Read on below to learn more about this fantastic story, how Szpara blurred the line between magic and reality, his hopes for a future where exchanging pronouns is just another part of an everyday introduction to someone, and what has helped him make it through the last year.

Hi Kellan and thanks so much for returning to talk with The Nerd Daily about your latest novel! Before we get into the book, tell our readers a little bit about what you’ve been up to since we last chatted a year ago and how you’ve been managing through the unprecedented year we’ve had with the pandemic.

It has been quite a year, hasn’t it?! So far, I’ve managed by playing a lot of video games and adopting a kitten. Highly suggest both—though neither particularly helps with the writing. They are worthy distractions!

Your new novel, First, Become Ashes, will be out April 6, 2021. Give our readers a brief synopsis of what to expect from your latest work.

First, Become Ashes is the story of a cult’s undoing from the points of view of three survivors and one outsider. Kane and Lark are Anointed within the Fellowship, trained in magic and combat to slay the monsters that have corrupted those outside the fence. But when Kane, having long doubted their teachings, betrays their leader’s harmful practices to the FBI, Lark doesn’t feel liberated. With the help of a cosplayer who is desperate to believe in magic, Lark sets off across the country on his righteous quest, pursued by family, friends, and the Feds, in a hatchback full of weapons, to slay a monster.

I’m always interested in what sparks ideas for writers, particularly when it comes to SFF because anything goes! When and how did you develop the concept for First, Become Ashes? How long did it take you to complete the book?

I wish I had a good answer for where this one came from but it’s one of those ideas that just hit me the way a good comeback does three hours too late. As someone who’s studied religion and spirituality, who’s experienced several incarnations of the same in my own life, I’ve always been interested in cults and belief. What if that story started at the end, though? At the moment when everything you were raised to believe has been declared not only wrong but dangerous. That what you love most has hurt you? And what if I painted that story with magic and monsters and a gay road trip? It’s complicated to unravel, and I love grey areas. Love showing people processing conflicted and unexpected emotions in the wake of trauma.

As to how long it took me to complete, Ashes was the first book I wrote start to finish on deadline! So… six-ish months to drafts and three to revise! It’s a different manner of writing. I would describe myself as a slow writer and I have a dayjob, as well, so getting that first draft out timely is an act of will. By which I mean a lot of working in coffee shops until 2:00 a.m.—when it was safe to do that sort of thing!

Stories about cults seem to be gaining popularity with readers over the past few years. Did you do any research into real-life cults to prepare for writing your book? Were there aspects that you pulled from or wanted to avoid in the novel, based on your knowledge of or popular conceptions of cults?

I think cults are so popular because they’re micro-societies. They’re closed and secretive—none of us think we’re naïve enough to be drawn in, and yet people are. People like you and me, like our family and friends and coworkers. Before Ashes was even a pitch, I was listening to podcasts like Oh No! Ross and Carrie, in which the hosts investigate “spirituality, fringe science and claims of the paranormal” which has often included organizations that feel cultlike. I was also listening to a podcast aptly named Cults, in which each episode delves into the history and psychology of a different cult. I don’t have much sit-down time for research and reading, so I absorb as much as I can via podcasts and audiobooks. I’ve also watched movies and documentaries about both real and fake cults. Inventing one is trickier than it sounds!

A cult has to be alluring and have mechanisms to keep people in, keep them controlled, and believing, while also appearing outlandish and dangerous to those on the outside. I knew I wanted to integrate magic because, besides being a speculative fiction author, magic is alluring! It’s a thing so many of us wish was real. Imagine having that—then having it taken away?

Much like Docile, your debut novel First, Become Ashes has been creating quite the buzz due to the explicit nature of the subject matter. In fact, there is a content warning to give readers advance notice that the novel contains “explicit sadomasochism and sexual content, as well as abuse and consent violations, including rape.” Could you talk a bit about handling such controversial and delicate topics in your writing and why you feel these components are integral to the story you are telling in this novel?

Other novels contain those elements, but usually the marketing, publisher, and/or author are not forthright about them. Consent is a frequent theme in my work, and by putting a content warning in the opening matter, readers are better able to consent to the story they’re about to engage. This, of course, makes it more visible, but I don’t think of these topics as controversial while I’m writing them. The Fellowship is a cult. Its leader and her ideology have harmed its members, psychologically and physically. Some authors and readers think the horrifying details should be left out or skimmed or implied, but I have always confronted the hard stuff head-on. Even though I make stuff up as an author, I aim for emotional truth. Ashes depicts Lark processing his experiences and belief while questing across the country. And those experiences are illuminated in Kane’s point of view, as he describes his arc of doubt and disbelief. It would be a disservice to these characters to gloss over what’s happened to them, to sanitize their realities.

There is a fantastic blurring between what is real and what is magic in this story … to the point that it is difficult for the reader to know the difference at times throughout the book. What was your motivation for this ambiguity and how did you approach conveying this in your writing?

There was a point during the editing process where my editor was trying to lay out the magic system like an equation, with cause and effect—in a way that made sense. He’s brilliant with fantasy so I had to stop him and explain that whether magic appears to succeed is not based on a formula but rather on the point of view character. For example, there’s a scene where Lark performs healing magic on himself at a roadside motel, while Calvin, who is an outsider, and a half-dozen guests watch. What do each of them see—what do they experience? Lark, a believer, is healed. Calvin, desperate to believe, is unsure what he sees but knows that Lark is healed where he was wounded. And onlookers approach them with suspicion, like maybe they’re two weirdos with candles by the motel pool. Surely, there’s an explanation, Calvin’s friend will tell him.

We all experience the world through lenses shaped by our beliefs. That blurring puts the reader in a place to decide whether they believe and in who and what. One of my pet peeves are stories that feature magic and wonder, but in the end it was all in their head. It robs the protagonist of their experience. But I also didn’t necessarily want an abusive cult leader to be validated. It was a tricky line, so I blurred it!

One thing that really stood out to me while reading was the emphasis you placed on the use of pronouns throughout the novel — how the characters from The Fellowship were clear in identifying their own pronouns and also very vocal about ensuring that outsiders did not misgender them or make assumptions about their gender identity. I don’t think I’ve read anything before which so fully incorporates and centers this! Could you talk a bit about why this is important to you and how you went about making it such a natural part of the story?

Cults are bad because they hurt and take advantage of people, but their survivors often don’t have one hundred percent negative memories from them. That’s part of the abuse and gaslighting. That some aspects seem and feel—and are—good. In the Fellowship of the Anointed, there’s closeness and camaraderie, shared homecooked meals, and the space to discover and be yourself, for that to be default respected. And because their numbers are so small, they can know each other intimately and cultivate a space where pronouns are like names: unique and never assumed. As they find out, once “liberated”, outsiders do not share these values. Lark is offended when people call him “sir” as if they know him.

