Hi, Rena! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

I’m originally from Miami Beach, Florida, but am now a literary agent at The Deborah Harris Agency, based in Jerusalem, Israel. I’m the author of a cookbook called EATING THE BIBLE, and my debut fantasy novel, THE SISTERS OF THE WINTER WOOD, was called “One of the Best Books of 2018” by Publisher’s Weekly. I’ve been writing since I was about eight and reading fantasy for as long as I can remember. I am a mom to five kids and a pug, and I love reading (obviously!) baking, doing ceramics, and making craft cocktails.

After the chaos that was 2020, have you set any goals for this year? If so, how are they going so far?

2020 was a lot. Being locked down with 5 kids (and a pug!) while working full time was not best from a writing perspective, to say the least. I did not have a lot of extra time on my hands, so I worked on a manuscript that was all in verse because somehow it was easier to write poetry with everything going on. I feel like poetry helps express snippets of emotion in a very deep way, which was a lot of what 2020 was like for me – being able to do snippets of a million things but not a deep dive into any one thing and that was the biggest challenge – just not having long spans of uninterrupted time to myself. But I have a few other projects in the works too and I’m hoping, someday soon, to have the space and time alone to finish them!

Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!

Oh gosh, okay. Well, I remember my mom reading Andrew Lang’s fairy tale books to me, and I remember her reading me the ALL OF A KIND FAMILY books. One of the first fantasy books I remember reading on my own was Tamora Pierce’s ALANNA series. The book that made me want to become an author is a bit harder to say, because I don’t know if there was ever any one book, but I found Chaim Potok’s books to be pretty foundational – especially MY NAME IS ASHER LEV. And the book I can’t stop thinking about right now is Erin Morgenstern’s THE STARLESS SEA.

When did you first discover your love for writing?

I was eight and I wrote a story about a bunny named Jenny LaHare. I think I still have it somewhere.

Your new novel, The Light of the Midnight Stars, is out April 13^th 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Jewish magical sister fairy tale

What can readers expect?

I recently received a starred review from the Library Journal which said the story is about “dragon riding rabbis and their fire breathing daughters attempt to change the course of history” which I just kind of loved, but it’s also about a lot more than that. It’s about how we tell stories and how the stories we tell change us, it’s about a girl who falls in love with a star, and another that can make everything grow but her own heart. It’s about how we choose to name and rename ourselves, and it’s also not a very happy story – it’s a story about tragedy and loss, and the way that history (and fairy tales) have a way of repeating themselves – over and over again.

Where did the inspiration for The Light of the Midnight Stars come from?

So, this is an interesting story. My grandmother (my father’s mother) used to light Shabbat candles on Friday night in a closet. This was before my time, but my father and his sisters swear by it. By the time I came along the candles had migrated to the center of the table and my grandmother’s dementia was starting to take over. She never told us why she did it and in her later years she even denied ever having done so. I wanted to find out why, which led me down a very meandering rabbit hole of research which I thought would take me in one direction (Spain and Portugal) but ended up taking me in another direction entirely (Hungary, Wallachia and today’s Slovakia) and to the discovery that my grandmother came from a Hungarian Hasidic dynasty (but not necessarily a magical one) – I also wanted to retell the Romanian fairy tale, Boys With Golden Stars, which I grew up hearing my mom read to me from Andrew Lang’s Violet Fairy Book. I kept asking the question – what if the golden stars on these boys’ foreheads were Jewish stars? What would that mean? And of course, who doesn’t want to read about a dragon riding rabbi? There is a story/myth told about the Solomonars – red-haired mountain men who rode cloud dragons in the sky and controlled the weather which is often used as an anti-Semitic stereotype. Which of course meant that I had to find a way to turn that on its head.

Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?

