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

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

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

JANUARY 2026 BOOK RELEASES

Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven

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

The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead

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

The Poet Empress by Shen Tao

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

Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy

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

My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney

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

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

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

Twelve Months by Jim Butcher

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

Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston

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

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters

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

A War of Wyverns by S. F. Williamson

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

Vigil by George Saunders

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

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

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
A luminous new novel following a librarian who comes back to work after a mental breakdown only to confront book-banning crusaders in an empowering story of grief, love, and the power of libraries.

FEBRUARY 2026 BOOK RELEASES

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

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

The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall

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

Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi

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

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

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

Game, Set, Match by Jennifer Iacopelli

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

Throne of Nightmares by Kerri Maniscalco

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

It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica

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

Stolen Midnights by Katherine Quinn

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

After The Fall by Edward Ashton

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

Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman

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

How To Kill A Guy In Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson

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

Half City by Kate Golden

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

MARCH 2026 BOOK RELEASES

The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

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

Bloom by Robbie Couch

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

Strangers In The Villa by Robyn Harding

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

Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher

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

The Ascension of Souls by Bronte-Marie Wesson

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

A Spell For Saints and Sinners by Emily Carpenter

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

Thirty Love by Tom Vellner

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

Wretch by Eric LaRocca

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

No Man’s Land by Richard K. Morgan

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

One Word, Six Letters by Adib Khorram

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

Vow of Eternal Night by Lily Crozier

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

The Fourth Wife by Linda Hamilton

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

APRIL 2026 BOOK RELEASES

The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke

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

Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell

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

Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Goodreads
In this lyrical, wildly inventive horror novel interwoven with Japanese mythology, two people living centuries apart discover a door between their worlds.

The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss

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

American Fantasy by Emma Straub

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

We Burned So Bright by T.J. Klune

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

Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez

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

The Subtle Art of Folding Space by John Chu

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

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

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

Odessa by Gabrielle Sher

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

Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai

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

How to Fake It in Society by KJ Charles

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

MAY 2026 BOOK RELEASES

The Shippers by Katherine Center

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

The Anniversary by Alex Finlay

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

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

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

The Midnight Train by Matt Haig

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

Student Union by Julie Murphy

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

Young World by Soman Chainani

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

The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee

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

The Library After Dark by Ande Pliego

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

Bone of My Bone by Johanna van Veen

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

The Dorians by Nick Cutter

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

We Dance Upon Demons by Vaishnavi Patel

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

The House of Now and Then by Edward Underhill

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

JUNE 2026 BOOK RELEASES

The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston

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

The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden

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

The Heirs by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

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

Whistler by Ann Patchett

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

This Immortal Heart by Jennifer Saint

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

Shadow Reaper by Lynette Noni

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

The Children by Melissa Albert

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

You Won’t Forget Me by Mazey Eddings

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

Dearly Departed by Chip Pons

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

The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff

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

There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood by Rasheed Newson

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

Songs of the Dead by Brandon Sanderson and Peter Orullian

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

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

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

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

 Yes! I am Johanna, author of My Darling Dreadful Thing and Blood on Her Tongue. I love to write queer and strange things, and when I am not doing that, I am probably reading queer and strange things or hanging out with my sisters or my wife.

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

My parents read a lot to my sisters and me from a very young age, so I don’t actively remember falling in love with stories; as far as my memory goes, I have always loved them! My love for writing is easier to pinpoint: like most Dutch children, I learned to read and write at the age of seven, and I immediately fell head over heels in love with it. I didn’t enjoy writing by hand that much (until the age of eleven, my handwriting was really quite atrocious), but my older cousin introduced me to the magic of Word (we did have a family computer at my house), which I immediately used to write stories about a boy and girl my age who were werewolves and also had to defeat an evil vampire trying to take over their school. Fun times!

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Ibbeltje by Annie M.G. Schmidt.
• The one that made you want to become an author: Matilda by Roald Dahl.
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I have several books that rotate in my mind like rotisserie chickens. Some have been there for over a decade, but a more recent one would be Someone You Can Build a Nest in by John Wiswell.

