And They Were Roommates by Page Powars

Touching, thoughtful, and incredibly fun, And They Were Roommates is a delightful YA light academia romance.

Brewed with Love by Shelly Page 

Sweet, cozy, and mysterious, Brewed with Love is a thrilling YA fantasy with witches, an immersive small-town setting, and a tender romance.

By Any Other Name by Erin Cotter

Blending the history of 1500s London with swoon-worthy romantic tension, By Any Other Name is an unforgettable YA historical fiction novel.

Call Forth a Fox by Markelle Grabo

With faerie curses and a cozy fairytale atmosphere, Call Forth a Fox beautifully retells the Brothers’ Grimm’s “Snow White and Rose Red.”

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Spellbinding and powerful, Cemetery Boys is a simultaneously heart-wrenching and heartwarming YA contemporary fantasy with mythology, ghosts, and brujx set during Día de Los Muertos. 

Coming Out Perfect by Richard Mercado

Uplifting, hopeful, and funny, Coming Out Perfect is a beautiful YA graphic novel of familial expectations, fitting in, queer community, and coming out.

Daughter of the Bone Forest by Jasmine Skye

Set in a queer-normative world with a sentient forest, a magic school, shapeshifting, witches, and romance, Daughter of the Bone Forest is a sweeping YA fantasy.

Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend by Emma R. Alban

Witty, comforting, and swoony, Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend is a Victorian romance with hijinks, matchmaking, and love.

Exquisite Things by Abdi Nazemian 

Empowering, thought-provoking, and romantic, Exquisite Things is a propulsive YA historical fantasy of art, storytelling, immortality, resistance, community, grief, belonging, and, ultimately, hope.

Furious by Jamie Pacton and Rebecca Podos 

Wildly entertaining and achingly beautiful, Furious is a swoon-worthy YA contemporary romance that’s perfect for fans of Fast & Furious.

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher 

Swoony, hilarious, and riveting, Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a heartwarming medieval romcom filled with found family, love, and witty banter galore.

Hazelthorn by C.G. Drews 

With a bloodthirsty garden, gritty botanical horror, and lingering love story, Hazelthorn is an enrapturing YA gothic.

Just Between Us by Adeline Kon

Romantic, fierce, and heartwarming, Just Between Us is an unputdownable YA graphic novel with figure skating, romance, and stunning imagery.

Moss’d in Space by Rebecca Thorne

Quirky, vibrant, and wonderfully mossy, Moss’d in Space is a creative and hilarious cozy sci-fi novel.

Queen of Faces by Petra Lord

Set in a dystopian society with a dark academia atmosphere, body-swapping, assassins, and magic, Queen of Faces is a sharp and lyrical YA fantasy.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston 

Laugh-out-loud funny with found family and forbidden romance, Red, White & Royal Blue is a cinematic and irresistible contemporary romance.

Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell 

Monstrous and splendidly strange, Someone You Can Build a Nest In is a quirky, vicious, and surprisingly cozy fantasy.

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

Brimming with wit, whimsy, romance, and magical creatures, Sorcery and Small Magics is an enchanting cozy fantasy.

Soul of a Gentleman Witch by David Ferraro

Sweeping and threaded with magic, Soul of a Gentleman Witch is an addictive YA cozy fantasy that’s perfect for fans of Howl’s Moving Castle and The Girl Who Drank the Moon.

Tenderly, I am Devoured by Lyndall Clipstone

With a breathtaking romance, lyrical prose, and an eerie atmosphere, Tenderly, I am Devoured is a magical YA fantasy.

The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton 

Brimming with friends-to-lovers yearning, Fae, and a riveting heist, The Absinthe Underground is a captivating YA fantasy perfect for fans of Moulin Rouge! and The Cruel Prince.

The Entanglement of Rival Wizards by Sara Raasch

Funny, vibrant, and magical, The Entanglement of Rival Wizards is an addictive fantasy romcom with academic rivals-to-lovers tension.

The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray by Christine Calella 

With a maritime adventure, a beautiful sibling bond, and a compelling cast, The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray is a gritty, emotional, and exhilarating YA fantasy.

The House of Now and Then by Edward Underhill 

Heartfelt and hopeful, The House of Now and Then is a sweeping summer romance with an undertone of magic set in Cape Cod.

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland 

With witches, a dark academia atmosphere, demons, and a murder mystery, The Invocations is a gripping and haunting YA thriller.

The Last Best Quest Ever by F.T. Lukens

Magical, adventurous, and hilarious, The Last Best Quest Ever is a delightful YA fantasy romp with found family and fantastical creatures.