Well. This book was journey. It was originally written in 6 voices and set in both the modern day and in 14^th century Hungary/Romania/Slovakia. Eventually, I cut about 70,000 words from the book (yes, you read that right, 70,000!!!) and rebuilt it from the ground up set only in the imagined past. And even then, I had to write it and rewrite it. It was pretty painful at the time, but looking back on it, it was actually really appropriate. My characters are part of a story, but they choose to write themselves out of one story and into another one, and they also tell their own stories along the way, besides the fact that each section of the book is prefaced by a longer story that is being narrated by an unknown/unnamed narrator (no spoilers!) but it is also a book about how we tell stories and how we allow those stories to influence our lives. So, it is, in retrospect, very appropriate that I myself had to tell this story so many times – sometimes that’s what you have to do when you want to find yourself. I think it’s very human. I think it’s what we all actively do every day – we ask ourselves: what will my story be today? And sometimes, we get a chance to re-write that story, over and over again. Sometimes we have to find out way out of a story in order to begin telling a new one.

If it’s not too spoilery, were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I definitely enjoyed writing Levana/Laptitza’s voice the most – she is the sister that falls in love with a star. She meets a tragic end (all the sisters do, but hers is the most harrowing) – but I really enjoyed studying and exploring the Romanian Luceafărul poem and the incubi and Zburător/Zmeu/Balauri myths that it was based on. I think I want to be a girl who falls in love with a star – even though I think I’m more the fire-breathing type.

Is there anything you hope your readers will take away from The Light of the Midnight Stars?

I said some of this above, but even though the story is a tragic one, I think it contains within it a lot of hope (even though there is also a lot of pain) – I think that it is a story about how we can always rewrite our stories, even if we find ourselves in tragic circumstances. How we have the ability to tell the same story a hundred different ways, and in reach retelling we change along with the story. It’s a story about Jewish history, but it’s also a fantasy novel – an alternate history – a place where I got to tell the story I wanted to tell, even if it’s not the story that happened. Isn’t that what we all do sometimes?

What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?

I sometimes have been guilty of giving the advice “write every day” which is certainly sometimes that I am terrible at following. My father used to hound me with a line from the movie Throw Momma from the Train, I think it’s Billy Crystal, as Larry, who says at some point: “Remember, a writer writes, always.” And I hated him sometimes for saying it, but it’s true. The one thing we can’t control is when we write or how we write because sometimes that changes from day to day, from year to year, and certainly 2020 has taught us all that. So, no, don’t write every day if that doesn’t work for you, but do write. Always.

What’s next for you?

Well, I finished a novel in verse about a famous Hungarian historical figure – no fantasy in it at all! And I’m currently working on editing that. I am also working on a novel in verse set on a fantastical Island and based on Jewish sea-monster mythology which is kind of a mashup of the Seven Ravens/Six Swans fairy tale and the story of the Maccabees. I’m also working on another adult fantasy project based on Rabbi Nachman of Breslov’s fairy tales. So, never a dull moment over here.

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

I recently really enjoyed Kiran Millwood Hargrave’s THE MERCIES, Sarah Beth Durst’s THE BONE MAKER, and I am now reading Constance Sayers’ THE LADIES OF THE SECRET CIRCUS and Helene Wecker’s THE HIDDEN PALACE.

Will you be picking up The Light of the Midnight Stars? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Rena Rossner, Author of ‘The Light of the Midnight Stars’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto
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A hilariously quirky novel that is equal parts murder mystery, rom-com, and a celebration of mothers and daughters as well as a deep dive into Chinese-Indonesian culture.

The Helm of Midnight by Marina Lostetter
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A legendary serial killer stalks the streets of a fantastical city in The Helm of Midnight, the stunning first novel in a new trilogy from acclaimed author Marina Lostetter.

Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author and rom-com queen Becky Albertalli comes a buoyant new novel about daring to step out of the shadows and into the spotlight in love, life, and, yes, theater.

Near the Bone by Christina Henry
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A woman trapped on a mountain attempts to survive more than one kind of monster, in a dread-inducing horror novel from the national bestselling author Christina Henry.

First, Become Ashes by K.M. Szpara
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K. M. Szpara follows his explosive debut novel Docile with First, Become Ashes, a fantastic standalone adventure that explores self-discovery after trauma and outgrowing abusive origins over the course of an American road trip.

Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez
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A brilliant and touching romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever After Playlist.

The Light of the Midnight Stars by Rena Rossner
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An evocative combination of fantasy, history, and Jewish folklore, The Light of the Midnight Stars is fairytale-inspired novel from the author of The Sisters of the Winter Wood.

The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman
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From award-winning author Akemi Dawn Bowman comes an incisive, action-packed tale that explores big questions about technology, grief, love, and humanity.

