Releasing on June 3rd 2025, read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt, but be warned of spoilers for the first two books!

Max and Jasper are finally together!

After months of agony and an eventful New Year’s Eve party, the path between souls has been lit, and the new couple are excited to date.

But being the mate of the alpha’s son comes with unexpected strings.

Not only must Max take on official duties as a member of the alpha’s family, but some pack members aren’t happy about the newly public relationship. And with Jasper away at college and traveling to different packs as a representative for his father, it’s hard to find the time to bond.

When summer arrives, Jasper invites Max to run away with him to his family’s house in the Californian desert, away from the pack and prying eyes.

But what starts as a vacation turns into something far less tranquil when their sanctuary is invaded by unfriendly interlopers.

When running away means running into trouble, can Max and Jasper still find the time and space to connect?

 HOWL AT NIGHT

“Max, you okay?” Jasper asks.

“Huh?”

I pull my eyes from the dash and look around. We’re in his car, idling by the curb out front of my house. I hadn’t noticed we’d arrived. To be fair though, I’ve been pretty out of it since we left the pack house.

“We’re here already?” I ask.

Jasper narrows his eyes, leans a little over the central console. “Is everything okay?”

Let me think on that a minute… Jasper just announced in front of the who’s-who of the Elite Pack that we’re mates. Even kissed me as the ball dropped welcoming in the new year to make his point. Sure, earlier in the evening I was attacked by his former bestie, Clayton, my back is still scorched in pain from where he tried to slice and dice me, and I’d just about given up on us ever being a couple, and tried walking away from Jasper for good. But with one gesture––albeit an impromptu one––everything has changed.

“I’m good,” I say, the beginning of a smile creeping into my expression. “Great actually.”

“Good.”

He leans further toward me, his eyes closing gently, his mouth open ever so slightly, and I lean in too to meet his kiss. One of Jasper’s hands finds the back of my head and before I know it we’re making out in his car. Could this be more like a teen rom-com?! Is this for real?

Jasper’s free hand finds the side of my face and as it does a pain erupts in the front corner of my brain. Like an instant headache, only sharper, a targeted migraine attack. I wince and pull back.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Jasper’s eyes glisten with care.

I rub at my forehead as the sharp pain subsides to a dull throb.

“Headache,” I say. “Probably just a little much for one night.”

“You can say that again.”

I glance at the house, to the dull light in the front window. “I should probably get going, my parents will be waiting up.”

He places his hands on the steering wheel, like he’s about to be pulled from the vehicle and needs something to hold onto.

“Y-you want to come in?”

He chews the inside of his cheek as his eyes roam the empty street. “Your parents are in there?”

“Yeah. They sort of live there.”

Jasper’s lips move like he’s trying to form words but can’t quite manage it. Is he…? Scared?

“It’s okay,” I say. “You don’t have to.”

“It’s just, I think you’re right about it being a lot for one night.”

“Of course.”

“Maybe another time?”

“For sure.”

Jasper breathes a subtle sigh of relief but I catch it, just like I can spot the slight pinkish hue coloring his cheeks. Signs of intimidation that might be imperceptible to the average person but not to me, not to his mate. I can’t believe stoic, princely, too-cool-for-wolf-school Jasper is nervous about meeting my unassuming folks. Now that’s a surprise!

A totally endearing one.

To be fair I can imagine the deep-dive interrogation my parents have in store for whoever my mate turns out to be. And I wouldn’t want to face that level of scrutiny. Maybe he’s right to be frightened.

“When––when will I see you again?” I ask, forcing myself to ask the tough questions.

“I go back to college in a week.”

“Right and I go back to school next Monday.”

“How about a date then, before school starts back up for both of us?”

“A date?”

Somehow the concept of going on an actual, real-life, bona-fide, dinner and a movie date with Jasper is so foreign to me I can’t quite imagine what it would be like. Where would we even go? Bowling? A concert? Would we hold hands in public? Get ice cream? Order one milkshake with two straws? I just can’t picture Jasper wanting to do any of those things. As much as I’ve wanted this, somehow I have no idea what dating Jasper will be like. But I sure as hell want to find out.

“That sounds great.”

“Are you free Saturday night?”

