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

Hi! I’m a queer, autistic, nonbinary (she/they) writer. I’m Australian, but I live in Brooklyn with my wife and our cats. My hobbies include reading, finding new bookstores to explore, and trying to keep plants alive.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

When I was a kid, my mum enrolled my brother and I in an after school writing club where we wrote stories, drew illustrations and then the club leader turned them into homemade picture books. That sparked a love of storytelling in me that I didn’t fully appreciate until recently. As I got older, I drifted to and from writing in between other interests, and picked it up again at around 25.

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 and obsessing over was the Goosebumps book Why I’m Afraid Of Bees. The two books that made me want to become a writer – but also made me feel like there might be a space for my work – were Everything Leads To You by Nina LaCour and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. The book I can’t stop thinking about right now is my current read: Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy.

Your latest novel, This Is the Way the World Ends, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Dark acadamia meets Gossip Girl.

What can readers expect?

A fast-paced thriller about power and privilege, set over one fateful night at a masquerade ball. It’s about the people who are most left behind – queer, disabled, marginalized youth – fighting back against the people with the most power.

Where did the inspiration for This Is the Way the World Ends come from?

I’ve always been intrigued (and grossed out) by the things rich and powerful people do to stay rich and powerful. It’s a trend right now across all content, everyone seems to be obsessed with the high drama of watching the 1% implode – IRL or on shows like Succession. During the height of the pandemic, my anger at the wealthiest members of society sky-rocketed as we watched them take advantage of the crisis to line their pockets and leaving the most vulnerable to suffer. I deal with my rage by writing it into my books, so that’s what I did with This Is The Way The World Ends.

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

I really enjoyed building the backstory between Waverly and Ash, showing how their relationship began, blossomed and then withered to the point it’s at when we first meet Waverly. I also loved writing the friendship between Waverly and Pari, how they fit so well together despite their differences and always have each other’s backs.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you tackle them?

Keeping track of where everyone was in the large factory was tricky, and so was writing the action scenes where many characters were involved. The part of the process that I always get stuck in is the editing, when I feel like I’ve hit a wall and can’t possible read the same page again. That’s when I need to take a break, maybe spend a day or two just consuming content for enjoyment or working on a different project, so I can come back with fresher eyes. But that’s always easier said than done!

What’s next for you?

My debut middle-grade novel, PAIGE NOT FOUND, comes out with Scholastic in 2024! It follows 11-year-old Paige as she learns that her mind is under the control of an impulsive billionaire who thinks her autism needs a “cure” and joins forces with the other children involved to shut the experiment down before it’s too late – all while exploring her queerness and gender identity.

Lastly, are there any 2023 releases our readers should look out for?

So many! I loved Biance Toree Is Afraid Of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans, Margo Zimmerman Gets The Girl by Brianna R. Shrum and Sara Waxelbaum, Out Of Character by Jenna Miller, and Old Enough by Haley Jakobson. I’m really excited about Ander & Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa, Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler, and The Year My Life Went Down The Toilet by Jake Maia Arlow.

Will you be picking up This Is the Way the World Ends? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Jen Wilde, Author of ‘This Is the Way the World Ends’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

First of all, we would like to point out that Bi and Pansexuality are obviously not the same thing and both sexualities deserve their own post, their own appreciation and their own space. The reason why we have placed these two together is that sometimes, a character will have relationships with men and women without their sexuality explicitly stated.

That said, we have found a wonderfully array of reads for you that we hope you will enjoy as much as we at The Nerd Daily did. Again, we have divided our recommendations into genres so that hopefully everyone can find something to their interests, or perhaps expand into new genres!

Adult Fiction

Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner

A showrunner and her assistant give the world something to talk about when they accidentally fuel a ridiculous rumor in this debut romance.

The Vesuvius Club by Mark Gatiss

Meet Lucifer Box: Lucifer has a charming countenance and rapier wit that make him the guest all hostesses must have. And most do. But few of his conquests know that Lucifer is also His Majesty’s most daring secret agent, at home in both London’s Imperial grandeur and in its underworld of despicable vice.

