To All The Boys, a trilogy of YA novels by Jenny Han, went from a bestselling book series to popular Netflix movie series. This contemporary YA follows the life of Korean-American teen, Lara Jean Covey. The middle child of three sisters, Lara Jean’s quiet life is turned upside down when her collection of secret love letters to every boy she’s ever crushed on are mailed out and she has to deal with the consequences. With fake dating, love triangles, and an exorbitant amount of baking, Lara Jean navigates first love, friendship, growing up, and leaving home in this contemporary YA trilogy.

The three books, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, P.S. I Still Love You, and Always and Forever, Lara Jean each include stellar characters turned into a stellar cast in the three corresponding movies. Led by Lana Condor (X-Men: Apocalypse) as Lara Jean and Noah Centineo (The Fosters) as her loveable jock boyfriend Peter, To All the Boys will fill you with warm fuzzies in both book and movie form. For fans that want a sampling of both, here’s a rundown of what the books and the movies each do best.

Warning: Major spoilers for To All the Boys (books and movies) ahead!

What the Books Do That You’ll Miss Out on With the Movies:

John Ambrose McLaren’s Plotline in P.S. I Still Love You

P.S. I Still Love You revolves around a love triangle between Lara Jean, Peter, and John Ambrose McLaren (Jordan Fisher, Liv and Maddie), another recipient of Lara Jean’s love letters who resurfaces only after she starts to date Peter. While the adorkable John Ambrose is easy to fall for in both book and movie, it’s hard to get to the second movie without feeling like poor John Ambrose never gets a real chance in the screenplay. Book John Ambrose is, for a time, Lara Jean’s pen pal turned almost boyfriend when she and Peter break up. The two have some sweet romantic moments together; the snow globe he gives her for her birthday, the 1940s uniform he dresses in for the USO party, and their first kiss in the snow are all so adorably sweet. Even their eventual “break up” has a bittersweet, amicable, we-missed-our-timing feel to it. Movie Lara Jean, on the other hand, runs away from her first kiss with John Ambrose straight back to Peter, leaving every Covinsky shipper happy, but the rest of us filled with outraged hurt for poor movie John Ambrose.

The Never-Ending Bake Parade

A big part of Lara Jean’s personality is her love of baking. Her elaborate bake sale contributions, Valentine’s cherry turnovers, and Christmas cookie parties, the books will make you hungry for all things sweet and conveniently offer cookie recipes at the end of book one. Netflix glosses over Lara Jean’s love of baking in the first movie, but progressively gets better at showing it off with each successive movie. The cherry turnovers make an appearance in P.S. I Still Love You and Lara Jean’s quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie in Always and Forever is briefly mentioned. If you love Lara Jean waxing poetic over cookies though, this is best dished out in the books.

Virginia vs. Oregon as the Setting

The books take place in Charlottesville, Virginia. The movies are relocated to Portland, Oregon, perhaps because Vancouver (where the majority of filming took place) looks more like Oregon than Virginia. The only significant way this location change affects the story is in the going to separate colleges storyline in Always and Forever. Book Peter is accepted to the University of Virginia in their hometown, where Lara Jean wanted to go until rejected. She decides to go to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill after falling in love with it. This is significant as Lara Jean has talked of going to college close to home since her older sister Margot left for college in Scotland. By choosing Chapel Hill, homebody Lara Jean chooses the less safe option away from both her family and Peter. The movie includes this storyline in a more dramatic fashion with Peter going to Stanford and Lara Jean to NYU. A significantly larger distance, even if fictional characters falling in love with New York is a tired cliché.

The Assassins Game in P.S. I Still Love You

Book two brings Lara Jean and Peter back together with their childhood friends to open a time capsule at a neighbour’s treehouse. This leads to a friend reunion and a new version of their favourite childhood game, Assassins, an elaborate, over-several-days-sabotage-encouraged game of tag where every person draws a target’s name from a hat and they all connive to tag each other until there is one player left standing. It just sounds so incredibly fun, and the way some of the characters go about tagging each other is delightful. I am still disappointed that the movie version didn’t even give a quick montage of this.

The Margot/Trina Drama in Always and Forever, Lara Jean

When Lara Jean’s widowed father (John Corbett, My Big Fat Greek Wedding) falls in love with and becomes engaged to their neighbour, Trina Rothschild (Sarayu Blue, I Feel Bad), Lara Jean and younger sister Kitty are thrilled. Older sister Margot (Janel Parrish, Pretty Little Liars) is less so. As Margot has been away at college for their entire relationship, Margot returns from Scotland and feels awkward having Trina live in their home, leading to a lot of tension with her future stepmother. After a fair amount of bickering, Trina and Margot come together in a hilarious moment at Trina’s bachelorette. The movie addresses these two in brief conversation, but they never fight, so the reconciliation makes less sense. The storyline between Margot and Trina also gives both characters depth, which is sadly glossed over by Netflix.

What the Movies Do that You’ll Miss Out on in the Books

Anna Cathcart as Kitty Song Covey

Her name is Katherine Song Covey, Kitty to her friends, and she is the youngest and funniest Covey sister. Played by the brilliant Anna Cathcart (Disney’s Descendants) Kitty is filled with sass, comedic timing, and one-liners that will have you laughing. A lovable character in both books and movies, Kitty is always unapologetically herself and razzes on her family and sisters’ boyfriends in hilarious ways. Anna Cathcart as Kitty is an absolute scene stealer. If you watch the movies for no other reason, watch them for Kitty.

The Movie Plot of Always and Forever is More Coherent

Always and Forever, Lara Jean the book sometimes feels like a book-length epilogue. It moves around through light plots about wedding planning, cookies, and prom with an episodic feel. The third and final movie ties a lot of these stories together into one story. In doing so it does axe some of the post-graduation shenanigans as well as most of the sidestories that don’t centre around Peter and Lara Jean. While I still wish we got to know new stepmom Trina better, the movie turns this fun epilogue book into it’s a full story.

Lara Jean and Gen’s Friendship Comes Full Circle

Gen (played by Emilija Baranac, Riverdale); the middle school BFF turned stereotypical high school mean girl starts as the enemy in To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. Her passive aggressive attitude towards Lara Jean continues in P.S. I Still Love You, and her continued connection with Peter is what drives him and Lara Jean apart for a time. While Lara Jean comes to understand and sympathize with Gen, the movies show their friendship heal with both a sweet heart-to-heart in the famous treehouse and several friendship moments in Always and Forever. My favourite of these is when Gen compliments Lara Jean’s shoes, coming full circle from her character intro in the first movie where she mocks Lara Jean’s footwear. With so much focus on Lara Jean’s romantic relationships throughout the series, seeing a female friendship go through hard times and heal was a wonderful touch made better in the final movie.

Trevor and Chris’s Love Story

Movie fans might be disappointed to learn that the BFFs-in-love story with Trevor (Ross Butler, 13 Reasons Why) and Chris (Madeleine Arthur, Snowpiercer) is a Netflix invention. While Trevor appears in book 2 and participates in the time capsule party and game of Assassins, he and Chris’s romantic relationship is entirely a movie invention. This is sad for a few reasons, but most importantly: Trevor’s hilarious and adorable promposal is not in the book, and neither is the bouquet of Subway sandwiches. Fans will have to stick to the movies to get their adorable Subway product placements.

