Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Rootbound: A Tangled Novel By Margaret Owen, which is out now.

A cunning king. A devious princess. Best. Week. Ever.

Rapunzel knows nothing about her neighboring kingdom, Astera – and not just because she only left her tower a month ago. The famously reclusive island has limited its contact with outsiders for decades. So when a suspicious invitation arrives welcoming Rapunzel to the Asteran princess’s coming of age ceremony, and offering her a chance to be useful for the first time since she lost her healing powers, Rapunzel accepts – and unwittingly plunges herself and her companion, Eugene, into a tangled knot of political intrigue and magical secrets.

Eugene is just happy to get one last adventure with Rapunzel before his criminal background catches up with him and prevents their happy ending. Yet as they’re drawn further into the country’s problems, they uncover truths about Eugene’s parentage that point to deeper unrest in Astera, and suddenly the fate of their own kingdom, not just their personal dreams, is at stake.

Thrust into a power struggle between Astera’s beloved princess, Verette, its domineering king, Enver, and a mysterious secret society, Rapunzel and Eugene race to protect their home from an unsettlingly familiar threat and discover that the past can either hold them back, or help them blossom.

EXCERPT

When Eugene joins her at the bow, she’s outlined the caravel and is searching for the proper slate gray for the base layer of the hull. “I didn’t mean to wake you,” she says as he leans against the railing next to her.

“Funny thing is, I’d probably sleep right through it if you were stomping,” he admits, rubbing his face. “Sneaking by might as well be an alarm bell. Everything okay?”

“I had a bad dream.” She finds her gray, but can’t make herself set it to paper just yet. “Can . . . can I ask you something?”

“Fire away.”

“Does it bother you that . . .” She swallows. “That if you hadn’t been rescued in time . . . that you almost . . .”

His hand brushes his throat, and she knows he understands.

“Yes,” Eugene allows. A layer of veneer strips off; Rapunzel enjoys his attempts at charm and bravado, but this is the Eugene she likes best. “But also—no. You don’t do things like rob the royal palace without knowing the risks. There’s no rush without them. And a month ago, my life was the only thing I really had to gamble.” His voice catches. “So now the gallows just remind me how much more I have to lose.”

Rapunzel stows her pastel stick as the ship crests a strong wave. Finding the words feels harder than picking the right blue. “It doesn’t feel right,” she says slowly. “You didn’t even get a trial. You were almost killed just for stealing a—an expensive hat that belonged to the wrong family. I know everyone loves my parents. It just scares me that I’m going to have that kind of power to hurt people. That I might make a mistake. Especially since I can’t . . . fix it anymore.”

Eugene’s hand catches hers, and she realizes she was picking at the ends of her hair again.

“I would like to remind you we’re on a ship to fix something right now,” he says, droll. “And the king and queen aren’t liked because they’re perfect. They’re liked because they try to take care of their people, not just rule over them. They’ve opened and funded schools, libraries, clinics . . . even my orphanage would have shut down without the royal grants. You’ve only known you’re a princess for a month. Maybe now is when you figure out what kind of princess you want to be.”

Rapunzel moves his hand to her cheek. “Is this still your dream, Eugene?”

For a moment, he looks—almost like he’s holding something back.

But maybe it’s the kick of the breeze, the shift of the dark, the echo of Gothel sneering Really, Rapunzel?

“All of it and more,” he says. Then he brings his lips to hers, and everything, even the doubt, fades away.

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Rootbound: A Tangled Novel’ by Margaret Owen appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

About Hell To Pay: Oceans Eight meets Six of Crows in this supernatural heist novel about a teenage con artist and her ragtag crew teaming up for their toughest job yet: stealing a soul from the Afterlife. Released July 28th 2026.

My favorite heist stories aren’t the ones where everything goes to plan. They’re the ones where the plan catches fire approximately five minutes in and a group of thieves with wildly incompatible skill sets has to somehow improvise their way to the prize and out of certain doom. 

So, it’s no wonder that when I wrote my own heist, I didn’t set out to write the kind of sleek, meticulously executed job you see in Ocean’s Eleven or Mission Impossible. I wanted to write the kind of caper where every carefully constructed plan collides with magic, ego, and bad decisions. Hell to Pay is my love letter to exactly this kind of glorious criminal chaos, where the plan falls apart but the crew comes together. And if your favorite flavor of heist is fantasy, here are five stories that prove the best heists are often the messiest ones. 

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

If we’re talking about chaotic fantasy heists, there’s no avoiding Six of Crows. Kaz Brekker (absolute icon) always seems like he’s in complete control, but the real fun is watching what happens when he isn’t. His greatest strength isn’t planning for every possibility—though he definitely has schemes for days—it’s adapting when everything that can go wrong, does.

The Ice Court job is impossible from the start, and somehow the crew still manages to make it even more complicated. Because in addition to their individual skill sets, each member of the crew brings enough emotional baggage to fill a getaway tank. If your favorite heists are the ones where people who barely get along slowly become willing to risk everything for one another, this is the gold standard. 

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl (and Wes Anderson)

On paper, stealing chickens from three farmers shouldn’t require this much planning. In practice, it’s symmetrically-framed all-out war.

