Guest post written by Den of Liars author Jessica S. Olson
Jessica S. Olson is the author of Sing Me Forgotten, A Forgery of Roses, and the Den of Liars duology. A former copyeditor from New Hampshire, she currently lives in Texas with her husband, four children, and carefully curated supply of snacks. Her books have received starred reviews, earned librarian/bookseller accolades, and been translated into several languages throughout the world. In her free time, she practices aerial hoop and eats peanut butter by the spoonful straight from the jar.

About Den of Liars (out 1 July 2025): The first instalment in The Devious, a new duology from acclaimed Jessica S. Olson. Den of Liars is set in a world where magic is spun from lies and deception, among the gowns, glitz and glamour of a casino.

Like many millennials, I spent high school bickering with friends  whether Jacob or Edward was better for Bella and whether Katniss Everdeen should pick Peeta or Gale. Back then, love triangles were all the craze—and rightfully so. Love triangles have been a staple in literature for ages, hearkening back as far as Shakespeare with Juliet having to choose Romeo over Paris. They’re the perfect way to get romance readers invested—give us a good ship battle between two equally handsome love interests, and we’ll fight to the death for our pick.

In the wake of Twilight, however, YA book after YA book jumped on the love triangle trend, and soon people seemed to tire of it. Things then swung completely in the other direction, and for a long while, authors avoided writing even a hint of one to avoid triggering readers’ rage.

But, much to my delight, it seems love triangles are picking up steam again. From Feyre’s choice between Tamlin and Rhysand to the resurgence in popularity of Damon and Stefan Salvatore in the Vampire Diaries tv show, it seems that people still simp after a good love triangle—as long as it’s done well.

When I set out to write my newest romantasy novel, Den of Liars, which tells the story of a girl who enters a magical casino tournament in order to steal the secret of the casino owner, I knew that this was the book that needed a love triangle. My idea came to me almost fully formed: two brothers, one an illusionist known only as “the Liar,” and the other, “the Thief,” who steals not only trinkets and treasures, but words, souls, and hearts as well. These two brothers, I knew from the start, would have to be mortal enemies. There’s nothing I love more than a good plot involving complex brother relationships like Thor and Loki or Jamie and Tyrion Lannister, and even in the earliest stages of Den of Liars’s outline, the Liar and the Thief’s relationship seemed set to spark ablaze.

But the main character, Lola, would have to be stuck between them somehow. In my earliest iterations, I imagined her loving them both in the stereotypical YA love triangle way. However, as often happens when I write a book, things didn’t go according to plan. My characters grew into themselves, and so did their relationships. As their story took shape, it soon became clear that Lola’s relationship with the Thief was very different from what I originally expected it to be. Rather than being lovers, they were best friends with a bond far deeper than blood. Thanks to a magical deal they make during the prologue, they share a heart, and that makes them in tune in a way I’ve never had any other characters be. They understand each other on a fundamental level, love each other fiercely, and fight for each other no matter the cost.

Their shared heart and strong bond create quite the complicated dynamic once Lola stars to fall for the Liar—the very person the Thief hates most. Trying to keep secrets from your best friend is difficult enough without also having that person share your heart and feel everything you’re feeling all the time! It also makes her feelings for the Liar that much more complex with the Thief’s own disgust for him threaded through every experience they share.

Turning the traditional love triangle trope on its head was really exciting for me. In particular, I loved delving into the concept of platonic love—something not typically explored in YA—and how life-altering it can be. Lola’s relationship with the Thief isn’t lesser just because it isn’t romantic—it is just as influential to her as her budding love for his brother. It added a delicious bit of drama for me as the author because of the conundrum it poses: In a perfect world, she should be able to have them both, right? A best friend and a lover. They do not compete in the same way romantic rivals do, so she shouldn’t have to choose… except of course, in this case, the brothers want to kill each other. Which means she has to pick a side.

In some ways, I find that fashioning the love triangle in this manner also offers the opportunity for it to be a TRUE triangle in that there is a relationship between the brothers as well. They have a complex history, and while they loathe each other for their own reasons, they also have a deep, nuanced affection for each other as well—a sort of “only I get to kill you” sort of dynamic. I found that this lent itself to really exciting interactions, and I think one of my favorite scenes in the whole book is the scene when all three are finally in one place together and the nuances of their relationships get to take center stage.

As I work on the sequel to Den of Liars, which dives deeper into this three-way relationship, I can’t help but think back to my days as a teen when my friends and I would get so combative over our chosen ships in the love triangles of Twilight and The Hunger Games. Exploring a brand-new way of styling the love triangle has been one of the most exciting things I’ve done as an author, and I like to think that the younger version of me would have loved to read a love triangle like this just as much as she did the ones in those groundbreaking YA classics back in the day.

