It has such a fantastic premise—I mean these lines are irresistible: “They’ve loved each other in a thousand lifetimes. They’ve killed each other in every one”. That is a killer hook that draws you in and promises an epic, tangled knot of a story to unravel. Luckily, Laura Steven builds on this brilliant premise to deliver a devastating and delightful ode to the power of love. It is the type of book that imprints onto your heart and leaves a trace long after the final page.

While being careful not to spoil anything, the characterisation is stellar in this book. We get a main timeline with two central characters and also various glimpses into the lives they have inhabited before. As a long-time reader of Steven’s work, I knew going in that characterisation was one of her strengths in her extensive toolbox but this aspect really shines here. They just feel so believable, with great development, dialogue and chemistry. Everyone feels three-dimensional and you find yourself caring about their hopes and dreams. A special shout-out has to go to the snarky, hilarious Gracie who you will lose your heart to.

Truly, it is an epic tale that stretches across aeons and countries. The excerpts from each lifetime are haunting fragments that establish character deftly and effectively in just a few lines. You get a sense of each person and the life they have inhabited, as well as the sense of love and inevitable loss about to hit them. It is doomed and tragic and yet you still root for them to succeed. The skill to be able to pull this off in often just a few pages is incredible. Steven pours so much heart and soul into this book. It is emotional lightning in a bottle—fraught and tender. You find yourself being pulled into these pages and hoping for a happy ending this time despite all the odds.

These excerpts also serve as chilling reminders of the effectiveness of this endless cycle. It is fated to always end in death. You have that ticking clock on your mind throughout, after one hell of an opening chapter clearly establishes the stakes and set-up of the journey you are about to embark on. It is action-packed and has a deliciously dark sting in its tale. From there, Steven has you in the palm of her hand. It is exquisitely paced, with a constant sense of tension permeating the pages. We move from timeline to timeline and person to person seamlessly. I was astounded to never feel a let-down in tension despite these interludes. Instead, they had the opposite effect of just reemphasising this vicious cycle over and over again. There is also a touching celebration of love overcoming all within these—it is a force regardless of gender and sexuality, meaning that we get various examples of potential match-ups throughout time but that central connection is between these two souls. It powerfully emphasises love being beyond a body or physical appearance, instead as an unknowable, intangible thing that just brings people together. That kind of message is wonderful.

Also, this is packed full of surprises and twists. Throughout, you have the mystery of this cycle and what kickstarted it. Steven keeps you guessing through the pages, leaving little crumbs along on the path. It is such a well-crafted mystery and the twists are nothing short of jaw-dropping. I think about those final few chapters most days since reading. Every detail is sewn together excellently and feels cohesive.

Our Infinite Fates delivers superb characterisation that builds on an ingenious premise and spins it into a story that you will never forget. It was absolutely phenomenal, moving and bound to be the book on everyone’s mind.

Our Infinite Fates is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Waterstones, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, from 27 February in the UK and 4 March 2025 in the US.

Will you be picking up Our Infinite Fates? Tell us in the comments beow!

Synopsis | Goodreads

A star-crossed lovers romance that spans a millennia, for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, They Both Die at the End and One Day

‘Maybe that’s all love is, in the end. An endless tempting of fate.’

Evelyn can remember all her past lives. She can also remember that in every single one, she’s been murdered before her eighteenth birthday.

The problem is that she’s quite fond of the one she’s in now, and more importantly, her sister needs her for bone marrow transplants to stay alive. So now she has to:

1. find the centuries-old enemy who hunts her through each life and destroy them forever
2. figure out exactly why she’s being hunted in the first place,
3. try quite hard not to fall in love with them

…again.

The post Review: Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

2025?! How!? Nevertheless, the upside of a new year is all of the new books that will be hitting shelves! We’ve rounded up some highly anticipated  books from a range of genres releasing between the months of January and June 2025.

You can expect new releases from the likes of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Emily Henry, Samantha Shannon, Richard Swan, Kate Alice Marshall, Tessa Bailey, Suzanne Collins, Chuck Wendig, Rachel Lynn Solomon, Christopher Golden, Becky Albertalli, Rebecca Yarros, VE Schwab, Maggie Stiefvater, Fredrik Backman, and so many more, plus many making their dazzling debuts!

You’ll find quite a few exciting new reads within this list and be sure to check out our other January to June 2025 lists, which we’ll be releasing over the next month! This article will also get updated with those links so you can easily find them… We apologise in advance to your TBR pile and wallet!

• 2025 Romance Book Releases
• 2025 YA Book Releases
• 2025 Fiction Book Releases
• 2025 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Releases

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you’ll be picking up any!

JANUARY 2025 BOOK RELEASES

I Think They Love You by Julian Winters

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With his funny, big-hearted adult rom com debut, bestselling, award-winning YA author Julian Winters shows sometimes fake dating your ex can turn into a second chance.

Breath of the Dragon by Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee

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A young warrior dreams of proving his worth in the elite Guardian Tournament, fighting not only for himself but the fate of everything he loves.

Cross My Heart by Megan Collins

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She has his dead wife’s heart; the one she wants is his. The author of The Family Plot brings her signature prose to a twisty novel about a heart transplant patient who becomes romantically obsessed with her donor’s husband.

