Park Avenue follows ambitious junior partner Jia Song on the high-profile case of the Park family involving family drama, chilling secrets, and deceit. Can you tell us a little bit about what inspired you to write this book?

I’ve always wanted to write a book celebrating my Korean heritage, and something clicked when I read this NYT piece a few years ago about a wealthy couple who were going through a difficult divorce because it turned out the husband had hidden the majority of their wealth in bank accounts around the world so he could cheat his wife out of half of their jointly earned estate. I wanted to examine what would make a man justify stealing hundreds of millions of dollars—money she earned—from the mother of his kids. And, of course, I loved and hated Succession for the same reason. The question of money’s power to corrupt and the effects of extreme wealth is something in the forefront of so many people’s minds today, and I thought exploring the inner workings of a badly behaving billionaire Korean family would be fascinating, especially in the context of these different immigrant experiences. Jia comes from a working class family of Korean immigrants, and the Park family’s American Dream is in stark contrast to that.

Park Avenue is your adult debut! What are you most excited for your fans to encounter with this book? How was writing Park Avenue a different experience than writing your previous titles?

I love writing for young adult audiences because the feeling of something being new and fresh—with every emotion and experience ringing true to life—is what I look for in a book. That nostalgia and earnestness just can’t be beaten. But in an adult book, I get to approach things from a lens of deeper world experience. There’s a jadedness to it, of course, but it feels real in a different way. And I like getting to have characters behave badly without any need for redemption or the kind of lesson I often want to impart to younger readers. The Park family is filled with broken people, but, to me, this brokenness is what makes them relatable when so much of their lived experience is the stuff of fantasy.

The Park siblings Sora, Suzy, and Minsoo all have intriguing and, oftentimes, conflicting personalities. As readers get deeper into the Park family drama, it becomes more apparent how their flaws and individual aims may cause larger conflict in their case. How did you approach writing each of the Park siblings and their relationships with each other? Who was the most fun character to write?

Fittingly, I can’t really choose whom I preferred writing, especially between Suzy and Sora. Suzy is such an id kind of character, while, to me, Sora embodies ego. Writing about someone who seemingly doesn’t care about anything, like Suzy, is so fun. She’s an agent of chaos. Sora, to me, is like a living house of cards. An intricate one with turrets and many stories and architectural intrigue, but so close to toppling over at the first well-timed breeze. With Minsoo, I wanted to write about a character whose pain is turned fully inward. At first glance, he seems to be the most well-adjusted of the three, but in reality he’s a dormant volcano waiting to erupt.

Jia’s relationship with her own family is a driving force for her Fifth Avenue aspirations as she struggles with the pressure she feels to succeed. Why was it important for you to include these pressures she feels? What foundation of support do you believe Jia’s family provides for her as she reckons with her own high expectations?

I think this is something universal among immigrant families, regardless of where they come from. Any kid from any walk of life bears the weight of their parents’ expectations or choices, of course, but immigrants carry another layer. Often I think the children of immigrants put too much on their shoulders because they see on a deeper level the sacrifices their parents made to give them these opportunities. It’s like an odd kind of privilege tinged in a specific kind of guilt. I know Jia’s family is always rooting for her, but her need to prove herself isn’t just about getting that Birkin bag. It’s about being able to provide in a real way for the people who gave up everything—their homeland, their security, their sense of self—on the promise of nothing more than a dream. How do you pay someone back for that? Moreover, is it even possible, or are the children of immigrants always fighting a losing battle between who they want to be and who they know they need to be?

Set against the luxurious backdrop of the Manhattan elite, Park Avenue also carries readers across the globe to places like Seoul with its elaborate night life and the gorgeous Cayman Islands just to name a few. How did you approach writing about these wondrous landscapes? What research or inspiration did you draw from when writing about the world of this socialite family?

I love writing about places I’ve had the privilege of visiting because travel is one of my greatest joys in life. All the locations I describe in Park Avenue, I’ve been able to see in person, and I think that’s what makes writing about them so fun. I get to return to a memory and convey the experience through all the senses. I always think every place has its own unique scent and its own patina. It was especially fun to write them from the vantage of extreme wealth. That’s not my personal experience, haha, but getting to imagine what it must be like flying on private jets and spending a ridiculous amount of money on something frivolous is just that. A peek behind the curtain. I also think it helps put into focus the things that truly matter. Being on a gorgeous beach in the Caribbean with a mansion behind you is wonderful, but the person or people you’re with? That can make or break anything. I am thrilled with a backyard BBQ as long as I’m with my people. But I won’t deny that Paris with a bestie or Seoul with my soulmate is also pretty special.

Romance is also a key part of the narrative in Park Avenue through Jia’s journey of healing from past wounds and the possibility of finding new love. What did you enjoy most about writing Jia’s romance arc? How do you feel that love impacts Jia’s overarching character development?

I can’t help but write a romance into any book of mine. To me, love and fear are the greatest equalizers. They are the highest highs and the lowest lows. I think when we truly love ourselves, we learn to love other people, and vice versa. Jia is someone who has never really had a chance to explore what she loves about herself. What she truly wants in life. She has ideas and goals and hopes and dreams, but she doesn’t really have a grounded sense of what gives her peace. There’s a line spoken by a character in Park Avenue that represents something I often think about. She says that all she wants for those she loves is the space to dream. When we allow ourselves to dream, we get closer to that true sense of peace. Jia has a lot of pain in her past, but she also has a lot to be proud of and a lot to be thankful for. To me, that balance of recognizing the lessons learned and the path to growth is key, especially in finding love.

There are so many wonderful food references in the novel! The way you describe different recipes in Park Avenue makes each dish sound truly mouth-watering. What was your favorite dish to include while writing this novel? What role do you believe food plays in Jia’s story?

I will never turn away a bowl of freshly made tteokbokki. That rosé style one is a personal favorite of mine, but I also had so much fun describing the outlandish meal the Park family shared in Paris. I’ve always loved scenes of a family around a dinner table, because it doesn’t matter how fancy the food is or how stunning the backdrop may be. Family is going to family at a table, for better or for worse. Also, to me, food is a universal language. I may not be able to understand what someone is saying, but if I try their food, I instantly learn something about who they are and where they came from.

Park Avenue is a perfect blend of legal mystery, family drama, romance, and more. How did you manage to blend these different genres together into this captivating literary marvel? What made you want to include all of these elements in this particular story?

First of all, thank you so much. Honestly, I always try to write what I want to read. These kinds of transportive stories that blend different genres are what excite me. I don’t want to be pigeonholed into any one thing, and I think a well-written story should make me cry and laugh and swoon and sit on the edge of my seat turning pages into the wee hours of the night. If I can give a reader that experience, it is the greatest compliment.

Without giving away any spoilers, what was one of your favorite scenes in the book to write?

There is a scene in a fancy Korean karaoke bar that delighted me for many reasons. It’s emotional and ridiculous and, hopefully, gutting because it was so human. The pain and anger of deep betrayal shows itself in so many ways, and I love writing something where a reader can understand all sides of the story. You may have a preference, but you get where each person is coming from because the emotions ring true.

What books are currently on your nightstand?

I just started Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis after getting to hang out with her at a book festival! I also have the latest Kerri Maniscalco book, Allison Borstein’s Wear It Well, and a book about poison that’s research for my next project.

Lastly, we have to ask – what are you working on next? Without giving too much away, can you give readers any hints as to what they can expect from your next book?

I am so in love with the book I’m working on now. Without giving too much away, it’s about a serial killer who targets bad men. She is fun and funny and dark and unapologetic, and I can’t wait for readers to meet her.

Will you be picking up Park Avenue? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Renée Ahdieh, Author of ‘Park Avenue’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Get ready to look forward to some great fiction book releases in 2025! We’ve rounded up just a few fiction books releasing between January and June from thrillers and historical fiction, to stories of friendship and family, and more. With releases from Megan Collins, Scott Turow, Kate Alice Marshall, Jojo Moyes, Elle Cosimano, Stephen Graham Jones, Alex North, Fredrik Backman, Maggie Stiefvater, and many more, plus those making their debut.

Read on to discover new books hitting shelves in the first half of the year and be sure to check out our other 2025 round-ups too, including our Most Anticipated, Romance, Fantasy & Sci-Fi and Young Adult lists.

JANUARY 2025 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

Old Soul by Susan Barker

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The Historian meets Under the Skin in this searingly provocative literary horror novel about one woman’s determination to stay alive at any terrifying cost.

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

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From New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis, an utterly addictive new novel that will transport you from New York City’s most glamorous party to the labyrinth streets of Cairo and back.

A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay

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Two former serial killers trying to keep their past buried realize that old habits die hard in this “wildly original, razor-sharp thriller” (Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of All the Colors of the Dark).

Tell Me What You Did by Carter Wilson

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From the USA Today bestselling author of The Dead Girl in 2A and The New Neighbor comes a chilling new thriller that forces the question: are murderers always the bad guys?

The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha

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A billionaire is primed to announce the succession plan for his company to his family at a lavish reunion, but at least one person won’t make it through the week alive. . . Most family reunions end in tears. This one will end in murder. 

Head Cases by John McMahon

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Head Cases follows an enigmatic group of FBI agents as they hunt down a murderer seeking his own justice in this electrifying―and commercial―series debut.

