It’s that time of year again where your TBR is grumpily glaring at you because you haven’t finished even half of the books on your shelves that you wanted to get to this year and still you somehow dare to order even more books?! Well, let us assuage that TBR guilt by—hah, not helping you read the books on your shelves, that would be way too productive—showing you all the middle grade releases of 2022 that are just waiting for you!

JANUARY

Dream, Annie, Dream by Waka T. Brown
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In this empowering deconstruction of the so-called American Dream, a twelve-year-old Japanese American girl named Annie Inoue grapples with, and ultimately rises above, the racism and trials of middle school she experiences while chasing her dreams.

The Unforgettable Logan Foster by Shawn Peters
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Following a 12-year-old neurodivergent orphan with an eidetic memory and zero filter, The Unforgettable Logan Foster is filled with superheroes, supervillains and epic showdowns between good an devil which show that sometimes, all it takes to be a hero is to just be yourself.

Dear Student by Elly Swartz
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When Autumn becomes the secret voice of the advice column in her middle school newspaper she is faced with a dilemma–can she give fair advice to everyone, including her friends, while keeping her identity a secret?

The Lucky Ones by Linda Williams Jackson
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Exploring poverty, racism, and the power of education through the eyes of a kid who dreams of brighter days, The Lucky Ones will resonate with fans of Rex Ogle’s Free Lunch, Linda Sue Park’s A Single Shard, and Lesa Cline-Ransome’s Finding Langston.

Riley’s Ghost by John David Anderson
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From the beloved author of Posted and Ms. Bixby’s Last Day comes a stunning and unforgettable upper-middle-grade ghost story about the struggles of surviving middle school. When Riley Flynn finds herself caught up in a nightmare of ghosts, she’s put to the test and has to attempt to survive the darkest shadows in her life and reckon with a haunted past.

FEBRUARY

Each of Us a Universe by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo
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From Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo comes a heartfelt middle grade filled with glowing friendship, inner strength and the impossible becoming possible, following two girls who go on an adventure to the top of Mt. Meteorite, and learn about each other, themselves, and the magic friendship can bring, perfect for fans of Katherine Applegate and Barbara O’Connor.

Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega
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Witchlings follows a 12-year-old witch who is sorted into a coven of unwanted spare witches with her bully and the new witch in town; they must now band together to defeat the fearsome Nightbeast or risk being turned into a trio of toads. This magical adventure about earning your full powers is perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers.

Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston
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The long-awaited sequel to the New York Times bestseller Amari and the Night Brothers!
Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this magical second book in the New York Times and Indie bestselling Supernatural Investigations trilogy—perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Percy Jackson series, and Nevermoor.

Unseen Magic by Emily Lloyd Jones
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The magic-infused town of Aldermere is the first place eleven-year-old Fin has ever felt safe—and she’ll do whatever it takes to save her home when she accidentally unleashes a shadow self who wreaks havoc everywhere she goes. Emily Lloyd-Jones’s middle grade debut is an enchanting exploration of self discovery and finding the place you truly belong. 

Just Right Jillian by Nicole D. Collier
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Fifth grader Jillian will do anything to blend in. But after a bully says she can never be a winner, she sets out to win her school’s biggest battle of wits. Unfortunately, breaking out of her shell is easier said than done. Jillian has less than a month to overcome a lifetime of shyness and summon the courage to speak up for herself—or lose her only chance to win.

MARCH

Where the Sky Lives by Margaret Dilloway
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From the author of Five Things About Ava Andrews comes a new middle grade standalone novel with STEM and activism themes. When the private preserve adjacent to Zion National Park is sold, Tuesday’s park archeologist mother tells her they’re moving, and twelve-year-old Tuesday’s search for closure may lead to unexpected answers.

Kelcie Murphy and the Academy of the Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis
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Brimming with Celtic mythology, action, and danger, Erika Lewis’s Kelcie Murphy and The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts introduces readers to a new kind of magical school and a warrior who must choose with which side of an epic battle her destiny will lie.

Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos
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This stunning wordless graphic novel follows a young girl in the 1960s who immigrates from Cuba to the United States and must redefine what home means to her.