Mr. Fox has the confidence of someone who cannot accept their own fallibility, despite mounting evidence to the contrary. His increasingly ambitious schemes drag his reluctant family and friends into one disaster after another, and the result is a heist story that’s hilarious, yet heartfelt. What starts as a fox pulling one last job (or three) becomes a community looking out for one another. Like the best fantasy capers, success depends less on the original plan than on everyone’s willingness to work together.

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen

Technically, Little Thieves is more of a long con than a traditional heist, but the chaotic criminal energy is the same. After all, heists are just cons with lockpicks and an acrobat friend. 

Vanja survives through wit, audacity, and stubbornness. The very qualities she’s been told are improper, unladylike, or selfish turn out to be exactly what she needs to survive. The cons are clever, the banter is sharp, and every victory feels earned because she’s constantly one terrible decision away from losing everything. And as the story unfolds, she slowly learns that even the best con artist can’t do everything alone. 

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Every member of this crew has fortes and foibles. Edgin can talk his way through anything, but makes impulsive decisions. Simon has incredible magical potential, but no self-confidence. Holga’s solution to most problems involves hitting them very hard, and to be fair, that often works.

Each character brings their questionable skills and tragic backstories to the table to create magic (in some cases literally). Their strengths cover each other’s weaknesses, every setback forces them to trust each other a little more, and by the end they’re less of a crew than a family.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Hear me out: The Princess Bride is a fantasy heist.

Think about it. There’s an impossible target: a princess locked inside a heavily guarded castle. A crew assembled with varying motivations and skill sets. Disguises. Infiltrations. Extractions. Escapes.

Like any great fantasy heist, the original plan barely survives contact with reality. Instead,

Westley, Inigo, Fezzik, and Buttercup improvise their way through increasingly absurd obstacles (including being mostly dead) with just enough competence and luck to pull it off, and discover that achieving the impossible takes a team. If that isn’t a heist, I don’t know what is.

The post Five Fantasy Heists for Readers Who Love Their Crime with a Side of Chaos appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

This trilogy has such a fantastic protagonist at its heart. Vanja really is the driving force—you fall helplessly in love with her. The snarky, sharp and scheming protagonist from Little Thieves is still there and making disastrous decisions, but you understand her much better now. She is so caring and loyal and fiercely protective of those she loves. Her narrative voice is arresting and infused with such a quick wit that catches you by surprise. She has always had to think ten steps ahead, which shows in the spiralling narrative voice Owen gives her. It is always on the defence, always thinking about what her next move will be. Her trajectory over these books has been nothing short of transformative. She is probably one of the most memorable YA protagonists I have read about for a while and feels like she will have always stolen a sliver of my heart.

That is all a defensive mechanism built from years of trauma. The previous two books have delved into her past and battling the demons within in such interesting ways that allow for her character to develop (and regress) as the situation changes. We come to the pinnacle of that theme in this book with a bold and brilliant move from Owen. The way this book depicts grappling with your trauma and facing your past is nothing short of inspired. I will be vague here to avoid spoilers but it is a showstopper. Everything in this trilogy has been centered around Vanja’s journey and it peaks here. This feels like such an evolution of the previous books in every way.

Owen has created such a fascinating world with a magic system that is innovative and thought-provoking. I still have such a soft spot for Death and Fortune who get some brilliant moments here. Their relationship with Vanja is wonderful to witness even as it is tested and fractured. The world they inhabit is so rich and layered with all these great details. Vanja has often been entangled in these complicated mystery plots that unfold around her, with the meddling of gods and men alike. This is no exception with a tightly woven plot that keeps you glued to the pages. It is bloody and does not hold back. We get a vaster sense of scope in this book, with the various royal families coming into play. It adds geographically to the world but also in terms of the political scheming that Vanja has dabbled in throughout becoming more prominent. There are many games of chess going on here with fraught dynamics and shifts in power, as well as the murders. The stakes are sky-high and you feel that tension build around you. Owen really digs into these themes here—giving nuance and sensitivity in the handling of the overarching themes the series has been grappling with. The classism that has permeated each book is on full display as well. The actions of these elite will affect everyone, as Vanja well knows, so resolving this is vital.

Overall, Owen levels up in every aspect in this firecracker ending to the trilogy. This is such a grand book, giving Vanja’s story a fitting ending. It feels like an epic conclusion and it is well deserved.

Holy Terrors is the culmination of a spectacular YA trilogy that is constantly tricksy and thrives most in its incredible characterisation and mysteries.

Holy Terrors is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of

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

Synopsis | Goodreads

It’s been nearly two years since Vanja brought down the cult she started, and she’s still paying the price. As the Pfennigeist, she bucks the law in order to help the desperate and haunt the corrupt all across the empire―and no matter what, she works alone.

But an impossible killer is tearing through royalty, and leaving Vanja’s signature red penny on every victim. Suddenly the Pfennigeist is no longer a folk hero but a nightmare. When even the Blessed Empress falls, the empire’s seven royal families must gather to elect her successor within a matter of weeks, or risk the collapse of reality itself… even though it puts every house in the killer’s sights.

Vanja tells herself she’s wading into the royalty’s vicious games only to save the name she made, and the loved ones also in jeopardy. But the Order of Prefects has also put their sharpest official on the case, the one who swore he’d always find Vanja―until she broke his heart. Journeyman Prefect Emeric Conrad may no longer be the boy Vanja knew, but they’ll have to work together one last time to have any chance of surviving the deadly catastrophe coming for them all.

