Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Nicole Melleby’s Winnie Nash Is Not Your Sunshine, which is out April 2nd 2024.

Winnifred “Winnie” Nash is not a senior citizen, despite what anyone thinks of her name. And she is definitely not excited to live with her grandma in New Jersey for the summer. Not only are they basically strangers, but Winnie—who’s always known she’s gay—has been pushed into the metaphorical closet by her parents, who worry what Grandma will think. So Winnie keeps quiet about the cute girls she befriends; plays card games with seniors, which she does not enjoy; and dreams of the day she can go to the Pride Parade in New York City—a day that can’t happen when she’s hiding the truth from Grandma.

Meanwhile, her mom’s latest pregnancy is approaching its due date, and Winnie is worried it might end like the ones before, with Winnie still an only child. As she tries so hard to be an agreeable, selfless daughter, getting to NYC for Pride is feeling more and more like her only escape from a family who needs her to always smile. Winnie Nash is not your sunshine—and maybe it’s time to show the world who she really is.

Chapter One

Winnie sat smack dab in the middle of a group of nosy senior citizens with a scowl on her face. They were discussing her name, instead of the book they were there for.

“It says Winnifred Nash. I just assumed she was one of us! Can you blame me?”

“You know what they say about assuming. You make an—”

“Shh! Watch your mouth around the child!”

“This is why I vote that she goes. I don’t want to have to censor myself. It’s really not fair, you know.”

“You don’t need to censor yourself,” Winnie chimed in, still scowling. “And are you going to keep talking about me or can we start this stupid book club and talk about the actual book.”

Winnie’s grandma would scold her for talking to them like that. But Winnie’s grandma was the reason she was here in the first place, was the reason for a lot of things weighing on Winnie’s chest, so, really, she didn’t care what her grandma wanted. Her grandma was currently in a heated game of canasta, which Winnie hated. Mostly because Winnie was terrible at it. But her grandma refused to let Winnie stay home alone—even though she was twelve, not five, and home was now her grandma’s house, which was literally across the street from the community clubhouse.

From three to four every weekday, Winnie’s grandma played canasta. So, from three to four every weekday, Winnie was forced to go with her.

Winnie’s dad both worried and worked around the clock, and her mom was working (causing her dad more worry) a lot lately, too. And since school was out for the summer, and Winnie didn’t have anything else to do, she was sent an hour away to stay with her grandmother, even though no one asked Winnie what she wanted to do. Her parents said they needed the time to “deal with some things.” Which meant Winnie’s grandma was left to deal with her, and vice versa.

“The clubhouse” sounded fancier than what it was. It was really just a scuffed-up and overused auditorium with some tables, a few couches, a ton of folding chairs, and a single unisex bathroom that smelled like a mix of Vicks VapoRub and peppermint and pee.

On her third visit to the clubhouse, after declaring canasta the worst card game ever!, Winnie had sulked in the corner, prepared to frown and wait in silence until it was time to cross the street back home. She’d been frowning a lot lately. Which was fine, because then Winnie’s mom could keep all the smiles for herself.

But on that third visit, while Winnie sulked in the corner, she shifted in an uncomfortable metal folding chair and managed to knock over a stack of books on the table next to her. She’d sighed, continued to frown, and picked up the books to restack them.

The cover of one was colorful and flowery and elegant. The kind of cover that ends up with an Oprah or Reese Witherspoon book club sticker on it.

Winnie figured it was probably some dumb romance. That was what old people read, wasn’t it? Something with a tall, dark, and handsome man. Winnie didn’t care much for tall, dark, and handsome men.

But she’d had an hour to kill.

And a dumb romance novel was better than canasta.

Which was why, after what turned into an hour and a half of waiting for her grandma to be ready to leave, Winnie had held on to the book. And she added her name to the Book Club Sign-Up Sheet.

Winnifred Maude Nash.

A fitting name for a senior citizen book club. Because of this, no one questioned it, until she’d shown up, tall but still twelve. The actual senior citizen members of the book club had no idea what to do with her.

“So?” Winnie spoke up. “Are we gonna talk about this book or not?”