Ellen Outside the Lines by A.J. Sass
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Rain Reign meets Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World in this heartfelt novel about a neurodivergent thirteen-year-old navigating changing friendships, a school trip, and expanding horizons.

Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu, illustrated by Teny Issakhanian
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From bestselling author Marjorie Liu and debut illustrator Teny Issakhanian comes the first in an epic new middle grade graphic novel series featuring a young girl who must stop a threat to her magical world – perfect for fans of Amulet.

APRIL

Osmo Unknown and the Eightpenny Woods by Catherynne M. Valente
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From New York Times bestselling author Catherynne M. Valente comes an inventive new fantasy following a boy journeying away from the only home he’s ever known and into the magical realm of the dead in order to fulfill a bargain for his people.

It’s the End of the World and I’m in My Bathing Suit by Justin A. Reynolds
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A hilarious middle-grade from Justin A. Reynolds that asks: What happens when five unsupervised kids face the apocalypse under outrageously silly circumstances?

Hunters of the Lost City by Kali Wallace
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Packed with shocking twists, frightening monsters, and dark magic, this is a page-turning fantasy adventure for middle-grade fans of Holly Black and Tamora Pierce. Following 12-year-old Octavia who grew up believing the town of Vittoria was the only one left in the world is in for a rude awakening when she meets a girl beyond the walls of her town and learns the truth about the deadly magical war and plague that defined her past.

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman
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Unicorns don’t belong in fairy tales; they belong in nightmares. Get ready for unlikely heroes, elemental magic, fierce sky battles, ancient secrets, nail-biting races and of course, bloodthirsty unicorns. Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson, Eragon and His Dark Materials, these unicorns will change everything.

Consider the Octopus by Nora Raleigh Baskin and Gae Polisner
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When chance, or fate, throws two twelve-year-olds together on board a scientific research ship at the edge of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, it’s not all smooth sailing!

MAY

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao
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Percy Jackson meets Tristan Strong in this hilarious, action-packed middle grade contemporary fantasy that follows a young boy as he journeys across China to seal the underworld shut and save the mortal realm.

Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit by Jesse Q. Sutanto
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After inheriting a grieving fox spirit, a Chinese American boy must learn to embrace his heritage to solve the mystery of his brother’s death in Jesse Q Sutanto’s magical, action-packed middle grade fantasy.

The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton
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Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan, Soman Chainani, and Philip Pullman, The Marvellers is set in a global magic school in the sky where students from around the world come together to practice their cultural marvels. Ella Durand, the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute, must overcome anti-Conjuror prejudice to track down a missing teacher and protect the school from a magical threat. 

Freddie vs. the Family Curse by Tracy Badua
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In this thrilling and hilarious middle grade adventure, a young Filipino-American boy must team up with his ancestor to break the curse that’s haunted their family for generations. . . or be trapped in an amulet forever.

Small Town Pride by Phil Stamper
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13-year-old Jake loves his rural town, but doesn’t always feel supported by the people there, so he fades into the background. That is, until he comes out and his overly supportive dad puts a comically huge pride flag in their yard, suddenly turning all eyes on him.

JUNE

Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun by Tolá Okogwu
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Black Panther meets Percy Jackson in this action-packed and empowering middle-grade series about a British-Nigerian girl who learns that her Afro hair has psychokinetic powers.

The Lost Ryū by Emi Watanabe Cohen
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In The Lost Ryū, debut author Emi Watanabe Cohen gives us a story of multigenerational pain, magic, and the lengths to which we’ll go to protect the people we love. In this middle grade fantasy set in post-WWII Japan, Kohei Fujiwara must team up with his new neighbour to search for the truth, both about Kohei’s family history and the disappearance of the giant ryū that fought in the war.

Secret of the Shadow Beasts by Diane Magras
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For fans of Dragon Pearl and the Lockwood & Co. series comes a swift-moving contemporary fantasy about a young girl tasked with destroying deadly shadow creatures. As the terrifying beasts In Brannland suddenly double, young Nora decides it’s time for her to join the battle.

Valentina Salazar Is Not a Monster Hunter by Zoraida Córdova
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Sal and Gabi Break the Universe meets Supernatural in a heartfelt, hilarious adventure about a trio of tight-knit, monster-loving siblings from acclaimed author Zoraida Córdova.