Peter’s Yearbook Note/Love Letter

No matter how much you love Peter and Lara Jean, the break up/make up in every book/movie can get exhausting and worrying. My comfort is that whenever they do get back together, it’s usually pretty adorable in both the books and movies. The romantic gesture at the end of Always and Forever the movie, however, completely blew all other romantic gestures of the series out of the water. Peter’s love letter in Lara Jean’s yearbook is so perfect and romantic it’ll leave you in tears and rooting for them in this final chapter.

Jenny Han’s books and the subsequent movies tell a beautiful love story three times over. It’s charming and funny with loveable leads, stellar side characters, and a sweet romance that’ll remind you of a John Hughes’ movie in all the best ways. Whether by book or movie, you’re in for a treat. Snuggle up with some chocolate chip cookies and enjoy.

What did you think of how Netflix adapted the novels? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Book To Screen: The ‘To All The Boys’ Series appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Ever since Taylor Swift released Folklore back in July, I have been completely obsessed with this mystical and immersive album. It makes you feel like you’re wandering in the forest all by yourself, lost in your thoughts, and searching for something that’s so much bigger than yourself. If you enjoyed it as much as I did, then you’re probably wanting to relive some of the emotions you’ve had while listening to Folklore and what better way to do it than to read some books that are in the same vein! I’ve paired each song with a book or a series that I consider very similar in tone and themes, so hopefully you will find these books as magical as Folklore…

The 1 – On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

On Chesil Beach is the story of a young love that failed due to miscommunication. Florence and Edward’s wedding night is somewhat of a fiasco because they are both unexperienced and they both harbour a huge fear of letting the other down. Instead of talking openly about those worries and their desires, they keep trying and failing to interpret what the other wants. Shortly after their wedding night, they get a divorce which makes the rest of the book be full of ‘what-ifs’ that are reminiscent to Swift’s lyrics in The 1 (You know the greatest films of all time were never made/But we were something, don’t you think so?/Roaring twenties, tossing pennies in the pool/And if my wishes came true/It would’ve been you).

Cardigan – The Winner’s Curse Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

These lyrics from Cardigan (Sensual politics/When you are young, they assume you know nothing/But I knew you’d linger like a tattoo kiss/I knew you’d haunt all of my what-ifs/The smell of smoke would hang around this long/’Cause I knew everything when I was young) remind me so much of Kestrel, the protagonist of the series who is such a great strategist. Everybody keeps underestimating her all through the series because she’s young, but her intelligence and political skills always make her come on top. Her relationship with Arin also matches the lyrics very well as he’s the only one who really sees her for who she is, he appreciates her and makes her feel valued (And when I felt like I was an old cardigan/Under someone’s bed/You put me on and said I was your favorite).

​The Last Great American Dynasty – What Would Boudicca Do? by Elizabeth Foley & Beth Coates
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

What Would Boudicca Do? is a spectacular non-fiction book that introduces you to so many wonderful women that changed the world for the better by not following the rules, by being bold and creative (There goes the maddest woman this town has ever seen/She had a marvelous time ruining everything/Flew in all her Bitch Pack friends from the city/Filled the pool with champagne and swam with the big names/And blew through the money on the boys and the ballet/And losing on card game bets with Dalí). The book also gives amazing advice to modern women on how to solve their problems from dealing with men that keep interrupting them in business meetings to dealing with the pressure social media puts on you to be perfect – all based on how women like Cleopatra, Coco Chanel, and Frida Kahlo acted in similar situations.

Exile – The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

The Queen of Nothing is the final instalment in the The Folk of the Air trilogy and it explores the aftermath of Jude’s exile, which has been imposed by her fae lover. The two have a very tumultuous enemies-to-lovers relationship that includes constantly trying to best each other, misinterpreting the signals they receive and denying their feelings which reminds me very much of this song (We always walked a very thin line/You didn’t even hear me out/You never gave a warning sign/All this time/I never learned to read your mind/I couldn’t turn things around/’Cause you never gave a warning sign). I can definitely see it playing in the background while Jude is trying to pinpoint the exact moment that lead to her exile.

My Tears Ricochet – A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

I was struggling to find a book that deals with a betrayal that’s as brutal and heartbreaking as the one depicted In My Tears Ricochet, but then I thought of A Ladder to the Sky which is an incredible fit. Maurice has no remorse while he climbs up the ladder of success by stealing the stories of those who loved him. He plagiarises, he betrays, he destroys lives only to make sure that his name will be immortalised. If the book focuses on Maurice’s perspective and is the account of a ruthless opportunist, the song would present the victims’ perspective (You know I didn’t want to have to haunt you/But what a ghostly scene/You wear the same jewels that I gave you/As you bury me/And when you can’t sleep at night/You hear my stolen lullabies).

Mirrorball – The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

One of the most glamorous songs off the album, mirrorball is very similar to Reid’s book in terms of atmosphere. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is about a retired Hollywood movie star who’s ready to finally tell the truth about her scandalous and captivating life that included lots of parties, film premieres and fancy clothes (I’ll get you out on the floor/Shimmering beautiful/ You’ll find me on my tallest tiptoes/Spinning in my highest heels, love/Shining just for you). The protagonist relished being the centre of attention back in the day, had a love life that got everyone talking and her ambition and charm secured her movie icon status (I’m a mirrorball/I can change everything about me to fit in/I’m still trying everything/To keep you looking at me). The book is bigger than life and so is the song, this dramatic flair that they share will have you completely under their spell.

Seven – Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Goodreads |Book Depository | Amazon

Bridge to Terabithia is about Jess Aarons whose biggest dream is to be the fastest runner in his grade and about Leslie Burke, the new girl that outruns him on the very first day of school. It’s about the power of imagination, pure friendships and how much easier things are when you are a child (Please picture me in the trees/I hit my peak at seven/Feet in the swing over the creek/I was too scared to jump in/But I, I was high in the sky/With Pennsylvania under me/Are there still beautiful things?). Just like Swift’s Seven, the book doesn’t shy away from the grittier subjects – it’s not all about getting lost in magical worlds, it’s also about loss, dealing with grief and bullying (And I think you should come live with me/And we can be pirates/Then you won’t have to cry/Or hide in the closet/And just like a folk song/Our love will be passed on).

August – They Say Sarah by Pauline Delabroy-Allard
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

They Say Sarah tells the story of a passionate and obsessive love affair between two women, a single mother who is trying to navigate the newly divorced life and a vivacious and talented violinist. The unnamed narrator has a gloomy perspective on life, every day seems to blur into the other, she doesn’t like her job as a teacher anymore and her love life is quite boring all until she meets Sarah. They have a very magnetic connection from the beginning, but there is also this sense of constant desperation at the prospect of their relationship ending (And I can see us twisted in bedsheets/August sipped away like a bottle of wine/’Cause you were never mine). Sarah is very spontaneous and volatile which means that their relationship is full of clandestine meetings, intense break-ups and even more intense reconciliations (To live for the hope of it all/Cancel plans just in case you’d call/And say, “Meet me behind the mall”/So much for summer love and saying “us”/’Cause you weren’t mine to lose/You weren’t mine to lose, no). 

