About Burn The Kingdom Down: An action-packed enemies-to-lovers romantasy filled with a romance that will leave you breathless, betrayals that will rip your heart out, and a princess who will stop at nothing for revenge. Out April 7th 2026.

Whether best friends or rivals since birth, sisterhood is one of the most complicated, most fulfilling, and most enduring relationships we can experience.  No one knows you better than your sister, so no one can hurt you more deeply. This also means no one can love and understand you more completely.

As someone who is lucky enough to have two sisters, I’ve always been drawn to exploring this fierce, chaotic, and beautiful relationship in the books I write—as well as the books I read. From loving and loyal, to down-right devious (and even murderous!), here’s a list of my all-time-favorite YA sister fantasies for when you need a good dose of family drama.

No list of sister stories would be complete without the OG sister fantasy, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. When Katniss Everdeen’s younger sister, Primrose, is selected to compete in the Hunger Games (a brutal tournament where children are forced to fight to the death in an arena) Katniss volunteers to go in Prim’s place. It’s the ultimate example of protective big-sister energy, and Katniss’s love for Prim is a big part of what carries her through the games.

One the complete opposite end of the loyalty spectrum, we have triplet sisters Mirabella, Katharine, and Arsinoe from Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake. Once a generation, triplet queens are born—each with unique powers and equal rights to the throne. But only one sister can rule, and in order to wear the crown, they must kill the two who stand in their way. Sibling rivalry at its finest!

While some sisters are defined by rivalry and competition, others are almost codependent in their bond. Such is the case for Iris, Grey, and Vivi in House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland. When enigmatic, oldest sister, Grey, goes missing, Iris and Vivi must unite to find her, unraveling dark secrets along the way. The intense bond between these three is quite eerie and unsettling. At times, they almost feel like a single creature with multiple heads.

If you’re looking for large family dynamics with lots of personalities at play, look no further than Erin A. Craig’s House of Salt and Sorrows. A deliciously macabre retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, Annaleigh’s four older sisters have recently met tragic and untimely ends that might be related to the glittering, late-night balls her sisters have been sneaking out to attend. If Annaleigh can’t unravel the darkness plaguing her family, she might be joining her older sisters in an early grave—and condemning her younger sisters to the same fate.

Scarlett and Donatella Dragna, the sister duo in Caraval by Stephanie Garber, might seem like opposites who constantly annoy each other, but when Tella is kidnapped to use as bait in a magical, interactive game, Scarlett will stop at nothing to bring her sister safely home. Through the games’ deadly twists and turns, the sisters’ true hearts and loyalties are revealed.

Sometimes, the closeness of sisterhood can highlight their flaws and imperfections. Other times, the pedestals they’re placed on are so high, it overshadows the truth. When oldest sister, Rowenna, is sent as a captive bride to any enemy kingdom in Addie Thorley’s, Burn the Kingdom Down, younger sister, Indira, doesn’t know how to fill her sister’s perfect shoes—or function without her. And when Rowenna dies under mysterious circumstances, Indira takes her place, determined to punish Ro’s murderer and bring the entire kingdom to its knees. But when Indira arrives in enemy territory, nothing is as expected and everyone, even her sister, had secrets. Deadly ones.

The post YA Fantasies That Celebrate Sisterhood appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi Kendare! Can you tell the readers a little about yourself?

Hi Zoe! Sure! Let’s see… I like animals. All sorts. Wild, domestic, little snakes in hats. I love food—trying new restaurants and menus and fancy cocktails. Cooking is good too, except for the pan scrubbing that follows.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I learned to read with picture books from my mom and the Sunday funnies with my dad, and I’ve been writing stories since seventh grade. But I’ve gotten better at it since then.

Your next novel, Champion of Fate, is about to release! If you could describe it in five words, what would they be?

Heroes, horses, glory, immortals, master/apprentice.

The master/apprentice part is cheating with two words. I’m not going to pick one; I just want you to know that I know.

Champion of Fate has the feel of an ancient myth, did you take any inspiration from any tales in particular?

Not any one in particular but the whole vibe of the time period of ancient battles was a big inspiration. Achilles and Hector, Alexander the Great. The Amazons. The ancient culture that valued glory and honor and placed those values a tad too high on the scale to be practical. But I love those ideas. There’s something so romantic about them, heroes racing into certain death, just for the glory of it.

Champion of Fate and Three Dark Crowns series are fantasy, The Anna Dressed in Blood duo is horror, and The Goddess War trilogy is mythology. What has been your favourite genre to write so far, and why?

I can’t choose between them. And I think I end up co-mingling them all anyway. Champion of Fate has some mythological elements. Three Dark Crowns got a little horrifying at times. And Anna Dressed in Blood was touched with the fantastic.

Who was your favourite character to write and explore from Champion of Fate, and why?

Reed, the young woman who is training to join the order, was the heart of the story. It is HER story. But one side character who was a particular delight was Aethiel, the character who was once a Queen of Fennbirn Island (from Three Dark Crowns) and is now an Aristene. She was supposed to be a cameo appearance and instead busted through the door and said, “No. I will be in this story. And the next one. Yes, this is good.”

Fennbirn Queens. They don’t do as they’re told.

How do you think, or hope, that readers will react to Champion of Fate?

I hope they’ll find a new fantasy world to love. I love fantasy: the groups of varied allies that band together on a quest, the mysterious orders, the monsters that rise and threaten it all—and I tried to put those elements that I loved in this book.

Can you tell us if you have anything upcoming in the works?

Champion of Fate 2: Champions Reloaded! That’s not the real title, but it comes out next year. The Anna Dressed in Blood Anniversary Edition is also out now, with a brand new cover and an all-new novella set ten years later. Readers often ask for an ANNA 3, and the novella is the closest I’ve come to it!

And in April, the conclusion of the Buffy: The Next Generation trilogy comes out, which will conclude my time in the Buffyverse. And I will weep.

And perhaps a teaser for the sequel to Champion of Fate?

Reed and Silco are back in Champion of Fate 2: Champion of Fatier! That’s also not the real title, but they are back, and so are the Aristene. An Aristene warrior will guide many heroes over their long, immortal lives, and Reed’s new hero is a sticky situation…which only gets worse when her first hero shows up to make things worse.

Do you have any advice for any budding writers out there?

WRITE! That’s the most obvious advice, and the most important. Get the words on the page. Daydreaming is great, outlining might be part of your process, but eventually, the pre-work is over and you just need to get those words out. Don’t get stuck in phase zero. Once you move into phase one: first draft, anything can happen.

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

Of course! Anything by Erin Craig: SMALL FAVORS, The Sisters of the Salt series…Anything by Courtney Summers, if you’re looking for some gritty reality through the feminine lens. And how about some Halloweenie reads: Mister Magic by Kiersten White, Find Him Where You Left Him Dead by Kristen Simmons, anything by Joe Hill or his dad Stephen King obviously. Tiffany Jackson’s White Smoke or The Weight of Blood.

I’ll stop now but there are no shortage of good reads. Get thee to a bookstore and browse!

You can find Kendare at her website and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads.

