We chat with author Kate Moretti about her latest novel The Spires, along with writing, and book recommendations, PLUS we have an excerpt to share with you at the end of the interview!

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

I’m a mom first and foremost — I have two daughters aged 13 and 11. I have a day job working for Johnson & Johnson as a technical writer and in my spare time (haha) I write books. I am fascinated by the idea that good, average, normal people will do abhorrent things to protect themselves and the ones that they love and almost every one of my novels seems to center around this idea. I suppose it’s a byproduct of living in a suburb — everything seems so idyllic… until it’s not.

When did you first discover your love for writing?

I’ve written since I was a child. When I wasn’t writing I was acting out elaborate plays and movies in my backyard alone. After I graduated college, got a job, got married, had kids, checked all the “adulting” boxes, I forgot how much I loved to write. Home on maternity leave with my second child, who slept constantly, I hammered out a terrible first draft of what became THOUGHT I KNEW YOU. After that, I could never quiet the previously sleeping beast.

Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!

A book I read as a teenager that I still, to this day, think about is Time and Again, by Jack Finney. Something about those 1800’s descriptions of New York City were dreamlike and I could always just imagine everything so clearly.

Your new novel, The Spires, is out September 21st 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

We only need each other.

Or maybe So close, it’s almost toxic.

What can readers expect?

Hmmmm lots of atmosphere and toxic relationships. Some love/hate dynamics and jealousy. Also a giant fire and of course, someone dies. Is it an accident or murder? I had a lot of fun creating the tensions between the five friends, and I hope it comes through as sort of delicious fun.

Where did the inspiration for The Spires come from?

I’ve always wanted to write a novel about those intense friendships in your early twenties. It sort of felt like practicing for a real family later, but hopefully with less drama. I loved the atmosphere and mood of THE LIKENESS by Tana French and felt inspired to write my own version of that. I knew I wanted to set the group into an atmospheric house and settled on a renovated church largely because I knew one growing up and loved it. I love houses — old, unusual, churches, barns, castles. I think it’s tied to the stories a house could tell about it’s inhabitants. It always just explodes my imagination when I think about that.

Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?

Well, I wrote and revised the Spires during the early part of the pandemic when everything was so uncertain. My kids were home, we had no idea for how long or what the future would hold. Was this a dystopian end of the world or just a short inconvenience? Turned out to be somewhere in the middle — a very long inconvenience, not to mention tragic for a lot of people. To say I was distracted would be an understatement. I actually went on several writing retreats — rented cabins at Highlights Foundation. They had impeccable safety procedures and I barely left my room. But I could focus. I could stop thinking about the end of the world. Even if for a few short days.

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

I love love love Willa. In the past chapters and the present. She was a delight to write — flawed and messy and human and calculating and alternately cold and warm. She was the opposite of me, which is always fun to slip into. Someone unpredictable and wild and uneven. I loved writing the dynamics between the five. The exchanged looks, and toxic little jabs. The undercurrent that you don’t understand until later. Sidelong glances. It was all just enormously fun.

This is your eighth published novel. Are there any lessons you have learned between then and now?

Hahahahahaha. Oh, you’re serious. Okay. Every new book is like the first book I’ve ever written. I suspect we all feel this way — like I should be better at this by now. I should have a list of lessons learned and it should feel like old hat at SOME POINT RIGHT? I’ve never in my life done something for ten years and not felt like it was getting easier. I think I’m a better writer. I think the lessons are small (what show don’t tell really means, how to put emotion on the page without exhausting all your adjectives, also maybe lay off the adjectives). I’d be hard pressed to enumerate the large lessons. I have no idea.

What’s next for you?

I’m slowly — very slowly — picking at a book that is not currently under contract. I’ve been calling it my Flowers in the Attic book because there may or may not be children locked in a barn for years. There might be some religious zealotry. I’m excited about it but hesitant to say much more.

Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?

Tons and tons of recommendations! I just read WE WERE NEVER HERE by Andrea Bartz and loved it. This summer I really tackled my TBR and some of my favorites included: THE LAST FLIGHT by Julie Clark, BAD HABITS by Amy Gentry, THE GUEST LIST by Lucy Foley, STRANGER IN THE LAKE, by Kimberly Belle, MEXICAN GOTHIC by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

Thank you so much for having me!

Will you be picking up The Spires? Tell us in the comments below!

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The post Q&A: Kate Moretti, Author of ‘The Spires’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

This was my first title by Moretti and she did not disappoint. I found myself binging this book in the course of three sittings over a two day period! Despite the slow-burn nature of the novel, Moretti did a wonderful job of providing short chapters with enough suspense throughout to keep the reader engaged.

