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	<title>Naomi Novik Archives | The Nerd Daily</title>
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		<title>Seven Fantasy Books with Animal Companions</title>
		<link>https://thenerddaily.com/seven-fantasy-books-with-animal-companions/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[The Nerd Daily]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Andrea Stewart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Antonia Hodgkins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fantasy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Heather Fawcett]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jennifer Mandula]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Naomi Novik]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Robin Hobb]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Robin McKinley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[T Kingfisher]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://thenerddaily.com/?p=62209</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Guest post written by The Geomagician author Jennifer MandulaJennifer Mandula lives in Cleveland, OH with her husband, three daughters, and a neurotic corgi. She first learned of the historical Mary Anning while studying for her master’s in education at the University of Oxford. In her spare time she visits local bakeries and plans her next escape to the beach. The Geomagician is her debut novel. About The Geomagician: When a Victorian fossil hunter discovers a baby pterodactyl, she vows to protect him, with the help [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://thenerddaily.com/seven-fantasy-books-with-animal-companions/">Seven Fantasy Books with Animal Companions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://thenerddaily.com">The Nerd Daily</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Guest post written by <em><a href="https://www.jennifermandula.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Geomagician </a></em>author Jennifer Mandula<br /></strong><span style="font-size: revert; letter-spacing: 0em; color: initial;">Jennifer Mandula</span><span style="font-size: revert; letter-spacing: 0em; color: initial;"> lives in Cleveland, OH with her husband, three daughters, and a neurotic corgi. She first learned of the historical Mary Anning while studying for her master’s in education at the University of Oxford. In her spare time she visits local bakeries and plans her next escape to the beach. </span><i style="font-size: revert; letter-spacing: 0em; color: initial;">The Geomagician</i><span style="font-size: revert; letter-spacing: 0em; color: initial;"> is her debut novel.</span></p>
<p><strong>About <em><a href="https://www.jennifermandula.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Geomagician</a>: </em></strong>When a Victorian fossil hunter discovers a baby pterodactyl, she vows to protect him, with the help of a fellow scholar—her former fiancé—in this enchanting and transporting historical fantasy. Out March 31st 2026.<strong><em><br /></em></strong></p>
<hr />
<p>I went on a quest when I was eight. I wrapped an apple, string cheese, and a piece of bread into a tea towel, tossed it over my shoulder, and called for Sammy the cat to follow.</p>
<p>Sammy, scrappy and thin, with short, black fur, trotted gamely after me. Together we walked, oh, about twenty feet from the house, sat under the kumquat tree, and ate our victuals. I felt wild and brave, venturing away from home all on my own. But it was even sweeter because I wasn’t <em>really</em> alone. I had Sammy to share the adventure with me.</p>
<p>The animal companion trope is as much a staple of fantasy as that bundle of apple, cheese, and bread. They can be non-speaking, telepathic, or capable of speech. Mundane or magical. Scaled, furred, winged, pawed, or hooved. And just like pets in the real world, fictional animal friends tend to bring out the best in their humans, helping characters grow kinder and braver than if they were alone.</p>
<p>I’m sure you will likely have a list of your own favorites, but here are seven of my favorite animal companions, plus one adorable pterodactyl you’ll meet in my historical fantasy, THE GEOMAGICIAN.  </p>


<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:23% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="669" height="1024" src="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Hero-and-the-Crown-by-Robin-McKinley.jpg?resize=669%2C1024&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-62210 size-full" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Hero-and-the-Crown-by-Robin-McKinley.jpg?resize=669%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 669w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Hero-and-the-Crown-by-Robin-McKinley.jpg?resize=196%2C300&amp;ssl=1 196w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Hero-and-the-Crown-by-Robin-McKinley.jpg?resize=770%2C1179&amp;ssl=1 770w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Hero-and-the-Crown-by-Robin-McKinley.jpg?resize=293%2C448&amp;ssl=1 293w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Hero-and-the-Crown-by-Robin-McKinley.jpg?w=980&amp;ssl=1 980w" sizes="(max-width: 669px) 100vw, 669px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<h4><strong>The Hero and the Crown </strong>by Robin McKinley</h4>
<p><em>Talat (Horse)</em></p>
<p>I imprinted deeply on this lyrical story of a girl-and-her-horse hunting dragons. Talat is an aggressive, retired warhorse who slowly comes to trust the outcast princess who seeks to ride him. Talat and Aerin were <em>the </em>blueprint for fantasy horse girlies born in the 80s and 90s.</p>
</div></div>



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:23% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Assassins-Apprentice-by-Robin-Hobb.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-62213 size-full" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Assassins-Apprentice-by-Robin-Hobb.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Assassins-Apprentice-by-Robin-Hobb.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Assassins-Apprentice-by-Robin-Hobb.jpg?resize=770%2C1155&amp;ssl=1 770w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Assassins-Apprentice-by-Robin-Hobb.jpg?resize=293%2C440&amp;ssl=1 293w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Assassins-Apprentice-by-Robin-Hobb.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<h4><strong><em>Assassin’s Apprentice </em></strong>by Robin Hobb</h4>
<p><em>Nighteyes (Wolf)</em></p>
<p>In Robin Hobb’s epic Realm of the Elderlings series some people possess a magic called ‘Wit’ that allows them to bond with animals. The main character, Fitz, bonds to a wolf named Nighteyes, and their relationship is genuinely one of the most moving depictions of friendship I’ve ever read. But prepare yourself if you pick this one up—you’re going to cry.</p>
</div></div>



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:23% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/His-Majestys-Dragon-by-Naomi-Novik.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-62214 size-full" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/His-Majestys-Dragon-by-Naomi-Novik.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/His-Majestys-Dragon-by-Naomi-Novik.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/His-Majestys-Dragon-by-Naomi-Novik.jpg?resize=770%2C1155&amp;ssl=1 770w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/His-Majestys-Dragon-by-Naomi-Novik.jpg?resize=293%2C440&amp;ssl=1 293w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/His-Majestys-Dragon-by-Naomi-Novik.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<h4><strong>His Majesty’s Dragon</strong> by Naomi Novik</h4>