The Widow Queen by Elżbieta Cherezińska
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Elzbieta Cherezinska’s The Widow Queen is the epic story of a Polish queen whose life and name were all but forgotten until now.

In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens
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A young prince must rely on a mysterious stranger to save him when he is kidnapped during his coming-of-age tour in this swoony adventure that is The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Pirates of the Caribbean.

The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird
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Set in a world where a virus stalks our male population, The End of Men is an electrifying and unforgettable debut from a remarkable new talent that asks: what would our world truly look like without men?

The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris
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Dear Martin meets They Both Die at the End in this gripping, evocative novel about a Black teen who has the power to see into the future, whose life turns upside down when he foresees his younger brother’s imminent death, from the acclaimed author of SLAY.

What April 2021 books are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post April 2021 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

2021 is absolutely jam-packed with fantasy and science fiction books that readers around the world are going to devour! Between the months of January and June, readers can expect magic, warring kingdoms, witches, magic, post-apocalyptic worlds, and so, so much more!

Read on to discover some of the January to June fantasy and sci-fi books we’re excited for and be sure to let us know in the comments what books you’re looking forward to!

Want more 2021 releases? Check out our lists for Most Anticipated 2021 Books, 2021 Queer Book Releases, 2021 Romance Book Releases, 2021 YA Book Releases, and 2021 Queer SFF Book Releases.

JANUARY

The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick
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Darkly magical and intricately imagined, The Mask of Mirrors is the unmissable start to the Rook & Rose trilogy, a rich and dazzling fantasy adventure in which a con artist, a vigilante, and a crime lord must unite to save their city.

The Frozen Crown by Greta Kelly
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A princess with a powerful and dangerous secret must find a way to save her country from ruthless invaders in this exciting debut fantasy, the first novel in a thrilling duology packed with heroism, treachery, magic, and war.

Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long
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Epic fantasy featuring warrior priestesses and fickle gods at war, for readers of Brian Staveley’s Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne.

The Stranger Times by C. K. McDonnell
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There are Dark Forces at work in our world (and in Manchester in particular) and so thank God The Stranger Times is on hand to report them. 

Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews
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From award-winning author, Ilona Andrews, an all-new novel set in the New York Times #1 bestselling Kate Daniels World and featuring Julie Lennart-Olsen, Kate and Curran’s ward.

The Forever Sea by Joshua Phillip Johnson
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The first book in a new environmental epic fantasy series set in a world where ships kept afloat by magical hearthfires sail an endless grass sea.

Brother Red by Adrian Selby
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From one of the most exciting new voices in dark epic fantasy comes an intensely brutal and brilliantly cinematic novel: the story of a soldier torn between loyalty to her family and her quest to preserve a kingdom’s future.

Knight’s Ransom by Jeff Wheeler
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From Jeff Wheeler, the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Kingfountain novels, comes an epic new series of warring kingdoms, deadly family rivalries, and fearless loyalty.

FEBRUARY

Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell
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Ancillary Justice meets Red, White & Royal Blue in Everina Maxwell’s exciting debut.

The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
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When a banished witch falls in love with the legendary trickster Loki, she risks the wrath of the gods in this moving, subversive debut novel that reimagines Norse mythology.

The Black Coast by Mike Brooks
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Epic world-building at its finest, in an upcoming author’s fantasy debut. The Black Coast is the start of an unmissable series filled with war-dragons, armoured knights, sea-faring raiders, dangerous magic and crowd-pleasing battle scenes.

Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard
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Award-winning author Aliette de Bodard returns with a powerful romantic fantasy that reads like The Goblin Emperor meets Howl’s Moving Castle in a pre-colonial Vietnamese-esque world. 

Game Changer by Neal Shusterman
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This high-concept novel from the National Book Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author of the Arc of a Scythe series tackles the most urgent themes of our time, making this a must-buy for readers who are starting to ask big questions about their own role in the universe.

Sun-Daughters, Sea-Daughters by Aimee Ogden
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Sun-Daughters, Sea-Daughters has all the wonder and romance of a classic sci-fi novel, with the timelessness of a beloved fairy tale. 