This Is Me Trying – Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

This Is Me Trying reminded me very much of Matson’s protagonist, Emily as the lyrics are filled with regret, self-doubt, uncertainty and longing for a time when everything was just fine. In the beginning of the book, we find Emily trying to adjust to an unexciting life without her best-friend, Sloane, the one who always brought her out of her shell and made sure they were always having a great time. The only thing Sloane leaves her is a list of crazy and way out of Emily’s comfort zone activities which she decides to complete hoping that they will bring her closer to Sloane and help her understand why she had left so suddenly (I’ve been having a hard time adjusting/I had the shiniest wheels, now they’re rusting/I didn’t know if you’d care if I came back/I have a lot of regrets about that/Could’ve followed my fears all the way down/And maybe I don’t quite know what to say/But I’m here in your doorway/I just wanted you to know/That this is me trying). Since You’ve Been Gone is a fun summer book about friendships and finding who you are even if it’s scary.

​Illicit Affairs – Normal People by Sally Rooney
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

I believe Normal People could have worked for more than one song off this album, but Illicit Affairs fit it perfectly in particular. The book is about Marianne and Connell who start dating each other in secret at the beginning of their senior year of high-school, there are socio-economical differences, their respective reputations at their school and miscommunication that keeps them from admitting that they are together (Make sure nobody sees you leave/Hood over your head, keep your eyes down/Tell your friends you’re out for a run/You’ll be flushed when you return/And that’s the thing about illicit affairs/And clandestine meetings and longing stares/It’s born from just one single glance/But it dies and it dies and it dies/A million little times). Normal People explores the depth of their relationship as the years pass, it shows how strong human connections can be and how the love of someone else can change you for the better. It’s also very angsty at times because of how intense their on-and-off relationship is (Don’t call me kid/Don’t call me baby/Look at this idiotic fool that you made me/You taught me a secret language/I can’t speak with anyone else/And you know damn well/For you I would ruin myself/A million little times).

Invisible String – Lovely War by Julie Berry
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Invisible String is all about fate and a meant-to-be love that could defy all, which made me think of Lovely War almost instantly. Lovely War is about two couples that fall in love during World War I and it’s definitely similar in themes with the song as Aphrodite intervenes on many occasions to make sure that their love will last and they have to overcome so many obstacles in order to stay together (Time, mystical time/Cutting me open, then healing me fine/Were there clues I didn’t see?/And isn’t it just so pretty to think/All along there was some/Invisible string/Tying you to me?). It’s a beautiful tale that similarly to Swift’s song will make you believe that love can conquer it all.

Mad Woman – Sin Eater by Megan Campisi
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Sin Eater is the story of May who is punished to become a Sin Eater after stealing bread, her responsibilities include listening to the confessions of those who are about to die and then eating various foods that are associated with the confessed sins. This was an actual medieval spiritual practice that ensured people will be absolved of their sins and granted passage to heaven as the Sin Eater took all these sins on. Because of this, Sin Eaters are outcasts – no one is allowed to touch them, speak to them unless it’s during a confession which definitely made May feel angry and isolated (And there’s nothing like a mad woman/What a shame she went mad/No one likes a mad woman/You made her like that). There’s the feeling of being wronged, the topic of witches coming up and a whole mystery surrounding a court that is very similar to Elizabeth I’s that make this book so similar to the song (And women like hunting witches too/Doing your dirtiest work for you/It’s obvious that wanting me dead/Has really brought you two together/I’m taking my time, taking my time/’Cause you took everything from me).

Epiphany – The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

The Nickel Boys is an incredible and haunting book, it’s inspired by real life events which makes it even more heart-breaking. It tells the story of Elwood Curtis, a black boy who is unfairly sentenced to the Nickel Academy, a reformatory school. The Nickel Boys go through so much there, there’s racism, abuse in all of its forms, so much corruption and injustice, it broke my heart to read about it. The writing is so good that it makes you feel all that powerlessness and anger that the characters feel. The fact that we get to see some characters after they get out of the juvenile prison and they are still trying to make sense of what they’ve seen and what they’ve endured there so many years later reminded me a lot of Swift’s song (“Sir, I think he’s bleeding out”/And some things you just can’t speak about/Only twenty minutes to sleep/But you dream of some epiphany/Just one single glimpse of relief/To make some sense of what you’ve seen).

Betty – P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

I think Betty (I’m only seventeen, I don’t know anything/But I know I miss you) reminds me so much of what happens in the second book of the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy as it presents similar situations – people messing up because they are young and they don’t know any better. I think both try to send the message that you can love someone and still mess up pretty badly (You heard the rumors from Inez/You can’t believe a word she says/Most times, but this time it was true/The worst thing that I ever did/Was what I did to you). I can’t reveal much of the plot as it’s a sequel, but the whole trilogy is a very adorable coming of age journey – the characters make mistakes, they grow up, they are complex and you will root for them until the very end.

Peace – Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Serpent & Dove is the story of Lou, a witch who is in hiding after fleeing her coven and who ends up marrying Reid, a witch hunter. As you can imagine, the situation is kind of tricky as she ends up living in a place full of witch hunters and she has to hide her identity not only from her husband, but also from everyone else. The dynamics between Lou and Reid remind me especially of this song – Lou is very fiery and impulsive while Reid is the more level-headed one, Lou also makes fun of Reid so many times of his proper manners and how full of integrity he thinks he is in comparison with her and the witches (But I’m a fire and I’ll keep your brittle heart warm/If your cascade, ocean wave blues come/ Your integrity makes me seem small/You paint dreamscapes on the wall/I talk shit with my friends, it’s like I’m wasting your honor). Their initial fake marriage and then the way they develop real feelings for each other, devotion and how they’re capable of sacrificing everything for one another also reminds me of Swift’s lyrics (All these people think love’s for show/But I would die for you in secret/The devil’s in the details, but you got a friend in me/Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?/And you know that I’d swing with you for the fences/Sit with you in the trenches/Give you my wild, give you a child/Give you the silence that only comes when two people understand each other).

Hoax – Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon

Anna Karenina is the story of a woman who has it all and chooses to give it all up for love. At the beginning everyone envies her for her money, her good marriage and her beauty. After she divorces her husband in order to be with her true love, Count Vronsky, she becomes somewhat of an outcast, her reputation is tainted, everyone gossips about her, her husband won’t let her see her son – the entire world turns on her and it makes her rethink all of her choices. Her love for Vronsky remains a constant even if it’s a faithless love (My only one/My smoking gun/My eclipsed sun/This has broken me down/My sleepless night/My winless fight/This has frozen my ground/ Stood on the cliffside screaming, “Give me a reason”/Your faithless love’s the only hoax I believe in/Don’t want no other shade of blue but you/No other sadness in the world would do).

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

The post Book Recommendations Based On Taylor Swift’s ‘Folklore’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

I read Jenny Han’s To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before five years ago and since then I’ve been trying to find something in the same vein – a light and entertaining coming-of-age story with a relatable protagonist that you can’t help but love even when they mess up horribly. The amazing family dynamics, the fake dating trope that will make you swoon non-stop, and the characters that you will fall in love with because of how easy it is to identify with them—these are all characteristics that made this series a hit for me and the books that I will recommend next have some of those aspects as well which hopefully means that you will like them as much as you liked To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. 

