Jennifer Saint Archives | The Nerd Daily

Q&A: Jennifer Saint, Author of ‘This Immortal Heart’

Elise Dumpleton — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:00:00 +0000

We chat with author Jennifer Saint about This Immortal Heart, which is an epic, captivating tale of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who must reconcile her mind and heart when she is drawn against all odds to Ares, the god of war. PLUS you can read an excerpt at the end of the interview!

Hi, Jennifer! Welcome back! How have the past two years been since we last spoke for the release of Hera?

Very busy, especially since my recent decision to get a puppy – he’s a cute little cockapoo named Alfie and has turned my life completely upside down! Luckily, he is an adorable bundle of fluff with extremely persuasive puppy dog eyes. And he’s turning out to be a lovely furry companion snoozing at my feet while I write (in between causing chaos).

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

My mother tells me I was making up stories from the moment I could talk. She used to walk into the living room to find me acting out scenes I’d invented. When I learned to write, I started putting them on paper and the Christmas I turned eleven I asked for a typewriter. I promptly vanished upstairs and taught myself to touch type on Christmas Day so that my stories would look more professional!

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

The first book you ever remember reading: The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl in school when I was five – I was absolutely terrified! But couldn’t put it down until the crocodile had been safely blasted into the sun at the end.
The one that made you want to become an author: Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice – the book I was obsessed with throughout my teens. Luckily none of the vampire fiction I wrote in homage has survived.
The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Enigmas by Emilia Hart – I’m lucky enough to have received an early copy of the bound manuscript and this book is sensational! I loved Weyward and The Sirens and this one is a beautiful exploration of mother-daughter and sisterly relationships set in WWII as a young woman gets a job as a code-breaker at Bletchley Park. It has a sliding doors element to it that makes me think about all the ways in which our choices have myriad and unforeseen consequences, some of them with the potential to change the world.

**Your latest novel, This Immortal Heart, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?**

Yearning, yearning, yearning, yearning, yearning

What can readers expect?

Maybe some yearning? I hope readers will find an Aphrodite they haven’t encountered before. Like all my novels, I like to cast the women of mythology in a new light and find a fresh perspective on their stories. This one is a departure from my others, as it’s my first foray into romance. Aphrodite and Ares are a legendary couple of myth and the quintessential enemies to lovers as the Goddess of Love finds she can’t resist the God of War. You’ll find an array of myths interwoven into the narrative and a story that’s brand new, fresh and romantic as well. I wrote this book as a beautiful place to escape into, and I really hope readers love escaping into it as much as I did.

**Where did the inspiration for This Immortal Heart come from?**

Standing in a rocky bay in Cyprus where Aphrodite was believed to have emerged from the sea. It’s a place of wild magic, where you feel a goddess truly could step from the waves and transform the world. I carried that feeling with me for years until the idea for the novel came to me. I felt really apprehensive about writing it, which was how I knew I needed to. With every book, I want to challenge myself to do something even better than before.

**You delved into music in our last interview with you for Hera. Were there any songs that formed the soundtrack to This Immortal Heart?**

Extremely specifically, the version of Daylight on the Lover Live in Paris album by Taylor Swift. It was a song that didn’t especially grab me on the studio album, but she performs it live on this EP with a beautiful intimacy that had me completely captivated. It formed the soundtrack to all of Aphrodite and Ares’ tender moments when I was writing. It’s a song that feels drenched in golden light and full of ecstatic possibility.

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

I probably had the most fun with Eris, Goddess of Strife. She accompanies Ares into battle and she lives to cause trouble wherever she can. Writing a character who is so devoted to chaos and collapse, and who is so intent on antagonising everyone around her was a joy, honestly. I especially liked the contrast between her and Eros, the beautiful son of Aphrodite whose pursuits are all about hedonism and desire.

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

There is always at least one point in writing a novel (realistically, multiple points!) where it feels utterly impossible. That’s how you know you’re writing something good. In the age of AI encroaching into creative spaces at alarming speed, it’s so important to reiterate that there are no shortcuts to writing and nor should we be looking for them. The process is tricky and challenging and frustrating and that creates the magic. It’s a process of refining and digging into what story it is you want to tell. It’s never exactly the story you thought it was originally, but it always ends up as something much better. The only way to overcome the challenges is to keep writing, especially when it feels completely pointless to do so. That’s when you’re on the precipice of success.

What’s next for you?

I can’t say too much about my next book except that I’m writing it now, and it’s a return to a dual narrative. I love books with intertwining perspectives and I’m very excited to be shaping these new voices and figuring out how they’re going to fit together. I also have a side project that’s currently under wraps but is something I can’t wait to be able to talk about!

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?

Nikita Gill’s Styx is the impeccable second instalment in her Underworld Goddesses trilogy and I think it’s even better than Hekate, which I wouldn’t have believed possible. She is an exquisite poet with a capacity for empathy and truth-telling that is unsurpassed.

EXCERPT

Inside the temple, the air is dim with fragrant smoke. The young woman moves steadily through the billowing clouds, her thin robe swishing at her ankles with every step. Her hair spills down her back, a dark river woven through with saffron ribbons that gleam in the firelight.

She drips honey into a shallow dish, a slow stream of amber, rich and sweet. The aroma mingles with the burning incense. It’s intoxicating.

Her head is bowed as she approaches the statue with her offering. It’s a clumsy likeness, ivory carved by human hands trying to capture the essence of a goddess they can hardly imagine, but her reverence is palpable-and so is her longing.

Lotus blossoms are festooned around the base, their sky-blue petals and sun-golden centers inviting. She sets the honey down at its cold, white feet. Another dish holds a pomegranate cut in two. Dark-red seeds spill from its tender flesh, soft and juicy and tantalizing.

She’s gazing at uncomprehending stone, never dreaming that the goddess she seeks is not in that vacant figure but behind her. The scent of her hair carries the freshness of the wind outside the temple, the one that shakes the leaves on the oak trees, the wind she sometimes whispers into, hoping I will hear her.

And, today, I will.

Inside this temple, we are all alone. Only she holds the keys to this sacred space; no other mortal can enter without her permission. She relishes that power, like I relish mine. I am the Goddess of Love, and she is my priestess. While she belongs to me, she will be safe from the dreary tedium of a husband and the long years of serving his needs.

Instead, she devotes herself to love. When I look inside her heart, I can trace the shape of her unspoken dreams, know who it is that consumes her every thought. The image of one of the other girls who worships here, sweet and pretty, rises in her mind. I feel my priestess’s heart surge with joy as though it beats behind my own breast.

She makes her devotions to my statue, but it isn’t her offerings that draw me here. It’s the rush of flames burning beneath her skin when she thinks of her beloved, melting her from within in an exquisite torture. That is the real gift to me.

Other gods demand blood and sacrifice. What I want from mortals are their secrets. The cravings that they cherish in private; the yearning that pulses through their veins and stirs their souls, that robs them of speech and thrums in their breasts like a hummingbird’s wings. I hear it all, every tentative hope, every forbidden want, every fragmented gasp of passion, and to me they are poetry.

With a final glance at the smooth skin of her cheeks, the sweep of her eyelashes and the pouting curve of her lips, I leave the temple, veiled in a mist that renders me invisible to mortal eyes. When she discovers that she has been rewarded and finds her longing is requited, she’ll give me grateful thanks, but I already have what I came for.

I soar out of the bronze-gated sanctuary of Paphos in the form of a dove, fluttering through the pink skies of dawn as the sun rises over the island.

The awakening of desire in my priestess stirs that same sensation within me, and I fly from my sanctuary to a secluded bay, sheltered by rocky cliffs, where I know he’ll be waiting for me. As I land, he emerges from the sea, the sunlight sparkling off the rivulets that run down his broad shoulders. I shrug off the illusion of my feathered disguise, a goddess again.

His name is Nerites; a sea-god, only minor in the hierarchy of deities. He rules over shellfish, his days spent overseeing scuttling crabs and thorny sea urchins, presiding over the lives and deaths of clams and oysters and mussels. Some marine-gods are fish-tailed, their blue-tinged skin crusted in barnacles; old men of the waters with gills and flippers and straggly beards. Not Nerites. He’s a fine example of a young god in his prime: strong and vital and perfect. My eyes linger on the smooth muscles of his chest, the taut outline of his upper arms and his mesmerizing green eyes, the same shade as the watery depths from which he’s emerged.

He opens his mouth to greet me, his words spilling out with eager haste, slipping over one another like wriggling fish, before I silence him with a hand to his lips. My nails shine, shell-like and delicate, against his salt-roughened jaw, and I enjoy the contrast for a moment before I pull his face to mine, surrendering once more to the thrill of that familiar, irresistible force.

Later, when with a longing glance, Nerites plunges back beneath the waves, I stretch out on the sand, a pleasant ache tingling through my body at the memory of his touch. He’ll be gliding between the tall fronds of kelp by now, swimming through the submerged forest, green-gold sunlight split and refracted through the salt water. He’ll pass spongy blooms of mauve and lilac coral, softly waving tentacles of colorful anemones brushing his skin as he descends into the silent, shadowed halls of the sea-gods. Somewhere in those waters, the dress I was wearing will still be drifting, a diaphanous ghost lost to the tides. I wonder if the currents will carry it to him, if he’ll see it and take it, a keepsake of this most recent of our trysts.

I close my eyes, the late-morning sun warming my bare skin, bright behind my eyelids. A haze of dreams flutters around me, lulling me into sleep with the whisper of soft-breaking waves and the distant call of wheeling birds.

A ruffle of wingbeats rouses me and I lift myself onto one elbow, shading my eyes as I peer up into the sky. I smile as the dark silhouette takes form: sweeping gold-feathered wings, a headful of shining curls, the lithe torso of the most handsome and delightful god I know. My son, Eros.

He lands gracefully and tosses me a wide square of fabric, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he points upward. “Helios is right above us,” he says.

“I suppose he is.” I drape the cloak around my shoulders. The Sun God’s chariot is directly overhead, the glare of the shining orb he pulls across the blue dome spilling its light across us, dazzling and clear. I know how he likes to spy.

“A sea-god?” Eros asks.

“Shellfish,” I reply.