A History of What Comes Next by Sylvain Neuvel
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Showing that truth is stranger than fiction, Sylvain Neuvel weaves a sci-fi thriller reminiscent of Blake Crouch and Andy Weir, blending a fast moving, darkly satirical look at 1940s rocketry with an exploration of the amorality of progress and the nature of violence in A History of What Comes Next.

This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria
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An #ownvoices debut YA fantasy, This Golden Flame is an epic adventure full of magic, rebellion, and finding where you truly belong.

MARCH

Dead Space by Kali Wallace
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An investigator must solve a brutal murder on a claustrophobic asteroid mine in this tense science fiction thriller from the author of Salvation Day. 

The Councillor by E.J. Beaton
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This Machiavellian fantasy follows a scholar’s quest to choose the next ruler of her kingdom amidst lies, conspiracy, and assassination

Skyward Inn by Aliya Whiteley
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Skyward Inn is Jamaica Inn by way of Ursula Le Guin, bringing the influences, too, of Angela Carter, Michel Faber and Jeff Vandermeer to create a fantastic story of love, belonging, and togetherness. Asking questions of ideas of the individual and the collective, of ownership and historical possession, and of the experience of being human, it is at once timeless and thoroughly of its time.

A Trial of Sorcerers by Elise Kova
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This is the first book in a young adult, epic fantasy that’s a tale of competition, coming of age, distant lands, elemental magic, and romance. It’s perfect for fans of the Legend of Korra, Truthwitch, and A Sorcery of Thorns.

Machinehood by S.B. Divya
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From the Hugo Award nominee S.B. Divya, Zero Dark Thirty meets The Social Network in this science fiction thriller about artificial intelligence, sentience, and labor rights in a near future dominated by the gig economy.

Sweet & Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley
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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.

Burning Girls and Other Stories by Veronica Schanoes
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In Burning Girls and Other Stories, Veronica Schanoes crosses borders and genres with stories of fierce women at the margins of society burning their way toward the center. This debut collection introduces readers to a fantasist in the vein of Karen Russell and Kelly Link, with a voice all her own.

We Shall Sing a Song Into the Deep by Andrew Kelly Stewart
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A Canticle for Leibowitz meets The Hunt for Red October in We Shall Sing a Song into the Deep, a lyrical and page-turning coming-of-age exploration of duty, belief, and the post-apocalypse from breakout newcomer Andrew Kelly Stewart.

APRIL

The ​Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes book three in her Blood and Ash series.

The Helm of Midnight by Marina J. Lostetter
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A legendary serial killer stalks the streets of a fantastical city in The Helm of Midnight, the stunning first novel in a new trilogy from acclaimed author Marina Lostetter.

The Light of the Midnight Stars by Rena Rossner
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An evocative combination of fantasy, history, and Jewish folklore, The Light of the Midnight Stars is fairytale-inspired novel from the author of The Sisters of the Winter Wood.

The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes
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The Expanse meets Game of Thrones in J. S. Dewes’ fast-paced, sf adventure The Last Watch, where a handful of soldiers stand between humanity and annihilation.

The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman
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From award-winning author Akemi Dawn Bowman comes an incisive, action-packed tale that explores big questions about technology, grief, love, and humanity.

The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird
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Set in a world where a virus stalks our male population, The End of Men is an electrifying and unforgettable debut from a remarkable new talent that asks: what would our world truly look like without men?

Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries, #6) by Martha Wells
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The New York Times bestselling security droid with a heart (though it wouldn’t admit it!) is back in Fugitive Telemetry, a new standalone adventure!

Unity by Elly Bangs
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Evoking the grittiness of Mad Max and the idealism of Sense8, this absorbing sci-fi debut is a dynamic vision of the fluidity of identity. With Unity, breakout author Elly Bangs has created a prescient, moving, and unforgettable adventure that expands upon human consciousness and its possibilities.

MAY

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
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Hypnotic, propulsive, and utterly transporting, Jennifer Saint’s Ariadne forges a new epic, outside the traditional narratives of heroism and glory that leave no room for women.

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho
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A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.

Blade of Secrets by Tricia Levenseller
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In Blade of Secrets, the first book in Tricia Levenseller’s exciting new YA fantasy duology, a teenage blacksmith with social anxiety is forced to go on the run to protect the world from the most powerful magical sword she’s ever made. 