Fake It Till You Break It by Jenn P. Nguyen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

I think this one might be the most similar in terms of plot—Mia and Jake start ‘fake dating’ because they want to get away from their mothers who are constantly pushing them to be together and even though they can’t stand each other, they believe pretending to date and then staging a very dramatic break-up is the best solution to get their parents off their backs. Of course, the plan backfires as they discover they have more in common than they might have realised and as they get to know each other better, the idea of belonging together doesn’t seem as strange.

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

This one combines two of my favourite romance tropes (pen pals and enemies-to-lovers) with a protagonist that is very passionate about song writing and determined to make her dreams come true. There is a lot of tension between the two protagonists due to past misunderstandings and because they have to work through their misconceptions and deal with their pride, the romance progresses very slowly which I enjoyed tremendously. There is nothing better than a slow-burn romance! I believe this book is great if you’re looking for a summer read.

Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

I adored every bit of this book because the friendships were wonderful, the family dynamics were very similar to Han’s book and the romance was indeed swoon-worthy. The chemistry between the two protagonists was very believable, their dynamics seemingly effortless. The story made me smile so many times and I adored how nerdy it was—the main character is a gamer and she shares this passion with her sister, one of the plot-line revolves around a class production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream which means we see a lot of what happens behind the scenes in theatre.

Well Met by Jen DeLuca
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

This is a sweet adult romance that reminds me of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before because the main character is very smart and empathetic, family is very important to her (the connection between the sisters was great and they were very supportive of each other), the romance is well-written, and there is a local Renaissance Faire that every character is very dedicated to and you will become as invested in it as well—it’s impossible not to. There’s a huge amount of banter in this book that I wholeheartedly appreciated and the romance will please even those who aren’t easily impressed.

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

This is a modern love story as most of the interactions between the protagonists happen via text, but that doesn’t undermine in any way their connection. I believe the romance is similar to Lara Jean and Peter’s because Penny is a huge nerd, while Sam is the cool kid who has some unresolved drama in his romantic life. I adored the concept of an emergency contact—having someone that can listen to your deepest fears and comfort you, be there for you during your darkest times—and the amazing execution made me root for those two to be together despite the obstacles.

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

The post Five Books For Fans of ‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Everyone always needs a light, fluffy, funny, and enjoyable book every now and then, so we have compiled a list of some incredibly heartwarming, funny, and feel good books. Let’s start off with some feel good fantasy books!

Fantasy

Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson will make you laugh out loud. Percy is a demigod, has no idea what he is doing, and he attends Camp Half Blood where he meets teens just like him. Percy is sassy, sarcastic, and awkward, plus this one is getting a Disney+ adaptation so you have that to look forward to after finishing the book!

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows
Who doesn’t want to read a retelling of history? This book is based on the real monarch Lady Jean Grey, but takes some artistic liberties to give you a hilarious historical retelling. With characters turning into animals and witty banter, this book will have you giggling the entire way through.

Doon by Lorie Langdon & Carey Corp
This book is about two teen girls who take a vacation in Scotland and then travel to a small, magical village. The story is based on the musical Brigadoon, but it will make you want to travel to Scotland and find Doon. It has very relatable and funny characters and romances to swoon over. This book is great for people who loved Royals by Rachel Hawkins and/or Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
This is a story that is filled with such magic and warmth. In case you somehow don’t know what this one is about, it follows Harry Potter who learns he is a wizard and goes to a magical boarding school. This book is all about friendship and will fill your heart with love and you will want to pack your bags and attend Hogwarts once you’re done.

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
If you’re looking for a fun vampire series, this is for you! This book is filled with badass characters, a great storyline, and characters to root for. Vampire Academy has plenty of sass and moments that will make you laugh out loud. This book is about Rose who is the protector of her best friend, who just happens to be a vampire, and we follow these two at a boarding school and what happens when romance comes into play.

Contemporaries

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Simon is so fluffy and sweet! Simon Spier (the protagonist) is a very relatable nerdy character and this book is all about him coming out and how he connects with someone over email. The catch is he doesn’t know who he’s emailing and when will all these secrets become too much?

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
This is a graphic novel and a very short read, but this one will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. The story is all about two boys in England and how their friendship grows into something more. Charlie and Nick are both precious and you will want to wrap them both up in bubble wrap after reading this one and you will also want to curl up and watch movies with all of these characters.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Although this is a children’s book, it is a great book! Wonder follows August who has a facial difference and when he starts school, he has to deal with how people react. It will have you smiling through happy tears and you will be reminded about the innocence and purity of children. You will also see that humanity is not doomed and that children love so fiercely and will protect each other. 

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is a fluffy YA romance story, but it’s filled with romantic letters, great siblings, and just all around cuteness. This book follows Lara Jean and what ensues when all her love letters are sent out to their recipients. What follows is a fake relationship that could turn into more and lots and lots of drama. Once you’re done, you can also watch the Netflix film and it’s sequel!

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
This is an adult contemporary and will have you awwing out loud. Henry (the Prince of England) and Alex (America’s first son) have a long held rivalry, but what happens when their dislike grows into something else? This book is filled with great political discussions and a romance to scream about.

My Faire Lady by Laura Wetterstern
This book follows Rowena and how her summer job at the Renaissance fair is filled with romance and lots of medieval drama. This is an easy and cheesy contemporary, but it’s filled with some great romance and funny moments.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
This book is filled with a sweet romance, a Twitter war, and lots of baking. Pepper and Jack are rivals and start a heated Twitter war, but they also start falling for each other over an anonymous app. This book will make you laugh out loud and you will squeal at all the pop culture references. 

Classics & Poetry

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables is a classic, which follows orphan Anne and her life on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Anne has a big imagination and a heart overflowing with love. This book has gorgeous nature descriptions and characters to fill your heart.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery
This is a really sweet book with beautiful illustrations, which follows a little boy who travels around the universe and learns about adults and the world. It’s a really short read but will fill your heart with some warmth and love.

Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill
This poetry collection is filled with inspiring retellings of fairy tales. If you ever need a pep talk, this book will make you want to kick some butt and change the world.

The Princess Saves Herself In This One by Amanda Lovelace
This is another great feminist read which will make you pump your fist in the air and grin from ear to ear!

Hopefully one of these books will put a smile on your face. All of these books are magical in their own way.

What are some of your favourite feel good books? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 16 Feel Good Fictional Books To Read appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

For more than a decade, Taylor Swift has been blessing us with catchy songs and lyrics to-die-for! She went from cutesy country songs to badass pop singles, and gorgeous love ballads. As much as we adore all her albums, I am sure that we all have slight preferences – be it her sweet debut album Taylor Swift or the snarky Reputation one! And since this quarantine is the perfect time to add some new books to your TBR, I made a list of YA books you should read based on your favourite T-Swift album! Without further ado, here are some epic YA recs that you can read while blasting Taylor at full volume!

TAYLOR SWIFT

Taylor’s self-titled debut album is an almost all-country album that is sweet and fluffy, while talking about high school life, heartbreak, and longing. There are a few songs, like Picture to Burn, that show the sass and confidence we get to expect from the singer in her later albums, but mostly this album is all sugar. So the books selected reflect that sweet quality of the album with occasional bursts of passion and anger! 