He laughs, and I see echoes of myself in his carefree attitude and the delicate shape of his face. He has no father; it was my body alone that brought him forth when I was still a new goddess. His talents stem from me—his ability to conjure infatuation, to breathe passion into souls mortal and divine, to whisper words of flattery into hopeful lovers’ ears so that they can charm the object of their desire.

“So,” he says, sitting on the sand beside me, tilting his face up to the gentle warmth, “what happened to the son of Eos? Have you replaced him so quickly?”

I shrug. Eos, the Goddess of the Dawn, some years ago bore a mortal son with a face as glorious as her most beautiful sunrise. He grew up to become a young man so striking, he caught my eye from the heavens. “It was a brief affair,” I agree. Like a fire, it burned bright and burned out. For me, anyway. “He keeps a temple to me now, in the land of his father to the east.”

Eros nods. “Anyone else?” he asks.

I sit up higher. “Hermes stole my sandal.”

Eros laughs again, low and mellifluous. “As a means of seduction?”

I roll my eyes. “His idea of one,” I say. “For the God of Trickery, I thought it was quite poor. He sent an eagle while I was bathing in the River Achelous. It snatched up one sandal—I think he hoped I’d go and ask him for it back.”

“Why not?” he asks. “Hermes is handsome.”

“He is.” A god of careless elegance and quick wit, not unappealing in the least. “But imagine if Zeus heard of my taking up with one of his sons. He’d try to marry me off to him before I could even get the sandal back on.”

Excerpted from This Immortal Heart by Jennifer Saint Copyright © 2026 by Jennifer Saint. Excerpted by permission of Ballantine Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

**Will you be picking up This Immortal Heart? Tell us in the comments below!**

The post Q&A: Jennifer Saint, Author of ‘This Immortal Heart’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Fiction Book Releases To Check Out In 2026

Elise Dumpleton — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 22:00:00 +0000

The Nerd Daily may obtain commissions for qualifying purchases from the links included in this article and are invested back into The Nerd Daily, but it’s so important to remember to shop local and indie!

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

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

JANUARY 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven

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

Is This A Cry For Help? by Emily Austin

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A luminous new novel following a librarian who comes back to work after a mental breakdown only to confront book-banning crusaders in an empowering story of grief, love, and the power of libraries.

Women of a Promiscuous Nature by Donna Everhart

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

Dandelion Is Dead by Rosie Storey

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With sparkling wit and aching tenderness, debut author Rosie Storey gives us a modern love story about the courage it takes to live again after loss and finding hope in the most unexpected places.

Skylark by Paula McLain

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

You’ll Never Forget Me by Isha Raya

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

Burn Down Master’s House by Clay Cane

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Inspired by long-buried true stories of enslaved people who dared to fight back, this powerful novel offers a searing portrayal of resistance.

The Midnight Carousel by Fiza Saeed McLynn

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The Night Circus meets Water for Elephants in this enchanting, darkly glittering story of grief, obsession, revenge, and enduring love.

The Briars by Sarah Crouch

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

Just Watch Me by Lior Torenberg

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

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James

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

The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams

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

FEBRUARY 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

The Exes by Leodora Darlington

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

A Crown of Stars by Shana Abe

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

The Wandering Queen by Claire Heywood

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
An epic and fiercely imaginative retelling of the story of queen Dido, the legendary founder of Carthage, from the author of the national bestseller Daughters of Sparta.

Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris

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

The Fourth Princess by Janie Chang

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

Out of the Loop by Katie Siegel

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

Superfan by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

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

The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera

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When the last fare of the night turns up dead in her backseat, a Sri Lankan American taxi driver works off the clock to clear her name in this mystery novel by debut author Yosha Gunasekera.

Adrift by Will Dean

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

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

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

Bad Asians by Lillian Li

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

Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Nowhere Burning is a harrowing tale of survival that places the dark fairy tale of Peter Pan and the ruthless dangers of Lord of the Flies into the unforgiving maw of the Colorado Rockies.

MARCH 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

No Friend To This House by Natalie Haynes

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

Wretch by Eric LaRocca

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

You Did Nothing Wrong by C.G. Drews

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

Strangers In The Villa by Robyn Harding

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

How Simi Got Her Groom Back by Sonali Dev

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

Bloom by Robbie Couch

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

Dig by J. H. Markert

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

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

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

Turn Off the Light by Jacquie Walter

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

Sweetbitter Song by Rosie Hewlett

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

What We Did To Survive by Megan Lally

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A vacation in paradise turns deadly when four teens’ sailing charter hits stormy seas in this propulsive new thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Megan Lally!

Finlay Donovan Crosses The Line by Elle Cosimano

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From New York Times bestseller Elle Cosimano comes Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line—the highly anticipated next installment in the beloved Finlay Donovan series.

APRIL 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez

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

A Murder Most Camp by Nicolas DiDomizio

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

We Would Never Tell by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau

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

American Fantasy by Emma Straub

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

The Girls Trip by Ally Condie

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

The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke

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

The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer

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

The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer

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

Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

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In this lyrical, wildly inventive horror novel interwoven with Japanese mythology, two people living centuries apart discover a door between their worlds.

The Island Club by Nicola Harrison

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

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

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

Go Gentle by Maria Semple

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

MAY 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

The Library After Dark by Ande Pliego

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

The Dorians by Nick Cutter

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

Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister

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

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

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

The Anniversary by Alex Finlay

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

The Young Will Remember by Eve J. Chung

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

Villain by Natalie Zina Walschots

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

The One Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh

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

Homebound by Portia Elan

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Five interlocking lives. One beloved story. A dazzling adventure across centuries and continents in search of the things that hold us together.

Lady X by Molly Fader

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

The Hope Keeper by Heather Webb

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

The Players Club by Rachel Mills

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

JUNE 2026 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

Tell Your Friends by Lauren Wilson

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

There’s Only One Sin In Hollywood by Rasheed Newson

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

A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

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

Strangers Behind Closed Doors by Catherine Adel West

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

The Break-Up Retreat by Camilla Sten

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

A Fortune of Sand by Ruta Sepetys

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

Girl’s Girl by Sonia Feldman

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

This Immortal Heart by Jennifer Saint

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

Our Sister’s Keeper by Jasmine Holmes

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

Three Hitmen and a Baby by Rob Hart

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

Pool House by Mary H.K. Choi

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

The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson

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

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

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

Anticipated Book Releases Hitting Shelves In 2026

Elise Dumpleton — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 09:22:20 +0000

2026, here we go! With the new year just around the corner, it’s time to start focusing on something that really matters… NEW! BOOK! RELEASES! We’ve rounded up some highly anticipated books from a range of genres releasing between the months of January and June 2026.

So far the year promises new releases from Jennifer Niven, Jennette McCurdy, Jim Butcher, Heather Fawcett, Kerri Maniscalco, Edward Ashton, T. Kingfisher, Richard K. Morgan, Rainbow Rowell, TJ Klune, Katherine Center, Julie Murphy, Katherine Arden, Melissa Albert, and many more, plus some dazzling debuts!

You’ll find quite a few exciting new reads within this list and be sure to check out our other January to June 2026 lists, which we’ll be releasing over the next month! This article will also get updated with those links so you can easily find them, including our Anticipated Romance Reads, Anticipated Fantasy and Sci-Fi Books and Anticipated YA Reads… We apologise in advance to your TBR pile and wallet!

JANUARY 2026 BOOK RELEASES

Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven

The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Perfect for fans of Daisy Jones and the Six and In Five Years—a beautiful, powerful, and transportive new novel about a music executive desperately trying to bring a rock band back from the brink, from bestselling author Ashley Winstead.

The Poet Empress by Shen Tao

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Debut author Shen Tao introduces readers to the lush, deadly world of The Poet Empress, a sweeping, epic and intimate fantasy perfect for fans of The Serpent & the Wings of Night, The Song of Achilles and She Who Became the Sun.

Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of I’m Glad My Mom Died comes a sad, funny, thrilling novel about sex, consumerism, class, desire, loneliness, the internet, rage, intimacy, power, and the (oftentimes misguided) lengths we’ll go to in order to get what we want.

My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
My Husband’s Wife is a tangled web of deception, obsession, and mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page. Prepare yourself for the ultimate mind-bending marriage thriller and step inside Spyglass – if you dare – to experience a story where nothing is as it seems.

If All the Stars Go Dark by S. G. Prince

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
An out-of-this-world queer space opera (aka: sci-fi with magic) complete with a murder mystery, a prison break, and heist during which time the fate of the universe may or may not hang in the balance – and made even more exciting by the swoon worthy will-they-won’t-they romance.

Twelve Months by Jim Butcher

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, has always managed to save the day—but, in this powerful entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling Dresden Files, can he save himself?

Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of First Lie Wins, a tense, feverish thriller about two women’s lives that are forever intertwined when a murder threatens to expose them both.

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Sparks fly in this second chance m/m rom com when an unlucky-in-love event planner realizes the man-of-honor at the high profile wedding he’s planning is the same man who broke his heart.

A War of Wyverns by S. F. Williamson

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Rebellion happens in the shadows. In the sequel to the New York Times bestseller A Language of Dragons, language is the greatest weapon in a war between humans and dragons—and one translator has the power to change the world.

Vigil by George Saunders

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
An electric novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling, Booker Prize–winning author of Lincoln in the Bardo, taking place at the bedside of an oil company CEO in the twilight hours of his life as he is ferried from this world into the next.

Is This a Cry for Help? by Emily R. Austin

FEBRUARY 2026 BOOK RELEASES

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A woman who runs a cat rescue in 1920s Montreal turns to a grouchy but charming wizard to help save the shelter in this heartwarming cozy fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of the Emily Wilde series.

The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods, No One Can Know, and A Killing Cold, a new novel about a search & rescue expert, a kidnapped woman, and the lost girls who haunt them both.

Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Cleopatra tells her own story in this evocative and sensuous historical epic from the bestselling and award-winning author of Faebound and The Final Strife.

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn comes a gorgeously written fantastical adventure which poses the question: Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Welcome to the Astral Library, where books are not just objects, but doors to new worlds, new lives, and new futures.

Game, Set, Match by Jennifer Iacopelli

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
She’s a tennis superstar on the rise. He’s the bad boy champ who broke her heart. When they meet on the court, their competition is hot—but their chemistry is even hotter.