Liar’s Kingdom by Christine Calella

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An Into the Woods-inspired fairy tale retelling where Cinderella never went to the ball and must lie to get her prince.

A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson

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In an alternate London in 1923, one girl accidentally breaks the tenuous truce between dragons and humans in this sweeping debut and epic retelling of Bletchley Park steeped in language, class, and forbidden romance. Perfect for teen fans of Fourth Wing and Babel.

Unromance by Erin Connor

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A recently dumped TV heartthrob enlists a jaded romance novelist to ruin romance for him—one rom-com trope at a time—so he never gets swept off his feet again . . .

The Rival by Emma Lord

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Rivals-to-lovers gets an academic send-up in this charming and irresistible romantic comedy from Emma Lord, New York Times bestselling author of Tweet Cute and Begin Again.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

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A group of young women in a home for unwed mothers in 1970s Florida who find a book to witchcraft—a guide which may just be the key to regaining their power or the source of their worst nightmares.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams

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Two feuding second-grade teachers (and neighbors) find themselves teaming up in this new rivals-to-lovers romance set in Rome, Kentucky—from the New York Times bestselling author of The Rule Book and Practice Makes Perfect.

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

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A twisty domestic thriller about an author who travels to a remote Scottish island to write his next book…only to run into a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife. 

A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young

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In this captivating atmospheric novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Unmaking of June Farrow, a woman investigates her twin brother’s mysterious death while confronting the ghosts of her own haunted past.

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

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Get ready to fly or die in the breathtaking follow-up to Fourth Wing and Iron Flame from #1 New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros.

FEBRUARY 2025 BOOK RELEASES

Hungerstone by Kat Dunn

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Set against the violent wilderness of the moors and the uncontrolled appetite of the industrial revolution, Hungerstone is a compulsive feminist reworking of Carmilla, the book that inspired Dracula: a captivating story of appetite and desire.

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

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A hopeless romantic meets a jaded radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle–inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.

The Dark Mirror by Samantha Shannon

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The highly anticipated fifth novel in the New York Times bestselling Bone Season series-an epic and spellbinding fantasy from the author of The Priory of the Orange Tree.

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall

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A woman invited to her wealthy fiance’s family retreat realizes they are hiding a terrible secret―and that she’s been there before, by the bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods.

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett

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The third installment in the heartwarming and enchanting Emily Wilde series, about a curmudgeonly scholar of folklore and the fae prince she loves.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

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An addictive thriller about a new mother’s world upended when her husband commits a terrifying crime. How well does she truly know the man she loves? And what danger does she face if her entire life has been built on a lie?

Grave Empire by Richard Swan

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From critically acclaimed author Richard Swan, Grave Empire begins the epic tale of an empire on the verge of industrial revolution, where sorcery and arcane practices are outlawed – and where an ancient prophecy threatens the coming end of days.

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey

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A steamy chance encounter between a professional hockey player and the manic pixie dream girl he just can’t seem to forget about takes a turn when the pair realize that their parents are engaged—in an all-new rom-com by #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey.

The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor

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The New York Times bestselling author of Hotel Magnifique returns with another glittering dark fantasy about a deadly mystery that spans worlds and a teenage girl who must risk everything to uncover the truth.

Wooing The Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis

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In a Gaslamp-lit world where hags and ogres lurk in thick pine forests, three magical queens form an uneasy alliance to protect their lands from invasion…and love turns their world upside down.

The Dollhouse Academy by Margarita Montimore

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With dark academia twists and enormous heart, The Dollhouse Academy is a novel about the complexities of friendship, our desire to be seen and understood, and the true cost of making our dreams a reality.

Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray

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From New York Times-bestselling author Libba Bray comes an evocative and groundbreaking young adult historical mystery that examines truth, rebellion, reconciliation, and what must be sacrificed for a better world.

MARCH 2025 BOOK RELEASES

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

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The phenomenal fifth book in the Hunger Games series. Sunrise on the Reaping revisits the world of Panem twenty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven

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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue meets This is How You Lose The Time War in this fantastical love story that defies death as two souls reincarnate through the centuries.

A Gentleman’s Gentleman by TJ Alexander

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From the acclaimed author of Chef’s Kiss, a groundbreaking trans Regency romance that’s both delightfully witty and refreshingly iconoclastic.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano

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From New York Times bestseller and Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave―the hugely anticipated next installment in the fan-favorite Finlay Donovan series.

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid

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The Last of Us meets The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in this stand-alone dystopian romance about survival, sacrifice, and love that risks everything.

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead

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From the national bestselling author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and Midnight is the Darkest Hour comes a chilling, compulsive story of five amateur sleuths, whose hunt for an elusive killer catapults them into danger as the world watches.

The Haunting of Room 904 by Erika T. Wurth

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From the author of White Horse comes a terrifying and resonant novel about a woman who uses her unique gift to learn the truth about her sister’s death.

The Hymn to Dionysus Natasha Pulley

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A timely reimagining of the story of Dionysus-Greek god of ecstasy, revelry, and ruin-and a captivating queer love story for readers of The Song of Achilles and Elektra.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley

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Date night goes off the rails in this hilariously insightful take on midlife and marriage when one unhappy couple find themselves at the heart of a crime in progress, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise.

They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran

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The author of the New York Times bestselling horror phenomenon She Is a Haunting is back with a novel about the monsters that swim beneath us . . . and live within us.

