Harley in the Sky by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Greatest Showman meets This Is Us by way of Sarah Dessen in this heart-wrenching, hopeful contemporary novel about a multiracial teen who risks it all to follow her dreams by joining the circus, from the critically acclaimed author of Starfish.

The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu comes a historical YA fantasy about a musical prodigy and the dangerous lengths she’ll go to make history remember her—perfect for fans of Susanna Clarke and The Hazel Wood.

Look by Zan Romanoff
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

It’s a story about what you present vs. who you really are, about real intimacy and manufactured intimacy and the blurring of that line. It’s a deceptively glamorous, feminist, emotionally complex, utterly compelling, queer coming-of-age novel about falling in love and taking ownership of your own self–your whole self–in the age of social media.

Havenfall by Sara Holland
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A safe haven between four realms. The girl sworn to protect it–at any cost. New York Times bestselling author Sara Holland crafts a breathtaking new contemporary fantasy perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Holly Black.

Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets Clueless in this boy-meets-boy spin on Grease.

The Raven and the Dove by Kaitlyn Davis
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Four fates collide in this avian-inspired, epic fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Set in the world of the New York Times–bestselling Winner’s Trilogy, Marie Rutkoski’s The Midnight Lie is an epic LGBTQ romantic fantasy about learning to free ourselves from the lies others tell us―and the lies we tell ourselves.

The Truth About Keeping Secrets by Savannah Brown
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Sydney’s dad is the only psychiatrist for miles around their small Ohio town. He is also unexpectedly dead. Is Sydney crazy, or is it kind of weird that her dad-a guy whose entire job revolved around other peoples’ secrets-crashed alone, with no explanation? THE TRUTH ABOUT KEEPING SECRETS is a page-turning, voice led, high school thriller.

Greythorne by Crystal Smith
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Brimming with deliciously mysterious magic, political intrigue, and a passionate heroine who will do anything to save the ones she loves—this highly anticipated sequel to Bloodleaf won’t disappoint.

We Were Promised Spotlights by Lindsay Sproul
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

People think Taylor is living the dream, and assume she’ll stay in town and have kids with the homecoming king…but Taylor is actually desperate to leave home. Also? She’s completely in love with her best friend, Susan. Lindsay Sproul’s debut is full of compelling introspection and painfully honest commentary on what it’s like to be harnessed to a destiny you never wanted.

Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An unforgettable alternative history fairytale series from the author of The Bone Witch trilogy about found family, modern day magic, and finding the place you belong.

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An enchanted tale of intrigue where a duke’s daughter is the only survivor of a magical curse. Part Sleeping Beauty, part Anastasia, with a thrilling political mystery, The Winter Duke is a spellbinding story about choosing what’s right in the face of danger.

What YA book releases are you most excited for? Tell us in the comments below!

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

We had the pleasure of chatting to author Kaitlyn Davis about her new YA fantasy novel, The Raven and the Dove. She chats about its inspiration and worldbuilding, along with its cover, the next instalment, and more!

Hi Kaitlyn! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Sure thing! My name is Kaitlyn, and I write young adult fantasy novels under my maiden name, Kaitlyn Davis, and contemporary romance novels under the pen name Kay Marie. I’ve written 20 full-length novels, plus some novellas, and plan to continue publishing books until my inspiration runs out—which I hope is never! Whenever I’m quiet, I’m probably plotting. My co-author is my adorable little pup who likes to spend the day sleeping on my lap while I type. And, speaking of typing… Fun Fact: I only ever learned to type with two fingers! Luckily, it’s worked out well so far.

Your new novel, The Raven and the Dove, releases on March 9^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Ooh, so tough! As a writer, I tend to be verbose… Let’s go with: Romantic, action-packed, evocative, deceptive, and gripping.

Now let’s hear a little more! What can readers expect?

The Raven and the Dove is an epic fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde set in an avian-inspired world. Picture aerial fight scenes, angsty romance, elemental magic, masked balls, floating islands, and wings!

At the start of the novel, the characters are preparing for the courtship trials, in which the royal heirs compete to win their choice of mate. Lyana, the dove princess, yearns for freedom and sneaks out of her palace in search of adventure. She stumbles upon the raven prince who is locked in a death match with a dragon, but she soon comes to discover not everything is as it seems…

The Raven and the Dove is a retelling of Tristan and Isolde. Why this tale and where did the inspiration for the novel come from?

Confession—I fell in love with the story Tristan and Isolde when I saw the movie starring James Franco. It is SO good! After watching it, I immediately went on a deep dive into the origins of the tale, and my adoration for the story grew from there. It truly has everything a great romance needs—star-crossed lovers, high stakes, betrayal, multifaceted characters, and, in this case, a tragic ending.