Will you be picking up Champion of Fate? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Kendare Blake, Author of ‘Champion of Fate’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Reed’s first Hero test will not only challenge her ability to nurture a budding hero through their trials, but her own resolve through hardship, betrayal, and even love.

Well known for her Three Dark Crowns series amongst many others!), Champion of Fate is the first of Kendare Blake’s new Heromaker duology, which is set in a varied and at times brutal world where anyone can be a hero and the magical sect of Aristene women help bring them to glory.

This book has the overall feeling of an epic Greek myth with heavy emphasis on female strength. Some might think this is a just a feminist tale (or even the opposite), but instead, it shows powerful male and female characters side by side without diminishing each other. Anyone in this tale has the potential for glory, and in fact, it might make you question your definition of what glory can be.

The first third of Champion of Fate richly sets the scene of the world and introduces most of the main characters in the book. While at times I was impatient to meet some of the other players hinted at in the beginning, the worldbuilding sets a good pace and manages to go through quite a lot in a short span of time.

I really loved how Blake built and developed the characters in the world. Reed’s journey from half-feral orphan to sister initiate, to Heromaker is masterfully written and as she progresses, your heart bleeds for her when she’s faced with heartbreak and it soars when she triumphs. You can see a clear difference between the Reed you’re introduced to and the one you leave on the last page.

Not only did the main character go through her own arc of growth, you can see the main side characters go through their own journeys. There was one minor character whose progression was a bit sudden, but for the most part Blake leads the readers subtly through their own feelings and realisations about each character as new elements are revealed. Some of the arcs are so nuanced that they make you wonder if you like or don’t like someone, and don’t really know until the end. Somehow, you end up loving a cranky horse, a cheeky enemy, and a young brat and you have no idea how it happened.

The technique of showing and not telling was expertly utilised in this book. Blake uses dialogue and character actions efficiently to perform the character development mentioned above, while also building anticipation and suspense in the plot. The anticipation specifically was the perfect balance to keep you turning the page to find out more, while providing enough information to progress the story. She shows just enough information to keep your interest piqued and wondering how things will play out, but keeps the reveals for the most impactful timing.

In a book about heroes and their glory, you can be assured that there will be plenty of battle scenes. What is refreshing, however, is that they are by no means gratuitous or tedious. The various fight scenes are masterfully described with enough detail to ensure you know what’s doing on, but not so much that you’re left bored, or confused about the movement of the various characters.

While there are some adult themes hinted at, this book is quite friendly to younger readers. Anything of a romantic nature is quite chaste and the action mentioned above was engaging rather than graphic or uncomfortable. Champion of Fate can be suited for young teenager readers and above, or anyone wanting an easy-to-read fantasy book.

Champion of Fate literally made me laugh, and then it had the audacity to make me cry. It made me obsessively read when I really should have been doing other things, and it also made me stop and pause when I’d read something shocking or thought-provoking.

At its core, Champion of Fate is a compelling story of feminine strength over adversity and heartbreak and I can’t wait for the next instalment.

Champion of Fate is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of September 19th.

Will you be picking up Champion of Fate? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Behind every great hero is an Aristene.

Aristene are mythical female warriors, part of a legendary order. Though heroes might be immortalized in stories, it’s the Aristene who guide them to victory. They are the Heromakers.

Ever since she was an orphan taken in by the order, Reed has wanted to be an Aristene. Now, as an initiate, just one challenge stands in her way: she must shepherd her first hero to glory on the battlefield. Succeed, and Reed will take her place beside her sisters. Fail, and she’ll be cast from the only home she’s ever known.

Nothing is going to stop Reed–until she meets her hero. Hestion is fiery and infuriating, but what begins as an alliance becomes more, and as secrets of the order come to light Reed begins to understand what becoming an Aristene may truly cost. Battle looming, she must choose: the order and the life she had planned, or Hestion, and the one she never expected.

The post Review: Champion of Fate by Kendare Blake appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover just a few of our picks and tell us in the comments below if you’ll be reading any of them!

Champion of Fate by Kendare Blake
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake is back with an epic duology starter that follows a young woman training to join a fabled order as she attempts to lead a hero to his critical first victory. A must-read for fans of Alexandra Bracken and Victoria Aveyard.

The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan
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The original heroes from The Lightning Thief are reunited for their biggest challenge yet: getting Percy to college when the gods are standing in his way.

The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab
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V. E. Schwab, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, opens another door to a new fantasy series set in the dazzling world of Shades of Magic.

The September House by Carissa Orlando
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A woman is determined to stay in her dream home even after it becomes a haunted nightmare in this compulsively readable, twisty, and layered debut novel.

Fly With Me by Andie Burke
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A sparkling and steamy opposites-attract romance, Fly with Me by Andie Burke is filled with sharp banter and that sweet, swooping feeling of finding “the one” when and where you least expect it.

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis
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The Inheritance Games meets Ocean’s Eleven in this cinematic heist thriller where a cutthroat competition brings together the world’s best thieves and one thief is playing for the highest stakes of all: her mother’s life.

Penance by Eliza Clark
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From the author of the cult hit Boy Parts comes a chilling, brilliantly told story of murder among a group of teenage girls—a powerful and disturbing novel as piercing in its portrait of young women as Emma Cline’s The Girls.

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig
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A small town is transformed by dark magic when a strange tree begins bearing magical apples in this new masterpiece of horror from the bestselling author of Wanderers and The Book of Accidents.

The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie
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A spellbinding YA fantasy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathryn Purdie, where fairy tales come to life with dark, deadly twists.

Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner
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A sapphic rivals to lovers rom com for fans of Ted Lasso and A League of Their Own, where two soccer teammates are at odds before falling in love as their team gears up for the World Cup.

The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
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An orphaned fortune teller in 18th-century England searches for answers about her long-dead mother and uncovers shocking secrets in this immersive and atmospheric saga perfect for fans of Sarah Waters and Sarah Perry.

This Spells Disaster by Tori Anne Martin
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Fake dating gets a magical twist in this enchanting queer romantic comedy where a witch worries that the real feelings brewing between her and her crush were sparked by an accidental love potion, and the only way out of the disastrous spell is a healthy dose of the truth–drink up, witches.

The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
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A new mystery is afoot in the fourth book in the Thursday Murder Club series from million-copy bestselling author Richard Osman

Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian
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From bestselling author Alex Grecian comes a folk horror epic about a ragtag posse that must track down a witch through a wild west beset by demons and ghosts―and where death is always just around the bend.

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
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Enter a land of gods and monsters, soldiers and mercenaries, secrets and wishes—the explosive #1 internationally bestselling fantasy debut in a new trilogy for fans of The Witcher and Gideon the Ninth.

Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout
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From Jennifer L. Armentrout, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of From Blood and Ash, comes the beginning of a searing fantasy romance series for adults, Fall of Ruin and Wrath.

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

The post September 2023 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hello second half of 2023 and hello to all the incredible upcoming book releases we can look forward to!

In this round up, we take a look at some of the most exciting titles to be released between the months of July and December with releases from the likes of Rachel Lynn Solomon, Temi Oh, Chuck Wendig, VE Schwab, Cassandra Clare, Rebecca Yarros, Christina Henry, and many more, along with delightful debuts from new authors you should keep on your radar!