Who’d Have Thought by G. Benson

Top neurosurgeon Samantha Thomson needs to get married fast and is tightlipped as to why. And with over $200,000 on offer to tie the knot, no questions asked, cash-strapped ER nurse Hayden Pérez isn’t about to demand answers.

Soft on Soft by Mina Waheed

Meet June and Selena in this fluffy piece about an introvert and an extrovert who cannot help falling for each other.

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

What happens when America’s First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales?

Young Adult Fiction

Autoboyography by Christina Lauren

Three years ago, Tanner Scott’s family relocated from California to Utah, a move that nudged the bisexual teen temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go, and no obstacles between him and out-of-state college freedom, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah.

Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan

Jennifer Dugan’s sparkling debut coming-of-age queer romance stars a princess, a pirate, a hot dog, and a carousel operator who find love–and themselves–in unexpected people and unforgettable places.

Running With Lions by Julian Winters

Bloomington High School Lions’ star goalie, Sebastian Hughes, should be excited about his senior year: His teammates are amazing and he’s got a coach who doesn’t ask anyone to hide their sexuality. But when his estranged childhood best friend Emir Shah shows up to summer training camp, Sebastian realizes the team’s success may end up in the hands of the one guy who hates him.

I’ll Be The One by Lyla Lee

The world of K-Pop has never met a star like this. Debut author Lyla Lee delivers a deliciously fun, thoughtful rom-com celebrating confidence and body positivity—perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Julie Murphy.

The Brightsiders by Jen Wilde

A teen rockstar has to navigate family, love, coming out, and life in the spotlight after being labeled the latest celebrity trainwreck in Jen Wilde’s quirky and utterly relatable novel.

Fantasy & Sci-Fi

Prosperity by Alexis Hall

Prosperity, 1863: a lawless skytown where varlets, chancers, and ne’er-do-wells risk everything to chase a fortune in the clouds, and where a Gaslight guttersnipe named Piccadilly is about to cheat the wrong man. This mistake will endanger his life . . . and his heart.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

A captivating and utterly original fairy tale about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch, and who discovers what power might lie in such a curse…

Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee

Welcome to Andover… where superpowers are common, but internships are complicated. Just ask high school nobody, Jessica Tran. Despite her heroic lineage, Jess is resigned to a life without superpowers and is merely looking to beef-up her college applications when she stumbles upon the perfect (paid!) internship—only it turns out to be for the town’s most heinous supervillain.

Wolfsong by T.J. Klune

The Green Creek series follows a generation of the Bennett pack as they fall in love and fight against those who would take everything from them.

Bonds of Brass by Emily Skrutskie

A young pilot risks everything to save his best friend–the man he trusts most and might even love–only to learn that he’s secretly the heir to a brutal galactic empire.

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

The post LGBTQ + Alphabet Recommendations: B and P for Bi & Pansexual Fiction appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Bex comes to L.A. with nothing much more than her dreams and hopes in her suitcase. Living at her cousin Parker’s house, she hopes to set up a future in the wild business of TV productions. If that wasn’t exhausting enough, she finally wants to come out to her cousin as a lesbian and simply does not know how. Close like siblings and Parker being gay himself, this should have been the easiest part on her To Do list.

Going Off Script is a reminder that Hollywood is not the glamorous place the industry wants us to believe in. I guess there is no other place that is hiding more dirt under their carpets. Bex soon has to face it as well. Not only did the head writer steal her work, but his only rewrite was the main character, who was previously a lesbian but now made into a straight character.

Wilde picks up the delicate topic and how people are still getting badly threatened simply for the fact that they are the way they choose to life their lives and to be with whom they want to spend it with. Using the power of social media, Bex finds a way to address the unfair treatment. Always remember that in order to stay true to yourself, you must find your own voice and stand for what you believe in.