All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman

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Hilarious and twisted, propulsive and furious, All the Other Mothers Hate Me is a mix of Catastrophe and Fleabag with a dash of Nancy Drew.

Code Word Romance by Carlie Walker

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One fake prime minister, one ridiculously hot handler, and one Italian summer collide in this thrilling adventure rom-com.

APRIL 2025 BOOK RELEASES

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

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Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry.

Where Shadows Meet by Patrice Caldwell

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Set in the aftermath of a war between vampires, humans, and the gods that created them, Patrice Caldwell’s devastatingly romantic fantasy debut, Where Shadows Meet, centers the heart-wrenching pain of loss and the struggle of self-discovery to ask: do we choose our fates, or do our fates choose us?

The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton

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Bestselling Rebel of the Sands author Alwyn Hamilton is back with a glittering fantasy thriller about a glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.

Their Monstrous Hearts by Yiğit Turhan

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A haunting novel about the boundaries people will cross to keep their dreams alive, perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic and Hereditary.

City of All Seasons by Oliver K. Langmead and Aliya Whiteley

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A vibrant and emotional science fantasy about cousins trapped in mirrored worlds – the resplendent and verdant summer city and the ice-carved wastes of the winter city. For fans of Every Heart a Doorway and This is How You Lose the Time War.

Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi

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From the National Book Award finalist and author of Pet comes a novel set in a magical West African world, about a teen girl who must save her missing twin while learning to navigate her own terrifying new powers.

The Staircase In The Woods by Chuck Wendig

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A group of friends investigates the mystery of a strange staircase in the woods in this mesmerizing horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Accidents.

The Folklore of Forever by Sarah Hogle

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From the acclaimed author of Old Flames and New Fortunes comes a steamy enemies-to-lovers romantasy about a paranormal skeptic who is roped into a ghost hunting romp by the charming boy next door . . . who might just show her what real fantasies are made of.

Don’t Sleep With The Dead by Nghi Vo

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From award-winning author Nghi Vo comes Don’t Sleep with the Dead, a standalone companion novella to The Chosen and the Beautiful, her acclaimed reimagining of The Great Gatsby.

Senseless by Ronald Malfi

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A page-turning, supernaturally-tinged LA puzzle-box thriller – Zodiac with teeth, from the Bram Stoker Award-nominated and bestselling author of Come with Me. Perfect for fans of Riley Sager and Lauren Beukes.

Rabbit Moon by Jennifer Haigh

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From the New York Times bestselling author of Mercy Street, a tense, propulsive family drama set in Shanghai, where a fractured American family faces its complicated past

Enchantra by Kaylie Smith

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Knives Out meets Throne of the Fallen in this spicy stand-alone romantasy set in the same world as USA Today bestselling author Kaylie Smith’s BookTok sensation Phantasma! The print edition includes custom silver foiling on the cover.

MAY 2025 BOOK RELEASES

The Love Haters by Katherine Center

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Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ―along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.

Silver Elite by Dani Francis

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In the first book of a searing new dystopian trilogy, a young woman must conceal her psychic powers—and her attraction to her handsome, infuriating commanding officer—as she works undercover to take down a brutal government from within.

My Name Is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende

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In this spellbinding historical novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea and The Wind Knows My Name, a young writer journeys to South America to uncover the truth about her father—and herself.

Overgrowth by Mira Grant

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Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets Day of the Triffids in this full-on body horror/alien invasion apocalypse.

The Incandescent by Emily Tesh

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Naomi Novik’s Scholomance series meets Plain Bad Heroines in this sapphic dark academia fantasy by instant national and international bestselling author Emily Tesh, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards.

What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon

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Falling in love with your husband is anything but convenient in this steamy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Business or Pleasure.

Come As You Are by Dahlia Adler

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In this opposites attract romance for fans of Begin Again and Better Than the Movies, a fresh start doesn’t have to mean changing yourself.

The Night Birds by Christopher Golden

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The next gripping, atmospheric horror novel from NYT bestselling author Christopher Golden, set in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship off the coast of Galveston, TX.

The Thrashers by Julie Soto

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A twisty thrill-ride of unforgettable drama and suspense that “encapsulates the vulnerability of adolescents playing adult games” (Ali Hazelwood) from USA Today bestselling author Julie Soto, The Thrashers will keep you up at night desperate to read just one more page.

The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig

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From NYT bestselling author Rachel Gillig comes the next big romantasy sensation, a gothic, mist-cloaked tale of a young prophetess who is forced on an impossible quest with the one infuriating knight whose future is beyond her sight. Perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Leigh Bardugo.

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie

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A brand-new epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Joe Abercrombie, featuring a notorious band of anti-heroes on a delightfully bloody and raucous journey

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman

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In Regency England, the eccentric Colebrook sisters are amateur detectives who use their wits and invisibility as “old maids” to fight injustice in this delightful and fiercely feminist novel of mystery and adventure from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.

JUNE 2025 BOOK RELEASES

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six comes an epic new novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle program and the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by Victoria E. Schwab

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From V. E. Schwab, the No. 1 Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: a new genre-defying, unforgettable novel to sink your teeth into.

