Hi, Julie! Welcome back! It’s been five years since we last spoke for the release of Wishes and Wellingtons. How have you been and what have you been up to?

Hi there! Thanks for inviting me back. A lot has happened since then – some new picture books (Cranky Right Now and The Night Frolic), two sequels to Wishes and Wellingtons (Crime and Carpetbags and Burglars and Bluestockings); a new bookstore (I bought an indie bookstore and recreated it as Author’s Note) and now, a new YA thriller that combines historical fiction, myth, and true crime, called If Looks Could Kill.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
• The one that made you want to become an author: The Chronicles of Narnia; Little Women; Anne of Green Gables. The usual suspects.
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Probably the book that as a teen invaded my consciousness the longest and really cemented the dream of wanting to become an author was Beauty by Robin McKinley.

Your latest novel, If Looks Could Kill, is out September 16^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Medusa versus Jack the Ripper.
Also:
Fierce, frightening, freeing, funny, & female.

What can readers expect?

Readers can expect another deeply researched Julie Berry historical fiction novel that takes, true to form, a twist toward the mythical and the mystical; what’s new this time is bringing true crime into the mix. This is a tale of sisterhood and survival at its most stubbornly resilient, in the face of a climate and society that treat women’s bodies as commodities, a context which produces both widespread exploitation and, in one dangerously warped mind, a serial butcher of women. Two young women, Tabitha and Pearl, both volunteer “soldiers” with the Salvation Army, have come to New York City to try to do something about the suffering and poverty they find there. Motives that start out religiously based are quickly challenged when they confront the vice and squalor there, and even more so when young women they know are swallowed up by a brothel and the city is set on edge by the possible arrival of a fugitive Jack the Ripper.

Where did the inspiration for If Looks Could Kill come from?

Medusa vs. Jack the Ripper sounds, no doubt, like an unlikely pairing, but I’d already been working on a Medusa-in-the-Bowery story angle when Jack the Ripper slunk in, or rather, when I learned that a credible suspect in the Whitechapel murder investigations fled London, dogged by London detectives, and holed up in the Bowery for a while before giving detectives the slip. Truth really is stranger than fiction. Both Medusa and Jack the Ripper are enigmas of mythic stature, even though one is a real person, and both center around violence against women. A grudge match between them felt very fitting.

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

I can’t say that I enjoyed Jack, inasmuch as he is a despicable human being, but writing his scenes was fascinating from a creative perspective. But I especially loved writing Pearl and Tabitha, and the unfolding relationship between them that moved from absolute enemies to fiercely loyal companions. The chapter that moved me most was called, “What We Owe a Body.”

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

The challenge for me was writing about Jack’s perspective in a cold, unsentimental way, so was to avoid glorifying or romanticizing him, yet making him believable as a person with motivations that made logical sense to him; and to write about young women facing horrific dangers without letting the novel sink into a sense of hopelessness. I think that’s one of the novel’s themes at its core. Those who use violence against women to control them count upon hopelessness and despair making them more compliant and dispirited. The bravest form of resistance is to soldier on with courage and with love for yourself and others. That’s what these mighty girls, Pearl and Tabitha, do, along with friends they make along the way.

What’s next for you?

I’m heading out on what I’m calling a “Monster Tour” this September, inasmuch as Medusa is a monster and as I’ll be visiting 29 indie bookstores and libraries all around the country in about a 6-week period. I’m wildly excited. While this is happening, on planes and in airports, etc., I’m working on revisions to a middle grade project and getting my next YA off and running. Stay tuned!

Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?

One of my favorite new reads this year is called The Tainted Cup, the first in a series of fantasy murder mysteries by Robert Jackson Bennett. The sequel, A Drop of Corruption, did not disappoint. Owning a bookstore is a bit like owning a firehose where new books are concerned. I don’t know how to keep up with all the goodness coming down the pike!

Will you be picking up If Looks Could Kill? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Julie Berry, Author of ‘If Looks Could Kill’ 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.

With the current state of the world, what are you doing to cope with the changes we’ve had to make with our day-to-day?

Sigh … this is such a hard time. I try to remind myself that getting through the day is an achievement in unsettling times like these. I’m not usually the most structured, scheduled person – far from it, in fact – but I’ve found that sticking to a strict schedule has been a lifeline for me and for my family during the pandemic shutdowns. It’s helped us all. Wake-up time, exercise time, work time, playtime, bedtime. It’s like we’re all back in second grade, but it has helped. We were going feral before we got on the schedule train.

When did you first discover your love for writing?

I think I Ioved writing from the moment I could first watch my little fingers make a mark on a paper with a crayon or a pencil. I always remember, and still feel, the immediate, visceral pleasure that comes from watching the ink ribbon that I made unfurl. It’s leaving your mark on the world; every mark you make changes the world. From our first cave-painting ancestors, to modern publishing in the digital age, I think it’s the same magic. It’s the thrill of being the first to dunk your knife into the new jar of peanut butter. There’s just something about it.