<p><em>Temeraire (Dragon)</em></p>
<p>This delightful series by Naomi Novik reimagines the Napoleonic Wars—with dragons. After Temeraire imprints on Captain Will Laurence, an English naval officer, the pair join the ranks of the British Aerial Corps. Clever and inquisitive, Temeraire the dragon slowly breaks down Laurence’s defenses, as the pair get themselves in and out of various military, interpersonal, and political hijinks.</p>
</div></div>



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:23% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="640" height="1024" src="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Emily-Wildes-Encyclopaedia-of-Faeries-by-Heather-Fawcett.jpg?resize=640%2C1024&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-49531 size-full" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Emily-Wildes-Encyclopaedia-of-Faeries-by-Heather-Fawcett.jpg?resize=640%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 640w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Emily-Wildes-Encyclopaedia-of-Faeries-by-Heather-Fawcett.jpg?resize=188%2C300&amp;ssl=1 188w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Emily-Wildes-Encyclopaedia-of-Faeries-by-Heather-Fawcett.jpg?resize=770%2C1231&amp;ssl=1 770w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Emily-Wildes-Encyclopaedia-of-Faeries-by-Heather-Fawcett.jpg?resize=500%2C800&amp;ssl=1 500w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Emily-Wildes-Encyclopaedia-of-Faeries-by-Heather-Fawcett.jpg?resize=293%2C469&amp;ssl=1 293w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Emily-Wildes-Encyclopaedia-of-Faeries-by-Heather-Fawcett.jpg?w=938&amp;ssl=1 938w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<h4><strong>Emily Wilde Series</strong> by Heather Fawcett</h4>
<p><em>Shadow (Dog?)</em></p>
<p>Emily Wilde is a no-nonsense scholar researching the fae. She is accompanied (and protected) on fieldwork by her enormous gentle giant of a dog named Shadow. Shadow doesn’t speak, but he is a steady, constant friend to Emily, and I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say he is more than he appears. As a bonus, you also get to meet Orga—a cat who is also more than meets the eye—as the series continues.</p>
</div></div>



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:23% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="669" height="1024" src="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-Bone-Shard-Daughter-by-Andrea-Stewart.jpg?resize=669%2C1024&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-27085 size-full" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-Bone-Shard-Daughter-by-Andrea-Stewart-scaled.jpg?resize=669%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 669w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-Bone-Shard-Daughter-by-Andrea-Stewart-scaled.jpg?resize=196%2C300&amp;ssl=1 196w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-Bone-Shard-Daughter-by-Andrea-Stewart-scaled.jpg?w=1674&amp;ssl=1 1674w" sizes="(max-width: 669px) 100vw, 669px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<h4><strong>The Bone Shard Daughter </strong>by Andrea Stewart</h4>
<p><em>Mephi (Ossalen)</em></p>
<p>When Jovis, a smuggler, sees a tiny, fluffy animal swimming behind his ship, he pulls the creature aboard. Mephi, described as something like an otter-kitten, grows rapidly into an otter-dragon called an ossalen and learns to speak. If an otter-dragon companion isn’t enough to sell you on it, this series has one of my favorite magic systems in which coding on pieces of bone can control animal constructs.   </p>
</div></div>



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:23% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="659" height="1024" src="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Nettle-Bone-by-T.-Kingfisher.jpg?resize=659%2C1024&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-62215 size-full" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Nettle-Bone-by-T.-Kingfisher.jpg?resize=659%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 659w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Nettle-Bone-by-T.-Kingfisher.jpg?resize=193%2C300&amp;ssl=1 193w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Nettle-Bone-by-T.-Kingfisher.jpg?resize=770%2C1197&amp;ssl=1 770w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Nettle-Bone-by-T.-Kingfisher.jpg?resize=293%2C455&amp;ssl=1 293w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Nettle-Bone-by-T.-Kingfisher.jpg?w=965&amp;ssl=1 965w" sizes="(max-width: 659px) 100vw, 659px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<h4><strong>Nettle &amp; Bone</strong> by T. Kingfisher</h4>
<p><em>Bone Dog (Bone dog)</em></p>
<p>It was difficult to choose my favorite T. Kingfisher animal because she often includes pets or animal friends in her work and they’re all wonderful (honorable mention to the sarcastic armadillo from <em>Minor Mage</em>.) But Bone Dog stole my heart from the first ghost lick he gives heroine Mara after she assembles him in a charnel pit. Bone Dog becomes Mara’s loyal companion as she sets out to kill a prince and save her sister in this funny, dark, sweet fairytale.</p>
</div></div>



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:23% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="664" height="1024" src="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Raven-Scholar-by-Antonia-Hodgkins.jpg?resize=664%2C1024&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-62216 size-full" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Raven-Scholar-by-Antonia-Hodgkins.jpg?resize=664%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 664w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Raven-Scholar-by-Antonia-Hodgkins.jpg?resize=195%2C300&amp;ssl=1 195w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Raven-Scholar-by-Antonia-Hodgkins.jpg?resize=770%2C1187&amp;ssl=1 770w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Raven-Scholar-by-Antonia-Hodgkins.jpg?resize=293%2C452&amp;ssl=1 293w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Raven-Scholar-by-Antonia-Hodgkins.jpg?w=973&amp;ssl=1 973w" sizes="(max-width: 664px) 100vw, 664px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<h4><strong>The Raven Scholar </strong>by Antonia Hodgkins</h4>
<p><em>Sol (Not-Quite-A-Raven)</em></p>
<p>Admittedly Sol—short for Solitary Raven—is more of a metaphysical concept than an animal, but he is the reluctant companion of Neema, a scribe forced to compete to become Emperor. Sol is as histrionic as Neema is practical, but I adored watching their unwanted bond transform into mutual respect and friendship.</p>