The inspiration for The Raven and the Dove came to me at first with one simple image—that of a woman with white wings standing before a man with black wings as magic sparkled between them (similar to what is now the cover!). As I tried to imagine who these two characters were and what their story might be and how they were drawn together, the tale of Tristan and Isolde fluttered into my thoughts, and I realized it fit these two characters perfectly. The rest of the retelling unfolded from there.

Like any good fantasy, there is always a tonne of worldbuilding involved. What was your process like for this?

Oh my goodness, SO MUCH RESEARCH! I have pages upon pages upon pages of research.

Because this novel is inspired by birds, I spent a lot of time researching the different avian species present in the book, like doves, ravens, owls, birds of paradise, hummingbirds, etc. I wanted to understand how they were similar, and how they were different. How their feathers and wing shapes affected flight. What they ate. What climates they lived in. All so I could define the various kingdoms of the novel with unique characteristics, and also make sure the bird-human-hybrid characters weren’t just humans with wings, but actually picked up some of the traits associated with their bonded birds. Of course, there was also research into some typical fantasy elements—various fighting styles, techniques for swordplay, architecture, sea travel, etymology to create some unique words, etc.

The most important step aside from research, for me, is brainstorming. First, I made pinterest boards with all sorts of images that inspired me. Then I started designing a map, using my research to brainstorm the specific characteristics of each kingdom as I went (their major cities, major forms of trade, climate, building styles, sense of community). I brainstormed the new religion my characters believed in, the names of their gods, and the backstory for how their kingdom came to be. Once I had the confines of the world established, I finally honed in on the plot for the actual book and lives of the individual characters, which is a process all its own!

Was there a certain element of the novel that you really enjoyed writing, such as a character, scene etc?

Honestly, this was one of those rare novels were there was no moment I didn’t enjoy. I was so inspired by the setting and the characters, the most difficult part was typing fast enough for my fingers to keep pace with my mind!

The Raven and the Dove has an absolutely gorgeous cover. Can you tell us about the design process at all?

Thank you! Salome Totladze (@morgana0anagrom on Instagram) is the cover artist and she was an absolute dream to work with. As I mentioned in a previous response, the image on the cover is similar to the image that first came to me while I was daydreaming, initially sparking my interest in these characters and their story! It’s also a depiction of one of the crucial scenes of the book. I sent Salome an idea for how I wanted the characters to pose and what they looked like, then she took those notes and turned them into this stunning piece of art that is more beautiful than I ever imagined it would be. I’m pretty sure I gasped when she sent me the final version!

From start to finish, how long did writing The Raven and the Dove take?

Oof, that’s a difficult question, because the actual time spent writing the book doesn’t include all the work that initially goes into the process of building the world and the characters, and outlining the story, or all the time spent editing after the first draft is complete, and putting together a marketing plan to make sure people will read it. I believe it took me about four months from blank page to finished rough draft, but the entire process from a kernel of an idea to a published novel has taken about three years.

The next instalment, The Hunter and the Mage, is currently set to publish in September 2020. Can you give us any little teasers?

Hmm…here’s a line from a scene I just finished writing! I’ll let you make of it what you will… “If Malek had thought an army of three would be enough to stop her, he hadn’t been paying attention.”

In the sequel, the stakes are higher, the magic more powerful, the romance more tragic, and the world even bigger. Each character has their own journey, but as with the first book, all their stories come together in the final scenes. It’s an ending I hope will leave readers shocked and yearning for more.

What’s next for you?

Right now, I’m finalizing the draft for The Hunter and the Mage, and as soon as I hand that off to my beta readers, I’ll start fine tuning the outline for Book 3, then eventually Book 4.

At some point, I’d also like to start working on the romantic comedy series I’ve had brewing for my pen name, Kay Marie, which is a fun Bachelor like tale about a girl whose mother volunteers her for a dating show without realizing her ex is the producer. Hilarity and drama ensue!

Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for us?

I just finished Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson and I absolutely loved it!

Bio: Bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie. Publishers Weekly has said, “Davis writes with confidence and poise,” while USA Today has recommended her work as “must-read romance.”

Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she’s not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found playing fetch with her puppy, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family. If you have any questions for her–about her books, about scheduling an event, or just in general–you may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com

Sign up for Kaitlyn’s newsletter to stay up-to-date with all of her new releases, to receive exclusive subscriber bonus content, and more! You can find Kaitlyn on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Bookbub, Goodreads, and at her website.

 Will you be picking up The Raven and the Dove? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Kaitlyn Davis, Author of ‘The Raven and the Dove’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Get ready to escape 2020 with its upcoming fantasy and sci-fi book releases! While there’s many, many exciting new books being released this year, we’ve picked a few titles that are releasing between January and June this year!

There’s plenty of favourites authors releasing new books, including Sarah J. Maas, Mark Lawrence, Veronica Roth, Max Brooks, Sarah Gailey, Yoon Ha Lee, and Tamsyn Muir, along with debut authors releasing their first novels!

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you are looking forward to any of them!

The post Must-Have 2020 Fantasy + Sci-Fi Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.