How to Mars by David Ebenbach
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What happens when your dream mission to Mars is a reality television nightmare? This debut science-fiction romp with heart follows the tradition of Ray Bradbury’s Martian Chronicles, with a dash of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and a hint of The Real World.

Spells Trouble by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
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Hunter and Mercy Goode are twin witches, direct descendants of the founder of their town of Goodeville. As their ancestors have done before them, it is now time for the twins to learn what it means to be Gatekeepers–the protectors of the Gates to different underworlds, ancient portals between their world and realms where mythology rules and nightmares come to life.

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
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Rivers Solomon’s Sorrowland is a genre-bending work of Gothic fiction. Here, monsters aren’t just individuals, but entire nations. It is a searing, seminal book that marks the arrival of a bold, unignorable voice in American fiction

The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
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Set in a world of goblin wars, stag-sized battle ravens, and assassins who kill with deadly tattoos, Christopher Buehlman’s The Blacktongue Thief begins a ‘dazzling’ (Robin Hobb) fantasy adventure unlike any other. 

The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley
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For fans of The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and David Mitchell, a genre bending, time twisting alternative history that asks whether it’s worth changing the past to save the future, even if it costs you everyone you’ve ever loved. 

JUNE

Star Eater by Kerstin Hall
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A phantasmagorical indictment of hereditary power, Star Eatertakes readers deep into a perilous and uncanny world where even the most powerful women are forced to choose what sacrifices they will make, so that they might have any choice at all.

The Tangleroot Palace: Stories by Marjorie Liu
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New York Times bestseller and Hugo, British Fantasy, Romantic Times, and Eisner award-winning author of the graphic novel, Monstress, Marjorie Liu leads you deep into the heart of the tangled woods. In her long-awaited debut story collection, dark, lush, and spellbinding short fiction you will find unexpected detours, dangerous magic, and even more dangerous women.

The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
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Practical Magic meets Twister in this debut contemporary fantasy standalone about heartbreaking power, the terror of our collapsing atmosphere, and the ways we unknowingly change our fate.

The All-Consuming World by Cassandra Khaw
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Cassandra Khaw’s debut novel is a page-turning exploration of humans and machines that is perfect for readers of Ann Leckie, Ursula Le Guin, and Kameron Hurley.

The Ninth Metal by Benjamin Percy
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From award-winning author Benjamin Percy comes an explosive, breakout speculative thriller in which a powerful new metal arrives on Earth in the wake of a meteor shower, triggering a massive new “gold rush” in the Midwest and turning life as we know it on its head. The first of a cycle of novels set in a shared universe.

The Coward by Stephen Aryan
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Who will take up the mantle and slay the evil in the Frozen North, saving all from death and destruction? Not Kell Kressia, he’s done his part…

Play of Shadows by Sebastien de Castell
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Swordplay, magic, intrigue and friendships stronger than iron: the first volume in the new swashbuckling fantasy series by the bestselling author of The Greatcoats.

Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta
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Two girls on opposite sides of a war discover they’re fighting for a common purpose–and falling for each other–in Zoe Hana Mikuta’s high-octane debut Gearbreakers, perfect for fans of Pacific Rim, Pierce Brown’s Red Rising Saga, and Marie Lu’s Legend series.

What 2021 fantasy and sci-fi books are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 48 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Releases To Look Out For In 2021 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Set in a winter wonderland, Rena Rossner writes a magical story following the lives of two sisters, Liba and Laya. When their parents receive news of a dying family member in a distant town, the sisters are left to survive on their own during the winter season in their small village, Dubossary. Surrounded by vast mountains and snow-covered trees, little do the teenage girls know that their forests hold deep secrets of deception and mystery. The girls soon learn that their mother comes from a family of swans and their father, a family of bears, each having the unique power to shapeshift. When a band of strange brothers wander into the village, the girls’ secrets are threatened and their true identities are going to be revealed. As Laya becomes enchanted by one of the mysterious men, Liba struggles to save her sister and their village from the secrets that lurk deep in the forest.

This novel is told in two different formats, a regular narrative from Liba’s point of view, and a series of prose, from Laya’s perspective. This book is magical and haunting, keeping the reader guessing about the dangers of trusting strangers and the unique power of a strong family dynamic.

