Grant’s writing flows so well, creating such a compulsively readable story that I flew through over half of this fantastic book in one afternoon. It just clicked instantly and from there, you’re utterly hooked by Grant’s entrancing writing. Her skill is clearly evident when it comes to the Les Misérables element, which is used as a tool to weave familiar elements and characters into her wholly original, bold reimagining. This is no carbon copy, rather a fresh look at a tale that many of us hold dear. It’s awesome to comb through and spot all the little references which are rather like a knowing wink to the audience that is hunting for those tiny details. This speaks volumes about Grant’s skill and attention to detail. For a debut author, she blows it out of the water.

This Paris is not the one we know with Grant casting a darker revisionist lens on our version of history. Here, the seedy underbelly of the city and its various criminal guilds are exposed but the equally (if not more) corrupt and brutal court hides their treachery behind fine clothes, deceptively beautiful smiles and extravagant balls. Grant makes it very clear that most people stray to the dark in order to survive, but the rich thrive off it. There’s a stark contrast between the vain frivolity of the elite and the harsh struggle of the Wretched (those in the Court of Miracles). Grant weaves a fully fleshed-out, realised world beneath the surface of Paris that was so fascinating to visit. The different Guilds are so distinct and interesting to read about, with a lot of room left for further exploration in the sequel and this reviewer strongly hopes that we’ll return to their shadowy halls.

Grant is unafraid to really dive into the action and gritty topics. There’s a fair amount of blood and violence, showing the dirty, raw reality of survival. Addiction is also a large part of the book, particularly opium addiction or the ‘poppy’ and the book also delves into the issue of slavery. Also, there’s a really thought-provoking conversation about privilege at the heart of the book. Nina is a working-class person of colour and this informs every aspect of her worldview. She faces prejudice and being seen as ‘lesser’ for being mixed race. In contrast, the white elite will never understand the struggles she has faced. Even the revolutionary students are blinded by their fanatical ideology, which they are only able to cultivate because of their privilege, knowledge and education.

Speaking of Nina, she is a fantastic protagonist, who is ferocious, feisty, and an excellent thief to boot. Her relationships with other characters and their dynamics were really interesting to read and hopefully there’s more to discover with some of them. In fact, the vast majority of the characters were really three-dimensional and well-rounded. They all have a grey morality that Grant applies across the board to highlight the messy reality of survival. Even the primary villain has a believable and understandable backstory that goes a long way towards explaining why he is the way he is, though his horrendous actions are never excused. He is a menacing villain, but the beauty of Grant’s work is that so is Nina’s father. Their scale is vastly different but Nina’s father manages to wreck so many aspects of her life and his treachery is purely motivated by greed. To this reader, both men appeared equally deplorable. A lot of the story centres on Nina liberating herself from him, finding her own identity and forming her own family. The found family trope is a familiar and comforting one in this story, creating genuine but complex relationships.

All in all, The Court of Miracles is a brutal, sharp, and brilliant story that has a moody and dark atmosphere expertly created by an unflinching author. It is a rich tale that you’ll be able to vividly picture yourself in.

The Court of Miracles is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up The Court of Miracles? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

A diverse fantasy reimagining of Les Misérables and The Jungle Book.

In the dark days following a failed French Revolution, in the violent jungle of an alternate 1828 Paris, young cat-burglar Eponine (Nina) Thenardier goes head to head with merciless royalty, and the lords of the city’s criminal underworld to save the life of her adopted sister Cosette (Ettie).

Her vow will take her from the city’s dark underbelly, through a dawning revolution, to the very heart of the glittering court of Louis XVII, where she must make an impossible choice between guild, blood, betrayal and war.

The post Review: The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hadestown > Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe
WebToon

Hadestown is a critically acclaimed musical that has been around for quite a while, but that gained more popularity over the past year thanks to its latest Broadway production. It’s about the Hades/Persephone and Orpheus/Eurydice myths. but with a modern twist. And if you like Hadestown, you probably like Greek mythology and forbidden love stories. That’s why there’s a high chance that you’ll like Lore Olympus, a web comic created by Rachel Smythe that is also based on the Hades/Persephone myth and that also has a modern approach. In this web comic, you get to discover how Persephone became Queen of the Underworld through beautiful illustrations mostly in blue and pink tones. The story currently has a hundred episodes and is updated every Sunday on WebToon, but it’s so easy to read and so addictive that it won’t take you long to catch up.

Anastasia > Romanov by Nadine Brandes
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Anastasia is a rather new musical adapted from the 1997 film of the same name. The story about the Russian royal family’s incarceration and the horrifying ending to that imprisonment is known worldwide. However, in Romanov, Nadine Brandes gives us a new emotionally packed story with lots of magic elements and a strong family presence. We follow the Romanov family as they live under house arrest. However, at one point, the family is separated and Nastya (Anastasia) is given the task to hide the family’s relic because it contains spells that would be their only salvation. The first half of the book is more focused on the characters whilst the second part is more driven by action and features more of the fantasy aspects of the story. Overall, it is a touching novel that does a great job in mixing both light and darkness, and that focuses primarily on the theme of forgiveness, and whether it is worth giving.

Heathers > A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A rock musical based on the 1988 film of the same name and it has been on both Broadway and the West End. It follows the story of four teenage girls whose lives are turned upside down when there is an intent on murdering the popular students and trying to pass their deaths as suicides. The show is known for its dark humour but also for talking about heavy topics like suicide, bullying, sexual assault, and violence in schools.