That’s a bit how I feel, leaving a queer space and navigating the world. Like, even if a stranger gets a term right, how bold of them to guess! I would like to imagine a future where exchanging pronouns, if desired, is not so outside the norm that it is worth mentioning in an interview. But we’re not there, yet. So I work things like this into my work, into the worldbuilding, and hope that readers get some ideas of their own while reading.

Okay, let’s compare protagonists … (Every author’s favorite thing to do, I know!) Elisha from Docile and Lark from First, Become Ashes are both characters that easily draw empathy from the reader for what they have been through. Who stole your heart more during the writing process?

You’re correct that I’m not going to give you the satisfaction of an easy answer! When Elisha registered as a Docile, he knew life was about to get hard for him. That he would do things he didn’t want to and suffer for it. Even though he didn’t predict that he would be brainwashed, he tried to prepare himself. Lark, on the other hand, did not believe himself to be harmed. What outsiders saw as liberation from the Fellowship, he saw as a community destroyed and the safety of the world put in jeopardy. Elisha inspires me to feel angry with an inescapable and hostile system. But Lark makes me feel sad for those who seek something bigger than themselves and are taken advantage of. They’re different kinds of heart-stealing!

And, finally, let’s close with a bit of reflecting on your reading and writing over the past year. What are some of the best books you’ve read recently? Do you feel like you’ve been more or less productive with your writing during the pandemic? And can readers still expect another new novel from you in 2022?!

I consumed almost nothing new during the pandemic and feel awful for it, but isolation has sent me seeking comfort re-reads and re-watches. (Ask me how many times I re-read and re-watched the Jurassic Park series…) That said, I devoured the incredible Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke while driving to and from a weekend getaway with my immediate family. Highly recommend for folks who like stories about people taken advantage of, people who face trauma and an unlearning…

Creating has been even more challenging than consuming, for me. Though I am glad to stay home or get takeaway for the safety of my favorite baristas and bakers and librarians, I was a coffee shop and library writer. Working at home amidst a million distractions—in the same place I also do “office” work!—has been very difficult. Luckily, my third novel features Finley Hall, gay trans millennial vampire from my novelette, “Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time.” The two of us are well acquainted so, during what time I have managed to carve out for myself, we’re having a real romp! Hopefully, he’ll be in a bookstore near you in 2022.

Will you be picking up First, Becomes Ashes? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: K.M. Szpara, Author of ‘First, Become Ashes’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto
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A hilariously quirky novel that is equal parts murder mystery, rom-com, and a celebration of mothers and daughters as well as a deep dive into Chinese-Indonesian culture.

The Helm of Midnight by Marina Lostetter
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A legendary serial killer stalks the streets of a fantastical city in The Helm of Midnight, the stunning first novel in a new trilogy from acclaimed author Marina Lostetter.

Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author and rom-com queen Becky Albertalli comes a buoyant new novel about daring to step out of the shadows and into the spotlight in love, life, and, yes, theater.

Near the Bone by Christina Henry
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A woman trapped on a mountain attempts to survive more than one kind of monster, in a dread-inducing horror novel from the national bestselling author Christina Henry.

First, Become Ashes by K.M. Szpara
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K. M. Szpara follows his explosive debut novel Docile with First, Become Ashes, a fantastic standalone adventure that explores self-discovery after trauma and outgrowing abusive origins over the course of an American road trip.

Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez
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A brilliant and touching romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever After Playlist.

The Light of the Midnight Stars by Rena Rossner
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An evocative combination of fantasy, history, and Jewish folklore, The Light of the Midnight Stars is fairytale-inspired novel from the author of The Sisters of the Winter Wood.

The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman
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From award-winning author Akemi Dawn Bowman comes an incisive, action-packed tale that explores big questions about technology, grief, love, and humanity.

The Widow Queen by Elżbieta Cherezińska
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Elzbieta Cherezinska’s The Widow Queen is the epic story of a Polish queen whose life and name were all but forgotten until now.

In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens
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A young prince must rely on a mysterious stranger to save him when he is kidnapped during his coming-of-age tour in this swoony adventure that is The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Pirates of the Caribbean.

The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird
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Set in a world where a virus stalks our male population, The End of Men is an electrifying and unforgettable debut from a remarkable new talent that asks: what would our world truly look like without men?

The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris
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Dear Martin meets They Both Die at the End in this gripping, evocative novel about a Black teen who has the power to see into the future, whose life turns upside down when he foresees his younger brother’s imminent death, from the acclaimed author of SLAY.

What April 2021 books are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post April 2021 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Fellowship of the Anointed is all its inhabitants have ever known. It is a refuge of safety from the monsters that occupy the outside world. It is the place the Anointed learn to develop and wield their magic. It is their family, although not in the traditional sense. In short, it is everything; their entire world. To the outsiders, however, the Fellowship is exactly what it sounds like—a cult. An isolated compound led by an extremist who, for the past few decades, has guided her followers in strange and secretive ways.

One of the most promising of the Anointed is Lark. Only a few months away from turning 25, and thus beginning his crusade to destroy the monsters, his faith is both pure and blind. He questions nothing, only does as he is told. After all, this is the only life he’s ever known. However, when the Fellowship is stormed by the FBI—the members “rescued” and their leader facing criminal charges—Lark cannot accept the possibility his entire life has been a lie.

Told from multiple perspectives, First, Become Ashes is the story of what comes next when you are removed from all you have ever known. As Lark remains compelled to seek and destroy the monsters he has trained his whole life to face, his partner Kane struggles to help Lark see that his magic was never real, it was merely a means of control. Or was it? Lark’s sibling, Deryn, relieved to be free from the Fellowship, grasps at this opportunity to prove their worth once and for all. And along the way, Lark meets Calvin and Lilian, each drawn to him for different reasons but both willing to aid him along on his quest. Together, these alternating viewpoints present a journey full of action that will keep readers furiously turning pages until the very end.

Szpara has made a number of interesting, and perhaps controversial, choices with this second novel. Much like his debut Docile, First, Become Ashes has no shortage of explicit subject matter. In fact, there is a content warning to give readers advance notice of “explicit sadomasochism and sexual content, as well as abuse and consent violations, including rape.” You see, the Fellowship teaches pain as the way to grow and develop one’s magical powers. While the graphic sex scenes and flashbacks of abuse make this a book that is certainly not for everyone, Szpara nests this content down into the narrative in a way which feels integral to the story. After all, a main theme of the novel is resilience and the ability to overcome past trauma to move forward.

Szpara also creates an illusory blurring between what is real and what is magic in this story … to the point that it is difficult for the reader to know the difference at times. This lingering question in the back of the reader’s mind: do Lark and the other Anointed truly possess magical powers, or have they just been brainwashed into believing they do?  This drives the story ever forward.

Another aspect well worth noting is the emphasis placed on the use of pronouns throughout the novel. The members of the Fellowship are clear in identifying their own pronouns and are also very vocal about ensuring outsiders do not misgender them or make assumptions about their gender identity. The centering of this topic is rarely executed so clearly in other novels, a step which Szpara should be recognised for.