With bloody conspiracy, sinister magic, and old adversaries closing in, it will take everything Vanja has to save not just the people she loves, but the future she’s fought for. In this thrilling final chapter of the Indie Next series Little Thieves, New York Times-bestselling author Margaret Owen shows us the pain and beauty of choosing which demons to face, and which to forgive.

The post Review: Holy Terrors by Margaret Owen appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

This has such a phenomenal premise—a Dark Academia fantasy murder mystery anthology set in a school of magic? Sign me up immediately! I just fell in love with the idea of an interlocking fantasy and murder mystery anthology, making such a unique collection of stories. The way this collection is set out is also really interesting, placing characters against the clock to discover the truth of what happened.

The Galileo Academy is a magical campus that has recently changed its focus to be more inclusive and reflective of its contemporary reality. Septimus Dropwork, a professor and embodiment of many forms of hatred, did not welcome this and when he turns up dead, there are plenty of suspects to follow. That interplay of inclusion, diversity and the respective discussions around it (often nonsensical and bigoted) mixed with the murder mystery thread is endlessly fascinating.

It is also really important to highlight the sheer amount of diversity in this collection. As always, seeing more of this and more normalised representation is incredible. Diversity should be the standard, rather than the exception. Just seeing so much BIPOC, disability, queer, and mental health representation brings light to my heart. The running thread throughout these stories is facing and sometimes overcoming adversity with the hatred and bigotry faced being truly sickening. You get a sense of a rotten heart at the centre of this institution, which is only exposed more as the collection continues.

We get all of these differing voices, all of whom have at least a glimmer of what happened or a seed of a potential motivation. It is also really interesting how the expansive setting of a school celebrating many forms of magic allowed for each writer to put their own stamp on a magic system and sprawling setting. In addition to this, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to spend time with all of these incredible characters, particularly as they started to interweave. They all really burst off the page and were three-dimensional. The way the authors managed to condense these complex, interesting and sometimes challenging character arcs and twists into such a short form is nothing but commendable.

While all the stories were brilliant, some did shine a little more for me. In particular, 2: A.M.: Wren Willemson by Marieke Nijkamp; 5:00 A.M.: Taya Winter by Darcie Little Badger; 9:00 A.M: Irene Seaver by Kayla Whaley; 5:00 P.M.: Jamie Ellison by Victoria Lee; and 8:00 P.M.: Lupita Augratricis by Natasha Díaz all snuck into my heart and really remained in my head after finishing the book. However, every section had such distinctive character voices and covered a lot of material in a very short space. These are stories that cover a lot of ground, giving you time with their respective protagonist, while also moving the machinations of the over-arching plot along. In that sense, every story is an awe-inspiring piece of art and an intriguing piece of the puzzle. There was no story that did not totally captivate me. I sped through this collection, wanting to race the clock like the characters. The pacing and tension was very high and I just needed to know who and whydunnit.

Spell-binding in every way, The Grimoire of Grave Fates is an anthology like no other!

The Grimoire of Grave Fates is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of June 6th.

Will you be picking up The Grimoire of Grave Fates? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Crack open your spell book and enter the world of the illustrious Galileo Academy for the Extraordinary. There’s been a murder on campus, and it’s up to the students of Galileo to solve it. Follow 18 authors and 18 students as they puzzle out the clues and find the guilty party.

Professor of Magical History Septimius Dropwort has just been murdered, and now everyone at the Galileo Academy for the Extraordinary is a suspect.

A prestigious school for young magicians, the Galileo Academy has recently undergone a comprehensive overhaul, reinventing itself as a roaming academy in which students of all cultures and identities are celebrated. In this new Galileo, every pupil is welcome—but there are some who aren’t so happy with the recent changes. That includes everyone’s least favorite professor, Septimius Dropwort, a stodgy old man known for his harsh rules and harsher punishments. But when the professor’s body is discovered on school grounds with a mysterious note clenched in his lifeless hand, the Academy’s students must solve the murder themselves, because everyone’s a suspect.

Told from more than a dozen alternating and diverse perspectives, The Grimoire of Grave Fates follows Galileo’s best and brightest young magicians as they race to discover the truth behind Dropwort’s mysterious death. Each one of them is confident that only they have the skills needed to unravel the web of secrets hidden within Galileo’s halls. But they’re about to discover that even for straight-A students, magic doesn’t always play by the rules. . . .

Contributors include: Cam Montgomery, Darcie Little Badger, Hafsah Faizal, Jessica Lewis, Julian Winters, Karuna Riazi, Kat Cho, Kayla Whaley, Kwame Mbalia, L. L. McKinney, Marieke Nijkamp, Mason Deaver, Natasha Díaz, Preeti Chhibber, Randy Ribay, Tehlor Kay Mejia, Victoria Lee, and Yamile Saied Méndez.

The post Review: The Grimoire of Grave Fates by Hanna Alkaf and Margaret Owen appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Margaret! Welcome back! We last spoke a few years ago for the release of The Faithless Hawk. What have you been up to since then?

Oh, this and that, writing two books and editing an anthology, riding out the pandemic in monastic solitude with my cats, playing Animal Crossing through the January 6^th insurrection, pretty standard stuff! What a time to be alive! The best part is that two out of those three books, Painted Devils and The Grimoire of Grave Fates, are both releasing within the same three weeks, which feels like rounding the final lap of a marathon. (I’m pretty sure that’s how marathons work. I may be confusing it with NASCAR.)