We Rip the World Apart by Charlene Carr

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Weaving the women’s stories across multiple timelines, We Rip the World Apart reveals the ways that simple choices, made in the heat of the moment and with the best of intentions, can have deep and lasting repercussions―especially when people stay silent.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan

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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets First Lie Wins in this electric, voice-driven debut novel about an elusive bestselling author who decides to finally confess her true identity after years of hiding from her past.

Cross My Heart by Megan Collins

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She has his wife’s heart; the one she wants is his. The author of The Family Plot brings her signature “taut, emotionally charged, and propulsive” (Jeneva Rose, New York Times bestselling author) prose to a twisty novel about a heart transplant patient who becomes romantically obsessed with her donor’s husband.

We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin

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A moving story about two very different sisters, and a love letter to childhood, growing up, and the power of imagination—from the bestselling author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead and Interesting Facts About Space.

Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow

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New from the author of Presumed Innocent, the #1 bestseller that redefined the legal thriller and is the basis for Apple TV+’s most-watched drama series ever.

The Crash by Freida McFadden

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A gut-wrenching story of motherhood, survival, and twisted expectations, #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden delivers a snowbound thriller that will chill you to the bone.

FEBRUARY 2025 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall

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A woman invited to her wealthy fiance’s family retreat realizes they are hiding a terrible secret―and that she’s been there before, by the bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods.

Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine

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A young girl must face a life-altering decision after awakening her sister’s ghost, navigating truths about love, friendship, and power as the Civil War looms.

Maya & Natasha by Elyse Durham

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This stunning debut novel set in the fascinating world of Cold War Soviet ballet follows the fates of twin sisters whose bond is competitive, complicated, but never broken.

The Garden by Nick Newman

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An eerie, hypnotic, darkly beautiful novel about two elderly sisters living alone at the edge of the world and how their lives unravel when their sanctum is breached, for fans of Piranesi and The Testaments.

The Lamb by Lucy Rose

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From an incendiary new talent, a contemporary queer folktale about a mother and daughter living in the woods, for fans of Angela Carter, Margaret Atwood, and Julia Armfield.

Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff

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A Parisian department store, a mysterious necklace and a woman’s quest to unlock a decade-old mystery are at the center of this riveting novel of love and survival, from New York Times bestselling author Pam Jenoff.

We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes

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The #1 New York Times bestselling author, whose books so many love, brings us a fresh, contemporary story of a woman and her unruly blended family.

Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray

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She found the literary voices that would inspire the world…. The extraordinary story of the woman who ignited the Harlem Renaissance, written by Victoria Christopher Murray, New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Personal Librarian.

You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

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An exclusive thriller writer’s retreat hosted on a private island turns lethal when one of the authors is found murdered.

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn

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An immersive historical drama about a young mother who starts a new life with her son in New York after faking their deaths on the Titanic—the U.S. debut of acclaimed British novelist Frances Quinn.

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler

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A new Anne Tyler novel destined to be an instant classic: a socially awkward mother of the bride navigates the days before and after her daughter’s wedding.

Isola by Allegra Goodman

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A young woman and her lover are marooned on an island in this breathtaking saga, an epic story of love, faith, and defiance from the bestselling author of Sam

MARCH 2025 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

The King’s Messenger by Susanna Kearsley

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New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author Susanna Kearsley explores romance, court alliances, and the limits of one’s duty in this rich story of an honorable man in service to a treacherous king, and the mission that brings him to love and his true calling.

Broken Country by Clare Hall

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A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley

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Date night goes off the rails in this hilariously insightful take on midlife and marriage when one unhappy couple find themselves at the heart of a crime in progress, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise.

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead

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From the national bestselling author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and Midnight is the Darkest Hour comes a chilling, compulsive story of five amateur sleuths, whose hunt for an elusive killer catapults them into danger as the world watches.

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry

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Inspired by a true literary mystery, New York Times bestselling author of the mesmerizing The Secret Book of Flora Lea returns with the sweeping story of a legendary book, a lost mother, and a daughter’s search for them both.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano

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From New York Times bestseller and Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave―the hugely anticipated next installment in the fan-favorite Finlay Donovan series.

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

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A novel of breathtaking twists, dizzying beauty, and ferocious love, Wild Dark Shore is about the impossible choices we make to protect the people we love, even as the world around us disappears.

Count My Lies by Sophie Stava

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A read-in-one-night suspense thriller narrated by a compulsive liar whose little white lies allow her to enter into the life and comfort of a wealthy married couple who are harboring much darker secrets themselves. For the millions of us still chasing those gone girls, this is perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Lucy Foley, and Laura Dave.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones

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A chilling historical horror novel set in the American west in 1912 following a Lutheran priest who transcribes the life of a vampire who haunts the fields of the Blackfeet reservation looking for justice.

Retreat by Krysten Ritter

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A beautiful con artist insinuates herself into a wealthy socialite’s life . . . with deadly consequences, in this serpentine thriller about identity and obsession, from actress, director and bestselling author Krysten Ritter.

Dissolution by Nicholas Binge

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A woman dives into her husband’s memories to uncover a decades-old feud threatening reality itself in this staggering technothriller from the bestselling author of Ascension.

Early Thirties by Josh Duboff

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A hilarious and painfully relatable debut novel about two thirtysomething best friends’ messy search for connection and love in New York, perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle, Gabrielle Zevin, and Dolly Alderton.

APRIL 2025 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

The French Honeymoon by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau

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The Paris Apartment meets A Simple Favor in an unputdownable thriller about a honeymoon gone horribly wrong.

Coram House by Bailey Seybolt

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Sharp Objects meets I Have Some Questions for You in this haunting novel—inspired by a true story—about a crime writer who risks everything as she investigates the mystery of two deaths, decades apart, at a crumbling Vermont orphanage.

Passion Project by London Sperry

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A compassionate and hopeful romantic comedy, Passion Project is a reminder that love is waiting for us to let it in.

Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

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A woman learns the astonishing truth of her family’s ties to a vanished American Kingdom in this riveting new novel from the New York Times bestselling, NAACP Image Award-winning author of Take My Hand.

Bad Nature by Ariel Courage

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Armed with a terminal diagnosis, a grudge, and a rental car, Hester sets out to fulfill her lifelong dream of killing her father in this brilliantly subversive and bleakly funny debut novel.

What If I Never Get Over You by Paige Toon

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One Day meets a contemporary Bridgerton in this high-drama, escapist wonder of a love story, Paige Toon’s best yet.

A Town with Half the Lights On by Page Getz

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For readers of J. Ryan Stradal and The Music of Bees (with a dash of FX’s The Bear) comes a quirky and refreshing epistolary novel about family of culture-shocked Brooklynites transplanted to Goodnight, Kansas and their fight for their unexpected lifeline: the legendary May Day Diner.

The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff

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One family. Four generations. A secret son. A devastating addiction. A Texas family is met with losses and surprises of inheritance, but they’re unable to shake the pull back toward each other in this big-hearted family saga perfect for readers of Mary Beth Keane and Claire Lombardo.

Bearer of Bad News by Elisabeth Dini

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A sharply funny and moving debut in which a young woman accepts a job that takes her though the Italian Dolomites and into an international mystery far greater—and more personal—than she could have ever expected.

The Strange Case of Jane O. by Karen Thompson Walker

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In this spellbinding and provocative novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Age of Miracles, a young mother is struck by sudden and puzzling psychological symptoms that illuminate the mysterious dimensions of the human mind—and of love.

The Murder Show by Matt Goldman

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The Murder Show is a pulse-racing novel about secrets, old friends, and how the past never leaves us by New York Times bestselling and Emmy Award winning author Matt Goldman.

The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner

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Powerful witchcraft. A hunt for sunken treasure. Forbidden love on the high seas. Beware the Amalfi Curse…

MAY 2025 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

Austen At Sea by Natalie Jenner

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Two pairs of siblings, devotees of Jane Austen, find their lives transformed by a visit to England and Sir Francis Austen, her last surviving brother and keeper of a long-suppressed, secret legacy.

All the Mothers by Domenica Ruta

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From New York Times bestselling author Domenica Ruta comes a heartfelt, hilarious novel about a single mom reimagining what the perfect family can look like.

Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris

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A captivating tale of resilience and hope, The Girls of Good Fortune explores the complexity of family and identity, the importance of stories that echo through generations, and the power of strength found beneath the surface.

The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs

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Three middle-aged best friends turn to murder in order to collect on their husbands’ life insurance policies…but are unaware that their husbands have a devious plan of their own, in this darkly funny debut—perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club and Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.

The Manor of Dreams by Christina Li

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Mexican Gothic meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in Christina Li’s haunting novel about the secrets that lie in wait in the crumbling mansion of a former Hollywood starlet, and the intertwined fates of the two Chinese American families fighting to inherit it.

Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle

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What if you could have one last meal with someone you’ve loved, someone you’ve lost? Combining the magic of Under the Whispering Door with the high-stakes culinary world of Sweetbitter, Aftertaste is an epic love story, a dark comedy, and a synesthetic adventure through food and grief.

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers

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Two women haunted by their sisters’ unsolved disappearances band together in this captivating mystery from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of All Good People Here and host of the #1 true crime podcast Crime Junkie.

Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang

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From the author of Natural Beauty, set in the fiercely competitive art world, a novel about an obsessive friendship upended by a cutting-edge technology purported to enhance empathy and connection

My Name Is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende

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In this spellbinding historical novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea and The Wind Knows My Name, a young writer journeys to South America to uncover the truth about her father—and herself.

The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North

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With his signature shock and suspense, Alex North brings us The Man Made of Smoke. In turn emotional, introspective, and utterly terrifying, this is a story of fathers and sons, shadows and secrets, and the fight we all face to escape the trauma of the past.

Slaying You by Michelle Gagnon

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A wildly funny thriller about reluctant partners who hit the danger jackpot when they discover that a serial killer is on their heels . . . again.

The Night Birds by Christopher Golden

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The next gripping, atmospheric horror novel from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden, set in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship off the coast of Galveston, TX.

JUNE 2025 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger’s life twenty-five years later.

Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

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From #1 New York Times bestseller Lisa Jewell, an author “at the very top of her game” (Lucy Foley)—three women are connected by one man in this kaleidoscopic thriller.

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater

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#1 New York Times bestselling novelist Maggie Stiefvater dazzles in this mesmerizing portrait of an irresistible heroine, an unlikely romance, and a hotel—and a world—in peril.

A Language of Limbs by Dylin Hardcastle

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A beautifully inventive, tender novel—the author’s first to be published in the U.S.—following two lives as they almost intersect over three heartbreaking yet euphoric decades

The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood

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From the New York Times bestselling author of Amazing Grace Adams comes a wryly resonant and deeply moving family dramedy investigating the question so many of us have asked ourselves: do my parents have a favorite?

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel

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Kristin Harmel, the New York Times bestselling author who “is the best there is at sweeping historical drama” (Kelly Harms, author of The Seven Day Switch), returns with an electrifying new novel about two jewel thieves, a priceless bracelet that disappears in 1940s Paris, and a quest for answers in a decades-old murder.

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten

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Scream meets The Guest List in this wickedly compelling and compulsively page-turning thriller of friendship and murder from the author of The Lost Village, Camilla Sten.

Confessions of a Grammar Queen by Eliza Knight

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There are no female publishing CEOs in 1960’s New York. And that is exactly what savvy, ambitious Bernadette Swift plans to change.

Tell Me Something Good by Court Stevens

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This is a story of the rich and the very poor. This is a story of an illegal auction with dire consequences. This is a story of murders past and present. This is a story of intertwined relationships and the silent ripples they leave behind, where love becomes a guiding force, revealing the lengths one will go to protect those they cherish.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

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A blistering literary suspense novel about a ghostwriter who is hired to write the last book for her estranged father and finds herself investigating the brutal murder of both his siblings in the summer of 1975.

The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison

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A hilarious and heartfelt novel about how loves and lives are never truly lost, for fans of Rebecca Serle and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Park Avenue by Renée Ahdieh

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#1 NYT-bestselling YA author Renee Ahdieh’s adult debut novel, about a young lawyer who gets pulled in to manage a crisis with her firm’s biggest client, a family whose Korean beauty brand is worth a billion dollars, pitched as Crazy Rich Asians meets Succession.

What releases are you looking forward to? Any other recommendations for us? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Fiction Book Releases To Check Out In 2025 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

2025?! How!? Nevertheless, the upside of a new year is all of the new books that will be hitting shelves! We’ve rounded up some highly anticipated  books from a range of genres releasing between the months of January and June 2025.

You can expect new releases from the likes of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Emily Henry, Samantha Shannon, Richard Swan, Kate Alice Marshall, Tessa Bailey, Suzanne Collins, Chuck Wendig, Rachel Lynn Solomon, Christopher Golden, Becky Albertalli, Rebecca Yarros, VE Schwab, Maggie Stiefvater, Fredrik Backman, and so many more, plus many making their dazzling debuts!

You’ll find quite a few exciting new reads within this list and be sure to check out our other January to June 2025 lists, which we’ll be releasing over the next month! This article will also get updated with those links so you can easily find them… We apologise in advance to your TBR pile and wallet!

• 2025 Romance Book Releases
• 2025 YA Book Releases
• 2025 Fiction Book Releases
• 2025 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Releases

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you’ll be picking up any!

JANUARY 2025 BOOK RELEASES

I Think They Love You by Julian Winters

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With his funny, big-hearted adult rom com debut, bestselling, award-winning YA author Julian Winters shows sometimes fake dating your ex can turn into a second chance.

Breath of the Dragon by Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee

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A young warrior dreams of proving his worth in the elite Guardian Tournament, fighting not only for himself but the fate of everything he loves.

Cross My Heart by Megan Collins

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She has his dead wife’s heart; the one she wants is his. The author of The Family Plot brings her signature prose to a twisty novel about a heart transplant patient who becomes romantically obsessed with her donor’s husband.

Liar’s Kingdom by Christine Calella

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An Into the Woods-inspired fairy tale retelling where Cinderella never went to the ball and must lie to get her prince.

A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson

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In an alternate London in 1923, one girl accidentally breaks the tenuous truce between dragons and humans in this sweeping debut and epic retelling of Bletchley Park steeped in language, class, and forbidden romance. Perfect for teen fans of Fourth Wing and Babel.

Unromance by Erin Connor

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A recently dumped TV heartthrob enlists a jaded romance novelist to ruin romance for him—one rom-com trope at a time—so he never gets swept off his feet again . . .

The Rival by Emma Lord

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Rivals-to-lovers gets an academic send-up in this charming and irresistible romantic comedy from Emma Lord, New York Times bestselling author of Tweet Cute and Begin Again.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

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A group of young women in a home for unwed mothers in 1970s Florida who find a book to witchcraft—a guide which may just be the key to regaining their power or the source of their worst nightmares.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams

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Two feuding second-grade teachers (and neighbors) find themselves teaming up in this new rivals-to-lovers romance set in Rome, Kentucky—from the New York Times bestselling author of The Rule Book and Practice Makes Perfect.

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

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A twisty domestic thriller about an author who travels to a remote Scottish island to write his next book…only to run into a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife. 

A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young

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In this captivating atmospheric novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Unmaking of June Farrow, a woman investigates her twin brother’s mysterious death while confronting the ghosts of her own haunted past.

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

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Get ready to fly or die in the breathtaking follow-up to Fourth Wing and Iron Flame from #1 New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros.

FEBRUARY 2025 BOOK RELEASES

Hungerstone by Kat Dunn

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Set against the violent wilderness of the moors and the uncontrolled appetite of the industrial revolution, Hungerstone is a compulsive feminist reworking of Carmilla, the book that inspired Dracula: a captivating story of appetite and desire.

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

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A hopeless romantic meets a jaded radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle–inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.

The Dark Mirror by Samantha Shannon

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The highly anticipated fifth novel in the New York Times bestselling Bone Season series-an epic and spellbinding fantasy from the author of The Priory of the Orange Tree.

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall

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A woman invited to her wealthy fiance’s family retreat realizes they are hiding a terrible secret―and that she’s been there before, by the bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods.

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett

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The third installment in the heartwarming and enchanting Emily Wilde series, about a curmudgeonly scholar of folklore and the fae prince she loves.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

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An addictive thriller about a new mother’s world upended when her husband commits a terrifying crime. How well does she truly know the man she loves? And what danger does she face if her entire life has been built on a lie?

Grave Empire by Richard Swan

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From critically acclaimed author Richard Swan, Grave Empire begins the epic tale of an empire on the verge of industrial revolution, where sorcery and arcane practices are outlawed – and where an ancient prophecy threatens the coming end of days.

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey

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A steamy chance encounter between a professional hockey player and the manic pixie dream girl he just can’t seem to forget about takes a turn when the pair realize that their parents are engaged—in an all-new rom-com by #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey.

The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor

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The New York Times bestselling author of Hotel Magnifique returns with another glittering dark fantasy about a deadly mystery that spans worlds and a teenage girl who must risk everything to uncover the truth.

Wooing The Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis

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In a Gaslamp-lit world where hags and ogres lurk in thick pine forests, three magical queens form an uneasy alliance to protect their lands from invasion…and love turns their world upside down.

The Dollhouse Academy by Margarita Montimore

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With dark academia twists and enormous heart, The Dollhouse Academy is a novel about the complexities of friendship, our desire to be seen and understood, and the true cost of making our dreams a reality.

Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray

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From New York Times-bestselling author Libba Bray comes an evocative and groundbreaking young adult historical mystery that examines truth, rebellion, reconciliation, and what must be sacrificed for a better world.

MARCH 2025 BOOK RELEASES

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

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The phenomenal fifth book in the Hunger Games series. Sunrise on the Reaping revisits the world of Panem twenty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven

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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue meets This is How You Lose The Time War in this fantastical love story that defies death as two souls reincarnate through the centuries.

A Gentleman’s Gentleman by TJ Alexander

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From the acclaimed author of Chef’s Kiss, a groundbreaking trans Regency romance that’s both delightfully witty and refreshingly iconoclastic.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano

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From New York Times bestseller and Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave―the hugely anticipated next installment in the fan-favorite Finlay Donovan series.