First, Become Ashes, like any good fantasy book, examines issues of the world around us in a setting with a bit more magic. Szpara intelligently probes how we come to be the people we are and how we learn about the world from those around us. He considers the influence of organised religion and individual convictions, how ideas that are presented to us turn into deep-rooted beliefs. He questions the righteousness in how we believe others (or don’t) when they tell us who they are and what they need. All together this novel has everything one looks for in a great fantasy read: a world which wraps itself around you, characters you adore and root for, friendship, love, sex, and so much more. The fluidity of Szpara’s writing will pull you in for an adventure you won’t want to miss if you are brave enough to take the leap.

First, Become Ashes is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of April 6th 2021. Many thanks to Tordotcom Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Will you be picking up First, Become Ashes? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

The Fellowship raised Lark to kill monsters.
His partner betrayed them to the Feds.
But Lark knows his magic is real, and he’ll do anything to complete his quest.

K. M. Szpara follows Docile, one of the most anticipated science fiction novels of 2020, with First, Become Ashes, a fantastic standalone adventure that blends pain and pleasure and will make readers question what is real, and what is magical.

Lark spent the first twenty-four years, nine months, and three days of his life training for a righteous quest: to rid the world of monsters. Alongside his partner Kane, he wore the cage and endured the scourge in order to develop his innate magic. He never thought that when Kane left, he’d next see him in the company of FBI agents and a SWAT team. He never dreamed that the leader of the Fellowship of the Anointed would be brought up on charges of abuse and assault.

He never expected the government would tell him that the monsters aren’t real–that there is no magic, and all the pain was for nothing.

Lark isn’t ready to give up. He is determined to fulfill his quest, to defeat the monsters he was promised. Along the way he will grapple with the past, confront love, and discover his long-buried truth.

The post Review: First Become Ashes by K.M. Szpara appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

With four different POVs and flashbacks that enrich the current timeline, First, Become Ashes introduces a world that is so realistic yet has elements that make you question the narrators’ reliability throughout the story. There are jarring tonal shifts – not just between the different characters but also within certain scenes. One moment, you’re reading about cosplaying and the next, cult practices are discussed with a level of normalcy you’d usually associate with people talking about the weather. It’s certainly not going to be for everyone, but I found these tonal shifts to be as confounding as intriguing.

As we follow the main character Lark, paired with a few other characters, and dive deeper into his psyche and learn about his experiences within the Fellowship, you can’t help but believe that magic is real as well. Calvin, a new friend of Lark’s, wants to believe in Lark’s magical abilities so much that you as the reader, wonder until the very last page what is real and what isn’t and that alone makes this book worth picking up.

There is also excellent representation of diversity in First, Become Ashes. Beyond including people from different races, genders and sexualities, Lark and his fellow peers also ask every new acquaintance for their pronouns. What appears unexpected at the beginning of the story quickly becomes normalised behaviour and really showcases how easy it is not to assume someone’s gender identity within the first seconds of meeting them.

What I loved most about this book, though, was the complex exploration of trauma. Again, I can’t go into too much detail because of spoilers, but Lark is such a flawed victim of trauma and the way he handles the stress that comes with rejecting the notion that you have to give up the beliefs you’ve grown up with is so compelling. While we get insights into how other characters struggle with guilt, trauma and loss, Lark is the one who has the farthest to go when it comes to accepting reality, which isn’t easy when you’ve been blinded to the truth for decades. The refusal to accept the suffering that would come with rearranging the meaning of past hurt he experienced was as harrowing as it was necessary. So, if you’re okay with reading a book with darker topics and explorations of past trauma, then I think this read could really impact you. First, Become Ashes surely is a tragic story, but it nevertheless emphasises hope and faith in a better tomorrow than today.

Unexpected and compelling, First, Become Ashes expertly blurs the line between fiction and reality and keeps readers invested long after the book is closed.

First, Become Ashes is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of April 6th 2021.

Will you be picking up First, Become Ashes? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

The Fellowship raised Lark to kill monsters.
His partner betrayed them to the Feds.
But Lark knows his magic is real, and he’ll do anything to complete his quest.

K. M. Szpara follows Docile, one of the most anticipated science fiction novels of 2020, with First, Become Ashes, a fantastic standalone adventure that blends pain and pleasure and will make readers question what is real, and what is magical.

Lark spent the first twenty-four years, nine months, and three days of his life training for a righteous quest: to rid the world of monsters. Alongside his partner Kane, he wore the cage and endured the scourge in order to develop his innate magic. He never thought that when Kane left, he’d next see him in the company of FBI agents and a SWAT team. He never dreamed that the leader of the Fellowship of the Anointed would be brought up on charges of abuse and assault.

He never expected the government would tell him that the monsters aren’t real–that there is no magic, and all the pain was for nothing.

Lark isn’t ready to give up. He is determined to fulfill his quest, to defeat the monsters he was promised. Along the way he will grapple with the past, confront love, and discover his long-buried truth.

The post Review: First, Become Ashes by K.M. Szpara appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

After whatever that last year was, we’re certainly hoping that 2021 will be a significant improvement! Just like every single industry, the publishing industry faced its own challenges with many 2020 releases delayed by months or even years in some cases and it caused much concern for authors with either recent or upcoming releases.

But with every year, there’s also the improvement when it comes to diversity and whilst it still unfortunately takes devastating events to invoke some kind of change or even discussion, there’s great change heading our way with 2021 releases (and even 2022 and 2023 based on book announcements made thus far).

The year promises for more #ownvoices authors to be heard with stories of fierce Black characters taking the lead role (and also killing it on their covers), queer characters and their journeys offering hope, characters embracing their bodies and their culture, and so much more. Then there’s the continuing shift in perception on genres, including romance and YA, with some incredibly great stories and offering a new take on the genres altogether.

To be honest, it’s quite exciting and refreshing, and we at The Nerd Daily can’t wait to see what comes next and cover 2021 releases!

Read on to discover just a few of our favourite January to June 2021 releases and tell us in the comments if you’re looking forward to any of them! 

Want more 2021 releases? Check out our lists for  2021 Queer Book Releases, 2021 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Releases, 2021 Romance Book Releases, 2021 YA Book Releases, and 2021 Queer SFF Book Releases.

JANUARY

Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor
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An alien artifact turns a young girl into Death’s adopted daughter in Remote Control, a thrilling sci-fi tale of community and female empowerment from Nebula and Hugo Award-winner Nnedi Okorafor

Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala
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Project Runway goes to Comic Con in an epic queer love story about creativity, passion, and finding the courage to be your most authentic self.

Lore by Alexandra Bracken
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From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Darkest Minds comes a sweepingly ambitious, high-octane tale of power, destiny, love and redemption.

The Push by Ashley Audrain
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A tense, page-turning psychological drama about the making and breaking of a family–and a woman whose experience of motherhood is nothing at all what she hoped for–and everything she feared.