The answer, apparently, was not, as they continued discussing (more like arguing about) her, right in front of her. Which, really, she was pretty used to ever since her mom had lost her smiles, which just made Winnie extra mad. She stood abruptly, uncomfortable folding chair screeching against the worn hardwood floor. “Fine. Whatever. The book was trash anyway.”

“You sit your butt right back down.” The white woman at the very edge of the semicircle pointed a bony finger in Winnie’s direction. She had fiery red hair Winnie assumed came from a box and gold-brown eyes that kind of clashed with it. “If you’re going to talk nonsense, you better at least be smart enough to explain yourself.”

“She probably didn’t read the entire book,” the old white man to Winnie’s left said, for about the thirtieth time. His posture was perfect—his legs crossed in front of him as he balanced the book on his knee. He had a funny little mustache that was perfectly white, even though the hair on his head was dark gray. “I’m here because you said this would be a serious book discussion. None of this seems very serious to me.”

“I’m serious,” Winnie said. She was the most serious. Her dad’s favorite joke was “Winnie doesn’t know how to laugh!” though she didn’t know why she was supposed to laugh at that anyway. Especially when her mom was finally laughing again, and Winnie figured her mom deserved to have all the laughter, and Winnie could save it all for her.

“She belongs to Maude,” the fiery redhead said.

“She’s helping her daughter and son-in-law out by keeping her for the summer.”

“What, are they too busy to take care of her themselves?”

“Is Maude even allowed to do that?”

“I do not belong to Maude,” Winnie said. “But it is true that she is my grandma.”

“Did you read the book?” the perfect posture man asked again.

Winnie wanted to kick him in his perfectly straight shins. “I read the book,” Winnie said. Again.

“Oh, just let her stay,” Jeanne Strong said, patting Winnie’s knee. Jeanne Strong was a tall Black woman who lived next door to Winnie’s grandma and purposely sat next to Winnie when she saw her. She had a broken wrist enclosed in a neon pink cast that she refused to let anyone sign. Even though almost every- one in the clubhouse had asked, as if they were the students in Winnie’s fifth grade class, who’d had the same excited reaction when Owen Coleman broke his arm last year.

Jeanne and Winnie’s grandma did not get along, but they did not get along in that polite way where they say nice things to each other, but really mean I hope you fall off the face of the earth, please.

When Winnie’s parents had dropped Winnie at her grandma’s, Jeanne was the first in the community to come over to greet them. She brought a lasagna. Winnie didn’t know what happened to that lasagna, but she knew for certain they never ate it.

Anyway, the hour was half over, and Winnie was having regrets. She’d grabbed the stupid book out of boredom and signed up for the book club to avoid canasta (and her grandma), but this wasn’t worth it. Nothing—not being dumped at her grandma’s, or her dad’s new job, or her mom’s returning smiles—seemed completely worth it yet.

Only, Winnie was stubborn enough to at least see this through. “I read the book,” Winnie said again, meeting her eyes straight on with Perfect Posture Man. “Did you?”

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Winnie Nash is Not Your Sunshine’ by Nicole Melleby appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Within these pages, you’ll find short stories and comic strips for every letter of the acronym that you might be proudly calling yourself a part of. While I’m not going to spoil any story for you, let me just give you a taste of what you’re in for: there’s a story in here in which a young witch turns herself into a puppy to win over her new neighbour and secret crush. Did someone mention perfect premise? Because that surely is one. There’s also a story about a boyband fandom being the reason for someone coming out and hoo boy, if that didn’t hit home, I don’t know what will. Another chronicles two online friends helping each other come out to their parents while another follows someone trying to find a new inclusive sport after quitting gymnastics because of the assumptions people make about their gender. Beyond stories set in the contemporary world—albeit with magical elements—there are also stories of pirates and other fantastical elements that will make young readers be drawn in from the very first paragraph. Beyond being obviously queer, these stories are also incredibly inclusive and feature topics such as body diversity, bullying, identity struggles, friends standing up for each other, encouraging and uplifting support groups, and a sense of camaraderie not only between the characters themselves but with society at large.

