In the chaos of life, books are an anchor that keeps you calm. It is truly magical how much a good book can comfort you, can keep you sane. When things aren’t going exactly as planned, or when life isn’t being its kindest, it is books that we readers turn to. We try to find solace in them so that we can carry on.

Here’s a list of books that we think will make you a good companion the next time you need some emotional support.

Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney

Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney is a book about friendships and trying to find your place in the world.

The book centres around two friends, Alice and Eileen, who found each other in college and quickly developed a deep friendship. The story is set a few years later, when Alice has moved away from Dublin. The two still communicated via emails, where they ruminate about the condition of the world, how all art is now commodified, and basically everything that is wrong with the world. 

At the core of the novel is their love for each other and despite the characters being almost 30, it is still a coming-of-age story of sorts. It is Eileen trying to find a place in this world when all her life she has been treated as an inferior. It is Alice slowly getting back on her feet, finding her solace somewhere far from her friends. It is Simon, his unwavering faith and his desire to do better in this world. And it is Felix, with his callous attitude, yet a softness for the people around him. The characters are raw, flawed, and beautifully fleshed out. It is comfortable to read about these characters who are just as human, diffident, and in search of affection as us. In a world that is chaotic, tiring, and often lonesome, reading about these relationships brings forth a comfort that maybe we are not all truly alone.

I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang

Sometimes the only thing that can comfort you is reading a book way past your bedtime. To consume a book page after page, breathe in the words, because you simply cannot stop. I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang does exactly that.

Sadie Wren is struggling, but she would rather swallow glass than admit it. She has to be perfect, all the time. However, Sadie’s emails, or more correctly, hate-mails to the other students, get anonymously leaked. The emails were her safe space. Her screech into the void because Ms. People Pleaser could not confront others to save her life. What follows is pages of pure entertainment, as Sadie tries to do damage control. But at the centre of it all is Julius, her nemesis, and probably the only person who isn’t surprised at receiving a hate email from Sadie.

This book is an academic rivals-to-lovers executed to perfection. But, like all of Ann Liang’s books, there is so much more than that. Sadie Wren is sinking; she needs help, and more importantly, she needs to breathe. But all her life, she has been so focused on being the best, on being the one who helps her family, that she has nothing left for herself. It is a story of being burnt out and still trying to find the spark. The book is beautiful, complex, and yet funny. The perfect book to read when all you want to do is think about someone else’s problems and forget about your own.

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Enemies-to-lovers? Between the son of the American President and the Prince of England? Nothing screams comfort quite like this.

Made into a famous movie, Red, White, and Royal Blue is a book that will make you laugh, cry, and scream all at the same time. Characters that are incredibly lovable and humane this book is for everyone who is looking for a silver lining.

Alex is chaotic, messy, and has a heart that is on fire. Henry is definitely not the one for him. But the Henry he knows is not the real one, and the more time the two of them spend together, the more they realise how much they have in common. What blossoms is a beautiful friendship based on late night calls and text messages turn into hour long conversations.

Soon, Alex and Henry realise what they truly mean to each other, but some romances are more difficult than others. And the one between the First Son of America and a Prince is definitely one of them.

With a beautiful ensemble of characters, the book is rife with incidents that make your heart flutter and break. The email exchanges between Alex and Henry are so imperative and make the story so much more richer. Red, White, and Royal Blue is like a comforting cup of coffee, not the one that wakes you up, but the one that calms you down.

Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach

A coming-of-age novel about a girl who has worked all her life for the spot of editor-in-chief of her school newspaper, and a guy who gets the spot simply because he is more likeable.

Not Here to Be Liked is a story about understanding what you want in life, and unearthing parts of yourself you didn’t even know existed. Eliza Quan is perfect. She works hard. She gets the good grades. She had all the qualities. So what if she’s a little assertive, a bit too serious. She has the talent, and at the end of the day that’s what matters. But apparently, it wasn’t enough. Len DiMartile, ex-jock, the one with the easy personality, is the one who gets the spot. What follows is Eliza spiralling into a mess of hate, anger, and disappointment.

Her frustration carries forward the momentum of the story as she cries about patriarchy and how she was denied her spot all because of her personality, but there is so much more than that. What Eliza doesn’t know is that soon she will be the leading face of a feminist movement in her school with the school asking her to team up with Lin, as a show of good nature and civility. Eliza’s life spirals further out of control as she realises that she might be falling for the face of patriarchy.