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater

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#1 New York Times bestselling novelist Maggie Stiefvater dazzles in this mesmerizing portrait of an irresistible heroine, an unlikely romance, and a hotel—and a world—in peril.

Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli

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The beautiful and heartwarming new romance from Becky Albertalli, best-selling author of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger’s life twenty-five years later.

Park Avenue by Renée Ahdieh

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#1 NYT-bestselling YA author Renee Ahdieh’s adult debut novel, about a young lawyer who gets pulled in to manage a crisis with her firm’s biggest client, a family whose Korean beauty brand is worth a billion dollars, pitched as Crazy Rich Asians meets Succession.

Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston

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A hitmaking songwriter and a bitter musician share a startling and inexplicable connection that they’ll do anything to shake, in the next sparkling, magical book from Ashley Poston.

Realm of Thieves by Karina Halle

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Two thieves vie for dominance in the illegal dragon egg trade, putting both their lives and their hearts on the line in this scorching romantasy from New York Times bestselling author Karina Halle.

He’s to Die For by Erin Dunn

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Brooklyn 99 meets The Charm Offensive in this sparkling romantic murder mystery: it’s murder cute in the first degree when a detective finds himself falling for the lead suspect in a career-making case.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

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A blistering literary suspense novel about a ghostwriter who is hired to write the last book for her estranged father and finds herself investigating the brutal murder of both his siblings in the summer of 1975.

The Beautiful Maddening by Shea Ernshaw

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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Shea Ernshaw comes a haunting romantic contemporary fantasy about a teen navigating her family’s love curse that blooms with their enchanted tulips every year.

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten

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Scream meets The Guest List in this wickedly compelling and compulsively page-turning thriller of friendship and murder from the author of The Lost Village, Camilla Sten.

What books are you looking forward to picking up in the first half of the year? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Anticipated Book Releases Hitting Shelves In 2025 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you’re looking forward to any!

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White
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New York Times bestselling author Andrew Joseph White returns with the transgressive gothic horror of our time! A blood-soaked and nauseating triumph that cuts like a scalpel and reads like your darkest nightmare.

This Dark Descent by Kalyn Josephson
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The Shadows Between Us meets Six of Crows in this spellbinding new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, and pulse-pounding action, where the eldest daughter of a renowned family on the verge of ruin joins forces with a mysterious, rogue enchanter and a handsome, ambitious heir to win a deadly race.

Foul Heart Huntsman by Chloe Gong
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends comes the second book in the captivating Foul Lady Fortune duology following an immortal assassin in 1930s Shanghai as she races to save her country and her love.

Into the Bright Open: A Secret Garden Remix by Cherie Dimaline
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This queer YA reimagining of The Secret Garden subverts the cishet and white status quo of the original in a tale of family secrets wonderful and horrifying.

Monstrous by Jessica Lewis
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Forced to spend her summer in her aunt’s strange small town, a teen girl discovers dark secrets hidden in the woods. From the author of Bad Witch Burning comes another pulse-pounding novel perfect for fans of Supernatural and Lovecraft Country.

Your Lonely Nights Are Over by Adam Sass
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Scream meets Clueless in this YA horror from Adam Sass in which two gay teen BFFs find their friendship tested when a serial killer starts targeting their school’s Queer Club.

A Prayer For Vengeance by Leanne Schwartz
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An orphan out to find the truth within a warped religion turns his poetry into prayer―a prayer that awakens a cursed girl hungry for revenge.

The Library of Shadows by Rachel Moore
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Funny, moving, and heart-achingly real, this romantic romp and paranormal romcom debut—through a haunted library with trapdoors, ghosts, and memories—is full of great love that triumphs over even death, perfect for fans of Ninth House and Cemetery Boys.

For Girls Who Walk Through Fire by Kim DeRose
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The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin
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A dark and thrilling vampire romance set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Serpent & Dove series.

If I Have to Be Haunted by Miranda Sun
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Cemetery Boys meets Legendborn in this thrillingly romantic, irresistibly fun YA contemporary fantasy debut following a teenage Chinese American ghost speaker who (reluctantly) makes a deal to raise her nemesis from the dead.

When a Brown Girl Flees by Aamna Qureshi
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In this searing contemporary YA novel from new voice Aamna Qureshi, a Muslim teen runs away from home only to find herself on a breathtaking journey of healing, self-love, and hope.​

Nightbreaker by Coco Ma
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Fifteen years ago, The Vanishing thrust Manhattan into darkness, forever changing the City That Never Sleeps. By day, resilient New Yorkers have adapted, clinging to the vestiges of their cosmopolitan lives. By night—well, you never go out at night unless you have a death wish.

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
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Bestselling author Ava Reidmakes her YA debut in this dark academic fantasy perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Elana K. Arnold.

How to Find a Missing Girl by Victoria Wlosok
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For fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and Veronica Mars, this whip-smart thriller follows a sapphic detective agency as they seek the truth behind a growing trail of missing girls in small-town Louisiana. 

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

A Hundred Vicious Turns by Lee Paige O’Brien
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The heir to an arcane bloodline must outwit their ambitious rival to stop a ruthless magical adversary in Lee Paige O’Brien’s A Hundred Vicious Turns, a YA fantasy debut—first in The Broken Tower series—perfect for fans of A Lesson in Vengeance and Hell Followed With Us.