It seems like a truth universally acknowledged that there are no perfect anthologies out there—rarely does a human ever like every single story in an anthology and that’s okay. With that being said, though, I have to admit that I wholeheartedly loved every story in this. Whether you come to this anthology because of an author you already love or because you want to try out someone’s work for the first time, you won’t be disappointed. Even the ones that perhaps weren’t my cup of genre or trope, I was still filled with so much warmth and excitement whenever I thought of what that story might evoke in younger readers’ hands. It’s an anthology that is based on hope, inclusivity, and camaraderie—and it is a must-read, no matter how old you are. Here’s to the future and to many more LGBTQIAP+ based anthologies!

Sure to become a staple in children’s literature, This Is Our Rainbow offers an uplifting and gripping collection of short stories for young readers. Whether you’re part of the LGBTQIAP+ community or an ally, you will devour this must-read anthology that is filled with magic and above all, immense love.

This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of October 19th 2021.

Will you be picking up This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

The first LGBTQIA+ anthology for middle-graders featuring stories for every letter of the acronym, including realistic, fantasy, and sci-fi stories by authors like Justina Ireland, Marieke Nijkamp, Alex Gino, and more!

A boyband fandom becomes a conduit to coming out. A former bully becomes a first-kiss prospect. One nonbinary kid searches for an inclusive athletic community after quitting gymnastics. Another nonbinary kid, who happens to be a pirate, makes a wish that comes true–but not how they thought it would. A tween girl navigates a crush on her friend’s mom. A young witch turns herself into a puppy to win over a new neighbor. A trans girl empowers her online bestie to come out.

From wind-breathing dragons to first crushes, This Is Our Rainbow features story after story of joyful, proud LGBTQIA+ representation. You will fall in love with this insightful, poignant anthology of queer fantasy, historical, and contemporary stories from authors including: Eric Bell, Lisa Jenn Bigelow, Ashley Herring Blake, Lisa Bunker, Alex Gino, Justina Ireland, Shing Yin Khor, Katherine Locke, Mariama J. Lockington, Nicole Melleby, Marieke Nijkamp, Claribel A. Ortega, Mark Oshiro, Molly Knox Ostertag, Aisa Salazar, and AJ Sass.

The post #ReadWithPride: ‘This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us’ 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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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

When Tara Met Farah by Tara Pammi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

“Sunshine Girl needs math lessons” in this sapphic grumpy meets sunshine new adult romance.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An irreverent, sensitive, and inimitable look at gay dysfunction through the eyes of a cult hero

A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A moving #ownvoices YA debut about a trans boy finding his voice—and himself.

These Feathered Flames by Alexandra Overy
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A queer YA reimagining of Thelma & Louise with the aesthetic of Riverdale.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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.

What an utterly impressive novel! Melleby offers an intricately layered representation of how an adolescent experiences depression and anxiety, from the initial confusion and feeling of incapability to the highs of finding people who will be in your corner always, and creates a powerful narrative surrounding a young girl named Pluto, who, like the planet, goes through somewhat of an identity crisis when she is no longer what people associate with her existence.

At times, it was incredibly hard to stomach the deterioration of Pluto’s relationship with her mother. The two of them were the thickest of thieves until Pluto’s mental health plummeted and suddenly the relationship that used to be the easiest and most natural thing in the world turns fragile and fraught. Neither intends to hurt the other and yet it seems like the only outcome of so many conversations that turn into fights. Melleby here pulls no punches; she lets the reader feel everything Pluto feels. From her inability to articulate what she wants and needs to feeling caged in and yet not looked after enough, Pluto struggles with a lot and though moving in with her dad seems to be the lesser of two evils (because she believes that she will have more leeway with her mom far away), Pluto has to realise that there is no way out of her diagnosis; there is just the tough journey of figuring out how to live with her mind and try to accept her body and mind the way they are wired while also getting help and treatment.

