I recently had the opportunity to chat with journalist and young adult books author Nikki Barthelmess about her new novel Quiet No More, which released on October 13th 2020. Quiet No More is the sequel to Nikki’s debut novel, The Quiet You Carry which follows the story of Victoria Parker, a young girl struggling to cope with her sexually abusive father’s actions after he was arrested and Victoria was sent to a foster home.

Hi Nikki! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hi Catherine! Thanks so much for having me on The Nerd Daily!

As you know, I write young adult books, and it should be no surprise that I read a lot. And like pretty much everyone else during the pandemic, I’ve been watching so much T.V. Right now, my favorite show is Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

But I try to get outdoors too! I am lucky to live in sunny Santa Barbara, near the beach, and I like to jog outside with my baby in her stroller or take walks with the whole family, including my Pembroke Welsh Corgi. His name is Corgus. Anyone who follows me on social media knows I am obsessed with him!

Another thing about me is that despite growing up in foster care, I have a wonderful life. I get to live my dream as an author, and I have an amazing family now that I adore. I try to give back and help others who have been abused or abandoned by family like I was and so I’ve spent more than a decade advocating for foster youth. At times, this has involved giving speeches, writing essays or articles, and fundraising for different organizations that help current and former foster kids.

Quiet No More is the sequel to The Quiet You Carry, which came out last year. If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Survivor struggles with sharing story

Why do you think it is so important to share this side of Victoria’s story after the events of the first novel?

That’s a really good question! I feel like there’s a tendency to view people as before and after snapshots. Like, before their transformation, here’s this person who is a mess, and after, look how perfect they are! That’s not real life, especially for someone who has survived abuse or assault. Whether people are healing from trauma or just growing in some aspect of their lives, rarely do they ascend without hiccups. We take steps forward and steps back, and we keep going. In The Quiet You Carry, Victoria realizes that what her father has done to her is wrong and she turns him in, but that doesn’t mean she automatically rides off happy into the sunset.

Quiet No More picks up Victoria’s story as she begins¾what she hopes¾is her new life now that she’s in college. Wanting to make new friends, she joins a club that advocates for survivors of sexual harassment and assault. Even though Victoria is working to spread awareness and prevent assault, she has a hard time writing the victim impact statement that could affect her father’s sentencing. After she learns her dad had a horrific childhood, she wonders if she should downplay her father’s abuse so that he doesn’t suffer more in jail. But some of her friends in the club have their own opinions on what she should do. Basically, things are still complicated for Victoria, and she has a lot more trouble ahead!           

Throughout the duration of Quiet No More, readers are able to see Victoria’s journey through recovery after her dad is sent to jail. Why is this version of what recovery looks like important for readers?

Emotions can be pretty confusing for people who have been abused or assaulted. Survivors often still love those who hurt them, especially if they were abused by a family member or a romantic partner. I think it’s important for readers to see this so they have a realistic picture of how complicated these situations can be.

What inspired you to have Victoria’s aunt, Audrey, come into her life and challenge her views of her father and what she should do?

There’s a saying that “hurt people hurt people” and it’s so true. It’s often the case that those who harm others are suffering from some trauma of their own. Knowing someone’s background, why they ended up who they are, is important. Although it doesn’t excuse despicable actions, it can shed light on them, in a way. Still, many people hide their deepest pain, even from their families. So, I had Victoria’s aunt show up to illuminate some things for Victoria. I knew that because Victoria is such an empathetic person, she’d feel for her dad and be conflicted about what to do about it, even after she went through the process of denial and hiding the truth for him before.

What do you think is the most important thing readers can take away from Quiet No More?

The way I see it, people don’t necessarily get over painful experiences like being abused. We learn to live with the past, or try to, but it shapes the people we become. I want readers to realize it takes courage to face pain, but it’s worth it. I want people who read my books to believe there’s always hope. 

What would you say to Victoria and other sexual assault survivors like her that may read Quiet No More or even The Quiet You Carry?