All the Fighting Parts by Hannah V. Sawyerr
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In the vein of Grown and The Poet X, Hannah V. Sawyerr’s All the Fighting Parts is a searing and defiant young adult novel in verse about reclaiming agency after a sexual assault within the church community.

Everyone’s Thinking It by Aleema Omotoni
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Mean Girls meets Dear White People in this big-hearted, sharp-witted UK boarding school story about family, friendship, and belonging—with a propulsive mystery at its heart.

A British Girl’s Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak by Laura Taylor Namey
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In this highly anticipated companion to the New York Times bestseller and Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club YA Pick A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, Flora Maxwell heads to Miami to find a path for her future…and finds her heart along the way.

The Society For Soulless Girls by Laura Steven
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A sapphic enemies-to-lovers retelling of Jekyll & Hyde, this dark academia thriller follows two roommates who must solve an infamous cold case of serial murders on their campus after an arcane ritual gone wrong prompts another death.

There’s No Way I’d Die First by Lisa Springer
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A spine-tingling contemporary horror-comedy novel that follows a scary-movie buff as she hosts an elaborate Halloween bash but soon finds the festivities upended when she and her guests are forced to test their survival skills in a deadly game, from debut author Lisa Springer.

Cage of Dreams by Rebecca Schaeffer
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In this thrilling sequel and conclusion to the City of Nightmares duology, Ness is forced to make a twisted deal with the Nightmare Phantom—only to find herself embroiled in the explosive fallout of the agreement when a botched assassination attempt unleashes chaos into the City of Newham.

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

What YA books are you looking forward to picking up this month? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 24 YA Books Releasing In September 2023 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Dynasty, the modern-day remake of the 80’s American soap-opera of the same name, aired its third season in 2020 and now fans are waiting (im)patiently for the fourth season to air in May, which will have many surprising twists and turns! Since Dynasty had to wrap its shooting early during the pandemic, the finale of season 3 was rather anticlimactic, leaving fans wondering what season 4 might bring.

We’ll have to wait a while for more drama and backstabbing, but in the meantime you can pick up a few books that are definitely not lacking in the drama department and will draw you in right away! Here are five epic recommendations if you adore Dynasty as much as we do!

American Royals by Katharine McGee
How could we do a recommendation list for Dynasty fans and not include the beloved book that centers around the question: what if the USA were ruled by a crown? American Royals centers around Princess Beatrice, who is first in the line for throne; the rebel Princess Samantha; Prince Jefferson, who is Samantha’s twin; a social climber Daphne; and Samantha’s best friend, Nina, who is in love with Jeff. Four points of view will lead you through a book full of romance and mischief. Buckle in and get sucked into a drama-fuelled YA contemporary about the Washingtons that will leave you breathless with its backstabbing, forbidden love affairs, and just the right amount of dangerous secrets.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
There are a few things as compelling (and terrible) as Twitter drama so if that speaks to your drama queen soul, you are sure to love Tweet Cute, a sweet (literally, there is so much baking in this book!) rom-com that starts with some Twitter drama between two diners! When a big fast food chain starts making grilled cheese sandwiches by which a smaller, household-name deli is known for, two camps form on Twitter and the game is on! You will most definitely fall in love with the two protagonists, Pepper, the over-achiever extraordinaire and baker of delicious treats who runs the Big League Burger Twitter account, and Jack, the class clown who spends his free time working in the family deli and running its much smaller social media. This book is full of drama, delicious food, and an epic romance that somehow follows the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers path!

The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven
Adding The Exact Opposite of Okay on the book recs list for all Dynasty fans was a must, not only because of the dramatic elements, but also because of the feminist undertones of this book! Fallon and Kirby would be all over this badass novel that centers around a girl who finds herself in the middle of a sex scandal! When photos of her in a compromising position with a politician’s son emerge, Izzy decides to keep her head high because she is not ashamed of her active sex life or ashamed of who she is. But heavy is the crown of the girl who is slut-shamed for her actions and who’s emotional support system in the form of her friends is slowly crumbling. Can she still show the world what Izzy O’Neill has in store for them and defy the nasty tongues? Now tell me that this book wouldn’t be a must-buy for Femperial Publishing if was still in Fallon’s/Kirby’s hands?

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
This instant classic that came out last year might not be as drama-fuelled as some other books on this list but there is an undeniable grace to it that would appeal to the hard-core fans of the Carringtons. When a 23-year-old Addie LaRue makes a Faustian bargain with the dark in 1714 to escape the small life she so fears, she gets a chance to live forever. But because nothing is ever as good as it seems, this blessing of an eternal life is also a curse where everyone she meets forgets her. Addie lives her life as a ghost, leaving fingerprints on art pieces without actually existing to anyone, when after almost 300 years, someone remembers. Henry, a bookseller in New York remembers her and suddenly everything she’s ever known is called into question. Why is he the only one who can keep Addie in his memories and can this blissful reprieve really last when the dark is breathing down her neck?

Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins
What would happen if an American girl who got a full-ride to a boarding school in Scotland was stuck with a princess for a roommate? When Millie gets accepted into a faraway boarding school she is ready for her life to change and help her forget her ex-girlfriend. But then the unthinkable happens – she is forced to share a room with a spoiled and high-class princess of Scotland, Flora. The two fit almost perfectly into the mold of the »enemies-to-lovers« trope and they will make you fall for them first with their barbs and later by breaking down their walls and letting each other in. But can a girl like Millie really fall for a princess without any repercussions? Or is happily ever after too far out of reach? This beautiful F/F romance will make any Dynasty fan happy with its dramatic ups and downs – because let’s be real here, we live for drama! And if it’s fictional, even better!