The book is light-hearted, and yet manages to touch on the subtility of being a feminist in this society. The casual incidents of Eliza being called a ‘fem-n*zi’ and being made fun of, might seem benign in the start, but what they showed were how people didn’t like a women with a voice. At the centre of it all is the blossoming romance between Eliza and Lin. The book is perfect when you want to have a good laugh and want characters to root for.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

An 18th century Englishman touring Europe with his best friend and sister before being forced to take over his family estate? Romantic tension? Hilarious commentary?  The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is the perfect book when you are looking for some comfort.

Henry ‘Monty’ Montague is the epitome of spoiled brat. His devil-may-care attitude is nothing short of a pain. His best friend Percy is the only one who can get through to him. Probably because Monty has been crushing on Percy forever.

The book follows Monty, Percy, and Felicity, as the tour through Europe. The book is filled with grand events, beautiful writing, and hilarious dialogues. But behind the façade of his nature, Monty is fragile and afraid. When Percy’s medical condition comes to the front, he is forced to let go of his childish antics and step up. The book is deeply entertaining, and surprisingly intense. It is wonderful to see Monty’s character develop as he takes a step back and sees beyond himself. The friendship, and later the romance between him and Percy is soft and irresistible. Each character has something unique to offer to the story. The perfect read to brighten up a gloomy day.

What are some of your comfort reads? Do tell us in the comments below!

The post Five Books That Are Like A Warm Coffee On A Rainy Day appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover just a few of our YA picks and let us know in the comments if you will be reading any of them!

Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt
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A teen girl looking for the truth about her missing mother forms a reluctant alliance with her former best friend…in exchange for hiding him from his cult-leading family.

Actually Super by Adi Alsaid
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A globetrotting novel that takes a determined teen from Japan to Australia and to Argentina and Mexico on a quest to prove that humanity is more good than bad from the author of Let’s Get Lost and Before Takeoff.

Damned if You Do by Alex Brown
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Queer Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Filipino folklore in this horror comedy about a high school stage manager who accidentally sells her soul to a demon.

Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim
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From the New York Times bestselling author of SIX CRIMSON CRANES comes a tale of two sisters—one as beautiful as the other is monstrous—who must fight to save each other when a betrothal contest gone wrong unleashes an evil that could sever their bond forever.

Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh by Rachael Lippincott
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From the New York Times bestselling coauthor of Five Feet Apart and She Gets the Girl comes a fresh and inventive sapphic romantic comedy that’s What If It’s Us meets Bridgerton.

Face the Night by Lani Forbes
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On a harsh frontier where good and evil contend for people’s minds, a young woman must fight for her true identity in this scintillating YA fantasy from the author of the award-winning Age of the Seventh Sun trilogy.

Unnecessary Drama by Nina Kenwood
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From the award-winning author of It Sounded Better in My Head comes a deliciously entertaining enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about two high school nemeses who end up sharing a house together their first year of college

Forgive Me Not by Jennifer Baker
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In this searing indictment of the juvenile justice system, one incarcerated teen weighs what she is willing to endure for forgiveness.

A Tall Dark Trouble by Vanessa Montalban
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Perfect for fans of Shea Ernshaw, Nina Moreno, and Elizabeth Acevedo, Vanessa Montalban’s YA debut is a dazzling Latine twist on Practical Magic that follows a family of Cuban American brujas entangled in love, magic, and murder.

Who Could Love You, Astor Price? by Amy Jane Lehan
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Set in a small Australian town and promising moments of heartache and hope, Who Could Love You, Astor Price? is the debut novel from Amy Jane Lehan.

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me by Jamison Shea
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Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings
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Tilly in Technicolor is Mazey Eddings’s sparkling YA debut about two neurodivergent teens who form a connection over the course of a summer.

My Father, The Panda Killer by Jamie Jo Hoang
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A poignant coming-of-age story told in two alternating voices: a California teenager railing against the Vietnamese culture, juxtaposed with her father as an eleven-year-old boat person on a harrowing and traumatic refugee journey from Vietnam to the United States.

Rook by William Ritter
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This standalone adventure set in the world of the  New York Times  bestselling Jackaby series brims with humor, heart, and—of course—a hefty dose of supernatural mayhem.

The Boy You Always Wanted by Michelle Quach
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From Not Here to Be Liked author Michelle Quach comes a smartly funny, heartfelt story told in dual POV about a young woman roping in her childhood crush to act as an honorary male heir to fulfill her grandfather’s dying wish. A story about first love, familial duties, and finding yourself—perfect for fans of Emiko Jean and Loan Le.