Read on to discover just a few of our favourite July to December 2023 releases and tell us in the comments if you’re looking forward to any of them! Looking for our January to June releases? Check them out here.

JULY

Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon
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A ghostwriter and a struggling actor help each other on the page and in the bedroom in this steamy romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk.

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong
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Inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, Immortal Longings is a fiery collision of power plays, spilled blood, and romance amidst a set of deadly games.

Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates
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From bestselling author Darcy Coates comes Dead of Winter, a remote cabin in the snowy wilderness thriller that will teach you to trust no one. There are eight strangers. One killer. Nowhere left to run.

Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino
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Jenny Han meets CODA in this big-hearted YA debut about first love and Deaf pride at a summer camp.

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
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A searing and earnest horror debut about the demons the queer community faces in America, the price of keeping secrets, and finding the courage to burn it all down.

Bonesmith by Nicki Pau Preto
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Gideon the Ninth meets the Game of Thrones White Walkers in this dark young adult fantasy about a disgraced ghost-fighting warrior who must journey into a haunted wasteland to rescue a kidnapped prince.

Light Bringer by Pierce Brown
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Darrow returns as Pierce Brown’s New York Times bestselling Red Rising series continues in the thrilling sequel to Dark Age.

The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey
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Four women come together to save the summer camp that changed their lives and rediscover themselves in the process in this moving new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Veil and the Peachtree Bluff series.

Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson
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An exhilarating and expansive new novel about fathers and sons, faith and friendship from Caleb Azumah Nelson, the no.1 bestselling, award-winning author of Open Water.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
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From New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center comes Hello, Stranger, a novel about finding love, confronting a haunting past, and figuring out what, and who, really matters…

The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons
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From the USA Today bestselling author of The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett comes a heartwarming story of found family, love, and making connections through books set against the bombing of London during WWII.

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem
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A fugitive queen strikes a bargain with her greatest enemy that could resurrect her scorched kingdom or leave it in ashes forever in this unmissable Egyptian-inspired epic fantasy debut. 

AUGUST

Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt
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A teen girl looking for the truth about her missing mother forms a reluctant alliance with her former best friend…in exchange for hiding him from his cult-leading family.

I’m Not Done With You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto
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Some friends–and friendships–are worth killing for in this dark, twisty suspense novel by national bestselling author Jesse Q. Sutanto.

The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang
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Inspired by a classic of martial arts literature, S. L. Huang’s The Water Outlaws are bandits of devastating ruthlessness, unseemly femininity, dangerous philosophies, and ungovernable gender who are ready to make history—or tear it apart.

Accidentally in Love by Danielle Jackson
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A delightful rom-com where grumpy-meets-sunshine collides with enemies-to-lovers in this perfect summer novel, written for fans of Kate Stayman-London, Olivia Dade, and Denise Williams.

Guardians of the Dawn: Zhara by S. Jae-Jones
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Sailor Moon meets Cinder in Guardians of Dawn: Zhara, the start of a new, richly imagined fantasy series from S. Jae-Jones, the New York Times bestselling author of Wintersong.

The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter
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The New York Times bestselling YA author of the beloved Gallagher Girls series bursts onto the adult scene with a fast-paced, hilarious road trip rom-com about a woman with amnesia who discovers she’s the identical twin sister of a rogue spy… and must team up with a rugged, grumpy operative to stay alive.

More Perfect by Temi Oh
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A reimagining of the Greek myth of Eurydice and Orpheus, for fans of Becky Chambers and William Gibson by Alex Award–winning author Temi Oh.

Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine
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The Push meets The Silent Patient in a gripping thriller that follows a woman convinced a sinister figure is going to great lengths to make sure her pregnancy never happens—while the men in her life refuse to believe a word she says.

Actually Super by Adi Alsaid
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A globetrotting novel that takes a determined teen from Japan to Australia and to Argentina and Mexico on a quest to prove that humanity is more good than bad from the author of Let’s Get Lost and Before Takeoff.

The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman
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From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Marriage of Opposites and the Practical Magic series comes an enchanting novel about love, heartbreak, self-discovery, and the enduring magic of books.

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
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From USA Today bestselling author T. Kingfisher, Thornhedge is the tale of a kind-hearted, toad-shaped heroine, a gentle knight, and a mission gone completely sideways.

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
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Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.

SEPTEMBER

This Spells Disaster by Tori Anne Martin
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Fake dating gets a magical twist in this enchanting queer romantic comedy where a witch worries that the real feelings brewing between her and her crush were sparked by an accidental love potion, and the only way out of the disastrous spell is a healthy dose of the truth–drink up, witches.

The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab
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V. E. Schwab, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, opens another door to a new fantasy series set in the dazzling world of Shades of Magic.

Dreambound by Dan Frey
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In this thrilling contemporary fantasy novel, a father must uncover the secret magical underbelly of Los Angeles to find his daughter, who has seemingly disappeared into the fictional universe of her favorite fantasy series.

The September House by Carissa Orlando
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A woman is determined to stay in her dream home even after it becomes a haunted nightmare in this compulsively readable, twisty, and layered debut novel.

The Salvation Gambit by Emily Skrutskie
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A hotheaded hacker must outwit the AI at the heart of a rogue warship–turned–penal colony if she and her crew of con women want to escape with their lives in this electrifying sci-fi thriller from the acclaimed author of Bonds of Brass.

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig
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A small town is transformed by dark magic when a strange tree begins bearing magical apples in this new masterpiece of horror from the bestselling author of Wanderers and The Book of Accidents.

The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie
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A spellbinding YA fantasy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathryn Purdie, where fairy tales come to life with dark, deadly twists.

The Long Game by Elena Armas
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A disgraced soccer exec reluctantly enlists the help of a retired soccer star in coaching a children’s team in this smalltown love story in the vein of Ted Lasso and It Happened One Summer —from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spanish Love Deception.

The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan
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The first adventure in the Mirror Realm Cycle, a Spanish Inquisition-era fantasy trilogy inspired by Jewish folklore, with echoes of Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden.

Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For
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14 Young Adult short stories from bestselling and award-winning authors make a splash in Mermaids Never Drown – the second collection in the Untold Legends series edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker – exploring mermaids like we’ve never seen them before!

Fly With Me by Andie Burke
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A sparkling and steamy opposites-attract romance, Fly with Me by Andie Burke is filled with sharp banter and that sweet, swooping feeling of finding “the one” when and where you least expect it.

Champion of Fate by Kendare Blake
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake is back with an epic duology starter that follows a young woman training to join a fabled order as she attempts to lead a hero to his critical first victory. A must-read for fans of Alexandra Bracken and Victoria Aveyard.

OCTOBER

Stars in Your Eyes by Kacen Callender
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The National Book Award-winning author of  Felix Ever After  delivers a beautifully tender story of two grumpy/sunshine, fake-dating actors navigating their love story both on and offscreen—perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Alexis Hall.