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<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:23% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="678" height="1024" src="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Geomagician-by-Jennifer-Mandula.jpg?resize=678%2C1024&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-62217 size-full" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Geomagician-by-Jennifer-Mandula.jpg?resize=678%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 678w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Geomagician-by-Jennifer-Mandula.jpg?resize=199%2C300&amp;ssl=1 199w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Geomagician-by-Jennifer-Mandula.jpg?resize=770%2C1163&amp;ssl=1 770w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Geomagician-by-Jennifer-Mandula.jpg?resize=293%2C443&amp;ssl=1 293w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Geomagician-by-Jennifer-Mandula.jpg?w=993&amp;ssl=1 993w" sizes="(max-width: 678px) 100vw, 678px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<h4><strong>The Geomagician</strong> by Jennifer Mandula</h4>
<p><em>Ajax (Pterosaur)</em></p>
<p>When a fossilized egg miraculously hatches in her hands to reveal a baby pterodactyl, fossil hunter Mary Anning names him Ajax. She immediately starts scheming how to use him to further her career and become a geomagician, a magical paleontologist. But spirited little Ajax—who looks like a puffin if it were also a gargoyle—slowly thaws her heart, and will hopefully win yours, too.  </p>
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://thenerddaily.com/seven-fantasy-books-with-animal-companions/">Seven Fantasy Books with Animal Companions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://thenerddaily.com">The Nerd Daily</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">62209</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Review: A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik</title>
		<link>https://thenerddaily.com/review-a-deadly-education-by-naomi-novik/</link>
					<comments>https://thenerddaily.com/review-a-deadly-education-by-naomi-novik/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[AB Endacott]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2020 09:00:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Book Review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fantasy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Naomi Novik]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.thenerddaily.com/?p=27894</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>While I’ve not read any of Naomi Novik’s previous books, everything I’ve heard is positive. The depth of imagination within the field of her work is often praised, as is the level of thought and the scope of the world she writes. That is all present in her most recent book, A Deadly Education, the first book in a new series set in a school for magic. The intricacies and layers to the world of the Scholomance—the school in which [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://thenerddaily.com/review-a-deadly-education-by-naomi-novik/">Review: A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik</a> appeared first on <a href="https://thenerddaily.com">The Nerd Daily</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>While I’ve not read any of Naomi Novik’s previous books, everything I’ve heard is positive. The depth of imagination within the field of her work is often praised, as is the level of thought and the scope of the world she writes. That is all present in her most recent book, <em>A Deadly Education</em>, the first book in a new series set in a school for magic.</p>
<p>The intricacies and layers to the world of the Scholomance—the school in which our protagonist and narrator, Galadriel, or El, is locked into until she graduates or dies—is a showcase for Novik’s powerful imagination. This world is a dangerous one, filled with creatures who feed on those with magic. The politics of being a wizard is also a dangerous one as alliances, factions and exclusions are par for the course and comprise the world which El is forced to navigate.</p>
<p>The sheer power of Novik’s imagination is on display as the depth of lore and the unusualness of the way she takes old ideas (school for magic) and twists, subverts, or totally reinvents them is saturated across every page. However, there is a significant issue that meant there were several points when I became very frustrated with the book: there are simply enormous chunks of exposition (often, they go on for pages) scattered throughout the novel and going right through the story. While it’s an efficient way to give the information which takes us through the history, lore, and mechanics of how the magic systems and structures work, it’s tedious reading and really detracts from the flow of the story.</p>
<p>I can’t help but wonder if there was a more efficient way to convey the same information but without taking so much away from the story; the first time I encountered one of the info-dumps, I was actually confused and thought there was a flashback, or it was something El was discovering in the context of the narrative events. Crucially, I’m not actually sure that they always explained what I needed to in order to navigate the plot with a clear understanding of the necessary information. I’m still confused as to what mals (the creatures which seek to consume the wizards) actually are. There was some suggestion that they were created by wizards, but it was equally possible that they manifested from somewhere else? Perhaps I missed it because I skimmed over it while I was hacking through those pages of exposition. Regardless, it was a piece of information I would have quite liked reinforced a few times so that I completely understood what El and the entire wizarding world was up against, given these mals pose such an existential threat and which the students at the scholomance are confronted with in a sink-or-swim style of preparing them for the outside world.  Moreover, the novel is littered with sentences that I had to read multiple times in order to understand, because they could have been reworded for better clarity. It’s a bugbear of mine to encounter unwieldy or confusing sentences, especially when there’s already so much information I need to take in.</p>
<p>At its heart, the story is quite an interesting one, exploring questions of self-fulfilling prophecies (when you expect people to reject you and hate you and act in pre-emptive accordance with that belief, they tend to find you prickly and don’t want to be around you), and the very lovely message that being nice to people and working together can actually achieve good results. I can also acknowledge that I was uncertain of where exactly the story was going to go—something quite refreshing. The story did take a bit to actually start, but once it did, I was certainly hooked. Happily, it increased in pace as the finale neared, which made for quite gripping reading in between the blocks of exposition.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, many of the ‘big’ and tantalising ongoing questions of the novel are left without any reveals being offered to the reader, presumably because Novik plans to answer them in sequels. However, I’m of the firm belief that at least <em>something</em> needs to be learned or revealed across each book so that the reader can work to their own hypothesis. We are told quite early on that there is a doomsday prophecy about Galadriel, and that she has an affinity for dark power that means she could wreak a significant amount of destruction if she so chose. It doesn’t really feel as though either of the questions posed by those things are adequately addressed. More strangely, at no point does El seem to be curious about why she might have this affinity, or concerned that the prophecy might be true. It seems an oversight for a character who I quite liked precisely because she was thoughtful, intelligent, and reflective.</p>