The post Bringing Back The Love Triangle—But With A Twist appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

This story centres around Myra Whitlock, a young woman with a gift for altering the human body through portrait painting. This is a dangerous gift and secret that she must keep closely guarded, to protect her sister, now that her parents are gone. When the governor’s wife threatens to expose her secret, she agrees to the unthinkable, resurrecting her dead son. However, his death seems to be no mere accident, and there are dangerous secrets and people lurking within the mansion that seem to harbour an obsession with her portrait magic. Myra’s hunt for answers leads her to the older son of the governor, who’ll delve into the family affairs and track down the secrets that seem to be making Myra the next victim.

When I started this story, I was very interested in the magic system. Myra’s talent comes from within her, and is expressed through her painting altered versions of her subjects. Much of it comes at a cost to her physical well-being for a time. This sets up quite the conundrum for Myra as she’s being blackmailed by the governor’s wife. Myra is a young woman who’s been forced to grow up a little too quickly by the fact that her parents are gone. Her money goes to doing her best to keep her little sister Lucy safe, as she’s been afflicted by a condition that weakens her, but by no means keeps her down. She’s caring, but tamps down her emotions in an effort to keep herself in check with her gift.

Desperation is a feeling that is centred among much of the story, from several of the characters. For Myra, it’s saving her family from certain condemnation for what she is. For August, it’s helping Myra unravel the mystery within his family for reasons (spoilery ones I won’t mention). The governor’s wife just wants her dearest son back, even if it means shaking hands with the very thing your husband is determined to eradicate. Their choices and actions have consequences that propel the novel forward. It’s not all sunshine and daisies, and I did spend a good portion of the time mad for Myra and the way she was treated by quite a few of the characters in this book.

While I really enjoyed the premise of this story, it’s a very narrow view of the world, so I didn’t feel as immersed into it as I would have liked. It’s definitely more character driven, as we get to know Myra, August, Lucy, and many others very well. However, we don’t really get to know much of the politics of the world, so this might not be the book for you if that’s something you’re looking for. With that said, this book does a great job exploring mental as well as chronic illness in a positive way. Lucy and August are both looked at as more than their physical or mental capacity.

The romance within this book was a little rough on me, mainly because August makes it difficult to like him as a love interest. I can’t delve too much into this without spoilers, so I’ll leave it at that. It’s still a sweet romance in the end, just not the one I would have chosen had I been Myra.

For me, this story has quite a lot more to explore, and I sincerely hope there’s more in the works. The ending definitely seemed to set it up in that way, and I cross my fingers that we’ll get to find out more secrets, because there are some unanswered questions. I’d definitely add this to my TBR if I were you, especially if you’re starting to plan for some fall reads. This one would be great under the cover of night, with a blanket to ward off the chill.

A Forgery of Roses is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up A Forgery of Roses? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Myra Whitlock has a gift. One many would kill for.

She’s an artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies, a talent she must hide from those who would kidnap, blackmail, and worse in order to control it. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone.

But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor’s dead son. Desperate, Myra ventures to his legendary stone mansion.

Once she arrives, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. Someone dangerous lurks within these glittering halls. Someone harboring a disturbing obsession with portrait magic.

Myra cannot do the painting until she knows what really happened, so she turns to the governor’s older son, a captivating redheaded poet. Together, they delve into the family’s most shadowed affairs, racing to uncover the truth before the secret Myra spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.

From Sing Me Forgotten author Jessica S. Olson comes a gothic fantasy murder mystery perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Erin A. Craig.

The post Review: A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The YA genre is not holding back when it comes to 2022’s upcoming book releases! Between the months of January and June, readers are going to be delighted as to what they can get their hands on with books from favourite authors, to those making their debut!

From stories of love, magic, and mystery, to retellings, anthologies, and sequels, you will surely find several new reads to add to your TBR and we apologies in advance for adding to it!

Looking for more releases? Check out our Most Anticipated 2022 Releases and our Must-Have 2022 Queer Releases.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below which ones you’re looking forward to!

JANUARY

When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord
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A bighearted novel about falling in love, making a mess, and learning to let go, When You Get the Chance is the next effervescent novel from Emma Lord, New York Times bestselling author of the Reese Witherspoon YA Book Club pick You Have a Match.

Hopepunk by Preston Norton
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A heartfelt and funny new novel about forgiveness and redemption, and about how hope is the ultimate act of rebellion, perfect for fans of John Green and Becky Albertalli.