A niggling thought in the back of my brain tells me I had a vague plan to see Katie on Saturday, but with how she was acting at the New Year’s party, I don’t see why I need to be precious about keeping that date.

“I can be.”

“Great. I’ll pick you up around seven.”

Oh, Moon Gods, he’s making me breathless. “Okay.”

“Okay.”

My hand lingers on the door handle but for whatever reason I can’t open the door.

“You sure you’re okay?” Jasper asks.

“Mmhmm.”

“Good night.”

“Good––” Jasper doesn’t even let me finish before he plants another full bodied kiss on my lips.

I can still taste cherry as I exit the car and head up the drive. Jasper waits until I’m at the door, making sure I get home safely, even though we are in the middle of suburbia and nothing bad ever happens here. I slip my keys in the door and give him an awkward little wave. He nods, satisfied that I managed the dangerous trek to my house without dying, and drives off.

Once inside, I lean back on the closed door, breathing deeply, one hand clutching my chest to stop it exploding from joy-fueled adrenaline. My smile is irrepressible.

It’s been a stupidly, mega evening, packed with stress and terror and so much drama. But for now the drama has ended, everything has turned out amazingly, because Jasper chose me. He chased me down and proved he wants to be with me. And now we’re together. Jasper and I are officially––for all the world to see––a couple.

“Is that you, kiddo?” Mum calls from the living room.

Maybe not all the world just yet. I take one more breath, savoring this little moment of triumph, before heading through to the lounge.

“Hi,” I say, hovering in the arched doorway, not wanting to get too close to my parents who are watching TV, bathed in dim lamp light and the cool glow of the screen. I remembered to collect my puffer Jacket before I left this time, which means the slash marks on my back are well-enough hidden but still I hover at the edge of the room. They can scent my trauma from a mile off. No reason to give Mom and Dad a reason to worry. At least, not tonight, not when I’m riding this Jasper-high.

“Good night?” Dad asks.

“It was pretty epic,” I say.

“Looks like you had a nice time.” Mom eyes my untucked shirt, my loose collar and absent bowtie, my messed up hair. “No kidnapping this time?”

“No, no kidnapping. Bit of a rocky start but it turned out great.”

“You hungry?” Dad asks.

“No, just tired. I might head to bed.”

“Okay, kiddo,” Mom says, fighting the urge to pry for more information. “Sleep well.”

“Night, Max.” Dad is already unpausing the TV.

“Good night.”

Once up in my room I pull off my shredded button down and shove it at the back of my closet, reminding myself to take it out to the trash tomorrow before my parents can see it. I think about messaging Jasper but don’t want to come off as too clingy or obsessed––play it cool, Max––so instead I head for the shower, wanting to make sure the already-healing wounds on my back are clean and any residual blood is gone.

When I’m washed and ready for bed, I slip my aching limbs under the covers, finally feeling the weight of the night’s events settling into my bones and muscles, and glance at my phone to find a text waiting.

Jasper: Thank you for tonight. Have a good sleep. See you soon. Xxx

I begin crafting a reply but before I can hit send my eyes are already closing, exhaustion overcomes my body and I slip into sleep, dropping my phone on the comforter.

***

I’m standing on the roof of the pack house, over a hundred stories in the air. Above me clouds roll and tumble, lightning splitting the sky and casting my attacker’s face half in light, half in shadow. 

Clayton has his paws on me, his claws digging into my chest. His jaws snapping, slick with glistening saliva and crowded with razor sharp teeth. My back is bending unnaturally over the balustrade, as I fight to stay upright. Below traffic whirs past in strips of gold and red light, the pedestrians are a crowd of black dots hustling to and fro. All unaware that I’m under attack.

I thrash and fight but it’s no use against Clayton’s immense strength. But I have to do something or Clayton will surely kill me, push me over the edge and send me tumbling. As I stare into his black eyes I realize I do have strength, a power Clayton, nor any other wolf, has.

With my eyes closed, I relax my body and open my mind.  

Like a spider’s web the strands of my consciousness reach out, a net of squiggly and swirling red veins, curling and twisting in all directions. I search the strands for Clayton’s, and find it in the darkness, rotten and deteriorating, falling apart like a diseased root. Just as I’m about to follow the thread into Clayton’s consciousness I feel something, a gentle tug on my consciousness, pulling my attention elsewhere. 