Do you have any other recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Five Books You’ll Enjoy If You Love ‘Dynasty’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

While Pride Month might be over, that is no reason to stop reading all those beautiful rainbow-y reads! And while the state of the world we live in is far from ideal and there is still a lot of hate going around, we have a small escape, a place we can go to unwind and recharge for all the battles that still lay ahead of us – BOOKS!

Sometimes we just need something heartfelt and cute, books without any tears (only happy tears allowed!), books that show us that YES, it is okay to be gay/bi/non-binary/trans/… and YES you can be happy no matter your sexual orientation, identity, and expression. So without further ado, here are five books that will make you cry only happy tears! And maybe swoon with all the cuteness going on in them!

Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye
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When we talk about hopeful and sweet LGBTQ+ books we can’t not mention the gem of 2020, an #ownvoices novel Date Me, Bryson Keller. This fluffy YA contemporary that combines the fake dating trope and hidden romance packs a real punch, but in the sweetest way possible! As Kai and Bryson enter a week-long secret relationship they start learning a lot about themselves and the world they grew up in! Beautiful themes of love, acceptance, and self-discovery mix perfectly with more serious topics such as religion and the pressure of coming out to create a swoon-worthy love story that is a true successor to the likes of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Red, White and Royal Blue!

The Love Hypothesis by Laura Steven
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This fun and sassy YA contemporary with a scientific twist will make you laugh out loud and simultaneously make you question some of the more ridiculous ideas of love and attraction our society pushes on us! As Caro decides to use drastic measures to get the attention of the popular boy she likes, this causes a domino effect that makes her question both the morality of her actions and what it means to love – and who she might actually be in love with! Steven’s snappy and masterful writing style combines witty one-liners with more serious topics, but at the end of the day The Love Hypothesis is a cute F/F love story with many entertaining twists!

Check, Please by Ngozi Ukazu
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If graphic novels are more your drift, then you need to check out this cute graphic novel about hockey, baking, and a beautiful queer love story! Check, Please is filled with funny pop references, relatable characters (yes, even if you are not a sporty person) that will steal your heart, and all the trials of college life. I especially recommend checking this out if you adored Heartstopper and are looking for something that will captivate you as much as Nick and Charlie did!

The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston
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This nerdy book filled with a convention, pop-culture references aplenty, and two adorable love stories will steal you heart in no time! When a case of mistaken identity throws together a star of a famous sci-fi TV show Starfield, Jessica, and a devoted fangirl Imogen things seem far from perfect! But as a curveball that threatens Jessica’s career is thrown their way, the girls are forced to work together and save both Jessica’s career and the whole fandom! The Princess and the Fangirl is a geeky The Prince and the Pauper retelling that is perfect for when your heart desires a fluffy pride read!

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann
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Did someone say a cutesy queer love story with amazing representation? If yes, than this book is perfect for you! In Let’s Talk About Love we follow Alice, a black asexual biromantic girl who is done with love! Until Takumi, a cooking-master-library-colleague-sweetness-incarnate walks into her life and she starts to wonder if maybe she can be in a happy relationship despite not wanting sex in her life. This gorgeous debut will make you question the traditional ideas of love that society pushes on us – and cry happy tears over the sheer cuteness that are Alice and Takumi! Prepare tissues for some happy tears!

And in case you have read all of these happy rainbow-y reads already, you can also check out some other sweet gems such as Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales, Rick by Alex Gino, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, and Camp by L.C. Rosen!

Do you have any other recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Five Hopeful and Happy LGBTQ+ Books appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Izzy O’Neill is many things – an aspiring comedian, a poor orphan living with her grandmother and an awesome best friend. But when a sex tape of her and a certain politician’s son starts making the round, there’s only one label she’s stuck with – slut. She can laugh it off all she wants, becoming the center of a national sex scandal is not how Izzy saw her way going. She’s never been ashamed of herself and she won’t be now. But keeping her head up and smiling like everything’s fine isn’t flying either. Izzy has to fight for her voice and her equality, and she’ll do anything in her power to not let herself be broken by this. Cue the marching order for girls to band together!

We’ve rounded up a few reasons as to why this book needs to be in your hands, on your shelves, and in your hearts!

1. The Unapologetic Exploration of Controversial Topics

The Exact Opposite of Okay hits on hard topics, for instance, slut shaming. While the guy Izzy sleeps with is lauded in the press for being a ‘stud’, Izzy gets shamed for owning her sexuality and walking with her head held high. It sheds a light on how society paints this picture that we are supposed to just eat up instead of question it and how men are praised for the very actions women are shunned for. With a lot of humour but also a lot of honesty, Steven tackles the double standards that permeate our society.

