When I was a teenager, I was a compulsive fantasist. Don’t get me wrong, I still love fantasy; but by the time I was 13, I was imagining myself into fantasy worlds at a professional, even Olympic level. I barely even considered what I was doing imagining; what was happening in my head, all day, almost every day, was more akin to laying out a very type A travel itinerary than it was to daydreaming. Something in me was convinced that, if I could just construct the right scenario, that I could will it into being.

Spoiler alert: That never happened. But what did happen was that, in order to keep up with the frantic demand for new worlds in my head, I read a ton of fantasy. And I was aching to find myself, in any of these worlds—worlds that felt like coming home.

I hunted through countless beautiful clerics, depressed elves, morally questionable mages, fierce warriors, but I never found anyone I could believe could be me. They were all too fantastically athletic, frighteningly beautiful, epically gifted, or chosen in their blood. I was none of those things.

Every good fantasy quest begins in a tavern, and every tavern has a serving wench. Join me in a thought experiment: close your eyes and picture a tavern wench.

Open them. I’m going to bet that most of you pictured the exact same person. You pictured a curvaceous girl in a low-cut top. She’s sassy, isn’t she? Competent? She’s even likable, but really, she’s just there to pour drinks to the people who actually matter to the story.

This girl is in the background of so much fantasy. She is replicated across dozens of fantasy taverns, in hundreds of worlds. She is generic, easily replicable, and therefore disposable.

And then, once—just once—I found a tavern wench with dialogue. She was clever, funny, and generous. The heroes liked her. Even without magical powers or noble birth, she was one of the gang. She was the only one I could imagine actually being, without having to fundamentally change everything about myself.

And then she disappeared. Apparently, the author had concluded that she had nothing of value to contribute to an adventure.

The message I received in my feverish reading and daydreaming was that, in order to matter to a story, I needed to be special; that in order to have an adventure, I needed to be, somehow, chosen.

But what if I could be a force in the world without being a warrior or a mage or a princess? What if I could go on a quest just as myself; a limited, ambivalent, disgruntled, flesh-and-blood person, with some ordinary real-world talents, and even more ordinary real-world problems?

And what happens to a fantasy world when someone who is just ordinary has an agenda that the powers that be are forced to take seriously? What does it look like when that person starts to effect change?

These were the questions that fascinated me into writing Wench. I wrote the book I always wanted to read: Wench sends Tanya, a tavern wench pro exemplar, on a quest to reclaim her tavern from the Queen.

Tanya isn’t special. She doesn’t have a destiny.

But she makes one.

The post Consider the Wench appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

You Have a Match by Emma Lord
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From the beloved author of Tweet Cute comes Emma Lord’s You Have a Match, a YA novel of family, friendship, romance and sisterhood…

Cast in Firelight by Dana Swift
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The first book in an epic, heart-pounding fantasy duology about two royal heirs betrothed to be married, but whose loyalties are torn, and a ruthless enemy who threatens their world, perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Hafsah Faizal, and Renée Ahdieh.

Chlorine Sky by Mahogany L. Browne
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A novel-in-verse about a young girl coming-of-age and stepping out of the shadow of her former best friend. Perfect for readers of Elizabeth Acevedo and Nikki Grimes.

When You Look Like Us by Pamela N. Harris
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From debut author Pamela Harris comes a timely, gripping teen novel about a boy who must take up the search for his sister when she goes missing from a neighbourhood where black girls’ disappearances are too often overlooked. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Tiffany D. Jackson.

Wench by Maxine Kaplan
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A funny, fiercely feminist YA epic fantasy—following the adventures of a tavern wench.

A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer
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As two kingdoms come closer to conflict, loyalties are tested, love is threatened, and an old enemy resurfaces who could destroy them all, in this stunning conclusion to bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer’s Cursebreaker series.

Roman and Jewel by Dana L. Davis
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If Romeo and Juliet got the Hamilton treatment…who would play the leads? This vividly funny, honest, and charming romantic novel by Dana L. Davis is the story of a girl who thinks she has what it takes…and the world thinks so, too.

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

The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe
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A slick, twisty YA page-turner about the daughter of a con artist who is taken hostage in a bank heist.

Don’t Tell a Soul by Kirsten Miller
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Stay up all night with this modern day Rebecca! Perfect for fans of Truly Devious—a haunting story about a new girl in an old town filled with dark secrets . . . that might just kill her.

Every Single Lie by Rachel Vincent
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In this gripping YA novel about social media bullying and half-truths, one girl’s discovery of a dead baby in her high school locker room rocks an entire community. 