 Your latest novel, Blood on Her Tongue, is out March 25^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

 Bloody, gothic, atmospheric, campy, suspenseful!

What can readers expect?

A slow-burn, über-gothic story with some body horror about the (somewhat toxic and definitely co-dependent) relationship between two twin sisters in the late nineteenth century in the Netherlands that (hopefully) provides a fresh twist on the vampire mythos.

Oh, and it has a lot of bog bodies, of course!

Where did the inspiration for Blood on Her Tongue come from?

Several things inspired Blood on Her Tongue:

• My debut novel My Darling Dreadful Thing is all about the necessity of love for human development and survival; it also focusses on romantic love. For Blood on Her Tongue, I knew I wanted to focus on the love between sisters instead. According to scientists, the worst kind of grief a person can ever experience is the loss of a twin. As a triplet myself, I can readily imagine this. If one of my sisters were to die, I fear I would abandon my morals and go to great lengths to have her restored to me, which is exactly the problem that Lucy and Sarah have to face in this novel.
• Something else that inspired this novel is as follows: within horror, we often see so-called ‘mercy kills’: it is merciful to kill a loved one who will transform or already has transformed into a monster. The reasons for this are twofold: 1) because this transformation entails the obliteration of everything that makes this loved one themselves, which your loved one surely would not want, and 2) because the monster forms a threat to the remaining group. In the case of zombies, I can completely understand this reasoning. I, too, would not much like to become a mindless, shuffling sack of rotting meat who will kill and devour my family and friends without hesitation. As Stephen King said, “Sometimes, dead is better”. But what if that’s not true? What if, for example, your loved one becomes something else, yet retains enough characteristics to still feel like them? What if they are dangerous, yes, but not so dangerous that killing them is the only way to guarantee your own safety? When does a mercy kill stop being about mercy to the person you aim to kill and start being about placating your own fear of the Other? I tried to explore this ethical dilemma in Blood on Her Tongue.

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

Without spoiling anything: the final chapter of part two was so much fun to write! I also loved all the interstitials; I definitely hope to write a book one day that consists of nothing but diary entries, letters, and newspaper articles (maybe some found-footage horror?). Finally, any moment that is particularly emotional, action-packed, or weird is always fun to write!

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

Yes. I wrote the first iteration of what would ultimately become Blood on Her Tongue several years ago. It was completely different then and not very good. I tried several times to rewrite it, but nothing worked. At one point, I completely despaired of ever writing a version that would please me! In the end, what I needed was time: time to grow as a writer, time to let the ideas I had develop. It’s not easy for such an impatient person as I, but often, the best thing I can do when something doesn’t work is to let it rest and trust my brain will figure something out whilst I do other things.

What’s next for you?

I just signed a deal with my publisher for three more queer adult horror books, which I am super stoked about! I am also working on a spooky middle-grade trilogy about triplets; the first book, The Witch of Hagstone Hill, will come out in August this year, so I have plenty to do!

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?

There are so many! I am definitely looking forward to reading Rose of Jericho by Alex Grecian, Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes, The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling, and The Buffalo Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones.

Will you be picking up Blood on Her Tongue? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Johanna van Veen, Author of ‘Blood on Her Tongue’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

For those looking for a little more spook in their reading list, we’ve put together a list of books that will make you feel like Halloween is just around the corner.

Someone You Can Build A Nest In by John Wiswell

Vibe: Monster romance
Shesheshen has made a mistake fatal to all monsters: she’s fallen in love.

Dead Girls Walking by Sami Ellis

Vibe: Horror slasher
A shocking, spine-chilling YA horror slasher about a girl searching for her dead mother’s body at the summer camp that was once her serial killer father’s home.

My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen

Vibe: When you want a bit of mystery with your horror
In a world where the dead can wake and walk among us, what is truly real?