High Score by Destiny Howell
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For fans of Gordon Korman, Varian Johnson, and Celia Pérez, High Score is an exciting heist adventure with a diverse cast of whipsmart characters and entertaining, fast-paced writing. With a head for cons and a heart of gold, Darius James – DJ – finds himself faced with his toughest challenge yet: live on the straight and narrow.

What 2022 middle grade releases are you looking forward to reading? Tell us in the comments below!

The post You Need These Highly Anticipated 2022 Middle Grade Fiction Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

This fun middle-grade follows 12-year-old Eddie Gordon Holloway who has devised the perfect plan to avoid chores during summer break: if he wears all the clothes he owns, he’ll only have to do laundry once right before school starts up again. Genius, right? On the day of the highly anticipated Beach Bash, Eddie is down to his last clean item of clothing—a particularly gaudy looking pair of swim shorts—which would work out perfectly fine, if his mother didn’t find out about his mountain of laundry hidden away in his room. Outraged, she grounds Eddie and tells him he’s not allowed anywhere near the beach until all of his clothes are washed. Miserable and alone, Eddie goes down into the dreaded basement to serve his punishment. But when the power goes out mid-cycle and his seemingly empty neighbourhood turns dark, Eddie’s joined by his friends to help figure out what’s happened. As night falls and cellphone towers are still down, the gang soon realises that they might not just be the only people left in the neighbourhood—but maybe anywhere in the world.

Eddie makes this book what it is. His downright hilarious commentary, relatable thought process, and fun quips make him an absolute joy to follow as he braves the creepy basement, and bands together with his friends to find out what’s happened and why the power’s out. From the way he interacts with his mother’s new beau, his annoying brother “the Bronster” who likes to make Eddie’s life a living hell, or even how he approaches his mountain of laundry, everything is made all the better through Eddie’s relatable perspective. And despite the most hilarious mishaps, confusing laundry instructions and jump-scares when someone suddenly bangs at the door like the world is ending—which it might—there’s an amount of depth to the characters themselves that made this feel like such an unputdownable read.

Eddie’s group of friends—made up of Xavier, who was mid-haircut when the power went out and now has to walk around with half of his head shaved, Sonia who is obsessed with video games and spent her summer break fighting the big evil in her latest obsession, and the siblings Trey and Sage who are dealing with some drama of their own—is so charming. All of them have their own backstories and moments to shine and Eddie’s dynamic with all of them is something special to witness. Eddie learns a lot about forgiveness and love and being open about his ADHD and medication and I think that will be so validating, especially for younger readers. Indeed, Eddie has ADHD and while it isn’t the focal point of the story, he does discuss his mindset and the fact that it can be really freeing to talk to others about taking meds or even his fears of failing others because of the mental illness he’s had for as long as he can remember. For a novel this focused on fun, I loved with how much care this aspect was dealt with. These are the kinds of representations of mental and neurodivergent illnesses we need in fiction to show children that there are more like them out there.

There’s also tons of action in this novel. Nothing stands still as Eddie finds his friends and they’re trying to figure out just what went wrong in the neighbourhood and how to alert their parents to the weird happenings. There’s no time for things to get boring or tedious, instead, every chapter is an entertaining as the last one and I’d be surprised if there are people who don’t read this in one sitting to find out where Eddie will take the story. This is escapism at its best, folks.

A modern love letter to hilarious 90s movies, this fun escapist adventure brings back the golden days of storytelling—with ridiculous plans, unexplainable happenings and fierce friendships, It’s the End of the World and I’m in My Bathing Suit is perfect for anyone who’s in need of a book that will take their minds off everything going on in the world and just have a good time!

It’s the End of the World and I’m in My Bathing Suit is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of April 5th 2022.

Will you be picking up It’s the End of the World and I’m in My Bathing Suit? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Twelve-year-old Eddie Gordon Holloway has concocted his most genius plan ever to avoid chores… especially the dreaded L-A-U-N-D-R-Y. If he can wear all the clothes he owns, he’ll only have to do the laundry once during his school break.