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
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International phenomenon Angie Thomas revisits Garden Heights seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give in this searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood.

What January 2021 YA releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post January 2021 YA Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

If you thought 2020 was a year of breathtaking and riveting queer releases, you ain’t seen nothing yet. With highly anticipated new stories from authors such as Casey McQuiston, Ciara Smyth, and Kelly Quindlen as well as promising debut authors like Morgan Rogers and Robbie Couch, 2021 is shaping up to be the most inclusive and LGBTQIAP+ friendly year yet (and we couldn’t be happier to see it)!

Now, our focus was mainly YA and middle-grade releases, but we’ve also thrown in a couple of queer fantasy, mystery, and romance releases too!  Want even more 2021 releases? Check out our list of Most Anticipated releases, Fantasy and Sci-Fi releases, Young Adult releases, Romance releases, and Queer SFF releases.

Read on to get a glimpse at some of the January to June 2021 #LGBTQIAP+ novels we cannot wait to get our hands on! And as always, tell us what other queer releases you’re looking forward to in the comments below!

JANUARY

Lava Red Feather Blue by Molly Ringle
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On a magically hidden North Pacific island, when a man awakens a sleeping beauty of a prince, it’s only the beginning of the fairy tale, as breaking the spell unleashes a dangerous force among the fae too.

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

Wench by Maxine Kaplan
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A funny, fiercely feminist YA epic fantasy—following the adventures of a tavern wench.

When Tara Met Farah by Tara Pammi
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“Sunshine Girl needs math lessons” in this sapphic grumpy meets sunshine new adult romance.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
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Acclaimed author of Ash, Malinda Lo returns with her most personal and ambitious novel yet, a gripping story of love and duty set in San Francisco’s Chinatown during the 1950s.

Not Quite Out by Louise Willingham
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William Anson is done with relationships, thanks. He’s starting the second year of his medicine degree single, focused, and ready to mingle with purely platonic intentions. Until he meets Daniel, a barely recovered drug addict that turns his world upside down.

The Heiress by Molly Greeley
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In this gorgeously written and spellbinding historical novel based on Pride and Prejudice, the author of The Clergyman’s Wife combines the knowing eye of Jane Austen with the eroticism and Gothic intrigue of Sarah Waters to reimagine the life of the mysterious Anne de Bourgh.

FEBRUARY

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
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A refreshingly timely and relatable debut novel about a young woman whose life plans fall apart when she meets her wife.

100 Boyfriends by Brontez Purnell
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An irreverent, sensitive, and inimitable look at gay dysfunction through the eyes of a cult hero

A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth
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The Cruel Prince meets City of Bones in this thrilling urban fantasy set in the magical underworld of Toronto that follows a queer cast of characters racing to stop a serial killer whose crimes could expose the hidden world of faeries to humans.

Love is for Losers by Wibke Brueggemann
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In this wry and hilarious queer romantic comedy, fifteen-year-old Phoebe realizes that falling in love is maybe not just for losers.

As Far as You’ll Take Me by Phil Stamper
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The author of The Gravity of Us crafts another heartfelt coming-of-age story about finding the people who become your home – perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli.

Let’s Get Back to the Party by Zak Salih
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Rich with sharply drawn characters and contemporary detail, provocative, and emotionally profound, Let’s Get Back to the Party is sure to appeal to readers of Garth Greenwell, Alan Hollinghurst, Claire Messud, and Rebecca Makkai.

The Boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough
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A funny and heart-warming queer Indigenous YA novel, set in a rural Australian community, about seventeen-year-old Jackson finding the courage to explore who he is, even if it scares him.

MARCH

Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales
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In Sophie Gonzales’ Perfect on Paper, Leah on the Offbeat meets To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: a bisexual girl who gives anonymous love advice to her classmates is hired by the hot guy to help him get his ex back.

Sweet & Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley
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In this charming debut fantasy perfect for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Girls of Paper and Fire, a witch cursed to never love meets a girl hiding her own dangerous magic, and the two strike a dangerous bargain to save their queendom.

Bruised by Tanya Boteju
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Whip It meets We Are Okay in this vibrant coming-of-age story, about a teen girl navigates first love, identity, and grief when she immerses herself in the colorful, brutal, beautiful world of roller derby. From the acclaimed author of Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens.

The Mirror Season by Anna-Marie McLemore
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When two teens discover that they were both sexually assaulted at the same party, they develop a cautious friendship through her family’s possibly magical pastelería, his secret forest of otherworldly trees, and the swallows returning to their hometown.