<p><em>A Deadly Education </em>is an interesting read, offering readers a fascinating and complex world. It’s a shame that the story was so often detracted by inelegant expository chunks, because I very much enjoyed it when the story was allowed to flow freely.</p>
<p><em>A Deadly Education</em> is available from <a href="https://amzn.to/34ks1JR" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/search?searchTerm=A%20Deadly%20Education%20by%20Naomi%20Novik" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Book Depository</a>, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.</p>
<h3><strong>Will you be picking up <em>A Deadly Education</em>? Tell us in the comments below!</strong></h3>
<hr />
<p><strong>Synopsis | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51060356-a-deadly-education" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Goodreads</a></strong></p>
<p><span id="freeText10680679018676711346"><b>In the start of an all-new series, the bestselling author of <i>Uprooted</i> and <i>Spinning Silver</i> introduces you to a dangerous school for the magically gifted where failure means certain death – until one girl begins to rewrite its rules.</b></span></p>
<p><b>Enter a school of magic unlike any you have ever encountered.</b><br />
There are no teachers, no holidays, friendships are purely strategic, and the odds of survival are never equal.<br />
Once you’re inside, there are only two ways out: you graduate or you die.<br />
El Higgins is uniquely prepared for the school’s many dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out untold millions – never mind easily destroy the countless monsters that prowl the school.<br />
Except, she might accidentally kill all the other students, too. So El is trying her hardest not to use it&#8230; that is, unless she has no other choice.</p>
<p><b>Wry, witty, endlessly inventive, and mordantly funny – yet with a true depth and fierce justice at its heart – this enchanting novel reminds us that there are far more important things than mere survival.</b></p>
<hr />
<p>The post <a href="https://thenerddaily.com/review-a-deadly-education-by-naomi-novik/">Review: A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik</a> appeared first on <a href="https://thenerddaily.com">The Nerd Daily</a>.</p>
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		<title>July Book Releases: Fantasy + Sci-Fi</title>
		<link>https://thenerddaily.com/july-2018-book-releases-fantasy-sci-fi/</link>
					<comments>https://thenerddaily.com/july-2018-book-releases-fantasy-sci-fi/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elise Dumpleton]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Jul 2018 21:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alcy Leyva]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alex Thomson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Caryn Lix]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Delilah S Dawson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Emily Skrutskie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fantasy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jennifer Honeybourn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Hearne]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mary Robinette Kowal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nadine Brandes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Naomi Novik]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rich Larson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sci-Fi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Theodora Goss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TJ Berry]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thenerddaily.com/?p=8357</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Get whisked away to a new world or time with one of this month&#8217;s fantasy and sci-fi releases! This July promises some exciting new releases including Naomi Novik&#8217;s Spinning Silver, which is a loose retelling of Rumplestiltskin who is reimagined into the form of a Jewish moneylender&#8217;s daughter. If you love sci-fi, Alex Thomson&#8217;s Death of A Clone is an Agatha Christie-esque thriller in space, debut author T.J. Berry brings us a misfit crew who will race across the galaxy to prevent the [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://thenerddaily.com/july-2018-book-releases-fantasy-sci-fi/">July Book Releases: Fantasy + Sci-Fi</a> appeared first on <a href="https://thenerddaily.com">The Nerd Daily</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Get whisked away to a new world or time with one of this month&#8217;s fantasy and sci-fi releases! This July promises some exciting new releases including Naomi Novik&#8217;s <em>Spinning Silver</em>, which is a loose retelling of Rumplestiltskin who is reimagined into the form of a Jewish moneylender&#8217;s daughter.</p>
<p>If you love sci-fi, Alex Thomson&#8217;s <em>Death of A Clone</em> is an Agatha Christie-esque thriller in space, debut author T.J. Berry brings us a misfit crew who will race across the galaxy to prevent the genocide of magical creatures in <em>Space Unicorn Blues</em>, and Mary Robinette Kowal&#8217;s <em>The Calculating Stars</em> sees a race to space filled with women that fans of <em>Hidden Figures</em> will love.</p>
<p>Fantasy more your speed? We&#8217;ve got you covered! New York Times bestselling authors Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne team up in <em>Kill The Farm Boy</em>, which isn&#8217;t your usual Chosen One story. Then there&#8217;s Alcy Leyva&#8217;s urban fantasy where Amanda accidentally releases the six Shades of Hell and now she must recapture them with the aid of a demon and antisocial seraphim.</p>
<h5>Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be checking any out!</h5>
<p><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-1.jpg"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-8386 size-full" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C433" alt="Fawkes by Nadine Brandes, Death Of A Clone by Alex Thomson, European Travel For The Monstrous Gentlewoman by Theodora Goss, Kill The Farm Boy by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne" width="1200" height="433" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-1.jpg?w=2055&amp;ssl=1 2055w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-1.jpg?resize=300%2C108&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-1.jpg?resize=768%2C277&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C370&amp;ssl=1 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></p>
<h6>Fawkes by Nadine Brandes<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36576048-fawkes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2MW8SnQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Fawkes-Nadine-Brandes/9780785217145/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, and the only cure to the Stone Plague is to join his father’s plot to assassinate the king of England. Keepers think the Igniters caused the plague. Igniters think the Keepers did it. But all Thomas knows is that the Stone Plague infecting his eye is spreading. And if he doesn’t do something soon, he’ll be a lifeless statue. So when his Keeper father, Guy Fawkes, invites him to join the Gunpowder Plot—claiming it will put an end to the plague—Thomas is in. The plan: use 36 barrels of gunpowder to blow up the Igniter King.</p>