While reading this thriller, I was reminded of T. Marie Vandelly’s Theme Music, in the sense that the main character returns to a childhood home in search of answers regarding her family’s past. Hannah’s return to Brackenhill is brought on by a family member’s death which allows her the opportunity to confront her past that she has avoided for the last seventeen years. Told through two timelines, then and now, readers uncover the hidden secrets of Hannah’s past and how they will affect her in the present day.

The only flaw with this title was that I found myself left with questions at the end as the story ends with a cliffhanger. Perhaps, the author will decide to write a sequel and wrap up these thoughts? However, with that being said I would still recommend others to check this one out!

Girls of Brackenhill is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up Girls of Brackenhill? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Haunted by her sister’s disappearance, a troubled woman becomes consumed by past secrets in this gripping thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Year.

When Hannah Maloney’s aunt dies in a car accident, she returns to her family’s castle in the Catskills and the epicenter of a childhood trauma: her sister’s unsolved disappearance. It’s been seventeen years, and though desperate to start a new life with her fiancé, Hannah is compelled to question the events of her last summer at Brackenhill.

When a human bone is found near the estate, Hannah is convinced it belongs to her long-lost sister. She launches her own investigation into that magical summer that ended in a nightmare. As strange happenings plague the castle, Hannah uncovers disturbing details about the past and startling realizations about her own repressed childhood memories.

Fueled by guilt over her sister’s vanishing, Hannah becomes obsessed with discovering what happened all those years ago, but by the time Hannah realizes some mysteries are best left buried, it’s too late to stop digging. Overwhelmed by what she has exposed, Hannah isn’t sure her new life can survive her old ghosts.

The post Review: Girls of Brackenhill by Kate Moretti appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
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Perfect for fans of The Last Magician and Descendant of the Crane, this heart-stopping debut is an imaginative Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, with rival gangs and a monster in the depths of the Huangpu River.

Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
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With nods to Bridget Jones and Pride and Prejudice, a charming #ownvoices queer rom-com debut about a free-spirited social media astrologer who agrees to fake a relationship with an uptight actuary until New Year’s Eve—with results not even the stars could predict!

The Bright and Breaking Sea by Chloe Neill
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Chloe Neill brings her trademark wit and wild sense of adventure to a stunning seafaring fantasy starring a dauntless heroine in a world of magic and treachery. 

Master of One by Jaida Jones and Dani Bennett
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With the heist and intrigue of Six of Crows and the dark fairy tale feel of The Cruel Prince, this young adult fantasy debut will have readers rooting for a pair of reluctant heroes as they take on a world-ending fae prophecy, a malicious royal plot, and, most dangerously of all, their feelings for each other.

The Kingdom by Jo Nesbø
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Roy and Carl have spent their whole lives running from the darkness in their past, but when Carl finally returns to make peace with it, the two brothers are inexorably drawn into a reckoning with their own demons.

Dearly: New Poems by Margaret Atwood
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In Dearly, Margaret Atwood’s first collection of poetry in over a decade, Atwood addresses themes such as love, loss, the passage of time, the nature of nature and – zombies. Her new poetry is introspective and personal in tone, but wide-ranging in topic. In poem after poem, she casts her unique imagination and unyielding, observant eye over the landscape of a life carefully and intuitively lived.

Ruinsong by Julia Ember
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In Julia Ember’s dark and lush LGBTQ+ romantic fantasy Ruinsong, two young women from rival factions must work together to reunite their country, as they wrestle with their feelings for each other.

Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
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Lovingly nostalgic and wildly original as only Ernest Cline could conceive it, Ready Player Two takes us on another imaginative, fun, action packed adventure through his beloved virtual universe, and jolts us thrillingly into the future once again.

Girls of Brackenhill by Kate Moretti
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Haunted by her sister’s disappearance, a troubled woman becomes consumed by past secrets in this gripping thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Year.

Ink by Jonathan Maberry
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From New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry comes a standalone supernatural thriller Ink, about a memory thief who feeds on the most precious of dreams.

The Flip Side by James Bailey
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Penny wise or pound foolish? A heartbroken young Brit decides to turn his love life over to the flip of a coin—in this delightfully British rom-com in the vein of Jenny Colgan, Rosie Curtis, Nick Hornby, and David Nicholls.

Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg
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A world of enchanted injustice needs a disenchanting woman in the newest fantasy series by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician.

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

The post November 2020 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

There’s also new releases from Lian Moriarty, Khaled Hosseini, and Paulo Coelho. Need a little history of fantasy? The Lost Queen follows Languoreth, the twin sister of the man who inspired the legendary character of Merlin, while The Silence of the Girls focuses on the timeless legend of The Iliad, as experienced by the captured women living in the Greek camp in the final weeks of the Trojan War.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below which ones you are most excited for!