Your new middle-grade novel, Wishes and Wellingtons, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Hmm, let’s see: “Tomboy, djinni, rascals, peril, outfoxing.”

Or: “Think fast, wish, choose well.”

Now tell us a little more! What can readers expect?

Maeve Merritt is a feisty, impulsive boarding school girl who thinks with her feet, and her fists. She can’t resist a challenge from a bully. When she finds an ill-tempered, surly djinni in a sardine tin, she’s nearly met her match – even more so when an assortment of Dickensian rascals learns of her djinni’s existence, and plots to wrest him away from her. Some foes become friends, while others remain locked with Maeve in contests of wit and willpower. Not even magical wishes can solve some problems, and it will take all of Maeve’s courage and sass to get herself out of her magical mess.

What inspired you to write this novel?

It all began on a redeye flight. Somehow the words “sardiney djinni” popped into my head. I’m not sure why. But the rhyme made me laugh. I immediately started thinking – a djinni in a sardine tin? When? Where? Who would find it? Why not a girl? The first chapter of the story just tumbled out. Maeve’s voice appeared right away. “I’ve always been too prone to solve problems with my fists…” And we were off.

Is there anything you hope your readers will take away from reading Wishes and Wellingtons?

I hope they laugh a ton, and I hope they’re completely swept away into the dark streets of late Victorian London winter’s nights, and magical journeys across the globe. I hope they love Maeve, Alice, Tommy, and Mermeros, and all their “friends and relations,” as much as I do. High entertainment is my target, every time. Perhaps, along the way, they’ll consider, along with Maeve, the complexities of wish-making. Stories about wishes are really stories about choices, values, and self vs. others. So, though most of us, I presume, will never be granted three magical wishes, wish-granting tales still have a lot to tell us about being human in the real world.

What’s next for you?

A nap? If only. I have a picture book coming out next spring entitled Cranky Right Now, a companion book to Happy Right Now, and another in 2022 called The Night Frolic, which I’m very excited about. A sequel to Wishes and Wellingtons, entitled Crime and Carpetbags, will come soon, though I’m not certain of a publication date yet.

Lastly, are you currently reading anything and do you have any book recommendations for our readers?

I’m rereading The Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell, and reading Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi. Not a kids’ book. I just read an upcoming YA novel called Fadeaway by Elaine Vickers that enjoyed tremendously. There’s a copy of Midsummer Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca waiting for me at my local bookstore, and I’m eager to dive in.

Will you be picking up Wishes and Wellingtons? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Julie Berry, Author of ‘Wishes and Wellingtons’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

“I envy the mortals. It’s because they’re weak and damaged that they can love.”

Lovely War is an emotional and refreshing tale on love, friendship, and the hardships of war. The book is unlike anything I’ve ever read as it combines the horrific historical events from World War I with a very vulnerable portrayal of the Greek Gods.

It all starts with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who is trying to teach her husband a lesson on what it means to truly love someone by recounting tales of her best ‘works’ – two love stories that are beautifully interconnected. What’s striking from the very beginning is how dedicated and emotionally invested the goddess is. Usually, Aphrodite is depicted as being self-centred, vain, and quite vindictive, but here, she is empathetic and attuned to the sufferings of the mortals. With the four protagonists, though, it would be harder even for an Olympian not to root for them.

First there is Hazel and James, a talented pianist and a newly recruited soldier who meet and fall in love at first sight only to be ripped apart shortly afterwards because he has to go to France to fight the Germans. Their chemistry is tangible from the start, the way they tease each other and have this deeper understanding of one another makes it very easy for the reader to root for them to end up together. They are the definition of sweet young love. Then there is Colette and Aubrey, she’s a Belgian singer who has gone through a lot and lost so many of her dear ones in the war, while he’s a Black pianist and a soldier from the all African-American regiment. I loved how they constantly challenged each other, yet had so much support and admiration for the skills the other possessed. Colette was so bold and vivacious and Aubrey was funny and charismatic, but when they were together, they became vulnerable and were just themselves without any defences. Besides that, I think their stories were very important as they represent parts of the history that aren’t discussed very often like The Rape of Belgium or the role of black soldiers in the World War I and the prejudices they had to face.

The writing was beautiful and the concept of having Greek Gods narrate World War I love stories was quite brilliant! It’s obvious that the book is well researched and that even the minor sub-plots are thoroughly planned out. The romances and friendships are tender and will surely warm your heart. I adored the dynamics between the soldiers in the 15th New York Infantry, Aubrey’s regiment, as they were so united and dynamic. Sometimes I felt like I could imagine how their music would sound like and how the general atmosphere at one of their concerts would be absolutely electric. The friendship between Colette and Hazel was also very lovely considering how well they complimented each other through their almost opposite personalities. I also adored how art was such a central part of all their relationships, Colette, Hazel, and Aubrey were all connected by their love for music, while James wanted to become an architect.

Most importantly, Berry deals with racism, mental health issues, and trauma in a very thoughtful way. The terrible effects of war are evident and they aren’t brushed off or minimised in any way. There is so much injustice and so much suffering in this book, yet the tone remains hopeful at all times – you just know that the good will triumph in the end.