Speaking of trying to accept the way she is, I also have to give kudos to the depiction of friendships in this novel. Pluto’s best friend, while having learned that Pluto is struggling with mental health issues, initially tries everything she can to include Pluto but when Pluto finds someone else that might be easier to spend time with because they didn’t know Pluto before her diagnosis (and thus can’t compare her to the ‘version’ she now believes herself to be unreclaimable), her best friend Meredith reacts by shutting her out. While this conflict is eventually resolved, I think it says a lot about mental health stigma and how not talking about it only renders it more insurmountable and often burns bridges that could be crossed with sympathy, an open ear, and education. Melleby brilliantly offers an authentic look on how we have the power to fight against stigma and how important education is, especially at young stages as well as while one is growing up.

Besides that, there is also a bit of a romance in the works for Pluto and I love the way Melleby writes female friendships turned into more. Pluto’s crush has their own battles to fight when it comes to situating themselves on the gender and sexuality spectrum and it was handled with care and attention to detail that made their and Pluto’s relationship blossoming all the more intriguing to follow.

Overall, I was enamoured with How to Become a Planet. It’s a raw and grating representation of how mental illnesses affects not only the person diagnosed with it but their relationships and their innate sense of self. It details both how new friendships (and crushes) as well as old ones can become the biggest lifeline or the hardest things to keep up with. While this is a novel marketed toward middle-graders, I believe that everyone can take something worthwhile from this book and I sincerely wish that this will someday be discussed in schools to fight mental health stigma.

Nuanced and honest to a fault, How to Become a Planet is an inspiring and educative story about how mental illness affects children and how peer and family acceptance can go a long way in fighting the isolation self-stigma often engenders.

How to Become a Planet is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of May 25th 2021.

Will you be picking up How to Become a Planet? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

For Pluto, summer has always started with a trip to the planetarium. It’s the launch to her favorite season, which also includes visits to the boardwalk arcade, working in her mom’s pizzeria, and her best friend Meredith’s birthday party. But this summer, none of that feels possible.

A month before the end of the school year, Pluto’s frightened mom broke down Pluto’s bedroom door. What came next were doctor’s appointments, a diagnosis of depression, and a big black hole that still sits on Pluto’s chest, making it too hard to do anything.

Pluto can’t explain to her mom why she can’t do the things she used to love. And it isn’t until Pluto’s dad threatens to make her move with him to the city—where he believes his money, in particular, could help—that Pluto becomes desperate enough to do whatever it takes to be the old Pluto again.

She develops a plan and a checklist: If she takes her medication, if she goes to the planetarium with her mom for her birthday, if she successfully finishes her summer school work with her tutor, if she goes to Meredith’s birthday party . . . if she does all the things that “normal” Pluto would do, she can stay with her mom in Jersey. But it takes a new therapist, a new tutor, and a new (and cute) friend with a checklist and plan of her own for Pluto to learn that there is no old and new Pluto. There’s just her.

The post #ReadWithPride: How to Become a Planet by Nicole Melleby appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Welcome to the most beautiful month of the year, Pride Month! Usually, this month is packed with parades, events and festivals, but due to all of us #stay(ing)athome, Pride will have to find a way to take place online even more than the years before. But we are not The Nerd Daily for nothing, after all; we specialise in making the online world as welcoming, engaging, and inclusive as possible!

Let’s make this month as colourful as we can! To help you kick off, we present you: The LGBTQ+ Literary Alphabet. We will take each letter (and as many of the letters from the ‘+’ category as we can) and will recommend you some fantastically diverse books that are simply perfect for a good pride month read. 

And we’ll start right here! Our letter today is: L as in Lesbian. We’ve divided our bookish recommendations into genres, so that every single one of you bookworms can find a book that fits your tastes and reading habits! From adult and YA, all the way to middle-grade fiction, we’ve got you covered!

Happy reading!

Adult Fiction

Carol by Patricia Highsmith | Goodreads

Patricia Highsmith’s story of romantic obsession may be one of the most important, but still largely unrecognized, novels of the twentieth century. First published in 1952 and touted as “the novel of a love that society forbids,” the book soon became a cult classic.

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters | Goodreads

With dreams of paying back the kindness of her adopted family, Sue agrees to a plan. Once in, however, Sue begins to pity her helpless mark and care for Maud Lilly in unexpected ways, but no one and nothing is as it seems in this Dickensian novel of thrills and reversals.