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

I liked reading already as a kid, but when I was about 7, my grandmother handed me my first Nancy Drew book, The Whispering Statue. It was a above my reading level, but that’s probably why I liked it so much! I went through as many Nancy Drew and horse-related books as I could get, and then when my classroom volunteer was assigned to sit down with kids and transcribe their stories to be printed out so they could “illustrate” them, I dictated many, many unauthorized sequels to Black Beauty. It was all downhill from there.

Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!

Someone in my early life thought it would be hilarious to give me a picture book called Molly Goes Hiking. I remember sitting on the couch and reading that! The book that made me want to become an author was Dragon’s Milk by Susan Fletcher, because she was a local author who did a school visit, and meeting her was when I actually realized authors were real people and not in the same vein as Santa Claus. I will probably never stop turning Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik around in my head. That book is a master class in so many areas it’s simply outrageous.

Painted Devils is the latest installment in your Little Thieves series and it’s out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Scams, both financial and psychological!

What can readers expect from the sequel?

Oh man. So much. Perhaps too much. For folks who are new to the series, the main character, Vanja, is like the Venn Diagram overlap between Anna Delvey/Anna Sorokin, and the Horrible Goose from Untitled Goose Game, but living in a world riddled in folklore and fairytale nonsense. This book finds Vanja getting drunk and accidentally starting a cult, only for the boyfriend she kind of ghosted to show up to investigate the cult… at which point the god Vanja invented actually manifests, and claims her ex(?) for a virgin sacrifice. So the plot, on its surface, concerns them figuring out how to get him out of that and where this god actually came from. And on a deeper level, since they’re teens navigating their first serious relationship, it’s about figuring out what you want in both emotional and physical intimacy, especially when it feels like both of those are being measured and scrutinized by others.

Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

There’s a character, Brunne the Huntress, who is a regional god that leads the local Wild Hunt. She is basically an apex jock with biceps like watermelons and a giant horse that acts like a golden retriever. I had an unreasonable amount of fun writing her.

Can you tell us about any challenges you faced whilst writing the sequel and how you were able to overcome them?

Trying to keep this book short! Brevity has never been my strongest suit, haha, and I set myself up for disaster with the alternative sacrifice Vanja is pursuing to try to spare her boyfriend, along with all the other ongoing subplots, and the little bit of setup for Book 3. But it was a good challenge to keep all those plates spinning!

What’s next for you? Can we get a little teaser of perhaps the third installment?

I am hard at work on Book 3 for sure! I think the little bit of info I can give away now is that it starts when members of the seven royal houses of the empire start turning up dead… with Vanja’s red penny calling card on the body. There’s an inordinate amount of murder in this book, honestly. I had to make a calendar to keep it all straight. Don’t get attached to anyone.

Lastly, are there any 2023 book releases our readers should look out for?

I’m going to actually plug our upcoming anthology here, The Grimoire of Grave Fates, out June 6^th! It’s a murder mystery (are we sensing a theme here?) set in a magical boarding school, where a much-reviled professor has just turned up dead, and every chapter is told from the perspective of a different student who is connected to the murder in some way—as an investigator, a witness, or a suspect. The contributors really knocked this out of the park with their brilliance and imagination, and Hanna Alkaf and I are so honored to have edited the book.

The post Q&A: Margaret Owen, Author of ‘Painted Devils’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

With new releases from Amie Kaufman, Abdi Nazemian, Jason June, and more, to those with delightful debuts, read on to discover our picks and let us know which ones you will be adding to your TBR!

Something Like Possible by Miel Moreland
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
In this compelling YA contemporary, a bisexual teen’s path to political staffer stardom is in jeopardy, until she convinces a cute new candidate to team up with her on the campaign trail.

They Hate Each Other by Amanda Woody
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Jonah and Dylan get along like oil and water. Until a fake dating ploy gives them new perspective, and they realize that “falling for your enemy” isn’t as impossible as it seems.

All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
The Haunting of Bly Manor meets House of Salt and Sorrows in award-winning author Kyrie McCauley’s contemporary YA gothic romance about a dark family lineage, the ghosts of grief, and the lines we’ll cross for love.

If You Still Recognize Me by Cynthia So
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
This heartfelt, poignant YA debut is a second-chance summer romance that will steal your heart—perfect for fans of Heartstopper, Some Girls Do, and It’s Not Like it’s a Secret.

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
#1 New York Times bestselling author of Firekeeper’s Daughter Angeline Boulley takes us back to Sugar Island in this high-stakes thriller about the power of discovering your stolen history.

Lose You to Find Me by Erik J. Brown
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
A romantic, heartfelt, and hilarious queer coming-of-age story from All That’s Left in the World author Erik J. Brown, perfect for fans of What If It’s Us and If This Gets Out.

The Alchemy of Moonlight by David Ferraro
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
The Alchemy of Moonlight by David Ferraro is a seductive YA paranormal romance following a runaway queer teen’s deepening and dangerous ties to a mysterious family of werewolves.

Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
From the Stonewall Honor–winning author of Like a Love Story comes a sweeping story of three generations of boys in the same Iranian family. Perfect for fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club and Darius the Great Is Not Okay.