On the day of the highly anticipated Beach Bash, Eddie’s monstrous pile of dirty laundry is found by his mom. And Eddie’s day has just taken a turn for the worst. Now he’s stuck at home by himself, missing the bash, and doing his whole pile of laundry. But mid-cycle, the power goes out!

With his first load of laundry wet and the rest of his stuff still filthy, he sets out to explore the seemingly empty neighborhood in his glow-in-the-dark swim trunks, flip-flops, and a beach towel. He soon meets up with other neighborhood kids: newcomer Xavier (who was mid-haircut and has half his head shaved), Eddie’s former friend Sonia (who has spent her entire break trying to beat a video game and was mid-battle with the final boss), and siblings Trey and Sage (who are dealing with major sibling drama).

As they group up to cover more ground and find out what happened, they realize that their families aren’t coming back anytime soon. And as night falls, the crew realizes that they aren’t just the only people left in the neighborhood, they might be the only people left… anywhere.

The post Review: It’s the End of the World and I’m in My Bathing Suit by Justin A. Reynolds appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover the synopsis and cover, plus It’s The End of The World and I’m In My Bathing Suit is now available to pre-order through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, and Indiebound.

Twelve-year-old Eddie Gordon Holloway has concocted his most genius plan ever to avoid chores… especially the dreaded L-A-UN-D-R-Y. If he can wear all the clothes he owns, he’ll only have to do the laundry once during his school break. On the day of the highly anticipated Beach Bash, Eddie’s monstrous pile of dirty laundry is found by his mom. And Eddie’s day has just taken a turn for the worst. Now he’s stuck at home by himself, missing the bash, and doing his whole pile of laundry. But midcycle, the power goes out!

With his first load of laundry wet and the rest of his stuff still filthy, he sets out to explore the seemingly empty neighborhood in his glow-in-the-dark swim trunks, flip-flops, and a beach towel. He soon meets up with other neighborhood kids: newcomer Xavier (who was mid-haircut and has half his head shaved), Eddie’s former friend Sonia (who has spent her entire break trying to beat a video game and was mid-battle with the final boss), and siblings Trey and Sage (who are dealing with major sibling drama).

As they group up to cover more ground and find out what happened, they realize that their families aren’t coming back anytime soon. And as night falls, the crew realizes that they aren’t just the only people left in the neighborhood, they might be the only people left… anywhere.

Here’s what Justin had to say about his new novel and its fun cover:

“When I was writing BATHING SUIT, I knew it was going to be an awesome adventure story filled with lots of laughs, a ton of action, and a strange mystery. But it’s also a story about friendship; namely, what happens when an unlikely group of kids join forces to save their neighborhood (and you know maybe the world). So when I saw this brilliant cover art, which perfectly captures each of those key elements, I was beyond thrilled. Seriously, you should definitely judge this book by its cover!”

Cover Artist: Juan Useche (Instagram / Twitter) | Cover Designer: Stephanie Yang (Instagram / Twitter)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Justin A. Reynolds has always wanted to be a writer. Opposite of Always, his debut novel, was an Indies Introduce selection, a School Library Journal Best Book, has been translated in 17 languages, and is being developed for film with Paramount Players. He hangs out in northeast Ohio with his family and likes it, and is probably somewhere, right now, dancing terribly. His second novel, Early Departures, published September 2020. You can find him at justinareynolds.com.

The post Cover Reveal: It’s The End of The World and I’m In My Bathing Suit by Justin A. Reynolds appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Miss Meteor by Tehlor Kay Mejia and Anna-Marie McLemore
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Witty and heartfelt with characters that leap off the page, Miss Meteor is acclaimed authors Anna-Marie McLemore and Tehlor Kay Mejia’s first book together.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
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A Cinderella story with deadly stakes and thrilling twists, perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying and Knives Out.

These Vengeful Hearts by Katherine Laurin
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A thrilling novel about a secret society and the dangers that lie in wait for anyone brave enough to join—perfect for fans of Karen M. McManus, Kara Thomas, and Maureen Johnson.

Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe
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From the award-winning author of The Field Guide to the North American Teenager comes a whip-smart and layered romantic comedy. Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Jenny Han. 
(Note: Charming As A Verb has now been pushed back to October 13th 2020)

Not Your #LoveStory by Sonia Hartl
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#PlaneBae meets Gilmore Girls in this hilarious and heartfelt story about the addictiveness of Internet fame and the harsh realities of going viral.

Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker
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In this delicious new collection, you’ll find stories about lurking vampires of social media, rebellious vampires hungry for more than just blood, eager vampires coming out―and going out for their first kill―and other bold, breathtaking, dangerous, dreamy, eerie, iconic, powerful creatures of the night.

Fable by Adrienne Young
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Filled with all of the action, emotion, and lyrical writing that brought readers to Sky in the Deep, New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young returns with Fable, the first book in this new captivating duology.

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson
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Award-winning author Tiffany D. Jackson delivers another riveting, ripped-from-the-headlines mystery that exposes horrific secrets hiding behind the limelight and embraces the power of a young woman’s voice.

The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke
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An outcast teenage lesbian witch finds her coven hidden amongst the popular girls in her school, and performs some seriously badass magic in the process.

Early Departures by Justin A. Reynolds
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Justin A. Reynolds, author of Opposite of Always, delivers another smart, funny, and powerful stand-alone YA contemporary novel, with a speculative twist in which Jamal’s best friend is brought back to life after a freak accident . . . but they only have a short time together before he will die again.

Shine by Jessica Jung
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Crazy Rich Asians meets Gossip Girl by way of Jenny Han in this knock-out debut about a Korean American teen who is thrust into the competitive, technicolor world of K-pop, from Jessica Jung, K-pop legend and former lead singer of one of the most influential K-pop girl groups of all time, Girls Generation.

Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour
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Nina LaCour delivers another emotional knockout with Watch Over Me, the eagerly anticipated follow-up to the Printz Award-winning We Are Okay.

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

The post September 2020 Book Releases: YA appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Early Departures is the story of Jamal’s best friend Q dying in a freak accident whilst trying to save a stranger’s life from drowning. Jamal and Q had a falling out not too long ago and Jamal is wracked with guilt when he couldn’t make things right before Q died. But then, the unimaginable happens. Q’s mother gets an unexpected offer she cannot refuse: would she want Q to come back so they can say goodbye properly? The only caveat is this: they’re not to tell Q that he will be dead again very soon and the window for last goodbyes and making things right is rapidly closing…

I think we’ve all been there at one point in our lives where we lost someone that we never got a chance to say goodbye to and Reynolds offers an interesting conundrum: if you could, would you bring back that someone just long enough to give them a proper farewell? To tell them all the things you thought you would have months, years, or decades to say?

This book asked so many questions that many people ask themselves when they’re grieving and then takes it all a step further by actually giving Q’s mother and Jamal the chance, reviving Q and having those conversations they thought they’d never have.

Jamal and Q had a difficult friendship and past and I was rooting for the both of them to reconcile before it was too late. There’s a lot of resentment and unresolved feelings and when the underlying feeling of certainty that you usually have when you fight with your best friend, the knowledge that you’ll see them at school or that the two of you might be pissed off but will find your way back to each other eventually gets taken away, all bets are off.

Though dealing with tough topics surrounding grief and illness in this book, there was still a levity to Reynold’s writing, making this an enjoyable read while also making the reader think what choices they would make if they were in Jamal’s situation. This is really what I love about Reynold’s writing. The heavier the topic, the more digestible he seems to make it. There’s a lot of morally grey questions and ethical reasons discussed and I lived for that, to be honest. Jamal and Q’s mother both ask themselves whether it’s right to bring Q back only to lose him again just so they can have their goodbyes, whether it’s worth it getting to see him again only to lose him within the span of a few weeks (which is basically just postponing the grief and feeling it all the harder when you lose someone twice), and who really gains from this experimental study with dead people and who initiated it all. And how in the world do you explain to your former best friend that you no longer blame him for the death of your parents and want to make things right without dropping the bomb that the reason you’re now so set on reconciling is…that he is dead? Man alive (no pun intended), this was wild ride.

In an age where new technology seems to be invented every week, it’s not too crazy to think that at some point, bringing back the people you love (in whatever way) might actually be possible. Sure, they might be returning on a computer chip or something out of the norm like that, but it’s not like it’s unthinkable at this point.