The Red Palace by June Hur
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June Hur, critically acclaimed author of The Silence of Bones and The Forest of Stolen Girls, returns with The Red Palace—a third evocative, atmospheric historical mystery perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Kerri Maniscalco.

Into The Midnight Void by Mara Fitzgerald
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Fans of Holly Black and Kendare Blake will obsess over the conclusion to this deliciously dark YA fantasy duology!

Serendipity, edited by Marissa Meyer
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From stories of first love, unrequited love, love that surprises, love that’s been there all along, 10 of the brightest and award-winning authors writing YA have taken on some of your favourite romantic tropes, embracing them and turning them on their heads. Readers will fall for this collection of stories that celebrate love at its most humorous, inclusive, heart-expanding, and serendipitous. Contributors include Elise Bryant, Elizabeth Eulberg, Leah Johnson, Anna-Marie McLemore, Marissa Meyer, Sandhya Menon, Julie Murphy, Caleb Roehrig, Sarah Winifred Searle, and Abigail Hing Wen.

Waking Romeo by Kathryn Barker
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Kathryn Barker’s Waking Romeo is a spectacularly genre-bending retelling of Romeo & Juliet asking the big questions about true love, fate, and time travel

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves by Meg Long
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Meg Long’s Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is a captivating debut about survival, found family, and the bond between a girl and a wolf that delivers a fresh twist on classic survival stories and frontier myths.

Salaam, with Love by Sara Sharaf Beg
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This heartfelt and humorous YA contemporary follows Dua, who spends the month of Ramadan making unexpected discoveries about family, faith, and first love.

Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds
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Prepare yourself for something unlike anything: A smash-up of art and text for teens that viscerally captures what it is to be Black. In America. Right Now. Written by #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds.

The Kindred by Alechia Dow
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To save a galactic kingdom from revolution, Kindred mind-pairings were created to ensure each and every person would be seen and heard, no matter how rich or poor…

Medusa by Jessie Burton
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A dazzling, feminist retelling of Greek myth from the internationally bestselling author of The Miniaturist, stunningly illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill.

Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz
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A gothic tale full of mystery and romance about a willful female surgeon, a resurrection man who sells bodies for a living, and the buried secrets they must uncover together.

FEBRUARY

And We Rise by Erica Martin
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A powerful, impactful, eye-opening journey that explores through the Civil Rights Movement in 1950s-1960s America in spare and evocative verse, with historical photos interspersed throughout.

Lulu and Milagro’s Search for Clarity by Angela Velez
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Booksmart meets Never Have I Ever in this Latinx road trip adventure—a big-hearted, voice-driven YA about two sisters who couldn’t be more different, but become begrudging partners on their school’s cross-country college trip—from debut author Angela Velez.

Bright Ruined Things by Samantha Cohoe
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Extasia by Claire Legrand
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From New York Times bestselling author Claire LeGrand comes a new, bone-chilling YA horror novel about a girl who joins a coven to root out a vicious evil that’s stalking her village. Perfect for fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Grace Year.

All the Right Reasons by Bethany Mangle
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The Bachelor meets Gilmore Girls in this laugh-out-loud young adult romance about a girl who joins her mother on a reality dating show for single parents—only to fall for a contestant’s son.

League of Liars by Astrid Scholte
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In this fantasy thriller, four teens charged with murder and the illegal use of magic band together to devise the ultimate jailbreak. Perfect for fans of Six of Crows and How to Get Away with Murder.

You Truly Assumed by Laila Sabreen
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In this compelling and thought-provoking debut novel, after a terrorist attack rocks the country and anti-Islamic sentiment stirs, three Black Muslim girls create a space where they can shatter assumptions and share truths.

Castles in Their Bones by Laura Sebastian
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A spellbinding story of three princesses and the destiny they were born for: seduction, conquest, and the crown. Immerse yourself in the first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series.

Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher
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A heartbreaking novel about finding your first love and what happens when it’s over too soon. Ashley Schumacher’s Full Flight is about how first love shapes us—even after it’s gone. 

Sunny G’s Series of Rash Decisions by Navdeep Singh Dhillon
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For fans of Sandhya Menon and Adam Silvera, a prom-night romantic-comedy romp about a Sikh teen’s search for love and identity

Only a Monster by Vanessa Len
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The sweeping romance of Passenger meets the dark fantasy edge of This Savage Song in this stunning contemporary fantasy debut from Vanessa Len, where the line between monster and hero is razor thin.

These Deadly Games by Diana Urban
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Author of All Your Twisted Secrets, Diana Urban’s explosive sophomore novel, These Deadly Games, will keep you riveted until the final twist is revealed.