I glance about searching for the source of the distraction but it’s gone. The blood strands flicker and pulse, they shiver and quake, they reposition themselves. They’re alive. 

Again I feel the pull only it’s stronger this time. I spin to catch it and stare into the inky blackness. It comes again like a pulse. I move toward it. The call sounds over and over, rushing past me like waves, drawing me nearer with each surge. And then I realize not only can I feel it, I can hear it. The pulse has sound and that sound is a howl. 

The second I hear it, I’m torn from the vision. Pulled back onto the roof. Only Clayton is gone, the shape of his wolf replaced by a human form. Jasper.

His hair is a mess, his shirt untucked and unbuttoned. He stares at me with dark, vengeful eyes. His teeth are clenched, his brow slick with sweat. His hands are on my neck and I can’t breathe. 

“Killer,” he rasps between clenched teeth.

With a grunt and groan, he hoists me over the side of the building, and I’m powerless to stop him. 

The ground rushes at me as I fall, and I’m about to hit the sidewalk when…

***

“Maxamillion!” I’m woken the next morning by Mom bellowing my name from downstairs. “Maxamillion Xavier Remus! Get your butt down here!”

I sit up in bed, wincing as the skin on my back is pulled taught, tugging at my injuries which have scarred over in the night. My head is throbbing like I drank a whole beer keg even though I didn’t touch a drop, and images from my dream are swirling in my mind. What was that? A howl? Why did I feel like it was calling to me? And what was with Jasper calling me a…killer?

“I’m not joking, kiddo!”

Mom doesn’t sound like she’s messing around so as fast as I can I jump out of bed, slip on a t-shirt from the pile on my floor and run down stairs. I’m still wiping my bleary eyes when I find Mom and Dad waiting for me in the hall.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

Mom’s face is flustered and Dad is wearing gardening gloves, like he was pulled away from planting his spring bulbs to address whatever emergency is happening.

“I just received a text from Katie’s mom, who received a text from her friend Stacy, who was sent a message by Kaitlin Thompson.”

“Okaaaaaay,” I say, shaking my head. “You got a text. It happens. What’s so important?”

“Kaitlin was at the pack house last night,” Mom says, her eyes wild.

Oh. Oh no. 

“Care to explain this?!”

Mom turns her phone so I can see it, foisting it at me like I’ve murdered someone and she’s found a crucial piece of incriminating evidence.

Lit up on my mom’s phone screen, however, is not a bloody murder weapon or some chart showing a perfect DNA match, it’s a photo of me and Jasper on stage at the New Year’s party, fireworks exploding in a rainbow curtain behind us while we kiss.

“Anything you’d like to tell us?” Mom asks.

My face crinkles in on itself as I shrug meekly.

“Surprise…”

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Running With The Alpha’s Son’ by Penny Jessup appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

It’s been three months since their kiss on the beach and Max hasn’t heard a whisper from Jasper.

With Christmas fast approaching, and despite vowing he would chase Jasper to the ends of the world, Max is ready to give up. Until Alpha Jericho announces he’s sending a select envoy of Elite Pack wolves to an allied wolf-pack stationed high in the rocky mountains, where they will bear witness to a Blood Moon. A week in a cozy ski-lodge sounds as romantic as you can get, so Max decides to give things with Jasper one last shot.
But life in the mountains is rockier than expected and finding alone time with Jasper is harder than Max thought. Political unrest between the packs is galvanizing Jasper’s determination to keep them apart, and new and old suitors are emerging in the pursuit of Jasper’s affections.

Running headfirst into snow storms, Max begins to question if the destiny he’s been chasing is what he really wants. And when the Blood Moon arrives, bringing irrevocable change that no one saw coming, Max and Jasper’s connection will be put to the ultimate test.

Will they find the path between souls among the snow covered peaks or will the mountain roads lead them to an unexpected destiny?

Loading…

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Chasing the Alpha’s Son’ by Penny Jessup appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

2022 is promising to bring some truly delightful and thematically unheard of queer releases our way and we’re excited to dive right in once it’s January! From a thrilling fairytale retelling that’s pitched as Sleeping Thorns meets Indiana Jones, a 1920s-inspired story in which magic can be consumed like a drink, all the way to countless queer debuts and Casey McQuiston’s highly anticipated YA debut, we’ve compiled all the releases with LGBTQIAP+ representation you won’t want to miss out on in 2022!