As always, Jen Wilde provides a light reading that still contains a deep meaningful message which addresses and encourages the LGBT+ community and those who are interested in getting to what they are facing daily. I only wish that the book would be a bit longer so that every character could have been explored more and so that the story does not feel rushed through. I really cannot wait to see what Wilde will come up next!

Going Off Script is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.

Will you be picking up Going Off Script? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

A TV writer’s room intern must join forces with her crush to keep her boss from ruining a lesbian character in this diverse contemporary YA romance from the author of Queens of Geek.

Seventeen-year-old Bex is thrilled when she gets an internship on her favorite tv show, Silver Falls. Unfortunately, the internship isn’t quite what she expected… instead of sitting in a crowded writer’s room volleying ideas back and forth, Production Interns are stuck picking up the coffee.

Determined to prove her worth as a writer, Bex drafts her own script and shares it with the head writer―who promptly reworks it and passes it off as his own! Bex is understandably furious, yet…maybe this is just how the industry works? But when they rewrite her proudly lesbian character as straight, that’s the last straw! It’s time for Bex and her crush to fight back.

Jen Wilde’s newest novel is both a fun, diverse love story and a very relevant, modern take on the portrayal of LGBT characters in media.

The post Review: Going Off Script by Jen Wilde appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories features stories by Australian authors Jax Jacki Brown, Claire G Coleman, Michael Earp, Alison Evans, Erin Gough, Benjamin Law, Omar Sakr, Christos Tsiolkas, Ellen Van Neerven, Marlee Jane Ward, Jen Wilde, and Nevo Zizin.

Honestly, I can’t even begin to explain how important this book is because everyone should have a copy in their collection of books! It’s a must read and I personally found there was a lot to love about this short story anthology. Plus now I’m also excited to discover more work from these Australian authors as I’ve previously only read Jen Wilde, but hope to read Erin Gough and Alison Evans soon!

The stories are all incredibly diverse and it was great to see how each author brought something so interesting and incredible to each story as it was filled to the brim with emotion and pride. As the reader, I felt myself getting swept up in these characters’ stories and just feeling so proud of all these characters!

I dare you to try and not be moved by these stories because it’s near impossible. For example, in Rats – where a supposed “street rat finds her crew in peril, only to also encounter a fateful meeting that same day” – my heart swelled right from the get go! Just the way these characters (not just in Rats, but in each of the stories) just leapt off the page – I just wanted them all to be happy!

Which brings me to say, I love that most of these characters felt comfortable in their skin. It makes me happy and proud reading about people of different orientations just being happy and owning it in their own skin – as everyone should be! The number of non binary characters that made their way into these stories just made me feel excited that these people are being included. From bisexual and gays to lesbian characters, it just really goes to show how amazing these authors are at bringing these characters to the page so effectively and a voice.

I can’t really fault anything with these stories, if at all – I wish they were longer. It really felt like you could read full length books on what happens to the characters after their individual stories whether it be first meetings to weddings or literally just everything in between!

Can we also appreciate that one of these stories, by the wonderful Jax Jacki Brown, featured a gay female character who is confined to a wheelchair along with the other prominent character in the same story is as well? I had honestly never read a story where the main character was wheelchair reliant, and I just found her narrative to be really empowering – this character, when meeting up with another, goes on to say how people that are able bodied with two legs to walk on don’t really take the needs of disabled people into account when it comes to different things such as accessing buildings. It just makes you want to stand up for everyone to have equal rights so we’re all treated equally.

Another highlight for me was Jen Wilde’s story of a bisexual fangirl at a convention who feels anxious despite the slight presence of her closest friend, before she unexpectedly meets fellow fangirls who are all queer too! One is even the designer of a t-shirt the main character wears! I just love seeing fangirls and fanboys and people sharing their love for fandom whilst celebrating their pride, it just makes my heart happy!

Something I loved in the introduction of this book was Michael Earp’s writing a human is a human is a human – it’s so true! We all have the same basic needs and all have the right to love whoever we wish to so everyone should respect that! We are not hurting anyone with who we choose to want to be with!

Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories is available from Book Depository and other good book retailers. Lastly, a huge thank you to the team at Walkers Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and also to the lovely AusYABloggers crew for having my own blog on the blog tour!

Have you read Kindred? Or will you be checking it out? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Twelve of Australia’s best writers from the LGBTQ+ community are brought together in this ground-breaking collection of YA short stories.

What does it mean to be queer? What does it mean to be human? In this powerful #LoveOzYA collection, twelve of Australia’s finest writers from the LGBTQ+ community explore the stories of family, friends, lovers and strangers – the connections that form us. This inclusive and intersectional #OwnVoices anthology for teen readers features work from writers of diverse genders, sexualities and identities, including writers who identify as First Nations, people of colour or disabled. With short stories by bestsellers, award winners and newcomers to young adult fiction including Jax Jacki Brown, Claire G Coleman, Michael Earp, Alison Evans, Erin Gough, Benjamin Law, Omar Sakr, Christos Tsiolkas, Ellen van Neerven, Marlee Jane Ward, Jen Wilde and Nevo Zisin.

The post Review: ‘Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

For me, reading is an escape from reality. Whenever I feel like I need to hit the pause button I pick up a book and listen to music. Even if the story I am reading is telling one that could easily be about me or my friends, it still is a safe haven. But when you read a story and feel understood you shelve them in your heart as special. An author with an enchanted “pen of understanding” and magic wand is the amazing Rainbow Rowell.

Rowell, who lives with her husband and two sons in Nebraska, is an author you cannot put into a box. She writes for young adults, adults, and comic fans, but what they all have in common, they are written by a nerd for nerds.

You’ve read the same books that I’ve read. You love the same stories. Let’s talk about them. Let’s think about them. Let’s take them apart and see what’s inside. – Via an interview with The Guardian

With such a unique name as Rainbow, her books do feel quite magical. She writes from the heart and her characters feel real as they often struggle with the same problems as the people who read about them. You can relate to the woman gossiping with her friend as well as to the girls and boys who do not feel like they fit into society no matter how hard they try.

Nerd, fangirl, fanboy, and so forth are all terms which have been considered offensive at some point to make one feel uncomfortable. Thankfully, times have changed because what would life be without having a smile on your face while talking to others about the latest news about your favourite something or someone? If you want to admit it or not, there is a little nerd in everyone, even in you!

And the thing about nerd culture mainstream culture now means that there’s no place to just be a nerd among other nerds – without being reminded that you’re the nerd. – Kindred Spirits

Adult Novels:

Attachments (2011)

The story follows Lincoln whose job it is to read email correspondence written by the employees of his company, to make sure they are not using them for private conversations. Beth and Jennifer trade gossip over emails and Lincoln is the invisible third wheel.

Landline (2014)

37-year-old Georgie McCool discovers that she is able to call her 22-year-old version of her husband through her landline. The career-driven Georgie has the chance to fix her marriage before it even started to break.

Young Adult Novels:

Eleanor & Park (2013)

The dual narrative book follows the two misfits Eleanor and Park who live in Omaha from 1986 to 1987. Eleanor, a chubby 16-year-old girl with curly red hair, and Park, a half-Korean 16-year-old boy, meet on a school bus on Eleanor’s first day at the school and gradually connect through comic books and mix tapes of ’80s music, sparking a love story.

Fangirl (2013)

The twins Cath and Wren are freshmen at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. While Wren has no problem to connect with people, Cath is struggling to fit in due to her social anxiety disorder. So Cath spends her free time mostly writing fan fiction about her favourite book series about the magician called Simon Snow.

Carry On (2015)

The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow is the spin-off to Fangirl as Cath loves the protagonist Simon Snow. It follows the final year of Simon Snow, who has to fight a greater evil while also cope with his roommate Baz. It is a standalone novel which is not one of Cath’s fan fictions.