MARCH

The One True Me and You by Remi K. England
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A big-hearted, joyful romance and a love letter to all things geek, Remi K. England’s The One True Me and You is a *witness me* celebration of standing up for, and being, yourself.

Debating Darcy by Sayantani DasGupta
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This Pride & Prejudice retelling brings New York Times bestselling Sayantani DasGupta’s trademark wit and insight to her bright and funny YA debut!

A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee
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From New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist, Traci Chee, comes a Japanese-influenced fantasy brimming with demons, adventure, and plans gone awry.

This Golden State by Marit Weisenberg
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Marit Weisenberg’s This Golden State follows a family on the run, a restless teenage daughter hungry for the truth, and the simple DNA test that threatens their carefully crafted world

Kiss & Tell by Adib Khorram
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A smart, sexy YA novel about a boy band star, his first breakup, his first rebound, and what it means to be queer in the public eye, from award-winning author Adib Khorram.

Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix by Aminah Mae Safi
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A ragtag band of misfits gets swept up in Holy Land politics in Travelers Along the Way by Aminah Mae Safi, a thrilling YA remix of the classic legend of Robin Hood.

Message Not Found by Dante Medema
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An emotionally complex portrayal of secrets, loss, and grief from Dante Medema, Indies Introduce author of the Indie Next Pick title The Truth Project. 

A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson
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From the author of Sing Me Forgotten comes a lush new fantasy novel with an art-based magic system, romance, and murder…

Love, Decoded by Jennifer Yen
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For fans of Jenny Han and Jane Austen, a rom-com that’s equal parts hilarious and heartfelt about the unexpected consequences of one teen’s quest to help her friends find love, from the author of A Taste for Love.

Cinder & Glass by Melissa de la Cruz
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Blockbuster author Melissa de la Cruz’s YA retelling of Cinderella, set in 17th Century Versailles.

The Book of Living Secrets by Madeleine Roux
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Perfect for fans of The Hazel Wood, this genre-bending page-turner from New York Times bestselling author Madeleine Roux follows two girls who transport themselves into the world of their favorite book only to encounter the sinister alternate reality that awaits them. 

A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft
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A romantic YA fantasy perfect for fans of Erin A. Craig and Margaret Rogerson, about two people who find themselves competing for glory – and each other’s hearts – in a magical fox hunt.

APRIL

Year on Fire by Julie Buxbaum
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What secrets will people keep—or reveal—to protect those they love? This novel, set against the frightening backdrop of an encroaching fire season, sparks reflection about friendship, the allure of romantic love, and loyalty to family.

This Rebel Heart by Katherine Locke
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The Fountains of Silence meets Spinning Silver in this rollicking tale set amid the 1956 Hungarian revolution in post-WWII Communist Budapest from Sydney Taylor Honor winner Katherine Locke.

Queen of the Tiles by Hanna Alkaf
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They Wish They Were Us meets The Queen’s Gambit in the world of competitive Scrabble when a teen girl is forced to investigate the mysterious death of her best friend a year after the fact when her Instagram comes back to life with cryptic posts and messages.

K-Pop Revolution by Stephan Lee
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She thought that debuting in a K-Pop band was the finish line, but it was only the beginning. Because now it’s not only her company judging her—it’s the entire world. If K-Pop Confidential was about finding your voice, K-pop Revolution is about finding the courage to stand by your beliefs, even when powerful forces are trying to shame and silence you.

My Dearest Darkest by Kayla Cottingham
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Wilder Girls meets The Craft in this Sapphic horror debut that asks: what price would you be willing to pay to achieve your deepest desires?

Some Mistakes Were Made by Kristin Dwyer
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Sarah Dessen meets Adam Silvera in the debut YA romance everyone is talking about!

Very Bad People by Kit Frick
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In this dark academia young adult thriller for fans of The Female of the Species and People Like Us, a teen girl’s search for answers about her mother’s mysterious death leads to a powerful secret society at her new boarding school—and a dangerous game of revenge that will leave her forever changed.

My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding by Sajni Patel
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A fresh, witty rom-com romp set against the backdrop of a high-profile music competition and a riotous Indian wedding.

Flirting With Fate by J.C. Cervantes
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Jane the Virgin meets The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in New York Times bestselling author J.C. Cervantes’s charming, romantic YA debut.

This May End Badly by Samantha Markum
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When a high stakes boarding school prank war leads to a fake dating scheme, two teens must decide if they are ready to take the ultimate risk — falling in love.

The Genesis Wars by Akemi Dawn Bowman
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Black Mirror meets Marie Lu’s Warcross in Nami’s continuing adventures as she fights to free her friends in this high-stakes sequel to The Infinity Courts by award-winning author Akemi Dawn Bowman.