For this one, we have picked A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, which is a book that, although not exactly as Heathers, also deals with most of the same topics, primarily teen murder and suicide. This is a YA thriller novel about a girl who went missing and was presumed dead by a boy who afterwards committed suicide and sent a text message confessing to what he had done. The body was never found and therefore, the case was closed. Until now, because a student is determined to open up the investigation again to write a school project about it. Overall, it is an enjoyable, fast-paced, and intriguing book. 

Dear Evan Hansen > Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Dear Evan Hansen is a musical written by Benji Pasek and Justin Paul and follows a teenage boy with social anxiety who just wants to find his place in this world and someone to understand him. Evan finds himself at the centre of a tragedy as a classmate commits suicide. In an attempt to become closer to his peers and to the deceased boy’s family, he pretends that he was good friends with the boy. He writes an email as proof that they were friends and after other events, his social life starts to grow. As he finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into the lie, he has to decide whether he should admit the truth and face the consequences or perpetuate the fantasy he has created. In conclusion, Dear Evan Hansen is a musical that deals with bullying, anxiety, depression, and suicide in a way that feels very real and raw.

For this musical, we recommend Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia. It is about an anxious girl who secretly writes a famous web comic, but one day, her life takes a turn when that secret is threatened, and she needs to figure out how she’ll handle everything that’s happening to her. Both Eliza and Evan have great imagination and a big inner world but struggle when it comes to expressing themselves with words, in person. The decisions they make are made out of fear but ultimately they learn that they can trust other people and count on them to be there for them when it matters. Both the musical and the book offer a very realistic portrayal of social anxiety.

Les Misérables > The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Of course, a list like this wouldn’t be complete without one of the most popular musicals of all time, Les Misérables. This French Revolution musical based on the novel by Victor Hugo has been going on for decades and has multiple productions on Broadway and the West End and film adaptations on its back. The book we recommend for this one is a new release, The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant. The author mirrors the world era in which Les Mis is set but reimagines it in a completely new and breath-taking way, one could say it’s a Les Mis meets Six of Crows book. In this novel, we follow the story of a young thief, Eponine (Nina) Thénardier who fights the leaders of Paris’ criminal underground at the beginning of the French Revolution. But it’s not the Paris we know, it’s an alternate version of the French capital which is divided between royalty and nine underworld criminal guilds: the Court of Miracles. The main character, Nina, has to protect her younger adopted sister Cosette (Ettie) from Tiger, the ruthless lord of the Guild of Flesh. In an attempt to do so, Nina is forced to make a difficult choice: protect her sister and set off a war between the guilds or lose her sister to Tiger. 

In this book, most of the main characters and their personalities are pulled from the original story and its musical adaptations but everything is different enough that it makes for an interesting and fresh read that will definitely capture people’s attention. It is a complex story full of tragedy and dark undertones. Ultimately, it’s got real people, people who have nothing but that still find something to fight for and live for —it sends a message of hope.

Do you have any book recommendations based on musicals? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Five YA Book Recommendations For Musical Theatre Fans appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

June 2020 sees new novels from authors Riley Sager, Sandie Jones, Jasmine Guillory, Abbi Waxman, and many more!

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In the latest thriller from New York Times bestseller Riley Sager, a woman returns to the house made famous by her father’s bestselling horror memoir. Is the place really haunted by evil forces, as her father claimed? Or are there more earthbound—and dangerous—secrets hidden within its walls?

Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Danger lurks within the roots of Forest of Souls, an epic, unrelenting tale of destiny and sisterhood, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Susan Dennard.

The Half Sister by Sandie Jones
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Hello Sunshine Book Club pick The Other Woman, comes a compelling new domestic suspense novel about a family who is forever changed when a stranger arrives at their door.

The Ghosts of Sherwood by Carrie Vaughn
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Carrie Vaughn’s The Ghosts of Sherwood revisits the Robin Hood legend with a story of the famed archer’s children.

Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A chance meeting with a handsome stranger turns into a whirlwind affair that gets everyone talking.

The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Last House Guest—a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick—comes a riveting new novel of psychological suspense about a young woman plagued by night terrors after a childhood trauma who wakes one evening to find a corpse at her feet.

A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians by H.G. Parry
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A sweeping tale of revolution and wonder in a world not quite like our own, A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians is a genre-defying story of magic, war, and the struggle for freedom in the early modern world.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of Gods of Jade and Shadow comes a reimagining of the classic gothic suspense novel, a story about an isolated mansion in 1950s Mexico—and the brave socialite drawn to its treacherous secrets.

The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Les Misérables meets Six of Crows in this page-turning adventure as a young thief finds herself going head to head with leaders of Paris’s criminal underground in the wake of the French Revolution.

Perfectly Famous by Emily Liebert
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the USA TODAY bestselling author of Pretty Revenge comes the story of a journalist obsessed with finding a crime novelist who disappears after a deadly attack on her beloved daughter.

I Was Told It Would Get Easier by Abbi Waxman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Squashed among a bus full of strangers, mother-daughter duo Jessica and Emily Burnstein watch their carefully mapped-out college tour devolve into a series of off-roading misadventures, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.

Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Exploring identity, class struggles, and high-stakes romance, Tanaz Bhathena’s Hunted by the Sky is a gripping adventure set in a world inspired by medieval India.

Will you be picking up any of these June 2020 releases? Any others that should be on our radar? Tell us in the comments below!

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

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

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

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

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