Persephone Station by Stina Leicht
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Hugo award-nominated author Stina Leicht has created a take on space opera for fans of The Mandalorian and Cowboy Bebop in this high-stakes adventure.

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
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A delicious twist on a Gothic classic, Rachel Hawkins’s The Wife Upstairs pairs Southern charm with atmospheric domestic suspense, perfect for fans of B.A. Paris and Megan Miranda.

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon
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Public radio co-hosts navigate mixed signals in Rachel Lynn Solomon’s sparkling romantic comedy debut.

A Splendid Ruin by Megan Chance
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A spellbinding novel of dark family secrets and a young woman’s rise and revenge set against the backdrop of the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

FEBRUARY

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado
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A sensitive, funny, and painful coming-of-age story with a wry voice and tons of chisme, Fat Chance, Charlie Vega tackles our relationships to our parents, our bodies, our cultures, and ourselves.

A Lady’s Formula for Love by Elizabeth Everett
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What is a Victorian lady’s formula for love? Mix one brilliant noblewoman and her enigmatic protection officer. Add in a measure of danger and attraction. Heat over the warmth of humour and friendship, and the result is more than simple chemistry—it’s elemental.

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes an epic novel of love and heroism and hope, set against the backdrop of one of America’s most defining eras—the Great Depression.

The Project by Courtney Summers
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From Courtney Summers, the New York Times bestselling author of the 2019 Edgar Award Winner and breakout hit, Sadie, comes a sensational follow-up―another pulls-no-punches thriller about an aspiring young journalist determined to save her sister from a cult.

The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey
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The Echo Wife is a non-stop thrill ride, perfect for readers of Big Little Lies and enthusiasts of Killing Eve and Westworld­.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
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In this world, girls are outcasts by blood and warriors by choice. Get ready for battle. The start of a bold and immersive fantasy series for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther.

A ​Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
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Sarah J. Maas’s sexy, richly imagined series continues with the journey of Feyre’s fiery sister, Nesta.

Do No Harm by Christina McDonald
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From the USA TODAY bestselling author of Behind Every Lie and The Night Olivia Fell comes an unforgettable and heart-wrenching novel about the lengths one woman will go to save her son.

MARCH

Can’t Take That Away by Steven Salvatore
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Steven Salvatore’s debut Can’t Take That Away is about Carey Parker, a genderqueer teen who dreams of being a diva like their hero Mariah Carey. When they are cast as the female lead in the school musical, they must fight against discrimination and injustice from their closed-minded school administration. 

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
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In Act Your Age, Eve Brown the flightiest Brown sister crashes into the life of an uptight B&B owner and has him falling hard—literally.

The Unbroken by C.L. Clark
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In an epic political fantasy unlike any other, two women clash in a world full of rebellion, espionage, and military might on the far outreaches of a crumbling desert empire.

The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris
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Dear Martin meets They Both Die at the End in this gripping, evocative novel about a Black teen who has the power to see into the future, whose life turns upside down when he foresees his younger brother’s imminent death, from the acclaimed author of SLAY.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
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The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Huntress and The Alice Network returns with another heart-stopping World War II story of three female code breakers at Bletchley Park and the spy they must root out after the war is over.

Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare
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The Shadowhunters must catch a killer in Edwardian London in this dangerous and romantic sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling novel Chain of Gold, from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Cassandra Clare. Chain of Iron is a Shadowhunters novel.

The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst
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From award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst, a standalone epic fantasy set in a brand-new world of towering mountains and sparkling cities, in which a band of ageing warriors have a second chance to defeat dark magic and avenge a haunting loss.

Who is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews
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For readers of The Silent Patient – a taut, twisty, character-driven suspense novel about a famous novelist and a small-town striver locked in a struggle for fortune and fame

APRIL

First, Become Ashes by K.M. Szpara
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K. M. Szpara follows Docile, one of the most anticipated science fiction novels of 2020, with First, Become Ashes, a fantastic standalone adventure that blends pain and pleasure and will make readers question what is real, and what is magical.

Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne
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From the USA Today  bestselling author of The Hating Game and 99 Percent Mine comes the clever, funny, and unforgettable story of a muscular, tattooed man hired as an assistant to two old women—under the watchful eye of a beautiful retirement home manager.

Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author and rom-com queen Becky Albertalli comes a buoyant new novel about daring to step out of the shadows and into the spotlight in love, life, and, yes, theater.

The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan
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Naomi and Ethan will test the boundaries of love in this provocative romance from the author of the ground-breaking debut, The Roommate.

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland
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A dark, twisty modern fairytale where three sisters discover they are not exactly all that they seem and evil things really do go bump in the night.

Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price
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Perfect for fans of the Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper, the first book in the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries series is a clever retelling of Pride and Prejudice that reimagines the iconic settings, characters, and romances in a thrilling and high-stakes whodunit.

Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart
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Deadly, fierce, magnetically addictive: this Jamaican-inspired fantasy debut is a thrilling journey where dangerous magic reigns supreme and betrayal lurks beneath every word. 

Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson
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The New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Never Have I Ever builds on her success with this addictive novel of domestic suspense in which a mother must decide how far she is willing to go to protect her child and the life she loves—a chilling and thoughtful tale of power, privilege, lies, revenge, and the choices we make, ones that transform our lives in unforeseen ways.

MAY

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
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From the New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six . . . Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, their lives will change forever.

Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield
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In this sweeping debut, actress Asha Bromfield takes readers to the heart of Jamaica, and into the soul of a girl coming to terms with her family, and herself, set against the backdrop of a hurricane.

A Special Place for Women by Laura Hankin
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It’s a club like no other. Only the most important women receive an invitation. But one daring young reporter is about to infiltrate this female-run secret society, whose beguiling members are caught up in a dark and treacherous business.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
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A lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this incredible new science-based thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Martian.

Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa
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From one of the most exciting new storytellers in epic fantasy, the first book in the Nameless Republic trilogy is a sweeping tale of violent conquest and forbidden magic set in a world inspired by the pre-colonial empires of West Africa.

In the Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland
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A pansexual bloodmage reluctantly teams up with an undead spirit to start a rebellion among the living and the dead, in this dark YA fantasy by A.M. Strickland, author of Beyond the Black Door, whom Richard Kadrey calls “a storyteller of both grace and power.”

The Hunting Wives by May Cobb
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The Hunting Wives share more than target practice, martinis, and bad behaviour in this novel of obsession, seduction, and murder.

Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard
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Irresistibly action-packed and full of lethal surprises, this stunning new fantasy series from Victoria Aveyard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Red Queen series, begins where hope is lost and asks: When the heroes have fallen, who will take up the sword?

JUNE

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
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Casey McQuiston’s One Last Stop is a magical, sexy, big-hearted romance where the impossible becomes possible as August does everything in her power to save the girl lost in time.