All the Best Liars by Amelia Kahaney
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Amelia Kahaney’s All the Best Liars is a dark, modern psychological thriller and coming-of-age story about obsession, manipulation, and the intensity of those first friendships that take hold of you and never let go

MAY

See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon
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From the author of Today Tonight Tomorrow comes a magical romance in the vein of Groundhog Day about a girl forced to relive her disastrous first day of college—only to discover that her nemesis is stuck in the time loop with her.

Together We Burn by Isabel Ibañez
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An ancient city plagued by dragons. A flamenco dancer determined to save her ancestral home. A dragon hunter refusing to teach her his ways. They don’t want each other, but they need each other, and without him her world will burn.

Not Good for Maidens by Tori Bovalino
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Salem’s Lot meets The Darkest Part of the Forest in this horror-fantasy retelling of Christina Rossetti’s “Goblin Market.”

A Show for Two by Tashie Bhuiyan
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New from the author of Counting Down with You comes a sparkling YA romance about an aspiring screenwriter who falls for the indie film star who goes undercover at her school.

The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson
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Who killed Brooke Donovan? It’s the biggest mystery of the summer, and everyone in Castle Cove thinks it’s the wrong guy. Fans of One of Us Is Lying and Riverdale can’t miss this page-turning who-done-it that’s sure to be the next must read Young Adult thriller!

The Summer of Bitter and Sweet by Jen Ferguson
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In this complex and emotionally resonant novel about a Métis girl living on the Canadian prairies, debut author Jen Ferguson serves up a powerful story about rage, secrets, and all the spectrums that make up a person—and the sweetness that can still live alongside the bitterest truth.

Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsberg
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From Stonewall Award winner Bill Konigsberg, a remarkable, funny, sexy, heartbreaking story of two teen boys finding each other in New York City at the height of the AIDS epidemic.

Murder for the Modern Girl by Kendall Kulper
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Gatsby-era glamour, a swoon-worthy love story, and an indomitable heroine dazzle in this romp that captures the extravagance of the Roaring Twenties and the dangers of vigilante justice.

Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle
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Hitch meets The Sun Is Also a Star in this witty and romantic teen novel about a self-professed teen love doctor with a popular radio segment who believes he can get a girl who hates all things romance to fall in love with him in only three dates.

Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho
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What would you do if the world’s biggest K-pop star asked you to prom? Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon, this hilarious and heartfelt novel brings the glamour and drama of the K-pop world straight to high school.

All Signs Point to Yes, edited by G. Haron Davis, Cam Montgomery, and Adrianne White
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A YA anthology of love stories for each of the star signs that will showcase multicultural characters and celebrate the myriad facets of love, from meet-cutes to the lesser-explored love expressed by aromantic people, featuring 13 bestselling and award-winning multicultural authors.

A Cruel and Fated Light by Ashley Shuttleworth
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Half-fae Arlo becomes entangled in the courtly intrigue at the Seelie Summer palace as danger for ironborns mounts in this gripping sequel to A Dark and Hollow Star that’s The Cruel Prince meets City of Bones.

JUNE

Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert
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Secrets. Lies. Super-bad choices. Witchcraft. This is Our Crooked Hearts, a darkly gripping contemporary fantasy from Melissa Albert, the New York Times bestselling author of The Hazel Wood

The Song That Moves the Sun by Anna Bright
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This sweeping YA fantasy romance full of star-crossed love, complex female friendship, and astrological magic is perfect for fans of Laini Taylor, Alexandra Bracken, and V.E. Schwab. From the acclaimed author of The Beholder.

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede
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Emily Thiede’s exciting fantasy debut, This Vicious Grace, will keep readers turning the pages until the devastating conclusion and leave them primed for more!

Blade Breaker by Victoria Aveyard
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In the sequel to Victoria Aveyard’s instant #1 New York Times bestselling Realm Breaker, a divided world must rally, an unstoppable enemy must be defeated, and the fate of the world rests on a blade’s edge.

This Place Is Still Beautiful by XiXi Tian
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A sweeping debut novel about first love, complicated family dynamics, and the pernicious legacy of racism. Perfect for fans of Tahereh Mafi, Jandy Nelson, and Emily X.R. Pan, with crossover appeal for readers of Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half and Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You.

Valiant Ladies by Melissa Grey
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Two teen vigilantes set off on an action-packed investigation to expose corruption and deliver justice in Valiant Ladies, Melissa Grey’s YA historical fiction novel inspired by real seventeenth century Latinx teenagers known as the Valiant Ladies of Potosí.