I would tell any abuse or assault survivor this: You are more than what you’ve been through. You didn’t deserve it, and it’s not fair that it happened. Although none of us can take back the past, we can control how we react.

Don’t listen to anyone who tries to tell you to get over it or to think positive, if what you really need is to grieve. Surround yourselves with safe, caring and empathetic people who can love and nurture you, not only when you’re at your best, but also when things are really difficult. Find a therapist or a support group. Find ways to process what happened to you, such as journaling, creating art or being in nature. No one should demand this of a survivor, but sometimes it can be healing to help others by volunteering or doing advocacy work. Just being around people who can understand what you’ve been through, though, can help a lot.

What’s next for you?

My next book, Everything Within and in Between, comes out in the fall of 2021 from HarperChildren’s. It follows biracial teen Ri Fernandez as she fights to reclaim her Mexican heritage and her connection with her absent mother from her strict immigrant grandmother, who has kept her from both. Like Ri, I’m biracial, part Mexican-American and white. I experienced some of the insecurities and issues Ri has with her identity and am very close with my immigrant grandma. This book draws from some of my experiences, and I hold it close to my heart. I’m so excited to share it with readers!

Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?

How about an author instead? I love everything I’ve read by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I’m really looking forward to reading her latest, The Inheritance Games.

Will you be picking up Quiet No More? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Nikki Barthelmess, Author of ‘Quiet No More’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Readers may expect Nikki Barthelmess’s Quiet No More [North Star Editions, October 13, 2020], the sequel to The Quiet You Carry, to continue following the tumultuous life of a young woman dealing with the trauma she experiences following the sexual abuse she experienced at the hands of her father. While Quiet No More does follow the events after the young woman’s father is convicted of his crimes, it is much more than what typical young adult novels focusing on tough experiences tend to be. Quiet No More is much more a novel depicting the inner struggles one must go through in order to heal from their past.

Quiet No More continues the story of college freshman, Victoria Parker, as she tries to navigate her new life in Reno after her father is convicted of sexual abuse against children in her home of Silver Valley. In order to try to control her whirlwind of a life, Victoria decides to join SASAH—Students Against Sexual Assault and Harassment, a club that focuses on helping sexual assault survivors. Shortly after beginning her freshman year and navigating her place amongst the other students in SASAH, Victoria finds herself in the middle of even more problems than she had before. An aunt Victoria never knew she has suddenly walks into her life and causes several problems for her, a student in charge of funding SASAH blackmails her into keeping a deep dark secret private, and some friends even betray her.

There are many reasons why this is a novel both adult and young adult readers should pick up, one of them being the way Victoria’s progression and healing from her trauma is portrayed. At the beginning of the novel, it is clear that Victoria has not had enough time to come to terms with her trauma and to begin healing from it. One of the ways Victoria is able to heal from the abuse she suffered at the hands of her own father is through the new friends she makes at SASAH. Even though some of these new friends end up having some conflicts with Victoria, the way she is able to connect with these new people on a different level is one of the ways she is able to change into a more confident and stronger woman by the book’s conclusion. Additionally, readers may find it comforting to know that there are other people in the world who have had to deal with many unfair circumstances. Another aspect of the novel that is enjoyable and readers could benefit from it is the way Barthelmess is able to portray the trauma recovery process. The recovery process is often described as somewhat of a “rollercoaster” and it definitely portrays this accurately through the conflicts Victoria finds within herself, her family, and her group of friends.

In addition to the different portrayals of recovery and struggle, the novel provides many different relationships between Victoria and the people around her. From betrayal to heartbreak, readers will be able to see and understand why Victoria feels the way she does about the trauma she faced in the previous novel. From beginning to end, readers are able to see Victoria’s transformation from a shell of a person into the woman she was always meant to become; a strong and resilient one.