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo
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Nghi Vo’s debut novel The Chosen and the Beautiful reinvents this classic of the American canon as a coming-of-age story full of magic, mystery, and glittering excess, and introduces a major new literary voice.

Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury
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A rich, dark urban fantasy debut following a teen witch who is given a horrifying task: sacrificing her first love to save her family’s magic. The problem is, she’s never been in love—she’ll have to find the perfect guy before she can kill him.

Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia
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The start of an exciting new historical mystery series set in 1920s Harlem featuring Louise Lloyd, a young black woman caught up in a series of murders way too close to home…

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
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Tasha Suri’s The Jasmine Throne begins the powerful Burning Kingdoms trilogy, in which two women–a long-imprisoned princess and a maidservant in possession of forbidden magic–come together to rewrite the fate of an empire.

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
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Get Out meets The Devil Wears Prada in this electric debut about the tension that unfurls when two young Black women meet against the starkly white backdrop of New York City book publishing.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton
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A prim and proper lady thief must save her aunt from a crazed pirate and his dangerously charming henchman in this fantastical historical romance.

Our Woman in Moscow by Beatriz Williams
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The New York Times bestselling author of Her Last Flight returns with a gripping and profoundly human story of Cold War espionage and family devotion.

What 2021 book releases are you excited for? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Most Anticipated 2021 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Szpara recently took time to answer a few questions for The Nerd Daily. Read on to learn more about how he wrote this novel to fill the gap of what he was searching for, but not finding, in current science fiction, why sex is a key part of his writing, and what song has been his ringtone for a decade!

Hi Kellan! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer a few questions for The Nerd Daily. To start off, tell us a little about yourself and your debut novel, Docile!

Hello! There’s so much to come about my book, thanks to these wonderful questions, so for now I’ll say I’m a queer SFF writer who wrote a big gay book about agency and consent, with a lot of sex in it. Actually, before that, I wrote several short gay stories with a lot of sex in them, too. I live in Baltimore with an adorable dog, enjoy whiskey cocktails, and am known for having great nails. My brand is strong.

This novel has been marketed with a great quote from you which says, in part: “Docile is the book of my heart … It’s all the gay sex I read in fanfiction but could never find in the science fiction section of my bookstore. For me, Docile fills that gap — and I know it will for others.” The great Toni Morrison once said: “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it” and you are doing exactly that, which is amazing!

Could you talk a bit more about what you were searching for that you weren’t finding in other books, what you were actually seeing out there, and how that helped you frame the story in Docile to fill that gap?

Remember when Facebook was only on select college campuses and we actually spent time filling out our profiles? That Toni Morrison quote is on my page and has been for at least a decade. The first published books I read were by Michael Crichton and Anne Rice. While I loved dinosaurs and sea monsters, Rice’s Vampire Chronicles showed me there could be queer characters who loved each other—emotionally and physically—on the page. I dog-eared the heck out of those books but finding something to fill the gap was hard. When the Internet became easily accessible, I dove right into fanfic. Why not? It met all my needs. Harry and Draco were gay, there! Legolas and Aragorn, too!

For a long time I got my gay fix wherever I could, including a years-long obsession with the American version of Queer As Folk—talk about setting standards. That show had explicit queer sex in the first episode, and proceeded to feature it both as a part of the characters’ daily lives, but also as major plot and tension points. That was what I wanted to do. So, I did. Eventually, I found books like Magic’s Pawn and the Nightrunner series. I haven’t read them in years, now, and while they scratched my gay itch at the time, they didn’t go as far as Queer As Folk. That, alongside fanfiction, set the standards. I wanted SFF, wanted it gay, wanted it sexy!

Docile is a relatively long read, at 480 pages. What one thing do you want your readers to know before starting the book?

One thing?! I suppose I want people to keep in mind that, such as with real people, none of my characters are perfect. On purpose. Not even my sweet cinnamon roll of steel, Elisha. Life is complicated and so is Docile.

The tagline for Docile is “There is no consent under capitalism.” One of the great things about science fiction, to me, is the way it allows the exploration of current events and social commentary within a world that may or may not look like our own. Can you talk a bit about how this tagline captures the world that the main characters, Elisha and Alex, live in, while also capturing the climate in the U.S. currently?

When my editor, Carl Engle-Laird, proposed this tagline, I gasped. For me, it conveys that Docile examines consent on interpersonal and societal levels. Our AO3-style tags for the book include dubcon and noncon. There’s a content warning on the back cover and online copy. Most of the sex Elisha has is complicated at best. But also a lot of that is because the way their world is setup has forced him into an impossible situation. And not just him. Lots of characters work within the awful framework thrust upon them. It’s always interesting to me which characters readers are willing to forgive and which they aren’t.

In real life, most of us are just doing our best to get by, based on the life situations we’ve been handed. I am not a political expert or futurist and Docile is not set in a predicted near-future, despite being tagged as such due to genre conventions. Alex and Elisha’s world is a secondary world, a pocket universe, an alternate timelines—a world much like ours in some aspects but unlike it in others. What I hope is that readers will reflect upon their own lives and the systems in which we live, based on those of my characters. It’s easy to expect others to make good choices all the time, but not as easy to do the same yourself.

“Legatum nostrum futurum est” is a sort-of family motto of Alex’s family in the book, referencing their legacy. This legacy is a crucial part of the story, as they are creators of Dociline (a drug which blunts the mind to the experiences of servitude inherent in being a Docile) and therefore the architects of the system of Dociles in many ways. What led you to use this particular phrase in the book?

Gosh, it’s been a while since I wrote that part! I can’t remember the exact reasoning, but I did want a motto that added to the weight of generations that Alex felt. The pressure to perform in the same ways his father and grandmother did—not only to inherit the family business and carry on, but to do so in a way that aligned with the intentions of those who came before him. Even before Alex begins to question whether Dociline is bad, actually, he sees a different path forward for the drug. But those who came before him reinforce that it’s not actually his own legacy that matters but theirs. Alex does look towards the future and cares about what he makes of it, even when his vision is badly-informed.

There is no shortage of graphic, super hot sex scenes in Docile. Have you been concerned at all about how readers may respond to this, since it seems this is typically more contained to the “romance” genre? What do you want to say to readers about why these scenes are so important in your writing?

I write sex scenes because I like to. I enjoy the tension between two people navigating each other’s bodies and the emotions that are attached. I enjoy how agency and consent are inherent to sex scenes. And I enjoy that they’re hot. If we write because we love to, why not write the things we love? I knew it was going to be harder to sell a novel with multiple explicit sex scenes to a traditional “Big-5” publisher, but I didn’t care. While I love reading all types of books—mystery and horror and YA and portal fantasies and—I really only enjoy writing those in which sex and/or kink are major plot and character aspects.

And I know people like to read that stuff because they flock to fanfiction to see their favorite characters bone when they don’t in canon. So, I’m not concerned. Almost everything I’ve published—from short stories to five-hundred-page books—has explicit content, and that’s made clear in the marketing and publicity. As the old Internet adage goes, “Don’t like, don’t read.”