<h6>Death Of A Clone by Alex Thomson<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36373679-death-of-a-clone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2KhpPKZ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Death-Clone-Alex-Thomson/9781781086346/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>An Agatha Christie thriller in space! The Overseers may call it Hell, but for Leila and the other clones, the mining base on asteroid Mizushima-00109 is the only home they’ve ever known. But then Leila’s sister Lily is murdered, and the Overseers seem less interested in solving the crime than in making their mining quota and returning to Earth. Leila decides to find the murderer, just like the heroes of her old detective novels would. But Hell is a place of terrible secrets, and a love of cozy mysteries may not be enough to keep Leila from ending up like her sister.</p>
<h6>European Travel For The Monstrous Gentlewoman by Theodora Goss<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36373571-european-travel-for-the-monstrous-gentlewoman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2MQt36G" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/European-Travel-for-Monstrous-Gentlewoman-Theodora-Goss/9781481466530/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>In the sequel to the critically acclaimed <i>The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter</i>, Mary Jekyll and the rest of the daughters of literature’s mad scientists embark on a madcap adventure across Europe to rescue another monstrous girl and stop the Alchemical Society’s nefarious plans once and for all.</p>
<h6>Kill The Farm Boy by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34431692-kill-the-farm-boy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2MjY561" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Kill-the-Farm-Boy-Delilah-S-Dawson-Kevin-Hearne/9781524797744/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, a hero, the Chosen One, was born . . . and so begins every fairy tale ever told. This is not that fairy tale. There <i>is</i> a Chosen One, but he is unlike any One who has ever been Chosened. And there <i>is</i> a faraway kingdom, but you have never been to a magical world quite like the land of Pell. There, a plucky farm boy will find more than he&#8217;s bargained for on his quest to awaken the sleeping princess in her cursed tower. First there&#8217;s the Dark Lord who wishes for the boy&#8217;s untimely death . . . and also very fine cheese. Then there&#8217;s a bard without a song in her heart but with a very adorable and fuzzy tail, an assassin who fears not the night but is terrified of chickens, and a mighty fighter more frightened of her sword than of her chain-mail bikini.</p>
<p><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-2.jpg"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-8387 size-full" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-2.jpg?resize=1200%2C433" alt="Space Unicorn Blues by T.J. Berry, Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, When Life Gives You Demons by Jennifer Honeybourn, Hullmetal Girls by Emily Skrutskie" width="1200" height="433" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-2.jpg?w=2055&amp;ssl=1 2055w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-2.jpg?resize=300%2C108&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-2.jpg?resize=768%2C277&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C370&amp;ssl=1 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></p>
<h6>Space Unicorn Blues by T.J. Berry<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36912009-space-unicorn-blues" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2yCAGL8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Space-Unicorn-Blues-Tj-Berry-Lee-Gibbons/9780857667816/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>Having magical powers makes you less than human, a resource to be exploited. Half-unicorn Gary Cobalt is sick of slavery, captivity, and his horn being ground down to power faster-than-light travel. When he&#8217;s finally free, all he wants is to run away in his ancestors&#8217; stone ship. Instead, Captain Jenny Perata steals the ship out from under him, so she can make an urgent delivery. But Jenny held him captive for a decade, and then Gary murdered her best friend&#8230; who was also the wife of her co-pilot, Cowboy Jim. What could possibly go right?</p>
<h6>Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36896898-spinning-silver" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2MTN24K" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Spinning-Silver-Naomi-Novik/9781509899029/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders… but her father isn’t a very good one. Free to lend and reluctant to collect, he has loaned out most of his wife’s dowry and left the family on the edge of poverty–until Miryem steps in. Hardening her heart against her fellow villagers’ pleas, she sets out to collect what is owed–and finds herself more than up to the task. When her grandfather loans her a pouch of silver pennies, she brings it back full of gold. But having the reputation of being able to change silver to gold can be more trouble than it’s worth–especially when her fate becomes tangled with the cold creatures that haunt the wood, and whose king has learned of her reputation and wants to exploit it for reasons Miryem cannot understand.</p>
<h6>When Life Gives You Demons by Jennifer Honeybourn<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35795953-when-life-gives-you-demons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2yzvNlO" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/When-Life-Gives-You-Demons-Jennifer-Honeybourn/9781250158239/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p><span id="freeText2346340724040597292">Sixteen-year-old Shelby Black has spent the past year training to be an exorcist. Her great-uncle Roy—a Catholic priest and Shelby’s guardian—believes she has a gift for expelling demons, and he’s put her through exorcist boot camp hell, but he still doesn’t trust her to do an exorcism on her own. Secrets run in Shelby’s family, though: her mother has been missing ever since an exorcism went horribly wrong, and Uncle Roy is tight-lipped about it. But Shelby’s hell-bent on finding her mom, no matter what—even if what it ends up costing her her soul AND a date with Spencer.</span></p>
<h6>Hullmetal Girls by Emily Skrutskie<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33382313-hullmetal-girls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2MTLTK9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Hullmetal-Girls-Emily-Skrutskie/9781524770198/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>When Aisha Un-Haad&#8217;s brother contracts a plague, she volunteers to become a Scela, a mechanically enhanced soldier sworn to protect and serve the governing body of the Fleet. If Aisha can survive the harrowing modifications and earn an elite place in the Scela ranks, she may be able to save her brother. Key Tanaka awakens in a Scela body with only hazy memories of her life before. She knows she&#8217;s from the privileged end of the Fleet, but she has no recollection of why she chose to give up a life of luxury to become a hulking cyborg soldier. In a unit of new recruits vying for top placement, Aisha&#8217;s and Key&#8217;s paths collide, and the two must learn to work together&#8211;a tall order for girls from opposite ends of the Fleet. But a rebellion is stirring, pitting those who yearn for independence from the Fleet against a government struggling to maintain unity.</p>