Rise of the Vicious Princess by C.J. Redwine
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The first in a YA political fantasy duology about a fierce princess determined to bring lasting peace to her kingdom regardless of the cost to her heart —from C.J. Redwine, the author of the Defiance series and the New York Times bestselling Ravenspire series. Perfect for fans of These Violent Delights, And I Darken, and Ash Princess.

Stealing Infinity by Alyson Noel
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The Dream Runners by Shveta Thakrar
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Go Hunt Me by Kelly deVos
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For Dracula lovers and fans of Diana Urban’s All Your Twisted Secrets, this spine-tingling thriller follows seven horror buffs as their dream trip to a remote Romanian castle turns into a nightmare when they begin to be killed one by one.

Game of Strength and Storm by Rachel Menard
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Game of Strength and Storm is a YA gender-bent Hercules retelling. Teenagers of Olympia Gen and Castor race to be the first to complete six nearly impossible challenges to obtain their greatest desire. Only one will win. The other walks away with nothing—if she walks away at all.

Bad Things Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow
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I Killed Zoe Spanos meets The Cheerleaders in this haunting mystery about an island town with a history of unsolved deaths—and a girl desperate to uncover the mystery behind it all.

What 2022 YA book releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 72 Upcoming YA Book Releases To Add To Your TBR appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

At nineteen years old, I was grabbed in a subway station by an unfamiliar man twice my age. Terrified, I wrenched myself out of his grasp and ran.

It didn’t surprise me when he chased me through the station in broad daylight. When no one stopped him. When he ignored my screaming pleas to leave me alone. When he kicked me and cursed at me for refusing his advances.

I was scared out of my wits, but not surprised.

And later, when I told my friends about it, in spite of the way I was still shaking with tears hours later, they weren’t surprised either.

Why are we not surprised?

Yes, at the end of the day, women can vote. We can own businesses. We can take out mortgages and purchase property and any number of things that men can do. But somehow, still, our culture continues to treat women as lesser, as objects. How is this still possible, in the year 2021? After all that the women’s rights movement has fought for over decades and decades and decades?

I argue that the answer lies with the media we consume. Many of our books, movies, music, and TV shows perpetuate sexist attitudes and misogynist values. And the most dangerous part about it? Most of the messaging is subliminal.

Daily, we are fed the lie that women are responsible for household chores with every cleaning product ad that comes on television. We are groomed to believe we are only valuable when we are pretty by every makeup, shampoo, spanx, waxing, hair dye, and weight loss commercial we see. We watch female superstars get criticized for the same things their male counterparts are praised for. And, since these things surround us practically from birth, we don’t even notice it.

Take one of my all-time favorite Broadway musicals as an example: The Phantom of the Opera. From a very young age, I was enamored with the idea of a masked man whisking me away to his candlelit lair so he could compose operas in my honor. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized just how problematic aspects of that story was. Instead of paying attention to the coming-of-age narrative about a young girl who takes voice lessons from the enigmatic “angel of music,” lands the lead role, and gets to choose between two men who adore her, I noticed the subliminal—and dangerous—messaging inherent to the storyline.

Throughout the play, Christine is objectified by both the Phantom and her childhood sweetheart, Raoul. The Phantom entrances her with his music in a way that feels uncomfortably similar to drugging, kidnaps her, and even goes so far as to threaten people she cares about if she does not do his will. And Raoul is not much better. He rarely listens to her, gas lighting her fears of the Opera Ghost, and ultimately ignores her express wishes when he uses her as bait to capture the Phantom.

As a long-standing Phantom fan, when I opened my eyes to the scary misogynistic themes of the play, I wasn’t sure how to proceed. Because, yes, on one hand, the play does perpetuate some of those sexist values that women have worked so hard for so long to deconstruct. But on the other hand, I connected deeply to the Phantom’s plight. As one who grew up with a medical condition that made me look different, that led to ridicule throughout my adolescent years, his story explored a message that not only affected me deeply, but which is also very important for young girls to hear: that the way society villainizes those who are not “beautiful,” the way it demonizes and mistreats those who don’t “fit the mold,” is dangerous and wrong.

So, I wondered, would it be possible to take the things I loved about Phantom–the masterful music, the mesmerizing story, and that soul-shattering message I found so imperative–and work them into a narrative that not only deconstructed the original’s sexism, but also empowered young girls?

The book that came out of that soul-searching was Sing Me Forgotten. A fantasy Phantom of the Opera that not only deepens the theme of finding our identities outside of the boxes society tries to shove us into, but also portrays a young woman as fierce, powerful, and active in her own right. I took the original concept and flipped it on its head, swapping the genders so that the Phantom character is a young woman and the Christine character is a young man. Doing so gave me the opportunity to explore a version where the girl is the teacher, the expert, the angel of music.