A profound contemporary that hits hard and asks the tough questions everyone who has ever lost someone can relate to, Early Departures will give you feel all the feels and appeal to you to speak your truth and reconcile with the people you’re on the outs with before it’s too late.

Early Departures is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of September 22nd 2020.

Will you be picking up Early Departures? Tell us the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Justin A. Reynolds, author of Opposite of Always, returns with another charming and powerful YA contemporary novel with a speculative twist, perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon, Becky Albertalli, and Adam Silvera.

What if you could bring your best friend back to life—but only for a short time?

Jamal’s best friend, Q, doesn’t know that he died, and that he’s about to die . . . again. He doesn’t know that Jamal tried to save him. And that the reason they haven’t been friends for two years is because Jamal blames Q for the accident that killed his parents.

But what if Jamal could have a second chance? A new technology allows Q to be reanimated for a few weeks before he dies . . . permanently. And Q’s mom is not about to let anyone ruin this miracle by telling Q about his impending death. So how can Jamal fix everything if he can’t tell Q the truth?

Early Departures weaves together loss, grief, friendship, and love to form a wholly unique homage to the bonds that bring people together for life—and beyond.

The post Review: Early Departures by Justin A. Reynolds appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

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

TAYLOR SWIFT

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

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

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

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

FEARLESS

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

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

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

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

SPEAK NOW

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

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

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

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

RED

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

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

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

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

1989

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

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

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

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

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

REPUTATION

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

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

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

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

LOVER

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

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

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

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

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

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

March 2019 sees a few retellings hitting the shelves with Maid Marian taking over from Robin Hood in Sherwood, while Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy pen a new King Arthur story with a teenage girl being the newest reincarnation of Arthur. What else is instore for you? Brave an alien attack in Laura Pohl’s The Last 8, join a secretive boarding school in Killing November, follow the journey of a young scientist with powers in K.K. Pérez’s The Tesla Legacy, or be enchanted by dark faeries in Sarah Porter’s Never-Contented Things

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be reading of them!

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
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From debut author Justin A. Reynolds comes The Opposite of Always, a razor-sharp, hilarious and heartfelt novel about the choices we make, the people we choose and the moments that make life worth reliving. Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and John Green.

The Last 8 by Laura Pohl
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A high-stakes survival story about eight teenagers who outlive an alien attack—perfect for fans of The 5th Wave

Never-Contented Things by Sarah Porter
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A new YA standalone novel about dark faeries with surefire appeal by Sarah Porter, the critically-acclaimed author of Vassa in the Night and When I Cast Your Shadow. 

Girls With Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young
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Westworld meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this start to a thrilling, subversive near future series from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Young about a girls-only private high school that is far more than it appears to be.

Sherwood by Meagan Spooner
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Fans of Danielle Paige, Marissa Meyer, and Alex Flinn will devour New York Times bestselling author Meagan Spooner’s next fierce fairy tale-inspired story, which Illuminae author Amie Kaufman calls “a kick-ass, gender-flipped feminist retelling.”

The Quiet You Carry by Nikki Barthelmess
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Victoria Parker knew her dad’s behaviour toward her was a little unusual, but she convinced herself everything was fine—until she found herself locked out of the house at 3:00 a.m., surrounded by flashing police lights. Now, dumped into a crowded, chaotic foster home, Victoria has to tiptoe around her domineering foster mother, get through senior year at a new school, and somehow salvage her college dreams . . . all while keeping her past hidden.

Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy
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Killing November by Adriana Mather
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Hang a Witch comes a thriller set at a secretive boarding school where students are trained to carry on family legacies that have built–and toppled–empires.

The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees
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Pan’s Labyrinth meets The Hazel Wood in this novel about a girl with terrifying visions and a wish-granting witch whose lives collide in the most unexpected of ways.

Voices: The Final Hours of Joan of Arc by David Elliott
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Author David Elliott explores how Joan of Arc changed the course of history and remains a figure of fascination centuries after her extraordinary life and death.