The Isles of the Gods by Amie Kaufman
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Magic, romance, and slumbering gods clash in the start of a riveting fantasy series that spans gangsters’ dens, forgotten temples, and the high seas from the New York Times bestselling author of the Aurora Cycle and the Illuminae Files.

If Tomorrow Doesn’t Come by Jen St. Jude
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
We Are Okay meets They Both Die at the End in this YA debut about queer first love and mental health at the end of the world-and the importance of saving yourself, no matter what tomorrow may hold.

I’m Not Supposed to Be in the Dark by Riss Neilson
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
From the author of Deep in Providence comes a paranormal young adult romance that follows a teen convinced that her best friend–turned-enemy is possessed by a ghost, perfect for fans of White Smoke and Twilight.

Venom & Vow by Anna-Marie McLemore and Elliott McLemore
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Two enemy kingdoms are forced to work together to break a curse in this lush YA fantasy, featuring a transgender prince and a bigender dama/assassin in the lead roles.

Lion’s Legacy by L. C. Rosen
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Against the backdrop of a sunlit Greek landscape, author L. C. Rosen masterfully weaves together adventure, romance, and magic in a celebration of the power of claiming your queer legacy.

Painted Devils (Little Thieves #2) by Margaret Owen
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
A scrappy former maid and jewel thief must outwit gods, injustice, and her own past in this sequel to the Indie Next Pick, Little Thieves by Margaret Owen.

The Last One to Fall by Gabriella Lepore
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
A horrifying murder occurs in the middle of the night when a mysterious figure is pushed out from the fourth floor of a warehouse. Six teens were there that night, and five of them are now potential suspects.

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
A young Indigenous woman enters a colonizer-run dragon academy—and quickly finds herself at odds with the “approved” way of doing things—in the first book of this brilliant new fantasy series.

Riley Weaver Needs a Date to the Gaybutante Ball by Jason June
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
The next LGBTQ+ young adult rom-com from New York Times bestselling author Jason June (author of Jay’s Gay Agenda and Out of the Blue) explores how labels can limit and liberate us, and shows just what can happen when you bet on yourself.

Rubi Ramos’s Recipe for Success by Jessica Parra
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
A joyful novel of first romance, new possibilities, and the chance to define yourself, Rubi Ramos’s Recipe for Success will find its way into your heart.

We’ll Never Tell by Wendy Heard
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
An ambitious and juicy whodunit doused in Hollywood lore, perfect for readers of sexy summer thrillers like The Twin by Natasha Preston and The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson.

Ander & Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe meets The Sun is Also a Star in this YA contemporary love story from Jonny Garza Villa, Ander & Santi Were Here, about a nonbinary Mexican American teen falling for the shy new waiter at their family’s taqueria.

No Perfect Places by Steven Salvatore
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
From lauded author Steven Salvatore comes a moving YA novel about twins whose incarcerated father dies and leaves behind a life-changing secret, perfect for fans of I’ll Give You the Sun and Euphoria.

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Heartstopper meets Crazy Rich Asians in this heartfelt, joyful paperback original rom-com that follows an aspiring chef who discovers the recipe for love is more complicated than it seems when he starts fake-dating a handsome new customer.

Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Where You See Yourself combines an unforgettable coming-of-age tale, a swoon-worthy romance, and much-needed disability representation in this story about a girl who’s determined to follow her dreams.

Transmogrify!: 14 Fantastical Tales of Trans Magic edited by G. Haron Davis
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Perfect for fans of All Out and Cemetery Boys, this anthology claims a seat at the table of fantasy literature for trans and gender nonconforming stories.

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

The post May 2023 YA Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

As the goddaughter of Death and Fortune, Vanja Schmidt has become an expert at understanding that no deal comes without its price. When her godmother’s care comes at a terrible price, she chooses to steal a life that isn’t hers. She casts off her servant garbs for a string of pearls that carry an enchantment to change her face to Princess Gisele’s, while the real princess is left alone and penniless. Vanja’s charm allows her to lead a double life among the nobility, whilst also lurking in the shadows as a jewel thief. However, when she crosses the wrong God she’s cursed to an untimely end: turning into stone for her greed. With two weeks to break her curse, she’ll battle a sinister fiancé, an overeager junior detective, and contend with a feral half-guardian to pull off the biggest trick to save her own life.

Let’s begin with the incredible characters. Vanja is a stunningly wretched piece of work. She’s been shaped by some pretty insane circumstances that have turned her into the person she is now. Though she cloaks herself with the face of a princess, she’s a master at charming her way out of dangerous situations with blessings from both Death and Fortune when using her real face. However, her greed catches up with her and she ends up cursed. Despite that, her self-confidence is staggering, especially when you realise how the odds are stacked against her in a way that would cripple any normal person. As you read though, you’ll start to see cracks in that veneer that reveal an entirely different Vanja than the one on the surface. There’s a point in the story that I was left breathless for a few moments, because I felt like I was Vanja in the scene. It genuinely made me weepy for her. Margaret Owen, I adored Fie, but not like I’ve fallen in love with Vanja.

Of course, you can’t have a thief with a detective on the case, and in this book, that would be Emeric Conrad. He’s a know-it-all young man with a Sherlock Holmes-esque way of pissing people off as he’s solving his crimes. He’s passionate and pretty fearless, much like our heroine. Unlike our heroine, his self-righteous attitude gets him in trouble more than once, and in some pretty spectacular ways. I loved the clashes of wit between him and Vanja. Together, they’re a nightmare for anyone not on their team.