Other Works:

Midnights (2014)

First published in the short story book My True Love Gave To Me edited by Stephanie Perkins, Noel and Mags met the first time at a New Year’s Eve party and become friends. They continue spending NYE together and fall in love a bit more each time. Also available in Almost Midnight.

Kindred Spirits (2016) – World Book Day Edition

Elena cannot wait to see the new Star Wars movie and decided to camp for a week before the premiere in front of the cinema, and meets Gabe. Also available in Almost Midnight.

Runaways (2017)

First published in 2003, Rowell and Kris Anka had the honour to new create the team of six teenagers who discovers that their parents are part of an evil crime organisation known as “The Pride”. They run away and make it their goal to stop them.

What’s To Come?

Rowell will publish two books in 2019. Wayward Son is the much-anticipated sequel to Carry On and the graphic novel, Pumpkinheads. The graphic novel follows Deja and Josiah who are seasonal best friends. Every autumn, all through high school, they’ve worked together at the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world. They say good-bye every Halloween, and they’re reunited every September 1.

“I think young adult books are wonderful for teenagers because they make you feel less alone. When you’re a teenager, you worry that maybe you’re the only person feeling this weird or scary or perverted thing. And YA books tell you, “Nope. Your weird stuff is pretty normal, and you’re not the only one who’s scared.” – via interview with The Guardian

If you happen to read all of Rainbow Rowell’s book and you’re looking to read something else, then maybe the following books could be of interest to you!

Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic science-fiction series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck and her dad’s old costume, Elle’s determined to win – unless her stepsisters get there first.

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde

Three friends, two love stories, one convention: this fun, feminist love letter to geek culture is all about fandom, friendship, and finding the courage to be yourself.

Anna and The French Kiss Trilogy by Stephanie Perkins

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris–until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all…including a serious girlfriend. The exciting thing about this trilogy? Each book is a new story with new characters!

Do you have a favourite book by Rainbow Rowell? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Author Spotlight: Rainbow Rowell appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Alfie, Ryan, and Emmy love music and they are close friends who also rock every music hall. Unfortunately not everything is just rainbow and glitter. To be a rockstar with a mostly young audience means that you have to be the perfect role model at all time. Underage drinking does not fit into that picture and being involved in an accident just makes it worse.

Emmy is in need of a break. She has to lay low, but to go home to her parents turns out to be a big mistake. You should stop drinking, but your parents are alcoholics and pity themselves for not being the biggest musicians of their time because Emmy happened.

She tries so hard to not end like her parents and hopes that she will be finally understood by everyone. Emmy wishes she could be like her best friend Alfie, who is out and tells everyone he is gender queer, while she wants to confess that she is bisexual.

“I’ve never felt 100 percent like a girl, but I’m not a guy, either. And I don’t see why I have to fit. Why should try to change myself to suit someone else’s binary? It’s like trying to fit a galaxy into a glass jar. I don’t want to be poked and prodded into a glass jar. How am I supposed to breathe like that? right now, I’m poking holes in the lid, letting the light and air in and freeing pieces of me star by star. And one day, I’m just going to shatter it.”

Thankfully her 18th birthday is just around the corner and she could not be happier that her friends planned a week of holiday on a yacht so she can be away from everything that pulls her down. But this free time comes also with time to think. How could Emmy miss that Alfie is a pretty good-looking guy? With not much space to get out of each other’s way, how do you deal with these thoughts? Is it wise to fall in love with your best friend you know from childhood? On the other hand, no one understands you better as he can.

This is the second novel by Jen Wilde, Australian writer, geek, and big fangirl. Her geek contemporary romance Queens of Geek was published in 2017 and this novel focuses on diversity and acceptance.

Jen Wilde has captured our current society perfectly and shows us what we should change. Misunderstanding leads to complication and to not be honest to yourself and others can end in the loss friendships. On the other hand, you should not listen to those who only want to manipulate or take advantage of you. Gladly Emmy learns this and stops hiding behind her rockstar behaviour. Her fans love her for that even more.