The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
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Four brothers. Two missions. One explosive read. Jennifer Lynn Barnes returns to the world of her #1 bestselling Inheritance Games trilogy, and the stakes have never been higher.  

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

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

All Eliza Quan had ever wanted since she became part of The Bugle was to be editor in chief for the school newspaper. Being the only person running for the position, her dream was so close she could almost taste it…until Len DiMartile came in to ruin everything. Ex-baseball player and just recent fellow writer for The Bugle, Len takes the team by storm and wins the elections for editor.

But what is the reason behind all that unprecedented support for a practical stranger? Is it his jock charm? Is it her appalling lack of effort for being liked? Is it the inherent sexism present in her school? Eliza is not entirely sure, but she is ready to spill all her feelings into one rage-filled article that she has no intention of publishing. What she isn’t expecting, however, is that her words are about to get leaked, exposing her feelings to the entire school…and no one takes being called out too well.

Michelle Quach’s first work Not Here to Be Liked is an upcoming YA novel that has been widely compared to Moxie and rightfully so. Witty, assertive, and bold, Not Here to Be Liked hits all the marks when it comes to current well-known books that combine feminism, romance, and self-love.

Like Moxie, Michelle Quach’s debut deals with the subtle ways in which sexism works its way into every single aspect of social life: women have to be perfect to achieve their goals, both intellectually and physically. Women have to be pretty, smart, and kind—and women have to keep quiet. But this is the 21st century, and being a complacent woman is obviously outdated. Eliza Quan, our main character, is here to cause a ruckus and many of the girls in her school will join her in her quest for justice. We can only hope you, reader, will join her too.

However, what Not Here to Be Liked truly stands out for is its intersectionality and the focus on the influence of race in feminism. Being Chinese-Vietnamese-American—like Quach herself—Eliza is very aware of the struggles she faces, not only as a woman, but also as an Asian woman. And even if a bit superficial at times when addressing feminist issues, author and main character are adamant when calling out sexism both in and out of their community. Here, Quach takes the opportunity to address another layer of discrimination. She shows how there are different levels of injustice and oppression, because while both black and Asian women are socially overlooked and mistreated, the former are the ones who suffer from sexism and racism the most.

Along with the intertwining of sexism and race, Quach also introduces the reader to the life of Eliza as a second-generation immigrant and how the children of immigrants experience life in the US. She offers a glimpse into the tight-knit communities that people build in an attempt to keep a certain sense of cultural roots, bringing a small piece of their home-countries to their new location to survive the so-called American-dream.

To wrap things up, it is very stimulating to read about a main character who is aware of being unlikeable by society’s standards and yet, never strives to change her ways. For the most part, this is very refreshing to read. Eliza is strong, intelligent, independent… and unapologetically so in a delightfully snarky manner. And yet, she is also self-righteous and tends to judge people by their cover. Those would have been perfectly acceptable flaws for an unlikeable character, if not for her constant harshness towards girly women. And for a novel that mostly revolves around feminist issues, that lack of sorority is quite…disheartening.

Overall, Not Here to Be Liked is a quick read with an easy-going prose for those who want to enjoy a fun, feminist take of the tropes we all have learned to love in the last couple of years. With a couple of unexpected turns, some loveably unlovable characters, and a cute romance doused in bubble tea, Not Here to Be Liked is—despite its title—one novel you’ll have no hard time liking.

Not Here to Be Liked is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up Not Here to Be Liked? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Emergency Contact meets Moxie in this cheeky and searing novel that unpacks just how complicated new love can get…when you fall for your enemy.

Eliza Quan is the perfect candidate for editor in chief of her school paper. That is, until ex-jock Len DiMartile decides on a whim to run against her. Suddenly her vast qualifications mean squat because inexperienced Len—who is tall, handsome, and male—just seems more like a leader.

When Eliza’s frustration spills out in a viral essay, she finds herself inspiring a feminist movement she never meant to start, caught between those who believe she’s a gender equality champion and others who think she’s simply crying misogyny.

Amid this growing tension, the school asks Eliza and Len to work side by side to demonstrate civility. But as they get to know one another, Eliza feels increasingly trapped by a horrifying realization—she just might be falling for the face of the patriarchy himself.

The post Review: Not Here To Be Liked by Michelle Quach appeared first on The Nerd Daily.