Impostors by Scott Westerfeld
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Scott Westerfeld returns to the world of Uglies in this new series. Frey and Rafi are inseparable . . . but very few people have ever seen them together. This is because Frey is Rafi’s double, raised in the shadow’s of their rich father’s fortress. While Rafi has been taught to charm, Frey has been taught to kill. Frey only exists to protect her sister. There is no other part of her life. Frey has never been out in the world on her own – until her father sends her in Rafi’s place to act as collateral for a dangerous deal. Everyone thinks she’s her sister – but Col, the son of a rival leader, is starting to get close enough to tell the difference. As the stakes grow higher and higher, Frey must decide whether she can trust him – or anyone in her life.

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
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The retreat at health and wellness resort Tranquillum House promises total transformation. Nine stressed city dwellers are keen to drop their literal and mental baggage, and absorb the meditative ambience while enjoying their hot stone massages. Watching over them is the resort’s director, a woman on a mission to reinvigorate their tired minds and bodies. These nine perfect strangers have no idea what is about to hit them.

Vengeful by VE Schwab
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In the sequel to Vicious, Sydney once had Serena—beloved sister, betrayed enemy, powerful ally. But now she is alone, except for her thrice-dead dog, Dol, and then there’s Victor, who thinks Sydney doesn’t know about his most recent act of vengeance. Victor himself is under the radar these days—being buried and re-animated can strike concern even if one has superhuman powers. But despite his own worries, his anger remains. And Eli Ever still has yet to pay for the evil he has done.

Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini
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A short, powerful, illustrated book written by beloved novelist Khaled Hosseini in response to the current refugee crisis, Sea Prayer is composed in the form of a letter, from a father to his son, on the eve of their journey. Watching over his sleeping son, the father reflects on the dangerous sea-crossing that lies before them. It is also a vivid portrait of their life in Homs, Syria, before the war, and of that city’s swift transformation from a home into a deadly war zone.

The Lost Queen by Signe Pike
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Mists of Avalon meets Philippa Gregory in the first book of an exciting historical trilogy that reveals the untold story of Languoreth—a powerful and, until now, tragically forgotten queen of sixth-century Scotland—twin sister of the man who inspired the legendary character of Merlin.

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
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From the Booker Prize-winning author of the Regeneration trilogy comes a monumental new masterpiece, set in the midst of literature’s most famous war. Pat Barker turns her attention to the timeless legend of The Iliad , as experienced by the captured women living in the Greek camp in the final weeks of the Trojan War.

Escaping From Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco
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In this third instalment in the #1 bestselling Stalking Jack the Ripper series, a luxurious ocean liner becomes a floating prison of scandal, madness, and horror when passengers are murdered one by one…with nowhere to run from the killer. .

Dare You To Lie by Amber Lynn Natusch
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When her FBI agent father is framed for murder, Kylene is forced to move in with her grandfather, back to the small town that turned its back on her, and the boy who betrayed her. All Ky cares about is clearing her father’s name, but someone won’t let her forget the photo scandal that drove her away two years ago. As the threats gain momentum, Ky finds an unlikely ally in the rookie FBI agent sent to keep an eye on her. Determined to expose the town’s hidden skeletons, Ky unwittingly thrusts herself into a much bigger plot. They thought she’d forgive and forget. They’re about to learn they messed with the wrong girl.

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White
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Elizabeth Lavenza is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything–except a friend. Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable–and it works. Soon she and Victor are inseparable. But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth’s survival depends on managing Victor’s dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness.

In Her Bones by Kate Moretti
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Fifteen years ago, Lilith Wade was arrested for the brutal murder of six women. After a death row conviction, media frenzy, and the release of an unauthorized biography, her thirty-year-old daughter Edie Beckett is just trying to survive out of the spotlight. She’s a recovering alcoholic with a dead-end city job and an unhealthy codependent relationship with her brother. Edie also has a disturbing secret: a growing obsession with the families of Lilith’s victims. She’s desperate to see how they’ve managed—or failed—to move on. While her escalating fixation is a problem, she’s careful to keep her distance. That is, until she crosses a line and a man is found murdered…

Hippie by Paulo Coelho
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In Hippie, his most autobiographical novel to date, Paulo Coelho takes us back in time to re-live the dream of a generation that longed for peace and dared to challenge the established social order – authoritarian politics, conservative modes of behavior, excessive consumerism, and an unbalanced concentration of wealth and power.

The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White
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From the New York Times bestselling authors of The Forgotten Room comes a captivating historical mystery, infused with romance, that links the lives of three women across a century—two deep in the past, one in the present—to the doomed passenger liner, RMS Lusitania.

Check out our other September book picks on our Goodreads list!

Any other releases you’re excited to read this month? Tell us in the comments below!

The post September Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.