The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe by Ally Condie
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Ally Condie, the international bestselling author of the Matched trilogy, returns with an intricately crafted and emotionally gripping story of one young woman’s journey to move beyond the grief and anger that control her and find the inner strength to chart her own course.

The Tesla Legacy by K.K. Pérez
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An action-packed, young adult coming-of-age adventure, K. K. Perez’s The Tesla Legacy follows a precocious young scientist named Lucy Phelps whose fateful encounter in the Tesla Suite of the New Yorker Hotel unlocks her dormant electrical powers.

Will you be reading any of these books? Tell us in the comments below!

The post March Book Releases: YA appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Happy March, everyone! This month, there will be quite a lot of debut book releases and if you’re looking forward to find your next favourite author (and book, obviously!), be sure to keep reading this post as we’ve selected a few of our personal most anticipated!

Contemporary

Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah (March 1)
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A magical story of a mysterious child who claims to have been sent from the stars to witness five miracles and teaches two strangers how to love and trust again.

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds (March 5)
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Before I Fall meets The Butterfly Effect. A love story of Jack and Kate, where Jack has to prevent Kate’s death by time-travel into the past. Jack will learn that each of his action has a different outcome and there will always be consequences.

The Quiet You Carry by Nikki Barthelmess (March 5)
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A story of Victoria Parker who tried to leave her dark past, yet still freeze up at random moments with unwanted memories and nightmares that disrupt her sleep. All she wants is to move forward, but how do you focus on the future when the past won’t leave you alone?

When All Is Said by Anne Griffin (March 5)
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This is the story of Maurice Hannigan, who, over the course of a Saturday night in June, orders five different drinks at the Rainford House Hotel. With each he toasts a person vital to him: his doomed older brother, his troubled sister-in-law, his daughter of fifteen minutes, his son far off in America, and his late, lamented wife. And through these people, the ones who left him behind, he tells the story of his own life, with all its regrets and feuds, loves and triumphs.

Mystery

Call Me Evie by J.P. Pomare (March 5)
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A gripping story of a seventeen-year-old girl, Kate Bennet, that kept in an isolated cabin by a mysterious man named Bill. Bill calls her Evie and tells her he’s hiding her to protect her from something terrible one night back home in Melbourne—something so unspeakable that he had no choice but to take her away. The trouble is, Kate can’t remember the night in question.

House on Fire by Bonnie Kistler (March 12)
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A suspenseful story about a blended family in crisis after a drunk driving accident leaves the daughter of one parent dead—and the son of the other parent charged with manslaughter.

Save Me from Dangerous Men (Nikki Griffin #1) by S.A. Lelchuk (March 19)
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Nikki Griffin isn’t your typical private investigator. She’s a bookseller by the day and a justice warrior by the night. She helped women victims that get hurt by men that claimed to love them. But then something goes wrong, and suddenly Nikki is no longer just solving a case—she’s trying hard to stay alive.

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing (March 26)
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It’s a story of a couple who has been married for fifteen years. Every marriage has its own secrets. This one just happens to be getting away with murder.

SFF

The Fever King (Feverwake #1) by Victoria Lee (March 1)
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Sixteen-year-old Noam Álvaro is a son of undocumented immigrants. He spent his life fighting for the rights of refugees, and he’s also happened to be a technopath. This skill becomes useful, especially with his plan to use it against the government. But then he met the minister’s beautiful son and now he has to decide who he can trust and how far he’s willing to go in pursuit of the greater good.

The Last 8 (The Last 8 #1) by Laura Pohl (March 5)
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A high-stakes survival story about eight teenagers who outlive an alien attack—perfect for fans of The 5th Wave.

Bloodleaf (Bloodleaf #1) by Crystal Smith (March 12)
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An imaginative retelling of the Grimm Fairy tale “The Goose Girl” that takes a ghostly mystery and sets it inside an epic fantasy world.

If, Then by Kate Hope Day (March 12)
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In the quiet haven of Clearing, Oregon, four neighbours find their lives upended when they begin to see themselves in parallel realities. Each of them started to get relatively benign visions that grow increasingly disturbing—and, in some cases, frightening.

Are there any other debut authors or debut novels that you’re excited for or would recommend? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Debut Authors Making A Splash In March 2019 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.