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
The To All the Boys trilogy is one of the most beloved YA contemporary series in the book community, best known for its fluff, plenty of baking sequences, and mostly for its ability to divide fans into teams. We follow Lara Jean, a sweet and shy 16-year old who comes face to face with all her past crushes, when her well-hidden love letters to them come out. Drama ensues. 

Geekerella by Ashley Poston
Geekerella might be an adorbs retelling, but with its endless fandom references, an actual actor-geek romance blooming, and a convention in the making it is also a beautiful love letter to fandoms and all their magic. Elle is a huge fan of a classic sci-fi show Starfield and Darien, a famous heartthrob and a secret geek, snatched the role of the main character, Prince Carmindor, in the Starfield reboot. As their paths cross, they learn a lot about themselves and also about the fandom they (in many ways) dedicated their lives to.

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
This beautiful graphic novel is simply the cutest story of first love and self-discovery you will ever stumble upon! Nick and Charlie are high school students in an all-boys school. They are desk mates in class and when their unlikely friendships starts blooming into something more in time, we get a chance to witness a truly inspiring and queer love story that will give solace to the generations to come. 

FEARLESS

Her second album, Fearless, is a country pop album where Taylor delves deeper into her romantic relationships and her perception of them. One of the most prominent underlying themes of this album is unrequited love and yearning that comes with it, making the songs on this album an audio equivalent of seating on your bed, gazing out the window at the falling rain, and daydreaming about the person that puts your heart on fire. To honour Fearless, I picked three books that talk of growing up, growing into yourself, of unrequited love, and longing.

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen
This is another one of those stories where the characters just suck you in and make you root for them no matter what! When eighteen-year-old Ever is forced to spend her summer in far away Taiwan to improve her Mandarin, she is convinced that her perfect summer of dancing is over. She soon realises that the strict program is actually dubbed ‘Loveboat’ by students and might actually present a chance to be as free as she wants to be and dance her heart out. This is a story of finding yourself, a story of first loves, and giving your dreams everything you’ve got. 

Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed
When Jamie, an awkward geeky guy who likes to stay behind the scenes on political campaigns, and Maya, a girl with a heap of problems who is having the worst Ramadan ever, are forced to work together on political canvassing, it seems like the end of a perfectly good summer. But as they get more and more invested in the cause they are canvassing for, they also start falling for each other. Yes No Maybe So is both a love story and an ode to activism, finding your cause, and fighting for what you believe in.

The Upside of Falling by Alex Light
Fake dating trope, cynical view of love, and the improbable odds that change that? Sign me right up! This cute contemporary follows a girl named Becca who gave up on love when her dad walked out on her and her mother, and a boy named Brett who jumps in to help her with a fake boyfriend ruse to get people off his back about not dating in high school will steal your heart! It’s a sweet and fluffy read but with underlying themes of heartbreak, letting go of the past, and believing in love.

SPEAK NOW

Speak Now was the first album written solely by Taylor. This album took her a bit closer to the pop genre with a sprinkle of country here and there, and Swift also expanded on her themes. She still sings about love and heartbreak, but there are also themes of regret, betrayal, and falling for someone you maybe shouldn’t fall for. So my picks are a hearty mix of said themes! 

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
This lovely contemporary with a magical twist will both break and mend your heart! When Jack meets Kate at a party and they bond almost instantly, he is convinced that she is the one! But then Kate dies unexpectedly – and what should be the end of their story actually marks a beginning of a devastating tale. Jack is sent back to the beginning, to the day he first met Kate, and gets a chance to do it all over again and maybe save Kate in the process. But things are more complicated than they seem and Jack will have to figure out what and who he is willing to sacrifice in order to finally save Kate in one of his many time travels!

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
This is one of the books that will make you think of the ‘what ifs’. As Natasha and Daniel’s paths cross, them falling in love seems impossible. Natasha is twelve hours away from being deported and doesn’t believe in love. Daniel always worked hard to live up to his parent’s expectations, but his heart is that of a poet. Which one of them has it right? Can they beat the odds and actually fall in love or does the universe have different plans for them? The Sun Is Also a Star will make your heart sing with joy, but also face the harsh realities of our world. 

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
Now this fantasy book filled with rich imagery and deeper themes might be a more political book, but I believe it might intrigue the fans of Speak Now because of that! When Lei is chosen to be one of the nine king’s consorts picked from the lowest Paper cast, her life is turned upside down. But with the honourable job that threatens to break Lei apart also comes a chance to find out what happened to her mother and fight for her people – and the woman she loves. Will she be able to persist and rebel against the tyrannical king? 

RED

Taylor’s fourth album, Red, was released in October 2012 and it reflects her growth as both a woman and an artist. The title of this album was inspired by the intense emotions she felt during one of the relationships she was in while writing it – and you can feel these emotions throughout the whole album. From burning love and confusion, to jealousy and frustration, the songs dig deeper into one’s psyche and present a more mature angle. Another important theme Taylor touches on is also fame and what it means for her life to be constantly under scrutiny.

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
The first book in The Dark Artifices trilogy is just the type of book that will make you feel as if your heart was put through a ringer. We follow parabatai Emma and Julian as they try to navigate the looming threats to the LA Institute, raising Julian’s younger siblings, and most perilous of them all – their feelings for one another. But parabatai are forbidden to fall in love, this can only bring heartbreak and devastation. Can they find a way to be together in secret while keeping the rest of their family and the world safe from ruin? Basically, Lady Midnight deals with a lot of heart-wrenching drama, unresolved issues, and emotions so deep you will need a whole box of tissues to get through the book. 

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
Some might argue that every Silvera book is filled with the deepest emotions, the ones that are difficult to face. But this heart-wrenching story of first love and what follows when you lose it in the most permanent of ways packs an especially big punch. As Griffin is trying to deal with the death of his first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, we journey through the past to piece together their story but also to find out what went wrong. The only thing Griffin can do is confront both his past and his present to be able to move on with his life. 

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Did someone say heartbreak of epic proportions? In this lyrical rendering of the sung-about Trojan War, we see a different side of the story. Not the tale of war and battles, but the tale of fateful love and how it can colour every aspect of your life. As we follow Patroclus and Achilles, epic heroes of the Trojan War, from their childhood all the way to the war we get to know their story of blossoming friendship and later on legendary love.

1989

1989 was Taylor’s first official all-pop album, and the songs are bolder, full of potential, and infinite possibilities. Taylor mentioned that she was inspired by the late 80s pop songs – she still sings about love, but this theme takes a step back to let the themes of self-discovery, leaving idealism behind, and saying goodbye shine.

The books I picked had to be bolder, full of deeper love, and finding yourself in the process, books that aren’t afraid to shine the light on the ugly, call it out, and transform it into something lovelier.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Taylor’s fifth album is full of self-discovery and shows us a different take on love. Nothing sounds more in tune with that than Maggie’s magical book about five characters who work together in order to find a long dead Welsh king and uncover a legend, while also falling in love – but not in the most traditional sense. Love is a very present theme throughout this whole series but it is not limited to the romantic love. In the centre of this magical realism story is the love you feel for your friends and family and how limitless it can make you feel. Let me blast I Wish You Would and cry over all these beautiful character who are all in love with one another. Maybe in different ways, but it is love nonetheless.

Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales
This queer Grease retelling will make you go ‘awww’ on more than one occasion! But the beauty of it is not only in its cute love story (though that is a very important part of it as well), but in the journey these characters go through in the book. Every one of them is facing different inner demons and they find their strength in fighting them but also in realising that they are all dealing with things as best as they know how and need to accept and understand that. 

The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman
For some reason, 1989 really fits well with magical realism books for me! A dark story of a small town, its founding families, and five teenagers who have to work together in order to save it from a dangerous monster praying on its locals. This might be a book about monsters and mysterious powers, but in its centre it is also a beautiful story of friendship, forbidden love, beating the odds, and standing up for yourself and what you believe in! Did someone say Bad Blood and This Love?

REPUTATION

Taylor’s most badass album to date dropped heavy and unexpected, rocking the music industry, and bringing Taylor heaps of new fans with its confident and edgy songs! Whether this one is your favourite album or not, you can’t deny that Taylor reached new depths with it. From afar, this is an album about bad blood, enemies, and tarnished reputations, but at a closer look, we can see tendrils of love and romance that survive despite all the ugliness and cruelty.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Now, nothing says cunning and badass as much as cruel faeries that are ready to trick you and get you on your knees in no time. In The Cruel Prince, we follow a story of Jude Duarte, a mortal living in the High Court of Faerie. She is often ridiculed and frowned upon for her mortality, but as Jude gets tangled into a dangerous scheme, she realises she possesses all the thirst for blood and cunning she will need to defy the odds and come out on top!

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Epic heists, mastermind plans, and beating the odds – Six of Crows has it all, and more! There will never be a duology about heists more perfect than this one, but it’s more than that! It is a story of surviving, of finding your crew even when the world all but abandoned you, of finding love in face of all the pain, and scars you were dealt. As we follow along with a criminal mastermind Kaz Brekker and his epic crew as they try to sneak into the Ice Court and free the most valuable and dangerous prisoner, we learn that this heist is about so much more than the money the crew was promised! No mourners, no funerals.

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
This dark academia masterpiece with a gruesome murder in its centre and a group of friends ready to do anything to hide the truth will make you gasp both in horror and twisted delight. The story jumps back and forth – on one hand we follow Oliver Marks as he is released from prison after serving ten years for a murder he might’ve committed, and on the other we delve into the past as we try to piece together what actually happened on that fateful night when one of the seven students, seven Thespians, lost their life. Its many twists and turns are perfect for the fans of a darker and more powerful Reputation. (I might be cheating slightly since this is not technically YA, but it fits Reputation too well to not scream about it!)

LOVER

And last, but never least, Taylor’s most recent album, Lover, which was released in the summer of 2019 and shaked the music industry yet again! Lover is a beautifully romantic album, where Taylor uncovered her personal journey and dared to be vulnerable. The romance is not evident just in the way Taylor sings about her lover, but in the way she sings about everything, as if one puts on the romantic googles. Lover is the album of positivity, vulnerability, and hope, where the main themes are being happy and feeling good.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
This YA classic of a coming out story will warm your heart and make you believe in love again! Simon Spier is an awkward sixteen-year-old with a pen pal who knows Simon’s secret – he’s gay – and who Simon might be in love with. But when someone discovers their emails and starts blackmailing Simon, his life is turned upside down. Will Simon be able to fight off the blackmailer and finally figure out who his mysterious Blue really is? Pick up this cuteness of a book, press play on Lover and buckle up for a geeky ride!

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Nothing says Lover quite like deep yet forbidden love! In Bloodlines, an urban fantasy series that will steal your heart, we follow Sydney Sage who is an Alchemist, a part of a secret society that is tasked with keeping vampires a secret from the rest of mankind. When Sydney is sent on a top-secret mission to keep the Moroi princess safe, she starts questioning her loyalties – especially when said assignment brings an artsy, charming, and sassy Moroi into her life. Do love and loyalty really run deeper than blood? Bloodlines is a beautiful series that next to epic love also tackles some important issues such as mental health and what it really means to defy prejudices you were raised with.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
And we are back at gorgeous retellings that will make you clutch your heart in awe again! When Cinder, ostracised as a cyborg, is forced to volunteer her body for plague research after her stepsister is infected with a plague, her life is turned upside down. Her body carries secrets – secrets not even Cinder knows about. When Prince Kai also steps into the picture and starts falling for Cinder, she must decide between telling the truth and fighting for the future of her world or running away and saving her own life! Cinder (and all the other books in The Lunar Chronicles series) is perfect for fans of Lover – filled with beautiful love stories, badass heroines, and saving the world!

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

The post YA Books Based On Your Favourite Taylor Swift Album appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

“What all these YA novels share is a universal coming of age experience.” – Jennifer Loja, President of Penguin Young Readers, 2017, The Atlantic.

Young adult (YA) books at the moment are the most read book category. In 2018, 80.9 million children and young adult fiction books were sold in the U.S in comparison to 47.9 million adult fiction (including adult general fiction, classics, graphic novels, romance, and suspense/thriller genres) sold in the U.S. in the same year.

With so many YA books out there, there’s also so many authors to love! So in this post, I round up five of my favourite young adult authors!

1. Alice Oseman

Books I’ve read by Alice: Heartstopper Vol.1, Heartstopper Vol. 2, Heartstopper Vol. 3 (All 10/10)

I only discovered Alice and her Heartstopper series this year and I was blown away. It’s very tender, real, and wholesome. I read each book in one sitting (keep in mind these are graphic novels), and I was stupidly smiley the whole way through each one. Nick and Charlie’s story is really beautiful. Whilst an LGBT+ romance story like this is usually presented in a novel, I found the graphic novel format a refreshing change.

2. Sarah J. Maas

Books I’ve read by Sarah: The Throne Of Glass Series (Rating: 9/10), A Court Of Thorns and Roses Series (Rating: 10/10)

I first read Sarah J. Maas after the recommendation from a friend and to put it mildly, it changed my life. It slowed down my contemporary reading and kick-started my obsession with YA fantasy. I began to crave high stakes adventure in stories and I was so inspired by both of her series that I began writing my own fantasy novel. The images of warrior princesses (she never calls them this, but they essentially are) fighting for their freedom and the freedom of their people was more exciting to me than reading about young girls feeling mopey and forlorn about jerky guys and sucky circumstances. All the contemporary girls problems paled in comparison to lost magic and Tyrant Kings.

If you prefer fast-paced, suspenseful fantasies with kick-ass warrior princesses, you need to check out Sarah’s books. And if you’re not sure this is what you like, pick up one of her books anyway, Sarah is a master of opening hooks.

3. Jenny Han

Books I’ve read by Jenny: To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy (Rating: 10/10)

I only read this series this year after realising I was way behind with the release of the second movie on Netflix (it’s okay: I’m all caught up now). Once, I got my hands on them, I read all three books in under a week: a new record for me! I was completely obsessed (to be honest, I still am). Also, the books are way better than the movie. So, if you liked the movie, you’d love the books. While, the events of the first book have a level of absurdity to them, Jenny Han manages to make them seem completely natural. Her characters are very realistic and lovable, especially the main characters, who have just the perfect amount of awkwardness that you would experience in real life, which is something I find other contemporary authors don’t often convey, and pretend that awkwardness isn’t a thing. This trilogy is such a comfort read, which makes it the perfect isolation read!