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid

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The Last of Us meets The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in this stand-alone dystopian romance about survival, sacrifice, and love that risks everything.

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead

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From the national bestselling author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and Midnight is the Darkest Hour comes a chilling, compulsive story of five amateur sleuths, whose hunt for an elusive killer catapults them into danger as the world watches.

The Haunting of Room 904 by Erika T. Wurth

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From the author of White Horse comes a terrifying and resonant novel about a woman who uses her unique gift to learn the truth about her sister’s death.

The Hymn to Dionysus Natasha Pulley

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A timely reimagining of the story of Dionysus-Greek god of ecstasy, revelry, and ruin-and a captivating queer love story for readers of The Song of Achilles and Elektra.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley

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Date night goes off the rails in this hilariously insightful take on midlife and marriage when one unhappy couple find themselves at the heart of a crime in progress, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise.

They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran

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The author of the New York Times bestselling horror phenomenon She Is a Haunting is back with a novel about the monsters that swim beneath us . . . and live within us.

All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman

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Hilarious and twisted, propulsive and furious, All the Other Mothers Hate Me is a mix of Catastrophe and Fleabag with a dash of Nancy Drew.

Code Word Romance by Carlie Walker

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One fake prime minister, one ridiculously hot handler, and one Italian summer collide in this thrilling adventure rom-com.

APRIL 2025 BOOK RELEASES

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

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Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry.

Where Shadows Meet by Patrice Caldwell

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Set in the aftermath of a war between vampires, humans, and the gods that created them, Patrice Caldwell’s devastatingly romantic fantasy debut, Where Shadows Meet, centers the heart-wrenching pain of loss and the struggle of self-discovery to ask: do we choose our fates, or do our fates choose us?

The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton

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Bestselling Rebel of the Sands author Alwyn Hamilton is back with a glittering fantasy thriller about a glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.

Their Monstrous Hearts by Yiğit Turhan

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A haunting novel about the boundaries people will cross to keep their dreams alive, perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic and Hereditary.

City of All Seasons by Oliver K. Langmead and Aliya Whiteley

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A vibrant and emotional science fantasy about cousins trapped in mirrored worlds – the resplendent and verdant summer city and the ice-carved wastes of the winter city. For fans of Every Heart a Doorway and This is How You Lose the Time War.

Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi

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From the National Book Award finalist and author of Pet comes a novel set in a magical West African world, about a teen girl who must save her missing twin while learning to navigate her own terrifying new powers.

The Staircase In The Woods by Chuck Wendig

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A group of friends investigates the mystery of a strange staircase in the woods in this mesmerizing horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Accidents.

The Folklore of Forever by Sarah Hogle

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From the acclaimed author of Old Flames and New Fortunes comes a steamy enemies-to-lovers romantasy about a paranormal skeptic who is roped into a ghost hunting romp by the charming boy next door . . . who might just show her what real fantasies are made of.

Don’t Sleep With The Dead by Nghi Vo

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From award-winning author Nghi Vo comes Don’t Sleep with the Dead, a standalone companion novella to The Chosen and the Beautiful, her acclaimed reimagining of The Great Gatsby.

Senseless by Ronald Malfi

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A page-turning, supernaturally-tinged LA puzzle-box thriller – Zodiac with teeth, from the Bram Stoker Award-nominated and bestselling author of Come with Me. Perfect for fans of Riley Sager and Lauren Beukes.

Rabbit Moon by Jennifer Haigh

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From the New York Times bestselling author of Mercy Street, a tense, propulsive family drama set in Shanghai, where a fractured American family faces its complicated past

Enchantra by Kaylie Smith

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Knives Out meets Throne of the Fallen in this spicy stand-alone romantasy set in the same world as USA Today bestselling author Kaylie Smith’s BookTok sensation Phantasma! The print edition includes custom silver foiling on the cover.

MAY 2025 BOOK RELEASES

The Love Haters by Katherine Center

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Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ―along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.

Silver Elite by Dani Francis

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In the first book of a searing new dystopian trilogy, a young woman must conceal her psychic powers—and her attraction to her handsome, infuriating commanding officer—as she works undercover to take down a brutal government from within.

My Name Is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende

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In this spellbinding historical novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea and The Wind Knows My Name, a young writer journeys to South America to uncover the truth about her father—and herself.

Overgrowth by Mira Grant

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Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets Day of the Triffids in this full-on body horror/alien invasion apocalypse.

The Incandescent by Emily Tesh

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Naomi Novik’s Scholomance series meets Plain Bad Heroines in this sapphic dark academia fantasy by instant national and international bestselling author Emily Tesh, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards.

What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon

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Falling in love with your husband is anything but convenient in this steamy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Business or Pleasure.

Come As You Are by Dahlia Adler

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In this opposites attract romance for fans of Begin Again and Better Than the Movies, a fresh start doesn’t have to mean changing yourself.

The Night Birds by Christopher Golden

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The next gripping, atmospheric horror novel from NYT bestselling author Christopher Golden, set in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship off the coast of Galveston, TX.

The Thrashers by Julie Soto

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A twisty thrill-ride of unforgettable drama and suspense that “encapsulates the vulnerability of adolescents playing adult games” (Ali Hazelwood) from USA Today bestselling author Julie Soto, The Thrashers will keep you up at night desperate to read just one more page.

The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig

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From NYT bestselling author Rachel Gillig comes the next big romantasy sensation, a gothic, mist-cloaked tale of a young prophetess who is forced on an impossible quest with the one infuriating knight whose future is beyond her sight. Perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Leigh Bardugo.

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie

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A brand-new epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Joe Abercrombie, featuring a notorious band of anti-heroes on a delightfully bloody and raucous journey

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman

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In Regency England, the eccentric Colebrook sisters are amateur detectives who use their wits and invisibility as “old maids” to fight injustice in this delightful and fiercely feminist novel of mystery and adventure from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.

JUNE 2025 BOOK RELEASES

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six comes an epic new novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle program and the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by Victoria E. Schwab

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From V. E. Schwab, the No. 1 Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: a new genre-defying, unforgettable novel to sink your teeth into.

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater

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#1 New York Times bestselling novelist Maggie Stiefvater dazzles in this mesmerizing portrait of an irresistible heroine, an unlikely romance, and a hotel—and a world—in peril.

Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli

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The beautiful and heartwarming new romance from Becky Albertalli, best-selling author of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger’s life twenty-five years later.

Park Avenue by Renée Ahdieh

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#1 NYT-bestselling YA author Renee Ahdieh’s adult debut novel, about a young lawyer who gets pulled in to manage a crisis with her firm’s biggest client, a family whose Korean beauty brand is worth a billion dollars, pitched as Crazy Rich Asians meets Succession.

Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston

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A hitmaking songwriter and a bitter musician share a startling and inexplicable connection that they’ll do anything to shake, in the next sparkling, magical book from Ashley Poston.

Realm of Thieves by Karina Halle

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Two thieves vie for dominance in the illegal dragon egg trade, putting both their lives and their hearts on the line in this scorching romantasy from New York Times bestselling author Karina Halle.

He’s to Die For by Erin Dunn

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Brooklyn 99 meets The Charm Offensive in this sparkling romantic murder mystery: it’s murder cute in the first degree when a detective finds himself falling for the lead suspect in a career-making case.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

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A blistering literary suspense novel about a ghostwriter who is hired to write the last book for her estranged father and finds herself investigating the brutal murder of both his siblings in the summer of 1975.

The Beautiful Maddening by Shea Ernshaw

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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Shea Ernshaw comes a haunting romantic contemporary fantasy about a teen navigating her family’s love curse that blooms with their enchanted tulips every year.

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten

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Scream meets The Guest List in this wickedly compelling and compulsively page-turning thriller of friendship and murder from the author of The Lost Village, Camilla Sten.

What books are you looking forward to picking up in the first half of the year? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Anticipated Book Releases Hitting Shelves In 2025 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Medusa’s Sister is a vivid and moving reimagining of the myth of Medusa and the sisters who loved her and out now.

Back when I was teaching fifth grade in LA, I asked my students to name a Shakespeare play. One boy raises his hand. “The Lion King?” he offers, and the class breaks into giggles. I quickly came to his defense. “Timmy’s right,” I said (and yes, his name was actually Timmy). “The Lion King is a retelling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.” Twenty little jaws dropped.

Retelling stories is not a new trend. We’ve been doing it for as long as we’ve been telling stories, which goes all the way back to the campfire. If it’s not human nature by now, revising and revisiting the stories we’ve been told is certainly an ingrained human habit. It’s how we bring the past with us into the future, amending and translating old tales for a modern audience. We change, add, delete, pivot, and reinterpret, both to answer old questions and ask new ones.

Simply put, stories must adapt as humans do to survive.

Writers are readers, first and foremost, and the more you read, the better you write. I will die on this hill. Medusa’s Sisters would not exist without the novels listed below. Ten formative favorites that changed the way I think about point of view, perspective, and the way we change stories as we evolve. 