While the majority of Quiet No More focuses on Victoria dealing with her trauma, there are several instances where her thought process leaves a lot to be desired. When it comes to the way Victoria reacts to difficulties that come into her life, it seems as if instead of trying to be strong she shuts down and blocks everyone out—including the reader. It would be helpful if readers were able to see Victoria actually sit with herself and work with her trauma more throughout the novel instead of at the conclusion. Then, readers would be able to connect to Victoria more and understand why she reacts to these situations the way she does, especially if they have not experienced trauma themselves.

Quiet No More is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of October 13th 2020.

Will you be picking up Quiet No More? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

College freshman Victoria Parker is trying to move on with her life after surviving sexual assault by her father and six months in foster care. She’s focusing on the positives–attending college, living on her own, repairing old relationships and making new ones, and getting involved with an abuse survivors activist group on campus. But everything’s thrown into disarray when a strange woman shows up, claiming to be Victoria’s aunt and asking Victoria to lie about what happened to her. With her father’s sentencing in a few months, she’s nervous about having to share the truth of what happened with a judge. She’s not even sure if she has the strength to go through with it. But when her fellow club members begin pressuring her to speak out, Victoria has to decide how to share her story while remaining true to herself.

The post Review: Quiet No More by Nikki Barthelmess appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

March 2019 sees a few retellings hitting the shelves with Maid Marian taking over from Robin Hood in Sherwood, while Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy pen a new King Arthur story with a teenage girl being the newest reincarnation of Arthur. What else is instore for you? Brave an alien attack in Laura Pohl’s The Last 8, join a secretive boarding school in Killing November, follow the journey of a young scientist with powers in K.K. Pérez’s The Tesla Legacy, or be enchanted by dark faeries in Sarah Porter’s Never-Contented Things

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be reading of them!

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From debut author Justin A. Reynolds comes The Opposite of Always, a razor-sharp, hilarious and heartfelt novel about the choices we make, the people we choose and the moments that make life worth reliving. Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and John Green.

The Last 8 by Laura Pohl
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A high-stakes survival story about eight teenagers who outlive an alien attack—perfect for fans of The 5th Wave

Never-Contented Things by Sarah Porter
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A new YA standalone novel about dark faeries with surefire appeal by Sarah Porter, the critically-acclaimed author of Vassa in the Night and When I Cast Your Shadow. 

Girls With Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young
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Westworld meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this start to a thrilling, subversive near future series from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Young about a girls-only private high school that is far more than it appears to be.

Sherwood by Meagan Spooner
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Fans of Danielle Paige, Marissa Meyer, and Alex Flinn will devour New York Times bestselling author Meagan Spooner’s next fierce fairy tale-inspired story, which Illuminae author Amie Kaufman calls “a kick-ass, gender-flipped feminist retelling.”

The Quiet You Carry by Nikki Barthelmess
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Victoria Parker knew her dad’s behaviour toward her was a little unusual, but she convinced herself everything was fine—until she found herself locked out of the house at 3:00 a.m., surrounded by flashing police lights. Now, dumped into a crowded, chaotic foster home, Victoria has to tiptoe around her domineering foster mother, get through senior year at a new school, and somehow salvage her college dreams . . . all while keeping her past hidden.

Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Killing November by Adriana Mather
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Hang a Witch comes a thriller set at a secretive boarding school where students are trained to carry on family legacies that have built–and toppled–empires.

The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees
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Pan’s Labyrinth meets The Hazel Wood in this novel about a girl with terrifying visions and a wish-granting witch whose lives collide in the most unexpected of ways.

Voices: The Final Hours of Joan of Arc by David Elliott
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Author David Elliott explores how Joan of Arc changed the course of history and remains a figure of fascination centuries after her extraordinary life and death.

The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe by Ally Condie
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Ally Condie, the international bestselling author of the Matched trilogy, returns with an intricately crafted and emotionally gripping story of one young woman’s journey to move beyond the grief and anger that control her and find the inner strength to chart her own course.