Making It So: A Memoir by Patrick Stewart
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A revealing portrait of an artist whose astonishing life—from his humble beginnings in Yorkshire, England, to the heights of Hollywood and worldwide acclaim—proves a story as exuberant, definitive, and enduring as the author himself

Unholy Terrors by Lyndall Clipstone
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Midnight Is The Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead
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From the critically acclaimed author of In My Dreams I Hold A Knife and The Last Housewife comes a gothic Southern thriller about a killer haunting a small Louisiana town, where two outcasts—the preacher’s daughter and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks—hold the key to uncovering the truth.

Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco
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The adult debut of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kerri Maniscalco, Throne of the Fallen is a seductive new standalone novel set within her fan-favorite Kingdom of the Wicked world, perfect for readers of fantasy, romance, and mystery alike.

Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare
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Two outcasts find themselves caught in a web of forbidden love, dangerous magic, and dark secrets that could change the world forever in the start of a riveting epic fantasy series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Shadowhunter Chronicles.

Wildfire by Hannah Grace
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The latest in the TikTok sensation and deliciously “swoonworthy” (Elena Armas, New York Times bestselling author) Maple Hills series follows two summer camp counselors who reconnect after a sizzling one-night stand.

The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker
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New from the author of The Keeper of Night comes a YA fantasy duology set in an alternate Tang Dynasty China, where a poor biracial girl with the ability to raise the dead gets caught up in the dangerous political games of the royal family.

The Dead Take the A Train by Cassandra Khaw and Richard Kadrey
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Bestselling authors Cassandra Khaw and Richard Kadrey have teamed up to deliver a dark new story with magic, monsters, and mayhem, perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman and Joe Hill.

Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros
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Frankenstein meets Inglourious Basterds in this stunning Jewish historical horror novel from the award-winning author of The City Beautiful.

The Intern by Michele Campbell
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A young Harvard law student falls under the spell of a charismatic judge in this timely and thrilling novel about class, ambition, family and murder.

Juniper’s Christmas by Eoin Colfer
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From acclaimed, mega-bestselling author Eoin Colfer comes a Christmas classic-in-the-making–a beautifully illustrated novel about an eleven-year-old girl’s wild adventure to find her mother, protect a public park, and save Christmas.

NOVEMBER

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
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In this clever and swoonworthy YA debut from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis, life’s moving pieces bring rival chess players together in a match for the heart.

Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper
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Amara’s journey has taken her far; from a slave in Pompeii’s wolf den to a high-powered courtesan in Rome… though her story is not over yet. While Amara plays for power in Rome’s imperial palace, those dearest to her remain in Pompeii. But it is AD 79, and mighty Mount Vesuvius is about to make itself known…

Good Girls Don’t Die by Christina Henry
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A sharp-edged, supremely twisty thriller about three women who find themselves trapped inside stories they know aren’t their own, from the author of Alice and Near the Bone.

The Future by Naomi Alderman
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From the award-winning, bestselling author of The Power comes a white-knuckle tour de force and dazzling exploration of the world we have made and where we are going.

Sun of Blood and Ruin by Mariely Lares – Publication has now changed to February 20, 2024
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Rumor has it on the streets of sixteenth-century New Spain, there’s a new vigilante in town serving justice. This reimagining of Zorro–featuring a heroic warrior sorceress–weaves Mesoamerican mythology and Mexican history two decades after the Spanish conquest into a swashbuckling, historical debut fantasy with magic, intrigue, treachery, and romance.

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
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Murtagh by Christopher Paolini
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Master storyteller and internationally bestselling author Christopher Paolini returns to the World of Eragon in this stunning epic fantasy set a year after the events of the Inheritance Cycle. Join Dragon Rider—and fan favorite—Murtagh and his dragon as they confront a perilous new enemy!

Didn’t See That Coming by Jesse Q. Sutanto
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A hilariously fresh and romantic send-up to You’ve Got Mail about a gamer girl with a secret identity and the online bestie she’s never met IRL until she unwittingly transfers to his school, from the bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties, The Obsession, and Well, That Was Unexpected.

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez
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The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in What the River Knows, Isabel Ibañez’s lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt and filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race.

Gorgeous Gruesome Faces by Linda Cheng
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Yellowjackets meets She Is a Haunting in this debut speculative thriller that follows a disgraced teen idol who comes face-to-face with the demons of her past in a glittering, cutthroat K-pop competition.

The Fascination by Essie Fox
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The estranged grandson of a wealthy collector of human curiosities becomes fascinated with teenaged twin sisters, leading them into a web of dark obsessions. A dazzlingly dark gothic novel from the bestselling author of  The Somnambulist.

Emmett by L. C. Rosen
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A modern-day gay YA Emma, with the spikey social critique of Austen plus the lush over-the-top romance of Bridgerton.

DECEMBER

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura
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Rival archaeologists must team up on a secret Aztec expedition, or it could leave their careers—and hearts—in ruins.

The Ruined by Renée Ahdieh
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The stunning conclusion to the instant New York Times bestselling quartet that began with The Beautiful.

A River of Golden Bones by A.K. Mulford
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From bestselling author and TikTok sensation A.K. Mulford comes the first riveting, enchanting book in the all-new Golden Court romantasy trilogy–A River of Golden Bones begins a journey of self-discovery, romance, and adventure for a young heir as she/they comes out of hiding to save her sister from a malicious, powerful sorceress and her dangerous sleeping curse.

Perfect Little Lives: A Novel by Amber and Danielle Brown
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Every Time You Go Away by Abigail Johnson
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Perfect for fans of Jennifer Niven, Abigail Johnson draws a searing and lyrical portrait of grief, forgiveness, and the kind of love that blooms in the aftermath.

Second Chances in New Port Stephen by T.J. Alexander
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A trans man returns to his Florida hometown for Christmas after his career goes up in flames, only to cross paths with his high school ex in this charming rom-com about family and second chances from the author of the “delectable” (Time) Chef’s Kiss.

The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson
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Two wolf shifters agree to be fake mates but unexpectedly find something real in this steamy paranormal romantic comedy by Lana Ferguson.

The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Gale by Virginia Kantra
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A woman learns to follow her own road in this heartwarming novel inspired by The Wizard of Oz by New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra.

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

The post Get Your Hands On These Anticipated July To December 2023 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Releasing on September 19th and now available for pre-order, read on to discover an excerpt for a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what it takes to become an Aristene! In it, our main character Reed undertakes a ritual that will allow her to share magic with her mentor for the duration of her Hero’s Trial. It also gives a glimpse of Ferreh, one of the Aristene elders, who is always enigmatic.

SYNOPSIS

Behind every great hero is an Aristene.

Aristene are mythical female warriors, part of a legendary order. Though heroes might be immortalized in stories, it’s the Aristene who guide them to victory. They are the Heromakers.

Ever since she was an orphan taken in by the order, Reed has wanted to be an Aristene. Now, as an initiate, just one challenge stands in her way: she must shepherd her first hero to glory on the battlefield. Succeed, and Reed will take her place beside her sisters. Fail, and she’ll be cast from the only home she’s ever known.

Nothing is going to stop Reed–until she meets her hero, Hestion, a fiery and infuriating warrior. What begins as an alliance becomes more, and as secrets of the order come to light Reed begins to understand what becoming an Aristene may truly cost. Battle looming, she must choose: the order and the life she had planned, or Hestion, and the one she never expected.