You can follow Wilde on her website and on her social media channels Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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

Have you read The Brightsiders? Or will you be checking it out? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

A teen rockstar has to navigate family, love, coming out, and life in the spotlight after being labeled the latest celebrity trainwreck in Jen Wilde’s quirky and utterly relatable novel.

As a rock star drummer in the hit band The Brightsiders, Emmy King’s life should be perfect. But there’s nothing the paparazzi love more than watching a celebrity crash and burn. When a night of partying lands Emmy in hospital and her girlfriend in jail, she’s branded the latest tabloid train wreck.

Luckily, Emmy has her friends and bandmates, including the super-swoonworthy Alfie, to help her pick up the pieces of her life. She knows hooking up with a band member is exactly the kind of trouble she should be avoiding, and yet Emmy and Alfie Just. Keep. Kissing.

Will the inevitable fallout turn her into a clickbait scandal (again)? Or will she find the strength to stand on her own?

The post Review: The Brightsiders by Jen Wilde appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover what YA books are coming out this month and tell us what you will be reading!

The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

The Trials of Apollo series continues in the third instalment, which is about the formerly glorious god Apollo, cast down to earth in punishment by Zeus, is now an awkward mortal teenager named Lester Papadopoulos. In order to regain his place on Mount Olympus, Lester must restore five Oracles that have gone dark. But he has to achieve this impossible task without having any godly powers and while being duty-bound to a confounding young daughter of Demeter named Meg.

The Brightsiders by Jen Wilde
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

As a rock star drummer in the hit band The Brightsiders, Emmy King’s life should be perfect. But a night of partying lands Emmy in hospital and her girlfriend in jail, and branded the latest tabloid train wreck. Luckily, Emmy has her friends and bandmates, including the super-swoonworthy Alfie, to help her pick up the pieces of her life. She knows hooking up with a band member is exactly the kind of trouble she should be avoiding, and yet Emmy and Alfie Just. Keep. Kissing. Will the inevitable fallout turn her into a clickbait scandal (again)? Or will she find the strength to stand on her own?

Puddin’ by Julie Murphy
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

It is a companion novel to Dumplin’, which follows supporting characters from the first book in the months after Willowdean’s star turn in the Clover City pageant. Millie Michalchuk has gone to fat camp every year since she was a girl, but this year she has new plans to chase her secret dream—and to kiss her crush, Callie Reyes. When circumstances bring the girls together over the course of a semester, they will surprise everyone (especially themselves) by realising they might have more in common than they ever imagined.

Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Addie is visiting Ireland for her aunt’s over-the-top destination wedding, and hoping she can stop thinking about the one horrible thing she did but her brother isn’t about to let her forget. When Addie discovers an unusual guidebook she’s able to finally escape her anxious mind until their plans change. Suddenly Addie finds herself on a whirlwind tour of the Emerald Isle, trapped in the world’s smallest vehicle with her brother and his admittedly cute, Irish-accented friend Rowan. Addie hopes her guidebook will heal not only her broken heart, but also her shattered relationship with her brother.

The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

A princess, a traitor, a hunter and a thief. Four teenagers with the fate of the world in their hands. Four nations destined for conflict. In Brigant, Princess Catherine prepares for a loveless political marriage arranged by her brutal and ambitious father. In Calidor, downtrodden servant March seeks revenge on the prince who betrayed his people. In Pitoria, feckless Edyon steals cheap baubles for cheaper thrills as he drifts from town to town. And in the barren northern territories, thirteen-year-old Tash is running for her life as she plays bait for the gruff demon hunter Gravell.

From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell so when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy—a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2. When mystery man “N” begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.