Grendel by John Gardner (1971) – A retelling of Beowolf

How could I not begin this list with Grendel, the earliest villain in one of civilization’s earliest texts, the great antihero to the great hero? And Gardner handles the story in such a literary fashion. The language is so tight, every word earns its place on the page, and he so succinctly captures the confusion and rage of being a monster in a hero’s world. Golden lines abound, like this gem: “Nothing was changed, everything was changed, by my having seen the dragon.” It’s a must-read for anyone who loves an antagonist.

Ahab’s Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund (1999) – A retelling of Moby Dick 

This is a novel I still think about all the time. As the kids say, it lives rent free in my brain. I mean, the love triangles! The lighthouse! The absolutely masterful fictionalization of the Essex tragedy! CANNIBALS. Ahab’s nameless wife occupies less than a paragraph of space in Melville’s tome, but Naslund creates an entire epic for Una. And as Una so slyly puts it, Ahab was “neither my first husband nor my last.” If anything, he’s a footnote in her history. Obsessed.

Lavinia by Ursula Le Guin (2008) – A retelling of the Aeneid 

Ursula Le Guin is my personal hero and everything she does is perfect, but this novel is especially poignant. She brings Lavinia, the second wife of the Trojan hero, Aeneas, to life with seriousness and lyricality, with tenderness and strength. It’s a story about family, sacrifice, and legacy, and witnessing Lavinia’s indomitable spirit is honestly an empowering experience for the reader, as well. Pure catharsis and inspiration. Furthermore, the incorporation of “the poet” (Virgil) into the narrative was *chef’s kiss.*

March by Geraldine Brooks (2005) – A retelling of Little Women

Like so many other little girls, I wanted to be Jo March when I grew up. And just like so many others, I gave little to no thought to the mostly absent Mr. March – that is, until masterful Geraldine Brooks tackled his story. I love how she gave him a more complex narrative versus the simplistic idolization of him in the original text. And in my humble opinion, Geraldine Brooks wrote the textbook on good historical fiction. Her research is impeccable; I will read anything she writes.

The Testament of Mary by Colm Tóibín (2012) – A retelling of the New Testament

For many, the topic of this book might feel blasphemous, but to me, it humanizes one of the holiest. It is that alchemical combination of gorgeous prose and authentic plot and characterization. Pure gold. This is Mary’s story, mother of Jesus of Nazareth, and her perspective on his life and death. This isn’t the Mary I learned about in Sunday school, but personally, I feel more connected to the past when its people feel real. With multiple Booker nominations to his name, there is no question Tóibín is one of today’s most illustrious writer. (Also, I would add House of Names to this list – Tóibín’s version of the Oresteia­ – for its masterful portrayal of vengeance.) 

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman (2011) – A retelling of the works of Josephus 

I love the way Alice Hoffman writes historical fiction and fantasy with such rich female characters. This novel, set in ancient Judea and based on historical record, is no exception. We get four fierce protagonists — mothers, sisters, lovers, warriors and witches – who all play an integral part in the Siege of Masada, a climactic event towards the end of the first Jewish war against Rome. It’s seductive and rebellious, a thrill from beginning to end, and a love letter to both determination and freedom.

Miranda and Caliban by Jacqueline Carey (2017) – A retelling of The Tempest

A Shakespearean retelling that centers both a female character and a shady secondary one? What’s not to love? By fleshing out boring, one-dimensional archetypes – the dutiful daughter, the misshapen other – Carey tells us what was really going down on that island while Prospero plotted his revenge. It’s the tale we know, but with even more dark magic, subversive acts, and tragic love. I believe Jacqueline Carey is one of the most imaginative in the SFF game, period, and it’s such a joy to read her interpretative work of the Shakespearean space.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer (2016) – A retelling of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Meyer is one my favorite YA authors, and this retelling tackles two of my favorites topics: villains and children’s literature. This is the Queen of Hearts’s origin story, how sweet Catherine Pinkerton meets a court joker named Jest who changes her world completely. It’s romantic and whimsical, filled with baked goods and the memorably quirky characters of Wonderland. But of course, there is heartbreak. With Heartless, readers get to empathize with a tyrant — a girl with the best of intentions who loses everything and finds cruelty.  

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (2000) – A retelling of the Russian fairy tale, “Snegurochka”

This is another novel I still think about all the time. In the folklore version, two childless Russian peasants build a snow girl who comes to life. Ivey recreates this story with magical realism. In the early 20^th century, a mysterious child emerges from the Alaskan wilderness. When she finds a home with a lonely frontier couple, everyone is changed. The setting is so beautifully constructed — the swans and woods and snow and fox. It’s a lovely, poignant novel about love and the power of transformation.

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh (2015) – A retelling of Arabian Nights 

This book, the first in a YA duology, updates the legend of the original storyteller, Scheherazade, for a new audience. In this book, brave Shazi marries the murderous young Caliph, Khalid, and enters a world of high-stakes politics and dangerous romance. She’s smart and sexy and savvy, a protagonist to root for! I especially appreciate how this work provides access to a vibrant mythology that is so underrepresented in both education and traditional publishing.

And one last thing before I sign off! There are so many writers doing this work well right now (ie. Genevieve Gornichec, Jamilla Ahmed, Vaishnavi Patel, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Olesya Salnikova Gilmore, Megan Barnard), but I only included books on my list that I read before I became a full-time writer, the books that influenced the creation of Medusa’s Sisters.

I hope I’ve inspired your TBR just a bit. I know mine is longer than a CVS receipt.

The post The Retellings That Reshaped Lauren J. A. Bear As A Reader and Writer appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hello second half of 2023 and hello to all the incredible upcoming book releases we can look forward to!

In this round up, we take a look at some of the most exciting titles to be released between the months of July and December with releases from the likes of Rachel Lynn Solomon, Temi Oh, Chuck Wendig, VE Schwab, Cassandra Clare, Rebecca Yarros, Christina Henry, and many more, along with delightful debuts from new authors you should keep on your radar!

Read on to discover just a few of our favourite July to December 2023 releases and tell us in the comments if you’re looking forward to any of them! Looking for our January to June releases? Check them out here.

JULY

Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon
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A ghostwriter and a struggling actor help each other on the page and in the bedroom in this steamy romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk.

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong
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Inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, Immortal Longings is a fiery collision of power plays, spilled blood, and romance amidst a set of deadly games.

Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates
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From bestselling author Darcy Coates comes Dead of Winter, a remote cabin in the snowy wilderness thriller that will teach you to trust no one. There are eight strangers. One killer. Nowhere left to run.

Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino
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Jenny Han meets CODA in this big-hearted YA debut about first love and Deaf pride at a summer camp.

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
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A searing and earnest horror debut about the demons the queer community faces in America, the price of keeping secrets, and finding the courage to burn it all down.

Bonesmith by Nicki Pau Preto
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Gideon the Ninth meets the Game of Thrones White Walkers in this dark young adult fantasy about a disgraced ghost-fighting warrior who must journey into a haunted wasteland to rescue a kidnapped prince.

Light Bringer by Pierce Brown
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Darrow returns as Pierce Brown’s New York Times bestselling Red Rising series continues in the thrilling sequel to Dark Age.

The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey
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Four women come together to save the summer camp that changed their lives and rediscover themselves in the process in this moving new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Veil and the Peachtree Bluff series.

Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson
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An exhilarating and expansive new novel about fathers and sons, faith and friendship from Caleb Azumah Nelson, the no.1 bestselling, award-winning author of Open Water.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
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From New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center comes Hello, Stranger, a novel about finding love, confronting a haunting past, and figuring out what, and who, really matters…

The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons
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From the USA Today bestselling author of The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett comes a heartwarming story of found family, love, and making connections through books set against the bombing of London during WWII.

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem
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A fugitive queen strikes a bargain with her greatest enemy that could resurrect her scorched kingdom or leave it in ashes forever in this unmissable Egyptian-inspired epic fantasy debut. 

AUGUST

Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt
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A teen girl looking for the truth about her missing mother forms a reluctant alliance with her former best friend…in exchange for hiding him from his cult-leading family.

I’m Not Done With You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto
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Some friends–and friendships–are worth killing for in this dark, twisty suspense novel by national bestselling author Jesse Q. Sutanto.

The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang
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Inspired by a classic of martial arts literature, S. L. Huang’s The Water Outlaws are bandits of devastating ruthlessness, unseemly femininity, dangerous philosophies, and ungovernable gender who are ready to make history—or tear it apart.

Accidentally in Love by Danielle Jackson
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A delightful rom-com where grumpy-meets-sunshine collides with enemies-to-lovers in this perfect summer novel, written for fans of Kate Stayman-London, Olivia Dade, and Denise Williams.

Guardians of the Dawn: Zhara by S. Jae-Jones
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Sailor Moon meets Cinder in Guardians of Dawn: Zhara, the start of a new, richly imagined fantasy series from S. Jae-Jones, the New York Times bestselling author of Wintersong.

The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter
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The New York Times bestselling YA author of the beloved Gallagher Girls series bursts onto the adult scene with a fast-paced, hilarious road trip rom-com about a woman with amnesia who discovers she’s the identical twin sister of a rogue spy… and must team up with a rugged, grumpy operative to stay alive.

More Perfect by Temi Oh
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A reimagining of the Greek myth of Eurydice and Orpheus, for fans of Becky Chambers and William Gibson by Alex Award–winning author Temi Oh.

Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine
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The Push meets The Silent Patient in a gripping thriller that follows a woman convinced a sinister figure is going to great lengths to make sure her pregnancy never happens—while the men in her life refuse to believe a word she says.

Actually Super by Adi Alsaid
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A globetrotting novel that takes a determined teen from Japan to Australia and to Argentina and Mexico on a quest to prove that humanity is more good than bad from the author of Let’s Get Lost and Before Takeoff.

The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman
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From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Marriage of Opposites and the Practical Magic series comes an enchanting novel about love, heartbreak, self-discovery, and the enduring magic of books.

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
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From USA Today bestselling author T. Kingfisher, Thornhedge is the tale of a kind-hearted, toad-shaped heroine, a gentle knight, and a mission gone completely sideways.

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
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Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.

SEPTEMBER

This Spells Disaster by Tori Anne Martin
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Fake dating gets a magical twist in this enchanting queer romantic comedy where a witch worries that the real feelings brewing between her and her crush were sparked by an accidental love potion, and the only way out of the disastrous spell is a healthy dose of the truth–drink up, witches.

The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab
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V. E. Schwab, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, opens another door to a new fantasy series set in the dazzling world of Shades of Magic.

Dreambound by Dan Frey
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In this thrilling contemporary fantasy novel, a father must uncover the secret magical underbelly of Los Angeles to find his daughter, who has seemingly disappeared into the fictional universe of her favorite fantasy series.

The September House by Carissa Orlando
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A woman is determined to stay in her dream home even after it becomes a haunted nightmare in this compulsively readable, twisty, and layered debut novel.

The Salvation Gambit by Emily Skrutskie
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A hotheaded hacker must outwit the AI at the heart of a rogue warship–turned–penal colony if she and her crew of con women want to escape with their lives in this electrifying sci-fi thriller from the acclaimed author of Bonds of Brass.

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig
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A small town is transformed by dark magic when a strange tree begins bearing magical apples in this new masterpiece of horror from the bestselling author of Wanderers and The Book of Accidents.

The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie
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A spellbinding YA fantasy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathryn Purdie, where fairy tales come to life with dark, deadly twists.

The Long Game by Elena Armas
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A disgraced soccer exec reluctantly enlists the help of a retired soccer star in coaching a children’s team in this smalltown love story in the vein of Ted Lasso and It Happened One Summer —from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spanish Love Deception.

The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan
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The first adventure in the Mirror Realm Cycle, a Spanish Inquisition-era fantasy trilogy inspired by Jewish folklore, with echoes of Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden.

Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For
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14 Young Adult short stories from bestselling and award-winning authors make a splash in Mermaids Never Drown – the second collection in the Untold Legends series edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker – exploring mermaids like we’ve never seen them before!

Fly With Me by Andie Burke
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A sparkling and steamy opposites-attract romance, Fly with Me by Andie Burke is filled with sharp banter and that sweet, swooping feeling of finding “the one” when and where you least expect it.

Champion of Fate by Kendare Blake
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake is back with an epic duology starter that follows a young woman training to join a fabled order as she attempts to lead a hero to his critical first victory. A must-read for fans of Alexandra Bracken and Victoria Aveyard.

OCTOBER

Stars in Your Eyes by Kacen Callender
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The National Book Award-winning author of  Felix Ever After  delivers a beautifully tender story of two grumpy/sunshine, fake-dating actors navigating their love story both on and offscreen—perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Alexis Hall.

Making It So: A Memoir by Patrick Stewart
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A revealing portrait of an artist whose astonishing life—from his humble beginnings in Yorkshire, England, to the heights of Hollywood and worldwide acclaim—proves a story as exuberant, definitive, and enduring as the author himself

Unholy Terrors by Lyndall Clipstone
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Midnight Is The Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead
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From the critically acclaimed author of In My Dreams I Hold A Knife and The Last Housewife comes a gothic Southern thriller about a killer haunting a small Louisiana town, where two outcasts—the preacher’s daughter and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks—hold the key to uncovering the truth.

Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco
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The adult debut of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kerri Maniscalco, Throne of the Fallen is a seductive new standalone novel set within her fan-favorite Kingdom of the Wicked world, perfect for readers of fantasy, romance, and mystery alike.

Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare
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Two outcasts find themselves caught in a web of forbidden love, dangerous magic, and dark secrets that could change the world forever in the start of a riveting epic fantasy series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Shadowhunter Chronicles.

Wildfire by Hannah Grace
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The latest in the TikTok sensation and deliciously “swoonworthy” (Elena Armas, New York Times bestselling author) Maple Hills series follows two summer camp counselors who reconnect after a sizzling one-night stand.

The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker
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New from the author of The Keeper of Night comes a YA fantasy duology set in an alternate Tang Dynasty China, where a poor biracial girl with the ability to raise the dead gets caught up in the dangerous political games of the royal family.

The Dead Take the A Train by Cassandra Khaw and Richard Kadrey
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Bestselling authors Cassandra Khaw and Richard Kadrey have teamed up to deliver a dark new story with magic, monsters, and mayhem, perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman and Joe Hill.

Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros
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Frankenstein meets Inglourious Basterds in this stunning Jewish historical horror novel from the award-winning author of The City Beautiful.

The Intern by Michele Campbell
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A young Harvard law student falls under the spell of a charismatic judge in this timely and thrilling novel about class, ambition, family and murder.

Juniper’s Christmas by Eoin Colfer
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From acclaimed, mega-bestselling author Eoin Colfer comes a Christmas classic-in-the-making–a beautifully illustrated novel about an eleven-year-old girl’s wild adventure to find her mother, protect a public park, and save Christmas.

NOVEMBER

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
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In this clever and swoonworthy YA debut from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis, life’s moving pieces bring rival chess players together in a match for the heart.

Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper
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Amara’s journey has taken her far; from a slave in Pompeii’s wolf den to a high-powered courtesan in Rome… though her story is not over yet. While Amara plays for power in Rome’s imperial palace, those dearest to her remain in Pompeii. But it is AD 79, and mighty Mount Vesuvius is about to make itself known…

Good Girls Don’t Die by Christina Henry
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A sharp-edged, supremely twisty thriller about three women who find themselves trapped inside stories they know aren’t their own, from the author of Alice and Near the Bone.

The Future by Naomi Alderman
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From the award-winning, bestselling author of The Power comes a white-knuckle tour de force and dazzling exploration of the world we have made and where we are going.

Sun of Blood and Ruin by Mariely Lares – Publication has now changed to February 20, 2024
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Rumor has it on the streets of sixteenth-century New Spain, there’s a new vigilante in town serving justice. This reimagining of Zorro–featuring a heroic warrior sorceress–weaves Mesoamerican mythology and Mexican history two decades after the Spanish conquest into a swashbuckling, historical debut fantasy with magic, intrigue, treachery, and romance.

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
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Murtagh by Christopher Paolini
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Master storyteller and internationally bestselling author Christopher Paolini returns to the World of Eragon in this stunning epic fantasy set a year after the events of the Inheritance Cycle. Join Dragon Rider—and fan favorite—Murtagh and his dragon as they confront a perilous new enemy!

Didn’t See That Coming by Jesse Q. Sutanto
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A hilariously fresh and romantic send-up to You’ve Got Mail about a gamer girl with a secret identity and the online bestie she’s never met IRL until she unwittingly transfers to his school, from the bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties, The Obsession, and Well, That Was Unexpected.

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez
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The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in What the River Knows, Isabel Ibañez’s lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt and filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race.

Gorgeous Gruesome Faces by Linda Cheng
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Yellowjackets meets She Is a Haunting in this debut speculative thriller that follows a disgraced teen idol who comes face-to-face with the demons of her past in a glittering, cutthroat K-pop competition.

The Fascination by Essie Fox
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The estranged grandson of a wealthy collector of human curiosities becomes fascinated with teenaged twin sisters, leading them into a web of dark obsessions. A dazzlingly dark gothic novel from the bestselling author of  The Somnambulist.

Emmett by L. C. Rosen
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A modern-day gay YA Emma, with the spikey social critique of Austen plus the lush over-the-top romance of Bridgerton.

DECEMBER

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura
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Rival archaeologists must team up on a secret Aztec expedition, or it could leave their careers—and hearts—in ruins.

The Ruined by Renée Ahdieh
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The stunning conclusion to the instant New York Times bestselling quartet that began with The Beautiful.

A River of Golden Bones by A.K. Mulford
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From bestselling author and TikTok sensation A.K. Mulford comes the first riveting, enchanting book in the all-new Golden Court romantasy trilogy–A River of Golden Bones begins a journey of self-discovery, romance, and adventure for a young heir as she/they comes out of hiding to save her sister from a malicious, powerful sorceress and her dangerous sleeping curse.

Perfect Little Lives: A Novel by Amber and Danielle Brown
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Every Time You Go Away by Abigail Johnson
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Perfect for fans of Jennifer Niven, Abigail Johnson draws a searing and lyrical portrait of grief, forgiveness, and the kind of love that blooms in the aftermath.

Second Chances in New Port Stephen by T.J. Alexander
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A trans man returns to his Florida hometown for Christmas after his career goes up in flames, only to cross paths with his high school ex in this charming rom-com about family and second chances from the author of the “delectable” (Time) Chef’s Kiss.