There’s magic in this world that I was fascinated by, and there’s just enough explanation of it to keep you both interested and wondering more at the same time. Of course, there’s magic from some of the dark lore infused into the story that makes this world all the more stunning. The inclusion of the pantheon of Low-Gods was phenomenal, and I definitely wished I had a little glossary at the end that maybe had some sassy commentary about each of them. We get some backstory for Death and Fortune, but I was very curious about some of the others too. Margaret has such a creative way of getting every part of her world to fit together into something so much more than a story. It’s something that sticks with you long after it’s over, and I find myself wanting to go back and see what else I might discover if I read it again.

As many of you who read my reviews know, I do love a good romance. In this book, there’s an exploration of romantic feelings from a different spectrum. I think Vanja and Emeric are both on the aro/ace spectrum (please correct me if I’m wrong, I’m not totally knowledgeable on the subject), which I hadn’t had the opportunity to read much about. Both characters go into some explanation of how they handle love as an emotion, and I really enjoyed that aspect of it. For once, I was more invested in the well-being of one character rather than the romance, and honestly, for that alone I would recommend it.

I’ve been trying to find the words to write this review for a couple of weeks now, and it’s still not saying everything I want to. There’s very few books that make me feel as emotionally invested as Little Thieves has. You can tell that every aspect of the story has been meticulously crafted into something unique and you won’t find another story like it on the shelf. You’re going to want to get this on your TBR. It’s thrilling and exciting, but also full of heart.

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

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

Synopsis | Goodreads

Once upon a time, there was a horrible girl…

Vanja Schmidt knows that no gift is freely given, not even a mother’s love–and she’s on the hook for one hell of a debt. Vanja, the adopted goddaughter of Death and Fortune, was Princess Gisele’s dutiful servant up until a year ago. That was when Vanja’s otherworldly mothers demanded a terrible price for their care, and Vanja decided to steal her future back… by stealing Gisele’s life for herself.

The real Gisele is left a penniless nobody while Vanja uses an enchanted string of pearls to take her place. Now, Vanja leads a lonely but lucrative double life as princess and jewel thief, charming nobility while emptying their coffers to fund her great escape. Then, one heist away from freedom, Vanja crosses the wrong god and is cursed to an untimely end: turning into jewels, stone by stone, for her greed.

Vanja has just two weeks to figure out how to break her curse and make her getaway. And with a feral guardian half-god, Gisele’s sinister fiancé, and an overeager junior detective on Vanja’s tail, she’ll have to pull the biggest grift yet to save her own life.

Margaret Owen, author of The Merciful Crow series, crafts a delightfully irreverent retelling of “The Goose Girl” about stolen lives, thorny truths, and the wicked girls at the heart of both.

The post Review: Little Thieves by Margaret Owen appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Could you tell us about yourself and about The Faithless Hawk?

There’s not much to say about me, other than I was a semi-cryptid shut-in before it was cool! (And by cool I mean safe and healthy. Please continue to social distance.) I currently live in Seattle with two enormous cats, and I decided to be an author when I was in fourth grade. (I did take a couple detours along the way.)

As for The Faithless Hawk, it’s my second book! I can’t believe they let me write more than one. It’s also the sequel to The Merciful Crow, so you’re going to be very confused if you pick it up first. The duology is about a girl named Fie, who was born into the lowest of her nation’s castes, the Crows. As the only caste immune to a deadly plague, but also the only caste not born with an innate magic, the Crows are limited to containing the plague and burning the dead for a living. Fie is being raised to lead her band of Crows when, one day, the crown prince and his bodyguard drag them into an elaborate plot to flee the prince’s usurping stepmother, who plans to unite the rest of the nation against the Crows.

The Merciful Crow was about privilege, systemic oppression, and who really pays the price of upholding abusive systems. The Faithless Hawk continues those themes, but also pushes Fie in new ways: now that she has certain weapons and powers other Crows don’t, what is the right way to use them—and who gets to decide that? And later, as she decides to confront the queen herself, she also has to grapple with the reality that the problem may not be solved by slaying one monster in a fancy crown.

If you could choose any of your characters to self-isolate with, who would you pick and why?

On the one hand, I’m already more or less self-isolating with Barf, because she’s based on my cat Boo. (He’s taking it like a champ.) On the other, if I could go with someone more pragmatic, I would probably pick Corporal Lakima. She would be a good housemate, I think. Always does her dishes, wears headphones to listen to music, will join in on dance parties under limited circumstances. (The circumstances are: the music has to be Lizzo.)

How does one go about becoming a Cat Master/ Deputy, because I’d love to be deputized!?

Very rigorous screening process involving belly rubs! But realistically, I think the process for hiring any new palace servant would involve sitting down with a Crane witch for a very thorough series of questions designed to root out would-be assassins. The Cat Master would also need to be familiar with general caretaking for cats—can’t have them carrying fleas around, or yacking up a hairball on the queen, after all—and willing to put up with quite a lot of scratches.

What part of the day does Fie look forward to the most?

Mornings for sure. As a chief, any time she’s awake, she’s on the clock, answering questions or addressing problems. If she wakes up early she has a bit of time to herself.