Royals by Rachel Hawkins
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Meet Daisy Winters. She’s an offbeat sixteen-year-old Floridian with mermaid-red hair; a part-time job at a bootleg Walmart, and a perfect older sister who’s nearly engaged to the Crown Prince of Scotland. Daisy has no desire to live in the spotlight, but relentless tabloid attention forces her to join Ellie at the relative seclusion of the castle across the pond. While the dashing young Miles has been appointed to teach Daisy the ropes of being regal, the prince’s roguish younger brother kicks up scandal wherever he goes, and tries his best to take Daisy along for the ride. The crown–and the intriguing Miles–might be trying to make Daisy into a lady . . . but Daisy may just rewrite the royal rulebook to suit herself.

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Mila Flores and her best friend Riley have always been inseparable. There’s not much excitement in their small town of Cross Creek except Riley’s favorite activity: amateur witchcraft. So when Riley and two Fairmont Academy mean girls die under suspicious circumstances, Mila refuses to believe everyone’s explanation that her BFF was involved in a suicide pact. Instead, armed with a tube of lip gloss and an ancient grimoire, Mila does the unthinkable to uncover the truth: she brings the girls back to life.

Game of Secrets by Kim Foster
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Felicity Cole sells flowers in the streets of Victorian London to feed herself and her young brother. But she has a close-guarded secret–her brother is a Tainted, born with special abilities that society fears and a shadowy organization called the Hunstsman scours the country to eliminate. When Felicity becomes the target of one of these individuals, she discovers something horrible: she’s Tainted, too. Rescued by a mysterious gentleman on the eve of execution, she’s whisked away to a school funded by Queen Victoria, established to train selected Tainted into assassins in service of the crown.

The Accidental Bad Girl by Maxine Kaplan
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

After getting caught hooking up with her best friend’s ex on the last day of junior year, Kendall starts senior year friendless and ostracized. She plans to keep her head down until she graduates. But after discovering her online identity has been hacked and she’s being framed for stealing from a dealer, Kendall is drawn into a tenuous partnership with the mastermind of a drug ring lurking in the shadows of her Brooklyn private school. If she wants to repair her tattered reputation and save her neck, she’ll have to decide who she really is—and own it. The longer she plays the role of “bad girl,” the more she becomes her new reputation. Friends and enemies, detectives and drug dealers—no one is who they appear to be. Least of all Kendall.

Onyx and Ivory by Mindee Arnett
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

After Kate’s father tried to assassinate the high king years ago, she’s now an outcast. But Kate has a secret edge: she is a wilder, born with magic that allows her to influence the minds of animals. But it’s this magic that she needs to keep hidden, as being a wilder is forbidden, punishable by death or exile. The high king’s second son, Corwin Tormane takes it on himself to investigate rumors of unrest in one of the remote city-states, only for his caravan to be attacked—and for him to be saved by Kate. With their paths once more entangled, Kate and Corwin have to put the past behind them. The threat of beasts who attack in the daylight is only the beginning of a darker menace stirring in the kingdom—one whose origins have dire implications for Kate’s father’s attack upon the king and will thrust them into the middle of a brewing civil war in the kingdom of Rime.

The Surface Breaks by Louise O’Neill
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Deep beneath the sea, off the cold Irish coast, Gaia is a young mermaid who dreams of freedom from her controlling father. On her first swim to the surface, she is drawn towards a human boy. She longs to join his carefree world, but how much will she have to sacrifice? What will it take for the little mermaid to find her voice? Hans Christian Andersen’s original fairy tale is reimagined through a searing feminist lens, with the stunning, scalpel-sharp writing and world building that has won Louise her legions of devoted fans. A book with the darkest of undercurrents, full of rage and rallying cries: storytelling at its most spellbinding.

Check out more of this month’s book releases on our Goodreads list!

The post May Book Releases: Young Adult appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

We’ve all heard of conventions, whether it be the more traditional ones like science conventions or to the hyped-up life experience that is San Diego Comic Con and essentially a nerd dream come true. If only there were more con in my country, I would be attending each and every one of them! There’s something about entering a convention as it’s an entire building filled with people who love and are passionate about the same thing as you, where you can all celebrate it together. You also have the opportunity to meet people you may have met through the Internet, and not to mention meeting actors and authors!