2. The Humour

The humour in this novel is outstanding. Certainly, humour is incredibly subjective but Izzy is a firecracker. Self-deprecating like Chandler Bing, fearless like Rosa Diaz, and the kind of friend you’d want in your corner, Izzy O’Neill jumps right off the pages and straight into your heart. Sometimes crass, sometimes really snarky, Izzy does not hold back her opinion and refuses to be silenced just to fit society’s expectation of what she’s supposed to be. She is poor, she is hungry, she is craving to be on top of the world, and she’ll apologise for none of it. That gets her in trouble sometimes, sure, but it also makes for some incredibly hilarious moments – and opportunities for growth.

3. Discussions of the Dreaded Friendzone

Ah yes, a place more feared than the ninth circle of hell: the friendzone – so close to your goal yet so far out of reach. It tackles the question of how much privilege goes into believing that the friendzone is this dreaded existence or whether it even exists and isn’t just another attempt by the patriarchy to make us feel bad for not putting out on command.

Izzy herself knows that as a woman, you’re pretty much damned if you do, damned if you don’t. If she tells her friend outright that she is not interested in dating him, she’s a heartbreaker. If she lets the flirtation go on, she’s a tease. And her friend Danny is ready to pronounce her both of those things and more in this novel. But Izzy will not be sweet-talked into a relationship she does not want. And certainly not guilted into it.

After all, her life motto is: do no harm but take no shit.

4. Family Vibes

If you ever wanted to know what the best grandma in the entire world looks like, just read this book. Betty is the embodiment of supportive grandmothers worldwide – part fairy godmother, part unapologetic guru that gets you where you need to go. Also a woman who discovers the internet and all the fun of dating online in her later years which is truly a blessing to behold. This woman is an absolute powerhouse who deserves an award for most badass, no-holds-barred, will-make-you-regret-looking-at-her-granddaughter-in-the-wrong-way woman of all time.

5. Sex Positivity

You might think that a book that primarily addresses revenge porn and a huge sex scandal would paint sex as an inherently bad thing. The Exact Opposite of Okay does the opposite and turns the tables on you so far that you’ll be the one left wondering why you perceive of Izzy as promiscuous for feeling confident in her sexuality – and begs you to question the double standard. Why should boys be the only ones to enjoy sex, right?

6. Feminism

At the heart of it, The Exact Opposite of Okay could be called a love letter to feminism. Izzy is the embodiment of young, scrappy, and hungry and as she uplifts other women, so do they support and love her. Finding your tribe and people who stick up for you even when they might be in a fight with you is a tough job but it’s always great to have someone in your corner. And the ending of this book drives home just how much female friendships can change your entire outlook on the future.

7. The Sheer Amount of Quotes That Will Steal Right into Your Heart

“What do I want to be now? Bold. Fierce. Honest. A fighter. A revolutionary. A bitch. Because the way the world treats teenage girls – as sluts, as objects, as bitches – is not okay. It’s the exact opposite of okay.”

Honestly, if this book does not make you want to take up a pitchfork or try out for slam poetry, then I don’t know what will.

Are you planning to pick up a copy? Let us know in the comments!

The post Reasons To Read ‘The Exact Opposite of Okay’ by Laura Steven appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu
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“This is what it means to be a feminist. Not a humanist or an equalist or whatever. But a feminist. It’s not a bad word. After today it might be my favorite word. Because really all it is is girls supporting each other and wanting to be treated like human beings in a world that’s always finding ways to tell them they’re not.”

Vivian Carter is fed up – from living in a small town where everyone thinks the football team is untouchable to the sexist dress codes and harassment in the hallways that no one seems to be able to change. When she is once again chastised for breaking the anti-feminist rules of her school, Viv decides to fight back. Taking a page from her mother’s past, Viv creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. What starts out as a way to blow off steam turns into fast friendships as girls all over the school band together to fight for their rights, solidifying the fact that there is nothing more powerful than girls supporting girls.

The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven
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“I get why he’s lashing out. As a privileged white dude, he’s used to being able to buy whatever he wants. He lives in a country where even the presidency can be bought.
But he can’t buy my love. And that frustrates the hell out of him.”

Faced with a sex scandal of epic proportions, Izzy O’Neill becomes fed up with the double standards that exist for girls and boys – whereas she is publicly shamed and called out for being promiscuous, the guy she slept with is the hero who can do no wrong, receives high fives at every turn and is the conqueror of the whole school. Not to mention she’s dealing with her best friend who keeps begging her to let him out of the friendzone. Izzy decides enough is enough and together with her friends, fights back against the people who decide what a girl should be and how she should behave.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
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“That’s the problem. We let people say stuff, and they say it so much that it becomes okay to them and normal for us. What’s the point of having a voice if you’re gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn’t be?”

From a young age, Starr Carter has been instructed on the double standards that exist for black people. Be silent, be docile, don’t do anything rash. Keep your head down and don’t make a fuss. When Starr witnesses her friend getting shot by a police officer for no reason, Starr is inconsolable. But above all, she is angry. Angry at the injustice, angry that Khalil had to die for no reason, angry that the police officer is facing no charges. Starr has to ask herself – what good does it do to keep quiet when she could actually change things for the better?

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
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“I wondered, for the very first time, if maybe I was doing this whole thing wrong. If maybe I’d allowed myself to be blinded by my own anger to the exclusion of all else. If maybe, just maybe, I’d been so determined not to be stereotyped that I’d begun to stereotype everyone around me.”