The Wicked Cometh by Laura Carlin | Goodreads

Even in the darkest of times, you cannot bury the truth . . . A debut historical novel that will appeal to fans of Sarah Waters and The Silent Companions.

Disobedience by Naomi Alderman | Goodreads

Steeped in Jewish philosophy and teachings, Disobedience is a perceptive and thoughtful exploration of the laws and practices that have governed Judaism for centuries, and continue to hold sway today. Throughout the novel, Alderman retells stories from the Torah — Judaism’s fundamental source — and the interplay between these tales and the struggles of the novel’s unique characters wields enormous power and wisdom, and will surely move readers to tears.

Young Adult Fiction

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth | Goodreads

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a stunning and unforgettable literary debut about discovering who you are and finding the courage to live life according to your own rules.

Juliet Takes A Breath by Gabby Rivera | Goodreads

A gutsy, queer YA coming-of-age story perfect for fans of The Poet X, Roxanne Gay and Feminists Don’t Wear Pink.

Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan | Goodreads

Leila has made it most of the way through Armstead Academy without having a crush on anyone, which is a relief. As an Iranian-American, she’s different enough; if word got out that Leila liked girls, life would be twice as hard. But when beautiful new girl Saskia shows up, Leila starts to take risks she never thought she would. As she carefully confides in trusted friends about Saskia’s confusing signals, Leila begins to figure out that all her classmates are more complicated than they first appear to be, and some are keeping surprising secrets of their own.

The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth | Goodreads

Two girls embark on a summer of montage-worthy dates (with a few strings attached) in this hilarious and heartfelt lesbian rom-com that’s perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Jenny Han.

Fantasy & Sci-Fi

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon | Goodreads

From the internationally bestselling author of The Bone Season, a trailblazing, epic high fantasy about a world on the brink of war with dragons – and the women who must lead the fight to save it.

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone | Goodreads

Co-written by two award-winning writers, THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR is an epic love story spanning time and space.

The Deathless Girls by Kiran Millwood Hargrave | Goodreads

Gothic, intoxicating, feminist and romantic – this is the breathtakingly imagined untold story of the brides of Dracula, by bestselling author Kiran Millwood Hargrave in her much-anticipated YA debut.

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron | Goodreads

This fresh take on a classic story will make readers question the tales they’ve been told, and root for girls to break down the constructs of the world around them.

Classics & Poetry 

The Color Purple by Alice Walker | Goodreads

A powerful cultural touchstone of modern American literature, The Color Purple depicts the lives of African American women in early twentieth-century rural Georgia. Deeply compassionate and beautifully imagined, Alice Walker’s epic carries readers on a spirit-affirming journey towards redemption and love.

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu | Goodreads

A classic Victorian vampire novella, which influenced Bram Stoker’s later treatment of the vampire mythos in Dracula. Secret fans of the fantastic YouTube adaptation of this novella may find themselves drawn in even further by the original novella that started it all.

Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown | Goodreads

Bawdy and moving, the ultimate word-of-mouth bestseller, Rubyfruit Jungle is about growing up a lesbian in America–and living happily ever after.

Middle-Grade Fiction

In The Role of Brie Hutchens by Nicole Melleby | Goodreads

An own-voices LGBTQ novel from the acclaimed author of Hurricane Season, about eighth-grader Brie, who learns how to be true to herself and to her relationships with family, friends, and faith.

The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake | Goodreads

Twelve-year-old Sunny St. James navigates heart surgery, reconnections with a lost mother, first kisses, and emerging feelings for another girl.

Kenzie Kickstarts a Team by Kit Rosewater | Goodreads

A highly illustrated middle-grade series that celebrates new friendships, first crushes, and getting out of your comfort zone

Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake | Goodreads

In the wake of a destructive tornado, one girl develops feelings for another in this stunning, tender novel about emerging identity, perfect for fans of The Thing About Jellyfish.

