Erica Waters has this mystical touch that infuses her books with magic. Her books are so deeply infused with this woody, mysterious and naturalistic power that blurs the line between fantasy and reality. Her writing is so elegant, yet unnerving and creepy at the same time. At this point, she is a YA horror author you have to keep on your radar.

Her blend of pulse-pounding mystery and that unnerving sense of something beyond your comprehension, combined with unapologetically queer characters, creates something you have not seen before. That representation is amazing to see, with these queer girls finding themselves and their own path through these horrific situations. In particular, I loved Lucy, Carolina and Maggie. They’re all intense and interesting characters, with plenty of layers to delve into. Waters keenly focuses on the impact of trauma in the book, with different ghosts of their pasts resurfacing to affect their psyches and provide insight into their motivations. This well-developed trio invites you to allow them into your hearts, only for them to break them once more.

This is an impressively well-constructed mystery with plenty of suspects, red herrings and the all important twists. It is tight, slick and keeps you on your toes. The way Waters weaves in ethical interrogation of true crime is a fantastic throughline. The exploitation of suffering and pain for entertainment is put on full display here, as well as the variety of reasonings people give for their enjoyment of the genre. It works as escapism, catharsis for personal issues, or a way to better navigate the world for some. Of course, there is also some sickening aspects to it, with a glorification of the killer and a disregard for the impact of revisiting these crimes may have for the victims. It is ultimately all about spectacle and what will create the biggest story. Waters showcases these murky territories expertly, allowing for nuance and development of ideas.

In The Restless Dark, there is always this sense of the uncanny permeating every page. You are constantly confronted with the underlying uneasiness of if this is ghosts or a more monstrous human influence behind some of the events. This fantastical questioning of the story adds that extra layer to the story that elevates it and perfectly compliments Waters’ lyrical writing. I love how much her books thrive in that thick and all-consuming atmosphere. They truly feel like campfire tales, shrouded in smoke and secrets. The layers to them are so enjoyable to unravel. Also, the setting itself comes to life, becoming a haunting presence looming over everything. Something here is clearly not right and that menacing presence pays off in some brilliant ways. The amplification of everyone’s darkest desires is a fascinating concept and allows some really dark moments to take place. That consummate sense of paranoia colours every page and starts to sink into your mind. Everyone here is an unreliable narrator, right down to the setting. That bone chilling unease is tied to the fleeting and unknowable nature of the place, creating so many questions that will never be answered.

The Restless Dark is a book that conjures those shadows in the night, full of darkness, mystery and something you can’t quite explain. For me, this makes for dynamite reading that I cannot get enough of.

The Restless Dark is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up The Restless Dark? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Enter Cloudkiss Canyon at your own risk.

The Cloudkiss Killer is dead. Now a true-crime podcast is hosting a contest to find his bones.

Lucy was almost the serial killer’s final victim. Carolina is a true-crime fan who fears her own rage. Maggie is a psychology student with a little too much to hide.

All of them are looking for answers, for a new identity, for a place to bury their secrets.

But there are more than bones hiding in the shadows…sometimes the darkness inside is more frightening than anything the dead leave behind.

Perfect for fans of Sadie and Wilder Girls, this newest novel from Erica Waters follows three girls at a true-crime contest to find the bones of a lost killer—even as a mysterious force pulls at the contestants’ darkest desires.

The post Review: The Restless Dark by Erica Waters appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

This folk horror anthology offers thirteen distinctive stories, with unique voices and characters. They are all rooted in some sense, be that to a community, isolated setting or character. This review will break down each story, giving you a sense of the terror uniting them all.

Stay by Erica Waters proves once more why Waters is so damn good at these stories bogged down in myth and mystery and a little sprinkle of magic. This story really digs into toxic family enmeshment, particularly the idea of familial duty. Ghosts are the embodiment of our past refracting into our present. Waters emphasises this in the honouring of ancestry and family, but also indicating how this can perpetuate a toxic cycle.

Similarly, The Tallest Poppy by Chloe Gong is a classically unnerving horror story. It is no surprise that yet again I adored Gong’s style—it was mysterious, lyrical and tinged with danger. I felt utterly wrapped up within the story. It was wonderfully Gothic, brimming with a cursed house, mysterious illnesses and dolls that I’m not sure I can ever forget.

Loved by All, Save One by Tori Bovalino was a fantastic ghost story about unsolved murders, memory and legacy. Bovalino knows how to handle tension, with it constantly ramping up. This is underlined with the unexpected plot shift, which was great fun. It questions the narrative surrounding victims of violent crimes, namely why do we only remember the violent end rather than the life that came before?