One year after 9/11, sixteen-year-old Shirin is tired of being stereotyped because she is a Muslim girl. Never surprised by the rude and demeaning attitude of others, Shirin has learned to shut out everyone and everything that might make her feel bad for her religion or wearing her hijab. Until Ocean James shows up and wants to get to know her – who sees the girl who break-dances and loves music and maybe, just maybe, the one who will get behind the protective walls she has built up. Brick by brick, Shirin realizes that not feeding into stereotypes is a tough choice – but changing who you are, how you act just to not be labeled by others is something no one should ever have to do. And finding yourself underneath what others tell you you are might be her toughest challenge yet.

Foul Is Fair by Hannah Capin
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“Sweet sixteen is when the claws come out.”

After a birthday that should have been sweet but ended up being the worst night of her life, Jade decides to get revenge on the golden boys of St. Andrew’s Prep that tried to crush her and failed. Together with her fearless friends and the perfect disguise, Jade infiltrates the untouchable circle of the golden boys and takes back the power on a journey of revenge that will leave no survivors. Fed up with the injustice, Jade becomes larger than life and vows: something wicked this way comes.

What Kind of Girl by Alyssa Sheinmel
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“Doing something when you’re scared is braver than doing something when you’re not.”

When Mike Parker’s girlfriend shows up with a bruise at school, everyone at North Bay Academy is taking sides. After all, what kind of girl would go to the principal instead of the police? And what girl would stay with her abusive boyfriend instead of leaving him? Divided by the issue of how much abuse society inflicts upon women and how much more they endure even when coming forward, there needs to be a reckoning: why ask what kind of girl stays instead of what kind of guy hurts her?

Do you have any other recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Destroy The Patriarchy: 6 YA Books That Will Empower You appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Because the way the world treats teenage girls – as sluts, as objects, as bitches – is not okay.

Imagine you are a teenage girl around the age of 17. High school soon will be over and your whole life is waiting for you. In the meantime, you just enjoy life to the fullest. Try not to think about the fact that you probably will not go to college because you have no money and a scholarship is nowhere on the horizon. That is what the protagonist of this book has to deal with. Her parents are also dead and her grandma cannot work more as she already does. Welcome to Izzy’s life.

Laura Steven’s debut novel The Exact Opposite of Okay focuses on strong young women who have to be ashamed and justify for their way of living especially when it comes to their love interests. Where do we draw the line before we overstep it and find ourselves facing an onslaught of derogatory names?

Izzy never had it easy. Losing her parents in a car accident when she was little, her grandma raised her. Her two best friends, Ajita and Danny, are always there for her no matter how much she screws up. But when is it enough Motivated by her drama teacher, Izzy sends in her screenplay in hopes to get a scholarship for college.

While she waits for an answer, she attends a party where she hooks up with two boys in one night. Everything is fine for Izzy and life can go on. However, if only the second guy would not have been a senator’s son and his phone would have not been hacked.

With the information from his phone as well as some things that only Izzy’s friends know about her, a website pops up revealing every tiny bit of her most intimate things. The cherry on top is that her screenplay was rejected in the light of this events which have travelled through the news national wide. Izzy is questioning her behaviour as well as why people are so interested in something a teenage girl did.

I had a hard time reading this book because I liked it, but yet, did not understand it at the same time. Admittedly, Izzy’s behaviour was frustrating and she did not understand why everyone around her couldn’t understand her lifestyle choices. Although, when I started to look at it from another perspective, it started to make more sense to me.

We live in a world where a person from the other side of the globe can follow every single step of another person, regardless if they know each other or not. If you post every day with a smile on your face and the sun and wind in your hair, it could seem like you enjoy life to the fullest and have nothing to worry in your life. So the question I was asking myself at the end of the book was: Who has the right to the judge my life?

Reputation is important. How you are seen is who you are for society and that is something which will never change for humankind. In a way, it is okay that way. The best way to deal with it is to ignore what others are saying. But is Izzy happy? Well, it does not seem like it. She does what she does, but she doesn’t know why. To feel loved and forget her troubles? But would it be not better to be loved by a person who is interested in being with her for more than a couple of minutes? I do not think that there is a right answer. Every reader will have an answer that will feel right to them.

In the end, Izzy finds out who is hiding behind the website and it has to do with revenge. Without  spoiling anything, being rejected can break a heart, but how it is portrayed in the book is no way to deal with it. While the world knows about her and her actions, the media blames her for having a two night stand and the dirty feeling Izzy has does not wash away easily. How does it come that only Izzy has to take responsibility? There are two more involved in it!

So the question is, why can guys do as they please but when a women does the same she is called out for it? Newsflash: Such bad words can be used on everyone! It may seem to be a man slashing book, but it is not. The female gender is put in the middle to reflect on some prejudices.

If you want to learn more about the author you can go to her website or follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

The Exact Opposite of Okay is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.

Have you read The Exact Opposite of Okay? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Izzy O’Neill is an aspiring comic, an impoverished orphan, and a Slut Extraordinaire. Or at least, that’s what the malicious website flying round the school says. Izzy can try all she wants to laugh it off – after all, her sex life, her terms – but when pictures emerge of her doing the dirty with a politician’s son, her life suddenly becomes the centre of a national scandal. Izzy’s never been ashamed of herself before, and she’s not going to start now. But keeping her head up will take everything she has…

The post Review: The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven appeared first on The Nerd Daily.