4. Rainbow Rowell

Books I’ve read by Rainbow: Carry On (Simon Snow #1), Wayward Son (Simon Snow #2), Eleanor and Park (All 10/10)

If you love well written teenage love stories, Rainbow Rowell is your one-stop-author. Rowell doesn’t just write contemporary romances (Eleanor and Park), she also writes fantasy romances, (Simon Snow series). The Rainbow Rowell books I’ve read showcase beautiful romances that flourish over time, along side some dark themes, usually poor mental health. While, there can be these dark aspects surrounding Rowell’s books, her stories are fun and up beat. Rowell’s characters are unique, well crafted, and would be the true definition of quirky.

5. V.E. Schwab

Books I’ve read by V.E.: A Darker Shade of Magic trilogy (Rating: 10/10)

Schwab’s writing is just beautiful and spellbinding. Her word choice is incredible, something I’ve never seen another author match. It’s ornate, but every sentence is carefully crafted, so there are no superfluous words. Her fantasies are dark and adventurous. Schwab’s characters are deep and flawed and their backstories are different to those of other fantasy characters, which is why she stood out so much for me.

Do you love any of my favourite authors as well? Let me know in the comments below!

The post Five Faves: Contributor Lauren Marie’s Favourite YA Authors appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

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

Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America

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

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

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

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 

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

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

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

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

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

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

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

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

The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan

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

I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

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

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

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

If you prefer to read the book first, Libby is the perfect tool for checking these reads off your lis!. Ebooks and audiobooks can be downloaded instantly and synced to your device for free from your local public library using the Libby app.

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter. But suddenly they are together for real—and it’s far more complicated than when they were pretending! Lana Condor and Noah Centineo return with Jordan Fisher starring as John Ambrose McClaren.

Death On The Nile by Agatha Christie

The tranquillity of a cruise along the Nile is shattered by the discovery that Linnet Ridgeway has been shot through the head. She was young, stylish and beautiful, a girl who had everything — until she lost her life. Kenneth Branagh (Murder on the Orient Express), Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Armie Hammer (Call Me By Your Name), Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones), and Letitia Wright (Black Panther) will star.

The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting

Doctor Dolittle takes on an apprentice, Tommy Stubbins, as they set out to find Long Arrow, the world’s greatest naturalist. Their quest takes them to the Mediterranean, to South America, deep under the sea, and even to a floating island.  Starring Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Emma Thompson (Love Actually), and Michael Sheen (Masters of Sex).

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

A dystopian thriller follows a boy and girl on the run from a town where all thoughts can be heard – and the passage to manhood embodies a horrible secret. Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming) and Daisy Ridley (Star Wars) star.

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

With a lonely boy named Ben on board, the brave young dragon Firedrake sets out on a magical journey to find the mythical place where silver dragons can live in peace forever.

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice. Starring Brie Larson (Room) and Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther).

The Witches by Roald Dahl

Grandmamma loves to tell about witches. Real witches are the most dangerous of all living creatures on earth. There’s nothing they hate so much as children, and they work all kinds of terrifying spells to get rid of them. Her grandson listens closely to Grandmamma’s stories—but nothing can prepare him for the day he comes face-to-face with The Grand High Witch herself!  Starring Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada), Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures), and Stanley Tucci (Easy A).

The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

The Invisible Man of the title is Griffin, a scientist who theorises that if a person’s refractive index is changed to exactly that of air and his body does not absorb or reflect light, then he will be invisible. Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale) and Oliver Jackson-Cohen (The Haunting of Hill House) star.

The Good Shepherd by C.S. Forester

A WWII naval thriller of “high and glittering excitement” (New York Times) from the author of the legendary Hornblower series. The adaptation is titled Greyhound and will star Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump).

Dune by Frank Herbert

A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what is undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction. Starring Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible – Fallout), Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name), Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones), and Oscar Issac (Star Wars: The Force Awakens).

The Devil All The Time by Donald Ray Pollock

In The Devil All the Time, Donald Ray Pollock has written a novel that marries the twisted intensity of Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers with the religious and Gothic over­tones of Flannery O’Connor at her most haunting. Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Robert Pattinson (Twilight), and Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) star.

Without Remorse by Tom Clancy

From Tom Clancy, the celebrated author of the Jack Ryan series, comes the #1 New York Times bestseller that puts CIA operative John Clark front and center…. Starring Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther), Cam Gigandet (Twilight), and Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot).

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Inspired by a true story, this is the beautifully written tale of how a mighty gorilla wins his freedom.  Featuring the voices of Angelina Jolie, Helen Mirren, Danny DeVito, and Sam Rockwell.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Twelve-year-old Artemis is a millionaire, a genius-and above all, a criminal mastermind. But Artemis doesn’t know what he’s taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. Starring Josh Gad (Beauty and the Beast), Hong Chau (Watchmen), and Judi Dench (Skyfall).

News of the World by Paulette Jiles

In the aftermath of the Civil War, an ageing itinerant news reader agrees to transport a young captive of the Kiowa back to her people in this exquisitely rendered, morally complex, multilayered novel of historical fiction from the author of Enemy Women that explores the boundaries of family, responsibility, honour, and trust. Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump) will star.

The Woman In The Window by AJ Finn

Twisty and powerful, ingenious and moving, The Woman in the Window is a smart, sophisticated novel of psychological suspense that recalls the best of Hitchcock. Starring Amy Adams (Sharp Objects), Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight), and Julianne Moore (Still Alice).

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

A masterpiece in ambivalence and the uncanny, The Turn of the Screw tells the story of a young woman who is hired as governess to two seemingly innocent children in an isolated country house. Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things) and Mackenzie Davis (Halt and Catch Fire) star in The Turning.

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

Telling the story of Buck, a domesticated dog whose wild instincts begin to kick-in while serving as a sled dog in the treacherous Yukon. Starring Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones) and Karen Gillan (Guardians of the Galaxy).

Which book-to-movie adaptations are you most looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Books Becoming Movies In 2020 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Over the last couple of years, the Young Adult Contemporary genre has become an inclusive place for authors across all backgrounds. Names like Nicola Yoon, Angie Thomas, Jenny Han, Mary H. K. Choi, Sandhya Menon, Tahereh Mafi, Nina LaCour, Adam Silvera, and many more line the Young Adult shelves in bookstores like Barnes & Noble. Young people of all races, ethnicities, disabilities, and sexualities are being represented like never before. From cute, quirky romances to gripping, hard-hitting works of fiction, YA Contemporary continues to range in a variety of topics while introducing readers to new and diverse authors.

Diversity is finally here. But how did it happen?

What began as a passing trend in 2014 has quickly become a revolution to change to face of YA Contemporary entirely. An outcry for more diversity from book bloggers and vloggers began in 2014 and is a continuing fight today. Where other genres are still lacking (though not without some monumental strides), Young Adult Contemporary in particular has opened up the door to tons of debut authors writing fresh, memorable characters representing a wide range of minority groups.