Throne of Nightmares by Kerri Maniscalco

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
In this action-packed standalone fantasy romance from New York Times bestselling sensation Kerri Maniscalco, a book of dangerous magic draws two readers into a perilous quest to find it—and their own happy ending.

It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Two families at a secluded lake resort are at the center of a chilling crime in this twisty thriller from the bestselling author of Local Woman Missing.

Stolen Midnights by Katherine Quinn

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
This magical new YA romantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of To Kill a Shadow will steal your heart. Set in Andalay, a world where the ruling Fates bestow gifts among the favored, a thief must join forces with the palace darling after he unwittingly steals a necklace with the power to change everything.

After The Fall by Edward Ashton

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Part alien invasion story, part buddy comedy, and part workplace satire, After The Fall by Edward Ashton, author of Mickey7 (inspiration for the film Mickey 17), asks an important question: would humans really make great pets?

Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the New York Times bestselling co-author of Illuminae and Aurora Rising comes a high-stakes, high-chemistry, sci-fi romp about a stowaway girl and the richest boy in the galaxy, racing the clock to outwit a gang of mercenaries.

How To Kill A Guy In Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A humorous, swoony, and downright terrifying slasher rom-com in which a cinephile gets caught in the middle of a murder spree at a speed-dating event and must use her encyclopedic knowledge of the romance and horror genres to make it as a real-life Final Girl.

Half City by Kate Golden

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Crescent City meets Buffy, the Vampire Slayer in the first installment of a pulse-pounding dark academia fantasy series from USA Today bestselling author Kate Golden.

MARCH 2026 BOOK RELEASES

The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Say You’ll Remember Me comes a beautiful, compelling novel that revels in laughter, friendship, and the messy choices life can throw our way.

Bloom by Robbie Couch

Strangers In The Villa by Robyn Harding

Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Something darker than the devil stalks the North Carolina woods in Wolf Worm, a new gothic masterpiece from New York Times bestselling author T. Kingfisher

The Ascension of Souls by Bronte-Marie Wesson

Publisher | Amazon | Goodreads
The first in the Broken Cycle trilogy, The Ascension of Souls is an epic fantasy with intricate worldbuilding, complex characters, political schemes and a unique magic system.

A Spell For Saints and Sinners by Emily Carpenter

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Like a gender-flipped You but dripping with Southern Gothic atmosphere, a young psychic on the verge of losing everything becomes obsessed with a wealthy, beautiful heiress in this clever, darkly atmospheric novel of psychological suspense set amid the lush, moss-draped beauty of Savannah.

Thirty Love by Tom Vellner

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Things heat up on and off the court for two tennis rivals in this steamy debut gay sports rom-com, perfect for fans of TJ Alexander and Casey McQuiston.

Wretch by Eric LaRocca

No Man’s Land by Richard K. Morgan

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A compelling standalone dark fantasy set in a gritty post-WWI Britain that has been overrun by the fae, from the award-winning author of Altered Carbon.

One Word, Six Letters by Adib Khorram

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Two teen boys grapple with identity and accountability and set off a ripple effect within their community after a school assembly is disrupted by a shouted slur.

Vow of Eternal Night by Lily Crozier

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A gothic romantasy Beauty and the Beast retelling about a vampire prince and the captive bride who will do anything to break his curse – for fans of Naomi Novik, Heather Fawcett and Howl’s Moving Castle.

The Fourth Wife by Linda Hamilton

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas meets “Sister Wives” in a deliciously chilling, darkly romantic, historical gothic horror with a feminist slant, as a young Mormon woman is haunted by a malevolent presence in the decrepit Salt Lake City mansion she shares with her new husband and his other wives…

APRIL 2026 BOOK RELEASES

The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke

Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
#1 New York Times bestselling author Rainbow Rowell returns with a breathtakingly honest novel about a woman who lost everything — and isn’t sure she wants it back.

Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer and rising star Tamara Moss comes a twisty thrill-ride, filled with sabotage, betrayal, and puzzles to die for.

American Fantasy by Emma Straub

We Burned So Bright by T.J. Klune

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A heart-wrenching standalone novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune, We Burned So Bright follows an elder gay couple on an end-of-the-world road-trip.

Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
New York Times bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez delivers a captivating story about a young woman whose life becomes ensnared in her glamorous neighbor’s secret past, laying bare the mounting tensions at play in a rapidly gentrifying, early 2000’s Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

The Subtle Art of Folding Space by John Chu

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The Subtle Art of Folding Space, is the exhilarating debut science fiction novel from Nebula and Hugo Award-winning author John Chu channels unhinged physics, generational trauma, and the comfort of really good dim sum. This isn’t your usual jaunt through quantum physics.

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Told with Sally Hepworth’s twists, humor, charm, and heart, MAD MABEL is novel that weaves past and present together–through the power of justice and redemption, and all the way to its stunning conclusion.

Odessa by Gabrielle Sher

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
In a powerfully imagined Russia at the height of the pogroms, a grief-stricken family turns to ancient magic to bring their daughter back from the grave.

Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A sweeping debut inspired by the Chinese folk practice of necromancy, Deathly Fates is perfect for fans of Descendant of the Crane, The Bone Shard Daughter, and A Magic Steeped in Poison.

How to Fake It in Society by KJ Charles

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Bridgerton meets The Goldfinch in How to Fake It in Society, a stunning queer romance by rising genre star KJ Charles.

MAY 2026 BOOK RELEASES

The Shippers by Katherine Center

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
No one does summer romance quite like Katherine Center. THE SHIPPERS will take readers on the cruise of a lifetime in a story awash with romantic longing, top-notch banter, long-held secrets . . . and true love rediscovered.

The Anniversary by Alex Finlay

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Best friends have one week in paradise to fix their friendship or fall apart in this heart-stopping, utterly romantic new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After and One Golden Summer.

The Midnight Train by Matt Haig

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
When your life flashes before your eyes, where would you stop? A magical, time-travelling love story, from the world of The Midnight Library.

Student Union by Julie Murphy

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From #1 New York Times–bestselling author Julie Murphy comes a sexy rom com about a college marriage of convenience that goes way beyond chemistry 101…The first in a trilogy of romance novels that follows a group of girls as they navigate love, friendship, and new adulthood, this is perfect for fans of Elle Kennedy and Hannah Grace.

Young World by Soman Chainani

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the New York Times bestselling author of the School for Good and Evil series comes a renegade thriller, about a teenager elected President of the United States, sparking a global revolution of young leaders—until one of them is murdered and he’s the prime suspect.

The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A battle-worn corporate samurai undertakes one last mission on a merciless planet where death is always a mere breath away, in this standalone dystopian epic from the author of the modern fantasy classic Jade City.

The Library After Dark by Ande Pliego

Bone of My Bone by Johanna van Veen

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Bram Stoker Award–nominee and USA Today bestseller Johanna van Veen unveils a sapphic folk-horror tour de force―perfect for fans of The VVitch and The Salt Grows Heavy. A skull’s grin is eternal…

The Dorians by Nick Cutter

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
On a remote island in the Canadian wilderness, five elderly volunteers from different walks of life are given a tantalizing offer: to stall their biological clocks or even reverse them, restoring their lost youth.

We Dance Upon Demons by Vaishnavi Patel

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the New York Times bestselling author of Kaikeyi, a galvanizing stand-alone contemporary fantasy following a burnt-out reproductive health care worker as she fights back against escalating attacks on her clinic and the malevolent forces in hot pursuit of her newly acquired power.

The House of Now and Then by Edward Underhill

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the author of The In-Between Bookstore, the sweet, unforgettable story of a trans man in his thirties who books a Cape Cod cottage for one lonely summer—only to have its magic bring him visitors from the past and romance where he least expects it, perfect for fans of TJ Klune and Ashley Poston.

JUNE 2026 BOOK RELEASES

The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The new head gardener at the enchanting Lilymoor House stumbles upon a secret garden . . . with a mysterious man trapped inside, in the next magical novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Sounds Like Love and The Seven Year Slip.

The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
With her country’s future and her own life at stake, an orphaned duchess must journey into a world of myth and there discover a power that may be her salvation—or her demise—in this enchanting historical fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale.

The Heirs by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the award-winning New York Times and Indie bestselling author of Ace of Spades comes a mystery about five teen geniuses, their billionaire father, and the aftermath of his murder―perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying, Holly Jackson, and How to Get Away with Murder!

Whistler by Ann Patchett

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The acclaimed, prize-winning #1 New York Times bestselling writer returns with a moving, luminous novel that reminds us of the sweetness and impermanence of life and the power of connection to defy time.

This Immortal Heart by Jennifer Saint

Shadow Reaper by Lynette Noni

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A young reaper hunter must conspire with her enemy to uproot the ancient evil that threatens her world in this heart-pounding romantic fantasy from the bestselling author of The Prison Healer.

The Children by Melissa Albert

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
The haunting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Melissa Albert, in which the estranged adult children of a legendary author, written into their dead mother’s beloved fantasy series, must contend with the vine-like creep of legacy, memory, and magic

You Won’t Forget Me by Mazey Eddings

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
Cubby Clark is spiralling—her band is broken, her ex is famous, and inspiration is gone. As tabloids spin a love triangle and a summer tour amplifies tensions, Cubby and her best friend Darcy must confront buried feelings or risk losing each other and the music they love.

Dearly Departed by Chip Pons

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A Hades-inspired gay rom-com, in which the former god of the Underworld turned grumpy funeral director must find a loophole in the Immortal Retirement Act that banished him to Earth, until the florist next door who sees life in full bloom begins to unravel all his carefully laid plans.

The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
From the author of The Bright Years, the story of April and Leo, a couple on the brink of collapse. When their house goes up in flames, family secrets and thorny histories emerge as they are forced to decide what is worth salvaging.

There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood by Rasheed Newson

Songs of the Dead by Brandon Sanderson and Peter Orullian

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A London rocker is faced with a life-or-death choice when he realizes that a powerful society of magic wielders are the only ones keeping London safe in this deft contemporary fantasy cowritten by #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson with author and musician Peter Orullian.

What new book releases are you looking forward to picking up this year? Tell us in the comments below! And be sure to check back later in the year for our August to December picks!