Which scene gave you life while you were writing it? (if it’s not too spoilery)

MANY of them! Some I’d been planning for years, and others snuck up on me. But the one that was the most rewarding to write is major spoilers, so all I’ll say is that I made myself a Merciful Crow laptop decal back in 2018 with that scene in mind. If you look very closely, you can see the words “Instead it sent a Crow,” and for very good reason.

So many more cats in The Faithless Hawk? Did you have a favorite? (mine was Mango/Jasifur, lol)

The new cats are all based on my friends’ cats! So I can’t pick favorites without incurring their wrath, haha. That said, the debate over Mango/Jasifur was not something I’d planned on, but definitely a fun surprise while drafting.

Is there anything about the Crows that didn’t quite make it into the final edits of the books?

I think we covered mostly everything, partially so the ending would make sense. I would have loved to show a couple more Crow shrines, though, and maybe some of the walking songs.

Is there anything you can share about your current work in progress?

Right now, I’m sticking to what I’ve shared on Twitter! Luckily, that’s a lot, because I have no sense of propriety. It’s a loose retelling of the fairy tale The Goose Girl, by way of Untitled Goose Game. (The working title was, in fact, Untitled Goose Girl.) For folks who aren’t familiar, the fairy tale is about a princess who travels to a distant kingdom to marry their prince, only for her wicked maid to steal her identity along the way. The princess is forced to work in the palace as a goose girl until the maid’s deception is discovered; the maid dies horribly, the princess marries the prince, the end.

My book, funnily enough, isn’t about the princess. It’s about the wicked maid, who has spent the last year impersonating the princess while her betrothed’s away, using her access to high society parties to pull a string of jewel heists. Then in one very eventful evening, she: a) learns her terrible fiancée is on his way back to marry her in two weeks, b) also discovers a pair of highly-trained investigators are now on her trail, and c) crosses the wrong local deity, leaving her cursed to turn into jewels herself…if she can’t make up for what she took before the full moon.

So, you know. Standard Sunday night!

How are you practicing self-care right now?

I’m fortunate in that I was able to tackle working through stress last year, so I went into the pandemic already knowing what my signals for anxiety were, and how that manifested in bad work habits. For example, when I’m anxious, I view all my tasks as monumental efforts that can only be resolved through a long, hyper-focused slog. That way they become so overwhelming, I can justify putting them off… but then that also becomes a source of anxiety, as work piles up.

When I recognize that I’m avoiding a task, I look for smaller steps I can take, to trick myself out of being overwhelmed. Maybe cleaning my entire living room is too much right now, but picking things up so I can vacuum? That’s manageable, and maybe I’ll even vacuum. Or drafting an entire blog post is daunting, but I can write an outline, and maybe the first 200 words. It’s all about reducing the first step to something you’re comfortable with.

I know it sounds weird to say “my self care is doing chores,” and I certainly do things like play Animal Crossing (see below) and chat with friends for pure fun! But for me, self care isn’t just face masks and scented candles; it’s about taking care of the space I’m inhabiting, and managing my work in a healthy way.

So I noticed you play Animal Crossing, what’s been your favorite thing to do so far?

I really like building little areas on the island that are their own self-contained spaces: a café next to the museum that’s clearly a study spot, a little scenic hill set up with a plein air painting spot, a tacky karaoke bar (so many palm tree lights!) I think my favorite spot is the star market, which is a little ravine blanketed in layers of white/gold, blue, and purple/black flowers, with market stalls holding various star pieces and star-themed objects.

How can we support this amazing sequel? Any events we can share, or pre-order info?

We’re currently setting up a launch event with Third Place Books with time TBD! But if you preorder the book, you can submit your receipt to Fierce Reads, and they’ll send you a poster I painted myself! I’m also drawing character cards that will be exclusive to preorders from Third Place Books.

Will you be picking up The Faithless Hawk? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Margaret Owen, Author of ‘The Faithless Hawk’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Faithless Hawk by Margaret Owen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Kings become outcasts and lovers become foes in the thrilling sequel to Margaret Owen’s The Merciful Crow.

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut.

Shielded by KayLynn Flanders
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

For fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Furyborn comes a thrilling new fantasy about a kingdom ravaged by war, and the princess who might be the key to saving not only those closest to her, but the kingdom itself, if she reveals the very secret that could destroy her.

Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The alternate history first contact adventure Axiom’s End is an extraordinary debut from Hugo finalist and video essayist Lindsay Ellis.

Trouble the Saints by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The dangerous magic of The Night Circus meets the powerful historical exploration of The Underground Railroad in this timely and unsettling novel, set against the darkly glamorous backdrop of New York City at the dawn of WWII.

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor (An Absolutely Remarkable Thing #2) by Hank Green
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is the bold and brilliant follow-up to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. It’s a fast-paced adventure that is also a biting social commentary, asking hard, urgent questions. How will we live online? What powers over our lives are we giving away for free? Who has the right to change the world forever? And how do we find comfort in an increasingly isolated world?

A Peculiar Peril (Misadventures of Jonathan Lambshead #1) by Jeff VanderMeer
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An epic about three friends on a quest to protect the world from a threat as unknowable as it is terrifying.

Quantum Shadows by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Bestselling author of The Mongrel Mage, L. E. Modesitt, Jr’s Quantum Shadows blends science fiction, myth, and legend in an adventure that pits old gods and new against one another in a far future world.