The story is also heavily influenced by Judaism and the sisters find themselves questioning the religion and family traditions versus their ability to spend their lives with their true love, instead of marrying a Jewish man, chosen by their father. It is a beautiful account of passion and hope mixed with underlying serious tones of antisemitism and hate crimes, as their family is facing prejudice for their beliefs.

This magical realism story is both character and setting driven, but not so much plot driven. Therefore, if you are a reader who needs a lot of action packed chapters, this book is not for you. You’ll find yourself loving the sister/family dynamic highlighted throughout. The idea of shapeshifting as ‘becoming your true self’ was beautiful. Everything about this book is beautiful, from the cover, to the word choice, prose, and setting.

The Sisters of the Winter Wood is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.

Will you be reading this magical read? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Raised in a small village surrounded by vast forests, Liba and Laya have lived a peaceful sheltered life – even if they’ve heard of troubling times for Jews elsewhere. When their parents travel to visit their dying grandfather, the sisters are left behind in their home in the woods.

But before they leave, Liba discovers the secret that their Tati can transform into a bear, and their Mami into a swan. Perhaps, Liba realizes, the old fairy tales are true. She must guard this secret carefully, even from her beloved sister.

Soon a troupe of mysterious men appear in town and Laya falls under their spell-despite their mother’s warning to be wary of strangers. And these are not the only dangers lurking in the woods…

The sisters will need each other if they are to become the women they need to be – and save their people from the dark forces that draw closer.

The post Review: The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

If you’re after some new fantasy books, Chris Wooding’s The Ember Blade follows Aren as he sets on a quest for the Ember Blade, which is the sword of kings, the Excalibur of his people. Or perhaps Grace Draven’s Phoenix Unbound will be of more interest to you where a young woman is sacrificed every year from each village, but Gilene has been doing it for five years thanks to her magic, but now they want to put a stop to her once and for all…

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below which ones you are most excited for!

For A Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig
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A young woman with a dangerous power she barely understands. A smuggler with secrets of his own. A country torn between a merciless colonial army, a terrifying tyrant, and a feared rebel leader. Heidi Heilig creates a vivid, rich world inspired by Asian cultures and French colonialism. Her characters are equally complex and nuanced, including the bipolar heroine. For a Muse of Fire is an engrossing journey that weaves magic, simmering romance, and the deep bonds of family with the high stakes of epic adventure.

The Sisters of The Winter Wood by Rena Rossner
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Raised in a small village surrounded by vast forests, Liba and Laya have lived a peaceful sheltered life – even if they’ve heard of troubling times for Jews elsewhere. When their parents travel to visit their dying grandfather, the sisters are left behind in their home in the woods. But before they leave, Liba discovers the secret that their Tati can transform into a bear, and their Mami into a swan. Perhaps, Liba realises, the old fairy tales are true. She must guard this secret carefully, even from her beloved sister. Soon a troupe of mysterious men appear in town and Laya falls under their spell-despite their mother’s warning to be wary of strangers. And these are not the only dangers lurking in the woods…

The Ember Blade by Chris Wooding
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A land under occupation. A legendary sword. A young man’s journey to find his destiny. Aren has lived by the rules all his life. But then his father is executed for treason, and he and his best friend Cade are thrown into a prison mine, doomed to work until they drop. Unless they can somehow break free… Rescued by a man who hates him yet is oath-bound to protect him, pursued by inhuman forces, there is revolution is brewing, and Aren is being drawn into it. The key to the revolution is the Ember Blade. The sword of kings, the Excalibur of his people. Only with the Ember Blade in hand can their people be inspired to rise up… but it’s locked in an impenetrable vault in the most heavily guarded fortress in the land. All they have to do now is steal it…

And The Ocean Was Our Sky by Patrick Ness
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With harpoons strapped to their backs, the proud whales of Bathsheba’s pod live for the hunt, fighting in the ongoing war against the world of men. When they attack a ship bobbing on the surface of the Abyss, they expect to find easy prey. Instead, they find the trail of a myth, a monster, perhaps the devil himself… As their relentless Captain leads the chase, they embark on a final, vengeful hunt, one that will forever change the worlds of both whales and men.