It’s crazy to see how much the genre has changed in the past five years alone. In 2014, John Green’s The Fault in our Stars was taking over the readership and all anyone could talk about ahead of its movie release, and we were still riding the high of YA Dystopian with Veronica Roth’s Divergent trilogy. Neither book had an ounce of racial or sexual diversity. Little did we know the small strides made that year by own-voice authors would soon take over the YA genre.

Jenny Han’s To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before brought us an adorable, rom-com-y romance featuring a Korean-American protagonist in 2014. This sweet story came three years after Han wrapped up her first trilogy, The Summer I Turned Pretty series, which did not feature any POC main characters. Nina LaCour brought us a stunning novel about film featuring a female-female romance with Everything Leads to You in 2014 as well. The following year Nicola Yoon’s Everything, Everything brought us a SickLit romance featuring a black protagonist to rival The Fault in our Stars, but with a twist instead of a death at the end. But what really blew everything out of the water was Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give, a book inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement released in 2017 and of which still remains high on the New York Times best seller list. For reviewers in the book community, these novels were great strides in spreading diversity. But as per usual in YA literature, the rest of the world wouldn’t hear about them until their movie trailers dropped.

It’s possible the publishing industry took note and decided diversity can sell. It’s also possible that reviewers were finally heard in their cry for representation. Maybe the industry simply thought it was finally time that minority voices were finally heard. But whatever the reason, one fact must remain clear: diversity is not a trend or a genre. It’s a presence. It’s what we should’ve seen in the genre years ago, and what other genres are only now beginning to catch up to.

Progress has been made, but how has this changed reader-opinions? For starters, book bloggers and book vloggers have changed the way they review books. Many reviewers include trigger warnings in their reviews for anyone who might be sensitive to certain topics. Trigger warnings were often considered as spoilers to many readers, but the tide has begun to change and the need to protect readers has taken priority over potentially ruining the book for interested readers.

When promoting books, reviewers may also mention if/what ways a title is diverse as an interest point. Authors who have written minimal or nonexistent diversity in their books are being called out on social media, and discussion about progress and the importance of readers seeing themselves in the books they read has been talked about during book conferences and panels. Casual readers have shared their excitement of being represented over social media platforms.

The world around us is changing and it’s important that the media we consume reflects that. Most especially the books we read. While we might read for pleasure, books are meant to enrich our lives and teach us important lessons about the world around us. Diversity is not the end-all be-all, but it is an essential aspect that must be present in the literature we create and consume in order to reflect the world around us. Now that YA Contemporary has seemed to catch up on this fact, it’s time for other genres to follow suit.

Do you have a favourite author in this genre? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The New Faces of the YA Contemporary Genre appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Nerd Daily 2019 Reading Challenge was released the beginning of the year, consisting of 52 prompts to read books about. One of its prompts was START A NEW SERIES so if you’re looking for recs for that particular challenge or looking for books to read in general, here’s a list of eight completed or almost completed young adult book series to start bingeing immediately.

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

This teen-fiction romance trilogy is a flurry of romance and happiness. Lara Jean Song writes letters for the boys she loves and keeps them in a box, however, those letters are for her only. But one day, the five letters are mailed to the five boys she’s loved. Lara Jean’s love life quickly goes out of control. If you are a fan of teen romances and love letters, you need to start this series immediately. The first book has even been adapted to a film in 2018, and the sequel is set to release in 2020, starring the amazing Lana Condor and the sweetest Noah Centineo.

The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The year is 2575, and two megacorporations are fighting over a planet at the edge of the universe, but no one warned the residents. Kady and Ezra, who had recently broken up and barely talking to each other, witness their planet getting invaded and are forced together on an evacuating fleet. But to top off their problems, a deadly plague has broken out, the fleet’s AI may be their enemy, and to survive, Kady and Ezra may have to fight together.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more, Illuminae Files is an incredible epistolary novel trilogy loved by almost all of its readers!

The Selection by Kiera Cass
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The selection is a five book series with plenty of novellas to enjoy too! 35 girls are given the chance of winning Prince Maxon’s heart and ruling with him the Kingdom of Illea. Girls dream of being in her position but for America, it is leaving her secret love, Aspen, behind. And she will have to face the challenges that come her way. The fourth and fifth books are about Eadlyn and her journey to love.

If you love palace settings, balls and dances, love triangles, and coming-of-age stories, and if you haven’t read it already, you need to pick up this YA dystopian series.

After by Anna Todd
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Tessa is a good girl. She has a good boyfriend. A boyfriend she loves. But barely into her freshmen dorm in university, she runs into Hardin, a gorgeous but very rude boy she immediately feels lured to. Despite his cruel treatment to her and their differences, Tessa can’t help but feel that there’s a goodness to him. Could it be love?

This One Direction fanfiction originally published on Wattpad, After starts like a typical annoying-good-girl and frustrating-bad-boy romance but it quickly takes it pace to much more. As the story goes, both Tessa and Hardin’s hardships are revealed, their backgrounds and families, their struggle with each other. Will they end up together or not, is what you will ask when reading this more so New Adult romance series.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Juliette’s touch is lethal. After she accidentally kills someone, The Reestablishment locks her up in an asylum. She hasn’t seen a soul ever since she came in. Until Adam. The boy she wants to remember her. Some days go by and unexpectedly, she is given an offer by The Reestablishment, namely, by Warner; she could be that monster of a girl, or she could use her power and use herself as a weapon.

Shatter Me is a YA Sci-Fi series by Tahereh Mafi with a unique writing style, and great characters. Juliette is easily lovable, surviving with a uniqueness she did not ask for. The series has five books and many novellas with the sixth instalment coming in 2020.

Stalking Jack The Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Against her father’s wishes and society’s expectations, daughter of Lord Wadsworth, seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose attends her uncle’s classes to learn forensic medicine. While working with her uncle, Audrey is sucked into the investigation of the serial killer, Jack the Ripper. She, along with Thomas Cresswell, her arrogant and intelligent classmate, will roam the disease-infested streets to identify the murderer.

Stalking Jack the Ripper is a four book series with the final instalment to come this September. It is a deliciously creepy horror novel, set in 1880s, London with the air of mystery surrounding the question of, who is the Ripper?

The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Clare
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The sequel series to the internationally acclaimed Mortal Instruments, The Dark Artifices trilogy is the latest addition in the Shadowhunter Chronicles. It focuses on the lives of the Blackthorns and Emma Carstairs, some five years after the events of City of Heavenly Fire. Emma who is now a young woman is hell bent on knowing who murdered her parents and getting her revenge.

The Shadowhunter Chronicles is said to one of the best YA book series and rightly so. It focuses promptly on friendship, family, love, romance, and more than that- Good and Evil.

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her mother as the soon-to-be dead people walk past but she never sees them. Until she does. Gansey, a boy comes from the dark and talks to her. Blue eventually gets involved with The Raven Boys, a group of four boys -Gansey, Adam, Ronan and Noah- to figure out why she saw Gansey. Is he her true love, or is she his killer?

The tetralogy is a spellbinding series about magic, death, love ,and friendship. It is a character driven story with humorous scenes and lovable people. I highly recommend if you like fantasy paranormal books.

Any other YA book series you would recommend? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Start A New YA Book Series appeared first on The Nerd Daily.