Looking for more releases? Check out our Most Anticipated 2022 Releases and our 2022 YA Book Releases lists!

JANUARY

Icebreaker by A.L. Graziadei
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Icebreaker is an irresistible YA debut about two hockey players fighting to be the best—and the romance that catches them by surprise along the way. This is a story about falling in love, finding your team (on and off the ice), and choosing your own path.

The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones in this thrilling fairytale retelling for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and All the Stars and Teeth. Set in a lush world inspired by beloved fairytales, The Bone Spindle is a fast-paced young adult fantasy full of adventure, romance, found family, and snark.

To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of the classic A Little Life, a bold, brilliant novel spanning three centuries and three different versions of the American experiment, about lovers, family, loss and the elusive promise of utopia.

The Temperature of Me and You by Brian Zepka
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Sixteen-year-old Dylan Highmark thought his winter was going to be full of boring shifts at the Dairy Queen, until he finds himself in love with a boy who’s literally too hot to handle.

Love Somebody by Rachel Roasek
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A sparkling YA debut rom-com about a popular high-school girl, her ex-boyfriend-turned-best-friend, and the girl they both fall for—perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli or Casey McQuiston.

Love and Other Disasters by Anita Kelly
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The first openly nonbinary contestant on America’s favorite cooking show falls for their clumsy competitor in this delicious romantic comedy debut “that is both fantastically fun and crack your heart wide open vulnerable.” (Rosie Danan, author of The Roommate)

FEBRUARY

Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A teen girl navigates friendship drama, the end of high school, and discovering her queerness in Ophelia After All.

Forward March by Skye Quinlan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

What’s worse? Someone using your face for catfishing or realizing you actually do have a crush on the catfished girl? Forward March is a love letter to band geeks and figuring out your identity.

Fire Becomes Her by Rosiee Thor
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In Rosiee Thor’s lavish fantasy novel with a Jazz Age spark, a politically savvy teen must weigh her desire to climb the social ladder against her heart in a world where magic buys votes.

No Filter and Other Lies by Crystal Maldonado
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Twenty one-year-old Max Monroe has it all: beauty, friends, and a glittering life filled with adventure. With tons of followers on Instagram, her picture-perfect existence seems eminently enviable. Except it’s all fake. When one of Max’s posts goes ultra-viral and gets back to the very person she’s been stealing photos from, her entire world – real and fake — comes crashing down around her.

The Alpha’s Son by Penny Jessup
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Max Remus couldn’t care less about finding his mate—unlike the rest of his fate-obsessed pack. Netflix’s Young Royals meets Teen Wolf meets Twilight––the first instalment in a thrilling new series, The Alpha’s Son is a heart-wrenching wolf shifter romance; full of yearning, comedy, and adventure.

Golden Boys by Phil Stamper
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

National bestselling author Phil Stamper crafts the perfect summer friendship story, starring four queer boys with big hearts and even bigger dreams. Following four friends who’ve been by each other’s side for most of their lives, the question is whether their summer apart will bring new experiences – or a stop to their seemingly unbreakable bond.

MARCH

This Is Why They Hate Us by Aaron H. Aceves
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

This fun, irreverent summer romp is Netflix’s Never Have I Ever meets What If It’s Us about a high school senior determined to get over his unrequited feelings for his best friend by getting under someone else.

All That’s Left in the World by Erik J. Brown
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

What If It’s Us meets Life as We Knew It in this postapocalyptic, queer YA adventure romance from debut author Erik J. Brown. Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Alex London. When Andrew stumbles upon Jamie’s house, he’s injured, starved, and has nothing left to lose. A deadly pathogen has killed off most of the world’s population, including everyone both boys have ever loved. And if this new world has taught them anything, it’s to be scared of what other desperate people will do . .. so why does it seem so easy for them to trust each other?

One for All by Lillie Lainoff
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An OwnVoices, gender-bent retelling of The Three Musketeers, in which a girl with a chronic illness trains as a Musketeer and uncovers secrets, sisterhood, and self-love.