EXCERPT
Magic in the Blood

Reed followed Aster through the curving halls, up one staircase and down another. It didn’t take her long to become completely lost. Some things in Atropa had seemed smaller than it had in her memories, but not the Citadel. The Citadel would never be anything but enormous and unknowable.

When they reached the darker corridors, Aster took a torch from the wall to light their way. Reed glanced back and saw that it was replaced almost instantly, the acolyte there and gone like a ghost. She couldn’t imagine being so aware, knowing the inner goings-on of the Citadel well enough to be precisely where she was needed at precisely the right moment. Yet the acolytes managed it without a drop of the goddess’ magic. They were not immortal–some even returned to the regular world after their time of service. But most lived and died as citizens of Atropa. Reed didn’t know where they came from, or how they came to be devotees. Perhaps they came from the Summer Camp, or another of the Aristene strongholds–

“Are any of the acolytes failed initiates?” she asked suddenly.

“A few initiates who did not join the order have chosen to spend their years in service,” Aster replied. “But not many.”

At the end of a long hall, Aster stopped before a door of dark wood, strengthened by fat bands of iron. Yellow light emanated from beneath it and illuminated the tips of Reed’s toes.

“Inside this door you will take your first oaths, Reed. And I will give you a drop of my magic.”

“Your magic?” Reed asked.

“The sharing of magic between mentor and initiate maintains the bond between them during the separation of the trial. I will not always be with you, Reed. But through the bond of magic I will never be far.” She looked at Reed in the torchlight, and Reed swallowed. She should say that she was honored by that gift, that to be mentored by an Aristene as great as Aster was something she didn’t deserve. She should thank her for all she had done, the thousand small kindnesses over the years. Instead she nodded, and Aster opened the door.

Inside the room was close and quiet. Light from candles flickered upon the stone walls and made shadows of every curve and crevice, and as they walked past, the tiny flames moved with their breath and the movements of their bodies. Aside from the candles the room was mostly bare: there was only a small, circular table set in the center and draped in white cloth. It was set with many candles and held a cup of glazed clay pottery. Beside the cup rested a knife, the handle inset with red and green stones.

Reed knew the words to the vows she would take. Aster and the other mentors had tutored them, made them commit them to memory. She knew what Aster would say so well she could have said it all herself. Yet standing there in the low light, with the jewels in the knife handle glinting like eyes, Reed feared she would forget, and get it all wrong.

“Shouldn’t we begin?” Reed asked.

“Soon. We must wait for the elder.”

“The elder?”

“Either Ferreh or Tiern will come. We may have to wait a while, if they decided to administer Lyonene and Gretchen’s oaths before yours.”

But Reed was unsurprised when the door opened a few moments later, just as she was unsurprised to see that it was Ferreh who walked through it. The elder didn’t look quite the same as she had above, when they stood together before the stone statue of Emaleth. Now she wore full battle regalia, with a long sword strapped to her back across a studded shield, and knives strapped to her waist in leather sheaths. Her deep brown skin had been painted with white, swirling symbols at her wrists and throat, and her eyes above the candles looked through Reed as through a stranger, as if her fond words had been a figment of Reed’s imagination.

Ferreh positioned herself across the table from them.

“What do you wish?” the elder asked.

“To be an Aristene,” Reed replied smoothly. “To join the order and dine at the Citadel and send tribute to Kleia Gloria.” Beside her, Reed felt Aster relax. She remembered the words, and felt their weight, no longer mere phrases to be learned and regurgitated on command. The oaths were real now; her first before the goddess.

“To be an Aristene is to give up your mortal life,” said Ferreh. “And to be granted a new one. To be an Aristene is to forfeit everything else. You will have no husband. No children. Your bloodline will end. Do you understand?”

Reed’s jaw tightened as each supposed cost dropped from Ferreh’s lips. She had no use for a husband. And she was all that was left of her bloodline. There was no blood to go back to. The order was her bloodline now.

“My bloodline will end,” Reed said. “But I won’t.” She met Ferreh’s eyes. Did she really think that any of this could change her mind? Prices and consequences hung suspended in the future as blurry and distant as clouds in the sky. The order was her path. The order was everything.

“You will be strong and you will be fast. You will be a maker of destinies, shaping the rise and fall of kingdoms. What will you be?”

“An Aristene,” Reed said. “A servant of Kleia Gloria.”

“A servant?” Ferreh asked.

“A servant. Her will before my own.”

Ferreh took up the knife. She turned to Aster and pointed the tip at her chest.

“Aristene, will you accept the burden of this initiate, and watch over her during the Hero’s Trial?”

“I will.”

Aster held her arm out over the mouth of the clay cup and Ferreh slashed a fast cut between her wrist and elbow. It was deep, but not deep enough to scar a member of the order–Aster would heal in a matter of days. Her blood ran dark in the candlelight, falling into the cup.

Ferreh turned to Reed.

“Do you accept this offering of your mentor?”

“I do.”

Ferreh waited, and after a few breaths, reached out to gently tug Reed’s arm over the rim of the cup. Reed flushed. They hadn’t taught them what the magic-sharing ritual entailed, nothing past the oaths, but she should have known what to do. Lyonene had probably put her arm out so fast she had pushed Sabil’s away still bleeding.

Ferreh cut. The sting of the knife was sharp. She held Reed’s arm steady as the blood dripped down, then wrapped it in a bandage of white, careful to keep any blood from falling onto the tablecloth. The knife she had already set beside the cup–her cuts had been so fast that the blade hadn’t even been soiled.

Aster took up the cup and drank, and Reed’s stomach turned when she lowered it and saw her lips tinged red at the corners and shiny in the center.

“And now the initiate will drink,” Ferreh said.

Reed had tasted blood before, many times when she had taken a hit from Jana or Lyonene, or even Aster. But this was different. It wasn’t only her blood, and it wasn’t only blood–it had been mixed with some kind of oil and a fine dusting of chopped herbs. When it hit her tongue her throat locked and refused to swallow, so she took all of the blood into her mouth and held it puffed out in her cheeks, like the cheeks of the pale white fish they kept in the pond beside the north pasture. The taste was fatty and salty. Metallic. She wanted to retch, and sucked air through her nose. Finally, she swallowed hard. The mixture of blood reached her stomach and bobbed there a moment as if it were solid.

Ferreh smiled warmly, signaling that the ritual was at an end.

“You did well,” Aster said. “For a moment I thought you’d be sick, and we’d have to start all over again.”

“Is that what would have happened?” Reed asked. “We’d have just started over?”

“Of course.” Aster clapped her on the shoulder and went to open the door, but Ferreh put a hand on Reed’s arm.

“A moment with your initiate,” she said, and Aster bowed and left them alone. At the table, Ferreh took up a stone pitcher and poured water into the blood-stained clay cup. She swirled it out and tossed the liquid into the corner. Then she held her own wrist.

“Wait,” Reed said before the knife could bite into her skin. “I do not want this. I can do it on my own.”

Ferreh looked at Reed with calm brown eyes. “This is not for you, child. It is for the order.” She sliced fast and deep; her blood ran down in a ribbon of red. “Now,” she said, and held out the cup. “Drink.”