The Tesla Legacy by K.K. Pérez
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An action-packed, young adult coming-of-age adventure, K. K. Perez’s The Tesla Legacy follows a precocious young scientist named Lucy Phelps whose fateful encounter in the Tesla Suite of the New Yorker Hotel unlocks her dormant electrical powers.

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

The post March Book Releases: YA appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Happy March, everyone! This month, there will be quite a lot of debut book releases and if you’re looking forward to find your next favourite author (and book, obviously!), be sure to keep reading this post as we’ve selected a few of our personal most anticipated!

Contemporary

Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah (March 1)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A magical story of a mysterious child who claims to have been sent from the stars to witness five miracles and teaches two strangers how to love and trust again.

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds (March 5)
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Before I Fall meets The Butterfly Effect. A love story of Jack and Kate, where Jack has to prevent Kate’s death by time-travel into the past. Jack will learn that each of his action has a different outcome and there will always be consequences.

The Quiet You Carry by Nikki Barthelmess (March 5)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A story of Victoria Parker who tried to leave her dark past, yet still freeze up at random moments with unwanted memories and nightmares that disrupt her sleep. All she wants is to move forward, but how do you focus on the future when the past won’t leave you alone?

When All Is Said by Anne Griffin (March 5)
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This is the story of Maurice Hannigan, who, over the course of a Saturday night in June, orders five different drinks at the Rainford House Hotel. With each he toasts a person vital to him: his doomed older brother, his troubled sister-in-law, his daughter of fifteen minutes, his son far off in America, and his late, lamented wife. And through these people, the ones who left him behind, he tells the story of his own life, with all its regrets and feuds, loves and triumphs.

Mystery

Call Me Evie by J.P. Pomare (March 5)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A gripping story of a seventeen-year-old girl, Kate Bennet, that kept in an isolated cabin by a mysterious man named Bill. Bill calls her Evie and tells her he’s hiding her to protect her from something terrible one night back home in Melbourne—something so unspeakable that he had no choice but to take her away. The trouble is, Kate can’t remember the night in question.

House on Fire by Bonnie Kistler (March 12)
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A suspenseful story about a blended family in crisis after a drunk driving accident leaves the daughter of one parent dead—and the son of the other parent charged with manslaughter.

Save Me from Dangerous Men (Nikki Griffin #1) by S.A. Lelchuk (March 19)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Nikki Griffin isn’t your typical private investigator. She’s a bookseller by the day and a justice warrior by the night. She helped women victims that get hurt by men that claimed to love them. But then something goes wrong, and suddenly Nikki is no longer just solving a case—she’s trying hard to stay alive.

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing (March 26)
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It’s a story of a couple who has been married for fifteen years. Every marriage has its own secrets. This one just happens to be getting away with murder.

SFF

The Fever King (Feverwake #1) by Victoria Lee (March 1)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Sixteen-year-old Noam Álvaro is a son of undocumented immigrants. He spent his life fighting for the rights of refugees, and he’s also happened to be a technopath. This skill becomes useful, especially with his plan to use it against the government. But then he met the minister’s beautiful son and now he has to decide who he can trust and how far he’s willing to go in pursuit of the greater good.

The Last 8 (The Last 8 #1) by Laura Pohl (March 5)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A high-stakes survival story about eight teenagers who outlive an alien attack—perfect for fans of The 5th Wave.

Bloodleaf (Bloodleaf #1) by Crystal Smith (March 12)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An imaginative retelling of the Grimm Fairy tale “The Goose Girl” that takes a ghostly mystery and sets it inside an epic fantasy world.

If, Then by Kate Hope Day (March 12)
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In the quiet haven of Clearing, Oregon, four neighbours find their lives upended when they begin to see themselves in parallel realities. Each of them started to get relatively benign visions that grow increasingly disturbing—and, in some cases, frightening.

Are there any other debut authors or debut novels that you’re excited for or would recommend? Tell us in the comments below!

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