The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson
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Two wolf shifters agree to be fake mates but unexpectedly find something real in this steamy paranormal romantic comedy by Lana Ferguson.

The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Gale by Virginia Kantra
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A woman learns to follow her own road in this heartwarming novel inspired by The Wizard of Oz by New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra.

What July to December book releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Get Your Hands On These Anticipated July To December 2023 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover the cover, synopsis, and our interview with Renée! The Righteous is now available to pre-order.

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The third book in the instant New York Times bestselling series that began with The Beautiful.

Pippa Montrose is tired of losing everything she loves. When her best friend Celine disappears under mysterious circumstances, Pippa resolves to find her, even if the journey takes her into the dangerous world of the fae, where she might find more than she bargained for in the charismatic Arjun Desai.

Renée is back with her rich, atmospheric fantasy world that will continue to enthrall readers, new romance and mystery, and lush, pacey writing. 

Cover Designer: Theresa Evangelista

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Hi, Renée! We are honoured to reveal the gorgeous cover for The Righteous, which is the third installment in your incredible The Beautiful series! What five words would you use to describe The Righteous?

A marriage of extreme inconvenience!

Please tell us a little more so us readers can mentally prepare ourselves!

I’m so excited to share The Righteous with The Nerd Daily readers. It takes off where the events of The Damned ended, and it’s following the same wonderful group of characters, but now I have the opportunity to shed light on a potential romance and Pippa Montrose’s fascinating backstory.

Can you tell us about the decisions behind the cover for The Righteous?

The cover designer I’m privileged to work with is just one of the best in the business. She keeps knocking it out of the park with this series. Since The Righteous is primarily Pippa’s story, we were really drawn to the idea of taking something lovely and feminine and putting a darker spin on it. I love that the dress is floating in negative space, and its wearer appears to be missing. Without giving too much away, I think it’s absolutely perfect.

With this new installment, the series is taking a bit of a new direction that your fans are going to be very excited about! Can you share with us the big news?

I am so excited about what is coming with The Righteous. I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s possible some characters from The Wrath and the Dawn duology might make an appearance!

Did you always envision that your two series would come together in some way? Or did it come to you in a more surprising way?

Whenever I came up with the idea for The Beautiful, I knew I wanted to play around with time and the potential for bringing different worlds together. Since we’re dealing with an entirely different realm and a group of immortal creatures from all walks of life, the idea of playing with the conventions of time just seemed to be a great fit.

Now that we’re on the topic of The Wrath and the Dawn, it was announced in November 2020 that the duology has been optioned for television! Can you share with us what it was like receiving that news as well as if things are ticking along after the announcement? *crosses fingers for full cast, 2021 release date, the works*

Thank you so much for all your excitement about this. I wish I could speak a little more about it, but unfortunately I’m still sworn to secretly. Suffice it to say, it is so refreshing and amazing working with this team. Their commitment to inclusivity and honoring the source material is everything. Additionally, I adore working with so many fantastic women. Receiving the news that Pippa and her team had so much passion for the project really solidified to me that they were the perfect choice to bring the story to life.

Are you looking forward to The Righteous? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Exclusive Cover Reveal: The Righteous by Renée Ahdieh appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Thank you so much for taking the time for these questions! First, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your newest book, The Damned?

Thank you so much for reaching out! I’m a writer of young adult books centered on historical fantasy. I have a few series out—The Wrath and the Dawn series and the Flame in the Mist series—but my newest books take place in 1872 New Orleans. In The Beautiful and its sequel The Damned, I’ve had such a wonderful time exploring the myths and legends of the occult: witches, vampires, werewolves, and fae.

What kind of research went into recreating the New Orleans of 1872 for this novel?

I am a big history buff, so I spent a lot of time reading about not only New Orleans in 1872, but the world around it, which has such a strong influence on the way people thought and dressed and acted. For me though, the best part of my research was the chance to go to New Orleans and fully immerse myself in its magic and mystery. New Orleans is one of my favorite cities in the world, and I’ve had the privilege of traveling there a dozen times over the years. The food, its people, its music, and its joie de vivre stay with me for a long time.

What does an average day of writing look like for you?

It’s changed somewhat in the last few months because I had a baby in March. Now I spend most mornings with him, but I have the afternoon to work. It’s really taught me to be efficient!

Who are some of your favorite supernatural creatures from books, movies, and TV series?

Definitely the vampire Lestat. I also loved Maharet from The Queen of the Damned. Sookie Stackhouse and Eric Northman from True Blood are definitely memorable, as is Damon Salvatore. I fell in love with Holly Black’s The Cruel Prince, as well!

If you could be one of the supernatural creatures in the world of The Damned, which would you be and why?

Definitely a vampire, and I’d love to be part of La Cour des Lions. I’d like to think I would fit right into a lush world above a fancy restaurant in New Orleans!

Who are some of your writing influences?

Anne Rice, definitely. I’m a big fan of historical romance, so I would be remiss not to mention Sarah MacLean and Julia Quinn. I’ve also fallen in love with many of the books my fellow YA authors have written, among them Sabaa Tahir, Roshani Chokshi, Marie Lu, Holly Black, and I recently read Tochi Onyebuchi’s Riot Baby and couldn’t put it down!

How do you keep focused and open to being creative in difficult times like the world is currently facing?

I think it’s all about channeling my energy into my work, even the negative energy. When I was drafting The Beautiful, the confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh were happening, and I remember being so enraged at the world, and especially at our patriarchal society. I put a lot of that rage into the book, and I found it to be cathartic.

If you could have a meal at Jacques’, what would you order and who would you be dining with?

I would bring my two besties, Elaine and Sabaa, because Elaine loves New Orleans like I do and Sabaa has never been. We would order the entire menu, of course! But there would be beignets. Lots and lots of beignets.

Can you tell us what you are working on next? *crosses fingers for any tiny morsel of The Beautiful #3 information*

I am working on something that has to remain secret for now, but I can say that you haven’t seen the last of this world and all these characters that have taken over my imagination so fully!

Will you be picking up The Damned? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Renée Ahdieh, Author of ‘The Damned’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Celine cannot remember what happened to leave her injured and without her memories, but her nightmares are screaming at her. The constant feeling of being lied to, and that something extraordinary has been taken from her, drives Celine into reckless choices to uncover the truth. Sébastien, on the other hand, cannot stop thinking about the night that Celine gave up her memories in exchange for his life. Now, prowling the streets as a vampire, Sébastien must balance the needs of his supernatural family and the unrelenting desire he feels for Celine. When Sébastien and Celine meet again, their worlds ignite as truths are revealed and new foes make themselves known.

Ahdieh certainly has a way with words. The Damned continues the thematic elegance and glamour found in The Beautiful and manages to take it up another level. Never heavy handed with description, but each scene in the novel has a presence that is easily built in the reader’s mind. There is a deep and seductive ambience that weaves throughout the story and leaves you feeling like you are reading the novel while lounging in a richly appointed New Orleans drawing room.

Much of the story focuses on Celine trying to remember the events that lead to her current predicament. And while she remains as strong willed and sassy as ever, there is very little actual character growth for her in The Damned. Sébastien however, struggles with his complex feelings over being turned into a vampire and having the love of his life lose all memory of him. While he may not be a shining paragon of good decisions, Ahdieh focuses a lot of good emotional energy on building his character.

While we are on the topic of characters, let’s talk for a minute about the POVs (points-of-view) in this novel: there are more than five and I honestly had to stop counting by that point. While the majority of the story is told from the POV of Celine and Sébastien, other POVs are scattered throughout the story. And while these other POVs helped get certain plot points established, the constant switching can lead to a bit of confusion. Each POV is clearly distinguished not only by chapter headers, but by the character’s individual voices. Though even with that, I was left wondering if there could have been a better way to move the plot forward. If a character is going to have a POV, it should be consistent, not randomly appearing when it’s needed.

The supernatural world that Ahdieh builds in this series is nothing short of fantastic. If you felt The Beautiful was a bit lacking in outright supernatural creatures, you are in for quite the surprise with The Damned. Ahdieh takes the old ideas of vampires and werewolves and fey, and twists them to bring something exciting yet familiar to her world. Readers will be particularly intrigued by the inclusion of the fey. No matter the story, the fey are always up to tricks and it’s fun to watch them play out.

While the overabundance of POVs in The Damned may have muddied the waters a bit, Ahdieh crafted a wholly satisfying supernatural sequel. And while I shall drop no spoilers of the ending, I will say that it will leave you frantically searching for a publishing date on the next instalment in this seductive and supernatural series.

The Damned is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of July 7th 2020.

Will you be picking up The Damned? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with the second installment of her new sumptuous, sultry and romantic series, The Beautiful.

Following the events of The Beautiful, Sébastien Saint Germain is now cursed and forever changed. The treaty between the Fallen and the Brotherhood has been broken, and war between the immortals seems imminent. The price of loving Celine was costly. But Celine has also paid a high price for loving Bastien.

Still recovering from injuries sustained during a night she can’t quite remember, her dreams are troubled. And she doesn’t know she has inadvertently set into motion a chain of events that could lead to her demise and unveil a truth about herself she’s not quite ready to learn.