One-Lane Bridge by Hannah Whitten is a fiercely insightful story about anger, fracturing friendships and growing up. It is mired in blood and sacrifices, calling to that deep pit of anger that lurks inside us all. Whitten introduces an intriguing examination of the validity of that anger and how it can be abused by others. Following on, The Ghost on the Shore by Alison Saft was a stunning sapphic story about love, loss and grief. I thought it enclosed really quite beautiful sentiments about these topics in a creative way. One of my standouts of the anthology was Petrified by Olivia Chadha. I loved the way the protection of the land and nature forms a key part of the narrative here. It is such an impactful and genuinely chilling story that reflects the monstrosity of mankind. Third Burn by Courtney Gould has a similar reflection, with a focus on female anger and the patriarchy’s reaction to women it cannot control. I loved the way Gould intersected the past and present, to really demonstrate this legacy of women moving beyond the control of their town/society.

It Stays With You by Aden Polydoros does not hang around, getting straight into deadly territory. I adored this fresh take on the Bloody Mary myth, with a pinch of Pennywise mixed in for good measure. Polydoros deftly explores facing trauma and defeating your monsters, while emphatically emphasising how recovery is a journey with highs and pitfalls. Alex Brown continues that raw vulnerability in Truth or Dare. This story is so about a toxic and manipulative relationship, with elements of narrative ambiguity and distrust. The ending continues this, with nothing being truly explained and plenty left open for discussion. Finally, we conclude with The Burning One by Shakira Toussaint. What a firecracker of a story for the anthology to end on. This is an incredibly strong story, with an unconventional writing style that really pulls you into the narrative.

The Gathering Dark is an incredibly strong anthology, with every story adding another layer of fear and intensely atmospheric writing. This is a must-add for every horror lover’s shelf.

The Gathering Dark is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of September 6th 2022.

Will you be picking up The Gathering Dark? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Urban legends and folktales are given new life in this collection of 13 spine-tingling stories from a stellar line-up of critically acclaimed authors.

A cemetery full of the restless dead. A town so wicked it has already burned twice, with the breath of the third fire looming. A rural, isolated bridge with a terrifying monster waiting for the completion of its summoning ritual. A lake that allows the drowned to return, though they have been changed by the claws of death. These are the shadowed, liminal spaces where the curses and monsters lurk, refusing to be forgotten.

Hauntings, and a variety of horrifying secrets, lurk in the places we once called home. Written by New York Times bestselling, and other critically acclaimed, authors these stories shed a harsh light on the scariest tales we grew up with.

The post Review: The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

We chat with author Erica Waters about her second YA novel, The River Has Teeth, as well as writing, book recommendations, first reads, and so much more! PLUS we have the entire first chapter for you to devour at the end of the interview!

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

Sure! I am a lifelong Southerner currently living in Nashville. I have two terrible dogs that I love a ridiculous amount and a perennial flower garden I tend with benevolent neglect. I also build terrariums and spend a lot of time trying to make a perfect cup of tea.

I write YA novels that are a bit fantasy, a bit thriller, and a lot supernatural. I love the intersection of magic and contemporary life and how speculative fiction can get at deeper issues. I can’t seem to stop writing about ghosts.

How has the first half of 2021 been for you?

Simultaneously busy and quiet. I’ve been working pretty steadily on a new novel, always up against a deadline, as well as getting The River Has Teeth ready for publication. I also work part-time as a university writing tutor, which I’ve been doing virtually. Now that I’m vaccinated and on summer break, I’m starting to venture out into the world a bit more, but it’s hard to shed my pandemic habit of being home all the time. I’ve gone to my favorite café a few times to write, which was one of the things I missed most.

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!

The first book I remember reading is, weirdly enough, one of those vintage kindergarten primers, like See Spot Run or Dick and Jane—something like that. The one that made me want to write YA fantasy: Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor. And the one I can’t stop thinking about is Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I read it months ago and it still sometimes creeps into my nightmares!

When did you first discover your love for writing?

In elementary school. I devoured books, especially classics and spooky reads, and thought there was no greater magic than storytelling. Plus, I kept winning little writing awards, so I knew I was good at it. That’s a potent combination!

I’ve always known I wanted to be a writer, though I wasn’t sure what kind. I tried on poetry for a long while, then creative nonfiction. I only got serious about writing fiction in my 20s after taking a creative writing class in grad school and realizing it was what I should be doing.

Your new novel, The River Has Teeth, is out July 27^th 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Atmospheric, intense, dark, eerie, sapphic

What can readers expect?

Readers can expect an immersive, character-like setting; dark and powerful magic; big, sometimes destructive emotions; and a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers style romance.

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

This was my first time writing a dual-point-of-view novel, with two narrators. It was challenging to make the voices distinct enough and to figure out how to pace out the plot from two different perspectives. The voices issue was more easily solved—make sure the two characters are very different people, with different ways of speaking and thinking, different interests. The pacing was a longer, more involved process of thinking hard about which character had the most at stake in each scene and whose perspective would be most emotionally impactful.