The post Anticipated Book Releases Hitting Shelves In 2026 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Gods Among Us: Why Do Classical Myths Still Resonate in the Modern World? Eight Authors Weigh In

The Nerd Daily — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 19:59:00 +0000

Guest post from In the Garden of Monsters author Crystal King
Crystal King is the author of In the Garden of Monsters, a retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth, told from the point of view of a model Salvador Dali brings to Italy’s Sacro Bosco garden in 1948. She is also the author of The Chef’s Secret and Feast of Sorrow, which was long-listed at the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and designated as a MassBook Awards Must Read. Crystal’s writing is fueled by a love of history and a passion for the food, language, and culture of Italy. You can find her at crystalking.com.

The allure of Greek and Roman mythology has persisted for millennia, captivating audiences across generations and cultures. These ancient tales, with their larger-than-life characters and timeless themes, continue to resonate in our modern world. From the epic battles of the Trojan War to the cunning exploits of trickster gods, these myths offer a rich tapestry of human experience. They explore the heights of heroism and the depths of tragedy, serving as a mirror to our own hopes, fears, and desires. In an age of rapid technological advancement, these age-old stories still find their way into our books, movies, video games, and even internet memes. The Olympian gods may no longer be worshipped, but their influence on our collective imagination remains undiminished, proving that even in our digital era, the power of myth endures.

I have loved these myths since I was a kid when one of my most treasured books was The Golden Treasury of Myths and Legends by Anne Terry White. Published in 1957, it was a volume of various myths and ancient stories from several cultures that were a gateway into the ancient worlds for many children growing up in the sixties, seventies, and beyond. I read it cover to cover many times, taking in the drama of gods and men interspersed with all the fantastical creatures. It was a book that sparked my imagination and made me yearn to know these people from the past. They were simultaneously larger-than-life but also entirely relatable. Little did I know that these stories would end up being important to my future when I write about ancient Roman gods in Feast of Sorrow (Atria, 2017) and when I retell the myth of Hades and Persephone in my novel In The Garden of Monsters (Mira Books, 2024).

Myth retellings are hot these days, particularly those that give voice to overlooked female characters from antiquity. In In The Garden of Monsters, I’ve taken this concept further by reimagining the familiar Persephone myth. This isn’t the story you remember from childhood—Salvador Dalí certainly never faced off against Hades and Demeter in the original Greek tales. My goal was to present a fresh take on this oft-told narrative, offering readers a sense of familiarity tinged with surprise. The story feels almost known, yet distinctly different from the versions encountered in youth, challenging readers to reconsider what they thought they knew about these ancient myths.

I was curious about the motivations of other authors who chose to retell the myths. I asked the following six authors two questions: Why do they think that the Greek and Roman myths resonate so well with people centuries later? And what drew them to tell the stories they wrote about?

Margaret George, ***Helen of Troy*, (Penguin, 2007)**

For starters, the stories themselves can’t be beat—they are filled with unique characters and plot twists, action and tragedy—all the ingredients that appear in bestsellers today. But they also are shapeshifters, not confined to the islands of Greece or Mount Olympus, but are universal and can inhabit our modern world very easily. Hence the many adaptations of the myths, from the musical Hadestown to the Percy Jackson young adult book series to operas like Orfeo to the TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. They range from the highest highbrow to the lowest camp romps. It’s amazing, but today the names of Zeus, Venus, Pluto, and others are known even to first graders.

I was fascinated by the subject of beauty, as in the Oscar Wilde quote “Beauty is a form of genius—is higher, indeed, than genius, as it needs no explanation…It cannot be questioned. It has divine right of sovereignty.” In mythology, Helen of Troy was the most beautiful woman in the world, the mortal daughter of Zeus. What would it be like to be the embodiment of beauty? I wrote in the first person so I could explore and experience it as nearly real as possible. It would be both a blessing and a curse, I think, because all people can see is the dazzling exterior, and there would be no way to overcome that blinding vision. She would turn people to stone, like Medusa. Only it would not be fatal—or would it? Thousands died in the Trojan War that came about because of Helen and her beauty.

Jennifer Saint, Ariadne, Hera (Flatiron Books, 2021/2024)

Part of the fascination that mythology has always held for me is its longevity. The image of mythology existing as an unbroken chain, linking us in the 21^st century to people living more than two thousand years ago feels as magical as anything that happens within the stories themselves. I love to think of women telling their children mythical stories by the light of their hearth-fire, and mothers telling those same stories to their children now in a world that would be almost entirely unrecognizable. Because while the world around us has changed so drastically, I believe that the endurance of mythology shows us that the human heart – in many ways – has not. We still thrill to the stories of adventure and heroism, weep at the losses and heartbreak, rage at injustice and burn with love. The stories survive because they are stories of humanity, and because they contain such complexity and nuance that we can always find a new layer to draw into the light.

Every myth is full of hidden stories, unheard voices, and truths that resonate across the centuries. There is always more to discover about mythology and more that it shows us about ourselves, and for that reason, I think the popularity of these stories isn’t surprising at all.

Hera is one of the most maligned women of Greek mythology – the queen of the gods, married to Zeus and famed for her petty spite and vindictive nature. Stories abound of ‘jealous Hera’ taking out her frustrations about her unfaithful husband on the innocent women he pursues and the illegitimate children that he fathers. We have always viewed Hera through this misogynistic lens; she always embodies the worst of female stereotypes. She occupies a space both tediously domestic as the goddess of wives but also flamboyantly cruel as an ever-present thorn in her husband’s side while she supposedly views all women, mortals, and goddesses alike, as rivals for his affection. To me, this feels like a manifestly wrong way to look at Hera, and indicative of the fact that we’ve always seen her framed in male narratives.

Hera is an angry woman—and patriarchy hates angry women. It teaches us all to stifle that emotion and choke it down—which we see in the stories of Hera as a goddess consumed with bilious rage, an acidic and corrosive substance that churns inside her all the time. Could this anger really come from jealousy? It seems odd to ascribe it that way, given that Hera is forced into her marriage with Zeus and that all depictions of their relationship show it as deeply dysfunctional and toxic. Zeus in the Iliad behaves like an abuser – threatening Hera with violence, controlling her behavior and humiliating her in front of the other Olympians. Hera’s anger, in my opinion, comes not from possessiveness over Zeus but rather from the fact that she is a powerful goddess in her own right and that, as the goddess of marriage, her status is continually undermined by Zeus’ infidelity. It isn’t jealousy, or rivalry with other women, that drives Hera’s behavior. It’s fury at Zeus—the god who is the emblem of the patriarchy—and I had a feeling that her story would look very different if she had the chance to tell it herself.

Luna McNamara, Psyche & Eros (William Morrow, 2023)

I think one reason these stories still resonate today is because we need comfort in these unprecedented times. We are all facing so much uncertainty from the lingering effects of the pandemic, climate change, inflation, and war. The structures of the Greco-Roman myths are instinctively familiar to many, and they remind us that we’re not the first to endure such uncertainty. Ancient myths have a gravity that draws us in – we know how these stories end, even when we’re not sure what will become of our own.

A.D. Rhine (the pseudonym of Ashlee Cowles and Danielle Stinson), Horses of Fire and Daughters of Bronze (Dutton, 2023/2024)

Myths are how we make sense of our world and seek to understand what it means to be human. They are the seeds at the core of every story ever told, which is why we’re not surprised that they still resonate with modern readers thousands of years later. Just take Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, the myths that formed our Trojan War duology, Horses of Fire and Daughters of Bronze. These ancient epics have already inspired several reimaginings but countless more stories could still grow from their rich soil because the thing about myths is they are deceptively complex. Every reader will resonate with specific elements and every writer who retells the story will be drawn to some moments and not others. For example, as the daughters of soldiers, the two of us met as teens while living on a U.S. military base in Europe.

When we read the Iliad and the Odyssey as young women, it was never the Greek gods and goddesses that spoke to us–it was the people like Hector and Andromache, who were stand-ins for our fathers and mothers. The warriors defending their homes. The women fighting more hidden battles behind the city walls. The unseen children who grew up surrounded by the drums of war. We cared less about the scheming gods than we did the human actors striving to shape history even when the odds, and fate, seemed stacked against them. That’s why our duology focuses on the epic love story between Hector and Andromache, along with characters who haven’t received as much screentime–Cassandra, Ajax the Great, Sarpedon, and other Trojan allies who came from across ancient Anatolia to fight for a city that wasn’t even theirs. What was their story? Why does the complex geopolitical landscape of the Late Bronze Age–a world on the brink of climate crisis and a coming apocalypse–feel so relevant to us today? These many layers are why we keep coming back to the ancient stories–each new generation brings its unique questions and lived experiences.

We’ve read some beautiful Troy retellings, but we were driven to write Horses of Fire and Daughters of Bronze by the elements we had not yet seen. To start, we wanted to tell the story of Troy from the perspective of the vanquished, not the victors. We’ve heard the Greek side for thousands of years, but what of the Trojans? These mythological characters were likely based on the historical peoples of Anatolia whose culture and identity were all but erased by those who came across the sea. We wanted to bring the distinctive world of the Trojans to life for readers in a way we hadn’t seen before. The history behind the myth was what interested us most, so we dug in deep and discovered that ancient Anatolia was rich with a culture unlike anything seen before. A land that was likely the birthplace of agriculture and that gave us the oldest religious temple/megalith in the world (6 or 7 thousand years before Stonehenge!). It was also exciting to discover that some women in this part of the world may have had a startling degree of autonomy and political influence compared to those in ancient Greece. We wanted to tell the story of the Trojan women in their own words—a story not only of tragedy but of agency and hope.

Emily Hauser, For the Most Beautiful **and Mythica (Penguin, 2016/2025)**

There are so many layers to this answer, so I’ll just focus on a couple of standout features here. First off, I think it’s because reworking is intrinsic to myth: the lifeblood and the essence of myth is in the re-creation and re-telling. There’s no such thing as a canonical myth (even if the myth’s power is to make you think that there is!). And this brings me to my second point: because myth has the double—and paradoxical—capacity to be used to enforce canonical/patriarchal values, but at the same time to keep space for variant versions, variant voices, it’s such a powerful tool for retelling – from all different kinds of angles, through all different kinds of experiences and perspectives.