The Leaving Room by Amber McBride 

Spellbinding and achingly beautiful, The Leaving Room is a tender YA novel-in-verse brimming with emotion, memories, family recipes, love, and hope.

The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J.R. Dawson

Set in modern-day Chicago and threaded with Greek mythology, The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World is a poignant and touching urban fantasy perfect for fans of Hadestown.

The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson

Infused with horror, art, and romance, The Macabre is an adventurous and inventive contemporary fantasy.

The Midnight Girls by Alicia Jasinska

 With adventure, magic, and rivals-to-lovers tension, The Midnight Girls is a cinematic and whimsical YA fantasy.

With Fire in Their Blood by Kat Delacorte

Set in Italy with witches, a love square, and warring mafia clans, With Fire in Their Blood is a romantic and thrilling YA paranormal romance.

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White 

Vicious, sharp, and brilliantly unsettling, The Spirit Bares Its Teeth is a YA historical fantasy set in London, 1883.

This Must Be the Place by Kelly Quindlen 

Welcoming, emotional, and tender, This Must Be the Place is a captivating YA contemporary novel with found family set in small-town Alabama.

This Raging Sea by De Elizabeth

Sea-soaked, haunting, and lush, This Raging Sea is a YA dark fantasy with romance, eldritch secrets, horror, witches, and time travel.

Time After Time by Mikki Daughtry 

Vivid and romantic, Time After Time is a breathtaking YA romance following two love stories set one hundred years apart.

Vile Lady Villains by Danai Christopoulou 

Sharp, lyrical, and twisty, Vile Lady Villains is a fierce and creative fantasy threaded with Greek mythology and Shakespeare.

We Burned So Bright by T.J. Klune 

Heavy yet full of life, We Burned So Bright is a heart-wrenching but unexpectedly comforting fantasy of humans at the end of the world facing love, loss, and life itself.

What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch

Twisty, immersive, and magical, What Wakes the Bells is a gripping YA fantasy with a gothic atmosphere inspired by a Prague legend. 

From heartwarming found families to swoon-worthy romances to laugh-out-loud banter, these stories bring extra queer joy, community, and love to the Pride Month celebration. Happy reading, and Happy Pride Month!

The post 38 LGBTQIA+ Books to Add to Your Pride Month TBR appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

About The Redwood Bargain: From the author of Call Forth a Fox, comes a gothic fairytale in which a maid poses as her lord’s stepdaughter to fulfill his bargain with a dangerous lord of the woods, only to end up falling for the very lady she’s meant to impersonate. Brothers Grimm meets Downton Abbey. Released April 28th 2026.

I wonder how the cowherd’s daughter felt about that?

This was the first question I muttered to myself while reading the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, “Hurleburlebutz” for the first time, and it’s what ultimately led me to writing The Redwood Bargain, my queer gothic fantasy reimagining of the story.

But before we get to my version, let’s spend a moment with the original fairy tale. In “Hurleburlebutz” (also known as “The Dwarf, the Fox, and the Princess”), a king gets lost in the forest and promises his youngest daughter to a dwarf in exchange for a way home. The king is really upset about this, but his daughters have a plan. On the day the dwarf is meant to collect on his end of the bargain, the princesses dress a cowherd’s daughter in their clothes and leave her for the dwarf to find. The dwarf—well, actually, now he’s a fox—comes to fetch her and quickly realizes she’s not the princess he was promised.

The princesses attempt their trickery again with a gooseherd’s daughter, but that doesn’t work, either. So, the king and his daughters reluctantly send the real princess off with the fox. Spoiler alert: they fall in love and she breaks his curse by cutting off a dove’s head, transforming him back into a prince so they can inherit the kingdom. Because, well, fairy tales!

This story is classified as an “animal as bridegroom” tale, like “Snow White and Rose Red”, the inspiration for my first queer fairy tale, Call Forth a Fox. In that retelling, my aim was to bring the queer subtext of Rose Red to the surface, rebelling against the original fairy tale’s ending—in which Snow White marries the bear prince and Rose Red marries the prince’s brother, an off-the-page character we never meet—in favor of giving Rose Red the sapphic romance and bisexual coming of age she deserves. 

In writing The Redwood Bargain, my focus switched from title to supporting character. Rather than write from the POV of the king or a princess, I chose the cowherd’s daughter (though I turned her into a kitchen maid due to my love of Downton Abbey). See, I couldn’t stop thinking about the cowherd’s daughter, or the gooseherd’s daughter, for that matter. I wondered how they felt, being used in the princesses’ scheme. I wondered if they were offered anything for their service, or if they were simply forced into the position of sacrifice because they were peasants being ordered about by princesses.