Salvation by Peter F. Hamilton
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In 2204, humanity is expanding into the wider galaxy in leaps and bounds. A new technology of linked jump gates has rendered most forms of transportation–including starships–virtually obsolete. Every place on earth, every distant planet mankind has settled, is now merely a step away from any other. And all seems wonderful…until a crashed alien spaceship is found on a newly-located world 89 light years from Earth, harbouring seventeen human victims. And of the high-powered team dispatched to investigate the mystery, one is an alien spy…

Ignite The Stars by Maura Milan
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Everyone in the universe knows his name. Everyone in the universe fears him. But no one realises that notorious outlaw Ia Cocha is a seventeen-year-old girl. A criminal mastermind and unrivalled pilot, Ia has spent her life terrorising the Olympus Commonwealth, the imperialist nation that destroyed her home. Now captured and exposed, they see Ia’s age and talent as an opportunity. Soon, Ia is trapped at the Commonwealth’s military academy, desperately plotting her escape. But new acquaintances—including Brinn, a seemingly average student with a closely-held secret, and their charming Flight Master, Knives—cause Ia to question her own alliances. Can she find a way to escape the Commonwealth’s clutches before these bonds deepen?

The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes
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Feisty heroes, tricky gods, murderous demons, and spirited giants are just some of the pleasures that await in this fresh and funny take on Maya mythology, as rich and delicious as a mug of authentic hot chocolate.

Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton
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Long ago, a village made a bargain with the devil: to ensure their prosperity, when the Slaughter Moon rises, the village must sacrifice a young man into the depths of the Devil’s Forest. Only this year, the Slaughter Moon has risen early. Bound by duty, secrets, and the love they share for one another, Mairwen, a spirited witch; Rhun, the expected saint; and Arthur, a restless outcast, will each have a role to play as the devil demands a body to fill the bargain. But the devil these friends find is not the one they expect, and the lies they uncover will turn their town—and their hearts—inside out.

Time’s Convert by Deborah Harkness
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A passionate love story and a fascinating exploration of the power of tradition and the possibilities not just for change but for revolution, Time’s Convert channels the supernatural world-building and slow-burning romance that made the All Souls Trilogy instant bestsellers to illuminate a new and vital moment in history, and a love affair that will bridge centuries.

Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven
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Every year, each village is required to send a young woman to the Empire’s capital–her fate to be burned alive for the entertainment of the masses. For the last five years, one small village’s tithe has been the same woman. Gilene’s sacrifice protects all the other young women of her village, and her secret to staying alive lies with the magic only she possesses. But this year is different. Azarion, the Empire’s most famous gladiator, has somehow seen through her illusion–and is set on blackmailing Gilene into using her abilities to help him escape his life of slavery. And unknown to Gilene, he also wants to reclaim the birthright of his clan. To protect her family and village, she will risk everything to return to the Empire–and burn once more.

The Seclusion by Jacqui Castle
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In the year 2090, America has walled itself off from the rest of the world. When her father is arrested by the totalitarian Board, a young woman sets out to escape the only country she’s ever known. While on a routine assignment scouting the viability of dwindling natural resources outside the massive urban centers most American citizens call home, Patricia ’Patch’ and her co-worker Rexx discover a relic from the past containing dangerous contraband―unedited books from before The Seclusion. These texts will spark an unquenchable thirst for the truth that sees Patch’s father arrested by the totalitarian Board.

Daughters of Forgotten Light by Sean Grigsby
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Lena “Horror” Horowitz leads the Daughters of Forgotten Light, one of three vicious gangs fighting for survival on Oubliette. Their fragile truce is shaken when a new shipment arrives from Earth carrying a fresh batch of prisoners and supplies to squabble over. But the delivery includes two new surprises: a drone, and a baby. Earth Senator Linda Dolfuse wants evidence of the bloodthirsty gangs to justify the government finally eradicating the wasters dumped on Oubliette. There’s only one problem: the baby in the drone’s video may be hers.

Check out our other September book picks on our Goodreads list!

Any other releases you’re excited to read this month? Tell us in the comments below!

The post September Book Releases: Fantasy + Sci-Fi appeared first on The Nerd Daily.