When The Crimson, a cursed virus spread by eye contact, came, it changed everything for Charlotte and her sisters. Now orphaned, Charlotte lives in a Southern California compound with her sisters, Harlow, the strategic military leader, and Vanessa, the talented Chosen One, along with other survivors of the first wave of The Crimson. When the compound is attacked, Charlotte pretends to be the Chosen One to save her sister from being taken. But soon Charlotte is in over her head. She might not be the Chosen One, but she just might be the one to save us all.

Let’s start with Blair’s writing style, which is one of my favourites. Blair has a knack for creating gritty, realistic worlds that fully immerse you the moment you start reading. Her descriptions of memories and feelings play with your senses and bring you deeper into the characters. But it never strays into “purple prose” (not that there’s anything wrong with “purple prose”, it’s just not for everyone) and the story never gets weighed down. Some may say that the writing feels effortless, but I think Blair is meticulous with her words and puts a lot of thought and care into how she crafts her stories.

Charlotte, our unchosen main character, will resonate with many. She is not the perfect poster child of anything and that’s why readers will love her. She makes mistakes, she struggles, and yet she still fights for those she loves. What stands out so strongly throughout the course of Unchosen is Charlotte’s growth in herself and how she earns it through her own hard work. The dynamics between the three sisters, Charlotte, Harlow, and Vanessa is powerful and another example of Blair’s penchant for crafting fictional characters that feel immensely realistic. There isn’t one character, big or small, that you don’t form an attachment to or feel an understanding for.

The worldbuilding is an intriguing thing in Unchosen, because it’s our world…after a highly contagious virus hits. And while some may want to avoid stories that have virus storylines in the current pandemic we find ourselves in (which is TOTALLY fine, always take care of your mental health first), I would argue that Unchosen doesn’t feel like a pandemic story and I never felt uncomfortable reading it in these current times. Blair’s world building mixes pirate curses and sea-faring with post-apocalyptic vibes and turns it into something unique and intriguing. While the back building of the downfall of the world before the events of the book sometimes felt a bit out of pace with everything else, Blair makes up for it with good pacing during the current events of the story, especially in the ending.

Sometimes a novel comes around at just the right time. Charlotte’s struggle throughout Unchosen to find herself in the chaotic world she lives in feels like the story we need right now. If you are looking for a book to give you hope, adventure, sisterhood, and romance, look no further than Unchosen.

Unchosen is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of January 26th 2021.

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

Synopsis | Goodreads

Katharyn Blair crafts a fiercely feminist fantasy with a horrifying curse, swoon-worthy sea captains, and the power of one girl to choose her own fate in this contemporary standalone adventure that’s perfect for fans of The Fifth Wave and Seafire, and for anyone who has ever felt unchosen.

For Charlotte Holloway, the world ended twice.

The first was when her childhood crush, Dean, fell in love—with her older sister.

The second was when the Crimson, a curse spread through eye contact, turned the majority of humanity into flesh-eating monsters.

Neither end of the world changed Charlotte. She’s still in the shadows of her siblings. Her popular older sister, Harlow, now commands forces of survivors. And her talented younger sister, Vanessa, is the Chosen One—who, legend has it, can end the curse.

When their settlement is raided by those seeking the Chosen One, Charlotte makes a reckless decision to save Vanessa: she takes her place as prisoner.

The word spreads across the seven seas—the Chosen One has been found.

But when Dean’s life is threatened and a resistance looms on the horizon, the lie keeping Charlotte alive begins to unravel. She’ll have to break free, forge new bonds, and choose her own destiny if she has any hope of saving her sisters, her love, and maybe even the world.

Because sometimes the end is just a new beginning.

The post Review: Unchosen by Katharyn Blair appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but sometimes it’s hard not to when the cover is just so gorgeous. Here are 15 of the month’s most beautiful covers!

We Came Here To Forget by Andrea Dunlop | Goodreads

The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu | Goodreads

We Walked The Sky by Lisa Fiedler | Goodreads

The Beckoning Shadow by Katharyn Blair | Goodreads

Stars In His Eyes by Marti Gironell | Goodreads

Wilder Girls by Rory Power | Goodreads

The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson | Goodreads

In The Full Light of the Sun by Clare Clark | Goodreads

Escalante’s Dream by David Roberts | Goodreads

The Blue Salt Road by Joanne M. Harris | Goodreads

The Reunion by Guillaume Musso | Goodreads

The Traitor’s Kingdom by Erin Beaty | Goodreads

The Miraculous by Jess Redman | Goodreads

The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger | Goodreads

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Goodreads

Are there any other covers you love from July 2019? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Most Gorgeous Book Covers of July 2019 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

This July, there are a lot of exciting debut releases and in today’s post, we’re featuring a selection of our most anticipated to read! From a cute contemporary and enchanting fantasy, to thrilling mysteries and horror, we got ‘em here!