No longer does the story treat her as an object to be won. While her world abhors her appearance, she finds strength and beauty in herself. She is magical and angry, vengeful and glorious, and as far from an “object” as possible. I took my Phantom and Christine deeper than their inspirations, made them stronger, and developed between them a healthy, consensual—and yet still devastating—romance. Together, they expose the ugliness in our flawed society as they break past their molds, growing into truly memorable people that I hope readers will be able to not only see themselves in but find strength from.

And, alongside my Opera Ghost’s rise to power, I strove to explore the true villain of both my story and the original Phantom’s: the culture that tries to demonize us all in one way or another for being what we are.

Teenage me knew only of a world where she had to be afraid. Where she had to avoid going anywhere alone. Where she had to be careful of who she spoke to and how. But adult me? I have dreams of a future where our media perpetuates the idea that women are powerful exactly the way we are. Where our television and our Broadway shows and our novels teach everyone—men included—that we are not objects. We are fierce, powerful, and active in our own right.

And I hope, one day, that when our young women fight back, no one is surprised.

The post Music of the Night: How A Gender-Swapped ‘Phantom of the Opera’ Novel Deconstructs Misogyny appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

For those of you who are massive fans of The Phantom of the Opera story, both novel and musical (like me), get ready for a new gender-flipped version of the well renowned story!

Those of you who have watched the musical or at least aware of the story would be able to recall a certain phantom lurking in the crypts and sewers of the Paris Opera House. His appearance can be identified by the white mask that covers half of his scarred face. Despite his association with darkness, the phantom however has the voice of an angel (much to everyone’s surprise), he projects his dreams of singing in front of an audience onto Christine, his muse and his secret love. Olson takes this classic legend and does a gender-twist containing all the elements of magic and music, bringing it to a new level as she presents a complex girl with a hidden life and magical talents before us. Seventeen-year-old Isda has lived in the shadows her entire life, being discarded and left to drown at birth, she was found and raised in secret by Cyril, the owner of the Opera House in which she resides. Unknown to others but Cyril, Isda has a secret: she is a gravoir, someone who is able to see a person’s memories and manipulate them whilst they are singing. The mutilated face is their signature and all gravoirs are expected to be executed upon birth for fear of their powers going rogue. Like fendoirs (another type of magic inhabitant able to extract memories as an elixir) both hide underneath masks because of their facial disfigurements and are scorned by society. After being taken in by Cyril, she helps him by manipulating the audiences’ memories at the Opera House, gaining both money and popularity for him. Isda has always lived in darkness and often dreams of singing in front of the audience one day, but she knows that will never happen. She was content, for now.

That is, of course, until one day, she encountered a newly addition to the Opera House, one Emeric Rodin (aka the female version of Christine Daaé in case you haven’t noticed *wink*). Enchanted by his singing voice in which she describes it as ‘the bright fire of autumn transforming the world into a kaleidoscope of burning reds and golds’, Isda is determined to tutor him and make him a star on stage. Of course, this proves to be a more difficult task than she had anticipated. Carefully hiding her true identity from Emeric and tutoring him secretly without the notice of Cyril, Isda gradually finds herself more addicted to Emeric’s singing and his memories whilst her life also takes a surprising turn of events.

Adorned with magic and music, masquerade balls and hidden plots, Sing Me Forgotten is a lavish musical which harbours the intention of bringing the readers on a marvellous journey deep within the crypts of the Opera House. Personally, I loved the setting immensely. The Phantom of the Opera was one of the first musicals I watched when I was young, and it still remained one of my favourites to date. Upon reading the synopsis of the novel, I immediately knew it would be spectacular and sure enough, it did not disappoint!

MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD

The complexity of the characters and their development throughout the novel is very well done! With Isda, Olson portrays a complex character in which she is also the hero and the villain of the story. In other words, she might be the hero of her and Emeric’s story, but she is seen as the villain in others. One cannot help but feel pity for her after learning her abandonment when she was merely an infant and the lies that were being told to her, but her horrendous acts later on in the book puts her on the wrong side of history. There was this quote that I read which said, ‘if they want me to be a nightmare, then a nightmare I shall be’ which completely captures the transition of Isda. She wasn’t always a villain, underneath her perhaps horrendous facial features, lies a normal 17-year-old young girl desperate for love and acceptance. When she met Emeric, she found the first person who embraced her as her true self without question (Spoiler: not even Cyril did that) and he also understands her on a spiritual level. That is the kind of acceptance that she longs and desires for. Emeric is the light in her darkness and in turn, she is also his saviour. With Isda’s guidance, Emeric is able to shine on the stage, living both him and Isda’s dreams. He is such a sweet boy, nice and gentle and is exceptional at making caramel candies (can he get any cuter seriously?!). Emeric’s love for music and his compassion towards Isda is something that amazes her and the reason why she keeps dropping her guard for him. Even Cyril, who turns out to be not the gentleman that he appears to be, has his own secrets of being the way he is now (although I did wish we got more of his backstory). In the end, finally, Isda is free from her shackles. Away from manipulation and lies, she is ‘the director and the maestro of her own life’ now. She is The Opera Ghost and she will not be afraid anymore.