I’m particularly interested in retelling the voices/versions of women: Greek myth has such a powerful combination of strong, vibrant female characters who intersect with patriarchal power and challenge it in all kinds of fascinating ways – and yet their stories are also so full of holes, and gaps, that they’re just begging to be re-told in a way that puts their voices back in the picture and validates their experiences.

And that’s what drew me to the Greek myth in the first place, with my first novel For the Most Beautiful in 2016: I thought, “Why has no one ever told the story of Briseis and Chryseis in the Iliad? Why have the women’s tales always been sidelined in the androcentric version of the myth that has been handed down to us—and how can we change that? How can we make sure their voices get recalled from the margins?” It’s been a brilliant journey—and I’m still as fascinated as ever by the power of myth to reclaim women from the margins: in fact, my next non-fiction book (coming out in April 2025 in the US and UK) is called Mythica and does a thrilling deep-dive into how we might go about recovering the real, historical women who lived behind the Greek myths.

Angie Paxton, *Seeds, (Rising Action, 2025)***

Although Greek and Roman myths are mostly tales of gods and monsters and half-mortals, I think the reason these stories continue to reverberate thousands of years later is because of the stark humanity that’s on display in almost every single one. Take, for example, The Homeric Hymn to Demeter. What mother who has lost, or even contemplated the pain of losing a child, can’t relate to Demeter’s deep grief when Persephone is abducted? And everyone who isolated during the pandemic, can, perhaps, grasp a bit of the deep loneliness that drove Hades to wheel his chariot into a field of summer flowers and snatch up the beautiful young woman he found there. Persephone’s humanity is a little harder to pin down because, ironically, so little is said about the maiden-goddess whose loss is at the heart of this particular story. The Hymn tells us only that Persephone picked flowers with nymphs, was taken to the Underworld against her will, and was happy to be reunited with her mother. Despite that, she ate a pomegranate which sealed her fate as Hades’s consort. The eating of the pomegranate spoke to me of a hungry girl, a girl who wanted.

I wrote my book to figure out what it was that Persephone wanted and what happened to her below ground to make her believe the pomegranate Hades offered would satiate her. In doing so, I found reflections of my humanity, my struggles to be better flickering at me out of almost every character. That, I think, is the true power of these ancient stories and why they have such a hold on us. They help us see, through the lens of the gods, the deep truths of our own human experiences.

A.S. Webb, Daughter of Chaos, MIRA Books (January 14, 2025)

I think the Greek and Roman myths still resonate thousands of years later because of their timeless humanity. While they are often fantastical, including tales of all-powerful gods, physical transformations and death-defying heroics, the heart of these stories beats with our own emotions; love, hope, desire, jealousy, the urge to gain power over one’s fate, to protect one’s family, to live a full and rich life. They hold a mirror to our nature, in all its intricacies, while capturing our imagination with their magic.

I have been obsessed with Greek mythology from an early age and more recently loved the wave of feminist retellings spotlighting the women in these tales. However, I found myself craving the stories I’d grown up with, like the adventures of Heracles, Jason, or Perseus, but with a woman at the helm. I wanted to interact with these myths in a fresh, new way, through the lens of a fierce heroine who creates a myth of her own alongside the heroes of legend.

The post Gods Among Us: Why Do Classical Myths Still Resonate in the Modern World? Eight Authors Weigh In appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Q&A: Jennifer Saint, Author of ‘Hera’

Emily M — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 17:00:00 +0000

We chat with number one Sunday Times bestseller author Jennifer Saint about her latest Greek mythology retelling, Hera. Following the titular goddess, this is a unique take on the genre, informed by Saint’s extensive love of Greek mythology and background in Classics, becoming a Visiting Research Fellow in the Classics Department at King’s College, London. Saint has established a distinctive stamp on Greek mythology, exploring untold stories through fascinating lens that reframe the entire narrative from the one we may think we know.

Hi Jennifer, thank you for joining us today! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and your latest book Hera?

I’m a full-time author and I live in Yorkshire, England with my husband and two sons. I’ve always had a passion for Greek mythology and consider myself very lucky to be able to write about it for a living! I’m fascinated by the women of these ancient stories and there is none more challenging and controversial than Hera, Queen of the Olympians and notorious for her rage. We know Hera as the archetypal jealous wife, constantly striking out in anger at the women who catch her husband’s roving eye – but that’s only one side of her story.

You’ve established a brand of fiercely feminist, character driven Greek mythological retellings that set the imagination on fire. What’s your process like for selecting which figure to focus on and adapting that story into your style?

The inspiration always comes as a complete scene in my head. It’s something that makes me angry – like Ariadne waking up alone on Naxos – or that feels irresistibly exciting, like the infant Atalanta growing up among the bears. I know it’s got potential if it feels like something I have to write, something that feels compelling and urgent. If it stirs up emotion in me, I know that it will speak to readers too, and the rest of the novel grows from that scene. It gives me the direction and purpose that I need; whether that’s to give Ariadne the catharsis she needs to prove herself without Theseus, or to explore the wildness and fearlessness that Atalanta’s early years instil in her psyche and what that drives her to accomplish. For Hera, the inspiration was actually the ending of the novel! For once, the conclusion to my heroine’s story wasn’t already decided by the shape of existing mythology, because this was the first time I’d written about a goddess and, of course, there is no end to her story. This gave me the opportunity to really delve into the importance of myth in human lives and to think about what Hera represents – I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I knew what journey she was going to embark on and where it would take her and it made me so eager to write the novel so I could get there!

What surprised you while writing this book?

Hera, as the goddess of marriage and wife to Zeus, is so often portrayed in a very domestic sphere. It reduces and contains her, making her this embittered spouse who lashes out at innocent women and reinforces the patriarchal status quo all the time. But if you dig deeper into Hera’s mythology, there is a lot more to this goddess. One of the first visual inspirations I found was a vase painting, in which Hera is depicted as crowned and regal but brandishing a huge spear that she’s about to sink into the stomach of a giant who is falling underneath her blows. This is Hera the warrior queen, who fought in the Titanomachy and the Gigantomachy – two major battles between immortals that occur in Greek mythology. A lesser-known title for Hera is the Mother of Monsters – my favourite epithet! – due to her penchant for nursing wild and ferocious creatures that pose a threat to all the gods. Growing up, I’d always considered her as one of the more dull characters of myth, always appearing as the antagonist but in researching this novel I found so many stories of her vivid intelligence, her strategic nature and her rebellious spirit, along with her penchant for the darkness. I think there is a lot in the novel that will surprise readers!

Hera as a protagonist is challenging and stubborn at times – what does it mean to you to create such three-dimensional and flawed characters, particularly when depicting a deity?

I thought of Hera all the time that I was writing as the ultimate survivor. She’s one of the original six Olympians, born to the Titan Cronus whose rule over the world is cruel and tyrannical, and she fights alongside her siblings to overthrow him and his brothers and establish a new world order. She survives a forced marriage to Zeus, her brother, and the violence, control and humiliation which characterises their relationship. There is an iron strength to Hera, and a determination to keep going. This makes her difficult in all sorts of ways, and the ruthlessness that she learns in order to thrive can sometimes make it hard to condone her actions when she’s wrong – which she often is! But I think readers will still root for her to succeed. Greek gods are far from perfect, after all. But Hera was worshipped in the ancient world: a wife and mother who strikes back at the injustices dealt to her and refuses to surrender. While she’s terrifying in many ways, she’s also a source of strength and comfort – and maybe even inspiration.

I feel across your books so far there’s often a subtle representation of female rage, particularly within and against the constraints of a patriarchal society. What themes would you like to stick with readers and is there a particular message you’d like them to take from Hera and your other work?

Hera’s anger is a defining characteristic in the myths. But her rage is uniquely physical, almost more human than divine. It’s a rage born of bile – an acid, choking sensation in her throat that poisons her all the time. I came across a story while researching of a temple statue of Hera that was said to vomit fountains of blood when the townspeople annoyed her, and it really struck me as an emblem of a very female kind of rage. The kind that you suppress, that you swallow down until it becomes corrosive and toxic and eats away at your insides. Hera’s frustration stems from the fact that she cannot strike out at the real subject of her rage – Zeus, the figurehead of the patriarchy. It means that her anger is often misdirected, and frequently it’s other women who are her target. Maybe the message of the novel is to recognise who the real enemy is, a lesson that Hera has to learn.

What songs would form the soundtrack to Hera for you?

I listened endlessly to Taylor Swift’s Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve and Vigilante Shit while writing and those two songs are inextricably entwined with the novel for me. I would also say Goddess by Laufey feels particularly apt and at the risk of going full Swiftie, The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived is the perfect song for Zeus, while Hera’s anthem would probably be Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me? Beyonce’s Don’t Hurt Yourself would need to be on there too. As someone who was utterly obsessed with Alanis Morrisette’s Jagged Little Pill in the 90s, I’d also include You Oughta Know. Without a doubt, Violet by Hole. And definitely Seven Devils by Florence and the Machine. Really, anything that could appear on a playlist entitled Female Rage!

What books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?

I loved The Witch of Colchis by Rosie Hewlett, which tells the story of Medea – another notorious villainess of Greek mythology! The End Crowns All by Bea Fitzgerald is a gorgeous sapphic reimagining of the Trojan War if Helen and Cassandra fell in love with each other, which I adored. I can’t wait to get my hands on Boudicca’s Daughters by Elodie Harper which will be out in 2025 – a historical fiction novel about the daughters of the famous female warrior, and Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan which is also out in 2025 and looks amazing! Finally, the first installment of Nikita Gill’s underworld goddess trilogy, Hecate, is one of my most anticipated books!

I love how you have a dedicated notebook for each project! Can you give us any hints about your next notebook and therefore the project hidden within?

It’s pink and lavishly decorated with red hearts – I’m taking on a more romantic project next time!

What’s one retelling you’d love to tackle but isn’t currently in the works?

I really loved writing about the women of the Trojan War in Elektra and I’d like to revisit that world some day. There are so many more intriguing women to explore – Hecabe, the queen of Troy for example or Andromache, wife of Hector. I have no immediate plans, but that’s one that always hovers in the back of my mind as a maybe one day…

Please could you recommend three books Hera would sit well with on the shelf?