<p><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-3.jpg"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-8388 size-full" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-3.jpg?resize=1200%2C433" alt="The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal, Annex by Rich Larson, Sanctuary by Caryn Lix, And Then There Were Crows by Alcy Leyva" width="1200" height="433" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-3.jpg?w=2055&amp;ssl=1 2055w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-3.jpg?resize=300%2C108&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-3.jpg?resize=768%2C277&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-Fantasy-Sci-Fi-2018-Books-3.jpg?resize=1024%2C370&amp;ssl=1 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></p>
<h6>The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33080122-the-calculating-stars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2Mmdq6e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Calculating-Stars-Mary-Robinette-Kowal/9780765378385/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p><span id="freeText521689103352524973">A meteor decimates the U.S. government and paves the way for a climate cataclysm that will eventually render the earth inhospitable to humanity. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated timeline in the earth’s efforts to colonize space, as well as an unprecedented opportunity for a much larger share of humanity to take part. One of these new entrants in the space race is Elma York, whose experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too—aside from some pesky barriers like thousands of years of history and a host of expectations about the proper place of the fairer sex. And yet, Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions may not stand a chance.</span></p>
<h6>Annex by Rich Larson<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36518490-annex" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2tqcEOh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Annex-Rich-Larson/9780316416542/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>At first it is a nightmare. When the invaders arrive, the world as they know it is destroyed. Their friends are kidnapped. Their families are changed. Then it is a dream. With no adults left to run things, Violet and the others who have escaped capture are truly free for the first time. They can do whatever they want to do. They can be whoever they want to be. But the invaders won&#8217;t leave them alone for long&#8230;</p>
<h6>Sanctuary by Caryn Lix<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32855090-sanctuary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2yBWlmu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Sanctuary-Caryn-LIX/9781534405332/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p><i>Alien </i>meets Alexandra Bracken’s <i>The Darkest Minds</i> in this thrilling debut novel about prison-guard-in-training, Kenzie, who is taken hostage by the superpowered criminal teens of the Sanctuary space station—only to have to band together with them when the station is attacked by mysterious creatures.</p>
<h6>And Then There Were Crows by Alcy Leyva<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38235901-and-then-there-were-crows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2KfVxoQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/And-Then-There-Were-Crows-Alcy-Leyva/9780999742327/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>When Amanda Grey inadvertently rents a room to a demon, Grey goes from a woman concentrated on her own personal demons to the woman responsible for recapturing the six Shades from Hell she’s unleashed upon the city. She manages to survive by accepting the help of Barnem, an antisocial seraphim who just happens to reside in an upstairs apartment and the demon she now shares her apartment with—and who oddly eager to help her vanquish the Shades, though she can&#8217;t be sure if he’s motivated by roommate loyalty or a secret plot to enslave humankind. Together the unlikely trio will have to face off with the (actual) devils of New York politics, break the curse of infomercial jingles, and figure out exactly how Grey has become the leader of a cult, all as Grey begins to realize that maybe the end of the world is exactly what her life needed. Now she just needs to figure out how to survive it.</p>
<p><strong>Check out what other books are coming out <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/124965.July_2018_Book_Releases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this month on our Goodreads list</a>!</strong></p>
<h5>What book are you most excited to read? Tell us in the comments below!</h5>
<p>(P.S – The Nerd Daily occasionally receives commissions for the links included in this article, but all earnings go back into us hosting giveaways!)</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://thenerddaily.com/july-2018-book-releases-fantasy-sci-fi/">July Book Releases: Fantasy + Sci-Fi</a> appeared first on <a href="https://thenerddaily.com">The Nerd Daily</a>.</p>
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		<title>July Book Releases</title>
		<link>https://thenerddaily.com/july-2018-book-releases/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elise Dumpleton]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 30 Jun 2018 21:00:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ann Aguirre]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dan Fesperman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Erin Bowman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Heather Redmond]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JP Delaney]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minka Kent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Naomi Novik]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rachel Heng]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Riley Sager]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sam Hawke]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sarah Henning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Zoje Stage]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thenerddaily.com/?p=8353</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>And it&#8217;s official! Half of 2018 is now behind us and although that can be somewhat shocking, there&#8217;s still plenty of upcoming releases to help soothe our souls! The month of July holds some very exciting releases, including unique takes on The Little Mermaid in Sarah Henning&#8217;s Sea Witch and Rumpelstiltskin in Naomi Novik&#8217;s Spinning Silver. If you&#8217;re after a good thriller or mystery, you definitely should be heading out to pick up The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager or The Thinnest Air by [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://thenerddaily.com/july-2018-book-releases/">July Book Releases</a> appeared first on <a href="https://thenerddaily.com">The Nerd Daily</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>And it&#8217;s official! Half of 2018 is now behind us and although that can be somewhat shocking, there&#8217;s still plenty of upcoming releases to help soothe our souls! The month of July holds some very exciting releases, including unique takes on <em>The Little Mermaid</em> in Sarah Henning&#8217;s <em>Sea Witch</em> and <i>Rumpelstiltskin</i> in Naomi Novik&#8217;s <em>Spinning Silver.</em></p>