From there, I envisioned my main character—an indentured servant named Katrien—who would play along because of her class status, yes, but also because she’d have something to gain from the bargain too—the opportunity to free her beloved cousin from a contract with their lord of the manor, provided she successfully fools a creature from the forest (who, in my version, kills the girls who try to trick him).

The queer romance aspect followed quickly. I’ve always been a fan of “princess in training” stories and thought about how deliciously complicated it would be for Katrien to fall in love with Zaviera, the very lady she’s meant to impersonate. When you’re capable of same-gender attraction, sometimes it’s hard to tell whether you want to be with someone or want to become them. In Katrien’s case, it’s very much both.

Downton Abbey played a role in the romance too. I have a great fondness for the franchise, but the queer rep was rough in those early TV seasons. I wanted an Edwardian period drama where queerness isn’t a tragedy. Where the problem isn’t that two girls have feelings for each other, but that they have these feelings while navigating a sinister bargain, in which one girl is risking her life because of her class, while the other girl’s life is shielded by her class.

Queering this fairy tale also meant interrogating the purpose of the story’s antagonist turned prince—the dwarf/fox. Or, in my case, a tree creature known as The Redwood Man. Remember, the young princess and the cursed prince are meant to fall in love and live happily ever after. But the idea that the princess would fall in love with the man she was bargained away to by her father was something I couldn’t imagine in a modern retelling of this fairy tale. I couldn’t imagine my characters—Katrien or Lady Zaviera—falling in love with The Redwood Man. Yet, others probably could.

Another author might’ve kept the ending intact. It’s the perfect setup for a dark monster romance, after all. A girl falls in love with a murderous forest lord, yet the power of their love ultimately transforms him. I see the possibilities. And yet I hate them! While I do enjoy a morally grey romance on occasion, most often I’m in favor of just letting villains be villains. This is especially true in my own stories. The Redwood Man was never going to be the love interest. Instead, I saw him as the mirror to the father who bargained away his daughter. Two men choosing for young women because they want to, because they can, because they believe their needs matter most. 

But in my fairy tale, it’s not the men who inherit the kingdom. To find out who does—and learn what becomes of my gothic girls in love—you’ll have to read The Redwood Bargain.

The post Queering the Brothers Grimm: How Concern For a Cowherd’s Daughter and Love of Downton Abbey Inspired a Gothic Fairy Tale appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

FOLKLORE

Folklore retellings are undeniably spellbinding, often blending whimsy with magical beings and a twisty bargain or two… 

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

With a captivating cast of characters, addictive romance, and an action-packed plot, A Curse So Dark and Lonely delivers a delightful YA retelling of “Beauty and the Beast.”

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

A Sorceress Comes to Call enchants as it reimagines the Brothers Grimm’s “Goose Girl,” blending forbidden magic, secrets, and murder in an irresistible Gothic atmosphere.

Call Forth a Fox by Markelle Grabo

Cozy with a tinge of darkness and filled with fae, curses, and sapphic love, Call Forth a Fox reimagines the story of “Snow-White and Rose-Red.”

Cinder House by Freya Marske

Cinder House is a “Cinderella” retelling brimming with haunting, magical world-building; an addictive queer romance; and a creative, propulsive plot that presents a fresh interpretation of Cinderella’s story while delivering delightful familiarity.

Gilded by Marissa Meyer

Gilded is a YA “Rumpelstiltskin” retelling filled with a tender romance, a haunted castle, wonderfully creepy beasts, and a dark yet welcoming atmosphere that captures the feeling of curling up in a blanket, a fire crackling beside you as a storm thunders outside. 

Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher

In Hemlock & Silver, Kingfisher’s darkly enchanting prosepresents Snow White’s story through the gaze of a healer named Anja, adding even more adventure, poison, magic, love, and wit to the tale.

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

Ghosts, mystery, sisterhood, secrets, and horror fill the captivating Gothic atmosphere of House of Salt and Sorrows, presenting a new take on “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.”

Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser

Lady Tremaine explores Cinderella’s story from the “evil” stepmother’s point of view, revealing a whole new side of the story—one of motherhood, survival, glamor, decay, and love.

No Better Than Beasts by Z.R. Ellor

No Better Than Beasts reimagines the Nutcracker story with whimsical world-building and a twisty, addictive plot.