The aforementioned Witch of Colchis – I think Medea and Hera would discover they had a lot to talk about if they got together! Also Babylonia by Costanza Casati, which is the rich and immersive story of Semiramus, a queen of Ancient Mesopotamia – another powerful, fascinating and complicated woman and another fabulous book that I enjoyed this year. I also loved Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi which is a loose retelling of the Persephone myth set in medieval West Africa and was such a vibrant, glorious read – I think if you like Hera, you would be hungry for this novel to transport you to another world and introduce you to another woman determined to survive and succeed.

Finally, if you could only use five words to describe Hera, what would they be?

Queen, survivor, antihero, warrior, goddess.

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

The post Q&A: Jennifer Saint, Author of ‘Hera’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Review: Hera by Jennifer Saint

Emily M — Wed, 15 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Jennifer Saint has such a distinctive stamp on the genre of Greek mythological retellings—the narratives are captivating and choose interesting new takes on familiar stories. Saint turns her eye to the Queen of the Gods in this nuanced take on misdirected wrath and humanising a complex, otherworldly figure.

Saint’s retellings are quintessentially complex, sitting in the ambiguities of the story and pushing against the preconceived ideas of her female protagonists. Hera continues in this vein, exaggerated to a greater extent. Hera is not to be fully understood by mere mortals as a deity and yet Saint humanises her to an extent that you can understand the motivations behind her actions, but strays from justifying them. Historically she has been cast as a jealous vengeful woman twisted with hatred and taking out her anger at her husband’s actions against the women he was involved with. Saint adds nuance to this depiction and instead explores the core of that rage—giving it gravitas and slowly building it up. The Hera we initially meet is a respected warrior and an equal (at least in her view). Saint’s narrative is one of being crushed and diminished by a patriarchal force. It is a slow erosion of your being—taking away her power and her autonomy. For me, this formed the emotional core of the book and added a devastating view of Hera.

However, the narrative shows her jealousy and misplaced rage—in fact it makes a point of illustrating just how misdirected it is. Hera is caught up in her fear and rage. It is vindictive and cruel at times. While Saint does not shy away from the monstrosity of Hera’s actions at times, she still squares the majority of the blame on Zeus’ shoulders. He is a despicable figure throughout the book. He embodies a revulsive claim to women’s bodies and beings that he thinks he is owed. Sexual assault and the impact of this trauma is a central theme of the book, so please be aware of your own triggers with reading. Saint allows us to sit in the quiet moments with this—giving time and space to the horror of this trauma. Of all Saint’s retellings, I would say this is the angriest so far. It simmers with a building rage that occasionally overspills in the wrong direction. It is also a cautionary tale of allowing that rage to consume you though.

Saint’s overall depiction of divinity is fascinating. We start in the blaze of battle with the war against the Titans finally drawing to an end and a new power emerging. The creation of this new regime and how it begins to interact with creating humanity is so interesting and adds this lofty view of myths we know. There is an overarching arc of the involvement of gods and humans and the co-dependent nature of this relationship. For me, this was endlessly intriguing and asked interesting questions about legacy and faith. Saint builds to a wonderfully cathartic ending but in an unexpected way. Threaded through this is Hera and her journey as a queen, a wife and a mother. Saint pulls in the expected plot beats, but also adds in lesser-known aspects of Hera’s myth and gives them the spotlight. In particular, there is a wonderfully explored dynamic between herself and Gaia that I really enjoyed. It expanded the central theme of femininity and expectations. Also, the dynamic between Hera and Aphrodite was charged with a tension of power and dynastic influences. This and the dynamics between Hera and Hestia and Hera and Athena were my favourites of the book. On the flipside, there is a fantastic plot thread around Hera and Echidna that is wonderfully written and explores another side of Hera’s story. This is also another aspect of grappling with her own trauma and shifted status within the divine hierarchy. It adds a counterbalance to this story of gods and heroes.

Hera is another marvel of a mythological retelling from the mind of Jennifer Saint.

Hera is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of May 23rd 2024.

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

Synopsis | Goodreads

The enthralling tale of a powerful Greek goddess maligned in both myth and ancient history, as told by Sunday Times bestselling author Jennifer Saint.

When Hera, immortal goddess and daughter of the ancient Titan Cronos, helps her brother Zeus to overthrow their tyrannical father, she dreams of ruling at his side.

As they establish their reign on Mount Olympus, Hera suspects that Zeus might be just as ruthless and cruel as the father they betrayed.

She was always born to rule, but must she lose herself in perpetuating this cycle of violence and cruelty? Or can she find a way to forge a better world?

Often portrayed as the jealous wife or the wicked stepmother, this retelling captures the many sides of Hera, vengeful when she needs to be but also compassionate and mostly importantly, an all-powerful queen to the gods.

The post Review: Hera by Jennifer Saint appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Review: Atalanta by Jennifer Saint

The Nerd Daily — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Post written by contributor Zoe CW
Atalanta was brutally cast aside to the wilds of Mount Parthenion simply because she was not the son her father wanted. Found by a mother bear sent by Artemis herself, she is raised learning and growing in Artemis’ Forest amongst the nymphs, and under Artemis’ tutelage Atalanta becomes the Goddess’ protégé.

After hearing of Jason’s quest to find the fabled Golden Fleece, Artemis sends a grown Atalanta to become her champion, being the only female amongst Jason’s Argonauts. Anxious to explore the world, yet apprehensive about how it may change her, she readily agrees.

The quest itself and aftermath have Atalanta battling constant misogyny and enemy forces alongside fantastical elements like vengeful Gods to find adventure and make a name for herself as one of Greece’s heroes.

Atalanta is a powerful feminist take on both mythological versions of the heroine, incorporating stories hailing from Arcadia, and Boeotia. Jennifer Saint is a master of taking classic Greek myths and presenting them from a female perspective while maintaining the integrity of the original tale. Her previous two bestsellers, Ariadne, and Elektra, told the stories of those women forgotten in the shadows of Gods and men who will stop at nothing to get what they want, and Atalanta is perhaps the most powerful tale of them all.

Unlike a lot of other retellings which only loosely follow the lore, Atalanta kept close to the key story points of all the original myths. While this a considerable strength to the book, it also rendered some of the journey glossed over, making a couple of parts feel a bit boring. Choosing to add some creative liberties to liven up one or two of these side stories could have fleshed out some of those side characters a bit more and added some depth to the journey overall. While Saint certainly didn’t shy away from the more brutal components of traditional Greek mythology, jumping from story point to story point didn’t allow the reader to fully experience some absolutely wild events. Some moments will make your jaw drop and your heart break as you learn the fates of various characters.

However, the absolutely beautiful imagery that Saint weaves through the entire book make up for some of the less fleshed out story lines. Her descriptions of Atalanta’s various surroundings and what was happening really make the reader visualise everything so clearly. The rich descriptions of the forest Atalanta grew up in during the first part of the book really set you up for what to expect to experience while you follow Atalanta’s journey to locations no-one has visited before.

Saint also does a tremendous job at communicating the inner turmoil of a character who faces extremely challenging situations. She often finds herself experiencing feelings of unease as situations unfold outside her control she doesn’t agree with but doesn’t know how to challenge. These same situations help her realise that maybe she’s not the same person that left the forest she grew up in.

On the whole, Atalanta is a beautiful tale with some powerful themes that will inspire you to go and find what makes you happy, regardless of what society says, or what stands in your way.

Atalanta is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

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

Synopsis | Goodreads

From the beloved, bestselling author of Elektra and Ariadne, a reimagining of the myth of Atalanta, a fierce huntress raised by bears and the only woman in the world’s most famous band of heroes, the Argonauts

Princess, Warrior, Lover, Hero

When Princess Atalanta is born, a daughter rather than the son her parents hoped for, she is left on a mountainside to die. But even then, she is a survivor. Raised by a mother bear under the protective eye of the goddess Artemis, Atalanta grows up wild and free, with just one condition: if she marries, Artemis warns, it will be her undoing.

Although she loves her beautiful forest home, Atalanta yearns for adventure. When Artemis offers her the chance to fight in her name alongside the Argonauts, the fiercest band of warriors the world has ever seen, Atalanta seizes it. The Argonauts’ quest for the Golden Fleece is filled with impossible challenges, but Atalanta proves herself equal to the men she fights alongside. As she is swept into a passionate affair, in defiance of Artemis’s warning, she begins to question the goddess’s true intentions. Can Atalanta carve out her own legendary place in a world of men, while staying true to her heart?

Full of joy, passion, and adventure, Atalanta is the story of a woman who refuses to be contained. Jennifer Saint places Atalanta in the pantheon of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology, where she belongs.

The post Review: Atalanta by Jennifer Saint appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

May 2023 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Releases

Elise Dumpleton — Tue, 09 May 2023 17:00:58 +0000

Get ready to go on an epic quest, enter a world of dragons, or explore an intriguing mythology retelling in one of these May 2023 book releases!

The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
This sensational epic fantasy follows an emissary for the king as he gathers a group of strangers and embarks on a dangerous quest across a war-torn land.

Dragonfall by Laura Lam
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Long-banished dragons, revered as gods, return to the mortal realm in the first in this magical new epic fantasy trilogy from a bestselling author

Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
From the beloved, bestselling author of Elektra and Ariadne, a reimagining of the myth of Atalanta, a fierce huntress raised by bears and the only woman in the world’s most famous band of heroes, the Argonauts

Scarlet by Genevieve Cogman
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Scarlet is the first book in a wildly engaging new series from Genevieve Cogman, which reinvents the beloved tale of the Scarlet Pimpernel.

The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
With unforeseen twists, romance, and a heavy sprinkle of magic, The Enchanted Hacienda is a captivating coming-of-age debut exploring identity, unconditional family love, and uncovering the magic within us all.

The Shadow Cabinet by Juno Dawson
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
In the second installment of Juno Dawson’s “irresistible” fantasy trilogy (Lana Harper), a group of childhood friends and witches must choose between what is right and what is easy if they have any hope of keeping their coven–and their world–from tearing apart forever.