The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo

Vibe: Romance with a side of revenge
The Woods All Black is equal parts historical horror, trans romance, and blood-soaked revenge, all set in 1920s Appalachia

Payback’s A Witch by Lana Harper

Vibe: Light on the horror, high on the magic
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina meets The L Word in this fresh, sizzling rom-com by Lana Harper.

 A Misfortune of Lake Monsters by Nicole Wolverton

Vibe: Summertime monster horror
When a very real, and very hungry monster is discovered in the lake, secrets must fall by the wayside. Determined to stop the monster, Lemon and her best friends are the only thing standing between Devil’s Elbow and the monster out for blood.

Spooky season may still be too far away, but hopefully these books will help bridge the gap!

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

The post Six Books To Read When Spooky Season Is Still Too Far Away appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Gothic fiction, my beloved! So difficult to define, yet so recognizable when you read it. This subgenre – or, as Wikipedia would have it, this “loose literary aesthetic of fear and haunting” – originates in the eighteenth century and is characterized by a claustrophobic atmosphere, strong emotions, and a non-linear and complicated form (think: dreams, stories within stories, loads of interstitials).

At its heart, gothic works of fiction usually revolve around horrible secrets in the past now bleeding into the present. These secrets often relate to acts of horrific violence that can be read as an expression of societal conflict. Ann Radcliffe’s A Sicilian Romance (1790), for example, brims with male abuses of power towards the women in their care and includes instances of wrongful imprisonment, attempted murder, and infidelity; Toni Morrison’s Beloved (1987) deals with the horrors of slavery within the US.

The secret at the core of a gothic text may also relate to something considered taboo:  Carmilla (1872) is chockful of lesbian attraction and only narrowly avoided censorship by Sheridan le Fanu arguing that the attraction was not, in fact, lesbian because Carmilla is a vampire and as such has no gender, and the phenomenal gothic movie Crimson Peak (2015) contains an incestual relationship.

Because the gothic is so obsessed with taboos, and because it is minority groups that bear the brunt of systemic violence and abuses of power, it’s not to be wondered at that minorities (such as queer people, women, and people of color) have always been attracted to and comforted by this subgenre, both as readers and authors. For your personal enrichment and entertainment, I have compiled a short and inexhaustive list of some modern sapphic gothic novels that, in my humble opinion, are well worth your time and money.

Affinity by Sarah Waters

As a way to recover from her depression and suicide attempt, upper-class Margaret decides to volunteer as a lady visitor at the women’s ward of Millbank prison. There, she meets Selina Dawes, a spiritualist medium who has been accused of fraud after a séance ended with one woman dead and another deeply disturbed. Soon, Margaret is drawn into Selina’s world and begins to question whether the girl may, in fact, be innocent, and spirits real. 

This is the first Sarah Waters’ novel I ever read, and it blew me away. The novel is beautifully written – my little dark heart throbs with writer’s envy whenever I read a passage crafted by Waters –, utterly compelling, and expertly plotted. Once I finished reading the final chapter, I had to sit for a while to process my emotions. That done, I immediately ordered all her other books. I have read Affinity almost ten years ago now, and still vividly remember it. If that’s not the hallmark of a good novel, I don’t know what is.

The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins

Frannie Langton, servant, former slave, stands accused of having murdered her employer and his wife. The evidence is damning, but though Frannie can’t remember what happened that night and how she came to be covered in the murder victims’ blood, she knows one thing for sure: she cannot have murdered her mistress, because she was in love with her.

Just like Toni Morrison’s Beloved, The Confessions of Frannie Langton lays bare the horrors of slavery and racism. It shows us how constant abuse and discrimination and the trauma and the pain and the anger resulting from that can twist a person. At the same time, this book never feels melodramatic or exaggerated, and I never felt as if Collins tried to manipulate me into feeling certain things. She simply writes about the reality of being a woman of color in an honest, unflinching way, and does so by drawing on canonical gothic texts in surprising and creative ways, showing us her skill as a writer and her mastery of this genre. As such, The Confessions of Frannie Langton is a difficult and harrowing read, but it is also an incredible and rewarding one.

Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein by Anne Eekhout

This novel contains two timelines: one set during that fateful summer in 1816 during which Mary Shelley wrote one of the most famous novels of all time, and one set four years previously, when she stayed with the Baxter family in Scotland, where the enigmatic and beautiful Isabella drew Mary into a world of spirits and witches and monsters. Bold as a flash of lightning, these two timelines together illuminate how Mary came to write Frankenstein.

We are currently experiencing something of a Frankenstein renaissance, and small wonder; it is a phenomenal piece of fiction that you can read over and over again and never grow bored with. It is also a work that many have drawn inspiration from (and will continue to do so, I am sure). What Eekhout manages to do with Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein is imagine a time in Mary Shelley’s life that has been largely neglected by most authors inspired by Frankenstein, even though, according to Mary Shelley herself, this Scottish episode was one of the main sources of inspiration for her novel. In this way, and through her gorgeous and creative writing, Eekhout manages to add a novel to the Frankenstein legacy that is well worth your time.

The Temple House Vanishing by Rachel Donohue

Louise and Victoria, both students at an all-girls Catholic boarding school, develop a passionate friendship that at least partly revolves around their infatuation with their charismatic art teacher. That is, until the teacher and Louise both disappear, seemingly having eloped together. Twenty-five years later, a young journalist decides to try and solve this cold case.

What better setting for a queer gothic mystery than an all-girls Catholic boarding school? Like the other books on this list (I spot a pattern!), I found this book beautifully written and completely compelling; though I tried to savor it, I ultimately ended up devouring it in two days. Unlike the three previous books, this one takes place in a more modern setting, and, though it is still gothic and deals with the taboo desire of two teenage girls for an adult who definitely shouldn’t be reciprocating but clearly revels in their attentions, it doesn’t feel as heavy as the others. If you are looking for a deeply gothic and suspenseful read that simultaneously won’t rip out your heart and stomp all over it, this is the one for you.

Yellow Jessamine by Caitlin Starling

Shipping magnate Evelyn Perdanu has had to do unspeakable things to reach her position of power in the dying city of Delphinium. When one of her ships returns and brings with it a mysterious illness that causes all sufferers to become singularly obsessed with her, that position of power is threatened. Evelyn must uncover the link between this sickness and herself, or risk losing all she has worked so hard and suffered so terribly for to obtain.

Technically, this is a novella, and unlike the previous entries on this list, it takes place in a fantasy setting, so perhaps I am cheating a little here, but don’t be fooled: Yellow Jessamine is one gruesomely gothic and sweetly sapphic story. Despite clocking in at only 130 pages, this novella feels lush and fully realized. For those of you who have tired a little of traditional gothic, this is the book to choose.

If you are like me and you simply can’t get enough of sapphic gothic fiction, there is always more to read! You should probably check out my sapphic gothic horror novel My Darling Dreadful Thing, if I may be so bold. It is set in the Netherlands in the 1950s and revolves around Roos, a young woman with a spirit companion. Ruth looks like a bog body, has a thirst for blood, and is fiercely possessive of Roos, but she’s also the only good thing in Roos’ life, which is filled with sordid backroom séances, starvation, and other abuse at the hands of her mother. When young and wealthy widow Agnes attends one of these séances, she is so impressed by Roos that she asks her to come live with her at the dilapidated estate she inherited upon the death of her husband. From the case notes of Doctor Montague, a psychiatrist tasked with determining whether Roos is mentally fit to stand trial, we know that something awful will happen there, but what? And, more importantly, who – or what – is to blame?

Once you are done checking out my novel, may I suggest any of the following:

Historical gothic:

• Fingersmith by Sarah Waters.
• Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill.
• The Wicked Cometh by Laura Carlin.
• Maddalena and the Dark by Julia Fine.

Gothic with a modern setting:

• Tripping Arcadia by Kit Mayquist.
• Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson.
• Sisters by Daisy Johnson.

Fantasy gothic:

• House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson.
• Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson.

The post Author Johanna van Veen’s Gothic & Sapphic Fiction Recommendations appeared first on The Nerd Daily.