You also explore ideas such as consent and trust in this novel, with Elisha relegated to the role of servant to Alex’s needs, although the relationship does morph over time. Without giving spoilers, why was this sort of relationship important for you to explore? How would you respond to potential critics who may say this is an unhealthy type of relationship to present?

I know it’s an unhealthy relationship. In real life, people engage in unhealthy relationships, so why shouldn’t characters in fiction? It’s one of the ways we interrogate these relationships. A novel, where an author is pulling all the strings, is a safe space to explore hard issues like consent and agency. Without giving spoilers is always the hard part, when answering questions like these! It was incredibly satisfying to write the slow, yet radical, changes occurring in both Alex and Elisha as their relationship progressed. While much of Docile is imagined, I wanted it to feel emotionally true.

There is absolutely a need and place for healthy, flourishing relationships in SFF. They’re a refuge for many. But I prefer getting inside characters’ heads. Breaking them down and building them back up. For me, that is the refuge: knowing things can be horrific but, in the end, there is healing and hope.

If you were a Docile, would you choose to take Dociline or not? Why?

I should’ve expected to be asked this question—this is not the first time! And it’s obviously a trick. That’s the point of Dociline, isn’t it? Tempting, oh so tempting. And yet terrifying. It would depend on the length of my term and what kind of service I sought. But I’m going to be that person—sorry!—and dodge answering. I would never blame anyone for the choice they made under such awful circumstances and don’t want to imply, being the author, that there’s a right answer here.

The near-future that you’ve created in Docile is quite memorable and engaging for the reader. Do you think we may see more work from you in the future that takes place in this world, or perhaps see more of Elisha and Alex?

Haven’t those poor boys been through enough?! They deserve curtainfic through the end of their days, haha. Seriously, though, I don’t anticipate writing more in their world. The tagline, “There is no consent under capitalism,” is an assertion that the novel sets out to prove. It does not attempt to take the next steps or grapple with what “fixing things” looks like—and a large part of that is because I don’t know! Like I said earlier, I’m not a political or economic expert and I’m not a futurist. I’m just a writer who graduated with a ton of student loan debt, who’s paid thousands out of pocket for medical care and is, like many, one emergency away from The Worst, whatever that looks like. I don’t know how to fix things, only how to point out the many ways in which things are bad—and even only in a fictional world!

If I were to write more of Alex and Elisha, it would only be “fanfiction” so to say. Self-indulgent, non-canon stories or snippets featured in a newsletter or similar. But I am very busy with other writing, work, and promo, at the moment, so it’s not a priority. I hope that if readers want to imagine alternatives that they write their own fanfic! (The category is near and dear to my heart, even though I couldn’t read it depicting my own work.)

You post a good bit on social media about your writing life, which seems quite busy right now! What sort of routine or processes do you follow when writing, if any? How are you able to balance writing with your day job as a paralegal?

I am so!!! Busy!!! To be honest, I feel like I’m barely holding everything together, most days. And sometimes, I’m not. Balls drop. Juggling is hard. I put a lot of hours into my day job and am fortunate to work with a great team. I tend to get home late on weekdays, so handle the business side of writing then: answer emails, write promotional essays, do interviews and podcasts, etc. On the weekends, I treat writing like my full time job. Depending on how much work I have, I get up and go to the library or a local coffee shop and simply put in the time. Put fingers to keys. I aim for 500 words per hour—though can do more—and go for about six hours, usually. It’s a lot of work and I’m tired a lot, but I can’t imagine not writing novels.

You have also written a novelette, “Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time,” (a Hugo and Nebula nominated work, I should mention!) which is about a gay trans man who is bitten by a vampire. You have a forthcoming novel (2022) that picks up on the story of this character, as well as another novel coming out in 2021. What can you share with our readers about these works to come?

My second book is about a guy who is raised by a cult to believe he’s got magical abilities, but is liberated against his will before he can go on the quest he trained his whole life for. When he meets a kind cosplayer, they decide to go on that quest together, and find out whether monsters and magic are real. It is, per my style, gay, erotic, and full of feels!

My third book is as stated! Set eight weeks later, when Finley’s unpaid leave is over and he’s back at work. Still figuring out his new body and new life, Finn becomes torn between two worlds. His Sire’s friends offer a vampire family with a queer separatist vibe—but also hierarchical blood bonds. And his cute new doctor (boyfriend?) is offering to help him maintain the normal life he’s worked so hard to achieve. Promises blood, sex, and Daddy kink!

Let’s Get Nerdy: Behind the Writer with 9 Quick Questions

• First book that made you fall in love with reading: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
• 3 books you would take on a desert island: Carry On, Jurassic Park… and probably a book on how to survive on / escape a desert island.
• Movie that you know by heart: I rewatch the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter movies frequently, while doing other work. They’re my comfort watches. I’m a 90s kid; sorry to be predictable!
• Song that makes you want to get up and dance: “Telephone” by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. It’s literally been my ringtone for a decade.
• Place that everyone should see in their lifetime: One of the tiny Greek villages on the Peloponnese. They’re all gorgeous and look even better than the postcards.
• Introvert or extrovert: Outgoing introvert!
• Coffee, tea, or neither: My Dunkin’ order is a medium iced coffee with [insert seasonal flavor here] and cream. Yummm.
• First job: Retail at a local store my parents used to own.
• Person you admire most and why: Samwise Gamgee, and isn’t it obvious why?

You can find Kellan on Twitter and Instagram, and at his website.

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

The post Q&A: K.M. Szpara, Author of ‘Docile’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas launches her brand-new CRESCENT CITY series with House of Earth and Blood: the story of half-Fae and half-human Bryce Quinlan as she seeks revenge in a contemporary fantasy world of magic, danger, and searing romance.

The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte
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Bestselling author Astrid Scholte, returns with a thrilling adventure in which the dead can be revived…for a price.

Docile by K.M. Szpara
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Docile is a science fiction parable about love and sex, wealth and debt, abuse and power, a challenging tour de force that at turns seduces and startles.

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
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Exploring the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher, a brilliant, all-consuming read that marks the explosive debut of an extraordinary new writer.

Anna K.: A Love Story by Jenny Lee
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Dazzlingly opulent and emotionally riveting, Anna K.: A Love Story is a brilliant reimagining of Leo Tolstoy’s timeless love story, Anna Karenina―but above all, it is a novel about the dizzying, glorious, heart-stopping experience of first love and first heartbreak.

The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren
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From the New York Times bestselling author behind The Unhoneymooners comes a delightfully charming love story about what happens when two assistants tasked with keeping a rocky relationship from explosion start to feel sparks of their own.

When We Were Magic by Sarah Gailey
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A sly, witchy dark comedy about six teens whose magic goes wildly awry from Magic for Liars author Sarah Gailey, who Chuck Wendig calls an “author to watch.”