The Will of the Many by James Islington
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
At the elite Catenan Academy, a young fugitive uncovers layered mysteries and world-changing secrets in this new fantasy series by internationally bestselling author of The Licanius Trilogy, James Islington.

Loki by Melvin Burgess
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
This is a retelling that is contemporary in tone, at once amusing and relatable. It is a heartfelt plea to overthrow the old gods of power and authority and instigate a new era ruled by love and intelligence.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros.

Savage Beasts by Rani Selvarajah
Goodreads | Amazon
Savage Beasts is a propulsive retelling of the Greek myth of Medea, reimagined as Meena the daughter of the powerful Nawab of Bengal, during the rise of the East India Company.

A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn, Claire Legrand, makes her stunning adult debut with A Crown of Ivy and Glass, a lush, sweeping, steamy fantasy romance series starter that’s perfect for fans of Bridgerton and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
The explosive, hotly-anticipated debut novel from the New York Times-bestselling author of Friday Black, about two top women gladiators fighting for their freedom within a depraved private prison system not so far-removed from America’s own.

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

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11 Mythology Inspired Book Releases To Look Forward To In 2023

The Nerd Daily — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 17:00:42 +0000

Article contributed by Ellen Orange

Love a mythology retelling? You are in the right place! Books inspired by the myths and legends of ancient worlds have grown wildly in popularity, largely thanks to #BookTok. The trend is showing no signs of slowing down in 2023, with a host of exciting new releases.

Whether it’s reimagining age old stories through a modern lens, bringing light to lesser known myths, or giving voice to overlooked and marginalised characters, check out a few of the mythology inspired books arriving on shelves this year!

Atalanta by Jennifer Saint

Jennifer Saint has hit her stride with retellings of ancient Greek women, with her third book covering one of Greek mythology’s only female heroes. A huntress, raised by bears, Atalanta becomes the only female warrior in the Argonauts. Saint tells the story of the warrior princess and how she claims her place as a hero, in a world dominated by men.

Clytemnestra by Constanza Casati

The story of Agamemnon has been told many times over in the many versions of the Iliad, but the story of his wife has often been consigned to a footnote or afterword. Casati promises to give life to the legendary queen who exacted her revenge on her husband.

Song of Silver Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao

A highly anticipated release of 2023, which is the first installment in an epic fantasy series, Song of Silver Flame Like Night draws on the Chinese genre of ‘xianxia’ to tell the story of a girl seeking to liberate her kingdom from imperialism. Xianxia are stories which form much of the cultural heritage of China, and literally translates to ‘immortal heroes’.

House of Odysseus by Claire North

A follow up to North’s Ithaca, House of Odysseus explores the lives of the women overlooked in the Odyssey. Penelope flights to maintain the balance of power in her husband’s absence. The return of soldiers from Troy and its violent aftermath has rocked that balance. It is the women of the myths—Penelope, Elektra, and Helen—who must deal with the fallout from the war and North gives voice to their stories.

The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood

Medusa retellings have become particularly popular—Heywood’s newest novel offers another perspective in her story. This retelling of Perseus’ story from the perspectives of the women in his life, his mother, wife, and victim, show a man who isn’t so heroic after all.

Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood

A debut novel, inspired by the injustice at the end of the Odyssey, where 12 maidens are condemned to death by Odysseus. Now, twelve maidens are condemned to death every year as a tribute to Poseidon for the lives of those original women. When Leto comes to meet her fate, she instead meets Melantho, who tells her she can pave a new destiny, if she kills the prince of Ithaca.

Gwen and Art Are Not In Love by Lex Croucher

Croucher has made a name in historical fiction for regency romances with a modern twist. Their newest book tells the story of King Arthur’s descendant, Arthur who is engaged to Gwendolyn. However, not only do they ardently dislike each other, they soon discover that they are both attracted to their own sex. A queer medieval rom-com loosely inspired by the the legend of Camelot.

These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi

Mafi’s new novel is the sequel to her incredibly popular fantasy This Woven Kingdom. The trilogy draws on Persian mythology and the epic poem Shahnameh, to create a rich and magical fantasy world for an epic romantic adventure.

Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken

Bestselling author of Lore, Alexandra Bracken is back with the first in a series inspired by Arthurian Legend. Tasmin Lark is a crypt robber, competing for the best treasures she can find. However when a powerful ring from Arthurian legend is rumoured to exist, she must team up with her rival to find it and free her brother from his curse.

Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth

Much loved YA author Veronica Roth is back with a futuristic, dystopian retelling of Antigone. Earth is a wasteland, with life confined to the last city. The Archive holds genes of the dead—the last hope for humanity. When Antigone’s parent’s are murdered and her uncle ascends to the throne, she is full of rage. Roth reimagines this tragic heroine through the genre of science fiction.

Savage Beasts by Rani Selvarajah

A reimagining of Medea in 18th Century India. Meena, the Nawab’s daughter, finds an escape from her sheltered existence in James Chilcott nephew of the head of the East India Company. The lovers flee Calcutta. But stranded in a foreign country, love turns to hate. Selvarajah’s retelling explores the classical villain through a unique lens.

The post 11 Mythology Inspired Book Releases To Look Forward To In 2023 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Releases To Devour In 2022

Elise Dumpleton — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 03:00:14 +0000

The Nerd Daily may obtain commissions for qualifying purchases from the links included in this article, but it’s so important to remember to shop local and indie!

After the last two years, readers are thoroughly enjoying jumping into a fantasy or sci-fi novel to escape the world, so 2022 holds many exciting books to look forward to! From new releases from the likes of Seanan McGuire, Tara Sim, John Scalzi, Jennifer Saint, Jonathan Maberry, and more, to those releasing their debut novel, there’s really something for everyone within this round up!

Read on to discover fantasy and sci-fi books releasing between the months of January and June and tell us in the comments below if you’re looking forward to any of them!

JANUARY

Engines of Empire by R. S. Ford
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This epic fantasy tells the tales of clashing Guilds, magic-fueled machines, intrigue and revolution—and the one family that stands between an empire’s salvation or destruction.

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
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For fans of Cloud Atlas and Station Eleven––Follow a cast of intricately linked characters over hundreds of years as humanity struggles to rebuild itself in the aftermath of a climate plague

Seven Mercies by Laura Lam and Elizabeth May
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The second book in a feminist space opera duology that follows the team of seven rebels who will free the galaxy from the ruthless Tholosian Empire–or die trying.

The Amber Crown by Jacey Bedford
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In this new epic fantasy, three societal outcasts must work together to fulfill the orders of a dead king’s ghost or risk their nation falling to a tyrant

Where The Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire
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Welcome to the Whitethorn Institute. The first step is always admitting you need help, and you’ve already taken that step by requesting a transfer into our company.

Servant Mage by Kate Elliott
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In Kate Elliott’s Servant Mage, a lowly fire mage finds herself entangled in an empire-spanning conspiracy on her way to discovering her true power.

Obsidian by Sarah J. Daley
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Defying those who think her an abomination, Shade wears her tattoos openly and carries obsidian blades at her hips. For years, she has protected the outcast clans who wander the blighted Wastes, but the land is growing more unstable and her blades are no longer enough.

The Starless Crown by James Rollins
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An alliance embarks on a dangerous journey to uncover the secrets of the distant past and save their world in this captivating, deeply visionary adventure from #1 New York Times bestselling thriller-master James Rollins.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
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A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e , in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm and sets her on a dangerous path—where choices come with deadly consequences, and she risks losing more than her heart.

Battle of the Linguist Mages by Scotto Moore
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In modern day Los Angeles, a shadowy faction led by the Governor of California develops the arcane art of combat linguistics, planting the seeds of a future totalitarian empire in Scotto Moore’s Battle of the Linguist Mages.

Light Years From Home by Mike Chen
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The perfect combination of action, imagination and heart, Light Years from Home is a touching drama about a challenge as difficult as saving the galaxy: making peace with your family…and yourself.

The Unfamiliar Garden by Benjamin Percy
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Award-winning author Benjamin Percy delivers both a gripping science fiction thriller and a dazzling examination of a planet—and a marriage—that have broken.

FEBRUARY

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross
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House of Earth and Blood meets The Witch’s Heart in Rebecca Ross’s brilliant first adult fantasy, set on the magical isle of Cadence where two childhood enemies must team up to discover why girls are going missing from their clan.

Last Exit by Max Gladstone
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Fresh from winning the Hugo and Nebula Awards, Max Gladstone weaves elements of American myth—the muscle car, the open road, the white-hatted cowboy—into Last Exit, a deeply emotional tale where his characters must find their own truths if they are to survive.

Clean Air by Sarah Blake
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Suspenseful and startling, but also written with a wry, observant humor, Clean Air is the second novel from poet Sarah Blake, author of the award-winning literary debut Naamah. It will appeal to readers of The Need, The Leftovers, and Fever Dream as it probes motherhood, grief, control, and choice.

Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman
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A whirlwind romance between an eccentric archivist and a grieving widow explores what it means to be at home in your own body in this clever, humorous, and heartfelt novel.

Scorpica: The Five Queendoms by G.R. Macallister
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A centuries-long peace is shattered in a matriarchal society when a decade passes without a single girl being born in this sweeping epic fantasy that’s perfect for fans of Robin Hobb and Circe.

The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart
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At once a dazzlingly time-twisting murder mystery and a story about grief, memory, and what it means to—literally—come face-to-face with our ghosts, The Paradox Hotel is another unforgettable speculative thrill ride from acclaimed author Rob Hart.

The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
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From a major new debut author in epic fantasy comes the first book in a trilogy where action, intrigue, and magic collide. The Justice of Kings introduces an unforgettable protagonist destined to become a fantasy icon: Sir Konrad Vonvalt, an Emperor’s Justice, who is a detective, judge, and executioner all in one. But these are dangerous times to be a Justice….

Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes
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Titanic meets The Shining in S.A. Barnes’ Dead Silence, a SF horror novel in which a woman and her crew board a decades-lost luxury cruiser and find the wreckage of a nightmare that hasn’t yet ended.

Redwood and Wildfire by Andrea Hairston
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Andrea Hairston’s alternate history adventure, Redwood and Wildfire, is the winner of the Otherwise Award and the Carl Brandon Kindred Award.

Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space
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Reclaim the Stars is a collection of bestselling and acclaimed YA authors that take the Latin American diaspora to places fantastical and out of this world. Authors include Daniel José Older, Yamile Saied Méndez, Anna-Marie McLemore, Mark Oshiro, Romina Garber, David Bowles, Lilliam Rivera, Claribel Ortega, Isabel Ibañez, Sara Faring, Maya Motayne, Nina Moreno, Vita Ayala, J.C. Cervantes, Circe Moskowitz, Linda Nieves Pérez, and Zoraida Córdova.

Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik
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The critically acclaimed author of Polaris Rising takes readers on an exciting journey with the start of her brand-new series about a female bounty hunter and the man who is her sworn enemy.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton
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The Martian meets Dark Matter in Edward Ashton’s high concept science fiction thriller, in which Mickey7, an “expendable,” refuses to let his replacement clone Mickey8 take his place.

MARCH

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

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

The Way Spring Arrives and Other Stories: A Collection of Chinese Science Fiction and Fantasy in Translation
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From an award-winning team of authors, editors, and translators comes a groundbreaking short story collection that explores the expanse of Chinese science fiction and fantasy.

Comeuppance Served Cold by Marion Deeds
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A respected magus and city leader intent on criminalizing Seattle’s most vulnerable magickers hires a young woman as a lady’s companion to curb his rebellious daughter’s outrageous behavior.

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin
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Judy I. Lin’s sweeping debut A Magic Steeped in Poison, first in a duology, is sure to enchant fans of Adrienne Young and Leigh Bardugo.

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
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From the critically acclaimed author of The Book of M, a highly imaginative thriller about a young woman who discovers that a strange map in her deceased father’s belongings holds an incredible, deadly secret—one that will lead her on an extraordinary adventure and to the truth about her family’s dark history.

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
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The Kaiju Preservation Society is John Scalzi’s first standalone adventure since the conclusion of his New York Times bestselling Interdependency trilogy.

Kundo Wakes Up by Saad Hossain
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In this standalone follow-up to the fan favorite The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday Saad Z. Hossain continues to mix futurism with fable, and shows how strange our lives might become.

Until the Last of Me by Sylvain Neuvel
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A darkly satirical thriller, as seen through the eyes of the women who sacrifice all to make progress possible and the men who are determined to stop them.

Edgewood by Kristen Ciccarelli
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Haunting and romantic, Kristen Ciccarelli’s Edgewood is an exciting novel from a bold, unforgettable voice in fantasy.

Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May
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In the aftermath of World War I, a naive woman is swept into a glittering world filled with dark magic, romance, and murder in this lush and decadent debut.

The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes book four in her Blood and Ash series.

APRIL

God of Neverland by Gama Ray Martinez
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In this magical re-imagining of J. M. Barrie’s classic tale, Michael Darling—the youngest of the Darling siblings and former Lost Boy, now all grown up—must return to the life he left behind to save Neverland from the brink of collapse and keep humanity safe from magical and mythological threats, as well as answer the ultimate question: Where is Peter Pan?

In a Garden Burning Gold by Rory Power
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Twins imbued with incredible magic and near-immortality will do anything to keep their family safe—even if it tears the siblings apart—in the first book of a mythic epic fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls.

The Blood Trials by N.E. Davenport
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Blending fantasy and science fiction, N. E. Davenport’s fast-paced, action-packed debut kicks off a duology of loyalty and rebellion, in which a young Black woman must survive deadly trials in a racist and misogynistic society to become an elite warrior.

Aspects by John M. Ford
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In the years before his unexpected death, John M. Ford wrote a novel of fantasy and magic unlike any other. Politics and abdicated kings, swords and sorcerous machine guns, divination and ancient empires―finally, Aspects is here.

Spear by Nicola Griffith
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The legendary author of Hild returns with an unforgettable hero and a queer Arthurian masterpiece for the modern era. Nicola Griffith’s Spear is a spellbinding vision of the Camelot we’ve longed for, a Camelot that belongs to us all.

Flint and Mirror by John Crowley
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From award-winning author John Crowley comes a novel that masterfully blends history and magic in Flint and Mirror.

Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse
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Return to The Meridian with New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Roanhorse’s sequel to the most critically hailed epic fantasy of 2020 Black Sun—finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, Lambda, and Locus awards.

The Discord of Gods by Jenn Lyons
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The Discord of Gods marks the epic conclusion to Jenn Lyons’s Chorus of Dragons series, closing out the saga that began with The Ruin of Kings, for fans of Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss.

The Memory Librarian by Janelle Monáe
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In The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer, singer-songwriter, actor, fashion icon, activist, and worldwide superstar Janelle Monáe brings to the written page the Afrofuturistic world of one of her critically acclaimed albums, exploring how different threads of liberation—queerness, race, gender plurality, and love—become tangled with future possibilities of memory and time in such a totalitarian landscape…and what the costs might be when trying to unravel and weave them into freedoms.

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
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With her signature mix of the grim and the delightful, award-winning author T. Kingfisher takes the old bones of fantasy and fairytale and makes them into something entirely new in this enchanting adventure.

Saint Death’s Daughter by C.S.E. Cooney
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Perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth and The Ten Thousand Doors of January, Saint Death’s Daughter is the first novel in a new trilogy about love, coming-of-age and strangeness.

Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
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A stunning debut from a powerful new voice, Kaikeyi reimagines the life of the infamous queen from the Indian epic the Ramayana, weaving a tale of fate, family, courage, and heartbreak—of an extraordinary woman determined to leave her mark in a world where gods and men dictate the shape of things to come.

MAY

Elektra by Jennifer Saint
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A spellbinding reimagining of the story of Elektra, one of Greek mythology’s most infamous heroines, from Jennifer Saint, the author of the beloved international bestseller, Ariadne.

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
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Two warriors shepherd an ancient god across a broken land to end the tyrannical reign of a royal family in this new epic fantasy from the author of The Vanished Birds.

Kagen the Damned by Jonathan Maberry
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The Witcher meets Game of Thrones in New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry’s brilliant new fantasy series, Kagen the Damned.

Seasonal Fears by Seanan McGuire
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From New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire, Seasonal Fears is the extraordinary companion novel to Middlegame.

Under Fortunate Stars by Ren Hutchings
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Under Fortunate Stars is a modern, progressive homage to classic space opera stories, with flawed heroes and time travel.

All the Seas of the World by Guy Gavriel Kay
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Returning triumphantly to the brilliantly evoked near-Renaissance world of A Brightness Long Ago and Children of Earth and Sky, international bestselling author Guy Gavriel Kay deploys his signature ‘quarter turn to the fantastic’ to tell a story of vengeance, power, and love.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero
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With spellbinding verse prose, R.M. Romero channels the spirit of myth into a brilliantly original tale, inspired by her experiences restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe.

Siren Queen by Nghi Vo
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Siren Queen offers up an enthralling exploration of an outsider achieving stardom on her own terms, in a fantastical Hollywood where the monsters are real and the magic of the silver screen illuminates every page.

Heroic Hearts edited by Jim Butcher & Kerrie Hughes
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An all-star urban fantasy collection featuring short stories from #1 New York Times bestselling authors Jim Butcher, Patricia Briggs, Charlaine Harris, Kelley Armstrong, and more . . .

The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah
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Inspired by stories from One Thousand and One Nights, The Stardust Thief weaves the gripping tale of a legendary smuggler, a cowardly prince, and a dangerous quest across the desert to find a legendary, magical lamp.

Second Spear by Kerstin Hall
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Kerstin Hall’s Second Spear is the thrilling follow-up to the Nommo Award finalist, The Border Keeper.

A Game of Retribution by Scarlett St. Clair
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Become enchanted by the fantasy world of gods and mortals in bestselling author Scarlett St. Clair’s reimagined New Greece. Readers are “hopelessly addicted” to the story of Hades and Persephone told from Hades’s point of view.

JUNE

Rise of the Snake Goddess by Jenny Elder Moke
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Samantha Knox is back for another adventure in this 1920s female-driven mystery-adventure series!

Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
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From highly acclaimed bestselling author Ava Reid comes a gothic horror retelling of The Juniper Tree, set in another time and place within the world of The Wolf and the Woodsman, where a young witch seeks to discover her identity and escape the domination of her wizard father, perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson and Catherynne M. Valente.

For the Throne by Hannah F. Whitten
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Red’s sister Neve is trapped in a mysterious land of twisted roots, lost gods, and mountains made of bone, and the only clues to her rescue are a magic mirror and a dark prince who wants to bring the whole thing crumbling down.

In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan
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From Brian McClellan, author of The Powder Mage, comes In the Shadow of Lightning, a brand-new epic fantasy where magic is a finite resource—and it’s running out.

The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings
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In a fantastical version of New Orleans where music is magic, a battle for the city’s soul brews between two young mages, a vengeful wraith, and one powerful song in this vibrant and imaginative debut.

A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow
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A Mirror Mended is the next installment in USA Today bestselling author Alix E. Harrow’s Fractured Fables series.

Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
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Riveting in its scope, exquisitely written, Ordinary Monsters presents a catastrophic vision of the Victorian world―and of the gifted, broken children who must save it.

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland
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The Goblin Emperor meets “Magnificent Century” in Alexandra Rowland’s A Taste of Gold and Iron, where a queer central romance unfolds in a fantasy world reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire.

Wrath Goddess Sing by Maya Deane
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Drawing on ancient texts and modern archeology to reveal the trans woman’s story hidden underneath the well-known myths of The Iliad, Maya Deane’s Wrath Goddess Sing weaves a compelling, pitilessly beautiful vision of Achilles’ vanished world, perfect for fans of Song of Achilles and the Inheritance trilogy.

Soul Taken by Patricia Briggs
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Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, must face her greatest fears in this chilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

The City Inside by Samit Basu
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The City Inside, a near-future epic by the internationally celebrated Samit Basu, pulls no punches as it comes for your anxieties about society, government, the environment, and our world at large—yet never loses sight of the hopeful potential of the future.

Locklands by Robert Jackson Bennett
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A god wages war—using all of humanity as its pawns—in the unforgettable conclusion to the Founders trilogy.

What 2022 fantasy and sci-fi book releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Releases To Devour In 2022 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.