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

I loved writing all of the magic! I took a naturalist class while I was writing, and I tried to translate the ecological concepts I learned and things I observed in nature into Della’s family’s complex and powerful magic. For example, Della’s magic involves tapping into the forest’s fungal network, which I just had so much fun with.

I also really enjoyed writing Della’s (monster) mom. Her character to me feels like swimming in a murky lake, where you’re unsure what might be lurking and lying in wait. I’d actually love to write a prequel about her.

This is your second novel! What have you learned since your debut novel Ghost Wood Song?

I’ve learned, thankfully, to chill out and to hold everything more lightly—reviews, sales, my social media presence, disappointments. There’s very little authors can control when it comes to publishing. All we can really control is writing the best possible books we can, so that’s where I put my energy these days.

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

Honestly, I think the same piece of advice can be good for one writer and bad for the next. I’m always interested in learning from other writers, but I’m suspicious of any advice that doesn’t come with the caveat of “This is what worked for me.” Part of the reason it took me so long to start writing fiction seriously was that I took a piece of advice that was bad for me personally too much to heart.

What’s next for you?

I have another queer supernatural YA out with HarperTeen in fall 2022 called The Restless Dark. It’s about two girls who team up in a macabre true crime contest to find the missing bones of a serial killer in a foggy, eerie canyon in Georgia. I’m also playing around with a spooky MG novel and an adult horror novel.

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

I’m reading Plain Bad Heroines by emily m. danforth right now and really enjoying it. It’s smart and funny and creepy, and Sarah Waters blurbed it, which is all the reason I ever need to read a book. Some other books I’ve loved so far this year are Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss (which made my heart race) and Ghostways by Robert Macfarlane (which is so strange and lovely and just plain cool).

Three stellar but not-yet-released YA novels readers should watch out for in the coming months: The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould, Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood, and A Rush of Wings by Laura Weymouth.

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Will you be picking up The River Has Teeth? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Erica Waters, Author of ‘The River Has Teeth’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover just a few books releasing this month and tell us in the comments below if you’re looking forward to any of them!

The River Has Teeth by Erica Waters
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Lush and chilling, with razor-sharp edges and an iron core of hope, this bewitching, powerhouse novel of two girls fighting back against the violence the world visits on them will stun and enchant readers.

Curses by Lish McBride
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Curses is a quirky and delightfully fun gender swapped retelling of Beauty and the Beast that invites readers to explore what a fairy tale can look like outside of conventional gender roles.

Small Favors by Erin A. Craig
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows comes a mesmerizing and chilling novel that’s The Village meets Needful Things about what lurks in the shadows of the people you think you know.

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Get Out meets Holly Jackson in this YA social thriller where survival is not a guarantee.

The Monster of Her Age by Danielle Binks
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In a neo-Gothic mansion in a city at the end of the world, Ellie finds there’s room enough for art, family, forgiveness and love. A coming-of-age story about embracing the things that scare us from the author of The Year the Maps Changed.

When We Were Strangers by Alex Richards
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of Accidental comes a gripping story about a teen grieving her father’s sudden death–and grappling with the shocking secrets he left behind.

Radha & Jai’s Recipe for Romance by Nisha Sharma
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

To All the Boys I Loved Before meets World of Dance in this delectable love story that combines food, dance, and a hint of drama to cook up the perfect romance.

Flash Fire by T.J. Klune
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Flash Fire is the explosive sequel to The Extraordinaries by USA Today bestselling author TJ Klune!

You and Me at the End of the World by Brianna Bourne
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An addictive, smart, and swoony love story, this high-concept YA romance follows two teenagers as they discover that they are the last people left on Earth. It’s perfect for fans of John Green, Andrew Smith, Stephanie Perkins, A. S. King, Gayle Forman, and Adam Silvera.

What We Devour by Linsey Miller
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The eat-the-rich, deliciously dark fantasy you’ve been waiting for. A girl with the power of the banished gods must bind herself to a wicked Prince to save her crumbling world, as the poor are sacrificed to save the rich. It’s time for the wealthy to be devoured…

They’ll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From rising star Jessica Goodman, author of They Wish They Were Us, comes a new fast-paced thriller about two sisters vying for the top spot on their cross-country team—until a teammate’s disappearance throws their lives off course.  

Summer in the City of Roses by Michelle Ruiz Keil
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Inspired by the Greek myth of Iphigenia and the Grimm fairy tale “Brother and Sister,” Michelle Ruiz Keil’s second novel follows two siblings torn apart and struggling to find each other in early ’90s Portland.

What July YA releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post July 2021 YA Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Faithless Hawk by Margaret Owen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Kings become outcasts and lovers become foes in the thrilling sequel to Margaret Owen’s The Merciful Crow.

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut.