Precious You by Helen Monks Takhar
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An obsessive power struggle between an editor and her millennial intern turns dangerous in this debut psychological thriller–for readers of Luckiest Girl Alive and You.

You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
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The #1 Bestselling authors of The Wife Between Us and An Anonymous Girl deliver a thriller about a circle of friends with deadly intentions–where trust is their weapon and revenge is their trigger….

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
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Chain of Gold is the first novel in a new trilogy that stars the Shadowhunters of Edwardian London.

Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
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Inspired by the romantic suspense novel they’re reading, the book club assist Liv in setting up a sting operation to take down the chef. But they’re just as eager to help Mack figure out the way to Liv’s heart… even while she’s determined to squelch the sparks between them before she gets burned.

The Boy from the Woods by Harlan Coben
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In the shocking new thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Run Away, a man whose past is shrouded in mystery must find a missing teenage girl before her disappearance brings about disastrous consequences for her community . . . and the world.

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

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

After his mother spent ten years as a Docile, her mind wrecked by a drug called Dociline, which blunts the mind to the experiences of servitude, Elisha decides to become a Docile himself in order to erase the remaining family debt. Except there is one thing he will do differently than his mother: he refuses to take Dociline. Elisha is chosen by Alex, whose family coincidentally developed this powerful drug, and well … you can see how things might go wrong from here. Amidst no shortage of racy, erotic sex scenes, however, Elisha and Alex form an unexpected attachment to one another. An attachment that neither knows how to navigate.

Szpara creates a setting reminiscent of The Hunger Games here, albeit much less overtly violent. The community where Elisha is raised appears bare, grey, lifeless in many ways. Yet the people there do not long for what those in power have, what has effectively been taken from them, as shiny as it may appear. They see the lifestyle of the wealthy for what it truly is, able to discern how our ties to things like family and money may define our lives. Docile takes on the weighty, real-life matters of the economy, capitalism, and classism. The novel examines rights and lack thereof, how agency is influenced by privilege, and how those with power bind together to shape the world in ways both small and large.

Szpara invites the reader into this world through the use of structure. While the plot is somewhat repetitive in the first half of the novel, it serves its purpose in lulling the reader into submission, creating the routine of being a Docile, only to jerk the reader awake abruptly mid-novel when the proverbial shit hits the fan. Where Szpara truly excels in his writing, though, is with the tension, the dissonance, in the ideas he explores and implores the reader to explore with him. The relationship between Elisha and Alex which is at the core of the novel is rife with complex emotions. Torn between the anger and humiliation of his subjugation, and his desire for Alex, Elisha struggles with whether his intended role as a submissive is a curse or a safe haven. Szpara skilfully builds hatred in the reader toward Alex, and within a few short pages is able to dissipate this feeling, leaving the reader in the uncomfortable yet compelling position of championing a relationship that is by all rational standards unhealthy, even abusive. Szpara walks this fine line of consent, flirting with the boundary between caring and cruelty, probing what defines manipulation in relationships. He asks the reader to consider the distinction between what you want and what you are supposed to want, who you are and who others expect you to be.

Szpara has created an intriguing world which examines the horrors of capitalism, the concept of self determination, and the lengths one will go for those they love. Elisha and Alex’s story — a journey of self-discovery for both — beautifully explores queer love, steamy sex, and agency in relationships. Touted as the sci-fi equivalent of Fifty Shades of Grey with gay men as the leads, the power dynamics and sex are certainly there, but the premise and writing are elevated to another level. If you are looking for a provactive new take on speculative fiction, a story set in a twisted future, replete with social commentary and enough sex to make you blush while reading in public, then this is the book you need!

Docile is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of March 3rd 2020. Many thanks to Tor.com Publishing for gifting me this galley.

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

Synopsis | Goodreads

There is no consent under capitalism

Docile is a science fiction parable about love and sex, wealth and debt, abuse and power, a challenging tour de force that at turns seduces and startles.

To be a Docile is to be kept, body and soul, for the uses of the owner of your contract. To be a Docile is to forget, to disappear, to hide inside your body from the horrors of your service. To be a Docile is to sell yourself to pay your parents’ debts and buy your children’s future.

Elisha Wilder’s family has been ruined by debt, handed down to them from previous generations. His mother never recovered from the Dociline she took during her term as a Docile, so when Elisha decides to try and erase the family’s debt himself, he swears he will never take the drug that took his mother from him. Too bad his contract has been purchased by Alexander Bishop III, whose ultra-rich family is the brains (and money) behind Dociline and the entire Office of Debt Resolution. When Elisha refuses Dociline, Alex refuses to believe that his family’s crowning achievement could have any negative side effects—and is determined to turn Elisha into the perfect Docile without it.

The post Review: Docile by K.M. Szpara appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

A new year brings new books and we cannot wait to get our hands on some of these 2020 book releases! This year holds many exciting books from both loved authors such as Sarah J. Maas, Eoin Colfer, Christina Lauren, Cassandra Clare, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Michele Campbell, along with debut authors releasing their first novel! There’s definitely something for everyone, including plenty of fantasy, thrillers, retellings, and romance!

Read on to discover just a few of our favourite January to June 2020 releases and tell us in the comments if you’re looking forward to any of them!

JANUARY

Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi
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Rooted in the hope that can live in anger, Riot Baby is as much an intimate family story as a global dystopian narrative. It burns fearlessly toward revolution and has quietly devastating things to say about love, fury, and the black American experience.

A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen
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Six years after a global pandemic wiped out most of the planet’s population, the survivors are rebuilding the country, split between self-governing cities, hippie communes and wasteland gangs.

The Look-Alike by Erica Spindler
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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Other Girl and Justice for Sara comes a thrilling psychological drama about a woman who believes she escaped a brutal murder years ago—but does anyone else believe her?

Lady Hotspur by Tessa Gratton
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Inspired by Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Lady Hotspur continues the saga of Innis Lear, centuries later, as revolution, love, and a betrayal corrupt the descendants of two warring kingdoms.

Highfire by Eoin Colfer
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From the New York Times bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series comes a hilarious and high-octane adult novel about a vodka-drinking, Flashdance-loving dragon who lives an isolated life in the bayous of Louisiana—and the raucous adventures that ensue when he crosses paths with a fifteen-year-old troublemaker on the run from a crooked sheriff.

You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley
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Acclaimed author Colleen Oakley delivers a heart-wrenching and unforgettable love story about a woman who must choose between the man she loves and the man fate has chosen for her, in a novel that reminds us that the best life is one led by the heart.

Infinity Son by Adam Silvera
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Balancing epic and intensely personal stakes, bestselling author Adam Silvera’s Infinity Son is a gritty, fast-paced adventure about two brothers caught up in a magical war generations in the making.