Kiss & Tell by Adib Khorram
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A smart, sexy YA novel about a boy band star, his first breakup, his first rebound, and what it means to be queer in the public eye.

Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Kacen Callender meets Becky Albertalli in a deliciously geeky best friends-to lovers romance from award-winning author Julian Winters! Following two best friends who are about to leave for separate colleges and want to get the most out of the limited time they have left together, a crush threatens to shake up their unbreakable relationship.

Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In the aftermath of World War I, a naive woman is swept into a glittering world filled with dark magic, romance, and murder in this lush and decadent debut.

So This Is Ever After by F.T. Lukens
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Carry On meets Arthurian legend in this funny, subversive young adult fantasy about what happens after the chosen one wins the kingdom and has to get married to keep it…and to stay alive.

The Circus Infinite by Khan Wong
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Hunted by those who want to study his gravity powers, Jes makes his way to the best place for a mixed-species fugitive to blend in: the pleasure moon where everyone just wants to be lost in the party. It doesn’t take long for him to catch the attention of the crime boss who owns the resort-casino where he lands a circus job, and when the boss gets wind of the bounty on Jes’ head, he makes an offer: do anything and everything asked of him or face vivisection.

A Million Quiet Revolutions by Robin Gow
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A modern love story told in verse, this contemporary YA novel is about two trans boys who write each other letters, inspired by trans soldiers who were in love during the Revolutionary War—perfect for fans of The Poet X, Darius the Great is Not Okay, and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.

And they Lived… by Steven Salvatore
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of Can’t Take That Away comes a sex-positive, fairytale-inspired YA novel that celebrates first love and self-acceptance, perfect for fans of What If It’s Us.

The City of Dusk by Tara Sim
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Set in a gorgeous world of bone and shadow magic, of vengeful gods and defiant chosen ones, The City of Dusk is the first in a dark epic fantasy trilogy that follows the four heirs of four noble houses—each gifted with a divine power—as they form a tenuous alliance to keep their kingdom from descending into a realm-shattering war.

Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this young adult novel by award-winning author Anna-Marie McLemore, two non-binary teens are pulled into a magical world under a lake – but can they keep their worlds above water intact?

APRIL

Blaine for the Win by Robbie Couch
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

After being dumped so his boyfriend can pursue more “serious” guys, a teen boy decides to prove he can be serious, too, by running for senior class president in this joyful romp from the author of The Sky Blues.

The Drowning Summer by Christine Lynn Herman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A gorgeously atmospheric contemporary fantasy by the author of The Devouring Gray and The Deck of Omens. Beautifully written and just the right amount witchy, The Drowning Summer is a deliciously eerie story perfect for reading under a full moon.

She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

She’s All That meets What If It’s Us in this swoon-worthy hate-to-love YA romantic comedy from #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Five Feet Apart Rachael Lippincott and debut writer Alyson Derrick.

In the Key of Us by Mariama J. Lockington
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of For Black Girls Like Me, which received five starred reviews and multiple accolades, comes a middle-grade novel about first love, loss, and letting go. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, Andi is grappling with grief following the death of her mother. Zora is exhausted by trying to please her success-oriented parents. Both feel very much alone. Until a summer music camp brings them together.

Nothing Burns as Bright as You by Ashley Woodfolk
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Two girls. One wild and reckless day. Years of a tumultuous history unspooling like thin, fraying string in the hours after they set a fire. It starts with a fire. How will it end? From acclaimed author Ashley Woodfolk comes an impassioned story about queer love, loss, and the complexity of female friendship.

Sofi and the Bone Song by Adrienne Tooley
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this gorgeous, queer standalone fantasy, a young musician sets out to expose her rival for illegal use of magic only to discover the deception goes deeper than she could have imagined—perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens!

MAY

A Little Bit Country by Brian D. Kennedy
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Dumplin’ meets Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda in this heartfelt and funny LGBTQ+ contemporary romance about two teen boys who fall in love against the backdrop of a fictional Dollywood-esque amusement park. A pitch perfect next read for fans of Phil Stamper, Julie Murphy, and David Levithan.

Out of the Blue by Jason June
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

This sophomore novel from Jason June dives into the many definitions of the world home and shows how love can help us find the truest versions of ourselves. Following dual POVs, his romcom asks if romantic love is enough to conquer your way of life and questions everything you’ve grown up believing in.