Forces hiding in the shadows have been patiently waiting for this moment for centuries. And just as Bastien and Celine begin to uncover the danger around them, they learn their love could tear them apart.

The post Review: The Damned by Renée Ahdieh appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Saoirse doesn’t believe in love at first sight or happy endings. But after a chance encounter at an end-of-term house party, Saoirse is about to break her own rules. For a girl with one blue freckle, an irresistible sense of mischief, and a passion for rom-coms.

Influence by Sara Shepard and Lilia Buckingham
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Get ready to delve into the world of teen influencers like you’ve never done before–from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of PRETTY LITTLE LIARS Sara Shepard and sixteen-year-old actress and social media personality Lilia Buckingham comes a twisty mystery that takes place in the fiercely competitive world of Internet stars. (Note: Influence has now been pushed back to January 2021)

Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi
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A reimagining of the story behind Agent 355–a New York society girl and spy for George Washington during the Revolutionary War–perfect for fans of Tatiana de Rosnay’s Sarah’s Key and the novels of Julie Berry.

I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee
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The world of K-Pop has never met a star like this. Debut author Lyla Lee delivers a deliciously fun, thoughtful rom-com celebrating confidence and body positivity—perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Julie Murphy.

You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Liz’s plans to attend the uber-elite Pennington College come crashing down until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, and the only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?

Category Five by Ann Dávila Cardinal
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Category Five is a new supernatural YA thriller from Ann Dávila Cardinal, set against the backdrop of a post-hurricane Puerto Rico.

I Think I Love You by Auriane Desombre
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A YA contemporary rom com about arch-nemeses Emma, a die-hard romantic, and more-practical minded Sophia who find themselves competing against one another for a coveted first-prize trip to a film festival in Los Angeles . . . what happens if their rivalry turns into a romance?

Hood by Jenny Elder Moke
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In Hood, author Jenny Elder Moke reimagines the world of Robin Hood in lush, historical detail and imbues her story with more breathless action than has ever come out of Sherwood Forest before. This novel is a must-read for historical-fiction fans, adventure lovers, and reluctant readers alike!

The Damned by Renée Ahdieh
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with the second instalment of her new sumptuous, sultry and romantic series, The Beautiful.

I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick
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This gripping thriller follows two teens whose lives become inextricably linked when one confesses to murder and the other becomes determined to uncover the real truth no matter the cost.

The State of Us by Shaun David Hutchinson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

It’s a new modern-day, star-crossed romance about what it really means to love your country—and yourself—from the acclaimed author of We Are the Ants and Brave Face, Shaun David Hutchinson.

You Say It First by Katie Cotugno
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

You Say It First is a propulsive, layered novel about how sometimes the person who has the least in common with us can be the one who changes us most.

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

The post June 2020 Book Releases: YA appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Who’s ready to get their hands on some new YA releases!? We definitely are and we bet you can’t wait too! We love a new year because that means there’s going to be so many new books coming out over the next 12 months from authors we already love as well as authors releasing their very first novel into the wild!

Naturally there’s many books being released, so we’ve narrowed it down to 48 titles that we are really looking forward to being released between the months of January and June!

So, what can we expect from 2020? Well there’s new books from familiar names such as Cassandra Clare, Melissa de la Cruz, Suzanne Collins,  Alwyn Hamilton, and many more! In terms of content, there’s gender-swapped retellings, vampires, assassins, magic, thrillers, dragons, sweet contemporaries, stories of friendship, tales of love and revenge, and much, much more!

Read on to discover just a few of our favourites and tell us in the comments if you are looking forward to any of these releases!

JANUARY

Oasis by Katya de Becerra
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this young adult thriller for fans of Lost and The Twilight Zone, a group of teens are saved when they come across a mysterious oasis. But who will save them from the oasis?

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen, and praised as “an intense rush of rebellion and romance” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Garber, this romantic and layered Own Voices debut from Abigail Hing Wen is a dazzling, fun-filled romp.

Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

With Anna-Marie McLemore’s signature lush prose, Dark and Deepest Red pairs the forbidding magic of a fairy tale with a modern story of passion and betrayal.

Rogue Princess by B.R. Myers
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A princess fleeing an arranged marriage teams up with a snarky commoner to foil a rebel plot in B. R. Myers’ Rogue Princess, a gender-swapped sci-fi YA retelling of Cinderella.

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A lush tapestry of magic, romance, and revolución, drawing inspiration from Bolivian politics and history.

Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard by Echo Brown
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Heavily autobiographical and infused with magical realism, Black Girl Unlimited fearlessly explores the intersections of poverty, sexual violence, depression, racism, and sexism―all through the arc of a transcendent coming-of-age story for fans of Renee Watson’s Piecing Me Together and Ibi Zoboi’s American Street.

Blood Countess by Lana Popović
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A historical YA horror novel based on the infamous real-life inspiration for Countess Dracula.

Don’t Read the Comments by Eric Smith
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Slay meets Eliza and Her Monsters in Eric Smith’s Don’t Read the Comments, an #ownvoices story in which two teen gamers find their virtual worlds – and blossoming romance – invaded by the real-world issues of trolling and doxing in the gaming community.

FEBRUARY

The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Tricia Levenseller, author of Daughter of the Pirate King, is back with an epic YA tale of ambition and love in The Shadows Between Us…

The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Teen boys find love when their parents’ NASA mission uproots their lives in this sweet debut perfect for Adam Silvera fans.

The Queen’s Assassin by Melissa de la Cruz
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Red Queen, this is the first novel in a sweeping YA fantasy-romance duet about a deadly assassin, his mysterious apprentice, and the country they are sworn to protect from #1 NYT bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.

Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

New York Times bestselling authors Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed have crafted a resonant, funny, and memorable story about the power of love and resistance.

Belle Révolte by Linsey Miller
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of the Mask of Shadows duology comes a standalone fantasy where two young women must trade lives, work together to stay alive, and end a war caused by magic and greed.

The Last Confession of Autumn Casterly by Meredith Tate
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

If I Stay meets One of Us is Lying in this gripping contemporary thriller.

Ink in the Blood by Kim Smejkal
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A lush, dark YA fantasy debut that weaves together tattoo magic, faith, and eccentric theater in a world where lies are currency and ink is a weapon, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kendare Blake.

Foul Is Fair by Hannah Capin
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Foul is Fair is a bloody, thrilling revenge fantasy for the girls who have had enough. Golden boys beware: something wicked this way comes.

MARCH

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Chain of Gold is the first novel in a new trilogy that stars the Shadowhunters of Edwardian London.

Bone ​Crier’s Moon by Kathryn Purdie
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathryn Purdie comes a high-stakes fantasy duology flush with doomed romance and macabre magic, perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber and Roshani Chokshi.

Anna K.: A Love Story by Jenny Lee
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Dazzlingly opulent and emotionally riveting, Anna K.: A Love Story is a brilliant reimagining of Leo Tolstoy’s timeless love story, Anna Karenina―but above all, it is a novel about the dizzying, glorious, heart-stopping experience of first love and first heartbreak.

Greythorne by Crystal Smith
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Brimming with deliciously mysterious magic, political intrigue, and a passionate heroine who will do anything to save the ones she loves—this highly anticipated sequel to Bloodleaf won’t disappoint.

Harley in the Sky by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Greatest Showman meets This Is Us by way of Sarah Dessen in this heart-wrenching, hopeful contemporary novel about a multiracial teen who risks it all to follow her dreams by joining the circus, from the critically acclaimed author of Starfish.

Havenfall by Sara Holland
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A safe haven between four realms. The girl sworn to protect it–at any cost. New York Times bestselling author Sara Holland crafts a breathtaking new contemporary fantasy perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Holly Black.

Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets Clueless in this boy-meets-boy spin on Grease.

When We Were Magic by Sarah Gailey
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A sly, witchy dark comedy about four teens whose magic goes wildly awry from Magic for Liars author Sarah Gailey, who Chuck Wendig calls an “author to watch.”

APRIL

Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Jack Kerouac Is Dead to Me by Gae Polisner
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Gae Polisner’s Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me is a story about the fragility of female friendship, of falling in love and wondering if you are ready for more, and of the glimmers of hope we find by taking stock in ourselves.

Time of Our Lives by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A reflective, romantic coming-of-age novel that explores life after high school–perfect for fans of Fangirl and Emergency Contact.

The Lucky Ones by Liz Lawson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

For fans of Thirteen Reasons Why, This Is How It Ends, and All the Bright Places, comes a new novel about life after. How do you put yourself back together when it seems like you’ve lost it all?

Clique Bait by Ann Valett
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Pretty Little Liars meets Burn for Burn in this thrilling debut from Wattpad star Ann Valett.

Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of Hot Dog Girl comes a fresh and funny YA contemporary romance about two teens who fall in love in an indie comic book shop.

Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From author Kelly Quindlen comes a poignant and deeply relatable story about friendship, self-acceptance, what it means to be a Real Teenager. Late to the Party is an ode to late bloomers and wallflowers everywhere.

Loveless by Alice Oseman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Loveless is a journey of identity, self-acceptance, and finding out how many different types of love there really are. And that no one is really loveless after all.

MAY

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The post 48 YA Book Releases To Look Out For In 2020 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.