The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder

The Bone Spindle reimagines “Sleeping Beauty”with an Indiana Jones twist, delivering a cinematic YA fantasy of love, adventure, and found family.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a whimsical YA retelling of “The Tale of Shim Cheong” filled with mythical creatures and vivid world-building perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli.

The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer

Murder, mystery, magic, mythology, and monsters unite to retell the tale of Bluebeard in The House Saphir.

Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods

Combining “Cinderella” and “The Little Mermaid,” Woods creates a thoroughly spellbinding story of love, magic, seduction, secrets, and history in Upon a Starlit Tide, set in Saint-Malo, Brittany, in 1758.

CLASSICS

Retellings of classics delight as they explore old, beloved stories through modern lenses. Whether you’re new to classics or an avid reader of them, these retellings are the perfect way to introduce yourself to these timeless tales or revisit an old favorite.

For She Is Wrath by Emily Varga

For She Is Wrath is a fierce and addictive Pakistani YA retelling of The Count of Monte Cristowith action, romance, and female friendship.

Hungerstone by Kat Dunn

With a haunting, Gothic atmosphere; sapphic love story; and captivating horror and history, Hungerstone delivers a thrilling retelling of Carmilla.

Local Heavens by K.M. Fajardo

The Great Gatsby emerges with a cyberpunk twist in Local Heavens, featuring queer dystopian romances, tech-modified bodies, and a Filipino American Nick Carraway.

One for All by Lillie Lainoff

Sword fighting, sisterhood, secrets, and self-love abound in One for All, a gender-bent YA retelling of The Three Musketeers following a fierce heroine with a chronic illness. 

Sing the Night by Megan Jauregui Eccles

Sing the Night is a sweeping retelling of The Phantom of the Operathat brims with vivid imagery, magic, and music. 

Strike the Zither by Joan He

Strike the Zither is a cinematic YA reimagining of the Chinese novel The Three Kingdoms,filled with political intrigue, found family, and a gripping love story.

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood

Haunting and romantic, Within These Wicked Walls is an unputdownable Ethiopian-inspired YA retelling of Jane Eyre. 

Greek Mythology

Greek mythology retellings often feel nostalgic as I’m transported back to the plotlines, drama, magic, and chaos of the Greek mythology tales I adored as a child. If you haven’t yet dove into the treasure trove that is Greek mythology, never fear—these retellings are perfect for new and old fans alike:

Daughter of Sparta by Claire M. Andrews

Daughter of Sparta is an action-packed, fierce, and empowering YA reimagining of the story of Apollo and Daphne. 

Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald

Girl, Goddess, Queen is a fierce and addictive YA retelling of Hades and Persephone’s story, brimming with banter, fake dating, and a compelling cast of characters. 

I, Medusa by Ayana Gray

Exploring sisterhood, love, power, and feminine rage, I, Medusa is a lush retelling of the story of Medusa featuring a Black protagonist.

The Witch of Colchis by Rosie Hewlett

The Witch of Colchis retells the story of Medea with feminine rage, magic, and action.

Arthurian Legend

While I adore Arthurian legend, its portrayal of women is frequently less than favorable. Morgan le Fay often appears as a villainous crone, and Queen Guinevere’s character is usually passive and underdeveloped. Thus, I was beyond delighted when I discovered these retellings of Arthurian legend that shine a light on the power of women:

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Legendborn powerfully reimagines King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, presenting a YA dark academia novel with magic that powerfully explores racism and grief.

Morgan is My Name by Sophie Keetch

Morgan is My Name reimagines the early life of Morgan le Fay, highlighting her strength and presenting her tale with atmospheric world-building, lyrical prose, and political intrigue.

The Once and Future Queen by Paula Lafferty

The Once and Future Queen reimagines Queen Guinevere’s story with a cozy, adventurous, darkly magical atmosphere and a captivating cast of characters, including the spunky and fierce new Guinevere, Vera.

Shakespeare

William Shakespeare’s works brim with wit, drama, and even magic. His tragedies and his comedies are equally sweeping, and these retellings beautifully capture the exhilaration of reading (or watching) a Shakespearean play:

Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid

Lady Macbeth retells the story of Lady Macbeth, presenting a Gothic atmosphere; Scottish folklore; themes of power, patriarchy, and revenge; and a compelling main character who redefines what it means to be a witch.

Salt & Sugar by Rebecca Carvalho

Heart-warming, mouth-watering, and swoon-worthy, Salt & Sugar reimagines Romeo & Juliet in present-day Brazil. 