She’s Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard
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Inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray comes an electric romance set against a rebel art scene that sparks lethal danger for two girls in this expertly plotted YA thriller. For fans of E. Lockhart, Lauren Oliver and Kara Thomas.

I Think I Love You by Auriane Desombre
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A YA contemporary rom com about two girls who start as rivals but after a twist of events, end up falling for one another–at least they think so.

Follow Your Arrow by Jessica Verdi
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For fans of Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera, this is a riveting and irresistible take on love, life, and identity – both online and off.

APRIL

The Sky Blues by Robbie Couch
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Sky’s small town turns absolutely claustrophobic when his secret promposal plans get leaked to the entire school in this witty, heartfelt, and ultimately hopeful debut novel for fans of What if it’s Us? and I Wish You All the Best.

Between Perfect and Real by Ray Stoeve
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A moving #ownvoices YA debut about a trans boy finding his voice—and himself.

These Feathered Flames by Alexandra Overy
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Three Dark Crowns meets Wicked Saints in this queer #ownvoices retelling of The Firebird, a Russian folktale, by debut author Alexandra Overy.

Zara Hossain Is Here by Sabina Khan
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From the author of the “heart-wrenching yet hopeful” (Samira Ahmed) novel The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali, comes a timely, intimate look at what it means to be an immigrant in America today, and the endurance of hope and faith in the face of hate.

Malice by Heather Walter
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A princess isn’t supposed to fall for an evil sorceress. But in this darkly magical retelling of “Sleeping Beauty,” true love is more than a simple fairy tale.

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen
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High school nemeses fall in love in this queer YA rom com perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuisten

The Key to You and Me by Jaye Robin Brown
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A sweet and funny #ownvoices LGBTQ+ romance perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Julie Murphy, from the critically acclaimed author of Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit!

MAY

Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee
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Felix Ever After meets Becky Albertalli in this swoon-worthy, heartfelt rom-com about how a transgender teen’s first love challenges his ideas about perfect relationships.

It Goes Like This by Miel Moreland
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In Miel Moreland’s heartfelt young adult debut, four queer teens realize that sometimes you have to risk hitting repeat on heartbreak.

How to Become a Planet by Nicole Melleby
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11-year-old Pluto struggles with her depression and anxiety diagnosis, which feels like a big black hole sitting on her chest making it too hard to do anything. She makes efforts to find balance with an assist from the friendly voice on the Hayden Planetarium’s Astronomy Question and Answer Hotline.

Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth
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From the author of The Falling in Love Montage, this queer coming-of-age story about a slacker who inadvertently becomes her school’s underground problem-solver is wry, multilayered, and unflinchingly honest—perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Nina LaCour.

Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler
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Cool for the Summer is a story of self-discovery and new love. It’s about the things we want and the things we need. And it’s about the people who will let us be who we are. 

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar
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To All the Boys I Loved Before meets LGBT romance in this funny, heart-warming rom-com about first love and identity.

May the Best Man Win by ZR Ellor
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A trans boy enters a throw-down battle for the title of Homecoming King with the boy he dumped last summer in ZR Ellor’s contemporary YA debut.

JUNE

The (Un)Popular Vote by Jasper Sanchez
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Red, White and Royal Blue meets The West Wing in Sanchez’s electric and insightful #ownvoices YA debut, chronicling a transmasculine student’s foray into a no-holds-barred student body president election against the wishes of his politician father.

Jay’s Gay Agenda by Jason June
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From debut novelist Jason June comes a moving and hilarious sex-positive teen rom-com about the complexities of first loves, first hookups, and first heartbreaks—and how to stay true to yourself while embracing what you never saw coming.

The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer
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They Both Die at the End meets The Loneliest Girl in the Universe in this mind-bending sci-fi mystery and tender love story about two boys aboard a spaceship sent on a rescue mission.

The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon
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To save a fae kingdom, a trans witch must face his traumatic past and the royal fiancé he left behind. This debut YA fantasy will leave you spellbound.

Yes, Daddy by Jonathan Parks-Ramage
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A propulsive, scorching modern gothic, Yes, Daddy follows an ambitious young man who is lured by an older, successful playwright into a dizzying world of wealth and an idyllic Hamptons home where things take a nightmarish turn.

Trouble Girls by Julia Lynn Rubin
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A queer YA reimagining of Thelma & Louise with the aesthetic of Riverdale.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
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From the New York Times bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue comes a new romantic comedy that puts a queer spin on Kate & Leopold.

What queer 2021 book releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Anticipated Queer Book Releases You Can’t Miss In 2021 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.