad
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Inspired by fascinating, true, yet little-known events during World War II, The Long Flight Home is a testament to the power of courage in our darkest hours—a moving, masterfully written story of love and sacrifice.

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
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From the # 1 New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love and The Signature of All Things, a delicious novel of glamour, sex, and adventure, about a young woman discovering that you don’t have to be a good girl to be a good person.

JULY

Dark Age by Pierce Brown
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Morning Star returns to the Red Rising universe with the thrilling sequel to Iron Gold.

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
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The next heart-pounding thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager follows a young woman whose new job apartment sitting in one of New York’s oldest and most glamorous buildings may cost more than it pays.

The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory
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Maddie and Theo have two things in common: Alexa is their best friend and they hate each other. After an “oops, we made a mistake” night together, neither one can stop thinking about the other.

The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen
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A gritty YA fantasy about a young chieftain from a persecuted caste of mercy-killers who must rely on her wits and bone magic to smuggle the crown prince to safety.

Maybe This Time by Kasie West
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One year. Nine events. Nine chances to…fall in love? Told over the course of one year and following Sophie from event to event, this delightful novel from master of romantic comedy Kasie West shows how love can blossom in unexpected places.

This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amar El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
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Two time-traveling agents from warring futures, working their way through the past, begin to exchange letters—and fall in love in this thrilling and romantic book from award-winning authors Amal-El Mohtar and Max Gladstone.

AUGUST

Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center
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From the New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk Away comes a stunning new novel about family, hope, and learning to love against all odds.

The Escape Room by Megan Goldin
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

For fans of JP Delaney’s The Girl Before and Ruth Ware’s The Woman in Cabin 10 comes this hair-raising novel of deception and revenge that will blow readers away.

The Dragon Republic by RF Kuang
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The sequel to R.F. Kuang’s acclaimed debut THE POPPY WAR, THE DRAGON REPUBLIC combines the history of 20th-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating effect.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Mayan God of Death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore, for readers of The Song of Achilles and Uprooted.

Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of Rust & Stardust comes this heartbreaking story, inspired by true events, of how far one mother must go to protect her daughter.

Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell
Goodreads | Amazon

Pumpkinheads is a book about fall and friendship and saying good-bye. About puns and pumpkin spice. And about taking a moment, while everything around you changes, to appreciate something wonderful.

SEPTEMBER

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
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Margaret Atwood’s sequel picks up the story 15 years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead.

Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A ruthless young assassin’s journey for revenge comes to a stunning end in the conclusion of this acclaimed epic fantasy trilogy.

The World of Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
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The official guide to the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series complete with characters, creatures, new artwork, and more!

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Ninth House trilogy—Gideon the Ninth, Harrow the Ninth, and Alecto the Ninth—is an epic science fantasy that blends necromantic theory and thrilling swordplay with a wicked, sacrilegious sense of humor; a modern mix of Dune, Riddick, and Gormenghast.

His Hideous Heart by Dahlia Adler, Kendare Blake, Rin Chupeco, and more
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Dahlia Adler (ed.)’s HIS HIDEOUS HEART, a collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s most unsettling and surprising short stories reimagined by authors Kendare Blake, Rin Chupeco, Lamar Giles, Tessa Gratton, Tiffany Jackson, Stephanie Kuehn, Amanda Lovelace, Emily Lloyd-Jones, Hillary Monahan, Marieke Nijkamp, Caleb Roehrig, and Fran Wild.

The Tyrant’s Tomb by Rick Riordan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

It’s not easy being Apollo, especially when you’ve been turned into a human and banished from Olympus. On his path to restoring five ancient oracles and reclaiming his godly powers, Apollo (aka Lester Papadopoulos) has faced both triumphs and tragedies. Now his journey takes him to Camp Jupiter in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the Roman demigods are preparing for a desperate last stand against the evil Triumvirate of Roman emperors.

OCTOBER

The New Bad Thing by Michael Ebner
Goodreads | Book Depository

Teagan can’t have what she wants most in life. Now everywhere she goes and everyone she knows are constant reminders of this. Desperate for a distraction, she needs to focus her energy elsewhere. Suddenly a foreign news story shocks her to the core. From that moment, she takes matters into her own hands and starts a special project. It could become a global game changer.

The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh
Goodreads

At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful. And these vampires don’t sparkle. They slay.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The new series centers on Alex Stern, a 20-year-old California high school dropout with a criminal past who is mysteriously offered a second chance as a Yale University freshman. Ninth House, the first book, follows Stern’s freshman year, where she is charged with monitoring Yale’s secret societies, who engage in sinister occult activities.

Untitled by Paula Hawkins
Goodreads

The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco
Goodreads

Pitched as Frozen meets Mad Max, the series is about a world ruled by goddesses that has been split in two—one half existing in perpetual scorching Day, the other in freezing Night—and the twins separated at birth who learn they’re destined to make their way across the great divide and rule a reunited world.

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

NOVEMBER – DECEMBER

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a strange book hidden in the library stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood.

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Cassandra Clare comes the first novel in a brand-new trilogy that stars the Shadowhunters of Edwardian London. Chain of Gold is a Shadowhunters novel.

Starsight by Brandon Sanderson
Goodreads

The follow-up to Brandon Sanderson’s 2018 YA sci-fi novel Skyward.

The Light of All The Falls by James Islington
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Light of All That Falls concludes the epic adventure that began in The Shadow of What Was Lost, the acclaimed fantasy blockbuster from James Islington.

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A heart-breaking, uplifting story for fans of PS I Love You and Jojo Moyes, this gorgeously romantic novel will make you laugh, cry and remind you of what a wonderful gift it is to love and to be loved.