For the past few years, we’ve seen a rise of “characters who read” in Young Adult books, which creates characters who seem even more relatable to us. With how ingrained and prevalent the convention culture is, it was only a matter of time before they started to use it as a theme. This year and last year we’ve seen many books which are set in a convention where it unites the characters and gives them a sense of belonging, just as it does in reality.

To celebrate the way conventions unite us, and to prepare you for the upcoming convention season, we’ve picked our four favourite books set in conventions!

Check them out and tell us if you will be reading one in the comments below!

The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak by Brian Katcher | Sci-fi Convention

It all begins when Ana Watson’s little brother, Clayton, secretly ditches the quiz bowl semifinals to go to the Washingcon sci-fi convention on what should have been a normal, résumé-building school trip. If slacker Zak Duquette hadn’t talked up the geek fan fest so much, maybe Clayton wouldn’t have broken nearly every school rule or jeopardized Ana’s last shot at freedom from her uptight parents.

Now, teaming up with Duquette is the only way for Ana to chase down Clayton in the sea of orcs, zombies, bikini-clad princesses, Trekkies, and Smurfs. After all, one does not simply walk into Washingcon. But in spite of Zak’s devil-may-care attitude, he has his own reasons for being as lost as Ana-and Ana may have more in common with him than she thinks. Ana and Zak certainly don’t expect the long crazy night, which begins as a nerdfighter manhunt, to transform into so much more…

The Geeks Guide to Unrequited Love by Sarvenaz Tash | New York Comic Con

Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy. Archie and Veronica. Althena and Noth.…Graham and Roxy?

Graham met his best friend, Roxy, when he moved into her neighborhood eight years ago and she asked him which Hogwarts house he’d be sorted into. Graham has been in love with her ever since. But now they’re sixteen, still neighbors, still best friends. And Graham and Roxy share more than ever—moving on from their Harry Potter obsession to a serious love of comic books.

When Graham learns that the creator of their favorite comic, The Chronicles of Althena, is making a rare appearance at this year’s New York Comic Con, he knows he must score tickets. And the event inspires Graham to come up with the perfect plan to tell Roxy how he really feels about her. He’s got three days to woo his best friend at the coolest, kookiest con full of superheroes and supervillains. But no one at a comic book convention is who they appear to be…even Roxy. And Graham is starting to realize fictional love stories are way less complicated than real-life ones.

Geekerella by Ashley Poston | Starfield (Fictional TV Show) Convention

Anything can happen once upon a con…

When geek girl Elle Wittimer sees a cosplay contest sponsored by the producers of Starfield, she has to enter. First prize is an invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. Elle’s been scraping together tips from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck behind her stepmother’s back, and winning this contest could be her ticket out once and for all—not to mention a fangirl’s dream come true.

Teen actor Darien Freeman is less than thrilled about this year’s ExcelsiCon. He used to live for conventions, but now they’re nothing but jaw-aching photo sessions and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Federation Prince Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the diehard Starfield fandom has already dismissed him as just another heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, closet nerd Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde | TV Show Con

When BFFs Charlie, Taylor and Jamie go to SupaCon, they know it’s going to be a blast. What they don’t expect is for it to change their lives forever. Charlie likes to stand out. SupaCon is her chance to show fans she’s over her public breakup with co-star, Reese Ryan. When Alyssa Huntington arrives as a surprise guest, it seems Charlie’s long-time crush on her isn’t as one-sided as she thought.

While Charlie dodges questions about her personal life, Taylor starts asking questions about her own.

Taylor likes to blend in. Her brain is wired differently, making her fear change. And there’s one thing in her life she knows will never change: her friendship with Jamie—no matter how much she may secretly want it to. But when she hears about the Queen Firestone SupaFan Contest, she starts to rethink her rules on playing it safe.

The post Love Conventions? Check Out These Books Based at Cons! appeared first on The Nerd Daily.