Reed hesitated. An elder’s blood. She didn’t need to be told that it was not commonly given.

“It will not tie me to you,” Ferreh said. “It is not like the tie between mentor and initiate, where both drink.”

“Then what will it do? Why am I being given this?”

“Why do you question, the elder of your order?” Ferreh asked.

Reed took the cup. But she couldn’t bring it to her lips, and the elder sighed.

“Something is coming, Reed. That may threaten us all.” Ferreh stepped closer, her voice low. “Three initiates is uncommon. A foundling girl is uncommon. And the movements of men have become uncommon. Tonight we send three initiates into the world for more than their Hero’s Trials. I do not wish to ask an initiate for this kind of faith. But for the order I will ask it.”

“Will you ask the same of the others? Lyonene is the fastest, the cleverest, if the order has need–”

“Lyonene was not the one I saw in the waters of the well. She was not the one delivered to us in the night, shrouded by death and blood.”

“I don’t understand, elder,” Reed said. But Ferreh said no more. She was the mind, as they called her. She was the leader.

Reed tipped the cup back and drank until it was empty.

The post Read An Exclusive Excerpt From ‘Champion of Fate’ by Kendare Blake appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Vampires. Bloodsuckers. The fanged undead. How much do we love these creatures, and I’m not pausing for you to answer because the answer is SO MUCH. We love them when they’re terrifying. We love them when they’re hot. We love them with unnaturally hard bodies like sculpted marble and we love them in 80s mullets. We even love them when they’re Tom Cruise in a wig (or at least I do). And always, always, we love them in books.

Rumors of the death of the vampire book are greatly exaggerated. You can say they’re dead as much as you want, that they’re passé, so ten years ago, on their way out, but it’s not true. Vampires do not die—unless you stake them, or burn them, or cut their heads off in some instances—and neither do vampire books. To that end, here is a short list of vampire books for you to sink some of those tiny, plastic fangs into.

But first, a note: in 2022, I had the distinct honor of writing a new installment in the universe of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, an opportunity which allowed me to run rampant through my favorite vampire and demon-infested landscape (so much fang! So much staking!) The series is called BUFFY: THE NEXT GENERATION, and the first book, IN EVERY GENERATION, releases in paperback on January 31, to coincide with the hardcover release of book two: ONE GIRL IN ALL THE WORLD.

And now… VAMPIRE BOOOOOKS!!!!

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE

THE BEAUTIFUL by Renee Ahdieh 

The first installment of a swoony, lush quartet, set in a late 1800’s New Orleans that is ruled by vampires. The beautiful writing and elegantly wrought setting will lure you in for all the murder.

EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE by Jay Kristoff 

A vampire tale in a complex world of blood wars and vampiric mythos, with a complex hero at its center. The strong narrative voice and layered world provide much for the vampire lover to chew on. Or suck on? Drain…from?

FOR THOSE WHO CRAVE THAT 90’S FLAIR

MINA AND THE UNDEAD by Amy McCaw 

Head down to a New Orleans vampire party for this murder mystery chock full of references to your favorite 90s vamps. There’s a vibe here that throws back to teen favorites of the past, and after you’re done you’ll race off to a haunted house. Or a vampire bar, if it’s the wrong time of year.

FOR THOSE WHO MISS THE LOST BOYS

IN NIGHTFALL by Suzanne Young 

Pre-order yourself this fangtastic novel coming March 28^th! In the quaint town of Nightfall, Oregon, strange, beautiful girls run the show, and if they choose you, you can be just like them. Forever. This is THE book for Lost Boys fans. The only thing missing is Kiefer Sutherland’s excellent mullet.

FOR THE BUFFY FANS

BLOODY FOOL FOR LOVE by William Ritter

It’s a Spike book! I shouldn’t have to say anything else. But, I will. It’s a Spike CAPER book, with Drusilla and Darla in tow! Come along with our favorite platinum-haired anti-hero as he attempts to fill the void left behind after a certain other vampire left him high and dry just because he got a soul or something.

BIG BAD by Lily Anderson

If you ever wished for a world where the vampires won and Buffy never came to Sunnydale, then congratulations, you might be Cordelia Chase. Or you might want to read this book, set in an alternate universe where the Mayor did win and blocked out the sun so our favorite vampires and demonic villains can finally have some peace and quiet. Until of course, that blond comes to town.

FOR THOSE NEEDING A STEPHEN KING FIX

‘SALEM’S LOT by Stephen King 

Look, it’s old Stephen King, and it’s a vampire book. And there’s never a bad time to read old Stephen King, and then go hunt down the miniseries they made in the 90s with Rob Lowe. At least I think it was Rob Lowe. Actually I just googled it and they made TWO, and the one from the 70s was directed by Tobe Hooper! It’s been a long time since I’ve read or watched these, so I can’t say whether they hold up. Why don’t YOU tell ME.

Bonus! ONE GIRL IN ALL THE WORLD by Kendare Blake

Frankie Rosenberg is the world’s first slayer-witch, but she doesn’t have that slay-life balance figured out just yet. She’s still reeling from the deadly explosion at the annual slayer retreat―and new evidence that some slayers may have survived. And while she’s defeated her first Big Bad, Frankie soon realizes it was just a warm up act―and bigger, badder forces of evil are only just getting started. The Hellmouth has been reawakened, inter-dimensional portals are opening, and an oracle warns of a new foe on its way: the Darkness.

Could this be what attacked the slayers? And is it coming for Frankie?

The post Seven Books To Bring All The Vampire Nostalgia This New Year appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

1. Undead Ghoul Meet-Cute by Kendare Blake: Frankenstein-esque “enemies to lovers” romance involving a lonely ghoul and a severed head.
2. A Thousand More by Chloe Gong: An immortal tries to reconnect with his mate after they are both reincarnated.
3. Who Will Save Me by Julian Winters: A guardian angel struggles to perform his duty whilst falling in love.
4. In the Eyes of Angels by Alexis Henderson: A romance blossoms after a recovering addict rescues a fallen angel.
5. My Demon Prince Charming by Sandhya Menon: In the hopes of securing a date to a party, a girl uses a love spell and accidentally summons a demon.
6. Katrine and Rowan’s Exit Interview by Sarah Gailey: Told in script, a shipwrecked couple is forced to give an interview before they are allowed to leave a cursed island.
7. Bride-Heart by Marie Rutkoski: To help provide for her family, an 18-year-old marries a mysterious stranger and, upon learning his secret, enlists the help of a goat farmer.
8. If You Give an Asura a Cookie by Akshaya Ramon: An asura (human by day and demon by night) hopes to discover the identity of the fellow asura she meets with annually whilst in demon form.
9. Kiss the Boy by Adib Khorram: A merman finds himself unexpectedly mated to the human boy who saved his life.
10. Piano Sonata No. 13 by Kalynn Bayron: A piano prodigy finds herself inexplicably drawn to a cursed piece of music and the killer demon that the music summons.
11. Once Upon a Time in Charleston by Melissa de la Cruz: A vampire questions the mating bond that was imposed upon her after she meets a handsome traveller.
12. Pierce My Soul by Kat Cho: A girl runs into a past love whilst hunting a vampire.
13. Banes and Blessings by Hafsah Faizal: A boy attempts to stop a siren-like creature’s killing spree.
14. Bloody, Lovely by Casey McQuiston: A teen gains the courage to come out as trans after bonding with the “bloody Mary” stuck in her bathroom mirror.
15. La Bruja y la Sirena by Anna-Marie McLemore: A sea witch and a mermaid seek revenge on an abusive and entitled human.