The Beckoning Shadow by Katharyn Blair
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A heart-stopping fantasy novel about a teenage runaway who enters a dangerous tournament with an impossible prize.

The Marriage Clock by Zara Raheem
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A debut release from Muslim author, Zara Reheem, featuring a young, Muslim-American woman who is given three months to find the right husband or else her traditional Indian parents will find one for her.

The Million Pieces of Neena Gill by Emma Smith-Barton
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A story of good girl gone bad. When her brother left her and everything in her life seems to be falling apart, Neena is about to find out that only love can piece you back together.

The Spaces Between Us by Stacia Tolman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Two outcast best friends are desperate to survive senior year and break away from their rural factory town.

Shatter the Sky by Rebecca Kim Wells
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A determined young woman sets out to rescue her kidnapped girlfriend by stealing a dragon from the corrupt emperor in this stunning fantasy from debut author Rebecca Kim Wells.

The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A gritty YA fantasy about a young chieftain from a persecuted caste of mercy-killers who must rely on her wits and bone magic to smuggle the crown prince to safety.

The Phantom Forest by Liz Kerin
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

After being chosen for her village’s human sacrifice ritual, Seycia is transported to the Underworld and must join forces with Haben, the demon to whom she was sacrificed, to protect the family she left behind from beyond the grave. A story about love, survival, and what it means to be human.

The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Two sisters are planning for revenge and igniting rebellion to take back the magical elemental crows that were taken from their people.

The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Told in alternating timelines, Thelma and Louise meets Gone Girl in this twisted psychological thriller about the dark side of obsessive friendship.

The Blue Period by Luke Jerod Kummer
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A riveting novel about the tragic romance that nearly destroyed a young Pablo Picasso—while granting him his first flight of creative genius.

Temper by Layne Fargo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A razor-sharp page-turner thriller story about female ambition and what happens when fake violence draws real blood…

Wilder Girls by Rory Power
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this thrilling YA horror from debut author Rory Power, comes a story about survival and the power of female friendships.

Will you be checking out any of these debut authors? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 12 Debut Authors To Check Out In July 2019 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us which one you’re most excited for in the comments below!

Maybe This Time by Kasie West
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Beloved author Kasie West brings her signature witty banter and rom-com fun to a bold, fresh format. Think Four Weddings and a Funeral for YA.

Before I Disappear by Danielle Stinson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Danielle Stinson’s Before I Disappear is an action-packed YA novel where a young woman has to find her little brother after her town disappears into thin air.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A feminist Lord of the Flies about three best friends living in quarantine at their island boarding school, and the lengths they go to uncover the truth of their confinement when one disappears. This fresh, new debut is a mind-bending novel unlike anything you’ve read before.

Heartwood Box by Ann Aguirre
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A dark, romantic YA suspense novel with an SF edge and plenty of drama, layering the secrets we keep and how appearances can deceive, from the New York Times bestselling author.

Stealing Home by Becky Wallace
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Ryan Russell has life perfectly planned. She’s going to take over her family’s team, the Buckley Beavers, and become one of the only female General Managers in minor league baseball. Then Sawyer Campbell shows up, and Ryan’s carefully laid plans are thrown a major curveball. Sawyer is far more charming than the arrogant jocks she usually manages, though fraternising is against every rule in the Beaver’s handbook.

The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Told in alternating timelines, Thelma and Louise meets Gone Girl in this twisted psychological thriller about the dark side of obsessive friendship.

Truly Madly Royally by Debbie Rigaud
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An #ownvoices Point Paperback original that is like The Princess Diaries for this generation — pure wish-fulfilment fun, from new talent Debbie Rigaud.

The Last Word by Samantha Hastings
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Set against the smoky, gaslit allure of Victorian London, this sweetly romantic historical debut is full of humour and stars a whip-smart female heroine ahead of her time.

Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia and first-time graphic novel artist Gabriel Picolo comes this riveting tale of finding the strength to face who you are and learning to trust others–and yourself.

The Spaces Between Us by Stacia Tolman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Two outcast best friends are desperate to survive senior year and break away from their dying factory town in Stacia Tolman’s The Spaces Between Us, an unforgettable YA debut.

The Beckoning Shadow by Katharyn Blair
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From debut author Katharyn Blair comes a heart-stopping fantasy novel, perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and The Young Elites, about a teenage runaway who enters a dangerous tournament with an impossible prize.

Destroy All Monsters by Sam J. Miller
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A crucial, genre-bending tale, equal parts Ned Vizzini and Patrick Ness, about the life-saving power of friendship.

Will you be checking out any of these July YA releases? Tell us in the comments below!

The post July 2019 Book Releases: YA appeared first on The Nerd Daily.