The God Game by Danny Tobey
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Charlie and his friends enter the G.O.D. Game, a video game run by underground hackers and controlled by a mysterious AI that believes it’s God. Through their phone-screens and high-tech glasses, the teens’ realities blur with a virtual world of runes, gods, mythical creatures, and more. But then the threatening messages start. Worship me. Obey me. Who else is playing this game, and how far will they go to win?

FEBRUARY

The Antidote for Everything by Kimmery Martin
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In this whip-smart and timely novel from acclaimed author Kimmery Martin, two doctors travel a surprising path when they must choose between treating their patients and keeping their jobs.

Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold
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Elana K. Arnold, author of the Printz Honor book Damsel, returns with a dark, engrossing, blood-drenched tale of the familiar threats to female power—and one girl’s journey to regain it.

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica
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Propulsive and addictive, and perfect for fans of “You,” The Other Mrs. is the twisty new psychological thriller from Mary Kubica, the New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl.

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey
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In Upright Women Wanted, award-winning author Sarah Gailey reinvents the pulp Western with an explicitly antifascist, near-future story of queer identity.

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
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The secrets lurking in a rundown roadside motel ensnare a young woman, just as they did her aunt thirty-five years before, in this new atmospheric suspense novel from the national bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace
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Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice, Adalyn Grace’s All the Stars and Teeth is a thrilling fantasy for fans of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval and Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.

Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
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Hailed as a “marvel of a book” and “brilliant and unflinching,” Alexis Schaitkin’s stunning debut Saint X is a haunting portrait of grief, obsession, and the bond between two sisters never truly given the chance to know one another.

The Seventh Sun by Lani Forbes
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Rich in imagination and romance, and based on the legends and history of the Aztec and Maya people, The Seventh Sun brings to vivid life a world on the edge of apocalyptic disaster.

MARCH

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas launches her brand-new CRESCENT CITY series with House of Earth and Blood: the story of half-Fae and half-human Bryce Quinlan as she seeks revenge in a contemporary fantasy world of magic, danger, and searing romance.

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
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Exploring the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher, a brilliant, all-consuming read that marks the explosive debut of an extraordinary new writer.

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
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Chain of Gold is the first novel in a new trilogy that stars the Shadowhunters of Edwardian London.

Docile by K.M. Szpara
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Docile is a science fiction parable about love and sex, wealth and debt, abuse and power, a challenging tour de force that at turns seduces and startles.

The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren
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From the New York Times bestselling author behind The Unhoneymooners comes a delightfully charming love story about what happens when two assistants tasked with keeping a rocky relationship from explosion start to feel sparks of their own.

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

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel
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Sharp Objects meets My Lovely Wife in this tightly drawn debut that peels back the layers of the most complicated of mother-daughter relationships…

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

APRIL

Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth
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The first novel written for an adult audience by the mega-selling author of the Divergent franchise: five twenty-something heroes famous for saving the world when they were teenagers must face even greater demons—and reconsider what it means to be a hero…by destiny or by choice.

Ruthless Gods by Emily A. Duncan
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In her dramatic follow-up to Wicked Saints, the first book in her Something Dark and Holy trilogy, Emily A. Duncan paints a Gothic, icy world where shadows whisper, and no one is who they seem, with a shocking ending that will leave you breathless.

Pretty Things by Janelle Brown
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Two wildly different women—one a grifter, the other an heiress—are brought together by the scam of a lifetime in a page-turner from the New York Times bestselling author of Watch Me Disappear.

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez
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From the USA Today bestselling author of The Friend Zone comes an adorable and fresh romantic comedy about one trouble-making dog who brings together two perfect strangers.

Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova
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The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes 
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With The Year of the Locust, Hayes has penned a breathtaking story about cutting-edge science, a government conspiracy, and one man’s desperate attempt to unravel it all. (Note: According to some retailers, this title has been pushed back yet again to June 2020. The UK version is currently set to September 2020, but after years of previous release dates and delays, this could still change).

Empire City by Matt Gallagher
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The author of Youngblood returns with this bold and provocative novel following a group of super-powered soldiers and civilians as they navigate an imperial America on the precipice of a major upheaval—for fans of The Fortress of Solitude and The Plot Against America.

Not That Kind of Guy by Andie J. Christopher
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An office attraction becomes something more when they’re off the clock in this delightful romantic comedy by the USA Today bestselling author of Not the Girl You Marry.

MAY

Lobizona by Romina Garber
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In Lobizona, the first in the Wolves of No World series, bestselling author Romina Garber weaves together Argentine folklore and what it means to be illegal in a timely, intimate, and emotionally powerful narrative.

Swimming Lessons: Poems by Lili Reinhart
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The debut collection of poetry from Lili Reinhart, the actress and outspoken advocate for mental health awareness and body positivity.

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
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A powerful and moving novel that explores the tragedies and triumphs of life, both large and small, and the universal humanity in us all, Natalie Jenner’s The Jane Austen Society is destined to resonate with readers for years to come.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
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The start of a bold and immersive West African-inspired, feminist fantasy series for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther. In this world, girls are outcasts by blood and warriors by choice.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
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The Betrothed by Kiera Cass
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Selection series comes The Betrothed, a glittering royal romance sure to captivate her legion of loyal readers and lovers of courtly intrigue alike.

Malorie by Josh Malerman
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In the thrilling sequel to Bird Box, the inspiration for the record-breaking Netflix film that starred Sandra Bullock and “absolutely riveted” Stephen King, New York Times bestselling author Josh Malerman brings unseen horrors to life.

The Book of V. by Anna Solomon
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For readers of The Hours and Fates and Furies, a bold, kaleidoscopic novel intertwining the lives of three women across three centuries as their stories of sex, power, and desire finally converge in the present day.

JUNE

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho
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Zen Cho returns with a found family wuxia fantasy that combines the vibrancy of old school martial arts movies with characters drawn from the margins of history.

Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
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Harrow the Ninth, the sequel to the sensational Gideon the Ninth, turns a galaxy inside out as one necromancer struggles to survive the wreckage of herself aboard the Emperor’s haunted space station.

Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee
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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 Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell
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From Michele Campbell, the bestselling author of It’s Always the Husband comes a new blockbuster thriller in The Wife Who Knew Too Much.

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles
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Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.

Wonderland by Zoje Stage
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If Shirley Jackson wrote The Shining, it might look like this novel from the acclaimed author of Baby Teeth: A mother must become a protector when unnatural forces threaten her family’s new and improved life in a rural farmhouse.

The Second Home by Christina Clancy
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A debut novel set on Cape Cod that centers on a beloved family home and the summer that changed the lives of three siblings forever, perfect for readers of J. Courtney Sullivan and Elin Hilderbrand.

The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
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Making it up the aisle was the easy part: After marrying the heir to the throne, Rebecca “Bex” Porter must survive her own scandals as she adjusts to life in the glamorous British royal family, in this “highly anticipated” follow-up to The Royal We.

What 2020 book release are you most excited for? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Most Anticipated 2020 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.