A multitude of themes and topics are discussed in this short story anthology, such as fate versus free will, love and heartbreak, revenge, desire to escape, companionship, identity, loneliness and isolation, life and death, and family. Eternally Yours may be best suited for teens and young adults who enjoy reading paranormal and fantasy romance, but may entice older readers who enjoy some paranormal, as well as those who enjoy reading short story anthologies like My True Love Gave to Me or Summer Days and Summer Nights by Stephanie Perkins et al. In my opinion, the ideal time to real this anthology would be in the autumn or around Halloween since all the stories include paranormal or spooky elements!

Since I’m not a fan of horror, I appreciated that, whilst being paranormal and spooky, none of the short stories were scary or overly gory. It was great that more than half of the short stories in this anthology included an LGBTQ+ couple. Additionally, the stories were quick reads (only around 30 pages each) and standalones (so you can skip any stories that aren’t of interest), but can sometimes be challenging to read as one doesn’t have time to connect with the characters and get invested in their storyline.

Lastly, my favourite short stories included in this anthology were A Thousand More by Chloe Gong, If You Give an Asura a Cookie by Akshaya Ramon, and Bloody, Lovely by Casey McQuiston. Furthermore, all the romance elements included in A Thousand More was delightful,  the mystery aspects in If You Give an Asura a Cookie intriguing, and quite the unique concept and heartwarming twist in Bloody, Lovely.

Overall, this paranormal romance anthology is a quick YA read that’s perfect for the upcoming autumn and Halloween season!

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

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

Synopsis | Goodreads

Vampires and merpeople, angels and demons—the paranormal is full of unusual beings. The stories in this anthology imagine worlds where the only thing more powerful than the supernatural, is love.

Contributors include: Kalynn Bayron (Cinderella Is Dead); Kendare Blake (Three Dark Crowns); Kat Cho (Wicked Fox); Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods); Sarah Gailey (When We Were Magic); Hafsah Faizal(We Hunt the Flame); Chloe Gong (These Violent Delights); Alexis Henderson (The Year of the Witching); Adib Khorram (Darius the Great Is Not Okay); Anna-Marie McLemore (When the Moon Was Ours, The Mirror Season); Casey McQuiston (Red, White, and Royal Blue; One Last Stop); Sandhya Menon (When Dimple Met Rishi); Akshaya Raman (The Ivory Key); Marie Rutkoski (The Winner’s Curse); Julian Winters (Running With Lions; Right Where I Left You)

The post Review: Eternally Yours, edited by Patrice Caldwell appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Set in 1958, All Theses Bodies is the perfect example of what happens when true crime meets supernatural fiction. 17-year-old Michael Jensen is the son of the local sheriff in rural Minnesota and has aspirations of becoming a journalist, but little does he know that the biggest story of his life is about to be dropped in his lap when a local family becomes the next victims in a string of bizarre murders. Their bodies, like the others, are drained of blood, and there’s not a drop left in sight. Enter Marie Catherine Hale, who is found standing covered in blood in the middle of the crime scene. At first, she is perceived as a victim and key witness, but when it’s revealed that none of the blood is hers, she is soon labelled as an accomplice.

As those around him hunt for answers, Michael must turn to the one person who may just know the truth. But is he willing to hear it, and most importantly, will he believe what Marie has to tell him, before their time runs out? With the perfectly suspenseful backdrop of a small town set to ignite, Blake once more crafts a powerfully atmospheric novel with characters that stand up off the page. This unique way of weaving urban legend with true crime will have readers racing to find out what happens next.

So, let’s begin at the heart of the novel. The scary thing about All These Bodies is that it reads very closely to true crime. The ominous presence of the supernatural vampire does little to dissuade the reader’s belief, and that is the true power of this author—to make us believe in the inconceivable. Blake has also stated that she drew inspiration from two real-life crime events. These include the 1958 murder spree of Charles Starkweather and his girlfriend Caril Ann Fugate—the young couple left eleven people dead in Nebraska and Wyoming. As for the murder that happens in Michael’s small town, this is inspired by the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kanas. It’s this carefully handled fascination with true crime that brings this book to life, as the author takes things one step further and includes the ‘what if’ element of vampiric lore.

And here’s the thing—while we should know outright that something like this couldn’t be real, the way in which the author handles suspicion and disbelief makes this story that much more believable. Michael’s constant struggle with his want to believe Marie and his need to get to the bottom of the story is transferred onto us as the reader: whenever he outrightly questions her truth, we are also there for when he experiences something unexplainable. It’s this constant play between truth and what we perceive as believable that suspends the audience’s disbelief enough for the story to flourish.

Blake has also very cleverly chosen her main protagonist. Michael is an open book, not yet completely tainted by the views or opinions of the adults around him, and is extremely likable. He is chosen by Marie because she recognises him as one of the only people that may accept the tricky position of believing her story. The range of emotions we as the reader experience through him is well done—his interaction with Marie’s story is set to change his life in more ways than one.

As for Marie, she is purposely complex. She’s a young teenage girl, seemingly without guardians, in a small town run by middle aged men. Here we see the author push back against outdated views of fragile femininity, as Marie’s role in the story is revealed. Initially, she is thought as of ‘just a girl’ without power. While recounting her tale to Michael, we see a different version of Marie emerging. As Michael states, this unknown girl is about to challenge everything he knows. It is through the exploration of Marie that the author also provides an important discussion on the role of one’s choices, and how the choices we make in the moment define our path. Sometimes, as Marie finds out, there are no right choices to make, only equally hard ones.

The only main critique for this book concerns its villain. While the focus is predominantly on Michael, Marie, and the ‘Bloodless Murders’, we experience this ominous figure who menaces the story from the shadows. For those that like a fully resolved ending and a secure ‘gotcha’ moment, this may be the only piece of the story that doesn’t quite come through. However, it can be argued that the intent of the author is clear here: not all stories, especially in the instance of true crime cases, are so easily wrapped up; and not all villains are so easily defined.

Perfectly combining fact, fiction, and urban legend, All These Bodies is definitely a book for your wish list—especially if you’re a lover of a good true crime podcast. Blake’s experience as an author is clearly evident throughout the novel as she takes the reader on a suspenseful, and original, supernatural man hunt.

All These Bodies is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up All These Bodies? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Sixteen bloodless bodies. Two teenagers. One impossible explanation.

Summer 1958—a string of murders plagues the Midwest. The victims are found in their cars and in their homes—even in their beds—their bodies drained, but with no blood anywhere.

September 19- the Carlson family is slaughtered in their Minnesota farmhouse, and the case gets its first lead: 15-year-old Marie Catherine Hale is found at the scene. She is covered in blood from head to toe, and at first she’s mistaken for a survivor. But not a drop of the blood is hers.