The Hundred Loves of Juliet by Evelyn Skye

Romantic, bingeable, and emotional, The Hundred Loves of Juliet retells Romeo & Juliet with a modern, magical twist. 

The post 30 Must-Read Retellings To Add To Your TBR appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Markelle! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

I love to retell fairy tales, especially ones that frustrate me or are lesser-known. When I’m not writing, I’m usually experiencing stories some other way (through books, television, movies, podcasts, video games, etc), hiking, or going on food adventures. I love tea, renaissance faires, and exploring big cities. I’m a communications specialist for my 9-5, and I live in the Greater Chicago area with my partner and two fluffy cats, Matcha and Kava.

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

I’ve always loved stories, but I decided I wanted to be a writer in 5th grade after I realized my squeamish nature wouldn’t lend itself well to a career in Marine Biology. That’s also around the time I wrote my first “novel” – a 90-page story about very dramatic mermaids.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: The Animal Ark Series, especially Bunnies in the Bathroom and Hedgehogs in the Hall!
• The one that made you want to become an author: Fire Bringer by David Clement-Davies. He made me care about the lives of deer more than I ever thought I could! I want to write characters that readers care about that much.
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. It’s the kind of storytelling I will always aspire to.

Your debut novel, Call Forth a Fox, is out April 2^nd! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Cozy sapphic fairy tale retelling.

What can readers expect?

Readers can expect a unique twist on a classic fairy tale, along with a majority queer cast of characters, teens realizing the complexities of growing up and making their own choices, faerie magic and adventure, sweet sapphic romance, found family and a close-knit sister relationship, lots of cozy food and tea descriptions, and an atmospheric winter setting.

Where did the inspiration for Call Forth a Fox come from?

Call Forth a Fox was my first attempt at writing a fairy tale retelling. I wanted a story I didn’t grow up with to avoid any nostalgic influence, and when I first read “Snow White and Rose Red,” I knew it was the tale I needed to retell. The queer subtext surrounding animal transformation is very compelling, as well as Rose Red’s “wildness” compared to her sister. I’m also frustrated by the overwhelmingly heteronormative ending. Snow White marries the bear/prince, which is fine, but Rose Red marries the prince’s brother – a character we never meet! Almost like the ending has to prove the story can’t be queer.

This blend of intrigue and frustration got me started on the plot, but my main character’s internal journal was inspired by events in my life. I wrote the first draft of Call Forth a Fox right after I moved from my home state of Wisconsin to Southern California. Then, years later, I finished edits just as I was moving from Southern California to Illinois. So a lot of Ro’s conflicted feelings about not wanting to leave a place she loves but also recognizing it might be time for something new come directly from my own experiences.

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

I loved writing a protagonist who is fifteen. When I started reading YA as a teen, I remember more protagonists were around that age. These days, most YA protagonists are 17 and up. Stories that depict older teen experiences are wonderful and necessary, of course, but so are ones for younger teens, and I’d love to see more of a balance reflected across the YA category.

I also enjoyed writing a character who resists violence. Ro has curses to break, but she’s trying to do that without anyone getting hurt. This means taking the harder path at times, and even confronting her own actions and behaviors because there are forms of violence that aren’t obvious at first glance.

This is your debut published novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?

An early version of Call Forth a Fox was my thesis for my master’s in writing for children and young adults program at Hamline University. After I graduated in 2018, I started querying, and during that period I revised the manuscript to be in first person rather than third. One of my graduate advisors, Anne Ursu, was instrumental in helping me find the right agents to query, and I found my perfect match in Tricia Lawrence of Erin Murphy Literary Agency in early 2021. We were on submission for a while, but if there’s one thing publishing teaches you, it’s patience! Near the end of 2022, I got the offer from Lauren Knowles at Page Street YA, so it’s been a long road, but I wouldn’t change any of it. Call Forth a Fox is the story it’s meant to be because of this experience.

What’s next for you?

I’ve got one fairy tale retelling on submission, another waiting to be revised, and a third that I’m drafting now, so we’ll see where publishing takes me!

Lastly, are there any book releases that you’re looking forward to picking up this year?

In the YA space, I can’t wait for The Girl with No Reflection, a fantasy by fellow debut author Keshe Chow, and The Brightness Between Us, the sequel to Eliot Schrefer’s absolutely riveting The Darkness Outside Us. I’m also excited to read my friend Kalena Miller’s next middle grade, South of Somewhere, which publishes the same week as Call Forth a Fox!

Will you be picking up Call Forth a Fox? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Markelle Grabo, Author of ‘Call Forth A Fox’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.