<p>If you&#8217;re after a good thriller or mystery, you definitely should be heading out to pick up <em>The Last Time I Lied</em> by Riley Sager or <em>The Thinnest Air</em> by Minka Kent.</p>
<p>Perhaps if sci-fi or fantasy is more your thing, you&#8217;re in luck with the release of Sam Hawke&#8217;s <em>City of Lies</em> and Erin Bowman&#8217;s <em>Contagion!</em></p>
<h5>Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below which one you are most excited for!<br />
<a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-1.jpg"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-8371 size-full" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C433" alt="Suicide Club by Rachel Heng, Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage, Sea Witch by Sarah Henning" width="1200" height="433" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-1.jpg?w=2055&amp;ssl=1 2055w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-1.jpg?resize=300%2C108&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-1.jpg?resize=768%2C277&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C370&amp;ssl=1 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></h5>
<h6>Suicide Club by Rachel Heng<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36434556-suicide-club" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2yBtLBL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Suicide-Club-Rachel-Heng/9781250185341/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>Set in near future NYC—where lives last 300 years and the pursuit of immortality is all-consuming—Lea must choose between her estranged father and her chance to live forever. Lea Kirino is a “Lifer,” which means that a roll of the genetic dice has given her the potential to live forever. She’s a successful trader on the New York exchange—where instead of stocks, human organs are now bought and sold—she has a beautiful apartment, and a fiancé who rivals her in genetic perfection.  But Lea’s perfect life is turned upside down when she spots her estranged father on a crowded sidewalk. His return marks the beginning of her downfall as she is drawn into his mysterious world of the Suicide Club, a network of powerful individuals and rebels who reject society’s pursuit of immortality, and instead chose to live—and die—on their own terms.</p>
<h6>Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36896898-spinning-silver" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2MTN24K" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Spinning-Silver-Naomi-Novik/9781509899029/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders&#8230; but her father isn&#8217;t a very good one. Free to lend and reluctant to collect, he has loaned out most of his wife&#8217;s dowry and left the family on the edge of poverty&#8211;until Miryem steps in. Hardening her heart against her fellow villagers&#8217; pleas, she sets out to collect what is owed&#8211;and finds herself more than up to the task. When her grandfather loans her a pouch of silver pennies, she brings it back full of gold. But having the reputation of being able to change silver to gold can be more trouble than it&#8217;s worth&#8211;especially when her fate becomes tangled with the cold creatures that haunt the wood, and whose king has learned of her reputation and wants to exploit it for reasons Miryem cannot understand.</p>
<h6>Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35410511-baby-teeth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2tx1HKg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Baby-Teeth-Zoje-Stage/9780143788430/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>Meet Hanna. She’s the sweet-but-silent angel in the adoring eyes of her Daddy. He’s the only person who understands her, and all Hanna wants is to live happily ever after with him. But Mommy stands in her way, and she’ll try any trick she can think of to get rid of her. Ideally for good. Meet Suzette. She loves her daughter, really, but after years of expulsions and strained home schooling, her precarious health and sanity are weakening day by day. As Hanna’s tricks become increasingly sophisticated, and Suzette&#8217;s husband remains blind to the failing family dynamics, Suzette starts to fear that there’s something seriously wrong, and that maybe home isn’t the best place for their baby girl after all.</p>
<h6>Sea Witch by Sarah Henning<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36502054-sea-witch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2twOBwp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Sea-Witch-Sarah-Henning/9780008300852/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p><span id="freeText11699874787774756521">Ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. A freak. A curse. A witch. A girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears offshore and, though the girl denies it, Evie is convinced that her best friend actually survived. That her own magic wasn’t so powerless after all. And, as the two girls catch the eyes—and hearts—of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after. But her new friend has secrets of her own. She can’t stay in Havnestad, or on two legs, unless Evie finds a way to help her. Now Evie will do anything to save her friend’s humanity, along with her prince’s heart—harnessing the power of her magic, her ocean, and her love until she discovers, too late, the truth of her bargain.<br />
</span></p>
<p><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-2.jpg"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-8372 size-full" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-2.jpg?resize=1200%2C433" alt="City of Lies by Sam Hawke, Like Never and Always by Ann Aguirre, Contagion by Erin Bowman, The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager" width="1200" height="433" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-2.jpg?w=2055&amp;ssl=1 2055w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-2.jpg?resize=300%2C108&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-2.jpg?resize=768%2C277&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C370&amp;ssl=1 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></p>
<h6>City of Lies by Sam Hawke<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36225135-city-of-lies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2IlLIUK" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/City-Lies-Sam-Hawke/9780765396891/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p><span id="freeText13589932951506438672">Outwardly, Jovan is the lifelong friend of the Chancellor’s charming, irresponsible Heir. Quiet. Forgettable. In secret, he&#8217;s a master of poisons and chemicals, trained to protect the Chancellor’s family from treachery. When the Chancellor succumbs to an unknown poison and an army lays siege to the city, Jovan and his sister Kalina must protect the Heir and save their city-state. But treachery lurks in every corner, and the ancient spirits of the land are rising&#8230;and angry.</span></p>
<h6>Like Never and Always by Ann Aguirre<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33224073-like-never-and-always" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2yC8FDv" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Like-Never-Always-Ann-Aguirre/9780765397584/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>On a hot summer night, a screech of brakes and shattering glass changes two lives forever. Liv wakes in the hospital, confused when they call her Morgan. She assumes it’s a case of mistaken identity, yet when the bandages come off, it’s not her face in the mirror anymore. It’s her best friend Morgan’s. Morgan always seemed to have the perfect life, yet Liv must navigate endlessly disturbing secrets of the criminal and murderous variety—and a romance that feels like a betrayal.</p>