Milo and Marcos at the End of the World by Kevin Christopher Snipes
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From debut author Kevin Christopher Snipes, Milo and Marcos at the End of the World is a new coming-of-age novel about finding the courage not only to love others but also to love ourselves.

Café con Lychee by Emery Lee
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this delectable enemies-to-lovers YA rom-com from the author of Meet Cute Diary, the sons of two families with rival shops find themselves working together to compete with the new café that opened in town. A perfect fit for fans of Julian Winters and Casey McQuiston.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the New York Times bestselling author of One Last Stop and Red, White & Royal Blue comes a debut YA romantic comedy about chasing down what you want, only to find what you need…Fierce, funny, and frank, Casey McQuiston’s I Kissed Shara Wheeler is about breaking the rules, getting messy, and finding love in unexpected places.

Flip the Script by Lyla Lee
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The first rule of watching K-dramas: Never fall in love with the second lead. I’ll Be the One author Lyla Lee delivers a simmering, joyous novel that flips the script on K-drama love triangles. When a Korean American actress is asked by producers to fake date her male costar, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with her female romantic competitor on the show.

If You Change Your Mind by Robby Weber
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

For fans of Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli, this heartfelt m/m rom-com by bookstagrammer Robby Weber stars a jaded aspiring screenwriter who resists love only to find himself surrounded by suspiciously happy couples, his ex-boyfriend, and an intriguing new boy. In this hilarious debut novel, an aspiring screenwriter learns sometimes love has its own script.

Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster by Andrea Mosqueda
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this voice-driven young adult debut by Andrea Mosqueda, Maggie Gonzalez needs a date to her sister’s quinceañera – and fast.

The Fae Keeper by H.E. Edgmon
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In the heart-stopping sequel to The Witch King, Wyatt and Emyr attempt to rebuild Asalin despite unexpected new enemies within their kingdom. As Wyatt struggles to learn control of his magic and balance his own needs with the needs of a kingdom, he must finally decide on the future he wants—before he loses the future he and Emyr are building…

The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Told in a captivating voice that is by turns hilarious, vulnerable, and searingly honest, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School explores the joys and heartaches of living your full truth out loud.

The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester by Maya MacGregor
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this queer contemporary YA mystery, a nonbinary teen with autism realizes they must not only solve a 30-year-old mystery but also face the demons lurking in their past in order to live a satisfying life.

Melt With You by Jennifer Dugan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of Hot Dog Girl comes a sweet and salty queer YA rom-com about two girls on a summer road trip in an ice cream truck.

JUNE

Epically Earnest by Molly Horan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this delightfully romantic LGBTQ+ comedy-of-errors inspired by Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, a high school senior works up the courage to ask her long-time crush to prom all while deciding if she should look for her bio family.

This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

How much would you risk to save the ones you love? Would you tempt even the most dangerous fate? Bestselling author Kalynn Bayron continues the story of Briseis and her family’s deadly magic in the sequel to This Poison Heart with more heartache, more death and more magic.

The Loophole by Naz Kutub
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Your wish is granted! This YA debut is equal parts broken-hearted love story, epic myth retelling, and a world-journey romp to find home. A queer Indian-Muslim boy named Syyed travels the world for a second chance at love after a possibly magical heiress grants him three wishes.

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A furious, queer debut novel about embracing the monster within and unleashing its power against your oppressors. Perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth and Annihilation. Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji is on the run from the cult that raised him—the fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and decimated the world’s population. Desperately, he searches for a place where the cult can’t get their hands on him, or more importantly, on the bioweapon they infected him with.

Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this sweet and funny new f/f romance from the author of Cool for the Summer, a cheerleader and the school’s newest quarterback are playing to win, but might lose their hearts in the process.

We All Fall Down by Rose Szabo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The first book in a dark fantasy YA duology by the author of What Big Teeth, about the power and danger of stories and the untold costs of keeping magic alive, perfect for fans of Aiden Thomas and Marie Rutkoski.

Stay tuned for our July to December round up which will be released around mid-2022!

What queer releases are you looking forward to picking up in 2022? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Must-Have 2022 Queer Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.