Another one of the many captivating features of this novel is the language descriptions used within. Olson utilises the language of music exquisitely with delightful metaphors and her words on the pages bring forth a breathtaking symphony to the readers’ ears. It is as if we are watching an Opera and as the story flows, so does the music until it comes to a crescendo, and we are all left with the aftermath of this piece of stunning work!

On a final note, if you enjoyed this remarkable story, her second novel A Forgery of Roses comes out in 2022! Yet another fantasy retake with a mixture of Stalking Jack the Ripper and A Picture of Dorian Gray (two of my favourite novels in fact despite them being completely different), her new story will take place in Victorian London, where our characters would encounter mysteries that are best left unsolved…

Sing Me Forgotten is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of March 9th 2021.

Will you be picking up Sing Me Forgotten? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Isda does not exist. At least not beyond the opulent walls of the opera house.

Cast into a well at birth for being one of the magical few who can manipulate memories when people sing, she was saved by Cyril, the opera house’s owner. Since that day, he has given her sanctuary from the murderous world outside. All he asks in return is that she use her power to keep ticket sales high—and that she stays out of sight. For if anyone discovers she survived, Isda and Cyril would pay with their lives.

But Isda breaks Cyril’s cardinal rule when she meets Emeric Rodin, a charming boy who throws her quiet, solitary life out of balance. His voice is unlike any she’s ever heard, but the real shock comes when she finds in his memories hints of a way to finally break free of her gilded prison.

Haunted by this possibility, Isda spends more and more time with Emeric, searching for answers in his music and his past. But the price of freedom is steeper than Isda could ever know. For even as she struggles with her growing feelings for Emeric, she learns that in order to take charge of her own destiny, she must become the monster the world tried to drown in the first place.

The post Review: Sing Me Forgotten by Jessica S. Olson appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below what you’re looking forward to releasing!

Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales
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In Sophie Gonzales’ Perfect on Paper, Leah on the Offbeat meets To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: a bisexual girl who gives anonymous love advice to her classmates is hired by the hot guy to help him get his ex back.

The Unbroken by C.L. Clark
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In an epic political fantasy unlike any other, two women clash in a world full of rebellion, espionage, and military might on the far outreaches of a crumbling desert empire.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
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In Act Your Age, Eve Brown the flightiest Brown sister crashes into the life of an uptight B&B owner and has him falling hard—literally.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
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A female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them—setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course

Sing Me Forgotten by Jessica S. Olson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Sing Me Forgotten is a magical retelling of The Phantom of the Opera, in which a young woman born with the ability to manipulate memories through song must fight against both the outside world that fears her and the inner darkness that tempts her in order to save the young man she loves.

Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers
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From the author of A Witch in Time comes a magical story set in Jazz Age Paris and modern-day America of family secrets and lost love set against the backdrop of an extraordinary circus.

The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray
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An epic saga from New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray based on the true story of an extraordinary castle in the heart of France and the remarkable women bound by its legacy.

The Mirror Season by Anna-Marie McLemore
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When two teens discover that they were both sexually assaulted at the same party, they develop a cautious friendship through her family’s possibly magical pastelería, his secret forest of otherworldly trees, and the swallows returning to their hometown.

Dead Space by Kali Wallace
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An investigator must solve a brutal murder on a claustrophobic asteroid mine in this tense science fiction thriller from the author of Salvation Day.

Can’t Take That Away by Steven Salvatore
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Steven Salvatore’s debut Can’t Take That Away is about Carey Parker, a genderqueer teen who dreams of being a diva like their hero Mariah Carey. When they are cast as the female lead in the school musical, they must fight against discrimination and injustice from their closed-minded school administration. 

Float Plan by Trish Doller
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Critically acclaimed author Trish Doller’s unforgettable and romantic adult debut about setting sail, starting over, and finding yourself…

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
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Klara and the Sun, the first novel by Kazuo Ishiguro since he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, tells the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, who, from her place in the store, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her.

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

The post March 2021 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.