<h6>Contagion by Erin Bowman<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35068650-contagion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2IkcIUA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Contagion-Erin-Bowman/9780062574145/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>After receiving an urgent SOS from a work detail on a distant planet, a skeleton crew is dispatched to perform a standard search-and-rescue mission. But when the crew arrives, they find an abandoned site, littered with rotten food, discarded weapons…and dead bodies. As they try to piece together who—or what—could have decimated an entire operation, they discover that some things are best left buried—and some monsters are only too ready to awaken.</p>
<h6>The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36626748-the-last-time-i-lied" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2yECwuQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Last-Time-I-Lied-Riley-Sager/9781524743079/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>Two Truths and a Lie. The girls played it all the time in their tiny cabin at Camp Nightingale. Vivian, Natalie, Allison, and first-time camper Emma Davis, the youngest of the group. Now a rising star in the New York art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings&#8211;massive canvases filled with dark leaves and gnarled branches that cover ghostly shapes in white dresses. The paintings catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the socialite and wealthy owner of Camp Nightingale. When Francesca implores her to return to the newly reopened camp as a painting instructor, Emma sees an opportunity to try to find out what really happened to her friends that night. And the closer she gets to the truth about Camp Nightingale, the more she realizes it may come at a deadly price.</p>
<p><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-3.jpg"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-8373 size-full" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-3.jpg?resize=1200%2C433" alt="The Thinnest Air by Minka Kent, A Tale of Two Murders by Heather Redmond, Believe Me by J.P. Delaney, Safe Houses by Dan Fesperman" width="1200" height="433" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-3.jpg?w=2055&amp;ssl=1 2055w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-3.jpg?resize=300%2C108&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-3.jpg?resize=768%2C277&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/thenerddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-2018-Books-3.jpg?resize=1024%2C370&amp;ssl=1 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></p>
<h6>The Thinnest Air by Minka Kent<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36396032-the-thinnest-air" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2yCIc8P" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Thinnest-Air-Minka-Kent/9781503953406/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p><span id="freeText12478038958481088410">Meredith Price is the luckiest woman alive. After three years of marriage, Meredith’s life has become predictable. Until the day she disappears. Her car has been discovered in a grocery store parking lot— no sign of struggle, and no evidence of foul play. It’s as if she vanished into thin air. It’s not like Meredith to simply abandon her loved ones. And no one in this town would have reason to harm her. When her desperate sister, Greer, arrives, she must face a disturbing question: What if no one really knows Meredith at all? For Greer, finding her sister isn’t going to be easy…because where she’s looking is going to get very, very dark.</span></p>
<h6>A Tale of Two Murders by Heather Redmond<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36902409-a-tale-of-two-murders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2yMe8rx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Tale-Two-Murders-Heather-Redmond/9781496717153/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>In the winter of 1835, young Charles Dickens is a journalist on the rise at the <i>Evening Chronicle</i>. Invited to dinner at the estate of the newspaper&#8217;s co-editor, Charles is smitten with his boss&#8217;s daughter, vivacious nineteen-year-old Kate Hogarth. They are having the best of times when a scream shatters the pleasant evening. Charles, Kate, and her father rush to the neighbors&#8217; home, where Miss Christiana Lugoson lies unconscious on the floor. By morning, the poor young woman will be dead. If Charles can find justice for the victims, it will be a far, far better thing than he has ever done. But with a twist or two in this most peculiar case, he and Kate may be in for the worst of times . . .</p>
<h6>Believe Me by J.P. Delaney<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36399240-believe-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2KiLjaq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Believe-Me-J-P-Delaney/9781787472419/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>A struggling actor, a Brit in America without a green card, Claire needs work and money to survive. Then she gets both. But nothing like she expected. Claire agrees to become a decoy for a firm of divorce lawyers. Hired to entrap straying husbands, she must catch them on tape with their seductive propositions. The firm is after evidence, not coercion. The innocent have nothing to hide. Then the game changes. When the wife of one of Claire’s targets is violently murdered, the cops are sure the husband is to blame. Desperate to catch him before he kills again, they enlist Claire to lure him into a confession.</p>
<h6>Safe Houses by Dan Fesperman<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36463975-safe-houses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2Ml8nmt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Safe-Houses-Dan-Fesperman/9780525520191/?a_aid=thenerddaily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book Depository</a></h6>
<p>In this gripping new work of suspense from the author of <i>The Double Game</i>, a young woman discovers a nefarious truth at the heart of the CIA&#8217;s operations in postwar Berlin and goes on the run for her life; years later she&#8217;s gruesomely murdered along with her husband, and her daughter begins to chase down these startling secrets from her past.</p>
<p><strong>Check out what other books are coming out <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/124965.July_2018_Book_Releases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this month on our Goodreads list</a>!</strong></p>
<h5>What book are you most excited to read? Tell us in the comments below!</h5>
<p>(P.S – The Nerd Daily occasionally receives commissions for the links included in this article, but all earnings go back into us hosting giveaways!)</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://thenerddaily.com/july-2018-book-releases/">July Book Releases</a> appeared first on <a href="https://thenerddaily.com">The Nerd Daily</a>.</p>
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