Lovely War is about human connection, how important it gets in times of peril to have someone who will wait for you, support you and ultimately, love you unconditionally. The book seems to tell its readers that while humans definitely have their faults and prejudices, which can bring horrible consequences, love in all its forms will always be more powerful and conquer in the end.

Lovely War is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

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

Synopsis | Goodreads

A sweeping, multi-layered romance with a divine twist, by the Printz Honor-winning author of The Passion of Dolssa, set in the perilous days of World Wars I and II.

It’s 1917, and World War I is at its zenith when Hazel and James first catch sight of each other at a London party. She’s a shy and talented pianist; he’s a newly minted soldier with dreams of becoming an architect. When they fall in love, it’s immediate and deep–and cut short when James is shipped off to the killing fields.

Aubrey Edwards is also headed toward the trenches. A gifted musician who’s played Carnegie Hall, he’s a member of the 15th New York Infantry, an all-African-American regiment being sent to Europe to help end the Great War. Love is the last thing on his mind. But that’s before he meets Colette Fournier, a Belgian chanteuse who’s already survived unspeakable tragedy at the hands of the Germans.

Thirty years after these four lovers’ fates collide, the Greek goddess Aphrodite tells their stories to her husband, Hephaestus, and her lover, Ares, in a luxe Manhattan hotel room at the height of World War II. She seeks to answer the age-old question: Why are Love and War eternally drawn to one another? But her quest for a conclusion that will satisfy her jealous husband uncovers a multi-threaded tale of prejudice, trauma, and music and reveals that War is no match for the power of Love.

The post Review: Lovely War by Julie Berry appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

If a little sci-fi or fantasy is more your speed, check out Temi Oh’s Do You Dream of Terra-Two? or perhaps K.A Doore’s The Perfect Assassin. If you prefer to get a little lost in time, Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones & The Six will take you to the 1970’s while Julie Berry’s Lovely War will take you to World War I and II.

Read on to discover some of our favourite March 2019 book releases and tell us if you will be checking any of them out!

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A gripping novel about the whirlwind rise of an iconic 1970s rock group and their beautiful lead singer, revealing the mystery behind their infamous breakup.

Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet meets The 100 in this unforgettable debut by a brilliant new voice. A century ago, scientists theorised that a habitable planet existed in a nearby solar system. Today, ten astronauts will leave a dying Earth to find it. Four are decorated veterans of the 20th century’s space-race. And six are teenagers, graduates of the exclusive Dalton Academy, who’ve been in training for this mission for most of their lives.

The Handmaid’s Tale: The Graphic Novel by Margaret Atwood and Renée Nault
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Provocative, startling, prophetic, The Handmaid’s Tale has long been a global phenomenon. With this stunning graphic novel adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s modern classic, beautifully realized by artist Renée Nault, the terrifying reality of Gilead has been brought to vivid life like never before.

Run Away by Harlan Coben
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

She’s addicted to drugs and to an abusive boyfriend. You haven’t seen her in six months. Then you find her busking in New York’s Central Park. But she’s not the girl you remember. This woman is frail, filthy, terrified, and in more trouble than you ever imagined.

The Perfect Assassin by K.A. Doore
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A novice assassin is on the hunt for someone killing their own in K. A. Doore’s The Perfect Assassin, a breakout high fantasy beginning the Chronicles of Ghadid series.

Lovely War by Julie Berry
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A sweeping, multi-layered romance with a divine twist, by the Printz Honor-winning author of The Passion of Dolssa, set in the perilous days of World Wars I and II.

Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Pena
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Clark Kent has always been faster, stronger, better than everyone around him. But he wasn’t raised to show off, and drawing attention to himself could be dangerous. Plus, it’s not like he’s earned his powers . . . yet.

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
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Bridget Jones’s Diary meets Americanah in this disarmingly honest, boldly political, and truly inclusive novel that will speak to anyone who has gone looking for love and found something very different in its place.

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
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Dexter meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith in this wildly compulsive debut thriller about a couple whose fifteen-year marriage has finally gotten too interesting…

The Mermaid’s Voice Returns In This One by Amanda Lovelace
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The mermaid is known for her siren song, luring bedroom-eyed sailors to their demise. However, beneath these misguided myths are tales of escapism and healing, which Lovelace weaves throughout this empowering collection of poetry, taking you on a journey from the sea to the stars. They tried to silence her once and for all, but the mermaid’s voice returns in this one.

Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi
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Influenced by the mysterious place gingerbread holds in classic children’s stories from the tantalizing witch’s house in “Hansel and Gretel” to the man-shaped confection who one day decides to run as fast as he can. this is a delightful tale of a surprising family legacy, in which the inheritance is a recipe.

Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell
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In the tradition of The Lunar Chronicles, this sweeping reimagining of Les Misérables tells the story of three teens from very different backgrounds who are thrown together amidst the looming threat of revolution on the French planet of Laterre.

What March 2019 book release are you most excited to get your hands on? Tell us in the comments below!

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