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

The post LGBTQ+ Alphabet Recommendations: L for Lesbian Fiction appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

• Brie’s favourite pastime is watching soap operas with her mother and it’s the cutest
• Catholic school girl falls for other Catholic school girl sounds like a tagline from fanfiction and it is gloriously executed
• You will want to hug Brie’s dad when you hear of the sacrifices he makes for his daughter
• Parker, Brie’s best friend, is a supportive honeybee and deserves all the awards – who said thirteen-year-olds can’t have wing women?

Review:

“I like girls, Ms. Santos,” Brie blurted. It seemed like in the movies or on TV, anytime a girl realized she liked girls, or a boy realized he liked boys, they had one big moment. One moment when they said the words and came out, and that was that, full stop. Brie felt like she had barely come out to herself yet, and still, her moment was happening at least once a week. Would this be her life now? Having to come out again and again and again?

In the vein of the soap operas Brie is obsessed with, In the Role of Brie Hutchens packs a punch with loads of plot twists, heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes, a bit of drama, and a whole load of laugh-out-loud moments as the reader learns about Brie’s shenanigans.

My favourite part of the book was the relationship Brie had with her mother – for years the two of them would sit down together after Brie got home from school and before her mother left for work and watch their favourite soap opera together. It is something they bonded over and that features into their relationship quite a bit.

Beyond being just a really cool trait to have a young girl be enamoured with soap operas and the dramatics that go into it and giving Brie the idea to pursue acting, It also opened up the discussion of how soap operas are often ridiculed in popular culture even though they have a lot to offer and how they have become more progressive, introducing LGBTQ+ characters and storylines to their narrative. It definitely mirrored and enriched Brie’s own experience with her mother and the issues the church and those attending it still have with being open-minded.

In that, this book also explores the ways in which acceptance of family factors into how young individuals cope with struggles surrounding their sexuality at a very important age. Brie knows that she only likes girls but she also knows that her mother, a devout Catholic, will have issues with it to the point where she wonders if her mother would even still love her if she came out. It’s a heartbreaking path both Brie and her mother find themselves on that only drives home the fact that love should be unconditional.

On top of that, Brie’s relationship with her father was unexpectedly comforting. Outlining the struggles of being ashamed of your parents when you’re with your peers paired with the effort they put into everything to make your life as easy as possible was a lovely addition to the plot.

Brie’s love interest Kennedy is everything Brie isn’t – studious, seemingly devout, demure, and overall perfect. But Brie soon learns that appearances can fool you. I loved how the story went back and forth as Brie questioned if she wanted to be like Kennedy or be with Kennedy. That is such a common struggle when it comes to figuring out your identity and it felt very true to how Brie sees herself as not as good of a student and not measuring up but also simply just having other priorities.

Overall, this was a heartwarming and enlightening read with unique characters that burrow themselves into your heart and make you want to stay home and watch General Hospital with your mother. A well-crafted story about a girl who likes a girl and who just wants that to be okay with the world – and who deserves a happily ever after…with a touch of drama on the way to getting it.

In the Role of Brie Hutchens is out now! You can find a copy on Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.

Will you be picking up In the Role of Brie Hutchens? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Introducing Brie Hutchens: soap opera super fan, aspiring actor, and so-so student at her small Catholic school. Brie has big plans for eighth grade. She’s going to be the star of the school play and convince her parents to let her go to the performing arts high school. But when Brie’s mom walks in on her accidentally looking at some possibly inappropriate photos of her favorite actress, Brie panics and blurts out that she’s been chosen to crown the Mary statue during her school’s May Crowning ceremony. Brie’s mom is distracted with pride—but Brie’s in big trouble: she has not been chosen. No one has. Worse, Brie has almost no chance to get the job, which always goes to a top student.

Desperate to make her lie become truth, Brie turns to Kennedy, the girl everyone expects to crown Mary. But sometimes just looking at Kennedy gives Brie butterflies. Juggling her confusing feelings with the rapidly approaching May Crowning, not to mention her hilarious non-star turn in the school play, Brie navigates truth and lies, expectations and identity, and how to—finally—make her mother really see her as she is.

The post #ReadWithPride: In the Role of Brie Hutchens by Nicole Melleby appeared first on The Nerd Daily.