Scarlet Odyssey (Scarlet Odyssey #1) by C.T. Rwizi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Magic is women’s work; war is men’s. But in the coming battle, none of that will matter.

Peace Talks (The Dresden Files, #16) by Jim Butcher
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

When the Supernatural nations of the world meet up to negotiate an end to ongoing hostilities, Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, joins the White Council’s security team to make sure the talks stay civil. But can he succeed, when dark political manipulations threaten the very existence of Chicago—and all he holds dear?

Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Sawkill Girls meets Beautiful Creatures in this lush and eerie debut, where the boundary between reality and nightmares is as thin as the veil between the living and the dead. 

Ashes of the Sun (Burningblade & Silvereye #1) by Django Wexler
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Long ago, a magical war destroyed an empire, and a new one was built in its ashes. But still the old grudges simmer, and two siblings will fight on opposite sides to save their world, in the start of Django Wexler’s new epic fantasy trilogy.

Will you be picking up any of these books? Tell us in the comments below!

The post July 2020 Book Releases: Fantasy & Sci-Fi appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Final warning!

Some content warnings as well, you might read with caution if killing, torture, and disease related descriptions don’t sound like things that you want to picture. I don’t feel like it’s mentally scarring, but then again, every person is different.

So when we last left off, Fie became chieftain of the Crows. However, she knows better than to expect a royal to keep their word. That being said, Fie still hopes that Jasimir will fulfil his oath to protect her Crows. When black smoke fills the sky and signals the death of King Surimir, Fie knows that Queen Rhusana has started her merciless bid for the throne. As the witch queen uses her powers to turn Sabor against the Crows, Fie and her Crows are forced to go into hiding, leaving the country to be ravaged by the plague that the witch queen is spreading. Unfortunately, it’s a race against time for Fie. She’ll need to call on allies and go undercover within the palace in order to take down the Queen and save Sabor once and for all, but she’ll also have to unravel Rhusana’s deadly plot and Crow secrets before destruction comes for them all.

What a doozy of a summary. Not only does it pack a wallop, it makes you want to just rip the book open and start reading. Which is exactly what I did, and let me tell you, there are few that can write an introductory hook as good as Margaret Owen. Fie continues to be her sassy, grumpy self but definitely a little more wizened than in the first book. I mean, she’s definitely gone through hell. Of course, you can be assured there’s only more to come. Her character development was the most fascinating to me, because while there’s definitely growth, there’s also some development. She’s afraid of being weak, so much so that it taints the way she sees things…and there are definitely some consequences to it.

There’s such an amazing exploration here, and I can’t get into details because of spoilers, but just know, it’s some riveting stuff. The castes are a lot more desperate in this one, and alongside challenging the system in place, there’s a lot more introspection happening. Some double down in their beliefs, but not all. It provides a glimmer of hope in an otherwise nightmare hellscape.

For all the murder and disease and death, there has to be interjections of humour, which were highly appreciated and clever. Again, I praise Margaret’s way with words. It’s so authentic and unique. The words don’t feel forced, and just helps the story flow in such a way that you can’t help but keep turning the page. When you pick this up, make sure to read the dedication…I was chuckling before I had even started the damn story.

Some of you have probably been waiting for me to talk about the romance in this book, and my goodness, I hope I don’t disappoint you. In a word, this romance was everything for me. Albeit, I was angry for quite a bit of this story…but it plays out in such a way that you can’t be mad at it in the end. It was quite a clever romance to me. Please someone else read this and some squawk about it with me!

Honestly, if I didn’t talk about Rhusana in this review, she’d probably give me the plague. So, that’s probably all you need to know. Man, if you thought she had secrets before, what you’ll find out in the sequel will definitely make your hair stand on end. The sheer ruthlessness of this woman is downright admirable. Do I hate her? Most assuredly. Fear her? Absolutely. Those poor birds. I just want to protect them.

In case it hasn’t been abundantly clear, I loved this book. My hope is that it has inspired you to add it (and The Merciful Crow) to your TBR if you haven’t already. Buy it, borrow it, gift it…but DON’T steal it. This is a story that’s meant to be devoured and shared. And also has CATS. If nothing else, do it for the cats.

The Faithless Hawk is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of August 18th 2020.

Will you be picking up The Faithless Hawk? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Kings become outcasts and lovers become foes in the thrilling sequel to Margaret Owen’s The Merciful Crow.

As the new chieftain of the Crows, Fie knows better than to expect a royal to keep his word. Still she’s hopeful that Prince Jasimir will fulfill his oath to protect her fellow Crows. But then black smoke fills the sky, signaling the death of King Surimir and the beginning of Queen Rhusana’s merciless bid for the throne.

With the witch queen using the deadly plague to unite the nation of Sabor against Crows—and add numbers to her monstrous army—Fie and her band are forced to go into hiding, leaving the country to be ravaged by the plague. However, they’re all running out of time before the Crows starve in exile and Sabor is lost forever.

A desperate Fie calls on old allies to help take Rhusana down from within her own walls. But inside the royal palace, the only difference between a conqueror and a thief is an army. To survive, Fie must unravel not only Rhusana’s plot, but ancient secrets of the Crows—secrets that could save her people, or set the world ablaze.

The post Review: The Faithless Hawk by Margaret Owen appeared first on The Nerd Daily.