Michael Jensen, son of the local sheriff, yearns to become a journalist and escape his small-town. He never imagined that the biggest story in the country would fall into his lap, or that he would be pulled into the investigation, when Marie decides that he is the only one she will confess to.

As Marie recounts her version of the story, it falls to Michael to find the truth: What really happened the night that the Carlsons were killed? And how did one girl wind up in the middle of all these bodies?

The post Review: All These Bodies by Kendare Blake appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

In 2010, she entered the world of publishing with her novel, Sleepwalk Society, and since then she has gone from strength to strength. Not long after her debut, Blake released her Anna Dressed in Blood series, a duology of novels centred around a dead girl with a grudge and a ghost killer with a heart; a personal favourite of this reviewer. Next came her Goddess of War novels in 2013 before 2016’s Three Dark Crowns became a worldwide sensation. This tale of sister Queen’s with a destiny to die continues this year with Five Dark Fates, the fourth and final full length novel of the series.

Nerd Daily contributor Tasha Leigh had the honour of asking Kendare some burning questions relating to her Three Dark Crowns series and how her writing has evolved over the years.

So Five Dark Fates is the final novel in the Three Dark Crowns series. Was it a difficult task to write a conclusion that is likely (and hopefully) going to keep your audience happy?

It was difficult to write a conclusion at all, because I love these characters, and this island, and I wasn’t ready to leave them behind. I wrote slowly, and cringed when I realized where this or that plotline was headed; I wrote with a grimace, muttering “Arsinoe, what are you doing” or “Mira, don’t” or, “Kat, what the f?”

But I couldn’t write it with an aim to keep the audience happy. I had to let the characters do what they would. And since it seems that the audience is very split on favorites, I knew there was no pleasing everyone. And knowing that was a little bit freeing, to be honest.

Where did your inspiration initially come from when you started this series?

Oh, that’s a long story. To make that long story shorter: bees. A ball of bees, and a helpful beekeeper who told me about queen bees, and how they will lay several queen eggs, and the baby queens will hatch and kill each other.

Has the plot stayed the same as you originally envisaged it? Or did it take its own course as you got further through the writing process?

I didn’t plot Three Dark Crowns. I knew who the characters were, and had gotten to know them over a long period before writing. I knew the situation they were in, and I knew the Arsinoe wrinkle. Beyond that, I had no idea how it would go, where they would take it. But I’m pretty pleased with all of these young women. I really love them.

The character of Katherine seems to elicit polar responses from readers whereby they absolutely despise her or they think she is the most marvellous villain. Was she always destined to be humanised in this final instalment?

Katharine is who she is. She went through one of the wildest arcs, I think, from timid victim to wrathful renegade, to a Poisoner Queen who is doing her best. I’ve never thought of her as a villain, not even when she was at her worst in One Dark Throne. She had her reasons. And she was raised an Arron. A poisoner. Severity is a part of their culture.

Did you draw inspiration from anywhere for Kat’s epic Gave Noir feast?

Um, yeah, I read a lot of books on poison and I wanted to write about poisoned food. I love to write about food. I’m pretty much constantly hungry.

Previous deaths in the Three Dark Crowns series were extremely tame compared to some of your other novels, specifically Anna Dressed In Blood’s bloody endings and the epic battle/island vengeance scenes of Five Dark Fates. Do you have a process you work through when writing character deaths? Or do you simply let the narrative steer the mode of a characters demise?

The narrative is always steering. I remember the first hard final moment I had to write in Girl of Nightmares, the ending where spoiler alert Cas leaves Anna behind. I kept trying to write a way around it. But it wouldn’t go. The story does what it wants. What it is supposed to do. Natalia’s death in One Dark Throne was very hard for me, and though it was less gruesome, I found the manner of it (strangling at the hands of a male lover) far more disturbing. I saved her in one draft. I really wanted to save her. But it didn’t work.

You contributed to the horror anthology Slasher Girls and Monster Boys in 2015 alongside other Young Adult powerhouses such as Jay Kristoff and Leigh Bardugo. Does your process for writing short stories differ from writing full length novels?

Yes! Sort of. Short stories still require a similar amount of lead-up time (sometimes they spend several years in my head) but once I sit down to write I finish within a few days, and have never needed to redraft or heavily revise. I love short stories. They are perfect, crystallized moments. Snapshots of life. And speaking of Jay Kristoff and Leigh Bardugo I would love to see full, fat, short story collections from both of them.

How has your writing changed since you wrote and released your debut novel Sleepwalk Society in 2010?

In some aspects it’s changed a lot, and some not at all. I could still channel that sarcastic, pessimistic voice (because honestly that’s MY voice) but the scope of my writing has expanded. I’ve done things in different tenses, different perspectives, with larger casts and fantastical settings. I want to continue to push myself higher, further, faster…Captain Marvel style, I guess? Except not faster. I do not write fast. Not by choice, anyway.

If you could have any of your novels adapted for the screen, what form would it take and who would be your dream cast?

This is kind of difficult to respond to, since Three Dark Crowns and Anna Dressed in Blood are in development, along with my short story from Slasher Girls & Monster Boys. So to say any one of them feels like jinxing them? Three Dark Crowns and the short story “On the I-5” are in development for film, and Anna is going for TV. I love the creative and production teams behind both (21laps and Fickle Fish Films, respectively) so I will be over the moon if any move forward.

But that’s not an answer, so lets say that my Goddess War trilogy was adapted for some strange reason. I would want it to be a short form series like American Gods, 10 eps or less a season, and with similarly excellent funky imagery. For the cast: Zendaya as Athena, Joe Keery as Odysseus, Anna Torv as Hera, a young Asian newcomer as Andie, and a big, mean, black-haired hunk as Ares.

Where can we expect to see you in the coming months?

I’ll be on the road with the Epic Reads Tour, along with Shelby Mahurin (SERPENT & DOVE), Sara Raasch (THESE DIVIDED SHORES), and Rena Barron (KINGDOM OF SOULS)! Starting September 10th we’ll be in Connecticut, then North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, and San Diego. And after that I have some festivals. Check my website for full details, I try to keep it updated.

Final question! If you could tell your younger self anything about your journey in publishing, what would it be?

Don’t sweat what you can’t control. It’s not really going to get easier, but it will still be awesome. Maybe get medication for your anxiety sooooner? But my younger self would never have listened to me. She was a real little shit.

QUICKFIRE ROUND

Fiction or nonfiction? Fiction!
Plotter or pantser? (Do you plot out your entire story to the smallest detail or just have a vague idea + major occurrences and let the characters guide you?) Pantser, leaning into plotter as I move along.
Favourite bookish trope? Fish out of water time travel.
Least favourite bookish trope? Damsel in distress.
Coffee or tea? Tea.
Pizza or pasta? I’m not choosing, this question is mean.
Beach holiday or hiking in the bush? Hiking. Only in what kind of bush? Hiking in really pretty, safe, clearly-marked bush.
Convention crowds or smaller signings? I enjoy both.
Sunny or rainy? Rainy mornings with sunny afternoons.
If you could pick a single holiday destination for the rest of your life, where would it be? London.
Music, books or Netflix – you can only pick 2? Books and Netflix.

Have you read any books by Kendare Blake? Tell us in the comments below!

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