Shielded by KayLynn Flanders
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

For fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Furyborn comes a thrilling new fantasy about a kingdom ravaged by war, and the princess who might be the key to saving not only those closest to her, but the kingdom itself, if she reveals the very secret that could destroy her.

Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The alternate history first contact adventure Axiom’s End is an extraordinary debut from Hugo finalist and video essayist Lindsay Ellis.

Trouble the Saints by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The dangerous magic of The Night Circus meets the powerful historical exploration of The Underground Railroad in this timely and unsettling novel, set against the darkly glamorous backdrop of New York City at the dawn of WWII.

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor (An Absolutely Remarkable Thing #2) by Hank Green
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is the bold and brilliant follow-up to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. It’s a fast-paced adventure that is also a biting social commentary, asking hard, urgent questions. How will we live online? What powers over our lives are we giving away for free? Who has the right to change the world forever? And how do we find comfort in an increasingly isolated world?

A Peculiar Peril (Misadventures of Jonathan Lambshead #1) by Jeff VanderMeer
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An epic about three friends on a quest to protect the world from a threat as unknowable as it is terrifying.

Quantum Shadows by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Bestselling author of The Mongrel Mage, L. E. Modesitt, Jr’s Quantum Shadows blends science fiction, myth, and legend in an adventure that pits old gods and new against one another in a far future world.

Scarlet Odyssey (Scarlet Odyssey #1) by C.T. Rwizi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Magic is women’s work; war is men’s. But in the coming battle, none of that will matter.

Peace Talks (The Dresden Files, #16) by Jim Butcher
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

When the Supernatural nations of the world meet up to negotiate an end to ongoing hostilities, Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, joins the White Council’s security team to make sure the talks stay civil. But can he succeed, when dark political manipulations threaten the very existence of Chicago—and all he holds dear?

Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Sawkill Girls meets Beautiful Creatures in this lush and eerie debut, where the boundary between reality and nightmares is as thin as the veil between the living and the dead. 

Ashes of the Sun (Burningblade & Silvereye #1) by Django Wexler
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Long ago, a magical war destroyed an empire, and a new one was built in its ashes. But still the old grudges simmer, and two siblings will fight on opposite sides to save their world, in the start of Django Wexler’s new epic fantasy trilogy.

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

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

Review:

What an unusual read Waters’ debut ended up being for me.

First of all, I have to give kudos to the cover illustrator. Never have I been this lured in by a cover and never has it fit more with the vibe of the story within the book.

Waters sure knows how to write a haunted rural area. The setting of this story and the tone of doom and despair that Waters’ writing invoked were for sure my favourite part of this novel. The descriptions of the music Shady and her friends play, the sorrowful songs all centring around death paired with the concept of a fiddle that can bring back ghosts immediately drew me into this story. Though the secondary characters could have been more fleshed out, I thought that the sense of dread underlying almost every interaction within the novel made for a good time. This isn’t a scary read, by any means. As a certified scaredy-cat, I can confirm that there are no jump scares or anything like that; instead, this novel very much focuses on the vibe of it all to get you shivering.

Shady’s group of friends is surprisingly supportive of her and her desire to unravel the secrets of her family tree and the death of not only her father but also her stepfather. As they uncover hidden plots and strained relationships, the tension and romance revs up and it all tied together nicely at the end, especially Shady’s descriptions of the haggard world she’s living in and her spooky memories involving ghosts and heartbreaking scenes with her father tugged at my tear ducts. While I wasn’t too invested in the whodunit plot of it all, the spooky vibes and overall setting of the story still kept me engaged to the last page.

The bisexual rep in this one was really mellow and I enjoyed it quite a lot! Instead of feeding into the been-there-done-that stereotypes so often associated with bisexuality like that bisexual people are greedy, Waters instead offers up a realistic portrayal of Shady Grove who’s trying her hardest to come to terms with her somewhat unrequited feelings for her best friend while also finding herself inexplicably drawn to Cedar, a fellow musician who seems to just get her. There’s a bit of wavering and the love triangle is more of a tug of war at points where Shady is the only one pulling but it was still nicely done.

A creepily clever debut, Ghost Wood Song works hard against bisexual clichés and instead pulls readers into an atmospheric story reminiscent of classic Southern Gothic literature, filled with ghosts, family secrets and things that should better stay buried.

Ghost Wood Song is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of July 21st 2020.

Will you be picking up Ghost Wood Song? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

If I could have a fiddle made of Daddy’s bones, I’d play it. I’d learn all the secrets he kept.

Shady Grove inherited her father’s ability to call ghosts from the grave with his fiddle, but she also knows the fiddle’s tunes bring nothing but trouble and darkness.

But when her brother is accused of murder, she can’t let the dead keep their secrets.

In order to clear his name, she’s going to have to make those ghosts sing.

The post #ReadWithPride: Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters appeared first on The Nerd Daily.