Quantum by Patricia Cornwell
Goodreads | Amazon

International bestselling, award-winning, and groundbreaking author Patricia Cornwell will introduce a new heroine for the technological age with Quantum.

What new release are you most excited to read this year? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 2019 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

A line or two rhymed, works magic when timed. All the poetry lovers out there, this one is for you. Here are some of the best released poetry books of this year for you to engage in, so dive in and let your heart melt with each verse!

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to the world. A story that will slam the power of poetry and love back into your heart! The book is about a teen girl named Xiomara Batista. She uses her own poetry and enters into the world of slam poetry, in an attempt to understand her divorced feelings from her religion, her tumultuous relationship with her family, and her own identity and place in this world. You will be rooting for her from the very beginning of the book.

The Dark Interval by Rainer Maria Rilke
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

This book collects the poet’s best writings on grief and loss. The result is a profound vision of the mourning process and a meditation on death’s place in our lives, as well as a compilation of sensitive and moving expressions of consolation and condolence. This is a slow and savour read, that requires thought and reflection. Here is a quote:

”When the weight of all my dreams
Is resting heavy on my head
And the thoughtful words of help and hope
Have all been nicely said
But I’m still hurting, wondering if I’ll ever be the one
I think I am–I think I am.”

If They Come For Us by Fatimah Asghar
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The book captures the experiences of being a young Pakistani Muslim woman in America by braiding together personal and marginalised people’s histories. After being orphaned as a young girl, Asghar grapples with coming-of-age as a woman without the guidance of a mother, questions of sexuality and race, and navigating a world that put a target on her back. This is a beautiful and touching collection about homeland, family, and belonging.

Pillow Thoughts II: Healing the Heart by Courtney Peppernell
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The poet understands that healing is a process, and Pillow Thoughts II eloquently captures the time and experience that one goes through on their journey to peace through restoration. This book is a collection of inspirational and comforting poems for anyone who is mending from a broken heart. Here’s a heart touching quote from it:

“Responsibility can feel heavy and growing up too,
Some moments feel like nobody understands you
What you are going through
Who to trust
Who you want to be
But in the end, all things come together
you’ll see”

Every Little Bad Idea by Caitie McKay
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The women in Skyler Wise’s family have a weakness for bad boys, but not Skyler. She has one thing on her mind, leaving her run-down neighbourhood and going to college. When Skyler’s normally strict mom starts dating again, she feels abandoned. Skyler meets Cole, a boy who makes her question everything she thought she knew about herself and her future. Even though he has a dangerous reputation, Skyler believes she knows the real Cole, the sweet, caring boyfriend who makes her feel seen for once in her life. When Cole starts to change, Skyler realizes that she’ll do anything to keep him around, even if it means giving up her dream and losing the people closest to her.

A beautiful story told in verse about the power of a relationship to heal you or tear you down. Skyler’s desire to be a perfect person, live up to her mother’s expectations, and also want to find out what else in the world is worth discovering is something we can all relate to.

The Colors of the Rain by R.L. Toalson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Ten-year-old Paulie Sanders hates his name because it also belonged to his daddy-his daddy who killed a fellow white man and then crashed his car. With his mama unable to cope, Paulie and his sister, Charlie, move in with their Aunt Bee and attend a new elementary school. But it’s 1972, and this new school puts them right in the middle of the Houston School District’s war on desegregation. Paulie soon begins to question everything. He hears his daddy’s crime was a race-related one; he killed a white man defending a black man, and when Paulie starts picking fights with a black boy at school, he must face his reasons for doing so. When dark family secrets are revealed, the way forward for everyone will change the way Paulie thinks about family forever.

Readers will connect with Paulie’s honest, emotionally raw voice. Told in stunning verse, this is a heartbreaking story filled with hope, where Paulie’s world falls apart, but he learns to piece it back together as he re-examines what it means to be both a family and a friend.

The Longest Night: A Collection of Poetry from a Life Half Lived by Ranata Suzuki
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Heartbreak and grief touch every soul at least once in a lifetime and the poetess translates those raw emotions into words. A book for anyone who has found themselves separated from someone they love no matter the circumstance, The Longest Night is a companion for the broken heart on the painful emotional journey that is losing someone you love from your life. Its words serve as a comforting reminder, whether you are travelling this road or have recently completed this journey yourself, that despite the loneliness you may sometimes feel along the way none of us walk this path alone.

Not Here by Hieu Minh Nguyen
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Not Here is a flight plan for escape and a map for navigating home; a queer Vietnamese American body in confrontation with whiteness, trauma, family, and nostalgia; and a big beating heart of a book. Nguyen’s poems ache with loneliness and desire and the giddy terrors of allowing yourself to hope for love, and revel in moments of connection achieved.

The Witch Doesn’t Burn In This One by Amanda Lovelace
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2016 Goodreads Choice Award-winning poet Amanda Lovelace returns in the witch doesn’t burn in this one — the bold second book in her “women are some kind of magic” series. The witch: supernaturally powerful, inscrutably independent, and now—indestructible. These moving, relatable poems encourage resilience and embolden women to take control of their own stories. Enemies try to judge, oppress, and marginalize her, but the witch doesn’t burn in this one.

For Everyone by Jason Reynolds
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This is a book for everyone. For every one person. For every one dream. But especially for every one kid. The kids who dream of being better than they are. Kids who dream of doing more than they almost dare to dream. Kids who are like Jason Reynolds, a self-professed dreamer. Jason does not claim to know how to make dreams come true; he has, in fact, been fighting on the front line of his own battle to make his own dreams a reality. He expected to make it when he was sixteen. Then eighteen. Then twenty-five. Now, some of those expectations have been re

Do you have a favourite poetry book from 2018? Tell us in the comments below!

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